Newsletter Archive

President Trump’s decision to slap tariffs on China could end up benefiting Beijing, some analysts say. Trump’s trade offensive could make it impossible for the Western world to jointly counter Beijing’s protectionism. Western countries and Japan had been working on measures to confront China’s dumping of low-cost goods and theft of intellectual property rights, but the new distraction created by Trump could end up being a blessing in disguise for China.

The sudden appointment of Mike Pompeo as America’s top diplomat leaves Pompeo, the current CIA chief, with little time to prepare for a high-risk summit between the president and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. An expert who has helped several presidents and secretaries of state prepare for Middle East peace talks and summits tells VOA that time is of the essence because a lot goes into preparing the US position in advance of any meeting with North Korea’s leader.

The participation of disabled athletes from North Korea in the Winter Olympics is a sign of progress for a country accused of discrimination and abuse of physically handicapped people. The North’s first winter Paralympic team returned home today after participating in the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea. It’s the latest example of Kim Jong Un’s increased international cooperation to improve conditions for the disabled.

For chefs without a restaurant kitchen, professional life can get lonely. People like caterers, personal chefs, folks who run food trucks or food specialty shops, often have no one to bounce ideas off of. Networking opportunities are scarce and it’s difficult to develop meaningful alliances. That’s where the online group, Chefs Without Restaurants, comes in.

VIDEO: Citing national security concerns, President Trump is bypassing Congress to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Is the administration’s move a boon to American workers or the beginning of a trade war? VOA examines the pros and cons of tariffs with experts including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who tells VOA’s Greta Van Susteren that economic security is national security.