The U.N.’s premiere global body fighting for gender equality called for a sharp increase of women in global decision-making in a hotly debated final document adopted Friday night that saw continuing pushback against women’s rights and a refusal to address issues of gender identity.The Commission on the Status of Women reaffirmed the blueprint to achieve …
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A commission that spent nearly two years plumbing France’s role in 1994’s Rwandan genocide concluded Friday that the country reacted too slowly in appreciating the extent of the horror that left over 800,000 dead but cleared it of complicity in the slaughter.The report said that France bears “heavy and overwhelming responsibilities” in the drift that …
Read more “Report Clears France of Complicity in 1994 Rwandan Genocide”
A Turkish court sentenced two former police chiefs on Friday to life in prison for their role in the killing of prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink more than 14 years ago, the Turkish state-owned Anadolu news agency said.Editor of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos and a leading promoter of reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian …
Read more “14 Years Later, Turkish-Armenian Journalist’s Assassination Leads to Life Sentences”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday praised a recent Russian military exercise in the Arctic region showcasing the Russian military’s ability to operate in extreme conditions. During the exercise, three nuclear-powered submarines surfaced through the polar ice simultaneously, reported the commander-in-chief of the Russian fleet, Nikolai Yevmenov, during a videoconference with the Russian leader. Yevmenov also said …
The house detention of a Uyghur leader during the Chinese foreign minister’s visit to Turkey this week is stoking concerns among Turkey’s large Uyghur refugee community about deepening ties between Ankara and Beijing. Uyghur leader Seyit Tumturk, head of the East Turkistan National Assembly, was detained at home during Wang Li’s visit to Turkey. Speaking …
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The European Union’s heads of state and government decided at a virtual summit Thursday to withhold explicit approval for a ban on vaccine exports proposed by the bloc’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, opting instead to preserve “global supply chains” and avoid sparking a vaccine war. Von der Leyen highlighted to summiteers the large vaccine …
European Union (EU) leaders have told the British-Swedish makers of the AstraZeneca vaccine they must honor their contract with the EU and deliver promised vaccine before exporting doses to other parts of the world. At a news conference following the summit, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen singled out AstraZeneca, saying “the company …
Read more “EU Leaders Tell AstraZeneca: Deliver Promised Vaccine Before Exporting Elsewhere”
The British government announced Friday its full support for parliamentarians and other citizens of Britain sanctioned by China for raising their voices in defense of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Asian country. “The MPs [Members of Parliament] and other British citizens sanctioned by China today are performing a vital role shining a …
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Chinese state TV called Thursday for a boycott of H&M as Beijing lashed out at foreign clothing and footwear brands following Western sanctions on Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region.The ruling Communist Party criticized H&M for saying in March 2020 it would stop buying cotton from the northwestern Chinese region. …
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Debate over the future of the Commonwealth and Britain’s relationship with its former colonies has been fueled by claims of racism within the royal family in the aftermath of a TV interview this month of Prince Harry and his American wife, Meghan, by media mogul Oprah Winfrey.The couple said that a member of the royal …
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European Union leaders on Thursday offered new incentives to Turkey to improve cooperation on migration and trade despite democratic backsliding in the country and lingering concerns about its energy ambitions in the Mediterranean Sea.Seizing on the recent conciliatory tone from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the leaders said, should the relative calm continue, “the European …
Read more “EU Offers Turkey Aid, Trade Help Despite Rights Concerns”
Claims made by Prince Harry and Meghan of racism within Britain’s royal family have fueled a debate over race and colonialism in the Commonwealth — an association of 54 countries, mostly former British colonies, led by Queen Elizabeth. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell …
Denmark health officials Thursday announced they were extending their suspension of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for another three weeks to allow for more time for safety tests in connection to a fatal blood clot in a vaccine recipient. The ruling comes as Europe’s drug regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the World Health …
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Jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny is in poor health, according to one of his lawyers. The lawyer said Navalny is suffering back pain and has virtually lost the use of one of his legs. Lawyer Olga Mikhailova said Navalny, 44, received an MRI scan but had not been given the results. “In my opinion, …
Read more “Kremlin Critic Navalny In Poor Health, Lawyers Claim”
U.S. President Joe Biden makes a guest appearance at the European Union’s monthly summit Thursday, which will also be dominated by tensions over COVID-19 vaccinations and the pandemic’s latest surge in parts of the 27-member bloc.Discussions with Biden might be one of the few upbeat moments during this EU summit, taking place by videoconference because …
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday defended a European Union (EU) decision to limit exports of coronavirus vaccine to make sure the bloc has enough for its own people. Speaking to Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, Merkel highlighted the importance of the EU producing enough vaccine for itself because other nations are not …
Read more “Germany’s Merkel Says Europe Needs More Vaccine Independence”
Tensions are again rising between France and Turkey with President Emmanuel Macron accusing the Turkish government of meddling in the runup to next year’s French presidential election. After weeks of a relative lull in the often rocky relationship between France and Turkey, French President Emmanuel Macron signaled new trouble, accusing Turkey of meddling in France’s …
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George Kent, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, spoke with VOA’s Ukraine service Wednesday, discussing Ukraine as well as Russia and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.The following interview, held at the U.S. State Department, has been edited for clarity and brevity.VOA: In the last two months since President Joe …
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U.S. officials say Russian state media is citing false reports to undermine faith in Western COVID vaccines to promote Russia’s own Sputnik V vaccine. Daria Dieguts has the story.Camera: Artyom Kokhan …
George Kent, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, spoke with VOA’s Ukraine service Wednesday, discussing Ukraine as well as Russia and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.The following interview, held at the U.S. State Department, has been edited for clarity and brevity.VOA: In the last two months since President Joe …
Read more “VOA Interview: State’s George Kent Discusses US-Ukraine Relations”
Boston and New York are reopening for business, but Paris, Rome and Berlin are shuttered again amid a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.While a quarter of Americans now have at least one COVID-19 shot in their arms, only about 10% of Europeans do. And while a raft of analyses predict the U.S. economy will …
Read more “Coronavirus Upsurge, Slow Vaccinations Darken EU’s Outlook”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to NATO as he sought to strengthen the transatlantic relationship in a two-day summit this week in Brussels, which wrapped up Wednesday.”You have our unshakeable vow: America is fully committed to NATO,” Blinken said in a speech at NATO headquarters in the Belgian capital.He …
Read more “China, Russia Top NATO Agenda as US Seeks to Rebuild Transatlantic Bonds”
Becoming a “free French woman” hasn’t been easy for Claire Koç, a 37-year-old French TV presenter and daughter of Turkish immigrant parents. And it may prove dangerous. To finish her university education and marry the man she loved she had to break with her family. She suffered hostility from them, too, when she decided in …
Read more “In France, a Woman’s ‘Emancipation Journey’ Triggers Death Threats”
The European Commission’s proposal to create a health passport to facilitate safe, free movement inside the EU during the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic could be a solution to save the tourism industry in parts of southern Europe this summer. But with the vaccine rollout off to a slow start and the infection rates going up across Europe, few are hoping for …
Read more “As Europe Debates COVID Passports, Recovery Hopes Fade”