Category: European Union

Paris — France is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine worth more than $211 million from the interest earned on frozen Russian assets, its defense minister said in an interview published Sunday. Sebastien Lecornu, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, in the interview with the Tribune Dimanche newspaper, described the suspension of U.S. weapons deliveries to Ukraine as a “heavy blow” to Kyiv’s fight against the Russian invasion. “This year we will mobilize, thanks to the interests of frozen Russian assets, a new package of 195 million euros ($211,253,250)” for Ukraine, he said. This will enable the delivery of 155-millimeter shells as well as AASM air to surface weapons that arm the French Mirage 2000 fighter jets that Paris has delivered to Ukraine for the war. Lecornu did not make any comment on whether France would consider using the frozen Russian assets themselves to help Kyiv, a potentially far more significant move supported by its ally the U.K. but over which Paris as so far been wary. But he warned that away from the battlefield, the “Russians are reinventing war, that is their great strength” by targeting “our democracy and our economy.” France’s next 2027 presidential elections “could be the subject of massive manipulations as was the case in Romania” where the first round was topped by a far-right outsider, only for the results to be annulled by the Constitutional Court, he said. He sought to play down any rupture in transatlantic relations after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency and changed Washington’s policy on Ukraine, saying: “For my part, I still consider them as allies, despite their great unpredictability.” Turning to the “heavy blow” of the U.S. suspension of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, he said: “They (Ukraine) can hold out for a while, but this suspension must not last.” Lecornu said that French intelligence had no indication that Russia was planning to attack a NATO member in the next five years but did say there is a “temptation to destabilize Moldova” through its breakaway region of Transnistria. With Macron and others urging EU states to ramp up defense spending as the U.S. wavers, Lecornu pointed to ammunition and electronic warfare as the most urgent issues for France’s military in the years to come.   “Second priority, is the drone-ization and robot-ization of armies,” he added, also noting the roles of artificial intelligence and space. …

Billionaire industrialist and senior White House adviser Elon Musk vowed Sunday to maintain Ukraine’s access to his Starlink satellite network, after a fierce online clash with Poland’s outspoken foreign minister. The United States has suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after a disastrous Feb. 28 meeting between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House. This has led to fears that Musk, a close Trump ally, might cut off Ukrainian access to his private Starlink communications system, which is used extensively by Kyiv’s front-line troops for battlefield communication. On Sunday, during exchanges on his own X social media platform, Musk promised that this would not be the case, after an online clash with the Polish foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, that drew in U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals,” Musk wrote.   “I am simply stating that, without Starlink, the Ukrainian lines would collapse, as the Russians can jam all other communications! We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip.” Trump’s administration is pressuring Zelenskyy to sign over much of Ukraine’s mineral wealth to the United States and to agree to a ceasefire with Russia without clear security guarantees as a prelude to a peace deal. Musk supports this position and warned Sunday that Ukraine’s “entire front line would collapse” if he turned off Starlink for Kyiv’s forces, which have been battling a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022. This prompted Sikorski, in a post on X, to warn: “Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. “The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers.” Musk responded with scorn, telling the Polish minister: “Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink.” Washington’s top diplomat, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, was also drawn in to the exchange, accusing Sikorski of “just making things up.”          “No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink. And say, ‘thank you’ because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on … “After Poland spat, Musk vows Ukraine can keep Starlink” →

The documentary film Porcelain War highlights the struggle of Ukrainian artists and ordinary citizens fighting to save their country and culture in the face of Russian aggression. The movie won the 2024 Sundance Festival Grand Jury Prize for documentaries and was nominated for an Oscar this year. Elena Wolf has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Elena Matusovsky. …

Even as U.S.-led peace negotiations to end Russia’s war on Ukraine recently faced setbacks, talks between Washington and Kyiv are set to take place this week in Saudi Arabia. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias has details. …

