CARENTAN-LES-MARAIS, France — Together, the collective age of the bride and groom was nearly 200. But World War II veteran Harold Terens and his sweetheart Jeanne Swerlin proved that love is eternal as they tied the knot Saturday inland of the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France. Their respective ages — he’s 100, she’s 96 — made …
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VERONA, Italy — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni joined top political and cultural figures at Verona’s ancient Arena amphitheater Friday night for an open-air celebration of Italian lyric opera’s recognition by UNESCO as a global cultural treasure. Conductor Riccardo Muti presided over an orchestra of 170 musicians from Italy’s 14 opera houses, joined by over 314 choral …
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paris — Christophe Deloire, who negotiated to free imprisoned journalists around the world and offered refuge to reporters under threat as the head of the media freedom group Reporters Without Borders, died Saturday. He was 53. Deloire had been battling sudden and aggressive cancer and died in Paris surrounded by loved ones, according to board members …
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, who says he regularly prays “Lord, give me a sense of humor,” will welcome comedians from around the world to a cultural event in Italy to “celebrate the beauty of human diversity,” the Vatican said Saturday. Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien and Chris Rock will be among more than 100 …
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ISTANBUL — Turkey will impose a 40% additional tariff on imports of vehicles from China to halt a possible deterioration of its current trade balance and protect domestic automakers, the trade ministry said Saturday. China is facing increasing trade pressures worldwide over its growing exports of electric vehicles, which many countries claim are being heavily subsidized …
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PARIS — U.S. President Joe Biden capped his visit to France by being feted with a tres-chic state visit Saturday — finishing with a flourish a trip that launches a frantic six-week diplomatic push that analysts say could radically alter Europe’s security architecture, right as the continent holds parliamentary elections that could shift the politics sharply …
Read more “Bidens feted for France state visit, where fashion did the talking”
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Luhansk said Ukrainian attacks left at least 28 people dead as Russia and Ukraine continued to exchange drone attacks overnight into Saturday. A Ukrainian attack Friday on the small town of Sadove in Ukraine’s partially occupied Kherson region killed 22 and wounded …
Read more “Attacks in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions kill 28, Moscow-backed officials say”
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A man accused of assaulting the Danish Prime Minister in central Copenhagen will appear in a pre-trial custody hearing on Saturday, authorities said. Police confirmed “there has been an incident” with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Friday and that a 39-year-old man was arrested. They didn’t provide further details and it wasn’t clear …
Read more “Suspect in Danish prime minister attack to appear in hearing”
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Leaders of the United Methodist Church expressed regret over last week’s decision by the branch in Ivory Coast to leave the union following the church’s decision to repeal a long-standing ban on LGBTQ+ clergy but pledged to accept it. The developments were the latest in a series of ripple effects in conservative Africa, …
DAKAR, Senegal — Russia’s top diplomat pledged help and military assistance while on a whirlwind tour of several countries in Africa’s sub-Saharan region of Sahel this week, as Moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich section of the continent. Russia is emerging as the security partner of choice for a growing number of …
Read more “Russia aims to increase footprint, influence in Africa”
PRAGUE — Voters in Slovakia, Italy and other European Union nations are casting their ballots Saturday on the third day of elections for the European Parliament, with populist and far-right parties looking to make gains across the 27-member bloc. In Slovakia, the election was overshadowed by an attempt to assassinate populist Prime Minister Robert Fico on …
PARIS — Fresh from commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, French President Emmanuel Macron will host U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday for a state visit marked by pomp and a parade as well as talks on trade, Israel and Ukraine. The two men, who share a warm relationship despite past tensions over a submarine deal …
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President Joe Biden stressed the need for transatlantic unity during his speech at the monument overlooking the beach where, 80 years ago, Allied troops fought a battle that delivered a decisive blow to Nazi aggression. VOA White House Correspondent Anita Powell reports from Pointe du Hoc, France. …
Pointe du Hoc, France — Standing alone atop a concrete bunker dug into a 100-foot cliff overlooking the cold, choppy waters off Normandy’s coast, U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday explained why he came to the French countryside to deliver a forceful speech drawing a straight line from the past to the present. “Where we stand …
Read more “At hallowed WWII battleground, Biden makes case for unity on Ukraine”
Copenhagen, Denmark — Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was struck on Friday by a man in a Copenhagen square, her office said, with EU chiefs quickly condemning the attack. The Danish prime minister’s office said in a statement to AFP that Frederiksen was “shocked by the incident,” but it did not provide further details. “Prime Minister …
LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in a new setback to his election campaign, apologized Friday for leaving D-Day commemorations early to give an interview in which he attacked the main opposition party. Sunak’s decision not to stay at the event in northern France alongside other world leaders on Thursday was met with dismay in …
Read more “In election campaign blow, UK’s Sunak apologizes for leaving D-Day events early”
Taipei, Taiwan — China is pushing back against criticism by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week, denying claims it is pressuring countries not to attend next weekend’s peace conference in Switzerland and putting forward its own peace plan for the Ukraine war. After Zelenskyy accused China of “working hard” to prevent countries from participating in the …
Read more “China defends Ukraine stance ahead of Switzerland peace summit”
White House — U.S. President Joe Biden is aiming to persuade leaders of the world’s seven richest economies on a plan that could potentially provide up to $50 billion in loans for Ukraine’s war effort by using interest from frozen Russian assets held in Western financial institutions. The U.S. leader wants his G7 counterparts to endorse …
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WASHINGTON — The Biden administration this week warned North Korea against providing Russian President Vladimir Putin “a platform to promote his war of aggression” against Ukraine ahead of his possible trip to Pyongyang. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un invited Putin to Pyongyang when he visited Russia in September, and preparations are being made for his …
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Paul Hughes, a former hockey coach from Canada, arrived in Kharkiv in March 2022. In the two years since, he and other volunteers — some local, some foreign — have been helping Ukrainians internally displaced by the war survive. Anna Kosstutschenko has his story. Videographer: Pavel Suhodolskiy. …
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Cut off from the West, Russia is pitching its $2 trillion economy to giants like China and Saudi Arabia and longer-term prospects like Zimbabwe and Afghanistan at its premier investment forum in St. Petersburg, which was founded by the czars as a window to Europe. The war in Ukraine has led to …