Author: Fworld

Police in a Seattle suburb were looking for a gunman who shot a Sikh man in the arm and told him to “go back to your own country,” the Seattle Times reported. The victim — a 39-year-old man who observes the Sikh faith — told police that he was working in his driveway about 8 …

Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, on Friday ceremonially broke ground on an $81 million U.S.-funded component of a larger dam project to be built in North Waziristan, a volatile tribal region that until recently was condemned as the epicenter of global terrorism. Officials say that, once completed, the $230 million Kurram Tangi Dam would promote …

Delia Douglas’ experience growing up has been different from the rest of her schoolmates. “In any of the storybooks that I was reading growing up, I remember the families always looked a certain way. Both parents matched,” she said. “Even it seemed like in many of the storylines that were about animal families, both bears …

A man near the cordoned-off area near the baggage claim for international arrivals at Dulles International Airport questioned Mirriam Seddiq as she stood with her sign offering free legal assistance. As Seddiq later tells the story, he sneered, “Would you take these Muslims home with you?”  She looked down at herself, then back up at …

When Johnnie Yellock enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, he knew his job as a combat controller would frequently put him in harm’s way.   “We volunteered in a time of war, we knew exactly what we were up against,” he told VOA. “A lot of our job titles were putting us right on the …

Mercedes is recalling about 1 million cars and SUVs worldwide because a starter part can overheat and cause fires.   The recall covers certain C-Class, E-Class and CLA cars and GLA and GLC SUVs, all from 2015 through 2017, including nearly 308,000 in the U.S.   The German automaker reported 51 fires worldwide, with about …

One by one, several Federal Reserve officials have signaled in recent days that the Fed is ready to resume raising interest rates as soon as this month. The question is whether the official who matters most — Chair Janet Yellen — will add her own voice to that impression. When Yellen speaks Friday in Chicago …

New U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday issued an order  overturning an Obama administration ban on the controversial use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle used on federal lands and waters, in a nod to hunters and fishermen on his first day on the job. Zinke, who was a first-term Montana Congressman and a …

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will deliver the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame this year, an honor customarily reserved for newly elected U.S. presidents. Notre Dame’s president, the Reverend John Jenkins, said, “It is fitting that in the 175th year of our founding on Indiana soil that Notre Dame recognize a native …

U.S. first lady Melania Trump read to a group of children at a New York hospital Thursday to celebrate National Read Across America Day. In one of her first outings in a traditional first lady role, Trump read to children at the pediatrics ward from the Dr. Seuss favorite, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! She …

As the world awaits President Donald Trump’s revised executive order on immigration, the future of the U.S. refugee program remains in limbo. VOA spoke with a Kurdish Syrian-born refugee whose personal and tragic experience has led her to advocate for open-door policies for refugees globally. Elizabeth Cherneff has her story. …

From international tourism to federal employment prospects, every new White House administration alters the fabric of life in Washington, D.C. For local restaurateurs, it’s no different. Washington’s restaurants, from gastropubs to fine-dining spots, are beginning to get a sense of the new clientele. VOA Russian Service correspondent Anush Avetisyan has the story. …

The day after President Donald Trump’s address to Congress, much of official Washington focused on the president’s softer, more optimistic tone. Now supporters, critics and analysts are wondering if this change is fleeting or here to stay, a key question as Congress begins the task of grappling with Trump’s ambitious domestic agenda. VOA National correspondent …

The predicted peak blooming period for this year’s cherry blossom season in Washington is being announced.   The window is expected to be announced Wednesday at a news conference at the Newseum.   Last year’s peak bloom happened March 25. According to the National Park Service website, however, from 2013 to 2015, peak bloom was …

World leaders have been digesting Donald Trump’s first speech to Congress Tuesday night. The U.S. president spoke about America’s commitment to NATO and his plan to forge a new global trade system. Henry Ridgwell reports from London. …

In the shadow of New York City, a group of farmers is tending their crop and prepping it for shipment into the Big Apple on a same day basis. But there isn’t a whole lot of room for a farmer’s field in Kearny, New Jersey. That’s where some high tech hydroponics are changing the face …

A Jewish advocacy group is calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to step up federal efforts to stamp out hate crimes after vandalism at a slew of Jewish cemeteries and bomb threats at schools have raised concerns for some in the Jewish community. Jonathan Greenblatt, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, told VOA he wants …

Protesters planned marches Tuesday in downtown Vancouver as President Donald Trump’s two eldest sons attended the grand opening of their company’s new hotel and condominium tower in a city known for diversity and progressive politics. Security officers in black suits surrounded the building’s entrance while police gathered on sidewalks at the soaring tower, which has …

More than 120 retired U.S. military generals and admirals are urging Congress not to cut spending on diplomacy and foreign aid, two government functions that may be targeted in President Donald Trump’s first budget proposal. When he unveils his budget proposal Tuesday before Congress, Trump is expected to call for a $54 billion boost in …

Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross easily won confirmation as U.S. commerce secretary on Monday, clearing President Donald Trump’s top trade official to start work on renegotiating trade relationships with China and Mexico. The U.S. Senate voted 72-27 to confirm the 79-year-old corporate turnaround expert’s nomination, with strong support from Democrats. Ross is set to become an …

Cambodia’s government has threatened to expel several media outlets, including the Voice of America, and is using U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticisms of the press as justification. In a Facebook post Saturday, Phay Siphan, a spokesman for Cambodia’s cabinet, threatened to “take action” against the media outlets, which he said are threatening the country’s peace …

In the days after President Donald Trump’s election, thousands of teenagers across the nation walked out of class in protest. Others rallied to his defense. It was an unusual show of political engagement from future voters who may alter America’s political landscape in 2020 — or even in next year’s midterm elections. Now, a new …

China is sending its first senior official to visit the U.S. since President Donald Trump took office.   State Councilor Yang Jiechi is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy adviser and a familiar face in Washington. He has served as China’s foreign minister and ambassador to the U.S.   The foreign ministry said Yang …

President Donald Trump’s choice to be secretary of the Navy, businessman Philip Bilden, said Sunday he was withdrawing from consideration for the post, citing concerns about privacy and separating himself from his business interests. Bilden’s withdrawal raises similar issues to that of Vincent Viola, Trump’s nominee for Army secretary who stepped aside earlier this month. …

Police say scores of headstones have been vandalized at a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. A police spokeswoman said preliminary estimates are that 75 to 100 graves were damaged at Mount Carmel Cemetery in the Wissinoming section of the city. WPVI-TV reported that a man who came to visit his father’s grave Sunday morning discovered headstones …

Iran’s former hardline president Mahmud Ahmadinejad has published an open letter in both English and Farsi to U.S. President Donald Trump, lauding the American leader for what he said was “truthfully describing the U.S. political system and electoral structure as corrupt.” The lengthy letter published Sunday also criticized Trump for his planned visa ban on …