The British government announced Friday plans to fast-track any viable COVID-19 vaccine, allowing the emergency use of the drug before it goes through the formal licensing process, if it meets certain safety and quality standards.In a statement the British government, said if a viable vaccine is discovered before the end of the year, the proposals will bolster existing powers that allow the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to consider approving its use, before a full product license is granted, provided it is proven to be safe and effective.The measures are necessary because during the transition period, a new potential COVID-19 vaccine must be granted a license after a review by the European Medicines Agency a process than can often take months.A handout image released by 10 Downing Street, shows Britain’s new Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Jonathan Van-Tam speaking at a remote press conference, May 30, 2020.Britain’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said in the statement, “If we develop effective vaccines, it’s important we make them available to patients as quickly as possible but only once strict safety standards have been met.”The new guidelines also call for expanding the number of trained health care workers who can administer any potential COVID-19 vaccines as well as flu vaccines.The government said a three-week “consultation” is being launched immediately for health experts and key stakeholder groups to consider the new proposals. If approved they could be in place as early as October.Britain has had the worst COVID-19 death toll of any European country.
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The Russian navy conducted major war games near Alaska involving dozens of ships and aircraft, the military said Friday, the biggest such drills in the area since Soviet times.  
 
Russia’s navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, said that more than 50 warships and about 40 aircraft were taking part in the exercise in the Bering Sea, which involved multiple practice missile launches.  
 
“We are holding such massive drills there for the first time ever,” Yevmenov said in a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry.
 
It wasn’t immediately clear when the exercises began or if they had finished.
 
Yevmenov emphasized that the war games are part of Russia’s efforts to boost its presence in the Arctic region and protect its resources.
 
“We are building up our forces to ensure the economic development of the region,” he said. “We are getting used to the Arctic spaces.”
 
The Russian military has rebuilt and expanded numerous facilities across the polar region in recent years, revamping runways and deploying additional air defense assets.
 
Russia has prioritized boosting its military presence in the Arctic region, which is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earth’s undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion.
 
Russia’s Pacific Fleet, whose assets were taking part in the maneuvers, said the Omsk nuclear submarine and the Varyag missile cruiser launched cruise missiles at a practice target in the Bering Sea as part of the exercise.
 
The maneuvers also saw Onyx cruise missiles being fired at a practice target in the Gulf of Anadyr from the coast of the Chukchi Peninsula, it added.
 
As the exercise was ongoing, U.S. military spotted a Russian submarine surfacing near Alaska on Thursday. U.S. Northern Command spokesman Bill Lewis noted that the Russian military exercise is taking place in international waters, well outside U.S. territory.
 
Lewis said the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command were closely monitoring the submarine. He added that they haven’t received any requests for assistance from the Russian navy but stand ready to assist those in distress.
 
Russian state RIA Novosti news agency quoted Russia’s Pacific Fleet sources as saying that the surfacing of the Omsk nuclear submarine was routine.
 
It cited former Russian navy’s chief of staff, retired Adm. Viktor Kravchenko, as saying that by having the submarine surface in the area the navy may have wanted to send a deliberate signal.
 
“It’s a signal that we aren’t asleep and we are wherever we want,” RIA Novosti quoted Kravchenko as saying.
 
The presence of Russian military assets in the area caused a stir for U.S. commercial fishing vessels in the Bering Sea on Wednesday.
 
“We were notified by multiple fishing vessels that were operating out the Bering Sea that they had come across these vessels and were concerned,” U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Kip Wadlow said Thursday.
 
The Coast Guard contacted the Alaskan Command at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which confirmed the ships were there as part of a pre-planned Russian military exercise that was known to some U.S. military officials, he said.
 
The Russian military has expanded the number and the scope of its war games in recent years as Russia-West relations have sunk to their lowest level since the Cold War after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, and other crises.
 
  
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One of six RFE/RL journalists detained while covering post-election protests in Minsk on Aug. 27 is facing a charge of being a participant in an unauthorized mass demonstration.
 
He is among at least 35 journalists, and more than 260 people overall, who were detained during Aug. 27 protests in Minsk, according to a list compiled by the human rights center Vyasna.
 
The charge filed against Andrey Yaroshevich, a freelance camera operator working for Current Time, is an administrative offense that can result in a fine or a jail sentence. His case was being heard at a Minsk court on Aug. 28.
 
A total of six journalists working either for RFE/RL’s Belarus Service or Current Time — the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA — were detained while covering demonstrations in two different Minsk locations on Aug. 27.
 
The Belarus Service’s Aleh Hruzdzilovich, Andrey Rabchyk, and Ales Dashchynski were detained on Independence Square. Uladzimer Hrydzin, a correspondent for RFE/RL’s Belarus Service, was detained during a demonstration on Freedom Square in Minsk.
 
All but Yaroshevich were later released.
 
In addition to Yaroshevich, three journalists who work for other media outlets also remained in the custody of Belarusian authorities on Aug. 28.
 
