Umar Cheema experienced the latest brand of Pakistani media suppression firsthand. Cheema, a prominent investigative reporter, works for national newspaper The News and has 1.1 million Twitter followers. This year in July, after he posted some tweets critical of the Pakistan government and military, his managers received calls pressuring them to respond. In Pakistan, such … continue reading -> “Redlining the News in Pakistan”
Pro-Iranian Shiite militias in Iraq known as Popular Mobilization Forces are becoming bolder, despite calls by Iraq’s Shiite spiritual leader and prime minister to put their weapons under government control. The PMF is an umbrella organization of Iraqi Shiite militias formed in 2014 to fight the Sunni militant Islamic State (IS), whose capture of the … continue reading -> “Pro-Iran Shiite Militias in Iraq Expanding Despite Iraqi Leaders’ Efforts to Curtail Them”
Hundreds of mourners gathered Sunday to commemorate the loss of yet another European glacier. Dressed in mourning clothes, they hiked for hours in the Glarus Alps in eastern Switzerland to reach the remnants of the Pizol glacier at 2,600 meters above sea level. The glacier has lost more than 80% of its volume since 2006. … continue reading -> “Hundreds Mourn Melting Swiss Glacier”
Iran’s president says his country should lead regional security in the strategic Persian Gulf. Hassan Rouhani said Sunday Iran extends its “hand of friendship and brotherhood” toward cooperating with regional nations. Rouhani also said the presence of foreign forces in the Gulf could cause problems for the world’s “energy security.” The U.S. is sending more … continue reading -> “Iran Sees Problems with Foreign Forces, Vows to Lead Gulf Security”
Tanzania has declined to provide detailed information on suspected Ebola cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, posing a challenge in efforts to fight the outbreak. Despite several requests “to date, clinical data, results of the investigations, possible contacts and potential laboratory tests performed … have not been communicated to WHO,” the U.N. health agency … continue reading -> “WHO: Tanzania Not Sharing Information on Ebola”
Five brothers came to the US from Ukraine almost two decades ago in search of the American Dream — that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in the United States. During those 20 years, they’ve had all kinds of jobs, from washing floors, to delivering mail to working at construction sites. But they had … continue reading -> “Big American Dream for a Big Ukrainian Family”
The head of Ukraine’s state-owned oil company says Kyiv will remain able to supply Europe with natural gas from its subterranean storage units even if European Union-mediated talks don’t pan out. “We are fully confident that Ukraine can maintain gas supply … at least during the first quarter of 2020,” Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev said … continue reading -> “Naftogaz Chief: Ukraine Can Still Supply Gas to Europe in Early 2020 Without Russia Deal”
Protesters burned a Chinese flag and police fired pepper spray during a march Saturday in an outlying district of Hong Kong in renewed clashes over anti-government grievances. Police accused protesters of spraying water at officers during the march by several thousand people in Tuen Mun in Hong Kong’s northwest. Reporters saw at least one … continue reading -> “Hong Kong Protesters Burn Flag, Police Fire Pepper Spray”
Dozens of demonstrators were arrested at yellow vest protests in Paris on Saturday as more than 7,000 police were deployed to quell any violence by the movement and its radical, anarchist “black blocs.” There were also fears that the demonstrators could try to infiltrate a march against climate change in the French capital. The yellow … continue reading -> “Dozens Arrested in Paris ‘Yellow Vest’ Protests”
President Donald Trump irritably defended himself Friday against an intelligence whistleblower’s complaint, including an allegation of wrongdoing in a reported private conversation Trump had with a foreign leader. The complaint, which the administration has refused to let Congress see, is “serious” and “urgent,” the government’s intelligence watchdog said. But Trump dismissed the matter, insisting … continue reading -> “Trump Dismisses Whistleblower Complaint as ‘Hack Job’ “
Two reporters for the U.S.-based Bloomberg news agency have appeared in court accused of trying to undermine Turkey’s economic stability with a story they wrote on last year’s currency crisis. The trial against Kerim Karakaya and Fercan Yalinkilic opened in Istanbul on Friday. Thirty-six others have also been charged for their social media comments on … continue reading -> “Bloomberg Journalists on Trial for Report on Turkey Economy”
Sixty years ago, children accounted for more than one-third — 36% — of the U.S. population. Today, that number is 22% and shrinking faster than anticipated. The U.S. Census Bureau had not expected the kid population to drop that low until 2030, but the reality hit more than a decade ahead of projection. Last year, … continue reading -> “US Kid Population Shrinking Faster than Expected”
