Month: January 2022

Relations have rarely been good between Albania and Serbia. But for Serbian footballers playing in the land of their erstwhile foes, the sport transcends the long-standing differences between the rivals. “Football is a fabulous tool for learning to live together,” said Luka Milanovic, 29, who is one of 15 Serbian footballers playing professionally in Albania. …

Read more “Serbians and Albanians Kick Aside Differences on Football Pitch”

Portuguese voters go to the polls Sunday, two years earlier than scheduled, after a political crisis over a blocked spending bill brought down the minority Socialist government and triggered a snap election. The Socialist Party has been in power since 2015, with Portugal one of only a half-dozen European countries having a left-of-center government. It …

Read more “EXPLAINER: Can Portugal Election Clear Political Roadblock?”

Many in Taiwan do not see parallels between Russia’s threats against Ukraine and their situation with China. Instead, much of the concern in Taiwan has focused on whether their closest ally, the United States, would become distracted by Europe or act in bad faith toward Ukraine — hinting at how Taiwan might be treated one …

Read more “Taiwanese Sympathetic to Ukraine”

In a break from the past, the U.S. and its allies are increasingly revealing their intelligence findings as they confront Russian preparations for invading Ukraine, looking to undercut Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans by exposing them and deflecting his efforts to shape world opinion. The White House in recent weeks publicized what it said was …

Read more “US Tries to Name and Shame Russian Disinformation on Ukraine”

Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be preparing to launch an invasion of Ukraine, with more than 100,000 troops positioned around the country. Certainly, the U.S. believes that’s the case and President Joe Biden has warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that an attack could come in February. But Russia denies it’s preparing to invade, and …

Read more “EXPLAINER: Russia’s Risky Options Beyond Full Ukraine Attack”

European allies agreed on Friday to draw up plans within two weeks for how to continue their fight against Islamist militants in Mali, Denmark’s defense minister said, after France said the situation with the Malian junta had become untenable. Tensions have escalated between Mali and its international partners since the junta failed to organize an …

Read more “Europeans Set Two-Week Deadline for Reviewing Mali Situation”

The most senior U.S. military officer warns Russia will end up blazing a path of death and devastation, for all sides, should it decide to resolve its differences with Ukraine by using military force.  U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley issued the blunt admonishment Friday during a rare news conference at …

Read more “US Warns ‘Horrific’ Outcome Nearing in Ukraine if Moscow Eschews Diplomacy”

Editor’s note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this past week, as seen from the United Nations perch.  UN chief: We cannot abandon the Afghan people  The U.N. secretary-general warned on Wednesday that Afghanistan is “hanging by a thread,” as the organization appealed for a total of …

Read more “UN Weekly Roundup: January 22-28, 2022”

Russia’s military buildup near Ukraine has expanded to include supplies of blood along with other medical materials that would allow it to treat casualties, in yet another key indicator of Moscow’s military readiness, three U.S. officials tell Reuters. Current and former U.S. officials say concrete indicators — like blood supplies — are critical in determining …

Read more “Officials Say Russia Moved Blood Supplies Near Ukraine, Adding to US Concern,”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday the United States and NATO have not addressed Moscow’s concerns in its standoff with Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin made the remarks in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, contending Western diplomatic responses did not consider Russia’s concerns about NATO expansion, stopping the deployment of alliance weapons …

Read more “Russian President Says West Ignored Security Demands”

Germany’s health minister said Friday the omicron variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is “well under control” in the nation, even though he said he expects the number of daily cases to double to nearly 400,000 cases before it begins to drop.  Speaking at a news conference Friday in Berlin, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach …

Read more “German Health Minister Says Omicron COVID-19 Wave ‘Well Under Control’”

Pope Francis denounced fake news about COVID-19 and vaccines Friday, blasting the “distortion of reality based on fear” but also urging that people who believe such lies are helped to understand true scientific facts. Francis met with Catholic journalists who have formed a fact-checking network to try to combat misinformation about the pandemic. Francis has …