They also face charges of participating in an unauthorized mass rally — a violation of Article 23.34 of Belarus’s Administrative Offenses Code.Protesters rally against elections results they say were rigged, in Independence Square in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 27, 2020.The detentions came after nearly three weeks of protests against the official results of the August 9 election — which gave President Alexander Lukashenko a landslide victory. Demonstrators and opposition leaders are contesting those results, charging that the vote was rigged in Lukashenko’s favor.
 
The demonstrations have been met with a brutal police crackdown, with widespread evidence of beatings and torture of detained protesters.
 
The leading opposition candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, told the European Parliament this week that at least six people have been killed in the crackdown and dozens of protesters have gone missing after being detained by authorities.
 
But the roundup of journalists who are covering the crisis appears to signal a new strategy by Belarusian authorities.
 
Demonstrators on Aug. 27 first assembled in the capital’s Freedom Square to continue their calls for Lukashenko’s resignation and fresh elections. Vyasna says 17 journalists working for Belarusian and foreign media were detained there.
 
Another 18 journalists were detained after the demonstration moved to Independence Square, where police dispersed a crowd of about 1,000 and detained more than 260 people.
 
The Interior Ministry says detained journalists were put on a minibus and transported to a police station where officers checked whether they had valid accreditation to work legally in the country.
 
All but four were reportedly released the same evening.
 
Belarus has received international criticism for the way its Aug. 9 election was conducted, and for the harsh treatment of post-election demonstrators.
 
The official vote tally showed that Tsikhanouskaya finished a distant second to Lukashenko, but she says she is the rightful winner of the vote.
 
Belarusian prosecutors have jailed two leading members of Tsikhanouskaya’s recently formed Coordination Council.
 
Other leading opposition figures also have been summoned for questioning as part of what authorities in Minsk have called a “criminal investigation.”
 
The Coordination Council’s stated aim is to negotiate with Lukashenko’s government for new elections, the release of political prisoners, and a peaceful transition of power.
 With reporting by Current Time and RFE/RL’s Belarus Service.
 
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday she expects managing the COVOD-19 pandemic will become more difficult as the year progresses. Speaking to reporters in Berlin at her annual summer news conference, Merkel said dealing with the coronavirus has dominated her work as chancellor and will continue to do so in the months ahead. She said coping with the pandemic is easier in the summer when people can be outdoors.German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds her annual summer news conference in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 28, 2020.She anticipated it would be more difficult when people must be indoors.”I’m thinking of older people, those who need care and their relatives, families with children in cramped living conditions, students who have lost their part-time jobs, the unemployed — of whom there are now more and for whom it’s now harder,” Merkel said Friday, noting the plight of the unemployed and small-business owners must be addressed.The German leader also said there are many unknown aspects of the coronavirus, marking the coming months with uncertainty.”In such an unprecedented challenge we can only make decisions based on what we know today,” she said.Merkel called for continuing to build on what researchers already know, for example, taking measures such as increasing ventilation to keep fresh air circulating, as the cooler months approach.Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, wearing a face mask,walks after his press conference in Tokyo, Aug. 28, 2020.The chancellor also expressed regret about Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who announced his resignation Friday due to health concerns. She said she had not had a chance to speak with him personally but has always worked well with him. She said Germany-Japan relations have developed very well during his tenure.She wished him all the best from her heart and thanked him “for his good cooperation.”During the wide-ranging news conference, Merkel also commented on the unstable political situation in Belarus and the need for ongoing communication with Russia, as well as climate change action goals ahead of next year’s U.N.-sponsored climate conference in Glasgow. 
 
