On his first day on the job, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his staff and spelled out his foreign policy priorities. He also met with allies from the Indo-Pacific region who seek to counter Chinese military and economic ambitions. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports, with Kim Lewis contributing. …

Venezuela exported millions of barrels of its heavy oil to the U.S. until the economic sanctions of 2019. Its purchase resumed two years ago. Experts explain the characteristics of this crude oil, while Donald Trump says that he will “probably” stop buying it. Click here for the full story in Spanish. …

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Conservatives across Africa applauded U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive orders Monday regarding gender and diversity, while gay rights activists and the LGBTQ community on the continent are expressing deep concern. On his first day as the 47th U.S. president, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, including some that reversed policies of…

Geneva — United Nations agencies say the imminent U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization and Paris climate agreement will have serious consequences for global health and efforts to slow down climate change. “The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the organization,” the WHO said Tuesday…

Taipei, Taiwan — China has urged the United States to focus on managing bilateral relationships through cooperation instead of confrontation as U.S. President Donald Trump kicks off his second term in office.  “China is willing to work with the new U.S. government to maintain communication, strengthen cooperation, properly manage differences, and push China-U.S. relations to make…

In the Southwest United States, bird migrations are shifting as global temperatures warm. Gustavo Martіnez Contreras takes us to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in the state of New Mexico. …

WASHINGTON — Joe Biden on Monday wrapped up a more than 50-year political career, but promised that “we’re not leaving the fight,” as he bid farewell to the presidency and flew to California to unwind with his family and ease back into private life. Biden spoke not long after watching his successor, Republican President Donald Trump,…

Fire authorities in southern California positioned crews and equipment ready to respond Tuesday to new wildfires as forecasters warned of dangerous fire conditions featuring dry air and strong winds. The National Weather Service said the particular window of concern was through late morning Tuesday, with the possibility of wind gusts reaching 160 kilometers per hour…

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday pardoned more than 1,500 of his supporters charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including people who assaulted police, using his clemency powers on his first day in office to dismantle the largest investigation and prosecution in Justice Department history. Among those set…

President Donald Trump got right to work upon his return to the White House on Monday, announcing numerous executive actions on top-line issues like immigration and energy development and, in his inaugural address, promising to expand U.S territory – all the way, he said, to Mars. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House …

WASHINGTON — The Senate quickly confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state on Monday, voting unanimously to give President Donald Trump the first member of his new Cabinet on Inauguration Day. Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, is among the least controversial of Trump’s nominees, and the vote was a decisive 99-0. Another pick, John Ratcliffe…

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden used his constitutional power Monday to preemptively pardon several individuals, including some of his relatives, just minutes before Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Without naming Trump or the incoming administration, Biden said in a statement that he believes in the rule of…

President Donald Trump will issue a broad trade memo on Monday that stops short of imposing new tariffs on his first day in office but directs federal agencies to evaluate U.S. trade relationships with China, Canada and Mexico, a Trump administration official said. After weeks of intense global speculation over which duties Trump would impose…

WASHINGTON — The National Mall in Washington was lined with hundreds of portable toilets Monday, but it’s unlikely many of the portable restrooms got much use. They had been set up for the hundreds of thousands of people who were expected to watch as Donald Trump took the oath of office to become the 47th president…

Ayaz Gul  — President-elect Donald Trump says that future financial assistance to Afghanistan will be contingent upon the return of U.S. military equipment by the Taliban leaders currently in power.    Trump’s remarks at a Sunday rally in Washington on the eve of his January 20 inauguration have heightened uncertainty regarding his administration’s stance on the…

Bad Bunny released his latest album, which mixes urban and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Between sad and joyful stories, the artist opens a space for social criticism that focuses on Puerto Rico’s identity, traditions and current challenges. Click here for the full story in Spanish. …

WASHINGTON — When President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as president of the United States inside the Capitol’s rotunda, he will do so facing a bust of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the federal holiday commemorating King’s legacy. It’s a disquieting contrast for some civil rights advocates who wish to fulfill the late reverend’s…

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — South Korea pledged on Monday a record amount of financing support for exporters to mitigate any negative impact from changes in U.S. trade policies as Donald Trump was poised to be sworn in for his second presidency. The government plans to provide 360 trillion won, or $247.74 billion, worth of policy financing…