Month: February 2022

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called Wednesday for “pausing” diplomatic relations with Spain, not breaking them, as he escalated his criticism of Mexico’s former colonial power, which he says has exploited Mexico.  Lopez Obrador made the comments at a regular news briefing during which he requested a “breather” in official ties, stating “the relationship …

Read more “Mexican President Calls for ‘Pause’ in Diplomatic Relations With Spain “

Ukrainian communities in some large California cities are taking to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to express support for their homeland as Russia seems to be preparing to invade Ukraine. Khrystyna Shevchenko has this report from California. …

French President Emmanuel Macron is pursuing a poisoned peace plan, say critics in Europe, who fear the outcome of his talks this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin could be to strengthen Moscow’s hand in the crisis over Ukraine.    A backlash is building to Macron’s visits this week to Moscow and Kyiv among fellow …

Read more “Backlash to Macron’s Ukraine Proposals Builds”

The so-called Minsk accords of 2014 and 2015 attempted to end the war in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine between Ukraine and Russian-speaking separatists in the disputed areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. In 2014, representatives of Ukraine and Russian separatists agreed to a 12-part cease-fire deal in the Belarus capital of Minsk. The deal …

Read more “What Are the Minsk Accords?”

Top Russian commanders arrived in neighboring Belarus on Wednesday, set to oversee 30,000 Russian troops as they train for 10 days with the Belarusian military in the latest show of Moscow’s force along the Ukrainian border. Russia has moved two battalions of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and numerous fighter jets into Belarus for the exercises, …

Read more “Top Russian Commanders Arrive in Belarus for Military Drills”

An international humanitarian official warns a war in Ukraine would be cataclysmic, potentially engulfing neighboring countries and turning into a regional conflict. Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland just spent a week along the government side of the frontline that separates Ukrainian armed forces from the Russian-backed rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine. He …

Read more “War in Ukraine Could Spark a Regional Conflict  “

After years of deteriorating relations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is inviting his Israeli counterpart to visit. The invitation signals a rapprochement that observers say is driven by powerful mutual interests, including concerns over Iran’s nuclear program and the future of oil and gas imports from Russia and Iran. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from …

Read more “Iran, Energy Issues Drive Turkey-Israel Reset”

Turkey’s broadcasting watchdog has given three international news agencies 72 hours to obtain an operating license or else have access to their platforms blocked, a member of the agency said on Wednesday. Ilhan Tasci, who also is an opposition lawmaker, criticized the move by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) to request licenses from …

Read more “Turkey Says Deutsche Welle, Others Must Obtain Licenses or Have Access Blocked”

U.S. President Joe Biden has threatened to block the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline if Russia invades Ukraine.   The undersea pipeline directly links Russian gas to Europe via Germany and is complete but not yet operating. It has become a major target as Western governments try to deter a Russian attack on its …

Read more “Explainer: What’s Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Pipeline to Europe?”

Britain’s health secretary says he wants the people who have delayed their non-COVID medical appointments to come back to the National Health Service. Sajid Javid told Sky News, “I want them all to come back because I want them to know the NHS is there, it’s open for them.” Javid said the NHS estimates between …

Read more “Britain’s NHS Wants People to Stop Delaying Medical Appointments “

U.S. President Joe Biden hosts German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for a White House meeting Monday that is likely to be dominated by efforts to deter a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The two NATO members have expressed support for bolstering NATO troop positions in the eastern part of the alliance, with the United States ordering …

Read more “US, German Leaders to Discuss Ukraine Crisis “

The threat of conflict along the Russia-Ukraine border is at the top of the agenda for separate talks Monday in Moscow and Washington, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hosting French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden welcoming German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the White House. The White House said Biden and Macron spoke …

Read more “Meetings in Moscow, Washington Aim to Address Russia-Ukraine Crisis”

