https://www.voanews.com Voice of America is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.voanews.com/Content/responsive/VOA/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.voanews.com en 2026 - VOA 60 Thu, 05 Nov 2026 17:24:17 -0500 Pangea CMS – VOA After returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban banned girls’ secondary and tertiary education in Afghanistan, with primary education the only level of formal schooling accessible to girls. Despite this, girls' enrollment in primary schools remains lower than boys. https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-about-half-of-afghan-children-out-of-school/8219408.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-about-half-of-afghan-children-out-of-school/8219408.html Thu, 05 Nov 2026 16:59:06 -0500 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) On Wednesday, the White House told the Voice of America (VOA) that President Donald Trump’s foreign policy decisions “have never been motivated by politics.” https://www.voanews.com/a/ahead-of-china-trip-white-house-says-america-s-best-interest-will-drive-foreign-policy-20261105/8219368.html https://www.voanews.com/a/ahead-of-china-trip-white-house-says-america-s-best-interest-will-drive-foreign-policy-20261105/8219368.html Thu, 05 Nov 2026 14:36:25 -0500 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Mandarin) A leading financial crime watchdog, The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), has kept North Korea on its list of high-risk countries for the 16th consecutive year. https://www.voanews.com/a/financial-crime-watchdog-keeps-north-korea-on-blacklist-urges-countermeasures/8219299.html https://www.voanews.com/a/financial-crime-watchdog-keeps-north-korea-on-blacklist-urges-countermeasures/8219299.html Thu, 05 Nov 2026 11:43:56 -0500 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Jiha Ham) The U.N. report said the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains critical, driven by worsening food insecurity and malnutrition, outbreaks of diseases, the return of millions of Afghans from neighboring countries and recurring climate disasters. https://www.voanews.com/a/un-warns-of-worsening-humanitarian-situation-in-afghanistan/8219014.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-warns-of-worsening-humanitarian-situation-in-afghanistan/8219014.html Wed, 04 Nov 2026 16:45:22 -0500 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Marefati was convicted in March 2026 by an Islamic revolutionary court in Tehran on charges alleging participation in activities against national security, entering religious sites with the intent to destroy them, and participating in the burning of a mosque and a religious seminary. https://www.voanews.com/a/irans-supreme-court-upholds-death-sentence-for-a-fruit-seller-arrested-in-connection-with-nationwide-protests/8217982.html https://www.voanews.com/a/irans-supreme-court-upholds-death-sentence-for-a-fruit-seller-arrested-in-connection-with-nationwide-protests/8217982.html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 17:17:01 -0500 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told members of the National Assembly’s intelligence and defense committee last month that North Korea has laid an estimated 960,000 land mines in the Demilitarized Zone since 2024.  https://www.voanews.com/a/icbl-north-koreas-reported-mine-laying-could-be-worlds-largest-since-2001/8217987.html https://www.voanews.com/a/icbl-north-koreas-reported-mine-laying-could-be-worlds-largest-since-2001/8217987.html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 17:10:22 -0500 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Sangjin Cho) The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health announced that the campaign, in coordination with international partners, would run from November 2 through November 5. The campaign will extend to the Southern Zone from November 3 through 6, and in the Logar Province from November 9 through 13. https://www.voanews.com/a/polio-vaccination-campaign-begins-in-afghanistan-as-cases-surge/8217898.html https://www.voanews.com/a/polio-vaccination-campaign-begins-in-afghanistan-as-cases-surge/8217898.html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 16:50:59 -0500 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Representative John Moolenaar, the chairman of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is calling on Beijing to release all political prisoners in China. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-lawmaker-calls-on-beijing-to-release-all-political-prisoners-20261102/8217878.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-lawmaker-calls-on-beijing-to-release-all-political-prisoners-20261102/8217878.html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 16:31:31 -0500 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Mandarin) Afghanistan ranked 142nd out of 143 countries in the WJP’s 2026 Rule of Law Index, published in October, just ahead of Venezuela, while Denmark, Norway and Finland occupied the top three positions. https://www.voanews.com/a/report-afghanistan-ranks-second-worst-globally-in-rule-of-law/8217876.html https://www.voanews.com/a/report-afghanistan-ranks-second-worst-globally-in-rule-of-law/8217876.html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 16:15:49 -0500 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) A Russian human rights group says at least 69 people subjected to political persecution have died in Russia or Russian-occupied territory since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. https://www.voanews.com/a/human-rights-group-at-least-69-political-prisoners-in-russian-custody-have-died-since-february-2022/8217070.html https://www.voanews.com/a/human-rights-group-at-least-69-political-prisoners-in-russian-custody-have-died-since-february-2022/8217070.html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 13:13:06 -0500 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Russian) The U.S. military has released a clear image showing China's secretive reusable spaceplane docked with a satellite in orbit. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-military-reveals-a-clear-image-of-china-s-secretive-spaceplane-20261030/8217021.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-military-reveals-a-clear-image-of-china-s-secretive-spaceplane-20261030/8217021.html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:04:48 -0500 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Mandarin) The commander of the U.S. Central Command known as CENTCOM operating in the Middle East says Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces which once had a near constant presence in the strategic Strait of Hormuz have disappeared. https://www.voanews.com/a/centcom-top-commander-says-no-sign-of-irgc-in-the-strait-of-hormuz/8217048.html https://www.voanews.com/a/centcom-top-commander-says-no-sign-of-irgc-in-the-strait-of-hormuz/8217048.html Fri, 30 Oct 2026 16:53:57 -0400 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) A large evacuation and humanitarian mission is under way in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky on the Dnipro River. The temporary ceasefire that made the truce evacuation possible, brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, is a rare example of successful Russia-Ukraine negotiations. https://www.voanews.com/a/oleshky-evacuation-begins-as-former-us-ambassador-to-ukraine-calls-vladimir-putin-an-obstacle-to-talks/8217018.html https://www.voanews.com/a/oleshky-evacuation-begins-as-former-us-ambassador-to-ukraine-calls-vladimir-putin-an-obstacle-to-talks/8217018.html Fri, 30 Oct 2026 16:46:17 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Russian) Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan increased by 330 percent and opium production rose by 400 percent in 2026 compared to last year, according to a new survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. https://www.voanews.com/a/un-reports-sharp-increase-in-opium-poppy-cultivation-and-production-in-afghanistan/8216897.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-reports-sharp-increase-in-opium-poppy-cultivation-and-production-in-afghanistan/8216897.html Fri, 30 Oct 2026 12:10:57 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) President Donald Trump is keeping “all options on the table” to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a White House official told VOA following reports that the U.S. military has drawn up options for potential new strikes against Iran after the midterm election. https://www.voanews.com/a/white-house-official-to-voa-trump-keeps-all-options-on-the-table-to-deny-iran-acquiring-nuclear-weapons/8216604.html https://www.voanews.com/a/white-house-official-to-voa-trump-keeps-all-options-on-the-table-to-deny-iran-acquiring-nuclear-weapons/8216604.html Thu, 29 Oct 2026 19:00:06 -0400 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) Jordanian airstrikes targeting Islamic State (ISIS) positions in southern Syria have underscored the continuing threat posed by the militant group, with security analysts warning that regional conflicts, political instability and economic hardship could create conditions for its resurgence. https://www.voanews.com/a/jordans-strikes-highlight-persistent-isis-threat-fuel-tensions-with-syria/8216588.html https://www.voanews.com/a/jordans-strikes-highlight-persistent-isis-threat-fuel-tensions-with-syria/8216588.html Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:10:38 -0400 VOA KurdiVOA Kurdishwebdesk@voanews.com (Samira Ali Mandi) This is seen as the first significant localized truce observed by both Ukraine and Russia since the beginning of Russia`s full-scale invasion in 2022. https://www.voanews.com/a/ceasefire-holds-near-ukraine-s-occupied-oleshky-as-humanitarian-aid-and-evacuation-effort-begin/8216528.html https://www.voanews.com/a/ceasefire-holds-near-ukraine-s-occupied-oleshky-as-humanitarian-aid-and-evacuation-effort-begin/8216528.html Thu, 29 Oct 2026 16:38:32 -0400 VOA Ukrainianwebdesk@voanews.com (Tatiana Vorozhko, Nataliia Struk) U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth proposed a new defense cooperation framework with Southeast Asian nations Wednesday, as Indonesia conducts counterterrorism training with China while also maintaining its security partnership with the United States. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-war-secretary-seeks-stronger-asean-ties-as-china-indonesia-begin-joint-training-20261029/8216573.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-war-secretary-seeks-stronger-asean-ties-as-china-indonesia-begin-joint-training-20261029/8216573.html Thu, 29 Oct 2026 16:25:41 -0400 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Mandarin) U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations Tammy Bruce said, “Over the past five years, the Taliban have systematically reversed decades of hard-won progress on women’s participation in peace and security... These practices are unacceptable and must cease immediately.” https://www.voanews.com/a/us-calls-for-an-immediate-end-to-taliban-violations-of-afghan-womens-rights/8216405.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-calls-for-an-immediate-end-to-taliban-violations-of-afghan-womens-rights/8216405.html Thu, 29 Oct 2026 13:17:57 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Pakistani officials and the Afghan Taliban blamed each other this week for what they described as “unprovoked” attacks at a border crossing. The Afghan Taliban said that Pakistani forces carried out four drone strikes in the southeastern Afghan province of Paktika “without any provocation.” https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-afghan-taliban-trade-accusations-over-unprovoked-attacks/8216406.html https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-afghan-taliban-trade-accusations-over-unprovoked-attacks/8216406.html Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:33:31 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan)