http://www.voanews.com/archive/europe/latest/594/611.html europe http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://www.voanews.com/archive/europe/latest/594/611.html en-US 2012 - VOA 60 Mon, 20 May 2013 01:48:43 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA The European Union criticized Russia's human rights record on Sunday, saying it was increasingly concerned at a wave of restrictive legislation and prosecutions against activists. The 27-nation bloc cited the cases of protesters arrested at a demonstration on the eve of President Vladimir Putin's inauguration last year who are still awaiting trial, and a new law requiring charities with funding from abroad to register as "foreign agents". "Both sides discussed at ... http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-worried-by-russia-human-rights-record/1664187.html http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-worried-by-russia-human-rights-record/1664187.html Sun, 19 May 2013 21:24:03 -0400 Europe Reuters Pope Francis warned the Catholic Church to not close in on itself at a Mass to mark Pentecost Sunday attended by more than 200,000 people, urging the faithful to be open and present in a new and changing world.      The Church should ask itself daily whether it is resisting new challenges and remaining "barricaded in transient structures which have lost their capacity for openness to what is new," he said.      "Newness always makes us a ... http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-warns-church-against-closing-in-on-itself/1663988.html http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-warns-church-against-closing-in-on-itself/1663988.html Sun, 19 May 2013 11:02:34 -0400 Europe Reuters Danish singer Emmelie de Forest has been crowned the newest winner of the annual Eurovision song contest, with a "folky" pop song called Only Teardrops. De Forest was favored to win the song competition, watched by well over 100 million viewers, though competitors included Welsh pop star Bonnie Tyler and a number of other high-profile stars. De Forest succeeds last year's winner, Swedish singer Loreen. The contest is usually set in the home country of the previous year's ... http://www.voanews.com/content/denmarks-emmelie-de-forest-wins-eurovision-contest/1663852.html http://www.voanews.com/content/denmarks-emmelie-de-forest-wins-eurovision-contest/1663852.html Sun, 19 May 2013 04:41:15 -0400 Europe VOA News Pope Francis shared personal moments with 200,000 people on Saturday, telling them he sometimes nods off while praying at the end of a long day and that it “breaks my heart” that the death of a homeless person is not news.   Francis, who has made straight talk and simplicity a hallmark of his papacy, made his unscripted comments in answers to questions by four people at a huge international gathering of Catholic associations in St. Peter's Square.   But he outdid himself in ... http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-church-must-help-poorest-no-dissect-theology/1663799.html http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-church-must-help-poorest-no-dissect-theology/1663799.html Sat, 18 May 2013 17:55:31 -0400 Europe Reuters Thousands of elderly Kenyans are awaiting reparations for colonial-era abuses as their lawyers enter the final stages of negotiations with the British Foreign Office.    Amidst the Kenyan struggle for independence decades ago, the Mau Mau resistance movement launched a guerrilla war against the British colonial administration. Hundreds of thousands accused of participating in the uprising were detained, tortured or executed by the colonial government.   Last October, the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/mau-mau-veterans-in-kenya-expect-impending-settlement/1663610.html http://www.voanews.com/content/mau-mau-veterans-in-kenya-expect-impending-settlement/1663610.html Sat, 18 May 2013 09:57:38 -0400 Africa Roopa Gogineni France has become the 14th country to legalize same-sex marriage, after President Francois Hollande signed the bill into law. Mr. Hollande acted Saturday, a day after the Constitutional Council threw out a legal challenge by the right-wing opposition - the UMP party of former president Nicolas Sarkozy. On Friday, the French leader said he would ensure that the law applies across the whole country, and he would not accept any disruption of the marriages. French Justice Minister Christiane ... http://www.voanews.com/content/france-marriage/1663534.html http://www.voanews.com/content/france-marriage/1663534.html Sat, 18 May 2013 04:00:53 -0400 Europe VOA News The top U.S. military officer says Russian missile shipments to Syria are "ill-timed" and "very unfortunate." The remarks by General Martin Dempsey were the first U.S. confirmation that Russia made the sale of so-called ship-killer cruise missiles to Syria. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday the missiles will embolden President Bashar al-Assad and prolong the suffering in Syria. The New York Times says the Russian anti-ship cruise missiles ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-criticizes-russian-missiles-sale-to-syria/1663518.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-criticizes-russian-missiles-sale-to-syria/1663518.html Sat, 18 May 2013 00:27:49 -0400 Middle East VOA News The European Union is calling for action following an alarming survey released Friday showing most gays and transgender people in Europe live in fear of discrimination and violence. The new European Union survey is the most far-reaching to date on discrimination and violence against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) people in Europe - and its release coincides with the International Day Against Homophobia.  Homophobia is hardly unique to Europe. But politicians and ... http://www.voanews.com/content/survey-shows-european-gays-fear-violence-and-discrimination/1663084.html http://www.voanews.com/content/survey-shows-european-gays-fear-violence-and-discrimination/1663084.html Fri, 17 May 2013 11:57:21 -0400 Europe Lisa Bryant More than $1 million worth of jewels due to be lent to movie stars at the Cannes film festival were stolen from a hotel room in the French Riviera town, a police source said.   The jewels were in the safe of the room rented by an employee of Chopard, a luxury jeweler, the source said on condition of anonymity.   The incident at the hotel in central Cannes took place on the night of Thursday to Friday as the festival got under way, drawing thousands of movie stars, film industry ... http://www.voanews.com/content/jewels-for-cannes-movie-stars-stolen-from-hotel/1662941.html http://www.voanews.com/content/jewels-for-cannes-movie-stars-stolen-from-hotel/1662941.html Fri, 17 May 2013 10:09:18 -0400 Europe Reuters United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is in Russia, where he said it is important to not "lose momentum" in setting up a peace conference on Syria next month. Ban told reporters Friday that momentum gained by talks between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov should be built upon, not wasted. He said a U.N. team is ready at any time to investigate claims that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against rebels. Lavrov has said ... http://www.voanews.com/content/un-chief-discusses-syria-with-russian-officials/1662809.html http://www.voanews.com/content/un-chief-discusses-syria-with-russian-officials/1662809.html Fri, 17 May 2013 05:22:59 -0400 Middle East VOA News http://www.voanews.com/content/un-chief-discusses-syria-with-russian-officials/1662809.html#relatedInfoContainer A teenager from London was jailed for eight years in Cyprus on Friday for fatally stabbing an off-duty British soldier at a holiday resort on the island last year.   Fusilier David Lee Collins, 19, from Manchester, died from knife wounds after a fight broke out in the resort of Ayia Napa in November.   Mohammed Abdulkadir Osman, 19, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Charges against two other men arrested with him were dropped in a plea bargain.   Osman and Collins were part ... http://www.voanews.com/content/man-sentenced-8-years-for-killing-british-soldier-in-cyprus/1662803.html http://www.voanews.com/content/man-sentenced-8-years-for-killing-british-soldier-in-cyprus/1662803.html Fri, 17 May 2013 04:58:31 -0400 Europe Reuters President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan say the U.S. and Turkey are determined to see Syrian President Bashar al-Assad leave to pave the way for a political transition.   In a news conference following bilateral talks, both leaders downplayed differences over Syria, underscoring the importance of maintaining pressure on the Assad regime while sustaining Syria's opposition.   President Obama recognized Erdogan for being "at the forefront" ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-erdogan-to-pressure-assad-regime/1662367.