Newsletter Archive

Buoyed by a strong economy, President Trump is vowing to campaign hard for Republican congressional candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. But the president is blasting away on Twitter on a number of other issues, which could be a major distraction from the upbeat economic message most Republicans believe is their best chance of limiting Democratic gains in November.

How is China’s state-run media reacting to President Trump’s tariffs? Beijing recently slapped additional duties ranging from five to 25 percent on $60 billion worth of American goods. This was in response to Trump administration’s proposal of a 25 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. VOA reports from Beijing that Washington’s actions come at an especially bad time for China.

Chileans are learning the downside of economic success. Chile has one of Latin America’s strongest economies, good salaries and low corruption. Waves of migrants from poorer surrounding countries are heading to Chile, putting a strain on social services and causing resentment among the locals. VOA is in Santiago where the issue is becoming as politicized as in the US and Europe.

Men pretty much run the show in Afghanistan, a patriarchal society where women are seldom seen in positions of authority. But a women’s rights activist who has translated Ivanka Trump’s book, Women Who Work, into Pashto wants to change that. Shafiqa Khpalwak tells VOA’s Afghan Service that she hopes first daughter’s book will encourage Afghan women to step up and take leadership roles in in their communities.

VIDEO: The ancient art of calligraphy is being kept alive by a Kurdish artist in Iraq. The interior walls of many mosques are often designed on a computer, and then printed out and pasted to the wall. But Nahro Qadir spends hundreds of hours painting ornate, colorful designs because he believes the true value and meaning of art comes from creating pieces by hand. VOA spends a day with the artist in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, as he works on a project Qadir says brings peace to the soul.

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