Month: May 2021

The sanctioning of Albania’s former leader for “significant corruption” is being cast as part of a drive by the new U.S. administration to fight corruption and promote democracy worldwide. But some analysts are questioning the wisdom of punishing a foreign politician for actions not directly affecting the United States. In announcing the sanctions on Sali Berisha …

Read more “US Sanction of Former Albanian PM Sends Message but Raises Questions”

Desperate teenagers and jobless men from Morocco’s coastal towns, its mountainous east or even farther away converged on the border town of Fnideq this week, part of an extraordinary mass effort to swim or scale barbed-wire fences to get into Spain for a chance at a new life.More than 8,000 migrants made it into the …

Read more “Migrant Surge on Spain-Morocco Border Brings More Suffering “

James E. Pepper bourbon is as old as America itself.”Originally founded during the American Revolution,” says its current owner, Amir Peay, who adds that since it was established in 1780, this distinct brand of bourbon made in Kentucky has passed the lips of many prominent Americans. “The favorite brand of Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Jackson, …

Read more “Kentucky Bourbon Producer Welcomes Pause in EU Tariff Hike”

German health officials said Friday the nation has broken the third wave of COVID-19 infections, but cautioned the pandemic is far from over.German Health Minster Jens Spahn, joined by Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases (RKI) President Lothar Wieler, said the nation as a whole — and most of Germany’s 400 cities and counties — …

Read more “German Health Minister Says 3rd COVID Wave Broken”

International exports of bourbon, an American whiskey mostly made in the southern state of Kentucky, have dropped dramatically as a result of the trade war that began during former President Donald Trump’s administration. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh reports, tariffs imposed by the EU on bourbon continue to hurt Kentucky’s $8 billion industry which employs more than …

Read more “Kentucky Bourbon Industry Welcomes Pause in EU Tariff Hike”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced alarm at Russia’s military build up in the Arctic region, at a summit of the Arctic Council in Iceland late Thursday.     “We’re committed to advancing a peaceful Arctic region where cooperation prevails on climate, the environment, science and safety and where sustainable economic development benefits the …

Read more “US, Russia Spar Over Military Buildup at Arctic Summit”

An inquiry into how the BBC secured the 1995 interview with Britain’s Princess Diana in which she disclosed intimate details of her failed marriage concluded on Thursday that the journalist involved had acted deceitfully. The BBC set up the investigation, headed by former senior Court judge John Dyson, in November following allegations from Diana’s brother Charles …

Read more “BBC, Journalist Bashir Criticized Over 1995 Princess Diana Interview “

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced alarm at Russia’s military build up in the Arctic region, at a summit of the Arctic Council in Iceland late Thursday.     “We’re committed to advancing a peaceful Arctic region where cooperation prevails on climate, the environment, science and safety and where sustainable economic development benefits the …

Read more “US, Russia Spar Over Military Build-Up at Arctic Summit”

Spain, one of the early epicenters the COVID pandemic, has been rushing to get its population vaccinated.  Thirty-three percent now have received at least a first dose.  But aid agencies and advocates estimate many of the country’s one million undocumented migrants are not getting vaccinated because of fear. Jonathan Spier narrates this report from Alfonso …

Read more “Language Barriers, Fear Keep Spain’s Migrants from Getting COVID Vaccine”

The European Union Thursday announced it has signed a third contract with Pfizer-BioNTech for an additional 1.8 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, running from the end of this year through 2022.  Announcing the new contract in a statement posted to her Twitter account, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for 900 million …

Read more “EU Signs Contract with Pfizer for 1.8 Billion Additional Vaccine Doses “

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional director for Europe said Thursday that COVID-19 cases in the region have dropped by 60% in the past month but cautions that progress is fragile and European countries are still struggling with the pandemic. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus. Speaking at his weekly briefing in Copenhagen where …

Read more “WHO Europe Director Cautions COVID-19 Progress ‘Fragile’ “

Climate change and cooperation among Arctic states are among the topics of discussion Thursday in Reykjavik, Iceland, as the Arctic Council holds a ministerial meeting.“We value our strong international cooperation through the Council to address the climate crisis and keep the Arctic region peaceful,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said ahead of Thursday’s talks.Earlier …

Read more “Top US, Russian Diplomats Meet Face-to-Face at Arctic Summit”

