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Cucumbers shipped to 13 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces have been recalled because of potential salmonella contamination, the Food and Drug Administration said this week. SunFed Produce, based in Arizona, recalled the cucumbers sold between October 12 and November 26, the FDA said Thursday. No illnesses were immediately reported. People who bought cucumbers during…

Iran will begin enriching uranium with thousands of advanced centrifuges at its two main nuclear facilities at Fordo and Natanz, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Friday, further raising tensions over Tehran’s program as it enriches at near weapons-grade levels. The notice from the International Atomic Energy Agency mentioned Iran enriching uranium with new centrifuges…

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA —  At least five Democratic members of Congress from Connecticut were targeted by bomb threats on their homes Thursday, the lawmakers or their offices said. Senator Chris Murphy and Representatives Jim Himes, Joe Courtney, John Larson and Jahana Hayes all reported being the subject of such threats. Police who responded said…

The Biden administration recently brokered a prisoner swap with China, resulting in the release of three Americans — Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung — who had been imprisoned in China for years. In exchange, the U.S. released Chinese intelligence officer Xu Yanjun and former U.S. Army reservist Ji Chaoqun. This article profiles the…

British and American authorities are investigating why several drones were flying over four U.S. air bases in England in recent days. As Henry Ridgwell reports, Britain has deployed dozens of troops around the bases amid concerns such drones could be used to disrupt operations or carry out acts of deception and sabotage.This post was originally…

LONDON —  British and American authorities are investigating after several drones were spotted in recent days flying over four U.S. military bases in England. Britain has deployed dozens of troops around the bases amid concerns the overflights could be acts of deception or sabotage by an adversary such as Russia. In a statement issued Wednesday,…

Three American citizens jailed for years in China arrived in the United States late Wednesday as part of a prisoner swap between Washington and Beijing. The swap, which the White House announced earlier Wednesday, marked a rare diplomatic agreement between the United States and China as U.S. President Joe Biden’s tenure comes to a close.…

Since 2004, former New York Times editor and now artist Sheryl Oring has been giving Americans a chance to speak their truth to the world. Dressed in 1950s secretary attire, she invites the public to speak their mind and records it on her vintage typewriter as part of a project called, “I Wish To Say.”…

New York —  A century after the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the annual holiday tradition kicks off Thursday in New York City with new Spider-Man and Minnie Mouse balloons, zoo and pasta-themed floats, performances from Jennifer Hudson and Idina Menzel, and more. This year’s star-studded lineup is a far cry from the parade’s initial…

Three U.S. citizens imprisoned by China were on their way home late Wednesday, U.S. officials said, culminating years of U.S. diplomatic efforts to free Americans Washington says were wrongfully detained by Beijing. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke to Kai Li, Mark Swidan and John Leung “as they traveled home to the…

WASHINGTON —  As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term as president of the United States, questions arise about what this means for U.S.-Africa relations. In this interview with VOA English to Africa’s Paul Ndiho, Tibor Nagy, the former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, shares insights into the administration’s past approach. Nagy…

NEW YORK —  Donald Trump has sought to have a civil judgment against him for fraud and a $464 million penalty set aside “for the greater good of the country” as he prepares to return to power. Trump’s lawyers filed a letter Tuesday with New York attorney general Letitia James, who brought the proceeding against…

WASHINGTON —  A U.S. plan to deploy sophisticated missiles on a Japanese island chain close to Taiwan is prompting angry responses from both China and its close ally Russia. The United States is drawing up a joint military plan with Japan to deploy High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other weapons to Japan’s Nansei…

MEXICO CITY —  Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that Mexico would retaliate if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump followed through with his proposed 25% across-the-board tariff, a move her government warned could kill 400,000 U.S. jobs and drive up prices for U.S. consumers. “If there are U.S. tariffs, Mexico would also raise tariffs,” Sheinbaum…

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft, including of its software licensing and cloud computing businesses, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The probe was approved by FTC Chair Lina Khan ahead of her likely departure in January. The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president,…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has discussed the possibility of repealing birthright citizenship guaranteed under 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, repealing this right would face significant legal political challenges. See full story here. This post was originally published on here

