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Dr. Nelson Castro, a close friend of Pope Francis and author of The Health of the Popes, told VOA that the pontiff’s health has worsened and his medical team is on high alert. Click here for the full story in Spanish. …
The U.N. General Assembly marked the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine by narrowly approving competing resolutions on ending the war, one drafted by Kyiv with the European Union, and a second from the United States. “Russia believed Ukraine would surrender. Russia believed we would fall in three days. Russia believed our government …
Read more “At UN, competing resolutions on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine approved”
Russia’s war on Ukraine hit the three-year mark Monday and the conflict is no more settled than it was when Moscow’s troops first stormed across the border of its neighbor. In the earliest days of fighting, Russian President Vladimir Putin had hoped to quickly overwhelm Kyiv’s forces and capture the one-time Soviet satellite state. But …
Russian forces have been shelling Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine almost daily since the start of their invasion three years ago. Despite the constant bombardment, local business owners continue working, and volunteers from all over the world are on hand to offer support. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story. VOA footage and video editing by Pavel Suhodolskiy. …
Moscow — A Russian court on Monday upheld a three-year prison sentence for French researcher Laurent Vinatier, one of several Westerners jailed by Russia during the Ukraine offensive. France condemned the sentence as “arbitrary” and demanded Vinatier’s “immediate release,” after accusing Russia of taking Westerners hostage. Vinatier, who works for a Swiss conflict mediation NGO, was …
Read more “Russian court upholds French researcher’s jail sentence “
MARSEILLE, France — Two projectiles were thrown at the perimeter wall of Russia’s consulate in the southern French port city of Marseille on Monday, one of which exploded, a French security source said. It was not immediately clear if the projectiles cleared the wall. BFM TV said the projectiles were Molotov cocktails and that they landed …
Read more “Projectiles thrown at Russian consulate in France, one explodes, says security source”
ROME — Pope Francis was resting Monday morning after a quiet night, on the 10th day of his hospitalization for a complex lung infection that has provoked the early stages of kidney failure, the Vatican said. The one-line statement didn’t say if Francis, 88, had woken up. “The night passed well, the pope slept and is …
BERLIN — Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz will start trying to form a coalition government on Monday after his conservative bloc won a national election that saw far-right and far-left parties hoover up support from disaffected voters. Merz, who has no previous experience in office, is set to take charge with Europe’s largest economy ailing, …
Read more “Germany’s Merz faces tricky talks with potential coalition ally”
A resolution drafted by the United States and another drafted by Ukraine and backed by the European Union calling for an end to the war in Ukraine are set for votes Monday at the United Nations. The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on the Ukrainian resolution, followed by the U.S. resolution. The U.N. …
UNITED NATIONS — The United States is urging the United Nations General Assembly to back its resolution to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday, oppose any amendments and vote no on a rival text drafted by Ukraine and European allies. In a diplomatic note sent on Sunday and reviewed by Reuters, …
VATICAN CITY — While the Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns, they do not apply if he is sick or even unconscious. And there are no specific norms outlining what happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church if a pope becomes totally incapacitated. …
MADRID — Spanish police have smashed a human trafficking ring that lured more than 1,000 women to the country over the past year with false job offers before forcing them into sex work, police said Sunday. The women, who were mainly from Venezuela and Colombia, were told they would be working in the beauty or cleaning …
Read more “Spain smashes sex trafficking gang that exploited more than 1,000 women”
Brussels — Estonia has launched a new push to get fellow EU members to agree to seize frozen Russian assets and use them to help Ukraine, dismissing a Russian idea on how the money could be used as part of a peace deal. The Baltic country has sent a discussion paper on the issue to European …
Read more “Estonia pushing for EU to seize Russian assets for Ukraine”
Rome, Italy — An American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi, India, landed safely in Rome on Sunday afternoon after it was diverted due to a security concern , which later proved to be “non-credible,” the airline said. American Airlines said Flight 292 “was inspected by law enforcement” after landing at Leonardo da Vinci …
Brussels — The leaders of the 27 European Union countries will have an emergency summit on March 6 about next steps for Ukraine and Europe’s security. European Council President Antonio Costa announced Sunday that he is convening the summit in Brussels. “We are living a defining moment for Ukraine and European security,” Costa said in a …
Read more “EU leaders will hold emergency summit on Ukraine and European security “
As U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated the need to put an end to the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he’d be willing to step down to achieve peace. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias has the details. …
The United States and Ukraine said Sunday they are nearing an agreement for Kyiv to give Washington a large share of its rare earth mineral rights as compensation for the billions of dollars in munitions the U.S. sent to Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s full-scale war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a news conference …
Read more “Washington, Kyiv near deal for Ukrainian ‘critical minerals’ rights “
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, in critical condition battling double pneumonia, had a “tranquil” night, was alert and had rested after a respiratory crisis and blood transfusions, the Vatican said on Sunday. The pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 after experiencing difficulty breathing for several days and subsequently had pneumonia diagnosed in …
Read more “Pope Francis is in critical condition but alert, Vatican says “
BERLIN — German voters are choosing a new government in an election Sunday dominated by worries about the yearslong stagnation of Europe’s biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over the future of Ukraine and Europe’s alliance with the United States. The center-right opposition is favored to win, while polls point to the strongest …
Moscow — The Kremlin on Sunday hailed dialogue between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin — two “extraordinary” presidents — as “promising,” and vowed it would “never” give up territory seized in eastern Ukraine. Trump broke with Western policy earlier this month by phoning Putin to discuss how to end the conflict in Ukraine — …
Read more “Kremlin hails Putin-Trump dialogue as promising “
Moscow — Myanmar and its close ally Russia signed a memorandum on investment cooperation in a special economic zone in Dawei, including construction of a port and an oil refinery, Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development said on Sunday. The document was signed by the head of the Russian ministry, Maxim Reshetnikov, and Myanmar’s minister for …
Read more “Russia signs memorandum to build port, oil refinery in Myanmar “
LONDON/PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to Washington next week amid alarm in Europe over U.S. President Donald Trump’s hardening stance toward Ukraine and overtures to Moscow on the three-year conflict. The leaders of Europe’s two nuclear powers, who will be traveling separately, are expected to try to …
Read more “Macron, Starmer to meet Trump, offer ideas for Ukraine security guarantees”
WARSAW, POLAND — Poland said Saturday it has been paying for Ukraine’s Starlink subscription and will continue to do so despite sources saying the United States could consider cutting Ukraine’s access to the satellite internet system. U.S. negotiators pressing Kyiv for access to Ukraine’s critical minerals have raised the possibility of cutting the country’s access to …
Read more “Poland pays for Ukraine’s Starlink subscription, says its deputy PM”
STRASBOURG, FRANCE — One person died and two police officers were seriously injured in a knife attack in eastern France on Saturday that occurred during a demonstration, the local prosecutor said. Three more officers were lightly wounded in the attack in the city of Mulhouse, carried out by a 37-year-old suspect who is on a terror …
Read more “1 dead, several police officers wounded in knife attack in France”