Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has urged the South African government to deny entry to a Russian billionaire’s megayacht, warning that allowing it to dock in the country could lead to sanctions. Steel and mining tycoon Alexei Mordashov is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The U.S., European Union and allies have been seizing property …
Read more “South Africa Urged to Deny Russian Billionaire’s Yacht Entry”
With Russia curtailing natural gas supplies to Europe, the European Union is scrambling to find alternative sources. The EU is looking to gas providers like Azerbaijan to help fill the gap, but Turkey is positioning itself to play a pivotal role in keeping the lights on and furnaces working in Europe this winter. The European …
Read more “Turkey Seeking Role in Europe’s Bid to End Russian Energy Dependency”
Greece is ready to “extend a hand of friendship” to neighbor and regional rival Turkey, Greece’s prime minister said Thursday, while also accusing Turkey’s president of whipping up anti-Greek sentiment at home. Tensions have escalated between the two NATO allies, which are divided over a series of issues and have come to the brink of …
Read more “Greek PM Says Ready to ‘Extend Hand of Friendship’ to Turkey”
Ukraine’s state energy company said Thursday it was limiting electricity use in multiple regions of the country after Russian attacks overnight targeting energy infrastructure. Ukrenergo said damage from the strikes included equipment in the central part of the country. It said restrictions on power use are necessary to avoid network overloads and to make it …
Read more “Ukraine Reports More Russian Strikes on Energy Infrastructure ”
The European Central Bank piled on another outsized interest rate hike aimed at squelching out-of-control inflation, increasing rates Thursday at the fastest pace in the euro currency’s history and raising questions about how far the bank intends to go with the threat of recession looming over the economy. The 25-member governing council raised its interest …
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed Wednesday that the Biden administration supports the people of Iran, and said there may be cooperation between Iran and Russia in dealing with Iranian protesters. “We stand with the brave citizens and the brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights,” Jean-Pierre …
Read more “White House: Russia May Be Advising Iran on Dealing with Protesters”
Russia has launched its annual nuclear exercise against the backdrop of heightened rhetoric from Moscow hinting at the use of a nuclear weapon against Ukraine. President Joe Biden has warned Moscow that the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine would be a “very serious mistake,” as VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. …
Ahead of COP27, Namibian and European Union officials say they have reached an agreement for Namibia to export rare earth materials to the EU. According to Erasmus Shivolo, commissioner of mines at Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy, the EU is interested in developing the mining of minerals like lithium, cobalt and graphite, which are …
Read more “Namibia, EU, Agree on Partnership for Sustainable Raw Materials”
Germany on Wednesday unveiled plans to legalize cannabis, potentially making it one of the first countries in Europe to make marijuana legal. Presenting his plans to the cabinet of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said the proposal aims to achieve “the most liberal cannabis liberalization in Europe, and, on the other hand …
Read more “Germany to Become One of Europe’s First Countries to Legalize Cannabis”
Rishi Sunak’s ascent to British prime minister has been described by some of his supporters as Britain’s “Obama moment,” comparing it to the 2008 election of Barack Obama as the first Black U.S. president. Sunak, who is of Indian heritage, is Britain’s first non-white prime minister. The 42-year-old practicing Hindu was appointed to the role …
Read more “Britain’s ‘Obama Moment’? Rishi Sunak Becomes First Non-White Prime Minister”
Rishi Sunak, who is of Indian heritage, has become Britain’s first non-white prime minister. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, some in Britain are comparing it to the election of Barack Obama as the first Black U.S. president. …
Italy’s coastguard said Wednesday it had rescued more than 1,000 migrants from two fishing boats in the Mediterranean overnight, while two bodies had been recovered. The two “complex” operations off the coast of Syracuse in Sicily, involving boats from Libya, followed an alert on Tuesday from Alarm Phone, a group running a hotline for migrants …
