WASHINGTON — Kuwait has released a group of American prisoners, including veterans and military contractors jailed for years on drug-related charges, in a move seen as a gesture of goodwill between two allies, a representative for the detainees told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The release follows a recent visit to the region by Adam Boehler,…
read moreCAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A launch pad problem prompted SpaceX to delay a flight to the International Space Station on Wednesday to replace NASA’s two stuck astronauts. The new crew needs to get to the station so that Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can head home after nine months in orbit. Concerns about a critical hydraulic…
read moreAs the U.S. seeks to strengthen ties with resource-rich Central Asia, the European Union is also reaching out to the region. Having adopted a new strategy for Central Asia in 2019, the bloc appears to be making renewed efforts to implement it. EU Commissioner for External Relations Jozef Sikela has begun a tour of the…
read moreAn innovative solution to remotely power devices using natural biological processes could help farmers get the most from their fields. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more. …
read moreWASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped a civil rights lawsuit it filed last year against the national nonprofit Southwest Key Programs alleging its employees had sexually abused unaccompanied minors who were housed in its shelters after entering the country illegally, according to a court filing. Austin, Texas-based nonprofit Southwest Key contracts with the…
read moreWASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions against the Foxtrot Network, a Sweden-based gang accused of carrying out attacks against Israeli interests in Europe on behalf of Iran. Describing Foxtrot as one of Sweden’s “most notorious criminal gangs,” the U.S. Treasury and State Departments also placed sanctions on its leader Rawa Majid, with both…
read moreA self-described member of a Russian organized crime group told a court on Tuesday that he tried to kill the Iranian American journalist and VOA host Masih Alinejad in New York in 2022. Khalid Mehdiyev told jurors that he was arrested in July 2022 in his car in Brooklyn while in possession of an AK-47…
read moreUNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he is launching a robust review of the world body to improve its efficiency and cut costs as it faces a worsening liquidity crisis. “Resources are shrinking across the board — and they have been for a long time,” he told reporters. He said the initiative…
read moreJeddah, Saudi Arabia — Foreign ministers from the G7 group of leading industrial nations are set to gather for several days of talks in Quebec, Canada, including meetings focused on support for Ukraine in its battle against a three-year Russian invasion. The talks follow a decision by the United States to resume intelligence sharing and security…
read moreThe Trump administration has detained a Palestinian activist who helped lead protests against Israel at Columbia University. VOA’s Aron Ranen reports from the campus in New York City. …
read moreNASA’s newest space telescope rocketed into orbit Tuesday to map the entire sky like never before — a sweeping look at hundreds of millions of galaxies and their shared cosmic glow since the beginning of time. SpaceX launched the Spherex observatory from California, putting it on course to fly over Earth’s poles. Tagging along were…
read moreThe United States enacted new 25% tariffs Wednesday on all steel and aluminum imports, ending previous exemptions that had been in place for a number of U.S. allies. The move affects imports from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the European Union. “In my judgment, these modifications are necessary to address…
read moreTalk of tariffs combined with fears of inflation sent the U.S. stock market tumbling Monday and again on Tuesday, a day of give and take between the United States and Canada with President Donald Trump defending his use of tariffs. VOA White House correspondent Carolyn Presutti explains. …
read moreNEW DELHI — Encouraged by the enthusiastic reception to its DeepSeek artificial intelligence platform in January, China’s leaders are going all out to encourage AI companies to harness the power of this technology to compete with the United States and other countries in business and military spheres. China considers AI an important tool to handle U.S.…
read moreThe United States praised Ukraine Tuesday for accepting a ceasefire offer and taking a step forward on the path to ending the war with Russia. Moscow is expected to weigh in next on the American proposal. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports. …
read moreWASHINGTON — The Education Department plans to lay off more than 1,300 of its employees as part of an effort to halve the organization’s staff — a prelude to President Donald Trump’s plan to dismantle the agency. Department officials announced the cuts Tuesday, raising questions about the agency’s ability to continue usual operations. The Trump administration…
read moreMedecins Sans Frontiere says cholera is on the rise in Haiti. The nongovernmental health organization, also known as Doctors Without Borders, says 150 Haitians were treated for cholera between Feb. 15 and March 6. The Cite Soleil neighborhood reported 19 infections. MSF expressed concern about the trend as Haitians have less access to clean water…
read moreMeasles outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico are now up to more than 250 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that is airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and has been…
read moreU.S. federal investigators looking for the cause of the January collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Washington that killed 67 people on Tuesday recommended a ban on some helicopter flights to improve safety. A military helicopter collided with the American Airlines jet as it was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport over…
read moreJeddah, Saudi Arabia — krainian officials are expected to present a partial ceasefire plan with Russia during talks Tuesday with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia. The Ukrainian plan includes halting long-range missiles strikes and a truce covering the Black Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not expected to take part in Tuesday’s meetings, with Ukraine represented…
read moreTheft of truck loads of green coffee beans is surging in the United States, the world’s largest importer of the commodity, as prices for the beans increased to all-time highs in the last year, according to transportation companies. The issue was discussed by market participants over the weekend in Houston, where the U.S. National Coffee…
read moreNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — Each year, nearly 54,000 women in the U.S. state of Louisiana are released from prison, according to Operation Restoration, a New Orleans-based nonprofit organization with a mission to support women and girls impacted by incarceration as they attempt to restore their lives. For many women, restoring their lives proves too difficult. Some…
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