Berlin — Flight cancellations at Hamburg Airport after a surprise strike by workers affected more than 40,000 passengers on Sunday, a day before a planned wider protest across Germany amid new contract negotiations.  Only 10 of more than 280 scheduled flights went as planned early Sunday, the airport said. Many service desks sat empty as would-be passengers lined up to seek information about the cancellations. One big electronic departure board overhead had “canceled” in red next to the list of all flights.  The surprise walkout, which reportedly took place with only about a half-hour notice, came before a broader series of preannounced strikes across 13 airports in Germany on Monday, organized by the ver.di union.  The union, whose members work in areas including passenger services and cargo and goods screening, called for Sunday’s strike by security control staff to put pressure on company representatives amid collective bargaining talks.  “The behavior of the trade union ver.di is dishonorable: The strike without notice hits Hamburg Airport at the start of the vacation season,” airport spokeswoman Katja Bromm said in a statement. She said that on Monday, arrivals would be possible, and that “considerable disruptions and cancellations” were expected.  Bromm said that Sunday’s walkouts were “excessive and unfair to tens of thousands of travelers who have nothing to do with the disputes.”  For months, ver.di has been negotiating a new agreement that aims to improve occupational health and safety, provide more vacation days, an increase in the annual bonus to 50% and the freedom to choose a doctor for employees’ regular, mandatory medical exams, among other things.  Lars Stubbe, a trade union official, said that “a strike must cause economic damage.”  “We know that it is a massive burden for passengers. Our colleagues know that too. But they have said we have to go on strike. It must be effective, so that we have a reasonable offer to negotiate,” he said.  Some would-be passengers didn’t hide their frustration.  “I also wonder why it’s like this, because it was supposed to be a big strike tomorrow [Monday] — and why is it today?” said Alva Wetzel, who had hoped to travel. “It’s just stupid.” …

State Department — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday for U.S.-Ukraine talks as President Donald Trump pushes to broker a swift end to the Russia-Ukraine war. While in Jeddah, Rubio will also meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud to discuss ways to advance shared interests in the region and strengthen the U.S.-Saudi relationship, said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. According to the State Department, Rubio has “underscored President Trump’s determination to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace” in a Friday call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the Gulf kingdom for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Afterward, a Ukrainian diplomatic and military delegation led by Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, will remain in Saudi Arabia for talks with U.S. officials. The Ukrainian team will also include Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and military commander Pavlo Palisa. Rubio will join U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, for the Jeddah talks with Ukrainian officials. Witkoff has told reporters that “the idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well.” The U.S.-Ukraine talks will take place three weeks after senior U.S. officials held talks with Russian officials in Riyadh. Ukraine said it is “fully committed” to constructive dialogue with the U.S. and hopes to “discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps.” “Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on Saturday. G7 foreign ministers Following his visit to Saudi Arabia, Rubio will travel to Charlevoix, Canada, for the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers’ meeting from March 12 to 14. In a joint statement following talks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February, G7 foreign ministers underscored their commitment to helping “achieve a durable peace” and “reaffirmed the need to develop robust security guarantees” for Ukraine. “Any new, additional sanctions after February should be linked to whether the Russian Federation enters into real, good-faith efforts to bring an enduring end to the war against Ukraine,” the joint statement added. …

KYIV — Russian special forces walked kilometers inside of a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military and Russian war bloggers reported, as Moscow moves to recapture parts of its border province that Kyiv seized in a shock offensive. Ukraine launched a daring cross-border incursion into Kursk in August, in what marked the largest attack on Russian territory since World War II. Within days, Ukrainian units had captured 1,000 square kilometers of territory, including the strategic border town of Sudzha, and taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war. According to Kyiv, the operation aimed to gain a bargaining chip in future peace talks, and force Russia to divert troops away from its grinding offensive in eastern Ukraine. But months after Ukraine’s thunder run, its soldiers in Kursk are weary and bloodied by relentless assaults of more than 50,000 troops, including some from Russia’s ally North Korea. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers run the risk of being encircled, open source maps of the battlefield show. According to Telegram posts by a Ukrainian-born, pro-Kremlin blogger, Russian operatives walked about 15 kilometers inside the pipeline, which Moscow had until recently used to send gas to Europe. Some Russian troops had spent several days in the pipe before striking Ukrainian units from the rear near the town of Sudzha, blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed. The town had some 5,000 residents before the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and houses major gas transfer and measuring stations along the pipeline, once a major outlet for Russian natural gas exports through Ukrainian territory. Another war blogger, who uses the alias Two Majors, said fierce fighting was underway for Sudzha, and that Russian forces managed to enter the town through a gas pipeline. Russian Telegram channels showed photos of what they said were special forces operatives, wearing gas masks and moving along what looked like the inside of a large pipe. Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed on Saturday evening that Russian “sabotage and assault groups” used the pipeline in a bid to gain a foothold outside Sudzha. In a Telegram post, it said the Russian troops were “detected in a timely manner” and that Ukraine responded with rockets and artillery. “At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked and destroyed. The enemy’s losses in Sudzha are very high,” the General Staff reported. …

