U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Friday designating English as the official language of the United States, according to the White House. The order will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English,…
read moreA new gallery at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia features the stories and experiences of U.S. Marines who served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. From Triangle, Virginia, VOA’s Noshaba Ashna has the story, narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. Roshan Noorzai contributed to this story. Camera: Hoshang Fahim …
read moreGABORONE, BOTSWANA — Southern Africa energy experts and political leaders pledged to improve access to energy at a summit in Botswana this week. The commitments come as most countries in the region still rely on coal, a major contributor to global warming. More than 500 participants from 16 Southern African Development Community, or SADC, member states,…
read moreU.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policy has raised expectations of mass deportations to Mexico. However, the shelters in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, that were prepared to receive hundreds of migrants are practically empty. Click here for the full story in Spanish. …
read moreWASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and sign a critical minerals deal Friday as Kyiv works to regain U.S. support to fight off the Russian invasion. The minerals agreement negotiated in recent days would open up Ukraine’s vast mineral wealth to the United States but does not…
read moreWASHINGTON — The number of migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in February is on pace to be at or near a record monthly low, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson and two other sources told Reuters. The U.S. Border Patrol is on pace to have arrested around 8,500 migrants at the border in…
read moreU.S. President Donald Trump hosted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday at the White House, where the two laid out their visions for the end of Ukraine’s brutal three-year war. The allies also sparred over trade and tariffs, and Trump revived his first-term push for NATO allies to contribute more to their own security and…
read moreApple announced this week it would spend $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years and create 20,000 jobs, signaling its pro-U.S. jobs and investment policy. U.S. President Donald Trump also announced he would double tariffs on China, where most Apple products are made. Michelle Quinn reports. …
read moreWASHINGTON — This year’s harsh flu season — the most intense in 15 years — has federal health officials trying to understand if it sparked an increase in a rare but life-threatening brain complication in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 19,000 people have died from the flu so far this winter, including…
read moreWASHINGTON — “Is the gold there?” As the decades-old question about the legendary Fort Knox makes headlines again, U.S. President Donald Trump is on the hunt for answers. “We’re actually going to Fort Knox to see if the gold is there, because maybe somebody stole the gold. Tons of gold,” Trump said Monday. His demand for…
read moreThe U.S. Agency for Global Media on Thursday announced that journalist-turned-politician Kari Lake will join the agency as a special adviser. A journalist for 30 years, Lake was named by President Donald Trump in December as the person he would like to have lead Voice of America (VOA). Lake’s selection for that role has been…
read moreWASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday reaffirmed Washington’s opposition to attempts to alter Taiwan’s status through force or coercion. The pledge comes amid growing concerns about the military threat China poses to the democratically ruled island and worries that Taiwan may be sidelined as Washington looks to make deals with Beijing. In…
read moreJOHANNESBURG — The Group of 20 major economies has been instrumental in coordinating the response to crises like the COVID pandemic. But top officials from the U.S. and several other member states skipped the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in South Africa this week, raising questions about the group’s continued relevance in a splintered global environment. The…
read moreA public-private partnership aims for a dark landing on the moon. Plus, a look at why Mars is red, and a phenomenon known as a planetary parade. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …
read moreCAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — Katy Perry and Gayle King are headed to space with Jeff Bezos’ fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, and three other women. Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, announced the all-female celebrity crew on Thursday. Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, picked the crew who will join her on a 10-minute spaceflight from west…
read moreTAIPEI, TAIWAN — China has held a series of live-fire military drills across the Indo-Pacific region over the past week, from the Taiwan Strait to the Tasman Sea. Analysts say the exercises, which included “extremely capable” weapons systems, were aimed at testing the United States and regional countries’ responses to military threats. “China understands there is…
read moreAnticipation is growing in Russia for a summit – yet to be scheduled – between U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. On the streets of Moscow, many Russians welcome what they see as a thaw in relations with Washington, and what some hope is the beginning of the end of their country’s isolation from…
read moreOscar-winning American actor Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead Wednesday at their home in the southwestern U.S. state of New Mexico. Authorities said they were investigating what caused their deaths but that foul play was not suspected as a factor. Authorities said they went to the home to do a welfare check and…
read moreTOKYO — The number of babies born in Japan fell to a record low of 720,988 in 2024 for a ninth consecutive year of decline, the health ministry said on Thursday, underscoring the rapid aging and dwindling of the population. Births were down 5% on the year, despite measures in 2023 by former Prime Minister Fumio…
read moreWASHINGTON — The U.S. FBI on Wednesday accused North Korea of being behind the theft of $1.5 billion worth of digital assets last week, the largest crypto heist in history. “(North Korea) was responsible for the theft of approximately $1.5 billion in virtual assets from cryptocurrency exchange, Bybit,” the FBI said in a public service announcement.…
read moreWASHINGTON — Transgender service members will be separated from the U.S. military unless they receive an exemption, according to a Pentagon memo filed in court on Wednesday, essentially banning them from joining or serving in the military. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month that took aim at transgender troops in a personal way…
read moreUS President Donald Trump says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be at the White House on Friday to sign an agreement granting the US access to Ukraine’s lucrative rare earth minerals. But Ukraine’s leader says a few outstanding issues remain. White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington. …
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