Author: Worldman

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — An Iranian official claimed Tuesday that Iranian-German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd died before Tehran could execute him — directly contradicting the country’s earlier announcement he had been put to death. The comment by Asghar Jahangir came after Germany shut down all three Iranian consulates in the country over Sharmahd’s death, leaving only …

Read more “Iran claims Iranian-German prisoner died before he could be executed”

London — Brazilian police official Valdecy Urquiza will be the next chief of Interpol, the global police organization announced Tuesday. Urquiza was elected secretary-general by a vote of Interpol’s general assembly at its meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, and will take up the post when the gathering ends on Thursday. Currently Interpol’s vice president for the Americas, …

Read more “Brazilian police official chosen as next head of Interpol”

Ukraine’s military said Tuesday it shot down two Russian guided missiles as well as 48 of the 79 drones that Russian forces used in overnight attacks. The intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy and Zhytomyr regions, the Ukrainian air force said. Ivan Fedorov, governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, said …

Read more “ Ukraine reports downing 48 Russian drones “

washington — Pyongyang may have bet all its chips on its relationship with Moscow by committing the lives of its soldiers to fight for Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine, according to analysts. North Korean soldiers are gearing up for an anticipated battle in the Russian border region of Kursk. According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine …

Read more “Analysts: North Korea’s ties with Russia elevate danger to itself  “

GENEVA — China has moved forward with a complaint at the World Trade Organization that alleges the European Union has improperly set anti-subsidy tariffs on new Chinese-made electric vehicles.  The Chinese diplomatic mission to the WTO said Monday it “strongly opposes” the measures and insisted its move was designed to protect the EV industry and support …

Read more “China files complaint at WTO over EU tariffs on Chinese EVs”

Russia will launch two Iranian satellites into orbit using a Soyuz launcher on Tuesday, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow said Monday, as the two U.S.-sanctioned countries deepen their scientific relationship.  “In continuation of the development of Iran-Russia scientific and technological cooperation, two Iranian satellites, Kowsar and Hodhod, will be launched to a 500 km orbit of …

Read more “Russia to launch two Iranian satellites Tuesday, Tehran’s Moscow envoy says “

Indonesia and Russia began their first-ever joint naval exercises Monday in the Java Sea. These bilateral drills work to support an Indonesian foreign policy agenda that prioritizes nonalignment in the face of conflict between world powers. The drills have been divided into two phases and will take place over the course of five days near …

Read more “Russia, Indonesia begin unprecedented naval drills”

miami — A Turkish businessman was arrested Monday in Miami and charged with helping Venezuela’s state-run oil company circumvent U.S. sanctions. Taskin Torlak, 37, was arrested while attempting to return to Turkey, the Justice Department said in a statement. According to court documents, Torlak operated several companies involved in the shipment of sanctioned oil. Starting in …

Read more “US arrests Turkish businessman accused of helping Venezuela skirt sanctions”

New York — Russia refused to confirm its plans for North Korean troops it reportedly plans to deploy in its fight against Ukraine, during a confrontation with the United States Monday at the U.N. Security Council. “I heard the statement [of the Russian envoy], as did others in this room, but the one question still remains …

Read more “At UN, US confronts Russia over North Korean troops for Ukraine”

belgrade, serbia — Serbia’s construction minister said Monday he was stepping down days after a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station, killing 14 people and severely injuring three. Minister Goran Vesic announced his resignation at a hastily called press conference as anger mounted in the Balkan country over the fatal collapse that happened just before …

Read more “Serbian minister to resign over concrete canopy collapse that killed 14 people”

Tbilisi, Georgia — Thousands of opposition supporters rallied outside Georgia’s parliament for the second straight Monday to denounce the Oct. 26 election as illegitimate after the ruling party was declared the winner amid allegations of vote-rigging helped by Russia. The protesters, who waved Georgian and European Union flags, demanded a new parliamentary election under international supervision …

Read more “Thousands rally again in Georgia to protest Oct. 26 parliamentary election they say was rigged”

Seoul, South Korea — South Korea and the European Union on Monday jointly condemned North Korea’s supply of weaponry to Moscow and demanded that it withdraw troops it has sent as Russia wages war against Ukraine. The EU and South Korea were holding their first “Strategic Dialogue” meeting in Seoul, shortly after Washington and Seoul sounded …