Read more “Pope Denounces Fake News About COVID, Vaccines, Urges Truth”

A Swedish-Kenyan company, Opibus, has introduced the first African-designed and manufactured electric bus in Kenya with the aim of bringing clean energy to public transportation. Opibus, Kenya’s first company to make electric motorcycles, plans to launch the bus commercially in a few months and bring it to markets across Africa by 2023. As other vehicles …

Read more “Swedish-Kenyan Group Introduces Electric Buses in Kenya”

China is watching with growing interest as Russia and the West face off over Ukraine. With more than 100-thousand Russian troops deployed on the Ukrainian border, there is growing concern among Western nations that the Kremlin is planning an imminent invasion. Moscow has denied any such plans. Western nations have threatened unprecedented economic sanctions against …

Read more “China Eyes Risks and Rewards of US-Russia Standoff Over Ukraine”

Some supporters of Burkina Faso’s military coup this week were seen celebrating with Russian flags and calling for their country to switch alliances from France to Moscow. While the extent of pro-Russia sentiment in Burkina Faso is unclear, there is no doubt many are fed up with French efforts to help fight gangs and Islamist …

Read more “Pro-Russia Sentiment Grows in Burkina Faso After Coup”

Some supporters of Burkina Faso’s military coup this week were seen celebrating with Russian flags and calling for their country to switch alliances from France to Moscow. While the extent of pro-Russian sentiment in Burkina Faso is unclear, there is no doubt many are fed up with French efforts to help fight gangs and Islamist …

Read more “Pro-Russian Sentiment Grows in Burkina Faso After Coup”

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Thursday warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy there is a “distinct possibility” that Russia could invade Ukraine next month, according to a White House statement. “President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February,” Emily Horne, the White House National Security Council spokesperson …

Read more “Biden: ‘Distinct Possibility’ Russia Will Invade Ukraine”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the U.S. has failed to address Moscow’s main security concerns over Ukraine in the written document delivered Wednesday, but he left the door open for more talks to ease simmering tensions. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.  Produced by:  Bakhtiyar Zamano …

China is watching with interest as Russia and the West face off over Ukraine. Beijing is engaged in its own territorial disputes and has offered political support for Moscow. But as Henry Ridgwell reports, China has also invested billions of dollars in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which could be at risk in the event …

Read more “China Weighs Risks, Rewards of US-Russia Standoff Over Ukraine”

Reports that Russia is connected to this week’s coup in Burkina Faso have made their way to the Pentagon, though U.S. defense officials decline to say whether the allegations have merit.  Burkinabe soldiers went on national television late Monday, announcing they had deposed President Roch Kabore due to “the continuous deterioration of the security situation …

Read more “US Aware of Allegations of Russian Links to Burkinabe Coup”

Cuban sailors working on luxury cruises are reduced to “ ‘slaves’ who only get paid 20% of their wages while the rest of their salaries go to the Cuban government,” according to a report by human rights groups.  MSC Cruises, one of the world’s biggest cruise line companies, was named in the report released Wednesday …

Read more “Cuba Accused of Violating Human Rights of Foreign Workers”

Ukraine’s leaders have been working to calm anxiety among the population as the threat of a Russian invasion continues to loom. On social media platforms, Ukrainians have been trading tips on how to prepare for war. On the streets of the capital, Kyiv, life continues as normal and many people are reluctant to speak openly …

Read more “On Kyiv’s Streets, a Nervous Calm”

Russian officials have said they don’t need peace at any cost, but what price are they prepared to pay for war? The answer to that question would help Western policymakers determine what they must do to deter Russian leader Vladimir Putin as he seeks to remake Europe’s post-Cold War security order to his liking.  Western …

Read more “Is Russia’s Putin a Rash Gambler or Calculating Risk-Taker?”

Nations throughout Europe on Thursday marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a global event to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. The annual commemoration was established by the U.N. General Assembly in November 2005.January 27 was chosen because it was the day in 1945 that the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland was liberated by Soviet troops. …

Read more “Leaders in Europe, Israel Mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day”