U.S. Senator John McCain said Monday he views Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, as the “greatest challenge we have,” even more so than that posed by the Islamic State group. Speaking during a visit to Australia, McCain told the Australian Broadcasting Company Russia has tried to “destroy the very fundamental of democracy” with efforts…
read moreCongressional investigations have long timelines. House Republicans do not. Two-hundred and thirty-nine House Republicans are facing down a November 2018 mid-term election, which will determine whether they get to keep their jobs. They have to weigh the merits – and the costs – of supporting President Donald Trump. On the face of it,…
read moreA new ban imposed by India’s government on the sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter to protect animals considered holy by many Hindus is drawing widespread protests from state governments and animal-related industries. Many state governments criticized the ban as a blow to beef and leather exports that will leave hundreds of thousands jobless…
read moreDevelopments over the weekend concerning President Donald Trump include his discussions with the Group of Seven over climate change, trade and North Korea, as well as his return to turmoil in Washington; while fallout from G-7 meeting leaves Merkel saying Europe can’t count on U.S. or Britain; and North Korea tests another missile: Europe Left Uneasy by…
read moreBack from his first foreign trip as president, Donald Trump confronts a Russia probe that has expanded into new areas of inquiry during his absence. VOA’s Michael Bowman reports a startling allegation is swirling around someone close to the president personally and politically: his son-in-law and top adviser, Jared Kushner. …
read morePresident Donald Trump returned to the life he is accustomed to in Washington Sunday, assailing news media reports on the White House turmoil linked to investigation of his aides and their ties to Russia. On his first morning back from a 9-day trip to the Middle East and Europe, Trump declared on Twitter that his…
read moreBritish Airways passengers continue to face delays, cancellations, and overcrowding Sunday at Heathrow Airport as the airline reels from a computer failure. The airline said that all long-haul flights will continue Sunday, but to avoid further overcrowding, passengers will only be allowed to enter the airport terminal 90 minutes before their scheduled departure. Passengers should…
read moreSaffron has long been one of the world’s most expensive spices. The saffron crocus that produces the spice grows mostly in parts of Europe, Iran and India. Now, a U.S. company seeking to “cultivate peace” is attracting attention to this historic spice and trying to develop new markets for saffron grown in Afghanistan. VOA’s Kane…
read moreU.S. President Donald Trump has told “confidants,” including the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, that he plans to leave a landmark international agreement on climate change, the Axios news website reported Saturday, citing three sources with direct knowledge. On Saturday, Trump said in a Twitter post he would decide whether to support…
read moreJim Bunning, a baseball star who later served nearly a quarter-century in the U.S. Congress, has died at age 85 in his home state of Kentucky. Bunning, who died Friday, had suffered a stroke in October 2016. He served six two-year terms as a congressman beginning in 1987, and was elected twice to the U.S.…
read moreSergio Bendixen, a pioneer in public opinion polling of Latinos who also was the first Hispanic to run a U.S. presidential campaign, has died. His business partner, Fernand Amandi, tweeted Saturday that Bendixen was 68. The Miami Herald reported that no cause was immediately given for his death in Miami on Friday. As a researcher…
read moreA key U.S. Senate committee has moved forward on new legislation aimed at countering Russian propaganda and election meddling in the United States and elsewhere. The bill, passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, is one of several Russia-targeted measures now circulating in Congress, reflecting the general attitude among many U.S. lawmakers toward…
read moreAsked about reports that U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law had tried to set up a clandestine communication channel with Russia before the president took office, U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said Saturday that so-called “back-channeling” was normal. McMaster was in Taormina, Italy, on the sideline of the Group of Seven meetings, and he did…
read moreBitcoin, the controversial digital currency, recently made headlines for reaching a record high valuation of more than $2,700, but perhaps the bigger growth potential lies in blockchain. The technology behind bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies is being explored by more conventional companies and businesses. VOA’s Tina Trinh reports from New York. …
read moreDevelopments Friday concerning President Donald Trump include his discussions on North Korea, climate change and trade at the Group of Seven meeting in Italy, newspaper reports about his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and a Senate committee seeking all Russia-related campaign documents from Trump’s presidential campaign; and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s commencement speech, in which…
read moreThe Senate Intelligence Committee, investigating Russian meddling in U.S. 2016 election, has asked President Donald Trump’s political organization to hand over all documents going back the campaign’s launch in June 2015, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing two people briefed on the request. The letter from the Senate panel seeking all documents, emails and…
read moreThe Washington Post is reporting that Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, discussed with Russia’s ambassador to Washington the possibility of setting up a secret communications channel between the Trump transition team and the Kremlin. The Post quoted U.S. officials Friday as saying that the move was meant to shield their…
read moreOnce U.S. President Donald Trump returns from his overseas trip, the White House plans to launch its most aggressive effort yet to push back against allegations involving Russia and his presidential campaign, tackling head-on a scandal that has threatened to consume his young presidency. Trump’s advisers are planning to establish a “war room” to combat…
read morePresident Donald Trump has announced his intent to nominate Henry Kerner, vice president of a nonpartisan watchdog agency, as special counsel in the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, a federal agency that protects employee rights. Kerner is the vice president of a watchdog group called Cause of Action that monitors and reports on federal government…
read moreFormer U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on graduates to fight for “truth and reason” Friday during a commencement address at her alma mater. “Don’t be afraid of your ambition, of your dreams, or even your anger,” she told Wellesley College’s class of 2017. “Those are powerful forces, but harness them to make a…
read moreThe United States takes “full responsibility” for the leaking of sensitive information in the aftermath of the suicide bombing in Manchester Monday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. On his first official trip to London Friday, Tillerson said the U.S. “regrets” that information was leaked after British officials complained about it appearing in various U.S.…
read moreClimate change was among the most contentious agenda items Friday at the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in Sicily, but both American and British government officials are publicly denying any major discord. The leaders had a “very good discussion” about climate issues, British Prime Minister Theresa May told reporters, adding there was “no doubt…
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