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U.S. negotiator Amos Hochstein is back in the Middle East as Israel and Hezbollah seem to be on the brink of all-out war. A war would be devastating for both Israel and Lebanon, but a cease-fire seems tied to the fighting in Gaza. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. VOA footage by Ricki Rosen.

Islamabad — The United Nations human rights expert for Afghanistan warned Tuesday against sidelining the rights and voices of women at an upcoming international meeting with the country's fundamentalist Taliban leaders. The special rapporteur, Richard Bennett, issued the warning while presenting his latest report on the Taliban’s allegedly intensifying rights violations against Afghan women and girls to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. “Following extensive research, consultation, and analysis, it finds that the Taliban’s institutionalized system of gender oppression established and enforced through its violations of women's and girls’ fundamental rights is widespread and systematic and appears to constitute an attack on the entire civilian population, amounting to crimes against humanity,” Bennett reported. "The gravity and scale of the crimes can’t be overstated. We have a collective responsibility to challenge and dismantle this appalling system and to hold those responsible to account,” said the U.N. expert.  Bennett shared his findings as the U.N. prepares to host a two-day meeting of international envoys on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar, commencing June 30. The Taliban will attend for the first time what will be the third Doha conference since U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the process more than a year ago. Afghan civil society groups and representatives reportedly have not been invited to the third Doha huddle, even though they attended the second this past February. The Taliban refused to join those discussions unless their delegates could be accepted as the sole representatives of Afghanistan. Guterres rejected the Taliban’s demands in a post-meeting news conference. The U.N. has stated that the Doha process is aimed at developing a coherent and unified world approach to engagement with the Taliban. Bennett said Tuesday the upcoming meeting presents an important opportunity to affirm that civil society, including women, are "meaningful participants" and that women's rights are central to discussions. “The Taliban are not recognized as a government and should not be treated as such. They must not be allowed to dictate the terms of U.N.-hosted meetings,” Bennett said. “Failure to learn the lessons of the past and sidelining human rights could have devastating and long-lasting consequences,” he added. “The Taliban’s institutionalization of its system of gender oppression should shock the conscience of humanity.” The Taliban have dismissed international criticism of their governance, including restrictions on women’s access to education and employment, saying their policies are aligned with Afghan culture and their harsh interpretation of Islamic law. On Sunday, the Taliban’s foreign ministry spokespersons formally confirmed that its delegation would attend the third Doha conference. “The agenda and participation list of the upcoming Doha meeting shared with the Islamic Emirate after two months of discussions with the U.N., it was decided in principle to participate in the said meeting,” Abdul Qahar Balkhi said. He used the official title of their men-only government, which is yet to be recognized by the world. “If there are any changes to the agenda and participation, it would naturally affect our decision, which we will share with all sides at that time,” Balkhi cautioned. Bennett urged the international community to use an “all-tools approach” centered on justice and accountability, incorporating human rights and women’s voices in political processes and diplomatic engagement while dealing with the Taliban. “It’s incumbent on us all to take decisive action to stand with Afghan women and girls, hold the perpetrators accountable, and restore dignity, equality, and justice for all.” The Taliban stormed back to power in Afghanistan almost three years ago, banning girls ages 12 and older from attending secondary school. They have also barred women from working in public and private sectors, including the U.N, except for Afghan health care and a few other departments. Women are not allowed to travel long distances by road or air unless accompanied by a male relative and are banned from visiting public places such as parks, gyms, and bathhouses. The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 led to the worsening of economic and humanitarian conditions in the impoverished country of more than 40 million people, which is reeling from years of war and the devastation of natural disasters.

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.

