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US President Joe Biden and leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies are meeting in Italy, underscoring support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion and the need for a cease-fire in Gaza. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara is traveling with the president and brings this report from Borgo Egnazia, the G7 summit venue.

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GENEVA — The Taliban must provide Ryan Corbett, an American held in Afghanistan for nearly two years, with immediate medical care to prevent irreparable harm to his health or even his death, a United Nations expert said on Thursday. "The Taliban must provide Ryan Corbett with medical treatment in a civilian hospital without delay," said Alice Jill Edwards, the U.N. special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Corbett, an aid worker, has been held without charge in conditions "utterly inadequate and substantially below international standards," she said. "This is having a significant impact on his physical and mental health, which is declining rapidly," Edwards added. She said she had raised the issue directly with the Taliban. "Without adequate medical care, he is at risk of irreparable harm or even death," she said. The United States is in contact with Edwards' office and welcomes efforts to call for more humane conditions for Corbett and others held by the Taliban, a spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the United Nations in New York said. "We consider Ryan's detention to be wrongful and we will continue to work securing his immediate release," the spokesperson said. Corbett and his family moved to Afghanistan in 2010. He worked with nongovernmental organizations and then started his own — Bloom Afghanistan — to bolster the country's private sector through consulting, microfinance and project evaluation. He left with his family following the Taliban takeover in 2021 but continued working with his organization, returning in January 2022 to renew his business visa. Despite having a valid visa, he was arrested by the Taliban in August 2022 after he returned to pay and train his staff, his lawyers said. A German and two Afghans with whom Corbett was arrested have since been released. The U.N. expert said Corbett has developed several medical problems, including ringing in his ears, and severe weight loss. He has also repeatedly expressed intentions of suicide and self-harm. The United States has had no diplomatic presence in Kabul since it fell to the Taliban in August 2021 as U.S. troops pulled out after 20 years of war.

beirut — Hezbollah said it had launched rockets and weaponized drones at nine Israeli military sites in a coordinated attack Thursday, ramping up hostilities on Lebanon's southern border for the second consecutive day.  The attacks were carried out in retaliation for an Israeli strike Tuesday that killed a senior Hezbollah field commander. A security source told Lebanon it was the largest attack waged by Hezbollah since October, when the group started exchanging fire with Israel in parallel with the Gaza war.   In the early hours of Friday, a strike on a building east of the port city of Tyre left one civilian woman dead and more than a dozen people wounded, many of them children, according to two Lebanese security sources. Asked about the incident, the Israeli military said it was looking into it.   Hezbollah said in a statement earlier that it had fired volleys of Katyusha and Falaq rockets at six Israeli military locations. Its Al-Manar television reported more than 100 rockets were fired at once.  Hezbollah's statement said it had also launched attack drones at the headquarters of Israel's northern command, an intelligence headquarters and a military barracks.   A security source told Reuters that involved firing at least 30 attack drones at once, making it the group's largest drone attack to date in the eight-month war.   The Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel have been trading near-daily fire since the eruption of the Gaza war in October, but the last two days have seen a sharp rise following the Israeli strike that killed the Hezbollah commander.  On Wednesday, Hezbollah said it carried out at least eight attacks that day in retaliation.   Air raid sirens sounded across cities in northern Israel on Thursday, and Israeli officials said about 40 rockets had been fired from Lebanon in the afternoon.   State broadcaster Kan aired footage of numerous midair interceptions of rockets above Israeli towns, including in Safed, 12 km from the border.  Two people were wounded by shrapnel, Israel's national ambulance service said.  Israeli strikes have killed more than 300 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, more than it lost in 2006, when the sides last fought a major war, according to a Reuters tally. The number of civilians killed is around 80, the tally says. Attacks from Lebanon have killed 18 Israeli soldiers and 10 civilians, Israel says.  The exchanges of fire have also displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.

