South Korea will consider supplying arms to Ukraine after Russia, North Korea sign strategic pact
Seoul — South Korea said Thursday that it would consider sending arms to Ukraine, a major policy change that was suggested after Russia and North Korea rattled the region and beyond by signing a pact to come to each other’s…
Canada’s 2023 fires spewed more heat-trapping gas than millions of cars
WASHINGTON — Catastrophic Canadian wildfires last year pumped more heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the air than India did by burning fossil fuels, setting ablaze an area of forest larger than the U.S. state of West Virginia, new research finds. Scientists…
Indonesia aims to build cutting-edge spaceport but faces obstacles
Jakarta, Indonesia — Indonesia aims to launch 19 satellites into low-Earth orbit next year, part of an ambitious plan to move the country into the forefront of the world’s growing space industry and reduce its reliance on other countries for…
Busy with Ukraine war, Russia ignoring growing Islamist terror threat, experts say
While the world has been focused on Russia’s two-year war in Ukraine, Sunday’s attacks in Dagestan, a majority-Muslim republic in Russia’s North Caucasus region, were just the latest reminder of Moscow’s long-running conflict with radical Islamists. Gunmen in Dagestan’s two…
Supreme Court rejects US opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma
Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would have shielded members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids but also would…
US Javelin anti-tank missile, a cherished weapon among Ukrainian soldiers
Javelin anti-tank missile systems are part of a new $275 million aid package the U.S. is sending to Ukraine. Since 2022, the Javelin has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance against Russia’s aggression. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story. VOA footage…
War drains Ukraine’s workforce
Fifty-eight percent of Ukrainian businesses say their main issue is a labor shortage. That is the result of research the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy published this June. Recruiters confirm that this is the biggest crisis in the labor market ever….
Supreme Court halts enforcement of the EPA’s plan to limit downwind pollution from power plants
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is putting the Environmental Protection Agency’s air pollution-fighting “good neighbor” plan on hold while legal challenges continue, the conservative-led court’s latest blow to federal regulations. The justices in a 5-4 vote on Thursday rejected arguments…
‘Fragility of peace’ depicted in giant new mural on UN tower in Vienna
The artwork by Australian artist Fintan Magee is in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and September’s pivotal Summit of the Future. “This work examines the human elements in the role of the UN and the fragility of peace….
Famine risk is real for 14 areas of Sudan amid ongoing fighting
According to the latest UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative, over half the population in Sudan – 25.6 million people – face “crisis or worse” conditions between now September 2024, coinciding with the lean season. Learn more about…