Boy Scout Arranges Free Tutoring for Hundreds

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A youngster in the Boy Scouts of America has taken the U.S.-based youth development organization’s motto — “Be prepared” — well beyond himself to help hundreds of high-school students with online learning. Manan ShahManan Shah, 16, a high-school senior and Boy Scout from New Jersey, saw many students struggling with online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and created a system to help them. “We still realized there was kind of that missing piece without a teacher being present at all times,” Shah explained to VOA. “So, we figured this was our way to give back if we could get a team ofmore

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US Classifies Confucius Institute Center as Foreign Mission

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The United States announced Thursday that it would require the center that runs the Confucius Institute to register as a foreign mission of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, alleging the group’s Chinese language courses are part of a widespread campaign of influence and propaganda in the U.S.In a statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presented the Confucius Institute U.S. Center in Washington as “an entity advancing Beijing’s global propaganda and malign influence campaign on U.S. campuses and K-12 classrooms” and said that the center “has taken advantage of America’s openness.”The announcement comes of the heels of another spat over themore

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AP Fact Check: Harris Eligible to Serve as VP, President

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False claims that Kamala Harris is not legally eligible to serve as U.S. vice president or president have been circulating in social media posts since 2019, when she first launched her Democratic primary campaign.   On Thursday, after Harris was selected by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to serve as his running mate, President Donald Trump elevated the conspiracy while speaking to reporters from the White House podium.  A look at the claim:The Claim: Harris is ineligible to serve as vice president or president because her mother is from India and her father is from Jamaica. Trump said he “heard”more

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Shirley Chisholm’s Groundbreaking Run for President

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“I am not the candidate of Black America, although I am Black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women’s movement in this country, although I am a woman, and equally proud of that… I am the candidate of the people of America.”Those were the words the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, Shirley Chisholm, uttered in her 1972 announcement that she was running for president, using the campaign slogan “Unbought and Unbossed.” The move was highly unusual and unlikely to succeed. But Chisholm was unusual, and her bid for the presidency is cited by manymore

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Trump Rejects Biden’s Calls for National Mask Mandate    

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Presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden is calling for a national mask mandate to cut the number of future deaths from the coronavirus in the United States.  “It doesn’t have anything to do with Democrats, Republican or independents,” Biden said, but “every single American should be wearing a mask when they are outside for the next three months at a minimum.”  Hour later, President Donald Trump accused Biden of politicizing the pandemic with the request, asserting that a mask mandate would cripple the economy, leading to a depression by wanting to “lock all Americans in their basements for months on end.”The former vice president, in Wilmington, said the governorsmore

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Trump Refuses to Reject Claims Harris Ineligible to Run for VP

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President Donald Trump is refusing to reject false claims circulating on social media that Kamala Harris may not be legally eligible for the vice presidency because of questions surrounding the immigration status of her parents at the time she was born.“I heard it today that she doesn’t meet the requirements,” Trump said, responding to VOA’s question. “And by the way, the lawyer that wrote that piece is a very highly qualified, very talented lawyer. I have no idea, that’s right. I would have thought, I would have assumed the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen tomore

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Feds: Yale Discriminates Against Asian, White Applicants

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A Justice Department investigation has found Yale University is illegally discriminating against Asian American and white applicants, in violation of federal civil rights law, officials said Thursday.  Yale denied the allegation, calling it “meritless” and “hasty.” The findings detailed in a letter to the college’s attorneys Thursday mark the latest action by the Trump administration aimed at rooting out discrimination in the college application process, following complaints from students about the application process at some Ivy League colleges. The Justice Department had previously filed court papers siding with Asian American groups who had leveled similar allegations against Harvard University.  The two-yearmore

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Warning on Russia Adds Questions About Senate’s Biden Probe

