http://www.voanews.com/archive/usa/latest/594/599.html usa http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://www.voanews.com/archive/usa/latest/594/599.html en-US 2012 - VOA 60 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:45:22 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA The House of Representatives will not consider immigration legislation that does not have the support of most Republicans, Speaker John Boehner said on Tuesday, casting doubt on prospects for reform as the Senate prepares to vote on a bill giving millions of illegal immigrants a chance to become citizens.   “I don't see any way of bringing an immigration bill to the floor that doesn't have a majority support of Republicans,” Boehner told reporters after meeting with his ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-house-wont-consider-immigration-bill-unless-republicans-back-it/1684397.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-house-wont-consider-immigration-bill-unless-republicans-back-it/1684397.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:31:20 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) The Food for Peace program costs about $1.5 billion annually and provides U.S.-grown food to countries in need. But President Barack Obama’s proposed 2014 budget includes changes to the 59-year-old program - replacing some commodity shipments with direct cash purchases in foreign countries. While some aid agencies welcome the proposed changes, farmers and millers in the midwestern United States say the changes will hurt their business and cost U.S. jobs. Plano, Illinois, farmer Bill Wykes has ... http://www.voanews.com/content/food-aid-us-agriculture/1684371.html http://www.voanews.com/content/food-aid-us-agriculture/1684371.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:50:19 -0400 Economy webdesk@voanews.com (Kane Farabaugh) Former Senator Russell Feingold has been named the U.S. special envoy to Africa's troubled Great Lakes region. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who announced the appointment Tuesday, said Feingold will work closely with U.N. envoy Mary Robinson to advance a U.N. framework for peace in the region. The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has endured years of conflict and humanitarian crisis involving militia and rebel groups, some from neighboring Rwanda and Uganda. Kerry said that ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-names-new-envoy-to-africa-great-lakes/1684343.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-names-new-envoy-to-africa-great-lakes/1684343.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:48:51 -0400 Africa webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) The White House announced Tuesday that U.S. representatives will open direct talks with Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar, within the next few days, aimed at finding a political solution to the Afghan war. The announcement is being welcomed by the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Marine General Joseph Dunford. General Dunford said his forces had no role in facilitating the talks. Speaking by telephone from Kabul, he told reporters at the Pentagon it is not ... http://www.voanews.com/content/general-dunford-encouraged-by-news-of-taliban-talks/1684328.html http://www.voanews.com/content/general-dunford-encouraged-by-news-of-taliban-talks/1684328.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:35:58 -0400 Asia webdesk@voanews.com (Luis Ramirez) Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgents opened their political office in Qatar Tuesday, paving the way for direct peace talks with representatives of the Kabul government and U.S. officials.   Taliban representative Mohammed Sohail Shaeen announced the opening of the office in a news conference in Doha, the capital of Qatar. He said the move is part of efforts to support a peaceful political solution to Afghan problems and to improve the Taliban’s relations with the international community. The ... http://www.voanews.com/content/taliban-opens-office-to-talk-with-us-afghan-government/1684296.html http://www.voanews.com/content/taliban-opens-office-to-talk-with-us-afghan-government/1684296.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:10:08 -0400 Asia webdesk@voanews.com (Ayaz Gul) http://www.voanews.com/content/taliban-opens-office-to-talk-with-us-afghan-government/1684296.html#relatedInfoContainer The U.S. and Russia have signed a cybersecurity pact that will use a 21st century "hotline" between the two countries. In a joint statement issued by the White House, U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin call the pact "essential to safeguarding the security" of their countries. The agreement, signed Monday at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland, aims to reduce the risk of conflict in cyberspace by creating direct, real-time communication about ... http://www.voanews.com/content/new-pact-reduces-risk-of-usrussia-conflict-in-cyberspace/1684245.html http://www.voanews.com/content/new-pact-reduces-risk-of-usrussia-conflict-in-cyberspace/1684245.