Iran’s acknowledgement that it shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing 176 people, raises new challenges for the Islamic Republic both externally amid tensions with the U.S. and internally as it deals with growing discontent from its people. The country did itself no favors by having its air-crash investigators, government officials …
Eleven migrants, including eight children, died Saturday when their vessel sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey, state news agency Anadolu reported. The boat sank off Cesme, a popular tourist resort in western Turkey opposite the Greek island of Chios, Anadolu said, adding that eight others were rescued. …
The death toll from Thursday’s attack by suspected jihadists on a Niger army base has risen to at least 89, four security sources said, surpassing a raid last month that killed 71 soldiers as the deadliest against Nigerien forces in years. The government said Thursday that 25 soldiers had been killed, according to …
Climate change rallies have been held in Australia by thousands of protesters critical of the government’s handling of the bushfire crisis. A demonstration in Sydney has reportedly attracted 30,000 people, while events have also been held in other major cities. “Sack the prime minister,” protesters chanted as they turned on …
Iran announced Saturday that its military shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet earlier this week in the outskirts of Tehran, killing all 176 people aboard. It said it was unintentional. The downing of the Ukraine International Airlines flight happened just hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Iraqi bases …
Iran announced Saturday that its military unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard. The statement came Saturday morning and blamed human error for the shootdown. The jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after …
Iran has invited the National Transportation Safety Board, the U.S. accident investigation agency, to participate in the probe of the Ukrainian Boeing commercial jetliner that crashed near Tehran earlier this week. The NTSB said in a statement Thursday it had received “formal notification” about the crash from the Aircraft Accident …
About 97% of internet users in Taiwan use Facebook. The island also has Asia’s second highest smartphone penetration after South Korea. Given these statistics, the first announced by Facebook in 2018 and the other by a market research firm, it made sense that a lot of campaigning for tomorrow’s presidential …
U.S. President Donald Trump sent a happy birthday message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea’s national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said Friday. Chung, who met Trump in Washington this week, told reporters that he was given a message to pass to North Korea and it was delivered …
President Donald Trump wrongly dismissed the continuing threat of the Islamic State group and spread a false tale of the U.S. paying out billions of dollars to Iran as part of the multinational deal freezing its nuclear program in an address Wednesday that fell short on facts. Full Text of …
French rail workers, teachers, doctors, lawyers and others joined the fourth nationwide day of protests and strikes on Thursday to denounce President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to overhaul the pension system. As the government and unions pushed on with crucial negotiations about the changes, street protests were staged in Paris and …
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has netted an endorsement from Rep. Anthony Brown of Maryland, the first black member of Congress to throw his support to the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. The endorsement is significant for Buttigieg, who has been criticized within the party for his scant support …
Outgoing Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said Wednesday that his government had not agreed to receive Mexicans who sought asylum in the U.S. Morales, whose presidency ends next week, said he had told U.S. officials that the issue would have to be negotiated with his successor. “It’s more than clear, in the agreement …
Investors are closely watching the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Oil prices have fluctuated since the targeted killing of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, but overall are holding steady. VOA’s Ardita Dunellari spoke with market analysts to understand what investors are thinking. …
Leaders in the autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq said Wednesday that they were worried that any further escalation between the United States and Iran on Iraqi soil could throw the already unstable nation into a more volatile situation. They also said they didn’t want their relatively safer region to be …
The escalating U.S.-Iran conflict is complicating South Korea’s possible participation in a U.S.-led maritime coalition to protect international shipping in and near the Strait of Hormuz. There are increasing calls in South Korea for the government to reject, or at least rethink, U.S. requests to join the force, amid fears …
For decades, U.S. universities have attracted large numbers of foreign students, who add brainpower to American classrooms while adding billions to the U.S. economy. But international students seem less enthusiastic about the United States of late. VOA’s Kathleen Struck and Bronwyn Benito take a look at the factors prompting a …
As Iran Tuesday launched missiles at U.S. troops in Iraq in an apparent retaliation for U.S. killing of its top commander, Middle East experts warn that the region could be heading towards a new wave of violence marked by a looming breakout of violence from Iran and its proxies against …
France has warned it will retaliate with the full backing of the European Union if the United States imposes tariffs on up to $2.4 billion worth of French products, including Champagne, Roquefort cheese, handbags, and lipstick. The U.S. is considering 100% tariffs on some French goods in response to France’s …
A strong earthquake struck Puerto Rico early Tuesday morning, the latest in a series of quakes to hit the U.S. territory in recent days. The 6.4-magnitude quake was located near the southern coastal city of Ponce, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, revising its initial reading of 6.6-magnitude. The Pacific …
Authorities in Japan have issued an arrest warrant for the wife of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, who fled the country last week while awaiting trial on charges of financial misconduct. Prosecutors have accused Carole Ghosn of providing false testimony in a Tokyo court last year in her husband’s case. …
Former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said Monday he would testify at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial if the Senate subpoenas him, potentially giving Democrats key behind-the-scenes testimony about Trump’s efforts to get Ukraine to launch investigations to benefit himself politically. Bolton, a tough advocate for U.S. power across …
The wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was granted bail by Zimbabwe’s High Court on Monday after spending three weeks in detention for allegedly trying to kill her husband. Prosecutors say Marry Mubaiwa, who denies all charges, tried to unplug Chiwenga’s life support tubes in a South African hospital in …
A 5.8-magnitude quake hit Puerto Rico before dawn Monday, unleashing small landslides, causing power outages and severely cracking some homes. It was one of the strongest quakes yet to hit the U.S. territory that has been shaking for the past week. There were no immediate reports of casualties. …
The Golden Globes are famously unpredictable, but a few sure things seem to be in store for Sunday’s awards: Streaming services will play a starring role; five-time host Ricky Gervais will snicker at his own jokes; and Brad Pitt is all but assured of taking home an award. Plenty of …
The leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said the U.S. military in the Middle East “will pay the price” in response to the death of a powerful Iranian commander in a U.S. strike. During a televised speech on Sunday marking the death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and several Iranian-backed …