TEHRAN, IRAN — The navies of Iran, Russia and China will hold military drills off the coast of Iran this week in a bid to boost cooperation, Iranian media reported Sunday. The three countries, which share a common desire to counter what they characterize as American hegemony, have held similar exercises in the region in recent years. The drills “will begin on Tuesday in the port of Chabahar,” located in southeast Iran on the Gulf of Oman, the Tasnim news agency said, without specifying their duration. “Warships and combat and support vessels of the Chinese and Russian naval forces, as well as the warships of Iran’s naval forces of the army and the Revolutionary Guards,” the ideological arm of Iran’s military, are expected to participate, according to Tasnim. The exercises will take place “in the northern Indian Ocean” and aim to “strengthen security in the region, and expand multilateral cooperation between participating countries,” Tasnim said. Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka will attend as observers. China will deploy “a destroyer and a supply ship,” Beijing’s defense ministry said on the WeChat social media network. The Iranian army conducted drills in the same area in February to “strengthen defense capabilities against any threat.”  …

ROME — Pope Francis continued his recovery from double pneumonia Sunday after doctors reported some positive news: After more than three weeks in the hospital, the 88-year-old pope is responding well to treatment and has shown a “gradual, slight improvement” in recent days. In the early Sunday update, the Vatican said Francis was resting after a quiet night. For the fourth Sunday in a row, the pope will not appear for his weekly noon blessing, though the Vatican planned to distribute the text he would have delivered if he were well enough. The Argentine pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has remained stable, with no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors reported in a Vatican statement Saturday. The doctors said that such stability “as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy.” It was the first time the doctors had reported that Francis was responding positively to the treatment for the complex lung infection that was diagnosed after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14. But they kept his prognosis as “guarded,” meaning he’s not out of danger. In his absence, the Vatican’s day-to-day operations continued alongside celebrations of its Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century Jubilee that brings millions of pilgrims to Rome. On Sunday, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is close to Francis, celebrates the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated. Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night. Francis was hospitalized Feb. 14 for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis. The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.  …

ASHBOURNE, ENGLAND — This ancient form of football has a rule forbidding players from murdering each other. Every year, thousands of people descend on a small town in the English countryside to watch a two-day game of mass street football that, to the casual observer, could easily be mistaken for a riot. This is Royal Shrovetide — a centuries-old ball game played in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, that, frankly, looks nothing like the world’s most popular sport. Or any other game for that matter. “It’s like tug of war without the rope,” says Natalie Wakefield, 43, who lives locally and has marshaled the event in the past. “It’s mad in the best possible way.” Hundreds of players Played between two teams of hundreds of players, the aim is to “goal” at either end of a 5-kilometer sector that could take the match through rivers, hedgerows, high streets and just about anything or anywhere except for churchyards, cemeteries and places of worship. The ball is thrown into a crowd that moves like a giant herd, as each team tries to carry it toward their desired goal. Rules are limited but “no murder” was an early stipulation for the game that dates back to at least the 1600s. Good players need to be “hard, aggressive and authoritative,” says Mark Harrison, who “goaled” in 1986 and is one of multiple generations of scorers in his family. “You can’t practice,” the 62-year-old Harrison adds. He stopped competing seven years ago and now serves up burgers to throngs of spectators from a street food truck. “You’ve just got to get in there and be rough. I am a rugby player … I’m also an ex-boxer so that helps.” Royal approval Harrison had the honor of carrying the then-Prince Charles on his shoulder when in 2003 the now-King of England opened that year’s game. “He loved it!” Harrison says. Played over Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday each year, the event is a source of immense pride for the people of Ashbourne in Derbyshire’s Peak District. Yet, such a unifying tradition is actually based upon splitting the town into two halves between the “Up’ards” and the “Down’ards,” determined by whether players are born on the north or south of the River Henmore. Don’t park there On any other days, Ashbourne, around a three-hour drive from London, is quiet and picturesque with a high street lined by antique shops, cafes and … “Wild ancient version of football is still being played today” →

