In a small studio in Paris, Russian journalist Denis Kataev prepares his evening news show that he hopes will play its part in countering the Kremlin narrative about the invasion of Ukraine. Kataev works for Russian channel Dozhd (Rain), which for over a decade from its Moscow base was the country’s most prominent independent broadcast …
Read more “From Exile, Russia’s TV Rain Seeks to Counter Kremlin Storm”
U.S. professional basketball star Brittney Griner, who has admitted arriving in Russia in February with vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage, testified at a court hearing Wednesday that a language interpreter provided to her translated only a fraction of what was being said as authorities arrested her. Griner, who faces up to 10 …
Read more “Griner Says She Was Denied Adequate Translation in Russian Drug Case”
The two remaining candidates vying to succeed Boris Johnson as British prime minister have pledged a tougher stance on China. Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who quit the government earlier this month, and the current Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are competing to take over from Boris Johnson, who announced his resignation as prime minister earlier this …
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Ukrainian forces have struck a strategically important bridge in the southern part of the country, using what a Russia-appointed official said were rocket systems supplied by the United States. The Antonivskyi Bridge crossing the Dnieper River was closed Wednesday following the Ukrainian strike. Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russia-appointed administration for the Kherson region, …
Russian and North Korea, both beset by punishing economic sanctions, appear to be looking for ways to help one another while thumbing their noses at the rules-based order espoused by the wider international community, experts say. Five months after invading Ukraine, Russia is being hit by successive rounds of sanctions by the U.S. and its …
Read more “Experts Say Russia Turns to Sanctioned North Korea to Break Rules”
The contest to succeed Boris Johnson as British prime minister is down to two candidates. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, policy towards China has become a key issue on the campaign trail. …
A European court on Wednesday dismissed a challenge by Russia’s state-owned broadcaster RT France against a ban imposed by the European Union. The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg said the EU had the ability to suspend RT France’s operations and that the EU’s actions did not call into question the freedom of expression. Kremlin …
Russia’s foreign minister is heading to Ethiopia Tuesday, his last stop on a four-nation tour of Africa aimed at countering Western criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Western nations blame the invasion for worsening food shortages in record drought-stricken East Africa, including Ethiopia. But Ethiopia has also been under Western pressure over its war with …
Read more “Russian FM Lavrov Heads to Ethiopia, Seeking Closer Ties”
Russia said Tuesday it will pull out of the International Space Station after 2024 to build its own orbiting outpost. The country’s space chief made the announcement during a meeting with President Vladmir Putin. Yuri Borisov, CEO of state space agency Roscosmos, said during the meeting that Russia plans to fulfill a promise to its …
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Britain and the European Union have extended sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The U.K. Foreign Office said on its website Tuesday that the sanctions, which included travel bans and asset freezes, were imposed on 42 new people and entities, including several governors of Russian regions and the Kremlin-installed prime minister …
European Union energy ministers approved a plan Tuesday to reduce natural gas use by 15% in order to cut dependence on Russian supplies. The agreement involves voluntary reductions between August and March, and will allow member states to stockpile supplies ahead of the coming winter months. In case of emergency, the EU could make the …
In late June, HBO premiered a new documentary called Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes, which features newly recovered documents about the events of 1986. VOA Ukrainian interviewed the documentary director James Jones on the details of his work. Khrystyna Shevchenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice …
Ukraine’s military reported Russian missiles strikes struck areas of the Ukrainian Black Sea coast on Tuesday. The attacks hit multiple locations, including the Odesa area and port infrastructure in the city of Mykolaiv. The strikes happened days after a Russian missile attack against Odesa raised questions about an agreement to resume Ukrainian exports from the …
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David Trimble, a former Northern Ireland first minister who won the Nobel Peace Prize for playing a key role in helping end Northern Ireland’s decades of violence, has died, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) said Monday. He was 77. The party said in a statement on behalf of the Trimble family that the unionist politician …
Read more “David Trimble, Architect of N Ireland Peace Deal, Dies at 77”
Pope Francis apologized Monday for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s former policy of separating Indigenous children from their families and forcing them to attend Christian schools, where many were abused. “I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,” Pope Francis said at a former Indigenous residential …
Read more “Pope Apologizes for ‘Evil’ Committed at Canada’s Indigenous Schools”
Sweltering heat broke records across Europe last week, the latest in a series of heat waves that have baked the continent since June. Temperatures crept near or above 40 degrees Celsius in much of western Europe, and the heat is now moving east, where it is expected to linger into August. Heat waves are becoming …
Read more “Why Are Heat Waves Becoming So Common in Europe?”
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is on a first-ever visit to the Republic of Congo as part of a four-nation tour of Africa to seek support against Western pressure over its invasion of Ukraine and soaring food prices that threaten famine in parts of East Africa. The Russian foreign minister met Monday with the Republic …
Read more “Russia’s Lavrov in Republic of Congo to Seek Allies, Deflect Western Criticism”
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is visiting Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Republic of Congo this week, trying to counteract Western blame of Russia for a growing global food crisis. Experts say Russia will push its own narrative as to why it’s attacking Ukraine and use the visit to show it has friends. Lavrov was …
Read more “Lavrov Visit to Africa Seen as Effort to Counter Western Narratives”
New rules designed to conserve energy are set to go into effect for French shops. Stores that are running their air-conditioning or heating will be ordered to keep their doors closed, French Minister of Ecological Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher told RMC radio. Keeping the doors open of air-conditioned shops leads to 20% more energy consumption, Pannier-Funacher …
A local blacksmith in Sumy, Ukraine, who used to weld metal to make furniture, has transformed his business in the face of war. Olena Adamenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage and video editing by Mykhailo Zaika. …
Bulldozers raze makeshift market stalls and buildings Monday morning in Tongolo, a neighborhood in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde. Among the several hundred stall owners is Julio Evina. Evina says it is regrettable that officials are destroying businesses along some major streets in the capital Yaounde and rendering families hungry simply because French President Emmanuel Macron will …
Read more “During Cameroon Visit, French President to Discuss Security, Food and Fuel Shortage”
Britain will host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of winners Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict there, the competition’s organizers said on Monday. While decades-long tradition dictates that the winner of the contest gets to host it the following year, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had said safety and security reasons meant runners-up …
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German business morale fell more than expected in July, the Ifo business sentiment survey showed on Monday, as the institute that compiles it said high energy prices and looming gas shortages had left Europe’s largest economy on the cusp of recession. The Ifo institute’s closely watched business climate index dropped to 88.6, its lowest in …
Read more “Germany on Cusp of Recession, says Ifo, as Business Sentiment Sinks “
Former Los Angeles Lakers player Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings to raise money for his native Ukraine. Medvedenko was a power forward on the Lakers’ championship teams in 2001 and ’02, playing alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. SCP Auctions is donating the entire final sale price of both rings to …
Read more “Former Los Angeles Laker Medvedenko Auctions NBA Title Rings for Ukraine”