washington — The U.S. Department of Defense picked Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Elon Musk's SpaceX and Boeing-Lockheed joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA) to compete for national security space missions, making initial selections under a $5.6 billion award program.  The Pentagon did not say which of the companies' rockets it selected but noted seven companies bid for entry into the program, which seeks rockets that must be ready to fly their first missions to space by December.  The three companies are the first to be selected under the Pentagon's lucrative National Security Space Launch Phase 3 procurement program, a multibillion-dollar competition among U.S. rocket companies vying to launch some of the country's most sensitive military and intelligence satellites into space for roughly the next decade.  SpaceX and ULA, two titans in the launch industry, have since 2020 been the Pentagon's primary rocket launch providers under a predecessor program, called Phase 2. That program gave ULA a 60% share of all Pentagon missions through 2027, with SpaceX getting the rest.  But in the program's third phase, the Pentagon has sought a wider variety of companies for its space missions into the next decade, mainly to stimulate more competition in the U.S. launch sector.  The announcement on Thursday brings Bezos' rocket launch and human spaceflight company Blue Origin into a competitive arena it has long wanted to enter as it tries to bring its giant New Glenn rocket to market and ramp up its competitive footing with SpaceX.  SpaceX's partially reusable Falcon 9 rocket has dominated the launch industry while the company test launches its next-generation Starship rocket, a massive, fully reusable launch system that Musk sees as crucial to flying humans into space and launching large batches of satellites into orbit.  While ULA's workhorse Atlas 5 rocket nears retirement, its next-generation Vulcan rocket is poised to become the company's centerpiece launcher. Vulcan first launched this year, and its second mission – a crucial step to receive certification for Pentagon missions – has been delayed but is expected to fly later this year.  The three companies did not immediately reply to requests for comment about their rockets' role in the Pentagon program.  The Pentagon's Phase 3 program is divided into two categories, Lane 1 and Lane 2. Lane 1, the category of Thursday's announcement, allows more novel or specialized rockets to fly national security missions that have less-stringent requirements. More companies, such as Rocket Lab, are expected to be added to Lane 1 in the coming years.  The U.S. Space Force, which manages the launch procurement program, said Blue Origin received $5 million to provide an assessment of how it will meet the Pentagon's launch requirements. SpaceX and ULA – companies Space Force is more familiar with – each got $1.5 million.  Lane 2, whose awards are expected in autumn, will tap three companies whose rockets are capable of meeting a wider variety of national security mission requirements, indicating the most experienced players such as SpaceX and ULA will be most fit for awards. 

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

united nations — The U.N. Security Council demanded Thursday that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) halt their siege on the North Darfur capital, El Fasher, as they are poised to take the last remaining city in Sudan’s Darfur region from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The council adopted a British-drafted resolution in a 14-0 vote. Russia abstained. The council also called for de-escalation in and around the city, where more than 800,000 civilians have been sheltering, many of them displaced from other parts of Darfur that have fallen to the paramilitary group.  “This council has sent a strong signal to the parties to the conflict today,” British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said. “This brutal and unjust conflict needs to end.” It was not immediately clear if the parties would heed the council’s demands. An earlier resolution in March that called for a cease-fire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan was ignored. The situation in North Darfur’s capital escalated on May 10 when clashes erupted inside El Fasher between the SAF, who are inside the city, and the RSF, who attacked surrounding towns before entering the state capital. Thousands of people have since tried to flee, and humanitarians report hundreds of civilian casualties.  Sudan’s deputy U.N. ambassador said El Fasher is facing “great and unprecedented dangers,” and he urged the council to hold responsible external actors who are fueling the conflict.  “The support by some countries to these militias directly contributes to the continuation of violence and destruction in the Sudan,” Ammar Mohammed said. “And we name here the official and regional sponsor of the criminal militias — namely the United Arab Emirates — whose support and weaponry leads to entrenching the suffering and misery of civilians in the Sudan.”  The United Arab Emirates has repeatedly denied sending arms to the RSF. But a report by a U.N. panel of experts earlier this year said there was substance to media reports that cargo planes originating in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, had landed in eastern Chad with arms, ammunition and medical equipment destined for the RSF.  Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation grows more dire by the day. The United Nations warns that 5 million Sudanese are on the brink of famine, including tens of thousands of people in the Darfur region.  The council demanded in its resolution Thursday that the parties ensure the protection of civilians and facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered aid access.  “The impact of today’s vote will be measured by the results on the ground,” said U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. “So, the RSF and SAF must heed the demands of this council. We will be watching closely. If the situation on the ground doesn’t change for the better, this council must take further action.”  She said that could include authorizing cross-border aid access from Sudan’s neighbors.  Catastrophe unfolding  The head of Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which has been tracking action on the ground in Sudan for months using satellite and other technology, told reporters on a conference call Thursday that an SAF defeat in El Fasher could be imminent.  “We are talking hours and days before the potential fall of El Fasher,” Nathaniel Raymond said. “And we are talking about a Sudanese Armed Forces contingent — the 6th Infantry Division — that we can assess is clearly outnumbered and surrounded by RSF, who are gaining ground … from multiple directions inside El Fasher city.”  He said the lab has also observed growing damage in and around El Fasher in the past 10 days, equivalent to the size of more than 200 football pitches. That includes signs of significant looting at the city’s last remaining hospital. People are also on the move in large numbers.  The United Nations and others fear a full-scale battle for El Fasher could unleash atrocities similar to the genocide carried out by Arab Janjaweed fighters against African Zaghawa, Masalit, Fur and other non-Arab ethnic groups in Darfur in the early 2000s. Janjaweed fighters make up elements of today's RSF.  Paris-based medical charity Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said Thursday that only one surgical hospital is still functioning in El Fasher since South Hospital was shut down after being raided and looted by the RSF.  Both the RSF and SAF were added to the annual U.N. list of shame, published Thursday, for perpetrating grave violations against children during 2023. They were blacklisted for killing and maiming children, for attacking schools and hospitals, and in the case of the RSF, for sexual violence and recruiting and using children in their ranks.  “We have to alert the international community that there is a catastrophe happening in El Fasher of a magnitude that we have not seen before,” said Omer Ismail, a former Sudanese diplomat who was born in Darfur and documents war crimes for The Enough Project and The Sentry organizations.  “I know the attention of the world is not on Sudan at this point, but we call for that urgently,” he told reporters in a briefing call. 

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washington — Thailand wishes to become the first Southeast Asian member of BRICS, a geopolitical group of developing countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The Thai Cabinet approved the draft application letter May 28, indicating the country’s intention to join the group. But experts suggest the membership may provide Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, with mostly symbolic rather than concrete benefits that include existing free-trade agreements with countries such as China. Nevertheless, the administration of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin plans to move forward with the application during a BRICS summit, set for October, in Kazan, Russia. 'New world order' Thailand expects the membership to enhance its participation in international economic policy and to “create a new world order,” according to a press statement by government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke. Mihaela Papa, a senior fellow at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, told VOA by email that “joining BRICS certainly means greater exposure to China and Russia’s policy agendas and influence.” Thailand's enthusiasm in joining BRICS supports efforts by China and Russia to expand their economic influence in Southeast Asia, Soumya Bhowmick, an associate fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in Kolkata, India, told VOA. “By joining BRICS, Thailand can contribute to the bloc's collective influence in global economic policies, thereby supporting China and Russia's strategic goals in the region,” he said. Co-founded by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2006, the group added South Africa in 2010. Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates became members at the start of this year. Driven in part by threats of Western sanctions, the group has sought to develop alternatives to the U.S. dollar-based economic and financial system through initiatives like the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. The New Development Bank provides financial assistance, such as loans and equities, among BRICS member countries akin to the U.S.