Month: October 2022

Giorgia Meloni, who is expected to be Italy’s next prime minister, threw down the gauntlet to her right-wing coalition partners on Wednesday, saying her new government would be pro-NATO and fully a part of Europe. Her uncompromising statement came after her conservative ally Silvio Berlusconi reiterated his sympathy for Russian President Vladimir Putin and accused …

Read more “New Italian Government Will Be Pro-NATO, Pro-Europe, Meloni Says”

The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that it expects carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels to rise again this year, but by much less than in 2021 due to the growth in renewable power and electric cars. Last year saw a strong rebound in carbon dioxide emissions — the main greenhouse gas responsible …

Read more “Energy Agency: CO2 Emissions Rise in 2022, but More Slowly”

The European Parliament (EP) has awarded its 2022 Sakharov Prize to “the brave people of Ukraine” in their battle against Russia’s unprovoked invasion in late February. The EP said in a statement Wednesday that the award went to “brave Ukrainians, represented by their President [Volodymyr Zelenskyy], elected leaders, and civil society.” “This award is for …

Read more “EU Lawmakers Award 2022 Sakharov Prize to ‘Brave Ukrainian People’”

British Prime Minister Liz Truss described herself as “a fighter and not a quitter” Wednesday as she faced down a hostile opposition and fury from her own Conservative Party over her botched economic plan. Yet the grim faces of Conservative lawmakers behind her in the House of Commons suggested that Truss faces an uphill struggle …

Read more “Embattled UK leader Liz Truss Loses 2nd Minister in Week”

The United States, Britain and France have asked for the U.N. Security Council to discuss the issue of Russia using Iranian drones in the war in Ukraine. Diplomats said Tuesday the request included asking for a U.N. official to brief the council during a closed-door meeting Wednesday. Ukrainian officials have said drones used in waves …

Read more “US, France and Britain Ask UN Security Council to Meet on Iranian Arms Transfers to Russia”

Ukraine has invited U.N. experts to examine debris from what it says are Iranian-made drones sold to Russia in violation of international sanctions and used to attack Ukrainian towns and cities.     In a letter sent to the president of the U.N. Security Council and seen by VOA, Ukraine’s ambassador says that according to …

Read more “Ukraine Invites UN Experts to Examine Iranian Drone Debris”

An appeals court in Moscow has rejected jailed opposition politician Alexey Navalny’s move to have his nine-year prison sentence on charges of financial fraud and contempt of court struck down.  The second court of appeals of common jurisdiction in the Russian capital announced its decision on Tuesday.  Navalny, who took part in the hearing via …

Read more “Russian Court Rejects Navalny’s Appeal of Fraud, Contempt Sentences”

As the cold season starts in landlocked Afghanistan, concerns are mounting about widespread hunger, particularly in the rugged parts of the country where the first snowfall blocks the roads. This year there is hope that 30,000 metric tons of wheat coming from another war-torn country, Ukraine, will mitigate the hunger for some Afghans. The U.N. …

Read more “Who Donated Wheat to Afghanistan — Ukraine or US?”

Viewers of Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV had an unexpected interruption to the evening news show last month, when journalists entered a studio during a live broadcast to show support for their colleagues. The protest came after Uros Urbanija, the director of RTV’s TV Slovenia unit, ordered anchor Sasa Krajnc and news editor Vesna Pfeiffer to …

Read more “In Slovenia, Journalists Warned Over Protest Live on Air”

The death toll has risen to 14 after a Russian warplane crashed into a residential area in the Russian port city of Yeysk, causing a massive fire at an apartment building.  Authorities released the updated death toll on Tuesday.  The Russian Defense Ministry said the plane was on a training mission Monday when one of …

Read more “Death Toll Rises to 14 After Russian Warplane Crashes in Russian City of Yeysk”

In the first case of its kind, a French industrial company and its Syrian subsidiary pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State and the al-Nusrah Front.  Lafarge S.A., a global building materials manufacturer based in Paris, and Lafarge Cement Syria, based in Damascus, allegedly paid the two U.S.-designated terrorist …

Read more “French Company, Syrian Unit Plead Guilty to Material Support for Terrorism”

NATO on Monday began its long-planned annual nuclear exercises in northwestern Europe as tensions simmer over the war in Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin’s threat to use any means to defend Russian territory.  Fourteen of NATO’s 30 member countries were due to take part in the exercises, which the military alliance said would involve around …

