Category: Євросоюз

Євросоюз

Why Russia Killed UN Panel That Monitors North Korea Sanctions

Seoul, South Korea — The future of international efforts to restrain Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program is in question after Russia voted on Thursday to dismantle a body meant to monitor the implementation of United Nations sanctions against North Korea.  Since its creation in 2009, the so-called “Panel of Experts” has played a key role in attempts to enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions against North Korea. Most notably, the eight-member panel produced regular reports outlining alleged violations of U.N. sanctions, keeping the issue in the public eye and prompting follow-up reporting by independent news outlets.  Though Security Council cooperation on North Korea …

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Євросоюз

Distance No Guarantee of Safety for Russia’s Exiled Journalists

berlin — It was supposed to be a relaxing dinner with friends in Tbilisi, Georgia, before a move to Berlin. But things didn’t turn out as planned for Irina Babloyan. That evening, the Russian journalist suddenly fell ill. By morning, her head hurt, her hands and feet were red and burning, and her mouth tasted like metal. Doctors later determined poisoning was the most likely cause for the symptoms. The top suspect: Moscow. The incident occurred in October 2022. When Babloyan spoke with VOA this February, she was still suffering the physical and emotional consequences. Her experience underscores the lengths Moscow …

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Євросоюз

Stakes Are High for Turkish President, Opposition in Local Elections

washington — Millions of Turkish citizens will head to the polls Sunday to elect mayors and local administrators for their cities and districts. The elections come less than a year after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan secured his term for another five years last May. “Now we have 2024 ahead of us,” Erdogan said in his victory speech, adding, “Are you ready to win both Uskudar [a district in Istanbul where Erdogan’s personal residence is] and Istanbul in the local elections in 2024?” Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) aims to win back key cities, including Turkey’s largest, Istanbul, and …

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Євросоюз

White House Reveals Urgency of Warning Russians of Potential Terror Attack

white house — Duty to warn. It is the obligation that the United States says it takes upon itself if the intelligence community is able to identify an impending threat to a particular country. The U.S. acted on this duty just two weeks before the deadly attack near Moscow claimed by Islamic State. U.S. officials had warned Russia that extremists had imminent plans for such an attack, but the Kremlin brushed off the warning as mere blackmail and efforts to destabilize Russian society. John Kirby, White House national security communications adviser, spoke to VOA about the terrorist attack. This interview has …

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Євросоюз

Estonian Foreign Minister: ‘If Ukraine Fails, We All Fail’

washington — Ukraine was the focus of a high-level delegation from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in Washington this week. In an interview with VOA Georgian Service’s Eka Maghaldadze, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said there should be no Plan B when it comes to Ukraine, because its failure would mean the failure of democracy. The following has been edited for length and clarity. VOA: You visited Washington this week, together with your colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania, to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine and the threats for European security with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Why? Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna: …

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Євросоюз

Slovakians Form Human Chain Around Threatened Public Broadcaster

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Protesters in Slovakia formed a human chain around the country’s public television and radio building Wednesday in anger over a takeover plan by the government whose populist, pro-Russia prime minister recently labeled several private media outlets his enemies.  The takeover plan was drafted by Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova, who represents an ultra-nationalist member party of the coalition government and has worked for an internet television outlet known for spreading disinformation.  The plan has been condemned by President Zuzana Caputova, opposition parties, local journalists, international media organizations, the European Commission and others who warn that the government would be …

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Євросоюз

Prosecutor Seeks 2-1/2-Year Jail Term for Spain’s Ex-Soccer Chief Rubiales Over Kiss

MADRID — A prosecutor at Spain’s High Court is seeking a prison sentence of 2-1/2 years for former soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales over his unsolicited kiss on player Jenni Hermoso, a court document seen by Reuters on Wednesday showed. Prosecutor Marta Durantez charged Rubiales with one count of sexual assault and one of coercion for his alleged actions in the aftermath of the kiss, offenses carrying jail terms of one year and one-and-a-half years, respectively. Rubiales, 46, unleashed a furor when he grabbed Hermoso and kissed her on the lips on Aug. 20 of last year during the awards ceremony …

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Євросоюз

Bus Accident in Eastern Germany Kills at Least 5 People 

Berlin — At least five people were killed Wednesday when a bus headed from Berlin to Switzerland came off a highway in eastern Germany and ended up on its side, authorities said. The accident happened on the A9 highway near Leipzig at about 9:45 a.m. and the road was closed in both directions. It wasn’t immediately clear why the bus, which was operated by Flixbus and en route from Berlin to Zurich, came off the road. Rescue helicopters and ambulances were at the scene. Police spokesman Olaf Hoppe told n-tv television that there were “numerous injured and at least five dead.” …

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Євросоюз

Ukraine Raises Country’s Spirits with Euro 2024 Qualification

WROCLAW, Poland — Ukraine’s qualification for the Euro 2024 soccer finals has cheered a country suffering hardship in its conflict with Russia and for a few weeks in June and July the tournament will provide a welcome distraction from the harsh reality of war. The team came from behind to defeat Iceland 2-1 in their playoff final in neutral Poland Tuesday and book a fourth successive appearance in the continental finals. They will be in Group E with Belgium, Slovakia and Romania, who they face in their opening game in Munich on June 17. Russia’s war with Ukraine has now entered …

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Євросоюз

Dutch Hyperloop Center Aims to Advance Futuristic Transport Technology

VEENDAM, Netherlands — A 420-meter, or quarter-mile, white steel tube running alongside a railway line in the windswept northern Netherlands could usher in a new era for the transportation of people and freight. The tube is the heart of the new European Hyperloop Center that opens Tuesday and will be a proving ground in coming years for developers of the evolving technology. Hyperloop, once trumpeted by Elon Musk, involves capsules floating on magnetic fields zipping at speeds of around 700 kph (435 mph) through low-pressure tubes. Its advocates tout it as far more efficient than short-haul flights, high-speed rail and freight trucks. …

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