Month: April 2022

The European Union executive proposed on Wednesday laws to curb excessive litigation aimed at silencing critical journalists and rights advocates by governments and businesses—a form of harassment it said was on the rise from Croatia to Poland. In its latest health check of the state of democracy in the 27-nation bloc, the Brussels-based European Commission …

Read more “EU Proposes Law to Curb Lawsuits Meant to Silence Journalists, Rights Advocates”

According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, female soldiers and officers make up about 15% of Ukrainian army combat forces. Since 2014, more than 30,000 Ukrainian women have become combat veterans. Those numbers have shot up since the Russian invasion. Mariia Prus has the story. …

This week’s French presidential contest boiled down to a debate between nationalism and globalism — and globalism prevailed in the victory of President Emmanuel Macron, an ally of President Joe Biden. What can the U.S. learn from this as Biden’s party faces elections? VOA’s Anita Powell reports. …

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hosting U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for talks Thursday, while Ukraine calls for an embargo on Russian energy supplies and U.S. President Joe Biden prepares a proposal for military, economic and humanitarian aid. Guterres arrived in Ukraine intent on working to “expand humanitarian support and secure the evacuation of civilians from …

Read more “Ukraine Hosts UN Chief Guterres, Urges Russian Oil Embargo”

Ukraine’s sinking of the Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea fleet, puts new scrutiny on Ankara’s policy of banning most Russian warships from entering the Black Sea. Analysts suggest the Ukraine conflict is changing the balance of power in Turkish-Russian relations. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. Camera: VOA/Courtesy …

The nations of Central Asia find themselves walking a tightrope over the war in Ukraine, unhappy over Moscow’s unprovoked attack on another former Soviet republic but economically dependent on Russia and fearful of angering its leader. The response, in Uzbekistan and elsewhere, has been a carefully guarded policy of neutrality as laid out last month …

Read more “Fear of Russia Drives Central Asian Response to Ukraine War “

Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister said Wednesday that the list of war crimes committed by Russian troops in her country grows daily and accountability is critical. “The city of Mariupol has turned into dust,” Emine Dzhaparova told an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council. “Thousands of civilians live in blockade without water, electricity, communications and …

Read more “At UN, Calls for Accountability for Atrocities in Ukraine”

The United States and Russia have exchanged high-profile prisoners, even amid strained relations over Moscow’s two-month-old invasion of Ukraine. As VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports, Russia is holding other wrongfully detained Americans. …

Tensions are rising in the eastern Moldovan region of Transnistria, a de facto separatist region, as authorities there blame Ukraine for a recent series of attacks on government facilities. Kyiv denies this, and observers say the danger is rising that Russia could use the attacks as an excuse to open a new front against Ukraine …

Read more “In Moldova, Fears of a Russian Intervention”

A hands-off approach to moderating content at Elon Musk’s Twitter could clash with ambitious new laws in Europe meant to protect users from disinformation, hate speech and other harmful material.  Musk, who describes himself as a “free speech absolutist,” pledged to buy Twitter for $44 billion this week, with European Union officials and digital campaigners …

Read more “Musk’s Twitter Ambitions Likely to Collide with Europe’s Tech Rules “

The World Health Organization says the war in Ukraine has interrupted lifesaving immunizations in Ukraine, setting back years of progress in countering vaccine preventable diseases. This is World Immunization Week, a time to celebrate the marvel of vaccines that have saved the lives of countless millions. WHO spokesman Bhanu Bhatnagar spoke about vaccinations at an …

Read more “WHO: War Interrupts Routine Lifesaving Immunizations in Ukraine”

The United States and Russia exchanged high-profile prisoners on Wednesday even as the two countries remain sharply at odds over Moscow’s two-month invasion of Ukraine. Russia freed Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine jailed in Russia since 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted a police officer when he was detained after a heavy night …

Read more “US, Russia Swap Prisoners Facing Lengthy Sentences”

Jan Lipavsky, the Czech Republic’s foreign minister, spoke to VOA during a visit to Washington this week. The conversation focused on his country’s support for Ukraine including its EU membership aspirations, post-war reconstruction, the Czech Republic’s upcoming EU rotating presidency beginning July 1, as well as the enduring challenge coming from Beijing.    “I am 100% …

