UN Committee Accuses Russia of Violating Ukrainian Child Rights

GENEVA — A U.N. watchdog group Thursday accused Russia of violating the rights of Ukrainian children in both Russian occupied territories in Ukraine and in Russia. The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child, a body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the convention, raised many concerns about the killings and injuries of …

Tucker Carlson Visit Gets Intense Coverage by Russian Media

News that American media personality Tucker Carlson was in Russia to interview President Vladimir Putin has received intense news coverage in Russia. Some have described it as a frenzy, one that’s giving insight into how the Russian state handles foreign and domestic journalists. Elizabeth Cherneff narrates this report from VOA’ Moscow bureau. …

Volcano in Iceland Erupts Again, Spewing Lava and Cutting Heat

GRINDAVIK, Iceland — A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Thursday for the third time since December, sending jets of lava into the sky and triggering the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon spa, one of the island nation’s biggest tourist attractions.  The eruption began about 6 a.m. along a 3-kilometer (nearly 2-mile) fissure northeast of Mount …

Russian Election Officials Reject Antiwar Politician’s Bid to Oppose Putin in Next Month’s Vote

TALLINN, Estonia — Antiwar politician Boris Nadezhdin was rejected Thursday as a candidate in next month’s presidential balloting by Russian election authorities, a strong signal from the Kremlin that it would tolerate no public opposition to the invasion of Ukraine. The move by the Central Election Commission provides an even smoother path for President Vladimir Putin …

Russia, Iran Not Invited to Munich Security Conference

BERLIN — Russian and Iranian government officials have not been invited to this year’s Munich Security Conference, as they did not seem open to meaningful dialogue, according to the chairperson of the annual event. The conference, attended by the world’s defense and security elite and sometimes known as “Davos for defense,” will take place in the …

Journalists Criticize Tucker Carlson Over Putin Interview

Washington — Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlon’s announcement on Tuesday that he interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin has been met with disapproval from an array of journalists, some of whom say the Kremlin may use the interview for propaganda purposes. In a video posted on the social media platform X, Carlson said he wanted to …

NATO Allies Pressure Hungary Over Blocking Sweden’s Accession

budapest — Hungary’s NATO allies are turning up the pressure on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to swiftly approve Sweden’s accession to the alliance after his MPs refused an opportunity to vote on the issue this week. Sweden applied to join the alliance in May 2022 in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February …

Prince William Back to Work after Kate’s Surgery and King Charles’ Cancer

London — Britain’s Prince William returned to public duty on Wednesday following his wife Kate’s surgery and news that King Charles had cancer, as his younger brother Prince Harry was set to return to the United States after a flying visit to see their father.  William, the heir to the throne, had postponed all his planned …

UN Chief: ‘Age of Chaos’ Engulfing the World Must End

New York — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday that the world has entered an “age of chaos” that is causing a multitude of suffering and thwarting progress – and must be reversed. “There is so much anger and hate and noise in our world today,” the secretary-general told member states as he laid out his …

Spanish Farmers Block Roads for Second Day

Madrid — Thousands of farmers used tractors to block roads across Spain for the second straight day Wednesday amid Europe-wide protests against cheaper imports and heavy regulation. Farmers gathered at dawn on dozens of roads, snarling traffic, mainly in Andalusia in the south, the northeastern region of Catalonia and Navarra in the north, according to the …

Azerbaijan’s Snap Presidential Elections Come Under Scrutiny

washington — Azerbaijan is set to hold snap presidential elections on Wednesday, with seven candidates vying for the top position. Incumbent President Ilham Aliyev is widely expected to secure victory, though no official reason has been given for the early election.  The leading opposition parties, the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) and the Musavat Party, are …

EU Proposes Tougher Rules to Combat Child Sexual Abuse

Strasbourg, France — The EU unveiled plans for stringent rules on Tuesday to tackle child sexual abuse, giving victims more time to bring their abusers to justice. It is estimated that one in five children in the European Union suffer from some form of sexual abuse or exploitation, European Commission Vice President Dubravka Suica told a …

Paris Knife Attacker Sought to ‘Target French People’

Paris — A Mali-born man suspected of injuring several people with a knife and hammer at a Paris railway station deliberately sought out French people to attack, Paris prosecutors said Tuesday. On Tuesday, the 32-year-old was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault with a weapon, prosecutors said. An investigating magistrate questioned the suspect earlier Tuesday. …

Russia Briefly Detains Journalists at Anti-war Protest

WASHINGTON — A Reuters journalist was among 20 reporters briefly detained by Russian authorities Saturday. Authorities made the arrests as the media covered an anti-war demonstration in Moscow. The journalists, most of whom work for Russian media outlets, had been reporting on a group of women demanding the return of their husbands who were mobilized to …