VERSAILLES, France — France on Monday enshrined the right to abortion in its constitution, a world first welcomed by women’s rights groups as historic and harshly criticized by anti-abortion groups. Abortion rights are more widely accepted in France than in the United States and many other countries, with polls showing around 80% of French people back …
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Authorities in Nepal say hundreds of vulnerable Nepalis have been recruited by the Russian military in recent months, with promises of high wages and citizenship. In this report from Kathmandu, a Nepali family tells VOA about how their son joined the Russian army as a mercenary after being left destitute in Russia by a scammer. …
Read more “Nepali Family Pleads for Return of Son Captured in Ukraine”
Vienna — The U.N. atomic watchdog agency’s director said that he’s due to depart for a trip to Moscow on Tuesday for high-level talks with Russian officials to discuss the issue of nuclear safety in Ukraine. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi made the announcement Monday, the first day of a regular meeting of the …
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LONDON — The estate of Sinead O’Connor asked Donald Trump Monday not to play her music at campaign rallies, saying the late singer considered the former president a “biblical devil.” Trump has played O’Connor’s biggest hit, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” at events as he campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination. In a joint statement, O’Connor’s estate …
Read more “Sinead O’Connor’s Estate Tells Trump: ‘Stop Playing Her Music at Rallies’”
London — The European Union leveled its first antitrust penalty against Apple on Monday, fining the U.S. tech giant nearly $2 billion for breaking the bloc’s competition laws by unfairly favoring its own music streaming service over rivals. Apple banned app developers from “fully informing iOS users about alternative and cheaper music subscription services outside of …
Read more “Apple Fined Nearly $2 Billion by European Union Over Music Streaming Competition “
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Zurich, Switzerland — Police have stepped up security measures at Jewish sites in Zurich following a serious knife attack on an orthodox Jewish man in the Swiss city overnight, local police said Sunday. Police said they had taken action after a 15-year-old Swiss youth was arrested for inflicting “life-threatening” injuries on the 50-year-old Jewish man in …
Read more “Zurich Steps Up Security at Jewish Sites After Possible Antisemitic Attack”
Frankfurt, Germany — Germany’s defense minister said Sunday Russia was conducting an “information war” aimed at creating divisions within Germany, his first reaction to the publication in Russia of an audio recording of a meeting of senior German military officials. Russian media published a 38-minute recording of a call Friday — in which German officers were …
Read more “Germany Accuses Russia of ‘Information War’ After Military Recording”
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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put many of the nation’s most at-risk patients in even greater danger, especially young cancer patients. But a Ukrainian charity working with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the U.S. is helping some Ukrainian kids receive care around the world. Iryna Shynkarenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA …
Read more “US Hospital, Ukrainian Charity Help Kids With Cancer Find Treatment During War”
Germany admits to leaked details of a military meeting outlining future munitions and battle plans for Ukraine. Russia calls Germany its “age-old” rival that is again its “sworn” enemy. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has the story. …
LANGKAWI, Malaysia — An airplane carrying Norway’s King Harald V departed Malaysia on Sunday, a day after he was implanted with a pacemaker. Europe’s oldest reigning monarch was hospitalized for an infection during a private vacation on the northern resort island of Langkawi, the royal house said Tuesday. He underwent surgery at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital …
Jerusalem — Israel on Sunday said it had asked lyricists to revise its proposed Eurovision Song Contest entries, potentially heading off a dispute with organizers over political content. Authorities last week said Israel would not be able to participate in this year’s edition of the popular competition if organizers rejected the song choice, which reportedly referenced …
Read more “Israel to Revise Eurovision Entries Said to Allude to Hamas Attack “
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LONDON — Singer-songwriter Raye was the big winner Saturday at the BRIT Awards, the biggest night in British music, setting a new record for most prizes in one night at the annual ceremony. Raye won six awards, including for artist of the year, album of the year for My 21st Century Blues and song of the …
Read more “Raye Sets Record at BRIT Awards, Britain’s Pop Music Honors”
WARSAW, Poland — German authorities said Saturday they were conducting an investigation after an audio recording in which German military officers purportedly discussed support for Ukraine, including the potential use of Taurus missiles, was published in Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was in Rome on Saturday, called it a “very serious matter” and said that German …
Read more “Germany Investigates Leak of Recording of Its Officers Discussing Ukraine Aid”
helsinki — King Harald V of Norway was implanted with a temporary pacemaker Saturday at a hospital in Malaysia’s resort island of Langkawi, where Europe’s oldest monarch was being treated for an infection during a vacation this week, the Norwegian royal house said. “The pacemaker was implanted due to a low heart rate,” the Royal House …
Read more “Norway’s King Gets Pacemaker After Falling Ill on Vacation in Malaysia”
ANTALYA, TURKEY — Armenia is ready to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan if Baku shows the same political will and is keen to make progress on normalizing relations with Turkey, a senior Armenian official said on Saturday. Yerevan and Baku said in December they wanted to reach a peace deal after decades of being at …
Read more “Armenia Says It’s Ready for Peace Deal If Azerbaijan Shows Political Will”
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, who has been suffering from influenza, said he delegated the reading of a speech at a ceremony Saturday to an aide because he was unable to read it due to bronchitis. “I have prepared a speech but as you can see, I am unable to read it because of bronchitis. I …
Read more “Pope Francis Asks Aide to Read Ceremonial Speech Due to Bronchitis”
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NEW YORK — Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, has died. She was 102. Her death was confirmed by her commercial agent, Lori Sale, who called Apfel “extraordinary.” No cause of death was given. It was also announced on her verified Instagram page on Friday, which a …
Read more “Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known for Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies at 102”
WASHINGTON — French journalist Antoine Galindo, who was detained for a week in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, was released Thursday ahead of his scheduled second appearance in court Friday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said. Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa program, told VOA that Galindo, a reporter for Paris-based news site Africa Intelligence, left …
Read more “Ethiopia Releases French Journalist After Week of Imprisonment “
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Iditarod, the annual sled dog race celebrating Alaska’s official state sport, is set to get under way Saturday with a new focus on safety after five dogs died and eight were injured in collisions with snowmobiles while training on shared, multiuse trails. For the first time, mushers who line up for the …
Read more “Alaska’s Iditarod Dogs Get Neon Visibility Harnesses After Crashes”
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