-influenced World Bank Group, which provides assistance to developing countries worldwide. The CRA, meanwhile, is an agreement among the BRICS central banks for mutual support during a sudden currency crisis. However, analysts say geopolitical tensions and differences among member countries test the bloc’s effectiveness. While “BRICS has made significant strides in trade dynamics, the diversity among BRICS members … presents challenges in aligning interests and achieving consensus. The absence of formal trade and investment agreements further complicates the bloc’s effectiveness,” Bhowmick said. “Joining BRICS at this stage means being one of many states in this large, informal group that increasingly acts as a bloc,” Papa said. “The group’s design — a combination of large membership, rotating country presidencies and decision-making based on consensus — does not enable any BRICS state to gain much spotlight.”  Thailand is already a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The latter is the first free-trade agreement embracing the largest Asian economies, including China, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea, and 11 other Asian countries. But according to Hung Tran, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, BRICS may not bring any concrete economic results for itself or for ASEAN beyond political symbolism.      According to Tran, Thailand’s membership with RCEP, for instance, has substantially increased Thailand’s trade with fellow Asian countries since the bloc was established at the beginning of 2022. Trade volume for Thailand increased to $175 billion in 2023 with China, which has consolidated its position as the top trade partner of Thailand, accounting for 20% of its total trade. Groupings such as APEC and IPEF, in which Thailand has been active, are also inspired by the United States, Tran said.    “Joining BRICS would be a politically symbolic move for Thailand to show that it is open to all major countries or groups in the geopolitical context without being beholden to any sides — a stance in line with the ASEAN overall approach,” he said. Accenting multilateralism According to a press release by the Thai government, Thailand “has placed importance on multilateralism and the increased representation of developing countries in the international system, which is in line with BRICS principles.” Thailand’s current application only starts the conversation, Papa said, and it will become clearer during the October summit how Thailand might benefit from membership in BRICS. “Thailand has time to investigate what BRICS offers and if it works for its development,” she said. “After being invited to join the group, Argentina changed its mind, and Saudi Arabia has delayed accession.” Eerishika Pankaj, director of the New Delhi-based Organization for Research on China and Asia, said a Thai entry into BRICS would be unlikely to prompt others in the region to follow quickly. “Other Southeast Asian nations might be inspired … but they will still continue to proceed cautiously amidst U.S.-China rivalry,” Pankaj told VOA via email. 

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washington — A Russian Israeli freelance journalist who has been labeled a “foreign agent” by Moscow said Wednesday that he was banned from entering Serbia because of alleged security risks. In a Zoom interview with VOA, Roman Perl said he landed at the airport in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, for a personal visit Saturday. He was kept waiting for about eight hours before being handed an order blocking his entry. “They gave me a paper stating that there are security risks if I were to be on Serbian soil,” Perl said. The Russian government designated Perl a “foreign agent” in 2021, a legal term the Kremlin has used since 2012 to enforce its harsh crackdown on news outlets and civil society groups. The law prompted Perl to depart Russia for Israel. Press freedom experts expressed concern about the incident. “It’s very worrying because it may confirm that the Serbian authorities are working with the Russian ones,” Jeanne Cavelier, the head of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk at Reporters Without Borders, told VOA from Paris. “To go to Serbia could be a great danger for journalists.” Perl, who has previously produced documentaries for Current Time TV, said he was traveling to Belgrade to visit a friend. Perl said it was “possible that Russian authorities can, in certain cases, persuade the Serbs to do something the Russian side deems necessary.” But, he added, Serbia may have blocked him over his brief detention in Belgrade in 2023. While filming a documentary about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at that time, one of his interviewees unfurled the Ukrainian flag near the Russian Embassy, he said. “Then the members of the gendarmerie approached us and told us that the embassy had called them to remove us from the area,” he said. Perl was then held in police custody for a few hours before being released without charge. Serbia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Information and Telecommunications and Border Police did not reply to emails from VOA’s Serbian Service requesting comment. Serbia’s Washington embassy also did not immediately reply to VOA’s email requesting comment. Although Serbia has a vibrant media landscape, reporters often face political pressure, and impunity for crimes against journalists tends to be the norm, according to press freedom groups. The threat of impunity in Serbia was highlighted earlier this year. In February, four people who were previously charged with the 1999 murder of prominent Serbian journalist Slavko Curuvija were acquitted in an appeals trial. Reporters Without Borders ranks Serbia 98th out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom.

