Voice of America’s immigration news

sao paulo, brazil — The pilots of a Brazilian passenger plane that crashed last month, killing all 62 people aboard, reported failure in the system to remove ice from the plane, according to a preliminary report made public Friday by Brazilian authorities. Investigators were careful to avoid saying this was the cause of the accident, stressing there was more work to be done. Still, their report lent further credence to aviation experts' main hypothesis: that the lift loss had been caused by ice formation on the plane's wings and failure of its deicing system. Weather reports from the day of the accident predicted ice formation in the region where the plane went down. Audio from the cockpit's voice recorder included comments from pilots indicating ice was accumulating and the deicing system was failing, Paulo Froes, an investigator in the air force's center for the investigation and prevention of air accidents, told reporters in Brasilia. "There are still many doubts. This accident shouldn't have happened, not in the conditions in which the plane was flying and was being operated. It had protection equipment," Carlos Henrique Baldin, head of the center's investigation division, told reporters. Operated by the airline Voepass, the flight departed August 9 from the city of Cascavel, in Parana state, bound for Sao Paulo's Guarulhos international airport. It crashed into the backyard of a home in a gated community in the city of Vinhedo, about 80 kilometers northwest of Sao Paulo. Footage of the ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop plunging while in a flat spin horrified people across Brazil.

NAIROBI, Kenya — A fire in a school dormitory in Kenya has killed 18 students and 27 others have been hospitalized, with 70 children unaccounted for, the country's deputy president said Friday. President William Ruto declared three days of mourning during which flags will be flown at half-staff in honor of the children who died. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said only 86 out of more than 150 children had been accounted for, and urged community members who may have sheltered some of them to help account for them. Gachagua said that one more student had died at the hospital and that 37 pupils had been reunited with their parents so far. The cause of the fire Thursday night at Hillside Endarasha Primary school in Nyeri County was being investigated, police spokesperson Resila Onyango said. The school serves children up to the age of 14. Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu and the education ministry reported that the dormitory that caught fire housed more than 150 boys between ages 10 and 14. Since most of the buildings are made from wooden planks, the fire spread quickly. The mixed, day and boarding private school, which has 824 students, is located 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of the capital, Nairobi, in the country's central highlands, where wooden structures are common. Nyeri County Gov. Mutahi Kahiga told journalists that rescue efforts were hampered by muddy roads caused by rain in the area. Anxious parents who had been unable to find their children among the survivors waited at the school, engulfed with grief. The parents were overcome by emotions after they were allowed to view the scene of the fire. John Rukwaro told journalists that his 11-year-old grandson was missing, and he had checked with area hospitals without success. The education ministry's permanent secretary, Belio Kipsang, said that the government was working with the school administration to account for all the children in the boarding section. "We are asking the parents who picked up their children and the community to support us as we consolidate the numbers to ensure that we account for every child who was boarding in this school," he said. Ruto called the news "devastating." "I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account," he said in an X post, formerly known as Twitter. His deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, urged school administrators to ensure that safety guidelines recommended by the education ministry for boarding schools are being followed. School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, often caused by arson fueled by drug abuse and overcrowding, according to a recent education ministry report. Many students board because parents believe it gives them more time to study without long commutes. Some fires have been started by students during protests over the workload or living conditions. In 2017, 10 high school students died in a school fire in Nairobi started by a student. Kenya's deadliest school fire in recent history was in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos county. The education ministry's guidelines recommend that dormitories should be spacious enough and have two doors on each end, an emergency door in the middle and that windows aren't fitted with grills to allow for escape in case of a fire. Fully serviced fire extinguishers and fire alarms are required at easily accessible spots. It wasn't immediately clear if these guidelines were followed at Hillside school and the area near the dormitory has remained cordoned off.

A Russian missile strike on the historic Ukrainian town of Lviv on September 4 killed at least seven people and damaged parts of the city’s historic downtown. On Thursday, rebuilding began, even as the city mourned the dead. Omelyan Oshchudlyak reports. Camera: Yuriy Dankevych.

