washington — A Pentagon study released Friday that examined reported sightings of UFOs over nearly the last century found no evidence of aliens or extraterrestrial intelligence, a conclusion consistent with past U.S. government efforts to assess the accuracy of claims that have captivated public attention for decades. The study from the Defense Department’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution…
read moreA son of Korean immigrants last week became the interim chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. He is the first Asian American to hold this position. Genia Dulot has the story. …
read moreA pair of American aviators are helping Ukrainian fighter jet and helicopter pilots get some vital equipment. The gear is being donated by American and European pilots. Mariia Prus has the story. …
read moreUS President Joe Biden used his third State of the Union speech Thursday evening to announce a dramatic measure to facilitate aid into Gaza, push funding for Ukraine’s war efforts and to warn the country of the threat posed by Donald Trump, his likely opponent in the November election. VOA’s White House Bureau Chief Patsy…
read moreBEIJING — U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday criticized China’s “unfair economic practices” and insisted he has done a better job standing up to Beijing than did former President Donald Trump, his rival in this year’s presidential election. In his State of the Union address, Biden also touted other aspects of his China policy, including “standing…
read moreBiden highlighted the importance of defending democracy at home and around the world. …
read moreState Department — The United States and China have agreed to extend a science and technology agreement for another six months, the U.S. State Department said Thursday. “The Department of State on behalf of the U.S. government is negotiating to amend, extend and strengthen protections within the U.S.-PRC Science and Technology Agreement (STA). In February 2024,…
read moreImprisonment based on political dissent is especially difficult for women, says Nadya Tolokonnikova, a creator of Pussy Riot, and someone who spent 16 months in a Russian prison. The Russian diaspora in Los Angeles gathered to write letters of support to women incarcerated on political grounds in their homeland. VOA News reports from Los Angeles,…
read moreNadio Momand was a journalist and a law student in Afghanistan. But with the Taliban back in power, she has left her home and her dreams behind. Muska Safi has the story, narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. …
read moreWashington — The State of the Union address is traditionally the venue where American presidents highlight domestic successes, and President Joe Biden is expected to discuss his handling of the economy, reproductive rights, gun control, and immigration Thursday evening. But as the United States deals with wars in the Middle East and Europe, foreign policy may…
read moreWASHINGTON — The House passed a $460 billion package of spending bills Wednesday that would keep money flowing to key federal agencies through the remainder of the budget year. The Senate is expected to take up the legislation before a midnight Friday shutdown deadline. Lawmakers are negotiating a second package of six bills, including defense, in…
read moreWhite House — The Biden administration is looking at options to support Ukraine amid House Republicans’ continued obstruction of a Senate-approved $95 billion foreign aid package that includes $61 billion to support Kyiv in its fight against Russia. In a Wednesday interview with VOA, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said President Joe Biden plans to…
read morevienna — The United States on Wednesday called on Iran to dilute all of the uranium it has enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the weapons-grade level of roughly 90%, in a statement denouncing many of Tehran’s recent nuclear moves. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential report to member states last…
read moreWASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday issued sanctions targeting two companies and two vessels that the Treasury Department said had facilitated commodities shipments on behalf of a network of an Iranian-backed Houthi financial facilitator. The action targets two Hong Kong- and Marshall Islands-based ship owners and two vessels for their role in shipping commodities on…
read moreSuper Tuesday — the night that has been known to make or break candidates in the past — is over. More convention delegates are awarded on Super Tuesday than any other night of the campaign year. Fifteen states and a U.S. Territory conducted primaries and caucuses for the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. VOA’s Senior…
read moreWASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation on Tuesday to give China’s ByteDance about six months to divest popular short video app TikTok or face a U.S. ban, seeking to tackle national security concerns about its Chinese ownership. The bill is the first significant legislative move in nearly a year toward banning or…
read morephoenix, arizona — A leading South Sudanese academic and activist living in exile in the United States has been charged in Arizona along with a Utah man born in the African nation on charges of conspiring to buy and illegally export millions of dollars’ worth of weapons to overthrow the government back home. Peter Biar Ajak…
read more