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:39:14 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) When starvation looms, speed is critical. But while the U.S. provides more emergency food aid than any other country, speed is not what it does best. Andrew Natsios witnessed this shortcoming firsthand during famine in Somalia in 1991. “I literally watched children die while we waited for food to arrive,” he said at a congressional hearing last week. “It took two to three months. That is what shocked me into realizing we needed changes to the system.” That was before President George W. ... http://www.voanews.com/content/congress-debates-limiting-us-farmers-role-in-food-aid/1684238.html http://www.voanews.com/content/congress-debates-limiting-us-farmers-role-in-food-aid/1684238.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:24:30 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Steve Baragona) http://www.voanews.com/content/congress-debates-limiting-us-farmers-role-in-food-aid/1684238.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has announced new anti-AIDS funding to mark the 10th anniversary of the primary U.S. program to combat the disease. Kerry said it is worth remembering how bleak things looked 10 years ago. With nearly 30-million people infected with the virus that causes AIDS, he said an entire generation looked lost. "When this disease appeared to be unstoppable, history will show that humanity and individual humans rose to the challenge," he said." Action ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-marks-tenth-anniversary-of-emergency-aids-funding/1684169.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-marks-tenth-anniversary-of-emergency-aids-funding/1684169.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:30:09 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Scott Stearns) At the G8 Summit in Britain, President Barack Obama and European leaders announced the start of an effort to reach what is being called the biggest trade deal in history. Officials are focusing on regional trade agreements because the long effort to reach a new global trade deal is stalled. British Prime Minister David Cameron stood with U.S. President Barack Obama and European Union leaders to make the announcement. "We are talking about what could be the biggest bilateral trade deal ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-eu-trade-deal-could-be-worlds-biggest/1684158.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-eu-trade-deal-could-be-worlds-biggest/1684158.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:29:49 -0400 Economy webdesk@voanews.com (Al Pessin) A stunt double for Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie has sued News Corp over allegations its British newspapers hacked her phone, the first lawsuit in the United States against the company since a hacking scandal broke out two years ago.   The lawsuit filed on June 13 by professional stunt double, Eunice Huthart, said reporters from News Corp's tabloids The Sun and the defunct News of the World, hacked her mobile phone while she was working for Jolie on location in Los ... http://www.voanews.com/content/jolie-stunt-double-sues-news-corp-phone-hacking/1684136.html http://www.voanews.com/content/jolie-stunt-double-sues-news-corp-phone-hacking/1684136.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:05:52 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Top National Security Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation officials say newly revealed surveillance programs have helped to stop more than 50 terrorist attacks in 20 countries around the world.  The officials delivered a strong defense of the exposed surveillance programs to the House Select Committee on Intelligence, saying they are essential to national security and have not violated any laws or Americans' privacy rights. FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyce outlined four ... http://www.voanews.com/content/nsa-chief-says-more-than-fifty-potential-terrorist-attacks-prevented-since-september-11-2001/1684122.html http://www.voanews.com/content/nsa-chief-says-more-than-fifty-potential-terrorist-attacks-prevented-since-september-11-2001/1684122.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:54:58 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Cindy Saine) http://www.voanews.com/content/nsa-chief-says-more-than-fifty-potential-terrorist-attacks-prevented-since-september-11-2001/1684122.html#relatedInfoContainer Iceland has received an informal approach from an intermediary who says Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who exposed the U.S. government's secret surveillance programs, wants to seek asylum there. Snowden, the former employee of contractor Booz Allen Hamilton who worked in an NSA facility in Hawaii, made world headlines after providing details of the program to the Guardian and Washington Post and then fleeing to Hong Kong. In a column in Icelandic daily ... http://www.voanews.com/content/iceland-received-informal-approach-over-snowden-seeking-saylum/1684100.html http://www.voanews.com/content/iceland-received-informal-approach-over-snowden-seeking-saylum/1684100.