The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday remotely observed exercises by its strategic nuclear forces that are meant to simulate a response to a “massive nuclear strike.” Russian state television showed video of Putin observing the drills on a huge television screen, with comments from military leaders. In the broadcast, Russian Defense Minister …
Read more “Putin Monitors Strategic Nuclear Forces Exercise”
An organization in Ukraine called Kharkiv Help assists civilians leave areas being shelled by Russian forces. Anna Kosstutschenko met with its volunteers, including two from the U.S., in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, about 10 kilometers from the front lines. VOA footage by Paviel Syhodolskiy. …
The possibility of Russia launching a nuclear attack in Ukraine or beyond has some Americans on edge. Some are going online to see what that might mean. Anxiety is up, but experts say panic isn’t justified – at least not yet. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports. …
Rishi Sunak faced the opposition in Parliament for the first time as Britain’s prime minister Wednesday, seeking to provide assurances that his new government would offer economic stability and continuity after his predecessor’s tax plans triggered market tumult. Sunak, who took office Tuesday, has appointed a government that mixes allies with experienced ministers from the …
Read more “UK Leader Sunak Faces Opposition in Parliament for 1st Time”
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for lunch Wednesday, with the leaders hoping to pare back differences on energy and defence and revitalise the European Union’s key double act. Both leaders were all smiles as Scholz climbed out of his black Mercedes in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace to shake hands, …
Read more “Macron, Scholz Meet in Bid to Defuse Paris-Berlin Tensions”
Citizens in India have watched Rishi Sunak’s ascension to prime minister of Britain with a sense of admiration and triumph, hailing the rise of a person of Indian descent and a Hindu to the top job in a major Western country. Although Sunak, whose parents migrated from East Africa to Britain in the 1960’s, has …
Read more “Sunak’s Rise to Top Job Moment of Pride for Indians”
In letters from prison, freelance journalist Pablo Gonzalez said that secret service agents told him to “eat flies or insects” if he wanted to keep up his protein levels. Gonzalez, who has been in custody in Poland for eight months — nearly entirely in solitary confinement — said in the letters seen by VOA that …
Read more “Journalist Held on Spy Charge in Poland Takes Case to European Court ”
A Russian court on Tuesday dismissed U.S. WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner’s appeal against a nine-year sentence for possessing and smuggling vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. Griner and her lawyers had asked for acquittal or at least a reduction in her sentence, which they said was disproportionate to the offense and at odds with Russian …
Read more “Brittney Griner’s Appeal Rejected; Sentence to Include Time Served “
Finland and Sweden’s aspirations to join NATO are in doubt as Turkey has renewed its objections to their membership bids. Finnish diplomats met with their Turkish counterparts Tuesday in Ankara, according to local media reports. The meeting marked the latest diplomatic effort by Helsinki to persuade Ankara to agree to its bid to join NATO. …
Read more “NATO’s Expansion in Doubt Over Turkey’s Objections”
As Russia escalates its attacks in Ukraine, Estonia looks with concern to the east, to its Russian neighbor, but also within – to itself. With a significant Russian-speaking population, the influence of Russian propaganda through the media – is for many – cause for concern. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina in the …
Read more “Fear of Russia Drives Some in Estonia to Question Integration”
Rishi Sunak became Britain’s prime minister on Tuesday after his predecessor, Liz Truss, stepped down. Truss spoke briefly outside 10 Downing Street before travelling to Buckingham Palace to formally offer her resignation to King Charles III, who officially appoints the British prime minister. As Truss left the palace, Sunak arrived and, after an audience, the …
Read more “Rishi Sunak Takes Over as Britain’s Prime Minister “
A Uyghur organization and a human rights group are taking the U.K. government to court to challenge Britain’s failure to block the import of cotton products associated with forced labor and other abuses in China’s far western Xinjiang region. Tuesday’s hearing at the High Court in London is believed the first time a foreign court …
Read more “UK Court to Hear Uyghur Demands to Ban Xinjiang Cotton”