New York City recently hosted the world’s largest Halloween parade, bringing together the city’s spookiest and most spectacular characters. Here’s Aron Ranen with the story.
Camera: Aron Ranen
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На Донеччині зазнали поранень двоє людей – у Кураовому та Дронівці, повідомила обласна влада
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Bird flu has infected three more people from Washington state after they were exposed to poultry that tested positive for the virus, according to health authorities in Washington and in Oregon, where the human cases were identified.
A total of 39 people have tested positive for bird flu in the U.S. this year, including nine from Washington, as the virus has infected poultry flocks and spread to more than 400 dairy herds, federal data show. All of the cases were farm workers who had known contact with infected animals, except for one person in Missouri.
The people from Washington cleaned facilities at an infected chicken farm after birds were culled to contain the virus, the Washington State Department of Health said in an email on Thursday.
Officials tested workers who had symptoms, including red eyes and respiratory issues, and those with potential exposure to the birds, the department said. People with symptoms were told to isolate and given antiviral treatment, it added.
Oregon identified the three new cases after the people traveled to the state from Washington while infected, the Oregon Health Authority said in a Thursday statement. They have since returned to Washington, where public health staff are monitoring them, according to the statement.
There have been no infections among people living in Oregon and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, the Oregon Health Authority said. It said the risk for infection to the general public remains low.
Since 2022, the virus has wiped out more than 100 million poultry birds in the nation’s worst-ever bird flu outbreak.
H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon, the first detection of the virus in swine in the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday.
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Roughly 6% of eligible U.S. voters this election have served in the military. A recent Pew survey finds that this election year the majority of veterans favor Republican candidate Donald Trump over Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a 60-40 split. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb has more.
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Russia has fined Google an amount larger than the entire world’s gross domestic product over restricting Russian propaganda channels on YouTube.
Russian business newspaper RBC reported this week that legal claims brought by 17 Russian TV channels against Google in Russian courts, which have imposed compound fines on Google, had reached $20 decillion — an incomprehensible sum with 34 zeros.
By comparison, the International Monetary Fund estimates the world’s total gross domestic product to be $110 trillion. Google’s parent company Alphabet, meanwhile, has a market value of around $2 trillion.
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted to reporters that he “can’t even pronounce this figure right.” But he said the fine was “filled with symbolism.”
“Google should not restrict the activities of our broadcasters, and Google is doing this,” he said.
The Russian state-run outlet Tass reported this week that a Russian court had previously ordered Google to restore the blocked YouTube channels or face rising charges. The fine has grown so high because it doubles every week.
Earlier this year, Russia experienced a mass YouTube outage in August. The platform is considered one of the few remaining sites where audiences can access independent information in Russia, where Moscow blocks independent news sites and press freedom has all but disappeared.
Google did not immediately reply to VOA’s email requesting comment.
Some information in this report came from Reuters.
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new york — A new U.N. report warned Thursday that conflict, climate and economic stress are driving severe hunger and in some cases famine conditions, in 22 countries and territories, with no likelihood for improvement in the next six months.
“So, you have conflict impacts, climate impacts in the same countries, as well as both the combination of the two turns into economic devastation for people,” Arif Husain, chief economist of the World Food Program, said of the main drivers of the hunger crises to reporters in a video briefing.
The situation is most severe in the Gaza Strip, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali, where millions of people are in the highest levels of food insecurity, meaning famine, risk of famine or starvation are happening.
In Gaza, U.N. food agencies have been warning about the critical situation for months. It is fueled by the nearly 13-month war between Israel and Hamas, which has made it dangerous and difficult for humanitarians to get food and other assistance to about 2 million Palestinians trapped in the crossfire.
WFP’s Husain said 91% of Gazans are at crisis levels or worse for hunger, with about 345,000 of them in faminelike conditions.
“And the report says basically that there is a risk — there’s a persistent risk — of famine for the entire Gaza Strip,” Husain said.
The situation in Sudan is even worse because the numbers of people are dramatically higher.
“Time is running out to save lives,” Rein Paulsen, director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Office of Emergencies and Resilience, told reporters of Sudan.
“People are facing total collapse of livelihoods and starvation in areas where conflict is hitting the hardest across the country, including in Darfur, in Jazira, in Khartoum and in Kordofan,” he said.
Paulsen noted that famine levels of food insecurity were reported two months ago in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur, where several hundred thousand internally displaced people are sheltering. Fighting has escalated in recent months in that region between the army and a rival paramilitary group.
“And those famine conditions are likely — highly likely — to persist unless something changes,” he said.
In the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is in the grip of a serious hunger crisis because of the rampant violence from armed gangs whose kidnappings, killings, rapes and looting have left Haitians in the capital and some outlying areas afraid to leave their homes.
Two million people do not have enough to eat, and about 6,000 of them are experiencing famine levels of food insecurity, Paulsen said.
