Europe: Recent Episodes
Voice of America
Three British Afghan women are on a hunger strike near the British Parliament to protest the treatment of women in Afghanistan by the Taliban. Yalda Baktash reports.
Six years ago, more than a million migrants traveled across the Mediterranean and Europe to reach Germany — many of them Syrians escaping the civil war. So, could history repeat itself as refugees try to flee Taliban rule in Afghanistan? As Henry Ridgwell reports from Berlin, immigration is high on the agenda as Germany prepares for a general election later this month.Camera: Henry Ridgwell, Memet Aksakal Produced by: Henry Ridgwell, Mary Cieslak
Russia is preparing for parliamentary and local elections Sunday in what the opposition says is an atmosphere of repression in which a number of candidates not aligned with the ruling party have been excluded. Jon Spier narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina in Moscow.Camera: Ricardo MarquinaVideo editor: Henry Hernandez
Organized crime, a struggling economy, and repression continue to drive many Central Americans from their homelands with increasing numbers opting to head for Spain, rather than the United States. More than 120,000 Hondurans make up the largest group of Central Americans in Spain. Alfonso Beato in the northeastern Spanish city of Girona filed this report, narrated by Jonathan Spier.Camera: Alfonso Beato Produced by: Rod James
New research shows that coronavirus vaccines not only offer protection against infection and serious illness – but may also help prevent so-called ‘long COVID’, where symptoms can last for weeks or months. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
On August 24, 1991, Ukraine announced its independence from the Soviet Union, and in the next few months, the international community — country by country — recognized Ukraine as an independent sovereign state. But the foundation of this shift had been laid at the United Nations headquarters about a year earlier. Iryna Solomko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Iryna Solomko
Turkey is stepping up a border security barrier with Iran, primarily to thwart a possible large influx of refugees from entering Afghanistan. Yet for many refugees, the wall, trenches and barbed wire are just more obstacles they say they have no choice but to overcome. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report from Van, Tatvan and the Turkish border with Iran.Camera: Yan Boechat. Contributing: Mohammad Mahdi Sultani.
he clandestine sea route from the coasts of Senegal to Spain is a dangerous voyage for thousands of migrants. For those who make it, what awaits them is a life outside the law and the stigma of being called an illegal immigrant. Jonathan Spier narrates this report from Alfonso Beato in Barcelona.Camera: Alfonso Beato
Albania is temporarily hosting some 600 Afghan refugees who have fled the violence and chaos in their country. The last of several flights – with 150 people on board – arrived in Albania August 30. Ilirian Agolli spoke with some of them. Keida Kostreci narrates his story.
Among the growing numbers of Afghans arriving in Turkey after fleeing the Taliban are those who fought alongside NATO forces. As Dorian Jones reports for VOA from Istanbul, they are now looking for help from countries with whose soldiers they served.Video editor: Rob Raffaele
As the evacuation of tens of thousands from the airport in Kabul was underway, the attempted rescue of dozens of veterinary staff and hundreds of animals from a British animal rescue charity in Afghanistan caught the attention of the media. Their plight led to a heated dispute between the charity and the British government, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Produced by: Marcus Harton
Ukraine’s parliament, Verkhovna Rada, passed the country’s Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine on August 24, 1991. The US recognized the country’s independence on December 25 that same year and opened an embassy in Kyiv. Since then, nine ambassadors have represented the U.S. in Ukraine. Mariia Prus looks back at the last three decades of the U.S.-Ukrainian relationship in this story narrated by Anna Rice.Producer: Mary Cieslak
Deportation centers in Turkey are filled to capacity as refugees from Afghanistan continue to cross the border from Iran by night, hoping to evade police and resettle. As VOA tours a deportation center in Van, officials say they are not sending people back to Afghanistan, but they also have no plans to release detainees. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report from Van, on the Turkish border with Iran.Camera: Yan BoechatMohammad Mahdi Sultani contributed to this story.
With the Taliban in control of Afghanistan, the European Union is looking to Turkey to bear the brunt of an expected exodus of Afghan refugees heading to Europe. But Turkey is resisting the call. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. Video editor: Marcus Harton
Thirty years ago, a group of Soviet hard-liners attempted a coup in the Soviet Union aimed at stopping reforms started by then President Mikhail Gorbachev. The coup failed in the course of three days but put in motion events that would forever change its course. VOA’s Daria Dieguts reports.
Turkish women gathered outside the Afghan consulate in Istanbul to show their solidarity with Afghan women and to condemn the Taliban’s treatment of women. VOA’s Umut Colak has filed this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.Camera: Umut Colak Produced by: Umut Colak
Greece has completed the construction of a border fence along its frontier with Turkey, as European fears grow of an influx of refugees from Afghanistan. As Henry Ridgwell reports, memories of the 2015 European migrant crisis are still powerful, — but many analysts say that six years on, it is much tougher for migrants to reach Europe.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Thousands of Afghans, hoping for a better future, are trying to escape the country as the Taliban seize control. VOA’s Arif Aslan visited with 30 Afghan refugees whose long, perilous trek had taken them to eastern Turkey. This report is narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.Producer and camera: Arif Aslan.
For Italy's journalists, covering the mafia has always been dangerous. There have been attacks recently against some reporters and almost two dozen are currently under police protection because of threats. VOA's Iacopo Luzi has more.
Afghan refugees in Turkey say they made the dangerous journey to escape living again under Taliban rule. VOA’s Arif Aslan reports from eastern Turkey, where some of the Afghans he spoke with arrived over the past few days as the Taliban were taking over the Afghan capital. Sirwan Kajjo narrates his report.Camera: Arif Aslan.
America's NATO allies are scrambling to evacuate their citizens from Afghanistan following the U.S military withdrawal from the country, and the collapse of the Afghan government. Many European officials have voiced fears that the Taliban takeover will increase the risk of terrorism and cause a renewed influx of refugees. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
The extreme hot weather in the Mediterranean region is continuing to trigger wildfires, with dozens of people killed in Algeria, Greece, Italy and Turkey in recent days. Henry Ridgwell has more from London. Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Virginia Giuffre, an accuser of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has filed a lawsuit against Britain's Prince Andrew – alleging that he raped and sexually abused her several times when she was 17 years old. But as Henry Ridgwell reports from London, legal experts say it's unlikely that the prince will have to appear in court anytime soon.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Recent weeks have seen a spate of police raids on independent media companies and the homes of journalists in Russia, as part of an intensifying crackdown. Kremlin-critical media face fines, arrests, and violence. Some journalists are relocating to other countries to avoid an increasingly hostile environment.