Read more “VOA Interview: Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky “

The road toward Chernobyl is littered with Russian soldiers’ discarded ration boxes and occasional empty bullet shells in a subtle but harrowing warning of the invasion’s terrible risk for the infamous nuclear site.  Tuesday marked the 36th anniversary of what is considered the worst ever nuclear disaster, and there was relief the hulking so-called sarcophagus …

Read more “‘Very Dangerous’ Situation: Chernobyl Marks Anniversary Amid War”

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Tuesday that the Biden administration supports legislation that calls for some of the proceeds being seized from Russian oligarchs to go “directly to Ukraine.”   “That’s not the current circumstance,” Garland told the Senate Appropriations Committee as lawmakers questioned him about the property and assets the Justice Department is …

Read more “US Supports Sending Seized Oligarchs’ Assets to Ukraine”

He is not low key or known for listening, key attributes of his former German counterpart, Angela Merkel.   But with his reelection Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron has arguably cemented another role, some say: succeeding Merkel as the European Union’s de-facto leader, with his call for a stronger, closer EU resonating, especially with the war …

Read more “With Reelection, France’s Macron Gains New Influence in Europe”

Russian state news agencies say a gunman opened fire in a kindergarten in the nation’s western Ulyanovsk region, killing two students and a teacher before killing himself. The Tass news agency, citing a regional law enforcement official, said the attack occurred in the village of Veshkayma. They said the gunman burst in during “quiet time,” …

Read more “Gunman Kills 3 in Russian Kindergarten”

Turkey faces growing domestic and international backlash over the conviction of Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, who was imprisoned for life without parole on Monday on charges of seeking to overthrow the government. The case, widely condemned as politically motivated, could strain ties with Turkey’s Western allies. Seven co-defendants were sentenced to 18 years in prison. …

Read more “Ankara Rejects Growing Global Criticism over Turkish Philanthropist’s Life Sentence”

With the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, an increasing number of experts are warning of worldwide food shortages. Some experts say the war will put long-term food security in jeopardy. Azerbaijan’s food supply relies heavily on imports from Russia and Ukraine.  Azerbaijan imported goods worth roughly $470 million from Ukraine and $2.74 billion from Russia in …

Read more “Analysts Assess Impact of Russia-Ukraine War on Food Security in Azerbaijan”

 U.N. member states voted Tuesday to hold the five permanent Security Council members more accountable when they cast their vetoes.  The General Assembly adopted the draft resolution by consensus – or without a vote. It was put forward by Liechtenstein and co-sponsored by more than 100 countries. The resolution requires the president of the General …

Read more “At UN, Veto Under Spotlight”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is headed to Moscow for a meeting Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a renewed bid to try to get him to agree to a pause or end to his two-month assault on Ukraine. Guterres’ spokesperson said the U.N. chief is later going to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on …

Read more “UN Chief Guterres to Meet with Putin on Ukraine War”

World leaders from Washington to Beijing have congratulated Emmanuel Macron, who became France’s first president in two decades to be reelected, with nearly 59% of Sunday’s runoff vote. But with high abstention and a historically high score for his far-right opponent Marine Le Pen, Macron faces big challenges pushing through his second-term agenda — and …

Read more “After Difficult Reelection, France’s Macron Eyes June Legislative Vote”

A Turkish court sentenced Osman Kavala, a prominent Turkish civil rights activist and philanthropist, to life in prison without parole Monday after convicting him of trying to overthrow the government by financing protests. Kavala, 64, has been in jail for the past 4½ years on charges that he helped finance and organize protests that began …

Read more “Turkish Philanthropist Jailed for Life After Widely Criticized Trial”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Monday, ahead of planned visits to Ukraine and Russia in efforts to end the Ukrainian conflict. Neither Guterres nor Erdogan spoke to the media after their talks in the Turkish capital, but both issued statements. The U.N. chief’s office recognized and praised …

Read more “UN Secretary-General Stops in Ankara on Way to Kyiv, Moscow”