American actor and director Liev Schreiber says events in Ukraine didn’t impact him much before the Russian invasion. Due to the war, he became deeply involved in charity work and rediscovered the Ukrainian part of his heritage. VOA’s Tatiana Vorozhko reports.

Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, couples there continue to get married. For many, the war itself prompted them to officially tie the knot – especially military couples. At least one jewelry store provides military couples with free wedding bands; wedding ceremonies are often held online, at times, literally from the front lines. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story.

Music is truly a magical, universal language: one that students in a South African township outside of Johannesburg are learning. Romain Chanson reports for VOA in this story, narrated by Carol Guensburg.

The Golden State Warriors triumphed over the Boston Celtics on Thursday with a 103-90 victory in Game Six of the NBA Finals in Boston, marking the fourth time the Warriors have won the trophy in eight years. The Warriors' victory came just two seasons after finishing at the bottom of the league, following injuries to star players Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Curry and Thompson were at the top of their game Thursday, however, with Curry scoring 34 points, while Thompson scored 12 points on 5 of 20 shooting in the championship finale. The two players hugged each other at the final bell. Draymond Green also contributed to the Warriors win with 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. The Celtics Jaylen Brown scored 34 points and teammate Al Horford scored 19 with 14 rebounds. Meanwhile, their Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum was held to 13 points on 6 of 18 shooting. The Celtics last won the NBA title in 2008.

Citing "concern about holding individual athletes accountable for the actions and decisions of their governments," the U.S. Tennis Association will let Russian and Belarusian tennis players participate in the U.S. Open later this summer. Wimbledon will still maintain the ban on those athletes, which will include the world’s No. 1 player, Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev is the defending U.S. Open champion. Wimbledon starts June 27 in England. The U.S. Open starts August 29 in New York. Players from Russia and Belarus will participate under a neutral flag. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, Russian athletes have been banned from competing in a variety of sports, including soccer's World Cup qualifying playoffs. Some information in this report comes from The Associated Press and Reuters.

Many people consider prisons to be places to “lock criminals away” until their “time is up.” A growing understanding about healing and the skills needed for people to successfully rejoin their communities has led one state to provide a novel option for inmates. It’s a radio station. From Denver, Colorado, Shelley Schlender reports. Camera: Scott Stearns

About 5 million Ukrainian refugees have fled to other parts of Europe since Russia’s assault on their homeland began in February. Among them: nearly three dozen dancers from the Kyiv City Ballet. They’ve found refuge in Paris and continue to perform and plan foreign tours, but the conflict is never far away. For VOA, Lisa Bryant has more from Paris.

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month. In the Western U.S. state of Colorado, multimedia artists are exploring the intersections of gender identity and disability. VOA's Scott Stearns has the story from Denver. WARNING: The video contains a brief depiction of nudity.

An exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art is showcasing a sculpture of a Hindu god that was carved into a Cambodian mountain around year 600. VOA’s Chetra Chap reports on the importance of this Hindu sculpture to a nation that is now primarily Buddhist.

Although the war in Ukraine has entered its fourth month, local artists have not stopped working. For many Ukrainians, art during the wartime is a powerful tool that helps people stay strong and inspired. Omelyan Oshchudlyak has the story. Video Editor: Yuriy Dankevych

Afghan and Pakistani artists held a protest in front of press club in Peshawar, Pakistan, against the crackdown on Afghan artists who fled their country after the Taliban’s takeover. Muska Safi has more from Peshawar in this report, narrated by Nazrana Yousufzai. Contributors: Nazrana Yousufzai, Roshan Noorzai

In Mogadishu, a group of young filmmakers are hoping to take their vision to the world. VOA’s Abdulkadir Zubeyr reports.

President Joe Biden hosted K-pop supergroup BTS on May 31, 2022, to raise awareness of anti-Asian discrimination. Members of the Grammy-nominated South Korean group also serve as U.N. ambassadors. VOA White House Correspondent Anita Powell reports from the White House.

President Joe Biden hosted K-pop supergroup BTS Tuesday to raise awareness of anti-Asian discrimination. The septet is South Korea's most prominent crossover act, bagging two Grammy nominations and an armful of American music awards and garnering widespread appeal among American teens. They're also U.N. ambassadors. VOA White House Correspondent Anita Powell reports from the White House. 

Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra, which won the Eurovision this year, has auctioned its trophy for a $900,000 donation to a foundation that helps the Ukrainian army. The trophy -- a large crystal microphone with the song contest's logo -- was put up for auction on Facebook. The bidding ended Saturday night and was won by WhiteBIT, a Ukrainian bitcoin company.  "You guys are amazing!" Kalush Orchestra wrote on Facebook late Sunday announcing the winner. "Special thanks to the WhiteBIT team who bought the trophy for $900,000 and are now the rightful owners." The band said that funds raised in auction, which could be entered using cryptocurrencies, will be donated to the Prytula Foundation, which helps the Ukrainian army. The group Kalush Orchestra won the European contest on May 14 with its song "Stefania" mixing hip-hop and traditional music. Russia, which invaded Ukraine on February 24, was excluded from the competition.