geneva — A report by the World Meteorological Organization presents an ominous picture of what lies ahead for planet Earth if urgent action is not taken to stop what appears to be an inevitable march toward climate change. According to the WMO's State of Global Climate report, 2023 was the hottest year on record, "with the global average near-surface temperature at 1.45 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline." "Never have we been so close — albeit on a temporary basis at the moment ... Читать дальше...
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations human rights commissioner said Tuesday that the looming famine in the Gaza Strip is the result of Israel's restriction on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid, and he warned it could amount to a war crime. "The extent of Israel's continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime," Volker Türk said in a statement. Читать дальше...
GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Caribbean leaders said Tuesday that all groups and political parties except one have submitted nominees for a transitional presidential council charged with selecting an interim prime minister for Haiti, which remains engulfed in gang violence. The original nine-member council was whittled down to eight members after the Pitit Desalin party, led by former senator and presidential candidate Jean-Charles Moïse, declined a seat last week. Moïse is allied with Guy Philippe, a former... Читать дальше...
The independent election watchdog group Golos called last week's Russian balloting an “imitation” of an election. President Vladimir Putin won his reelection bid in a campaign that was never in doubt. Kateryna Besedina has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Artyom Kokhan.
In the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are about 800,000 people living in refugee camps near the city of Goma. Medical officials working here say many are suffering from mental health issues. The medical group Medecins Sans Frontieres is doing what it can to help. VOA’s Zanem Nety Zaidi reports.
Turkey says it is preparing to bring its first nuclear power plant online this year. It’s a Russian-built reactor and there are already plans for construction of a second plant with the assistance of Russia. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, Turkey may also turn to China to build a third nuclear facility.
MIAMI, FLORIDA — Peter Navarro, Donald Trump's former White House trade advisor, reported to a Florida prison on Tuesday to begin serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. Navarro, 74, is the highest-ranking former member of the Trump administration to spend time behind bars for actions stemming from the former Republican president's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Navarro was found guilty of two counts of contempt in September for refusing to comply with a... Читать дальше...
Fear of retaliation and reprisals has spread through Arab American and U.S. Muslim communities since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and the start of Israel’s war in Gaza. As VOA’s Dora Mekouar reports, many Arab Americans say they haven’t felt this on edge since the September 11 terror attacks more than 20 years ago. Camera: Adam Greenbaum
Taipei, Taiwan — China has increased efforts to deepen security ties with countries in the Indian Ocean in recent weeks, signing a new security agreement with the Maldives and sending a military delegation to three regional countries earlier this month. On March 4, the Maldives’ Ministry of Defense announced that the country had signed a military assistance agreement with China that aims to “foster stronger bilateral ties.” The ministry didn’t elaborate on the details of the agreement. China’s... Читать дальше...
The leader of India’s opposition Congress Party has completed a 66-day cross-country march aimed at giving the party a boost ahead of next month’s elections. But as Anjana Pasricha reports, hopes of mounting an effective challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party have dimmed as a fragile opposition coalition that the Congress Party forged is fraying.
Artificial intelligence and 3D printing could revolutionize automobile design and manufacturing. Genia Dulot takes us out to a next-generation garage in Los Angeles in this week’s episode of LogOn.
SYDNEY — An annual university report said although Australia's environmental scorecard deteriorated in 2023, the nation fared better than many other countries. While 2023 was the hottest year on record globally, for Australia it was the eighth hottest year because of wet and relatively mild conditions. The research is carried out each year by the Australia National University, or ANU, and is contained in the Australian Environment 2023 Report. Researchers use scientific information to give Australia a score out of 10. Читать дальше...
BEIJING — Chinese regulators will ban the chairman of property giant Evergrande from the securities market for life, a subsidiary of the company said Monday, adding the troubled firm would be slapped with a hefty fine. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) "plans to rule in favor of issuing a lifelong ban from entering the securities market to (chairman) Xu Jiayin", the company's flagship unit Hengda Real Estate said in a filing to the Shenzhen stock exchange. Evergrande "received... Читать дальше...
