Newsletter Archive

The Olympic spirit survives and thrives in Salt Lake City, where the 2002 Winter Games were held. While the Olympic facilities in other countries have fallen into disrepair, Utah’s Olympic Park remains active as a training center for elite athletes while also grooming future Olympians.

VIDEO EXPLAINER: The 23rd Olympic Winter Games have officially kicked off in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The spectacular opening ceremonies were a far cry from the original Olympic Games held nearly 3,000 years ago in Olympia Greece.

Visitors are feeling more at ease at the opening of the ‘Peace Games‘ in South Korea. VOA checks in with folks in Pyeongchang, where the Winter Olympics are being held. The games opened with a ceremony in which North and South Korean athletes marched under a unified flag, which some people in attendance welcome.

The tuition-free education of Simone Biles. The Olympic champion has 19 medals to her name but there’s one accolade that’s always been out of her reach until now. The all-star gymnast is finally pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at a nonprofit, tuition-free online university. Biles also happens to be an ambassador for the 9-year-old institution, where free doesn’t necessarily translate into a lack of quality. More than 6,000 administrators and educators from prestigious institutions such as Yale and the University of California Berkeley are volunteering their expertise.

Kenya’s cut-flower industry has blossomed since the 1980s. And now the country’s flower producers are hoping direct flights between Nairobi and New York will help them put down roots in the United States. VOA smells the roses in Naivasha, Kenya’s floriculture heartland, where the local roses are similar to the Colombian flowers that dominate the US market, but Kenya could have an edge.

How do you preserve grimy clothes that are stained with blood? Clothes belonging to victims of mass crimes not only have historical value, but they’re also ‘forensic evidence’ that might need to be analyzed in the future. That’s why articles of clothing worn by victims of Cambodia’s genocide are being stored using a new technology.

Mired in corruption charges is how South African President Jacob Zuma started his presidency and that’s also how he is likely to end his years in power. Since Zuma was replaced as head of the ruling party in December, the ANC has turned against him and a looming no-confidence vote is scheduled for February 22. Whenever he does leave office, the outgoing president is unlikely to enjoy a quiet retirement.