Read more “NATO Begins Nuclear Exercises Amid Russia War Tensions”

Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker Prize on Monday for his second novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, about a dead war photographer on a mission in the afterlife. Karunatilaka received a trophy from Queen Consort Camilla at the English language literary award’s first in-person ceremony since 2019. He also gets a …

Read more “Sri Lankan Author Shehan Karunatilaka Wins 2022 Booker Prize”

A photograph of migrants found exposed, without clothing, along the border of Greece and Turkey last week shocked the world and is raising international concerns that the migrants and refugees are becoming the latest victims of a growing dispute between Turkey and Greece. From Istanbul, Dorian Jones reports both nations blame each other for the …

Read more “Migrants Caught in Middle as Turkey-Greece Tensions Escalate”

A Russian warplane has crashed into a residential area in the Russian port city of Yeysk, the military said. The Russian Defense Ministry said the plane was on a training mission Monday when one of its engines caught fire. The plane’s crew safely ejected before the crash. Local officials said the plane crash ignited a …

Read more “Russian Warplane Crashes in Port City of Yeysk”

The European Union on Monday sanctioned officials of Iran’s morality police and Tehran’s information minister for their role in the Islamic Republic’s violent crackdown on protesters demonstrating against the death of a young woman held by the morality police for failing to properly cover her hair with a hijab.  The 27-nation bloc froze the assets …

Read more “EU Sanctions Iran ‘Morality Police’ for Crackdown on Protesters”

The war in Ukraine has provoked an economic crisis in Germany, which was heavily dependent on Russian energy. Not only are small businesses concerned about their survival, economists also say the crisis will force a redirection of the entire German economy. Jacob Russell has this report from Berlin …

Multiple explosions hit Ukraine’s capital Monday, with the head of the Ukrainian president’s office saying Russian forces had attacked using Iranian-made drones. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klichko said blasts took place in the central Shevchenko district, the same area where Russian missiles struck last week as part of widespread airstrikes across the country. Klichko said Monday’s …

Read more “Fresh Blasts Hit Ukrainian Capital”

A Sweden Democrats official was suspended by the far-right party for making degrading comments about Jewish teenage diarist Anne Frank. In an Instagram posting that has now been deleted, Rebecka Fallenkvist called Anne “immoral” among other things, according to Swedish media. Anne, who wrote a diary while in hiding in Amsterdam before she was captured, …

Read more “Swedish Party Official Suspended After Anne Frank Posting”

For their first trip to a celebrated robotics contest for high school students from scores of countries, a team of Ukrainian teens had a problem.  With shipments of goods to Ukraine uncertain, and Ukrainian customs officers careful about incoming merchandise, the group only received a base kit of gadgetry on the day they were set …

Read more “Teens Tackle 21st-Century Challenges at Robotics Contest”

When Liz Truss was running to lead Britain this summer, an ally predicted her first weeks in office would be turbulent. But few were prepared for the scale of the sound and fury — least of all Truss herself. In just six weeks, the prime minister’s libertarian economic policies have triggered a financial crisis, emergency …

Read more “UK Leader Liz Truss Goes From Triumph to Trouble in 6 Weeks”

Turkish officials Sunday shot back at Greek allegations that Turkey forced 92 naked migrants into Greece, calling it “fake news” and accusing Greece of the mistreatment. Greek migration minister Notis Mitarachi was “sharing false information” after the official tweeted a photo of the naked migrants Saturday and blamed Turkey, said Fahrettin Altun, the communications director …

Read more “Turkey Calls Greek Claims on Migrant Mistreatment Fake News”

At least 18 migrants died last week in a deadly sea crossing from Turkey to Greece. It was one of the deadliest in recent years and experts fear more may follow as tension between Greece and Tukey soars in the Aegean Sea that divides them. Anthee Carassava travelled to the island of Lesbos and tracked …

Read more “Migrants Recount Deadly Crossing to Greece From Turkey “

Pope Francis said the need to reform the United Nations was “more than obvious” after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war exposed its limits, in an extract of his new book published Sunday. The Argentine pontiff said Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine highlighted the need to ensure the current multilateral structure — especially the UN …

Read more “Pope Urges UN Reform After Ukraine War, COVID ‘Limits’”