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, 08 Oct 2026 19:00:24 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA Pavel Talankin, the Russian documentary filmmaker and the creator of the Oscar-winning film “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin” told VOA’s Russian Service that parents and teachers have privately thanked him for exposing how the Kremlin brings propaganda into classrooms. https://www.voanews.com/a/oscar-winning-russian-filmmaker-says-parents-quietly-support-his-work/8209295.html https://www.voanews.com/a/oscar-winning-russian-filmmaker-says-parents-quietly-support-his-work/8209295.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:46:09 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Russian) New satellite imagery shows Chinese-made light attack aircraft and military vehicles deployed at a newly opened Chinese-supported air facility in Laos, fueling debate among security analysts over whether the site could eventually expand Beijing’s military reach in mainland Southeast Asia. https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-military-facility-in-laos-raises-questions-about-beijings-indo-pacific-reach/8209292.html https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-military-facility-in-laos-raises-questions-about-beijings-indo-pacific-reach/8209292.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:04:07 -0400 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (Joyce Huang) South Korea said on Thursday it was recalling its ambassador to Ukraine following a dispute over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war which Seoul says violated a confidentiality agreement reached with Kyiv. https://www.voanews.com/a/south-korea-recalls-its-ambassador-to-ukraine-over-north-korea/8209267.html https://www.voanews.com/a/south-korea-recalls-its-ambassador-to-ukraine-over-north-korea/8209267.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:15:01 -0400 VOA Ukrainianwebdesk@voanews.com (Tatiana Vorozhko) U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the United Nations will work with Pakistan to “uphold protection principles and ensure that returns of Afghans proceed in a voluntary, safe and dignified way.” https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-committed-to-work-with-pakistan-for-voluntary-returns-of-afghan-refugees/8208862.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-committed-to-work-with-pakistan-for-voluntary-returns-of-afghan-refugees/8208862.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:21:33 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says that the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan is “totally unacceptable” and represents a “very poor” development policy. https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-ban-on-girls-education-unacceptable-says-un-official/8208852.html https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-ban-on-girls-education-unacceptable-says-un-official/8208852.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:13:10 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran says the consequences of the death penalty in the Islamic Republic are not limited to the person executed, as families face pressure and punishment, as well as restrictions on mourning the dead. https://www.voanews.com/a/un-special-rapporteur-says-families-of-executed-protesters-in-iran-subject-to-regime-pressure/8208807.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-special-rapporteur-says-families-of-executed-protesters-in-iran-subject-to-regime-pressure/8208807.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:11:20 -0400 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) The U.S. Embassy in Russia is warning Americans about a suspected case of pneumonic plague and stressed that U.S. citizens should "refrain from travel" to Russia, and those already in the country should leave immediately. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-embassy-warns-americans-about-suspected-plague-case-in-russia/8208834.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-embassy-warns-americans-about-suspected-plague-case-in-russia/8208834.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:15:35 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Russian) Under the new rates, the Central Bank will purchase U.S. dollars from the Ministry of Finance at 1,500 dinars per dollar and sell them to banks at 1,510 dinars. Banks will sell dollars to the public at 1,520 dinars. https://www.voanews.com/a/iraq-devalues-dinar-to-ease-economic-pressure/8208786.html https://www.voanews.com/a/iraq-devalues-dinar-to-ease-economic-pressure/8208786.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 14:53:23 -0400 VOA Kurdiwebdesk@voanews.com (Samira Ali Mandi) Bessent said the U.S. economic campaign against Iran is delivering results. He pointed to the free-fall of the value of the Iran's national currency, the rial, and the disruption in the transfer of crude oil over the past month. https://www.voanews.com/a/secretary-bessent-weighs-in-after-iran-oil-minister-resigns/8208782.html https://www.voanews.com/a/secretary-bessent-weighs-in-after-iran-oil-minister-resigns/8208782.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 14:50:34 -0400 VOA Persianwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Persian) Afghanistan faces a “serious and widespread” malnutrition problem, where more than 3.7 million children under the age of five face severe malnutrition, says a Kabul-based World Health Organization official. https://www.voanews.com/a/who-malnutrition-is-worsening-in-afghanistan/8208681.html https://www.voanews.com/a/who-malnutrition-is-worsening-in-afghanistan/8208681.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:59:09 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The U.S.-led United Nations Command this week determined that North Korea violated the 1953 armistice agreement with South Korea, after landmine explosions injured three South Korean soldiers inside the Demilitarized Zone. https://www.voanews.com/a/why-a-mine-blast-in-demilitarized-zone-fuels-tensions-between-the-koreas/8208678.html https://www.voanews.com/a/why-a-mine-blast-in-demilitarized-zone-fuels-tensions-between-the-koreas/8208678.