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Stolen Banksy Honoring Bataclan Victims Found in Italy

Italian authorities on Thursday unveiled a stolen artwork by British artist Banksy that was painted as a tribute to the victims of the 2015 terror attacks at the Bataclan music hall in Paris.L’Aquila prosecutors said the work was recovered on …


Oscars Board Elects ‘Selma’ Director as Diversity Increases

The organization behind the Oscar awards elected “Selma” director Ava DuVernay on Wednesday as it slightly increased its number of female and black governors.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has repeatedly been hit with criticism in recent years …


NASCAR Bans Confederate Flag From Races, Properties

NASCAR has banned the Confederate flag from all events and properties. NASCAR says the Confederate flag “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.” Former chairman Brian France …


Cairo Film Festival’s Art Director Resigns Amid Controversy

The art director of Cairo’s international film festival has resigned amid calls for his removal because of past inflammatory posts on social media, the festival said.  The resignation of Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky was announced Tuesday in a statement …


Grammys Make Awards Changes, Address Conflicts of Interest

The Recording Academy is making changes to several Grammy Awards categories, including the often-debated best new artist title, and having nomination review committee members sign disclosure forms to prevent conflicts of interest. The new rules announced Wednesday will affect the …


Bon Appetit’s top Editor Resigns After Offensive Photo

The editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit, Adam Rapoport, resigned after a photo of him dressed in a stereotypical Puerto Rican costume surfaced on social media.Staffers at the magazine had criticized him after the photo, of him and his wife, circulated on …


World Athletics’ Ex-Chief Lamine Diack Goes on Trial in Paris

Former World Athletics’ Chief Lamine Diack was in a Paris courtroom Monday as a corruption trial opened against him. The case involves a Russian doping scandal. Eighty-seven-year-old Lamine Diack seemed relaxed as he made his court appearance Monday, sporting a dark grey suit. Arguments in the case were originally due to start in January, but postponed when new documents …


Viewers Refute Myth That Black US Films, TV are Poor Exports

To entice a European TV executive shopping for programs a few years ago, ABC offered up glossy fare including “Scandal” starring Kerry Washington and “How to Get Away with Murder” with Oscar-winner Viola Davis.   “‘This is great, but when …


NASCAR Vows to do Better Job Addressing Racial Injustice

Bubba Wallace donned a black T-shirt with the words “I Can’t Breathe” and NASCAR paused before Sunday’s Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway to acknowledge the country’s social unrest. The governing body vowed to to do a better job of addressing racial …


Live Music-and-Dance Party, But COVID Era-Style

Social distancing in the age of COVID-19 bars crowds from dense gatherings like movies or rock concerts.  This ‘new normal’ changes the business model of venues relying on turnout for profit.  VOA’s Arash Arabasadi cues up this story of a …


Comic Strips Thank Front-Line COVID-19 Workers

Newspaper comic strips have always operated in a parallel universe, seldom reflecting the problems of the real world.No matter what the reader is going through, Dagwood has never had to apply for unemployment benefits; there’s no global warming in Mark …


Black Birdwatchers Face Racism Too

The day that George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a white woman called the police on an African American man birdwatching in New York’s Central Park.”I’m going to tell them there’s an African American man threatening my …


Meghan Speaks Out on Racial Divisions in US

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has shared her sadness about racial divisions in the United States, telling students at her former high school that she felt moved to speak out because the life of George Floyd mattered. Meghan told graduates …


Music Industry Pauses for ‘Black Out Tuesday’  

Several prominent media and entertainment organizations, including Apple and ViacomCBS, paid tribute to the call for racial equality and justice in the United States amid the recent protests, some violent, by pausing regular services and company events on what they are calling “Black Out Tuesday.”    According to Reuters, CBS …


Virus-Proofing Sports Facilities Presents Big Challenge

The jersey-wearing camaraderie. The scent of sizzling sausages. The buzz before a big game.   The distinctive atmosphere of live sports, that feeling in the air, will return in time as pandemic restrictions are eased. But will that very air …


2 Chinese Americans Use Art to Honor Frontline COVID Fighters

Using their virtual paint brushes, two Chinese-American artists are honoring frontline fighters in the battle against COVID-19.  And as VOA’s Jiu Dao reports, they are also documenting what New York City’s Chinatown is going through during these challenging times. Lin …