Remittances from overseas diaspora constitute a vital part of the economy of many developing nations, none more so than Somalia, where the inflows add up to more than foreign aid and investment combined. But analysts warn the industry is poorly understood by regulators and banks — and its precarious nature puts the welfare of millions…
read moreA Geneva trade official says China and Taiwan have joined many U.S. allies including Israel at the World Trade Organization to express concerns over a Trump administration executive order that seeks to maximize use of American-made goods, products and materials in government procurement. The 10 WTO members, also including the European Union, Canada and Japan,…
read moreFormer U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton strongly criticized President Donald Trump’s disruptive rhetoric on North Korea, while speaking in South Korea on Wednesday. “There is no reason for us to be bellicose and aggressive,” said Clinton during an address to the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul. Cavalier threats Clinton took issue with the president’s disparaging…
read moreTrade ministers from the United States, Canada and Mexico wrapped up a contentious fourth round of talks this week, aimed at modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement. But the Trump administration’s proposals to reshape NAFTA have some trade analysts wondering if the 23-year-old trade pact can survive. Mil Arcega has more. …
read moreThe White House is reacting furiously to a federal judge blocking President Donald Trump’s latest executive order that would have banned entry to travelers from several countries beginning Wednesday. “Today’s dangerously flawed district court order undercuts the president’s efforts to keep the American people safe and enforce minimum security standards for entry into the United…
read moreCanada’s foreign minister says there are “unconventional” and “troubling” proposals on the table as Canada, the United States and Mexico seek to update the North American Free Trade Agreement. The fourth round of talks on revising the 23-year-old NAFTA deal wrapped up Tuesday, with more talks set for Mexico next month and additional discussions early…
read moreTwo key U.S. senators, a Republican and a Democrat, reached agreement Tuesday on a two-year deal to stabilize the country’s health insurance markets and give consumers the possibility of buying cheaper policies, a deal President Donald Trump said he supports. The accord between Republican Senator Lamar Alexander and Democratic Senator Patty Murray came after weeks…
read moreFormer presidential strategist Steve Bannon is rebuffing President Donald Trump’s public plea for him to retreat in his war on the Republican establishment, personally boosting the candidacy of a challenger to incumbent Sen. Jeff Flake. Bannon plans to appear with Arizona Senate candidate Kelli Ward on Tuesday as she announces another bid for the Senate,…
read moreU.S. homebuilders are feeling more optimistic than they have in months, looking past a recent slowdown in new home sales and the risk of rising labor and materials costs following hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Tuesday rose four points to 68 this month. That’s the…
read moreU.S. President Donald Trump’s net worth declined by some $600 million to $3.1 billion in the past year, according to Forbes magazine. The biggest contributing factor to Trump’s declining fortune was his real estate holdings, much of which is in New York City. Several of his Manhattan properties have declined in value, reducing his fortune…
read moreAides to the last two U.S. presidents are sharply disputing claims by President Donald Trump that they paid little attention to the families of fallen U.S. military personnel to offer sympathy and pay tribute for their service. Trump claimed Monday that “if you look at President Obama and other presidents, most of them didn’t make…
read moreU.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday his nominee for drug czar has withdrawn from consideration for the position. “Representative Tom Marino has informed me that he is withdrawing his name from consideration as drug czar. Tom is a fine man and a great Congressman!,” Trump said on Twitter. Marino, a House Republican, withdrew his name…
read morePresident Donald Trump waded back into Southern politics Monday, showering praise on one of his earliest supporters, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. At a closed-door campaign fundraiser, Trump praised McMaster as his “friend” and “compatriot” and predicted McMaster would be the state’s governor for “many years,” according to video of the event posted by the…
read moreFor the last year, the deli that Egyptian-American Hatem El-Gamasy owns in Queens, New York has been the backdrop to on-air discussions on U.S. foreign policy and Middle Eastern affairs that are broadcast in Egypt. But when Egyptian broadcasters caught wind of his daytime job, the calls suddenly stopped. But VOA’s Ramon Taylor reports that…
read morePresident Donald Trump says he has excellent relationship with fellow Republicans in Congress. After a lunch meeting Monday Trump said he is “closer than ever before” to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican he had previously blamed for failing to accomplish the party’s agenda. Trump and McConnell promised speedy action to reform U.S.…
read moreU.S. Sen. John McCain jabbed Monday night at unnamed pushers of isolationist politics, saying at his National Constitution Center Liberty Medal ceremony in Philadelphia that abandoning America’s role as an international leader is “unpatriotic.” The six-term Republican senator from Arizona made the remarks after receiving the award for a lifetime of service and sacrifice to…
read morePresident Donald Trump blamed Cuba on Monday for the mysterious attacks that injured 22 U.S. diplomats and other Americans, but gave no details. “I do believe Cuba is responsible. I do believe that. And it’s a very unusual attack, as you know,” Trump said in a White House Rose Garden news conference. But the president…
read moreAs the White House works to cut back immigration, asylum seekers are the latest group caught in the crackdown. The Trump administration released enforcement priorities last week that included tightening standards in the U.S. asylum system. While President Donald Trump’s immigration policies do not specify what action will be taken, the administration seems to be…
read moreU.S. President Donald Trump says he plans to call the families of four Special Forces soldiers who were killed earlier this month in Niger, and claimed that former President Barack Obama didn’t usually make calls to families of soldiers killed in action. Trump made the remark during a news conference Monday in the Rose Garden,…
read moreU.S. President Donald Trump called Monday for a quick conclusion to the investigations into whether his campaign colluded with Russia last year to help him win the White House. “They ought to get to the end of it because the American people are sick of it,” Trump told reporters at a White House news conference.…
read morePresident Donald Trump says his decision not to recertify Iran’s compliance with the Iran nuclear deal could lead to its “total termination.” “That’s a very real possibility,” Trump said Monday as he began a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House. “Some people say that’s a greater possibility.” In remarks that were at times…
read moreThe church was empty, except for the piano too heavy for one man to move. It had been 21 days since the greatest storm Wayne Christopher had ever seen dumped a year’s worth of rain on his town, drowning this church where he was baptized, met his high school sweetheart and later married her. …
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