International Edition - Voice of America

Ukraine's military said on Tuesday it was moving troops to new positions in the north of Kharkiv region in response to heavy Russian fire and advances. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Ukraine saying Russia should pay for rebuilding Ukraine. After his diplomatic duties he sang and played the guitar at a night club in Kyiv on Tuesday. U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports including electric vehicles. We talk to Kyle Handley, an economist who specializes in international trade at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy. And robots are taking to the seas – performing jobs that are dangerous and mundane.

Russia pummeled towns and villages in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region on Monday, days after launching a surprise ground offensive over the border that has forced thousands to evacuate. Russia is becoming more aggressive in the Arctic in and around a remote Norwegian community. Polls closed in India for the fourth phase of its massive general elections on Monday after voters turned out to cast their ballots across several regions. And the release of a new AI model called GPT-4o, capable of realistic voice conversation and able to interact across text and vision is a big step forward in Artificial Intelligence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a new defense minister, nominating civilian Andrei Belousov, a former deputy prime minister who specializes in economics, for the job more than two years into the Ukraine war. Putin wants Sergei Shoigu, defense minister since 2012 and a long-standing ally, to become the secretary of Russia's Security Council replacing incumbent Nikolai Patrushev. We talk to Rajan Menon, director of the Grand Strategy program at Defense Priorities and Sergey Sanovich is a Hoover Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday delivered some of the Biden administration’s strongest public criticism yet of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, saying Israeli tactics have meant “a horrible loss of life of innocent civilians” but failed to neutralize Hamas leaders and fighters and could drive a lasting insurgency. Israeli forces pushed deeper into Rafah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a U.S. threat to withhold some arms would not prevent Israel from continuing its offensive in Gaza, indicating it might proceed with an invasion of the packed city of Rafah against the wishes of its closest ally. The United States warned on Thursday that Israel will be dealing a strategic victory to Hamas if it carries out plans for an all-out assault on Rafah. We talk to University of California San Diego professor Michael Provence who teaches modern Middle East history, focusing on the 20th century Arab East. Displaced Palestinians are fleeing Rafah, fearing an Israeli ground offensive is imminent. And a girl born deaf can hear after breakthrough gene-therapy.

In an interview with CNN, U.S. President Joe Biden said he will halt shipments of weapons to Israel if it invades Rafah. We talk to Rajan Menon, director of the Grand Strategy program at Defense Priorities about this. Washington, DC police began clearing a pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University early Wednesday morning. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Budapest late on Wednesday marking the third stop on his first European tour in five years. And If taking out the trash isn't on your list of favorite things to do; AI robots may soon be able to help with that chore or any other mundane physical task you can think of.

Israeli troops seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday in what the White House described as a limited operation, as fears mount of a full-scale invasion of the southern city as talks with Hamas over a cease-fire and hostage release remain on a knife's edge. We talk to James Gelvin a professor in the department of history at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and has written extensively on the history of the modern Middle East. Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up his two-day visit to France Tuesday — his first trip to Europe in five years. TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance are suing the U.S. And what is that sperm whale saying? Scientists say they may have found a path to understand their language.

Israel began striking targets in Rafah hours after Hamas announced it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal. Israel rejected the cease-fire proposal but then said it would send negotiators to continue the talks. We talk to Steven Simon, a Professor of Practice in Middle East Studies at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies of the University of Washington and Senior Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. French President Emmanuel Macron hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping. And Scientists believe every bird - from pigeons at the park to penguins at the zoo - are living, breathing dinosaurs, thanks to the discovery of a fossil called Archaeopteryx.

Israel raids the offices of Al Jazeera after ordering the local offices of Qatar's satellite news network to close Sunday. We talk to Professor Joseph Russomanno from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication journalism at Arizona State University. The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after “in-depth and serious discussions,” the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected. Earlier signs of progress dimmed as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to resist international pressure to halt the war.

