Ukraine security, Indo-Pacific challenges in focus as US hosts NATO summit
NATO will roll out “concrete ways” to accelerate Ukraine’s eventual membership in the Atlantic alliance during a summit next week in Washington. The summit will also address top security concerns amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and challenges in the…
US sending Ukraine badly needed air defense missiles
The United States is set to send Ukraine more ammunition for the country’s stressed air defense systems, as well as more long-range missiles to help keep Russian forces at bay. The Pentagon on Wednesday formally announced a two-part security assistance…
In face of Russian attacks, Ukraine defends its monuments — and its identity
As Ukraine’s war against Russia’s invasion drags on, Ukrainians are fighting to preserve their history. They say Russia is deliberately attacking cultural monuments in a bid to erase the country’s history and identity as a separate nation. For VOA, Anna…
NASA: ‘Once-in-a-lifetime’ nova eruption could happen any day
A nova eruption predicted to occur by September is being described by NASA as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event that will be visible to the human eye. Researchers tracking T Coronae Borealis — known as T CrB — say the eruption could…
NATO summit to unveil concrete steps for Ukraine’s membership
WASHINGTON — NATO will roll out “concrete ways” to accelerate Ukraine’s eventual membership in the Atlantic alliance during a summit next week in Washington, according to a senior U.S. official. Summit organizers are understood to be leaning toward language in…
USAID helps parts of Ukraine become energy independent
Russian shelling continues to degrade Ukraine’s energy system. Some parts of the country now have access to electricity for just a few hours a day. New generators aim to help supply residents with power and hot water. Tetiana Kukurika has…
Japan’s top court rules forced sterilization law unconstitutional
Tokyo — Japan’s top court ruled on Wednesday that a defunct eugenics law under which thousands of people were forcibly sterilized between 1948 and 1996 was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court also declared that a 20-year statute of limitations could not…
UN rights chief urges free and open space for debate in Venezuela
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reported increasing restrictions on civic spaces, urging stakeholders to reverse course. “My Office (OHCHR) continues to receive reports of detentions as election day approaches, including of supporters and members of the opposition,”…
Haiti: UN envoy welcomes democratic progress amidst alarming violence
Maria Isabel Salvador, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Haiti, briefed ambassadors at the Security Council, highlighting the installation of the Transitional Presidential Council in April and the swearing-in of an interim Prime Minister and new government in June…
Belarus is not safe for anyone critical of authorities, warns rights expert
In her final, annual report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Special Rapporteur on the rights situation in Belarus, Anaïs Marin, echoed wider, longstanding concerns from the UN and the international community about a crackdown on democratic freedoms and other serious…