Category: News

Since the 1950s, the British army’s prestigious Sandhurst has often been the first choice for developing countries to send their best military officers for further training, and in the past 70 years around 5,000 international students from 120 countries have completed courses at the academy southwest of London.  Some Sandhurst graduates went on to command …

Read more “Britain’s Sandhurst Superseded by Chinese Military Academies, Warns Report”

Germany’s parliament has elected Olaf Scholz as the country’s ninth post-World War II chancellor, opening a new era for the European Union’s most populous nation after Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure.  Scholz’s government takes office with high hopes of modernizing Germany and combating climate change, but faces the immediate challenge of handling the country’s toughest phase …

Read more “Olaf Scholz Voted in to Replace Merkel as Germany’s Leader”

In a virtual summit on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden laid out to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the steps that the U.S. would take should Moscow decide to invade Ukraine. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report. Produced by: Mary Cieslak    …

The communist party in the Czech Republic lost all of its 15 seats in the country’s 200-member Chamber of Deputies following elections earlier this year, marking a new political low for the party that once ruled the former Soviet satellite state.   The incoming government is composed of a five-party coalition that bears no resemblance …

Read more “Communism Down and Out in the Czech Republic”

U.S. officials are hopeful of developing a good working relationship with Germany’s incoming chancellor, Olaf Scholz, whose new coalition government featuring the Social Democrats, the Greens and the neoliberal Free Democrats, has already indicated it will observe a longstanding nuclear sharing arrangement allowing the U.S. to continue to deploy 20 atomic bombs at an airbase …

Read more “Washington Hopeful of Close Relations With Germany’s Scholz”

Angela Merkel was assured of a place in the history books as soon as she became Germany’s first female chancellor on Nov. 22, 2005. Over the next 16 years, she was credited with raising Germany’s profile and influence, working to hold a fractious European Union together, managing a string of crises and being a role …

Read more “End of An Era: Germany’s Merkel Bows Out after 16 Years”

U.S. President Joe Biden will speak Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin via video call, amid what appears to be a Russian troop buildup along the Ukrainian border, raising fears of a Russian invasion. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House. …

U.S. President Joe Biden will hold a high-stakes virtual summit with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Tuesday amid a massive buildup of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border.  President Biden is expected to make a series of diplomatic overtures to President Putin in an effort to de-escalate the situation, along with clear warnings of likely sanctions …

Read more “US, Russian Presidents to Hold Virtual Summit Tuesday Amid Rising Tensions Over Ukraine”

Three 2021 Nobel Prize laureates said Monday that climate change is the biggest threat facing the world — yet they remain optimistic — as this year’s winners began receiving their awards at scaled-down local ceremonies adapted for pandemic times.  For a second year, COVID-19 has scuttled the traditional formal banquet in Stockholm attended by winners …

Read more “Nobel Prizes Awarded in Pandemic-Curtailed Local Ceremonies”

When Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin meet virtually on Tuesday, the two presidents will have to negotiate a history of mutual suspicion as they take up the urgent issue of a major Russian military buildup on the Ukraine border. The key question hanging over the talks — and the subject of keen debate among analysts and political leaders — is whether Putin …

Read more “In Biden-Putin Talks, Key Question Is Russia’s Intent in Ukraine “

President Joe Biden is set to consult by phone with European allies on Monday about Russia’s troop buildup on the Ukraine border, one day ahead of Biden’s highly anticipated video meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Officials from other leading NATO nations — the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy — were expected to be …

Read more “Biden to Speak with NATO Allies on Ukraine Before Putin Call”

Authorities in Belarus have failed to release a freelance journalist who has worked for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Belarus Service even though the 10-day jail term he was handed on a controversial hooliganism charge ended on December 6. Andrey Kuznechyk was sentenced on November 26 after a trial in which he refused to accept the …

Read more “Belarusian Journalist’s Family Says He’s Still Waiting for His Release From Jail”

