Russia, Pakistan Discuss ‘Practical Engagement’ With Afghan Taliban
Russia and Pakistan emphasized in bilateral talks Wednesday the need for “practical engagement” with Afghanistan’s Taliban but ruled out formal recognition of the Islamist rulers until they address international concerns over women’s rights and inclusive governance. The Russian presidential envoy…
Olive Pits Fuel Flights in Spain
The war in Ukraine has exposed Europe’s energy dependence on Russia and is spurring the development of new, cleaner-burning biofuels. Spain is emerging as a leader in this effort, with the introduction late last year of airplane fuel made from…
Microsoft Reports Outage for Teams, Outlook, Other Services
Microsoft said it’s seeing some improvement to problems with its online services including the Teams messaging platform and Outlook email system after users around the world reported outages Wednesday. In a status update, the tech company reported “service degradation” for…
Iran Responds to EU, UK Sanctions With Some of Its Own
Iran imposed sanctions Wednesday on 34 individuals and entities from the European Union and Britain in reaction to similar measures they have taken over Tehran’s response to months-long protests. Tehran’s move comes two days after the EU and Britain placed…
France to Pull Troops From Burkina Faso Within a Month: Ministry
France has received a request from junta-ruled Burkina Faso to withdraw its troops from the Sahel country and will do so within a month, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. “On Tuesday … we formally received notice from the Burkinabe government…
ChatGPT Bot Passes US Law School Exam
A chatbot powered by reams of data from the internet has passed exams at a U.S. law school after writing essays on topics ranging from constitutional law to taxation and torts. ChatGPT from OpenAI, a U.S. company that this week…
Pope Francis: Homosexuality Not a Crime
Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church. “Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”…
European Rights Court Rules Dutch, Ukraine Cases Against Russia Are Admissible
The European Court of Human Rights said cases brought by Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia over human rights violations in the two breakaway regions of Luhansk and Donetsk in Ukraine, and the shooting down of Flight MH-17, were admissible. …
Ресурсів для нормального продовження і завершення опалювального сезону достатньо – Шмигаль
«Ми розуміли, що це буде найскладніша зима в нашій історії» …
US-Made Tanks Likely Headed to Ukraine; Timing Uncertain
Pleas by Ukrainian officials for more tanks, and more advanced tanks, to use in their fight against Russia have begun to resonate in Washington with the United States now preparing to send Kyiv dozens of its top-of-the-line battle tank. A…
US, 8 States Sue Google on Digital Ad Business Dominance
The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Alphabet’s GOOGL.O Google on Tuesday over allegations that the company abused its dominance of the digital advertising business, according to a court document. “Google has used anticompetitive, exclusionary, and unlawful means to…
Hundreds Attend Funeral for Zambian Killed Fighting for Russia in Ukraine
Hundreds of people attended a memorial service in Lusaka on Tuesday for a Zambian student who died fighting for Russia in Ukraine as Tanzania confirmed the death of another student who was also recruited in a Russian jail. Family members…
Key US Lawmakers Endorse Sending Tanks to Ukraine
Several key U.S. lawmakers endorsed the next major step in American assistance to Ukraine on Tuesday, encouraging the White House to move forward with a plan to send M1 Abrams tanks to combat Russian aggression. “Seldom in the history of…
Finland’s Top Diplomat Hints at Joining NATO Without Sweden
Finland’s foreign minister suggested Tuesday that the country may consider joining NATO without neighboring Sweden if Turkey continues to block their joint bid to enter the military alliance. Pekka Haavisto later backpedaled, but his comments were the first time a…
Poland Vows to Send German-Made Tanks to Ukraine, Ignoring Berlin’s Hesitancy
Poland said Monday it would send its German-made tanks to Ukraine, regardless of any objections from Berlin. As Henry Ridgwell reports, Germany is under intense pressure from allies to send its Leopard 2 tanks to aid Kyiv’s forces — but…
Turkey’s President Says No Support for Sweden’s NATO Bid
Turkey’s president cast serious doubt on NATO’s expansion Monday after warning Sweden not to expect support for its bid for membership into the military alliance following weekend protests in Stockholm by an anti-Islam activist and pro-Kurdish groups. President Recep Tayyip…
EU Slaps New Sanctions on Iran, Mulls More Against Russia
European Union foreign ministers slapped a fourth round of sanctions against Iran, discussed a possible 10th sanctions package against Russia, and agreed to more than $540 million in new military spending for Ukraine. The new military funding for Ukraine brings…
Former FBI Official Charged in Two Separate Indictments
A retired senior official of the FBI has been arrested and indicted in New York and Washington on charges of violating U.S. sanctions by secretly working for a Russian oligarch and receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from a former…
In Ukraine’s Near-Deserted War Zones, Taking a Stroll Can Be Deadly
As bombs rain down across Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, some residents remain in its near-deserted cities and towns, patching up bombed-out buildings and holding on to hope that the war will come to an end. VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from…
Why Macron, French Unions at Odds Over Pensions
The French government is presenting a bill on Monday that foresees broad changes to the pension system that will notably push back the legal retirement age from 62 to 64. Unions aren’t happy, and more than 1 million people took…