Category: News

Russia recently sent a group of 600 military instructors to the Central African Republic to train the army, police, and national gendarmerie, Russia’s foreign ministry said Friday.Moscow is in the spotlight after a United Nations report, seen by Reuters Tuesday, said Russian military instructors and local troops had targeted civilians with excessive force, indiscriminate killings, …

Read more “Russia Bolsters Presence in Central African Republic With 600 More Military Instructors”

The U.N. Security Council is set to hold its first public discussion of the situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region on Friday, as humanitarian groups attempt to resume and expand aid deliveries to millions of people in dire need in the embattled area.The 15-nation Security Council will meet later Friday (7pm GMT) to be briefed on …

Read more “UN Security Council to Discuss Ceasefire, Hunger in Ethiopia’s Tigray”

The three women were enjoying their time together, having lunch near the beach at Capalbio on the Southern Tuscan coast just over an hour’s drive from Rome. A long winter and spring of lockdowns and restrictions in their northern alpine town of Bolzano had kept grandmother, mother and daughter apart for months on end.“Can I …

Read more “Delta Variant Risks Spoiling Europe’s Hope of a Return to Normality”

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Thursday the Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) decision to hold its tournament in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was “absolutely irresponsible.”German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer gestures at a joint news conference with the health minister on the COVID-19 situation and entry regulation for Germany’s borders, in Berlin, …

Read more “German Interior Minister Calls European Soccer Organization ‘Irresponsible’”

Britain’s Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled a statue to their late mother Princess Diana in a ceremony Thursday at London’s Kensington Palace, on what would have been her 60th birthday. It’s the first time the brothers have met each other since the funeral of their grandfather, Prince Philip, in April.Prince Harry flew to London …

Read more “Feuding British Princes William and Harry Unveil Diana Statue”

Turkey sees Israel’s formation of a new government without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a chance for the two countries to reset relations that have long been strained. But recent fighting between Hamas and Israel threatens to complicate any effort to improve ties.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Benjamin Netanyahu routinely exchanged insults, with both …

Read more “Israel’s New Government Offers Opportunity for Reset with Turkey as Obstacles Remain”

With poll numbers for pro-Putin political parties sinking ahead of Russia’s scheduled fall parliamentary elections, the Kremlin has launched a new campaign strategy: clearing the field of would-be challengers. From Moscow, Charles Maynes reports. Camera: Ricardo Marquina Montañana, Agency   Produced by: Henry Hernandez  …

The European Union has formally launched its digital COVID-19 certificate, designed to make travel safe and easy for the fully vaccinated within its member nations —  but at least one airline says the app has run into issues on its first day of use.The EU designed the digital certificate – available as a smart phone …

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Several countries have imposed restrictions on travelers from Britain amid rising cases of the delta variant of the coronavirus. Scientists say the delta mutation is more infectious and now makes up around 95 percent of new cases in Britain. Henry Ridgwell reports from London. …

Germany and Italy have removed their last remaining soldiers from Afghanistan, ending almost two decades of deployment to the war-torn country alongside U.S. and other coalition troops. The United States and NATO plan to fully withdraw their militaries from the South Asian nation by September 11 in line with orders by U.S. President Joe Biden. The …

Read more “Germany, Italy Complete Troop Exit From Afghanistan”

They were once so close.Princes William and Harry grew up together, supported each other after their mother’s untimely death and worked side by side as they began their royal duties — two brothers seemingly bonded for life by blood, tradition and tragedy.But those links are now painfully strained as William sits in London defending the …

Read more “Princes William, Harry to Unveil Diana Statue as Royal Rift Simmers”

Chef José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen were awarded a prestigious Spanish prize Wednesday for their international relief work promoting healthy food.The jury that decides the Princess of Asturias Awards gave Andrés, 51, and the nonprofit group he founded the Award of Concord for “offering extraordinarily fast and efficient on-the-ground response to social and …

