Russia faced mounting international condemnation amid reports of possible war crimes committed by Russian forces in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha and other parts of Ukraine. In a post on Twitter on April 3, European Council President Charles Michel said Moscow will face “further EU sanctions.” Michel said he was “shocked by haunting images of …
Polls opened across Hungary early Sunday as voters in the Central European country faced a choice: take a chance on a diverse, Western-looking coalition of opposition parties, or grant nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban a renewed mandate with a fourth consecutive term in office. The contest is expected to be the closest since Orban took …
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Ukraine said Saturday it is in control of the capital city of Kyiv and its surrounding areas, as Russian troops have withdrawn. U.S. and other Western defense and intelligence officials have warned that Moscow is repositioning its forces in preparation for what the Kremlin has said will be a renewed focus on the Donbas region …
Read more “Ukraine Says It’s in Control of Capital, Surrounding Areas”
Britain is experiencing a record number of COVID-19 cases, with almost 5 million people, or 1 person in every 13 infected, according to official data. The news of the spike in infections came on the same day that Britain stopped giving free rapid COVID tests to most of its population, as part of Prime Minister …
Read more “Omicron Variant Causes Spike in COVID-19 Cases in Britain”
Pope Francis visited the grotto Sunday where St. Paul lived after washing up on Malta, recalling the welcome the apostle received and urging better treatment of modern-day arrivals on the Mediterranean island. On the final day of his weekend trip to Malta, the 85-year-old pontiff will also hold open-air mass before visiting a migrant center …
Read more “Pope Evokes Malta’s Welcome of St. Paul In Migrant Appeal”
Serbians headed to the polls Sunday in elections that will likely see populist President Aleksandar Vucic extend his rule in the Balkan country, as he vows to provide stability amid war raging in Ukraine. The country of around 7 million will elect the president, deputies for the 250-seat parliament and cast votes in several municipal …
Read more “Serbians Vote in ‘Stability’ Polls Overshadowed by War in Ukraine”
A group of Russians and Ukrainians who have immigrated to the U.S. and live in Los Angeles have flown to Hungary to help Ukrainian refugees there. Marina Ratina, ex-producer of the popular cartoon series “Masha and the Bear,” is among them. Angelina Bagdasaryan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera – Vazgen Varzhabetian. …
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The Muslim holy month of Ramadan — when the faithful fast from dawn to dusk — began at sunrise Saturday in much of the Middle East, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent energy and food prices soaring. The conflict cast a pall over Ramadan, when large gatherings over meals and family celebrations are a …
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The friendship of Ukrainian musician Valeriya Sholokhova and Russian musician Nikita Morozov transcends the fighting between their countries. For VOA News, Iacopo Luzi has the story. Camera: Iacopo Luzi …
This is Radio Ukraine calling. A new Prague-based internet radio station has started to broadcast news, information and music tailored to the day-to-day concerns of some 300,000 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in the Czech Republic since Russia launched its military assault against Ukraine. In a studio at the heart of the Czech capital, radio …
Read more “New Radio Station in Prague Helps Ukrainian Refugees Adapt”
French President Emmanuel Macron held his first big rally Saturday in his race for reelection, promising the French more “progress” and “solidarity” over the next five years, but his campaign has hit a speed bump. It’s been dubbed “the McKinsey Affair,” named after an American consulting company hired to advise the French government on its …
Read more “Macron Holds 1st Big Rally; Rivals Stir up ‘McKinsey Affair’”
A diverse coalition of opposition parties made their final appeal to Hungarian voters Saturday ahead of the country’s fiercely fought election that will decide whether nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues his autocratic rule for a fourth consecutive term. Several hundred supporters of the six-party coalition, United For Hungary, gathered in the rain in central …
Read more “Opposition Vows End to Orban’s Autocratic Rule in Hungary”
United Nations agencies say humanitarian needs are increasing and spreading throughout Ukraine as the war there intensifies and expands to more areas of the country. The World Food Program says food is dwindling and becoming harder to get in Ukraine. Despite the security risks, WFP says it has managed to provide food to 1 million …
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Ukrainian forces were advancing Saturday into areas north of Kyiv as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused departing Russian soldiers of leaving behind mines. A Red Cross convoy was heading to Mariupol, set to try again to evacuate civilians from the besieged port. Fighting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian soldiers of deliberately mining areas …
Read more “Ukraine and Russia: What You Need to Know Right Now”
Ukrainian forces were advancing on Saturday into areas north of Kyiv littered with debris and destroyed Russian tanks as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused departing Russian soldiers of leaving behind mines. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said Ukrainian troops had retaken more than 30 towns and villages in the region since Russia announced this week …
Read more “Ukraine Forces Retake Areas North of Kyiv as Russians Look Eastward”
Irina, her husband and 4-year-old son hid in the cellar of their house in Chernihiv, north of Kyiv, for three weeks as intense fighting, including a tank battle, raged around them. “At first my son seemed to be coping okay,” she says. “But then with unrelenting stress, shelling and blasts, there was a deterioration — …
Read more “Psychiatrists Worry About Ukraine’s Long-Term Mental Health Challenges”
Pope Francis set off on a two-day visit to the Mediterranean island nation of Malta Saturday, a visit that was postponed in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The pope is expected to use this visit to address the issue of European migration, which has become an increasing concern with the war in the …
Read more “Pope Embarks on Trip to Malta; Migration Main Concern”
Pakistan’s military chief Saturday slammed Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, calling for immediate cessation of what he described as a “huge tragedy” being inflicted on a smaller country. General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s rare criticism of Moscow evidently was at variance with that of his country’s embattled prime minister, Imran Khan, who has advocated Islamabad’s neutrality …
Read more “Pakistan Army Chief Blasts Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine”
New details have emerged about Belarusians fighting for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion as part of a broader struggle to free their own country from Russian domination and the rule of Moscow-backed autocrat Alexander Lukashenko. Speaking exclusively to VOA in a Tuesday phone interview, the deputy commander of the largest pro-Ukraine Belarusian fighting force said its …
Read more “How Belarusian Fighters in Ukraine Evolved Into Prominent Force Against Russian Invasion”
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters a second month, social media and television continue to constantly broadcast disturbing images and news about the conflict. That’s raising some concerns about the effect it might be having on children’s mental health. Video: Artyom Kokhan …
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A Red Cross convoy traveling to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol will make another attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged port Saturday as Russian forces looked to be regrouping for new attacks in the southeast. Mariupol, encircled since the early days of Russia’s 5-week-old invasion, has been Moscow’s main target in Ukraine’s southeastern region …
Read more “Red Cross Heads Again for Mariupol as Russia Shifts Ukraine Focus”
The U.S. Defense Department announced Friday it is allotting $300 million in “security assistance” for Ukraine to bolster the country’s defense capabilities, adding to the $1.6 billion Washington has committed since Russia invaded in late February. The package includes laser-guided rocket systems, drones, ammunition, night-vision devices, tactical secure communications systems, medical supplies and spare parts. …
Read more “Pentagon Commits Extra $300 Million in Security Aid to Ukraine”