Month: September 2022

The European Union’s executive branch has unveiled plans for new laws that it said would help protect media freedom and independence in the 27-nation bloc at a time of mounting concern about the dangers of political influence in several member countries. Spurred into action allegations of state spying on reporters, the use of political pressure on news outlets and the placing of advertising to peddle influence, the European Commission said the EU needs a European Media Freedom Act. “We see a lot of worrying trends regarding media in Europe, and it’s not only a matter of one or two countries,” …

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The operator of one of Germany’s three remaining nuclear power stations said Monday that it has detected a leak that will require the plant to shut down for several days of maintenance next month if it is to keep going beyond the end of the year. The announcement by PreussenElektra, a subsidiary of utility giant E.ON that operates the Isar 2 facility in Bavaria, puts pressure on the German government to decide if it wants to stick to its long-held plan of shutting all the country’s nuclear plants this year, to keep them on stand-by or to run them for …

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U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II Monday, joining world leaders, the royal family and a small group of invited guests at a somber, pomp-filled funeral ceremony at Westminster Abbey that celebrated her 70 years of service as Britain’s longest-serving monarch. The Bidens arrived late Saturday for the event and have kept a low profile in the British capital, holding no official diplomatic meetings and keeping their public comments to the topic of the queen’s recent death September 8 at the age of 96. White House officials told VOA before the …

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The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II is being held at London’s historic Westminster Abbey. Her body has been lying in state since Wednesday at Westminster Hall, where thousands of mourners have filed past her coffin to pay their respects. Heads of state and dignitaries from around the world have flown into London to attend Elizabeth’s funeral which is certain to be full of British pomp and circumstance. …

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday there would be no letup in the effort by his country’s military to retake territory from Russian forces.  Zelenskyy’s comments – made during his regular nightly address – followed gains by Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine during a counteroffensive this month.  “Maybe now it seems to some of you that after a series of victories we have a certain lull,” Zelenskyy said. “But this is not a lull. This is preparation for the next series… because Ukraine must be free — all of it.”  U.S. President Joe Biden said in …

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The Spanish charity Open Arms has rescued 372 people seeking to cross the central Mediterranean to Europe in unseaworthy smugglers’ boats and recovered the corpse of a man who had been shot by smugglers, officials said Sunday. The rescue ship Open Arms Uno remained at sea and is seeking a safe port for the rescued people, including some who need medical attention and many who are suffering from dehydration, said Laura Lanuza, an Open Arms representative. She said they have made at least two requests for a safe port in Malta. In all, the ship performed three rescues in 24 …

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The British royal family is wealthy, but where does their money come from? Here, we break it down and explain some of the history. …

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The funeral of the only monarch most Britons have known involves the biggest security operation London has ever seen. Mayor Sadiq Khan says Monday’s state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II is an “unprecedented” security challenge, with hundreds of thousands of people packing central London and a funeral guest list of 500 emperors, kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers and other leaders from around the world. “It’s been decades since this many world leaders were in one place,” said Khan. “This is unprecedented … in relation to the various things that we’re juggling.” “There could be bad people wanting to cause damage …

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