Afghan youths debut at Carnegie Hall
Performing in Carnegie Hall is a rare achievement for any musician. But when you come from Afghanistan, where music was banned under the Taliban’s rule, making it to New York City’s esteemed venue is all the more impressive. This week, the Afghanistan National Institute of Music’s youth orchestra staged its first tour of the U.S., where its 48 boys and girls performed Afghan songs and Western pieces in New York and Washington, D.C. The institute, launched in 2010, gives Afghans a forum to learn and play music.
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Retired teacher creates mobile classroom
A retired teacher from Florida has used her retirement money to turn a bus into a mobile classroom for underprivileged students. Estella Pyfrom, 76, spent around $900,000 decking out a bus with computers and desks, and now drives it through Palm Beach County, Fla., offering local kids a place to do homework and learn about technology. Pyfrom, a daughter of migrant farmworkers who became a licensed teacher with a master’s degree, sees the bus as an opportunity to help others rise up from poverty. “We will make a difference,” she said, “one child at a time.”
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Massacre in the favela: Rio’s police take on the gangsIn the Spotlight The ‘defence operation’ killed 132 suspected gang members, but could spark ‘more hatred and revenge’
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The John Lewis ad: touching, or just weird?Talking Point This year’s festive offering is full of 1990s nostalgia – but are hedonistic raves really the spirit of Christmas?
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Sudoku hard: November 15, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