NEW YORK — New York's top court declined Tuesday to hear Donald Trump's gag order appeal, leaving the restrictions in place following his felony conviction last month. The Court of Appeals found that the order does not raise "substantial" constitutional issues that would warrant an immediate intervention. The decision is the latest legal setback for the former president, who has repeatedly railed against the gag order, which prevents him from commenting on witnesses, jurors and others who were involved in the hush money case. But it could be short lived. The trial judge, Juan M. Merchan, is expected to rule soon on a defense request to lift the gag order. Trump's attorneys filed a notice of appeal with the state's high court on May 15, during the former president's landmark criminal trial. They argued that the gag order restricted Trump's "core political speech on matters of central importance at the height of his Presidential campaign." But the Court of Appeals disagreed. In a decision list posted on Tuesday, the court said it would not automatically hear the case, writing that "no substantial constitutional question is directly involved." Trump's lawyers were essentially seeking a shortcut to expedite their appeal, which was rejected by the state's midlevel appeals court last month. They now have 30 days to file a motion for leave to appeal, according to court spokesperson Gary Spencer. Merchan imposed the gag order on March 26, a few weeks before the start of the trial, after prosecutors raised concerns about the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's tendency to attack people involved in his cases. During the trial, Merchan held Trump in contempt of court and fined him $10,000 for violating the gag order. The judge threatened to put Trump in jail if he did it again. The order remains in effect weeks after the conclusion of the trial, which ended with Trump's conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records arising from what prosecutors said was an attempt to cover up a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. Daniels claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier, which he denies. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 11. The Manhattan district attorney's office had urged the Court of Appeals to reject the appeal. In their own letter, prosecutors noted the question about whether the order should be lifted could be dealt with through post-trial court filings. Trump's lawyers have argued that he should be entitled to fully address the case, given the continued public criticism of him by his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen and Daniels, both key prosecution witnesses. Days after the verdict, they sent a letter to Merchan asking him to lift the gag order. They followed up last week with a formal motion requesting that the restrictions be rescinded. Prosecutors have until Thursday to respond. Merchan is expected to rule soon after that, possibly before Trump's June 27 debate with President Joe Biden. "It's a little bit of the theater of the absurd at this point, right? Michael Cohen is no longer a witness in this trial," an attorney for Trump, Todd Blanche, told the AP earlier this month. "The trial is over." Messages seeking comment were left Tuesday for Blanche and the Manhattan DA's office.

NAIROBI, Kenya — More than 200 protesters have been arrested in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, in ongoing protests against proposed tax hikes in a finance bill that is due to be tabled in parliament.  Civil society groups said that demonstrations and a planned sit-down outside parliament buildings will continue despite the arrest of 210 protesters.  Nairobi Police Commander Adamson Bungei on Tuesday said that no group had been granted permission to protest in the capital. The right to peaceful protests is guaranteed in the Kenyan Constitution, but organizers are required to notify the police beforehand. Police generally give a go-ahead unless there are security concerns.  Police hurled tear gas canisters at hundreds of demonstrators on Tuesday, forcing businesses to temporarily close because of fears over looting.  A lawyer, Wanjohi Gachie, said that he was protesting on behalf of all Kenyans who would be potentially burdened by the tax hikes.  "I'm requesting the police not to arrest or beat us, because we are fighting for their rights as well," he said.  Some major tax proposals in the bill were dropped after a Tuesday morning meeting between ruling party lawmakers and President William Ruto.  The chairperson of the finance committee, Kuria Kimani, said the proposal to introduce a 16% value-added tax on bread had been dropped.  Other levies that had prompted debate and have been amended include a proposed 2.5% motor vehicle annual tax that was to be placed on insurance.  A proposed tax on goods that degrade the environment will also be amended to apply only to imported goods to encourage local manufacturing.  Rights group Amnesty Kenya said that its staff members observing the protests were arrested.  "We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested protesters and observers," the group said.  Kenya Law Society President Faith Odhiambo said that police used tear gas on lawyers at a Nairobi police station as they sought to see their clients.  Ruto last month defended the proposed taxes, saying the country must be financially self-sustaining.  "The whole principle is that you must live within your means," he said. "I persuaded and I made a case to the people of Kenya that we must begin to enhance our revenue."  Opposition leader Raila Odinga urged legislators to scrutinize the bill and vote to remove clauses that would burden the poor.  "It is worse than the one of 2023, an investment killer and a huge millstone around the necks of millions of poor Kenyans who must have hoped that the tears they shed over taxes last year would see the government lessen the tax burden in 2024," he said in a statement in early June. Opposition figure Kalonzo Musyoka said that weekly protests would resume if the finance bill is approved as proposed.  Legislators are due to debate the bill starting Wednesday with a vote scheduled for Monday.  Last year's finance law introduced a 1.5% housing tax on gross income for salaried individuals, despite concerns that it would further burden Kenyans already struggling under a high cost of living. The law also doubled VAT on petroleum products from 8% to 16%.

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.

