Switzerland plans revamp of Cold War-era nuclear bunker network
GOLLION, Switzerland — Switzerland wants to update its network of aging nuclear shelters, which are increasingly seen as an asset at...
China-Russia Arctic cooperation a US national security concern
LOS ANGELES — The United States and its NATO allies are paying increased attention to military cooperation between Russia and China...
US announces new arms aid package for Ukraine worth $500 million
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced another package of weapons aid for Ukraine on Thursday, valued at $500 million, Secretary of...
First Chechen War: The moment when ‘Russia’s democratic post-Soviet dream ended’
WASHINGTON — Brutal tactics employed by Russia in its war on Ukraine have shocked much of the world but come as...
Far-right support rose in Europe in 2024
Support for far-right parties in Europe continued to grow in 2024. Analysts say the trend was driven by concerns over...
VOA Russian: Anti-war group helps those who fled Russia adapt
The Russian anti-war committee, a group founded by Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky and other Russian politicians who were forced into...
ETA terrorists jailed in Spain for attempted murder of journalists
Four former members of Basque separatist organization ETA were each sentenced Thursday in Spain to nearly 75 years in prison,...
As tourists discover Finland’s Santa Claus Village, some locals call for rules to control the masses
Rovaniemi, Finland — Shuffling across icy ground on a cold December afternoon, lots of tourist groups poured into Santa Claus Village,...
Rights group accuses Russian mercenaries of abuses against civilians in Mali
DAKAR, SENEGAL — Mali’s armed forces, supported by Russian mercenaries, committed abuses against civilians since the withdrawal of a U.N. peacekeeping...
Ukrainian drones hit Russia’s Chechnya region
The head of Russia’s Chechnya region said Thursday a Ukrainian drone attack hit a police barracks, injuring at least four...
Australia to charge tech companies for news content if they do not pay
SYDNEY — Australia’s center-left government said on Thursday it planned new rules that would charge big tech firms millions of dollars...
Serbia’s president says he won’t flee his country like Syria’s Assad did despite growing protests
BELGRADE, SERBIA — Serbia’s president accused Tuesday foreign intelligence services of trying to unseat him in the wake of spreading protests...
Democracy tested in Eastern Europe amid accusations of Russian meddling
Western nations and Russia engaged in a battle for influence in Eastern Europe in 2024, as elections were held in...
EU imposes new sanctions on Russia
European Union ambassadors have agreed to a new raft of sanctions against Russia because of its war on Ukraine, mainly...
2024: Ukraine-Russia war deadlock sets stage for possible negotiations
In 2024, Russia’s war in Ukraine reached a near-standstill, with Russia pressing forward while Ukraine’s counterattacks faltered. Both sides, well...
Hundreds of arrests and mysterious beatings as Georgia cracks down on pro-EU protests
TBILISI, Georgia — Seventy-five-year-old Marina Terishvili’s teenage son Mamuka was shot dead at a nationalist rally in Georgia in 1992. Now...
Human trafficking rises sharply after dropping during pandemic, UN says
VIENNA — Human trafficking has risen sharply due to conflicts, climate-induced disasters and global crises, according to a United Nations report...
Russian officials report damage from Ukrainian air attacks in Bryansk, Rostov
Russian officials said Wednesday that Ukrainian aerial attacks caused damage in two regions along the Russia-Ukraine border. Bryansk Governor Alexander...
As climate change intensifies, vulnerable states seek legal redress against polluters
At a landmark hearing Tuesday on climate change law at the United Nation’s top court in The Hague, Britain argued...
US Treasury transfers $20 billion in Ukraine loan funds to World Bank
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday said it transferred the $20 billion U.S. portion of a $50 billion G7...
UN digital program seeks to empower Africa’s public workers
NAIROBI, KENYA — The United Nations, Microsoft and Kenya’s Ministry of Information last week launched a digital and artificial intelligence center...
VOA Russian: Chechen wars and the formation of the political model of the Russian state
December 11th will mark 30 years since the beginning of the First Chechen war. The initial Russian assault on Chechnya signaled...
