NEW YORK — U.S. life expectancy jumped last year, and preliminary data suggests there may be another — much smaller — improvement this year. Death rates fell last year for almost all leading causes, notably COVID-19, heart disease and drug overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Thursday. That translated…
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, will have a broad mandate to take on what the duo has called “the industrial food complex.” However, online claims that Kennedy said he would ban Diet Coke once in office are false; the statement circulating on…
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The fight for better wildland firefighter pay continues into the last week of the 2024 legislative session on Capitol Hill, as advocates race to push through a permanent pay bump before the fiscal year ends. It’s something former Arizona wildland firefighters said is crucial, as pay has become a major…
WASHINGTON — The Commerce Department’s efforts to curb China’s and Russia’s access to American-made advanced computer chips have been “inadequate” and will need more funding to stymie their ability to manufacture advanced weapons, according to a report published Wednesday by the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The Biden administration imposed export controls to limit the…
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Lindsey Graham have warned of bipartisan sanctions against Turkey if it rejects a ceasefire proposal from the U.S. and a plan by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazlum Abdi to establish a demilitarized zone in Kobani. The senators argue that Turkey’s attacks on Kurdish allies in Syria undermine regional…
During a visit to Baghdad last week, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to discuss the evolving situation in Syria. Blinken emphasized the need for a Syrian government that respects human rights, safeguards the rights of women and minorities, and protects religious holy sites. He also stressed…
The U.N. General Assembly proclaimed Dec. 18 as International Migrants Day in 2020, in order to promote the exchange of experiences and opportunities for collaboration by countries and regions. Dec. 18 aims to make visible the challenges, difficulties and adversities faced by migrants in the world. It also seeks to reiterate the call to the…
Last week, the PRESS Act, which aims to protect journalists from unnecessary government surveillance and being forced to reveal sources, failed to pass the U.S. Senate last week after being unanimously passed in the House. VOA Mandarin takes a look into the act, why it is being blocked and a case that highlights its importance.…
Thousands of Amazon.com workers will walk off the job on Thursday at 6 a.m. EST, in the crucial final days before Christmas, after union officials said the retailer failed to come to the bargaining table. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said unionized workers at facilities in New York City; Skokie, Illinois; Atlanta, San Francisco and…
By CHARLIE SPIERING, SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, WASHINGTON, DC Published: 20:10 EST, 18 December 2024 | Updated: 20:10 EST, 18 December 2024 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saw the funny side after she was epically trolled by Donald Trump over losing the battle to lead the House Oversight Committee. Trump shared on Truth Social that it was ‘really too bad’…