Month: January 2024

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Extremely cold temperatures compounded by gale-force winds and snow wreaked havoc across the Nordic region Thursday, leaving thousands without power while others braved the cold for hours stuck in their cars along clogged highways. Heavy rains in Germany, France and the Netherlands again caused floods in regions that have seen persistent flooding in …

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Gambia’s Immigration Department has launched a manhunt for immigration smugglers after an increase in the death toll of Gambians attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean into Europe. Some returnees are holding workshops to tell about the dangers of trying to flee the country. Senanu Tord reports from the capital, Banjul. …

Rome — Pope Francis has urged prayers for Nicaragua where two Catholic bishops,15 priests and two seminarians are in custody, with the most recent arrests taking place on Dec. 31. Observers fear the government of President Daniel Ortega is trying to eradicate the Catholic Church’s presence in Nicaragua. The pontiff opened the new year with an …

Burned residential buildings, destroyed warehouses, scorched cars — these are the consequences of a Russian missile attack Tuesday morning in Kyiv. According to the mayor’s office, 50 people were injured and at least two were killed. Anna Kosstutschenko talked to survivors. VOA footage by Pavel Suhodolskiy. …

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London — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday he expected to call a national election in the second half of this year, all but ruling out an earlier vote in May.   Sunak’s Conservatives are heavily trailing the main opposition Labour Party in the polls ahead of an election which must be held by …

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Russia and Ukraine rang in 2024 by attacking each other, as Ukraine continues its quest to push invading Russian forces out. But much of the drama around this conflict is centered in Washington, where Republicans are reluctant to grant President Joe Biden’s increasingly urgent request for tens of billions in funding for Ukraine. VOA’s Anita …

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Europe experienced stark weather contrasts on Wednesday, with extreme cold and snowstorms disrupting transportation and closing schools in Scandinavia while strong winds and heavy rain in western Europe caused flooding and at least one death.  Temperatures fell below minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Nordic region for a second …

The Hague — The United Nation’s top court will hear submissions next week from South Africa and Israel after Pretoria opened a case for what it called Israel’s genocidal acts in Gaza. South Africa wants the International Court of Justice to urgently order Israel to suspend its military operations in Gaza, in a case that Israel …

ISTANBUL — Turkey on Wednesday opened the first major trial linked to the construction of buildings that crumbled in two massive earthquakes that claimed more than 50,000 lives in February 2023. The hearing in the southeastern city of Adiyaman involves 11 defendants accused of “conscious negligence” while overseeing the construction of the Isias Hotel. Five of …

LONDON — Patients faced canceled treatments after thousands of British doctors walked off the job on Wednesday, the start of a six-day strike over pay that was set to be the longest in the history of the state-funded National Health Service. Managers said tens of thousands of appointments and operations will be postponed because of the …