USA

DALLAS — A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” is on the auction block nearly two decades after a thief stole the iconic shoes, convinced they were adorned with real jewels. Online bidding has started and will continue through December 7, Heritage Auctions in Dallas announced in a news release Monday. The auction company received the sequin-and-bead-bedazzled slippers from …

New Delhi — The electric vehicle industry is closely watching to see how Tesla boss Elon Musk, who played a key role in the victory of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, will use his influence with the incoming president to steer the industry’s future. At stake are several issues including the new administration’s approach to tariffs on Chinese EVs and tax credits. In anticipation of decisions favorable …

Washington — Indonesia’s newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto set off for China on Friday for his first international trip as president.  “From Beijing I will fly directly to Washington, D.C., on the invitation of the U.S. president,” said Prabowo upon departing Jakarta. Indonesians often refer to public figures by their first names. His tour aims to “cultivate good relations with all parties,” Prabowo said. He has stated …

A U.S. judge has set aside all the pending court deadlines President-elect Donald Trump is facing for his 2020 election interference case.   U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan approved the request for the move Friday by Special Counsel Jack Smith, the prosecutor in the criminal case against the president-elect.   Smith’s team said in its request for the delay that it needs “time to assess this unprecedented …

Southern California firefighters made progress against a wildfire that has destroyed 132 structures, mostly homes. The fierce wind gusts that fanned the flames began easing Friday, allowing some people to return to sort through the charred remains of their homes.  Maryanne Belote returned to her hillside neighborhood in Camarillo, a city northwest of Los Angeles, after making a harrowing escape with her cat, dog and …

Iranian operatives sought to assassinate now President-elect Doanld Trump just weeks before Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election and were willing to forego other plots against regime critics and high-profile targets to see it through, court documents say. The revelations, in documents unsealed Friday against the suspects in an unrelated murder-for-hire plot, stem from a series of conversations between the alleged ringleader, 51-year-old Farhad Shakeri, and the …

With former President Donald Trump returning to the White House, Ukrainians are bracing for potential shifts in U.S. policy that could reshape its fight for survival against Russian aggression. Trump’s agenda could take a sharp turn from the Biden administration’s unwavering support, raising fears that vital U.S. aid might be at risk. Myroslava Gongadze reports from Europe. Camera: Vladyslav Smilianets …

NEW DELHI — As India looks ahead to President-elect Donald Trump taking charge in Washington, there is optimism the strategic relationship built by the two countries in recent years will strengthen. India also hopes to benefit if Trump takes a less confrontational approach to Russia, say analysts. New Delhi also is bracing for turbulence in trade ties, though, which could be affected by Trump’s “America first” …

RAMAT TRUMP, Golan Heights — Israeli residents of “Trump Heights” are welcoming the election of their namesake, hoping Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency will breathe new life into this tiny, remote settlement in the central Golan Heights. During his first term, Trump became the first and only foreign leader to recognize Israel’s control of the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 …

WASHINGTON — A U.S. judge in Texas on Thursday ruled against President Joe Biden’s program offering a path to citizenship for certain immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens, a blow that could keep the program blocked through Biden’s final months in office. U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker found the program exceeded Biden’s executive authority. The program offers a path to citizenship to about 500,000 immigrants who …

A federal judge on Thursday threatened to hold former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in civil contempt if he failed to hand over his property to two former Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against him. The valuables include a $5 million Manhattan condominium, a 1980 Mercedes-Benz once owned by actress Lauren Bacall, a jersey signed by baseball legend Joe …

washington — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate on Thursday by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this week. The rate cut follows a larger half-point reduction in September, and it reflects the Fed’s renewed focus on supporting the job market as well as fighting inflation, …

Federal health officials on Thursday called for more testing of employees on farms with bird flu after a new study showed that some dairy workers had signs of infection, even when they didn’t report feeling sick.  Farmworkers in close contact with infected animals should be tested and offered treatment even if they show no symptoms, said Dr. Nirav Shah, principal director of the U.S. Centers …

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is moving quickly to consider appointments to key positions in his new White House administration and could name some choices within days. Trump, fresh off his decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s presidential election, has been huddling with aides at his oceanside Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida to mull over his options. Even before the election, transition chiefs Howard …

WASHINGTON — A military judge has ruled that plea agreements struck by alleged September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants are valid, voiding an order by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to throw out the deals, a government official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the order by the judge, Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall, has not yet been posted …

Taipei, Taiwan — Leaders from China and Taiwan have congratulated Donald Trump’s national election victory, despite growing uncertainty about how his second presidential term might impact dynamics across the Taiwan Strait. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged China and the United States to find the right way to get along in the new era, to benefit ‘’both countries and the wider world.” He hopes the two sides …

BEIJING — China’s outbound shipments grew at the fastest pace in over two years in October as factories rushed inventory to major export markets in anticipation of further tariffs from the U.S. and the European Union, as the threat of a two-front trade war looms. With Donald Trump being elected as the next U.S. president, his pre-election pledge to impose tariffs on Chinese imports in excess …

Taipei, Taiwan — Following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s sweeping victory, Chinese netizens said they expect the U.S. to increase trade tensions with China while analysts say Washington’s efforts to counter China’s expansion might weaken under a second Trump administration. Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has vowed to impose tariffs, between 60% to 200%, on Chinese products on several occasions. During an interview with Fox News on …

CAMARILLO, California — California was lashed by powerful winds Wednesday that fed a fast-moving wildfire, which destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands of residents to flee. Forecasters also warned of the potential for “extreme and life-threatening” blazes. Northwest of Los Angeles, the Mountain Fire exploded in size and prompted evacuation orders for more than 10,000 people as it threatened 3,500 structures in suburban communities, ranches …

Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate early Wednesday, a major victory that will give President-elect Donald Trump a key tool for enacting his legislative agenda. VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports from Washington. …

With Donald Trump’s projected victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, VOA’s Tina Trinh explores how his past policies and current positions offer insight into the upcoming presidency. (Camera: Tina Trinh) …

AMMAN, JORDAN — Arab leaders quickly congratulated Donald Trump on his U.S. presidential election victory. Some are hopeful he could bring an end to conflicts raging in the Middle East while others are looking for a stronger stance against Iran. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, United Arab Emirates leaders, and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, all congratulated Donald Trump on …

The Republican party won back a majority in the Senate with at least 51 of 100 seats in Tuesday’s election. Control of the House of Representatives, which is currently held by Republicans, was not yet decided early Wednesday. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives were at stake in elections throughout the United States for new two-year terms, while 34 of the 100 seats …

In labs across the United States, scientists are working on innovative tests using animals and insects to detect cancer earlier. As VOA’s Dora Mekouar reports, recent research suggests bees and dogs can sniff out the disease sooner than machines can. …