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WASHINGTON — The United States is "committed to working with Bangladesh to fight corruption," Donald Lu, U.S. assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, told VOA’s Bangla Service. Lu visited Bangladesh in mid-May and met with senior government officials and civil society leaders. Shortly after his visit, the U.S. announced sanctions against former Bangladesh army chief General Aziz Ahmed for what it termed his involvement in “significant corruption.” In an interview conducted by email on Monday, Lu spoke about topics that included economic cooperation, the climate crisis, women's rights and the commitment of the United States to work with the people of Bangladesh on issues of democracy and human rights. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. VOA: In your recent visit to Bangladesh, you expressed the administration's intention to move beyond the tension between Bangladesh and the U.S., which was caused by your administration's initiative to promote democracy and a free, fair and peaceful election in Bangladesh in January this year. Is this an indication of a U.S. policy shift toward Bangladesh where you intend to focus more on geopolitical, economic, environmental and strategic bilateral issues rather than promoting democracy? Donald Lu: As I said during my recent visit to Dhaka, we are looking forward, not back. We are ready and eager to advance our partnership with Bangladesh across a broad range of issues. We hope to continue deepening our trade ties with Bangladesh. We want to advance our shared interest in women's economic security. We are already working together to address the climate crisis. We are optimistic about the opportunities for continued partnership on our shared priorities. Promoting democracy and human rights in Bangladesh remains a priority for us. We will continue to support the important work of civil society and journalists and to advocate for democratic processes and institutions in Bangladesh, as we do in countries around the world. VOA: Opposition political parties in Bangladesh and sections of civil society have criticized the U.S. administration for being “soft” on the current government of Bangladesh regarding the January 7 election issues, which include human rights violations. How would you respond to this criticism? Lu: The United States staunchly supports free and fair elections and is firmly committed to promoting respect for human rights. Throughout the election cycle, we regularly engaged with the government, opposition, civil society and other stakeholders to urge them to work together to create conditions for free and fair elections. We were outspoken in our condemnation of the violence that marred the election cycle and we have urged the government of Bangladesh to credibly investigate incidents of violence and hold perpetrators accountable. We will continue to engage on these issues. VOA: In your recent visit, you did not meet with the representatives from the opposition parties who boycotted the election, although you met with members of the civil society. Why did you decide not to meet with the opposition members? Lu: It is true that last year ahead of the elections I had the opportunity to meet with a roundtable of leaders from several political parties. It’s not a pre-election period, so I didn’t meet with political parties during this visit. I was fortunate to meet with a diverse group of Bangladeshis while in Dhaka, from civil society representatives to government officials, to the Bangladesh National Women’s Cricket Team, who taught me a thing or two about bowling and batting. VOA: You highlighted your government's plan to work together with Bangladesh to fight corruption and ensure financial good governance. Is the recent sanction against the former Bangladesh army chief General Aziz a part of that fight against corruption? Are you satisfied with the Bangladesh government's willingness to cooperate to mitigate these issues? Lu: When I was ambassador to Albania and the Kyrgyz Republic, we sanctioned corrupt officials. This was not popular with the governments at the time, but now those sanctioned former corrupt officials are all in jail. Societies around the world are eager to see justice for corruption. We are committed to working with Bangladesh to fight corruption, and on May 20, we announced the public designation of former General Aziz Ahmed under Section 7031(c), due to his involvement in significant corruption. We welcome statements by government ministers that this corruption allegation will be fully investigated. VOA: You have offered Bangladesh authorities free real-time use of satellite data to monitor the impact of climate change. How has Bangladesh responded to this? Which areas, in your opinion, should be prioritized in the cooperation between the two countries regarding climate