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The people in Latvia have been closely following the crisis in Belarus, their neighboring country to the southeast, and “are deeply concerned about the situation,” Maris Selga, Latvia’s ambassador to the United States, said in an Maris Selga has served as Latvia’s ambassador to the United States since September 2019. (Photo courtesy Latvia Embassy)Latvia, along with its Baltic Sea neighbors Estonia and Lithuania, regained its independence with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the memory of that time remains strong in families and in schools.“The time of the Baltic Way and the entire independence movement in Latvia laid the cornerstone for the country we have today,” Selga said. The Baltic Way refers to the peaceful united front put up by the people of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to successfully demand a restoration of their sovereignty.Recalling that critical time, Selga said, “Everyone came together for the same goal — a free and independent Latvia.”He added that the support of the international community — including support from the overseas Latvian community — was also critical to his nation’s regaining its freedom.“We are also grateful for the efforts of our Latvian diaspora abroad who advocated for Latvia’s independence all throughout the Soviet occupation and helped fuel the independence movement from abroad.”One action taken by the American government in 1940 stood out, Selga said. “The Sumner Welles Declaration of 1940, which condemned the forced annexation and occupation of the Baltics, was monumental.”The declaration, initially a one-page press statement issued by then-Acting Secretary of State Benjamin Sumner Welles, rejected the legitimacy of the Soviet Union’s annexation of the three Baltic states and laid a foundation of moral support for the Latvians and their neighbors.The nation’s appreciation was formalized in 2012 when the street that runs by the American embassy in Latvia’s capital city was named after Sumner Welles.“Watching the situation unfold in Belarus, Latvians can once again feel reassured and grateful to be living in a free and democratic country,” Selga said, adding that the unrest now unfolding in Belarus “highlights the importance of human rights, including the freedom of expression, and the rule of law.”Selga says his country’s leadership and members of its parliament, known as the Saeima, have joined their counterparts in other European countries to call for a peaceful resolution of the Belarus protests and to condemn violence against peaceful demonstrators. Many citizens have expressed support for the people of Belarus, including by organizing various peaceful protests.Latvia has also gathered and allocated resources to help the people of Belarus.Expanding support to civil society in Belarus “is vital,” the ambassador said. To that end, Latvia has put aside more than $175,000 for legal, medical, counseling and other practical assistance to “victims of human rights abuse that occurred after the August 9 election, as well as assisting with documenting the abuse.”Belarus “is and will remain an important neighbor” and Latvia will continue to maintain friendly neighborly relations with the people of Belarus, Selga said.“If not for the independence movement as a whole, not only would I not be an ambassador, there perhaps would be no Latvia and no Latvian ambassadors” anywhere, he reckoned.“We all serve our country, whether as ambassadors or through other vocations. Above all, I am grateful that I can serve an independent and free Latvia.”Selga was appointed Latvia’s ambassador to the United States in August 2019. He began his diplomatic career in 1994. Previously, Selga served in various diplomatic posts, including in Denmark and Egypt, most recently as Latvia’s top diplomat stationed in the People’s Republic of China. 
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Maris Selga has served as Latvia’s ambassador to the United States since September 2019.He began his diplomatic career in 1994. Prior to Washington, Selga served in various diplomatic posts, including in Denmark and Egypt, most recently as Latvia’s top diplomat stationed in the People’s Republic of China.He discussed the situation in Belarus in a recent written interview with VOA.VOA: How do Latvians feel about what’s happening in Belarus?Selga: Latvians are deeply concerned about the situation in Belarus. The government has called for a peaceful and lawful resolution of the current crisis while emphasizing that the use of force against peaceful protesters is unacceptable. The leadership of Latvia and members of Saeima (parliament) have joined their counterparts in other European countries to call for a peaceful resolution and condemn violence against peaceful demonstrators. Additionally, the government has agreed to strengthen Belarusian civil society by allocating 150,000 euros ($174,000) to it.The “Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation” along with the civil society organization “MARTA Center” in cooperation with NGOs working in Belarus, will provide legal, psychological [counseling], other medical and practical assistance to victims of human rights abuse that occurred after the August 9 election, as well as assist with documenting the abuse. Additionally, “MARTA Center” will provide qualification-enhancing training to Belarusian psychologists. Meanwhile the “Baltic Centre for Media Excellence” will implement projects that support independent media in Belarus.Latvian society has been following the crisis closely. Many have expressed support for the people of Belarus, including by organizing various peaceful protests.Belarus is and will remain an important neighbor and Latvia will continue to maintain friendly neighborly relations with the people of Belarus.VOA: Is Belarus facing an entirely different set of challenges than Latvia due to its geographic position?Selga: It is difficult to speculate about the role of our geographic position. Achieving independence was not easy and many Latvian’s sacrificed their lives for Latvia to be the free and democratic country it is today.Watching the situation unfold in Belarus, Latvians can once again feel reassured and grateful to live in a free and democratic country, where the elections are fair and free. This unfortunate crisis highlights the importance of human rights, including the freedom of expression, and the rule of law. It is a reminder to all Latvians about how fortunate we are to not have to face the challenges Belarusian society is currently dealing with.VOA: Why does Belarus matter?Selga: Like all people, the people of Belarus deserve to live in a democratic country, with fair elections, where human rights are respected. It is vital to support people striving for democracy and condemn the use of force and violence against peaceful demonstrators.A positive development of relations between the EU and Belarus is only possible through observing fundamental democratic rights and freedoms. Latvia, being a neighbor to Belarus, is interested in such a development.VOA: What would it take for Belarus to join the “western,” democratic camp – what will it take for the “Baltic Way” to work its miracles in Belarus?Selga: It’s important to note that the tools to achieve such a “miracle” are already available to Belarus. International norms and regulations serve as an important guide for such processes to take place. For example, Belarus is a member of the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe], and the OSCE’s principles, if implemented, provide support for democratization. Also, the OSCE provides election observation, which Belarus should utilize in the current situation.Right now, it is vital that the Belarusian Government and law enforcement authorities respect civil liberties of Belarusian people and their right to freely express their political opinion. The use of force against peaceful protesters is unacceptable.The elections of 9 August 2020 were neither free nor fair. To resolve the situation, new presidential elections should be held, organized by a new Belarusian election commission and in the presence of international observers.VOA: What prevented Belarus from joining the democratic camp at the time Latvia did?Selga: This is a difficult question that is better posed to Belarus. Of course, we wish that Belarus would have followed Latvia down the road to democracy. There are some historical and cultural differences between our countries that may have played a role. Latvia was a free and democratic country from its conception in 1918 and, unlike Belarus, had the fortune to remain free and independent for more than twenty years. Latvia also continued