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-erdogan-to-pressure-assad-regime/1662367.html Thu, 16 May 2013 12:57:35 -0400 Middle East Dan Robinson http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-erdogan-to-pressure-assad-regime/1662367.html#relatedInfoContainer Former England captain David Beckham, who will retire at the end of the season, helped put Paris St Germain on the world soccer map but predictably made little impact on the field. Beckham, at 38 the oldest outfield player in Ligue 1, came behind France international Blaise Matuidi and Italians Marco Verratti or Thiago Motta in coach Carlo Ancelotti's order of preference, making only nine league appearances since his debut in late February. He created one goal and also picked up a red ... http://www.voanews.com/content/soccer-beckham-praised-for-all-round-contribution-at-psg/1662369.html http://www.voanews.com/content/soccer-beckham-praised-for-all-round-contribution-at-psg/1662369.html Thu, 16 May 2013 12:50:18 -0400 Europe Reuters British actress Emma Watson has turned to crime in her latest role as part of a celebrity-obsessed teenage gang robbing their Hollywood idols' homes in a film that made its debut at the Cannes film festival on Thursday.   “The Bling Ring”, written and directed by Sofia Coppola, is based on a real-life gang fixated by glamor who tracked their targets' whereabouts online and stole $3 million of luxury goods from celebrities including Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.   Watson, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/Emma-watson-turns-to-crime-in-celebrity-obsessed-film-at-cannes/1662373.html http://www.voanews.com/content/Emma-watson-turns-to-crime-in-celebrity-obsessed-film-at-cannes/1662373.html Thu, 16 May 2013 12:42:51 -0400 Arts & Entertainment Reuters A leading rights group is calling on the European Union to take steps toward suspending Hungary's voting rights following much-criticized changes to its Constitution. In a 29-page report issued Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) claims Hungary's recent changes to its Constitution and other legal measures are undermining judicial independence, media rights and even the rights of the homeless. Hungary's parliament passed the constitutional amendment in March, sparking popular ... http://www.voanews.com/content/rights-group-urges-eu-to-sanction-hungary/1662313.html http://www.voanews.com/content/rights-group-urges-eu-to-sanction-hungary/1662313.html Thu, 16 May 2013 11:54:24 -0400 Europe Lisa Bryant One of the most well-known and beloved soccer players in the world, David Beckham, is retiring at age 38. After playing six season's with U.S. Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, the former England captain has been with France's Paris Saint-Germain this season, where he won a league title in a fourth country. Beckham also won championships with his boyhood club Manchester United, Spain's Real Madrid and the LA Galaxy, where he won two titles. The midfielder holds the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/former-england-captain-beckham-to-retire-at-end-of-season/1662224.html http://www.voanews.com/content/former-england-captain-beckham-to-retire-at-end-of-season/1662224.html Thu, 16 May 2013 10:30:16 -0400 Europe Parke Brewer President Barack Obama welcomes Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House on Thursday for talks on the situation in Syria and other regional security and bilateral issues. Obama's relationship with Erdogan is among the closest he has with any world leader.   They speak frequently on the phone.  Syria has been a key topic as the death toll there continues to mount.  Turkey has played a key role in the provision of non-lethal aid and political ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-turkish-pm-to-discuss-syria-in-white-house-talks/1662034.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-turkish-pm-to-discuss-syria-in-white-house-talks/1662034.html Thu, 16 May 2013 04:52:04 -0400 Europe Dan Robinson http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-turkish-pm-to-discuss-syria-in-white-house-talks/1662034.html#relatedInfoContainer The Eurozone economy shrank more than expected in 2013, falling two tenths of one percent between January and March.  The new data means the 17-nation currency bloc has now been in recession for six consecutive quarters - longer even than the deep recession that followed the global financial crisis of 2008. Of the 17 nations that make up the common currency bloc - nine countries are now in recession. While not as steep as the recession that came after the 2008 financial crisis - ... http://www.voanews.com/content/europe-recession-financial-crisis/1661912.html http://www.voanews.com/content/europe-recession-financial-crisis/1661912.html Wed, 15 May 2013 18:50:36 -0400 Economy Mil Arcega Federal investigators have learned that the main suspect in last month’s Boston Marathon bombing met with an exiled former Chechen rebel fighter in Manchester, New Hampshire less than a month before carrying out the attack that killed three and wounded more than 260. Police in Manchester confirmed to VOA that FBI agents have searched the home of the former Chechen resistance figure, Musa Khadjimuradov, and examined the hard drives of his computers. Khadjimuradov confirmed to VOA that FBI ... http://www.voanews.com/content/boston-marathon-bombing/1661874.html http://www.voanews.com/content/boston-marathon-bombing/1661874.html Wed, 15 May 2013 17:42:03 -0400 Europe Fatima Tlisova http://www.voanews.com/content/boston-marathon-bombing/1661874.html#relatedInfoContainer Bulgaria's political stalemate deepened on Wednesday after final results confirmed a prospective Socialist alliance with ethnic Turkish MRF allies lacking a majority, and its president warned of destabilization without a new government soon.   