SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean citizen arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage was a missionary who supported North Korean laborers based in Russia’s Far East, South Korean media reports said on Tuesday. The man, named as Baek Won-soon, was transferred from Vladivostok to Moscow and is accused of handing over classified information to …
Read more “Reports: South Korean Held in Russia for Spying was a Missionary”
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In its annual global threats assessment report Monday, the U.S. intelligence community told lawmakers that the war in Ukraine is at a turning point whose outcome will depend on American assistance. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more from the Senate, where lawmakers called on the House to take up the $95 billion foreign aid …
Read more “Intelligence Community Report Warns Lawmakers About US Disengagement From Ukraine”
WASHINGTON — The frozen military conflict between Ukraine and Russia is starting to thaw and will likely tilt in Moscow’s favor if the United States fails to quickly come through with additional military aid, according to top U.S. intelligence officials, in a grim assessment delivered to U.S. lawmakers. Monday’s warning comes nearly a month after the …
Read more “US Intelligence Chiefs Deliver Grim Warning for Ukraine”
pentagon — The Pentagon has a funding shortfall of about $10 billion for U.S. military weapons needed to replace those already sent to Ukraine, a shortfall that requires additional money from Congress to fix, top Defense Department officials said Monday. “We don’t foresee a likely alternative outside of the supplemental funding [bill] or having that money …
Read more “Pentagon Needs $10B to Replace Weapons Already Sent to Ukraine, Officials Say”
lisbon, portugal — Portugal’s center-right Democratic Alliance (AD) won Sunday’s general election by a slim margin and is preparing to govern without an outright majority as the far-right Chega warned of instability if it is not included in government. With 99.1% of the vote counted, the AD won 79 seats in the 230-seat legislature, followed by …
Read more “Portugal’s Center Right Prepares to Rule; Far Right Warns of Instability”
MOSCOW — A South Korean citizen has been arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage, Russian state news agency TASS reported Monday. TASS quoted law enforcement agencies as saying the man, whom it named as Park Won-soon, had been detained in the far eastern city of Vladivostok before being transferred to Moscow for “investigative actions.” The …
Read more “Russia Arrests South Korean Man for Spying: TASS”
Muenster, Germany — A German court is due to rule this week on whether security services can treat the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, and its youth wing as suspected extremist organizations, a decision that could cost the party dearly in upcoming European elections. If the higher administrative court in Muenster confirms a lower court …
Read more “German Court to Rule on ‘Extremist’ Label for Far-Right Party”
As Sweden officially joined the NATO alliance Monday, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said it shows every nation has the right to, in his words, “choose the path of freedom and democracy.” He added that Ukraine is currently fighting for those values. Henry Ridgwell reports. …
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london — Sweden’s flag was raised in a ceremony Monday at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels after it officially joined the Western defensive alliance last week, ending its long-held policy of military nonalignment. “We are now an ally among allies. After more than 200 years of military nonalignment, this is a historic step but also a very …
Read more “NATO HQ Raises Swedish Flag, Strengthening Baltic Region Against Russian Threat”
U.S. President Joe Biden opened his State of the Union address last week with a pledge to continue to support Ukraine, giving Ukrainians hope that a U.S. aid package will be approved. But a foreign aid bill that includes more assistance to Ukraine faces opposition in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. For VOA, Anna …
Read more “Ukrainians React to Biden’s State of the Union Speech”
In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States and Europe imposed significant economic sanctions on Russia. But two years into the war, Moscow’s economy remains resilient. Liliya Anisimova has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Andrey Degtyarev. …
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London — Kate, Princess of Wales, apologized Monday for “confusion” caused by her editing of a family photo released by the palace — an image of Kate and her children that was intended to calm concern and speculation about the British royal’s health but had the opposite effect. Several news agencies that initially published the photo, …
New Delhi — India has signed a free trade pact with a group of four European nations that aims at drawing in investment of $100 billion over the next 15 years. The deal announced Sunday with the European Free Trade Association, whose members are Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, comes weeks ahead of India’s national elections …
Read more “Four European Countries Seal Free Trade Pact with India, Pledge $100 Billion Investment “
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