Russia begins mass military exercises with its Central Asian allies Tajikistan and Uzbekistan near the Tajik border with Afghanistan this week. The maneuvers come against the backdrop of a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan - and rapid territorial gains by its adversaries in the Afghan Taliban. For VOA from Moscow, Charles Maynes reports. Camera: Ricardo Marquina-Montanana, Producer: Marcus Harton
The owner of Britain’s Chelsea Football Club, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, and Russia’s state-owned oil giant Rosneft have both filed a defamation lawsuit against the author of a book about President Vladimir Putin’s rise to power. Activists say the case threatens the freedom of the press, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry RidgwellProduced by: Jason Godman
Moroccans make up the largest migrant population in Spain, with around a million people of Moroccan origin currently living in the country. Some arrive illegally to find work; others are offered seasonal jobs through official work programs in sectors like agriculture. However, as Henry Ridgwell and Alfonso Beato report, in some cases, the workers’ expectations are far from the reality they face in the fruit fields of southern Spain. Camera: Alfonso Beato, Sindicato Andaluz de Trabajo
A record number of migrants has crossed the English Channel this year from France to Britain in small boats. The British government is aiming to deter the migrants by making it a criminal offense to arrive in the country without permission, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London. Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Last year, the COVID pandemic saw Turkey canceling one of the world's oldest sporting events: the centuries-old Kirkpinar oil wrestling tournament. For Turkish and international fans, the festival's return offers hope that pandemic restrictions are finally ending. Dorian Jones reports from Edirne in northwestern Turkey.
Turkey is claiming success in its COVID immunization campaign, but the majority Kurdish region lags far behind the rest of the country. Some blame it on the health ministry’s refusal to use the Kurdish language in literature that encourages people to get vaccinated. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
With infection rates falling and vaccination numbers rising, Turkey has lifted nearly all COVID restrictions and is seeking a return to normalcy after several months of lockdown measures. Dorian Jones reports for VOA from Istanbul.
Russian authorities say the country is facing a surge in new coronavirus infections. And, as Charles Maynes reports from Moscow, that has prompted a renewed effort to convince a skeptical public that the time to get vaccinated is now.Camera: Ricardo Marquina Video editor: Rob Raffaele
Britain is about to try something that no other nation has yet dared: lifting coronavirus restrictions amid a new wave of infections.The government says that with more than half of Britons now fully vaccinated, the time is right to reopen in the coming weeks. However, some scientists have warned that a sudden reopening of the economy and society is a big gamble as infection numbers rise.In a televised press conference Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined the end to lockdown measures beginning July 19.“Our vaccines have helped to break the link between disease and death,” Johnson said. “And as the days have gone by, it has grown ever clearer that these vaccines are indeed successful, with a majority of those admitted to hospital unvaccinated.”Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives an update on relaxing restrictions imposed on the country during the COVID-19 pandemic at a virtual press conference inside the Downing Street Briefing Room in London, July 5, 2021.“We must be honest with ourselves that if we can't reopen our society in the next few weeks, when we will be helped by the arrival of summer and by the school holidays, then we must ask ourselves when will we be able to return to normal?” Johnson said.Final confirmation of the lifting of restrictions is expected July 12 after the release of further data on vaccinations and infections.Under the plans, businesses such as nightclubs will re-open for the first time in sixteen months. The one-meter social distancing rule will be lifted; pubs and bars will no longer be restricted to table service only; there will be no limit on customer numbers.Employees will no longer be encouraged to work from home. Facemasks will no longer be compulsory, only recommended in certain environments. “The situation you're most likely to catch COVID in is indoor crowded spaces. So that's the obvious place where mask wearing becomes an advantage,” the government’s chief scientific advisor Patrick Vallance said Monday.A person shops inside a clothing store amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in London on July 6, 2021.Many Londoners appear supportive of the government’s move. Sixty-nine-year-old Sue Bracken, who is retired, told Reuters “I will still wear my mask in confined spaces, but I think we've got to live with this now.”Mandy Suiter, a secretary working in the capital, said “Not very many people seem to be suffering with it so much. I think the economy and everyone's ...
Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled a statue to their late mother Princess Diana in London on Thursday, on what would have been her 60th birthday. As Henry Ridgwell reports, much of the focus at the ceremony was on the deteriorating relationship between the two princes.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of Syrian refugees living in Turkey deeper into poverty, with many having to take on large debts, according to aid agencies. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
A rare tornado struck along the Czech Republic's southern border on Thursday evening, destroying parts of some towns as strong storms swept through the area and injured at least 150 people, emergency services and media reported.A Czech Television meteorologist said the tornado, reported in towns around Hodonin, along the Austrian border and 270 kilometers southeast of Prague, may have reached F3-F4 levels, with winds hitting 267-322 kph in the latter level.That would make it the strongest in the central European country's modern history and the first tornado since 2018.Photos on social media and news websites showed houses and some churches with destroyed roofs, broken windows, and fallen trees and destroyed cars along streets after the storms hit.BREAKING: Tornado causes major damage in the Czech Republic pic.twitter.com/TdSm87Z4gG— BNO News (@BNONews) June 24, 2021A spokesperson for the South Moravia region's ambulance service told CTK news agency up to 150 people were injured.Czech TV reported around seven small towns were "massively" damaged, citing an emergency services spokesperson. An official of one municipality, Hrusky, said half of the town was practically leveled to the ground.Interior Minister Jan Hamacek wrote on Twitter the situation in the area was serious and all emergency services units were at work. Search and rescue teams were also headed to the towns.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is calling for reconciliation after winning a snap election held in a bid to unite a nation deeply polarized in the wake of its defeat in a recent conflict with Azerbaijan. Jonathan Spier narrates this report from Pablo Gonzalez in Yerevan and Ricardo Marquina in Moscow.Camera: Pablo Gonzalez Produced by: Ricardo Marquina
Europe’s surging far-right has suffered election setbacks recently — in Germany’s eastern state of Saxony, where Chancellor Angela Merckel’s ruling conservatives prevailed … and in France, where the National Rally party did less well than expected in the first round of regional polls Sunday. From the eastern French town of Montbeliard, Lisa Bryant reports for VOA that a year before presidential elections, the vote was marked by record-low turnout.Camera: Lisa Bryant
For critics who flee repressive regimes, life in exile is not always a guarantee of safety. Laurel Bowman for VOA has more. But first a warning: The following report includes images that some may find disturbing.
In an effort to escape the insecurity and war in Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans make a difficult journey to Turkey illegally each year. VOA's Lima Niazi brings us the story of two friends whose journey through Turkey and Europe ended, back in Afghanistan. Bezhan Hamdard narrates.Camera: Lima Niazi Produced by: Lima Niazi
President Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin meet in Geneva on June 16 — for the first time since Biden took office in January. As Charles Maynes reports from Moscow, the two leaders are expected to discuss ways to normalize relations that have become increasingly tense.Camera: Ricardo Marquina Montanana Produced by: Jason Godman
Leaders of the G-7 ended their three-day summit Sunday, committing to a series of actions to end the coronavirus pandemic, mitigate climate change and rebuild the global economy. The group named China and Russia as sources of global security and economic threats. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report from Brussels, the next leg of U.S. President Joe Biden’s European tour.
