Newsletter Archive

A grim underground world exists not far from the Las Vegas Strip. Hundreds of homeless people have taken shelter in underground drainage tunnels. Many are drug addicts who’ve learned how to exist in the flood channels with everything they need except running water. VOA visits one tunnel home where there’s carpet, art on the walls and electricity.

Two gang rapes, including one filmed and shared on social media, have prompted demands for reform in the nation of Mali. Authorities have arrested 14 people in connection with the two rapes, including four assailants believed to be on the video. But advocates say the arrests aren’t enough and are calling for legal reforms and cultural changes.

VIDEO EXPLAINER: North Korea is one of the most isolated and least diverse nations on earth. North Koreans live in a world that most outside of the country are unfamiliar with. But here’s what we do know about daily life in North Korea.

VIDEO: From refugee dishwasher to US cardiologist. Dr. Heval Mohamed Kelli has come a long way from his humble beginnings in Syria. After arriving in the US in 2001, the Kurdish man worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant to help support his family. But he never let go of his dream to become a doctor. And now that he is, Kelli is helping other US refugees.

The robot who asked to go to college. Meet Bina48, a machine with the thoughts, opinions and memories of a real woman. The robot uses existing knowledge from this ‘mindfile’ to process new information and she can speak in a human-like way. Here’s how this thinking machine decided she’d like to go to college.

VIDEO: ‘It’s like a black prom at the movies.’ American filmgoers, including blacks proudly wearing African prints, are flocking to the latest installment in Marvel’s cinematic universe, which features an African prince who becomes a superhero. Black Panther shattered box office expectations, earning $242 million in its first four days. For many in America’s black community, Black Panther is more than a movie, it’s an affirmation of pride in their African roots.