washington — A South Korean senior official has rekindled debate over the U.S. commitment to that nation's defense, bringing up the possibility of the U.S. rolling back its nuclear umbrella if former President Donald Trump is reelected. Kim Tae-hyo, South Korea's deputy national security director, said in a Seoul forum Tuesday the reelection of Trump could "weaken a U.S. nuclear umbrella" designed to protect South Korea from North Korean aggression. "Trump as candidate can be seen as pursuing transactional benefits in terms of the South Korea-U.S. alliance," Kim said, according to news reports. "It is not unlikely that he would suggest negotiating defense cost-sharing or the deployment of U.S. strategic assets from a cost perspective." Skepticism about America's willingness and capability to protect South Korea from a North Korean nuclear attack has grown among South Koreans as North Korea's nuclear and missile programs become increasingly sophisticated. A recent poll by South Korea's Institute of National Unification revealed that 66% of respondents supported the country having its own nuclear weapons. Concern over commitment Gary Samore, former White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction during the Obama administration, said Kim's remarks reflect widespread concern among U.S. allies. There is a concern that "Trump, if reelected, would pursue policies that will weaken U.S. alliances around the world, including in Europe and East Asia," Samore told VOA Korean Wednesday via email. "In the case of Korea, Trump might seek to resume summit diplomacy with Kim Jong Un and make concessions that weaken the U.S.-ROK alliance, as he did at the Singapore summit in June 2018," Samore said. ROK stands for Republic of Korea, the official name for South Korea. According to the joint statement released after the 2018 summit, Trump "committed to provide security guarantees" to North Korea, while the North Korean leader reaffirmed "commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." "However, I think it's premature to predict exactly what policies President Trump will adopt toward Korea if he is reelected," Samore added. "There are too many uncertainties, including, for example, who President Trump appoints for his top foreign policy and defense positions." Michael O'Hanlon, director of foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution in Washington, told VOA Korean Tuesday via email the South Korean official's assessment of Trump is justifiable. "I think the official is correct," O'Hanlon said, adding Trump could take steps to address this concern. "I do not know if he will." 'Treat us properly,' says Trump Trump has often complained that U.S. allies do not pay the U.S. enough for bases and troops used in their defense. In an April interview with Time magazine, Trump said, "I want South Korea to treat us properly," suggesting he would demand that South Korea pay more for the American troops stationed there. But Frederick Fleitz, who served as chief of staff of the National Security Council in the Trump White House, told VOA Korean by phone Tuesday that Trump's reelection is not likely to affect the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Making clear that he was speaking for himself, not for Trump, Fleitz said the former president "was a strong friend of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan when he was in office last time and he'll be a strong friend again." "Why would there be such a big change in a second Trump term when he didn't do that in the first term?" Fleitz asked. "The second Trump administration, concerning South Korea, will be countering the threat from North Korea and this new axis relationship between China, Russia, North Korea and Iran." Fleitz stressed there is no evidence to suggest Trump would link the defense cost-sharing with offering a nuclear umbrella, adding discussions on how much South Korea pays for U.S. troops in South Korea will not be a "deal breaker" for the second Trump administration. "It is an issue that will be resolved among friends," he said. "The security threats in the region are so severe — I think that's what the U.S. will focus on." Redeployment of nukes Robert Peters, a fellow for nuclear deterrence and missile defense at the Heritage Foundation, told VOA Korean Tuesday via email it is "far more likely" that America's extended deterrence commitment to South Korea would strengthen during a second Trump term. Peters said a second Trump administration could consider redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula, due to the threats coming from North Korea and China. "I think a second Trump administration would field SLCM-N [nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missiles] in the near term and potentially reintroduce American nuclear weapons to South Korea as a means to assure the ROK, deter North Korea and strengthen regional stability," said Peters. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, is widely expected to inherit incumbent President Joe Biden's Asia policies should she win the election. The Biden administration is not considering the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea. In 1991, the U.S. withdrew from South Korea all its nuclear weapons, roughly 100 in number, according to some studies. "The United States does not assess returning nuclear weapons to the Indo-Pacific as necessary at this time," a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement on May 31 in response to a VOA Korean inquiry. "The United States has no plans to forward deploy nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula." In April 2023, Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol adopted the Washington Declaration, in which the U.S. declared that its commitment to the defense of South Korea will be backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear. During this week's high-level security talks between the U.S. and South Korea, the Biden administration reiterated its commitment to defend South Korea with nuclear weapons if necessary to deter attacks from North Korea. "We reaffirm the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to the ROK using the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, and that any DPRK [North Korea] nuclear attack on the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime," Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security,  told reporters after Wednesday's talks. VOA Korean contacted the Trump campaign and asked what Trump's stance is on the U.S. nuclear umbrella offered to South Korea, but did not receive a reply by the time this article was published.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

