More than 450,000 people have signed up for a chance to receive $1,000 per month from U.S. presidential candidate Andrew Yang. During last week’s debate, the Democrat announced that he will pick 10 families to receive the money for a year from his campaign funds.    Since he made the announcement last Thursday, Yang’s campaign … continue reading -> “More Than 450,000 People Want Andrew Yang’s Money”

A panel of U.N. experts warns the failure of South Sudan’s warring factions to implement last year’s peace accord risks plunging the country into full-scale war once again. The report by the three-member Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan shows no improvements since South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar signed … continue reading -> “Panel: Full-Scale War Looms in South Sudan One Year After Peace Accord Signed”

Purdue Pharma, the maker of prescription painkiller OxyContin, has filed for bankruptcy protection in a U.S. court. The company is facing numerous lawsuits from local and state governments and other plaintiffs alleging it aggressively marketed dangerous, addictive painkillers that helped fuel the opioid crisis in the United States. The bankruptcy filing comes days after Purdue … continue reading -> “OxyContin Maker Purdue Pharma Files For Bankruptcy”

A new large supply transport ship will help the Beijing government ferry supplies to its holdings in the disputed South China Sea, a resource-rich waterway contested by other countries. China has alarmed the other countries since 2010 by landfilling small islets for military use. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines contest all or parts … continue reading -> “China’s New Transport Ship Will Help Fortify Islands in Disputed Sea”

Members of the United Auto Workers union began a strike Monday against General Motors as the two sides remain apart on the terms of a new contract. Talks are set to resume Monday, but plants that makes cars and parts in nine states will be closed with nearly 50,000 workers off the job. Union Vice … continue reading -> “General Motors Auto Workers Go On Strike”

Hong Kong protesters clashed with  police Sunday. Protesters threw Molotov cocktails and bricks at police near the Legislative Council building. Police responded by firing water cannons filled with blue jets of water, a practice usually initiated to identify protesters later. Thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators were on Hong Kong’s streets Sunday. The weekend demonstrations have continued … continue reading -> “Hong Kong Protesters, Police Clash”

Consultations have begun in Cameroon ahead of a national dialogue ordered by president Paul Biya. Civil society groups and opposition political parties are calling for the unconditional release of Anglophone separatist leaders and other political prisoners before discussions begin. FILE – Cameroon Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute visits Bamenda, Cameroon, May 10, 2019. Cameroon Prime … continue reading -> “Calls for Release of Separatists, Political Prisoners Intensify in Cameroon”

Less than two months into its term, Thailand’s post-junta government is fending off a series of challenges to its very existence, including a brewing political storm over the Cabinet’s failure to recite the full oath of office. A general election in March returned the 2014 coup leader, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, to power to widespread … continue reading -> “Thai Government May Beat Legal Threats, But Flagging Economy Looms”

The flag-draped coffin had arrived, followed by black-clad family members, their heads bowed. Several dozen suited dignitaries marched in, chests puffed out. Military members stood rigid and proud. All of the pomp and circumstance one would expect at the memorial for a man hailed as an African icon was in place Saturday for the final … continue reading -> “Zimbabwe’s Mugabe Gets Tepid Turnout at Final Public Sendoff”

Congo’s National Ebola Response Committee says confirmed Ebola deaths in the east of the sprawling African nation are nearing 2,000 and confirmed cases of the virus have exceeded 3,000. The committee released the latest numbers Friday after a discussion in Goma by the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church about efforts to help stem the … continue reading -> “Congo: Confirmed Ebola Deaths Near 2,000, Cases Over 3,000”

While the political and economic crisis worsens in Venezuela, countries in the Western Hemisphere continue to be economically impacted by migrants seeking refuge and asylum. To help alleviate some of the burden, the United States Navy has deployed the Comfort hospital ship to assist countries like Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica. VOA’s Cristina Caicedo Smit … continue reading -> “US Hospital Ship Dispatched for Migrants in Trinidad and Tobago”

An international press freedom monitor has awarded Vietnamese journalist and blogger Pham Doan Trang a 2019 Press Freedom Prize for Impact. “Pham Doan Trang is a true heroine given the situation of press freedom in Vietnam, where journalists and bloggers who do not toe the line of the current direction of the Communist Party face … continue reading -> “Vietnamese Blogger Wins Press Freedom Award”