President Rosen Plevneliev appealed to political parties to hammer out a coalition deal after the inconclusive weekend election in the European Union's poorest member state.   "It is important to have a stable government. ... http://www.voanews.com/content/bulgarian-president-rosen-plevneliev-election-stalemate-coalition/1661859.html http://www.voanews.com/content/bulgarian-president-rosen-plevneliev-election-stalemate-coalition/1661859.html Wed, 15 May 2013 17:12:07 -0400 Europe Reuters Prime Minister David Cameron suffered an embarrassing blow in parliament on Wednesday when a third of his Conservative lawmakers voted against him in protest at his stance on Britain's membership in the European Union.      Though the revolt was defeated, the rebellion could undermine Cameron's leadership, as scores of his own party's lawmakers took the highly unusual step of voting to criticize his government's legislative plans, a week after they were ... http://www.voanews.com/content/uk-cameron-survives-humbling-parliamentary-revolt-over-eu/1661824.html http://www.voanews.com/content/uk-cameron-survives-humbling-parliamentary-revolt-over-eu/1661824.html Wed, 15 May 2013 16:38:47 -0400 Europe Reuters Kaspersky Lab, the Russian anti-virus software maker, plans to open an office in the Washington area to spearhead sales to the U.S. government, a bid to offset slowing demand for its programs for consumers. Kaspersky makes one of the top-selling anti-virus programs in the United States, where it has gained market share in recent years against products from Symantec Corp, Intel Corp's McAfee and Trend Micro Inc. Yet the Moscow-headquartered company has struggled to make inroads with the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kaspersky-plans-increased-sales-to-us-government/1661786.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kaspersky-plans-increased-sales-to-us-government/1661786.html Wed, 15 May 2013 15:47:01 -0400 Science & Technology Reuters Sub-Saharan Africa has some of the world's highest rates of chronic malnutrition among children. Now, the United Nations children's agency has put a price tag on it: $25 billion a year. That's the conclusion of a UNICEF conference on child malnutrition that wrapped up Wednesday in Paris. The effects of hunger often are obvious. Think about the images of skeletal children during the recent droughts in Africa's Sahel and the Horn of Africa. Stunting, or chronic malnutrition, is ... http://www.voanews.com/content/unicef-says-africas-child-malnutrition-costs-25-billion-dollars-annually/1661780.html http://www.voanews.com/content/unicef-says-africas-child-malnutrition-costs-25-billion-dollars-annually/1661780.html Wed, 15 May 2013 15:08:04 -0400 Africa Lisa Bryant http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1661466.html http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1661466.html Wed, 15 May 2013 11:07:00 -0400 Europe The United States and Russia say they believe they will soon convene peace talks to end the violence in Syria. At the United Nations, the General Assembly is expected to adopt a resolution Wednesday condemning the continued bloodshed there.  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told a joint news conference in Sweden that both he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are "very, very hopeful" that plans to hold a June peace conference in Geneva are progressing.  Lavrov ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-lavrov-confident-on-syria-peace-plan/1661438.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-lavrov-confident-on-syria-peace-plan/1661438.html Wed, 15 May 2013 10:50:56 -0400 Middle East VOA News http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-lavrov-confident-on-syria-peace-plan/1661438.html#relatedInfoContainer Like most people in Szczecin, a port city on the western edge of Poland, businessman Zbigniew Sawicki thought that when his country joined the European Union a decade ago, wealthier German neighbors would pour in and buy up the city.   But events took an unexpected turn. Large numbers of well-to-do Poles from Szczecin, including many of Sawicki's friends, are moving into Germany and buying properties on such a scale that sleepy Prussian villages are taking on a Polish air.   ... http://www.voanews.com/content/polish-city-offers-lifeline-to-struggling-german-neighbors/1661431.html http://www.voanews.com/content/polish-city-offers-lifeline-to-struggling-german-neighbors/1661431.html Wed, 15 May 2013 10:42:13 -0400 Europe Reuters Four British hackers who took part in 2011 cyber-attacks on targets ranging from the CIA to Sony were audacious, arrogant men whose motivation was “anarchic self-amusement'', a court heard on Wednesday.   The men, who have pleaded guilty to a variety of offenses, were members of the hacking collective LulzSec that caused millions of dollars of damage to corporate and government computer networks during an online crime spree they boasted about on Twitter.   “They are at the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/lulzsec-hackers-at-cutting-edge-of-cyber-crime/1661420.html http://www.voanews.com/content/lulzsec-hackers-at-cutting-edge-of-cyber-crime/1661420.html Wed, 15 May 2013 10:11:19 -0400 Europe Reuters http://www.voanews.com/content/lulzsec-hackers-at-cutting-edge-of-cyber-crime/1661420.html#relatedInfoContainer Kremlin officials on Wednesday denounced an alleged attempt by a U.S. diplomat to recruit a Russian intelligence officer, but suggested the scandal would have little effect on U.S.-Russia relations. Earlier this week, Russian authorities briefly detained the diplomat, who was accused of trying to recruit the Russian agent to work for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. The diplomat was later expelled from the country. President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, told ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kremlin-says-it-regrets-spy-scandal/1661335.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kremlin-says-it-regrets-spy-scandal/1661335.html Wed, 15 May 2013 09:09:22 -0400 Europe Jessica Golloher http://www.voanews.com/content/kremlin-says-it-regrets-spy-scandal/1661335.html#relatedInfoContainer Germany's economy crept back into growth at the start of the year but not by enough to stop the euro zone from contracting for a sixth straight quarter, and France slid into recession. Falling output across the bloc meant the 17-nation economy is in its longest recession since records began in 1995. It shrank 0.2 percent in the January to March period, the EU's statistics office Eurostat said on Wednesday, worse than the 0.1 percent contraction forecast by a Reuters ... http://www.voanews.com/content/germany-cant-stop-eurozone-from-sinking-into-longest-recession/1661294.html http://www.voanews.com/content/germany-cant-stop-eurozone-from-sinking-into-longest-recession/1661294.html Wed, 15 May 2013 07:08:14 -0400 Europe Reuters The European Union has launched an antitrust investigation into possible price manipulations for oil and biofuel products. Authorities made unannounced inspections Tuesday at three oil companies -- BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Statoil -- as well as Platts, a company that collects oil price data. The European Commission said in a statement it is concerned that the companies may have worked together to report false prices and prevent others "from participating in the price assessment ... http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-inspects-four-firms-in-oil-pricefixing-probe/1661253.html http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-inspects-four-firms-in-oil-pricefixing-probe/1661253.html Wed, 15 May 2013 05:24:34 -0400 Europe VOA News New figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development show that social welfare programs shielded some of the poorest Europeans from the harshest effects of the global financial crisis - programs that are now being cut as countries adopt austerity measures. The new study by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development looks at a number of countries hit by the financial crisis between 2007 and 2010, including the United States and Mexico. But its ... http://www.voanews.com/content/safety-net-shielded-europe-poorest-from-crisis/1661157.html http://www.voanews.com/content/safety-net-shielded-europe-poorest-from-crisis/1661157.html Tue, 14 May 2013 20:07:22 -0400 Europe Lisa Bryant A team of Americans and Kenyans has developed a new Internet router - and it's creating buzz. That's because it is an affordable, reliable solution for people without consistent Internet access. It can run while plugged in or on battery power, jump between networks at will, and become a mobile hotspot for multiple devices. The team presented the device - called the Brck [pronounced Brick] - at the Re:publica tech conference in Berlin. Erik Hersman and his team in Nairobi have created ... http://www.voanews.com/content/device-keeps-internet-on-when-power-goes-off/1661067.html http://www.voanews.com/content/device-keeps-internet-on-when-power-goes-off/1661067.html Tue, 14 May 2013 16:26:01 -0400 Science & Technology Michael Scaturro http://www.voanews.com/content/device-keeps-internet-on-when-power-goes-off/1661067.html#relatedInfoContainer The European Union will pledge more than $650 million to help Mali rebuild after its conflict, ahead of a major international donors' conference in Brussels Wednesday.  