Police have arrested more than 2,000 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks, according to an Associated Press tally Thursday. Israel and Hamas appear to be seriously negotiating an end to the war in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages. the U.S. has reached out to China and Russia to match declarations by the United States and others that only humans, and never artificial intelligence, would make decisions on deploying nuclear weapons. We talk to Lance Hunter a Professor at Agusta University and co-author of “The military application of artificial intelligence technology in the United States, China, and Russia and the implications for global security.” And it’s Press Freedom Day. We’ll look at how Moscow has cracked down on Russian media outlets that offer independent reporting on the war in Ukraine, prompting hundreds of journalists to flee and work in exile.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Israeli leaders in his push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Violence and chaos erupt on campuses as protesters and counter-protesters clash over the war in Gaza. South Korea held talks on joining a part of the AUKUS defense deal between the U.S., Britain and Australia. We talk with Naoko Aoki, an associate political scientist at the RAND Corporation. The average income of people around the world will be cut by one-fifth because of climate change. And high school students in the U.S. are becoming poll workers for the upcoming election.

New York Police arrest protesters occupying Columbia University building. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel. He is pushing for a cease-fire and increasing aid to Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier on Tuesday vowed to go ahead with a military operation in Rafah despite international concern over the fate of more than 1 million Palestinians sheltering there. Authorities across South and Southeast Asia are warning people of health risks as a life-threatening heat wave bears down across the region. A Polish soccer fan completed a 100-kilometre walk on Sunday to meet the goalkeeper of Radomiak Radom, honoring a pledge he made on social media.

There is a cease-fire deal on the table and it’s up to Hamas to accept or not. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, British Foreign Minister David Cameron and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on behalf of U.S. President Joe Biden all sent that message to the world on Monday. Students at universities across the United States continue to protest the Gaza war. We talk to Scott Gac with Trinity College in the U.S. state of Connecticut. A twice-delayed legislative election got underway in Togo on Monday. And Taylor Swift sold 2.61 million album and streaming units of "The Tortured Poets Department" during its first week of release in the U.S. and set a new global streaming record too.

The White House says U.S. President Joe Biden has again spoken with Netanyahu as Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to the Middle East. Pressure is building on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza. It’s being widely reported that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday (April 28) issued a fresh plea to the international community to hurry up and deliver more air defenses, start formal talks for his country to enter the European Union, and invite Ukraine to join NATO. And Elon Musk arrived in Beijing on Sunday on an unannounced visit. He wants to discuss the rollout of Full Self-Driving software and permission to transfer data overseas.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday took up Donald Trump's bid to avoid prosecution over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump’s lawyers argue that former presidents are entitled to absolute immunity for their official acts. We talk to Richard O. Lempert from the University of Michigan School of Law. New York’s highest court on Thursday threw out Harvey Weinstein ’s 2020 rape conviction with a ruling that shocked and disappointed women who celebrated historic gains during the #MeToo era. And paleontologists in Argentina have announced a new herbivorous dinosaur that lived over 90 million years.

Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests. A proposed repeal of Arizona’s near-total ban on abortions has won approval from the state House. It’s unclear exactly where the Supreme Court will land after hearing arguments about Idaho's abortion ban. TikTok pushes back on pending U.S. ban if it doesn’t sell the company. We talk to Seth Schachner, Managing Director of Strat Americas, a Los Angeles-based consultancy that provides strategic guidance and helps clients with media and technology partnerships. And NASA is talking to Voyager 1 again! It’s 24 billion kilometers from Earth. That’s the farthest any object has made it into deep space. We talk with Linda J. Spilker at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to move ahead with $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, bringing the bill to the brink of passage after months of delays and contentious internal debate over how involved the United States should be abroad. We talk with University of Southern California professor Robert English about the aid. What began last week when students at a New York Ivy League school refused to end their protest against Israel’s war with Hamas had turned into a much larger movement by Tuesday as students across the nation set up encampments, occupied buildings and ignored demands to leave. A new robot allows doctors to produce safer and more accurate lung cancer diagnoses.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said that the United States is looking into allegations of human rights abuses by Israel in its operations against Hamas in Gaza. Two people were seen being taken into custody during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia University on Monday. A prosecutor told jurors that Donald Trump tried to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election by preventing damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public. The statement came Monday at the start of the former president’s historic hush money trial. And on Earth Day a ship which emits no pollution as it sails the seas.

Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelming passed a 95 billion foreign aid bill. At least five rockets were launched from Iraq's town of Zummar toward a U.S. military base in northeastern Syria on Sunday. Palestinians on Sunday recovered bodies found under rubble and dirt at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The trial of former President Donald Trump enters a new stage Monday when opening remarks begin. And on this Earth Day scuba diving groups and marine organizations in Thailand have been working to remove abandoned fishing gear.

Israel attacks Iran in retaliation for Iran's attack on Israel. The United States on Thursday effectively stopped the United Nations from recognizing a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny Palestinians full membership of the world body. As lawmakers in Congress edge closer to a vote on a $61 million security assistance package for Ukraine, a top U.S. intelligence official warned that help cannot come soon enough. Researchers in India have found fossils of an ancient giant snake that could have been longer than a school bus and a fossil jawbone found by a British girl and her father on a beach in Somerset, England belongs to a gigantic marine reptile from 202 million years ago.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is steadfast that Israel will make its own decisions about how to defend itself after a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones launched from Tehran last Saturday. Western countries meanwhile are pleading for a restrained response from Isarel. Jordan’s King Abdullah says his country will not be a battleground for any party in the confrontation between Israel and Iran and the protection of its citizens and sovereignty are paramount. Michael Cohen, who once said he would take a bullet for Donald Trump, is now poised to serve as a star prosecution witness in the former U.S. president's criminal trial on charges of covering up hush money paid to an adult film star.

Israel is vowing to retaliate against Iran even though such a mission carries many risks. Any direct attack on Iranian soil would risk prompting an all-out war between the two foes at a time when Israel is focused on defeating Hamas in Gaza. The Supreme Court is questioning whether federal prosecutors went too far in bringing obstruction charges against hundreds of participants in the Capitol riot. Former President Donald Trump also faces the same charge for his efforts to overturn his election loss in 2020. The flame that is to burn at the Paris Olympics has been kindled at the site of the ancient games in southern Greece. Cloudy skies frustrated efforts to produce the flame in the customary fashion, when an actress dressed as an ancient Greek priestess uses the sun to ignite a silver torch. Instead, a backup flame was used that had been lit on the same spot, during the final rehearsal.

International pressure is building on Israel to hold back in responding to Iran’s attacks, but Israel says it will retaliate. Despite the size of the Iranian assault on Israel is Iran really looking to escalate the situation? We talk to Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute. Ukrainian officials are voicing concern about future military support from the West, especially the United States. A bakery in Gaza City has started operating for the first time in six months with aid from the World Food Program (WFP), providing desperately needed food in a part of the territory where a U.N.-backed report has warned of imminent famine.

Israel and Iran condemned each other's actions in the recent weeks during a tense United Nations Security Council on Sunday. Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles on Saturday in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation. The attack was in response to a suspected Israeli strike on Iran's embassy compound in Syria. A year since war broke out in Sudan, analysts foresee no end to the conflict and say the longer it drags on, the more likely Sudan will become a breeding ground for terrorist groups. And learning how one person can control a “drone swarm.”

Israel is keeping up its war in Gaza but is also preparing for scenarios in other areas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, amid concern that Iran was preparing to strike Israel in response for the killing of senior Iranian commanders. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Thursday denied his sons that were killed in an Israeli strike this week were fighters for the group. He said "the interests of the Palestinian people are placed ahead of everything." Has the conflict reached an inflection point? VOA's Lori Lundin put the question to Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. Russian missiles and drones destroyed a large electricity plant near Kyiv on Thursday. And using microrobots to battle cancer and other diseases.

An Israeli missile strike in Gaza has killed three sons and four grandchildren of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. He said their deaths would not influence Hamas’ position in cease-fire talks with Israel. U.S. President Joe Biden urged Hamas militants on Wednesday to accept the latest proposal for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of some hostages held by Hamas. World Athletics has become the first sport to offer prize money to Olympic champions, announcing on Wednesday that the 48 gold medalists in Paris this year will earn $50,000 each to end a 128-year tradition.

