Category: World

In a landmark case brought by seven environmental groups, a Dutch court Wednesday ordered energy company Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) to cut its carbon emissions by net 45% from 2019 levels by 2030.The ruling could set a precedent for similar cases against polluting multinationals, particularly petroleum companies, around the world.The environmental groups, which included the …

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Police arrested three people Wednesday in the cable car disaster that killed 14 people in northern Italy, saying an investigation showed a clamp, intentionally placed on the brake as a patchwork repair, prevented the brake from engaging after the lead cable snapped. Carabinieri Lt. Col. Alberto Cicognani said at least one of the three people questioned overnight admitted …

Read more “3 Arrested in Italy Cable Car Crash; Clamp Deactivated Brake”

The European Union pledged to deliver at least 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to low- and middle-income countries by year’s end, and develop vaccine production capacity in poorer nations, as it wrapped up a two-day summit in Brussels.After being criticized for a slow vaccination start, European leaders say they are steaming ahead on COVID-19 inoculations, …

Read more “EU to Deliver COVID-19 Shots to Developing Nations”

The White House announced Tuesday that President Joe Biden will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva next month, as the administration seeks to restore stability amid worsening bilateral tensions. Some Republican lawmakers have criticized the decision, raising concerns about recent moves by Moscow and its ally Belarus. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report.   …

Airlines re-routed flights to avoid Belarusian airspace Tuesday in the aftermath of the Minsk government forcing down a passenger jet and arresting an opposition blogger critical of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.Lufthansa, KLM, SAS, Air France, LOT and Singapore Airlines were among carriers that stopped flying over Belarus along a major Europe-to-Asia corridor that generates hard …

Read more “Airlines Avoid Belarusian Airspace over Plane Diversion, Arrest of Journalist”

Talks between Iran and the world powers still adhering to the 2015 nuclear deal resumed Tuesday in Vienna with the goal of bringing the United States back into the agreement.The fifth round of talks began a day after Iran and the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency agreed to extend a deal for monitoring Iran’s …

Read more “Round Five of Iran Nuclear Talks Opens in Vienna”

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says the seizure by Belarus of a journalist traveling on a plane is tantamount to extraordinary rendition – a state-sponsored abduction.     Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich was arrested after a Ryanair plane traveling from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, was diverted by a Belarusian …

Read more “UN Likens Belarus’ Seizure of Journalist to Extraordinary Rendition”

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Tuesday it is clear that Raman Pratasevich, the journalist arrested Sunday after the passenger jet he was traveling on was diverted and forced to land in Minsk, has been beaten in detention.     Pratasevich appeared in a video posted online Monday, apparently filmed by Belarusian security services. He …

Read more “Belarus Opposition Leader Alleges Journalist from Diverted Plane Beaten in Detention”

The Russian military said Tuesday it has deployed three nuclear-capable long-range bombers to its base in Syria, a move that could strengthen Moscow’s military foothold in the Mediterranean.Russia’s Defense Ministry said that three Tu-22M3 bombers have arrived at the Hmeimim air base, located in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia and the main hub for Moscow’s …

Read more “Russia Deploys Nuclear-Capable Bombers to Syria”

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a summit next month in Geneva, the first face-to-face meeting of the two leaders at a time when the two countries are at odds on several contentious issues.The White House confirmed details of the June 16 meeting with Putin on Tuesday, saying Biden would …

Read more “Biden, Putin Agree to June 16 Summit in Geneva”

The Afghan Taliban have decided upon three conditions to attend an eagerly awaited U.S.-proposed conference in Turkey: The conference must be short, the agenda should not include decision-making on critical issues, and the Taliban delegation should be low level, a senior Taliban leader told VOA Tuesday.  “Our leadership has proposed that the Istanbul meeting should …

Read more “VOA Exclusive: Taliban Attach Conditions to Istanbul Conference Participation    “

The European Union is urging member nations to close their airspace and airports to all Belarusian airlines after Belarus forced a commercial jetliner to make an emergency landing Sunday in Minsk and arrested an opposition blogger critical of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Conclusions on Belarus journalist Raman Pratasevich stands in an airport bus in the international …

Read more “EU Sanctions Belarus Over Plane Diversion, Blogger Arrest”