Programming shifts at Slovenia’s public broadcaster could curb critical journalism and benefit the center-right government in next year’s elections, say journalists and free press advocates who sense politics behind the moves.  The changes, adopted by the program council of RTV Slovenia on November 29, shorten or abolish some main news programs, while others move to …

Read more “RTV Slovenia Feels Political Heat Amid Program Shuffles”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed their ties at a New Delhi summit that aimed to reboot a relationship that has stagnated in recent years as India moves closer to the United States and Russia to China. The Russian leader on Monday called India “a great power, a friendly nation, …

Read more “Putin, Modi Reaffirm ‘Time-Tested’ Ties at New Delhi Summit”

Germany’s presumptive new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, Monday named epidemiologist Karl Lauterbach, known for his support of strong COVID-19 precautions, as his nominee to be the next health minister. Scholz introduced Lauterbach and other nominees for Cabinet posts at a news conference in Berlin. Scholz, who led his Social Democratic Party (SPD) to victory in September’s …

Read more “Germany’s Expected Next Chancellor Names Epidemiologist New Health Minister”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan starts a two-day visit to close ally Qatar on Monday. Afghanistan and economic support for Turkey’s crisis-ridden economy are expected to be on the agenda of talks between the two countries’ leaders.  Turkish and Qatari officials say President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two-day visit to Qatar aims to further deepen bilateral …

Read more “Turkey and Qatar Leaders Meet Amid Growing Isolation “

One of the scientists behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is warning that the next pandemic may be more contagious and more lethal unless more money is devoted to research and preparations to fight emerging viral threats. In excerpts released before a speech Monday, Professor Sarah Gilbert says the scientific advances made in fighting deadly viruses …

Read more “Scientist Behind UK Vaccine Says Next Pandemic May Be Worse”

Italy is making life more uncomfortable for unvaccinated people this holiday season, excluding them from indoor restaurants, theaters and museums starting Monday to reduce the spread of coronavirus and encourage vaccine skeptics to get their shots. Italian police can check whether diners in restaurants or bars have a “super” green health pass certifying that they …

Read more “Unvaccinated Italians Face New Restrictions as Holidays Near”

Pope Francis ended his visit to Greece on Monday by encouraging its young people to follow their dreams and not be tempted by the consumerist “sirens” of today that promise easy pleasures.  Francis briefly struggled to keep his balance on the steps while boarding the plane bound for Rome when caught by a gust of …

Read more “Pope Returning Home After Trip Focused on Helping Migrants “

The Turkish lira has been hitting new record lows against the U.S. dollar in recent days. That is raising alarm among Turkish businessowners. VOA’s Ezel Sahinkaya has this report, narrated by Begum Ersoz. …

Belgian police used water cannon and tear gas Sunday to disperse some rowdy protesters in Brussels after most demonstrators marched peacefully to protest tightened COVID-19 restrictions that aim to counter a surge of coronavirus infections. Thousands came to reject the new measures announced Friday, the third week in a row that the government has tightened …

Read more “Belgian Police Use Water, Tear Gas on COVID Protesters”

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India Monday for a summit as Moscow begins the delivery of air defense missile systems to India that could spur U.S. sanctions. India’s $5.4 billion deal with Russia to purchase S-400 air defense missile systems highlights New Delhi’s challenge in maintaining its partnership with Moscow, even as it embraces …

Read more “Putin to Visit New Delhi Amid Spotlight on Indian Defense Purchase”

Pope Francis will travel to Lesbos on Sunday to meet asylum-seekers at a migrant camp there on his second visit to the Greek island that was at the forefront of Europe’s refugee crisis. Francis is on a five-day trip to Cyprus and Greece during which he has highlighted the struggles of refugees and migrants, an …

Read more “Pope Francis Visiting Migrant Camp on Greek Island of Lesbos”

France on Saturday said more than 50,000 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours, as COVID-19 cases rocketed despite millions receiving a vaccine booster shot. The country recorded 51,624 new daily cases of Covid, health authorities said. France’s record daily cases number was nearly 118,000 in mid-April, according to Johns Hopkins …

Read more “France Records More Than 50,000 Daily COVID-19 Cases”