Section: Voice of America (USA)
Ukraine Ruling Coalition Breaks Up; Snap Elections Likely
Ukraine’s ruling coalition broke up Friday after the People’s Front party quit outgoing President Petro Poroshenko’s faction, potentially paving the way for incoming President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to call a snap election. “We declare our withdrawal from the current coalition, the cessation of its activities … and the...
US, EU Dismantle Global Cybercrime Syndicate
U.S. and European law enforcement agencies say they have dismantled a global cybercrime network that used malicious software to steal an estimated $100 million from businesses around the world. With members in Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, the network used the GozNym malware to steal money from more than 41,000 victims, mostly...
Inauguration of Ukraine President-Elect Set for May 20
Ukrainian lawmakers have set May 20 for the inauguration of incoming president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. A total of 315 lawmakers voted in favor of the date Thursday, while two voted against it. Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s parliament rejected proposals to hold the inauguration on May 19, the date Zelenskiy has been pushing forward. Zelenskiy...
German Biscuit Heiress Apologizes for Nazi Forced Labor Remarks
The heiress of a German biscuit empire has apologized for comments that seemed to downplay the use of forced labor in Nazi Germany. Verena Bahlsen, who is part owner of her father’s Bahlsen bakery, said she “deeply regrets” her remarks about the way the company treated those forced to work under Hitler’s regime. “It was a mistake to...
Germany’s Merkel Welcomes European Unity Over Iran
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Europe needs to “reposition” itself in a changing world and is welcoming European powers’ unity over Iran, a contrast with their deep divisions over the Iraq war 16 years ago. Merkel said in an interview with Germany’s daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung released Wednesday that Europe needs...
US, Russian Officials Signal Desire to Improve Relations
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said nearly two hours of meetings Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about “nearly every issue facing our two countries” were productive, though there appeared to be no major breakthroughs. The United States and Russia both have interests in a number of...
US, Russia Agree to Talk Again, Meet in Sochi
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to work to normalize strained relations and restore bilateral channels of communication following talks Tuesday at the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Although Pompeo and Lavrov discussed a wide range of bilateral and international problems, including the situations...
Lithuania Presidential Run-Off Pits Novice Against Ex-Minister
An economist and political novice, Gitanas Nauseda, took a thin lead in the first round of Lithuania’s presidential election on Sunday and will face Ingrida Simonyte, a conservative ex-finance minister, in a May 26 run-off set to focus on inequality and poverty in the Baltic eurozone state. Center-left Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis...
Lithuanians Head to Polls to Elect ‘Iron Lady’ Successor
Lithuanians started voting in a tightly contested presidential election Sunday to replace outgoing Dalia Grybauskaite, the Baltic nation’s “Iron Lady” who was one of the European Union’s most outspoken critics of Russia. Still very popular, Grybauskaite, 63, is not eligible to run after two terms. But the top three candidates vying to...
US Recalls Ukraine Ambassador; Democrats Cry ‘Hit Job’
The U.S. has recalled career diplomat Marie (Masha) Yovanovitch from her post as ambassador to Ukraine, timing the State Department says was aligned with the coming presidential transition in Kyiv. But two key Democratic lawmakers claim the move was “a political hit job” with roots in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The State Department said...
