Category: United States

NEW DELHI — U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks Thursday at the White House. Officials in New Delhi expressed optimism Modi’s visit will herald a renewed and substantive partnership. However, analysts said there will be contentious issues to navigate on trade and immigration, which are among Trump’s top priorities.  Underlining that Modi will be meeting Trump within weeks of his taking office, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri – the ministry’s top civil servant — said India-U.S. ties are solid and that “this has been one of our strongest international partnerships.”  Trade is important for both countries and India has taken steps to demonstrate that it is ready to address concerns of Trump, who has named India among countries that are “very big tariff abusers.” In a phone conversation with Modi last month, Trump called for moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship.  Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, repeated such concerns on Monday. “India has enormously high” tariffs that lock out imports, he said in an interview with CNBC.  New Delhi, which wants to avoid trade tensions with the U.S., announced earlier this month that it would lower import duties on some items that will benefit American exports such as high-end motorcycles and cars.  It also may offer other concessions that could help American goods gain Indian market access and boost energy imports from the U.S., analysts say.  “New Delhi thought it would take a first step and try to resolve differences on trade. But, certainly, as a great negotiator and bargainer, he [Trump] will ask for more,” said Chintamani Mahapatra, founder of the Kalinga School of Indo Pacific Studies. “India also bargains very well. So, somehow, we will try to make a compromise that will benefit both.”  For India, the stakes are high — the United States is its largest trading partner. Bilateral trade between the two countries was $118 billion, with an Indian surplus of about $32 billion in 2023.  India has not been affected so far by Trump’s tariff impositions – the latest 25% tariffs he imposed on steel and aluminum imports will have an only marginal affect on India, as New Delhi is a small exporter of steel to the U.S., according to Indian officials.  Strengthening security and defense ties with the U.S., Indian officials say will also be discussed in Washington. According to analysts that could … “Modi, Trump to meet with focus on trade, immigration, strategic ties” →

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued an executive order directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revamp the Foreign Service to ensure “faithful and effective implementation” of Trump’s foreign policy agenda.  The order, which follows upheaval at the U.S. Agency for International Development, comes as Trump institutes changes to ensure U.S. foreign policy is aligned with his “America First” agenda. He has also repeatedly pledged to “clean out the deep state” by firing bureaucrats that he deems disloyal.  The order also says failure to implement the president’s agenda is grounds for professional discipline, which may result in the termination of personnel.  “The Secretary must maintain an exceptional workforce of patriots to implement this policy effectively,” the order read.  “The Secretary shall, consistent with applicable law, reform the Foreign Service and the administration of foreign relations to ensure faithful and effective implementation of the President’s foreign policy agenda.”  The executive order says the secretary of state will implement reforms in recruiting, performance, evaluation and retention standards to “ensure a workforce that is committed to faithful implementation of the President’s foreign policy.”  It also said the secretary can revamp the programs of the Foreign Service Institute and revise or replace the Foreign Affairs Manual.  Just hours after taking office on Jan. 20, Trump ordered a freeze of most U.S. foreign aid to ensure it was aligned with his “America First” policies.  Following the order, USAID staff were put on leave and told not to report to work at the agency’s headquarters, where signs were covered in tape or removed. The USAID website stopped working, and Rubio was named acting administrator. …

washington — The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on Wednesday seeking access to dozens of migrants flown to a U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying they were being denied the right to an attorney.  ACLU filed the complaint on behalf of families of detainees, who say the detainees themselves cannot sue because they are being held without the ability to communicate with the outside world. The suit seeks immediate phone and video access to detainees, as well as in-person visitation.  President Donald Trump, a Republican, kicked off a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after taking office on Jan. 20, including the transfer of dozens of migrants to a detention site on Guantanamo Bay, which is best known for the separate high-security U.S. prison used for suspected foreign terrorists.  The lawsuit follows a letter sent by ACLU and other civil and immigrant rights groups to top Trump officials last week, demanding a way to speak to detainees.  “Shipping immigrants off to Guantanamo without access to lawyers or the outside world cannot be reconciled with our country’s laws or principles,” said Lee Gelernt, ACLU lawyer and lead counsel on the case. “It will now be up to the courts to reaffirm that the rule of law governs our nation.”  The lawsuit cites the cases of three Venezuelan men believed to be detained at Guantanamo.  Angela Carolina Sequera, one of the plaintiffs, said she was in almost daily contact with her son while he was in a Texas immigration detention center and last spoke to him on Saturday, the complaint stated. On Sunday, she received a call from the detention center saying her son would be sent to Guantanamo.  “Ms. Sequera has made numerous calls to try to locate her son and speak to him, to no avail,” the complaint said. “She is distraught over the lack of information, and she desires that her son be provided with the ability to communicate with legal counsel regarding his detention at Guantanamo.”  The plaintiffs also include four nonprofit legal service providers who said they were unable to represent migrants shuttled to the naval base. The providers have clients in Texas and Florida. The Trump administration has provided few specifics about the detainees sent to Guantanamo Bay but said the first flight carried alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.   Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said there is a system … “Lawsuit by US rights group seeks access to migrants sent to Guantanamo Bay” →