change? Lu: I felt firsthand the impact of climate change during my visit to Dhaka in May as I sweltered alongside Bangladeshis in the extreme heat. We are committed to partnering with Bangladesh to address the climate crisis. We’re focused on building clean energy capacity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in sectors like agriculture and power, and conserving ecosystems to maintain biodiversity and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Our discussions with Bangladeshi officials were extremely positive. VOA: In what ways can Bangladesh play an important role in the U.S. government's Indo-Pacific policy? What are the priority areas where you seek Bangladesh government's cooperation? Lu: The United States and Bangladesh share a vision of an Indo-Pacific region that is free and open, connected, prosperous, secure and resilient. With a dynamic and fast-growing economy, Bangladesh is positioned to act as a bridge for commerce and an anchor for prosperity in the region. We’re focused on working with our Bangladeshi partners to boost inclusive economic growth in the region, as well as increasing security cooperation, addressing the climate crisis, and promoting democracy and human rights. Coordination on these and other issues benefits the people of both of our countries.

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Seattle, Washington — The United States granted the Makah Indian Tribe in Washington state a long-sought waiver Thursday that helps clear the way for its first sanctioned whale hunts since 1999. The Makah, a tribe of 1,500 people on the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, is the only Native American tribe with a treaty that specifically mentions a right to hunt whales. But it has faced more than two decades of court challenges, bureaucratic hearings and scientific review as it seeks to resume hunting gray whales. The decision by NOAA Fisheries grants a waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which otherwise forbids harming marine mammals. It allows the tribe to hunt up to 25 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over 10 years, with a limit of two to three per year. There are roughly 20,000 whales in that population, and the hunts will be timed to avoid harming endangered Western North Pacific gray whales that sometimes visit the area. Nevertheless, hurdles remain. The tribe must enter into a cooperative agreement with the agency under the Whaling Convention Act, and it must obtain a permit to hunt, a process that involves a monthlong public comment period.  Animal rights advocates, who have long opposed whaling, could also challenge NOAA's decision in court.  Archeological evidence shows that Makah hunters in cedar canoes killed whales for sustenance from time immemorial, a practice that ceased only in the early 20th century after commercial whaling vessels depleted the population.  By 1994, the Eastern Pacific gray whale population had rebounded, and they were removed from the endangered species list. Seeing an opportunity to reclaim its heritage, the tribe announced plans to hunt again.  The Makah trained for months in the ancient ways of whaling and received the blessing of federal officials and the International Whaling Commission. They took to the water in 1998 but didn't succeed until the next year, when they harpooned a gray whale from a hand-carved cedar canoe. A tribal member in a motorized support boat killed it with a high-powered rifle to minimize its suffering.  It was the tribe's first successful hunt in 70 years.  The hunts drew protests from animal rights activists, who sometimes threw smoke bombs at the whalers and sprayed fire extinguishers into their faces. Others veered motorboats between the whales and the tribal canoes to interfere with the hunt. Authorities seized several vessels and made arrests.  After animal rights groups sued, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned federal approval of the tribe's whaling plans. The court found that the tribe needed to obtain a waiver under the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act.  Eleven Alaska Native communities in the Arctic have such a waiver for subsistence hunts, allowing them to kill bowhead whales — even though bowheads are listed as endangered.  The Makah tribe applied for a waiver in 2005. The process repeatedly stalled as new scientific information about the whales and the health of their population was uncovered.  Some of the Makah whalers became so frustrated with the delays that they went on a rogue hunt in 2007, killing a gray whale that got away from them and sank. They were convicted in federal court.

New studies examine the effects of spaceflight on amateur astronauts. Plus, a VIP tour of Boeing’s Starliner capsule, and we remember a spaceflight pioneer. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space.