France’s Foreign Ministry has demanded Pakistan authorities withdraw comments made by one of its ministers that President Emmanuel Macon was treating Muslims like Nazis had treated Jews in World War II. The comments posted on Twitter by Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari on Saturday came as part of a clash between Pakistan and …
Read more “France Demands Pakistan Rectifies Macron Nazi Jibe “
Skeletal remains of what are believed to have been a rich man and his male slave attempting to escape death from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago have been discovered in Pompeii, officials at the archaeological park in Italy said Saturday.Parts of the skulls and bones of the two men were found …
Read more “Bodies of Man and His Slave Unearthed from Ashes at Pompeii”
The United Nations’ refugee agency is urging Greece to stamp out migrant abuse and investigate multiple accusations of pushbacks at the country’s sea and land borders with neighboring Turkey.The UNHCR statement issued late Thursday echoes portions of a report published hours earlier by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). The …
Read more “UNHCR, EU Slam Greece Over Migrant Pushbacks, Abuse”
France will always remember 2015 as a deadly year with several terrorist attacks, including one that targeted the Charlie Hebdo magazine headquarters and another at the Bataclan concert hall. But one attack was foiled that year on an Amsterdam-to-Paris train.On August 21, a gunman with an AK-47 and a bag of nearly 300 rounds of ammunition …
Read more “Americans Who Foiled Attempted Attack on Train Are Back in Paris to Testify”
More than 15 million people in Europe have been infected with coronavirus, making it the worst-hit region in the world. Authorities hope new lockdowns will get the situation under control. More with VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo. …
Spain continues to struggle with an influx of migrants arriving at the Canary Islands in recent weeks.Nearly 17,000 migrants have arrived this year, which has overwhelmed a temporary facility at Arguineguin port on Gran Canaria, AFP reported. The facility was designed to hold 400, AP noted, adding that many migrants sleep on concrete and spend …
Read more “Canary Islands Migrant Situation Described as ‘Powder Keg’ “
The shopping holiday known as Black Friday has been postponed for a week in France, as major retailers have accepted the government’s request for delay to help small shop owners, still closed due to the pandemic.With more than $7 billion in sales last year, Black Friday has become a major event in France and a …
Read more “France Postpones Black Friday Shopping Day By One Week”
A Russian court has sentenced a man convicted of spying for the United States to 13 years in prison, Russia’s Federal Security Service said in a statement Friday. On November 17, the Bryansk western regional court declared Yuriy Yeshchenko “guilty of high treason,” the statement said, adding that he would serve the jail term …
Read more “Russia Sentences Man Convicted of Spying for US to 13 Years in Prison”
Britain has announced a $21.8 billion increase in defense spending over the next four years, its largest military investment since the end of the Cold War. The government said it was needed to counter the multitude of threats the country faces, Henry Ridgwell reports. Camera: Henry Ridgwell …
The U.S. Department of the Treasury slapped sanctions on two companies operating out of Russia on Thursday for their alleged involvement in the exploitation of forced labor from North Korea. According to a statement by the Treasury Department, sanctions will be imposed on Mokran LLC, a Russian construction company, and Korea Cholsan General Trading Corp., …
Read more “US Sanctions Two Russia-based Entities Over North Korean Forced Labor”
Saying the world is now more perilous and competitive than at any time since the Cold War, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson proposed Thursday adding nearly $22 billion in new defense spending over the next four years. Speaking remotely to Parliament while isolating for COVID-19 exposure, Johnson said based on the current international situation and …
Read more “British PM Johnson Proposes $22 Billion Defense Increase”
The head of Germany’s disease control agency said Thursday that while the coronavirus infection rate in the country remains serious, there are signs a partial lockdown is working.Germany implemented restrictive measures in early November to curb a nationwide surge in cases, closing bars, restaurants and other leisure venues but keeping schools and shops open.Speaking to …
Read more “German Health Official Says Coronavirus Restrictions Are Working “
The BBC’s board of directors has approved the appointment of a retired senior judge to lead an independent investigation into the circumstances around a controversial 1995 TV interview with Princess Diana, the broadcaster said Wednesday.The announcement came after Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, made renewed claims this month that BBC journalist Martin Bashir used forged statements …