The future of the United States’ military presence in Syria is in question, with President Donald Trump facing competing demands from Turkey and Israel over the 2,000-strong force that is supporting a Syrian Kurdish-led coalition fighting Islamic State. Israel wants the U.S. to keep supporting Kurdish forces in Syria, while Turkey opposes that strategy. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. …

WASHINGTON — As his trade advisers finalized plans to enact reciprocal measures on every country that charges duties on U.S. imports, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he will push for lower interest rates alongside his tariff policies. “Interest Rates should be lowered, something which would go hand in hand with upcoming Tariffs!!! Lets Rock and Roll, America!!!” Trump said on social media Wednesday morning. To maintain the Federal Reserves’ autonomy from politics, U.S. presidents traditionally avoid even the appearance of meddling in monetary policy and the nation’s interest rates, which is the purview of the central bank. Trump, however, has not shied from the practice. In a videoconference address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, Trump said he would “demand that interest rates drop immediately.” “I know interest rates much better than they do,” he said of Fed officials. He has ramped up his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, whom he appointed in 2017 for a term that ends in 2026. Trump’s push to lower interest rates is intended to go hand in hand with punitive measures on trading partners. Reciprocal tariffs are “absolutely a high priority for the president,” White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told reporters Wednesday, promising “a lot more action on it today.” Hassett said the White House has begun negotiations with other countries early to lay the groundwork for imposing such tariffs, although he acknowledged the details about which sectors or how they will be implemented is a “work in progress.” Under World Trade Organization rules, member countries have the right to impose tariffs on imports. Countries negotiate those rates at the WTO to determine the maximum tariff rate a member country can impose on imports from other member countries. Inflation, looming trade war U.S. inflation rose to 3% in January, according to government data released Wednesday. Last month, the annual pace was 2.9%. Trump campaigned on lowering high consumer prices he blamed on his predecessor, Joe Biden. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt again attributed the increase to the previous administration. “This is an indictment on the Biden administration’s mismanagement of the inflation crisis and their lack of transparency,” she said during her briefing Wednesday. Trump wants to lower interest rates and inflation, she said. “He believes that the whole of government economic approach that this administration is taking will result in lower inflation.” However, some economists warn that … “Trump pushes for lower interest rates alongside tariffs” →

NEW YORK — R. Kelly’s racketeering and sex trafficking convictions, along with a 30-year prison sentence, were upheld Wednesday by a federal appeals court that concluded the American singer exploited his fame for over a quarter century to sexually abuse girls and young women.  The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled Wednesday after hearing arguments last March.  The Grammy-winning, multiplatinum-selling R&B songwriter was convicted in 2021 in Brooklyn federal court of multiple charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking.  Attorney Jennifer Bonjean, representing R. Kelly, said in a statement that she believed the Supreme Court will agree to hear an appeal. She called the 2nd Circuit ruling “unprecedented,” saying it gives prosecutors limitless discretion to apply the racketeering law “to situations absurdly remote” from the statute’s intent.  Last year, the high court declined to hear an appeal of a 20-year sentence Kelly received after he was convicted in 2022 of child sex charges including charges of producing images of child sexual abuse in Chicago.  The 2nd Circuit rejected Kelly’s arguments that the trial evidence was inadequate, the constitutionality of some state laws used against him were questionable, four jurors were biased, the trial judge made some improper rulings, and a racketeering charge more commonly used in organized crime cases was improper.  “Enabled by a constellation of managers, assistants, and other staff for over twenty-five years, Kelly exploited his fame to lure girls and young women into his grasp,” the appeals court said, noting members of his entourage helped introduce him to underage girls.  “Evidence at trial showed that he would isolate them from friends and family, control nearly every aspect of their lives, and abuse them verbally, physically, and sexually,” the three-judge panel said.  The appeals court said it was “neither arbitrary nor irrational” that several accusers were permitted to testify at trial that Kelly gave them herpes without disclosing he had an STD, and it was not unduly prejudicial or cumulative that seven witnesses who were not yet adults when Kelly began to abuse them were allowed to testify.  “None of the testimony was more inflammatory than the charged acts,” the appeals court said.  The 2nd Circuit also said it was not unfairly prejudicial for the trial judge to let jurors view graphic videos. The videos, the appeals court said, “were properly admitted to show the means and methods of the enterprise, including the level of control and … “Federal appeals court upholds singer R. Kelly’s convictions, 30-year prison term” →

