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Right wing, populist parties are expected to surge in three-day elections starting June 6th across the European Union for the bloc’s parliament — capitalizing on voter anger and distrust of mainstream parties. Analysts predict the fallout could influence EU-wide policies like the environment, the economy, immigration and foreign affairs, including potentially waning support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Paris correspondent Lisa Bryant reports.

NAIROBI, KENY — Africa has what it takes to transform and grow its economy but faces rigid barriers, including a sometimes unfriendly global financial architecture, say leaders who gathered in Nairobi this week for the African Development Bank’s annual summit.  While the continent’s average GDP growth is estimated to have slowed in 2023, African economies remain resilient, Africa Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina said at the meeting.   "The African Development Bank projects that Africa's real GDP growth will rise from 3.1 percent in 2023 to 3.7 percent in 2024 and 4.3 percent in 2025. Importantly, more than half — that is 31 countries — achieved higher GDP growth rates in 2023 than in 2022," Adesina said.  GDP, or gross domestic product, is used to measure the economic health of a country.  As Africa’s bank, the AFDB — which turns 60 this year — has the responsibility to mobilize financing to develop the continent, said Adesina, the former Nigerian agriculture minister.  That work is done, he added, against the backdrop of major global challenges including “heightened geopolitical tensions, the disruption of global value chains, rising food and energy crisis, increasing debt service payments and, of course, the devastating effects of climate change … from droughts to floods, cyclones to unpredictable weather patterns, the loss of lives and poverty. And enormous fiscal cost to countries."   Heavy rains and flash floods recently killed hundreds and displaced thousands across East Africa, where the U.N. estimates that 1.6 million people were affected.  In Kenya, the rains killed more than 280 people, displaced about 53,000, and destroyed thousands of crops.   Kenya’s President William Ruto was among those who attended the summit, along with leaders and officials from Zimbabwe, Somalia, Namibia, Rwanda, Congo-Brazzaville, Libya and others.   Ruto said with the world’s 10 fastest growing economies being in Africa, the continent has what it takes to succeed, but it faces the rigid barrier of the global financial architecture that is misaligned with the continent's aspirations.  "We routinely borrow from international markets at rates far above those paid by the rest of the world, often up to 8 or 10 times more,” he said.  Ruto, Adesina and other leaders called for a reform of the global financial architecture to mobilize even more financial resources they say are needed to accelerate Africa's growth and development.   "The debt problem faced by many countries, which consume the largest share of national resources and starve [the] development agenda, we are a direct result of [this] unjust financial architecture,” Ruto said. “This situation not only makes debt unsustainable but also undermines growth, prevents countries from investing in resilience."  That sentiment was echoed by African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, who said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which tested economies worldwide and especially in Africa, is still being felt.  He said that all of the African Union’s member states have been caught in the spiral of an ever-pernicious debt which keeps them under the control of lenders with suffocating demands, despite numerous promises to alleviate this burden.  An economic outlook published during the summit by the bank lays out a mixture of policies that are needed to address some of the continent's challenges. These include promoting local production and diversifying import sources to address rising food prices, and helping reform the current global financial architecture to help with debt restructuring.

Tehran, Iran — Syrian President Bashar Assad met with Iran's supreme leader in the capital Tehran on Thursday and expressed his condolences over the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, state media reported Thursday. Assad met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and also expressed condolences over the death of Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian who was also killed in the helicopter crash earlier this month. Iran's acting President Mohammad Mokhber was present in that meeting. Assad's trip took place as Iran opened a five-day registration period Thursday for hopefuls wanting to run in the June 28 presidential election to replace the late Raisi. Iran has been the No. 1 regional supporter of Assad in that Arab nation's lengthy civil war. Hundreds of Iranian forces have been killed in the war though Tehran has long said it has only a military advisory role in Syria. Assad's trip also comes with the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war roiling the region. Iran-backed Hamas led the Oct. 7 attack that started the conflict and the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon, also supported by Tehran, has fired rockets at Israel. Last month, Iran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel. Raisi, the country's foreign minister and others were found dead at the site of a helicopter crash after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country's northwest.

