Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered his forces not to storm a steel plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol where the last remaining Ukrainian forces have been holed up. Putin told Sergei Shoigu, his defense minister, in a televised meeting that Russian forces should blockade the plant “so that a fly cannot not …
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Cameroon’s energy ministry has said Western sanctions on Russia have driven up the cost of fuel imports and led to a fuel shortage. The lack of diesel fuels this week left hundreds of trucks taking goods to the neighboring Central African Republic and Chad stranded at the borders. Cameroon says thousands of buses, trucks and …
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Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak stressed his nation’s plans to increase its defense capabilities during a visit Wednesday to Washington, where he was greeted by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. During a meeting at the Pentagon, Austin commended Poland for its humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine, saying it has not only …
Read more “US Visit Highlights Poland’s Rising Military Capabilities “
Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 96th birthday at her Sandringham estate on Thursday as gun salutes rang out across London and Windsor and military bands played “Happy Birthday.” Britain’s longest serving monarch, who celebrates a historic platinum jubilee this year, was pictured with two white ponies in a photo released for the occasion. Government ministers joined …
Read more “Queen Elizabeth’s 96th Birthday Marked With Gun Salutes”
France faces a stark choice in Sunday’s second-round run-off between the centrist Macron and the anti-immigration Le Pen …
The United States is imposing new sanctions on dozens more individuals and entities accused of evading financial penalties imposed on Moscow …
As Russia launched new attacks Wednesday on the embattled Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, President Joe Biden convened his military leadership to get the latest assessment of the Russian invasion. “I want to hear from all of you and your assessments on what you’re seeing in the field and across our forces,” Biden said to …
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Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he will visit Israel on May 24 amid increasing efforts between the regional rivals to mend ties, four years after they expelled ambassadors. Turkey and Israel have in recent weeks been working to mend their long-strained ties, and energy has emerged as a potential area of cooperation. President Tayyip …
Read more “Turkey’s Top Diplomat to Visit Israel on May 24 Amid Efforts to Mend Fences”
In a good month, the Russian-language news site Slavic Sacramento averages around 50,000 readers. But when Russia invaded Ukraine, that figure tripled. Founded in 2014 and catering to a large Russian-speaking community that has set up home in Sacramento, California, and in other American cities, Slavic Sacramento covers a mix of local and national U.S. …
Read more “Diaspora Media Work to Counter Russian Propaganda”
Turkey’s robust stance against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine is becoming an impetus to improve relations with the United States, a NATO ally. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has unequivocally condemned the invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, Ankara has sold — in the face of Moscow’s criticism — Turkish-made drones that continue …
Read more “Ukraine Conflict Offers Turkey Reset With Washington “
The Wimbledon tennis tournament announced Wednesday it is banning Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s matches starting in late June because of what officials said was Russia’s “unjustified” invasion of Ukraine. The ban will keep some of the world’s top players from competing at one of the world’s premier tournaments at London’s All England …
Read more “Wimbledon Bans Russian, Belarusian Entrants Because of Ukraine Invasion “
Hundreds of Ethiopians reportedly have been been lined up for days outside the Russian embassy in Addis Ababa this week in hopes of being recruited to fight for Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine. But the embassy has dismissed claims it is recruiting foreign fighters and says the Ethiopians are there to show their solidarity …
Read more “Ethiopians Line Up at Russian Embassy as Officials Deny Recruitment Effort”
Turkish authorities jailed a journalist on Tuesday pending trial after he announced hackers had stolen personal information from government websites and shared some of it with him, including President Tayyip Erdogan’s ID card, as proof, his lawyer said. The independent journalist, Ibrahim Haskologlu, posted the announcement on Twitter, illustrating it with a partially obscured photo …
Read more “Turkey Formally Arrests Journalist Over Posts on Personal Information Leak”
A court in Moscow has rejected an appeal by the independent radio station Ekho Moskvy against moves by the government to restrict the broadcaster’s reach, which led to its decision to close. The Taganka district court on April 20 refused to recognize as illegal the decision by Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, to restrict access to …
Read more “Moscow Court Rejects Ekho Moskvy’s Appeal Against Broadcasting Restrictions”
The World Food Program says it is scaling up delivery of food aid into previously inaccessible areas of Ukraine’s conflict but too many areas remain out of reach. Seven weeks into the Ukrainian conflict, the United Nations has recorded nearly 5,000 civilian casualties, including more than 2,000 killed—figures the U.N. considers to be conservative. At …
Read more “WFP Says Food Now Reaching Ukraine’s Formerly Inaccessible Areas”
A British judge on Wednesday formally approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States to face spying charges. The case will now go to Britain’s interior minister for a decision, though the WikiLeaks founder still has legal avenues of appeal. The order, which brings and end to the years’-long extradition battle closer, comes …
Read more “Judge Sends Assange Extradition Decision to UK Government”
Russia said Tuesday it will expel 15 Dutch diplomats, saying they have two weeks to leave the country. The retaliatory move following the Netherlands’ expulsion last month of 17 Russians whom Dutch officials said were intelligence officers posing as diplomats. In response to Tuesday’s announcement, Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra said in a statement, …
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As Western sanctions against Russia continue to mount, observers in Azerbaijan are concerned about the potential ramifications in a country with close economic ties to Moscow. Some experts believe Russia’s worsening economic position will harm Azerbaijan’s trade relations and money transfers with the country, which is Azerbaijan’s main import partner and home to over 2.5 …
Read more “Western Sanctions on Russia May Have Repercussions for Azerbaijan”
The world economy will grow at a slower pace because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the International Monetary Fund said in a report Tuesday. The organization forecasts growth of 3.6% this year, compared to 6.1% last year. Originally, it had predicted 4.4% growth this year. “The economic effects of the war are spreading far and …
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a “wholehearted” apology Tuesday for attending parties that were banned during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, he did say he didn’t know he was breaking the rules. Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak have been under investigation for 12 parties at both 10 Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, …
Read more “British PM Johnson Apologizes Over Attending Illegal Parties During COVID Lockdowns”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed Tuesday for a four-day humanitarian pause this week to coincide with Orthodox Easter, as Russia’s war in Ukraine entered a dangerous new phase. “The onslaught and terrible toll on civilians we have seen so far could pale in comparison to the horror that lies ahead,” he said of the Russian …
Read more “UN Chief Appeals for Four-Day Orthodox Easter Humanitarian Pause in Ukraine”
The World Health Organization says escalating fighting in Ukraine is preventing emergency medical supplies and health personnel from reaching many people in need of help. Since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly two months ago, the World Health Organization has delivered some 218 metric tons of emergency medical supplies. Roughly two-thirds have reached their intended destinations, mostly …
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Ukraine says Russia has begun its offensive to take control of eastern Ukraine while a Russian missile attack hit the western city of Lviv, killing at least seven people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address Monday, “Now, we can already state that the Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, …
Read more “Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Says Battle for Eastern Ukraine Has Started “
Swedish police said Monday that the riots that have shaken several cities and towns in the Nordic country are extremely serious crimes against society and suspect some protesters are linked to criminal gangs that intentionally target police. Sweden, a nation of 10 million, has seen unrest, scuffles, arson and violence since Thursday that has left …
Read more “Sweden Links Riots to Criminal Gangs That Target Police “