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he and Russia’s leader agreed in a phone call to “immediately” begin negotiations with Ukraine’s leader to bring an end to the nearly three-year-conflict.   “We will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social. “I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful.” Trump did not specify what the terms might be to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in Germany Wednesday for a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, ruled out a key demand by Ukraine’s: eventual membership in NATO. “The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said.   Trump’s top hostage negotiator on Wednesday credited Trump’s “great friendship” with Russia’s leader and with Saudi Arabia’s prince as key in releasing American teacher Marc Fogel from Russian custody late Tuesday.   “I think that getting Mark Fogel out was critical and the Russians were very, very helpful in that effort and very accommodating,” Witkoff said, speaking to reporters at the White House. “And I think that’s maybe a sign about how that working relationship between President Trump and President Putin will be in the future and what that may portend for the world at large for conflict and so forth. I think they had a great friendship. And I think now it’s going to continue and it’s a really good thing for the world.” Trump welcomed Fogel to the White House late Tuesday. He had been detained since August 2021 for bringing medically prescribed marijuana into the country.   “I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now,” Fogel said as he stood next to Trump at the White House late Tuesday. Trump said he appreciated what Russia did in letting Fogel go home but declined to specify the details of any agreement with Russia beyond calling it “very fair” and very reasonable.”   Trump also said another hostage release would be announced Wednesday.   Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, said earlier Tuesday the United States and Russia “negotiated an exchange” to free Fogel but gave no details about … “Trump vows to ‘immediately’ negotiate for end to Ukraine war” →

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to overhaul the country’s intelligence apparatus appears set to move forward, with lawmakers confirming Tulsi Gabbard as the nation’s next director of national intelligence. The Senate voted 52-48 in favor of Gabbard on Wednesday, narrowly rejecting concerns about her experience and past statements on leaks of classified intelligence and other matters. Gabbard got support from every Republican senator except for former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who joined Democrats in opposing her confirmation. “The intelligence community needs to refocus on its core mission — collecting intelligence and providing unbiased analysis of that information,” said Republican Majority Leader John Thune, praising Gabbard on Monday as lawmakers began debating her nomination. “That’s what Tulsi Gabbard is committed to ensuring,” Thune said. “And I believe she has the knowledge and leadership capabilities to get it done.” Democrats were less enthusiastic, making last minute pleas to their Republican colleagues to reject Gabbard. “We simply cannot, in good conscience, trust our most classified secrets to someone who echoes Russian propaganda and falls for conspiracy theories,” said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, addressing lawmakers before Wednesday’s vote. Schumer also alleged that most Republicans secretly agree. “If we had a secret ballot, Gabbard might get 10 votes,” he said. “People know. That’s why they raise so many questions. But Donald Trump and Elon Musk evidently threaten them, and they’re changing their view.” Trump selected Gabbard in November, praising her “fearless spirit.” But the former Democratic representative from the state of Hawaii and one-time Democratic presidential candidate faced criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. Gabbard’s nomination to serve as director of national intelligence advanced to the full Senate by a 9-8 party-line vote in the Senate Intelligence Committee. “It’s fair to say Ms. Gabbard’s nomination has generated a bit more interest and attention than do most nominees before this committee,” Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, a Republican, acknowledged during Gabbard’s confirmation hearing late last month. During the hearing, Gabbard was questioned repeatedly by Republicans and Democrats about Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor accused of leaking thousands of classified documents before ultimately fleeing to Russia, and specifically about legislation she introduced to pardon him. Each time they asked whether she considered Snowden a traitor, Gabbard declined to answer. “Senator, my heart is with my commitment to our Constitution and our nation’s security,” Gabbard said during once exchange with Republican Senator James … “Senate approves Trump’s nominee to lead US intelligence” →

Russian-born fashion designer Dasha Pomeranz tells stories with the clothing she creates. Her latest collection is a tribute to women who were forced to leave their native countries and start new lives in the United States. Karina Bafradzhian has the story. (Videographer: Sergii Dogotar ; Produced by: Sergii Dogotar, Anna Rice   )  …

New York — Paul McCartney’s previous New York-area performance took place three years ago at MetLife Stadium, capacity 82,500. His surprise show Tuesday night at the Bowery Ballroom fit, at most, 575. It was probably less than that since McCartney’s sound board and gear — too much to fit backstage — occupied a portion of the floor space at the venerable downtown theater. The whole thing felt like, and was, a lark. McCartney announced the show just hours before taking the stage. Like an echo of Beatlemania, the news swept through Manhattan and beyond earlier in the day, sending New Yorkers sprinting down Delancey Street for a chance to snag one of the few tickets at the Bowery. Most in attendance, including McCartney, himself, could hardly believe it was happening. “So, here we are,” McCartney said, grinning. “Some little gig. New York. Why not?” Later, before launching into “Let Me Roll It,” he added: “I can’t quite believe we’re here, doing this. But we are here, doing this.” It was not McCartney’s first impromptu concert. The Beatles famously performed in 1969 atop the roof of their Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row in London. Since then, he’s made something of a habit of it on trips to New York. In 2009, McCartney returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater, site of the Beatles’ famous U.S. debut, and performed above the marquee. In 2018, he popped up in Grand Central Terminal to promote the release of his “Egyptian Station.” With temperatures in the low 30s on Tuesday, McCartney, 82, this time opted for an intimate, indoor show. Tickets were sold only physically at the venue, one per person. All were snapped up within about 30 minutes. For those quick enough, it was like hitting the lottery. Amy Jaffe, 69, was at home about 30 blocks north when she saw the announcement on Instagram. “I thought: I can do this,” Jaffe said before the show. “I put on jeans, grabbed a coat, called a Lyft.” Jaffe has seen McCartney many times before, including with the Beatles in 1964 in Forrest Hills, Queens. But she was still incredulous, smiling and shaking her head: “I don’t actually believe it.” Phil Sokoloff, 31, was on his way to work nearby when he saw the news. He ran in and told his co-worker, Mat Fuller, and they rushed over to the Bowery Ballroom. “We just got lucky,” … “Paul McCartney rocks the Bowery – Inside his surprise NYC concert  “ →

