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May 31 is World No Tobacco Day, a day when many health advocacy groups raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco. These groups have reason to celebrate: In most countries, tobacco use is declining. But not in Indonesia, where smoking rates are rising, according to the World Health Organization. Dave Grunebaum has the story.

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.

Ukrainian officials say Russia’s invasion has turned thousands of Ukrainian children trapped in occupied territories into hostages, while others have been deported to Russia and forced into reeducation programs and adoption. Anna Chernikova reports from Kyiv on Ukraine’s efforts to bring them home. VOA footage by Vladyslav Smilianets.

QUETTA, Pakistan — A speeding passenger bus fell from a highway into a rocky ravine in southwest Pakistan early Wednesday, killing at least 28 people and injuring 20 others, officials said. Local police officer Asghar Ali said the driver lost control suddenly in Washuk town as the bus was traveling from Turbat, the second-largest city in Baluchistan province, to Quetta, the province’s capital. Police were trying to collect details from the injured. Ismail Mengal, a government administrator in Washuk, said the driver of the bus was among the dead. He said officers were still trying to determine the cause of the crash.  He said rescuers and police quickly responded and provided initial medical treatment to the injured passengers. Police transported the dead and injured to a hospital, where some of the injured were in critical condition. Photos from local media showed the wreckage at the bottom of a rocky ravine.  In a statement, Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister in Baluchistan, expressed grief over the loss of lives, and he ordered the best possible medical treatment be provided to the injured. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements expressed sorrow over the deaths. Road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules and safety standards are not well followed, even on battered roads in particularly rugged areas. The latest accident occurred three days after 13 members of a family were killed in a collision between a van and a truck in Multan, a city in the eastern Punjab province. At least 20 people were killed and another 30 were injured earlier this month in a similar crash.

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.

Jurors are deliberating in a criminal case against U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump. He is charged with falsifying financial records to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. Campaigning continued outside the New York courthouse. VOA’s Scott Stearns reports. Camera: Michael Eckels.

Amid the ongoing Gaza war, Norway, Ireland and Spain have formally recognized the state of Palestine this week. As expected, Palestinians welcomed the move, while Israel sharply condemned it. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. VOA footage by Ricki Rosen.

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.

Time is the one of the most important factors in saving people who have been sexually trafficked. Swiftly relocating them away from harm is key to survival.  VOA Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti has this exclusive story about a couple of American pilots and their secret missions to get victims to safety.

Turkey's longest-running peaceful protest entered its thousandth week in May. A group known as the Saturday Mothers holds a silent vigil each week, demanding justice for relatives who disappeared after being detained by security forces. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

On a visit to Moldova Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an additional $135 million in aid to help the eastern European republic fight Russian disinformation and strengthen its energy resilience. Veronica Balderas Iglesias 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.

In Georgia, leaders of political opposition and the president are leading protests against the foreign agent bill, which critics say threatens the nation’s EU membership and could become a tool of political oppression in the hands of the governing party.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Another U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone went down in Yemen, images purported to show Wednesday, as Yemen's Houthi rebels continued attacks on shipping around the Red Sea over the Israel-Hamas war. The Houthis released footage they said showed the aircraft being targeted with a surface-to-air missile in a desert region of Yemen's central Marib province. It marked the third such downing this month alone. Images analyzed by The Associated Press showed the MQ-9 on its belly in the barren desert, its tail assembly disconnected from their rest of its body. At least one hatch on the drone appeared to have been opened after it landed there, though the drone remained broadly intact without any clear blast damage. One image included Wednesday's date. The drone did not appear to carry any markings. Authorities in Marib, which is held by allies of Yemen's exiled government, did not acknowledge the drone. A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, told the AP that "the U.S. Air Force has not lost any aircraft operating within U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility." The official declined to elaborate. The CIA also is believed to have flown Reaper drones over Yemen, both to monitor the war and in its campaign against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen's local affiliate of the militant group. The CIA declined to comment when reached by the AP. Reapers cost around $30 million apiece. They can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (about 15,000 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The Houthis in recent months have stepped up attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, demanding that Israel end the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. On Wednesday, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree acknowledged the rebels attacked the bulk carrier Laax on Tuesday. Two missile attacks twice were reported on the Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned ship Tuesday in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, with a private security firm saying radio traffic suggested the vessel took on water after being struck. "The crew are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.

Kharkiv, Ukraine, has been under sustained fire from Russia for nearly a month. Despite the civilian casualties and destruction of energy infrastructure, most residents are still there. Lesia Bakalets talked to some women about why they decided to stay.

State Department — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Moldova, pledging $135 million to enhance energy security and counter Russian disinformation during his visit to Chisinau. During Wednesday’s visit, Blinken announced that up to $85 million in USAID funding will subsidize equipment to strengthen Moldova’s national power grid and facilitate greater electricity trade with Romania, Ukraine, and the broader European market. He also unveiled additional aid for Moldova, a pro-Western country facing renewed threats from Russia. “Today, I'm announcing that we'll be working with our Congress to provide an additional $50 million to further advance these efforts from reforming the energy and agricultural sectors to pushing back and further against disinformation,” said Blinken during a joint press conference with Moldova President Maia Sandu. “That in turn will bolster the ability of Moldova to resist Russian interference, to hold free and fair elections to continue down the path to the European Union and Western integration to create more economic opportunity,” he said. Watch related report by Veronica Balderas Iglesias: Blinken’s trip comes amid concerns over Russia's military presence in Moldova's breakaway Transnistria region. Moldova has accused Russia of waging a hybrid war through election interference and disinformation campaigns aimed at toppling the government and hindering its EU aspirations. Russia denies these accusations. Sandu welcomed Blinken’s second visit in two years as "a strong sign of support." "Through unity and with the support of our partners, we will stand by our people and move forward," Sandu said during the press conference. She also expressed gratitude for U.S. support to both Moldova and Ukraine. Since Russia's 2022 invasion, the Biden administration has directed billions of dollars in weapons assistance to Ukraine, which Sandu said "also makes Moldova safer and more resilient." Historically, Moldova’s heavy reliance on outside energy resources has made the country vulnerable to external disruptions and price fluctuations, delaying its progress toward sustainable economic development. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has further exacerbated Moldova’s energy challenges by driving up electricity and gas prices and creating sector instability. Since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States has provided Moldova with $774 million in assistance, including $300 million through USAID, to support energy security. NATO, Ukraine After Chisinau, Blinken is heading to Prague for NATO foreign ministers’ meetings, where “a substantial show of support for Ukraine” is expected, according to U.S. officials. On Wednesday, Blinken said the U.S. is working hard to deliver more air defenses to Ukraine as it defends itself against intensifying Russian attacks. But Blinken, along with other officials from the Biden administration, said Washington does not encourage or enable the use of U.S.-supplied weapons to strike inside Russia. “Ukraine has to make its own decisions about the best way to effectively defend itself,” Blinken said. ‘’We're going to make sure that it has the equipment it needs.” This week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged the alliance's members to lift some of the restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons, potentially enabling their use for strikes directly on Russian soil. “The right to self-defense includes hitting legitimate targets outside Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said Monday at a NATO meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria. The United States will host a NATO summit in Washington from July 9 to July 11. Blinken said there will be “very strong deliverables” in terms of Ukraine’s further integration with the Atlantic alliance. Thirty-two countries have either completed or will soon complete bilateral security agreements with Ukraine.

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.