Newsletter Archive

Fears of being arrested and deported plague illegal immigrants in Harrisburg, the state capital of Pennsylvania. Hispanics account for 18 percent of the city’s 49,000 residents. They come mostly from Mexico and other Central American nations to work for landscaping companies, meatpacking plants and other local industries. The government won’t release arrest numbers for Pennsylvania or the Harrisburg area, but since President Donald Trump took office, overall immigration-related arrests are up 42 percent.

North Korea defectors are wary of the ‘army of beauties’ Pyongyang is sending to next month’s Olympics in neighboring South Korea. The 230-member all-female cheerleading squad will be part of a large North Korean Olympic delegation. Skeptics see the women, chosen for their looks and loyalty to the state, as an effective propaganda tool. The most famous former cheering squad member is the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Defectors who suffered under the repressive Kim government are wary of the North’s Olympic charm offensive.

VIDEO: Africans are often excluded from conversations about immigration reform, especially along the US border with Mexico. They make up only about five percent of undocumented migrants arriving in the United States. In San Antonio, Texas, VOA speaks with a man from Sierra Leone who is currently in detention, and faces the prospect of prolonged court battles to avoid being deported.

War has taken a toll on Syria’s deep-rooted artistic culture. But Americans can still enjoy a taste of the country’s food and handicrafts at a cafe and galley in the US eastern state of Maryland. The business is run by members of a Syrian immigrant family who are dedicated to preserving their cultural heritage while also supporting Syrian artisans by providing a market for their products. The Alghatrif family also wants to show Americans what is rarely seen on the news — the beautiful face of Syria.

The ‘smart thermometer’ is just in time for the nation’s worst flu season in15 years. Developed by health data company, Kinsa, the connected thermometer tracks where the flu is spreading by gathering data in real time. Kinsa makes money selling the data to companies — such as providers of cough-and-cold medicine or disinfectant manufacturers — who can profit from it. But beyond the money motive, Kinsa’s data collection could potentially help prevent pandemics and epidemics.