Snow, sleet and freezing rain were expected to continue pummeling the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic states Wednesday, while California readied for a storm that could flood areas ravaged by the recent wildfires.  Especially heavy snowfall — up to nearly 25 centimeters — was expected in parts of Virginia and West Virginia, according to the National Weather Service. Ice accumulations could reach more than 8.4 millimeters in Stanleytown, Virginia, and 6.3 millimeters in Glendale Springs, North Carolina.  In California, an atmospheric river — a long band of water vapor that can transport moisture from the tropics to more northern areas — was expected to move in late Wednesday, likely flooding urban areas across central and Southern California, according to the weather service.  The snowstorm that blew into the mid-Atlantic states on Tuesday caused accidents on icy roads and prompted school closures. By Tuesday night, nearly 12,000 people in Virginia had lost power, according to PowerOutage.us.  “Stay home and off the roads tonight, Virginia,” the Virginia Department of Transportation posted on social media Tuesday night, alongside a meme of Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” saying, “There’s no place like home.”  In parts of Baltimore and Washington, 2.5 centimeters of snow was falling each hour, according to the weather service. All Washington public schools were closed Wednesday due to the weather.  Appalachian Power, which serves 1 million customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, said Tuesday it had 5,400 workers dedicated to restoring power.  About 65 Virginia National Guard soldiers were at facilities along the Interstate 95 and state Route 29 corridors and in southwest Virginia to support the storm response, guard officials said. Another 20 soldiers and members of the Virginia Defense Force were in support roles.  Winter storm warnings extended from northwest North Carolina to southern New Jersey, and the snow-and-ice mix was expected to become all rain by Wednesday afternoon as temperatures climb.  Meanwhile a separate storm system was expected to dump heavy snow on an area stretching from Kansas to the Great Lakes starting Tuesday night, the weather service said. The Kansas Legislature canceled Wednesday meetings because of the weather, and Gov. Laura Kelly closed state offices in the capital, Topeka.  Hundreds of accidents  In Virginia, where Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency and schools and government offices were closed Tuesday, state police reported 700 accidents and dozens of injuries Tuesday. Matt Demlein, a spokesperson for … “Snow and freezing rain pummel the mid-Atlantic while California prepares for likely flooding  “ →

NEW YORK — A giant schnauzer named Monty won the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night. Monty bested six other finalists to take best in show at Madison Square Garden. The award is considered the most prestigious prize in the U.S. dog show world. Each dog is judged according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed. Winners get a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights, but no cash prize. Other finalists included a bichon frisé called Neal, a Skye terrier named Archer, a whippet and repeat runner-up known as Bourbon, a shih tzu called Comet who’s been a finalist before, a German shepherd named Mercedes, who came in second last year, and an English springer spaniel called Freddie. Monty made the finals for a third year in a row and won the huge American Kennel Club’s big show in December. A Westminster win is considered the most prestigious award in the U.S. dog show world. Each dog is judged according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed. Winners get a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights, but no cash prize. Every dog at Westminster is a titled champion, but they also are household pets. Some also do therapy work, search-and-rescue or other canine jobs. “A good German shepherd is an all-purpose dog,” said co-breeder and co-owner Sheree Moses Combs of Wardensville, West Virginia. Some of her pups have become service dogs for wounded veterans, she said. “Dog shows are fun, but that is what our breed is all about,” she said. Big dogs had their day at Westminster on Tuesday, when “working” breeds had their turns in the ring. First-round competitor Brina, for instance, is a 71.6 kilogram Neapolitan mastiff. “I’ve been struck by this breed since I was 12. … They’re so unique,” owner Yves Belmont, Ph.D., said as Brina napped in her crate, equipped with a 7.5-liter water bucket. With their size, jowly heads and guard-dog history, the breed was developed to be imposing. But Belmont, who currently has several of them at his family’s Atlanta-area home, said he also is impressed by their intelligence. A trip to Westminster is a reminder of dogs’ variety, even just among purebreds. The same day Brina competed, Tyra the miniature bull terrier also strutted her stuff. Formally called GCH CH Rnr’s Top Model, she’s named after fashion model Tyra Banks. The hardy terrier … “Giant schnauzer named Monty wins top prize at Westminster Kennel Club” →

