Category: World

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with both the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers in Stockholm on Thursday, amid concerns over troops amassed at their common border. Blinken stressed America’s strong commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and called on both sides to seek a diplomatic solution, as VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. …

Read more “Blinken Dismisses Russian Claims It Is Threatened by Ukraine”

The tale of two South Sudanese brothers recently rescued in the Mediterranean Sea is a common one among the many African migrants seeking better lives in Europe. The two men left Libya on a flimsy boat, but the engine broke down and they were eventually picked up by the Ocean Viking rescue ship. Reporter Ruud …

Read more “Two South Sudanese Migrants Rescued at Sea Tell of Dreams, Hopes”

A Serbian court Thursday jailed four former intelligence officers for up to 30 years over the brutal 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija, a fierce critic of late strongman Slobodan Milosevic. The special court sentenced Serbia’s former secret police chief, Radomir Markovic, and the head of Belgrade’s intelligence branch, Milan Radonjic, to 30 years in …

Read more “Serbia Sentences 4 Former Intelligence Officers in Journalist’s 1999 Murder”

The European Union this week launched a $340 billion fund to boost global infrastructure — which analysts say is aimed a rivaling China’s Belt and Road initiative. But can it compete? Henry Ridgwell has more. Camera: Henry Ridgwell …

The European Union this week launched a $340 billion “Global Gateway” fund to boost global infrastructure, which analysts say is aimed at rivaling China’s Belt and Road Initiative. But can it compete with Beijing’s billions?  The EU says its Global Gateway will finance high-quality digital, climate, and energy and transport infrastructure, including fiber-optic cables, road …

Read more “Can Europe Compete With China’s Belt and Road Initiative?”

Authorities in Belarus raided the homes of dozens of journalists and activists Wednesday, according to a human rights group, in what appeared to be the biggest one-day crackdown on dissent in the past three months. Independent journalists, human rights advocates and activists in at least nine large Belarusian cities had phones and computers seized during …

Read more “Belarus Targets Journalists, Activists with Mass Raids”

The United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada have announced a new round of sanctions against Belarus officials and entities, citing the government’s “ongoing attacks on democracy, human rights, and international norms, and for their brutal repression of Belarusians both inside and outside the country,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said …

Read more “US, EU, UK and Canada Announce New Belarus Sanctions”

Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her likely successor, current Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, Thursday announced new restrictions on the nation’s unvaccinated in an effort to fight the surge in new COVID-19 infections. Merkel and Scholz told reporters in Berlin that under the new rules, the unvaccinated will be excluded from nonessential stores and cultural …

Read more “Germany to Tighten COVID-19 Restrictions on Unvaccinated”

The Duchess of Sussex on Thursday won the latest stage in her long-running privacy lawsuit against a British newspaper publisher over its publication of parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father. The Court of Appeal in London upheld a High Court ruling that the publisher of The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline …

Read more “UK Court Backs Meghan in Dispute over Privacy with Publisher”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned his Russian counterpart Thursday of “serious consequences” if Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine and appealed to him to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict between the Eastern European countries. Blinken’s warning to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov came before the two senior diplomats met in Stockholm and one …

Read more “Blinken Warns Russia of ‘Serious Consequences’ if Russia Invades Ukraine”

President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow would seek Western guarantees precluding any further NATO expansion and deployment of its weapons near his country’s borders, a stern demand that comes amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Ukrainian and Western officials have worried about a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine, saying it could signal …

Read more “Putin Demands NATO Guarantees Not to Expand Eastward”

Last week, a small inflatable boat capsized in the English Channel killing 27 migrants who were attempting to cross from France to the United Kingdom. The family of one of the victims spoke to VOA’s Ahmad Zebari from Soran, Iraqi Kurdistan, about the tragedy’s impact. Rikar Hussein narrates the story. Camera:  Ahmad Zebari  Produced by:  Ahmad Zebari …

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warns Russia Wednesday that any military action in Ukraine will have severe consequences. He plans to meet separately Thursday with both the Ukrainian and the Russian foreign ministers in Stockholm to discuss the heightened border tensions. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. …

Russia said on Wednesday it was ordering U.S. Embassy staff who have been in Moscow for more than three years to fly home by January 31, a retaliatory move for a U.S. decision to limit the terms of Russian diplomats. The step, the latest in an escalating diplomatic row, comes after Russia’s ambassador to the …

Read more “Russia Orders Some US Diplomatic Staff to Leave as Embassy Spat Expands”

The late American entertainer and civil rights activist Josephine Baker has become the first Black woman to be inducted into the Pantheon in Paris, the highest honor that France bestows. Legendary entertainer Josephine Baker famously sang that she had two loves — “J’ai Deux Amours” — my country and Paris.     She was born in Saint Louis, …

Read more “Josephine Baker Gets France’s Highest Honor”

Pope Francis will embark on a trip to Cyprus and Greece on Thursday. The principal focus of this visit is a theme that has been dear to this pope since the start of his papacy: the world’s migration crisis. For the second time in five years, the pope will visit the island of Lesbos which …

Read more “In Cyprus and Greece, Pope Plans to Send Message on Migrants”

A French military spokesperson has denied an accusation that French soldiers shot into a crowd of protesters in Niger late last month. The deteriorating security situation in Africa’s Sahel region has been accompanied by protests against the French forces sent to help African governments battle the Islamist militant groups who are increasingly active in the …

Read more “French Military: Forces Did Not Fire into Crowd of Nigerien Protesters”

European Union leaders said Wednesday they are considering a number of public health options, including vaccine mandates, to address the growing threat posed by the omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.  Speaking to reporters in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said little is currently known about the variant, but enough …

Read more “EU Leaders Consider Mandatory Vaccinations to Fight Omicron Variant”

Migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe make a dangerous journey in overloaded and flimsy boats. Nearly 1,600 have died this year, while the tens of thousands who make it to Europe have no guarantee of being granted asylum. Ruud Elmendorp reports their stories of desperation and hope on board a rescue vessel …

Read more “Migrants Rescued on the Mediterranean Express Relief, Hope for the Future”

The border between Belarus and Poland drew global media attention after thousands of migrants tried to enter the EU encouraged by the government of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. The root of this crisis is the dispute between Warsaw and Minsk, over Poland’s practice of providing refuge to Belarusian political exiles. Elizabeth Cherneff narrates this report …

Read more “Belarus Exiles Find Themselves at the Heart of Poland’s Migrant Crisis”

Greece Is introducing steep fines for unvaccinated people aged 60 and over as infections surge, straining the Greek state healthcare system. The decision is generating debate about civil liberties and freedom in the land that gave birth to western-style democracy. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appeared visibly concerned as he announced the mandate after an urgent cabinet meeting. Mitsotakis said he could not hide that he was – in …

Read more “Greece Orders Seniors to Vaccinate or Pay Fines”

The United States is reaching out to allies in response to Russia’s military build-up along its border with Ukraine. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak Tuesday to discuss what the Pentagon has repeatedly described as Moscow’s “unusual military activity.” The two also shared concerns about …

Read more “US, Poland Talk Russian Military Build-Up Near Ukraine”

After NATO foreign ministers expressed solidarity against any Russian aggression toward Ukraine, the United States on Wednesday confirmed plans for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to hold separate meetings with his counterparts from both countries. A State Department official said the meetings with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will …

Read more “NATO Shows Unity Against Russian Aggression Toward Ukraine”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has again warned Russia of “serious consequences” for any escalatory actions toward Ukraine, as he meets with NATO allies during a trip to Latvia and Sweden. VOA’s senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine reports. …