European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso announced the European Union pledge at a joint press conference in Brussels with Malian President Dioncounda Traore.  He said the funds, earmarked into 2014, could be reviewed if the situation merited. Barroso said support from the international community was ... http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-to-mali-650-million-dollars-to-rebuild/1661039.html http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-to-mali-650-million-dollars-to-rebuild/1661039.html Tue, 14 May 2013 16:00:24 -0400 Africa Lisa Bryant Prosecutors rejected a plea bargain offer by the captain of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, which capsized off Italy's west coast last year with the loss of 32 lives, lawyers said on Tuesday.   Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship. He has admitted making mistakes but says he should not be the only one blamed for the disaster.   State prosecutors accepted plea bargains for five other officials, including four ship's ... http://www.voanews.com/content/shipwreck-italy-costa-concordia/1661029.html http://www.voanews.com/content/shipwreck-italy-costa-concordia/1661029.html Tue, 14 May 2013 15:36:33 -0400 Europe Reuters The European Commission plans to send a formal warning to China that it is ready to levy sanctions against telecom equipment makers Huawei and ZTE Corp over illegal subsidies, people close to the matter said. EU trade chief Karel De Gucht is set to win support from the bloc's executive on Wednesday to send the warning letter and show China's new president, Xi Jinping, that Brussels is serious about countering what it says is state support. “We want to send a warning to the Chinese, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-concerned-about-subsidies-to-telecom-gear-makers/1661013.html http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-concerned-about-subsidies-to-telecom-gear-makers/1661013.html Tue, 14 May 2013 15:24:12 -0400 Economy Reuters http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-concerned-about-subsidies-to-telecom-gear-makers/1661013.html#relatedInfoContainer Britain's Prince Harry praised "that great American spirit'' on Tuesday during his tour of the recovering Jersey Shore, where crews were dismantling a landmark roller coaster - a symbol of Superstorm Sandy's destruction. Cheers erupted from the crowd assembled on the freshly cut boardwalk as the prince and his escort, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, shook hands with residents of storm-battered beach towns, cleanup volunteers and local officials. Prince Harry told ... http://www.voanews.com/content/britains-prince-harry-tours-jersey-shore-post-sandy/1660874.html http://www.voanews.com/content/britains-prince-harry-tours-jersey-shore-post-sandy/1660874.html Tue, 14 May 2013 13:34:58 -0400 USA Reuters Researchers are developing new techniques to find hidden graves. They say it would help locate the remains of a lone murder victim or the mass graves of victims of war. The research has been presented at the Meeting of the Americas in Cancun, Mexico, co-sponsored by the American Geophysical Union. Jamie Pringle Said, “There are thousands of missing people around the world that could have been tortured and killed and buried in clandestine graves.” Pringle is a lecturer in geoscience at ... http://www.voanews.com/content/finding-graves-14may13/1660815.html http://www.voanews.com/content/finding-graves-14may13/1660815.html Tue, 14 May 2013 12:16:20 -0400 Africa Joe DeCapua A new report is pointing toward improving economic fortunes throughout much of the world. The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Tuesday that most major economies are advancing compared to late last year. The OECD, representing 34 of the world's biggest economies, said economic growth is firming in the United States, the world's largest economy. At the same time, the report on leading economic indicators said that economic growth in Japan, with ... http://www.voanews.com/content/oecd-sees-mostly-improving-global-economy/1660774.html http://www.voanews.com/content/oecd-sees-mostly-improving-global-economy/1660774.html Tue, 14 May 2013 11:18:23 -0400 Economy VOA News http://www.voanews.com/content/oecd-sees-mostly-improving-global-economy/1660774.html#relatedInfoContainer