Israel will complete the elimination of Hamas' brigades, including in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, and nothing will prevent this, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday. Europe’s highest human rights court ruled Tuesday that its member nations must protect their citizens from the consequences of climate change in a landmark ruling that sided with a group of 2-thousand Swiss women against their government in a case that could have implications across the continent. An underwater drone is using AI to help survey the Great Barrier Reef as a widespread mass coral bleaching event unfolds across the world's most extensive reef ecosystem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that a date has been set for an Israeli invasion of Rafah, Gaza's last refuge for displaced Palestinians, without disclosing that date. He made his statement as a new round of cease-fire talks was ongoing in Cairo. A Hamas official told Reuters on Monday that no progress was made at a new round of Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo also attended by delegations from Israel, Qatar and the United States. We talk with Laurie Brand, professor emerita of political science and international relations and Middle East studies at the University of Southern California. She says the two-state solution is dead. And millions of people watch the sky go dark in the middle of the afternoon as a total solar eclipse cut a diagonal path across North America from Mexico to Canada.

It’s been six months since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, 2023. In the six months that followed the attack there has been a relentless attack by Israel on the Gaza strip with the stated intention of “wiping out Hamas.” While cease-fire talks are set to resume and although both Israel and Hamas say they will attend, the two have demands which may be difficult to meet. We talk with University of Southern California professor Emerita Laurie Brand about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says they are still planning on a military action in the Gaza city of Rafah. Mexico pulls its diplomats from Ecuador after it arrests a man inside the Mexican Embassy in Quito. And chasing total eclipses. We’ll tell you about a 63-year-old woman who has seen 20 of them!

During a phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden told Netanyahu to improve the humanitarian situation and the safety of innocents in the Palestinian enclave. White House National Security Adviser John Kirby said If Israel does not change how it is carrying out its war in Gaza, the U.S. will change its policy toward Israel. Within hours, Israel opened three humanitarian routes for aid. We talk with Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an associate fellow of the International Security Program at Chatham House. NATO discussed a $108 billion fund for Ukraine's military. And at the 2024 New York International Auto Show, to no one’s surprise, the electric car stole the show.

Taiwan says there have been more than 50 aftershocks following the biggest earthquake to hit the island in 25 years. Demolition work was beginning on four buildings heavily damaged by the quake. Uganda's constitutional court has declined to annul or grant a permanent injunction against the enforcement of the country’s anti-gay law. Foreign ministers of NATO's 32 allies posed for a photo during a two-day meeting to celebrate the alliance's 75th anniversary and discuss long-term support for Ukraine. And what time is it on the moon? NASA instructed to come up with a universal “moon time.”

At least five employees from the World Central Kitchen charity, including foreigners, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza. Those killed in the incident in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah included citizens of Poland, Australia and Britain, as well as one Palestinian. On Monday, the Iranian embassy in Damascus was hit by an airstrike. VOA’s Michael Lipin spoke with Retired Israeli Major General Yaakov Amidror, former national security adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As Senegal’s Faye takes office, France watches closely. Bassirou Diomaye Faye was sworn in Tuesday as Senegal’s newest president. Thai LGBT activists rang in another victory after the marriage equality bill overwhelmingly passed the upper house's first reading on Tuesday, a significant move that will bring the country closer to becoming the third territory in Asia to legalize same-sex unions

It’s suspected that Israeli warplanes bombed Iran’s embassy in Syria on Monday, a marked escalation in the region. Israel bans Al Jazeera from broadcasting in the country. The U.S. State Department says they “support the work the free press does.” Another day of demonstrations in Israel against the Netanyahu government. Israeli forces have left Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. And a visit with a Cambodian kickboxer in Southern California who has inspired generations of fighters.

Tens of thousands of Israelis came out to protest the Netanyahu government. It’s the largest protest since the start of the October 7th war in Gaza. Netanyahu turned over the reins of the Israeli government temporarily Sunday to have surgery. We talk with Atalia Omer, PhD Professor of Religion, Conflict, and Peace Studies Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies/Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. He says he’ll be back after a short recovery. The Palestinian Authority forms a new government. In Turkey, a defeat for the ruling national party in municipal elections. And teaching girls to be soldiers in Ukraine at what was once a boys-only military school.

Russia on Thursday vetoed the annual renewal of a panel of experts that oversees the enforcement of long-standing United Nations sanctions against North Korea. The move comes amid U.S.-led accusations that North Korea has transferred weapons to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. We talk with Gregg Brazinsky, a professor of history and international affairs at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. More trouble for Israel as the news service Retuers has investigated numerous examples of Israeli soldiers posting photos and videos of themselves toying with lingerie found in Palestinian homes. And traditional Easter chocolate eggs have transformed into sports-themed characters in some Paris chocolate shops, as chocolatiers concoct pieces with a nod to the nearing Olympic Games.

