French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will call the leaders of Russia, Germany, and Ukraine on July 24 in a stepped-up international effort to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine. …

A child died and 17 people were injured Saturday when a grenade went off among a group of people at an IDP camp in Somalia’s Sool region, a local official told VOA. “A child picked up an unexploded bomb somewhere near the camp and brought it among a group of IDPs resting under the shade …

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The Syrian army announced Saturday the end of fighting in parts of Eastern Ghouta after an agreement was struck between rebels and Russia, an ally of the Syrian regime. In a statement, the army said “a halt in fighting in some areas of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province” would take effect at midday Saturday after …

Read more “Syrian Army Announces Safe Zone for Eastern Ghouta”

With so many dining choices in New York City, keeping up with the trendiest restaurants can seem next to impossible even for a dedicated gourmand.   But lately, it’s not any one restaurant that commands foodies’ attention, rather, the physical space where many eateries live. Food halls, communal dining spaces featuring a variety of food …

Read more “For NYC Foodies and Locals, Restaurants Are Out, Food Halls Are In”

In any Balkan country the names of war criminals are well-known. But the names of people who have moved humanity in a positive direction are often hidden from the public eye. That is the case with Diana Budisavlejvic, whose heroics in rescuing thousands of lives during World War II-era Croatia went unrecognized for more than half …

Read more “‘Diana’s List’ Of Children Saved From Death Camps Revealed”

The spokesman for Poland’s president says the leader sees flaws in the contentious legislation adopted by the Senate that would give politicians significant influence over the country’s top court. …

Officials in the U.S. state of California say a wildfire sweeping through the state’s foothills near Yosemite National Park has destroyed dozens of homes and burned through nearly 300 square kilometers. Authorities said Friday that the fire has destroyed 58 homes in the Sierra Nevada foothills. They say the blaze also grew slightly bigger Friday …

Read more “California Wildfire Destroys 58 Homes, Grows to 300 Square Kilometers”

U.S. President Donald Trump is warning Iran to release American citizens detained in the Islamic Republic, saying if it does not he is “prepared to impose new and serious consequences.” A White House statement Friday said Trump is willing to take new measures “unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned.” The comments …

Read more “Trump Warns Iran to Release Detained US Citizens, Threatens ‘Serious Consequences’”

Qatar’s emir called Friday for dialogue to resolve a political crisis pitting his country against four Arab states, saying any talks must respect national sovereignty, but the call was unlikely to end the rift. In his first speech since four Arab countries severed ties with Doha, a defiant Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said life …

Read more “Qatar Emir Calls for Talks to End Crisis”

The European Union on July 21 criticized the two latest death sentences handed down in Belarus, saying they “violate the right to life.” …

Russia on July 21 lambasted as “buffoonery” U.S. allegations that the Russian military might leave equipment behind in Belarus after holding large-scale military exercises there in September. …

A top U.S. general confirmed on July 21 that the CIA is shutting down its program to equip and train rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s army, but denied it is doing so to please Russia. …

President Donald Trump is expected to announce his policy for Afghanistan before the end of this month, amid growing concerns about the increasing presence of Islamic State and other terrorists groups in the region. Trump’s move to give more authority to the Pentagon is welcomed across the board, from U.S. army officials to Afghan President …

Read more “Afghanistan Awaits US President’s Strategy”

A Kremlin aide told Russian news agencies on July 20 that the United States formally asked Moscow for information on its alleged election hacking one week before last year’s U.S. presidential vote, and that it replied the next day. …

The United States won’t insist on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s immediate ouster as it seeks a political settlement of the country’s six-year civil war, President Donald Trump’s counterterrorism adviser said on July 20. …

For five consecutive sessions this month, Taiwan’s legislature received world attention, not for any laws it passed, but because of the violent brawls that erupted in the legislative chambers. Such scuffles, which are not infrequent, have shaken parliament because of weak rules and tacit agreements to avoid punishing offenders. Over the past two years, aggressive …

Read more “Weak Rules, Little Punishment Lead to Fistfights in Taiwan’s Parliament”

Israel banned Muslim men younger than 50 from a contested Jerusalem shrine Friday, ahead of expected protests over the installation of metal detectors there.    Police reinforcements poured into Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods in the morning, particularly in an around the walled Old City where the shrine is located.    The security measures came just hours …

Read more “Israel Limits Muslim Access to Holy Site”