NAIROBI, Kenya — A team of Haitian police commanders on Tuesday met Kenya's inspector general of police ahead of a planned deployment to the violence-hit Caribbean country expected to take place by the end of June. Kenya is set to lead a United Nations-backed multinational peacekeeping mission with officers drawn from several countries to combat gang violence in Haiti that has left thousands of people dead and forced more than 360,000 others to flee their homes. "We are counting on your support," Haitian police official Joachim Prohete told Kenya's Inspector Japhet Koome in a meeting in Nairobi, as police clashed with anti-taxation protesters in the streets.  "We are ready and committed to come over and assist whenever needed," Koome told the Haitian delegation in return. The Haitian police also met commanders of the 1,000 Kenyan officers who will be deployed as part of the multinational peacekeeping mission. Kenya will also host Haitian police for training, and the delegation in Nairobi on Tuesday visited the barracks where drills will take place, Kenyan police said. President William Ruto last week said Kenya will honor its commitment to restore peace in the Caribbean nation. U.S. President Joe Biden during Ruto's state visit in May expressed deep appreciation for Kenya's planned deployment. The deployment that was set to take place in May was postponed to allow completion of bases from which the officers will operate and the procurement of key equipment, including vehicles. Haiti has endured poverty, political instability and natural disasters for decades. International intervention in Haiti has a complicated history. A U.N.-approved stabilization mission to Haiti that started in June 2004 was marred by a sexual abuse scandal and the introduction of cholera, which killed nearly 10,000 people. The mission ended in October 2017.

In March 2024, the Russian government branded the Institute of International Education, which grants Fulbright scholarships, as an “undesirable” organization, banning it from operating in the country and making association with it potentially illegal. Now, Russian Fulbright scholars who are currently abroad could face repercussions when they return home. Maxim Adams has the story.

California researchers are working to make self-driving cars safer by letting them see around corners. Matt Dibble has our story in this week’s episode of LogOn.

Washington — The United States is sharpening its counterterrorism focus on Somalia, going after increasingly high-profile targets linked to a resurgence of the Islamic State terror group from its base in the Horn of Africa. U.S. officials are concerned that IS-Somalia, as the terror group’s regional affiliate is known, has moved from being a key cog in the Islamic State global financial network to hosting the group’s top leader. Top IS leaders “view Africa as a place where they should invest, where they are more permissive and able to operate better and more freely, and they want to expand,” according to a senior U.S. defense official. “So, they did bring the caliph to that region.” “The caliph provides strategic direction, which we view as allowing them to develop and expand, even more so than we would expect,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss intelligence matters. The U.S. assessment follows a flood of rumors emanating from Somalia that the IS emir, Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurashi, traveled from Syria or Iraq and then through Yemen to the semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia in country’s northeast. It also follows warnings from multiple Somali security officials that IS-Somalia has grown stronger, due in part to an influx of fighters and operatives from Yemen. As evidence of the magnified U.S. focus on IS in Somalia, a second U.S. official confirmed to VOA on Monday that an airstrike late last month in the vicinity of Dhaadaar, 81 kilometers southeast of the city of Bosaso, targeted IS-Somalia leader Abdulqadir Mumin. U.S. Africa Command’s initial assessments of the May 31 strike indicated three IS militants were killed. The U.S. official told VOA on Monday, however, that it is not clear if Mumin is one of the dead. Multiple Somali security officials told VOA that their initial analysis has yet to turn up evidence that Mumin was killed, though as many as three Somalis and three foreigners were wounded. One Somali security official said he doubted Mumin would have been in the area during the strike since the IS-Somalia leader is careful to avoid areas where telecommunication infrastructure is working, which it was at the time. Regardless of the outcome of the strike, U.S. officials say their focus will not waver. “We would absolutely say, unequivocally, that we’ve got to keep our eye on the terrorist threat,” White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told reporters Monday, referencing the strike in Somalia. “It’s clear that the threat is still real, and we have to still go after it,” he said. But word that IS, also known as ISIS or Daesh, has sent its global leader to Somalia, along with reports that Mumin himself may have been elevated to the position of caliph, is being met with skepticism from some former counterterrorism officials and analysts. “The importance of Mumin, ISIS-Somalia, ISCAP [Islamic State Central Africa Province] and the al-Karrar office is not in doubt,” said Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former senior United Nations counterterrorism official who currently serves as a senior adviser for the nonprofit Counter Extremism Project. “But ISIS is a profoundly racist organization, and they like to claim that the caliph is descended from Muhammad,” he told VOA. “I don’t believe they are ready for an African caliph.” There are also questions as to why IS would send its top leader on a long and potentially perilous journey from Syria or Iraq to Somalia. “It would be difficult from a logistic perspective. But, certainly, they could through human smuggling or networks that exist already,” said Colin Clarke, director of research at the global intelligence firm, The Soufan Group. “My question would be to what end? What kind of infrastructure is there on the ground that this person could slot into and still be relevant,” Clarke told VOA. “It's not like Somalia is a place where you're free from counterterrorism actions … It's not outside of the targeting scope of the U.S. intelligence community.” Clarke, like other analysts who spoke to VOA, also cautioned against underestimating IS-Somalia. Despite IS-Somalia’s small size — estimated at 100 to 400 fighters — and its failure to control significant territory, Clarke said the IS affiliate has become a “linchpin to the group's broader global logistics network.” That assessment is supported by a series of reports from the United Nation’s own counterterrorism experts, based on intelligence from U.N. member states. As far back as 2022, they identified Somalia as home to al-Karrar, one of nine regional offices established to help sustain the terror group’s global capabilities. The office, overseen most recently by IS-Somalia’s Mumin, has since evolved into a key financial hub, moving money from Yemen to Afghanistan to help buy weapons and pay the salaries of IS fighters in Somalia, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo. More recent assessments also contend that IS-Somalia, through the al-Karrar office, has been funding the IS Afghan affiliate, sending $25,000 a month in cryptocurrency to the group, known as IS-Khorasan Province. Such continued growth for the al-Karrar office could point to a bigger, pivotal role for its leader, Mumin. “With IS-Somalia and the al-Karrar office being this key middle point between various provinces, [Mumin] could be the head of the general director of provinces, meaning the main person that’s helping to implement the [IS] strategy globally,” said Aaron Zelin, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who specializes in jihadism. “In the past somebody in that level was previously either in Iraq or Syria,” Zelin told VOA, adding that while IS as an organization has long looked to Africa for growth, its core identity is tied to the Middle East.  “I still think that the heart of the organization, even if it's not as strong as it has been in the past, is based in Iraq and Syria,” he said. 