to exist de jure throughout the Soviet occupation. Once independence was restored, Latvia reinstated its constitution of 1922, which upheld the values of Western democracy and the rule of law. Further, throughout history in terms of culture and cooperation, Latvians have been more aligned with Europe than with Russia. Additionally, soon after independence was restored, Latvia strived to join the European Union and NATO, which further motivated society and government to fully implement the values of democracy and human rights.VOA: What are the potential scenarios out of the current situation? The best, the worst, the so-so? And what does each scenario/potential outcome mean for Latvia?Selga: I would like to focus on the best scenario and not speculate on other outcomes – right now, we wish to see a new presidential election in Belarus, organized by a new Belarusian election commission and in the presence of international observers.VOA: What is the Ambassador’s relationship with his counterparts from Belarus and Russia like, compared to ambassadors from other Baltic and European countries?Selga: As an ambassador, I try to keep an open dialogue with all of my colleagues. Of course, it is very easy to work with colleagues who share the same priorities and have many of the same positions. In the case of the European Union, we prioritize having unified positions whenever possible and we share the same fundamental values, most of which are also enshrined in our respective national legislation. With both my Belarusian and Russian colleagues, I aim to keep an open dialogue and am always open to meet and discuss matters. I make it clear when our views and values don’t align, but I am always open to having conversations, even if they are difficult.VOA: How influential are EU sanctions?Selga: The targeted individual sanctions are against Belarusian officials responsible for falsifying presidential elections in Belarus and exerting excessive force against peaceful protesters in the streets of Belarusian cities.It is important to hold these officials responsible and sanctions are a tool through which we can do so.It is too early to judge how influential they will be, but I am hopeful they will motivate these and other officials to uphold human rights and the principles of democracy.VOA: What more can the EU and the US do?Selga: It is important that we continue to follow [monitor] the crisis, pressure the authorities to uphold human rights, including through the use of targeted sanctions, and express support to the people of Belarus as they strive towards freedom and democracy. Further, it is vital to expand support to civil society in Belarus.VOA: Can the Ambassador share with us where he was at the time of the Baltic Way? How did events then influence the Ambassador’s life and career choices? Is the Baltic Way still much talked about in Latvia, say in textbooks/at schools, also by parents to their kids?Selga: The time of the Baltic Way and the entire independence movement in Latvia laid the cornerstone for the country we have today. My family, friends and I were involved, but so was the majority of Latvian society.The movement was fueled by Latvians from all regions of Latvia, everyone came together for the same goal – a free and independent Latvia. Latvians continue to remember this and learn about it from family and in school.We are also grateful to the efforts of our Latvian diaspora abroad who advocated for Latvia’s independence all throughout the Soviet occupation and helped fuel the independence movement from abroad.In the United States, the Sumner Welles declaration of 1940, which condemned the forced annexation and occupation of the Baltics, was especially monumental in acknowledging the Soviet Union’s forced incorporation of the Baltic States and their legitimate strive for independence.Undoubtedly, if not for the independence movement as a whole, not only would I not be an ambassador, there perhaps would be no Latvia and no Latvian ambassadors. We all serve our country, whether as ambassadors or through other vocations. Above all, I am grateful that I can serve an independent and free Latvia.
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Grainy surveillance video shows a person walking toward a car belonging to Ukrainian investigative news team Schemes moments before the vehicle ignites.Police on Wednesday arrested two suspects in connection with the August 17 fire in Brovary, a city near the capital, Kyiv, and continue to investigate, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov FILE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy IS pictured during a news conference in Kyiv.President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on law enforcement to find the attackers quickly. He added that journalists, including his critics, should be protected.An Interior Ministry spokesperson told RFE/RL’s Radio Svoboda that police were looking for at least two other suspects in connection with the arson.In the alleged wiretap incident, police carried out a basic search but left without securing the scene, Natalie Sedletska, editor in chief of Schemes, said in a Facebook post.The post added that to prevent evidence from being damaged or tampered with, members of the news team kept vigil until police could return. Ukraine’s national police did not reply to VOA’s email requesting updates in the two investigations.Schemes showed video of the holes to independent experts who agreed they were evidence of an attempt to install a recording device. The experts differed on whether the device had been installed and later removed, or whether these marks were signs of preparation.In a statement, RFE/RL’s acting president, Daisy Sindelar, said she was distressed by the attacks.“We are relieved that no one was hurt but concerned that this incident appears aimed at intimidating RFE/RL’s reporters and contributing to a threatening environment for journalists across Ukraine,” Sindelar said, and she called for a speedy investigation.Other incidentsSchemes journalists have been targeted previously. They have been attacked, harassed and followed, and they have had personal information shared online.Local and international journalism rights groups said they thought the latest attack was an attempt to silence investigative outlets.Scott Griffen, deputy director of the International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of journalists, said investigative journalists are at risk of physical attack and intimidation through legal pressure.“The attacks and surveillance witnessed by Schemes are reflective of a wider environment in which journalists are not sufficiently protected,” he said.Describing the incidents as “blatant acts of intimidation” aimed at watchdog journalism, Griffen told VOA via email, “Unfortunately, all too often these kinds of attacks go unpunished in Ukraine, resulting in a lingering climate of impunity for attacks on the press.”The Ukrainian journalism coalition, Media for Conscious Choice, also condemned the attack in a statement, saying it was “unacceptable to monitor and interrogate journalists,” especially those reporting on high-level government corruption.Ukraine Media Leaders Sound Alarm on Oligarchical Control at Virtual VOA Town HallJournalists, media experts say Kyiv’s improved global media ratings don’t tell whole storyAttacks and pressure on journalists, particularly those investigating endemic corruption in Ukraine, is common, U.S. based research group Freedom House said. The nonprofit, which ranks Ukraine only “partly free” on its Freedom in the World Index, noted a failure by police to investigate and bring to justice those who attack or kill reporters.A fatal attack on an investigative journalist in the city of Cherkasy last year remains unsolved. Vadym Komarov, a reporter for a local publication, died from head injuries a few weeks after being found unconscious on a street. He was attacked the day after announcing on social media that he planned to publish an article on local graft, IPI reported.The press freedom group said impunity in these cases sends a signal to attackers that they will get away with their actions, which further endangers reporter safety.
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European governments are preparing to reopen schools in the coming days for the new academic year, as health experts say it’s vital for children to resume education. Most students have not attended school for six months after lockdowns were imposed in March to contain the coronavirus pandemic. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, some teachers unions have voiced concerns for the safety of staff as infection rates continue to rise on the continent.
 
