Software Problems Delay US F-16 Deliveries, Taiwan Says

Justice Department Says It Won't Charge Pence Over Handling of Classified Documents ...

03/06/2023

Taiwan's order of 66 advanced new F-16V fighter jets from the United States will not be completed until 2026 because of software problems, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said Thursday, marking the latest delay in U.S. weapons deliveries since manufacturers turned their attention to Ukraine after Russia invaded last year. Earlier this m [Read more]

US Confident in Its Nuclear Stockpile, White House Official Says ...

03/06/2023

The United States says it does not plan on building more nuclear weapons to counter threats from Russia, China and a growing number of adversaries who have or who could soon have nuclear capabilities. Instead, Washington plans to modernize its existing nuclear arsenal and continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies to keep adversari [Read more]

UN Weekly Roundup: May 27-June 2, 2023 ...

03/06/2023

Editor's note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this past week, as seen from the United Nations perch. Sudan violence continues Despite a U.S.-Saudi brokered temporary cease-fire, there continues to be violence in Sudan. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced by the fighting that erupt [Read more]

US Businesses Facing Backlash for Pride Month Campaigns ...

03/06/2023

The Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, the retail giant Target, the brewer of the beer Bud Light — in the past month, all these businesses have been the focus of consumer boycotts for marketing to LGBTQ+ customers. From Los Angeles, Genia Dulot has the story. [Read more]

Read all Voa news

Voa news - Health

Argentinian Meteorologist Celeste Saulo to Lead UN Weather Agency...

03/06/2023

The U.N.'s weather service, the World Meteorological Organization, selected Argentinian meteorologist Celeste Saulo Thursday to be the agency's first woman secretary-general, effective in January 2024. In a statement, the WMO said Saulo was elected by the organization's 193 members as part of the World Meteorological Congress being held [Read more]

Private Astronaut Crew, Including First Arab Woman in Orbit, Returns from Space Station ...

03/06/2023

An all-private astronaut team of two Americans and two Saudis, including the first Arab woman sent into orbit, splashed down safely off Florida on Tuesday night, capping an eight-day research mission aboard the International Space Station. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying them parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of P [Read more]

Sweden Approaches 'Smoke-Free' Status as Daily Use of Cigarettes Dwindles...

03/06/2023

Summer is in the air — cigarette smoke is not — in Sweden's outdoor bars and restaurants. As the World Health Organization marks "World No Tobacco Day" on Wednesday, Sweden, which has the lowest rate of smoking in the Europe Union, is close to declaring itself "smoke-free" — defined as having fewer than 5% daily smokers in the pop [Read more]

US Proposal for Remote Pacific Marine Sanctuary Draws Mixed Response...

03/06/2023

In March, U.S. President Joe Biden announced the creation of a marine sanctuary across a wide swath of the Pacific Ocean. If finalized, it would help the U.S. meet its goal of protecting 30% of its oceans by 2030. The public comment period is underway, revealing the competing interests of conservation and economic development across the r [Read more]

Read all Voa news

Voa news - Politics

Debt-Ceiling Deal: What's In, What's Out of Agreement to Avert US Default ...

03/06/2023

U.S. President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reached an agreement in principle on legislation to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a default. Negotiators are now racing to finalize the bill's text. McCarthy said the House will vote on the legislation on Wednesday, giving the Senate time to consider it [Read more]

Here's What's In, What's Out of the Debt Limit Bill to Avert US Default ...

03/06/2023

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have been working the phones in an intense push to sell Congress on the 99-page bill that would suspend the nation's debt limit through 2025 to avoid a federal default while limiting government spending. The Democratic president and Republican speaker have to win their respective part [Read more]

Former New Jersey Governor Christie Expected to Join Republican Presidential Race...

03/06/2023

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is expected to launch a Republican presidential campaign next week in New Hampshire. Christie, who also ran in 2016, is planning to make the announcement at a town hall Tuesday evening at Saint Anselm College's New Hampshire Institute of Politics, according to a person familiar with his thinking [Read more]

US Senate Approves Debt Ceiling Deal ...

03/06/2023

The U.S. Senate voted Thursday night 63-36 in support of a measure that will allow the United States to continue to pay its bills. The U.S. had been on track to run out of cash in four days. The bipartisan legislation now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature. "Tonight, senators from both parties voted to protect the hard-earned [Read more]

Read all Voa news

Voa news - Tech

China's Micron Chips Ban Is Litmus Test for South Korea...

03/06/2023

The semiconductor trade war between Washington and Beijing may ensnare Seoul as South Korea must decide between backing its closest ally or embracing a lucrative export opportunity presented by China, its top trading partner. The decision will reveal how closely South Korea is aligned with the U.S., its second-largest export market, exp [Read more]

SpaceX's Starlink Wins Pentagon Contract for Satellite Services for Ukraine...

03/06/2023

SpaceX's Starlink, the satellite communications service started by billionaire Elon Musk, now has a Defense Department contract to buy those satellite services for Ukraine, the Pentagon said Thursday. "We continue to work with a range of global partners to ensure Ukraine has the resilient satellite and communication capabilities they [Read more]

China Eyes Spain in Drive to Conquer European EV Market...

03/06/2023

The International Energy Agency says Chinese car manufacturers are emerging as a major force in the global electric car market, with more than 50% of all electric cars on roads worldwide now produced in China. Spain is the second-largest vehicle manufacturer in Europe after Germany and its market has become a target for Chinese automaker [Read more]

Amazon to Pay $31 Million in Privacy Violation Penalties for Alexa Voice Assistant, Ring Camera...

03/06/2023

Amazon agreed Wednesday to pay a $25 million civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations it violated a child privacy law and deceived parents by keeping for years kids' voice and location data recorded by its popular Alexa voice assistant. Separately, the company agreed to pay $5.8 million in customer refunds for allege [Read more]

Read all Voa news

Voa news - Finance

Zimbabwe Government Moves to Rescue Worthless Local Dollar ...

03/06/2023

Zimbabwe's government has instituted several measures it says will increase demand for the local currency and raise its value, as well arrest demand for the U.S. dollar. But as Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare, economists say the new measures will not work as Zimbabweans have lost faith in the local dollar which continues sliding aga [Read more]

Developing Nations Struggle to Return Employment to Pre-Pandemic Levels...

03/06/2023

A combination of crises, including high indebtedness, global inflation, the war in Ukraine, and a slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has left many countries in the developing world without sufficient employment opportunities to support their populations, according to a report from the International Labor Organization. The ILO's an [Read more]

US Employers Added 339,000 Jobs in May as Labor Market Stays Durable ...

03/06/2023

The nation's employers stepped up their hiring in May, adding a robust 339,000 jobs, well above expectations and evidence of strength in an economy that the Federal Reserve is desperately trying to cool. Friday's report from the government showed that the unemployment rate rose to 3.7%, from a five-decade low of 3.4% in April. The [Read more]

Biden to Deliver Remarks on US Avoiding Default...

03/06/2023

President Joe Biden is set to sign the Fiscal Responsibility Act, legislation that suspends the U.S. government's debt limit through January 2025 and avoids a potentially disastrous default on U.S. financial obligations. He is scheduled to deliver remarks on the legislation's passage Friday evening. The U.S. Senate voted Thursday ni [Read more]

Read all Voa news