Israel bombed at least three homes in Rafah, raising fears that the ground assault could begin soon. Rafah is the last refuge in the Gaza Strip for people who fled the northern and central parts of the enclave. Reporter Evan Gershkovich marks one year in Russian prison. And, a million people expected to flood Niagara Falls to experience a rare solar eclipse.

Israel pulls out of the Qatar cease-fire talks following the UN resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to press ahead with Israel’s offensive. He blasted a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a pause to the fighting, saying Tuesday that it had emboldened Hamas to reject a separate cease-fire proposal. We talk with University of California San Diego professor Michael Provence about the situation. A bridge in the U.S. city of Baltimore collapses after a freighter slams into it. And, handwritten letters are making a comeback. But they’re not written by hand.

The UN Security Council issued its first demand for a cease-fire in Gaza. The U.S. abstains, angering Israel. Opposition leader Bassirou Diomaye Faye wins Senegal presidential election. And, wooing women voters in India.

The alleged perpetrators of the attack on a Moscow music venue appeared in court as the nation mourned the loss of more than 130. Craig Albert, political science professor and graduate director of the Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies at Augusta University in Georgia, shares takeaways from what’s known. Russia carried out attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure, while Kyiv says it destroyed a pair of Russian naval vessels docked in Crimea. Israeli forces continue their operations around two hospitals in Gaza. Senegalese officials begin counting votes from Sunday’s election.

The call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza coupled with a flood of humanitarian aid is growing louder. The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote on a cease-fire resolution on Friday. The U.S. government sues Apple, charging antitrust. And, a bit of Hiroshima in New York City.

Fighting continues around Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital. One day after the World Meteorological Organization declared a climate change Red Alert, the Biden administration announced the strongest standards ever to cut planet-warming emissions from passenger automobiles. And, U.S. baseball in South Korea.

The World Meteorological Organization says every major global climate record was broken last year and 2024 is likely to be even worse. They have issued a climate “Red Alert” and urge more aggressive change. U.S. says it’s still committed to Ukraine. And, using a 3D printer to make your new car.

At least 24 bodies were found in one of Haiti’s upscale neighborhoods, an area where violence is unusual. Notorious Haitian coup leader Guy Philippe has made an alliance with the gangs who want him to be president. And, freedom of speech vs. posting dangerous misinformation on social media.

In an election that international observers have dismissed as having no chance of being free or fair, Vladimir Putin has been given another six-year term as Russia’s president. The EU gives an $8 billion aid package to cash-strapped Egypt. And, bringing the news to Venezuelans in mobile news trucks.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on Israel to hold new elections and for Israel must make "significant course corrections" to achieve lasting peace with the Palestinians, criticizing the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. International Edition host Steve Miller speaks with Jeremy Pressman, political science professor and director of Middle East Studies at the University of Connecticut about the remarks, possible implications for US-Israeli ties, and the war. Turkey's defense industry claims to have entered the exclusive club of stealth jet manufacturers with last month's first flight of its Kaan fighter jet. But analysts say the stealth jet is yet to prove itself. U.S. military officials are keeping a close eye on Haiti, where incidents of violence continue despite efforts to establish a transitional government.

The international community moves to open a maritime humanitarian corridor to Gaza. When open, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says it would enable the distribution of 2 million meals a day. The Syrian civil war has faded from the headlines but is far from over. On the thirteenth anniversary of the war, rebel militaries and families on the front lines say battles there are intensifying, and increasingly deadly. Police in Nigeria have ordered the creation of a new base for officers and the deployment of special forces in a remote village in northwest Kaduna state, where nearly 300 school students were abducted by armed bandits last Thursday.

