Vatican: Francis stable, out of ‘imminent danger’ of death

The Vatican issued an update Saturday on the health of Pope Francis, who remains in Rome’s Gemelli hospital under the care of doctors, saying that while his prognosis remains “complex,” the pope is no longer in “imminent danger” of death. On Friday, the Vatican’s Holy See Press Office announced that since Francis’ condition is now …

Starmer: ‘Sooner or later’ Russia must yield to peace

Britain’s leader encouraged his global counterparts to continue pushing for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine at the start of a virtual meeting Saturday intended to end the fighting between the two countries. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told a virtual meeting of mostly European leaders that “sooner or later” Russia would have to engage …

G7 urges Russia to accept ceasefire or face further sanctions

CHARLEVOIX, QUEBEC, CANADA — Top diplomats from the Group of Seven leading democracies urged Russia on Friday to accept a U.S.-proposed ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war or face the possibility of additional sanctions. “We called for Russia to reciprocate by agreeing to a ceasefire on equal terms and implementing it fully,” the diplomats said in a …

Kremlin: Reasons to be optimistic about ceasefire deal

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday there are reasons for “cautious optimism” regarding a proposed ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia, following talks between a U.S. envoy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Speaking to reporters in a telephone news briefing, Peskov referenced comments from Putin on Thursday in which he expressed qualified support …

Putin says Ukrainians must ‘surrender or die’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had trapped the remaining Ukrainian soldiers in its western Kursk region, where they have held on for more than seven months in one of the most important battles of the war. Putin told reporters in Moscow that the situation in Kursk was “completely under our control, …

Constitutional crisis shakes Bosnia

The national assembly of Bosnia’s Serb-controlled Republika Srpska on Thursday adopted the draft of the new Republic Constitution, introduced by the autonomous republic’s president, Milorad Dodik, that includes articles that violate Bosnia’s constitution. Bosnian state prosecutors on Wednesday had ordered the arrest of Dodik and his aides for ignoring a court summons for allegedly trying …

Ukraine peace, global security top G7 agenda as diplomats convene in Canada

CHARLEVOIX, QUEBEC — Top diplomats from the Group of Seven leading industrial nations gathered Thursday in Charlevoix, Quebec, as host country Canada outlined its top agenda, focusing on achieving a “just and lasting peace in Ukraine” and strengthening security and defense partnerships as the G7 marks 50 years. During the opening remarks, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie …

Asteroid probe snaps rare images of Martian moon

PARIS — On the way to investigate the scene of a historic asteroid collision, a European spacecraft swung by Mars and captured rare images of the red planet’s mysterious small moon Deimos, the European Space Agency said Thursday. Europe’s HERA mission is aiming to find out how much of an impact a NASA spacecraft made when …

Can the US pry Russia away from China?

Western politicians have repeatedly called on China to limit or cease tacit support for Russia’s bloody war against Ukraine. In response, China’s leadership insists it is committed to peace and respect for the territorial integrity of other nations. But unlike most United Nations member states, China has never condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and …

UN judge from Uganda convicted in UK of forcing woman into slavery

LONDON — A British jury on Thursday convicted a United Nations judge of forcing a young woman to work as a slave after tricking her into coming to the U.K. Prosecutors said Lydia Mugambe made the Ugandan woman work as her maid and provide childcare for free. Mugambe, who is also a high court judge in …

Belgium makes arrests in corruption probe linked to EU

BRUSSELS — Belgian federal prosecutors announced Thursday the arrests of several people as part of a corruption probe linked to the European Parliament amid reports in local media that Chinese company Huawei bribed EU lawmakers. The arrests came as an investigation by Le Soir newspaper and other media said lobbyists working for the Chinese telecoms giant …

Trump threatens hefty tariffs on European spirits

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened the European Union with 200% tariffs on wine, champagne and other spirits produced in the 27-nation bloc after the EU levied what he said was “a nasty 50% tariff” on American-distilled whiskey. Trump contended in a post on his Truth Social media platform that the EU is “one …

Russian foreign policy adviser dismisses US ceasefire proposal

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide on Thursday dismissed the United States’ 30-day ceasefire proposal for Russia’s war with Ukraine, saying it would merely provide Ukraine’s military with a temporary respite from fighting. In an interview with Russian state television and state news agency RIA Novsiti, Putin adviser and former Ambassador to the …

Deadly Russian aerial attacks hit Ukraine’s Kherson region

Russian aerial attacks overnight killed at least two people in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, officials said Thursday. Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram his region came under attack by Russian drones and shelling, and that one other person was injured. In the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Serhiy Lysak said at least three …

VOA Russian: Investigative reporter describes murder plot against him

As a court in London found three members of a Russian spy ring guilty, VOA Russian spoke to Roman Dobrokhotov, the editor-in-chief of the Russian investigative outlet The Insider, who was a target of the spy ring’s plot. Dobrokhotov described how the group planned to kidnap and assassinate him and his colleague Christo Grozev after …

VOA Russian: Drone attack on Moscow seen as signal to Putin

After Ukraine staged its biggest-ever drone attack on Moscow, which coincided with the U.S.-Ukrainian talks in Saudi Arabia, VOA Russian spoke to regional experts who saw it as Kyiv’s signal to Vladimir Putin to convince him to agree to a ceasefire. However, as the Kremlin mulls its response and Washington says that the ball is …

Trump, Irish leader meet amid differences on trade, Gaza war

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 …

Chest X-ray confirms improvements in pope’s condition, Vatican says

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 …

US sanctions Sweden-based gang with links to Iran

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 …

ICC takes custody of Philippine ex-president Duterte in crimes against humanity case

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 …