Voice of America Arts & Entertainment

1. Amid pope's big Holy Year, overtourism aggravates housing crisis

   When Pope Francis left the Vatican earlier this month for his traditional Christmastime outing downtown, he acknowledged what many Romans have been complaining about for months: That his big plans for a Holy Year had turned their city into a giant construction pit, with traffic-clogging roadworks tearing up major thoroughfares, scaffolding covering prized monuments and short-term rentals...

2. Pennsylvania's Bethlehem, founded by Moravians on Christmas eve, keeps its traditions alive

   BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA — On Christmas Eve in 1741, Moravian settlers named this Pennsylvania city after the biblical birthplace of Jesus. Nearly 300 years later, Moravians continue celebrating their Christmas season traditions in Bethlehem. They include the "putz," a Nativity scene that tells the story of Christ's birth with miniature wooden figurines, the making of thousands of beeswax...

3. Capybaras take their turn as the holiday season's 'it' animal

   ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI — The world's largest rodent is having a big moment. The capybara – a semi-aquatic South American relative of the guinea pig -- is the latest in a long line of "it" animals to get star treatment during the holiday shopping season. Shoppers can find capybara slippers, purses, robes and bath bombs. There are cuddly plush capybaras and stretchy or squishy ones. Tiny...

4. National Building Museum in Washington unveils new exhibition

   The National Building Museum has unveiled a new exhibition featuring over 2,500 rare artifacts. It’s called “Visible Vault: Open Collections’ and offers a glimpse into the history of architecture and construction. Maxim Adams has the story. Camera: Sergii Dogotar

5. Finding home: Ukrainian teens adjust to life in New York

   For Ukrainian teens displaced by war, adjusting to life in a new country is a complex journey. In New York City, there's a school helping many of these students find a second home. Johny Fernandez reports from the Big Apple.

6. First winner of FIFA’s Marta Award? Marta, of course

   DOHA, QATAR — It could only have been her.  Marta won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women's soccer — named after the Brazil great.  The 38-year-old was given the Marta Award at FIFA's "The Best" awards on Tuesday for her goal for Brazil in an international friendly against Jamaica in June.  Prior to this year, the Puskas award covered all of soccer but it was decided to...

7. 'North Pole' flight takes kids to Santa in transformed Denver airport hangar

   Denver, Colorado — Dozens of kids cheered on a festively decked-out plane in Denver on Saturday when the pilot announced their destination for the day: the North Pole. More than 100 children, some of whom have serious health issues, were then taken on a roughly 45-minute flight near the city before landing back at Denver International Airport and being towed to a hangar transformed by United...

8. 'Kraven the Hunter' flops while 'Moana 2' tops the box office again

   The Spider-Man spinoff "Kraven the Hunter" got off to a disastrous start in North American theaters this weekend.  The movie starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson earned only $11 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, making it one of the worst openings for a Marvel-adjacent property. Its box office take was even less than the film "Madame Web."  The weekend's other major studio release was...

9. Greece's only miniature therapy horses bring joy to many, but the charity is struggling

   ATHENS, GREECE — Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, a smile spreads across the little girl's face. Blinking behind her glasses, she inches her wheelchair forward and gently reaches out to stroke the tiny gray horse. Soon, 9-year-old Josifina Topa Mazuch is beaming as she leads Ivi, a specially trained miniature horse, standing no taller than her pink wheelchair, through the school...

10. New Zealander who doesn’t speak Spanish wins Spanish world Scrabble title

    WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — A New Zealand man playing his first-ever competitive Scrabble game in Spanish, a language he doesn't speak, has won the board game's Spanish-language world title. Nigel Richards, a professional player who holds five English-language world titles, won the Spanish world Scrabble championships in Granada, Spain, in November, losing one game out of 24. Richards started...