“Immediate action is imperative to save lives, to prevent starvation, and to help vulnerable populations restore their livelihoods amidst unprecedented violence and displacement,” he added.
In Africa, Mali and South Sudan are also at the top of the list of hunger hot spots.
WFP’s Husain said about 2,500 people are at catastrophic or famine levels of hunger in Mali and another 121,000 are right behind them.
In South Sudan, affected by the war in Sudan and severe flooding, the number of people facing starvation and death was projected in the report to nearly double between April and July to 2.3 million, compared with the same period in 2023. Hunger is expected to worsen when the next lean season begins in May.
A step behind these most affected countries are those of “very high concern” for humanitarians, including Chad, Lebanon, Myanmar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Syria and Yemen.
“These are classified and categorized in this context where we have a high number of people facing particular acute food insecurity, and where we also see drivers that are expected to further intensify life-threatening conditions in the coming months,” Paulsen said.
Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia and Niger are new to the list of hunger hot spots this year, joining Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe to round out the list.
WFP’s Husain said humanitarians need both resources and safe access to assist the millions of people in need to bring the high rates of hunger and malnutrition down.
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Серед загиблих двоє дітей
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Загинув 73-річний чоловік
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LONDON — The European Union is investigating Chinese online retailer Temu over suspicions it’s failing to prevent the sale of illegal products, the 27-nation bloc’s executive arm said on Thursday.
The European Commission opened its investigation five months after adding Temu to the list of “very large online platforms” needing the strictest level of scrutiny under the bloc’s Digital Services Act. It’s a wide-ranging rulebook designed to clean up online platforms and keep internet users safe, with the threat of hefty fines.
Temu started entering Western markets only in the past two years and has grown in popularity by offering cheap goods — from clothing to home products — that are shipped from sellers in China. The company, owned by Pinduoduo Incorporated, a popular e-commerce site in China, now has 92 million users in the EU.
Temu said it “takes its obligations under the DSA seriously, continuously investing to strengthen our compliance system and safeguard consumer interests on our platform.”
“We will cooperate fully with regulators to support our shared goal of a safe, trusted marketplace for consumers,” the company said in a statement.
European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said in a press release that Brussels wants to make sure products sold on Temu’s platform “meet EU standards and do not harm consumers.”
EU enforcement will “guarantee a level playing field and that every platform, including Temu, fully respects the laws that keep our European market safe and fair for all,” she said.
The commission’s investigation will look into whether Temu’s systems are doing enough to crack down on “rogue traders” selling “noncompliant goods” amid concerns that they are able to swiftly reappear after being suspended. The commission didn’t single out specific illegal products that were being sold on the platform.
Regulators are also examining the risks from Temu’s “addictive design,” including “game-like” reward programs, and what the company is doing to mitigate those risks.
Also under investigation is Temu’s compliance with two other DSA requirements: giving researchers access to data and transparency on recommender systems. Companies must detail how they recommend content and products and give users at least one option to see recommendations that are not based on their personal profile and preferences.
Temu now has the chance to respond to the commission, which can decide to impose a fine or drop the case if the company makes changes or can prove that the suspicions aren’t valid.
Brussels has been cracking down on tech companies since the DSA took effect last year. It has also opened an investigation into another e-commerce platform, AliExpress, as well as social media sites such as X and Tiktok, which bowed to pressure after the commission demanded answers about a new rewards feature.
Temu has also faced scrutiny in the United States, where a congressional report last year accused the company of failing to prevent goods made by forced labor from being sold on its platform.
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In New York City, a media outlet run by immigrants for immigrants uses messaging apps to engage with communities on elections, crime and local issues. Liam Scott and Cristina Caicedo Smit have the story, narrated by Caicedo Smit. Tina Trinh contributed.
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Серед опитаних 79% респондентів відзначили, що зазнали втрат через повномасштабну війну
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За даними Лубінця, Рустема Гугуріка утримують у бараку для «схильних до тероризму», і за останні пів року тричі поміщали до штрафного ізолятора
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BERLIN — The United States’ European allies are bracing for an America that’s less interested in them no matter who wins the presidential election — and for old traumas and new problems if Donald Trump returns to the White House.
The election comes more than 2 1/2 years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in which Washington has made the single biggest contribution to Kyiv’s defense. There are question marks over whether that would continue under Trump, and how committed he would be to NATO allies in general.
A win by Vice President Kamala Harris could be expected to bring a continuation of current policy, though with Republican opposition and growing war fatigue among the U.S. public there are concerns in Europe that support would wane.
Trump’s appetite for imposing tariffs on U.S. partners also is causing worry in a Europe already struggling with sluggish economic growth. But it’s not just the possibility of a second Trump presidency that has the continent anxious about tougher times ahead.
