Category: News

A hands-off approach to moderating content at Elon Musk’s Twitter could clash with ambitious new laws in Europe meant to protect users from disinformation, hate speech and other harmful material.  Musk, who describes himself as a “free speech absolutist,” pledged to buy Twitter for $44 billion this week, with European Union officials and digital campaigners …

Read more “Musk’s Twitter Ambitions Likely to Collide with Europe’s Tech Rules “

The World Health Organization says the war in Ukraine has interrupted lifesaving immunizations in Ukraine, setting back years of progress in countering vaccine preventable diseases. This is World Immunization Week, a time to celebrate the marvel of vaccines that have saved the lives of countless millions. WHO spokesman Bhanu Bhatnagar spoke about vaccinations at an …

Read more “WHO: War Interrupts Routine Lifesaving Immunizations in Ukraine”

The United States and Russia exchanged high-profile prisoners on Wednesday even as the two countries remain sharply at odds over Moscow’s two-month invasion of Ukraine. Russia freed Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine jailed in Russia since 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted a police officer when he was detained after a heavy night …

Read more “US, Russia Swap Prisoners Facing Lengthy Sentences”

Jan Lipavsky, the Czech Republic’s foreign minister, spoke to VOA during a visit to Washington this week. The conversation focused on his country’s support for Ukraine including its EU membership aspirations, post-war reconstruction, the Czech Republic’s upcoming EU rotating presidency beginning July 1, as well as the enduring challenge coming from Beijing.    “I am 100% …

Read more “VOA Interview: Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky “

The road toward Chernobyl is littered with Russian soldiers’ discarded ration boxes and occasional empty bullet shells in a subtle but harrowing warning of the invasion’s terrible risk for the infamous nuclear site.  Tuesday marked the 36th anniversary of what is considered the worst ever nuclear disaster, and there was relief the hulking so-called sarcophagus …

Read more “‘Very Dangerous’ Situation: Chernobyl Marks Anniversary Amid War”

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Tuesday that the Biden administration supports legislation that calls for some of the proceeds being seized from Russian oligarchs to go “directly to Ukraine.”   “That’s not the current circumstance,” Garland told the Senate Appropriations Committee as lawmakers questioned him about the property and assets the Justice Department is …

Read more “US Supports Sending Seized Oligarchs’ Assets to Ukraine”

He is not low key or known for listening, key attributes of his former German counterpart, Angela Merkel.   But with his reelection Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron has arguably cemented another role, some say: succeeding Merkel as the European Union’s de-facto leader, with his call for a stronger, closer EU resonating, especially with the war …

Read more “With Reelection, France’s Macron Gains New Influence in Europe”

Russian state news agencies say a gunman opened fire in a kindergarten in the nation’s western Ulyanovsk region, killing two students and a teacher before killing himself. The Tass news agency, citing a regional law enforcement official, said the attack occurred in the village of Veshkayma. They said the gunman burst in during “quiet time,” …

Read more “Gunman Kills 3 in Russian Kindergarten”

Turkey faces growing domestic and international backlash over the conviction of Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, who was imprisoned for life without parole on Monday on charges of seeking to overthrow the government. The case, widely condemned as politically motivated, could strain ties with Turkey’s Western allies. Seven co-defendants were sentenced to 18 years in prison. …

Read more “Ankara Rejects Growing Global Criticism over Turkish Philanthropist’s Life Sentence”

With the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, an increasing number of experts are warning of worldwide food shortages. Some experts say the war will put long-term food security in jeopardy. Azerbaijan’s food supply relies heavily on imports from Russia and Ukraine.  Azerbaijan imported goods worth roughly $470 million from Ukraine and $2.74 billion from Russia in …

Read more “Analysts Assess Impact of Russia-Ukraine War on Food Security in Azerbaijan”

 U.N. member states voted Tuesday to hold the five permanent Security Council members more accountable when they cast their vetoes.  The General Assembly adopted the draft resolution by consensus – or without a vote. It was put forward by Liechtenstein and co-sponsored by more than 100 countries. The resolution requires the president of the General …

Read more “At UN, Veto Under Spotlight”