The United States is providing a new round of military aid for Ukraine valued at up to $300 million, the first such announcement since late December, in what defense officials have called an “ad hoc” package made possible through U.S. Army procurement savings. The news comes as Ukrainian frontline forces are suffering from a worrying shortage of ammunition. Amid international pressure over a spiraling gang violence crisis in his country, Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced Tuesday that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created. VOA's Lori Lundin spoke with Renata Segura Deputy Director Latin America and the Caribbean with the International Crisis Group starting with what led to the major escalation in an already volatile situation. Turkey's new naval agreement with Somalia places the Turkish navy in a strategically vital region, underlining Ankara's growing naval ambitions. However, analysts warn that the agreement threatens to escalate current tensions with Somalia’s neighbor Ethiopia.

At a ceremony in Brussels, Belgium, Sweden’s flag was raised at NATO headquaters as the Nordic nation became the transatlantic organization’s 32nd member. The event took place as Russia prepares for a presidential election later this week – we have a preview.U.S. Secretary of State is in Jamacia Caribbean Community to discuss the situation in Haiti. VOA Creole Service chief Sandra Lemaire has an update on the situation on the island. China on Monday wrapped up an annual meeting of its National People’s Congress. During the week-long gathering, China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, further cemented his grip on power. VOA’s Bill Gallo reports from Beijing.

The U.S. military airlifted nonessential embassy personnel from Haiti. Israel promises access to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during Ramadan. And, a son of Korean immigrants has become the interim chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. He is the first Asian American to hold this position.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his election-year State of the Union address. VOA’s Scott Walterman speaks with White House Correspondent Anita Powell and VOA National Correspondent Steve Herman about his remarks and the Republican Response devlivered by Alabama Senator Katie Britt. Plus, China’s top diplomat on Thursday scolded the United States and touted his country’s closer ties with Russia. The comments came on the sidelines of a meeting of China’s parliament. More from VOA’s Bill Gallo, who is in the Chinese capital. And, many ranchers in Panama are making the transition from breeding livestock to much smaller animals -- butterflies.

Three sailors were killed when a Houthi missile attack hit a Red Sea merchant ship. U.S. President Joe Biden to deliver the annual “State of the Union” speech. And, legislation to ban Tik Tok in the U.S. on the grounds it’s a national security threat.

Super Tuesday is not so super with both U.S. political parties already having a presumptive presidential nominee. Nigeria begins trials for hundreds of people accused of election crimes. And, In Australia the group Global Citizen holds a conference featuring Hugh Jackman and Charlie Puth.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the state of Colorado can’t use a provision in the constitution to keep Donald Trump off the state’s presidential primary ballot. The UN says it believes sexual violence was used by Hamas in October 7th attacks. And, France puts the right to abortion in the constitution.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Germany confirms leaks, saying it has battle plans for Ukraine. And, Israel has agreed to revise the lyrics of its potential submission to the Eurovision Song Contest because of lyrics about the October 7th Hamas attack.

Israeli troops shot at a large crowd of Palestinians desperately pulling food off an aid convoy in Gaza. Iranians vote for the first time since mass protests in 2022. Turkey and Italy are seeking to expand their influence in Africa. And, a new green anaconda species is identified in the Amazon.

Mitch McConnell has served in U.S. Senate leadership longer than anyone else in history. His legacy is significant affecting the courts, oil and other conservative causes. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Donald Trump’s immunity claims. And, Yulia Navalnaya steps into the spotlight.

No troops in Ukraine say at least five NATO nations. Now that it has admitted Sweden, a look at how NATO has changed and how the new NATO is changing Europe. The U.S. military dips into its own funding to cover costs in Ukraine. And, a Palestinian man’s dream to be a pop singer on the world stage.

A vote by Hungary’s Parliament clears the way for Sweden to join NATO, the 32nd nation to do so. The Netherlands contributes 100 million euros to Ukraine’s war effort. U.S. President Biden says Gaza cease-fire could begin this weekend. And, girls skateboarding in South Africa shaking things up.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia invaded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says an offensive in Rafah could be “delayed somewhat” if a cease-fire is reached. And celebrating the record for the longest U.S. spaceflight.

Saturday is the second anniversary of the Ukraine War. US-Russian relations are at their lowest point since the Cold War. U.S. President Joe Biden met with Yulia Navalnaya, wife of the late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. And the U.S. has returned to the moon for the first time since 1972.

Russia has taken center stage in U.S. politics after the death of a prominent opposition figure. A number of incidents point to a new bolder, more aggressive Vladimir Putin. The Ukraine war will be two years old this Saturday. And two canals, lots of ships and one big problem.

