VOA’s Zubair Dar brings us the story of ‘Pencil Village’ where a factory provides two-thirds of the wood needed to make pencils in India, which exports the old-school writing implement to scores of countries. This report is narrated by Aisha Khalid.

Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s biggest exporters of wheat. Sanctions against Russia and the war in Ukraine are driving up global wheat prices. VOA correspondent Scott Stearns reports from the Western U.S. state of Wyoming on what those higher prices mean for U.S. farmers.

In his new budget, U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed a 20 percent minimum tax on households with a net worth of more than $100 million. The proposal highlights the debate over what the government should do about the soaring fortunes of the wealthiest Americans. VOA’s Laurel Bowman reports.

Russia's military invasion of Ukraine has not only created one of the world’s most tragic humanitarian crises but resulted in economic devastation that will reverberate far beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Kenya's tea and flower exporters say global sanctions to punish Russia for invading Ukraine have halted millions of dollars of Kenyan trade with Russian importers. While they hope for peace, Kenyan traders are looking for alternative buyers. Victoria Amunga reports from Kajiado, Kenya.

What Russia’s war in Ukraine means for food prices around the world

Many western companies and brands have temporarily closed their locations in Russia or stopped selling products there. But officials for the some of the companies say they will continue to support their employees. Karina Bafradzhian has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Artyom Kohkan.

The Ukrainian government is doing what it can to keep the country’s economy running. Still, its money is running out fast. The IMF executive board approved a $1.4 billion loan to Ukraine on March 10. But experts say it won’t last for long. Oksana Bedratenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.

The United States has banned Russian energy imports and wants Saudi Arabia to increase oil production to mitigate a dramatic spike in gas prices. But just how willing Gulf states are to help bring oil prices down remains to be seen. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.