Botswana, De Beers reach diamond sales agreement after years of negotiations
Gaborone, Botswana — The government of Botswana and South African diamond firm De Beers say they have reached a new, 10-year sales agreement following talks that had dragged on since 2019. Analysts say the diamond industry is sure to welcome…
US foreign aid freeze sends shockwaves through Ukraine
The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to freeze most foreign aid has left Ukrainian organizations that provide humanitarian aid and other services scrambling. Myroslava Gongadze has the story from Warsaw, with reporting from Anna Chernikova in Kyiv. VOA footage…
Bird flu pandemic potential in US worries scientists, farmers
The recent outbreak of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in the U.S. and the potential for it to mutate has raised concerns among the scientific community that it could result in human-to-human transmission and a new pandemic. Farmers are also…
Facing tariff threats, India lowers import duties to signal it is not protectionist
New Delhi — With trade likely to emerge as the most contentious issue between India and the United States, New Delhi has signaled that it is moving to allay concerns of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has named India among…
‘Grieving and crying’ as people on either side of Gaza conflict come together
Given the brutality of the recent conflict in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, it has become increasingly difficult to imagine a durable peace. Yet, that remains the aim of a remarkable grassroots organization called Combatants for Peace. The organization, which…
Relief chief in Israel and Palestine: ‘We must be practical, innovative and persistent’
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher is in the region as a fragile ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas continues to hold in Gaza, amid rising violence in the West Bank. He will engage with authorities, aid partners…
Syria: Special Envoy applauds ‘shared conviction’ among Syrians on political transition
Geir Pedersen stressed that protection for all Syrian minorities and a fully inclusive process is essential to shaping its future. The top envoy has spent several weeks in Syria, engaging with the caretaker authorities and a broad spectrum of society,…
Haiti: ‘I was deported to a country I never lived in’
Mireille Pregnant and exhausted and clutching a small bag with all that was left of her belongings, Mireille* stood under the relentless Haitian sun, not sure what to do next. She had just been deported from the Dominican Republic, a…
Sudan: UN chief condemns reported executions as starvation risks rise
Many of the victims are believed to be from the Darfur and Kordofan regions. “The Secretary-General reminds all warring parties in Sudan of their obligations under international law, especially in relation to the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure,” said…
Eastern DR Congo crisis increasing risk of mpox transmission, WHO chief warns
Fighting escalated sharply in late January, as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized control of parts of North Kivu, including areas near the regional capital Goma, and advanced towards South Kivu. Before the latest violence, mpox cases had been stabilizing, said WHO…