KYIV, UKRAINE — Russia said Saturday its troops had retaken three villages seized by Ukraine in its Kursk border region, in a fresh setback for Kyiv ahead of talks to try to end the war.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday named a high-level delegation including ministers to meet U.S. negotiators in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, seeking to repair ties with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.  U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday that Washington wanted to discuss a “framework for a peace agreement.”    “We hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps,” Zelenskyy said, stressing that Ukraine was “fully committed to constructive dialogue.”  But he condemned the “brutal” deadly strikes on eastern Ukraine, saying they proved that Russia was “not thinking about how to end the war.”  Trump on Friday threatened new sanctions and tariffs against Russia over its bombardment of Ukraine.  The three-year-long war is now at a critical juncture for Kyiv after Trump suspended U.S. military aid following his public falling-out with Zelenskyy last week.    Ukraine still controls some 400-square kilometers in the Kursk region after launching an offensive last August. Zelenskyy sees this as a possible bargaining chip in peace talks.  But Ukraine’s troops in Kursk have seen their position worsen in recent weeks with Russia’s army pushing back.    Russia claims gains   Russia’s defense ministry announced Saturday the recapture of three more villages: Viktorovka, Nikolaevka and Staraya Sorochina.  According to DeepState, an online military tracker linked to the Ukrainian army, the Russian move followed a “breach” in the Ukrainian defense lines near the town of Sudzha, which is under Kyiv’s control.  The advance appears to have cut off the logistics route needed by Ukraine to supply its troops, although Kyiv has not confirmed this.  Russia has already taken back some two-thirds of the territory in Kursk initially seized by Ukraine.    The Ukrainian military General Staff said Saturday that clashes were ongoing amid heavy bombardment with artillery and guided aerial bombs.  Small groups of Russian troops have also mounted attacks in recent weeks into Ukraine’s Sumy region bordering Kursk.    But Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation denied reports Saturday of a “massive breakthrough,” saying its forces were destroying small groups trying to cross.    Meeting in Saudi Arabia  Full peace negotiations remain a distant prospect, with Kyiv and Moscow making starkly opposed demands. Trump has made settling the conflict a priority since his return to the White … “Russia claims advances in Kursk; Zelenskyy says he’s ‘committed’ to talks” →

ROME — Pope Francis is responding well to the treatment for double pneumonia and has shown a “gradual, slight improvement” in recent days, the Vatican said Saturday. But his doctors have decided to keep his prognosis as guarded, meaning that he’s not out of danger yet.  The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has remained stable, with no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors reported in a Vatican statement.  The doctors said that such stability “as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy.” It was the first time the doctors had reported that Francis was responding positively to the treatment for the complex lung infection that was diagnosed after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14.  Francis worked and rested during the day Saturday, as he entered his fourth week at Rome’s Gemelli hospital with his condition stabilized following a few bouts of acute respiratory crises last week.  “In order to record these initial improvements in the coming days as well, his doctors have prudently maintained the prognosis as guarded,” the statement said.  In his absence, the Vatican’s day-to-day operations continued, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrating Mass for an anti-abortion group in St. Peter’s Basilica. At the start, Parolin delivered a message from the pope from the hospital on the need to protect life, from birth to natural death.  In the message, dated March 5 and addressed to the Movement for Life, which seeks to provide women with alternatives to abortion, Francis encouraged the faithful to promote anti-abortion activities not just for the unborn, but “for the elderly, no longer independent or the incurably ill.”  Later Saturday, another cardinal closely associated with Francis’ papacy, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, presides over the nightly recitation of prayers for Francis. Czerny then returns Sunday to celebrate the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.  Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.  Francis was hospitalized Feb. 14 for what was then a bad case of bronchitis. The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.  …

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND — Swiss police said Saturday they had solved a kidnapping involving two dogs and a demand for ransom of 1 million Swiss francs (about $1.135 million).  Zurich police said that two Bolonka dogs were stolen from the home of a 59-year-old man in Schlieren near Zurich last week, while the dog owner was away.  When the man returned, the dogs were gone, and he found a letter demanding money to release the small dogs.  Instead of paying the ransom, the man, who was not identified by name in line with Swiss privacy rules, called the police.  During the investigation, police arrested a 30-year-old Norwegian man Thursday at Zurich Airport. Police said he was strongly suspected of being involved in the theft.  Following further leads and cross-European cooperation, police in Poland then detained a 38-year-old suspect and discovered the kidnapped Bolonkas, which they returned safely to their owner Friday.  Swiss police said the Norwegian is in custody in Switzerland and authorities in Poland are further investigating the Polish suspect.  A Bolonka is a toy breed of dogs bred in Russia and sold for up to a couple of thousand dollars.  …

BELGRADE, SERBIA — Female students Saturday marked International Women’s Day in Serbia by leading the daily street protests against corruption and sending a message decrying widespread violence against women in the Balkan country. University students in Serbia are behind almost-daily rallies that started after a concrete canopy crashed down in November at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 15 people. Many in Serbia believe that the huge concrete construction fell because of poor renovation work fueled by government corruption. Street demonstrations have become a challenge to the populist President Aleksandar Vucic. The students carried a banner reading: “Women in front rows,” heading the marching column that passed through central streets in Belgrade and by the building hosting the state prosecutor’s office. The protesters held 19 minutes of silence, instead of the 15 held normally for the 15 victims of the canopy crash. The additional four minutes were dedicated to the four women killed in domestic violence in Serbia this year. “I am here to support all women around the world, all mothers and fighters, and students of course,” said Slavica Djajic, a resident of Belgrade. The protesting university students have insisted on full accountability in the canopy fall, a call that has garnered widespread support among citizens who are largely disillusioned with politicians and have lost trust in state institutions. Student-led rallies have drawn tens of thousands of people, becoming among the biggest ever in Serbia which has a long history of anti-government protests. Vucic has described the rallies as a Western-orchestrated ploy to oust him from power. The next big rally is planned for March 15 in Belgrade, and Vucic alleged that “they will try to achieve something with violence and that will be the end.” He added that “many [demonstrators] will end up behind bars accused of criminal acts.” All student-led protests in the past months have been peaceful, while incidents were recorded when opponents drove their cars into protest blockades or attacked the protesters. The populist leader and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have held a firm grip on power in Serbia for over a decade, facing accusations of stifling democratic freedoms despite formally seeking European Union entry for Serbia. Authorities have indicted 16 people over the canopy collapse, but many doubt that the actual culprits will face justice. …

