CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A suspect has been arrested in the fatal stabbing attack on three Coptic Orthodox Church monks at a monastery in South Africa, police said Wednesday. The monks were killed Tuesday at the Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor Monastery in Cullinan, a town east of the capital, Pretoria. A fourth person was beaten with an iron rod before escaping and hiding in the monastery, police said. The suspect arrested was a 35-year-old man. Police did not provide his name or other details. Читать дальше...
Washington — A polio survivor known as the "man in the iron lung" has died aged 78, according to his family and a fundraising website. Paul Alexander of Dallas, Texas contracted polio at the age of six, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down and reliant on a mechanical respirator to breathe for much of the time. Though often confined to his submarine-like cylinder, he excelled in his studies, earned a law degree, worked in the legal field and wrote a book. "With a heavy heart I need to say... Читать дальше...
Tehran — Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has been cleared of charges of plagiarism over his film "A Hero" brought by one of his students, the agency representing him said on Wednesday. The film about a prisoner in the Iranian city of Shiraz won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021. It was the subject of a copyright infringement claim issued the following year by one of his former students, Azadeh Masihzadeh, who alleged it was based on her documentary "All Winners All Losers." ... Читать дальше...
amsterdam — Dutch politician Geert Wilders said on Wednesday he was ready to forgo the job of prime minister in an effort to facilitate the formation of a new right-wing government, nearly four months after an election in which his party won the most votes. Wilders has been in talks with potential allies since the November 22 election - more than 100 days - but they have borne no fruit. A negotiator appointed to assist in the process is scheduled to report his findings to parliament on Thursday. Читать дальше...
Madrid — A woman serving an eight-year prison sentence related to protests in Cuba says that prison authorities tried to force her to have an abortion. Lisdany Rodriguez Isaac had always wanted a baby, so when the 25-year-old discovered she was pregnant after a conjugal visit from her partner, Luis Ernesto Jimenez, she was determined to have the baby. Her mother, Barbara Isaac Rojas, said prison authorities and a doctor tried to pressure her daughter into terminating the pregnancy. Rodriguez... Читать дальше...
abuja, nigeria — Police in Nigeria have ordered the creation of a new base for officers and the deployment of special forces in a remote village in northwest Kaduna state, where nearly 300 students were abducted by armed bandits on March 7. Nigerian police chief Kayode Egbetokun announced plans for the new base and the deployment during a visit with Kaduna Governor Uba Sani on Tuesday. He said the steps will help restore residents’ confidence in their safety while security forces continue the search for the missing students. Читать дальше...
Kenya puts the brakes on sending a security force to Haiti as Haiti's interim prime minister has resigned and unrest continues. Deadly Russian airstrikes in Sumy, Kryvyi Rih and Myrnohrad. Plus, a look at Kyiv’s ammunition shortage as American allies in the Pacific are also frustrated by Congress.
Johannesburg — Residents of Africa’s richest city, Johannesburg, are experiencing a severe water shortage in the middle of a summer heat wave. The shortages, which have lasted nearly two weeks, have affected some 50% of Johannesburg Water’s supply area, officials said. The South African city has a population of almost 6 million people. Businesses have been hit hard, and several hospitals have been affected. Nurses at one medical center told local media that they were not able to wash their hands. Читать дальше...
Washington — The U.S. Treasury Department unveiled sanctions Wednesday against three individuals for undermining the "peace and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina" by helping to organize an "unconstitutional" celebration of Bosnian Serb identity. Bosnia has long been governed by a dysfunctional administrative system created under an agreement known as the Dayton pact that divides the country into two bodies -- a Muslim-Croat federation and a Bosnian entity known as Republika Srpska (RS). The... Читать дальше...
united nations — The head of the United Nations agency that assists Palestinian refugees said Wednesday that an Israeli military strike killed one staffer and injured 22 others at a food distribution center in the southern Gaza Strip. “Every day, we share the coordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip with parties to the conflict,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in a statement. “The Israeli Army received the coordinates, including of this facility yesterday.” ... Читать дальше...
As the U.S. election campaign heats up, both President Joe Biden and his likely challenger, Donald Trump, are vowing to take a tough stance on China. So how does China feel about the race? VOA’s Bill Gallo asked Beijing residents to weigh in on the two candidates. Mingmin Xuan contributed.
The Syrian civil war has faded from the headlines but is far from over. On the thirteenth anniversary of the war, rebel militaries and families on the front lines say battles there are intensifying, and increasingly deadly. VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Istanbul with Moawia Atrash and Ahmad Fallaha in Idlib, Syria.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case on Wednesday dismissed some of the charges against former President Donald Trump, but many other counts in the indictment remain. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee wrote in an order that six of the counts in the indictment must be quashed, including three against Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee. But the order leaves intact other charges, and the judge wrote that prosecutors... Читать дальше...
YAOUNDE — Cameroon officials have declared a humanitarian emergency after encroaching waters from the Atlantic Ocean destroyed several hundred homes, buildings and plantations along Cameroon's coast. Waves pound walls and houses constructed on the shores of Bekumu, a southern Cameroon village located in Ndian, an administrative unit along parts of Cameroon's 400-kilometer coast on the Atlantic Ocean. The images broadcast on Cameroon state TV this week show civilians crying out for help. "If the government does not help immediately... Читать дальше...
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — As China’s biggest political meeting of the year wrapped up Monday, analysts highlighted how power in the world’s second-largest economy continues to consolidate under leader Xi Jinping. Some were also discussing two other prominent politicians — Premier Li Qiang and Xi’s Chief of Staff, Cai Qi — and the role they play in Xi’s China. Li and Cai are members of the Chinese Communist Party’s top decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee. Li is ranked second on the PSC, and Cai is ranked fifth. Читать дальше...
The Nigerian film industry, often referred to as Nollywood, is the second largest moviemaker in the world in terms of volume, and is making strides both in terms of art and in popularity at the box office. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja.
More than 20 nations took part in joint military exercises in Kenya this month. The maneuvers aimed to build readiness and cooperation to counter terrorist groups in East Africa. VOA Bureau Chief Mariama Diallo attended one of the training sessions and has this story. Camera: Amos Wangua
SYDNEY — A report released Wednesday shows migrants are paid less than Australian-born workers. The Committee for Economic Development of Australia, an independent policy advocacy organization, has found migrants often work in jobs beneath their skill levels and can suffer discrimination. The look into migration highlights missed opportunities for Australia. The policy group asserts that about $2.64 billion in foregone wages would be unlocked each year if migrants earned comparable salaries to Australian-born workers. Читать дальше...
