Asheville, north carolina — A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution printed 237 years ago and sent to the states to be ratified has been sold for $9 million at an auction in North Carolina. Brunk Auctions sold the document, the only copy of its type thought to be privately owned, at the private auction Thursday.…
read moreWhen a woman has a mammogram, the most important finding is whether there’s any sign of breast cancer. The second most important finding is whether her breasts are dense. Since early September, a new U.S. rule requires mammography centers to inform women about their breast density — information that isn’t entirely new for some women…
read moreWASHINGTON — China-based DJI sued the U.S. Defense Department on Friday for adding the drone maker to a list of companies allegedly working with Beijing’s military, saying the designation is wrong and has caused the company significant financial harm. DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer that sells more than half of all U.S. commercial drones, asked…
read moreA union representing striking machinists at Boeing said Friday that it was “actively engaged in indirect discussions” with the plane maker that were being facilitated by Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su. “We are fully committed to these talks. It is our responsibility to attempt to reach a resolution,” the International Association of Machinists and…
read moreWASHINGTON — As the United States prepares for a presidential election next month, the idyllic New York suburb of Teaneck, New Jersey, is gearing up for elections that reflect a broader trend in U.S. politics. Two Muslim women are running for local office in Teaneck, a town of 41,000 residents with a significant Muslim population. They…
read moreA Canadian surveillance plane over the East China Sea — Over the blue waters of the East China Sea, a Canadian air force patrol crew scans the horizon, searching for vessels suspected of making illicit transfers of oil to North Korea. The 20-member crew aboard the Aurora CP-140 is on the front line of a U.S.-led…
read moreA day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented a “victory plan” to European Union leaders and NATO defense ministers, the nation’s allies are giving it qualified support, with one leader saying it will be reconsidered after the U.S. election next month. Zelenskyy’s plan, which he unveiled to Ukraine’s parliament Wednesday, calls first for an unconditional…
read moreHUNTSVILLE, TEXAS — The Texas Supreme Court halted Thursday night’s scheduled execution of a man who would have become the first person in the United States put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. The late-night ruling to spare for now the life of Robert Roberson, who was convicted…
read moreThe Biden administration is shelling out billions of dollars for clean energy and approving major offshore wind projects as officials race to secure major climate initiatives before President Joe Biden’s term comes to an end. Biden wants to establish a legacy for climate action that includes locking in a trajectory for reducing the nation’s planet-warming…
read moreberlin — U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will discuss increased reports of antisemitic acts in both countries over the last year as war has raged in the Middle East when they meet Friday in Berlin, a Biden administration official told reporters on the eve of Biden’s state visit to Germany. “This is…
read moreAn independent panel formed to investigate the performance of the Secret Service after an assassination attempt in July against former President Donald Trump has called for extensive changes to the agency, including the installation of new leadership from the outside. In a report issued Thursday morning, the panel praised the bravery of the individual agents…
read moreWINDHOEK, NAMIBIA — Namibians who are part of the LGBTQ+ community often find it difficult to get decent health care and many report discriminatory practices within the health care system. For example, when 20-year-old Immanuel Uirab sought contraception at a health facility, the nurse on duty would not assist him. “I don’t know if it’s the…
read morewashington — The Orionids — one of two annual meteor showers from Halley’s comet — peak early Monday. A bright waning moon may make them difficult to spot. The Orionid meteor shower can be unpredictable. It shines like a fireworks display in some years but is fairly slow in other years. This highly variable shower may…
read moreThe Tana River delta on the Kenyan coast includes a vast range of habitats and a remarkably productive ecosystem, says UNESCO. It is also home to many bird species, including some that are nearly threatened. Residents are helping local conservation efforts with an app called eBird. Juma Majanga reports. …
read morewashington — The United States on Thursday announced fresh sanctions targeting Chinese and Russian entities for their role in designing, building and shipping attack drones that have resulted in mass casualties in Ukraine. The sanctions target two Chinese entities, Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd., and Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen Co Ltd (Redlepus), Russian entity TSK…
read moreWASHINGTON — An Alabama man was arrested on Thursday over criminal charges that he hacked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account earlier this year, in an action that caused bitcoin’s value to spike, federal prosecutors announced. In January, a hacker posted false news about a widely anticipated announcement the SEC was expected to make…
read moreBecoming a U.S. citizen is an important moment for many immigrants, giving them a voice in the nation’s democratic process. In Tucson, Arizona, a city just an hour’s drive from the border with Mexico, community leaders are working to help others achieve this step. VOA’s immigration reporter Aline Barros has more. Camera – Henry Hernandez.…
read moreASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA — Early in-person voting began statewide Thursday in the presidential battleground of North Carolina, including in mountainous areas where thousands of potential voters still lack power and clean running water after Hurricane Helene’s epic flooding. More than 400 locations in all 100 counties were slated to open for the 17-day early vote period,…
read moreIn a year with over 60 national elections worldwide, concerns are high that individuals and entities are using deepfake images and recordings to contribute to the flood of election misinformation. VOA’s Rio Tuasikal reports on some potentially dangerous videos made using generative AI. …
read moreU.S. federal prosecutors are stepping up their pursuit of suspects who use artificial intelligence tools to manipulate or create child sex abuse images, as law enforcement fears the technology could spur a flood of illicit material. The U.S. Justice Department has brought two criminal cases this year against defendants accused of using generative AI systems,…
read moreLOS ANGELES — The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse dating back decades, in what an attorney said was the largest single child sex abuse settlement with a Catholic archdiocese, it was announced Wednesday. After the announcement of the agreement in principle, Archbishop José H. Gomez…
read moreU.S. forces carried out airstrikes Wednesday against Houthi militant weapons storage sites in Yemen, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The strikes, conducted by B-2 bombers, targeted weapons the Houthis have used in a yearlong campaign of attacks against ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that have disrupted major sea shipping…
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