Month: October 2023

Russia Shoots Down 36 Drones Overnight  

Russia said Sunday that it shot down 36 drones overnight over the Black Sea and the Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine, which has stepped up its campaign against Russia, has not commented on the overnight attack. From their meeting in Japan Sunday, the G7 trade ministers issued a joint statement about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling it “brutal, unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression.” Russian universities have reportedly been instructed to stop any negative discussions during academic activities about any Russian political, economic and social trends, the British Defense Ministry said Sunday. This move marks yet another “restriction of the information …

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Death Toll Rises to 42 in ArcelorMittal Kazakh Mine Fire 

The death toll from a fire at a mine owned by ArcelorMittal in Kazakhstan rose to 42 people on Sunday as a search for four miners continued, the Ministry for Emergency Situations said.    “The search operation is hampered by the presence of destroyed mining equipment, as well as rubble in some places”, the ministry said in a statement.    Rescuers are searching for miners in two areas of the mine 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) apart, it said.    On Saturday, operator ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the local unit of Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal MT.LU, said 206 of 252 people at the Kostenko mine had been …

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Hepatitis Outbreak Closes Schools, Hospitalizes Scores in Ukraine

Schools will move to an online regime starting Monday in Ukraine’s central city of Vinnytsia after a hepatitis A outbreak sent scores of children and adults to the hospital, the country’s chief sanitary official said over the weekend.   “The main thing now is to establish the center of the outbreak and the causes in order to stop the spread of the viral hepatitis A among the population as soon as possible,” Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin wrote on Facebook on Saturday.  Kuzin, who also serves as Ukraine’s deputy health minister, said 141 people in the city and …

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Malta Hosts Fresh Round of Ukraine-Backed Peace Talks

A third round of Ukrainian-backed peace talks opened in Malta on Saturday with representatives from more than 60 countries but without Moscow, which condemned it as a “blatantly anti-Russian event.”  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the first of two days of closed-door talks among national security and policy advisers, which he hopes will drum up support for his 10-point plan to end the war.  In a statement on social media, he said 66 countries had taken part in the talks, proof that his plan “has gradually become global.”  It follows similar meetings in Jeddah and Copenhagen this summer, with the …

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King Charles to Visit Kenya; Colonial Past, Climate Will Lead Agenda

Britain’s King Charles III begins a four-day tour of Kenya on Tuesday, his first trip to Africa since becoming king following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, last year. His objectives include addressing what Buckingham Palace officials describe as “painful aspects” of Britain’s colonial past with the East African nation. He’ll also discuss issues related to the climate crisis and the importance of national security. VOA Nairobi Bureau Chief Mariama Diallo reports. …

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Hundreds of Thousands Rally in Global Cities to Support Palestinians

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators rallied in cities in Europe, the Middle East and Asia on Saturday to show support for the Palestinians as Israel’s military widened its air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip. In one of the biggest marches, in London, aerial footage showed large crowds marching through the center of the capital to demand the government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak call for a cease-fire. “The superpowers at play are not doing enough at the moment. This is why we’re here: We’re calling for a cease-fire, calling for Palestinian rights, the right to exist, to live, …

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VOA Immigration Weekly Recap, Oct. 22-28

Editor’s note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. Is There a Path to Refugee Resettlement for Palestinians? Palestinians are the largest stateless community worldwide, according to the United Nations, and when they become refugees, the way to resettlement in the United States or other countries is not a straightforward journey. Immigration reporter Aline Barros reports. Canada Admits Nearly 40,000 Afghans, Willing to Take More Canada is on the brink of fulfilling its commitment to accept 40,000 Afghans before the end of this year. The pledge, made …

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