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GENEVA — United Nations humanitarian workers are calling on Russia to immediately end its armed attacks in Ukraine as the intensification of fighting in the eastern part of the country in recent days causes a surge in civilian casualties and displacement, and the destruction of critical infrastructure.    “What we are seeing on the ground is that people are being evacuated from the areas of heavy fighting or are fleeing. Now, you can imagine, for the people, for the civilians living there, this is beyond distressing,” Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, told journalists in Geneva Tuesday. “For many of them, it is really difficult to know what to do. Many of them really do not want to leave. That would be a question of leaving their homes, leaving their animals, leaving their plants, their gardens, a really personal kind of impact,” she said. Russian forces have seized more Ukrainian territory and taken control of several small settlements since they launched an attack Friday near Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv. “Several waves of attacks in the Kharkiv region over the past few days have caused the death and injury of numerous civilians, including children,” said Lisa Doughten, director of financing and partnership division for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, in a briefing to the Security Council Tuesday,  “These attacks have triggered yet more displacement from border and front-line communities,” she said. “As of today, authorities report that over 7,000 civilians were evacuated from border areas of the Kharkiv region. “And they have had devastating consequences for civilians who remain in those areas, with many cut off from access to food, medical care, electricity and gas,” she said. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded more than 700 civilian casualties across Ukraine in April. The number includes at least 129 civilians who were killed and 574 injured, “the majority amid attacks by Russian armed forces along the front lines.” While April saw a slight increase in the number of civilians who were killed compared with the previous month, the report noted that the number of injured civilians “increased significantly” for the second month in a row. “Our human rights monitoring team in Ukraine, which is continuing to analyze information from the ground, has verified that at least eight civilians have been killed and 35 injured in the Kharkiv region since last Friday,” Throssell said, describing conditions there as dire. “Continuing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which since March have affected millions across the country, have also meant daily power cuts in many parts of Kharkiv,” she said. In April, the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented 34 attacks on energy infrastructure in government-controlled territory and 13 incidents in territory occupied by the Russian Federation. While most civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure have occurred in Ukraine-controlled territory, OCHA says that people in Russia-occupied regions of Donetsk and Sumy, in eastern and northern Ukraine, “also experienced attacks” Tuesday and over the weekend.   “Local authorities and humanitarian partners on the ground said homes and civilian infrastructure were damaged during the attacks,” OCHA said. Between February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine and February 24, 2024, the OHCHR reports 10,582 civilians have been killed and 19,875 injured, including 587 children who have been killed and 1,298 injured. “These are the figures the U.N. has been able to verify.  We know the true number is likely much higher,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF special coordinator for the refugee and migrant response in Europe in a statement Monday. “As we see in all wars, the reckless decisions and actions of adults are costing children their lives, safety, and futures. “UNICEF continues to call for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine and for all children to be protected from harm…and to end the brutal use of explosive weapons in populated areas,” she said. In issuing this call, the UNICEF official echoed that of the OHCHR for the Russian armed forces to halt their offensive, to withdraw to internationally recognized borders, and to make every effort to avoid or “at least minimize civilian casualties when conducting their operations.”  In the meantime, OHCHR spokesperson Throssell said that the high commissioner continued to regularly engage with leaders and with permanent missions in Geneva to achieve these goals.   “We believe that it is incredibly important to keep making these calls.  They may not be heeded in the first instance but as you know, part of the work of our office is to monitor, is to document as part of an overall aim of establishing accountability for violations,” she said. While acknowledging that, in some cases, this could take years, she stressed the importance of monitoring and documenting for future accountability “what is happening in terms of human rights violations and atrocities” committed in this brutal war.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the opening of the application period for the Citizenship and Integration Training Academy (CITA), a new funding opportunity under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program.