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:34:20 -0400 Europe webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) U.S. President Barack Obama plans a visit to Senegal as the country, and the greater Sahel region, face unprecedented security challenges from transnational jihadist groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria and The Signed in Blood brigade, thought to be active from northern Mali to Libya. The United States is for the first time offering cash rewards to help track down the leaders of these and other terrorist groups in West Africa, a move that analysts say reflects the severity of the threat to the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-to-visit-senegal-amid-growing-sahel-terror-threat/1684004.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-to-visit-senegal-amid-growing-sahel-terror-threat/1684004.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:02:37 -0400 Africa webdesk@voanews.com (Anne Look) Analysts say the recent leaks exposing top-secret U.S. surveillance programs may benefit China temporarily, but will not likely sway Washington from putting more pressure on Beijing to stop alleged Chinese cyber hacking against U.S. targets. The leaks by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden came at an opportune time for China, just before U.S. President Barack Obama planned to prominently raise the issue of Chinese cyber hacking during a summit in California. The original ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-pressure-on-chinese-cyber-hacking-to-remain/1683965.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-pressure-on-chinese-cyber-hacking-to-remain/1683965.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:08:57 -0400 Asia webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) http://www.voanews.com/content/us-pressure-on-chinese-cyber-hacking-to-remain/1683965.html#relatedInfoContainer http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1683892.html http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1683892.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:55:00 -0400 Europe U.S. President Barack Obama is defending the government's top-secret surveillance programs, while acknowledging widespread concerns the efforts are violating the privacy rights of ordinary Americans. In a television interview broadcast late Monday on PBS, Obama insisted the National Security Agency is operating its phone and Internet monitoring efforts within the law. The president has been under fire since last week's revelations of the NSA programs by the British newspaper The ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-defends-nsa-spying-programs/1683884.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-defends-nsa-spying-programs/1683884.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:51:25 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-defends-nsa-spying-programs/1683884.html#relatedInfoContainer The United States says it is open to North Korea's offer of direct talks, but only after Pyongyang takes concrete action to end its nuclear weapons program. North Korea says it is offering direct talks to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula. The United States says North Korea must first meet its international obligations to end its nuclear program. "North Korea must engage in authentic and credible negotiations that produce concrete denuclearization actions. So is it different ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-open-to-north-korea-talks-but-wants-action-on-nuclear-front/1683844.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-open-to-north-korea-talks-but-wants-action-on-nuclear-front/1683844.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:43:22 -0400 Asia webdesk@voanews.com (Scott Stearns) The United States is set to open formal negotiations with the Taliban later this week, in a push to establish a framework for ending more than a decade of war in Afghanistan. U.S. officials say the talks will begin Thursday in Doha, the capital of Qatar.  Senior U.S. State Department and White House officials are expected to meet with a Taliban delegation, in what authorities are describing as preliminary talks. President Barack Obama, speaking at a G8 summit in Northern Ireland, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-forces-take-over-security-responsibility/1683817.html http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-forces-take-over-security-responsibility/1683817.html Tue, 18 Jun 2013 03:12:11 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-forces-take-over-security-responsibility/1683817.html#relatedInfoContainer World leaders gathering at the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland have been discussing how to end the Syrian conflict - and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been defending his support for Syrian leader Bashar al Assad, despite criticism from the his G8 counterparts. Intense gun battles rage in the heart of Damascus and Aleppo on the same day that G8 leaders gather in Northern Ireland. The gulf of disagreement on how to end the fighting appears to be widening. Chris Phillips of Queen Mary ... http://www.voanews.com/content/syria-conflict-exposes-old-rivalries-at-geight-summit/1683699.html http://www.voanews.com/content/syria-conflict-exposes-old-rivalries-at-geight-summit/1683699.