USA

Pearl Harbor “changed the future of the world,” U.S. President Joe Biden said at a White House event for veterans and their families on Friday, the eve of the anniversary of Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The president recalled that he “heard so much” about Pearl Harbor when he was growing up and talked about his uncles who enlisted in the military after the …

Efforts to reduce the nation’s persistently high maternal mortality rates involve state panels of experts that investigate and learn from each mother’s death. The panels — called maternal mortality review committees — usually do their work quietly and out of the public eye. But that’s not been the case recently in three states with strict abortion laws. Georgia dismissed all members of its committee in …

A federal appeals court in Washington on Friday upheld a law requiring the wildly popular social media app TikTok to be sold to a non-Chinese owner or face closure in the United States by next month. The court cited “persuasive” and “compelling” arguments presented by the federal government that TikTok poses a risk to national security. The ruling could leave the 170 million Americans who …

WASHINGTON — A retired Washington, D.C., police officer charged with lying about his private communications with former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio testified Friday that he never leaked sensitive police information to the far-right extremist group leader.  Taking the witness stand at his federal trial, former Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Shane Lamond said he was upset that a prosecutor labeled him as a Proud Boys …

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO — New Mexico environmental regulators issued a $47.8 million fine Friday on allegations of excess air pollution at a natural gas processing facility in a prolific oil production region near the Texas state line. The state Environment Department issued the sanctions including a cease-and-desist order against Houston-based Targa Resources at its processing plant near Jal, New Mexico, alleging permit violations and excess …

WASHINGTON — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday offered a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat. “Pete Hegseth is doing very well,” Trump posted on his social media site. “He will …

NEW YORK — As the investigation into a masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of one of the largest U.S. health insurers moved into its third day Friday, possible leads emerged about his travel before the shooting and a message scrawled on ammunition found at the crime scene.  UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked from his …

Through social media posts, President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to imposed tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – three of the top trading partners for the United States. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more about the potential economic impact if Trump follows through. …

WASHINGTON — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he is choosing former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China. Trump said in a social media post that Perdue, a former CEO, “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue pushed Trump’s debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for Georgia governor. Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat …

U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony Thursday night on the Ellipse, south of the White House. “During this season of reflection,” Biden said, “may we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency.” The president said the event is a favorite of his wife’s and that she …

WASHINGTON — Washington’s most dangerous adversaries may be working together more closely than ever before, but U.S. intelligence analysts think that for now, they are falling short of forming a tight-knit alliance that could more effectively counter the United States. Concerns among the United States and its allies about growing cooperation among Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have been increasing steadily since Moscow launched its …

HARTSDALE, NEW YORK — On most days, Mark Lindenberg either drives by or walks over to visit with Boots, his beloved pet cat who died in August 2020 at the age of 17. The New York man had his black-and-white tuxedo cat buried at the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, a picturesque spot with rolling, grassy hills near the main road. The epitaph on Boots’ tombstone reads, “You …

EUREKA, CALIFORNIA — A strong earthquake was felt widely across Northern California on Thursday, and some residents along its coast were urged to evacuate inland because of the threat of a possible tsunami. The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. local time west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County near the Oregon border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was felt as far …

DALLAS — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a deal that would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant in …

LOBITO, ANGOLA — In the blistering midday heat at Angola’s largest port, U.S. President Joe Biden beamed Wednesday as he shook hands, one by one, with nine smiling hard-hatted workers. He had journeyed all the way from Washington to meet them at the terminus of an ambitious 1,300-kilometer, U.S.-financed rail line that brings critical minerals out of Africa’s remote interior. On this December afternoon, there wasn’t …

BEIJING — China on Thursday urged the United States to “stop sending wrong signals” over Taiwan, after the announcement that Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson held a call with the self-ruled island’s President Lai Ching-te. Lai is currently visiting the American territory Guam during a Pacific tour that has angered China. Taiwan’s Presidential Office confirmed to AFP Thursday that the call had taken place, without …

Special session of the state Legislature met this week to prepare for expected legal clashes with the new administration …

State Department — The United States has dismissed Chinese objections to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s stopovers in Hawaii and Guam during a Pacific tour, reaffirming that transits through the U.S. by Taiwan’s democratically elected leaders are routine and consistent with long-standing bipartisan U.S. policy.    Amid China’s criticism, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi each spoke separately with Lai, underscoring steadfast …

WASHINGTON — U.S. government agencies held a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday on China’s alleged efforts known as Salt Typhoon to burrow deep into American telecommunications companies and steal data about U.S. calls.  The FBI, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, the National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency were among the participants in the …

SAN CARLOS, ARIZONA — After missing 40 days of school last year, Tommy Betom, 10, is on track this year for much better attendance. The importance of showing up has been stressed repeatedly at school — and at home.  When he went to school last year, he often came home saying the teacher was picking on him and other kids were making fun of his clothes. …

Vancouver, British Columbia — President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to introduce 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada is getting reaction, not surprisingly, in both countries. The threat of tariffs on everything coming across the world’s largest undefended border from Canada to the United States got attention but has not been met with overwhelming surprise. University of British Columbia political scientist Stewart Prest said it …

NEW YORK — Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan where he was scheduled to speak at an investor meeting Wednesday morning, according to a person briefed on the investigation. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the investigation. Police did not release the victim’s name but said a …

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Wednesday in just its second major transgender rights case, which is a challenge to a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming health care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by 25 other states and a range of efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they …

Luanda/Lobito, Angola — U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday headed to a U.S.-financed African development project that weaves together his personal love of railroads with his desire to leave a legacy on the continent that will outlive his administration. The Lobito Corridor is a 1,300-kilometer rail line stretching from copper-rich Zambia to the port of Lobito in the southwest nation of Angola. The network will form …