Tributes poured in Thursday for Andre Previn, the multifaceted artist renowned for his mastery of classical music as well as jazz, who has died at age 89.    The prolific German-American musician with four Oscars, 10 Grammys and a coveted … Continue reading →

It was acting, not love, when Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper sang a duet Sunday at the 91st Academy Awards.   Gaga discussed the emotional performance of “Shallow” from their film “A Star Is Born” during an appearance Wednesday on … Continue reading →

On a clear, frigid night in a courtyard made of walls of ice, Bruce McCafferty and his young son stand mesmerized, bathed in the pulsating rainbow light emanating from a series of stout ice formations. McCafferty and his son Dougie … Continue reading →

The family of Michael Jackson had a feeling the years-old child molestation allegations against the pop superstar would resurface at some point. So they say they weren’t entirely surprised to learn that a forthcoming HBO documentary would feature two of … Continue reading →

The first Iranian-American woman to win an Oscar, Rayka Zehtabchi, says she wants to build on Sunday’s triumph of her documentary about menstruation by producing several films with Iran-related themes. “I’m very interested in telling Iranian stories as well as … Continue reading →

A library run by a volunteer group in New Delhi’s largest slum resettlement colony is helping underprivileged teenagers become writers. Some have had their stories published in India’s best-known Hindi language literary magazine as well as in other publications. For … Continue reading →

Smith is the most common last name in the United States, followed by Johnson, Miller, Jones, Williams, and Anderson, according to genealogy company Ancestry.com. What the most common surnames in the United States have in common is that they all … Continue reading →

The famed annual Venice Carnival is in full swing with revelers donning beautiful costumes and extraordinary masks. The masks range from historical classics, to modern, original creations. VOAs Deborah Block takes us to a shop in the city of canals … Continue reading →

There is more than a century of Iraqi history in Sheikh Yousif Akar’s house, a modest home in the holy city of Najaf which the retired teacher has crammed full of local antiques collected over 50 years. Rifles dating back … Continue reading →

Mexico’s president on Monday denounced racism in his country a day after the Mexican film Roma emerged as a big winner at the Academy Awards with a plot that highlighted prejudice and inequality. Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron won the best … Continue reading →

R&B singer R. Kelly’s attorney entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client Monday as the singer faces multiple charges of sexual abuse in Chicago. Kelly, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, entered the courtroom … Continue reading →

President Donald Trump is going after director Spike Lee, who used his Oscar acceptance speech to urge mobilization for the 2020 election. Trump tweeted Monday that Lee did a “racist hit on your President.” Trump claimed that he had “done … Continue reading →

Green Book, the heartwarming drama about the friendship between an eclectic African – American musician and his uncouth white driver during the segregation era won three Academy awards including Best Picture. That most coveted award fit right in to the … Continue reading →

The United States has a long tradition of recognizing foreign figures by naming streets after them. Often that’s done at the request of an immigrant community with a significant presence in the area. That’s the case along of stretch of … Continue reading →

Two years after his “Moonlight” triumphed on the eve of the Oscars, Barry Jenkins’ adaptation of the James Baldwin novel “If Beale Street Could Talk” Saturday topped the 34th Film Independent Spirit Awards, winning best film, best director and best … Continue reading →

The number of hate crimes, or crimes against a protected minority, has increased over the last several years in the United States. Advocates fear the alleged false reporting of a hate crime by an American actor may cause people to … Continue reading →

The Oscars this year features a diverse range of nominations from the first Netflix film, Roma to Black Panther as possibly the first superhero film that could win the Best Picture award. Since the twitter campaign #OscarsSoWhite began in 2015, … Continue reading →

R&B star R. Kelly was taken into custody after arriving Friday night at a Chicago police precinct, hours after authorities announced multiple charges of aggravated sexual abuse involving four victims, including at least three between the ages of 13 and … Continue reading →

Actor Jussie Smollett’s character is being removed from the final two episodes of Fox’s hip-hop drama Empire after he was arrested and accused of staging a hoax hate crime attack on himself, show officials said Friday. The move came a … Continue reading →

Children’s author and illustrator Mo Willems sees creativity as part of a grownup’s job. “Having a child is an opportunity to be silly again,” said Willems, who has been named the Kennedy Center’s first “Education Artist-In-Residence.” “I think parents forget … Continue reading →

The 91st Academy of Motion Pictures Awards ceremony is Sunday at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Although this year’s Oscars are still officially without a host for a second time in their history, Los Angeles is getting ready. VOA’s Anna … Continue reading →