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The Russian military on Thursday blamed U.S. troops for a collision of Russian and U.S. military vehicles in Syria’s northeast.
U.S. officials said Wednesday that a Russian vehicle sideswiped a light-armored U.S. military vehicle, injuring four Americans, while two Russian helicopters flew overhead, one as close as 20 meters (70 feet) from the U.S. vehicle.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement that a Russian vehicle struck the American vehicle near Dayrick, in northeast Syria. He blamed the Russian military for “unsafe and unprofessional actions” that breached deconfliction protocols between the two countries.
In Thursday’s statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian military’s General Staff, had a phone call Wednesday with Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss the incident.
In the call, Gerasimov pointed out that the Russian military had notified the U.S.-led coalition about the route of a Russian military police convoy.  
“Despite that, in violation of the existing agreements, the U.S. troops attempted to block the Russian patrol,” the ministry said in a statement. “In response to that, the Russian military police took the necessary measures to prevent an incident and to continue the fulfillment of their task.”
 
Russia, which has waged a military campaign in Syria that helped President Bashar Assad reclaim control over most of the country following a devastating civil war, long has bristled at the presence of the U.S. troops deployed in the country to fight the Islamic State group and have called for their pullout.  
While there have been several other recent incidents between the American and Russian troops who patrol eastern Syria, U.S. officials described the latest incident as the most serious one. U.S. troops are usually accompanied by members of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.
The U.S. and Russia have deconfliction protocols to prevent collisions and other incidents and their military commanders have frequent conversations to try to avoid contact between their troops there.
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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday the alliance is “watching developments in Belarus closely,” and that NATO supports “a sovereign and independent Belarus.” Stoltenberg made the comments to reporters after meeting in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The two leaders met to discuss pressing European diplomatic issues ahead of meetings with European Union defense ministers in Berlin.
 
In their bilateral talks, the two leaders also discussed the territorial dispute between Greece and Turkey, and the situation in Afghanistan.
 
Additionally, Stoltenberg mentioned the U.S. decision to pull troops out of Germany earlier this year and put additional personnel in Poland. The NATO chief said, “It is important that allies continue to consult closely because the U.S. presence in Europe is important both for the security of Europe and for the security of the United States.”
 
Ahead of the meeting with EU defense ministers, Stoltenberg added his voice to growing calls for a “transparent” investigation into the case of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Stoltenberg said there was “no reason to doubt” German doctors’ conclusions that the Kremlin critic was poisoned.  
 
Navalny’s supporters say he was poisoned by a cup of tea at a Siberian airport. Navalny later became ill on a flight to Moscow. The plane made an emergency landing in the Siberian city of Omsk, where he was hospitalized before he was airlifted to Germany for treatment last Saturday.
 
