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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.

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.

Former President Donald Trump is the resounding winner of the 2024 Iowa Caucus, finishing with more than 50% of the overall vote. As VOA’s Kane Farabaugh reports from Des Moines, dangerously cold weather that descended on Iowa ahead of the caucus impacted turnout, with overall participation down this year after reaching record highs in 2016.

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 — Most Republicans at Iowa's caucus said they felt Donald Trump would be fit for the White House even if he were convicted of a crime, an entrance poll showed on Monday, underscoring the stronghold the former president has on the Republican Party. About two-thirds of caucus-goers also said they did not believe Democratic President Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 election, according to the poll. Following are highlights from the Edison Research poll based on interviews with 1,628 Iowa Republicans. 66% said they did not think Biden legitimately won the presidency in 2020. 65% said they decided who to support in the presidential nomination contest before this month. 65% said Trump would still be fit to be president if he were convicted of a crime. 31% said he would be unfit if convicted. 61% said they favor a federal law that would ban abortions nationwide. 53% of white caucus-goers who considered themselves evangelical or born-again Christians supported Trump, while 27% backed DeSantis. 46% of voters said they considered themselves part of the MAGA movement, a reference to Trump's Make America Great Again slogan. 50% said they were not part of that movement. Trump led Haley and DeSantis by double digits among men and women alike. But among college graduates Trump was preferred by about 37% of caucus-goers, compared to 28% for Haley and 26% for DeSantis. 38% percent of caucus-goers said the economy was the issue that mattered most in deciding who to vote for on Monday, compared to 34% who cited immigration, while the rest cited foreign policy or abortion. 14% said the most important quality a Republican presidential nominee should have is the ability to beat Biden, compared to 41% who said shared values mattered most. Edison Research conducted the poll on behalf of the National Election Pool, a consortium of news organizations including Reuters.  

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.

SYDNEY — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that Canberra is supporting United States and British airstrikes against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.   The rebel group has been attacking international shipping in the Red Sea, and U.S.-led strikes have been launched in retaliation for drone and missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, a key shipping channel. Australian officials have insisted that defending global trade routes is “utterly central to Australia’s national interest.” Canada and the Netherlands have also been part of the military action. Australia’s support for the raids against Houthi targets included defense personnel in what authorities have said were “non-operational roles.”  Their precise duties were not disclosed. Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.  that the Canberra government is part of a multinational effort to prevent Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. “We have sent the help that is required.  We have operational support there at headquarters in Bahrain," he said. "We always give proper and considered analysis and act in Australia’s national interests and that has been the basis of our support up to this point.” Australian Greens defense spokesperson David Shoebridge told local media that it was hypocritical of the U.S. and Australian governments to launch airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen while claiming they wanted to avoid the conflict in Gaza spreading. The Iran-backed Houthis say they are supporting Hamas in the war against Israel in Gaza.   The conflict began after Hamas militants launched a brutal attack on Israel on Oct 7.  Gunmen killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took hostages into Gaza.  In response, the Israeli government has vowed to eliminate Hamas.  It has launched an aerial bombardment and ground invasion of the coastal enclave.   Thousands of people have been killed and vast numbers displaced. This week Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong is making an official visit to the region.  She will meet with the families of Israeli hostages as well as the victims of Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank. Australia has said Israel has the right to defend itself after the attack by Hamas militants.  Politically, Canberra is committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state co‑exist within internationally recognized borders.