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:48:55 -0400 Middle East webdesk@voanews.com (Henry Ridgwell) The U.S. space agency has introduced eight new astronaut candidates, selected from a pool of 6,300 applicants. The new astronaut trainees - Josh Cassada, Victor Glover, Nick Hague, Christina Hammock, Nicole Mann, Anne McClain, Jessica Meir and Dr. Andrew Morgan - have all dreamed of becoming space explorers. During the past year-and-a-half, they have passed rigorous medical and psychological evaluations, and have performed well during multiple tests and interviews. Now they are letting their ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-selects-8-new-astronauts/1683685.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-selects-8-new-astronauts/1683685.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:32:29 -0400 Science & Technology webdesk@voanews.com (Suzanne Presto) The tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza clothing factory in Bangladesh in April that killed more than 1,200 people has brought greater pressure to increase garment building safety and worker protections. A number of European fashion companies have signed an accord to address workplace safety. But, most U.S. retail firms have not signed the pact. The factory fell just days after it was considered unsafe, but employees were told to come to work anyway.  U.S. Congressman George ... http://www.voanews.com/content/most-us-retailers-choose-not-to-sign-bangladesh-factories-accord/1683655.html http://www.voanews.com/content/most-us-retailers-choose-not-to-sign-bangladesh-factories-accord/1683655.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:36:47 -0400 Economy webdesk@voanews.com (Deborah Block) The British newspaper The Guardian says a former U.S. intelligence contractor who recently exposed some U.S. surveillance operations has denied he had any contact with the Chinese government. The newspaper said Edward Snowden made the comment Monday in a live question and answer session with Internet users, hosted on The Guardian website. Snowden has been hiding in the autonomous Chinese territory of Hong Kong since leaking U.S. intelligence documents to several newspapers earlier this ... http://www.voanews.com/content/report-nsa-leaker-denies-contact-with-chinese-government/1683466.html http://www.voanews.com/content/report-nsa-leaker-denies-contact-with-chinese-government/1683466.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:03:16 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin disagree on how they want the bloodshed in Syria to be resolved, but both say they want it resolved through negotiations.  The two leaders met Monday on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit in Northern Ireland. After their two-hour meeting, Presidents Obama and Putin emphasized that their fundamental positions on Syria have not changed.  Mr. Putin continues to support the government of Syrian President Bashar ... http://www.voanews.com/content/group-of--eight-summit-opens-in-northern-ireland/1683414.html http://www.voanews.com/content/group-of--eight-summit-opens-in-northern-ireland/1683414.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:58:44 -0400 Middle East webdesk@voanews.com (Kent Klein) http://www.voanews.com/content/group-of--eight-summit-opens-in-northern-ireland/1683414.html#relatedInfoContainer President Barack Obama said next month the United States will host a first round of talks toward a transatlantic free trade agreement. The president made the announcement with European leaders Monday on the first day of the Group of Eight summit in Northern Ireland. Obama said he will host the talks in Washington, starting the week of July 8. "Among the things we will discuss here are promoting new growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic," he said. "And I am pleased to ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-us-to-host-first-round-of-trade-talks-with-europe/1683412.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-us-to-host-first-round-of-trade-talks-with-europe/1683412.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:53:32 -0400 Economy webdesk@voanews.com (Kent Klein) Controversies are taking a toll on U.S. President Barack Obama's popularity with Americans, according to a public opinion poll published by CNN. The data show Obama's approval rating fell eight percentage points over the past month, to 45 percent. CNN said that is the lowest approval rating in a year and a half.  The poll follows revelations about government surveillance of Americans, unfair treatment of conservative groups by the tax agency, government snooping into ... http://www.voanews.com/content/scandals-hit-obamas-standing-with-us-voters/1683258.html http://www.voanews.com/content/scandals-hit-obamas-standing-with-us-voters/1683258.