Government experts Friday backed an experimental treatment for children with peanut allergies that could become the first federally approved option for preventing life-threatening reactions. The treatment is daily capsules of peanut powder that gradually help children build up a tolerance. The outside panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted overwhelmingly in favor … continue reading -> “Health Experts Back Treatment for Kids With Peanut Allergy”

They scan social media, peer under rubble, or try to follow the smell of death to try to find family and friends.    They search amid alarming reports that 1,300 people remain listed as missing nearly two weeks after Hurricane Dorian hit the northern Bahamas.    The government, which has put the official death toll at 50, … continue reading -> “Bahamians Look for Loved Ones as 1,300 Remain Missing After Dorian”

Israeli settlers in the West Bank are celebrating the announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex one-third of the Palestinian territory in the West Bank if he is re-elected. Netanyahu wants to declare sovereignty over the Jordan River Valley and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. His plan has sparked condemnation by the Palestinians and … continue reading -> “Palestinians Fear Netanyahu’s Annexation Plan”

Turkish, Iranian and Russian presidents will meet in Ankara Monday under the Astana process, where the three countries regularly meet to try and resolve the Syrian conflict. The fate of the last rebel enclave in Idlib is expected top the agenda. With Syrian regime forces threatening to overrun Idlib, Ankara is warning of a humanitarian … continue reading -> “The Fate of Syria’s Idlib to Top Turkey, Russia, Iran Talks”

U.S. Democrats held their third presidential primary debate Thursday in Houston, Texas.  The debate was a spirited encounter that included clashes over health care, immigration and foreign policy involving the top 10 Democratic contenders vying for the right to take on President Donald Trump next year.  VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington. … continue reading -> “Top Democratic Presidential Contenders Clash in Third Debate”

In the world of agriculture, there is often a dividing line marked by color — red and green — which on a farm, doesn’t mean “stop” or “go.” “Just like you might be accustomed to Ford or Chevy, on the farm, it’s either Case or John Deere,” said farmer Megan Dwyer of Colona, Illinois, whose … continue reading -> “Amid Trade War, US Farmers Put Off Equipment Purchases”

The tentative settlement involving the opioid crisis and the maker of OxyContin could mean that thousands of local governments will one day be paid back for some of the costs of responding to the epidemic. But for public officials in Akron, no amount of money will restore the families and institutions that were upended by … continue reading -> “Settlement Money Won’t Restore Ohio City Upended by Opioids”

Afghanistan’s Taliban leaders agreed they wanted a deal with the United States, but some were in more of a hurry than others. Taliban negotiators were at odds with their Council of Leaders, or shura, about whether to travel to Camp David even before President Donald Trump abruptly canceled the high-stakes meeting planned for last weekend … continue reading -> “Taliban Want US Deal, But Some in Bigger Hurry Than Others”

Beto O’Rourke was back at Keene State College, but the large crowd that flocked to see him six months ago was not. Far removed from the whirlwind opening days of his presidential campaign, the former Texas congressman faced a far smaller, quieter gathering. An attempted “Beto! Beto!” chant fizzled and when an elderly voter declared … continue reading -> “O’Rourke Bets on New Approach to Revive Flagging White House Bid”

President repeats false claim that he spent time at ground zero alongside first responders …

Sanctions and other economic pressures are making the lives of ordinary Syrians even more difficult, as the country’s national currency falls to record lows against the U.S. dollar in black market trading this week. FILE – A Russian soldier places the national flag at the Abu Duhur crossing on the eastern edge of Idlib province, … continue reading -> “Syrian Currency Hovers Near Record Lows on Black Market”

U.S. health officials are investigating what might be causing hundreds of serious breathing illnesses in people who use e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. They have identified about 450 possible cases in 33 states, including six deaths. A look at what we know so far about the outbreak as the investigation continues: What are the symptoms? … continue reading -> “US Vaping Illness: What We Know so Far”

Like father, like son? A son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has caused a stir by questioning democracy in Latin America’s biggest country, which emerged from a two-decade military dictatorship in 1985. “The transformation that Brazil wants will not happen at the speed we are aiming for in democratic ways,” tweeted Carlos Bolsonaro, a close … continue reading -> “In Brazil, President’s Son Questions Democracy”