ROME — Pope Francis entered his fourth week in the hospital with double pneumonia, increasingly handing off his day-to-day duties to cardinals as questions swirl about the near- and long-term future of his papacy. On Saturday, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, took Francis’ place to celebrate Mass for a group. On Sunday, another Vatican official, Cardinal Michael Czerny, is stepping in for the pope to celebrate a Holy Year Mass for volunteers. There is no reason why such delegation of papal obligations cannot continue, especially since Francis remains conscious and working from the hospital. But the 88-year-old pope has spoken about the possibility of resignation, although his position has changed over time, especially after the death of Pope Benedict XVI. Here’s what Francis has said about pope’s retiring, in his own words: On Benedict’s resignation In his 2024 memoir, “Life,” Francis recounted how he first learned about Benedict’s resignation, the first in 600 years. He said a Vatican journalist had called him in Buenos Aires on Feb. 11, 2013, and told him the news as it was breaking. “For a moment I was paralyzed. I could hardly believe what I was hearing,” Francis wrote in “Life.” “This was news I had never expected to receive in my lifetime: the resignation of a pope was unimaginable, although it was provided for in canon law. In the first few moments I said to myself, ‘I must have misunderstood, it’s not possible.’ But then I understood that Benedict had surely meditated and prayed for a long time before making this brave and historic decision. Faced with his declining strength, he had evidently realized that the only irreplaceable element in the Church is the Holy Spirit, and the only Lord is Jesus Christ. This is why he was a great pope, humble and sincere, who loved the church until the end.” During the 10 years they lived together in the Vatican as a reigning and retired pope, Francis repeatedly praised Benedict’s courage and humility for resigning and said he had “opened the door” to future popes also stepping down. On the chance he might follow In a 2022 interview with Spain’s ABC daily newspaper, Francis revealed that he had written a letter of resignation soon after he was elected pontiff. The letter laid out his resignation if medical problems impeded him from carrying out his duties or from freely announcing a resignation. … “In his own words: Pope’s views on resigning changed over time” →

ISTANBUL — Thousands of women demonstrated in the streets of Turkish cities Saturday to mark International Women’s Day, protesting inequality and violence against women. On the Asian side of Istanbul, a rally in Kadikoy saw members of dozens of women’s groups listen to speeches, dance and sing in the spring sunshine. The colorful protest was overseen by a large police presence, including officers in riot gear and a water cannon truck. The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared 2025 the Year of the Family. Protesters pushed back against the idea of women’s role being confined to marriage and motherhood, carrying banners reading “Family will not bind us to life” and “We will not be sacrificed to the family.” Critics have accused the government of overseeing restrictions on women’s rights and not doing enough to tackle violence against women. Erdogan in 2021 withdrew Turkey from a European treaty, dubbed the Istanbul Convention, that protects women from domestic violence. Turkey’s We Will Stop Femicides Platform says 394 women were killed by men in 2024. “There is bullying at work, pressure from husbands and fathers at home and pressure from patriarchal society. We demand that this pressure be reduced even further,” Yaz Gulgun, 52, said. The women’s day events were the first planned public demonstrations since the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, announced a ceasefire last week, bringing hope for an end to a 40-year conflict with the Turkish state. Crowds in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast, heard a message from the group’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan in which he said the “women’s issue is bigger than the Kurdish issue.” Gultan Kisanak, a Kurdish politician who was released from prison last year after being convicted of terrorism charges, addressed a rally near the city center. “A democratic society that does not accept women’s will cannot be built. Therefore, women’s struggle for freedom is the cornerstone of our people’s struggle for freedom and peace,” she said. Many women were expected to gather in the evening on the European side of Istanbul for a Feminist Night March despite a ban. In recent years, authorities have blocked efforts by women to demonstrate in Taksim Square, Istanbul’s traditional gathering point for rallies. Nearby metro stations were closed from the early afternoon, and streets, including one of the city’s main shopping thoroughfares, were sealed off with barriers. The Beyoglu district governor’s office said the ban … “Protests in Turkey demand protection from domestic violence” →

