Category: Світ

The possible expansion of NATO will be a focus of talks Saturday, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Berlin for an informal NATO foreign ministerial meeting. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin have expressed their approval for joining the alliance, a move that would complete a major policy shift …

Russian forces suffered heavy losses in a Ukrainian attack that destroyed a pontoon bridge they were using to try to cross a river in the east, Ukrainian and British officials said in another sign of Moscow’s struggle to salvage a war gone awry.  Ukraine’s airborne command released photos and video of what it said was …

The EU’s foreign policy chief said on Friday that he believed there had been enough progress during consultations between his envoy and Iranian officials in Tehran this week to relaunch nuclear negotiations after two months of deadlock.  Talks to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers have been on hold since March, chiefly over …

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U.S. Senator Rand Paul Thursday blocked a vote on a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine, slowing U.S. efforts to quickly deliver more help to Ukraine as it battles a Russian invasion. “We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the U.S. economy,” Paul said. A unanimous Senate vote would have expedited the delivery of aid to …

A worker hurt in an explosion at a chemical factory in Slovenia has died from his injuries, bringing the total number of people killed in the accident to six, local media reported on Friday. The blast occurred Thursday when a cistern exploded at a resin factory belonging to chemicals company Melamin in the municipality of …

A Frenchman murdered in the desert, a Dutch priest killed in a Nazi concentration camp and an Indian lay convert are among 10 new saints being created by Pope Francis on Sunday. Tens of thousands of people from around the world are expected in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican for the canonization mass, presided over …

An obscure mountain in the remote far west of Spain could prove to be a game changer in the race to end the West’s dependence on China for a mineral that is key to the world’s future mobility. Valdeflores, just outside Caceres, a city of about 100,000 inhabitants in Extremadura, a region well off the …

Colored marker stones placed on either side of a small river – blue and white for Finland, red and green for Russia – are all that separate the two countries in the windswept fields of the South Karelia region. The border stretches 1,340 kilometers from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic, much of it sparsely …

Finland’s government says the country should immediately apply to join NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As Henry Ridgwell reports from the Russia-Finland border, such a move would have big implications for the region. Camera: Henry Ridgwell. Contributor: Mari-Leena Kuosa. …

Since the invasion of Ukraine began, the letter Z was used by Russia as a way to identify its military vehicles inside Ukraine. But the letter has now become a propaganda symbol inside Russia and Ukraine. VOA’s Russian service produced this report. …

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is disrupting crop exports and driving up global food prices. Both countries are major exporters of key staples like wheat and sunflower oil. In France, some farmers sense opportunity – particularly with sunflowers. Lisa Bryant reports from the French village of Labosse. …

Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin Thursday expressed their approval for joining NATO, a move that would complete a major policy shift for the country in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “NATO membership would strengthen Finland’s security. As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defense alliance,” they said …

Calling US farms the ‘breadbasket of democracy,’ president vows to do more to offset food supply issues amid Russian invasion …

For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT: 4:08 a.m.: Al Jazeera reports that the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv is cutting its “sister city” ties with a host of Russian cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. 3:33 a.m.: The Associated …

As he listened to his father die, the boy lay still on the asphalt. His elbow burned where a bullet had pierced him. His thumb stung from being grazed. Another killing was in progress on a lonely street in Bucha, the community on the outskirts of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, where bodies of civilians are still …

Finland and Sweden are expected to apply for NATO membership in the coming days, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As Henry Ridgwell reports from Taipalsaari, close to the border, Russia’s actions have particular historical resonance in Finland. …

Iran’s intelligence ministry said on Wednesday it arrested two European nationals for allegedly fomenting “insecurity” in the country, state media reported, as the EU pushes to revive Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. The pair were accused of “organizing chaos and social disorder aimed at destabilizing [Iran]” in conjunction with foreign intelligence services, state TV …

Ninety-nine-year-old Unto Hakuli and his fellow veteran and friend Tapio Niemi, 94, still live among the forests and frozen lakes of Finland’s border region, where they fought invading Russian soldiers more than 80 years ago. The bravery and skill of the defenders in what is known as the Winter War is feted far beyond Finland’s …

The fight for Ukraine played out beyond the battlefields on Wednesday, with Kyiv cutting off one Russian natural gas pipeline that supplies European homes and industry, while a Moscow-installed official in southern Ukraine said the Kremlin should annex Kherson after Russian troops took control.   Ukraine’s natural gas pipeline operator said it was stopping Russian …

Mozambique has been battered by five tropical storms along its northern coastal areas since the start of this year. Tens of thousands of families have been affected, including refugees and people internally displaced by ongoing violence in the oil-rich province of Cabo Delgado. The last storm, Tropical Cyclone Gombe, made landfall on March 11. It …

Five years ago, France’s Emmanuel Macron saw big when it came to Africa. Days after his presidential inauguration, he flew to northeastern Mali, meeting with French troops and vowing, alongside his Malian counterpart, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, to wage an “uncompromising fight” against Islamist terrorism. A few months later in another Sahel country, nearby Burkina Faso, …

In any country, the currency exchange rate is an indicator of stability and the economy’s strength. With unprecedented sanctions being imposed on Russia, many economists are closely watching the ruble. Anna Rice narrates the story of the Russian ruble, and the effect economic sanctions are having. …

For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT: 3:30 a.m. – Since Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 100 women have given birth in the basement delivery room of a maternity hospital in Lviv, Ukraine, The Associated Press reports. About …

The U.S. House of Representatives approved more than $40 billion more aid for Ukraine on Tuesday, as Congress races to keep military aid flowing and boost the government in Kyiv as it grapples with the Russian invasion. The House passed the Ukraine spending bill by 368 to 57, with every ‘no’ vote coming from Republicans. …

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on an aid package worth more than $40 billion for Ukraine on Tuesday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, as Congress races to avoid an interruption in defense assistance and boost the government in Kyiv.  The legislation is expected to pass the House and head to the Senate …