Issues in the News - Voice of America

The U.N. special rapporteur working with the UN’s top human rights body laid out the findings of her report this week finding “reasonable grounds” to believe Israel has been carrying out genocide in Gaza, which Israel vehemently denies. Omer Bartov Samuel Pisar Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University provides insights into the careful criteria is made for declaring genocide. And a conversation with Russia analyst Nicole Wolkov with the Institute for the Study of War on the likely motives behind the Kremlin’s continuing efforts to push the false narrative that Ukraine and the West were behind last week’s deadly concert hall attack in Moscow.

US. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the “gaps are narrowing” in negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire and hostage release deal. EU leaders meet in Brussels with Ukraine and their own defense topping the agenda. The U.N. weather agency's annual State of the Global Climate report Tuesday was a “red alert.” With the clock is ticking, will humanity take the action needed to prevent the worst impacts of global warming.

Russia begins three days of voting in a presidential election all but certain to extend Vladimir Putin’s rule by six more years after he stifled dissent. A closer look at what it means for Ukraine and Moscow’s broader relations with the West. Israel rejects the latest truce counterproposal from Hamas. Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election disinformation worldwide, making it easy to create fake – but convincing – content aimed at fooling voters. As the U.S. presidential race heats up, FBI Director Christopher Wray recently warned about the growing threat, given how easy AI is for "foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence.”

In what could be the most consequential speech in his bid for reelection, President Joe Biden gave a feisty State of the Union address Thursday night. Political science professor at Clark University, Robert Boatright has analysis on the speech. As hopes dim for a cease fire ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, concerns an already catastrophic situation in Gaza could get even worse. John Lyndon with the Alliance for Middle East Peace provides insights into the challenges and possibilities for what lies ahead.

Alexey Navalny is laid to rest as supporters vow to carry on his fight for a free Russia. A conversation with David Kramer, Executive Director with the George W. Bush Presidential Center on myths about Russia’s war on Ukraine that could be helping the Kremlin. International outrage following the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians racing toward aid trucks. Edward Djerejian former U.S. ambassador to Israel and currently senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Middle East Initiative on whether this will derail ceasefire negotiations. With the U.S. presidential election just eight months, some lawmakers are sounding the alarm over foreign actors’ efforts to create false narratives in order to sway the outcome.

Ukrainians mark a somber two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion with grief and determination as the U.S. imposes hundreds of sanctions on Russia following the death of outspoken Putin critic Alexey Navalny. As Ukrainians endure two years of war and growing uncertainty, a look at the emotional toll on families and how people are finding innovative ways to cope. And why one expert says redefining the paradigm of a two-state solution may be a better way to achieve lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians

World leaders respond to the news that Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe has died in prison. Jim Townsend, with the Center for New American Policy discusses the significance of Navalny’s death. Jamil Jaffer with the National Security Institute at the Munich Security Conference on Israel’s strategy. Tanya Haj-Hassan with Doctors Without Borders on what medical colleagues on the ground in Gaza are saying in the aftermath of an Israeli raid in southern Gaza's main Hospital.

the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday on Donald Trump’s appeal to prevent his removal from the presidential ballot in the state of Colorado, where the state Supreme Court ruled he was ineligible to run for office because of his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Joel Paul, professor of constituional law at the University of California Hastings Law School in San Francisco breaks down the arguments and what the Court’s decision could mean for the 2024 presidential election. Israel pressed on with its bombing campaign as diplomats sought to salvage ceasefire talks after Netanyahu rejected a Hamas proposal that also envisaged the release of hostages held by the Palestinian militant group. Nimrod Goren, Senior Fellow for Israeli Affairs at the Middle East Institute joins VOA’s Steve Miller to discuss the latest developments in the conflict between ISrael and Hamas, as well as the impact on the region. Early Thursday morning, NASA, the US-space agency, launched its next climate and Earth monitoring satellite. NASA Atmospheric Scientist Kirk Knobelspiesse provides insights into the U.S. space agency’s mission and what it hopes to achieve.

How do leaders determine a proportional response to an attack that effectively responds but doesn’t unnecessarily escalate the situation? Baylor University political science professor Peter Campbell. What’s the intersection of gender and Russia’s war on Ukraine? Aberystwyth University’s Jenny Mathers discusses the political economic and military dynamics affecting Russia, Ukraine and Ukraine's international supporters, and the security relationship among them. From counting machines to neural networks, the development of artificial intelligence has paralleled emerging brain science. Hayde Fitzpatrick narrates this story from Matt Dibble.

Former US President Donald Trump came away from Tuesday’s New Hampshire Primary with the most votes, but his chief opponent, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, wasn’t too far behind. US President Joe Biden also won his write-in campaign in the state and garnered a big union endorsement. How is the 2024 US Presidential election shaping up? To discuss the results and what's next, University of Mary Washington Political Science and International Affairs chair Rosalyn Cooperman joins the program. Chad’s lead visited Moscow as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured four African nations. Christine Cheng, professor of war studies at King’s College London, discusses the continent’s strategic importance to both nations. As the world marks Holocaust Remembrance Day on Saturday, many people in Israel are comparing the genocide of the Holocaust to the Hamas massacre of October 7. Some of those affected by October 7 were Holocaust survivors themselves.