Press Conference USA - VOA Africa

In this encore presentation, VOA’s Kim Lewis talks with the author of “The Stolen Daughters of Chibok,” which chronicles the heartbreak and aftermath of the April 14, 2014, kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria, by the terrorist group Boko Haram. Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode’s book humanizes the story of the girls and their families from the terror they felt the night of the abductions to the long and courageous road to regain their lives, and the heartbreak for those still in captivity.

Host Carol Castiel interviews Congressman Don Bacon, a Republican from the Midwestern state of Nebraska, who sits on the House Armed Services and Agriculture Committees, about a range of national security issues including former President Donald Trump’s attempts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power after he lost the 2020 election, the importance of defending Ukraine and countering a revanchist Russia, threats from Beijing, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and other issues.

Host Carol Castiel interviews J. Peter Pham, Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council and former senior US envoy to Africa, on great power competition in Africa, as Russia and China extend their tentacles into the continent from Sudan to South Africa, often to the detriment of the long-term political and economic interests of the African people. Pham also assesses US – Africa policy under the Biden Administration.

On this Science Edition of Press Conference USA, it’s a conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, MD, the former Director of the National Institute of Allergies, and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Fauci and Rick Pantaleo will look back at his career in medicine and public health and discuss his efforts in mitigating pandemics such as HIV/AID and Covid-19.

She was the first woman ever to be confirmed as assistant secretary of Defense, the civilian equivalent of a four-star military post. The Hon. Mary Beth Long speaks with host Carol Castiel about a range of national security issues facing the United States and the world – from a revanchist Russia to the rise of an authoritarian China. Long chronicles the evolution of America’s perceived role in the world from her days at the Pentagon when Iraq and Afghanistan dominated the headlines – to the challenges presented by Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine.

VOA’s Kim Lewis, talks with Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode about the heartbreak and aftermath of the April 14, 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria by the terrorist group Boko Haram. Dr. Oyebode humanizes the plight and the courage of the girls through a collection of interviews, essays and photographs in her book, “The “Stolen Daughters of Chibok.”

On the anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, host Carol Castiel speaks with Sabrina Talukder, Director of the Women’s Initiative at the Center for American Progress, about the numerous restrictions on abortion access across America. Once enshrined as a constitutional right 50 years ago, access to abortion care is no longer available to women in at least 14 states. Talukder discusses the hardship on all women but especially on lower-income women and women of color, along with other ramifications of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

In this encore presentation, host Kim Lewis and VOA senior national affairs correspondent Chris Simkins, talk with award winning historian, author, journalist and professor, Jesse Holland about the legacy of Juneteenth and why Americans of all races should take part in the observance of this national holiday. Holland also discusses the history of lynching in the United States and what it took to finally pass the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with leaders of Persian Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, to discuss common security and economic concerns, including combatting the Islamic State group and ending conflicts in Yemen and Sudan. Host Carol Castiel talks with Katherine Zimmerman, fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about the impact of the talks and how Washington must now compete with China for influence in the region.

On this special edition of Press Conference USA, VOA’s Kim Lewis discusses where the world stands regarding its goal of ending tuberculosis, and the importance of following through on commitments made to end the disease, with Dr. Mel Spigelman, President and CEO of TB Alliance. TB deaths have been on the rise in the past two years, yet funding for treatment and research continues to be lacking. Dr. Spigelman also highlights progress made regarding new treatment for drug resistant TB developed in Ukraine as it was being invaded by Russia.

A recent report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services suggests one million of Earth's species are at risk of extinction. Sarah Starman from the Endangered Species Coalition and Leigh Henry from the World Wildlife Fund join Rick Pantaleo for the Science Edition of Press Conference USA to talk about Endangered Species and what is being done to protect them from extinction.

On this special edition of Press Conference USA, senior VOA editor in VOA’s Ukrainian Service, Tatiana Vorozhko, talks with historian and writer, Anne Applebaum, about her recent trip to Kyiv, eliciting her observations about Ukraine’s leaders and civil society and how Ukraine has defied expectations with its resilience and resistance to Russia’s unlawful onslaught on that sovereign nation.

Reva Dhingra, a fellow in foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution, discusses the reasons driving member countries of the Arab League to readmit Syria after a 12-year suspension and talks with host Carol Castiel about the plight of Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.

In honor of World Press Freedom Day, host Carol Castiel talks with Mike Abramowitz, former Washington Post journalist, currently, President of Freedom House. Abramowitz tells VOA that the last 17 years have seen a decline in political and civil rights around the globe. Among Freedom House’s top recommendations in its recent 50th annual “Freedom in the World report,” is the need to help Ukraine win the illegal war of aggression initiated by Moscow.

From Ethiopia to Angola, Russia has a long history in Africa dating back to the Cold War. Host Carol Castiel and talks with Samuel Ramani about his new book, Russia in Africa: Resurgent Great Power or Bellicose Pretender, Moscow’s lingering influence on the continent and its meddling in Sudan, which erupted in violence on April 15, 2023, after an aborted transition to democracy.

Host Carol Castiel talks with Congresswoman Lois Frankel, a Democrat from the state of Florida who sits on the powerful Appropriations Committee and subcommittee on Foreign Operations. As chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, Frankel talks about threats to reproductive freedom, such as recent attempts to ban medication abortions, which are widely used. She also discusses the need to stop the spate of gun violence in America and fight against book banning, which is spreading under the guise of “parental rights” legislation.