Russia has not opened an investigation into the incident and a Kremlin spokesman said there was “no pretext” to do so. The EU leaders are meeting in Berlin because Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union Council.
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Greek and Turkish leaders dug in their heels Wednesday even after their foreign ministers proposed talks to settle rival claims to energy-rich sections of the Mediterranean.   Greece announced plans Wednesday to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline and held a second day of military exercises in waters where Turkey challenges Greek claims of jurisdiction.  Turkey carried out military exercises nearby.  Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Athens has the right to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline across from Italy from 11 to 22 kilometers.  This section of the Ionian Sea is not part of the dispute with Turkey, but Mitsotakis said Greece was giving up years of what it calls a “passive” foreign policy. Turkey would regard a similar extension in the Aegean, which is between Greece and Turkey, as blatant hostility.  “Everyone must see that Turkey is not a country whose patience can be tried, whose determination, capabilities and courage can be tested. If we say we’ll do something we’ll do it and pay the price,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday. “If anyone wants to stand before us and face the consequences, they are welcome to. If not, stay out of our way and we will continue with our work.” Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a televised address following a weekly Cabinet meeting, in Ankara, Turkey, Aug. 24, 2020.The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Mitsotakis by telephone Wednesday and expressed concern over the tensions between Greece and Turkey.  “President Trump reaffirmed that Greece and Turkey must commit to dialogue, which is the only path to resolving their differences,” a White House statement said.  Greece and Turkey are locked in a dispute over boundaries in the Mediterranean and the rights to drill for offshore gas and oil deposits.  Greece claims a Turkish research ship is in its waters, in which it has exclusive rights to whatever is under the sea floor.   Turkey insists the exclusive economic zones of Greek islands in the Agean near the Turkish coast should be greatly reduced.  Turkey accuses Athens of trying to grab an unfair share of the eastern Mediterranean’s resources while Greece is also angered by Turkish energy exploration in waters where Cyrus claims exclusive economic rights. Cyprus is split between an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and the Turkish-Cypriot north that only Turkey recognizes.  
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After more than two weeks of massive street protests in Belarus, police arrested at least 50 protesters on Wednesday, and prosecutors opened criminal inquiries against opposition activists who set up a Coordination Council. The U.S. has called for all detained protesters to be released and for the people of Belarus to be allowed to decide their own future. VOA’s Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Washington.
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A small number of U.S. troops were injured during an incident with Russian forces in Syria, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday. While such interactions between American and Russian forces are not rare, the incident highlights the risks of troops from both countries operating in close proximity in northern Syria and the potential for an escalation in tensions. One of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the injuries were a result of a collision and not any exchange of fire. The other official said the incident took place earlier this week in northeastern Syria and the injuries were mild. FILE – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 4, 2020.The Pentagon and the U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the region, declined to comment. The U.S. military said the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley spoke with his Russian counterpart Wednesday, but provided no details on what was discussed. The U.S. military does not generally comment on injuries. However, last month a paratrooper was killed during a vehicle rollover accident in eastern Syria. Previous encountersVideos on social media showed Russian military vehicles, backed by a pair of helicopters, driving dangerously close to U.S. armored vehicles. The origin of the videos was unclear.  Earlier this year, another video showed a close interaction between troops on a Syrian road. About 500 U.S forces remain in northern Syria after a sharp reduction in troops that were initially there to drive out Islamic State militants from all of their strongholds in the country.Some of the areas also have oil resources, something President Donald Trump has cited as a justification for keeping U.S. troops partnered with Kurdish allies in the region. The injuries were first reported by Politico.  
 
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As Belarusians continue protesting against longtime ruler Alexander Lukashenko, who was reelected to a fourth term in a vote widely viewed as rigged, Chicago’s Belarusian community is also taking to the streets to back the protests. Kulsoom Khan spoke with some of the Chicago protesters and filed this report, narrated by Anna Rice.Producer: Barry Unger. Videographer: Kulsoom Khan.
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The 2021 Davos World Economic Forum (WEF) summit of business leaders and politicians has been called off for January due to the coronavirus pandemic, with organizers planning to reschedule the event to sometime early next summer.
“The advice from experts is that we cannot (host the event) safely in January,” WEF said on Wednesday in a statement.
The confab in the Swiss Alps that has hosted rival heads of state including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in recent years has been held in the Swiss ski resort of Davos since 1971.
WEF, which takes over the ski resort of Davos for about a week each year, has branded itself as the world’s top venue for the business and political elite to meet and discuss the challenges of globalization.
The group said the decision to delay this year’s edition “was not taken easily, since the need for global leaders to come together to design a common recovery path and shape the ‘Great Reset’ in the post-COVID-19 era is so urgent.”
In lieu of the meeting, it would host virtual ‘high-level’ discussions the week of January 25, WEF said, adding it would share dates and location of the rescheduled meeting once it was assured of health and safety conditions.
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The Italian coast guard Wednesday released dramatic video of a 50-meter yacht burning and sinking in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy’s Sardinia coast.Coast guard officials said they rescued 17 people from the burning Lady MM yacht, which left a huge plume of smoke behind as it disappeared beneath the surface Tuesday.The Italian news agency, ANSA, reports the yacht caught fire about 96 kilometers from Capo Comino, on Sardinia’s northeast coast. The news service reports the coast guard received the ship’s distress signal and dispatched two boats and a helicopter to the scene.The 17 people on board, which included eight tourists from Kazakhstan and nine crew members, had already abandoned the ship and were in a smaller boat when the coast guard arrived. One of the coast guard ships took the crew and tourists to the community of Siniscola on Sardinia. There were no reports of injuries.The coast guard is investigating the cause of the accident. 
 
