Month: May 2024

Washington — Two figures dressed in black and with their faces covered are caught on security camera vandalizing the Media Development Foundation office in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.   The video, taken in the early hours of May 9, shows the individuals putting up posters that falsely claim the nongovernmental organization’s executive director, Tamar Kintsurashvili, is a …

Read more “Journalists covering opposition to Georgian law receive threats”

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded his two-day trip to China Friday after Beijing and Moscow reaffirmed their “strategic relationship” by signing a joint statement and vowing to cooperate against “destructive and hostile” pressure from Washington. During meetings between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Russian president said Moscow is willing to work …

Read more “China and Russia reinforce partnership to counter US influence”

PARIS — French police on Friday shot dead an armed man who was trying to set fire to a synagogue in the northern city of Rouen. “National police in Rouen neutralized early this morning an armed individual who clearly wanted to set fire to the city’s synagogue,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on X, formerly Twitter. …

Read more “French police kill man trying to set fire to synagogue”

BEIJING — Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on trade and cultural exchanges Friday during his state visit to China that started with bonhomie in Beijing and a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that deepened their “no limits” partnership as both countries face rising tensions with the West. Putin praised China at a China-Russia Expo in …

Read more “Putin focuses on trade, cultural exchanges in China”

MOSCOW — Ukraine launched a wave of drones at Russia and the annexed Crimea peninsula overnight, killing two people, including a child, and setting an oil refinery ablaze, officials said Friday. The attack was Ukraine’s largest aerial offensive in weeks and comes as Russian forces advance along the frontline, making their biggest territorial gains in 18 …

Read more “Ukraine hits Russia in overnight drone wave; 2 dead”

Washington — Aleksander Dugin, a Russian nationalist ideologue and strong supporter of President Vladimir Putin, has been bombarded with attacks on Chinese social media, where netizens criticized and mocked his Russian expansionist views that had once included the dismembering of China. Two years after Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine, pro-Russia sentiment has been prevalent on …

Read more “Scholar called ‘Putin’s brain’ attacked on Chinese internet”

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s naming of an economist as his new defense chief is a sign he is preparing for his costly war in Ukraine to go even longer, analysts say. Elizabeth Cherneff narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina. …

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Russian forces are expanding their attacks on Ukrainian border settlements close to the northeastern city of Kharkiv, opening up a new front in the war. With U.S. and European weapons finally due to arrive on the front lines in the coming weeks following delays, can Ukraine hold back Moscow’s invading troops? Henry Ridgwell has more …

Read more “Russia sees ‘window of opportunity’ as Ukrainian forces await US weapons”

Voters in the Spanish region of Catalonia this week gave a clear victory to supporters of union with Spain after years of separatist tensions. Ricardo Marquina in Barcelona looks at the reasons behind this turnaround. Jonathan Spier narrates his report. Videographer Alfonso Beato contributed to this report. …

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — South Africa urged the United Nations’ top court on Thursday to order a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip during hearings over emergency measures to halt Israel’s military operation in the enclave’s southern city of Rafah. It was the third time the International Court of Justice held hearings on the conflict in Gaza …

Read more “South Africa urges UN’s top court to order cease-fire in Gaza”

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Copenhagen, Denmark — Fifteen EU states have demanded a further tightening of the bloc’s asylum policy, making it easier to transfer undocumented migrants to third countries, including when they are rescued at sea. The demand, sent in a letter to the European Commission that AFP received on Thursday, comes less than a month before European Parliament …

Read more “15 EU states demand plan to send asylum seekers to third countries”

Noumea, France — Days of unrest in the Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia has left five dead and hundreds injured, prompting French authorities to declare a state of emergency. Here is what you need to know about the crisis: What’s going on? Thousands of people have taken to the streets in three nights of protest, rioting …

Read more “How New Caledonia erupted into riots”

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berlin — A summit that Switzerland hopes will pave the way for a peace process in Ukraine has drawn delegations from more than 50 countries, Swiss President Viola Amherd said Wednesday.  The neutral Swiss government was seeking a broad-based turnout from different parts of the world, and 160 invitations were sent, Amherd said at a news …

Read more “Dozens of countries sign up for Ukraine peace summit, Switzerland says “

As Russia ramps up its offensive in eastern Ukraine, officials with the U.S. command in Eastern Europe say it’s urgent for NATO to be ready for a possible confrontation. VOA’s Eastern Europe bureau chief Myroslava Gongadze talked to the U.S. and Polish commanders during a U.S. Army transfer of authority ceremony in Boleslawiec, Poland. VOA …

Read more “US commanders in Poland see Russian threat as ‘near-term’”