French PM Says No Dice on Pension Age as Strikes Loom
France’s prime minister on Sunday ruled out backtracking on a plan to raise the retirement age as unions prepared for another day of mass protests against the contested reform. An increase in the minimum retirement age to 64 from the…
Environmentalists Protest Airport Project Near Albanian Bird Sanctuary
Environmentalists protested over the weekend at the building site of a new airport in Albania’s south meant to boost tourism but which they say will endanger sanctuaries for some 200 bird species including flamingos and pelicans. The picturesque Vjose-Narte lagoon…
As Children in US Study Online, Apps Watch Their Every Move
For New York teacher Michael Flanagan, the pandemic was a crash course in new technology — rushing out laptops to stay-at-home students and shifting hectic school life online. Students are long back at school, but the technology has lived on,…
Church Helps Mining Community Evolve in Dark, Warming Arctic
The warm glow of Svalbard Kirke’s lights gleams on the snow-covered mountain slope from where the church stands like a beacon over this remote Norwegian Arctic village, cloaked in the polar night’s constant darkness. A century after it was founded…
Paris Rallies Demand Freedom for Europeans in Iran
Families and friends of a growing number of Europeans imprisoned in Iran gathered in Paris Saturday to call for their release. The French government this week denounced the plight of seven French citizens held in Iranian prisons, calling the detentions…
Burkina Rally Celebrate Word That French Troops Will Leave
Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, on Saturday in support of the ruling junta, days after France confirmed its special forces there would withdraw, according to an AFP journalist at the rally. Packing Nation Square in central…
Sweden Tells Citizens: Avoid Crowds in Turkey After Quran Burning
Sweden’s foreign ministry Saturday warned Swedes in Turkey to avoid crowds and demonstrations following protests there over the burning of the Quran by a far-right politician in Stockholm last week. Turkey has suspended talks with Sweden and Finland on their…
Italy, Libya Sign $8B Gas Deal as PM Meloni Visits Tripoli
Italy’s prime minister held talks in Libya Saturday with officials from the country’s west-based government focusing on energy and migration, top issues for Italy and the European Union. During the visit, the two countries’ oil companies signed a gas deal…
US, EU Launch Agreement on Artificial Intelligence
The United States and European Union announced Friday an agreement to speed up and enhance the use of artificial intelligence to improve agriculture, health care, emergency response, climate forecasting and the electric grid. A senior U.S. administration official, discussing the…
UK: Russia Likely Undercounts New Year’s Day Strike Casualties
The British Defense Ministry said Saturday that Russia “highly likely” suffered more than 300 casualties in a New Year’s Day strike on its troops in Ukraine at Makiivka near Donetsk City. The ministry said it believes that “the majority were…
UN Weekly Roundup: Jan. 21-27, 2023
Editor’s note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this week, as seen from the United Nations’ perch. UN deputy chief says Taliban’s desire for recognition is bargaining chip on rights U.N. Deputy…
Україні потрібно 17 млрд доларів для швидкого відновлення енергетики – Шмигаль
«Вчора Україна пережила вже 13-ту велику повітряну атаку проти нашої енергосистеми… Цього разу головною ціллю ворога була високовольтна інфраструктура» …
МВФ готує для України новий пакет допомоги на 16 мільярдів доларів – Bloomberg
Уже в перший рік дії нової програми Україна може отримати від 5 до 7 мільярдів доларів, а перший транш «у найкращому разі» може надійти в квітні 2023 року …
US Dismantles Ransomware Network Responsible for More Than $100 Million in Extortion
An international ransomware network that extorted more than $100 million from hundreds of victims around the world has been brought down following a monthslong infiltration by the FBI, the Department of Justice announced Thursday. The group known as Hive targeted…
Russia’s Wagner Group Recruits Fighters Abroad
The United States recently announced that it would impose new sanctions on the Wagner Group and designate it as a transnational criminal organization. This came as new details emerged about Wagner Group recruitment efforts outside Russia. VOA’s Milena Durdic has…
US to Sanction Russia’s Wagner Paramilitary Group
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Thursday a series of sanctions targeting individuals associated with Russia’s paramilitary Wagner Group, including its leader and associated front companies, for waging war in Ukraine, including battlefield activities and the targeting of civilians….
Air Raid Alert in Ukraine as Zelenskyy Calls for Aircraft, Missiles
Ukraine declared an air raid alert over most of the country early Thursday as authorities in Kyiv warned of a possible Russian missile attack while heavy fighting continued unabated in the east, where Moscow’s forces have been increasing pressure on…
Experts: Arming Ukraine Via US Could Worsen South Korea’s Ties with Russia
South Korea, with a world-class arms industry, is facing mounting pressure to find a way to get needed arms and munitions to Ukraine without unduly angering Russia, which has hinted that it could resume military cooperation with North Korea. Experts…
Trump Reinstated to Facebook After 2-Year Ban
Facebook parent Meta is reinstating former President Donald Trump’s personal account after a two-year suspension following the January 6, 2021, insurrection. The company said in a blog post Wednesday it is adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat…
Biden Approves 31 Battle Tanks for Ukraine
President Joe Biden announced the U.S. will send 31 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine just hours after Germany said it will send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. The moves are part of a united effort to help Kyiv defend…