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Even before last week’s intelligence assessment on foreign election interference, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson was facing criticism from Democrats that his investigation of presidential candidate Joe Biden and Ukraine was politically motivated and advancing Russian interests. But the stark warning that Russia is working to denigrate the Democratic presidential candidate adds to questions about the probe by Johnson’s Senate committee and whether it is mimicking, even indirectly, Russian efforts and amplifying its propaganda. The investigation is unfolding as the country, months removed from an impeachment case that had centered on Ukraine, is dealing with a pandemic and confronting the issuemore

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For Americans Waiting on Virus Aid, No New Relief in Sight

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Americans counting on emergency coronavirus aid  from Washington may have to wait until fall. Negotiations over a new virus relief package have all but ended, with the White House and congressional leaders far apart  on the size, scope and approach for shoring up households, re-opening schools and launching a national strategy to contain the virus. President Donald Trump’s top negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, tried to revive stalled talks Wednesday, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the “overture,” saying the Trump administration is still refusing to meet them halfway. Congressional Republicans are largely sittingmore

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RFE/RL: Pompeo Vows US Action to Ensure ‘Good Outcome’ for Belarusian People

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking about the contentious Belarusian presidential election and the ensuing police crackdown against peaceful protesters, says that “we want good outcomes for the Belarusian people, and we’ll take actions consistent with that.” Pompeo, who earlier condemned the conduct of the election that handed authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth-straight term by a landslide, said in a wide-ranging interview Wednesday with RFE/RL in Prague that “we’ve watched the violence and the aftermath, peaceful protesters being treated in ways that are inconsistent with how they should be treated.” The vote Sunday, which the opposition has called “rigged,” has resulted in three-straightmore

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Business Lobby Raises Concerns Over Trump Payroll Tax Break

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The nation’s leading business group on Wednesday raised serious concerns about President Donald Trump’s move to defer Social Security payroll taxes for American workers, warning that the plan for a shot of economic relief during the coronavirus pandemic could prove unworkable.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a White House ally in battles to cut federal regulations and taxes, said in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that Trump’s directive is “surrounded by uncertainty as to its application and implementation” and “only exacerbates the challenges” for companies trying to quickly put his action in place.There was no immediate reaction from themore

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Biden, Harris Make Their Case to US Voters

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Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden took note of the historic moment Wednesday when introducing Senator Kamala Harris, his vice presidential choice, at a campaign event in Delaware.Biden and Harris, who both came onstage wearing face masks because of the coronavirus pandemic, spoke from the stage of a high school in Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.Their speeches focused on the theme of their campaign, stressing their leadership in helping Americans during the crises of the pandemic and growing economic turmoil, as well as the inspirational message of choosing Harris.“This morning,all across the nation, little girls woke up — especially littlemore

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Trump Plans Campaign Swing Next Week as Counter to Democrats’ Convention

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President Donald Trump is planning to visit four election battleground states next week as the Republican competes for attention with Democrats who will formally nominate Joe Biden as their presidential candidate.A source familiar with the planning said Trump plans stops in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona and Pennsylvania, all of them states that may prove crucial to determining the winner of the Nov. 3 election.Democrats are holding their mostly virtual convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next week. The Milwaukee Sentinel Journal said the Trump campaign was considering holding an event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.Trump, struggling to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and economic recession,more

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Over Half of US Lower Schools to Stay Online

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Over half of U.S. public elementary and secondary school students will study online this fall, according to new research.In addition to the 52% of students learning online, 44% will attend school in person on partial schedules, such as rotating days. Four percent of school districts remain undecided, according to a survey by Burbio, a data service that aggregates school calendars nationwide. “We have seen a dramatic shift to online-only learning in the past three weeks,” Julie Roche, Burbio co-founder, said in a press release. “Large districts such as Chicago, and Sun Belt cities such as Houston and Miami, along with largemore

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Supporters Turn Out for Biden, Harris in First Joint Campaign Event

