state department — A senior U.S. State Department official said Wednesday that Beijing’s support for Moscow’s defense industry comes directly from the top leadership of the People’s Republic of China, or PRC. The official also pointed out that chips supplied by China have significantly bolstered Russia’s battlefield capabilities in its war against Ukraine. For months, U.S. officials have accused the PRC of actively aiding Russia’s war …
Pressure grows on Britain ahead of Commonwealth summit to pay slavery reparations
London — Britain is facing growing pressure to address the issue of reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and other atrocities, as the former colonial power and many of its former colonies prepare to gather for the biennial Commonwealth heads of government meeting next month. The Commonwealth emerged from the ashes of Britain’s empire after World War II. The vast majority of its 56 members are …
Hezbollah threatens revenge for pager explosions that killed at least 12, wounded 1000s
Lebanese media report that at least three people were killed and dozens wounded in a second wave of explosions targeting the militant group Hezbollah. More electronic communications devices detonated Wednesday after exploding pagers killed at least 12 people and wounded almost 3,000 on Tuesday. Hezbollah has vowed revenge. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. …
Pressure grows on Britain ahead of Commonwealth summit to pay slavery reparations
The three candidates vying to become the next secretary-general of the Commonwealth have all given strong backing for Britain and other European powers to pay reparations to their former colonies for past atrocities, including the transatlantic slave trade. Henry Ridgwell has more from London. …
Taiwan’s coastal defenses questioned after Chinese man’s illegal entry attempt
Taipei, Taiwan — A recent attempt by a Chinese man to illegally enter Taiwan after crossing the 180-kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait in a rubber boat is raising concerns on the island about its coastal defense capabilities and overall preparedness amid rising tensions between Beijing and Taipei. Last Saturday, a 30-year-old Chinese man surnamed Wang was spotted in a dinghy about 100 meters offshore near Taiwan’s northern Linkou …
Two years after Mahsa Amini death, Western allies sanction a dozen Iranian officials
Washington — The U.S., Canada and Australia hit a group of Iranian officials with sanctions Wednesday for their participation in suppressing protests and detaining people in relation to the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police two years ago for improperly wearing a mandatory headscarf. Amini, 22, died on Sept. 16, 2022, in a hospital after being …
Youth group exposes Turkey’s Israel trade
A group of young activists in Turkey known as 1000 Youth for Palestine is posing a rare and potent challenge to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by using social media to expose Turkey’s ongoing trade with Israel. This, despite Erdogan’s public claims that he has imposed a strict trade embargo on Israel over the war in Gaza. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, the group’s …
Market in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region helps out-of-work farmers
Russia’s invasion has riddled the farmland in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region with land mines, leaving many local farmers without a job. But since the occupying forces left, some are growing what they can, where they can, and selling it to make ends meet. And they’re getting help from a group of volunteers. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story. …
France’s new PM warns of ‘very serious’ financial situation
Paris — France’s budgetary situation is “very serious,” Prime Minister Michel Barnier told AFP on Wednesday, saying more information was needed to gauge the “precise reality” of French public finances. France was placed on a formal procedure for violating European Union budgetary rules before Barnier was picked as head of government this month by President Emmanuel Macron. And the Bank of France warned this week that …
EU court confirms Qualcomm’s antitrust fine, with minor reduction
brussels — Europe’s second-top court largely confirmed on Wednesday an EU antitrust fine imposed on U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm, revising it down slightly to $265.5 million from an initial $2.7 million. The European Commission imposed the fine in 2019, saying that Qualcomm sold its chipsets below cost between 2009 and 2011, in a practice known as predatory pricing, to thwart British phone software maker Icera, which is …
Google wins challenge against $1.66B EU antitrust fine
BRUSSELS — Alphabet unit Google won its challenge on Wednesday against a $1.66 billion antitrust fine imposed five years ago for hindering rivals in online search advertising, a week after it lost a much bigger case. The European Commission, in its 2019 decision, said Google had abused its dominance to prevent websites from using brokers other than its AdSense platform that provided search adverts. The practices …
Japan says Chinese carrier entered its contiguous waters for first time
TOKYO/TAIPEI — A Chinese aircraft carrier entered Japan’s contiguous waters for the first time on Wednesday, Japan’s defense ministry said, the latest in a string of military maneuvers that has ratcheted up tensions between the neighbors. The carrier, accompanied by two destroyers, sailed between Japan’s southern Yonaguni and Iriomote islands, entering an area that extends up to 24 nautical miles from its coastline where Japan can …
Malaysia’s king to visit China Thursday
BEIJING — Malaysia’s king Sultan Ibrahim will visit China starting Thursday, the first by a Malaysian monarch in a decade, where he will meet President Xi Jinping and likely seek support for projects boosting connectivity to neighboring Singapore. The ceremonial ruler from the southern state of Johor, will be accompanied by Malaysia’s transport and housing ministers, a statement from the country’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday. …
China piles extra work on weary youth to ease pension crisis
BEIJING — China’s decision to raise the retirement age will give a brief boost to its strained pension system but risks further discouraging weary young workers and cannot arrest long-term demographic decline, experts say. The ruling Communist Party last week announced a gradual increase in the statutory retirement age starting next year — rising from 60 to 63 for men, from 55 to 58 for white-collar …
In Indonesia, Uganda and Ecuador, environmental activists risk lives for planet
PARIS — Almost 200 environmental activists were murdered last year, with the toll especially heavy in South America, according to rights group Global Witness. Here are the stories of three campaigners who have faced violence and repression trying to stop wildcat gold mining in Ecuador, illegal shrimp farming in Indonesia and a controversial oil project in Uganda. ‘We have a responsibility’ Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan has …
US Air Force general: Russia military larger, better than before Ukraine invasion
PENTAGON — Russia’s military is bigger and stronger than it was prior to invading Ukraine in February 2022, the commander of United States Air Forces in Europe and Africa cautioned Tuesday. “Russia is getting larger, and they’re getting better than they were before. … They are actually larger than they were when [the invasion] kicked off,” Air Force General James Hecker told reporters at the Air …
North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles for second time in a week
SEOUL/TOKYO — North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles Wednesday that landed in the sea off its east coast, South Korea and Japan said. The missiles lifted off from Kaechon, north of the capital, Pyongyang, around 6:50 a.m. local time and flew in a northeast direction, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, without specifying how many were fired. “Our military is maintaining full readiness posture …
China’s influence campaign intensifies as US election nears
washington — At first glance, Noah R. Smith might seem like your typical social media user. His bio says he’s a father, a former “Track and Field representative,” and a current member of the PanAm Sports organization. On July 14, a day after the first assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Smith shared three posts from an account named “TRUMP WON.” One post declared, …
Partial lunar eclipse will be visible during September’s supermoon
new york — Get ready for a partial lunar eclipse and supermoon, all rolled into one. The spectacle will be visible in clear skies across North America and South America Tuesday night and in Africa and Europe Wednesday morning. A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the sun and moon, casting a shadow that darkens a sliver of the moon and appears to …
Tariffs in U.S.-China trade war may impact U.S. consumers, experts say
The Biden and Trump administrations have accused China of unfair trade practices and flooding international markets with artificially cheap goods. Analysts say both presidential candidates are using tariffs to counter China and encourage U.S. manufacturing jobs. Elizabeth Lee explains how this trade war could impact consumers. …