Section: Voice of America (USA)
Ukraine Praises Its Eurovision Winner, Russia Cries Foul
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko is heaping public praise on Ukrainian singer Jamala, after her surprise win Saturday over a Russian entry in the wildly popular Eurovision song contest. Poroshenko, writing on Twitter, said he personally congratulated the 33-year-old performer, whose winning song, “1944,” lamented the Soviet...
Glitz, Glam, Glory of Eurovision Song Contest Come to US
U.S. television viewers are finally getting a look at the biggest pop culture event in Europe: the Eurovision song contest, which is being broadcast on the U.S. Logo channel as well as on networks across Europe Saturday. The talent contest known for wild costumes and over-the-top performances drew 200 million viewers for its final round last...
US-Nordic Summit Takes on Russian Aggression
President Barack Obama said Friday that an agreement between the U.S. and five Nordic nations to increase cooperation in the face of rising Russian aggression is an effort to ensure that “smaller nations are not bullied by larger nations.” The president hosted the leaders of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland at the White House...
Germany Accuses Russia of Being Behind Parliament Cyberattack
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency says Russia was likely behind a cyberattack on Germany’s lower house of parliament last year, which forced its computer system to be temporarily shut down. The BfV intelligence agency said a group known as Sofacy, or APT 28, was behind the parliament cyberattack and said it has indications that...
European Parliament Condemns Banning of Crimean Tatar Council
The European Parliament on Thursday strongly condemned last month’s decision by Crimea’s Russia-backed authorities to ban the Crimean Tatars’ representative body amid reports that access to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Crimea news website had been blocked in the region. A resolution passed by the European legislature...
All Aboard! Kleptocracy Tour Shows Shady Side of London
As world leaders gather in London Thursday for an anti-corruption summit, a group of campaigners has organized an alternative tour of the British capital, highlighting some of the biggest and most expensive properties owned by the world’s billionaires, who the campaigners say exploit Britain’s pivotal role in the murky system of...
Former Spy Chiefs: Britain’s Exit from EU Would Be Damaging
“Every time Britain has to decide between Europe and the open sea, it is always the open sea we will choose,” Britain’s wartime leader Winston Churchill remarked once to General Charles de Gaulle of France. On June 23 Churchill’s comment will be tested, when Britain decides whether to remain in Europe or turn to the open sea....
Ukrainian MPs Clear Way for Poroshenko Ally to Become Top Prosecutor
Ukrainian lawmakers paved the way on Thursday for a close ally of President Petro Poroshenko to become the new general prosecutor, a position seen by the West as crucial for Ukraine to tackle entrenched corruption. Parliament passed a law removing a requirement that only a person with a legal background can take the post, enabling Yuriy Lutsenko,...
Hackers Try to Attack Merkel’s Party, Security Consultants Say
A group of hackers that cybersecurity experts say targets critics of the Russian government has been trying since April to attack the computer systems of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party, a security research firm said on Wednesday. Researchers at Trend Micro said the hackers, called Pawn Storm, appear to be...
US to Switch On European Missile Shield Despite Russian Alarm
The United States’ European missile defense shield goes live on Thursday almost a decade after Washington proposed protecting NATO from Iranian rockets and despite Russian warnings that the West is threatening the peace in central Europe. Amid high Russia-West tension, U.S. and NATO officials will declare operational the shield at a remote...