KYIV, UKRAINE — At least 11 people were killed and 30 wounded, including five children, in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s eastern city of Dobropillia overnight, Ukrainian Interior Ministry said on Saturday. Another three civilians were killed in a drone attack on the Kharkiv region in the northeast, the ministry added. The ministry said Russian forces attacked Dobropillia with ballistic missiles, multiple rockets and drones, damaging eight multistory buildings and 30 cars. “While extinguishing the fire, the occupiers struck again, damaging the fire truck,” the ministry said on the Telegram Messenger. he ministry published photos of partially destroyed buildings engulfed in fire and rescuers removing rubble from the buildings. Dobropillia, home to about 28,000 people before the war, is in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, 22 kilometers from the front-line north of the key hub of Pokrovsk, which the Russian troops have been attacking for weeks. The ministry also said at least three were killed and seven injured in a separate drone attack on Kharkiv region overnight. Ukrainian military said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and one Iskander-K cruise missile as well as 145 drones. They said air forces shot down one cruise missile and 79 drones. The military said another 54 drones did not reach their targets likely due to electronic countermeasures.  …

LONDON — “One and one, please, love,” a regular said, leaning on the counter at a pie and mash shop in London’s East End. In seconds, one piping-hot beef pie appeared with a single scoop of mashed potatoes at the G Kelly shop, topped off with parsley sauce known as liquor. Londoners have been eating this classic Cockney combination since at least Victorian times, but for many years the working-class staple has had a humble reputation among outsiders. Now a campaign to get pie and mash special protected status is gaining ground, with supporters arguing the dish deserves an official stamp of recognition similar to Parmesan cheese and champagne. After a British politician took the case to Parliament and won the backing of MPs, campaigners hope to land the label this year. “‘Bout time,” said G Kelly customer Daniel Terrance as he tucked into his third pie and mash of the week. “I just want more,” the 39-year-old electrician chuckled, eating the meal with a traditional accompaniment of jellied eels. Stewed eel water The first pie and mash eateries began to crop up in London in the 1800s, when street hawkers selling pies teamed up with eel vendors and set up shop near the city’s docks. Over time, a set of rituals has grown up around the dish, from the rapid-fire “one and one” ordering system to the fork and spoon that purists insist on using to eat it. The pie’s flaky crust and soft suet base have been a fixture for generations, but most cooks have agreed to let one old-fashioned practice slide — nowadays, the liquor is rarely made from stewed eel water. British cuisine has had a hard time shaking off its bad reputation, but backers say pie and mash is worthy of joining hundreds of dishes with official protection in mainland Europe and elsewhere. The campaigners, among them several pie shop owners, now need to get a recipe for the dish approved by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs so they can secure a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) label. The stamp legally safeguards traditional recipes but differs from badges awarded to foods like Parma ham in that it allows them to be made outside a specific area. Neil Vening, the fourth-generation owner of the G Kelly family shop, hopes the label can prevent big companies from capitalizing on tradition to pump out substandard pie and … “UK pie and mash fans seek protected status for Cockney classic” →

Romania’s presidential election is in turmoil after the first round was annulled because of alleged Russian interference. A new election is set for May, and the stakes for democracy remain high. Eastern European Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze reports from Romania. Camera: Daniil Batushchak. …

ATHENS, GREECE — Clashes broke out in Greece’s two largest cities Friday, as protesters hurled gasoline bombs and flares outside Parliament during a censure motion debate against the government over its handling of a deadly rail disaster two years ago. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades at the violent protesters and used water cannons when the clashes broke out moments after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis began speaking at the end of the three-day debate. The government survived the challenge in a 157-136 vote announced late Friday. Inside the assembly, activists in the visitors’ gallery threw leaflets down onto lawmakers before being removed by police. Violence also erupted in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Mitsotakis’ center-right government faced a censure motion over the 2023 train collision that killed 57 people and injured dozens more. Friday’s demonstrations, the third round of nationwide protests held in a week, followed the second anniversary of the Feb. 28, 2023, collision at Tempe in northern Greece. In a rare display of unity, four center-left and left-wing opposition parties submitted the no-confidence motion, arguing that the government has failed to accept responsibility for multiple rail safety system failures identified by investigators. “You want to hide the criminal responsibility of the government for the Tempe tragedy,” Socialist opposition leader Nikos Androulakis told lawmakers, addressing the prime minister. “No Greek citizen will forgive your unacceptable behavior.” Despite widespread public anger over the Tempe rail disaster, the fragmented opposition has struggled to capitalize on the discontent. Mitsotakis accused his political opponents of engineering a political stunt, adding, “When I visited the scene of the accident … it was the most difficult moment of my life.” Relatives of crash victims attended Friday’s protest rallies, publicly expressing gratitude to demonstrators. “People are here because they understand what’s going on and they demand justice,” Chrysoula Chlorou said at a protest in the central city of Larissa. Chlorou’s sister Vasso, 55, was killed in the crash. She added, “We will stand with everyone who has the strength to raise their voices for the people and we thank them very much.” …

