The Hague, Netherlands — An Amsterdam district court on Tuesday sentenced five men to up to six months in prison for violence that erupted around a UEFA Europa League football match…
Pope Francis kicks off year-long Jubilee that will test his stamina, Rome’s patience
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome…
People in Russia ‘need the truth,’ says journalist who sacrificed home and security to keep reporting
Prague — The list of sacrifices that Alesya Marokhovskaya has made to keep reporting on Russia from exile runs long: her home, her country, family, friends, culture, safety. This month alone,…
Blast at Turkish ammunition factory kills 11 people
Istanbul — An explosion at an ammunition factory in northwest Turkey left 11 dead and five injured Tuesday morning. The blast occurred in Balikesir province, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency….
Шмигаль: Україна вже отримала 1 млрд доларів від США в рамках ініціативи G7
Прем’єр висловив сподівання, що всі суверенні активи Росії будуть конфісковані й спрямовані на відновлення України …
Україна отримала мільярд доларів від Японії та Великої Британії на підтримку реформ – Мінфін
«Залучені кошти буде спрямовано на збільшення потенціалу економічного розвитку» – Марченко …
Шмигаль: заявки на отримання тисячі гривень «єПідтримки» подали 10,3 мільйона українців
Понад 6 мільйонів вже отримали одноразову допомогу …
Explosion sinks Russian cargo ship in Mediterranean, Russian Foreign Ministry says
MOSCOW — An engine room explosion sank a Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria and two of its crew are missing, the Russian Foreign Ministry said…
Ukrainian forces destroy 36 Russian drones
Ukraine’s military said Tuesday it shot down 36 of the 60 drones that Russian forces deployed in overnight attacks. The intercepts took place in the Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv,…
Holy Year about to start in Rome
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Tuesday formally inaugurates the 2025 Holy Year, reviving an ancient church tradition encouraging the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome, amid new security fears following…
VOA Russian: Moscow increases pressure on ‘foreign agents’
Russia recently expanded punishment against independent journalists and activists that the Kremlin designated as “foreign agents,” with Moscow charging a prominent exiled reporter, Tatyana Felgengauer, on criminal counts in absentia….
Azerbaijani journalist says he was jailed over his work
WASHINGTON — A journalist jailed in Azerbaijan for nearly seven months has said he believes his arrest is linked to his reporting. Farid Mehralizada, an economist and journalist with VOA’s sister…
Going home? Syrians in Europe are not so sure
Orleans, France — Nabil Attar sprinkles sesame and pomegranate over creamy mutabal, a roasted eggplant dip from his native Syria — one of his mother’s many recipes now featured at his…
France unveils new government with budget battle looming
PARIS — France unveiled a new government on Monday, composed of former ministers and senior civil servants that Prime Minister Francois Bayrou will hope can oversee the passage of a 2025…
Germany looking into possible security lapses after Christmas market attack
Berlin — Germany searched for answers on Monday on possible security lapses after a man drove his car into a Christmas market, killing at least five people and casting a renewed…
Україна отримала 1,1 мільярда доларів від МВФ – Шмигаль
Кошти спрямують на фінансування критичних видатків бюджету …
South Korea says North Korea preparing to send more troops, weapons to Russia
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday there are indications that North Korea is preparing to send more troops and weapons to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. The…
Romanian parliament expected to approve new government
BUCHAREST — Romania’s outgoing president Klaus Iohannis is expected Monday to designate leftist Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to form a new government after three pro-European parties agreed to the…
Russia captures two villages in Ukraine as Moscow’s forces advance on two cities
Russian forces captured two villages in Ukraine, one in Kharkiv region in the northeast and one in eastern Donetsk region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday. Donetsk region is…
‘El Gordo’ lottery in Spain spreads Christmas riches worth $2.8 billion
Madrid — For weeks, Spaniards had anticipated the arrival of “El Gordo” or “The Fat One.” But unlike Santa Claus, El Gordo arrived three days before Christmas, before noon on Sunday….
Albanian PM says TikTok ban was not ‘rushed reaction to a single incident’
Tirana, Albania — Albania’s prime minister said Sunday the ban on TikTok his government announced a day earlier was “not a rushed reaction to a single incident.” Edi Rama said Saturday…
Міноборони: у 2025 році зросте грошове забезпечення курсантів
Мельник запевнив курсантів у тому, що Міністерство оборони й надалі підтримуватиме їх, покращуючи умови навчання та служби …
Putin meets Slovak PM Fico at Kremlin
Moscow — Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks at the Kremlin on Sunday with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, one of the few European leaders he has stayed friendly with since…
Thousands protest in Serbian capital over fatal train station accident
Belgrade — Thousands protested Sunday in Serbia’s capital Belgrade to demand that leaders take responsibility for the collapse of a train station roof that killed 15 people last month. For over…
Italy’s Meloni says security threat posed by Russia is far-reaching
SAARISELKA, Finland — Russia poses a bigger threat to European Union security than just defense as Moscow can use illegal immigration and other issues to undermine the bloc, Italian Prime Minister…
German authorities received a warning last year about the suspect in Christmas market attack
MAGDEBURG, GERMANY — German authorities received a warning last year about the suspected perpetrator in a car attack at a Christmas market, a government office said Sunday as more details emerged…
Albania to shut down TikTok for 1 year, says platform promotes violence among children
TIRANA, ALBANIA — Albania’s prime minister said Saturday the government will shut down the video service TikTok for one year, blaming it for inciting violence and bullying, especially among children. Albanian…
France supports Ethiopia’s quest for sea access through discussion
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — French President Emmanuel Macron said his country supports Ethiopia’s quest for access to the sea through discussion and respecting international laws and neighboring countries. Macron spoke on…
Pope describes Israeli airstrikes of Gaza as ‘cruelty’
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Saturday again condemned Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, a day after an Israeli government minister publicly denounced the pontiff for suggesting the global community should study…
Airports reopen following Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Kazan
MOSCOW — The airport in the Russian city of Kazan reopened on Saturday after temporarily closing earlier in the day following a Ukrainian drone attack, Russia’s aviation watchdog said. Russian state…