Chinese Company Offers Coronavirus Vaccine to Students

On

A Chinese drug developer is offering an experimental coronavirus vaccine to students going abroad in a strategy that health experts say raises safety and ethical concerns. China National Biotech Group has two vaccine candidates out of five from Chinese developers that are in the final stages of clinical trials. They are part of a global race to develop a vaccine that, if they are successful, offers the fledgling Chinese industry the potential for prestige and worldwide sales. CNBG’s vaccine has been given to medical workers and employees of Chinese companies being sent abroad under an emergency authorization for people in high-risk categories. Now,more

Leave a comment

Trump, Biden Campaign in Swing States They are Trying to Flip

On

President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden campaigned Sunday in swing states they are trying to flip during the Nov. 3 election that is just more than two weeks away. Trump began his day in Nevada, making a visit to church before a fundraiser and an evening rally in Carson City. Once considered a battleground, Nevada has not swung for a Republican presidential contender since 2004. The rally drew thousands of supporters who sat elbow to elbow, cheering Trump and booing Biden and the press. The vast majority wore no masks to guard against the coronavirus, though cases in the state are on the rise, with more thanmore

Leave a comment

Muslim Americans Could Determine Whether Trump or Biden Wins Michigan

On

When Michigan voter Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hadidi casts his ballot in the November election, there is one issue that rises above all others as he makes his choice — respect.   “In this election, honestly, respect and recognition,” the emergency room physician told VOA during a recent interview at his lakefront home in the southeastern part of the state. “The Muslim community would like to be acknowledged as part of this great American nation, and not as an alien culture to this nation. The Muslim community would like to be treated with respect.”   Al-Hadidi supported Democratic former secretary of statemore

Leave a comment

Biden Raises More Funds Than Trump in September

On

President Donald Trump was outraised by Democrat Joe Biden in September and is being outgunned financially by his rival with just weeks to go until Election Day.   Trump’s campaign, along with the Republican National Committee and associated groups, raised $247.8 million in September, short of the $383 million raised by Biden and the Democratic National Committee in the same period. Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh tweeted that the Trump effort had $251.4 million on hand at the end of September, compared with $432 million for Biden.   Trump’s financial disadvantage was once unthinkable — incumbent presidents traditionally vastlymore

Leave a comment

Plot to Kidnap Michigan Governor Raises Alarm Over US Election Violence

On

In the U.S. state of Michigan, authorities have apprehended 13 men accused of conspiring to abduct and possibly kill the state’s governor. The plot, which involved a self-styled militia group armed with semi-automatic weapons and explosives, was timed to disrupt the U.S. election and incite an insurrection. Matt Dibble spoke to experts who are warning that provocative messaging from leaders and under-regulated social media could be driving the American political climate towards violence. Camera: Sam Paakkonen        Producer: Matt Dibble …

Leave a comment

Plot to Kidnap Governor Raises Alarm Over US Election Violence

On

In the U.S. state of Michigan, authorities have apprehended 13 men accused of conspiring to abduct and possibly kill the state’s governor. The plot, which involved a self-styled militia group armed with semi-automatic weapons and explosives, was timed to disrupt the U.S. election and incite an insurrection. Matt Dibble spoke to experts who are warning that provocative messaging from leaders and under-regulated social media could be driving the American political climate towards violence. Camera: Sam Paakkonen        Producer: Matt Dibble …

Leave a comment

Losing Ground to Biden, Trump Courts Seniors

On

On Friday, President Donald Trump campaigned in Fort Myers, Florida, a state with one of the highest populations of elderly voters, delivering remarks aimed at reassuring older Americans that he will protect them from the pandemic. “I am honored to be here in Fort Myers to reaffirm my solemn pledge to America’s seniors,” Trump said. “I will protect you, I will defend you, and I will fight for you with every ounce of energy and conviction that I have.” Trump delivered his speech in front of an indoor crowd, some of them not socially distanced and many not wearing masks. “My message tomore