Read more “BBC Names Retired Judge to Lead Probe Into 1995 Diana Interview “
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, forced to go into quarantine earlier this week after exposure to the coronavirus, was able Wednesday to participate in his usual spirited debate with lawmakers during question time at parliament. Johnson was hospitalized earlier this year after testing positive.After wishing the prime minister well, and praising him for self-isolating, main …
Read more “British PM Takes Questions From Parliament Remotely”
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Georgian leaders Wednesday in Tbilisi where he expressed support for Georgia’s sovereignty and strengthening of democratic institutions. On the latest stop of his multi-nation tour visiting allies in Europe and the Middle East, Pompeo held talks with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, followed by a session with Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani. “U.S. cooperation …
Read more “Pompeo Expresses Support for Georgia’s Sovereignty in Tbilisi Talks”
Talks between Britain and the European Union over a future trade deal are going to the wire, as the end of the Brexit transition period approaches fast. Henry Ridgwell reports EU leaders meet in Brussels Thursday as the bloc faces urgent budget concerns.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Produced by: Jason Godman …
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson triggered anger Monday in Scotland when he called the decision to grant Scotland governing powers “a disaster,” and said he did not support granting the nation any additional powers. The reported comments come as surveys show rising support for a second independence referendum.British media report Johnson made the remarks in …
Read more “British PM Johnson: Giving Scotland Self-Governance Was ‘Disaster’”
Germany accused Russia and China on Tuesday of preventing a United Nations Security Council committee from determining whether North Korea has breached a U.N. cap on refined petroleum imports by the isolated Asian state. The Security Council has ratcheted up sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang’s nuclear and …
Read more “Germany Accuses Russia, China of Stalling Over North Korea Fuel Sanctions”
The U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday an American warship “intercepted and destroyed” an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) target in a test conducted Monday northeast of Hawaii.A destroyer equipped with an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System destroyed the mock long-range missile in flight with an SM-3 Block IIA missile, according to the Defense Department’s …
Read more “Missile Launched from US Warship Destroys Mock Long-Range Missile”
Azerbaijan’s Turkish-supported victory over Armenian forces in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave has provided Ankara an opportunity to expand its influence in the Caucuses at the expense of Russia. That’s the conclusion of some observers – as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.Camera: VOA Producer: Rod James …
A British diplomat leaped into a river in southwestern China and rescued a drowning student over the weekend, Britain’s embassy in Beijing and Chinese state media said. Stephen Ellison, the 61-year-old British consul-general in Chongqing, jumped into the water in the municipality on Saturday after spotting the struggling female student, who had fallen in by accident, …
Read more “British Diplomat Saves Drowning Student in China”
A pro-European reformer has won the presidency of Moldova — defeating her Moscow-backed opponent in a second-round vote that centered around the economy, corruption, and what course the small, one-time Soviet republic would choose in the tug and pull between Russia and the West.With all the Incumbent Moldovan President Igor Dodon speaks to media in …
Read more “Pro-EU Reformer wins Moldovan Presidential Election”
Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported a “high intensity” explosion Monday at the Stromboli volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, located off the southern coast of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea.The institute’s surveillance cameras captured the event in visual and thermal format early Monday. The explosion could be seen …
Read more “Italy’s Stromboli Volcano Erupts with ‘High Intensity’”
The European Commission, the European Union’s administrative branch, announced Monday a deal with to purchase 405 billion doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine from German bio-tech company CureVac. The announcement comes just days after EU officials announced a similar deal with German company BioNTech and U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for an initial 300 million doses of …
Read more “EU Signs Deal for 405 Billion Doses of Potential German COVID Vaccine “