Read more “EU, South Korea urge withdrawal of North Korean troops from Russia’s war with Ukraine”

Paris — The trial of eight people in Paris on terrorism charges started on Monday over the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, who was killed by an Islamic extremist after showing caricatures of Islam’s prophet to his middle school students for a lesson on freedom of expression. Paty’s shocking death left an imprint on France, and …

Read more “Trial opens in France in beheading of teacher over prophet cartoons”

PAIPORTA, Spain — Spain is deploying 7,500 troops to its eastern region hit by devastating floods, the government said on Monday in the face of rising discontent over the response to the catastrophe that has killed at least 217 people. The army sent about 5,000 soldiers over the weekend to help distribute food and water, clean …

Read more “Spain deploys 7,500 troops to flood zone where anger rises at slow help”

Paris — French prosecutors on Monday said they had dropped an investigation into sexual and moral harassment allegations against former French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet. The preliminary inquiry, opened in January 2023, was closed on Oct. 17 due to insufficient evidence, the Paris public prosecution office said in e-mailed comments. Le Graet, 82, who …

Read more “French prosecutors drop harassment probe into ex-soccer chief Le Graet”

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock pledged her country’s support for Ukraine during a visit Monday to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders. Baerbock said Ukraine needs support amid Russian airstrikes as its heads into another winter season, and with the added threat of North Korean military support for Russia. “We are countering this brutality with …

Read more “German foreign minister pledges Ukraine support in Kyiv visit”

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkey stripped three elected pro-Kurdish mayors of their posts in southeastern cities on Monday, for convictions and charges on terrorism-related offenses, the interior ministry said, appointing state officials in their places instead. Local governors replaced the mayors in the provincial centers of Mardin and Batman, while the mayor of Halfeti in Sanliurfa province …

Read more “Turkey replaces pro-Kurdish mayors with state officials in southeast”

PARIS — Seven French families have filed a lawsuit against social media giant TikTok, accusing the platform of exposing their adolescent children to harmful content that led to two of them taking their own lives at 15, their lawyer said on Monday. The lawsuit alleges TikTok’s algorithm exposed the seven teenagers to videos promoting suicide, self-harm …

Read more “French families sue TikTok over alleged failure to remove harmful content”

SEOUL, South Korea — The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell holds talks on Monday with his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul, amid growing concerns in Seoul over the dispatch of North Korean troops to Russia for its war with Ukraine. Borrell arrived in South Korea after a trip to Japan and visited the heavily …

Read more “EU’S Borrell visits South Korea amid alarm over North Korean troops in Russia”

BEIJING —   China has urged France to take on “an active role” to push the European Commission toward a solution acceptable to both the European and Chinese electric vehicle industries, Beijing’s commerce ministry said on Monday, citing its minister. Wang Wentao, in a meeting with French junior trade minister Sophie Primas in Shanghai on Sunday, …

Read more “China urges France to get EU to arrive at palatable EV trade solution”

Taipei, Taiwan — A second Taiwanese volunteer fighting alongside Ukrainian soldiers against Russia has been killed, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Sunday. The man was a member of the Ukrainian Foreign Legion, the ministry said in a statement, expressing condolences to his family, who did not want him publicly identified. The ministry said it was informed of …

Read more “Second Taiwanese fighter killed in Ukraine”

Madrid — Five bodies were found floating in the sea Sunday after the inflatable boat they were travelling in punctured around 90 km (56 miles) off the Spanish island of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, Spanish Sea Rescue services told Reuters. A spokesperson said a rescue aircraft sighted two inflatable boats heading toward the archipelago, and …

Read more “5 migrants die trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands”

Spain’s government reports more than 200 dead and dozens still missing following the deadliest flash floods in that country’s modern history. Locals say they feel abandoned by their government. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more. …

Kyiv, Ukraine — Moscow sent 96 drones and a guided air missile into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, 66 drones were destroyed during the overnight barrage, along with the missile. A further 27 drones were “lost” over various areas, it said, likely having been electronically jammed, while one drone …

Read more “Russia sends nearly 100 drones into Ukraine, as Zelenskyy urges tougher sanctions against Moscow”