Leave a comment

Women’s March Planned in Cities Across US Amid Pandemic

On

The Women’s March returns to cities across the United States on Saturday, with organizers hoping thousands will turn out despite the pandemic.Organizers of the march in Washington are focusing on a range of left-leaning political issues, including urging Americans to vote President Donald Trump out of office and protesting the Supreme Court nomination of conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett, following the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.According to a permit issued by the National Park Service, organizers expect between 6,000 and 10,000 people to gather on Freedom Plaza for a midday rally, followed by a march to the Suprememore

Leave a comment

Justices to Weigh Trump Census Plan to Exclude Noncitizens

On

The Supreme Court agreed Friday to take up President Donald Trump’s policy, blocked by a lower court, to exclude people living in the U.S. illegally from the census count that will be used to allocate seats in the House of Representatives.Never in U.S. history have immigrants been excluded from the population count that determines how House seats, and by extension Electoral College votes, are divided among the states, a three-judge federal panel said in September when it held Trump’s policy illegal.The justices put the case on a fast track, setting arguments for Nov. 30. A decision is expected by themore

Leave a comment

DC Court Rules in Dispute Over Open Technology Fund Board

On

The Superior Court in Washington, D.C., has ruled that actions taken by the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s chief executive against the board of the Open Technology Fund are invalid.The court ruling came in response to a July lawsuit regarding who controls the OTF. The suit was filed by the office of the District of Columbia’s attorney general under the district’s Nonprofit Corporations Act.OTF, an independent, nonprofit grantee of USAGM, In one of his first acts as chief executive of USAGM, the federal agency that oversees Voice of America and other networks and grantees, including OTF, Michael Pack fired themore

Leave a comment

Trump, Biden Return to Campaign Trail After Separate Town Hall Events

On

U.S. Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential challenger Joe Biden return to the campaign trail Friday after sparring the night before in separate televised town hall events.   Trump and Biden visit three battleground states as the November 3 presidential election draws closer in an ongoing effort to capture support from voters, 18 million of whom have already cast ballots, according to the U.S. Elections Project at the University of Florida.   Trump makes stops in Florida and Georgia, two southern states that are considered crucial to his chances of winning a second term in the White House. Themore

Leave a comment

Coronavirus Fuels Unprecedented Early Voting in US

On

The US is seeing unprecedented numbers of voters who are choosing to cast ballots ahead of the November 3rd presidential election.  More than 14 million Americans have voted already, at least 10 times the norm at this point, and millions more are expected to do so before Election Day.  VOA’s Carolyn Presutti examines who is voting and how that could affect the outcome of the presidential election. Camera: Miguel Amaya, Aleksandr Bergan   Producer: Miguel AmayaLesia Bakalets contributed to this report in Miami …

Leave a comment

Young People Tire of Coronavirus Stereotypes

On

Darla Veitch, a 19-year-old student attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is not the stereotypical college student, gathering in crowds at the beach or in bars. The farthest she strays from home, she said, is her backyard. “The last time I went out was probably three months ago, to Home Depot to get some plants to put in our garden,” said Veitch. “Very crazy.” Images of parties and bars frequently paint a picture of young people who are ignoring social distancing guidelines, like wearing masks during the coronavirus pandemic. As students have returned to college campuses, cases have risen.   But not allmore

Leave a comment

Avalanche of Early Votes Transforming 2020 Election

On

More than 17 million Americans have already cast ballots in the 2020 election, a record-shattering avalanche of early votes driven both by Democratic enthusiasm and a pandemic that has transformed the way the nation votes.   The total represents 12% of all the votes cast in the 2016 presidential election, even as eight states are not yet reporting their totals and voters still have more than two weeks to cast ballots. Americans’ rush to vote is leading election experts to predict that a record 150 million votes may be cast and turnout rates could be higher than in any presidentialmore