WASHINGTON — After the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last week, the two nations voiced alignment on Trump’s “peace through strength” approach toward countering China in the Indo-Pacific region, analysts said. “The prime minister and I will be working closely together to maintain peace and security — and I also say – peace through strength all over the Indo-Pacific,” said Trump, at a press conference after his meeting Friday with Ishiba in Washington. “We agreed to cooperate even more closely to combat the Chinese economic aggression, which is quite aggressive,” Trump said. Ishiba said: “Further strengthening the strong and unwavering Japan-U.S. alliance to achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific” is key “to advance the national interests of both of our countries in synergy and to realize peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.” Analysts say the first official meeting between Trump and Ishiba succeeded in striking agreements on what both leaders consider crucial: combating China’s aggression and strengthening their national interests. Security commitment Ishiba continued to forge close ties with the U.S. to maintain multilateral alliance security cooperation close to home in the Indo-Pacific, while Trump secured Japanese investments and purchases. Taken together, analysts say, Ishiba is aligned with Trump’s vision of making the U.S. strong at home in his “America First” approach as a prerequisite for maintaining peace through strength in the Indo-Pacific, a region crucial to Japan’s defense. “The U.S.-Japan leaders’ communiqué went a long way to reaffirm Trump’s peace through strength approach to the Indo-Pacific,” said Kenneth Weinstein, the Japan chair at Hudson Institute. “The U.S.-Japan leaders’ communiqué, which President Trump signed off on, highlighted the importance of multilateral networks in the Indo-Pacific,” Weinstein told VOA on Sunday. “The two leaders intend to advance multilayered and aligned cooperation” with the Quad security dialogue and three separate trilateral ties with South Korea, Australia and the Philippines “to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Trump and Ishiba said in a joint statement. There were concerns by some that Trump would not support alliance security formations aimed at maintaining peace and security in the region. “A big concern on the part of the Japanese” was whether the Biden administration’s emphasis “on the centrality of alliance” or the “so-called multilayered structures” or “mini laterals” would continue, said Daniel Sneider, a lecturer in East Asian Studies at Stanford University. Sneider told VOA on Monday, “It was reassuring … “US, Japan aligned in ‘peace through strength’ to counter China” →

Washington — A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected a Trump administration push to reinstate a sweeping pause on federal funding, a decision that comes after a judge found the administration had not fully obeyed an earlier order. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned back the emergency appeal, though it said it expected the lower court judge to act quickly to clarify. The Justice Department had asked the appeals court to let it implement sweeping pauses on federal grants and loans, calling the lower court order to keep promised money flowing “intolerable judicial overreach.” That ruling came from U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island, the first judge to find that the administration had disobeyed a court order. He is presiding over a lawsuit from nearly two dozen Democratic states filed after the administration issued a boundary-pushing memo purporting to halt all federals grants and loans, worth trillions of dollars. The plan sparked chaos around the country. The administration has since rescinded that memo, but McConnell found Monday that not all federal grants and loans had been restored. Money for things like early childhood education, pollution reduction and HIV prevention research has remained tied up even after his Jan. 31 order halting the spending freeze plan, the states said. McConnell, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, ordered the Trump administration to “immediately take every step necessary” to unfreeze all federal grants and loans. He also said his order blocked the administration from cutting billions of dollars in grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, a move announced last week. The Justice Department said McConnell’s order prevents the executive branch from exercising its lawful authority, including over discretionary spending or fraud. “A single district court judge has attempted to wrest from the President the power to ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed.’ This state of affairs cannot be allowed to persist for one more day,” government attorneys wrote in their appeal. The states, meanwhile, argued that the president can’t block money that Congress has approved, and the still-frozen grants and loans are causing serious problems for their residents. They urged the appeals court to keep allowing the case to play out in front of McConnell. The court battle is unfolding as a string of court losses is increasingly frustrating top administration officials by slowing President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging agenda . Judges have … “Appeals court rejects push to reinstate spending freezes on grants, loans” →

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Tuesday vowed that the United States would maintain its leadership position in the development of advanced artificial intelligence and warned leaders of other countries not to adopt regulatory standards that might “kill” the new technology “just as it’s taking off.”  “The United States of America is the leader in AI, and our administration plans to keep it that way,” Vance told an audience of world leaders at an AI summit in Paris. He said the administration of President Donald Trump “will ensure that the most powerful AI systems are built in the U.S. with American-designed and manufactured chips.”  Vance said that the U.S. is open to collaboration with its allies. “But,” he said, “to create that kind of trust, we need international regulatory regimes that foster the creation of AI technology rather than strangles it, and we need our European friends in particular to look to this new frontier with optimism rather than trepidation.”  Regulations criticized  The vice president criticized the European Union’s regulatory structure, in particular the privacy-focused General Data Protection Regulation and the misinformation-focused Digital Services Act, and he said the Trump administration will not accept foreign governments “tightening the screws on U.S. tech companies with international footprints.”  Vance also appeared to criticize the effort in Europe to replace power generated by burning fossil fuels with more sustainable sources, saying that countries are “chasing reliable power out of their nations” at a time when AI systems demand ever-greater access to electricity.  “The AI future is not going to be won by handwringing about safety,” Vance said. “It will be won by building — from reliable power plants to the manufacturing facilities that can produce the chips of the future.”  While dozens of countries in attendance at the summit signed a joint declaration on “building trustworthy data governance frameworks to encourage development of innovative and privacy-protective AI,” the U.S. and U.K. did not.  More calls for reduced regulation  Although not as dismissive of regulations and safety concerns as Vice President Vance, other leaders at the summit appeared to agree that the regulatory burden on companies in the AI field should be lightened.  French President Emmanuel Macron, the summit’s host, said that while safety concerns are important, Europe also needs to make it easier for AI firms there to move quickly and innovate at the same pace as other countries.  “At the national and … “Vance stakes forceful claim to US leadership in AI” →