Read more “Spain Honors Chef Andrés for Humanitarian Kitchens”

President Vladimir Putin told Russians on Wednesday that the time would come when he would name his possible successor in the Kremlin, but he said the choice would ultimately lie with voters.Putin, 68, has been in power as president or prime minister since the turn of the century. His current six-year term in the Kremlin …

Read more “Putin Says Time Will Come When He Names Possible Successor”

Efforts are taking place around the world to vaccinate as many people as possible to protect against COVID-19.  Officials are tracking the safety and effectiveness of those efforts, but some medical experts say they aren’t getting the information they need on Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. Anush Avetisyan has the story.Camera: David Gogokhia       Produced by:  Henry Hernandez   …

Germany has removed its last remaining soldiers from Afghanistan, ending almost two decades of deployment to the war-torn country alongside U.S. and other coalition troops.The United States and NATO militaries plan to fully withdraw their militaries from the South Asian nation by September 11 in line with orders by U.S. President Joe Biden. The drawdown …

Read more “Germany Completes Troop Exit from Afghanistan”

A new, smaller version of the Statue of Liberty arrived Wednesday at Ellis Island in New York Harbor, a gift to the United States from France, 135 years after that nation presented the original Lady Liberty to the U.S.   The nearly-three-meter version of the statue arrived in New York after a nine-day journey across …

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They are called Adam or Nastashia, they are Europeans and live in the United Kingdom where they have been placed in homes or foster families, victims of chaotic journeys. Some of these children are now at risk of becoming undocumented as a result of Brexit.”This means that they will not have the right to live …

Read more “Brexit: Children in Care Threatened With Becoming Undocumented in United Kingdom”

Officials in Greece say they have recovered two priceless paintings — one by Pablo Picasso and another by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian — stolen from the National Gallery in Athens in 2012.During a news briefing in Athens Tuesday, a spokesman said police acted on a tip and arrested a 49-year-old handyman who confessed to the …

Read more “Greece Recovers Picasso, Mondrian Paintings Stolen in 2012”

European borders and economies are opening up this summer, thanks to falling coronavirus cases and rising vaccination numbers. But experts warn the pandemic’s scars could be long term and profound—especially for young people, a generation Europe cannot afford to lose. Things are looking up for young Parisians. Bars and restaurants have reopened, also schools and …

Read more “COVID-19 Leaves Long-Term Scars on Europe’s Youth “

European borders and economies are opening up this summer, thanks to falling coronavirus cases and rising vaccination numbers. But experts warn the pandemic’s scars could be long term and profound — especially for young people, a generation Europe cannot afford to lose. For VOA, Lisa Bryant has the story from Paris.Camera:  Lisa Bryant Produced by: Jon Spier   …

Russian authorities on Tuesday morning raided the apartments of several investigative journalists and their family members, a move that comes amid mounting pressure on Russia’s independent media outlets.   Police searched the apartments of Roman Badanin, chief editor of the Proekt investigative online outlet, and Maria Zholobova, one of its journalists. Officers also raided the …

Read more “Russia Uses Raids to Target Investigative Journalists”

International human rights groups are voicing growing concern over Turkey’s increasing practice of abducting people from abroad who are accused of terrorism offenses.A Turkish news channel broadcasts images of Selahaddin Gulen, handcuffed and paraded in front of a Turkish flag. Gulen was spirited out of Kenya in May by Turkish intelligence forces. He is accused of …

Read more “Rights Groups Slam Turkey’s Increasing Use of Renditions”

The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of Syrian refugees living in Turkey deeper into poverty, with many having to take on large debts, according to aid agencies. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.  …

The European Union’s asylum agency said Tuesday that the number of people seeking international protection in Europe hit its lowest level last year since 2013, but that the drop was due mostly to coronavirus travel restrictions. EASO said in a new report that 485,000 asylum applications were made in the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and …

Read more “EU Asylum Applications Drop Due to COVID-19, not Lower Demand”