VOA NEWS

March 15, 2019

This is VOA news. I'm David Byrd in Washington.



The U.S. Senate voted to reject President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration to fund border wall construction.

As AP's Sagar Meghani reports 12 Senate Republicans ignored a veto threat and joined a Democratic caucus to pass the disapproval measure.

It's a stunning rebuke by the GOP-led Senate, which voted 59-41 to terminate President Trump's declaration of a southern border emergency.

He is trying to steer billions more in funding to his border barriers than lawmakers authorized.

Mitt Romney was among a dozen Republicans who bearded as a fight over the separation of powers.

"... the president can't overrule the decision of Congress," which the Constitution says is in charge of deciding how to spend money.

The president knew he'll lose the vote but said earlier it won't matter.

"I'll do a veto. It's not going to be overturned."

He's not saying if there'll be consequences for the Republicans who voted against him.

Sagar Meghani, at the White House.



Former U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke on Thursday joined the growing field for the Democratic Party's nomination to oppose President Donald Trump as he runs for re-election next year.

O'Rourke, who served three terms in the House of Representatives before losing a close contest for a Senate seat last year in Texas, pledged to run a positive campaign that embraces the opportunity of facing challenges at what he called the "moment of maximum peril and maximum potential."

"This captured institution, corrupted by the influence of money and privilege and wealth and corporations who purchase the outcomes of legislation and elections, that power must be returned to people."

O'Rourke joins 12 other Democrats who are vying to challenge Trump in the November, 2020 vote.



For more on these stories, visit our website voanews.com. This is VOA news.



British lawmakers voted Thursday to seek a three-month delay in Britain's scheduled March 29th split from the 28-nation European Union after overwhelmingly voting against holding a new Brexit referendum.

AP's Ben Thomas has details.

"The ayes to the right 412, the noes to the left 202. So the ayes have it. The ayes have it. Unlock."

And with that, the House of Commons approved Prime Minister Theresa May's proposal to postpone Britain's departure from the European Union until June 30 but only if parliament approves her withdrawal deal next week.

British lawmakers have already rejected May's EU divorce deal twice and it fails a third time, May has warned Brexit supporters the only option will be to seek a longer extension. And that, she says, could mean Brexit never happens.

Any delay would require the unanimous approval of all 27 remaining EU member states.

I'm Ben Thomas.



Hundreds of people surrendered to U.S.-backed forces for the second day in a row as the last remnants of the Islamic State group fought to hold the Syrian village of Baghuz Thursday.

Officials said 1,300 people surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces Thursday, bringing the total number of people to leave Baghuz since the SDF resumed its final assault to more than 4,000.

Fighting on the outskirts of Baghuz has been intense, with coalition airstrikes and artillery rounds lighting up the night sky while Islamic State fighters launched several waves of suicide bombers at the advancing SDF troops.



Connecticut Supreme Court says that a product lawsuit against the Newtown massacre gunmaker Remington can go forward.

AP's Warren Levinson has details.

The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to reinstate a wrongful death lawsuit against Remington, the maker of the rifle used to kill 20 first graders and 6 adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2014.

Ian Hockley's six-year-old son Dylan was among the dead. "... all we want is our day in court, for the law to be upheld and for a jury to decide our case."

The plaintiffs argue Remington irresponsibly marketed the Bushmaster rifle used in the Sandy Hook slayings.

The manufacturer, which has argued it is protected by a 2005 law that shields gunmakers against legal action when their products are used to commit crimes, declined to comment.

I'm Warren Levinson.



Boeing announced Thursday it is suspending deliveries of its 737 Max jets to airlines after nearly every country grounded the plane following Sunday's deadly crash in Ethiopia.

French aviation experts began analyzing the so-called black boxes from the Ethiopian Airlines jet on Thursday.

Sunday's crash of a 737 Max 8 just after takeoff from Addis Ababa killed 157 people.



For more, be sure to log on to our website voanews.com. I'm David Byrd, VOA news.