WASHINGTON — A Pakistani citizen living in Canada was arrested Wednesday and charged with planning an attack in New York City in support of the Islamic State group, the Department of Justice said Friday.  Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, is accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn around October 7, 2024, nearly one year after Hamas' attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel.  U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Khan, who is also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, aimed to kill "as many Jewish people as possible."   Khan attempted to travel from Canada to the United States, where he intended to use automatic and semiautomatic weapons to carry out the attack, according to the indictment.  He was arrested in Canada, just 19 kilometers from the U.S. border.  Khan told two undercover law enforcement officers of his plans to create "a real offline cell" of Islamic State supporters to carry out an attack, the indictment alleged.   He instructed them to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition and other materials to carry out the attacks, and he identified specific locations where the attacks would take place.  Khan targeted New York City because it has "the largest Jewish population in America," prosecutors said.  "We are deeply grateful to our Canadian partners for their critical law enforcement actions in this matter. Jewish communities — like all communities in this country — should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack," Garland said in a statement.  Khan faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

washington — Russia, Iran and China are ramping up efforts to impact the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and down-ballot races, targeting American voters with an expanding array of sophisticated influence operations. The latest assessment from U.S. intelligence agencies, shared Friday, warns that Russia remains the preeminent threat, with Russian influence campaigns seeking to boost the chances of Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump over Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. Russian actors, led by networks created by the Kremlin-backed media outlet RT, "are supporting Moscow's efforts to influence voter preferences in favor of the former president and diminish the prospects of the vice president," a senior intelligence official told reporters, briefing on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. "RT has built and used networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russia-friendly narratives while trying to mask the content in authentic Americans' free speech," the official said. And RT, the official added, is just part of a growing Kremlin-directed campaign that is looking to impact not just the race for the White House, but smaller elections across the United States, with an added emphasis on swing states. "Russia's influence apparatus is very large and it's worth highlighting that they have other entities that are active," the official said. "Russia is working up and down ballot races, as well as spreading divisive issues." Tracking the Russian influence efforts has become more difficult, with U.S. officials saying that there is a greater degree of sophistication and an increased emphasis on amplifying American voices with pro-Russian views rather than seeding social media with narratives crafted in the Kremlin. "It's not just about Russian bots and trolls and fake social media persona, although that's part of it," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told VOA Friday. "We're not taking anything for granted," he added. "There's no question that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has every intent to try to sow discord here in the United States, to try to pump disinformation and Russian propaganda through to the American people, through what he believes were our credible sources, be they online or on television and we have to take that seriously." The intelligence officials declined to share additional specifics about Russia's network of influence operations. But indictments Wednesday from the U.S. Justice Department have shed some light on the scope of the Kremlin's recent operations. In one case, the U.S. charged two employees of RT with using fake personas and shell companies to funnel almost $10 million to Tenet Media, a Tennessee-based company producing videos and podcasts for a stable of conservative political influencers. The aim, prosecutors said, was to produce and disseminate content promoting what Moscow viewed as pro-Russian policies. In a separate action, the U.S. seized 32 internet domains linked to an operation directed by a key aide to Putin. The aim, U.S. officials said, was to mimic legitimate U.S. news sites to spread Russian-created propaganda. RT publicly ridiculed the allegations while some of the influencers working with Tenet posted statements on the X social media platform saying they were unaware of the company's links to Moscow. As for the latest U.S. intelligence allegations, the Russian Embassy in Washington has yet to respond to VOA's request for comments, though it has described previous accusations as "Russophobic." Requests for comment to the Trump and Harris campaigns have