Russia is ordering the immediate departure of a U.S. embassy employee it accuses of trying to recruit a Russian intelligence officer to work for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Acting Deputy State Department Spokesman Patrick Ventrell confirms that an officer of the U.S. embassy in Moscow was briefly detained and released. "We have seen the Russian Foreign Ministry announcement and have no further comment at this time," Ventrell said. Russia's Federal Security Service ... http://www.voanews.com/content/russia-detains-us-diplomat-accused-of-spying/1660648.html http://www.voanews.com/content/russia-detains-us-diplomat-accused-of-spying/1660648.html Tue, 14 May 2013 09:33:08 -0400 Europe Scott Stearns http://www.voanews.com/content/russia-detains-us-diplomat-accused-of-spying/1660648.html#relatedInfoContainer A Soyuz space capsule carrying a three-man international crew has landed safely in central Kazakhstan. Canadian Chris Hadfield, American Tom Marshburn and Roman Romanenko of Russia landed Tuesday after a 146-day mission to the International Space Station. Hadfield, 53, is a veteran of two shuttle missions and the first Canadian astronaut to assume command of the ISS. Before leaving the ISS, Hadfield said goodbye to life in space by recording his own version of British rock star David ... http://www.voanews.com/content/threeman-crew-returns-from-international-space-station-mission/1660472.html http://www.voanews.com/content/threeman-crew-returns-from-international-space-station-mission/1660472.html Tue, 14 May 2013 00:51:08 -0400 Science & Technology VOA News The twin car bombings Saturday in the town of Reyhanli, near Turkey's border with Syria, killed 48 and injured more than 100, and have increased fears that Turkey is being dragged into Syria's civil war. The Turkish government is facing growing criticism for its support of the Syrian opposition.   Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as one of the most vocal leaders in the region supporting the uprising against Syria's Bashar al-Assad. But when the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/turkey-syria-bombing/1660291.html http://www.voanews.com/content/turkey-syria-bombing/1660291.html Mon, 13 May 2013 16:24:38 -0400 Europe Dorian Jones http://www.voanews.com/content/turkey-syria-bombing/1660291.html#relatedInfoContainer Italian prosecutors on Monday called for a six-year jail sentence and a lifetime ban on holding public office for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, charged with abuse of office and paying for sex with a minor.   The 76-year-old billionaire media tycoon and center-right senator is accused of paying for sex with Karima El Mahroug, better known by her stage name 'Ruby the Heartstealer', when she was under 18, during the now notorious “bunga bunga'' parties at his villa ... http://www.voanews.com/content/italy-prosecutor-jail-berlusconi-sex-trial/1660217.html http://www.voanews.com/content/italy-prosecutor-jail-berlusconi-sex-trial/1660217.html Mon, 13 May 2013 14:53:52 -0400 Europe Reuters The Turkish government has prepared a draft law that would ban advertising alcoholic drinks in what officials say is an effort to protect children but could further divide religious and secularist Turks.      The bill, which was sent to parliament on Friday, would also ban companies that produce alcohol from sponsoring events, restrict where alcoholic drinks are sold and consumed, and require Turkish producers to place health warnings on packaging.      ... http://www.voanews.com/content/turkey-considers-tighter-limits-on-alcohol-sale-consumption/1660208.html http://www.voanews.com/content/turkey-considers-tighter-limits-on-alcohol-sale-consumption/1660208.html Mon, 13 May 2013 14:43:25 -0400 Europe Reuters Spain and Portugal called on Monday for the eurozone to complete a banking union as Germany underscored legal hurdles before a central element of the plan to deal with failing banks can be introduced.   “It is indispensable that we stick to the agreed calendar on banking union and that we take steps to make sure families and small companies receive credit,” Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told reporters.   “Banking union is the credibility test of the European Union,” he said, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/spain-portugal-eurozone-banking-union/1660140.html http://www.voanews.com/content/spain-portugal-eurozone-banking-union/1660140.html Mon, 13 May 2013 13:42:44 -0400 Economy Reuters http://www.voanews.com/content/spain-portugal-eurozone-banking-union/1660140.html#relatedInfoContainer A new coronavirus that has killed 18 people since last year could be passed between people in close contact, according to the World Health Organization. Speaking from Saudi Arabia, WHO Assistant Director General Keiji Fukda said Sunday that he’s concerned about person to person tranmission. "Of most concern, however, is the fact that the different clusters seen in multiple countries increasingly support the hypothesis that when there is close contact, this novel coronavirus can ... http://www.voanews.com/content/who-issues-warning-over-sars-like-virus/1660074.html http://www.voanews.com/content/who-issues-warning-over-sars-like-virus/1660074.html Mon, 13 May 2013 12:05:42 -0400 Health Selah Hennessy http://www.voanews.com/content/who-issues-warning-over-sars-like-virus/1660074.html#relatedInfoContainer The departing top NATO military commander has listed cyber security as the number one challenge for the coming years. Cyber attacks on corporations and governments are no longer unusual. Suspects and their computers are hauled away on a regular basis.  That's why Admiral James Stavridis sees cyber security as the top challenge for his successor. he said, "Our society is so dependent on all these cyber capabilities, and yet our level of preparation is very low, particularly as ... http://www.voanews.com/content/cyber-threat-top-concern-for-new-nato-commander/1659968.html http://www.voanews.com/content/cyber-threat-top-concern-for-new-nato-commander/1659968.html Mon, 13 May 2013 10:29:51 -0400 USA Al Pessin http://www.voanews.com/content/cyber-threat-top-concern-for-new-nato-commander/1659968.html#relatedInfoContainer The 2013 Cannes film festival opens on Wednesday with Baz Luhrmann's 3D version of The Great Gatsby, a lavish throwback to the Roaring Twenties that befits the glamour and excess of the world's biggest cinema showcase. The Australian director's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel starring Leonardo DiCaprio surprised some Hollywood insiders, because Cannes traditionally launches on the palm-lined French Riviera with a splashy world premiere. But The Great Gatsby has ... http://www.voanews.com/content/cannes-film-festival-opens-with-fittingly-lavish-the-great-gatsby/1659858.html http://www.voanews.com/content/cannes-film-festival-opens-with-fittingly-lavish-the-great-gatsby/1659858.html Mon, 13 May 2013 08:26:04 -0400 Arts & Entertainment Reuters http://www.voanews.com/content/cannes-film-festival-opens-with-fittingly-lavish-the-great-gatsby/1659858.html#relatedInfoContainer British Prime Minister David Cameron moved to end a revolt over European Union membership in his ruling Conservative party on Monday, saying all his ministers backed his strategy on the issue despite two expressing more skeptical views than his own. Cameron, who heads a two-party coalition, has promised to try to renegotiate Britain's membership of the EU if he wins an election in 2015 and then call a referendum to decide whether his country remains a member of the bloc. He cannot act ... http://www.voanews.com/content/british-pm-cameron-moves-to-quell-party-revolt-over-europe/1659805.html http://www.voanews.com/content/british-pm-cameron-moves-to-quell-party-revolt-over-europe/1659805.html Mon, 13 May 2013 06:47:36 -0400 Europe Reuters President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have reaffirmed their determination to achieve a negotiated solution to end Syria's civil war, through a hoped for peace conference. The president also faced questions about the controversy over last year's terrorist attack on U.S. diplomats in Benghazi, Libya. In their first Oval Office talks since Obama's re-election, the two leaders discussed steps to persuade Syria's rebels, and President Bashar al-Assad's ... http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-cameron-set-for-white-house-talks/1659785.html http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-cameron-set-for-white-house-talks/1659785.html Mon, 13 May 2013 04:34:46 -0400 USA Dan Robinson http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-cameron-set-for-white-house-talks/1659785.html#relatedInfoContainer With most of the votes counted in Bulgaria's parliamentary elections held Sunday, the conservative GERB party looks to have won, just three months after leader and former prime minister Boykov Borisov stepped down in answer to anti-government protests. However, the party has fallen far short of an absolute majority, and could be in for a struggle to form a government. With nearly three-quarters of the votes counted, GERB has garnered 31 percent of the vote. It is followed by the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/conservatives-poised-to-retake-charge-of-bulgaria-legislation/1659778.html http://www.voanews.com/content/conservatives-poised-to-retake-charge-of-bulgaria-legislation/1659778.html Mon, 13 May 2013 02:56:12 -0400 Europe VOA News