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Greece and Turkey say they are ready for talks to settle rival claims to an energy-rich section of the Mediterranean, but the hostility was clear when the foreign ministers of both countries called for dialogue Tuesday.  After talks in Ankara with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Greece must drop what he called its “maximalist demands.” “We are open to talks without pre-conditions. But, when one side starts imposing pre-conditions, then there are many things we will put forth too,” he said. Maas also met in Athens with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who also said Greece wants talks with Turkey but will not go if it is “under threats.” He said Greece is ready to defend its rights and said the dispute with Turkey is a matter for the security of the entire European Union.  Maas said a military conflict between Greece and Turkey would be “absolute insanity.” “The situation is very risky, because in the end, whoever moves closer and closer to the abyss, can at some point fall down. That’s a development which we want to avoid,” he said in Ankara. Both Greece and Turkey say they will hold military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean.  Germany is the current EU president and has been trying to mediate talks between Greece, which belongs to the EU, and Turkey, which does not but would like to join. Greece and Turkey are locked in a dispute over boundaries in the Mediterranean and the rights to drill for offshore gas and oil deposits. Greece claims a Turkish research ship is in its waters, in which it has exclusive rights to whatever is under the sea floor.  Turkey insists the Exclusive Economic Zones of Greek islands in the Agean near the Turkish coast should be greatly reduced. 
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The Trump administration says it strongly objects to Turkey’s recent hosting of two leaders of Hamas, which the United States regards as a terrorist group. “President Erdogan’s continued outreach to this terrorist organization only serves to isolate Turkey from the international community, harms the interests of the Palestinian people, and undercuts global efforts to prevent terrorist attacks launched from Gaza,” a State Department statement said Tuesday.  It pointed out that one of the Hamas members who was in Istanbul is alleged to have been involved in multiple terrorist attacks, hijackings, and kidnappings.  “We continue to raise our concerns about the Turkish government’s relationship with Hamas at the highest levels,” it adds.  Turkey is dismissing the U.S. criticism.  “Declaring the legitimate representative of Hamas, who came to power after winning democratic elections in Gaza and is an important reality of the region, as a terrorist will not be of any contribution to efforts for peace and stability in the region,” its foreign ministry said. This is the second time since February Turkey has played host to Hamas leaders, the United States says. Hamas rules Palestinian Gaza and has fought three wars with Israel. Palestinian militants occasionally launch rockets into Israel from Gaza, sparking a harsh response from Israel. 
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged Tuesday to beat the latest surge in COVID-19 cases that has hit the nation, and he urged the Spanish people to remain “alert but serene” as the country works to flatten the increase.In a televised speech, Sanchez told the nation that Spain’s total number of infections hit 405,436 during a surge last week, which the Health Ministry reports was the worst week for infections since the pandemic’s peak in late March.Sanchez said the trend is “worrying” but urged people to remain calm, because the COVID-19 rate is “far from the situation in mid-March,” when the government imposed a state of emergency.Insufficient tracking of the outbreaks has been identified by experts as one of Spain’s main failures in dealing with the aftermath of the first virus wave. To address that situation, Sanchez announced 2,000 military personal trained to carry out contact tracing will be made available to the country’s 17 regions to help stem the tide of the virus.Sanchez said his government would work with the governments of the autonomous regions to get children back to school safely in September. He also urged citizens to download a government-sponsored contact-tracing phone application, which also can help them with getting tested or quarantined.The prime minister pledged he will not allow COVID-19 to take over the lives of the nation again, saying, “We will beat the curve again, and we have to do it united because there is no other way. We have done it before. We know how to do it, and I am convinced we will do it again.” 
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Russia announced this month it had won the global race to develop the first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. But that self-proclaimed victory – and plans to ramp up production – come amid lingering questions about the safety and effectiveness of the Russian drug. From Moscow, Charles Maynes reports.Video editor: Henry Hernandez
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 The Russian government has dismissed accusations that it was involved in an alleged attack on opposition leader Alexi Navalny after doctors said tests showed he was poisoned. Navalny is in a coma in a German hospital after becoming sick Thursday while on a flight to Moscow from Siberia. He was transferred last Saturday to the Charité hospital in Berlin, where doctors said Monday the tests revealed signs of “cholinesterase inhibitors” in his system. 
 
Cholinesterase is an enzyme that is critical for the normal function of the nervous system in humans, other vertebrates, and in insects. Inhibitors block a chemical, acetylcholine, that transmits signals between nerve cells. Cholinesterase inhibitors are compounds used to alleviate symptoms of dementia, but they also have been found in chemical weapons and pesticides used to kill bugs.FILE – Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, center, his wife Yulia, right of him, and opposition activist Lyubov Sobol, second from left, take part in a march in memory of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in Moscow, Feb. 29, 2020.Allies of Navalny contend the Kremlin is responsible for his illness, and some are calling for an investigation into whether President Vladimir Putin was involved. 
 
