Month: March 2024

…

…

…

Geneva — Russian activists are warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the deadly terrorist attack on a concert hall outside Moscow to tighten his grip on power and further repress society. “It truly scares me how this regime uses terrorism,” said Evgenia Kara-Murza, a human rights activist and wife of political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza. …

Read more “Russian Activists Warn Putin Will Use Terrorist Attack to Tighten His Grip on Power”

…

TALLINN, Estonia — The four men charged with the massacre at a Moscow theater have been identified by authorities as citizens of Tajikistan, some of the thousands who migrate to Russia each year from the poorest of the former Soviet republics to scrape out marginal existences.  Along with grinding poverty, Tajikistan is rife with religious tensions. …

Read more “Russian Massacre Suspects’ Homeland Plagued by Poverty, Religious Strife”

washington — The Islamic State-Khorasan terrorist group released a statement in Pashto on Monday glorifying Friday’s attack on a concert in Moscow and scolding the ruling Afghan Taliban for seeking relations with the United States, Russia, China and other countries. The 30-page statement was published on social media platforms and sent to journalists on Monday, but …

Read more “Islamic State-Khorasan Criticizes Taliban in Statement Praising Russia Attackers”

london — The U.S. and British governments on Monday announced sanctions against a company and two people linked to the Chinese government over a string of malicious cyberactivity targeting the U.K.’s election watchdog and lawmakers in both countries. Officials said those sanctioned are responsible for a hack that may have gained access to information on tens …

Read more “US and UK Announce Sanctions Over China-Linked Hacks on Election Watchdog and Lawmakers”

BERLIN — Italy followed France on Monday in stepping up security following the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall and the claim of responsibility by an affiliate of the Islamic State group.  The attack renewed attention in Europe on the risk from extremists, and particularly the Central Asian affiliate, as the continent gears up for …

Read more “Italy Raises Security After IS-Claimed Russian Concert Hall Attack”

Turkey says it is preparing to launch a major military operation into Iraq against Kurdish rebels operating from there. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vows to end what he says is the threat posed by the Kurdish rebel group, PKK, which has been fighting Turkey for decades. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, Ankara is …

Read more “Turkey Warns of Offensive Against Kurdish Rebels in Iraq”

Russian pro-government media are ignoring the Islamic State group’s claim of responsibility for the deadly attack last Friday at a Moscow concert hall, instead focusing on unsubstantiated allegations that the mass killing was linked to Ukraine. Elizabeth Cherneff narrates this report from the VOA Moscow bureau. …

FRANKFURT/BERLIN — A fresh pledge by Beijing to treat foreign companies like domestic rivals drew a cool response from one of its biggest trading partners, Germany, where industries called for concrete actions rather than words to create a true level-playing field. Germany’s engagement in the world’s No.2 economy has been in focus, partly because China remains …

Read more “German Industry Skeptical of China’s Vow to Treat Foreign Firms Equally “

…

sydney — New Zealand said Monday a free trade agreement with the European Union would come into effect on May 1, after the country’s parliament ratified the deal. New Zealand notified the European Union it ratified the agreement earlier on Monday, Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said in a statement. Wellington and Brussels signed the …

Read more “New Zealand and EU Trade Agreement to Take Effect on May 1”

…

PARIS — France’s government increased its security alert posture to the highest level Sunday after the deadly attack at a Russian concert hall and the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced the decision in a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying authorities were “taking into account the Islamic State’s claim of …

Read more “France Raises Security Readiness to Highest Level After Attack in Russia”

…

Three of the four suspects charged with carrying out the concert hall attack in Moscow that killed more than 130 people have admitted guilt for the incident in a Russian court. …

LONDON — British deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden is set to address the country’s lawmakers about the cybersecurity threat posed by China on Monday as worries about possible interference grow before an election expected later this year.  Dowden is expected to make a statement Monday, a government official said, declining to confirm whether the deputy PM …

Read more “UK Deputy PM to Address Lawmakers on Chinese Cybersecurity Threat”

WARSAW, Poland — Observances were held in Poland on Sunday to mark the 80th anniversary of the “Great Escape,” an ingenious act of defiance during World War II in which 76 prisoners of war tunneled out of a German prisoner-of-war camp into a snowy forest.   British soldiers carried photos of pilots murdered on Hitler’s orders …

Read more “Poland Marks 80th Anniversary of ‘Great Escape’ From Nazi POW Camp”

Russia observed a day of mourning Sunday following a deadly attack on a music venue in a Moscow suburb. Islamic State took credit for the assault that killed 137 people. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us more. …

london — Ireland is poised to get its youngest-ever premier next month after Simon Harris secured the leadership of the Fine Gael party Sunday, replacing Leo Varadkar, who announced his surprise resignation last week. Harris, 37, who has been the coalition government’s further and higher education minister, was the only candidate to put his name forward …

Read more “Fine Gael Party’s Harris to be Ireland’s Youngest Premier “