German chancellor urges China to use ‘influence’ to end Ukraine war
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Facing Republican revolt, House Speaker Johnson pushes ahead on US aid for Ukraine, Israel
Washington — Defiant and determined, House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back Tuesday against mounting Republican anger over his proposed U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other allies, and rejected a call to step aside or risk a vote to oust him from office. “I am not resigning,” Johnson said after a testy morning meeting of …
Ukraine downs 9 drones from Russian attacks
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Biden hosts Czech leader to promote Ukraine aid amid delay in Congress
washington — President Joe Biden urged the U.S. House to immediately take up Senate-passed supplemental funding for Ukraine and Israel on Monday as he hosted Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in the Oval Office. The visit came as Biden aimed to highlight the efforts other nations are making to support Ukraine. It followed the Czech government’s …
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Gun supervisor gets 18 months in prison for fatal movie set shooting by Alec Baldwin
santa fe, new mexico — A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western film “Rust,” during a hearing Monday in which tearful family members and friends gave testimonials that included calls for justice and a punishment that …
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Zelenskyy calls for same defense from allies as for Israel
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German chancellor promotes fair competition, warns against overproduction during China visit
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US citizen arrested in Moscow on drug charges appears in court
Moscow — A U.S. citizen arrested on drug charges in Moscow amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions over Ukraine appeared in court on Monday. Robert Woodland Romanov is facing charges of trafficking large amounts of illegal drugs as part of an organized group — a criminal offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He was remanded …
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At birthplace of Olympics, performers at flame-lighting ceremony feel a pull of ancient past
ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece — No one knows what music in ancient Greece sounded like or how dancers once moved. Every two years, a new interpretation of the ancient performance gets a global audience. It takes place in southern Greece at a site many still consider sacred: the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Forty-eight performers, chosen in …
Ukrainian officials report deadly Russian shelling in eastern Ukraine
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Rising waters in Russia’s Kurgan region expected to peak on Monday
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Private California school sponsoring students from Ukraine, Afghanistan
A private high school in California has provided scholarships to three refugee students — one from Ukraine and two from Afghanistan. VOA’s Genia Dulot has the story of an American educator who has even opened her home to the two Afghans teens as they complete their studies. …
AI-generated fashion models could bring more diversity to industry — or leave it with less
Chicago, Illinois — London-based model Alexsandrah has a twin, but not in the way you’d expect: Her counterpart is made of pixels instead of flesh and blood. The virtual twin was generated by artificial intelligence and has already appeared as a stand-in for the real-life Alexsandrah in a photo shoot. Alexsandrah, who goes by her first …
‘Civil War’ declares victory at box office
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Polish abortion opponents march against steps to liberalize strict law
WARSAW — Thousands of Polish opponents of abortion marched Sunday in Warsaw to protest recent steps by the new government to liberalize the predominantly Catholic nation’s strict laws and allow termination of pregnancy until the 12th week. Many participants in the downtown march were pushing prams with children, while others were carrying white-and-red national flags or …
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Zelenskyy warns against Russia’s and Iran’s coordinated ‘terror’ attacks
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Cameroon opens museum honoring oldest sub-Saharan kingdom
Foumban, Cameroon — To enter the Museum of the Bamoun Kings in western Cameroon, you have to pass under the fangs of a gigantic two-headed snake — the highlight of an imposing coat of arms of one of the oldest kingdoms in sub-Saharan Africa. Thousands of Cameroonians gathered in the royal palace square in Foumban on …
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Germany’s Scholz arrives in China on a visit marked by trade tensions, Ukraine conflict
BEIJING — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in China on Sunday on a visit focused on the increasingly tense economic relationship between the sides and differences over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Scholz’s first destination was the industrial hub of Chongqing, where he and his delegation of ministers and business leaders were to visit a partially German-funded …
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Coachella heavy on indie rock nostalgia, Taylor Swift buzz
Indio, USA — Coachella day two was heavy on alt-rock throwbacks including a highly anticipated No Doubt reunion, but it was Taylor Swift — who wasn’t on the lineup and didn’t perform — creating buzz on Saturday. Her mere presence at the mammoth festival in the California desert set the internet alight, after she made a much-speculated …
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Cyprus suspends processing of Syrian asylum applications
NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus said Saturday it’s suspending processing all asylum applications by Syrian nationals because large numbers of refugees from the war-torn country continue to reach the island nation by boat, primarily from Lebanon. In a written statement, the Cypriot government said the suspension is also partly because of ongoing efforts to get the European …
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Archeologists find frescoes of Trojan War figures in Pompeii
rome, italy — Archaeologists excavating new sites in Pompeii have uncovered a sumptuous banquet hall decorated with intricately frescoed mythological characters inspired by the Trojan War, officials said Thursday. The hall, which features a mosaic floor, was uncovered as part of a project to shore up the areas dividing the excavated and unexcavated parts of Pompeii, …
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Germany making it easier for people to legally change their name, gender
BERLIN — German lawmakers on Friday approved legislation that will make it easier for transgender, intersex and nonbinary people to change their name and gender in official records. The “self-determination law,” one of several social reforms that Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s liberal-leaning coalition government pledged when it took office in late 2021, is set to take effect …
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Instagram blurring nudity in messages to protect teens, fight sexual extortion
LONDON — Instagram says it’s deploying new tools to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages. The social media platform said in a blog post Thursday that it’s testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual scams and other forms of …
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Diplomat tapped as Latvia’s new FM as incumbent quits amid scandal
HELSINKI — The head of Latvia’s government tapped an experienced diplomat to become the Baltic nation’s new foreign minister after the incumbent stepped down earlier this week amid a criminal probe over alleged misuse of government funds. The ruling center-right New Unity party decided to back the nomination of Baiba Braze, 57, who is currently the …
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