October’s Turkish energy deal with Libya’s Government of National Accord is the latest flashpoint in growing tensions between Turkey and Greece. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, the effects of the rivalry are spreading in regions of Europe and the Mideast. …
Afghan special forces soldiers who fought alongside American troops and then fled to Iran after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal last year are now being recruited by the Russian military to fight in Ukraine, three former Afghan generals told The Associated Press. They said the Russians want to attract thousands of the former elite Afghan commandos …
Read more “Russia Recruiting US-trained Afghan Commandos, Former Generals Say”
The prices of wheat and corn jumped sharply in global trading Monday, after Russia’s announcement over the weekend that it could no longer “guarantee the safety” of civilian cargo ships in the Black Sea and would pull out of a deal that established a humanitarian maritime corridor there. While shipments of grain from Ukrainian ports …
Read more “Global Food Prices Rise with Ukraine-Russia Agreement in Doubt”
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected Turkey’s bid to shut down lawsuits in U.S. courts stemming from a violent brawl outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington more than five years ago that left anti-government protesters badly beaten. The justices did not comment in turning away Turkey’s arguments that American law shields foreign countries from …
Read more “Supreme Court Rejects Turkey’s Bid to Stop US Brawl Lawsuits”
Two environmental activists glued themselves to a dinosaur display at Berlin’s Natural History Museum on Sunday to protest what they said was the German government’s failure to properly address the threat of climate change. The women used superglue to attach themselves to poles holding up the skeleton of a large four-legged dinosaur that lived tens …
Read more “German Climate Activists Glue Themselves to Dinosaur Display “
Germany and the European Union are considering adding Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to the list of terrorist organizations, German Foreign Minister Annalina Baerbock said on Sunday. Last week, Germany announced that it would impose tougher sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran outside of the EU sanctions package. In an interview Sunday with a German news …
Read more “EU Mulls Adding Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as Terrorists – German Official”
Three men were injured early Sunday when a pro-democracy vigil outside the Iranian Embassy in Berlin was attacked, German police said. An officer guarding the property saw several men, whose faces were covered with scarves, tearing down flags and banners from a trailer parked outside. They then sought to rip open the door of the …
Read more “Three Hurt in Attack on Vigil at Iranian Embassy in Berlin”
Several thousand black-clad fascist sympathizers chanted and sang in praise of the late Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on Sunday as they marched to his crypt, 100 years after Mussolini entered Rome and completed a bloodless coup that gave rise to two decades of fascist rule. The crowd of 2,000 to 4,000 marchers, many sporting fascist …
Read more “Thousands Commemorate Italy’s Fascist Dictator Mussolini “
For web: PRAGUE (AP) — Tens of thousands of Czechs gathered in the capital on Sunday to demonstrate their solidarity with Ukraine and their support for democratic values. The rally took place in reaction to three recent anti-government demonstrations where other protesters demanded the resignation of the pro-Western coalition government of conservative Prime …
Read more “Tens of Thousands of Czechs Show Their Support for Ukraine “
King Charles III announced Sunday he would hold a reception ahead of next month’s COP27 climate summit after being advised not to attend by the government. Buckingham Palace said the event on November 4 would gather over 200 “international business leaders, decision makers and NGOs” two days before the summit begins in Egypt. The Palace …
Read more “King Charles III to Hold Climate Event on Eve of COP27”
Thousands of demonstrators defied an official ban to march Saturday against the deployment of new water storage infrastructure for agricultural irrigation in western France, some clashing with police. Clashes between paramilitary gendarmes and demonstrators erupted with Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reporting that 61 officers had been hurt, 22 seriously. “Bassines Non Merci,” which organized the …
Read more “Clashes as Thousands Protest French Agro-industry Water ‘Grab’”
Marine archaeologists in Sweden say they have found the sister vessel of a famed 17th century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and is now on display in a popular Stockholm museum. The wreck of the royal warship Vasa was raised in 1961, remarkably well preserved, after more than 300 years underwater in the …