also, so far, gone unanswered. But earlier U.S. intelligence assertions of Russian support for Trump have raised the ire of the Trump campaign, which has pointed to public statements by Russia's Putin supporting Trump's opponents. "When President Trump was in the Oval Office, Russia and all of America's adversaries were deterred, because they feared how the United States would respond," national press secretary for the Trump campaign, Karoline Leavitt, told VOA in an email this past July. U.S. intelligence officials, however, said it would be a mistake to put any faith in Putin's words, including public comments Thursday expressing support for Harris. The U.S. intelligence community "does not take Putin's public statements as representative of Russia's covert intentions," the senior official said. "There are many examples over the past several years where Putin's public statements do not align with Russian actions. For example, his comments that he would not invade Ukraine." Experts say Iran, China trying to influence results U.S. intelligence agencies Friday emphasized Russia is not alone in its effort to shape the outcome of the U.S. elections in November, warning both Tehran and Beijing are sharpening their influence campaigns with just about 60 days until America voters go to the polls. "Iran is making a greater effort than in the past to influence this year's elections, even as its tactics and approaches are similar to prior cycles," the intelligence official said, describing a "multi-pronged approach to stoke internal divisions and undermine voter confidence in the U.S. democratic system. U.S. intelligence agencies previously assessed that Iran has focused part of its efforts on denigrating the Trump campaign, seeing his election as likely to worsen tensions between Tehran and Washington. U.S. officials last month also blamed Iran for a hack-and-leak operation targeting the Trump campaign, though they said that Iran-linked actors have also sought to infiltrate the Harris campaign. As for China, U.S. intelligence officials said it appears Beijing is still content to stay out of the U.S. presidential race, seeing little difference between Trump and Harris. But there are indications China is accelerating its efforts to impact other political races. U.S. intelligence "is aware of PRC [People's Republic of China] attempts to influence U.S. down-ballot races by focusing on candidates it views as particularly threatening to core PRC security interests," the official said. "PRC online influence actors have also continued small scale efforts on social media to engage U.S. audiences on divisive political issues, including protests about the Israel-Gaza conflict and promote negative stories about both political parties," the official added. 'Malicious speculations against China' The Chinese Embassy in Washington, Friday, rejected the U.S. intelligence assessment. "China has no intention and will not interfere in the U.S. election, and we hope that the U.S. side will not make an issue of China in the election," spokesperson Liu Pengyu told VOA in an email. Liu added that accusations Beijing is using social media to sway U.S. public opinion "are full of malicious speculations against China, which China firmly opposes." While U.S. intelligence officials have identified Russia, Iran and China, as the most prominent purveyors of disinformation, they are not alone. Officials have said countries like Cuba are also engaging in influence operations, though at a much smaller scale. And other countries are edging closer to crossing that line. "We are seeing a number of countries considering activities that, at a minimum, test the boundaries of election influence," according to the U.S. assessment. "Such activities include lobbying political figures to try to curry favor with them in the event they are elected to office." Misha Komadovsky contributed to this report.

RIO DE JANEIRO — Sergio Mendes, the celebrated Brazilian musician whose 1966 hit "Mas Que Nada" made him a global superstar and helped launch a long, Grammy-winning career, has died after months battling the effects of long COVID. He was 83. The death Thursday of the Brazilian pianist, songwriter and arranger was confirmed in a statement by his family. "His wife and musical partner for the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his side, as were his loving children," the statement said Friday. "Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona." Mendes was born in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro's sister city, and studied classical music at a conservatory before joining jazz groups. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he began playing Bossa Nova as the genre was heating up in Rio's nightclub scene with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and others. In 1962, they traveled to New York for a Bossa Nova festival at Carnegie Hall. During the trip, Cannonball Adderley invited Mendes to collaborate on the album "Cannonball Adderley and The Bossa Rio Sextet," leading to his first American record, "The Swinger from Rio," after signing with Atlantic Records. Two years later, Mendes moved to California and formed Brazil '64, which evolved into Brazil '66 after he added two female vocalists. The group's debut album, produced by Herb Alpert, featured "Mas Que Nada." Sung entirely in Portuguese, "Mas Que Nada" was a mid-tempo Samba number originally released in 1963 by composer Jorge Ben Sor and updated three years later by Mendes, who had been playing the song in clubs and gave it a jazzier, more hard-hitting feel. "I put a band together called Brasil '66," he told The Guardian in 2019. "I'd always had instrumental groups, but when I added the two female singers — Lani Hall and Bibi Vogel — it made a different kind of sound. We recorded the song in Los Angeles, with me, the drums, bass and guitar all performing live." Mendes' version was a worldwide hit that helped perpetuate the Brazilian music boom of the 1960s. In 2006, a modern