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:59:44 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) http://www.voanews.com/content/scandals-hit-obamas-standing-with-us-voters/1683258.html#relatedInfoContainer While many Americans want to reduce both pollution and energy costs, the nation's automobile-based transportation system undermines these goals by being largely dependent on petroleum. But in the western state of Oklahoma, Ethel Clayton drives a truck that can run on much cheaper and cleaner compressed natural gas (CNG). "Not just because you save a whole lot of money, but it is also good for the environment and it also keeps your engine in better condition," Clayton said. ... http://www.voanews.com/content/companies-try-natural-gas-to-fuel-vehicles/1683216.html http://www.voanews.com/content/companies-try-natural-gas-to-fuel-vehicles/1683216.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:15:16 -0400 Science & Technology webdesk@voanews.com (Greg Flakus) http://www.voanews.com/content/companies-try-natural-gas-to-fuel-vehicles/1683216.html#relatedInfoContainer British newspaper The Guardian says documents leaked by a former U.S. intelligence contractor show that Britain spied on diplomats attending the 2009 Group of 20 summit in London. In a report published Monday, The Guardian said Britain's eavesdropping agency, the General Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), hacked into the phones and computers of Turkish and South African delegates at the summit. It said the GCHQ also tricked some G-20 delegates into using Internet cafes that it secretly ... http://www.voanews.com/content/report-nsa-leaker-says-britain-spied-on-foreign-diplomats-in-london/1683145.html http://www.voanews.com/content/report-nsa-leaker-says-britain-spied-on-foreign-diplomats-in-london/1683145.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:03:29 -0400 Europe webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) http://www.voanews.com/content/report-nsa-leaker-says-britain-spied-on-foreign-diplomats-in-london/1683145.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. President Barack Obama has called peace in Northern Ireland a "blueprint" for those living in conflict zones around the world. During remarks Monday to a young audience in Belfast, Obama said "The terms of peace may be negotiated by leaders, but the fate of peace is up to you." The American president arrived in Belfast Monday after an overnight flight from Washington.  He is attending a G8 summit Monday and Tuesday, likely to be dominated by the U.S. decision ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-to-speak-with-putin-on-syria-at-g8-summit/1683047.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-to-speak-with-putin-on-syria-at-g8-summit/1683047.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:04:41 -0400 Europe webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) In the final months leading up to the launch of the key piece of President Barack Obama's healthcare reforms, the administration is preparing a public-education campaign designed to connect directly with the audience most critical for the law's success. The effort will focus on selling the merits of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to 2.7 million Americans with little or no health coverage, who are 18-to-35 years old, mostly male, and largely nonwhite, including many who ... http://www.voanews.com/content/final-obamacare-push-will-pitch-to-low-income-young/1682958.html http://www.voanews.com/content/final-obamacare-push-will-pitch-to-low-income-young/1682958.html Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:28:24 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Washington’s attention will be split this week between the conflict in Syria and the legislative push to overhaul America’s immigration system. Syria’s protracted civil war is expected to be a prime topic of discussion at this week’s G-8 summit in Northern Ireland. President Barack Obama attends the G-8 forum days after the United States announced it will provide military aid to Syrian rebels.  Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said, “We have steadily increased the size and ... http://www.voanews.com/content/washington-week-focus-on-syria-immigration-reform/1682931.html http://www.voanews.com/content/washington-week-focus-on-syria-immigration-reform/1682931.html Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:51:17 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Michael Bowman) A top White House official is urging Iran’s newly-elected president to set his country on a different nuclear path. White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough says Iranians should be congratulated for strong voter turn-out in Friday’s presidential balloting, in which moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani emerged as victor. Speaking on CBS’ Face the Nation television program, McDonough called the outcome a “potentially hopeful sign.” “If he is interested in, as he has said in his campaign events, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-urges-new-path-for-iran-under-rowhani/1682899.