Month: October 2018

U.S. lawmakers of both political parties remain incredulous of Saudi Arabia’s explanation for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared at the kingdom’s consulate in Turkey nearly three weeks ago. VOA’s Michael Bowman reports from Washington. …

The governing populist party, which has repeatedly clashed with European Union institutions, was the top vote winner in local elections Sunday, according to an exit poll, but it was headed to lower support than it got in Poland’s 2015 parliamentary elections. The Ispos survey said that in lower level elections for provincial assemblies, the ruling …

Read more “Exit poll: Polish Populists Lead Local Votes, Support Down”

U.S. President Trump criticized Saudi Arabia’s explanation for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying that “obviously there’s been deception, and there’s been lies.” …

Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections entered a second day Sunday following violence and chaos that caused delays and interruptions on the first day of polling. Independent Elections Commission Chairman Abdul Badi Sayat said more than 3 million people out of 8.8 million registered voters cast their ballots Saturday. The biggest turnout was in Kabul and the lowest …

Read more “Day 2 of Afghan Vote After Technical Issues, Attacks”

U.S. President Donald Trump says he hopes to choose a UN ambassador to replace Nikki Haley very soon and says he would prefer to pick a woman for the job. …

As Saudi Arabia faced intensifying international skepticism over its story about the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a senior government official laid out a new version of the death inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul that in key respects contradicts previous explanations. The latest account, provided by a Saudi official who requested anonymity, includes details …

Read more “Saudi Official: Chokehold Killed Writer, Body Carried Out in Rug”

Afghanistan’s long-delayed parliamentary elections have entered into a second day after hundreds of polling stations were closed on the first day of voting due to technical and security issues. …

When the Justice Department unsealed criminal charges detailing a yearslong effort by a Russian troll farm to “sow division and discord in the U.S. political system,” it was the first federal case alleging continued foreign interference in U.S. elections. Earlier Friday, American intelligence officials released a rare public statement asserting that Russia, China, Iran and …

Read more “Is There Interference in US Midterm Elections? What We Know”

Thousands of protesters gathered in central London on Saturday to call for a new referendum on Britain’s departure from the European Union. Organizers want the public to have a final say on the government’s Brexit deal with the EU, arguing that new facts have come to light about the costs and complexity of Britain’s exit …

Read more “Thousands in London Rally for New Brexit Vote”

The U.N. rights chief is urging the Sudan People’s Liberation Army In-Opposition to free hundreds of civilians they abducted in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria region between April and August. A report by the U.N. Mission in South Sudan and the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Office documents horrific cases of abuse and suffering experienced by civilians …

Read more “UN to South Sudan Rebels: Free Abducted Civilians”

Australia’s center-right government has lost its one-seat majority in parliament following a defeat in a by-election in Sydney.  The ballot was prompted by the removal of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister in a party room coup.   The defeat of the governing Liberal party candidate is seen by analysts as an act of retribution by …

Read more “Australia Government Loses Parliamentary Majority”

Afghan voters went to the polling stations across the country on October 20 to vote in parliamentary elections, which are seen as a key test of the government’s ability to provide security across the country. The Interior Ministry announced that an additional 20,000 security personnel had been deployed across the country to protect voters and …

Read more “Afghans Vote In Parliamentary Elections”

A prominent Russian human rights group says city authorities have revoked permission to hold its annual remembrance ceremony near former KGB headquarters in central Moscow honoring the victims of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin’s purges. …

At least two people died and several more were injured on October 19 in an explosion at a fireworks factory outside St. Petersburg, Russian authorities said. …

U.S. prosecutors on Friday agreed to drop criminal charges against Paul Manafort that a jury deadlocked on earlier this year, as a federal judge set a Feb. 8 date for Manafort’s sentencing on charges of bank fraud and filing false tax returns. Prosecutors had favored waiting until Manafort finished cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller …

Read more “Judge Drops Some Charges Against Ex-Trump Campaign Manager Manafort”

The United States and South Korea have suspended another major military exercise in a continued push for diplomacy, the Pentagon said Friday. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said the two militaries would suspend their joint air exercise, dubbed Vigilant Ace, in order to “give the diplomatic process every opportunity to continue.” The decision was announced …

Read more “US, South Korea Suspend Another Major Military Exercise    “