Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for trying to “hush up” the…
UK to tax private schools in $1.9 B boost to public education
LONDON — The U.K. will end a tax exemption for private schools Wednesday, the center-left Labour government has announced, in a move set to raise over £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) for…
Belarus’ leader pardons 20 more prisoners; rights groups say repression continues
TALLINN, ESTONIA — Belarus’ authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 20 more people that rights activists describe as political prisoners, a statement on the president’s website said Saturday. The announcement came amid…
Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ dies at 73
LONDON — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet,” has died, her family said on social media Saturday. She was 73. …
Efforts to free reporter held in Iran ‘complicated,’ says Italy
ROME — Efforts to release Italian journalist Cecilia Sala from prison in Iran are “complicated,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Saturday. Sala was detained on December 19 by police in…
Ukrainian soldiers find rest, restoration at Carpathian mountain retreat
As Russia’s war against Ukraine enters its third year, centers focused on soldiers’ rehabilitation and mental health are appearing across Ukraine. An active serviceman started one such place in his…
Russia to stop gas exports to Moldova beginning Jan. 1
MOSCOW / CHISINAU, MOLDOVA — Russian energy giant Gazprom said Saturday it would suspend gas exports to Moldova from 0500 GMT on Jan. 1 due to unpaid debt by Moldova, which…
Turkey’s pro-Kurd party to meet jailed PKK leader on Saturday
ISTANBUL — A delegation from Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish DEM party is due on Saturday to visit jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence on a prison island…
Ukraine says it struck drone depot in Russia’s Oryol region
Ukraine said on Saturday it had struck a storage and maintenance depot for long-range Shahed drones in Russia’s Oryol region, adding that this had “significantly reduced” Russia’s ability to launch…
Somali migrant who survived boat sinking wants to try again for Europe
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Idil Abdullahi Goley’s journey seeking a better life in Europe started in Somalia with a $6,500 payment to local smugglers. It ended a month later with fellow migrants…
VOA Russian: Washington, Moscow, Beijing to form complicated strategic triangle in 2025
VOA Russian spoke with U.S. officials, politicians and experts to see how U.S. relations with China and Russia could change under the incoming Donald Trump administration. Experts say Beijing may…
VOA Russian: Expert says Russian missile most likely caused plane crash in Kazakhstan
VOA Russian speaks to aviation expert Konstantin Kryvolap, who takes apart Moscow’s official versions of the crash of the Russia-bound Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan and says a Russian missile…
US sanctions founder of Georgia’s ruling political party
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on the founder of Georgia’s ruling political party, which has steered the country away from a pro-Western stance and toward Russia, U.S. officials…
Boat sinks en route to Spain, dozens killed, Malian minister says
BAMAKO, MALI — Nearly 70 migrants died when their boat sank as they tried to reach Spain earlier this month, Mali’s Minister for Malians Living Abroad said. In a press release…
Уряд: Україна отримала від США та Світового банку 485 млн доларів на соціальні виплати
Ці кошти «допоможуть забезпечити виплати допомоги внутрішньо переміщеним особам та особам з інвалідністю», заявили в Мігфіні …
Ukraine tech company presents latest military simulators
Russia’s invasion has pushed Ukrainian tech companies working with defense simulation technology to seriously compete in global markets. One such company is SKIFTECH, which specializes in high-tech military simulators. Iryna…
Ukrainian drone attack was under way before Azerbaijani plane crash, Russian aviation chief says
Russia’s aviation chief said Friday that a Ukrainian drone attack was under way in the region of Chechnya at the time an Azerbaijani airliner attempted to land before diverting to…
Seoul: North Korean soldier captured in Russia-Ukraine war dies
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — A North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine has died of his wounds, South Korea’s spy agency said Friday. Pyongyang has…
Moldova backs defense strategy calling for increased spending
CHISINAU, MOLDOVA — The parliament in ex-Soviet Moldova, controlled by pro-Western lawmakers, approved a 10-year defense strategy on Thursday calling for increased military spending as part of a plan to join…
Seoul: North Korean soldier captured in Russia-Ukraine war
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — South Korea’s spy agency said Friday it had confirmed that a North Korean soldier sent to back Russia’s war against Ukraine had been captured by Ukrainian forces….
VOA Russian: Kremlin targets full internet control in Russia
The Kremlin completed preparations to isolate the Russian segment of the internet from the rest of the World Wide Web, experts told VOA Russian. The Kremlin may implement severe internet…
VOA Russian: How drones changed military tactics in Russia’s war in Ukraine
Both Russia and Ukraine expanded the use of drones in 2024 as a relatively cheap means of warfare that requires an opponent to use a much more expensive air defense…
Україна отримала 1,2 мільярда доларів від Японії. Шмигаль розповів, куди спрямують кошти
Ці кошти надійшли до України у листопаді-грудні …
Finland detains Russia-linked vessel on suspicion it damaged undersea cable
FRANKFURT, GERMANY — Finnish authorities have detained a Russia-linked ship as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables, according to police and news media…
Azerbaijan observes day of mourning for air crash victims as speculation mounts about its cause
Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about…
Ukraine says it shot down 20 Russian drones
Ukraine’s military said Thursday it shot down 20 of the 31 drones that Russian forces launched in overnight attacks. The intercepts took place over the Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Kyiv…
Kyrgyzstan faces difficulties enforcing West’s Russia sanctions
BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN — Experts say Kyrgyzstan’s efforts to enforce Western sanctions against companies supplying dual-use goods and equipment to Russia are constrained by opposition from business, limited bureaucratic resources, and unwillingness…
Turkey’s soaring costs creating ‘lost generation’ of children
ISTANBUL — In a dim one-room apartment in one of Istanbul’s poorest neighborhoods, 11-year-old Atakan Sahin curls up on a threadbare sofa with his siblings to watch TV while their mother…
French authorities rescue 107 migrants crossing Channel
LILLE, FRANCE — French authorities said they rescued 107 migrants trying to cross the Channel from France to England on Wednesday. Over the course of Christmas Day, 12 rescue operations were…
Kosovo appeals panel lets ethnic Serb party run in parliamentary election
PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo’s election appeals authority on Wednesday canceled a ban on the main party of the ethnic Serb minority, allowing it to field candidates in the upcoming parliamentary election. …