G-7 leaders continue their meeting in Cornwall, England, with bold ambitions to lead the world out of the pandemic, toward a better and greener future. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report from the summit.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden Monday on the sidelines of the upcoming NATO summit for discussions seen as pivotal given the strained relations between the two nations. From Istanbul, Dorian Jones has this preview.Produced by: Rob Raffaele
The top U.S. envoy to Belarus told U.S. lawmakers Wednesday that the country’s dependence on Russia had significantly increased. The warning came as a U.S. Senate panel considered policy options in response to Belarus’ detention last month of opposition blogger Raman Pratasevich. VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson has more from Capitol Hill.Producer: Katherine Gypson. Camera: Alexei Gorbachev.
Sunday marked the 77th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces landed on the beaches of France’s Normandy region. Historians say the months-long battles that followed liberated Europe from Nazi Germany and gave the Allies the upper hand in World War II. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports how survivors marked the day.
On Tuesday, Italy lifted restrictions on indoor dining, Germany downgraded the coronavirus risk level from very high to high, and Israel lifted almost all pandemic restrictions. More from VOA's Mariama Diallo.
The Belarusian democratic opposition and some Western governments are calling for harsher sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko's regime following the forced diversion in late May of an international airliner to arrest a Belarusian dissident blogger on board. Analysts warn if there is not a strong response, other authoritarian governments around the world might resort to the same tactic to arrest dissidents. VOA's Igor Tsikhanenka has more.Produced by: Ihar Tsikhanenka
At its peak in the 1980s, the USSR’s so-called Leningrad Rock Club was ground zero for a generation of Russians that chafed at Soviet-era restrictions and wanted change. From Russia’s modern-day Saint Petersburg, Charles Maynes revisits the club’s legend, and whether the independent spirit that fueled it remains today. Camera: Ricardo Marquina-Montanana, Agency, Courtesy
At its peak in the 1980s, the USSR’s so-called Leningrad Rock Club was ground zero for a generation of Russians who chafed at Soviet-era restrictions and wanted change. From Russia’s modern-day St. Petersburg, Charles Maynes revisits the club’s legend, and whether the independent spirit that fueled it remains today.Camera: Ricardo Marquina-Montanana.
The White House announced Tuesday that President Joe Biden will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva next month, as the administration seeks to restore stability amid worsening bilateral tensions. Some Republican lawmakers have criticized the decision, raising concerns about recent moves by Moscow and its ally Belarus. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report.
James E. Pepper bourbon is as old as America itself."Originally founded during the American Revolution," says its current owner, Amir Peay, who adds that since it was established in 1780, this distinct brand of bourbon made in Kentucky has passed the lips of many prominent Americans. "The favorite brand of Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and many, many others."The distillery closed in the 1960s after the Pepper family left the business and sales tanked. But Peay saw an opportunity to relaunch the historic brand in 2008. Today, the spirit is as popular as ever, both at home and abroad.After spending millions of dollars getting some initial barrels to mature and renovating the distillery, which reopened in 2017, Peay set his sights on increasing the brand's international market share."While it only accounted for about 10% of our business in 2017, we saw a lot of opportunity to expand," Peay told VOA. "In fact, we thought we could grow it to about 20% of our business in 2018 and 2019."To do so, he invested even more, creating a 700-milliliter bottling line targeted for Europe, which the president of the Kentucky Distillers' Association, Eric Gregory, says was a lucrative export market at the time."Our exports grew from 2010 to 2017 by 98%," Gregory explained during a recent interview. "Most of that was going to the EU, which was our largest export market. We were averaging between 20% and 30% growth every year to the EU."Peay says that no trade barriers were on his radar at the time, and he had no reason to think that would change. "In late 2017, there were no tariffs on American whiskey in Europe and most markets around the world."But his dreams of continued expansion would be shattered by a trade war that erupted during the former Trump administration."The United States put tariffs on steel and aluminum products from a number of countries, including (some in) the European Union, and the European Union decided to respond with tariffs on a number of products," he said.Targeted U.S. products included bourbon, which since 2018 has been subject to a 25% tariff in Europe."Crippling," Gregory said. "This is something we never saw coming."Tariff troublesAbout 95% of bourbon is made in Kentucky. The $8 billion industry in the state employs more than 20,000 people.Global sales dropped by 35% after the tariffs were imposed, sending a shockwave through the industry. And ...
International exports of bourbon, an American whiskey mostly made in the southern state of Kentucky, have dropped dramatically as a result of the trade war that began during former President Donald Trump’s administration. VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports, tariffs imposed by the EU on bourbon continue to hurt Kentucky’s $8 billion industry which employs more than 20,000 people. Camera: Kane Farabaugh Producer: Kane Farabaugh
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced alarm at Russia’s military build up in the Arctic region, at a summit of the Arctic Council in Iceland late Thursday. “We're committed to advancing a peaceful Arctic region where cooperation prevails on climate, the environment, science and safety and where sustainable economic development benefits the people of the region,” Blinken told delegates gathered in Reykjavik. Moscow’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, questioned NATO's motives in deploying bombers and submarines to the area. “Problems linked to the escalation of military-political tension remain, because of foreign troops in Norway and in the Baltic region,” Lavrov said at a press conference after the summit. Russia is also pushing for Arctic states to resume high-level military meetings amid growing tension in the region, a move opposed by Washington. “It is important to extend the positive relations that we have within the Arctic Council to encompass the military sphere as well,” Lavrov said. Annual meetings between armed forces chiefs from Arctic states were halted in 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea. Russia assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council from Iceland Thursday. The organization, founded in 1996, aims to facilitate dialogue over issues of common interest and has eight members with sovereignty over lands within the Arctic Circle: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. The council’s mandate explicitly excludes military matters. Other states, including China, are pushing for official observer status at the forum. Arctic expansion Russia has significantly expanded its military bases in the Arctic region in recent years. The Nagurskoye base in Franz Josef Land, Moscow’s northernmost military base, lying just 1,000 kilometers from the North Pole, can handle nuclear-capable strategic bombers. NATO has also increased its military activity in the Arctic. U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers have been training with Norwegian Air Force F-35A jets in recent months, and the U.S. is building facilities at three Norwegian airfields and a naval base.FILE - A group of soldiers stand near the "Arctic Trefoil" on the Alexandra Land island near Nagurskoye, Russia, May 17, 2021. Once a desolate home mostly to polar bears, it now houses Russia's northernmost military outpost.The military activity in the Arctic poses an increasing risk, says analyst Katarina Kertysova, a policy fellow at the London-based European Leadership Network. “In the absence of military-to-military dialogue or an appropriate forum where such concerns could be discussed, the likelihood of miscalculation or misreading of ...
