Newsletter Archive

Social media is making it much easier to be a Russian spy in America. In the old days, before the internet, spies had to work hard to infiltrate Western political circles in order to mount active operations, like meddling in a foreign country’s election. But now, with Facebook, LinkedIn and other social-media networking, they can combine the physical and virtual for more effective espionage operations.

Lasting damage? It might be too early to tell whether President Trump hurt himself politically during his recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump continues to defend his words and actions, tweeting Monday that he’s made no concessions to Putin. But both Democrats and Republicans have criticized Trump’s Helsinki performance.

VOA CONNECT: Alondra Mireles is an honor roll student, a member of the swim team, plays violin, interns at the police station and plans to join the National Guard someday. But her biggest accomplishment to date is being the first in her family to graduate high school.

‘Cherokee Syndrome’ it is a growing trend in the United States. The term refers to Americans who claim to have Native American ancestry, but probably don’t. Some of those checking the ‘American Indian’ box on census forms may indeed have Cherokee ancestors, but a significant number do not. Even so, they are ‘going Native’ in increasing numbers.

VIDEO: Afghan women are driving towards independence from men. Facing daily commuting problems, dozens of young women in Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif lined up to take their driving test, defying social norms that keep women from getting behind the wheel.

VIDEO: Three out of every 10 Americans have tattoos on their bodies. Millennials love the permanent markings even more; 40 percent of young people sport at least one. With tattoo artists earning about $250 an hour, the business can be lucrative, especially now that what used to be an American subculture has become a norm.