Read more “Swedes Find 17th Century Sister Vessel to Famed Vasa Warship”
China has emerged as an even more prominent player in world affairs as a result of the crisis in Ukraine and the weakening of Russia, but not necessarily to its advantage, says a Warsaw-based analyst. The two major events that have “shaped or reshaped Europe’s attitude towards China” are the war in Ukraine and how …
Read more “Analyst: Europe Should Rethink China Policy After Party Congress, Ukraine Stance”
U.S. firm Westinghouse Electric Co will build Poland’s first nuclear power plant, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday, confirming a long-awaited decision aiming to reduce the country’s carbon emissions and phase out coal. With Russia waging war in neighboring Ukraine, Poland’s choice of a partner from the United States underlines the emphasis Warsaw places …
Read more “Poland Picks US Offer for Its First Nuclear Power Plant –PM”
Editor’s note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this past week, as seen from the United Nations perch. Russia and Ukraine trade allegations at Security Council Russia called three meetings of the Security Council this week to press its allegations against Ukraine and its Western allies …
The wave of young men fleeing Russia to avoid forced service in the Ukraine war has created a conundrum for the nation’s neighbors, which are torn between a desire to encourage resisters to President Vladimir Putin’s war effort and a fear of admitting Russian agents bent on undermining their societies. The result has been a …
Read more “Russian Refugee Exodus Poses Dilemma for Its Neighbors “
Norwegian climber Kristin Harila on Friday abandoned for now her bid to scale the world’s 14 highest peaks in record time, after China refused to grant her a permit for the final two. Harila had until November 4 to conquer the summits of Shishapangma and Cho Oyu in Tibet to make history and beat the …
Read more “China Stymies Norwegian Mountaineer’s Bid for Record”
A Cypriot delegation in Lebanon on Friday for talks on maritime border delineation between the two countries said any disputes during that process could be easily resolved. “There is no problem between Lebanon and Cyprus that cannot be resolved easily,” said Cypriot special envoy Tasos Tzionis, after meeting with outgoing Lebanese President Michel Aoun. Lebanon …
Read more “Cypriot Envoy Says Any Maritime Border Dispute With Lebanon ‘Easily’ Resolved”
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian journalists who continued to work independently in the country came under significant pressure — so much so that many have been forced to leave. Anush Avetisyan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by David Gogokhia. …
The White House says the Biden administration supports the people of Iran and their right to peaceful protests — and that there may be cooperation between Iran and Russia in cracking down on Iranian protesters. VOA Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. …
The Minsk City Court has sentenced journalist Ales Lyubyanchuk to three years in prison amid a crackdown on independent media and civil society in Belarus under authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko. The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAZh) said Thursday that Judge Alena Ananich had sentenced the journalist after finding him guilty of creating an extremist group …
Read more “Another Belarusian Journalist Handed Prison Term Amid Crackdown on Civil Society “
In a foreign policy speech Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western nations of trying to dominate the world, saying the coming decade will be one of the most dangerous since the end of World War II. In a lengthy speech in Moscow during the opening session of Valdai Discussion Club’s annual foreign affairs forum, …
Read more “Putin Says West Playing ‘Dangerous, Bloody Game’”
Sweden has historically been viewed as Europe’s most welcoming country for refugees, but observers say that changed in 2015 when the government decided to close its borders. The election in September of a new government steered by the far-right Sweden Democrats has further tightened migration policy. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s Moderate Party, the Liberals and …
Read more “New Swedish Government to Tighten Migration Policy “
GENEVA – A U.N. report warns the window for preventing a climate catastrophe is fast closing. The U.N. Environment Program’s latest Emissions Gap Report urges unprecedented cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and a rapid transformation of societies to head off the worst. The U.N. report finds the world is falling far short of the Paris …
Read more “UN: Greenhouse Gas Cuts Needed to Prevent Climate Catastrophe”