The latest offerings for electric vehicles take center stage at the 2025 Chicago Auto Show as some federal tax incentives could end. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more. …

Marc Fogel, an American teacher detained in Russia since August 2021 for bringing medically prescribed marijuana into the country, was freed by Moscow on Tuesday and headed back to the United States, the White House announced. The 63-year-old history teacher, who had been serving a 14-year sentence, was expected to be reunited with his family in the eastern state of Pennsylvania by the end of the day. He left Russian airspace aboard the personal aircraft of Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign affairs envoy who helped negotiate his release. Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, said the U.S. and Russia “negotiated an exchange” to free Fogel but gave no details about what the U.S. side of the bargain entailed. In such deals in recent years, the U.S. has often released Russian prisoners that Moscow wanted in exchange. Instead, Waltz cast the deal for Fogel’s release in broader geopolitical terms, saying it was “a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine,” an invasion Russia launched against its neighbor in February 2022, with hundreds of thousands killed or wounded on both sides. Trump had vowed to broker an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine before taking office Jan. 20, but his aides more recently have said he hopes to do it within the first 100 days of his new administration, roughly by the end of April. “Since President Trump’s swearing-in, he has successfully secured the release of Americans detained around the world, and President Trump will continue until all Americans being held are returned to the United States,” Waltz said. The recent release of six Americans held in Venezuela and Fogel’s freeing are the only publicly known instances. Fogel had been traveling with a small amount of medically prescribed marijuana to treat back pain. Once convicted by a Russian court, he began serving his 14-year sentence in June 2022, with the outgoing administration of former President Joe Biden late last year classifying him as wrongfully detained. Witkoff is a billionaire New York real estate executive and close friend of Trump’s. He previously had helped negotiate the six-week Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza initiated by Biden in the last months of his presidency. Witkoff also had been secretly negotiating the deal for Fogel’s release. Online flight trackers spotted his presence in Moscow when he … “Russia frees American serving 14-year marijuana sentence” →

Washington — Human rights experts in Washington are divided over whether the U.S. withdrawal from a United Nations body on human rights will hurt North Korea’s already poor human rights situation. Last Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order pulling the U.S. out of the U.N. Human Rights Council, or UNHRC, reintroducing the stance he held during his previous term. The executive order said that the UNHRC has “protected human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny,” adding that the council deserves “renewed scrutiny.” The decision was announced ahead of Trump’s recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited Washington for the first time since Trump’s second inauguration. Since his first term, President Trump has been disapproving of the activities of the U.N. human rights body. In June 2018, the Trump administration criticized the UNHRC for its “bias against Israel,” stressing the council that year passed resolutions against Israel more than those passed against North Korea, Iran and Syria combined. Negative impact Robert King, who served as the U.S. special envoy for North Korea’s human rights under the Obama administration, said that the U.S. decision to withdraw from the U.N. Human Rights Council could negatively undermine international efforts to improve human rights conditions in the North. “It will have a negative impact. The U.N. Human Rights Council has been a very effective body in terms of calling attention to North Korea’s serious human rights abuses,” King told VOA Korean on the phone last week. “And the fact that the United States will not be an active participant is again a very unfortunate situation.” Roberta Cohen, former deputy assistant secretary of state for human rights, said leaving the UNHRC is “a short-sighted decision.” Cohen, who also served as senior adviser to the U.S. Delegation to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and the General Assembly, said it is important that the U.S. be seated at the council with a vote and be active in mobilizing support for any new initiatives. “If the reforms are needed and they are, the U.S. should be involved heavily,” Cohen told VOA Korean by phone last week. “Walking away cedes the floor to your opponents.” Cohen highlighted that the council was where the Commission of Inquiry on the Human Rights in North Korea, or COI, was conceived. The COI is widely considered to be the first … “US withdrawal from UN human rights body draws mixed reactions” →

WASHINGTON — The U.S., U.K. and Australia on Tuesday sanctioned a Russian web-hosting services provider and two Russian men who administer the service in support of Russian ransomware syndicate LockBit.   The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and its U.K. and Australian counterparts sanctioned Zservers, a Russia-based bulletproof hosting services provider — which is a web-hosting service that ignores or evades law enforcement requests — and two Russian nationals serving as Zservers operators.   Treasury alleges that Zservers provided LockBit access to specialized servers designed to resist law enforcement actions. LockBit ransomware attacks have extracted more than $120 million from thousands of victims around the world.   LockBit has operated since 2019, and is the most deployed ransomware variant across the world and continues to be prolific, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.   The Treasury Department’s Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley T. Smith, said Tuesday’s action “underscores our collective resolve to disrupt all aspects of this criminal ecosystem, wherever located, to protect our national security.”  LockBit has been linked to attacks on airplane manufacturer Boeing, the November 2023 attack against the Industrial Commercial Bank of China, the U.K.’s Royal Mail, Britain’s National Health Service, and international law firm Allen and Overy.   Ransomware is the costliest and most disruptive form of cybercrime, crippling local governments, court systems, hospitals and schools as well as businesses. It is difficult to combat as most gangs are based in former Soviet states and out of reach of Western justice.   Tammy Bruce, a State Department spokeswoman, said Tuesday’s sanctions “underscore the United States’ commitment, along with our international partners, to combating cybercrime and degrading the networks that enable cyber criminals to target our citizens.”  …