version of the song topped U.S. charts, as performed by the Black Eyed Peas. It was included in his album "Timeless," produced by will.i.am and also featuring Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake and John Legend, among others. "Sergio Mendes was my brother from another country," trumpet player Alpert wrote on Facebook, along with a photo from decades ago, sitting next to Mendes at the piano. "He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance." Mendes' other hits were an eclectic blend ranging from covers of the Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill" and "With a Little Help from My Friends," to his own Brazilian chant, "Magalenha." Mendes also composed the soundtrack for the film "Pele," featuring saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, and even produced an album recorded by the great Brazilian soccer player. Mendes won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album for "Brasileiro" and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Original Song for "Real in Rio," from the animated film "Rio." "Brazilian soul was there," pianist, singer, and songwriter Marcos Valle told GloboNews about Mendes' music. Valle also noted that it was Mendes who helped open doors for other Brazilian artists of his generation, including himself, to reach foreign audiences.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

tel aviv, israel — As the first Egypt International Air Show wrapped up Thursday, industry analysts debated the significance of China’s presence, which included the most complete demonstration of its advanced Y-20 transport aircraft and the first showcase of its J-10 fighter jets in Africa. Analysts say the high-profile presence of the Chinese air force at the event held at Egypt’s El Alamein International Airport underscores China's growing technological prowess, military ambitions, and expanding influence in the Middle East and North Africa. But analysts also question how much demand the region will have for the Chinese military planes. “China is expanding and targeting the [Middle East] regional market,” Kostas Tigkos, manager of mission systems and intelligence at global military intelligence company Janes, told VOA. “This marks another milestone in China’s military diversification and opens doors to more collaboration in security domains, encourages investment opportunities and opens new channels to developing trade beyond traditional ties.” Tigkos said the Middle East’s ranking as the region with China’s highest bilateral trade growth rate, and source of half of its imported oil, gives it a strategic interest in fostering economic, security, supply route and energy source development. Interest in Chinese equipment Countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are increasingly turning to China for military equipment, such as drones, missiles and anti-drone systems. Egypt has expressed interest in acquiring the J-10 fighter jet to diversify its military suppliers and enhance its capabilities. In July, Egypt’s air force commander, Lieutenant General Mahmoud Foaad Abdel Jawad, traveled to Beijing at China’s behest for a meeting with China’s air force commander, Star General Chang Dingqiu. According to an Egyptian military statement, the visit was characterized by Egypt’s “keenness to enhance areas of military cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries.” The statement added that the talks “opened new prospects between the air forces of both countries.” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi attended the opening ceremony for this week’s air show and visited the Chinese pavilion. Images of the Chinese-manufactured Y-20 transporter trailed by six J-10 jets flying over Egypt’s Giza pyramids in formation last week drew global attention, demonstrating distance and performance capabilities in the 10,000-kilometer flight from China to Egypt.  The Y-20 appearance at the airshow is significant, Wendell Minnick, editor of the "China in Arms" Substack newsletter, told VOA. “This is their attempt to match the U.S. heavy lift, long-range transport or aerial-refueled aircraft,” Minnick said. Capabilities China says the Y-20 can lift up to 66 tons and carry several tanks over a distance of 7,800 kilometers. Nicknamed “Chubby Girl” by China’s aviation industry for its broad fuselage girth, the Y-20 has been in development for 17 years.  Dubbed “Vigorous Dragon,” China’s Chengdu J-10C is a combat aircraft armed with air-to-air and surface attack weapons. Primarily an air-to-air combat aircraft that can perform strike missions, the J-10C has been compared to and contrasted with the U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon.  “China needs these to project force beyond the mainland for expeditionary warfare,” Minnick said, “like the U.S. with the C-5 Galaxy and the C-17 Globemaster.” The C-5M Super Galaxy is the U.S. Air Force’s largest aircraft, strategically designed to transport cargo and personnel. With a cargo load of more than 127 tons, nearly double China’s Y-20, it can carry oversized cargo over oceans and take off and land on relatively short runways. The C-17 Globemaster III is “the most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force,” according to a U.S. Air Force press release, with a maximum payload of 74 tons. Nonetheless, China’s state media touted the Y-20’s performance debut and quoted the People’s Liberation Army Air Force saying it carried out six maneuvers on Tuesday, “including large angle ascension and dive, large slope turning and fast landing, showing the aircraft's outstanding maneuverability.” China’s Y-20 and J-10 appeared at last November’s Dubai Air Show, and the Y-20 took part in a joint drill in Russia in July and joint drills with Mozambique and Tanzania in August. But this was the first time the Y-20 had performed aerial maneuvers in a show outside China, and the first time the J-10 had performed in Africa. “China wants to have an Africa footprint as part of their expansionist plans,” Minnick said. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in March reported, “China, which accounted for 19% of deliveries to sub-Saharan Africa, overtook Russia as the region’s main supplier of major arms.”   US suppliers Despite China’s military sales in the region, Middle East buyers won’t be cutting ties with U.S. suppliers in favor of China in the near future, according to defense experts, who note that while the Y-20 is cheaper than the U.S. C-17 or C-5, it is less impressive and more vulnerable to missile attacks. Minnick questions whether there will be any demand from customers in Africa and the Middle East for China’s military aircraft. The Chinese transporter requires “tremendous training, technical support and additional off-the-shelf parts and components that most Mideast countries can’t handle” on both technical and financial fronts, he said. “Iran is too poor,” Minnick said. “Saudi prefers Western aircraft, and Jordan is far more focused on internal security.” Other defense experts like Tigkos say the Y-20 and J-10 present opportunities for long-term business and relationships with training programs, spare parts and maintenance – if they can find buyers. “When a country is successful in the aviation realm, it marks a significant difference and ‘upgrade,’ if you will, toward helping foster relationships of trust and wider markets for China," he said. The first Egypt International Air Show was held Tuesday through Thursday with about 50 aircraft on display and with representatives from 100 countries and 300 companies in attendance, including U.S. industry giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Zimbabwe’s heavy reliance on coal-based energy is hurting the health of people in mining regions who continue to be exposed to dirty air from coal burning. Columbus Mavhunga visited the Hwange thermal power station — about 700 kilometers from Harare — and the surrounding area, where residents have complained about the air pollution.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that the United States will continue enforcing sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro following the seizure and investigation of two aircraft linked to him earlier this week in the Dominican Republic. On Friday, Blinken held discussions with Dominican President Luis Abinader during his first official visit to Santo Domingo as the top U.S. diplomat. Blinken underscored the U.S. commitment to continued collaboration with the Dominican Republic to promote inclusive economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, uphold human rights, and improve governance and security. On Monday, U.S. authorities seized a plane used by Maduro, the equivalent to the U.S. Air Force One. The aircraft, undergoing maintenance in the Dominican Republic, was seized for being illegally purchased through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States, violating U.S. export control and sanctions laws. After the controversial reelection of Maduro on July 28, Venezuela suspended commercial flights to and from the Dominican Republic. A second plane linked to Maduro is under investigation in the Dominican Republic. This aircraft is similar to the one seized on Monday and is listed among the sanctioned assets by the U.S. Treasury as belonging to Maduro. “With regard to the plane seizures, we've been very clear. We'll implement our sanctions, and if we find violations of them, we will act. That's what we did, and that's what we'll continue to do,” Blinken told reporters during a joint press conference with Abinader at the National Palace. The Dominican Republic will host the 2025 Summit of the Americas, where Western Hemisphere leaders will address shared challenges and policy issues facing the region. On August 16, Abinader was sworn in for a second four-year term, vowing to enhance security by increasing police training over the next four years. His administration has also implemented policies barring migrants from neighboring Haiti. The U.S. has urged the Dominican Republic to establish a path toward normalization with Haiti, as border tensions continue to escalate. Blinken said he and Abinader are committed to support the Haitians to build security and “make sure the people are treated humanely.” Abinader told reporters his country will continue moving forward and normalizing the relationship with Haiti, such as opening air flights, but the security and safety of citizens of the Dominican Republic is still the priority. The U.S. and the Dominican Republic signed a historic Open Skies agreement on August 2. Once in effect, the agreement will expand opportunities for airlines, travel companies and people-to-people exchanges. More than 4 million U.S. citizens visit the Dominican Republic each year. The Dominican Republic is a crucial partner for the U.S. in hemispheric affairs, due to its position as the second-largest economy in the Caribbean, after Cuba, and the third-largest country by population, behind Cuba and Haiti. The U.S. is its primary trading partner. Additionally, the Dominican Republic is home to Pueblo Viejo, one of the world’s largest gold mines, and serves as a major global supplier of ferronickel, used for making stainless steel. The Dominican Republic and the United States, along with five Central American countries, are parties to the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA-DR. This agreement enhances economic opportunities by eliminating tariffs, opening markets, reducing barriers to services and promoting transparency. The U.S. Agency for International Development is investing more than $9.5 million to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s existing justice system and to reduce crime and violence. Blinken also announced on Friday "the first phase of a supply chain investment through USAID, an initial $3 million that will help the Dominican government improve its workforce training, build industrial parks, attract high-tech industries here to the Dominican Republic.”