Harare, Zimbabwe — Faced with the growth of anti-smoking campaigns and a drop in cigarette use worldwide, Zimbabwe, Africa's largest tobacco producer, has asked its tobacco research body to look into the viability of large-scale cannabis production. Kumbirai Mateva, a plant breeder at Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Research Board, says the agency’s decision to research cannabis resulted from the World Health Organization’s efforts to discourage tobacco use and the government’s directive to explore agricultural alternatives. “We see this as an opportunity to lead in the agricultural innovation and sustainability, ensuring that Zimbabwe remains at the forefront of progressive farming practices,” he said. “We are excited about the prospect on the horizon as we draft a variety of protocol for a new hemp variety, which we expect to launch in the near future.” Munyaradzi Chedondo, formerly a tobacco farmer, got a 5-year license to be one of the cannabis growers at his farm about 40 kilometers north of Harare. “Medicinal cannabis, it's just good business,” he said. “On a comparative level with tobacco, it pays better, and then you need to invest, because there's a lot of infrastructure involved. There's just a lot of money, seeds you import. On fertilizers, you need to do it organically, so there are costs. And returns are there.” Mike Querl was a fruits and fish farmer who is now growing medicinal cannabis on 44 hectares near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. “Cannabis look[s] good due to our weather pattern in Zimbabwe and the price for the crop,” he said. “We have grown it for the past 2-3 years; it has done really well. It will be a huge business for Zimbabwe, due to the fact that we can grow all year round. And we can grow three times; three harvests out of a year in [same] field. We [are] very excited about it. Smoking cigarettes with nicotine and tars is very unhealthy; we have CBD cigarettes that are being produced now, which are much healthier. It will help our people with smoking less.” U.N. agencies are urging farmers to move away from tobacco given the health hazards, such as lung cancer caused by smoking. Because of those risks, demand for tobacco has dropped in the last 25 years, according to the WHO — though it remains popular in Zimbabwe. Clemence Rusenga is a senior research associate at the School for Policy Studies of the University of Bristol in England. He is studying Zimbabwe’s cannabis policy. He said Zimbabwe’s tobacco farmers can transition to cannabis farming — but there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. He said the current cost for a 5-year cannabis license — $50,000 — is prohibitive. “As a result, many people, especially those who do not have a lot of resources, they are not able to afford this,” he said. “The industry has become exclusionary, meaning that even those who [were] producing cannabis before illegally, it makes it difficult for them to transition into the legal market. Number two, I think it is the costly production setup that cannabis farmers are facing in Zimbabwe. You need a lot of money because of the requirements, which I think some of which could be reduced if the regulators work with the stakeholders, so it is very costly as a result, very few cannabis farmers are producing currently.” There is also the issue that recreational marijuana remains illegal in Zimbabwe. Rusenga said that Zimbabwe needs to take advantage of the growing cannabis industry globally to allow its farmers to thrive.

US presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump have very different views on the production of fossil fuels and the need to transition to clean energy to fight climate change. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias looks at where each candidate stands and the agendas they’ll champion if re-elected.

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 Midwestern U.S. city of Detroit is known as the home of American automakers. What's less known are the contributions of the Chinese residents in the city's history. Some of them did the laundry of the autoworkers and others even cooked up what's become a local favorite. VOA’s Chris Casquejo has more on Detroit’s two Chinatowns and what happened to them. Videographer and video editor: Yu Chen

The artists from South Africa's Mzansi Gay Choir are known not just for their music, but also for their role in LGBTQI advocacy. Ihsaan Haffejee brings us this story from a rehearsal studio in Johannesburg, where the musicians gather for a practice session.

In early May, the state of California announced the estimated opening of what will be the world’s largest bridge for animals. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, just outside of Los Angeles, will offer wildlife safe passage across a ten-lane highway. Angelina Bagdasaryan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Vazgen Varzhabetian.

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 — The United States said on Thursday it was imposing sanctions on five senior Ugandan officials over accusations of involvement in corruption or human rights abuses. Ugandan parliament speaker Anita Among was one of four officials the US State Department said would face travel bans because of "significant corruption", following similar action by Britain last month. Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu -- previously ministers responsible for Uganda's isolated and impoverished border region of Karamoja -- and former state minister for finance Amos Lugolobi were also named. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement the three had "misused public resources and diverted materials from Uganda's neediest communities". "All four officials abused their public positions for their personal benefit at the expense of Ugandans," he added. In addition, Peter Elwelu, former deputy chief of the Ugandan Peoples' Defense Forces (UPDF), has been sanctioned "due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights", he said. While commanding defense forces, Elwelu was involved in extrajudicial killings committed by UPDF members, Miller said, without giving further information. "As a result of these actions, the designated Ugandan officials are generally ineligible for entry into the United States." Miller said Washington is also planning to impose visa restrictions on multiple other Ugandan officials for "undermining the democratic process and repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations in Uganda". In April, the British government imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Among, Kitutu and Nandutu over claims of corruption. At the time the Ugandan parliament said the sanctions on Among were based on a "false premise" and imposed because of her stance on the East African country's controversial anti-gay legislation adopted last year. Kitutu and Nandutu are accused of stealing roofing materials destined for the poor under a government-funded project and redirecting them to politicians and their families.

The Rocky Mountain state of Colorado is spending $24 million this year to help schools adapt to an influx of immigrant students. Reporter Svitlana Prystynska visited a school in Denver to find out how educators and students are adjusting. Camera: Volodymyr Petruniv

After six years on the run, the former president of Spain’s Catalonia region may come home to govern after his party won a close second in regional elections. But an investigation into his alleged ties to the Kremlin may prevent his return. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina in Barcelona. Alfonso Beato contributed.

