Month: August 2017

Dozens of Afghan officials and family members gathered at the presidential palace in Kabul on August 19 to mark the 98th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence from Great Britain. (RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan) …

A prosthetic hand is a critical tool that allows amputees to find normalcy in their lives, but some elements, such as complete freedom of movement and sensations of touch, are not the same as a real hand. “They’ve come a long way and they have a long way to go,” said amputee Charity McFarland, who …

Read more “Researchers Attempt to Develop Smarter Prosthetic Hand”

Russian authorities say “A man was moving along the main streets stabbing people” in the Siberian city of Surgut. Officials say eight people were injured in the attack Saturday. The Russian law enforcement committee said in a statement that “the attacker has been killed,” without providing additional details. Russia’s Tass new agency reports the man …

Read more “8 Stabbed in Siberian City”

As it commemorates World Humanitarian Day, the United Nations is calling for a stop to the deliberate targeting of civilians and humanitarians who risk their lives to assist the many desperate men, women and children caught in war. August 19 is the day when the United Nations lost its innocence. On that day in 2003, …

Read more “Targeting of Civilians, Aid Workers in Conflict Areas Increasing”

At least eight people have been injured in a knife attack in the Russian city of Surgut in Siberia, before the attacker was shot by police, investigators said on August 19. …

The new U.S. special envoy for efforts to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Kurt Volker, will travel to Minsk where he will meet with a representative of the Russian government to “discuss Russian-Ukrainian relations” on August 21. …

A Kazakh-born man accused of working with Russian intelligence officials to hack more than a half-billion Yahoo e-mail accounts has agreed to waive an extradition hearing in Canada and will go to the United States to face the charges. …

Venezuela’s pro-government constitutional assembly took over the powers of the opposition-led congress Friday, dramatically escalating a standoff between President Nicolas Maduro and his political foes. The move is likely to trigger further international condemnation from the dozens of countries that have already criticized the creation of the all-powerful assembly as an undemocratic power grab by …

Read more “Pro-government Assembly in Venezuela Takes Congress’ Powers”

The top U.S. general and his Japanese counterpart have agreed to work together to strengthen missile defenses for Japan, as Tokyo announced that they will introduce the land-based Aegis Ashore system for additional protection against the North Korean missile threat. General Joe Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a small group …

Read more “Top US General Commits to Work With Tokyo to Strengthen Missile Defense”

U U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday told senior officials he has decided to dismiss his chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who from the beginning of the six-month-old tumultuous administration has been his most controversial adviser. Bannon, who is credited with helping Trump get elected, had clashed for months with other powerful West Wing figures. White …

Read more “Trump Tells Aides Bannon Is Out”

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will travel to Ukraine next week to meet with President Petro Poroshenko and Ukraine’s defense chief, a visit Kyiv has said could involve the signing of new defense agreements. …

Prosecutors in Tajikistan have asked a court to sentence a Russian woman to six years in prison for an alleged “attempt to smuggle” a tsarist-era copper coin out of the country. …

The wires protruding from the small, misshapen stuffed animal revealed the deadly booby trap tucked inside. For the people of Mosul, the sophisticated bomb was a reminder of how difficult it will be to return to homes littered with explosives hidden by Islamic State militants and dotted with the remnants of undetonated bombs dropped by …

Read more “US Helping Clear ‘Historic’ Amount of Explosives in Mosul”

A rift between the U.S. president and his own political party widened Thursday as Donald Trump publicly criticized two Republican senators, and another senator from the party questioned the president’s stability and competence. The latest targets of the president’s wrath are Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona. Graham, a former presidential …

Read more “Widening Rift Between Trump, His Party Seen as Unprecedented”

A U.S. researcher says she has developed automated ways to identify links between online sex trafficking ads and the digital currency Bitcoin, techniques that may help locate children being sold for sex. Law enforcement and anti-trafficking groups could use the methods to investigate Backpage.com, an online classified advertising site where sex ads can be found, …

Read more “Algorithms Could Tie Trafficking Ads to Their Buyers”

Aleksei Navalny, the Russian anticorruption crusader and foe of President Vladimir Putin, says the alleged son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov is living a life of luxury well beyond his means. …