European officials believe U.S. priorities lie elsewhere, no matter who wins. The Middle East is top of President Joe Biden’s list right now, but the long-term priority is China.
“The centrality of Europe to U.S. foreign policy is different than it was in Biden’s formative years,” said Rachel Tausendfreund, a senior research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. “And in that way, it is true that Biden is the last trans-Atlantic president.”
The U.S. will continue to pivot toward Asia, she said. “That means Europe has to step up. Europe has to become a more capable partner and also become more capable of managing its own security area.”
Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, remarked when he signed a new defense pact with NATO ally Britain that the U.S. will focus more on the Indo-Pacific region, “so it is only a question of, will they do much less in Europe because of that or only a little bit less.”
Ian Lesser, a distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund in Brussels, said that “above all, Europe is looking for predictability from Washington,” and that’s in short supply in a turbulent world in which any administration will face other demands on its attention. “But the potential for disruption is clearly greater in the case of a potential Trump administration.”
“There is an assumption of essential continuity” under Harris that’s probably well-founded, he said, with many people who have shaped policy under Biden likely to remain. “It’s very much the known world, even if the strategic environment produces uncertainties of its own.”
While both the U.S. and Europe have been increasingly focused on competition with Asia, the ongoing war in Europe means “the potential costs of a shift away from European security on the American side are very much higher today than they might have been a few years ago,” Lesser said. Europe’s ability to deal with that depends on how quickly it happens, he said.
Europe’s lagging defense spending irked U.S. administrations of both parties for years, though NATO members including Germany raised their game after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. NATO forecasts that 23 of the 32 allies will meet its target of spending 2% or more of gross domestic product on defense this year, compared to only three a decade ago.
During his 2017-21 term, Trump threatened to abandon ” delinquent ” countries if they weren’t paying their “bills.” In campaigning this time, he suggested that Russia could do what it wants with them.
His bluster has undermined trust and worried countries nearest to an increasingly unpredictable Russia, like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
Europeans see the war in Ukraine as an existential challenge in a way the United States eventually may not, even with some signs of war fatigue emerging in Europe itself.
If Trump wins, “there’s every indication that he has no interest in continuing to support Ukraine in this war” and will push quickly for some kind of cease-fire or peace agreement deal that Kyiv may not like and Europe may not be ready for, Tausendfreund said. “And there is also just no way that Europe can fill the military gap left if the U.S. were to withdraw support.”
“Even with a Harris administration there is a growing, changing debate — frankly, on both sides of the Atlantic — about what comes next in the war in Ukraine, what is the end game,” Lesser said.
Biden emphasized the need to stay the course in Ukraine during a brief recent visit to Berlin when he conferred with German, French and British leaders.
“We cannot let up. We must sustain our support,” Biden said. “In my view, we must keep going until Ukraine wins a just and durable peace.”
The times he has lived through have taught him that “we should never underestimate the power of democracy, never underestimate the value of alliances,” the 81-year-old Biden added.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who bestowed Germany’s highest honor on Biden for his service to trans-Atlantic relations, hopes Biden’s compatriots are listening.
“In the months to come, I hope that Europeans remember: America is indispensable for us,” he said. “And I also hope that Americans remember: Your allies are indispensable for you. We are more than just ‘other countries’ in the world —we are partners, we are friends.”
Whoever wins the White House, the coming years could be bumpy.
“Whatever the outcome next week, half of the country will go away angry,” Lesser said, noting there’s “every prospect” of divided government in Washington. “Europe is going to face a very chaotic and sometimes dysfunctional America.”
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China has told its automakers to halt big investment in European countries that support extra tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles, two people briefed about the matter said, a move likely to further divide Europe.
The new European Union tariffs of up to 45.3% came into effect on Wednesday after a year-long investigation that divided the bloc and prompted retaliation from Beijing.
Ten EU members including France, Poland and Italy supported tariffs in a vote this month, in which five members including Germany opposed them and 12 abstained.
Chinese automakers including BYD, SAIC, and Geely were told at a meeting held by the Ministry of Commerce on Oct. 10 that they should pause their heavy asset investment plans such as factories in countries that backed the proposal, said the people.
They declined to be named, as the meeting was not public.
Several foreign automakers also attended the meeting, where the participants were told to be prudent about their investments in countries that abstained from voting and were “encouraged” to invest in those that voted against the tariffs, the people said.
Geely declined to comment. SAIC, BYD and the commerce ministry did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
The move by Chinese authorities to suspend some investment in Europe would suggest the government is seeking leverage in talks with the EU over an alternative to tariffs, keen to avoid a sharp fall in EV exports to the key market.
Europe accounted for more than 40% of EVs shipped from China in 2023, according to Reuters’ calculations using data from the China Passenger Car Association.
Given 100% tariffs on Chinese-made EVs in the United States and Canada, a drop in EV exports to Europe would risk deepening overcapacity Chinese automakers face in their home market.