Wednesday marks the 74th anniversary of the start of the battle of Chosin Reservoir, a key moment in the Korean War. On November 27, 1950, Chinese forces launched a surprise attack on American troops that lasted 17 days in freezing weather. VOA Mandarin has an exclusive interview with Robert Harlan, one of the survivors of…

WASHINGTON —  A top U.S. lawmaker has pledged to work with rights groups as a special advocate for Dang Dinh Bach, a Vietnamese climate activist and political prisoner, and called on Hanoi to immediately release Bach from jail. Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, announced that he will…

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA —  President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Trump’s former…

As many Americans gather around the dinner table this Thanksgiving holiday, a recent report finds that in America’s largest city, more residents are experiencing food insecurity. Local food pantries in New York are seeing an increase in visitors, including those who are employed. VOA’s Tina Trinh explains.This post was originally published on here

WASHINGTON —  Several of Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees and appointees were targeted with “violent threats,” including bomb threats and “swatting,” a spokesperson for the U.S. president-elect said Wednesday. The threats were made Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, and law enforcement and authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those targeted, spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said…

Washington —  When U.S. President-elect Donald Trumpnominated former Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Trump described him as a “True fighter for America First policies.” Zeldin, the statement added, spent eight years in Congress as a vocal advocate on foreign policy, border security, military affairs, combating antisemitism, environmental issues and energy…

WASHINGTON —  The United States imposed sanctions on 21 senior Venezuelan officials for their role in suppressing protests after a presidential election in July, a senior administration official said on Wednesday. Washington says President Nicolas Maduro falsely claimed victory in the vote in what U.S. officials have described as a subversion of democratic norms. The…

Washington —  Consumer price increases accelerated last month, the latest sign that inflation’s steady decline over the past two years has stalled. According to the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, consumer prices rose 2.3% in October from a year earlier, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. That is up from just 2.1% in September, though it…

The United States has brokered the release of three Americans it said had been wrongfully detained in China for many years, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday. The White House national security council named the three as Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung and said all the U.S. citizens it deemed…

President-elect Donald Trump says he intends to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy disagrees with much of the scientific community on subjects including vaccines and HIV/AIDS. VOA’s Anita Powell has our story. This post was originally published on here

WASHINGTON —  Land Back is a global, Indigenous-led movement advocating for the return of stolen lands. While Indigenous communities have long engaged in that fight, “Land Back” as a meme began to gain popularity in 2019. It now describes a decentralized international movement that emphasizes treaty rights, tribal sovereignty, climate justice and cultural revival. “Land…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced a set of economic advisers he wants to appoint for his administration, including international trade attorney Jamieson Greer as his pick to be the U.S. trade representative. Greer served in Trump’s first administration as the chief of staff to the trade representative, and Trump said Tuesday that Greer played a…

The prospect of punishing new U.S. tariffs will hang over the deliberations at China’s highest-level economic meeting when the Central Economic Work Conference of the Chinese Communist Party convenes for its annual session next month. A key function of the meeting will be to set the nation’s growth target for 2025, a task made more…

BEIJING —  China’s state media shrugged off U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to slap additional tariffs on Chinese goods in editorials late on Tuesday, accusing the former president of blaming China for the country’s failure to address the fentanyl crisis. Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, said on Monday he would impose “an additional…

BANGKOK —  Southeast Asia could see a new wave of factories moving in from China to evade the soaring tariffs U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has proposed to impose on the world’s second-largest economy, trade experts tell VOA. But the trade surpluses the region has built up with the United States and its heavy use of…

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday welcomed a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, there is no indication the deal will hasten a truce and hostage-release deal in Gaza, where Israel is battling the Palestinian militant group Hamas. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports.This post was originally…

November 27th marks the birthday of iconic American guitarist and songwriter Jimi Hendrix. In his hometown of Seattle, the Museum of Pop Culture, inspired by his groundbreaking music, celebrated his enduring legacy with family members, former colleagues, and fans. Natasha Mozgovaya has the story.This post was originally published on here