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:49:39 -0400 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Joeun Lee, Sangjin Cho) Years after the territorial defeat of the Islamic State militant group, hundreds of Yazidis remain missing in Syria, an issue made more complicated by clashes earlier this year between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces, as well as the closure of the al-Hawl camp. https://www.voanews.com/a/families-of-missing-yazidis-in-syria-search-for-hope/8208457.html https://www.voanews.com/a/families-of-missing-yazidis-in-syria-search-for-hope/8208457.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:53:53 -0400 VOA Kurdiwebdesk@voanews.com (Emjad Kurdo) The United States cautioned countries against supporting the Taliban as the group took part in a consultative meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told VOA that the Taliban remains on the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-cautions-nations-against-supporting-taliban-as-moscow-hosts-afghanistan-meeting/8208361.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-cautions-nations-against-supporting-taliban-as-moscow-hosts-afghanistan-meeting/8208361.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:06:24 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The Kurdistan Regional Government’s minister of Peshmerga affairs praised the role of the U.S.-led coalition in supporting the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, saying the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq was not unexpected but part of a previously agreed-upon plan. https://www.voanews.com/a/kurdistan-peshmerga-minister-praises-us-led-coalition-support-as-troops-leave-iraq/8208360.html https://www.voanews.com/a/kurdistan-peshmerga-minister-praises-us-led-coalition-support-as-troops-leave-iraq/8208360.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:02:14 -0400 VOA Kurdishwebdesk@voanews.com (Snur Karim) The world marked International Teachers’ Day on Monday, while Afghan girls remain barred from attending school beyond sixth grade and many female teachers have been forced to stay home under Taliban restrictions on women. https://www.voanews.com/a/teachers-day-marked-amid-continuing-taliban-restrictions-on-women/8208293.html https://www.voanews.com/a/teachers-day-marked-amid-continuing-taliban-restrictions-on-women/8208293.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:05 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Russian article. Russian President Vladimir Putin has renewed his threat to use “all weapons” at Russia’s disposal against the West in the event of a conflict, the second such from Moscow in successive days after Moscow’s warning to NATO about Kaliningrad. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance was ready to defend its territory, although he said there was no impending threat. Putin was speaking at an event... https://www.voanews.com/a/russia-putin-reiterates-nuclear-threat-against-nato/8208083.html https://www.voanews.com/a/russia-putin-reiterates-nuclear-threat-against-nato/8208083.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:26:34 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (Andrey Nazarbekian, Alex Grigoryev) Washington — Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Mandarin article. Washington and Beijing are racing to dominate the next generation of artificial intelligence. But as the two rivals compete for technological supremacy, they are also trying to build a hotline if a super intelligence system goes dangerously wrong. President Donald Trump has made clear he does not want the United States sharing its technological lead with China. Yet the two governments have agreed... https://www.voanews.com/a/us-china-plan-ai-incident-channel-as-fierce-competition-tests-room-for-cooperation/8208082.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-china-plan-ai-incident-channel-as-fierce-competition-tests-room-for-cooperation/8208082.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:25:23 -0400 VOA Mandarinwebdesk@voanews.com (Lin Feng) Individuals and companies who say they were harmed by North Korean weapons and military assistance provided overseas, as well as by cyberattacks, have begun seeking to hold Pyongyang legally accountable. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-lawsuits-against-north-korea-expand-beyond-detentions-to-overseas-activities/8208081.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-lawsuits-against-north-korea-expand-beyond-detentions-to-overseas-activities/8208081.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:24:09 -0400 VOA Koreanwebdesk@voanews.com (Jiha Ham) Alexandria, Virginia — Editor's note: this story was translated from two original VOA Russian articles that were combined [article 1, article 2]. A British lawmaker called for an audit of U.K. police forces’ use of Russian-developed software after U.S. authorities filed a criminal complaint accusing two Oxygen Forensics executives of conspiring to conceal the Virginia-based company’s Russian ownership and the Russian development of software sold to U.S. government agencies. The call came... https://www.voanews.com/a/british-lawmaker-calls-for-audit-after-u-s-charges-tech-executives-with-concealing-company-s-russian-ownership/8207652.html https://www.voanews.com/a/british-lawmaker-calls-for-audit-after-u-s-charges-tech-executives-with-concealing-company-s-russian-ownership/8207652.html Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:08:41 -0400 VOA Russianwebdesk@voanews.com (Karina Bafradzhian) Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Ukrainian article. The Council of Europe is working with the Ukrainian government and other partners to establish a compensation mechanism to reimburse losses incurred by ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. Russia has recently intensified attacks on Ukrainian businesses, railways, logistics hubs, gas stations, data centers, energy infrastructure and other targets, causing not only major loss of life and injuries but... https://www.voanews.com/a/council-of-europe-prepares-compensation-mechanism-for-ukraine-s-war-victims/8207114.html https://www.voanews.com/a/council-of-europe-prepares-compensation-mechanism-for-ukraine-s-war-victims/8207114.html Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:00:08 -0400 VOA Ukrainianwebdesk@voanews.com (Tatiana Vorozhko)