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Tuesday it is clear that Raman Pratasevich, the journalist arrested Sunday after the passenger jet he was traveling on was diverted and forced to land in Minsk, has been beaten in detention.     Pratasevich appeared in a video posted online Monday, apparently filmed by Belarusian security services. He …

Read more “Belarus Opposition Leader Says Journalist Beaten in Detention”

Britain’s storied BBC is preparing for its centennial next year, but the public broadcaster has been plunged into a major crisis of trust, linked to a notorious television interview with Princess Diana a quarter-century ago, and is now finding itself heading into a fight for its very survival.      Last week, an independent inquiry …

Read more “BBC Under Mounting Pressure Over Princess Diana Interview”

International pressure is growing on Turkey over its military presence in Libya. Turkey deployed hundreds of soldiers and thousands of Syrian fighters in support of the Libyan Government of National Accord in its battle against forces of Libya’s General Khalifa Hafta, who is backed by Russian and Sudanese mercenaries. Now, with a cease-fire in force and elections …

Read more “Turkey Under Fire Over Military Presence in Libya”

After losing 23 sheep in a wolf pack attack one night, Laura Serrano Isla might have been expected to want revenge. Instead, this farmer is a surprise supporter of Spain’s decision to introduce a nationwide ban on hunting wolves. “The wolves killed my sheep because we left our animals unprotected and they are predators,” she told VOA. “We have …

Read more “Spain Bans Hunting of Wolves But Division Persists Over Predator “

The European Union is urging member nations to close their airspace and airports to all Belarusian airlines after Belarus forced a commercial jetliner to make an emergency landing Sunday in Minsk and arrested an opposition blogger critical of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Conclusions on Belarus journalist Raman Pratasevich stands in an airport bus in the international …

Read more “EU Sanctions Belarus Over Plane Diversion, Arrest of Journalist”

Turkey and Poland have signed a deal for the sale of Turkish-made combat drones, making Poland the first NATO and European Union member country to purchase Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday. The agreement was signed during Polish President Andrzej Duda’s three-day visit to Turkey. Under the deal, Poland is …

Read more “Poland to Acquire 24 Turkish-Made Combat Drones”

An investigation into the cable car crash that left 14 people dead in Italy will focus on why a cable broke and the emergency brakes did not work, a prosecutor said Monday.“The brakes of the security system didn’t work. Otherwise, the cabin would have stopped,” Olimpia Bossi, the lead prosecutor in Verbania, told reporters Monday. …

Read more “Italy Launches Probe Into Cable Car Crash That Killed 14”

The Italian glam rock band that won the Eurovision Song Contest returned home Sunday to the adulation of fans, congratulations from the government and so much speculation that the lead singer had snorted cocaine during the show that he vowed to take a drug test. “We want to shut down the rumors,” Maneskin lead singer …

Read more “Italy Eurovision Winners Return Home to Cheers, a Drug Test”

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations continued across Europe this past weekend despite a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. The protests are one result of the Middle East violence that has divided European Union member states and left some fearful of unrest at home.   Thousands joined rallies in Paris and other French cities Saturday — demonstrations echoed …

Read more “In Europe, Middle East Conflict Creates Tensions, Divisions”

Police in London say Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson is in critical condition after being shot in the head in south London in the early hours of Sunday. Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene in the Peckham area of south London around 3 a.m. Sunday after gunshots were reported. They found …

Read more “Britain Black Lives Matter Activist in Critical Condition After Shooting”

At least 14 people, including two children, were killed Sunday in northern Italy when a cable car popular among tourists fell 20 meters to the ground. A two-year-old child died instantly, and one nine-year-old died in the hospital after suffering two cardiac arrests. Another child, a five-year-old was seriously injured but conscious and speaking. He is being treated at the Regina …

Read more “Italy Cable Car Accident Kills 14”

European leaders are vowing to punish Belarus for illegally diverting to Minsk Sunday a Lithuanian-bound Ryanair flight carrying a fugitive critic of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. Their fury was fueled as more details emerged Monday of the dramatic events leading up to the diversion of the plane. The Ryanair Boeing 737 was carrying 171 passengers and …

Read more “EU Fury Mounts After Belarus Forces Landing of Plane Carrying Opposition Blogger”