Just as discoveries of fossil fuel reserves helped to shape the 20th century, the race for critical minerals is shaping the 21st. These minerals are seen as strategically crucial for modern economies, including those used in construction, energy and manufacturing — particularly for semiconductors and other technology applications. Where mineral resources are located and extracted has often played a major role in geopolitical and economic relations. Today, the world’s attention is turning to two places believed to be rich in untapped reserves — but accessing each of them comes with unique challenges. Afghanistan Sitting at the intersection of multiple tectonic plates, Afghanistan’s geology has resulted in extensive and diverse mineral deposits. Historically, its territory was a primary source of copper and gold as well as gems and semiprecious stones, particularly lapis lazuli, a stone prized for its intense blue color. Today, Afghanistan is estimated to hold nearly $1 trillion worth of mineral reserves. This includes 60 million tons of copper, 183 million tons of aluminum and 2.2 billion tons of iron ore. Gold is mined on an artisanal scale in the northern and eastern provinces, while the mountainous north contains valuable marble and limestone deposits used in construction. The China National Petroleum Corporation also pumps oil in the north, though Afghanistan has no domestic refining capability and is reliant on neighbors such as Turkmenistan, Iran and Kyrgyzstan for fuel. Most of the international focus, however, is on Afghanistan’s other metal deposits, many of which are crucial to emerging technologies. These include cobalt, lithium and niobium, used in batteries and other electronics. The country’s unexplored lithium reserves may even exceed those of Bolivia, currently the world’s largest. Afghanistan also holds major deposits of rare earth metals like lanthanum, cerium and neodymium, which are used for magnets and semiconductors as well as other specialized manufacturing applications. One obstacle to extracting Afghanistan’s minerals is its terrain, considered the eighth most mountainous in the world. But security has been a much bigger impediment. Amid the political instability that followed the first fall of the Taliban in 2001, many gemstone and copper mines operated illegally under the command of local militants. With workers paid very little and the product smuggled out to be sold in neighboring Pakistan, the Afghan people saw little benefit from these extraction operations. Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban, who have been eager to make use of the country’s mineral … “Greenland and Afghanistan: Frontiers in race for critical minerals” →

ROME — Pope Francis hit the three-week mark Friday in his hospitalization for double pneumonia, in stable condition and resuming his therapies after giving the world a tangible indication of just how frail and sick he is. The Vatican said the 88-year-old pope had a good night’s rest and woke up Friday morning just after 8 a.m. He resumed his respiratory and physical therapy, using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe. Doctors said they didn’t expect to give another medical update until Saturday, given his continued stability and absence of respiratory crises or other setbacks for several days now. But Francis offered a first public sign of just how weak he is on Thursday by recording an audio message that was broadcast to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square who had gathered for the nightly recitation of the rosary prayer. In it, Francis thanked the people for their prayers. But his voice was barely discernible through his labored breaths, and he spoke in his native Spanish, not Italian. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square, I accompany you from here,” he said to the hushed square. “May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.” The message served many purposes. It was the first public sign of life from the pope since he entered Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14, and it put to rest right-wing conspiracy theories and rumors calling into question his true medical status. The Vatican said Francis himself wanted to record it, to thank all those people who had been praying for him. In his Sunday message last weekend, Francis said he had felt the affection of so many people and felt “as if I am ‘carried’ and supported by all God’s people.” But the audio also underscored just how weak Francis is. For anyone used to hearing his voice, this audio — which is often so soft it sounds like a whisper — was an emotional punch to the gut that hammered home just how hard it is for him to even breathe. The cardinal presiding over the prayer, Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, had told the crowd at the start of the service that he had “beautiful news, a beautiful gift” to share. “Oh, che bello,” marveled one nun in the crowd. “Oh, how beautiful.” The clearly surprised crowd broke into … “Pope hits 3-week mark in hospital after showing his frailty in recording” →

