NOUADHIBOU, MAURITANIA — Eager students from throughout west Africa raise their hands as teachers guide them through math and classical Arabic. Then they race outdoors to meet their parents, who clean houses, drive informal taxis or gut sardines in Chinese factories. Outside, government billboards urge these families and others to fight “migrant smuggling,” showing overcrowded boats …

Read more “School helps migrants in Mauritania; can it keep them from leaving for Europe?”

US President Donald Trump says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be at the White House on Friday to sign an agreement granting the US access to Ukraine’s lucrative rare earth minerals. But Ukraine’s leader says a few outstanding issues remain. White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington. …

The Russian economy and the Russian ruble have not collapsed during the three years of the war in Ukraine despite crippling Western sanctions. However, authorities in Moscow are not hiding the fact that the country’s economy is overheated due to rising defense spending and high inflation, while interest rates are at an all-time record of …

Read more “VOA Russian: Overheated Russian economy risks stagflation”

WASHINGTON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and bilateral trade ties, amid the U.S. leader’s tariff threats on Europe and demands that the continent rely less on Washington for its security. Ahead of their meeting, …

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Three years after Russian troops drove everyone in the village into a school basement for a month, the people of Yahidne, Ukraine, continue to repair and rebuild their homes. Lesia Bakalets visited this community about 90 kilometers north of Kyiv. Camera: Vladyslav Smilianets. …

WASHINGTON — In a flash protest to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 20 coffins are laid out in Republic Square in Paris. The coffins —19 open and one closed — symbolize journalists held by Russia. The sealed coffin is a reference to Victoria Roshchyna, who died while in Russian detention under …

Read more “In Ukraine, resilience is key to three years of war coverage”

As U.S. President Donald Trump sped up efforts to end the war in Ukraine, VOA Russian spoke to experts who believe Washington is keen to redraw all layers of bilateral ties with Moscow. While experts agree that the Kremlin is not inclined to make major concessions at this point, Russia will need to find compromises …

Read more “VOA Russian: Moscow weighs compromises to end war in Ukraine”

The United States said Wednesday it is nearing a deal on Ukraine’s lucrative rare earth minerals needed for technology products to compensate Washington for the more than $100 billion worth of munitions it has sent to Kyiv to defend itself against Russia’s three-year war of aggression. “We’re very close to the finish line,” White House …

Read more “US, Ukraine near minerals deal, but security issues unsettled”

The U.S. and Belarus are reportedly negotiating a deal for the release of a significant number of political prisoners in Belarus. In return the U.S. is considering easing some sanctions on the country that is closely tied to Russia. Maxim Adams has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Video editor: Aleksandr Bergan, Anna Rice    …

NEW DELHI — The European Union plans to urge India to lower its high tariffs on cars and wine to boost trade, as it seeks to reduce its reliance on China, a senior official from the bloc said, ahead of a visit by the European Commission president to New Delhi. Echoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat …

Read more “EU will ask India to cut tariffs on cars, wine to boost ties, reduce reliance on China “

PARIS — France’s foreign minister said Wednesday that he wanted “all” European countries to cooperate and start cutting back visas available to nationals of countries that refuse to take back illegal migrants expelled by Paris. Jean-Noel Barrot spoke after an Algerian-born man went on a stabbing rampage in the eastern French city of Mulhouse at the …

Read more “France wants Europe cooperation on visas over expulsion of undocumented migrants”

Ukrainian officials said Wednesday a Russian drone attack killed at least one person and injured two others in the Kyiv region. Kyiv Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said on Telegram that the attack also damaged five houses and four multi-story residential buildings. Fragments from destroyed drones damaged apartment buildings, a university building, and a theater in the …

Read more “Ukrainian officials say deadly drone attack hits Kyiv region”

The United States and Ukraine have a framework deal in place for a joint fund to reinvest revenue from Ukrainian natural resources, according to officials familiar with the negotiations. The plan would include investing 50% of proceeds from Ukraine’s minerals, oil and gas. The United States would commit to the development of a “stable and …

Read more “US, Ukraine near minerals deal”

Three years since the beginning of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s economy has continued to grow because of its rampant defense spending. VOA Russian spoke with the experts who predict the defense-based growth is unsustainable and about to hit the ceiling as both industrial capacities and workforce are at near maximums. Thousands of …

Read more “VOA Russian: Russia’s economy growth is forecast to stall”

KYIV, UKRAINE — Ukraine and the United States have reached an agreement on a framework for a broad economic deal that would include access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, three senior Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. The officials, who were familiar with the matter, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. …

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Despite rising uncertainty over waning U.S. support, growing existential questions and ongoing Russian advances, polls find Ukrainians remain generally optimistic about their future. Lesia Bakalets reports from Kyiv, Ukraine. Camera: Vladyslav Smilianet. …

On Feb. 20, Ivory Coast became the latest African nation to expel French troops, taking control of the last remaining French military base in the country. This followed the departure of French forces from Chad, which had hosted them for nearly 70 years. These moves marked the end of France’s military presence in the Sahel …

Read more “Kremlin disinformation campaigns aim to discredit French military in Sahel, analysts say”

London — Germany’s likely next chancellor has warned that the United States cares little about Europe’s fate and has called for the continent to urgently organize its own defense capabilities, marking a profound shift in approach from Europe’s biggest economy. “I would never have thought that I would have to say something like this in a …

Read more “German election winner: Europe must defend itself as US ‘does not care’”

ISLAMABAD — When Amir Ali left the narrow alleys of his village in Pakistan’s Punjab province last summer for the plazas of Spain, he thought his dream of a better life was finally coming true. The 21-year-old had failed seven times before to get a visa for countries in Europe and the Middle East. Six months …

Read more “Dying to leave: Why Pakistanis are risking their lives to reach Europe”

Friedrich Merz, who will likely be the next chancellor of Germany after gaining the largest vote share in elections Sunday, has warned that the United States “does not care much” about the fate of Europe — and called for the continent to urgently organize its own defense capability. As Henry Ridgwell reports, the comments mark …

Read more “German election winner: Europe must defend itself as US ‘does not care’”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday that the U.K. would increase its defense spending by 2027 to bolster its security against the threat of Russian aggression exhibited by Moscow’s three-year war against Ukraine. Starmer told Parliament that defense spending would increase by $17 billion annually, boosting outlays from 2.3% of the United Kingdom’s economic …

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BERLIN — A trial began Tuesday in Germany for four alleged members of U.S.-designated terror group Hamas who are suspected of organizing weapons caches across Europe. The country’s top prosecutor accuses the men of membership in a foreign terrorist organization. It’s a pilot case for prosecutors, German news agency dpa reported. “For the first time in …

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After three years of relentless war, Ukraine is facing a mental health crisis, with hospitals overwhelmed by soldiers suffering from anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Doctors say the hidden wounds could linger for decades. Yan Boechat reports from Lviv in western Ukraine. …