Survivors of radiation exposure in New Mexico are urging Congress to expand a soon-expiring law that compensates Americans who were exposed to radiation by federal nuclear tests. Gustavo Martínez Contreras has our story from Albuquerque. (Camera: Gustavo Martínez Contreras; Produced by:  Bakhtiyar Zamanov)

Seoul, South Korea — Tensions between North Korea and China surfaced publicly this week for the first time in years, after Pyongyang lashed out at a joint statement signed by Beijing mentioning the possibility of denuclearization. The apparent rift between the two allies emerged as North Korea’s latest attempt to launch a military spy satellite interrupted a major diplomatic initiative by China. North Korea announced that it would conduct the launch as China’s premier, Li Qiang, was in Seoul preparing to meet the top leaders of Japan and South Korea as part of a trilateral dialogue that had not occurred in almost five years. The launch, which ended in a fiery explosion just after liftoff, occurred several hours after the trilateral dialogue wrapped up late Monday. Although not unprecedented, it was a rare North Korean disruption of a major political event involving China, which has long been the main ally and economic lifeline for the isolated North. The developments suggest fissures in a relationship that both sides have long insisted is “as close as lips and teeth,” according to Jean Lee, a Korea specialist at the East-West Center in Hawaii. “I think what we’re seeing is that those fissures can break wide open with just a little bit of pressure,” she said. Uncomfortable spot North Korea’s actions left China's Li in an awkward position, standing alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who both condemned the impending launch. Things got more uncomfortable from there. After the three men released a joint statement calling, among other things, for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, North Korea erupted. In a statement posted in the state-run Korean Central News Agency, North Korea's foreign ministry accused the three countries of “mockery and trickery,” denouncing what it described as a “blatant challenge” to its sovereignty and “wanton interference” in its internal affairs. Though the North Korean statement was primarily directed at summit host South Korea, it was also a “veiled but undeniable swipe” at China, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, a North Korea watcher and senior fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Center. “The North’s relations with China have looked to be cooling over the last year, but this is the first time in recent years any signs of trouble have broken into the open,” she wrote in a blog post on 38 North, a North Korea-focused website. China has long called for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula – a formulation often embraced by other countries, including the United States and its allies. North Korea has also accepted the idea of denuclearization in some settings, including perhaps most notably the joint statement signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and former U.S. president Donald Trump following their first summit in 2018. However, North Korea last year enshrined nuclear weapons in its constitution – a status Kim now calls “irreversible.” North Korea's moves have sparked major concerns among the U.S. and its allies, which have responded by ramping up their own displays of military strength. In public settings, Chinese officials have called for all sides to show restraint, even while pressing the United States to make concessions in order to advance the denuclearization process. Ups and downs North Korea has not criticized China so blatantly since 2017, when Beijing backed United Nations Security Council sanctions over the North’s nuclear and missile tests. Since then, North Korea-China ties have improved. China now opposes new sanctions, even as North Korea dramatically expanded its ballistic missile tests that are banned by the U.N. resolutions it once supported. But there have been signs of trouble beneath the surface. For instance, Chinese leader Xi Jinping hasn’t met with Kim in over five years. Meanwhile, Kim in September traveled to Russia's far east, where he agreed to expand military cooperation with President Vladimir Putin. According to Kremlin officials, plans are underway for Putin to soon visit North Korea. Putin now uses North Korean missiles and other weapons to wage war in Ukraine. In return, Putin may be aiding North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, according to some U.S. officials, who have not provided evidence. Some analysts say China may be uncomfortable if Russia is enabling a significant nuclear buildup on its border — which may explain some of the current tensions. China may also be trying to show that it is not as close to North Korea – and to Russia – as some Western nations imply, according to Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a professor of international relations at King’s College London. “Kim Jong Un would have been invited already – or would have essentially been dragged to China to meet Xi Jinping. And this hasn’t happened,” said Pacheco Pardo. That stands in contrast to the past, when Xi went out of his way to demonstrate that he was the world leader with the closest relationship to Kim, Pacheco Pardo added. North Korea’s actions this week suggest it has been emboldened by its cooperation with Russia and now wants to demonstrate some level of independence from Beijing, he said. However, analysts have questioned whether Russia's current level of support for North Korea will outlast its war in Ukraine. While North Korea appears to be less reliant on China for now, Pacheco Pardo said, “in the future, it might be different.”

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.

Tensions between North Korea and China surfaced publicly this week for the first time in years. The apparent rift between the two allies emerged as North Korea’s attempt to launch a spy satellite interrupted a major diplomatic initiative by Beijing. VOA’s William Gallo has more from Seoul, South Korea. (Camera: William Gallo)

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.