Spain, one of the early epicenters the COVID pandemic, has been rushing to get its population vaccinated. Thirty-three percent now have received at least a first dose. But aid agencies and advocates estimate many of the country’s one million undocumented migrants are not getting vaccinated because of fear. Jonathan Spier narrates this report from Alfonso Beato in Barcelona.Camera: Alfonso Beato Video editor: Jonathan Spier
Britain lifted many of its coronavirus lockdown restrictions Monday as infection rates have fallen to their lowest level since August. But as Henry Ridgwell reports from London, there are growing concerns over the spread of a new mutation of the virus first seen in India.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Britain lifted many of its coronavirus lockdown restrictions Monday as infection rates fall to their lowest levels since August. Pubs, restaurants, theaters, casinos and art galleries opened their doors to allow customers inside for the first time this year. Many families are now able to meet indoors for the first time in months as the new rules allow gatherings of up to six people inside private homes. The government credits its rapid vaccination program for allowing the easing of lockdown measures. More than 36 million people — well over half the population — have been given a first dose of one of the approved vaccines as of Monday, and more 20 million have received both doses. The government, however, has warned that the rapid spread of a new mutation of the virus first seen in India could disrupt plans to end all lockdown restrictions on June 21. Among the first to take advantage of the relaxed rules were Britons heading off on vacation to Portugal, one of a dozen countries given "green” status by the government due to low infection numbers and high vaccination rates. Matthew Bolden arrived at Lisbon airport Monday from London. “It is fantastic. The feeling is unbelievable. We’ve got the sun, we got the people, the beaches, the bars. Can't wait,” Bolden said. People look at Luz beach on the first day that Britons are allowed to enter Portugal without needing to quarantine, as COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease, in Lagos, Portugal, May 17, 2021.Travelers from countries given “amber” status, including most of Europe and the United States, still face mandatory quarantine in the place they are staying for up to 10 days on arrival in Britain. Several countries have been put on the “red” list, including India, meaning all arrivals must quarantine for 10 days in a government-appointed hotel at a cost of almost $2,500. Pubs and restaurants across Britain reported brisk trade as many opened for the first time since Christmas. Customers have been allowed in outside gardens and terraces since mid-April, but an unseasonably wet and cold spring has kept many away. Reopening his Middle East-inspired “Nopi” restaurant in central London for the first time in six months, 36-year-old manager Pierre Malouf said he hopes the lockdowns are gone for good. “I’m nervous, excited, you know there's always a little bit of worry at the back of my head, but that's part of my job, but generally very positive. ...
After dark months struggling with the coronavirus pandemic, Europe is finally hitting its stride with vaccinations and economies picking up and countries emerging from lockdowns and reopening their borders to foreign tourists. But as Lisa Bryant reports from Paris, there is still a lot of uncertainty.
Hungary has announced plans to open a branch of a Chinese University in Budapest. Critics fear the development — the first of its kind in Europe — will be used by Beijing to spread Chinese communist party propaganda. Henry Ridgwell reports.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Among the many stories of World War Two, Nazi Germany's Siege of Leningrad — the Soviet city now known as Russia's Saint Petersburg — stands among the most harrowing. It also helped shape the world we live in today, as Charles Maynes reports for VOA, from St. Petersburg.Camera: Ricardo Marquina Montañana
The European Union has suspended efforts to ratify the trade deal it recently forged with Beijing, as tensions rise over accusations of gross human rights abuses in China. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing quarantines and lockdowns globally, the world’s homeless face a unique set of risks of exposure. In Russia, a forbidding climate means life on the street is tougher than in most places, forcing the homeless — and aid groups that help them — to adapt to the times and Russian bureaucracy. From St. Petersburg for VOA, Charles Maynes reports. Camera: Ricardo Marquina
On a visit to Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reassured leaders there that the United States will support Kyiv against what he termed "reckless and aggressive" Russian actions but stopped short of announcing increased military aid. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
Britain sent two warships to the English Channel on Thursday amid a dispute with France about fishing rights. French fishermen say they are being illegally prevented from fishing the waters around the British island of Jersey. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
Britain has sent two warships to the English Channel as a dispute with France about fishing rights threatens to escalate. French fishermen say they are being illegally prevented from fishing the waters around the British island of Jersey. Henry Ridgwell reports from London
As its COVID-19 lockdown eases, Spain has resumed bullfights — and reignited a fiery political debate between right-wingers who defend the tradition and leftists who condemn it as animal cruelty. Jonathan Spier narrates this report from Alfonso Beato in Barcelona.Camera: Alfonso Beato
Foreign ministers of the G-7 group of industrialized nations are meeting in London this week — with climate change, Russia and China among the topics up for discussion. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
Reports of police violence and racial injustice resonate especially strongly in France, with its large population of ethnic Africans and Arabs. Yet cautious optimism by some in the United States and elsewhere that the guilty verdict in American former police officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial might trigger societal change is less shared in France. From the Paris suburb of Bobigny, Lisa Bryant reports for VOA. Camera: Lisa Bryant, Agencies
As the EU and Britain try to work out a deal to govern their trade relations after Brexit, the dreams that many British people have of retiring in Spain are being shattered by the new reality – and a whole new set of rules. For VOA from Sitges, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, Alfonso Beato has this report narrated by Jonathan Spier.Camera: Alfonso Beato Produced by: Rob Raffaele
Last week's killing of a police worker outside Paris offers a chilling reminder that terrorism has become a grim feature of life in France. Now the country, which has weathered some of Europe’s most horrific terrorist attacks, joins just a handful of nations that are building concrete reminders. The French memorial-museum will be the first devoted not to one specific terrorism incident but to a broader arc of horror over a half-century. For VOA, Lisa Bryant reports from Paris.Camera: Lisa Bryant
U.S. officials have indicated President Joe Biden will likely soon recognize that the systematic killing and deportation of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago was genocide. As VOA Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports, he would be the first American president to do so. Camera: Dilge Timocin, Aram Avetisyan
The killing of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis last year sparked Black Lives Matter protests around the world, alongside demands for a reexamination of injustice, racism and colonial history.Now, how will the guilty verdicts rendered this week against Floyd's murderer — white former police Officer Derek Chauvin — influence those demands for change?Britain was among the first nations outside the United States to witness demonstrations demanding justice for Floyd. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, a British racial equality activist and author, welcomed Chauvin’s conviction."What we must do, those who are actively anti-racist, is to continue to push this. This is not a time to be quiet or to think that finally we've got a result. No, no, no," Mos-Shogbamimu said Wednesday."This does not even begin to deal with healing Black people. It's a step in the right direction, but we must have real reform. You cannot reform racism. You can't reform white supremacy. We must eradicate institutional racism. We must eradicate white supremacy. That is what must be done. We must call it out and stop excusing racism in our society."But how can racism, with its roots in centuries of colonial history, be eradicated?FILE - People take to the streets to march in London, July 11, 2020, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.In Britain and across Europe, colonial-era statues became the target. In Bristol, a port city in the west of England that made its fortune in the international slave trade, a monument to slave trader Edward Colston was torn down and thrown into the harbor.On the plinth that remains, local Black artist and activist Helen Wilson-Roe replaced the Colston statue with a portrait of Floyd."Even though this is a victory in America and for Black people and for us in regard to George Floyd, having Derek Chauvin being convicted for the murder of another Black brother, we've got a long way to go. And we can't stop here," Wilson-Roe said.Marvin Rees was elected Bristol's mayor in 2016, making Bristol the first major European city to elect a mayor of Black African heritage."My reaction to the verdict is one of relief overwhelmingly, because it shows there can be accountability for police officers killing people in the United States, and relief because of what could have happened if he was found not guilty," Rees said Wednesday."But this image, this narrative around Black men being ...
