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Georgians are preparing for elections this year amid fears in the West that the government is straying from the country’s ambition to join the European Union. The nation appears to be caught in a struggle to reconcile its turbulent past with its West-aligned future. Henry Ridgwell reports.

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.

Abuja, Nigeria — Regional security analysts are warning Nigerian authorities to take caution following a new report that armed militants operating in Africa's volatile Sahel region have a found their way into northwest Nigeria through the borders of the Republic of Benin. Wednesday's security report, "Dangerous Liaisons" by the Dutch research think tank Clingendael Institute, is the latest indicator that militants are migrating from the Sahel to wealthier coastal nations in the region.  The 81-page report says extremists believed to be linked with al-Qaida in the last year have migrated from the Republic of Benin and settled in northern Nigeria, including around Kainji National Park.  If not addressed, the trend could escalate attacks in both countries already struggling with lethal violence from  groups, the report indicates. Security analyst Chidi Omeje said the discovery is no surprise.  "It's not surprising if such happens, because of course you know the nature of our very porous borders," said Omeje. "Those ones coming through the Sahel to me are purely for economic pondering, I'm not sure they're ideological based. [But] it's a dire situation, it's quite concerning, it's frightening."  The report also says the search for economic opportunity and high poverty levels contribute to the recruitment and expansion of various armed groups in the region.  Africa's Sahel — the vast expanse south of the Sahara Desert — is a global terrorist epicenter, according to the 2023 World Terrorism Index.  Experts say the wave of coups in the region in recent years has affected its security situation and response to regionally based militants.  In April, Nigeria hosted more than 400 delegates from across Africa at a summit on counterterrorism.  In an address at the summit, Nigerian National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu spoke about factors driving terrorism. "Terrorism in Africa is driven by factors such as foreign terrorist fighters, organized crime, prolonged conflict, drug trafficking, illicit arms trade, high youth unemployment and inadequate policing," said Ribadu. "Effective strategies require comprehensive approaches that address these drivers, promote socioeconomic development, enhance governance, resolve conflict and strengthen regional and international corporation."  Security analyst Senator Iroegbu said local authorities need to secure their country's borders while planning for more robust regional action.  "There's a lot of volatility on the northern fringes of Nigeria," said Iroegbu. "The insecurity is a fertile ground for all these groups to easily crisscross the boundaries and establish themselves. These jihadist groups ... their target is also to move to the coastal side of Africa. It's now left for the security agents and Nigerian government, how they respond to this. In fact, a contingency plan should've been in place all along."  This week, Nigeria announced plans to acquire 50 military aircraft to combat terrorism especially in the country's northwest region.  But analysts warn that unless those plans are supported by schemes to alleviate poverty and reduce vulnerability of locals, the problem may persist. 

After being held up at gunpoint live on air as violence swept Ecuador, journalist Jose Luis Calderon needed to find trauma support and safety. Now the journalist is seeking asylum in Miami. For VOA News, Cristina Caicedo Smit reports.

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.

The U.S. Resolve Tibet Act accuses China of “suppressing the ability of the Tibetan people to preserve their religion,” a claim supported by U.N. experts, Human Rights groups and media reports.

Ukraine launches attack into Russia targeting oil and fuel depots and military installations. Benjamin Netanyahu in a political war of words with the Biden administration as tension on the border with Lebanon is on the rise. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is playing an ever-increasing role in modern life and politics. South Korea says it might send weapons to Ukraine, but who is the message really for? And a look at US policy in Africa.

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.

Going into a third year of war, life without clean water has become routine for nearly half a million residents of Ukraine’s frontline city of Mykolaiv. At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Russian forces destroyed the water distribution system. As Lesia Bakalets reports, the city has been looking for ways to restore it since then. Video: Vladyslav Smilianets

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.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, U.S. humanitarian group Project HOPE has provided aid to Ukrainian health clinics and residents of the country’s frontline towns and villages. Yaroslava Movchan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Videographer: Dmytro Hlushko.