Ahead of planned talks with the United States next week, Ukraine reported Friday that Russia struck its energy infrastructure across a broad swath of the nation, hitting targets in five regions, damaging residential buildings and injuring residents. This latest barrage came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia Monday for meetings with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss a possible ceasefire with Russia. “The first steps to establishing real peace should be to force the sole source of this war, that is, Russia, to stop precisely such attacks against life,” Zelenskyy said in his Friday post, referencing the overnight assault. In posts on his social media accounts, Zelenskyy said the Russian attack included almost 70 cruise and ballistic missiles and nearly 200 attack drones. He said they struck targets in Odesa, Poltava, Chernihiv, Ternopil and Kharkiv regions. Zelenskyy said that many of the drones were taken out by antiaircraft troops and that, for the first time, French-made Mirage fighter jets were deployed in air defense, which he said were particularly successful against cruise missiles. He said U.S-made F-16s were also deployed to thwart the attack. Monday’s meeting between Zelenskyy and U.S. officials would be the first since last week’s contentious White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance as reporters looked on. Earlier this week in a letter sent to Trump, Zelenskyy said the way the meeting went was “regrettable” and Ukraine was “ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible.” Witkoff told reporters Thursday the president felt the Ukrainian president had made amends with the statement. He also confirmed he would meet with Zelenskyy in Saudi Arabia with the goal of establishing “a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well.” Zelenskyy was in Brussels Thursday, where he met with European Union leaders and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Zelenskyy said that at both meetings, they discussed the next steps needed toward establishing lasting peace. Zelensky also announced that he is scheduled to meet in Paris on Tuesday with military chiefs of countries willing to send troops to Ukraine to ensure peace. Commenting on the meeting, Zelenskyy said, “The leaders share a clear vision that real and lasting peace is possible through the cooperation of Ukraine, all of Europe and the United States.” Some information for this report was provided by the … “Russia intensifies attacks as US, Ukraine prepare for talks” →

European defense firms look set to profit from EU investment in rearming as the bloc reacts to the United States’ pivot away from Europe’s security under President Donald Trump. But as Henry Ridgwell reports, the $860 billion ReArm Europe Plan faces opposition from members Hungary and Slovakia. …

LONDON — European defense firms appear set to profit from a massive EU investment in armaments, as the bloc reacts to a U.S. pivot away from Europe’s security under President Donald Trump. The $860 billion “ReArm Europe Plan” faces opposition, however, from Hungary, which argues the effort to continue arming Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders could bankrupt the EU. Stock gains Several European defense stocks have recorded huge gains in recent weeks, bucking the general nervousness in global markets over a potential trade war triggered by U.S. tariffs. Germany’s Rheinmetall, which makes the widely used Leopard tank, has seen its stock jump almost 90 percent since the start of the year. Shares in British arms maker BAE Systems are up over a third, while Italy’s Leonardo and the French firm Thales have also risen sharply. Europe is pushing to bolster its own defenses after Washington indicated that European security would no longer be a priority, explained Tim Oechsner, a senior trader at Germany’s Wolfgang Steubing AG bank. “The stock market has also realized that Europe is more on its own and has to defend itself accordingly — and that the USA has taken a back seat as a reliable partner. In this respect, armaments and defense spending are forecast to be higher and the values are set correspondingly higher,” Oechsner told Reuters. ReArm Europe Plan U.S. President Donald Trump has long called on Europe to spend more on its own defense, arguing that Washington should no longer foot the bill. Meeting in Brussels Thursday, European Union leaders, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, approved the $860 billion “ReArm Europe Plan,” which will be funded by EU bonds and relaxed rules on borrowing and spending. The bloc has shown in the past that it has the capacity to act fast, said Mattia Nelles of the Dusseldorf-based consultancy the German-Ukrainian Bureau. “The money is less of an issue than the resolve. We saw after corona, after COVID, that Europe and the EU were quickly able to mobilize hundreds of billions of euros,” he told VOA. In addition to the EU plans, individual nation-states are also ramping up defense spending. Friedrich Merz, who is expected to be Germany’s next chancellor after his Christian Democrats won the largest share of votes in last month’s election, pledged to relax the nation’s strict borrowing rules, known as the “debt brake.” “I want to be very clear … “$860 billion rearmament plan fuels European defense stocks” →

PARIS — The discovery of a World War II bomb has disrupted morning traffic to and from Paris’ busy Gare du Nord train station, French national railway company TER said on Friday. “An unexploded bomb from the Second World War was discovered near the tracks,” TER said on social media platform X. The disruption is affecting both local metros and national and international trains. Eurostar’s website shows that at least three trains scheduled to depart from Gare du Nord on Friday morning have been canceled. The international train company did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment. French police were not immediately available to provide more information.  …