Abuja — Human rights activists in Nigeria are criticizing a new bid put forward by Nigerian lawmakers to punish drug trafficking with the death penalty.  The proposed measure is part of authorities' efforts to escalate a crackdown on drug abuse and trafficking. The law, if passed, would allow judges to issue the death sentence to people convicted of producing, supplying or selling narcotics.  Currently, the maximum sentence is life in prison. The Nigerian Senate adopted the bill on Thursday, despite opposition by some lawmakers who raised concerns about the possibility of wrongly sentencing and executing an innocent person. Human rights group Amnesty International also criticized the new measure. Aminu Hayatu is a researcher for the human rights group. "It's a regressive legislative attempt by the Nigerian lawmakers. Once someone's life has ended, they have lost the opportunity to live to tell the truth. We also need to look at the history of our prosecutions over time. There have been quite a number of mistakes. In Nigeria, Amnesty International has had a persistent call against [the] death penalty. And apart from that, the worldwide campaign against that is actually in line with the promotion of human rights," said Hayatu. But not every voice is against the bill. Supporters say the law could prove to be a more effective deterrent compared to a life sentence.   Ibrahim Abdullahi is the founder of Muslim Media Watch Group, one of the organizations supporting the bill. "It seems as if the punishment as contained in the law that we have presently [has] not served as deterrent enough. Luckily, over 20 countries across the whole world made [the] death penalty as the punishment for drug trafficking. So, if Nigeria follows suit, it's not too much. So, I see it as a very good step to serve as [a] deterrent to peddlers of drugs," he said. The Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives must approve the amendment before it can be sent to the president to sign into law.   The country is seeing an increasing trend of drug abuse and has in recent years gone from being a transit country to a hub of the drug trade. Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says over 14 million Nigerians use illegal drugs.  The majority use locally-grown cannabis, but many others use cocaine, heroin, or amphetamine-type stimulants.   The drug trade is often fueled by lack of legitimate economic opportunities. Abdullahi said besides adding the death penalty, corruption should also be addressed. "You can't fight drug addiction without fighting corruption. Now that this law is about to be promulgated, more stringent laws should be made to fight corruption in Nigeria so that officers who are guilty of taking bribes to conceal crimes or not to prosecute diligently will also be dealt with seriously. So, as we fight drug trafficking, we should fight the attendant corruption," he said. More than 3,000 Nigerians are on death row for various offenses — the highest number in the world. Rights activists have been campaigning to change that and compel authorities to abolish the death penalty. But they say proposing the death penalty for more offenses only makes matters worse. 

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There is little that the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Joe Biden agree on. One is the presidential candidacy of an activist lawyer with a famous political pedigree: Robert F. Kennedy, Junior. VOA’s chief national correspondent Steve Herman at the White House reports both the Biden and Trump camps see Kennedy as a potential spoiler in this November’s election. Camera and edit: Adam Greenbaum

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Caen, France — French police Wednesday were hunting for a group of gunmen who killed two prison officers in an attack at a motorway toll booth that freed a convict linked to gangland drug killings. The killings and dramatic getaway by the perpetrators have shocked France, with authorities under pressure to catch those responsible, who all remain at large. "We have put a lot of resources into finding not only the person who escaped", but also "the gang that released him under such despicable circumstances," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told the RTL broadcaster. "We are putting in considerable resources, we are making a lot of progress," he added. On Tuesday, more than 450 police officers and gendarmes were mobilized just for the search in the northern department of Eure where the attack took place, he said. 'We will be uncompromising' Two prison officers were killed in the attack and three others wounded, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said late on Tuesday. One of the injured men was fighting for his life in hospital and two more were receiving critical care, she said. The incident took place late on Tuesday morning at a road toll in Incarville in the Eure region of northern France. The inmate was being transported back to his prison in the town of Evreux after he was questioned by a judge in the regional center of Rouen in Normandy. The prosecutor said the prison van was rammed head-on by a stolen Peugeot vehicle as it went through the toll crossing. But the van and another vehicle in the prison convoy were also followed by an Audi. Gunman emerged from the two cars and shot at both prison vehicles. "We will be uncompromising," President Emmanuel Macron said on X, describing the attack as a "shock." French television channels broadcast footage of the attack taken by surveillance cameras at the toll, showing the Peugeot colliding head on with the prison van. In the video, several gunmen dressed in black emerge from both attack vehicles. A firefight ensues and one individual appears to be guided away from the van by the gunmen. A vehicle believed to have been used by the attackers was later found as a burned-out wreck at a different location. 'Never have imagined ' The prison officers who died, both men, were the first to be killed in the line of duty since 1992, according to Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti. One of them was married and had twin children while the other "left a wife who is five months pregnant," he said. Prison officer unions announced a day of minimum service on Wednesday and asked for urgent measures to improve the safety of staff. Dupond-Moretti said he would meet union representatives on Wednesday. "We are in mourning," Vanessa Lefaivre, of the FO union at the Fleury-Merogis prison outside Paris told AFP. "We would never have imagined that prison staff would be killed like this." 'Kills more than terrorism' Prosecutor Beccuau named the inmate as Mohamed Amra, born in 1994, saying that last week he had been convicted of aggravated robbery and charged in a case of abduction leading to death. But a source close to the case said that Amra was suspected of involvement in drug trafficking and of ordering gangland killings. Another source said he is suspected of being at the head of a criminal network. Some media said he had the nickname "La Mouche" (the fly). His lawyer Hugues Vigier said Amra had already made an escape attempt at the weekend by sawing the bars of his cell and said he was shocked by the "inexcusable" and "insane" violence. "This does not correspond to the impression that I had of him," the lawyer told BFMTV. The incident came on the same day as the French Senate published a damning report warning that government measures had been unable to prevent the flourishing of the narcotics industry in France. "Narco-banditry kills many people, much more than terrorism," said Darmanin, also pointing to the responsibility of drug users. "One cannot at the same time cry for the widows and orphans of the Eure toll booth attack and then smoke a joint... this is called schizophrenia." Law and order is a major issue in French politics ahead of next month's European elections and the prison van ambush sparked fierce reactions from politicians, especially the far right. "It is real savagery that hits France every day," said Jordan Bardella, the top candidate for the far-right National Rally (RN), which is leading opinion polls for the elections.

