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 Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:13:54 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA Taiwan is looking to Alaska for more than natural gas. U.S. President Donald Trump announced this week that Taiwan had agreed to buy 30 percent of the output from a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska over a 20-year period. https://www.voanews.com/a/8211677.html https://www.voanews.com/a/8211677.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:23:10 -0400 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Mandarin) In an interview with VOA, Gershkovich reflected on his 16 months in Russian custody, what helped him survive prison, what he learned about Russian society, and the challenges of rebuilding his life in prison. https://www.voanews.com/a/gershkovich-book-marks-end-of-chapter-in-his-career-covering-russia/8211681.html https://www.voanews.com/a/gershkovich-book-marks-end-of-chapter-in-his-career-covering-russia/8211681.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:20:45 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (Karina Bafradzhian) In many of its human rights reports on Iran, the U.S. State Department has cited the arrest and conviction of lawyers who defend political prisoners or support protesters as examples of the pressure exerted by the Islamic Republic on attorneys and human rights defenders. https://www.voanews.com/a/paris-city-hall-unveils-banner-honoring-iranian-nobel-laureate-narges-mohammadi/8211674.html https://www.voanews.com/a/paris-city-hall-unveils-banner-honoring-iranian-nobel-laureate-narges-mohammadi/8211674.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:04:05 -0400 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) The U.N. Security Council committee overseeing sanctions on North Korea has approved an exemption allowing U.S. nonprofit organization IGNIS Community to bring medical and rehabilitation equipment into the country, according to a letter recently made public by the committee.  https://www.voanews.com/a/un-approves-us-ngo-medical-aid-to-north-korea-as-pyongyang-slams-south-korean-plan/8211648.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-approves-us-ngo-medical-aid-to-north-korea-as-pyongyang-slams-south-korean-plan/8211648.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:54:56 -0400 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Jiha Ham) The European Union says it is concerned about the presence and activities of terrorist groups with regional and potentially global reach, including the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) in Afghanistan. https://www.voanews.com/a/eu-concerned-about-terrorist-groups-in-afghanistan/8211641.html https://www.voanews.com/a/eu-concerned-about-terrorist-groups-in-afghanistan/8211641.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:30:53 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The criminal case stemmed from a video published on the journalist’s YouTube channel on May 7, 2024. Prosecutors alleged that the video contained calls for actions against Russian state security. https://www.voanews.com/a/journalist-michael-nacke-rejects-criminal-cases-against-him-as-unlawful/8211316.html https://www.voanews.com/a/journalist-michael-nacke-rejects-criminal-cases-against-him-as-unlawful/8211316.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:10:54 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (Andrey Nazarbekian) In the 1990s, Ukraine was often viewed through a Russian lens. But after nearly five years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian culture is increasingly being recognized in the United States on its own terms — as a vibrant and competitive cultural force. https://www.voanews.com/a/cultural-initiatives-bringing-ukraine-to-american-audiences/8211301.html https://www.voanews.com/a/cultural-initiatives-bringing-ukraine-to-american-audiences/8211301.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:03:48 -0400 VOA Ukrainianwebdesk@voanews.com (Iryna Matviichuk, Snur Karim) The United States is stepping up efforts to build an independent rare earth supply chain, as tensions with China over the issue of critical minerals threatens to complicate the two countries’ trade relationship. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-races-to-build-rare-earth-supply-chain-as-china-tightens-controls-20261014/8211313.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-races-to-build-rare-earth-supply-chain-as-china-tightens-controls-20261014/8211313.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:47:44 -0400 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (Joyce Huang) Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which has taken responsibility for attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban publicly deny harboring any militant group. https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-afghan-taliban-trade-blame-for-cross-border-violence-as-tensions-rise/8211292.html https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-afghan-taliban-trade-blame-for-cross-border-violence-as-tensions-rise/8211292.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:36:36 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Popular Iranian fusion music band Pallett says it has cancelled a national tour because authorities in the Islamic republic barred its female musician from performing on stage. https://www.voanews.com/a/popular-iranian-band-cancels-national-tour-citing-islamist-ban-on-its-female-musician-performing-on-stage/8211279.html https://www.voanews.com/a/popular-iranian-band-cancels-national-tour-citing-islamist-ban-on-its-female-musician-performing-on-stage/8211279.