President Donald Trump risks driving wedges between the United States and its closest allies, something America can ill-afford. So say lawmakers of both political parties as public disputes have arisen between the White House and Britain as well as Germany. VOA’s Michael Bowman reports from Washington. …… more
Two key U.S. officials are set to testify publicly about whether there is any truth behind the explosive, but unsubstantiated claim by U.S. President Donald Trump that former President Barack Obama wiretapped him in the weeks before last year’s presidential election. Both James Comey, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the country’s top… more
At least three American soldiers were wounded Sunday when an Afghan solider opened fire at them in southern Afghanistan. The incident happened during a training exercise at a military base in the Helmand province. The U.S. soldiers are receiving medical care, said NATO’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. Afghan officials say that the attacker was… more
A huge meteorite slammed into the southern African country of Namibia during prehistoric times. Now, pieces from that meteorite could be used as a natural catalyst to store energy from renewable sources. Scientists at a technology institute in Switzerland found that the meteorite’s composition is key to its effectiveness as a catalyst. VOA’s Deborah Block… more
In textiles, nothing has the impact of spider silk. These protein strands are stretchy and in some ways as strong as steel but without the weight. Scientists have been making artificial spider silk for years, with varying degree of success. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports some Swedish researchers have found a new way to spin the… more
The U.S. Secret Service on Saturday apprehended a person who had jumped over a bicycle rack outside the security perimeter of the White House. President Donald Trump was not in the executive mansion at the time. He was at his Florida estate, where he had arrived Friday night to spend the weekend. On Twitter, White… more
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said the meeting of finance ministers of the G20 countries was a success Saturday despite the ministers not reaching agreement on trade protectionism. “I will leave here confident that my colleagues and I are able to work in partnership to …foster and promote global growth and financial stability,” he said.… more
President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak by phone Saturday afternoon with the president of Brazil, a nation in which many favored Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over Trump – due in large part to his opposition to free global trade. Nevertheless, Brazilian President Michel Temer sent a message to Trump shortly after his November… more
Each day in the United States hundreds of thousands of yellow-painted buses carry millions of children to schools and back home. Scientists at the University of Maryland are developing algorithms that can help transport students more efficiently. VOA’s George Putic reports. …… more
Zander Dejah, 25, pays $1,900 a month rent to live in a downtown San Francisco house with at least 40 other people, many of whom sleep in bunk beds. Dejah is a resident of The Negev, a communal living space that styles itself as a home for millennial tech workers to brainstorm ideas, write code… more
Each year, the University of Southern California hosts the African Global Economic and Development Summit, bringing delegations from Africa to meet with business leaders, government officials and others in the U.S. But this year, the African summit has no Africans. All were denied visas. Visa issues are not uncommon for people traveling from African nations.… more
Jennifer Garner has called on Congress to do more to support early childhood education. The actress testified Thursday on Capitol Hill in support of education programs for preschoolers in poverty. Garner recalled growing up in West Virginia around children in poverty. She told lawmakers that she “couldn’t stand up for them back then, but… more
A leading Russian bank says it was targeted by hackers who created a fake cyber trail to suggest extensive links with businesses owned by U.S. President Donald Trump. “These badly-intentioned attacks were carried out to create the false impression that Alfa Bank secretly maintains contacts with the Trump Organization, whereas in actual fact such contacts… more
What’s the largest organ in the human body? It’s skin, of course. Ask any doctor about its role in protecting what’s inside us from all kinds of trouble. That’s why it’s such a big deal that university scientists in Spain have learned how to manufacture what they say is fully functional human skin with a… more
Carmakers and suppliers gave widely differing timelines Thursday for the introduction of self-driving vehicles, showing the uncertainties surrounding the technology as well as a split between cautious established players and bullish new entrants. Chipmaker Nvidia, facing direct competition with the world’s top chipmaker after Intel’s $15 billion deal to buy Mobileye, an autonomous driving technology… more
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is headed Friday to his first G-20 meeting of the world’s top financial leaders in Germany with a message that the new administration of President Donald Trump won’t tolerate any countries that try to devalue their currencies to gain an unfair trade advantage. The U.S. ran a trade deficit of… more
One woman will make history next week as the first female Marine to join the infantry through the traditional entry-level training process that was previously unavailable to women, officials tell VOA. The Marine is finishing up her training as a mortarwoman and will graduate next week from the U.S. Marine Corps School of Infantry at… more
32 years ago today on March 16, 1985, Associated Press journalist Terry Anderson was abducted by Hezbollah militants in Beirut, Lebanon and held in captivity for nearly seven years. “I had about a year and a half in solitary [confinement] which… nearly destroyed me,” Anderson said during an address he gave at a newspaper association… more
Each year, aspiring tech entrepreneurs from all over the world head to the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas, to prove their worth. VOA reporter Tina Trinh met with the latest wave of tech disrupters to learn what it takes to stand apart from the competition. …… more
Under the Trump administration, there will likely be challenges for the U.S. tech industry when it comes to attracting foreign talent. But it’s never been a better time to start a company, said Dave McClure, a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist. “The general trend for start-ups under Trump or anyone else is still fantastic,” according to McClure,… more
McDonald’s has started testing mobile order-and-pay after acknowledging the ordering process in its restaurants can be “stressful.” The company says it will gather feedback from the test before launching the option nationally toward the end of the year. It says mobile order-and-pay is now available at 29 stores in Monterey and Salinas, California, and will… more
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators Wednesday introduced legislation which calls for an increase in the number of visas available to Afghans who helped U.S. forces in positions such as interpreters. The bill calls for an extra 2,500 Special Immigrant Visas specifically for Afghans who assisted the U.S. military, often risking their lives. “This legislation… more
When U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel sit down for a ‘get to know you’ session at the White House Friday, the entire future of the Transatlantic relationship will be hanging in the balance. The leaders of two of the world’s most powerful economies have seemed to be on a collision course… more
Those encrypted messaging apps you may have been using to avoid prying eyes had a major flaw that could have allowed access to hackers, according to a cybersecurity firm. According to Check Point Software Technologies, both Telegram and WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, were vulnerable. The company said it withheld the information until the… more
Hacking means tinkering, whether with computers, woodworking or really anything. Tinkerers around the world come together at hacker-spaces, to share tools, camaraderie and expertise. Shelley Schlender takes us to a hacker space in Oakland, California, called Ace Monster Toys, where members lend each other a “hacking” hand. …… more
Visitors to Bangalore, India, these days can see street art, have beer at local microbreweries or take an Uber ride to a distant neighborhood to meet with venture capitalists about a recent startup that grabbed their attention. Gone are the days of a city dominated by call centers and American visa seekers. “There’s an artisanal… more