Ukraine pleads for more air defense, permission for long-range attacks on Russian soil
As Kyiv continues its offensive inside Russia and the Russian army nears a key hub in Ukraine’s Donbas region, leaders of more than 50 nations, known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, met in Germany on Friday to help get…
US ‘alarmed’ by reports of Iranian missile transfer to Russia
The White House tells VOA it is “alarmed” by unconfirmed Western news reports that an unprecedented Iranian transfer of missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine recently happened or will occur imminently. Iran is responding to those reports by separately…
Boeing’s beleaguered Starliner capsule leaves space station without its astronauts
After months of turmoil over its safety, Boeing’s new astronaut capsule departed the International Space Station on Friday without its crew and headed back to Earth. NASA’s two test pilots stayed behind at the space station — their home until…
Lviv starts to rebuild in wake of Russia’s missile attack
A Russian missile strike on the historic Ukrainian town of Lviv on September 4 killed at least seven people and damaged parts of the city’s historic downtown. On Thursday, rebuilding began, even as the city mourned the dead. Omelyan Oshchudlyak…
Some Zimbabweans worry about nation’s continued reliance on coal
Zimbabwe’s heavy reliance on coal-based energy is hurting the health of people in mining regions who continue to be exposed to dirty air from coal burning. Columbus Mavhunga visited the Hwange thermal power station — about 700 kilometers from Harare…
Ukraine reacts to Zelenskyy’s government shakeup
Ukraine has a new foreign minister, one of the latest moves as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy embarks on the largest overhaul of his administration since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze reports on the appointment of nine…
China’s new pledges reflect concern over its competition in Africa
Johannesburg — After pledging $51 billion in financial support for Africa over the next three years and positioning China as a fellow developing country in contrast to the West’s colonialist past, President Xi Jinping told dozens of African leaders gathered…
Earth hits hottest summer on record, EU climate monitor says
The Earth has just experienced its hottest summer on record, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Friday. It says the new record surpasses last year’s, driven by human-caused climate change and a temporary boost from the El Niño…
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy emphasizes to allies the need to maintain military strength
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told military allies meeting Friday in Germany that his country needs the long-range capability to strike deep inside Russian territory “so that Russia is motivated to seek peace.” “We need to make Russian cities, and even…
US IRS enforcement efforts recover $1.3 bln in unpaid taxes, Treasury says
Washington — The U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service said on Friday that they have recovered $1.3 billion in unpaid taxes from wealthy individuals under new enforcement initiatives funded by $60 billion in IRS modernization spending from the climate-focused Inflation…