Travels News
Taras Topolya is a Ukrainian rock singer. From the first day of the war in Ukraine, he has been working as a paramedic with the country’s Territorial Defense. But when he has a break, he plays with big names in the Western music industry. Lesia Bakalets has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage …
Read more “When Not Tending to War Wounded, Ukraine Rock Star Jams With Bono, Sheeran”
The European Commission on Monday sharply cut its eurozone growth forecast for 2022 to 2.7 percent, blaming skyrocketing energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war also spurred the EU’s executive to revisit its eurozone inflation prediction for 2022, with consumer prices forecast to jump by 6.1 percent year-on-year, much higher than the …
Read more “EU Cuts Eurozone Growth Forecast As Ukraine War Bites”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis flies to Washington for talks with President Joe Biden on Monday, their first since the U.S. leader entered office. Mitsotakis is expected to discuss Turkey and efforts to ease brewing tensions between the two countries and NATO allies. But as the conflict in Ukraine rages, talks will also focus on …
Read more “Greek Leader Set for Talks With Biden Over Turkey, Energy “
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT: 5:10 a.m.: VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Abu Dhabi from Paris Monday, where he had a working dinner meeting with his French …
The United States and the European Union plan to announce on Monday a joint effort aimed at identifying semiconductor supply disruptions as well as countering Russian disinformation, officials said. The U.S. officials are visiting the French scientific hub of Saclay for a meet up of the Trade and Technology Council, created last year as China …
Read more “US, EU to boost coordination on semiconductor supply, Russia”
Pope Francis on Sunday declared 10 people saints of the Roman Catholic Church, including an anti-Nazi Dutch priest murdered in the Dachau concentration camp and a French hermit monk assassinated in Algeria. The 85-year-old pope, who has been using a wheelchair due to knee and leg pain, was driven to the altar at the start …
Read more “Pope Declares 10 New Saints, Including Dutch Priest Killed By Nazis
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Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra, fresh off its Eurovision victory, released a new music video Sunday of its winning hit “Stefania” that features scenes of war-ravaged Ukraine and women in combat gear, as the annual song contest took on ever more political tones given Russia’s war. “This is how we see Ukrainian mothers today,” Kalush frontman …
Read more “Eurovision Win in Hand, Ukraine Band Releases New War Video”
Talks to overcome Turkey’s misgivings about the expected NATO membership bids of Finland and Sweden were on a “good track,” Croatia said Sunday, as several members of the alliance eye swift accession for the Nordic states. “I think the discussion is on the good track and today I hope we will have a final fruitful …
Intellectuals, broadcasters and cultural figures from Hungary’s Roma community are using the airwaves to reframe narratives and elevate the voices of the country’s largest minority group. Radio Dikh — a Romani word that means “to see” — has broadcast since January on FM radio in Hungary’s capital, Budapest. Its 11 programs focus on Roma music, …
Read more “Radio Station Elevates Voices of Hungary’s Roma Minority”
Finland formally announced Sunday that it intends to apply for membership into the Western NATO military alliance, ignoring Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning that the move would “negatively affect” peaceful relations between the neighboring countries. President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced the NATO membership bid at the presidential palace in Helsinki. “This …
Switzerland’s fabled neutral status is about to face its biggest test in decades, with the defense ministry tilting closer to Western military powers in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The defense ministry is drawing up a report on security options that include joint military exercises with NATO countries and “backfilling” munitions, Paelvi Pulli, head …
Read more “Neutral Switzerland Leans closer to NATO in Response to Russia “
A large convoy of cars and vans carrying refugees from the ruins of Mariupol arrived in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia on Saturday after waiting days for Russian troops to allow them to leave. Mariupol, now mostly Russian-controlled, has been flattened during the 80-day-old war. Ukraine has gradually been evacuating civilians from the devastated city …
Yelena Osipova barely slept ahead of Russia’s pomp-filled Victory Day celebrations on May 9. The 76-year-old artist was up late, making placards to protest about the conflict in Ukraine. But the moment she stepped out of her home in St. Petersburg on her way to demonstrate, two unknown men snatched the work from her and …
Read more “Russia Artist is 76-Year-Old Voice of Protest on Ukraine”
Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in the early hours of Sunday in a clear show of support for the war-ravaged nation. The six-man band that mixes traditional folk melodies and contemporary hip hop in a purposeful defense of Ukrainian culture was the sentimental and bookmakers’ favorite among the 25 bands and …
Read more “Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra Wins Eurovision Song Contest”
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT: 12:02 a.m.: CNN reports that the Indian Embassy will return to Kyiv on Thursday. It had relocated to Warsaw in March amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Some information in this report …
“No one today can predict how long this war will last,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address Friday about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “But we are doing everything we can to liberate our land quickly. This is our priority – to work every day to make the war shorter,” he said. …
Read more “Zelenskyy: Duration of War With Russia Depends on Countries of Free World”
Group of Seven foreign ministers vowed on Saturday to reinforce Russia’s economic and political isolation, continue supplying weapons to Ukraine and tackle what Germany’s foreign minister described as a “wheat war” being waged by Moscow. After meeting at a 400-year-old castle estate in the Baltic Sea resort of Weissenhaus, senior diplomats from Britain, Canada, Germany, …
Read more “G7 to Continue Economic Pressure on Russia, Tackle ‘Wheat War’”
Despite US President Joe Biden’s urging that members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations take a firmer stance on the Ukraine war, the U.S.-ASEAN Summit ended Friday without a condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a sign of geopolitical complexities in the region as the administration seeks to broaden the coalition against Moscow beyond …
Read more “Despite US Nudging, No Condemnation of Russia in US-ASEAN Summit”
“No one today can predict how long this war will last,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address Friday about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “But we are doing everything we can to liberate our land quickly. This is our priority – to work every day to make the war shorter,” he said. …
Read more “Zelenskyy: Length of War with Russia Depends on Countries of the Free World”
The leader of the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia announced Friday that a referendum on joining Russia would be held in July. Russia has exercised effective control over the region since fighting a brief war with Georgia in 2008. Russia and a handful of other countries recognize South Ossetia as an independent state, but …
Read more “Georgia’s Breakaway South Ossetia Sets Vote to Join Russia”
Russian state-owned utility Inter RAO will stop exporting electricity to Finland from Saturday because it has not been paid, the company’s Finnish subsidiary said Friday. Inter RAO has not received payments for electricity sold via pan-European power exchange Nord Pool since May 6, the subsidiary said, without giving any reason. “This situation is exceptional and …
Read more “Russia’s Inter RAO to Halt Power Exports to Finland Due Lack of Payment”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Germany and France on Saturday for NATO and trade meetings, as Finland says it wants to join NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia has warned it will respond to what it calls a hostile move. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from …
Read more “Blinken Heads to Germany and France as Finland Moves to Join NATO”
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT: 12:02 a.m.: The New York Times reports that Ukraine’s general prosecutor has 41 Russian suspects for war crimes. The prosecutor’s office is investigating more than 11,000 suspected war crimes. Some information in …
Veto-wielding NATO member Turkey is voicing opposition to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telling reporters Friday he does not positively view the countries’ membership bid. Analysts warn the Turkish leader’s stance will likely rekindle questions over Ankara’s allegiances given its close ties with Moscow. “At the moment, we …
Read more “Turkey’s Erdogan Says He Opposes NATO Membership for Sweden, Finland”