Leave a comment

Biden, Trump Hold Competing Town Halls

On

U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden held competing town halls Thursday, reaching out to voters in separate forums at the same time. Mike O’Sullivan has more on the televised events, just weeks before the election Nov. 3. Producers: Mike O’Sullivan, Rod James …

Leave a comment

Trump Supreme Court Pick Nears Confirmation Vote

On

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to fill the vacancy left on the Supreme Court by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month, cleared the first hurdle to her confirmation this week. In four marathon hearing days, Barrett deflected questions on how she would rule on issues from abortion to the election to gun rights. VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports on the next steps in the process. Camera: Adam Greenbaum      Producers: Katherine Gypson, Emma Morris, Michael Rummel  …

Leave a comment

In Split-Screen Town Halls, Trump and Biden Squabble over Coronavirus Response

On

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Thursday criticized what he called President Donald Trump’s “panicked” response to the coronavirus pandemic, while Trump defended his handling of a crisis that has killed more than 217,000 Americans.The rivals spoke in simultaneous town halls broadcast on separate television networks after a debate originally scheduled for Thursday was called off after Trump contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.The split-screen showdown offered a stark reminder of the many ways the campaign season has been changed by a pandemic that has prompted more than 18 million people to cast ballots more than two weeksmore

Leave a comment

In Blocking Tweets, Is Twitter Protecting the Election or Interfering?

On

The decision by Twitter to block the dissemination of a story on its site about Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, has added to an already heated discussion in the U.S. about whether internet companies have too much power and are making decisions that could affect the U.S. elections.Some have applauded Twitter’s move as a stand against misinformation. Others have criticized Twitter’s decision as biased, curtailing speech in a way that could affect the outcome of the U.S. election.In recent weeks, Twitter, Facebook and Google, the owner of YouTube, have increasingly taken steps to restrict themore

Leave a comment

Harris Suspends Campaign Travel After 2 in Her Entourage Test Positive for COVID

On

Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris has suspended campaign travel until Monday after two people associated with the campaign tested positive for COVID-19, Joe Biden’s presidential campaign announced Thursday. The campaign said Biden was not exposed to the coronavirus, although he and his running mate campaigned together on Oct. 8 in the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona.   Biden and Harris have tested negative for COVID-19 several times since then, the campaign said.   Harris’ communications director, Liz Allen, tested positive on Wednesday, as did a flight crew member who was on the campaign trip to the southwest, according tomore

Leave a comment

Senate Panel Wraps Confirmation Hearings for Trump’s Supreme Court Pick

On

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee heard arguments Thursday supporting and opposing the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett as the panel finishes four days of hearings to fill a vacancy on the country’s highest court.   Democrats invoked committee rules to push a final vote by the panel on Barrett’s nomination by a week until next Thursday. A vote in the full Senate could come by the end of the month, just days ahead of the Nov. 3 national presidential and congressional elections.   Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters in his home state of Kentucky,more

Leave a comment

Mnuchin Says White House Open to Compromise on COVID Bill

On

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday the Trump administration will not let disagreements over Democrats’ demands for a national coronavirus testing strategy foil attempts to agree on coronavirus relief legislation.Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC television he would tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the administration generally agrees with a strategy to test people for COVID-19 throughout the U.S.“When I speak to Pelosi today, I’m going to tell her that we’re not going to let the testing issue stand in the way, that we’ll fundamentally agree with their testing language subject to some minor issues, Mnuchin said.Mnuchin also clarifiedmore

Leave a comment

Trump Supreme Court Nominee Confirmation Hearings Reach Final Day

On

Members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee are set to hear Thursday from witnesses supporting and opposing the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett as the panel finishes its confirmation hearings.Democrats are expected to invoke committee rules to push a final vote on Barrett’s nomination by a week to Oct. 22. A vote in the full Senate could come by the end of the month.Wednesday marked the third day of the hearings, with Democrats again pressing Barrett on a key upcoming case that if overturned could impact healthcare for millions of Americans.Barrett reiterated she is not hostile tomore

Leave a comment