Investments in Europe
During a visit to China by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez last month, a Chinese company agreed to build a $1 billion plant in Spain to make machinery used for hydrogen production. Spain was one of the 12 EU states that abstained.
Italy and France are among EU countries that have been courting Chinese automakers for investments, but they have also warned of the risks that a flood of cheap Chinese EVs pose to European manufacturers.
State-owned SAIC, China’s second-largest auto exporter, is choosing a site for an EV factory in Europe and has been separately planning to open its second European parts center in France this year to meet growing demand for its MG-brand cars.
An aide to France’s junior trade minister Sophie Primas said they had no comment to make ahead of her trip to China next week.
The Italian government is in talks with Chery, China’s largest automaker by exports, and other Chinese automakers, including Dongfeng Motors, about potential investments.
Italy’s industry ministry declined to comment. Dongfeng didn’t immediately respond, while Chery declined to comment.
BYD is building a plant in Hungary, which voted against the tariffs. The Chinese EV giant has also been considering relocating its European headquarters from the Netherlands to Hungary due to cost concerns, two separate people with knowledge of the matter said.
Even before Beijing issued its guidance, Chinese companies were cautious about independently setting up production sites in Europe, as it requires large sums of investment and a deep understanding of local laws and culture.
The automakers were also told at the Oct. 10 meeting that they should avoid separate investment discussions with European governments and instead work together to hold collective talks, the people said.
The directive follows a similar warning in July when the commerce ministry advised China’s automakers not to invest in countries such as India and Turkey, and to be cautious with investments in Europe.
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U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has joined several independent economists to express her frustration about low consumer spending and the property crisis in China. Some experts have expressed disappointment over Beijing’s limited measures to stimulate consumer spending, which is one of the biggest hurdles in the Chinese economy.
“Our view has been that raising consumer spending in China as a share of GDP (gross domestic product) is really important, along with measures to address problems in the property sector,” Yellen said recently. “So far, I would say, I haven’t really heard any policies on the Chinese side that address that.”
Yellen has criticized China for its focus on subsidizing large state-owned companies instead of working to revive the wider economy, the world’s second largest. Analysts have suggested that China should stop subsidizing manufacturing companies with the money of households.
The World Bank has predicted that China’s GDP growth will be 4.8% this year, short of the country’s 5% goal. It will slip further to 4.3% in 2025, the bank predicted.
Low consumer demand in China can bring down the rate of growth in the global economy and affect the prospects of businesses in the U.S. and other parts of the world.
“For U.S. companies like Apple, Nike, Microsoft, KFC, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Tesla or General Motors, to name a few, China is a big market. Any increase or decrease in consumption in China can influence their bottom line,” Lourdes Casanova, director at Cornell University’s Emerging Markets Institute, told VOA.
There are serious fears about the U.S. and the European Union slipping into recession, said Francesco Sisci, an expert on China affairs and director of Appia Institute, an Italy-based think tank.
“In China, there’s deflation and no sign of getting out of it. If China doesn’t get out of deflation, it could multiply recessionary forces worldwide. It might actually happen,” Sisci said.
Tendency to save, not spend
China has taken several measures to revive the economy in recent weeks. They include lowering mortgage rates and cutting the reserve requirement ratios (RRR) to encourage banks to lend more money. The idea is to support households repaying home loans and encourage people to purchase more houses from the crisis-hit property business.
However, analysts are not convinced about the effectiveness of the move. “Housing demand is unlikely to see any meaningful revival just because of lower mortgage rates and down payment requirements, as experience shows,” the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) said in a commentary.
Casanova thinks low consumer demand is not an easy problem to resolve because the average Chinese believes in savings more than spending. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) as a percentage of GDP stands at 68% in the United States, 53% in Europe and 39% in China. Americans represent 31% of global PCE, while China’s people represent just 11%.
“There is room for improvement in China but, you can’t change consumers’ habits overnight and, clearly, Chinese consumers are much thriftier than the American ones,” she said. Americans often keep their cars outside the garage because garages are full of household items, clothes, toys, garage tools and other things, she pointed out.
One way to increase consumer demand is to increase salaries and take additional social security measures. But for companies that would increase production costs and hurt exports, Sisci said.
“What China needs is transformative reforms that would have a political price, and the ruling Communist Party is not eager to pay it,” he said.
Contradicting the World Bank’s view, China’s Vice Minister of Finance Liao Min said the economy was responding positively to a series of stimulus measures taken by the government.
“These initiatives aim to leverage government spending to stimulate overall social investment and consumption, thereby increasing effective market demand,” Liao said.
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Вчора добовий максимум споживання був зафіксований увечері і був на 1,2% вищим ніж у вівторок, 29 жовтня
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Також є вбиті та поранені на Харківщині та Херсонщині
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