Former CIA analyst pleads guilty of leaking information on Israeli plans to attack Iran

A former CIA analyst pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Virginia to charges that he leaked classified information about Israeli plans to strike Iran.  Asif William Rahman, 34, of Vienna, Virginia, was arrested last year in Cambodia and later taken to Guam. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the two charges: retention and transmission of classified information …

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US Treasury to launch measures Tuesday to avoid debt limit breach

WASHINGTON — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that the government would reach its statutory borrowing limit on Tuesday and begin employing “extraordinary measures” to keep from breaching the cap and risking a potential catastrophic default.  Yellen, in a letter on Friday to congressional leaders just three days before the Biden administration turns over U.S. government control to President-elect Donald Trump and his team, said the …

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Trump inauguration moved indoors because of frigid temperatures

Washington views every presidential inauguration as different from the previous one, but Monday’s inauguration of Donald Trump will really stand out. VOA Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti explains. Cameras: Adam Greenbaum, Carolyn Presutti. …

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What happens on moving day at White House?

After Donald Trump is sworn in as president, there will be a swirl of activity at the White House. Over about six hours, the belongings of outgoing President Joe Biden and family will be removed and the residence will be made into a home for the new chief executive. VOA’s Dora Mekouar reports. …

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Father and son refuse to leave their LA home despite fires 

As with all massive disasters, there are individual stories of loss and hope. We’re now hearing some of those stories even as wildfires continue to burn in and around Los Angeles. Khrystyna Shevchenko met with one family that chose to ignore evacuation orders to fight wildfires threatening their home. Khrystyna Shevchenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. …

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Crews improve containment of LA fires

WASHINGTON — Firefighters have contained more of the Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California, the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Friday morning. For the time being, the strongest winds have calmed, but the National Weather Service said dangerous conditions are expected again next week. The strongest winds are expected Tuesday night. The Palisades fire, which has burned through nearly 10,000 hectares, is …

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Supreme Court upholds law banning TikTok if it’s not sold by its Chinese parent company 

Washington — The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok beginning Sunday unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company, holding that the risk to national security posed by its ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.  A sale does not appear imminent and, although experts have said the …

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Trump’s homeland security pick faces scrutiny on immigration plans

WASHINGTON — South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency central to his vision of cracking down on illegal immigration, is facing senators Friday at a confirmation hearing that is her first chance to lay out her vision for the sprawling Department of Homeland Security. Noem, a two-term governor and former U.S. congresswoman, was chosen by the president-elect to lead the department …

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Russia upholds jail term for ex-US Consulate worker

MOSCOW — A Russian court on Friday upheld the jail term of Robert Shonov, a former U.S. Consulate worker sentenced to almost five years for “secret collaboration with a foreign state.” Shonov, a Russian citizen, worked for more than 25 years at the U.S. Consulate in the far eastern city of Vladivostok until 2021, when Moscow imposed restrictions on local staff working for foreign missions. He …

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Mexican firefighters join the battle against Los Angeles wildfires

Firefighters from all over the United States are currently in Los Angeles fighting deadly wildfires. Backup from Canada and Mexico arrived this week as well. VOA’s Fernando Mejía spent some time with a team of Mexican firefighters. Veronica Villafañe narrates this report. Camera: Fernando Mejía …

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Melania Trump returns to the White House as first lady

Slovenian model turned US first lady Melania Trump is headed back to the White House after a bittersweet experience in the limelight after her husband, President-elect Donald Trump, first took office in 2016. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias gives us a look at her life and voter expectations for her second term. Camera: Veronica Balderas Iglesias …

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Trump’s choice for attorney general pledges independence

Pamela Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to become attorney general, faced more questions from U.S. senators Thursday. Witnesses testified to her character and integrity to serve in one of the nation’s most critical positions. VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports. …

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US sanctions Sudan army leader, citing atrocities

washington — Washington has slapped sanctions on Sudan’s army leader, citing his responsibility for war crimes in a conflict that has bled the oil-rich country dry over the last year — sparking a famine, killing tens of thousands of people and driving millions from their homes — just a week after the U.S. sanctioned his opponent for acts it described as genocide. Thursday’s sanctions on Sudanese Armed …

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Trump’s pick for hostage envoy pledges ‘to take action’

Dozens of U.S. citizens and residents are unjustly held around the world. If confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for hostage envoy, Adam Boehler will be tasked with freeing them. Cristina Caicedo Smit reports. …

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China reaches out to US allies ahead of Trump’s inauguration

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — China initiated a new round of diplomatic outreach to Japan and the European Union this week as Washington prepares for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. A delegation of Japanese lawmakers traveled to Beijing and a Chinese military delegation went to Japan for the first time in five years. Meanwhile, the European Council’s new president held his first phone call with China’s leader, Xi Jinping. …

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Who will drive Trump’s AI and crypto policies?

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he wants the United States to be the world leader in artificial intelligence and crypto currency. To that end, he has tapped a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor to be the AI and crypto czar. Michelle Quinn has the story. …

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Dry, windy weather to ease as firefighters battle LA wildfires

Southern California firefighters made some progress in containing two major wildfires, while forecasters said weather conditions in the coming days could bring welcome relief from the days of dry air and high winds that have plagued the region. The relief will give firefighters a key window to battle the Palisades Fire on the west edge of Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire in the foothills …

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Billionaires and foreign dignitaries to attend Trump’s inauguration

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, will be among several billionaires attending Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration. Tesla CEO Musk was instrumental in Trump’s reelection with his contribution of over a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump’s campaign coffers, according to Forbes. Musk is set to head Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, along with Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur. Reports say that Musk …

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In farewell address, Biden warns of concentration of power and wealth

In his farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, US President Joe Biden warned of the dangers in the concentration of power and wealth. The speech capped his decades-long political career and a four-year term bookended by Donald Trump, who in days is set to be inaugurated for a second time. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report. …

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VOA Mandarin: Taiwan startup hub opens in Silicon Valley

Taiwan plans to spend $4.56 billion to boost its startup ecosystem and has set up a liaison center in Silicon Valley designated to attract American venture capital and talent to Taiwan. Liu Chin-ching, minister of the National Development Council of Taiwan, told VOA of the importance of the bridge between the U.S. and Taiwan, adding that the Taiwan government would support new tech sectors such …

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Trump’s pick to lead CIA promises more focus, firmer posture

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA signaled substantial changes are in store for America’s premier spy agency, telling lawmakers that it must be more aggressive both in collecting intelligence and pushing back against Washington’s adversaries. John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence at the end of Trump’s first term, told the Senate Intelligence Committee during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that …

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US imposes export controls on biotech equipment over AI security concerns

On Wednesday the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it would implement new export controls on certain biotechnology equipment, citing national security concerns relating to artificial intelligence and data science. The Commerce Department warned that China could use the biotech equipment’s technology to bolster its military capabilities and help design new weapons using artificial intelligence. The department said the technology has many applications, including its ability …

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Usha Vance to become first Indian American second lady

Usha Vance will be the next second lady of the United States, making the Yale-educated lawyer the first vice presidential spouse of South Asian origin. VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell takes a look at her life story – and how it intersects with her husband’s political career and interests – as she prepares for a move to Washington. Kim Lewis contributed. …

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Bondi faces skeptical reception from Democrats at confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON — Pam Bondi, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, will face sharp questioning from Democratic senators at a confirmation hearing Wednesday expected to center on concerns that Trump will look to use the Justice Department’s powers to seek retribution against his adversaries. Bondi, a former Florida attorney general who was part of Trump’s legal team during his first of two Senate impeachment trials, …

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