Month: March 2025

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump met Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Wednesday for wide-ranging talks that reflected differences over trade and the conflict in Gaza, although both leaders pledged to expand cooperation between the two countries. The annual White House meeting around the time of St. Patrick’s Day is usually a relatively straightforward affair …

Read more “Trump, Irish leader meet amid differences on trade, Gaza war”

ROME — Pope Francis’ recovery from double pneumonia continued Wednesday as a chest X-ray confirmed improvement, two days after doctors declared he is no longer in imminent danger of death. The latest medical bulletin said the pope’s condition remained stable but indicated a complex picture considering his overall fragility. The Vatican said Francis, 88, again followed …

Read more “Chest X-ray confirms improvements in pope’s condition, Vatican says”

WASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions against the Foxtrot Network, a Sweden-based gang accused of carrying out attacks against Israeli interests in Europe on behalf of Iran. Describing Foxtrot as one of Sweden’s “most notorious criminal gangs,” the U.S. Treasury and State Departments also placed sanctions on its leader Rawa Majid, with both …

Read more “US sanctions Sweden-based gang with links to Iran”

THE HAGUE — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was turned over Wednesday to the custody of the International Criminal Court, following his arrest on a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he oversaw while in office. The court said in a statement that “as a precautionary measure” medical assistance was made …

Read more “ICC takes custody of Philippine ex-president Duterte in crimes against humanity case”

A federal court in New York has rejected a Russian businessman’s challenge to the U.S. government’s efforts to confiscate a luxury superyacht that allegedly belongs to sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov. The decision brings the United States closer to taking ownership of the yacht — known as Amadea — through a legal procedure known as …

Read more “Court rejects Russian oligarch’s challenge to US efforts to confiscate yacht”

SARAJEVO — Bosnian state prosecutors on Wednesday ordered the arrest of Russian-backed Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and his aides for ignoring a court summons, raising the stakes in a standoff that threatens the Balkan country’s stability. The decision was taken two weeks after a separate case in which Dodik was sentenced to a year in …

Read more “Bosnian prosecutors order arrest of Bosnian Serb leader Dodik “

TBILISI — Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been imprisoned since 2021, was sentenced on Wednesday to nine more years in jail after being found guilty of embezzlement. Saakashvili, in office from 2004 to 2013, had been convicted of embezzling $3.3 million via expenses claims for what prosecutors called “luxury” spending. In a post on …

Read more “Georgian ex-president Saakashvili gets nine more years in jail on fraud charge”

Ukrainian officials said Wednesday a Russian missile attack hit the southern port city of Odesa overnight, killing four Syrians and injuring several other people. Oleksiy Kuleba, vice prime minister for reconstruction, said on Telegram that the missile struck a cargo ship that was being loaded with wheat set to be exported to Algeria. Russia is …

Read more “ Russian missile attack kills 4 in Odesa, Ukrainian officials say”

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — Foreign ministers from the G7 group of leading industrial nations are set to gather for several days of talks in Quebec, Canada, including meetings focused on support for Ukraine in its battle against a three-year Russian invasion. The talks follow a decision by the United States to resume intelligence sharing and security …

Read more “G7 to discuss Ukraine after US restarts aid, proposes 30-day ceasefire”

WASHINGTON — For more than 70 years, Irish leaders have visited the White House for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration of Irish-America heritage. But this year, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin will need to present President Donald Trump with more than just the traditional gift of a bowl of shamrock, as he navigates potential friction …

Read more “Irish PM visits White House amid divisions on economy, Ukraine, Gaza”

NUUK, Greenland — Polling stations closed in Greenland on Tuesday in a parliamentary election brought into the international spotlight by U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge to take control of the mineral-rich island, firing up a debate over its independence. Voting had been extended by half an hour past a 2200 GMT deadline amid high turnout at …

Read more “Voting ends in Greenland election dominated by Trump’s control pledge”

The United States praised Ukraine Tuesday for accepting a ceasefire offer and taking a step forward on the path to ending the war with Russia. Moscow is expected to weigh in next on the American proposal. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports. …

KYIV, UKRAINE — The images shared by Kremlin-controlled media were shocking: Russian troops hunched, dirt on their faces, as they crept through an empty gas pipeline under Ukrainian defense lines. Since Kyiv launched its audacious cross-border assault into the Kursk region last August, Moscow has been pushing back hard, using unconventional tactics and deploying thousands of …

Read more “Russia’s gains in Kursk threaten Kyiv’s leverage”

Paris — European military and political heads are holding high-level talks this week after calls for massively rearming Europe — and boosting aid for Kyiv — amid fears of a less engaged United States. Lisa Bryant has more from Paris. Speaking to top NATO and European Union military brass gathered in Paris Tuesday, Dutch Defense Minister …

Read more “Europe holds high-level talks on rearming continent, boosting Ukraine aid”

Belgrade, Serbia — Several hundred student protesters have blocked Serbia’s public television station building in Belgrade as tensions soar in the Balkan country, days ahead of a large rally planned for the weekend and billed as an endgame in months of anti-government demonstrations. The students first blocked the TV building in central Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, late …

Read more “Protesters block main state Serbian TV building as tensions soar ahead of planned rally”

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — U.S. and Ukrainian officials began talks Tuesday in Saudi Arabia with the Ukrainian side expected to present a partial ceasefire plan with Russia. The Ukrainian plan includes halting long-range missiles strikes and a truce covering the Black Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not take part in Tuesday’s meetings, with Ukraine represented …

Read more “Ukraine to present peace plan in talks with US”

NUUK, Greenland — Greenland residents vote on Tuesday in a closely watched election brought into the international spotlight by a pledge from U.S. President Donald Trump to take control of the mineral-rich island. Since taking office in January, Trump has vowed to make Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, part of the United States, saying it …

Read more “Greenland election tests independence ambitions as US interest looms”

WITHERNSEA, England — Fires continued to burn on Tuesday after two ships collided off the coast of northeast England a day earlier, adding to concerns the jet fuel carried by one and toxic chemicals aboard the other could cause an environmental disaster. Following the crash, both crews abandoned their ships and 36 people were brought ashore, …

Read more “Stena Immaculate tanker spills fuel; Solong has toxic chemicals”

Russian officials said Tuesday that Ukrainian attacks involving more than 90 drones killed at least two people and injured 18 others in the Moscow region.   The assault was part of an overall attack overnight that included more than 300 Ukrainian drones targeting 10 Russian regions stretching from border areas to the Russian capital. Andrei Vorobyov, …

Read more “Ukrainian drone attacks target 10 Russian regions, kill 2 people in Moscow”

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — U.S. and Ukrainian officials began talks Tuesday in Saudi Arabia with the Ukrainian side expected to present a partial ceasefire plan with Russia. The Ukrainian plan includes halting long-range missiles strikes and a truce covering the Black Sea.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not take part in Tuesday’s meetings, with Ukraine represented …

Read more “Ukraine to present peace plan in US talks”

Russian documentary filmmaker Vitaly Mansky produces Artdocfest, an annual film festival that showcases documentary features from independent film directors. He says most documentary films reflect the negative impact of the war in Ukraine, from resettling Ukrainian refugees to daily struggles of Russians who fled the war and try to set up their life anew in …

Read more “VOA Russian: Russian filmmakers reflect on impact from war in Ukraine”

LONDON — A cargo ship hit a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military off eastern England on Monday, setting both vessels ablaze and sending fuel pouring into the North Sea. All but one of the 37 crew of the two ships were brought safely ashore. One crew member from the cargo ship, Solong, was …

Read more “Cargo ship and tanker collide, catch fire off England; one crew member missing”