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:17:17 -0400 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) Senior leaders in Iraq's Kurdistan Region have publicly discussed efforts to facilitate peace talks between Iran and Iranian Kurdish armed opposition groups based in the autonomous region. https://www.voanews.com/a/iraqi-kurdish-leaders-raise-prospect-of-peace-talks-between-iran-and-kurdish-opposition/8211277.html https://www.voanews.com/a/iraqi-kurdish-leaders-raise-prospect-of-peace-talks-between-iran-and-kurdish-opposition/8211277.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:09:10 -0400 VOA Kurdishwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Kurdish) A federal grand jury in Ohio has indicted two Americans, 10 Chinese nationals and two defendants whose identities remain under seal for helping North Korean IT workers obtain remote jobs at U.S. companies using stolen or fabricated identities, the Justice Department said Tuesday.  https://www.voanews.com/a/doj-charges-14-in-north-korean-it-worker-scheme/8211282.html https://www.voanews.com/a/doj-charges-14-in-north-korean-it-worker-scheme/8211282.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:56:51 -0400 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Joeun Lee) The suspension of the BBC’s FM broadcasts adds to growing concerns over media freedom in Afghanistan. https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-suspends-bbc-broadcasts-across-afghanistan/8211242.html https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-suspends-bbc-broadcasts-across-afghanistan/8211242.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:13:38 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) An Iranian government spokesperson on Tuesday confirmed a slowdown of internet connectivity in the country, saying "certain government agencies are occasionally compelled to reduce internet connectivity speed." https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-government-spokesperson-confirms-internet-slowdown-in-the-country/8210846.html https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-government-spokesperson-confirms-internet-slowdown-in-the-country/8210846.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:32:30 -0400 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) The United States and China are both moving to address risks posed by increasingly powerful super intelligence, commonly referred as artificial intelligence, systems, but their approaches reflect sharply different political systems and strategic priorities. https://www.voanews.com/a/explainer-us-and-china-take-different-paths-on-super-intelligence-regulation/8210828.html https://www.voanews.com/a/explainer-us-and-china-take-different-paths-on-super-intelligence-regulation/8210828.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:05:51 -0400 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (Lin Feng) The international criminal organization recruited more than 15,000 money mules across the United States. They were used to launder at least $10 million stolen by hackers from more than 750 American bank accounts, the DOJ says. https://www.voanews.com/a/russian-ukrainian-pleads-guilty-in-us-for-running-global-money-laundering-operation/8210798.html https://www.voanews.com/a/russian-ukrainian-pleads-guilty-in-us-for-running-global-money-laundering-operation/8210798.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:25:04 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Russian) It has been more than four years since the North Korean Human Rights Act expired; with little chance the legislation will be reauthorized by U.S. Congress this year. https://www.voanews.com/a/north-korea-human-rights-legislation-remains-stalled-in-us-congress/8210766.html https://www.voanews.com/a/north-korea-human-rights-legislation-remains-stalled-in-us-congress/8210766.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:15:40 -0400 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Joeun Lee) Abdul Hadi Farhang, founder of Afghanistan Traders and Investors, told VOA that the Taliban’s restrictions and Afghanistan’s economic crisis have taken a toll on women. https://www.voanews.com/a/women-led-household-in-afghanistan-worried-as-winter-approaches/8210757.html https://www.voanews.com/a/women-led-household-in-afghanistan-worried-as-winter-approaches/8210757.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:51:52 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) A Syrian Kurdish leader says efforts to integrate their autonomous administration and military forces into the Syrian state have made progress, but uncertainty over Kurdish rights and implementation of agreements continues to raise concerns. https://www.voanews.com/a/syrian-kurdish-leader-cites-progress-in-integration-deal-but-warns-of-unresolved-issues/8210731.html https://www.voanews.com/a/syrian-kurdish-leader-cites-progress-in-integration-deal-but-warns-of-unresolved-issues/8210731.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:38:11 -0400 VOA KurdishVOA Kurdiwebdesk@voanews.com (Ridwan Bezar) Once a symbol of economic cooperation between the two Koreas, the Kaesong Industrial Complex brought together South Korean companies and North Korean workers. It has remained a symbol of the breakdown in inter-Korean ties since operations were suspended in 2016. https://www.voanews.com/a/north-korea-shows-signs-of-using-former-joint-industrial-complex/8210532.html https://www.voanews.com/a/north-korea-shows-signs-of-using-former-joint-industrial-complex/8210532.html Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:58:00 -0400 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Jiha Ham)