Month: April 2021

Britain’s Prince Charles paid a personal tribute Saturday to his “dear papa” Prince Philip, saying the royal family missed him enormously and that the 99-year-old would have been amazed at the touching reaction around the world to his death. Philip, the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth who had been at her side throughout her record-breaking 69-year …

Read more “Prince Charles Pays Tribute to ‘My Dear Papa,’ Prince Philip, for Devoted Service”

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin observed the 23rd anniversary of an agreement that ended most of the three decades of sectarian violence over British rule in Northern Ireland Saturday by warning against a return to the prolonged unrest.His warning came after at least 14 police officers were injured in clashes with protesters in Northern Ireland’s …

Read more “Irish Prime Minister Warns Against Return to Violence in Northern Ireland”

For tourists planning a trip to Italy, the Amalfi Coast has been a dream destination. For decades, visitors from around the world have come to this beach resort to enjoy the view from its spectacular coastline and crystal blue waters, its picturesque towns that dot the coast, the friendliness of the locals and the exquisite …

Read more “Amalfi Coast Suffers Economic Losses Due to COVID-19”

A Hollywood fantasy turned into reality Saturday when Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win Britain’s grueling Grand National horse race, breaking one of the biggest gender barriers in sports. Blackmore, a 31-year-old Irishwoman, rode Minella Times to victory at odds of 11-1 in the 173rd edition of the famous steeplechase at Aintree in …

Read more “Blackmore 1st Woman to Win Grand National Horse Race”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called for the “worrying” developments in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region to come to an end after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart in Istanbul, adding that Turkey was ready to provide any necessary support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held more than three hours of talks with Erdogan in Istanbul as part …

Read more “Turkey’s Erdogan Calls for End to ‘Worrying’ Developments in Eastern Ukraine, Offers Support”

Analysts say Russia is increasing arms sales to Myanmar’s military and steadfastly standing by Myanmar’s coup leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, an alliance they say will further Moscow’s foreign policy ambitions across Southeast Asia through future weapons sales.Meanwhile, leaders of at least 10 of ethnic rebel groups have declared their support for the country’s anti-coup …

Read more “Russia Seen Advancing SE Asian Ambitions Through Myanmar Generals”

Plus Ultra was until recently a little-known airline with only four planes that shuttled passengers from a handful of Latin American countries to Spain.Now its name appears on an almost daily basis in the Spanish media after opposition political parties accused Spain’s leftist coalition government of giving it preferential treatment by granting it a $63 …

Read more “Costly Spanish Rescue of Tiny Airline Spotlights Political Divisions Over Venezuela”

The United States is accusing Russia of hiding the true intent of its military buildup along the border with Ukraine following consultations with allies about heightening tensions in the region.U.S. officials declined Friday to share specifics on the number or types of Russian forces they have seen massing near Ukrainian territory. But they described Moscow’s …

Read more “US, Allies Question Moscow’s Motives Near Ukraine”

On the streets of Rome, frustrations with pandemic curbs boiled over this week as desperate protesters, many of them restaurant owners and small-business owners, complained that restrictions and repeated lockdowns aimed at suppressing the transmission of the coronavirus are ruining them. “We can no longer go on like this,” 51-year-old pizzeria owner Ermes Ferrari told reporters. …

Read more “Lockdown Protests Snowball as Europe’s Libertarians Fret About Freedom”

World leaders and members of the public have offered tributes to Prince Philip, the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who died Friday at the age of 99. On the gates of Buckingham Palace, a simple message was posted Friday morning: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her …

Read more “World Leaders Offer Tributes to Britain’s Prince Philip, Who Died at Age 99”

Tributes have been offered from around the world to Prince Philip, the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who died Friday at the age of 99. Henry Ridgwell reports from London. …

A Greek journalist known for his crime reporting was shot dead outside his Athens home Friday, police said.George Karaivaz, who worked for the privately owned broadcaster STAR TV, was known for his coverage of law and order and police stories.Two unidentified people on a motorcycle fired multiple rounds at Karaivaz Friday afternoon near his home …

Read more “Crime Reporter Gunned Down in Athens”

