From making side deals with Ukraine to pulling U.S. forces from northeastern Syria, U.S. President Donald Trump has gone his own way in conducting U.S. foreign policy. But the Syria decision has sparked widespread opposition in Washington and in the case of Ukraine, critics say Trump sidestepped career U.S. diplomats to further his own interests against a potential election rival. VOA's Jesusemen Oni reports on how the president's foreign policy decisions are stirring controversy in Washington.
US Africa strategy under fire by foreign policy experts
Recently, the Trump White House unveiled a new initiative that seeks to increase U.S. economic engagement in Africa to better compete against China’s growing influence. But more than two and a half years into his administration, some foreign policy experts say Africa does not appear to be a priority for President Trump. Jesusemen Oni has this report.
African beats are spreading worldwide due largely to a growing African population around the globe. But it’s not just audiences from the diaspora that are dancing to the rhythm. As VOA’s Jesusemen Oni reports, the international rise of afro beats is causing a stir in the music industry and influencing culture and markets in the West.
About 650 million girls worldwide were married before age 18. That is about 17% of the world's female population, according to UNICEF. These marriages often keep girls from completing their education and can lead to devastating psychological and physical consequences. In a yearlong project, Voice of America met with child brides from Albania to Pakistan to Tanzania.Jesusemen Oni has more.
Mexico and the United States are scrambling to address rising numbers of immigrants arriving at their shared border. Mexican border guards are stepping up raids against immigrants traveling north. In the United States, an uproar over the treatment of children in U.S. detention facilities led American lawmakers to approve a $4.6 billion emergency bill. VOA's Jesusemen Oni has more.
On June 19, 1865, enslaved men and women in Texas finally learned that they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation
On June 19, 1865, enslaved men and women in Texas finally learned that they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves in rebelling states. Every June 19th since, African Americans across the nation have held celebrations commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. VOA’s Jesusemen Oni has more.
World Press Freedom day is celebrated on May 3 each year, but the realities faced by journalists in many parts of the world are increasingly hostile.
This week, China hosts leaders from 37 countries for its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive development program expected to involve more than $1 trillion for infrastructure projects. The United States warns countries that the projects are primarily aimed at boosting China's economy, and the financial terms carry risks to countries' economies. VOA's Jesusemen Oni has more.
Sonbola Bakery in southern Lebanon is well known for its German breads as well as its staff. The bakers, all individuals with special needs, are defying odds and showing society they are quite capable of doing their jobs. VOA's Jesusemen Oni has more.
For more than a decade, the United States has deployed remote-controlled rovers to disable bombs on the battlefield. But the future robotic Army is smarter and nimbler, capable of doing a lot more. VOA's Jesusemen Oni reports.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has ordered medical checks on all children in its custody after an 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died.
Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s embattled Supreme Court nominee, tells the Fox News Channel that he is not withdrawing his name from consideration despite the sexual abuse accusations against him. He is calling for a fair process. Meanwhile, Democrat and Republican lawmakers are at odds as to how the allegations should be handled. VOA's Jesusemen Oni has more.
A two-day sentencing hearing for popular U.S. television star Bill Cosby is set to begin Monday. Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault in April for drugging and molesting a woman in 2004. Each count carries a maximum 10-year penalty. The case has been hailed as a milestone in the #metoo movement, which has led to the fall of many prominent figures exposed for sexual misconduct. VOA's Jesusemen Oni has more.
Moments after winning the California primary that many said cleared the path to winning his party’s nomination, U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded. His death, two months after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, left a wound on the nation that still lingers 50 years later. VOA’s Jesusemen Oni reflects on how RFK’s death changed the political landscape in the United States.
Coffee giant Starbucks temporarily closed 8,000 stores around the United States Tuesday afternoon, so it could train its 175,000 employees on racial tolerance. The move comes after the arrest of two black men at a Philadelphia café sparked nationwide outrage. Some say the Starbucks incident spotlights lingering problems of racial discrimination in the U.S. VOA’s Jesusemen Oni reports.
Flash floods ripped through a Maryland city Sunday, destroying cars and properties, and prompting emergency evacuations across the area. Authorities are still searching for Eddison Hermond, a National Guard member, who is believed to have been swept away in fast-moving flood water. As VOA’s Jesusemen Oni reports, the storm comes less than two years after a similar storm ripped through the same town, forcing residents and businesses out of their properties.
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