The U.S. and U.N. condemned Rwanda and sanctioned the M23 rebels it backs for committing widespread human rights abuses. The 2010 Dodd-Frank law bans U.S. companies from funding armed groups or human rights abusers by buying minerals from them.

The Netherlands is investing more than 420 million dollars to build Swedish-designed combat vehicles for Ukraine. The Dutch expect to deliver the tanks by 2026, according to Defense News, to add to those already proving effective on the front lines. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story. Cameras and edit: Pavel Suhodolskiy

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.

GENEVA — A report by the United Nations secretary-general condemns the high number of executions carried out in Iran last year and the government’s violent crackdown against women and girls for defying the country’s mandatory hijab law. U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif, who on Thursday presented the report at the U.N. Human Rights Council, said, “At least 834 individuals were executed in 2023, which represents a 43% increase from the previous year.” “Especially troubling is the 84% increase in executions for drug-related offenses in 2023, the highest figure in nearly a decade,” she said. The nongovernmental organization Iran Human Rights puts the number of people reportedly executed for drug-related charges last year at 471. It says that executions are continuing to surge this year, with “at least 243 people, including 10 women [who] have been executed in 2024, so far.” Al-Nashif told the council that minorities continue to be disproportionately affected by executions, “with 20% of all executions in 2023 affecting the Baluch minority.” “While noting an overall decline in the sentencing of children to death since 2024, the report deplores the execution of two child offenders in 2023 and urges the government to introduce an immediate moratorium on the death penalty,” she said, adding that two men also were executed last year “in relation to the September 2022 nationwide protests,” bringing the total to nine. “Serious allegations of torture-tainted confessions and due process violations have permeated these cases,” she observed. Mahsa Amini The September 2022 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in morality police custody for allegedly incorrectly wearing a hijab sparked nationwide protests. While mass protests forcing women to wear a hijab have ended, the secretary-general’s report notes that the government’s determination to enforce and even strengthen its hijab law has not. The report expresses continued concern in relation to a chastity and hijab bill, “which seeks to reinforce mandatory public hijab requirements for women and girls and introduces severe penalties for noncompliance.” The report describes Iran as an extremely repressive regime, which rules its people through intimidation and coercion. It says civic and democratic space online and offline are severely restricted; access to information is tightly controlled by the government, “including by blocking access to social media platforms,” and journalists, writers and artists are “targeted for exercising their freedom of opinion and expression.” The report finds Iran’s economic crisis has been exacerbated by unilateral coercive measures and government economic mismanagement, which have adversely affected “living conditions and access to health, food and water.” Al-Nashif welcomed the government’s directive instructing judges “to align their decisions with the international human rights obligations” of Iran. She also acknowledged some positive aspects of the summary findings of the special committee charged with investigating violations related to the 2022 protests. “While efforts toward accountability are welcome, concerns remain over the independence of the special committee and the lack of information on steps taken to prevent future violations and address long-standing human rights grievances,” she said. Fact-finding mission The deputy high commissioner called on the government to “fully cooperate” with the fact-finding mission on Iran and the special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, both of which are mandated to investigate alleged human rights violations in Iran. Ali Bahreini, the Iranian ambassador to the U.N. mission in Geneva, poured cold water on that suggestion. He said Iran was opposed to selecting mandates of the Human Rights Council that contain “falsified and inauthentic reports and mechanisms” based on malign political intentions. “Such prejudicial approaches have nothing to do with the promotion and protection of human rights and is detrimental to the credibility of the human rights values and its structures,” he said, adding that “genuine promotion of human rights can be obtained and secured by cooperation, not confrontation.” He rejected the secretary-general’s criticism of Iran’s use of the death penalty and his call for a moratorium, noting that “the abolition of the death penalty is not supported by any consensus.” “Iran implements this punishment only for very serious crimes such as murder, major drug trafficking and terrorist crimes, which endanger the security of the community as a whole.” He concluded by saying that in next week’s presidential election, “the voice of the people will prove once again” that Iran rigorously promotes democracy.