Bulgaria’s caretaker government appears poised to approve a series of freedom-of-information requests from the country’s media which are likely to fuel explosive allegations of corruption against former prime minister Boyko Borissov and a group of his business associates, say local journalists.   And the caretaker prime minister, Stefan Yanev, who has been in power for …

Read more “Bulgaria’s Borissov Battles Graft Claims as Caretaker Government Starts Clean-Up”

Climate change and cooperation among Arctic states are among the topics of discussion Thursday in Reykjavik, Iceland, as the Arctic Council holds a ministerial meeting.“We value our strong international cooperation through the Council to address the climate crisis and keep the Arctic region peaceful,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said ahead of Thursday’s talks.Earlier …

Read more “Arctic Nations to Discuss Climate, Security”

The United States says it is ready to work with Russia to advance areas where the two nations have “intersecting interests,” while continuing to defend U.S. interests and respond if Moscow acts aggressively against Washington and its allies.”There are many areas where our interests intersect and overlap, and we believe that we can work together …

Read more “Top US, Russian Diplomats Meet in Iceland to Cooperate on ‘Intersecting Interests’”

The U.S. will waive sanctions against the German company leading construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, according to a State Department report sent to Congress on Wednesday. The report noted that while the German firm Nord Stream 2 AG and its CEO had violated U.S. law in their work with Russia to build the natural …

Read more “US Waives Sanctions on Firm Working on Germany-Russia Pipeline  ”

After protests against police violence in France, tens of thousands of officers and their supporters staged their own rally Wednesday in Paris, demanding tougher measures against violence and insecurity that have targeted their ranks.Police, politicians and ordinary Parisians braved a mix of sun and pelting rain to protest outside France’s National Assembly.Loren Bazan, 29, whose …

Read more “Thousands Join Paris Police Rally Against Violence, Insecurity  “

Nicola Sturgeon took the oath of office Wednesday to return as Scotland’s first minister following an election earlier this month that saw her Scottish National Party (SNP) win a resounding election victory, allowing her to push ahead with plans for a second independence referendum. The SNP won 64 seats in the Scottish parliament, just one short …

Read more “Nicola Sturgeon Sworn in Again as Scotland’s First Minister”

The European Union announced Wednesday it would recommend its member countries allow fully vaccinated visitors from outside the bloc.European Commission spokesman Christian Wigand told reporters in Brussels that ambassadors of the EU’s 27 member states agreed to ease the criteria for nations to be considered a safe country from which all people can travel.  Currently, …

Read more “EU Could Ease Restrictions on Nonessential Visitors”

An international team of scientists gathering in Spain Wednesday will launch a project to determine once and for all where famed explorer Christopher Columbus came from by examining his DNA.While Columbus has long been claimed by Italy, there is also speculation he may have been Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian or even Polish. There is little known …

Read more “International Team to Study Columbus DNA to Determine His Origin”

The European Union has slammed Belarus for its closure of the country’s biggest independent online news publication, Tut.by, as one of its reporters left prison after serving six months for her reporting on the death of a protester killed during a crackdown on demonstrations against authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka. In a statement on May 19, an …

Read more “EU Slams Belarus For Shutting Independent News Site”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are set to meet Wednesday on the sidelines of the Arctic Council ministerial in Reykjavik, Iceland. It will be the first face-to-face meeting for the top U.S. and Russian diplomats and comes at a time of heightened tension between their countries.  The meeting will also set the stage for …

Read more “Top US, Russian Diplomats to Meet in Iceland”

It’s a grand day for the French. Cafe and restaurant terraces reopened Wednesday after a six-month coronavirus shutdown deprived residents of the essence of French life — sipping coffee and wine with friends. The French government is lifting restrictions incrementally to stave off a resurgence of COVID-19 and to give citizens back some of their signature …

Read more “Grand Day for the French: Cafe and Bistro Terraces Reopens”

A Paris summit on supporting African nations hard-hit by COVID-19’s fallout wrapped up Tuesday with sweeping calls for massive financial and vaccination support for Africa — and a broader sea change in relations between donor nations and the continent. French President Emmanuel Macron called earlier for a new deal for Africa. Among the goals he and …

Read more “Africa Financing Summit in Paris Ends With Calls for Funding, Vaccines”