WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA — Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, vowed to go to “war” to defend the H-1B visa program for foreign tech workers late Friday amid a dispute between President-elect Donald Trump’s longtime supporters and his most recently acquired backers from the tech industry. In a post on social media…
read moreWASHINGTON — Changes are coming to the cold and cough aisle of your local pharmacy: U.S. officials are moving to phase out the leading decongestant found in hundreds of over-the-counter medicines, concluding that it doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion. Phenylephrine is used in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other medications, but experts have long questioned…
read moreA genetic analysis suggests the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the nation’s first severe case of the illness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. Scientists believe the mutations may allow the virus to better bind to receptors in the upper airways of humans — something…
read moreHealth care organizations may be required to bolster their cybersecurity to better prevent sensitive information from being leaked by cyberattacks like the ones that hit Ascension and UnitedHealth, a senior White House official said Friday. Anne Neuberger, the U.S. deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, told reporters that proposed requirements are necessary…
read moreA bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report released on Friday criticized the CIA’s response to so-called Havana syndrome health problems among its workforce, saying many individuals “faced obstacles to timely and sufficient care.” The report cast no new light on the causes of the headaches, nausea, memory lapses, dizziness and other ailments that were first reported…
read moreWASHINGTON — The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on the founder of Georgia’s ruling political party, which has steered the country away from a pro-Western stance and toward Russia, U.S. officials said Friday. The State and Treasury departments said they hit Georgian Dream party founder and honorary chair Bidzina Ivanishvili with penalties “for undermining the democratic…
read moreU.S. President-elect Donald Trump made immigration a key focus of his 2024 presidential campaign. His incoming administration is planning stricter enforcement. VOA’s Immigration Correspondent Aline Barros explains what these policies might mean. …
read moreNEW YORK — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76. Parsons, who died at his Manhattan home, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years…
read moreWASHINGTON — The U.S. Congress once again failed to pass a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act, or NKHRA, painting a bleak picture for the future of the measure originally adopted by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush in 2004 to ensure the U.S. continues to promote basic freedoms of…
read moreU.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen people to fill key foreign policy positions, including diplomatic, economic and intelligence posts. Some of them have been critical of the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which could influence the possible use of sanctions and other measures. Click here for the full story in Spanish. …
read moreTAIPEI, TAIWAN — As the world prepares for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Taiwan finds itself sandwiched between Washington and Beijing as it grapples with uncertainties about the outlook of U.S.-Taiwan relations and growing military pressure from China. Trump has already picked several politicians known for their hawkish stances on China as…
read moreNew York — As a Democrat who immersed himself in political news during the presidential campaign, Ziad Aunallah has much in common with many Americans since the election. He’s tuned out. “People are mentally exhausted,” said Aunallah, 45, of San Diego. “Everyone knows what is coming and we are just taking some time off.” Television ratings…
read moreThe promised effort by President-elect Donald Trump to remake the U.S. government is set to encompass one of the country’s premier law enforcement and intelligence agencies. VOA national security correspondent Jeff Seldin reports on Trump’s choice to lead and reform the FBI. Kim Lewis contributed. …
read moreORLANDO, FLORIDA — A man accused of attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump in South Florida won’t be tried until September, a federal judge ruled this week. Ryan Routh’s trial will begin Sept. 8 instead of the previously scheduled Feb. 10, start date, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said in an order released on Monday. Routh,…
read moreWashington — The bald eagle, a symbol of the power and strength of the United States for more than 240 years, earned an overdue honor Tuesday: It officially became the country’s national bird. President Joe Biden signed into law legislation sent to him by Congress that amends the United States Code to correct what had long…
read moreThe Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages, from…
read moreThe U.N. estimates that the world produces over 430 million metric tons of plastic waste every year globally, with the largest source being single-use packaging. VOA’s Valdya Baraputri reports on a movement to cut down on such waste. …
read moreMoscow — A Russian-born U.S. citizen already imprisoned in Russia on a bribery conviction has been handed a second 15-year jail term for espionage, Russian news agencies reported Tuesday. A Moscow court brought espionage charges against Gene Spector in August 2023. Details surrounding the case were not made public. The U.S. State Department said it was…
read moreIn early December, China tightened export controls on dual-use goods to the United States. A recent report warns that this ban could disrupt the production of over 20,000 components used by the U.S. military, particularly in naval systems and nuclear missile technology. Click here for the full story in Mandarin. …
read moreWASHINGTON — NASA’s pioneering Parker Solar Probe made history Tuesday, flying closer to the sun than any other spacecraft, with its heat shield exposed to scorching temperatures topping 930 degrees Celsius (1,700 degrees Fahrenheit). Launched in August 2018, the spaceship is on a seven-year mission to deepen scientific understanding of our star and help forecast space-weather…
read moreFor 92 years, the Hollywood Christmas Parade has featured celebrities and performers. This year, the parade includes the Divas and Drummers of Compton, a nonprofit working to give inner city kids an opportunity to learn performing arts. Genia Dulot reports from Los Angeles. …
read moreAs he prepares to take office in less than a month, President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to reassert U.S. control over the Panama Canal, and he renewed calls to buy Greenland from Denmark. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report. …
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