‘Brighter future hangs in the balance’ in Syria after 14 years of war
The announcement comes as Syria marks 14 years since peaceful protests were met with brutal repression, igniting a conflict that has displaced millions and left the country in ruins. While the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 initially…
Sudan war: Children facing ‘unimaginable suffering’, warns UNICEF chief
“This is not just a crisis, it is a poly-crisis affecting every sector, from health and nutrition to water, education and protection,” Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, told ambassadors in the Security Council. Since war erupted between the former allies-turned-rivals,…
UN chief hails Kyrgyz-Tajik border treaty breakthrough
The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Sadyr Japarov and Emomali Rahmon, signed the agreement at a meeting in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, earlier today, according to media reports. Closed since 2021, two checkpoints on the nearly 1,000-km-long Tajik-Kyrgyz border have…
Europe grapples with highest number of measles cases in more than 25 years
“Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,” warned Dr. Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for the European region. A total of 127,350 cases were reported in the region in 2024, double the number of cases…
Putin expresses support for ceasefire but says details must be worked out
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for a U.S. ceasefire proposal to halt Russia’s war with Ukraine but stressed that details would have to be worked out. “We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from…
Deadly Russian aerial attacks hit Ukraine’s Kherson region
Russian aerial attacks overnight killed at least two people in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, officials said Thursday. Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram his region came under attack by Russian drones and shelling, and that one other…
US October-February budget deficit hits record $1.147 trillion
WASHINGTON — The U.S. budget deficit for the first five months of fiscal 2025 hit a record $1.147 trillion, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday, including a $307 billion February deficit for President Donald Trump’s first full month in office…
Archaeologists find million-year-old fossil of a human ancestor
WASHINGTON — A fossil of a partial face from a human ancestor is the oldest in western Europe, archaeologists reported Wednesday. The incomplete skull — a section of the left cheek bone and upper jaw – was found in northern…
Russian officials expect to keep Ukrainian land in peace deal
The US administration’s efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine are putting pressure on the Kremlin. But Moscow has made considerable territorial gains and some in Russia say they are prepared to give up nothing. VOA’s Jeff Custer narrates this…
Launch pad problem delays SpaceX flight to replace NASA’s stuck astronauts
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A launch pad problem prompted SpaceX to delay a flight to the International Space Station on Wednesday to replace NASA’s two stuck astronauts. The new crew needs to get to the station so that Butch Wilmore…