In Russia, thousands took to the streets in Moscow and across the country to protest the continued detention of jailed — and reportedly ailing — opposition leader Alexey Navalny, now on the third week of a prison hunger strike. But as Charles Maynes reports from St. Petersburg, it is nationwide support that may be key to saving Navalny’s life. Camera: Ricardo Marquina Montanera , Agency
The United States is warning the Russian government that it is responsible for whatever happens to opposition leader Alexey Navalny, whose condition is reportedly deteriorating while in custody. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine has the story. Camera: Natasha Mozgovaya and Ricardo Marquina Montañana
The police killing of 46-year-old Black man George Floyd in Minneapolis last year triggered Black Lives Matter protests around the world. As Henry Ridgwell reports, the murder conviction reached Tuesday against former officer Derek Chauvin has been welcomed in many countries — but equality activists say there is still much work to be done.
Over a year ago, when much of the world shuttered as the pandemic swept the globe, Mohammed al-Awas, 46, a Syrian refugee, was stranded with his wife and five children at a gas station in Turkey. Not far from the Greek border, some families were sheltered nearby in an area usually reserved for fixing cars, their personal belongings in black garbage bags piled up along the walls. Dozens of men, women and children, mostly refugees from Syria, loitered outside the station, not sure where to go next. Like the others, al-Awas wanted to cross the river to Greece. Turkey had declared the border open, so he had sold his furniture to make the journey. But Greece never opened its side of the border and many families were pushed back into Turkey, or were not able to cross at all. Mohammed al-Awas, 46, says while Turkey is safer than Syria, he has no way to support his family in Istanbul, April 17, 2021. (Heather Murdock/VOA)Asked if they were afraid of getting the coronavirus, most refugees at the gas station that day were blasé. They had survived war, abject poverty and life on the streets. The virus couldn't be worse, they said. Moments later, police officers arrived, saying everyone would be boarding buses to Istanbul, whether they liked it or not. After a few weeks passed, al-Awas found himself in a small apartment in Istanbul, paid for by a charity. It was Ramadan and, as is common during the Islamic holy month, donors were eager to provide food and shelter for the poor. Still, al-Awas was despondent. "I stay up all night, every night, worrying about how to keep my children off the streets," he said. Ramadan 2021 A year later, it is once again Ramadan, but humanitarian aid for refugees is scarcer than ever. Some aid workers say collections are down as much as 90% and the piecemeal food aid they have to distribute is not nearly enough to go around. "Last year, businesspeople were sending extra support for refugees because of the pandemic," explained Aya Sultan, an aid worker. "But this year, when we called the same people, they said they had a terrible year economically." Turkey hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world. These children are pictured in Istanbul, April 17, 2021. (Heather Murdock/VOA)In Istanbul, like in so many places, many businesses have failed, many shops have closed and people who once had ...
The Czech Republic is urging European and NATO allies to take joint retaliatory action against Russia. It follows accusations that Russian spies were behind a huge explosion at a Czech arms depot in 2014 – and were part of a special unit that also carried out an attempted assassination in Britain. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
The Biden administration on Thursday imposed tough sanctions targeting the Russian economy to punish the Kremlin for the SolarWinds cyberespionage campaign against the United States and efforts to influence the 2020 presidential election. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has the story.
U.S. allies including Britain have announced they too will begin pulling their troops out of Afghanistan, following Washington’s announcement it intends to withdraw all American armed forces personnel by September 11 – the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Produced by: Henry Ridgwell, Rod James
In Spain, only ten percent of the population lives in rural areas, placing the Spanish countryside among the emptiest regions of Europe. The COVID pandemic and the ability for many urban dwellers to work remotely appears to be reversing that. For VOA, Alfonso Beato has this report narrated by Jonathan Spier. Camera: Alfonso Beato
President Joe Biden has offered to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit in a third country while at the same time warning Moscow amid a massive buildup of Russian troops that any aggression against Ukraine will have consequences. VOA's senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine reports.Contributor: Luliia Larmolenko, Ukrainian Service
With tensions escalating between Russia and Ukraine, Turkey is finding itself caught in the middle. Ankara — anxious to get Russian COVID vaccines and tourist revenue — faces a difficult choice as Kyiv seeks to purchase Turkish-made military drones. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.Produced by: Henry Hernandez
Tributes have been offered from around the world to Prince Philip, the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who died Friday at the age of 99. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
Prince Philip, the Greek-born consort to Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest sitting monarch, has died at the age of 99. The Duke of Edinburgh is best remembered for his sense of duty to the queen, and also his sense of humor. Henry Ridgwell reports for VOA from London.
Twenty-three years after the peace deal was signed in Northern Ireland, there are growing fears of a return to sectarian violence after several consecutive nights of rioting in Belfast. Pro-British, unionist supporters are angry at elements of the Brexit agreement – as Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Iran and Venezuela have managed to maintain their commercial relationship, despite U.S. sanctions. Cristina Caicedo Smit reports.
NATO is marking the 72nd anniversary of its founding this week. Henry Ridgwell reports the military alliance faces new challenges – and enduring threats.Producer: Henry Hernandez
A Swiss startup is looking to boost confidence in the safety of air travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, by using decades-old technology. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi shines light on this story.
Turkey’s announcement of new restrictions in the face of surging COVID-19 infections is putting the spotlight on Ankara’s decision to rely almost solely on Chinese vaccines. With those deliveries repeatedly delayed, there is growing suspicion Beijing could be using the vaccines as leverage — as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.Producer: Jon Spier
Claims made by Prince Harry and Meghan of racism within Britain’s royal family have fueled a debate over race and colonialism in the Commonwealth — an association of 54 countries, mostly former British colonies, led by Queen Elizabeth. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
U.S. officials say Russian state media is citing false reports to undermine faith in Western COVID vaccines to promote Russia’s own Sputnik V vaccine. Daria Dieguts has the story.Camera: Artyom Kokhan
The European Commission's proposal to create a health passport to facilitate safe, free movement inside the EU during the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic could be a solution to save the tourism industry in parts of southern Europe this summer. But with the vaccine rollout off to a slow start and the infection rates going up across Europe, few are hoping for a recovery soon. Jonathan Spier narrates this report by Alfonso Beato in Barcelona. Camera: Alfonso Beato, Filip Huygens Producer: Jon Spier
Russia Thursday hosted rival Afghani factions in Moscow for talks aimed at kickstarting a power-sharing agreement between the Taliban and the government in Kabul. And as Charles Maynes reports from Moscow, the negotiations mark a rare moment of U.S.-Russian cooperation in an era of recrimination. Camera: Ricardo Marquina
A year ago on March 11, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. As Henry Ridgwell reports for VOA from London, European countries hoped their well-funded health systems would offer some protection, but the continent was hit hard early on and continues to face high infection rates.
