FBI, Homeland Security Ignored ‘Massive Amount’ of Intelligence Before Jan. 6, Senate Report Says

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The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security downplayed or ignored “a massive amount of intelligence information” ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S Capitol, according to the chairman of a Senate panel that on Tuesday released a new report on the intelligence failures ahead of the insurrection.    The report details how the agencies failed to recognize and warn of the potential for violence as some of then-President Donald Trump’s supporters openly planned the siege in messages and forums online.  Among the multitude of intelligence that was overlooked was a December 2020 tip to the FBImore

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White House Takes a Bet on ‘Bidenomics’ Amid Americans’ Pessimism on Economy

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Ahead of President Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign, the White House is promoting the term “Bidenomics” to make the case that his policies to “grow the economy from the bottom up and the middle out” have succeeded in taming inflation and lowering unemployment. “The share of working-age Americans in the workforce is higher now than it has been for 15 years,” Lael Brainard, director of the White House National Economic Council, said Tuesday during a news briefing. “While we have more work to do, inflation has been coming down for 11 months in a row.” She touted 13 million jobsmore

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Crowded, Diverse Republican Presidential Field Expands

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Former President Donald Trump and current Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held dueling events in the early primary state of New Hampshire on Tuesday, as campaigning among the dozen or more Republicans seeking the presidency next year escalates. DeSantis was on the stump in the town of Hollis, just before Trump spoke 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the north in Concord, the state capital. The two rivals’ common target on Tuesday: President Joe Biden, who at the age of 80 is running for a second term. “If this election is about Biden’s failures and our vision for the future, we aremore

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Can US Reverse College Enrollment Declines?

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Due to a shrinking youth population, the dislocations of the pandemic and rising tuition costs, fewer Americans are choosing college. However, it remains a good choice – graduates earn more and even live longer. Katharine Meyer of the Brookings Institution offers recommendations, such as financial aid for older people and partnerships with local businesses and welfare offices. (June 2023)  …

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Trump Discussed ‘Highly Confidential’ Document in Audio Recording

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An audio recording obtained by news organizations reveals U.S. President Donald Trump discussing secret documents about a plan to attack Iran as he spoke to a writer after leaving office in 2021.  Federal prosecutors cited parts of the conversation in an indictment last month on charges that he illegally retained classified government documents and then conspired to obstruct a federal investigation.    CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times released the audio clip Monday in which Trump references reports that Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley feared Trump would manufacture a conflict with Iran after losingmore

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How Are US-China Tensions Affecting Student Exchange?

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There are currently only about 350 Americans studying in China, down from 15,000 a decade ago. Meanwhile, there are over 300,000 Chinese nationals studying in the U.S. The mismatch is due to growing mistrust in the U.S. of China’s government, as well as the impact of China’s “zero-COVID” strategy on foreign travel – and it has consequences for the future. “It just seems like China is knowing much more about the rest of the world, but the U.S. is not getting to know much more about what’s going on outside of the states,” said one student at New York University’smore

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Supreme Court Unfreezes Louisiana Redistricting Case that Could Boost Power of Black Voters

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The Supreme Court on Monday lifted its hold on a Louisiana case that could force the state to redraw congressional districts to boost Black voting power.  The order follows the court’s rejection earlier in June of a congressional redistricting map in Alabama and unfreezes the Louisiana case, which had been on hold pending the decision in Alabama.  In both states, Black voters are a majority in just one congressional district. Lower courts had ruled that the maps raised concerns that Black voting power had been diluted, in violation of the landmark federal Voting Rights Act.  About a third of Louisiana’smore

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The Supreme Court’s Decisions Coming on Contentious Issues Such as Gay Rights, Religious Freedom

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The Supreme Court is getting ready to decide some of its biggest cases of the term. The high court has 10 opinions left to release over the next week before the justices begin their summer break. As is typical, the last opinions to be released cover some of the most contentious issues the court has wrestled with this term including affirmative action, student loans and gay rights.  Here’s a look at some of the cases the court has left to decide from the term that began back in October:  AFFIRMATIVE ACTION   The survival of affirmative action in higher education ismore

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Will Men Become an Underrepresented Group on Campus?