Washington — The death of a former journalist who experienced beatings and inhumane treatment in prison shows the harassment that media workers and their families endure in Turkmenistan, analysts said. Khudayberdy Allashov was 35 years old when he died in August, after what watchdogs said was eight years of persecution and physical assault by Turkmen authorities. No cause of death was listed on his death certificate. “The beatings and torture that Allashov was subjected to and the impossibility of providing him with rehabilitation and medical care led to the death of a brave and honest man,” Farid Tuhbatullin, the head of the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights, told VOA via email. Known as one of the most closed-off countries, Turkmenistan has little space for independent reporting. Nearly all media outlets are state-owned, and ministries monitor content, according to watchdogs. Journalists such as Allashov who try to report independently — and their families — are subject to arrest and harassment, according to Reporters Without Borders, or RSF. Azatlyk, which is run by VOA’s sister outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Turkmen Service, provides a rare source of news. When Allashov was initially detained in 2016, he had been working for Azatlyk for about three months. That reporting was critical of the government, focusing on social problems such as food shortages, salary delays and forced labor, according to an Amnesty International report published at the time of Allashov’s first arrest. “All of this is forbidden to be mentioned in the local media,” Tuhbatullin told VOA in an email. “The very word ‘problem’ is taboo.” He, too, had been arrested and exiled from Turkmenistan. Allashov, his mother and his wife were all arrested under charges of possessing chewing tobacco, a commonly used substance in Turkmenistan. There are no other known criminal charges of possessing chewing tobacco; the maximum punishment is typically a fine, Farruh Yusupov, director of Azatlyk, told VOA. In captivity, Allashov was tortured with electric shock. The severity of the torture during Allashov’s 74-day arrest caused him to declare he would no longer work as a journalist. But even after his release and quitting the profession, authorities continually detained and harassed him up until his death, journalists and experts who spoke with VOA said. He faced violent interrogations in 2019, 2020 and 2023. “Authorities never left him or his family alone,” Yusupov told VOA. “They told him they would not relent until they chased him to his grave. They were true to their promise.” The Turkmenistan Embassy in Washington did not respond to VOA’s email requesting comment. Despite having ceased his reporting, Allashov was denied any medical treatment due to his status as a target of the authorities, according to RSF. He leaves a wife and two children. RSF condemned the targeted harassment of independent journalists. “Allashov should never have lived through this nightmare,” Jeanne Cavelier of RSF said in a statement. “Under the Turkmen dictatorship, the lives of journalists and former journalists — and the lives of their families — continue to be at risk because of their work.” Turkmenistan ranks 175 out of 180 countries on the RSF World Press Freedom Index, where 1 shows the best media environment. “This is a country where the authorities can do anything to any citizen who expresses any form of dissent,” Gulnoza Said, a program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, told VOA. Yusupov told VOA that while there are no “concrete numbers” available for how many journalists have been attacked by authorities, there are many well-documented instances. In 2006, reporter Ogulsapar Muradova died in prison after being denied legal representation. The United Nations recognized the Turkmen government as the responsible party in her death. In 2013, authorities detained journalist Rovshen Yazmuhamedov without cause, according to RSF. Most recently, in 2023, journalist Soltan Achilova was beaten by police officers and banned from leaving the country. Only a small number of independent journalists still operate in the country, and those who do all work under pseudonyms, said Tuhbatullin of the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights. Turkmen authorities also harass the families of journalists. Allashov’s wife and mother were arrested with him in 2016, and his mother was detained for three months and beaten. She was taken in for questioning again in 2019, when she was beaten and passed away two days later from heart failure, according to Yusupov. Authorities also harassed the mother of journalist Yazmuhamedov, banning her from leaving the country to see her other children. “This is one of the tools authoritarian governments use to silence independent reporting,” Said told VOA. The Committee to Protect Journalists has reached out to Turkmen authorities after every government attack on a journalist. The government has never responded, Said told VOA. Yusupov told VOA that government repression “makes the work of journalists like Allashov even more important.” “It’s important to tell the truth in the face of an oppressive regime and provide independent reporting to society,” he said.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

