As a 36-year veteran of the Voice of America (VOA), Alan Heil traveled to more than 40 countries a foreign correspondent in the Middle East, and later as director of News and Current Affairs, deputy director of programs, and deputy director of the nation’s largest publicly-funded overseas multimedia network. Today, VOA reaches more than 275 million people around the world each week via radio, television and online media.
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It’s nothing less than a revival of a new Cold War to counter VOA and BBC broadcasts during Russia’s assault and occupation of Ukraine. The international community, the United States and NATO are all reacting vigorously to the latest news about Russia’s forces threatening Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, and its southern shore communities. The Associated…
A United Nations panel issued a report on February 28 describing the impact of climate change globally, and possible ways of combatting its threat to humanity. Climate change’s impacts are worse than scientists expected, the panel warned, and will only accelerate. Summarizing its conclusions about the threat: *Its impacts are increasing rapidly, and some are…
United States defense experts said they believe the Russian assault on its East European neighbor has encountered “considerable global resistance.” Moscow apparently has won no public support from its neighbors and significant domestic opposition since it launched a full-scale assault on Ukraine on February 23. Five days later, Russian forces were still facing unexpectedly fierce…
In a comprehensive roundup 24 hours after Russian forces began swooping into Ukraine on February 23, Voice of America correspondent Steve Herman summarized the outlook: “In the hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine — although no country has declared war on Russia — many are asking: ‘Is this the start…
As 2022 dawned six weeks ago, it was difficult to imagine that America would be reading headlines about two new life-threatening crises in Europe and Asia: *In Europe, Russian threats to invade neighboring Ukraine, potentially causing the loss of thousands of lives. *In Afghanistan, a growing hunger crisis that could kill 23 million people after…
Volunteer citizen aid to newly-arriving Afghan refugees in the United States has lit a bright new spark of hope. And many local communities in our country are moving to teach and assist the new Afghan arrivals as they confront unique challenges today. Welcoming the Afghan refugees as they adjust to a life-changing experience Washington Post…
Journalist Rojas passed away at a nursing facility in Maryland after a battle with cancer and kidney failure. She was New York’s first Latina broadcaster at WCBS-TV in 1968. Ms. Rojas went on to a 32-year career on-air in every major network affiliate in Manhattan and later in Chicago. New York Times correspondent Sam Roberts…
A panel of media and foreign affairs experts gathered February 3 in Washington to assess America’s largest publicly-financed media organization at a landmark historic week in Voice history. Among them: —VOA Acting Director Yolanda Lopez —Sanford (Sandy) Ungar, Director of the Free Speech Project at Georgetown University and Former VOA Director —Roya Mahboob of Afghanistan’s…
In Washington, European capitals and Moscow, the future of Ukraine remains at the forefront of a crucial effort to avoid the most dangerous international crisis since the Cold War. In recent weeks, there has been a buildup of Russian troops east and north of Ukraine — the latest estimates are forces numbering more than 100,000,…
A little past midnight on February 1, 1942, a then rookie potential staff of the Voice of America was summoned to a New York studio to record VOA’s first-ever broadcast to the world. It was an incredible moment. A pair of startled Voice announcers wore tuxes, having been summoned from Manhattan operas for their long-awaited…