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 — The United States said Monday that the government of Nauru’s severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan is “disappointing,” despite it being a sovereign decision. The Pacific Island nation announced its decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China shortly after Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections. “Taiwan is a reliable, like-minded, and democratic partner. The PRC often makes promises in exchange for diplomatic relations that ultimately remain unfulfilled,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement late Monday.  He was referring to People’s Republic of China. Miller added: “We encourage all countries to expand engagement with Taiwan and to continue to support democracy, good governance, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law.” The Republic of Nauru “will no longer recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan) as a separate country but rather as an inalienable part of China’s territory,” said the Nauru government in an official statement on Monday.   In Beijing, Chinese officials praised the move. “China appreciates and welcomes the decision of the government of the Republic of Nauru,” said Mao Ning who is a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The Nauru government’s decision of reestablishing diplomatic ties with China once again shows that the one-China principle is where global opinion trends” are, said Mao.   She repeated China’s assertion that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory” during a briefing Monday. Implications to the U.S. policy towards the Pacific Islands Nauru is one of the members of the Pacific Islands Forum, or PIF, the premier political and economic policy-making body for the region. It comprises 18 member states, with Australia and New Zealand being the largest economies in the bloc. Neither the United States nor China is a full member. Last September, U.S. President Joe Biden hosted leaders from this Pacific Islands bloc at a two-day summit in Washington, amid rising U.S. concerns about China’s growing military and economic influence in the region.   The shift in Nauru’s position means the next Pacific Islands Forum secretary general will be from a country that recognizes the government in Beijing, rather than the government in Taipei. Some analysts believe Nauru’s move could make it more challenging for the PIF to resist overtures from China. Last November, former Nauru President Baron Waqa was selected as the next PIF Secretary General, at a time when Nauru still maintained diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Waqa has reportedly resisted China’s pressure in the past. It remains to be seen whether he will continue as the PIF Secretary General. According to Cleo Paskal, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, or FDD, Chinese offers to Nauru have been present for years, and the specifics of this deal were likely finalized before the Taiwan elections. She suggested that Beijing might have delayed the announcement until after the Taiwan elections to “reinforce” the PRC’s narrative. "U.S. policy in the Pacific Islands is not shining at the moment,” Paskal told VOA. “Nauru has been asking for help with things like developing its port and protecting its waters for years - things that would help regional security as well.  The longer they wait, the more room for PRC operatives to say 'they aren't coming, you should cut the deal in front of you now, with us'.  The window for U.S. relevance is closing.” UN resolution 2758 Monday, the State Department said the United States will continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the international community and deepen economic ties, consistent with Washington’s longstanding One China policy. The U.S. does not take a position on Taiwan's sovereignty. Under Washington's One China policy, the U.S. acknowledges Beijing's claims of sovereignty over Taiwan but does not endorse them. Washington and Taipei have held regular consultations to explore Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations system and other international forums, to address a range of global challenges, including public health, aviation safety and climate change. In Beijing, Chinese spokesperson Mao Ning said, “There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” citing United Nations resolution 2758.  On October 25, 1971, the U.N. General Assembly passed U.N. Resolution 2758, which replaced the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan’s formal name) with the People's Republic of China (PRC) as a permanent member of the Security Council in the United Nations. While the resolution stated the representatives of the PRC government were the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, it neither determined Taiwan’s status nor said Taiwan was part of China. The PRC's efforts to rewrite Taiwan's status at the United Nations intensified during the 1990s and early 2000s, coinciding with the island's democratization, according to an analysis by the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

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.

LOS ANGELES — List of the top winners of the prime-time Emmy Awards. BEST DRAMA SERIES: “Succession” BEST COMEDY SERIES: “The Bear” BEST LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES: “Beef” ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES: Kieran Culkin, “Succession” ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES: Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear” ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES: Sarah Snook, “Succession” SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES: Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear” ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES: Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES: Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus” SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES: Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession” SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear” SCRIPTED VARIETY SERIES: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE: Niecy Nash-Betts, “Dahmer, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” REALITY COMPETITION SERIES: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” TALK SERIES: “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE: Paul Walter Hauser, “Black Bird” LIVE VARIETY SPECIAL: “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium” ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE: Steven Yeun, “Beef” ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE: Ali Wong, “Beef”

