Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.

The European Union and France have cut off financial support to New Year.

Then the U.S. is threatening to follow suit, this after military leaders this week over

through the democratically elected president, Mohammad Basoum, Secretary of State, Anthony

Blinken.

Let me be very, very clear about this as I have been in my phone conversations.

Our economic and security partnership with New Year, which is significant, hundreds of

millions of dollars, depends on the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional

order that has been disrupted by the actions in the last few days.

He says the U.S. continues to call for Basoum's release and the restoration of democratic

order.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world getting close to $2 billion a year

in official development assistance.

Ukraine is honoring prisoners of war who were killed or injured in a suspicious explosion

at a Russian prison on occupied land a year ago today.

Paulina Latwinova reports that more than 50 Ukrainian soldiers died at least 100 were

injured.

The prison is called Olenivka and it's located in an occupied part of eastern Ukraine.

This is where Russian forces held captured Ukrainian soldiers who defended the southern port

city of Mariupol.

Ukraine says Russia attacked the prison on July 29 of last year with grenades.

Days later Russia released a list of casualties.

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