BEIJING —  China’s military said on Tuesday it deployed naval and air forces to monitor and warn a U.S. Navy patrol aircraft that flew through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, denouncing the United States for trying to “mislead” the international community. Around once a month, U.S. military ships or aircraft pass through or above the waterway…

WASHINGTON —  A former U.S. telecom company employee who provided information about Chinese dissidents and Falun Gong members to China was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday, the Justice Department said. Ping Li, 59, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, admitted in a plea agreement to acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government,…

For nearly 100 years, Americans have enjoyed watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The spectacle is an annual tradition that aims to make millions of consumers feel connected to the department store. VOA’s Dora Mekouar looks at the parade preparation. This post was originally published on here

Nearly three weeks after the 2024 election, with almost all of the votes counted, it has become clear that Donald Trump won his second term in the White House by orchestrating a nationwide rightward shift in voting patterns that largely persisted across most of the 50 states, whether their electoral votes went to Trump or…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. “On January 20th, as one of my many…

WASHINGTON —  The chair of the Democratic National Committee informed party leaders on Monday that the DNC would choose his successor in February, an election that will speak volumes about how the party wants to present itself during four more years of Donald Trump in the White House. Jaime Harrison, in a letter to members…

U.S. President Joe Biden will attend Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, the White House said Monday, calling it a “commitment to our democratic values” despite Trump’s skipping Biden’s own swearing-in. Then-President Trump refused to attend Biden’s inauguration in 2021, after falsely claiming Biden’s election win was fraudulent and whipping up a mob of supporters who…

JACKSON, Mississippi —  Medical marijuana businesses in the southern U.S. state of Mississippi don’t have the right to advertise on billboards or other places because marijuana itself remains illegal under federal law, an appeals court says. The owner of a medical marijuana dispensary argued that the First Amendment protects the right to advertise because Mississippi…

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia —  The U.S. Justice Department told a federal judge that Google illegally dominated online advertising technology in seeking a second antitrust win against the company. The closing arguments in Alexandria cap a 15-day trial held in September in which prosecutors sought to show Google monopolized markets for publisher ad servers and advertiser ad…

A new bipartisan bill introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate seeks to address the criminal activities of the Islamic Republic of Iran on U.S. territory. The draft bill proposes enhancing criminal penalties for individuals who engage in unlawful actions on behalf of the Iranian government or other adversaries of the United…

New York —  U.S. stocks rose Monday, with those benefiting the most from lower interest rates and a stronger economy leading the way. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to pull closer to its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 440 points, or 1%, to its own record set on…

Argentine artist Guillermina Grinbaum’s new exhibit in New York, “Hilo de Voz/Whispering Thread,” uses a range of creative materials and techniques, including painting, sculpture and interactive installations, to call attention to gender violence and human trafficking. See the full story here. This post was originally published on here

U.S. experts are casting doubt on the effectiveness of Russia’s threat to expand the use of its new ballistic missile following publicly announced changes in Moscow’s nuclear doctrine. VOA Russian and Ukrainian reporters spoke with experts, including Matthew Bunn, a nuclear weapons analyst and former scientific adviser in the Bill Clinton administration; John Erath, at…

Washington —  U.S. prosecutors moved on Monday to drop the two federal criminal cases against Donald Trump involving his efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat and his handling of classified documents, citing Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president. The steps by prosecutors working with Special Counsel Jack Smith in the two cases…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will soon have a new administrator. Former lawmaker Lee Zeldin has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for that role. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias looks at Zeldin’s credentials and how the agency’s priorities are expected to change, particularly when it comes to climate change regulations.This post was originally published on…

ROME —  Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations are meeting Monday, with the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East entering decisive phases and a certain pressure to advance diplomatic efforts ahead of the new U.S. administration taking over. Hopes for brokering a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon are foremost on the agenda…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is “incredibly concerned” about the escalating use of different types of weaponry in Russia’s nearly three-year war on Ukraine, his designated choice for national security adviser said Sunday. Michael Waltz, now a Florida congressman, told “Fox News Sunday” that the decision by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden to allow…