Germany’s top health officials said Friday a nationwide lockdown of two to four weeks is necessary to bring a new wave of COVID-19 infections under control. Health Minister Jens Spahn and Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for Infectious Disease President Lothar Wieler told reporters in Berlin there were 25,000 new infections reported as of Friday, which …

Read more “German Health Officials Say New Nationwide Lockdown Needed to Control COVID-19”

Prince Philip, the Greek-born consort to Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest sitting monarch, has died at the age of 99. The Duke of Edinburgh is best remembered for his sense of duty to the queen, and also his sense of humor. Henry Ridgwell reports for VOA from London. …

Prince Philip, the irascible and tough-minded husband of Queen Elizabeth II who spent more than seven decades supporting his wife in a role that both defined and constricted his life, has died, Buckingham Palace said Friday. He was 99. He was known for his occasionally racist and sexist remarks — and for gamely fulfilling more …

Read more “Britain’s Prince Philip, Husband of Queen Elizabeth, Dies at 99”

Former Bosnian army general Jovan Divjak, who defended Sarajevo during a 44-month siege of the city, died Thursday in the Bosnian capital at the age of 84, his organization said. Divjak was one of the very few ethnic Serbs to fight for the Bosnian army during the devastating 1990s inter-communal conflict that ripped the former Yugoslavia …

Read more “Jovan Divjak, Defender of Sarajevo, Dies at Age 84”

The cement skeleton of the unfinished Eyyub Sultan mosque in France’s eastern city of Strasbourg has become a repository for myriad grievances, ranging from local partisan wrangling to longstanding friction between Islam and this country’s staunchly secular creed.The grievances also reflect mounting fears within the European Union about Turkey’s growing international influence.Claiming concern over foreign …

Read more “Strasbourg Mosque a Lightning Rod for Broader French-Turkish Tensions”

Iran and Venezuela have managed to maintain their commercial relationship, despite U.S. sanctions. Cristina Caicedo Smit reports.   …

After six consecutive nights of rioting in Belfast, fears are growing of a return to violence in Northern Ireland, nearly 23 years after the Good Friday Agreement brought an end to three decades of sectarian killings and bomb attacks. Pro-British unionist supporters are angry at elements of the agreement that Britain signed to leave the European …

Read more “Belfast Riots: Fears of Return to Sectarian Violence as Brexit Stokes Divisions”

About 24 monkeys escaped from a zoo in the town of Loffingen, Germany, and eluded recapture for several hours, local police said Thursday. The Barbary macaques broke out of their enclosure at the Tatzmania wildlife park, police and local media said, about 140 kilometers southwest of Stuttgart, near the border with Switzerland.  People initially spotted the …

Read more “About 24 Monkeys Escape From Zoo in Southwestern Germany”

Northern Ireland political leaders from all sides united Thursday to call for calm after at least four nights of street violence prompted by Brexit-induced trade barriers between the region and the rest of Britain.The latest violence late Wednesday involved crowds of youths in the pro-British area of Belfast setting a hijacked bus on fire and …

Read more “Northern Ireland Leaders Condemn Recent Violence”

Euro-skeptic populist leaders are adjusting political tactics — instead of calling for their countries to follow Britain and quit the European Union, they’re focusing now on changing the bloc from within. “I think after the COVID crisis, the EU needs to reinvent itself and find a new soul,” Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s Lega party and …

Read more “COVID-19 Prompts Rethink of European Populist Tactics  “

Norwegian coast guard and Dutch salvage officials said Thursday they have secured a Dutch cargo ship that has been drifting off the coast of Norway for three days and are towing it.     The Norwegian coast guard Monday used a helicopter to rescue the 12-member crew from the Eemslift Hendrika, which had lost power …

Read more “Abandoned Ship Secured After Drifting Off Norway”

The French Open has been delayed by one week because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governing body of the tennis tournament said Thursday.The French Tennis Federation said first-round matches will now begin on May 30 instead of May 23 because of sharp spikes in coronavirus infections in France. The postponement marks the second year in a …

Read more “French Open Delayed Due to COVID-19”