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-urges-new-path-for-iran-under-rowhani/1682899.html Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:28:16 -0400 Middle East webdesk@voanews.com (Michael Bowman) http://www.voanews.com/content/us-urges-new-path-for-iran-under-rowhani/1682899.html#relatedInfoContainer A solar-powered plane nearing the end of a cross-continental journey landed early Sunday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington. The aircraft, the Solar Impulse, began its journey May 3 in San Francisco and has made stops in Arizona, Texas, Missouri and Ohio, staying several days in cities along the way. The Solar Impulse is powered by about 12,000 photovoltaic cells that cover its enormous 63-meter wings and charge its batteries during the day so it can fly at night. The ... http://www.voanews.com/content/solar-plane-nears-end-of-crosscontinent-flight/1682842.html http://www.voanews.com/content/solar-plane-nears-end-of-crosscontinent-flight/1682842.html Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:38:17 -0400 Science & Technology webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) Hundreds of people rallied in Hong Kong Saturday in support of former U.S. government contractor Edward Snowden, who fled to the semi-autonomous Chinese city last month after confessing to leaking documents on two top secret U.S. surveillance programs.  To many, the case raises questions about Snowden’s choice of Hong Kong as a haven as he fights an expected legal battle against extradition, and the broader implications regarding the secrets he has revealed. Amid monsoon rains in the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/hong-kongers-rally-in-support-of-snowden/1682725.html http://www.voanews.com/content/hong-kongers-rally-in-support-of-snowden/1682725.html Sun, 16 Jun 2013 07:15:46 -0400 Asia webdesk@voanews.com (Ivan Broadhead) http://www.voanews.com/content/hong-kongers-rally-in-support-of-snowden/1682725.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. intelligence officials say controversial government surveillance programs have disrupted "dozens" of terrorist plots in the U.S. and more than 20 countries around the world. U.S. intelligence agencies released newly declassified documents Saturday after lawmakers asked for more information about the surveillance programs to show their effectiveness. The reports said that of the hundreds of millions of records of U.S. phone calls collected, only 300 were searched for ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-intelligence-agencies-provide-justification-for-data-collected/1682693.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-intelligence-agencies-provide-justification-for-data-collected/1682693.html Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:07:49 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) News organizations and civil rights groups are among those angry over recent reports that the Obama administration has searched the phone records of journalists. That revelation was followed by reports of an extensive government program collecting the phone and Internet records of millions of Americans. Media and privacy experts say there's a need for a national debate on how Americans should balance civil liberties and national security.   The controversy has caused outrage - with ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-experts-call-for-debate-on-national-security-civil-liberties/1682405.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-experts-call-for-debate-on-national-security-civil-liberties/1682405.html Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:07:52 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Vivian Chakarian) http://www.voanews.com/content/us-experts-call-for-debate-on-national-security-civil-liberties/1682405.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. President Barack Obama says there is never a substitute for the love and support of a parent in a child's life.   In his weekly address Saturday, Obama paid tribute to the country's Father's Day observance by saying the most important job many American men will ever have is "being a dad."   The president said he wished he had a father who was around to help teach him "values like hard work," integrity and responsibility. He added that good ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-wishes-dads-happy-fathers-day/1682375.