Daily Archives: 04/01/2021


Pope Celebrates Surprise Holy Thursday with Ousted Cardinal

Pope Francis celebrated a surprise Holy Thursday Mass with the cardinal he fired last year, extending an extraordinary gesture to Cardinal Angelo Becciu by celebrating the liturgy that commemorates Jesus’ Last Supper with his apostles before his crucifixion.News of the …


DC Chef Mobilizes to Stop Attacks on Asian Americans

After seeing the recent reports of elderly Asian Americans being attacked, a chef in Washington, D.C., decided to fight back using what he does best. Karina Bafradzhian has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Andrey Degtyarev … From: BoorSee


SpaceX Introduces All-civilian Crew

SpaceX had another rough day but still names the members of its all-civilian crew. Plus, a new study examines the effects of long-term space travel on the human body. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has The Week in Space.Producer: Arash Arabasadi.    …


German Health Minister Calls for Vaccine Stockpile

Germany’s health minister, Jens Spahn, Thursday stressed the need for Germany to stock up on COVID-19 vaccine for possible repeat shots next year, and said the nation should do so with or without the rest of the European Union.Spahn made …


Florist’s Business Blossoms for Easter Holiday

Easter is one of the busier holidays for local florists in the United States, with families ordering spring blooms for their gatherings with loved ones. Esha Sarai speaks with a flower farmer and florist in Marshall, North Carolina about their best-selling products this …


US Unemployment Benefit Claims Increased Again Last Week

New U.S. unemployment compensation claims jumped again last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday, as the recovery from the economic damage caused by the coronavirus remains tenuous.The government said 719,000 workers filed for benefits last week, up 61,000 from the …


WHO Laments Europe’s ‘Unacceptably Slow’ COVID-19 Vaccination Rates

The World Health Organization says Europe’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts are  “unacceptably slow” in the face of a new surge of the virus and new, more contagious variants.  Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO’s European director, issued a statement Thursday urging the continent’s leaders …


Tigray, Ethiopia: From Conflict to Humanitarian Crisis

VOA traces the beginnings of the conflict that grew into a humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. In early November 2020, the federal government of Ethiopia — led by Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed — launched a military …


Child Among 4 Dead in Shooting at California Office Building

A child was among four people killed Wednesday in a shooting at a Southern California office building that left a fifth victim and the gunman critically wounded, police said.The violence in the city of Orange southeast of Los Angeles was …


UN: 2 Women, 3 Children Drown in Shipwreck off Libya’s Coast

Two women and three children drowned when a boat carrying dozens of Europe-bound migrants capsized off Libya, a U.N. official said Wednesday. It was the latest shipwreck involving migrants seeking a better life in Europe.Safa Msehli, spokesman for the International …


7 Hong Kong Democracy Activists Convicted Over 2019 Protest

Seven of Hong Kong’s prominent pro-democracy activists were found guilty Thursday of organizing and participating in an unlawful assembly during the 2019 anti-government demonstrations.The activists include media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Day, and 82-year-old …


Philippines Demands China Remove Vessels at 6 islands, Reefs

The Philippine government said Wednesday that more than 250 Chinese vessels it believes are operated by militia have been spotted near six Manila-claimed islands and reefs in the disputed South China Sea and demanded that China immediately remove them.The gathering …


France’s Macron Orders Third Lockdown, Closes Schools

President Emmanuel Macron ordered France into its third national lockdown Wednesday in an effort to slow a third wave of COVID-19 infecting his country.Among the lockdown measures, Macron closed all schools for three weeks beginning next Monday.Macron had hoped to …