Following last year’s war in Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia is deploying 2,000 military personnel as part of a peace mission for an initial period of five years. In this report narrated by Jonathan Spier, Pablo Gonzalez in Stepanakert and Ricardo Marquina say the Russian deployment is seen as an important step in Moscow's strategy to assert its political and military power in the Caucasus region and some are wondering how long the troops will stay.Ricardo Marquina contributed.Camera: Pablo GonzalezVideo editors: Ricardo Marquina, Jason Godman
Tensions are rising between the United States and Russia following sharp statements from President Joe Biden on Vladimir Putin over the Russian president’s attempt to undermine the 2020 U.S. election. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has the story.
Britain pledged to counter what it called the strategic threat posed by China as it set out its new t10-year defense strategy this week. Britain is seeking to carve out a new role on the world stage outside the European Union, according to the policy review, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Producer: Jason Godman. Camera: Henry Ridgwell.
It’s been two months (Jan. 18), since Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny returned home following a lengthy recovery abroad from a near fatal poisoning attack. Navalny — and western governments — blame the Russian government for the attempt on his life — a charge the Kremlin denies. Yet a Russian court has since sentenced Navalny to just over two and a-half years in prison for alleged past parole violations. The question now: can Russia’s opposition thrive — or even survive — without its leading figure? From Moscow for VOA, Charles Maynes reports.Camera: Ricardo Marquina, Agencies, Produced by: Ricardo Marquina/Rob Raffaele
Germany, France and Italy are the latest European countries to halt the rollout of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine following reports of possible adverse side effects – but as Henry Ridgwell reports, the World Health Organization says the drug is safe. Camera: Henry Ridgwell
This month marks the fifth anniversary of Turkey’s deal with the EU that expanded a mass exodus of refugees and migrants to Europe in exchange for aid. But as Dorian Jones reports for VOA from Ankara, the future of the deal is in question as Ankara calls for revisions to the agreement.
Britain is preparing for tens of thousands of Hong Kong citizens to apply for special visas to settle in Britain after the government launched a new plan offering fast-track citizenship to some residents of the former British colony, in response to China’s crackdown on basic freedoms.An online application process was launched last month, and Britain says it expects around 300,000 Hong Kong citizens to apply in the first five years.Among them is Finn Lau, a 27-year-old exile who is now living in London and studying part time at a university.As a student in 2014, Lau was a key player in the “umbrella” pro-democracy protests against interference from China. A new job took him to Britain in 2019, just weeks before protests reignited over Beijing’s attempt to impose an extradition bill on the territory that would allow criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China.FILE - Protesters attend a demonstration demanding Hong Kong's leaders step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong, China, June 16, 2019.Lau watched as the protests grew into a wider pro-democracy movement.“I did go back to Hong Kong in late December 2019 because I wanted to participate. I wanted to witness the protests in Hong Kong,” he told VOA in a recent interview in London. “But then I was unfortunate to be arrested along with a few hundred others on this first day of 2020.”Dozens of other pro-democracy activists have been jailed in recent months. Lau feared he would meet the same fate — but luck was on his side.“I was quite fortunate that the Hong Kong police failed to figure out my identity as one of the key players of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. That’s why I narrowly escaped from the risk of being disappeared — being sent to mainland China,” Lau explained.He was released after two days in jail.“So, I just immediately flew back to the U.K. one or two days later after the arrest. And on the plane, the feeling was surreal,” he said. “Because at the time, I knew that this may be the last time that I could step on the soil of Hong Kong, my home country.”Lau arrived safely back in Britain. A few months later, he was attacked on the street.“Back in April 2020, there was a rumor that there has been a 10,000-pound [$14,000] bounty on my life, on my head. And then two months later, when I ...
Catalonia's separatist movement suffered a setback this month when a deeply divided European Parliament cleared the way for exiled separatist leader Carles Puigdemont to be extradited to Spain to face trial for sedition. Catalan activists are condemning the action as a defeat for democracy in Europe. Jonathan Spier narrates this report from Alfonso Beato in Barcelona.
The war in Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020 is still very present in the daily lives of its people as they work to rebuild – and heal – amid a peace that many see as fragile. Jonathan Spier narrates this report by Pablo Gonzalez in Stepanakert.Cambera: Pablo Gonzalez, Courtesy Produced by: Rod James
With the Kremlin cutting deals to ship its Sputnik V vaccine to countries struggling to combat the coronavirus, Russian soft power is on display. Yet the global outreach campaign is happening amid signs the government is struggling to inoculate its own population at home. For VOA from Moscow, Charles Maynes reports.Camera: Ricardo Marquina
Flying insects destroy billions of dollars of crops grown around the world each year. Yet farmers who choose not to use pesticides often struggle to protect their plants. But as VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports, a Dutch startup company aims to help.
France may soon join just a handful of countries, including the United States and Switzerland, with far-reaching legislation aimed to repatriate confiscated stolen assets to their countries of origin.A luxury townhouse on Avenue Foch — one of Paris’ chicest addresses — is caught up in a yearslong legal battle between France and Equatorial Guinea.FILE - Teodorin Obiang's 101-room mansion, at left, with country flag, which Equatorial Guinea argues is the country's mission in France. (L. Bryant/VOA)The African nation argues the mansion is part of its diplomatic mission, while French prosecutors claim it is owned by Teodorín Obiang, the wealthy son of Equatorial Guinea’s longtime leader. So far, France is winning. A Paris court fined the younger Obiang millions of dollars and handed him a suspended prison sentence. The reason: The court said he plundered his nation to finance his luxury lifestyle — a sentence upheld last November by the International Court of Justice in The Hague. French authorities have also seized the 100-room Paris mansion, along with other property including a fleet of luxury cars. Equatorial Guinea is appealing the case, and France’s highest court is expected to examine it shortly. If France wins again, the millions of dollars in assets would normally end up in its public coffers. But a new measure making its way through French parliament may change that trajectory. If it becomes law, the millions would instead head back to Equatorial Guinea — targeting its majority poor population. FILE - A Koenigsegg One:1, a Ferrari LaFerrari and a Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Coupe, part of a collection of luxury cars owned by Teodoro Obiang, confiscated a Swiss prosecutor in Geneva, Sept. 27, 2019.“This is the money that was stolen from people that work hard in their country, people that really need this money. And we need to make sure that it will go back in those countries and use it properly,” said Deputy Herve Berville of the ruling La Republique en Marche (LREM) party, who is helping to sponsor the measure.The legislation passed last week in France's National Assembly, but still faces a Senate vote. “It’s really important to tell our citizens and the citizens of the world in those countries — in Africa, Asia and Latin America — that France will not allow dictators or sort-of dictators to take money that’s not their money,” he said. Anti-corruption groups praise the legislation, but they argue some of the language needs strengthening. “For us, ...
Europe’s far right has suffered some setbacks recently: Germany's top opposition party is under surveillance for extremism and France shut down a right-wing youth group. Experts say these groups are using old and new grievances and are inspired by their U.S. counterparts. For VOA, Lisa Bryant reports from Paris.