MAYVILLE, N.Y. — Salman Rushdie described in graphic detail Tuesday the frenzied moments in 2022 when a masked man rushed at him on a stage in western New York and repeatedly slashed him with a knife, leaving him with life-threatening injuries.  The 77-year-old author addressed jurors on the second day of testimony at the trial of Hadi Matar, 27, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault in the attack. It was the first time since the attack that Rushdie found himself in the same room with the man accused of trying the kill him.  “I only saw him at the last minute,” Rushdie said. “I was aware of someone wearing black clothes, or dark clothes and a black face mask. I was very struck by his eyes, which were dark and seemed very ferocious.”  Rushdie said he first thought his knife-wielding attacker was striking him with a fist.  “But I saw a large quantity of blood pouring onto my clothes,” he said. “He was hitting me repeatedly. Hitting and slashing.”  Rushdie said he was struck more times in his chest and torso and stabbed in his chest as he struggled to get away.  “I was very badly injured. I couldn’t stand up any more. I fell down,” he said.  While lying on the stage, he recalled “a sense of great pain and shock, and aware of the fact that there was an enormous quantity of blood that I was lying in.”  “It occurred to me that I was dying. That was my predominant thought,” he said .  His wife, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, cried from her seat in the courtroom’s second row.  Rushdie was blinded in one eye in the attack and spent months recovering, a process he detailed in a memoir released last year. A speaker who was to appear with Rushdie also was wounded.  Jurors heard opening statements Monday, followed by testimony from staffers at the Chautauqua Institution, the nonprofit art and education center where the attack happened about 120 kilometers south of Buffalo.  Matar has been in custody since he was subdued by spectators after the attack.  The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.  Jurors are unlikely to hear about a fatwa issued by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for Rushdie’s death, according to District Attorney Jason Schmidt. Rushdie, the author of “Midnight’s Children” and “Victory City,” spent years in … “Salman Rushdie testifies about his shock and pain as stranger repeatedly stabbed him on stage “ →

New York — Steve Bannon pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a fraud charge related to duping donors who gave money to a private effort to build a wall along the U.S. southern border — a case the conservative strategist has decried as a “political persecution.” Bannon, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, reached a plea agreement that spares him from jail time in the “We Build the Wall” scheme as long as he stays out of trouble.  Asked how he was feeling as he left the courtroom, Bannon said, “Like a million bucks.” The deal comes just days after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the Justice Department to investigate what the president called the ” weaponization of prosecutorial power.” The case had been scheduled to go to trial March 4.   Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office charged Bannon in state court after a Trump pardon in 2021 wiped away federal charges on the same allegations. In November, Judge April Newbauer ruled prosecutors could show jurors certain evidence, including an email they say shows Bannon was concerned the fundraising effort was “a scam.”   Bannon had been planning an aggressive defense strategy and recently hired a new team of attack dog lawyers who sought to portray the case to jurors as a selective and malicious prosecution.   In January, Bannon’s lawyers filed papers asking Newbauer to throw out the case, calling it an “unconstitutional selective enforcement of the law.” The judge had been expected to rule on that on Tuesday before Bannon’s plea deal made the request moot.   Bannon, 71, pleaded not guilty in September 2022 to a state court indictment charging him with money laundering, fraud and conspiracy. He was accused of falsely promising donors that all money given to the We Build the Wall campaign would go toward building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Instead, prosecutors alleged the money was used to enrich Bannon and others involved in the project.   The campaign, launched in 2018 after Trump fired Bannon as his chief strategist, quickly raised over $20 million and privately built a few miles of fencing along the border. It soon ran into trouble with the International Boundary and Water Commission, came under federal investigation and drew criticism from Trump, the Republican whose policy the charity was founded to support.   Bragg, a Democrat, took up the case after Trump cut Bannon’s federal prosecution … “Trump ally Steve Bannon pleads guilty and avoids jail time in border wall fraud case” →