For the third time the U.S. has used its veto power on the U.N. Security Council to block a resolution for a cease fire in Gaza. An FBI informant charged with making up a bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden had contacts with Russian intelligence. And what is that stench in Cape Town?

The widow of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has vowed to continue his fight. Protesters in Jerusalem scuffle with police and call for the hostages’ return. WHO says they were shocked by what they found at Gaza's Nasser hospital. And tracking polar bears using collars with video cameras.

Russians have been arrested for paying tribute to Alexey Navalny, even just laying flowers at memorials. Dwindling stores of ammunition threaten Ukraine’s hold on the front line with Russia. And one of the most liberal drug policies in the world is being reconsidered because it doesn’t seem to work.

With a date now set for his criminal hush money trial Donald Trump is the first former U.S. president to face criminal prosecution in the nation’s history. We talk to a presidential historian about the state of the American presidency. And, the new space race: returning humans to the moon.

A U.S. congressman has urged the Biden administration to declassify information about "a serious national security threat.” A senior aide says the issue appears to be about a space-deployed, Russian anti-satellite weapon. And, people are becoming environmental refugees as pollution gets worse.

President Biden urged the U.S. House to vote on a Senate approved $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Estonia says Russia is preparing for a military confrontation with the West. And, it’s been 200 years since the first dinosaur was discovered. What have we learned so far?

International reaction to comments that former U.S. President Trump made about NATO has been swift and harsh. U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House. And, Tik Tok dominates Indonesia's presidential election.

U.S. President Joe Biden told Israel to have a plan in place to protect civilians before attacking Hamas in Rafah. Former President Donald Trump said he encourages Russia to do whatever they want to NATO members who aren’t spending two percent on defense. And, putting Nigeria’s history online.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about Colorado’s decision to remove Donald Trump from its presidential ballot. Brazilian police confiscated former President Jair Bolsonaro's passport over an alleged coup attempt. And, bad weather preventing people from getting home for Chinese New Year.

U.S. forces in Baghdad killed the militia leader responsible for planning attacks on American troops. Colorado’s attempt to remove Donald Trump from the election ballot goes before the U.S. Supreme Court. And, Taylor Swift’s merchandise flies off the shelves in Kansas City ahead of the Super Bowl.

A U.S. federal appeals court ruled that Former President Donald Trump does not have immunity from charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election. Hamas has responded to the latest cease-fire proposal. And, artificial intelligence helps forecast earthquakes.

An atmospheric river has brought nonstop rain to the Los Angeles basin in the U.S. State of California devastating the normally dry terrain. Wildfires tearing through Chile have killed more than 120 people. And, NASA, the US-space agency, will launch its next climate and Earth monitoring satellite.

The United States says it will hit more targets in the Middle East in retaliation for an attack that killed three U.S. soldiers. A new push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is underway. And a documentary about Ukraine’s fight against Russia has been nominated for an Oscar.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says it's time to further disable Iran-backed militias, and the U.S. is preparing to take significant action. The EU votes to provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros. And, a U.S. territory where Chinese nationals can enter without a visa.

The United Nations says it is taking swift action to investigate allegations by Israel that UNRWA staff participated in the October 7th attacks. The U.S. hits targets in Yemen. And, European Union leaders will try to persuade Hungary to unblock billions of dollars of EU aid for Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. has decided how to retaliate for the attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan. Kataib Hezbollah says it will suspend attacks against U.S. troops. And, Israeli forces disguised as civilian women and medical workers storm a hospital in the West Bank.

The drone that killed three U.S. soldiers near Jordan was mistaken for a U.S. drone returning to base. Israel claims 190 UNRWA employees are part of anti-Israeli militant groups. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is in Washington to meet with members of Congress about funding for Ukraine.

Three U.S. soliders were killed during a drone attack by an Iran-backed group near the Jordan border. U.S. President Joe Biden says the U.S. will respond. Ukraine says it has uncovered massive military corruption. And using AI to give people who lost their voice a way to speak again.

The U.S. renewed calls for Israel to protect civilians in Gaza. Talks about a new railway and space exploration in Africa during a four nation visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And livestock auctioneers compete in a fast-talking contest to crown the Mile High Auctioneer champion.