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NEW YORK — A sprightly miniature poodle named Sage was crowned "Best in Show" on Tuesday at the 148th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, winning the grand prize in the most prestigious competition among pure-bred canines in the United States. Sage, the finalist representing 21 breeds classified as non-sporting dogs, triumphed over more than 2,500 top-ranked dogs competing in the two-day contest, held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Queens borough of New York City. Sage, a 4-year-old black-colored female groomed in the fine, fluffy topiary style traditional for poodles, competed head to head against the winners in six other groups — terriers, hounds, herding dogs, working dogs, sporting dogs and toy dogs. She was the first female to win the top prize at Westminster since 2020, according to commentators on the Fox Sports channel, which broadcast the event live. And she became the fourth miniature poodle to claim the top prize in the 148-year history of the contest, with the trophy previously going to her breed in 1943, 1959 and 2002, according to kennel club records. The larger "standard" poodle breed has been declared Best in Show five times, most recently in 2020, and the smaller "toy" poodle breed has won twice. The poodle originated as a hunting dog in Germany and is now recognized as the national dog of France. Sage's handler, Kaz Hosaka, cried tears of joy and carried his prized poodle in his arms around floor of the auditorium to cheers of the crowd as he celebrated what he said was his 45th year participating at the Westminster dog show and the last of his career. The Westminster dog show bills itself as the second-oldest U.S. sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby thoroughbred horse race. This year's competition drew a field of contenders representing 200 breeds from all 50 U.S. states and 12 other countries. Mercedes, a female 4-year-old German shepherd, was named runner-up for the overall contest, after first winning the top prize in the herding dog group. Along with Sage and Mercedes, the two other finalists chosen on Monday were Comet the Shih Tzu, representing the toy group, and Louis, the Afghan hound leading the hound group. Rounding out the finalists were three group winners chosen on Tuesday - Micah the black cocker spaniel, representing sporting dogs; Monty, the giant schnauzer, leading the working dogs; and Frankie, a colored bull terrier from the terrier group.

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.

SYDNEY — Researchers in New Zealand say that artificial intelligence, or AI, can help solve problems for patients and doctors.   A new study from the University of Auckland says that an emerging area is the use of AI during operations using so-called "computer vision." The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, says that artificial intelligence has the potential to identify abnormalities during operations and to unburden overloaded hospitals by enhancing the monitoring of patients to help them recover after surgery at home. The New Zealand research details how AI “tools are rapidly maturing for medical applications.”  It asserts that “medicine is entering an exciting phase of digital innovation.” The New Zealand team is investigating computer vision, which describes a machine’s understanding of videos and images.    Dr. Chris Varghese, a doctoral researcher in the Department of Surgery at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, led the AI research team. He told VOA the technology has great potential. “The use of AI in surgery is a really emerging field. We are seeing a lot of exciting research looking at what we call computer vision, where AI is trying to learn what surgeons see, what the surgical instruments look like, what the different organs look like, and the potential there is to identify abnormal anatomy or what the safest approach to an operation might be using virtual reality and augmented reality to plan ahead of surgeries, which could be really useful in cutting out cancers and things like that.” Varghese said doctors in New Zealand are already using AI to help sort through patient backlogs.   “We are using automated algorithms to triage really long waiting lists," he said. "So, getting people prioritized and into clinics ahead of time, based on need, so the right patients are seen at the right time.” The researchers said there are limitations to the use of artificial intelligence because of concerns about data privacy and ethics. The report concludes that “numerous apprehensions remain with regard to the integration of AI into surgical practice, with many clinicians perceiving limited scope in a field dominated by experiential” technology. The study also says that “autonomous robotic surgeons…. is the most distant of the realizable goals of surgical AI systems.”

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.