A wintry mess was bearing down on mid-Atlantic states Tuesday with forecasts of significant snow and ice accumulations prompting warnings of potential power outages. The National Weather Service said travel would become treacherous Tuesday through early Wednesday in much of Virginia and West Virginia. Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, allowing state agencies to assist local governments. Schools and government offices throughout Virginia were set to be closed Tuesday. The heaviest snow, up to 25.4 centimeters, was forecast in portions of northern and central Virginia and eastern West Virginia. Ice accumulations could range from a glaze in Kentucky and West Virginia to 1.3 centimeters in the Roanoke Valley of southwest Virginia, the weather service said. Power outages and tree damage were likely in places with heavy ice buildups. “Did you think winter was over? Think again!” the weather service’s office in Blacksburg, Virginia, said in a post on the social media platform X. Appalachian Power, which serves 1 million customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, said it has requested 700 additional workers from neighboring utilities to assist with problems by Tuesday morning. In northern Virginia, the National Park Service closed a portion of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a narrow highway that winds its way through woods along the Potomac River. The parkway connects multiple small national park sites and has historically been a trouble spot during winter storms for abandoned cars that created a slalom course for snowplows and other vehicles. Winter storm warnings extended from Kentucky to southern New Jersey, and a flood watch was posted for a wide swath of Kentucky, Tennessee, southwest Virginia and northern Georgia. The snow-and-ice mix was expected to become all rain as temperatures climb by Wednesday afternoon. A separate storm system is set to bring heavy snow from Kansas and Missouri to the Great Lakes on Wednesday, the weather service said. Dangerous cold was forecast Tuesday from an Arctic air mass stretching from Portland, Oregon, to the Great Lakes. The temperature was expected to bottom out Tuesday morning at minus 36 degrees Celsius in Butte, Montana, where over the past two winters at least five people died due to cold exposure, said Brayton Erickson, executive director of the Butte Rescue Mission. Advocates for the homeless in the city of about 35,000 planned to be out on the streets distributing sleeping bags, … “Virginia governor declares storm emergency as snow and ice bear down on mid-Atlantic states” →

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — One person was killed and others were injured when a private jet owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil collided with another jet Monday afternoon at the Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, authorities said. Neil’s jet was landing at the airport when it veered off the runway and collided with another parked plane, Neil’s representative Worrick Robinson, IV, said in a statement. There were two pilots and two passengers on Neil’s plane, but he was not among them. “Mr. Neil’s thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved, and he is grateful for the critical aid of all first responders assisting today,” Robinson said. The arriving jet veered off the runway and collided with the Gulfstream 200 jet that was parked, according to Kelli Kuester, aviation planning and outreach coordinator at the Scottsdale Airport. It appeared that the primary landing gear of the arriving jet failed, resulting in the collision, she said. Kuester said four people were on the arriving jet, which had come from Austin, Texas, and one person was in the parked plane. Two people injured in the collision were taken to trauma centers and one was in stable condition at a hospital, Scottsdale Fire Department Capt. Dave Folio said. He said they were working to recover the body of the person killed in the collision. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to everybody involved in this,” Folio said. The runway has been closed and will remain closed “for the foreseeable future,” Kuester said. Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky said in a statement that she is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with the airport, police and federal agencies. “On behalf of the city of Scottsdale, we offer our deepest condolences to those involved in the accident and for those who have been taken to our trauma center for treatment,” she said. “We will keep all affected by this tragedy in our prayers.” The airport is a popular hub for jets coming in and out of the Phoenix area, especially during big sports weekends like the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament, which attracts huge crowds just a few miles away. The Scottsdale collision comes after three major U.S. aviation disasters in the past two weeks.  A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near the nation’s capital on Jan. 29, killing 67 people. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on Jan. 31, killing the … “Private jets collide at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, killing 1 person, authorities say” →

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel tariffs that could hit Canada and Mexico, the top two exporters to the U.S., the hardest. Trump’s ongoing trade offensive also provoked chiding from the U.S.’ top competitor, China. VOA correspondent Anita Powell reports from the White House. …

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Monday declaring that it is “the policy of the United States to end the use of paper straws.” Former President Joe Biden’s administration, in an attempt to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics, announced a plan in July 2024 to replace plastics with reusable, compostable and highly recyclable products. Trump’s order Monday stated that paper straws “are nonfunctional, use chemicals that may carry risks to human health, are more expensive to produce than plastic straws, and often force users to use multiple straws.” He also noted that paper straws are often individually wrapped in plastic, which undermines the environmental argument for their use. “It’s a ridiculous situation. We’re going back to plastic straws,” Trump said Monday as he signed the order. The Biden policy aimed to get plastic straws and other single-use plastics out of federal food service operations, events and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035. Trump declared President Joe Biden’s policy “DEAD!” in a social media post over the weekend. In his Monday order, he instructed agency officials to stop buying paper straws and make sure paper straws are no longer provided within agency buildings. He also directed officials to create a national strategy to end the use of paper straws within 45 days. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.  …

The Justice Department on Monday directed federal prosecutors in New York to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, according to a memo from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. Bove, a political appointee of President Donald Trump, intervened in the case, saying the indictment of Adams interfered with his 2025 mayoral reelection campaign. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan, which brought the charges, declined to comment. Prosecutors have not yet indicated to the judge overseeing the case, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho in Manhattan, that they plan to drop the case, court records showed Monday evening. Adams was the subject of a five-count indictment charging him with accepting travel perks from Turkish officials and political donations from foreigners in exchange for taking actions to benefit Turkey. Adams pleaded not guilty. …