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Women make up 58% of American undergraduates, and many colleges are struggling to attract male applicants and get them to graduate on time. The gender gap is sharpest among minorities, rural communities and low-income students. Many men struggle to ask for help and believe they “do not belong” in college. Andrew Smith has more for VOA Learning English, based on reporting by Matt Krupnick of the Hechinger Report. (June 2023)   …

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Biden to Host Modi for Talks, State Dinner

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U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks Thursday at the White House. “The visit will strengthen our two countries’ shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific and shared resolve to elevate the technology partnership, including in defense, clean energy, and space,” the White House said ahead of the meeting. In a rare move for the Indian leader, Modi and Biden are scheduled to appear at a joint news conference Thursday. Modi is also due to give an address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress. Thursday’s events close with a statemore

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US Not Backing Down on Biden’s Xi Dictator Comment

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The White House is not backing down on comments made by President Joe Biden likening Chinese President Xi Jinping to a dictator. “It should come as no surprise that the president speaks candidly about China and the differences that we have — we are certainly not alone in that,” a senior administration official said in a statement sent to VOA on Wednesday. At a California fundraiser for his 2024 presidential campaign Tuesday, Biden said Xi was unaware and embarrassed over a suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over American territory that the U.S. military shot down in February. “That’s what’s amore

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International Students Less Likely to Stay in Philadelphia Area After Graduation 

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Jen Kebea, president of Campus Philly, a nonprofit focused on recruitment, engagement and retention of college talent in the Greater Philadelphia area, discussed a 2019 study with Technical.ly, an online news site for technologists and entrepreneurs. Campus Philly completed a retention data study in 2019 that found the region was retaining 54% of its college students, Kebeba told Technical.ly. However, Kebaba said that within the pool of STEM graduates, some are highly retained, such as those in biology and other life sciences-related subjects; others, such as those in computer science and information technology majors, are less likely to stay in themore

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Biden Says Risks Posed by AI to Security, Economy Must be Addressed

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The risks of artificial intelligence to national security and the economy need to be addressed, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday, adding he would seek expert advice. “My administration is committed to safeguarding Americans’ rights and safety while protecting privacy, to addressing bias and misinformation, to making sure AI systems are safe before they are released,” Biden said at an event in San Francisco. Biden met a group of civil society leaders and advocates who have previously criticized the influence of major tech companies, to discuss artificial intelligence. “I wanted to hear directly from the experts,” he said. Severalmore

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3 Kenyan Students at Alabama State University Attend French Horn Conference

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Three international music students from Alabama State University traveled to Florida to attend the Southeast Horn Workshop (SEHW) at the University of Central Florida, according to the Alabama State University website. The three students — seniors Vitalis Wagome and Wanja Nganga and freshman Shaka Marko Lwaki, all from Nairobi, Kenya – attended the conference, billed as one of the largest regional conferences in the country for French horn players, the website said. (June 2023) …

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Blinken Highlights Need for Direct Engagement in US, China Talks

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday the United States and China have an obligation to manage their relationship responsibly, and that he told Chinese leaders during meetings in Beijing that direct engagement is the best way to ensure disagreements do not turn into conflict.      Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Blinken said he had candid and substantive discussions Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi.      “I would expect additional visits by senior U.S. officials to China over the coming weeks,” Blinken said during a news conference. He added that Washington welcomes further visits bymore

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US Judge Orders Trump Lawyers Not to Release Evidence in Documents Probe

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A U.S. judge in Florida on Monday ordered defense lawyers for former President Donald Trump not to release evidence in the classified documents case to the media or public, according to a court filing. The order from U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart also put strict conditions on Trump’s access to the materials. “The Discovery materials, along with any information derived therefrom, shall not be disclosed to the public or the news media, or disseminated on any news or social media platform, without prior notice to and consent of the United States or approval of the Court,” the order filed onmore

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Survey Looks at How Students Approach Studying Abroad

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The Keystone Education Group, based in Oslo, Norway, surveyed 23,800 prospective international students representing more than 195 countries and found that students are evolving in the way they approach decisions about study abroad. (June 2023) Several highlights from the group’s 2023 State of Student Recruitment Report conducted from January-April 2023 include: A growing number of students are researching study abroad options less than six months before applying. Three-quarters of students are worried about the safety of studying abroad, particularly when it comes to racial discrimination. Among respondents, 52% were African students and 18% were Asian students.  …

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How to Succeed in Your US Student Visa Interview

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Indian Eagle magazine takes a look at the U.S. student visa interview process, offering tips and success strategies. Among them: organize your documents, be honest and concise, and demonstrate strong ties to your home country. Also: don’t be nervous or defensive, and don’t memorize responses. Read the full story here. (June 2023)   …

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More Than 1 Million in US Lose Medicaid Health Care Coverage in Post-Pandemic Purge

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More than 1 million people have been dropped from Medicaid in the past couple months as some states moved swiftly to halt health care coverage following the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Most got dropped for not filling out paperwork. Though the eligibility review is required by the federal government, President Joe Biden’s administration isn’t pleased at how efficiently some states are accomplishing the task. “Pushing through things and rushing it will lead to eligible people — kids and families — losing coverage for some period of time,” Daniel Tsai, a top federal Medicaid official recently told reporters. Already, aboutmore

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