It’s a new era for Russian women, at least if they’re aspiring truckers, boat drivers, or pilots. Russia’s government has opened up several hundred professions that previously barred women under late-Soviet-era labor restrictions. From Moscow, Charles Maynes reports.Videographer: Ricardo Marquina Montanana, Producer: Henry Hernandez
Massive rallies have taken place in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, with some demonstrators supporting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan while others demand his resignation. Pashinyan is under fire for signing a November peace agreement in which Azerbaijan regained control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Jonathan Spier narrates this report by Pablo Gonzalez in Yerevan and Ricardo Marquina in Moscow.Camera: Pablo Gonzalez, Producer: Ricardo Marquina, Rod James
As some countries struggle to get enough COVID-19 vaccine, China has intensified efforts to distribute its vaccine in the Balkans. Some experts say it’s an effort to increase the county’s influence in the region. Dino Jahic and Amer Jahic have the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Dino Jahic
Workers from Latin America are already among the lowest paid in Britain. Now, advocates say the pandemic has left nearly half of them without a job, creating what some are warning is a new migrant crisis in Europe. For VOA, Joana Ramiro reports from London.
Barcelona, Madrid and other cities in Spain have been shaken by protests over the imprisonment of rapper Pablo Hasél, who was sentenced to nine months in prison for glorifying terrorism and insulting the monarchy on Twitter and in his music. In this story narrated by Jon Spier, Alfonso Beato reports from Barcelona.Producer: Marcus Harton
The European Union has imposed sanctions on four Russian officials following the jailing of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. As Henry Ridgwell reports, supporters of Navalny want the EU to go much further — and sanction close allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Britain’s departure from the European Union, following months of negotiations, has affected trade in many industries; but fishing has been hit particularly hard by the break known as “Brexit.” VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports that some in the business fear for their futures due to an EU ban on the export of live shellfish from Britain.
The new head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) says in these challenging times, it's no time for “business as usual,” noting that “deep and wide-ranging reforms are needed” within the world trade body. More with VOA’s Mariama Diallo.
It’s been nearly a month since (on January 18), Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny returned home following a lengthy recovery in Germany from a near fatal poisoning attack he blames on the Russian government. While the Kremlin denies those charges, a Russian court has since sentenced Navalny to nearly 3 years in prison for alleged parole violations. Can Russia’s opposition thrive — or even survive — without its leading figure? From Moscow, Charles Maynes reports. Camera: Ricardo Marquina Montanana Producer: Rod James
COVID-19 vaccine rollouts have come with mixed but increasing success in developed countries with functional infrastructure. Delivering lifesaving medicine to those in the remotest locations remains a challenge. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports on a German startup looking to change that.
The Istanbul head of the opposition Republican People's Party, Canan Kaftancioglu, is credited with masterminding the 2019 victory over the ruling party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the city's mayoral elections. The stunning defeat of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party has now led Kaftancioglu to set her sights on ousting Erdogan, if she can avoid jail – as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
The European Union Commission’s president defended the bloc’s coronavirus vaccination strategy Wednesday amid growing criticism of delays in procurement and delivery. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, the bloc is facing crises on multiple fronts. Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Sunday’s Super Bowl could have an unexpected audience of fans — in Russia. The Federation of American Football in Russia says the number of enthusiasts of the sport there runs in the tens of thousands and there are teams playing American-style football in almost every region of the country. Genia Dulot has the story.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing domestic and international pressure to stop a crackdown on student protests that erupted after the Turkish leader’s decision to install a new rector at one of the country’s main universities. Critics say the move was aimed at silencing dissent at what many regard as one of the last remaining centers of liberal thought in Turkey. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
Russian human rights monitors say authorities have arrested at least 1,400 protesters in Moscow after a court sentenced opposition politician Alexey Navalny to serve out the remaining time of a three-and-a-half year suspended sentence in a prison colony. The decision Tuesday came just weeks after Navalny returned to Russia following a poisoning attack that nearly took his life. For VOA from Moscow, Charles Maynes reports. Camera: Ricardo Marquina Montanana
Captain Tom Moore, a 100-year-old British Second World War veteran who raised millions of dollars for health workers and offered hope to Britons and others around the world during the pandemic, died Tuesday days after contracting the coronavirus. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
COVID-19 testing tents are popping up in the French capital as extensions of local pharmacies that allow people to walk in and get a free COVID screening. More with VOA correspondent Mariama Diallo.
With the coronavirus pandemic lockdown hurting businesses around the world, restaurants that delivered food became essential and even profitable. VOA’s Eyyup Demir talks to food delivery workers in Ankara, Turkey in this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
Looking through family photographs at his home in Leeds, England, Gordon Bonner, 86, said he was lost in a “hinterland of despair and desolation.” It's been nine months since Muriel, his wife of 63 years, died from COVID-19. He was called to her bedside for the final moments.“I sat for the next hour and watched Muriel drown in her own body fluids,” Bonner said. “It was the most harrowing experience of my life. And it will haunt me, and I'll tell you why. Such was her fight for oxygen that she was sucking at the air, and I can still see her face now and her lips formed a perfect circle as if she was sucking through a straw.”The retired army major was not allowed inside the chapel at nearby Rawdon Crematorium for Muriel’s final committal."We had to stand in the car park, and I had to watch as six strangers came out, unloaded the coffin, took her into the crematorium chapel," he said. "And the last I saw of her was the tail end of her coffin as the doors closed.”Bonner’s haunting account is one among a horrifying number of stories of loss and grief shared by families across the country.Britain became the first European country Tuesday to report 100,000 coronavirus deaths over the course of the pandemic. A quarter of those have occurred in just the past three weeks as a mutant, more infectious strain of the virus has ripped across the nation.Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a COVID-19 briefing from Downing Street in London, Jan. 27, 2021.It means that Britain now has the highest coronavirus death rate per capita in the world, an unenviable position for a country whose state-funded National Health Service is a source of global pride. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told lawmakers Wednesday that he shared the nation’s grief.“I mourn every death in this pandemic, and we share the grief of all those who have been bereaved,” Johnson said during the weekly prime minister’s questions. “I and the government take full responsibility for all the actions I have taken, we've taken during this pandemic to fight this disease and, yes, Mr. Speaker, there will indeed be a time when we must learn the lessons of what has happened, reflect on them and prepare.”He rejected opposition calls for a judicial public inquiry to begin immediately. “I don't think that moment is now when we ...
With vaccine delays threatening Europe's recovery from the pandemic, the European Union has issued an angry warning to pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca. In this report narrated by Jon Spier, Alfonso Beato in Barcelona says there is growing alarm in Spain, a nation that remains among the world’s top ten hotspots in the number of cases. Camera: Alfonso Beato Video editor: Jon Spier
Hundreds of people remained behind bars in Russia Sunday, a day after they were arrested for joining nationwide street protests demanding the release of jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny. Navalny was detained a week ago upon his return to Russia from Germany, where he spent the last several months recovering from a nearly fatal poisoning attack he blames on the Russian government, which denies the charge. From Moscow, Charles Maynes reports. Camera: Ricardo Marquina
After months of high seas tensions with Turkish and Greek warships facing off against one another over territorial disputes, the two nations now are set to resume talks Monday, after a nearly five-year hiatus. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. Camera: Berke Bas Produced by: Berke Bas, Rod James
The arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has triggered international outrage and growing calls for his release. Navalny was detained Sunday upon his return to Russia nearly five months after he was nearly poisoned to death by a military-grade nerve agent. Charles Maynes reports the opposition figure has gone from fighting for his life to fighting for his freedom.Videographer: Ricardo Marquina, Producer Henry Hernandez
U.S. allies have expressed optimism for future bilateral relations ahead of the inauguration of Joe Biden on Wednesday. But despite the warm words, there are potential stumbling blocks ahead, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Western leaders have demanded the release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was arrested Sunday on arrival in Moscow after receiving medical treatment in Germany. Henry Ridgwell reports.
