The third Republican presidential debate took place Wednesday in Miami, Florida, featuring fewer candidates than past debates. The candidates tried to set themselves apart from each other and from front-runner Donald Trump with several international issues. VOA’s Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti brings us the highlights. …
Leave a commentFive candidates seeking to halt Donald Trump’s march toward the 2024 Republican presidential nomination gathered in Miami on Wednesday for the party’s third debate while the former president held a separate campaign rally across town. Here are some takeaways from the debate: Laying blame One night after a stinging series of election losses at the hands of Democrats, the candidates vented their frustrations on the debate stage. “I’m sick of Republicans losing,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said. DeSantis has long contrasted his successful reelection last year in Florida with Republican setbacks in the last few elections, including Trump’s loss inmore
Leave a commentFormer U.S. President Donald Trump will stay on the Minnesota primary ballot after the state supreme court Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking to end his candidacy under a rarely used constitutional provision that forbids those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office. The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to become the first in history to use Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to prevent someone from running for the presidency. The court dodged the central question of the lawsuit — does Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol disqualify him from the presidency — by rulingmore
Leave a commentInternational students are valued by schools in the U.S., both for the global perspectives they provide, and for the tuition dollars they bring in. Despite this, students often struggle to adjust to the American education system. For Inside Higher Ed, Ashley Mowreader reports on how colleges can culturally integrate students from other countries. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentU.S. Special Counsel David Weiss, who is leading the probe into President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, told the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that he faced no political interference, contradicting earlier whistleblower testimony. Weiss has charged Hunter Biden, 53, with crimes related to owning a firearm while using illegal drugs. The president’s son has said he struggled with addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine. House Republicans allege the Justice Department improperly interfered with the investigation of Hunter Biden, whose brushes with the law are a central focus of their impeachment inquiry into the president. The White Housemore
Leave a commentThe Daily Princetonian, Princeton University’s campus newspaper, spoke with undergraduate students navigating the post-graduation job search. Despite their prestigious degrees, many report limited job options and say they have to apply to in-demand jobs in tech and consulting to have a shot at an H1-B visa. Claire Meng, Sandeep Mangat and Michelle Miao report. (October 2023). …
Leave a commentThe U.S. Department of Education recently unveiled new rules that could bar colleges and universities from withholding transcripts and academic credits to students who owe money. Inside Higher Ed reports that the practice of withholding transcripts has come under scrutiny in recent years. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentU.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy kicked off a national tour highlighting mental health with a visit to Duke University. Murthy was addressing what he described as the growing problems of loneliness and isolation on college campuses, according to a report from WRAL News. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentSome colleges are helping students stay safe by providing free naloxone and fentanyl test strips to students to prevent drug overdoses. Shiv Sudhakar of Fox News reports that the test strips can determine if recreational drugs are laced with fentanyl. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentMandi Kanhema, a student from Zimbabwe studying at the University of Oklahoma, says international students face hidden barriers and a lack of resources. She talks about them here. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentMost members of the U.S. Congress have stood firmly behind Israel since the Hamas attack last month, but not Cori Bush. The Missouri Democrat called Israel’s response a “war crime” and an “ethnic cleansing campaign,” and was among the few House members who opposed a resolution supporting Israel. Her unwavering stance has angered some in her district. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell on Monday dropped a U.S. Senate bid to challenge Bush in next year’s 1st District Democratic primary, and moderate Democrats believe he could win. Bush isn’t alone. She’s among a small group of Democrats viewed bymore
Leave a commentFor the first time in 15 years, China is no longer the top source of international students in the United States. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that as of September, there were more than 320,000 active Indian student-visa holders, compared with 254,000 from China. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentIsabella McNutt, a student from Budapest, Hungary, studying at the College of William & Mary in the U.S. state of Virginia, went to her first American football game at the school. “It’s a surreal daydream of dressing up in gold and green and going to tailgates before herds of students flood the stadium to see a series of fumbles, sacks and, hopefully, a touchdown or two,” she writes in The Flat Hat, the student newspaper. Read her story here. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentKae Takazawa, a student from Japan studying at El Camino College in California, found adjustment to campus life a rough road. Financial issues, language barriers and health problems made for a rough start. Takazawa writes about the experience in The Union, the school’s newspaper. Read it here. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentThe U.S. House of Representatives plans a vote on Thursday on a Republican plan to provide $14.3 billion in aid to Israel by cutting Internal Revenue Service funding, setting up a clash with the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House. Republicans unveiled the bill on Monday, in the first major legislative action under new House Speaker Mike Johnson, despite President Joe Biden’s request for a broad $106 billion package that would include funding for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine, as well as humanitarian aid. The bill will face its first test of support in a morning procedural vote, a hurdle it needsmore
Leave a commentThe recent mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, sent college students in the area into lockdown. One of them was Alan Wang, a 21-year-old student from China who studies at Bates College. He spoke to Diego Lasarte of The New Yorker about the experience and how it’s changed his opinion of the U.S. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentActivists, donors, students and the media are reading university statements carefully. With reputations and donations on the line, presidents are struggling to find the right words. Nick Anderson of The Washington Post has more. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentDavid Obiukwu, a student from Nigeria studying at Allen Community College in the U.S. state of Kansas, talks about his experiences as an international student and gives advice on adjusting to college life. Read his comments in The Allen Flame, the student newspaper, here. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentThe U.S. House of Representatives will vote Wednesday on whether to expel New York Representative George Santos because of his indictments for corruption. Santos pleaded not guilty to a 23-count federal indictment on October 27 that included charges of laundering funds to pay for his personal expenses, illegally receiving unemployment benefits and using donors’ credit cards without their consent. The charges also include Santos reporting a false $500,000 campaign loan and lying to the House about his assets. The 35-year-old lawmaker has seen his congressional career marred by controversy since its beginning, when it was revealed that much of themore
Leave a commentU.S. President Joe Biden has nominated Kurt Campbell, the U.S. National Security Council’s coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs, to be the State Department’s No. 2 diplomat behind Secretary of State Antony Blinken. In an email obtained by VOA and addressed to State Department staff members, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Campbell’s nomination “comes at a critical inflection point,” coinciding with the United States’ investment in an “unmatched network of alliances and partnerships” in the Indo-Pacific. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Campbell will replace Wendy Sherman, who retired on July 28. Campbell was assistant secretary of state formore
Leave a commentPrinceton student Ukyung (Heidi) Nam, a first-year student from South Korea, says that the school’s International Orientation program needs to do a better job of educating students on race in America. “IO [International Orientation] shouldn’t stop at teaching about topical and logistical issues, such as visas and paid work,” she writes in The Daily Princetonian, the student newspaper. “It must integrate an actual session on race and the history and culture of racism in the United States into its programming.” Read her opinion piece here. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentPurdue University Fort Wayne has enrolled 182 international students from 22 countries, making it its largest group of first-year international students ever. Inside Indiana Business has the story. (October 2023) …
Leave a commentAdults over 60 serve in many of the highest offices in the US …
Leave a commentU.S. News & World Report takes a look at EducationUSA, a network of advising centers supported to the U.S. State Department. Its mission is to help students who want to study in the U.S. According to the story, EducationUSA has some 430 advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories. The centers can help students find the best school for them and help with the admission process. Read the full story here. (October 2023) …
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