The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday approved the appointment of Austria’s Volker Turk as the next U.N. high commissioner for human rights. Reuters reported earlier on Thursday that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had proposed that Turk succeed Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, whose term ended on August 31. Turk currently works in Guterres’ office as undersecretary-general for …
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch who sat on the throne for 70 years, died Thursday at 96. Admired for her dedication to her job, Queen Elizabeth was seen by many Britons as a pillar of strength for the country at a time when the nation was navigating its diminishing world power. Britons flocked to …
With Ukraine dependent on Western military aid following Russia’s invasion and Moscow burning through stocks and under sanctions, both sides fear exhausting their shells, bombs and missiles, experts say. Moscow’s economic exclusion means it is “having to buy artillery rounds from North Korea,” U.S. National Security Council coordinator John Kirby told reporters recently, pointing to …
Read more “Both Sides in Ukraine War Face Ammunition Squeeze”
The U.S. Treasury Department announced Thursday that it is levying sanctions against four Iranian companies that it says were involved in sending drones to Russia last month for use in Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Tehran-based Safiran Airport Services, Paravar Pars Company, Design and Manufacturing of Aircraft Engines, and Baharestan Kish Company were all hit with …
Read more “US Treasury Sanctions Iranian Firms for Drone Sales to Russia”
The White House is mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II, with President Joe Biden describing the long-reigning British monarch as a key contributor to the strong relationship between the US and UK. Anita Powell reports from Washington. …
The United States mourned the death of Britain’s longest-serving monarch Thursday, as presidents and politicians acknowledged the singular life and achievements of Queen Elizabeth II. “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch. She defined an era. In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort …
Read more “US Mourns Loss of Britain’s Longest-Serving Monarch”
VOA Ukraine service reporter Oleksiy Kovalenko interviews Eli Rosenbaum and Christian Levesque, two US Justice Department investigators leading a team looking into Russian war crimes in Ukraine. …
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96 at her residence in Scotland. She was Britain’s longest-serving monarch and this year celebrated 70 years on the throne. Henry Ridgwell looks back on the life of one of the world’s most respected heads of state. …
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died Thursday at age 96. She ascended the throne in 1952 and reigned for more than seven decades. Elizabeth ruled the United Kingdom as it rebuilt from the devastation of World War II, lost an empire, transformed its economy and both entered and left the European Union. World leaders …
Prince Charles has been preparing for the crown his entire life. Now, at age 73, that moment has finally arrived. Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. No date has been set for his coronation. After an …
Read more “After a Lifetime of Preparation, Charles Takes the Throne”
Queen Elizabeth has died at the age of 96. …
At the news of Queen Elizbeth’s failing health Thursday, the royal family quickly went to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to be with her in her final hours. Soon after Buckingham Palace released a statement expressing concern from the Queen’s doctors about her health, media reports say Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and …
Read more “Royal Family Gathered in Scotland to Be With Queen in Final Moments”
Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, has died at the age of 96. …
Here are some facts about Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Elizabeth was born at 17 Bruton St, London, on April 21, 1926, and christened on May 29 that year in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace. She became heir apparent when her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated on Dec. 11, 1936, and her father became King …
Read more “Key Dates in the Life of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Ukraine on a previously unannounced trip to show Washington’s continuing support for Kyiv, six months after Russia invaded the country. Blinken Thursday announced $2.6 billion in assistance for Ukraine and 18 other countries in the region “most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression.” “It’s such a …
Read more “Blinken in Kyiv, Announces New Security Assistance for Ukraine”
Ukrainians of different ages, walks of life and income levels have come together to donate money to provide the Ukrainian army with weapons and equipment that even included a satellite. For VOA, Anna Chernikova reports from Kyiv. …
Buckingham Palace has issued a statement expressing concern for the health of 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth after a medical evaluation Thursday. The statement said doctors for the British monarch have recommended she remain under medical supervision. It said she “remains comfortable” at her Balmoral castle in Scotland, her summer home. The queen cancelled a meeting Wednesday …
A report published by the U.N. Development Program finds the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, economic uncertainty and other crises have halted progress in human development and reversed gains made over the past three decades. Data from 191 countries show 90% failed to achieve a better, healthier, more secure life for their people in 2020 and …
Read more “Crises Halt Progress in Human Development: UN Report”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised what he called “good news” from the Kharkiv region, saying Ukrainian forces had recaptured some towns from Russian troops. Zelenskyy singled out several Ukrainian units in his latest video address, praising “their bravery and heroism displayed during the execution of combat mission.” He also said Ukrainian artillery had carried out …
Read more “Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Recaptured Some Towns in Kharkiv”
Iranian embassy staff in the Albanian capital worked through the night after they were given 24 hours to leave the country over a major cyberattack that the Albanian government blames on Iran. It is the first known case of a country cutting diplomatic relations over a cyberattack. Movement inside the Iranian embassy in Tirana continued …
Read more “Iranian Diplomats Set to Leave Albania After Expulsion Order”
A senior U.N. human rights official said Wednesday that her office has verified that Russian soldiers and affiliated groups subject Ukrainian civilians to an invasive process called “filtration,” and called for access to those being detained by Russia. “In cases that our office has documented, during ‘filtration,’ Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups have …
Read more “UN Concerned by Russia’s ‘Filtration’ of Ukrainian Civilians”
Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, voiced frustration that Russia remains in control of his nation’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in an interview with VOA’s Ukrainian Service. He also warned of the risk of a nuclear catastrophe similar to the Chernobyl nuclear accident in April 1986 that killed dozens of …
Read more “VOA Interview: Ukraine Security Chief on What’s at Stake at Nuclear Plant”
Albania has ordered Iranian officials out of the country and severed diplomatic relations with Tehran following an investigation into a cyberattack that it concluded was Iranian “state aggression” when it hit the Adriatic coast nation in July. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the expulsion of all Iranian diplomats and embassy staff and gave …
Read more “Albania Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Iran Over Cyberattack”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet next week at a summit in Uzbekistan, a Russian official said Wednesday. The two leaders will meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, held in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Sept. 15-16, Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov told reporters. “Less than 10 …
Read more “Putin, Xi to Meet in Uzbekistan Next Week, Official Says “