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.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month in the United States. In Los Angeles, celebrations include a festival and parade that are among the world’s largest LGBTQ+ events. VOA’s Genia Dulot talked to an immigrant couple about their lives in the United States and their struggle for acceptance back home.

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.

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.

New Delhi — Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his third term in office, India and the United States agreed to strengthen cooperation in high technology areas during a visit by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to New Delhi. Sullivan met Modi, the Indian foreign minister and his Indian counterpart during the visit that reaffirmed both countries will pursue closer ties. “India is committed to further strengthen the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership for global good,” Modi wrote on X after meeting Sullivan on Monday. The main focus of Sullivan’s visit was to hold discussion with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on a landmark initiative launched by the two countries in January last year to collaborate more closely in high-technology areas including defense, semiconductors, 5G wireless networks and artificial intelligence. The initiative, launched with an eye to countering China, marks a significant push in tightening the strategic partnership between the two countries. “The visit by Sullivan in the early days of Modi’s new administration signals that the U.S. wants to maintain the momentum in the high technology partnership between the two countries,” according to Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. A joint fact sheet by the two countries following Sullivan’s meeting with Doval said that they launched a new strategic semiconductor partnership between U.S. and Indian companies for precision-guided ammunition and other national security-focused electronics platforms. They also agreed to co-invest in a lithium resource project in South America and a rare earths deposit in Africa "to diversify critical mineral supply chains" and discussed possible co-production of land warfare systems, according to the fact sheet. Growing the domestic defense manufacturing sector remains a top focus for the Modi administration as it looks to lower its dependence on imported arms. Although India has diversified its imports of military equipment, it is still heavily reliant on Russia. For India, the technology initiative is a top priority as it looks to strengthen the country’s security and build its capabilities in high technology areas. “India wants to become one of the leading countries in cutting edge technologies and it is of great benefit for New Delhi to partner the U.S. which is the leader in these areas,” said Joshi. “The idea is to get into co-production, co-development, innovation and attract American companies to set up bases here.” Sullivan also met Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar, who has been retained as the external affairs minister in Modi’s new administration, signaling a continuation in the country’s foreign policy. “Confident that India-US strategic partnership will continue to advance strongly in our new term," Jaishankar wrote on X. In Washington, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters Monday that India and the U.S. “share a unique bond of friendship and Mr. Sullivan's trip to India will further deepen the already strong U.S.-India partnership to create a safer and more prosperous Indo-Pacific.” New Delhi’s ties with Washington have expanded in recent years amid mutual concerns in both countries about an assertive China -- India’s military standoff with Beijing along their disputed Himalayan borders remains unresolved four years after a clash between their troops. As Sullivan visited India, an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, charged with trying to hire a hitman to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader in the U.S., appeared in court in New York Monday following his extradition from the Czech Republic. The alleged plan was foiled. Allegations by U.S. prosecutors of the involvement of an Indian government official in the plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen, have raised concerns about a strain in bilateral ties. The U.S. allegations followed accusations levelled by Canada in September of involvement of Indian nationals in the killing of a Canadian Sikh leader. India, which views Sikh separatist groups overseas as security threats, has denied its involvement in both the killing in Canada and the alleged plot in the U.S. But it said it has set up an inquiry committee to examine the information provided by Washington. Analysts in New Delhi say ties are unlikely to be adversely impacted by the alleged murder plot. “The U.S. is quite pragmatic on these matters. They are continuing to stress that ties with India are important, so I don’t think a failed conspiracy will derail ties,” Joshi said.

