WASHINGTON — 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. …
read moreMajor banks and business groups sued the Federal Reserve on Tuesday, alleging the U.S. central bank’s annual “stress tests” of Wall Street firms violate the law. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ohio, claims the Fed’s practice of determining how big banks perform against hypothetical economic turmoil, and assigning capital requirements accordingly,…
read moreSinger and actress Sofia Carson closes 2024 with her first action film role and a duet of the holiday classic “White Christmas” with Andrea Bocelli. Carson reflected on her bicultural roots and humanitarian work to VOA’s Veronica Villafane. …
read moreAmerican Airlines flights were cleared to fly by regulators early Tuesday after a brief grounding due to a systemwide technical issue. Just before 7 a.m. Eastern time, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered all American Airlines flights grounded in the U.S. at the airline’s request. American had reported a technical issue affecting its entire system with…
read moreTOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday he wanted to strengthen his country’s alliance with the United States, as he pushed for as early as possible a meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Japan is neighbors with an increasingly assertive China and a nuclear-armed North Korea that has been deepening military ties with…
read moretokyo — The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has told the White House it is unable to reach a consensus on national security risks involved in Nippon Steel’s bid for U.S. Steel, The Washington Post reported Monday. The decision now lies with President Joe Biden, who has 15 days to act. Both…
read moreLOS ANGELES — One of the world’s most active volcanoes sprang into life again Monday, spewing columns of lava 80 meters above Hawaii, U.S. vulcanologists said. Images showed enormous fissures in the caldera of Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island, spraying jets of molten rock into the air. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the…
read moreWASHINGTON — A recently released U.S. government report details China’s ongoing efforts to “erode long-standing norms in and around Taiwan” through various pressure tactics, including increased military flights crossing the Taiwan Strait median line. While U.S. officials have expressed serious concerns, some military experts argue that Washington’s response has been ineffective in curbing Chinese aggression. To…
read moreWashington — The U.S. House Ethics Committee is expected to release its long-awaited report Monday into former Representative Matt Gaetz, ending a yearslong investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct with minors and use of illicit drugs while the Florida Republican was in office. The anticipated release comes after at least one Republican joined all five Democrats…
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