This was the first Eid al-Fitr in the United States for most of the more than 70,000 Afghan refugees who came to the country following the Taliban takeover last August. For VOA, Genia Dulot met with some of those refugees in California to see how they are marking the end of Ramadan. Camera:  Genia Dulot   …

Hundreds of A-listers dressed to the theme of “gilded glamour”  gathered Monday in New York for the annual Met Gala extravaganza known as “the party of the year. The fundraiser is back in its usual early May slot after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 event and delayed last year’s edition to autumn.    Some 400 celebrities from the worlds of music, film, fashion, sports and more  strutted their stuff at the over-the-top costume parade on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s carpeted steps. The invitation-only guest list is a closely guarded secret, but frequent attendees have included Beyoncé, Justin Bieber and Elon Musk.   Some of the more eye-catching outfits worn over the years have included Beyoncé’s “naked dress” and Kim Kardashian’s face-covering black bodysuit.     In 2019, the last edition before the pandemic, Lady Gaga did a striptease of four different outfits, starting in a billowing fuchsia dress and ending in black lingerie.  Also grabbing headlines that year was singer and actor Billy Porter, who dressed as a sun god. With outstretched golden wings, he was carried in by six shirtless men. At last year’s event, held in September, left-wing politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez caused a stir by wearing …

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported there was a spike in Islamophobia and a surge in hate crimes against Muslims in the United States last year. The council recommends bringing minority communities together to try to defuse tensions. One such effort is linked to celebrations to mark the end of the Muslim month of Ramadan. VOA’s Saqib Ul Islam reports from a Sikh community in Virginia. Camera:  Saqib Ul Islam    
Produced by: Saqib Ul Islam     …

The UEFA Champions League, soccer’s governing body, announced Monday the Russian women’s soccer team will be banned from the Women’s European Championship in July and from participating in qualifying for next year’s World Cup over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian team will be replaced by the Portuguese team for the tournament that will be played from July 6-31 in England. Russian soccer faced a slew of bans following the invasion. “Further to its 28 February 2022 decision to suspend all Russian representative teams and clubs from participating in UEFA competition matches until further notice, the UEFA Executive Committee today took a series of decisions relating to the implications of that decision for its upcoming competitions, in order to ensure their smooth staging in a safe and secure environment for all those concerned,” UEFA said in a press release. UEFA also denied Russia’s bid to host the men’s European championships in 2028 and 2032. Russian club teams will also be barred from participating in the Champions League, the Europa League and the Europa Conference League next year. The Russian national men’s team was already banned from the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Some information in this report comes from Reuters. …

Skateboarding tends to be the domain of the young and agile. But as Genia Dulot reports from Los Angeles, Tracie Garacochea finds age and limited mobility are no barriers to the sport or other aspects of her life. Videographer: Genia Dulot Produced by: Genia Dulot, Jack Lacy …

Egyptian worshippers, workers, families, and friends are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the three-day Islamic holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. …

Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre has announced it is cancelling the performances directed by Kirill Serebrennikov and Timofey Kulyabin who have spoken out against Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. Late Sunday, Russia’s top theatre announced that instead of the three performances of “Nureev,” a ballet directed by Serebrennikov, the audiences this week will see a production of Aram Khachaturian’s ballet, “Spartacus.” The prestigious theatre also said that instead of “Don Pasquale,” a comic opera by Gaetano Donizetti directed by Timofey Kulyabin, audiences this week will see a production of Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” The Bolshoi did not give any reason for the cancellations and spokeswoman Katerina Novikova told AFP on Monday that she had no “official” comment. The Bolshoi performed “Spartacus” in early April, saying that proceeds would be used to help the families of Russian troops who died in Ukraine. Serebrennikov, 52, was allowed in March to leave Russia, where he had been found guilty in 2020 of embezzling funds at Moscow’s Gogol Centre theatre. His supporters say the conviction was revenge for his criticism of authoritarianism and homophobia under President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to AFP in Berlin last month, Serebrennikov said he felt “just horror, sadness, shame, pain” …

U.S. President Joe Biden is hosting a reception Monday to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Biden will be joined at the White House event by his wife, Jill, and Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris. “The tradition of religious freedom for all strengthens our country, and we will continue to work with Americans of all beliefs and backgrounds to safeguard and deepen our collective commitment to this fundamental principle,” the Bidens said in a statement late Sunday. “This year, we will resume the tradition of celebrating Eid at the White House, and of honoring the inspiring Muslim Americans who are leading efforts to build greater understanding and unity across our nation.” Last year’s White House Eid celebration was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Bidens also highlighted the “millions of displaced persons and refugees around the globe who are spending this sacred holiday separated from their families and unsure of their future.” They said the nation must “uphold our commitment to serving as a beacon of hope for oppressed people around the world.” …

Ray Charles and The Judds joined the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday in a ceremony filled with tears, music and laughter, just a day after Naomi Judd died unexpectedly. The loss of Naomi Judd altered the normally celebratory ceremony, but the music played on, as the genre’s singers and musicians mourned Naomi Judd while also celebrating the four inductees: The Judds, Ray Charles, Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill and many more performed their hit songs. Naomi and Wynonna Judd were among the most popular duos of the 1980s, scoring 14 No. 1 hits during their nearly three-decade career. On the eve of her induction, the family said in a statement to The Associated Press that Naomi Judd died at the age of 76 due to “the disease of mental illness.” Daughters Wynonna and Ashley Judd accepted the induction amid tears, holding onto each other and reciting a Bible verse together. “I’m sorry that she couldn’t hang on until today,” Ashley Judd said of her mother to the crowd while crying. Wynonna Judd talked about the family gathering as they said goodbye to her and she and Ashley Judd recited Psalm 23. “Though …

Afghan Taekwondo champion Nisar Ahmad Abdulrahimzai fled Afghanistan for Ukraine and is now in Switzerland. Despite his circumstances, he says he is ready to represent Afghanistan in competition. VOA’s Waheed Faizi has the story. …