LOS ANGELES — “Succession” secured its legacy with its third best drama series award, “The Bear” feasted as the night's top comedy, and the two shows about squabbling families dominated the acting awards at Monday night's Emmys. Historic wins also came for Quinta Brunson of “Abbot Elementary" and Steven Yeun and Ali Wong of “Beef" at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony that was finally held four months late after a turbulent year of strikes in Hollywood. “Succession,” the HBO saga of the dysfunctional generations of a maladjusted media empire, won the top prize for its fourth and final season. It also won best actress in a drama for Sarah Snook and best actor in a drama for Kieran Culkin. “We all put our all into it and the bar was set so high,” Snook said. “The Bear,” the FX dramedy about a contentious family and a struggling restaurant at the center of the life of a talented chef, won best comedy series for its first season. It also made a meal of its acting categories, with Jeremy Allen White winning best actor in a comedy, best supporting actress in a comedy for Ayo Edebiri winning best supporting actress, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach taking best supporting actor. All three were first-time nominees. “This is a show about family and found family and real family,” Edebiri said from the stage as she accepted the first trophy of the night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Instead of the usual producer speeches, Matty Matheson, a real-life elite chef who plays a kitchen newbie and repairman on “The Bear,” spoke for the show near the end of the Fox telecast. “I just love restaurants so much, the good and the bad, we’re broken inside,” Matheson said before getting a long kiss on the mouth from Moss-Bachrach. Brunson won best actress in a comedy for the show she created, ABC's “Abbott Elementary," becoming the first Black woman to win the award in more than 40 years and the first from a network show to win it in more than a decade. “I am so happy to be able to live my dream and act out comedy,” Brunson said during her acceptance on the Fox telecast, fighting back tears. The writer-actor was among the stars with standout looks on the Emmys' silver carpet. “Succession" won six Emmys overall including best supporting actor in a drama for Matthew Macfadyen and best writing in a drama for show creator Jesse Armstrong. The only drama acting category it didn't win was supporting actress, taken for the second time by Jennifer Coolidge of “The White Lotus.” “The Bear” won in every category it was nominated for Monday night, and along with the four it had won previously at the Creative Arts Emmys, took 10 overall, the most of any show. Landmark wins on TV's big night “Beef” won best limited series, while Steven Yeun and Ali Wong became the first Asian Americans to win in their categories – Yeun for best actor in a limited series and Wong for best actress. Creator Lee Sung won Emmys for writing and directing. It had eight Emmys overall after three wins at last weekend's Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Brunson had won a writing Emmy for “Abbott Elementary,” her mockumentary about a predominantly Black and chronically underfunded grade school in Philadelphia, but this is her first for acting. Isabel Sanford of “The Jeffersons” was the only previous Black woman to win the category in 1981. The first hour of the show held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day saw three Black women win major awards: Brunson, Edebiri and Niecy Nash-Betts, who won best supporting actress in a limited series for “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story." On the Netflix show, Nash-Betts played a neighbor of the serial killer whose complaints to authorities about his behavior go unheeded. "I accept this award on behalf of every Black and brown woman who has gone unheard and over-policed," she said. “Everybody having fun at the chocolate Emmys tonight?” host Anthony Anderson said during the show. “We are killing it tonight! ... This is like MLK Day and Juneteenth all rolled up in one!” The tweaked awards calendar made for some oddities. Edebiri and White won their Emmy for the show’s first season eight days after after winning Golden Globes for the second season. Baby talk amid ‘succession’ wins Culkin outshined the older brother and the father to win the final lead actor Emmy for “Succession.” He had twice been nominated for best supporting actor for “Succession” without a win. But in the final season, in which his character Roman Roy goes from sideline wisecracker to emotional disaster at the center of the show’s drama, he was put in the lead category and won over castmates Brian Cox, who played his father, and Jeremy Strong, who played his older brother. He then shifted to his own family, getting big laughs during his speech when he told his wife Jazz Charton that their two young kids weren't enough. “I want more," he said. “You said if I won, we could talk about it.” Snook took her first Emmy in three nominations for “Succession" and her fictional husband Macfadyen won the second Emmy of his career for playing Tom Wambsgans, the son-in-law that began the HBO series as a hanger-on and ended it as the closest thing it had to a victor on “Succession." Many tears, and one concerned mother Emotions ran high from the start of the ceremony. Edebiri and Brunson were both quick to cry as they took the stage, and the first presenter, Christina Applegate, who said in 2021 that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, got a standing ovation as she came out using a cane, helped by Anderson. She struggled to get through the nominees and winner with the tears in her eyes. Anderson told the nominees at the beginning of the night that instead of having their speeches cut off by music, his mother, actor Doris Hancox, sitting in the audience, would tell them when it was time to move on. But she more often shouted down her son in the running gag. Older shows return to spotlight Honoring TV history was the theme at the 75th Emmys. Anderson opened the show on a “Mr. Rogers” set and performed TV theme songs including “Good Times,” and several cast reunions were spread throughout the show. Cast members including Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell from “Martin," Ted Danson and Rhea Perlman from “Cheers,” and Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers from “All in The Family,” performed short bits from recreations of their sitcom sets before presenting awards. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunited to present an award in the form of their 2001-2005 “Weekend Update" team-up from “Saturday Night Live." “We’ve reached the stage in life where we’ll only present awards sitting down,” Fey said. One notable appearance came from Katherine Heigl, who joined Ellen Pompeo and other former “Grey's Anatomy” cast mates on a hospital room set after leaving the show, now about to start its 20th season, on not the best terms in 2010. “Yes, there have been changes over the years,” Heigl said with a wry smile, “But the one constant is the amazing fanbase.”

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.

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.

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.

Registered voters in the U.S. state of Iowa cast their first-in-the-nation votes as primary races get underway in advance of the U.S. presidential election. The world will see the first trillionaire by the end of the decade.  And a restaurant where robots take your order and make all the food.