Fossil fuel use, emissions hit records in 2023, report says
LONDON — Global fossil fuel consumption and energy emissions hit all-time highs in 2023, even as fossil fuels’ share of the global energy mix decreased slightly on the year, the industry’s Statistical Review of World Energy report said on Thursday….
Ukraine launches sexual assault registry for victims of Russian forces
KYIV, Ukraine — Authorities in Ukraine have created a national registry to document cases of sexual violence allegedly committed by Russian forces, a senior prosecutor told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Viktoriia Litvinova, the country’s deputy prosecutor general, said the…
Abortion looms in US presidential election 2 years after key ruling
Two years ago this month, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its 1973 ruling that legalized abortion. Now, abortion looms as a major issue in this year’s elections. VOA’s senior Washington correspondent Carolyn Presutti looks at how the issue is charging…
EU criticizes France for excessive debt
BRUSSELS — The European Union’s executive arm on Wednesday criticized France for running up excessive debt, a stinging rebuke at the height of an election campaign where President Emmanuel Macron is facing a strong challenge from the extreme right and…
Libya: UN official highlights need for inclusive talks to end stalemate
Briefing ambassadors at the UN Security Council, Stephanie Koury added that many Libyans have deep concerns, which she shares, about the de facto division of the country. Rival administrations have evolved, one led by the internationally recognized Government of National…
Laws of war likely ‘consistently violated’ in Israeli strikes on Gaza: UN rights office
The finding follows investigations by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, into six attacks that it has described as “emblematic” of Israeli tactics in the more than eight-month war, involving the suspected use of bombs weighing up to 2,000lbs (920kg)…
Independent rights probe highlights Israeli ‘destruction and dislocation’ tactics in Gaza
“People from the north of Gaza move south and suddenly they get attacked in the south. We read all those contrary instructions as pointing to an attitude of not caring for their lives, destruction and dislocation,” said Navi Pillay, Chair…
French far-right leader Bardella backs Ukraine, but would not send long-range missiles
Paris — French far-right leader Jordan Bardella said on Wednesday that he backed Ukraine’s right to defend itself against Russia, but if elected prime minister he would not provide Kyiv with missiles that would allow it to strike Russia’s territory….
First crew of Boeing Starliner to remain at ISS until late June
The two-person crew of Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft will remain at the International Space Station for several more days to allow ground engineers time to examine a new set of problems with the spacecraft. Officials with the U.S. space agency…
Ukraine says energy facilities damaged in attack
An overnight drone attack in central and western Ukraine damaged energy facilities in the country, while firefighters in the Russian town of Azov battled a blaze at an oil depot for a second day. Ukraine’s energy ministry said equipment was…