A Russian military transport plane crashed and Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting it down. Israeli tanks attack a huge U.N. compound sheltering displaced Palestinians. Millions of flip-flops end up in oceans, waterways and landfills all over the world – now a company in Kenya is using them to make art.

U.S. forces targeted Iran-backed militants in Iraq in response to attacks on American personnel. Turkey has endorsed Sweden’s membership in NATO. And the OSCAR nominations have been announced in Hollywood. It’s almost as important to see who didn’t get the nod as who did.

U.S. and British forces carried out a new round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. India marked the consecration of a temple to the Hindu god Lord Ram on a site believed to be his birthplace. And the world's first routine vaccination program against malaria was launched in Cameroon.

Ron DeSantis has ended his campaign for the U.S. Presidency and has endorsed front-runner Donald Trump. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the two-state solution again. And new Tech startups in Nigeria are having a difficult time getting funding after several failed last year.

Tensions increase between Pakistan and Iran since each conducted airstrikes on the other’s territory. Israel says no to a two-state solution. And a Ukrainian-Canadian band sings songs about strength and resisting the Russian invasion at a global music festival in New York.

The US and UK launch another strike against Houthi rebels. Iran steps up destabilizing activity in the Middle East. The White House appeals to Republicans for Ukraine money. And if you use fine perfume, you might be surprised that one of the main ingredients comes exclusively from a small island.

Iran launched attacks in Pakistan threatening relations between the two countries. The United States is expected to redesignate Iranian-backed Houthi rebels as global terrorists. And an unlikely refugee from the war in Ukraine, a rare Asiatic black bear, has arrived at his new home in Scotland.

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.

Taiwan has picked their next president in an election that has huge implications in one of the most volatile regions of the world. The U.S. presidential election gets underway.  And the new king and queen of Denmark first met in an Australian bar.

The U.S. and Britain strike the Houthis in Yemen in response to their repeated attacks on Red Sea shipping. Taiwan prepares for Saturday’s elections. And the annual meeting in Davos is about to get underway – the guest list includes the most important political and economic figures in the world.

UN Security Council demands Houthis halt Red Sea attacks A report says the Kremlin is using African gold to help fund its war on Ukraine. And the coming year will test democratic rule as an estimated 4 billion people in more than 50 nations - almost half the world’s population - are set to vote.

Violence in Ecuador erupted Tuesday as a group of armed people took over a live TV broadcast, five police officers were kidnapped and explosions were reported nationwide. New information about U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization is released. And using mushrooms to fight wildfires

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Israel after meeting with Arab leaders in an attempt to keep the war from exploding into a broader conflict. Taiwan will hold a presidential election on Saturday. And using robots and AI to attack mosquitos carrying dengue fever.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is meeting with Arab leaders before heading to Israel. U.S. regulators said Sunday that certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets will remain grounded until deemed safe to fly. And artificial intelligence dominates this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is headed back to the Middle East to visit multiple countries, including Israel. The Islamic State group claims responsibility for the explosions in Iran. And smaller, faster, stronger: a new generation of semiconductors heralds a new era for electronics.

Twin bomb blasts in Iran killed at least 95 people attending an even honoring Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. The United Nations Security Council calls on Yemen’s Houthis to halt attacks in the Red Sea. And A simple fingerprint test to check for breast cancer could eventually replace mammograms.

A senior Hamas leader is killed in an explosion in Beirut. A Japanese passenger plane and Coast Guard aircraft collided on the runway. All 379 people on the jetliner survived. And transforming the way we learn and entertain by making three-dimensional virtual reality videos.

Japan was struck by a powerful earthquake. Israel’s Supreme Court struck down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial judicial overhaul. And the global population passed 8 billion on January 1st, by best estimates. Can the Earth accommodate that many people?

The fighting between Russia and Ukraine has been more intense than at any time since Russia invaded in February 2022. Israel again warned that the war against Hamas is far from over and will take many months more. And, as a new year begins, people around the world hope for the best.

The United Nations tells Israel to put an end to settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The U.S. state of Maine has disqualified Donald Trump from its presidential primary. And two Syrian immigrants in the U.S. state of California become millionaires.