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Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his newly named running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, are set to make their first joint appearance Wednesday as a team seeking to defeat President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in the November general election.The Biden-Harris campaign said the pair would speak in Wilmington, Delaware, about “working together to restore the soul of the nation and fight for working families to move the country forward.”Watch the campaign event:Ahead of their appearance at Alexis DuPont High School Wednesday afternoon, several Delaware locals — including many members of Harris’ sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, dressedmore

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Trump Congratulates Supporter of QAnon for Congressional Primary Win

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U.S. President Donald Trump has congratulated a supporter of a far-right group for her congressional primary victory in the southern state of Georgia.Trump tweeted Wednesday that Marjorie Taylor Greene was a “real WINNER!” after coming out on top in the Republican primary for Georgia’s 14th congressional district.Congratulations to future Republican Star Marjorie Taylor Greene on a big Congressional primary win in Georgia against a very tough and smart opponent. Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up – a real WINNER! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2020Greene is a supporter of QAnon, which promotes an unfounded theorymore

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Screen College Students for COVID Every 2 Days, Researchers Advise  

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U.S.-based colleges and universities continue to struggle with how they will receive students while containing the spread of COVID-19.  Nearly 40% of schools say they will bring students back to campus, according to the FILE – A student takes classes online with his companions using the Zoom app at home.Researchers say schools would have to test their students every two days for COVID-19 to ensure their health and safety, and screening after symptoms emerge won’t control the spread, according to a study published July 31.  “We believe that there is a safe way for students to return to college inmore

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Kamala Harris’ Selection As VP Resonates With Black Women

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China Cochran met Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Detroit last year and was swept away by her ambition, charisma and leadership. She hoped the California senator would advance in politics. So when Joe Biden named Harris on Tuesday as his running mate — making her the first Black woman on a major party’s presidential ticket — Cochran wasn’t just struck by the history. It represented a full-circle moment for Black women, who for generations have fought for their voices to be heard and political aspirations recognized. “It tells Black girls that they can be president,” said Cochran, whomore

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Frequent COVID Testing Advised for Campus Students  

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U.S.-based colleges and universities continue to struggle with how they will receive students while containing the spread of COVID-19.  Nearly 40% of schools say they will bring students back to campus, according to the FILE – A student takes classes online with his companions using the Zoom app at home.Researchers say schools would have to test their students every two days for COVID-19 to ensure their health and safety, and screening after symptoms emerge won’t control the spread, according to a study published July 31.  “We believe that there is a safe way for students to return to college inmore

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Kamala Harris, Once a Presidential Candidate, Returns to Race

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U.S. Senator Kamala Harris is trying to become the first woman elected as the country’s vice president after presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden selected her as his running mate. The child of a father from Jamaica and a mother from India, both of whom immigrated to the United States, Harris is already the first Black woman and first South Asian American to be part of a U.S. presidential ticket. The 55-year-old’s resume includes being the first Black attorney general of the state of California as well as the first woman to hold the job.  Her 2016 election to a U.S. Senatemore

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Democrats Want Obama to Take on Trump

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Even though former President Barack Obama has taken a more active role recently to support presumptive Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, the ex-president has, for the most part, refrained from publicly criticizing his successor, President Donald Trump. But as VOA’s Brian Padden reports, many Democrats are urging Obama to become high profile surrogate for Biden by directly confronting Trump’s attacks and generating enthusiasm among Democratic voters. …

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Omar Among Winners in Tuesday US Primaries

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U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar won her Democratic primary election Tuesday, defeating a well-funded challenger. Voters in Minnesota’s fifth congressional district backed Omar with about 58% of the vote compared to 39% for Antone Melton-Meaux. Omar represents a solidly liberal district and is likely to win another term in Congress in the November general election. In another Minnesota race, Republican Michelle Fischbach won her party primary and will face incumbent Democratic Congressman Collin Peterson in a race Republicans are targeting as a chance to flip a Democratic seat to their party.  Voters in the district supported President Donald Trump by a 30-point margin in 2016, but Peterson is onemore

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