“These accusations absolutely cannot be true and are rather an empty noise,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday in Moscow. Peskov said there is no evidence to warrant an investigation into Navalny’s illness and suggested there could have been various causes.  “If a substance is found, and if it is determined that it is poisoning, then there will be a reason for an investigation,” Peskov said. Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted Tuesday it is not surprising the Russian government is not willing to launch a probe at this time. “It was obvious that the crime would not be properly investigated, and a culprit found. However, we all know perfectly well who that is,” Yarmysh wrote. Experts have said it is premature to conclude how the agent may have entered Navalny’s system.FILE – A police officer stands guard as a scaffolder works at the site of former spy Sergei Skripal’s house, in Salisbury, Britain, Jan. 9, 2019.Some experts have noted that Novichok, the Soviet-era nerve agent used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain more than two years ago, was a cholinesterase inhibitor. Navalny is a politician and corruption investigator who is one of Putin’s harshest critics. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European officials have requested that Russia conduct a full investigation. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun was expected to raise the issue during a visit to Russia that began Tuesday. 
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Ten people arrested last week in an investigation of the militant Irish nationalist New IRA group have been charged on a range of offenses from directing terrorism to conspiracy to possess explosives, Northern Ireland police said on Monday. The New IRA, one of a small number of active militant groups opposed to Northern Ireland’s 1998 peace deal, have been behind some of the sporadic attacks that have continued, including the murder of journalist Lyra McKee last year. The 10 people, eight men and two women – were charged with a total of 39 offenses as a result of a coordinated investigation with police in Scotland, Ireland and Britain that was also assisted by Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence agency. The New IRA is far smaller than the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which disarmed after the peace accord mostly ended three decades of conflict between mainly Protestant supporters of continued British rule of the province and largely Catholic proponents of unification with the Irish Republic. The group was formed in 2012 after three of the four main militant nationalist groups merged, the first time since the peace deal that most of the disparate nationalist groups still intent on violence came together under one leadership. It has also been responsible for the separate killings of two prison officers since then. 
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Sundays for the Barysevich family are usually a time to catch up on chores and take their two young children to nearby parks and playgrounds. But just weeks after a disputed election in Yauheni Barysevich’s Belarusian homeland, this past Sunday was a time to protest.“The last two weeks have been very different for our family and every Belarusian around the world,” he told VOA.Shortly after breakfast, he set out on foot with his 5-year-old daughter, Lauren, pedaling her bicycle alongside, a big red-and-white Belarusian flag streaming from the back of it.“My wife sewed this flag back in 2006,” Barysevich said, recalling that the now-familiar symbol of protest could not be purchased in the United States at that time. “I have taken it to every Belarusian event in the U.S. It has traveled with me to different states. And now my children know about it and what it signifies.”Many families brought their children (even a pet) to take part in the demonstration in Washington on Aug. 23, 2020. (Natalie Liu/VOA)Barysevich came to the United States from Belarus in 2004 and met his Russian-born wife a year later. The pair, now in their 30s, both work in the IT industry in the Washington area.Barysevich said the march was much more than just a Sunday outing for young Lauren.“This is an important time for Belarus, and I want my daughter to remember it and feel that she was a part of it,” he said.It took Barysevich and Lauren an hour to walk and bike the 3 miles from their home to the Lithuanian embassy, where several hundred people had gathered.Washingtonians marched on Aug. 23, 2020 in support of protesters in Belarus. (Natalie Liu/VOA)After brief remarks, the crowd formed a line in the manner of the “human chain” created by residents of the Baltic states to protest Soviet rule in 1989. They then set off through the midday August heat along 16th Street NW toward the embassy of Belarus.The marchers carried banners saying, “Free Belarus” and “Baltic Way 1989; Freedom Way 2020.” Many passing drivers honked their horns in support.Among the marchers was Roman Vasiliuk, who said he was 18 when he took part in demonstrations in his native Belarus in 2006. Since coming to the United States 14 years ago as a student, he has continued demonstrating for Belarus’ freedom.“Americans do what they can,” but ultimately it is the job of the Belarusian people to bring about change back home, he said, adding that continuous demonstrations and continuous pressure will be crucial.Aleksas Radzius, who drove from Baltimore to Washington to join the protest, said he makes a point of participating in all of the protests aimed at overthrowing dictators.“I was here when [the Baltic states] gained their independence,” said Radzius, who was born in Lithuania and came to America as a 6-year-old in 1950.Roman Vasiliuk, center, Aleksas Radzius, right, and Vytas Pakalniskis came from Virginia and Maryland to take part in the demonstration in support of protesters in Belarus held in Washington, Aug. 23, 2020. (Natalie Liu/VOA)History in the makingThe mostly Eastern European marchers were joined by a number of Americans, including Kurt Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO who also served as a special representative on Ukraine negotiations.Explaining that he was there as a private citizen, Volker told VOA that years from now, all the families that had brought their children to the event would remember the day.Volker said he was there, along with other Washingtonians, to let the protesting people of Belarus know that “they’re not alone,” and that there should be no use of force against the peaceful protesters as events unfold there.Dovydas Spokauskas, the deputy chief of mission at the embassy of Lithuania, explained the significance of the human chain formed at the start of Sunday’s protest.“Thirty-one years ago, tens of thousands of Lithuanians, Estonians and Latvians went from Vilnius to Tallinn and formed a life chain. That was our way of saying to the Soviet Union that it’s enough, freedom is important for us, nobody was to tell us what to do any more.“We feel that today, it’s the Belarusians who’re telling us the same thing. That’s why no Lithuanian can stay silent or stay idle.”Spokauskas was 8 years old in 1989 when he and his parents took their positions in the line.
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Many of China’s Uighur minority have sought sanctuary in Turkey following China’s crackdown on the largely Muslim Turkic-speaking minority. Observers describe conditions of those detained by the Chinese government as akin to concentration camps.  With Beijing stepping up pressure on Ankara, some Uighur refugees fear for their future in Turkey. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. Produced by: Rod James
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