French President Emmanuel Macron Sunday downplayed the likelihood of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying in a newspaper interview that the massing of Russian forces on Ukrainian borders is likely part of a wider Kremlin strategy to secure Western concessions rather than a prelude to a full-scale offensive. “The geopolitical objective of Russia today is …

Read more “Macron Flies to Moscow Claiming His Diplomacy Will End Ukraine Crisis”

Pope Francis on Sunday decried the genital mutilation of millions of girls and the trafficking of women for sex, including openly on city streets, so others can make money off of them.  In remarks to the public in St. Peter’s Square, the pope noted that the day was dedicated worldwide to ending the ritual mutilation, …

Read more “Pope Decries Female Genital Mutilation, Sex Trafficking of Women”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz set off Sunday for Washington seeking to reassure Americans that his country stands alongside the United States and other NATO partners in opposing any Russian aggression against Ukraine. Scholz has said that Moscow would pay a “high price” in the event of an attack, but his government’s refusal to supply lethal …

Read more “German Leader’s Stance on Russia Looms Over First Visit to US”

A photographer who previously worked for RFE/RL’s Belarus service has been arrested and taken to pretrial detention in Minsk, his relatives say. Relatives of photographer Uladz Hrydzin told RFE/RL on Sunday that he was taken to the Akrestsina detention center and that his trial would take place Monday. The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAZh) also …

Read more “Former RFE/RL Photographer Detained in Minsk on Unknown Charges”

Amid ongoing tensions with Russia, the Biden administration is warning that the more than 100-thousand Russian troops along Ukraine’s border could still launch an invasion at a moment’s notice. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more. …

The United States now believes a Russian invasion of Ukraine “could happen at any time,” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday, in what would be the biggest military operation in Europe since World War II.    “We believe that the Russians have put in place the capabilities to mount a significant military …

Read more “US: Russian Invasion of Ukraine ‘Could Happen at Any Time’ “

Russia is reporting a record daily count of new coronavirus infections of 180,071, a tenfold spike from a month ago as the highly contagious omicron variant spreads through the country.  The figure released by the state coronavirus task force on Sunday was about 2,800 cases more than recorded the previous day and continued a surge …

Read more “Russia Hits New Daily COVID Record: 180,000 Cases”

Britain’s Prince Charles led tributes to his mother, Queen Elizabeth, on the 70-year anniversary of her accession to the throne on Sunday, saying it was an opportunity for the country to unite and celebrate her service to the nation.    Charles also thanked the queen for her statement on Saturday that she hoped the heir to …

Read more “Prince Charles Leads Tribute to Queen After 70 years on  Throne “

France and the European Union are investigating why a mass of dead fish was released by a huge trawler in the Atlantic Ocean off France, after an environmental group released dramatic video and photos of the incident. The images by the group Sea Shepherd show a blanket of dead blue whiting fish floating on the …

Read more “Mass of Dead Fish in Atlantic Prompts European Inquiry”

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor wasn’t born to wear the crown. But destiny intervened. The woman who became Queen Elizabeth II will mark 70 years on the throne Sunday, an unprecedented reign that has made her a symbol of stability as the United Kingdom navigated an age of uncertainty. From her early days as a glamorous …

Read more “Elizabeth the Steadfast: Queen Marks 70 Years on Throne”

Russia has assembled at least 70% of the military firepower it likely intends to have in place by mid-month to give President Vladimir Putin the option of launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials say. The officials, who discussed internal assessments of the Russian buildup on condition they not be identified, sketched out a …

Read more “Officials: Russia at 70% of Ukraine Military Buildup”

One person was killed and four others were injured in an avalanche in western Austria on Saturday, police said, a day after two other avalanches killed seven skiers as heavy snowfall followed by warmer weather made for unusually dangerous conditions.  Austrian broadcaster ORF said the person killed in Saturday’s avalanche in the municipality of Schmirn, …

Read more “Eight Killed in 2 Days After Third Deadly Avalanche Hits Austria”