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-wishes-dads-happy-fathers-day/1682375.html Sat, 15 Jun 2013 07:43:47 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) Several Internet companies have struck an agreement with the U.S. government to release limited information about the number of surveillance requests they received. Facebook became the first to release aggregate numbers of requests, saying in a blog post that it received between 9,000 and 10,000 requests for user data in the second half of 2012, covering 18,000 to 19,000 of its users' accounts. Microsoft said it received between 6,000 and 7,000 requests during the same period, affecting ... http://www.voanews.com/content/facebook-microsoft-release-data-request-numbers/1682352.html http://www.voanews.com/content/facebook-microsoft-release-data-request-numbers/1682352.html Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:03:41 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) U.S. President Barack Obama will face difficult talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week after his decision to arm Syrian rebels. White House officials say the decision is "already finalized" and will not be changed by his upcoming meeting with fellow heads of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations in Northern Ireland. The United States is increasing military aid to the Syrian rebels after determining that President Bashar al-Assad's government has used ... http://www.voanews.com/content/syria/1682349.html http://www.voanews.com/content/syria/1682349.html Sat, 15 Jun 2013 03:08:41 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) Since 1938, a red-caped superhero impervious to most earthly pitfalls has captivated the imagination of comic book, television, and movie fans around the world.  Superman has become a cultural icon of the United States, and the merchandising and promotion of the character is a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. The release of the newest Superman movie, Man of Steel, is helping one small Illinois town cash in on its connection to one of the most beloved comic book heroes of all ... http://www.voanews.com/content/small-illinois-town-gets-boost-from-new-superman-movie/1682321.html http://www.voanews.com/content/small-illinois-town-gets-boost-from-new-superman-movie/1682321.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:36:23 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Kane Farabaugh) http://www.voanews.com/content/small-illinois-town-gets-boost-from-new-superman-movie/1682321.html#relatedInfoContainer The International Monetary Fund is urging the United States to repeal large government spending cuts from earlier this year, saying they are a drag on economic growth. In its annual review of the world's largest economy, the IMF said Friday that the reduction in the U.S. budget deficit in 2013 has been "excessively rapid and ill-designed." The IMF said the cuts, known as the sequester, should be replaced by longer-term reductions in government spending programs, as well as ... http://www.voanews.com/content/imf-urges-repeal-of-large-us-government-spending-cuts/1682271.html http://www.voanews.com/content/imf-urges-repeal-of-large-us-government-spending-cuts/1682271.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:28:04 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) White House officials say U.S. President Barack Obama spent several weeks deciding whether to send military aid to Syrian opposition groups, and that it will take time for the supplies to reach them. The president will discuss the issue with allies at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland next week. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the president’s decision will dramatically increase U.S. support for Syria’s opposition forces. He told reporters Friday that Obama was influenced by ... http://www.voanews.com/content/white-house-says-us-aid-to-syrian-rebels-is-gradual-process/1682204.html http://www.voanews.com/content/white-house-says-us-aid-to-syrian-rebels-is-gradual-process/1682204.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:47:48 -0400 Middle East webdesk@voanews.com (Kent Klein) http://www.voanews.com/content/white-house-says-us-aid-to-syrian-rebels-is-gradual-process/1682204.html#relatedInfoContainer Following the White House announcement that the United States will provide lethal aid to Syrian rebels, the Pentagon is recommending options on what weapons to provide and to whom. They are options that Pentagon planners have been working on for almost as long as the conflict in Syria. With Assad's forces gaining ground and confirmation they have used chemical weapons, the U.S. government says it is now time to act. The announcement came from Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes ... http://www.voanews.com/content/pentagon-weighs-types-of-arms-to-give-syrian-rebels/1682147.html http://www.voanews.com/content/pentagon-weighs-types-of-arms-to-give-syrian-rebels/1682147.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:39:26 -0400 Middle East webdesk@voanews.com (Luis Ramirez) http://www.voanews.com/content/pentagon-weighs-types-of-arms-to-give-syrian-rebels/1682147.html#relatedInfoContainer Amid international support and criticism, the United States is proceeding with a plan to arm Syrian rebels after finding what officials say is evidence the Syrian government has used chemical weapons during the nation's civil war. The White House has reiterated President Barack Obama's view that chemical weapons, including nerve gas, crosses a "red line" and necessitates more U.S. involvement in the war. The two-year conflict has cost Syria more than 90,000 lives, though ... http://www.voanews.com/content/world-reacts-to-us-plan-to-arm-Syrian-rebels/1681982.html http://www.voanews.com/content/world-reacts-to-us-plan-to-arm-Syrian-rebels/1681982.