Month: January 2025

An Italian journalist detained in Iran for three weeks was released Wednesday and is returning home, Italian officials said.     Cecelia Sala was released following “intensive work on diplomatic and intelligence channels,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said.     The journalist, who contributes to the daily newspaper Il Foglio and hosts the “Stories” podcast for media outlet Chora Media, …

Read more “Italian journalist Cecelia Sala freed from Iran’s Evin Prison ”

Ukrainian forces carried out what Russian officials said Wednesday was a mass drone attack on the Saratov region, causing damage to an industrial enterprise. Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said the attack targeted the neighboring cities of Saratov and Engels, an area that is home to an airbase for Russian bomber planes. The General Staff of …

Read more “Ukrainian drone attacks target Russia’s Saratov region”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s foreign ministry called upon Paris to review its “unconstructive” approach, a few days before Tehran is set to hold a new round of talks about its nuclear program with major European countries. On Monday, Emmanuel Macron said Tehran’s uranium enrichment drive is nearing a point of no return and warned …

Read more “Iran tells France to review ‘unconstructive’ approach ahead of meeting”

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday held an omnibus press conference at his Florida estate, where he explained his stances on key foreign policy issues as he prepares to take office in two weeks.   He forcefully called for the release of hostages seized in Israel more than a year ago by the militant group …

Read more “Trump: ‘All hell will break out’ if Hamas hostages not returned”

With temperatures dipping below freezing this week in Moldova’s Russian-backed breakaway region of Transnistria, the end of an agreement to ship natural gas from Russia through Ukraine has led to rolling blackouts, idle factories and a lack of hot water. Ukraine decided not to renew a five-year gas transfer deal with Russia’s state-controlled energy giant …

Read more “Russian gas shipments through Ukraine end; creating trouble for Transnistria”

The eldest son of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump arrived in Greenland on Tuesday for a private visit that heightened speculation that the incoming U.S. administration could seek to take control of the mineral-rich Danish territory. The Danish state broadcaster reported that Donald Trump Jr.’s plane landed in Nuuk, capital of the vast and icy territory …

Read more “Trump Jr. arrives in Greenland after his father said US should own it”

London — In a major shift in West Africa’s security landscape, Ivory Coast and Senegal, regional economic powerhouses, have ordered France to remove its troops from their territories. The withdrawals will mark the effective end of a decadeslong military presence by France in Senegal and Ivory Coast. But why is this happening? Geoffroy Julien Kouao, an …

Read more “Why Ivory Coast, Senegal asked French troops to leave”

Paris — Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France’s far-right National Front who was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism that earned him both staunch supporters and widespread condemnation, has died. He was 96. Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally as the party is now known, confirmed Le Pen’s death in a post …

Read more “Jean-Marie Le Pen, French far-right leader, dies at 96 “

Paris — France on Tuesday commemorated the victims of the deadly assault on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine 10 years ago that began a spate of Islamist militant attacks on the country and stoked a debate on press freedoms that still rages today. Two masked al-Qaida-linked gunmen with assault rifles stormed what were then the offices …

Read more “France commemorates victims of Charlie Hebdo attacks 10 years on “

Russia’s military said Monday its forces captured an important town in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian officials cited tens of thousands of Russian casualties in the fighting in Russia’s Kursk region. The Russian Defense Ministry said its control of the town of Kurakhove after several months of fighting for the logistics hub will allow the Russian …

Read more “Russia claims capture of town in Ukraine’s Donetsk region”

UNITED NATIONS — The United States accused Russia at the United Nations on Monday of funding the two warring parties in Sudan, an apparent step up from Washington’s previous assertion that Moscow was playing both sides of the conflict to advance its political objectives. The war erupted in April 2023 amid a power struggle between the …

Read more “U.S. accuses Russia of funding both sides of Sudan’s war”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticized those, in his words, “spreading lies and misinformation,” after coming under fire from billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump accused Starmer of failing to prosecute past cases of child sexual exploitation. As Henry Ridgwell reports, it’s the latest in a series of …

Read more “British PM slams ‘lies and misinformation’ in escalating row with Musk”

A major natural gas pipeline supplying Russian energy to Europe ran dry Wednesday after Ukraine stopped Moscow’s six-decade supply in the hopes of hurting Russia financially. The planned move marks the end of an era in which many European countries kept warm using gas pumped by Russia. Ukraine is losing up to $1 billion a …

Read more “VOA Russian: Collapse of Kremlin’s strategy of gas blackmail against Europe “

Repression against the LGBTQ+ community in 2024 intensified after the Russian Supreme Court’s decision in January to recognize the “International LGBT Movement” as an extremist organization came into force. Last year was marked by the first criminal cases under articles on extremism, the first arrests for “extremist symbols” in the form of rainbow paraphernalia, and …

Read more “VOA Russian: Persecution of LGBTQ+ people in Russia intensified in 2024 “

LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday condemned “lies and misinformation” that he said are undermining U.K. democracy, in response to a barrage of attacks on his government from Elon Musk.  The billionaire Tesla CEO has taken an intense and erratic interest in British politics since the center-left Labour Party was elected in July. …

Read more “UK’s Starmer slams ‘lies and misinformation’ after attacks from Elon Musk”

Just before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly three years ago, 23-year-old Ukrainian army Lieutenant Myroslav Pylypchuk was preparing to become a father. Instead, he found himself confronting the invaders on the frontlines, where he repeatedly faced death, including a face-off with a Russian tank in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. During subsequent fighting in …

Read more “Grievously wounded Ukrainian soldier gets second chance in US”

Rome — Pope Francis on Monday named the first woman to head a major Vatican office, appointing an Italian nun, Sister Simona Brambilla, to become prefect of the department responsible for all the Catholic Church’s religious orders.  The appointment marks a major step in Francis’ aim to give women more leadership roles in governing the church. …

Read more “Pope Francis names 1st woman to head major Vatican office”

Paris — A trial of France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy and 11 co-defendants started Monday over alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the government of then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, did not speak to the press at arrival. He has denied any wrongdoing. He faces …

Read more “France’s former President Sarkozy standing trial over alleged campaign funding by Libya’s Gadhafi “

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that North Korea and China are the “biggest ongoing drivers” allowing Russia to carry out its war in Ukraine, and that security assurances will need to be a part of potential future negotiations ending the conflict. Speaking during a visit to South Korea, Blinken said North Korean …

Read more “Blinken: China, North Korea helping drive Russia’s war in Ukraine”

London — Heavy snow and freezing rain brought widespread disruptions across Europe on Sunday, particularly in the U.K. and Germany, with several major airports forced to suspend flights. With the weather set to stay inclement on Sunday in the U.K., there are concerns that many rural communities, particularly in the north of England, could be cut …

Read more “Heavy snow brings widespread disruptions across UK, Germany”