Azerbaijan observed a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the plane crash that killed 38 people and injured all 29 survivors, as speculation mounted about the possible cause of the disaster that remained unknown. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to the Russian city of Grozny … Read more
Rome- Pope Francis visited one of Italy’s largest prison complexes on Thursday, and opened a special “sacred door” for the 2025 Catholic holy year, with the Vatican saying it was the first such action by a Catholic pontiff. Speaking to hundreds of prisoners, guards and staff at the Rebibbia prison on the outskirts of Rome, … Read more
Ukraine’s military said on Thursday it shot down 20 out of 31 drones attacked by Russian forces overnight. The Ukrainian Air Force said the interceptions took place in the Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Kiev regions. Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday it destroyed five Ukrainian aerial drones in the Volgograd, Voronezh and Belgorod regions. Belgorod … Read more
Pristina, Kosovo – Kosovo’s election appeals authority on Wednesday overturned a ban on the main party of the ethnic Serb minority, allowing it to field candidates in upcoming parliamentary elections. The Electoral Panel for Complaints and Appeals decided that the party, Srpska Lista or Serb List, “has met the political conditions to be certified for … Read more
Vatican City – Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday urged “all people of all nations” to “silence the sound of weapons of mass destruction and division” that haunt the world from the Middle East to Ukraine, from Africa to Asia during this Holy Year. Muster up the courage to overcome it. The … Read more
Prague – The list of sacrifices Alesya Marokhovskaya has made to continue reporting on Russia from exile is long: her home, her country, family, friends, culture, security. Also this month, Russian authorities searched the home of the journalist’s parents in the eastern port city of Magadan and opened a criminal case against Marokhovskaya for violating … Read more
Moscow — A Russian cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria due to an explosion in the engine room and two crew members were missing, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. The ship, built in 2009 and called ”Ursa Major”, was controlled by OboronLogistics, a company that is part of … Read more
Washington— A journalist jailed in Azerbaijan for almost seven months has said he believes his arrest is linked to his reporting. Farid Mehrlizada, an economist and journalist with VOA’s sister outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has been jailed since May on charges including conspiracy to smuggle foreign currency. Journalists, their employers, and press freedom groups … Read more
Bucharest – Romania’s outgoing President Klaus Iohannis is expected to nominate leftist Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to form a new government on Monday after three pro-European parties agreed on the details of their parliamentary majority. The Social Democrat Party (PSD) will hold eight cabinet positions, including Justice, Transport, Labor and Defence, and most … Read more
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – French President Emmanuel Macron said his country supports Ethiopia’s quest for access to the sea through discussion and while respecting international laws and neighboring countries. Macron spoke on Saturday after a one-day visit to Addis Ababa, where he held bilateral talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. During a press conference, … Read more