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:11:09 -0400 Middle East webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) In 2011, film director Zach Snyder transformed Plano, Illinois into Smallville, Kansas, hometown of Superman’s adopted parents Jonathan and Martha Kent. The location plays a significant backdrop in several key sequences in the new film, "Man of Steel." http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1681950.html http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1681950.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:32:00 -0400 USA Wildfires are raging in the Rocky Mountain region again, with devastating results. http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1681898.html http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1681898.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:04:00 -0400 USA Britain has asked airlines worldwide to block American Edward Snowden, who leaked details of U.S. government telephone and internet surveillance programs, from boarding any plane headed for the United Kingdom, the Associated Press reported on Friday.   The Associated Press, in a report out of Bangkok, said British officials confirmed a travel alert from its Home Office issued on Monday, telling airlines to deny Snowden from boarding because “the individual is highly likely to be refused ... http://www.voanews.com/content/britain-asks-airlines-to-block-us-nsa-leaker-snowden/1681897.html http://www.voanews.com/content/britain-asks-airlines-to-block-us-nsa-leaker-snowden/1681897.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:46:06 -0400 Europe webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Few first-time participants at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles this week would have realized that the $66 billion videogames industry is in steep decline. Microsoft Corp, Sony Corp, Electronic Arts and other industry giants whipped up the crowd of gamers and developers at the event into a frenzy, with displays of high-powered new consoles and previews of popular genre games. For an industry accustomed to dwindling revenue in recent years, the pervasive visual ... http://www.voanews.com/content/good-times-roll-at-e3-videogame-trade-show/1681831.html http://www.voanews.com/content/good-times-roll-at-e3-videogame-trade-show/1681831.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:40:00 -0400 Science & Technology webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Hog producer Smithfield Foods Inc , the subject of a $4.7 billion bid from China's Shuanghui International, posted a 63 percent fall in net profit as exports to China and Russia fell due to issues related to a drug it uses to produce lean meat.   Smithfield, whose products include Smithfield bacon and Eckrich sausages, said its net income fell to $29.7 million, or 21 cents per share, in the fourth quarter ended April 28, from $79.5 million, or 49 cents per share, a year ... http://www.voanews.com/content/smithfield-profits-plunges-on-drop-in-exports/1681803.html http://www.voanews.com/content/smithfield-profits-plunges-on-drop-in-exports/1681803.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:16:35 -0400 Economy webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) In many societies, fathers are thought of as disciplinarians and providers. But now there's a global fatherhood campaign to encourage fathers to increase their participation in their children lives. Organizers say the Men Care Campaign benefits the children, the men themselves, and helps reduce violence against women. Getting involved   South Africa is one of the 17 countries where the Men Care Campaign is underway. It was launched there in 2011, the same year Jean-Marie ... http://www.voanews.com/content/more-than-a-provider-campaign-encourages-dads-to-engage-in-childrens-lives/1681760.html http://www.voanews.com/content/more-than-a-provider-campaign-encourages-dads-to-engage-in-childrens-lives/1681760.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:56:09 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Faiza Elmasry) http://www.voanews.com/content/more-than-a-provider-campaign-encourages-dads-to-engage-in-childrens-lives/1681760.html#relatedInfoContainer Americans found out this week that intelligence agencies are tracking nearly every phone call they make. While some lawmakers and experts believe it’s necessary to prevent terrorist attacks, others worry that the country’s intelligence apparatus has grown too large.   Americans still only have a sketchy idea of how the phone surveillance program works and what it has achieved. After a closed door meeting with the head of the National Security Agency, the chairman of the House ... http://www.voanews.com/content/Americans-weigh-balance-between-privacy-and-security/1681774.html http://www.voanews.com/content/Americans-weigh-balance-between-privacy-and-security/1681774.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:49:49 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Jerome Socolovsky) http://www.voanews.com/content/Americans-weigh-balance-between-privacy-and-security/1681774.html#relatedInfoContainer