As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg met Thursday with President Donald Trump and other critics of the tech industry, the Senate’s most vocal detractor offered a challenge: Sell your WhatsApp and Instagram properties to prove you’re serious about protecting data privacy. It may have been more than Zuckerberg expected from his private meeting with Sen. Josh … continue reading -> “Senate Tech Critic to Facebook CEO: Sell WhatsApp, Instagram”
With world leaders about to gather in New York for a U.N. Climate Action Summit next week, millions of young people from Australia to Iceland will take off from school or work on Friday to demand urgent measures to stop environmental catastrophe. Protests, inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, 16, are planned in 150 countries. The aim is for students and others … continue reading -> “Millions of Youths to Strike for Climate Action “
Christy Lee contributed to this report, which originated with VOA’s Korean Service. WASHINGTON — Increased international cooperation is essential for curtailing the ship-to-ship transfers that Pyongyang continues to use to evade sanctions, said a former United Nations panel expert on North Korean sanctions enforcement. “Every member state (of the United Nations) has one or two … continue reading -> “More International Cooperation Called Key to Curbing North Korea’s Sanction Evasion”
A new poll shows Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren surging into second place in the Democratic presidential race behind former Vice President Joe Biden. The NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll found Biden leading the Democratic field with 31% support, followed by Warren at 25% and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in third place with 14%. VOA National … continue reading -> “Warren Surging in Democratic Presidential Race”
More than 150 world leaders are preparing to attend the U.N. Sustainable Development Summit in New York beginning Sept. 25, with the aim of agreeing on a new agenda to tackle global poverty. But a new report warns that African children are being left further and further behind and will make up more than half … continue reading -> “African Children Will Make up Half of World’s Poor by 2030”
The American Dream is many things to many people. For the Savchuk family who came to the U.S. from Ukraine more than 15 years ago, achieving their dream meant opening a small business and making a decent living. VOA’s Iryna Matviichuk met with the family and saw their dream come true. …
Iran has been suspended from international judo competitions because it boycotts bouts with Israeli athletes. Less than a month after world champion Saeid Mollaei walked off the Iranian team in protest at the boycott policy, the International Judo Federation said Wednesday that Iran is suspended ahead of a full hearing. Iran’s judo federation is accused … continue reading -> “Iran Suspended From World Judo Over Israel Boycott Policy”
It’s a common sight in Los Angeles. Thousands of people living in tents on sidewalks, sometimes with trash piled outside their makeshift shelters, conditions that breed typhus and other diseases. Analysts say the problem is complex, has been decades in the making and that a response requires coordination at many levels of government. President Donald Trump … continue reading -> “LA’s ‘Tent Cities’ Becoming Shantytowns, Expert Says”
A multi-pronged attack is under way on the Afghanistan national electronic ID distribution centrt in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province. An explosion at the front gate of the compound cleared the way for multiple attackers to enter the compound Wednesday afternoon, according to Ataullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor. Special forces surrounded the … continue reading -> “Afghanistan: Attack Ongoing on Jalalabad Government ID Center”
The United States filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who in 2013 leaked secret documents about U.S. telephone and Internet surveillance, saying his new book violates non-disclosure agreements. The Justice Department said Snowden published his memoir, “Permanent Record,” without submitting it to intelligence agencies for review, adding … continue reading -> “US Sues Edward Snowden Over new Book, Cites Non-disclosure Agreements”
Corey Lewandowski, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager and close confidant, on Tuesday stoutly defended his former boss and lashed out at Democrats during testimony to a U.S. congressional panel considering whether to impeach Trump. “We as a nation would be better served if elected officials like you concentrated your efforts to combat the true … continue reading -> “Ex-Campaign Chief Defends Trump, Blasts Democrats at Impeachment Hearing”
Older Americans aren’t moving as much as they used to. The migration rate of people over 55 has dropped steadily over the past two decades from a high of 6% in 1996, to 4.3% between 2017 and 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Moving rates for Baby Boomers — those born between 1946 and … continue reading -> “Why the ‘Yuppie Elderly’ Aren’t Moving as Much”
An innovative boat that saves energy by rising out of the water on hydrofoil wings underwent testing on the Seine river in Paris on Monday as its backers seek to obtain a license to operate a taxi service on the river. The SeaBubbles craft is powered by electric motors and its hydrofoil wings reduce the … continue reading -> “Cutting-edge Electric Boat Undergoes Testing on River Seine in Paris”