World leaders from Washington to Beijing have congratulated Emmanuel Macron, who became France’s first president in two decades to be reelected, with nearly 59% of Sunday’s runoff vote. But with high abstention and a historically high score for his far-right opponent Marine Le Pen, Macron faces big challenges pushing through his second-term agenda — and …

Read more “After Difficult Reelection, France’s Macron Eyes June Legislative Vote”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is headed to Moscow for a meeting Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a renewed bid to try to get him to agree to a pause or end to his two-month assault on Ukraine. Guterres’ spokesperson said the U.N. chief is later going to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on …

Read more “UN Chief Guterres to Meet with Putin on Ukraine War”

A Turkish court sentenced Osman Kavala, a prominent Turkish civil rights activist and philanthropist, to life in prison without parole Monday after convicting him of trying to overthrow the government by financing protests. Kavala, 64, has been in jail for the past 4½ years on charges that he helped finance and organize protests that began …

Read more “Turkish Philanthropist Jailed for Life After Widely Criticized Trial”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Monday, ahead of planned visits to Ukraine and Russia in efforts to end the Ukrainian conflict. Neither Guterres nor Erdogan spoke to the media after their talks in the Turkish capital, but both issued statements. The U.N. chief’s office recognized and praised …

Read more “UN Secretary-General Stops in Ankara on Way to Kyiv, Moscow”

The European Union (EU) and India agreed on Monday to set up a trade and technology council to step up cooperation, as the bloc’s chief held talks with officials in New Delhi who have seen a flurry of top visits since the start of the Ukraine war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is …

Read more “EU, India Agree to Broaden Ties Amid Ukraine War”

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday that it had declared 40 German diplomatic staff “personae non gratae” in a retaliatory move after Berlin expelled the same number of Russian diplomats.  In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said it had taken the decision after Germany on April 4 declared a “significant number” of officials at the …

Read more “Russia Expels 40 German Diplomatic Staff in Tit-for-Tat Move”

A Gambian man went on trial in Germany Monday, accused of belonging to a death squad that assassinated opponents of former dictator Yahya Jammeh, including an AFP journalist. The suspect, identified by media as Bai Lowe, is accused of crimes against humanity, murder and attempted murder, including the 2004 killing of AFP correspondent Deyda Hydara. …

Read more “Gambian on Trial in Germany Over AFP Reporter Murder”

Moscow said Monday it had arrested members of a “neo-Nazi terrorist” group in Russia who allegedly planned to assassinate pro-Kremlin TV anchor Vladimir Solovyov on orders from Ukraine. “The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation detained a group of members of the neo-Nazi terrorist organization National Socialism/White Power, which is banned in Russia,” Russia’s FSB …

Read more “Russia Claims It Prevented ‘Murder’ of Pro-Kremlin Journalist”

Greenpeace activists sought to block a tanker on Monday from delivering Russian oil to Norway, chaining themselves to the vessel in a protest against the war in Ukraine, the advocacy group said. The Ust Luga product tanker is currently anchored outside Exxon Mobil’s Slagen oil terminal some 70 km south of the capital Oslo, according …

Read more “Greenpeace Blocks Tanker From Delivering Russian Oil to Norway”

The world’s largest security body on Sunday called for the “immediate release” of four of its Ukrainian members detained in pro-Russian separatist territories in the country’s east. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) evacuated many of its staff from the country after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.  Many had been …

Read more “OSCE Calls for Release of Members Held in Separatist-Controlled Parts of Ukraine”

American diplomats will start returning to Ukraine this week, first to the western city of Lviv and then eventually to the capital, Kyiv. The United States is also providing further foreign military financing to Ukraine to help the country obtain more advanced weapons and air defense systems to fend off Russian attacks, according to senior …

Read more “US Diplomats to Begin Returning to Ukraine”

An opposition liberal party convincingly won Sunday’s parliamentary election in Slovenia, according to early official results, in a major defeat for populist Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who was accused of pushing the small European Union country to the right while in office. The Freedom Movement won nearly 34% of the votes, compared with around 24% …

Read more “Opposition Wins Slovenia Vote, Defeating Right-Wing Populist”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have visited Kyiv to meet with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid Russia’s ongoing war on that country. Continued Russian attacks came against the backdrop of Easter Sunday for Orthodox Christians. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more. This video contains images of war, which some may find disturbing. …