Seoul, South Korea — Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to arrive Tuesday in North Korea, where he is expected to sign a treaty outlining Moscow's expanded cooperation with Pyongyang, according to Russian state media. Putin has decided to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his two-day visit, reported the Russian news agency TASS. The report provided no details of the document, though earlier the agency quoted a Putin foreign policy aide as saying it would likely cover defense matters. Earlier Tuesday, Putin vowed to work with North Korea to counter sanctions as both countries expand their "many-sided partnership," according to a letter published in North Korean state media. In the letter, Putin said the two countries would develop trade mechanisms "not controlled by the West" and would "jointly oppose illegitimate unilateral restrictions." Russia is a long-time supporter of North Korea. Though ties have sometimes been rocky, both countries recently found more reasons to work together, especially following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. U.S. officials say North Korea has provided Russia with 11,000 containers of munitions, as well as ballistic missiles, for use in the Ukraine battlefield. Both North Korea and Russia deny such weapons deals even though a growing number of independent observers have documented North Korean weapons being used against Ukrainian forces. "Moscow and Pyongyang will likely continue to deny violations of international law but have notably shifted from hiding their illicit activities to flaunting their cooperation," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. Defense ties U.S. officials have expressed concerns that Russia may provide advanced weapons or other help related to North Korea's nuclear program. Such worries intensified last September when Kim inspected numerous advanced Russian weapons while touring several military sites in eastern Russia, including a modern space launch facility. Though North Korea's latest satellite launches showed signs of Russian assistance, analysts debate how far defense cooperation would go, noting that Russia does not often share its most advanced military technology. "These states do not share durable alliance institutions and values; they are only weakly bound together by resistance to the enforcement of international laws and norms," said Easley. Treaty history Analysts will closely parse the language of any new treaty signed by Putin and Kim. Russia currently has comprehensive strategic partnerships with countries including Vietnam, Mongolia, and some Central Asian nations. While such documents form the basis for Russia's "highest type of interstate relations," they do not amount to alliance treaties, observed former Russian diplomat Georgy Toloraya. "I don't think that this treaty would include a clause which directly calls for military assistance, but it will certainly give room to imagine a situation where this could be provided," he said in an interview with VOA. In 1961, North Korea and the Soviet Union signed a friendship and mutual assistance treaty that included a provision for automatic military intervention in emergencies. That deal was abolished after the Soviet Union's collapse. The two countries signed a new treaty in 2000, but it focused on economic rather than military matters. According to Putin aide Yuri Ushakov, the treaty being negotiated by Kim and Putin would replace all other bilateral treaties. Obstacles If Putin's letter is any indication, his visit will also likely focus on expanding economic ties, including by ramping up exchanges related to education, culture, and tourism. However, this plan faces obstacles due to United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit a wide range of economic engagement with North Korea. While Russia says it no longer supports U.N. sanctions on North Korea, it has not formally announced that it will stop observing them. Instead, Russia may search for what it sees as loopholes that facilitate cooperation even in areas that are subject to U.N. sanctions, such as North Korean laborers earning income abroad. For instance, North Korean IT specialists could work remotely from their home country without technically receiving income abroad, said Toloraya, a former member of the U.N. Panel of Experts, which was meant to monitor enforcement of the North Korea sanctions. Russia earlier this year effectively abolished the U.N. panel – one of its boldest steps to unilaterally degrade the U.N. sanctions regime it once supported. What North Korea wants For Kim, Putin's visit is meant to provide a boost in domestic legitimacy, especially amid North Korea's increasingly public frictions with its main economic backer China, said Kim Gunn, who earlier this year stepped down as South Korea's top nuclear envoy. "North Koreans feel nervous about that, because their economy is 99% dependent on China," said Kim, who is now a member of South Korea's National Assembly. "Kim Jong Un's answer is to say, 'Don't worry, we still have Russia." In the lawmaker's view, Kim Jong Un also likely hopes that Putin's visit will give him leverage with Chinese President Xi Jinping, creating a situation where both Russia and China vie for North Korea's favor. But, Kim Gunn added, the new Russia-North Korea relationship is likely a "marriage of convenience," rather than a restoration of Soviet-era ties. "Russia is not the former Soviet Union," he said. "And Russia is at war in Ukraine – they are pouring all their energy into this war. There's not so much room for Russia to do anything with North Korea."