Turkey has often been described as the gateway between Asia and Europe and because of its location, millions of refugees have arrived in the country as a way station in their effort to migrate to Europe. VOA’s Hilmi Hacaloglu and Umut Colak filed this report on how Afghan refugees are struggling to survive in Istanbul. Bezhan Hamdard narrated their report. Camera: Umut Colak Producers: Hilmi Hacaloglu and Umut Colak
British lawmakers from the ruling Conservative Party's Human Rights Commission are saying the Chinese Communist Party has intensified an assault on all human rights throughout China — and that those interacting with the regime should do so in the knowledge that they are interacting with “a criminal state.” Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
The recent arrest by Turkish authorities of an alleged Iranian spy ring is seen as a sign of increasing rivalry between the two neighbors. The arrest comes as Turkey seeks to expand its influence in the Caucasus, an area considered by Tehran as its backyard. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
The world's leading democracies should form a coalition to counter China's human rights abuses at home and its support for authoritarianism overseas, according to a group of British lawmakers. The "China Research Group" says Britain is in desperate need of a "coherent" policy on China — and recently published a self-styled "policy toolkit." Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Produced by: Jason Godman
Turkey has been providing refuge for Uighurs fleeing Chinese persecution, but rights groups are worried that Turkey’s parliament is poised to pass an extradition treaty with China. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, this also has alarmed the Uighur community in Turkey.
Britain entered another strict national lockdown Tuesday, amid a sudden and sharp resurgence in cases of COVID-19 linked to a new variant of the coronavirus. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
A British judge has ruled that Julian Assange, the founder of the whistleblowing website Wikileaks, cannot be extradited to the United States to answer charges of hacking and theft of classified material because of the risk he could commit suicide in U.S. detention. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
With Istanbul facing further COVID restrictions at the start of the New Year, scores of public spaces across the city have become venues for light installations as part of a major art exhibition. Dorian Jones reports the aim is to lift people’s spirits in these dark times.Producer: Marcus Harton.
For Russians, the past year saw a national vote to approve changes to their constitution … including an amendment granting longtime leader Vladimir Putin the right to remain president through the year 2036. And as Charles Maynes reports from Moscow, the question now is … will he?Camera: Ricardo Marquina Montanana Producer: Henry Hernandez
During the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from1992 to 1995, tens of thousands of refugees came to the United States. In this story narrated by Anna Rice, Dino Jahic reports they brought some unique culinary traditions to the US
Earlier this year, Russia claimed victory in the global race for a vaccine against the coronavirus. But as Charles Maynes reports from Moscow, the Kremlin’s new challenge is the vaccine’s rollout, and convincing Russians the drug is both safe and effective. Camera: Ricardo Marquina
The coronavirus pandemic has dominated the news this year, and it’s no different this holiday season. Despite public health warnings not to travel, many Americans boarded planes to celebrate Christmas with loved ones in other cities. Meanwhile, Europe is receiving its first shipments of a vaccine against the virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. VOA’s Carolyn Presutti has our update.
Britain and the European Union finally agreed to a free trade deal Thursday, just days before the Brexit transition period comes to an end. As Henry Ridgwell reports, the deal is yet to be ratified – and there could be more surprises ahead. Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Top European Union officials say the bloc must invest more heavily in Mediterranean countries to be able to compete with China. Beijing has financed or purchased key infrastructure in the region as part of its so-called Belt and Road Initiative. More in this report by Alfonso Beato in Barcelona, narrated by Henry Ridgwell.Camera: Alfonso Beato Produced by: Rod James
Over 40 countries have imposed travel bans on people arriving from Britain, after the government announced last week it had detected a new, more contagious strain of the coronavirus. As Henry Ridgwell report from London, the restrictions have caused major disruption as Britain struggles to contain its latest outbreak.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Producer: Henry Ridgwell
In Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast, a news network staffed entirely by women is taking the lead in reporting on women's rights. But in doing so, JIN News finds itself targeted by the government's “war on terrorism.”Founded in 2017 under the mantra "On the path to truth, with a woman's pen," JIN News says its goal is to expose exploitation and violence faced by women."We are wherever women are," Gulsen Kocuk, editor of JIN News Turkish service, told VOA. "We report, in a way, on every aspect of their life, with the aim of making women visible, making women's work visible, and providing a platform to express their views."Gulsen Kocuk, editor of JIN News Turkish service, says nearly all her 20 colleagues have been in and out of prison. (Dorian Jones/VOA)Based in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast, JIN News reports both in Turkish and Kurdish, with a staff of about 20. The agency has offices across the region serving its web page, which is funded by personal subscriptions.The region in which JIN is based is the center of a decades-long battle between the Kurdish separatist group the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) and the Turkish state, a conflict the government says has claimed more than 40,000 lives.The PKK is designated by the United States and the European Union as a terrorist organization. Much of JIN’s reporting focuses on alleged human rights abuses by security forces. In October, two of its journalists broke a story that accused Turkish soldiers of throwing from a helicopter two shepherds, killing one and severely injuring the other. The story became front-page news across Turkey’s main independent media. The interior ministry later confirmed the incident but maintains the injuries were sustained while the two shepherds were trying to escape capture.However, one of the JIN News reporters—Sehriban Abi, from the city of Van—was arrested on charges of “inciting enmity against the state” and “membership of a terrorist organization,” and remains in detention.The Turkish government and prosecutors regularly accuse JIN News of terrorist propaganda. With the laws' catch-all phrases, rights groups claim it opens the door to prosecution to normal journalist activities, including attending political rallies and funerals of killed militants.In the last year, women's rights movements across Turkey have become an increasingly vocal in their criticism of the government over fears hard won gender rights are under threat. (Dorian Jones/VOA)At least 37 journalists were in jail in Turkey on December 1, ...
Over 40 countries have imposed travel bans on people arriving from Britain, after the government announced last week it had detected a new, more contagious strain of the coronavirus. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, the restrictions have caused major disruption as Britain struggles to contain its latest outbreak.Camera: Henry Ridgwell
The coronavirus pandemic has forced Portuguese authorities to face longstanding issues of homelessness and inadequate housing. In the midst of COVID-19, a large number of families – many of them African migrants from - continue to live in hazardous conditions in the Lisbon slum of Bairro da Torre. For VOA from Lisbon, Joana Ramiro reports authorities are struggling to face the challenge. Camera: Sergio Ramos