new york — A judge agreed Friday to postpone Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money case until after the November election, granting the Republican presidential nominee a hard-won reprieve as he navigates the aftermath of his criminal conviction and the homestretch of his campaign. Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan, who is also weighing a defense request to overturn the verdict on immunity grounds, delayed Trump's sentencing until November 26, several weeks after the final votes are cast in the presidential election. It had been scheduled for September 18, about seven weeks before Election Day. Merchan wrote that he was postponing the sentencing "to avoid any appearance — however unwarranted — that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate." "The Court is a fair, impartial, and apolitical institution," he said. Trump's lawyers pushed for the delay on multiple fronts, petitioning the judge and asking a federal court to intervene. They argued that punishing the former president and current Republican nominee in the thick of his campaign to retake the White House would amount to election interference. Trump's lawyers argued that delaying Trump's sentencing until after the election would also allow him time to weigh next steps after Merchan rules on the defense's request to reverse his conviction and dismiss the case because of the U.S. Supreme Court's July presidential immunity ruling. In his order Friday, Merchan delayed a decision on that until November 12. Judge rejects Trump request A federal judge on Tuesday rejected Trump's request to have the U.S. District Court in Manhattan seize the case from Merchan's state court. Had they been successful, Trump's lawyers said they would have then sought to have the verdict overturned and the case dismissed on immunity grounds. Trump is appealing the federal court ruling. The Manhattan district attorney's office, which prosecuted Trump's case, deferred to Merchan and did not take a position on the defense's delay request. Messages seeking comment were left for Trump's lawyers and the district attorney's office. Election Day is November 5, but many states allow voters to cast ballots early, with some set to start the process just a few days before or after September 18. Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels claims she and Trump had a sexual encounter a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him during his first presidential campaign. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels and was later reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses. Trump maintains that the stories were false, that reimbursements were for legal work and logged correctly, and that the case — brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat — was part of a politically motivated "witch hunt" aimed at damaging his current campaign. Democrats spotlight Trump's conviction Democrats backing their party's nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, have made his conviction a focus of their messaging. In speeches at the Democratic Party's convention in Chicago last month, President Joe Biden called Trump a "convicted felon" running against a former prosecutor. Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat labeled Trump a "career criminal with 34 felonies, two impeachments and one porn star to prove it." Trump's 2016 Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, inspired chants of "lock him up" from the convention crowd when she quipped that Trump "fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history: the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions." Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years behind bars. Other potential sentences include probation, a fine or a conditional discharge, which would require Trump to stay out of trouble to avoid additional punishment. Trump is the first ex-president convicted of a crime. Trump has pledged to appeal, but that cannot happen until he is sentenced. In seeking the delay, Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove argued that the short time between the scheduled immunity ruling on September 16 and sentencing, which was to have taken place two days later, was unfair to Trump. To prepare for a September 18 sentencing, the lawyers said, prosecutors would be submitting their punishment recommendation while Merchan is still weighing whether to dismiss the case. If Merchan rules against Trump, he would need "adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options," they said. The Supreme Court's immunity decision reins in prosecutions of ex-presidents for official acts and restricts prosecutors in pointing to official acts as evidence that a president's unofficial actions were illegal. Trump's lawyers argue that in light of the ruling, jurors in the hush money case should not have heard such evidence as former White House staffers describing how the then-president reacted to news coverage of the Daniels deal.