Voice of America is 79 years old today. Its 1942 debut was unpretentious — a live, 15-minute shortwave radio broadcast transmitted into Germany from a small studio in New York City. Now, the U.S.-funded but independent VOA reaches more than 280 million people across the globe each week in more than 40 languages. Its stories, covering the range of the human existence in the Unites States and countries throughout the world, appear on digital, television and radio platforms and can be accessed on mobile phones and social media. VOA stories are carried on a network of more than 2,500 affiliate stations. In the first broadcast in 1942, a little more than seven weeks after the United States officially entered World War II, listeners first heard an American patriotic song, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Then, announcer William Harlan Hale said, “We bring you Voices from America. Today, and daily from now on, we shall speak to you about America and the war. The news may be good for us. The news may be bad. But we shall tell you the truth.” It is a credo that since 1976 is embedded in the VOA Charter, which by law requires the organization to “serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news.” It says VOA news must “be accurate, objective and comprehensive.” VOA is part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the government agency that oversees all non-military, U.S. international broadcasting. VOA’s professional journalists produce dozens of stories every day without interference from the U.S. government.
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Month: February 2021
Thousands in Vienna Rally Against COVID Restrictions
Thousands of protesters faced off with police in riot gear in Vienna Sunday at the site of a banned far-right demonstration against coronavirus restrictions.Vienna police banned numerous protests planned for this weekend, including one on Sunday by the far-right Freedom Party, on the grounds that protesters have generally failed to observe rules on social distancing and often not worn face masks.Since December 26, Austria has been in its third national lockdown, with non-essential shops and many other businesses closed and their staff unable to work.The opposition Freedom Party has denounced various restrictions as “corona madness” and its leaders have sent mixed messages on issues such as vaccinations.Freedom Party deputy leader Herbert Kickl on Saturday accused the conservative-led government of banning criticism in general. He urged his supporters to go on a walk in the capital instead of attending the banned protest, and to “articulate their displeasure peacefully.”The affiliation of many of Sunday’s protesters was not immediately clear.Some of them, however, expressed support for the Freedom Party, and many opposed conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, chanting — often without wearing masks — and waving banners saying “Kurz must go.” Many carried Austrian flags.The crowd, which police estimated at 5,000, gathered on a square in central Vienna across the central ring road from the former imperial palace as well as from the offices of Kurz and President Alexander Van der Bellen.Rows of police in riot gear and face masks prevented the crowd from marching down the ring road.After riots in the Netherlands apparently set off by the introduction of a nighttime curfew, Austrian police avoided escalation despite having ordered the crowd to disperse, and the atmosphere was tense but peaceful.A Reuters witness saw police make some arrests and estimated the size of the protests at thousands. Police confirmed arrests had been made without giving numbers.
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US Lawmakers Tackle COVID Relief as Americans Wait to Be Vaccinated
U.S. congressional leaders are set to open debate this week on a COVID-19 economic relief measure as vaccinations continue nationwide. VOA’s Michelle Quinn reports.Video editor: Mary Cieslak
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9 Killed in Seven-Hour Siege of Mogadishu Hotel
Somalia’s government announced the end of a seven-hour deadly siege in the capital Mogadishu Sunday night, which left nine people dead.
Mohamed Nur Galal, a well-known retired general and former defense minister, was among those confirmed killed in the attack on the popular Hotel Afrik. The hotel, located along a strategic road linking downtown Mogadishu with the international airport, is frequented by politicians, lawmakers and senior civil servants.
Security forces were able to rescue dozens of people from the hotel during the siege. Militant group Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and the country’s prime minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble, sent condolences following Galal’s death. Both leaders urged Somali people to unite against the terrorist group of al-Shabab.
Police said all four al-Shabab militants who stormed Hotel Afrik were killed.
A car bomb exploded near the hotel early Sunday, beginning a shootout between militants and security forces.
Polce say al-Shabab members stormed the hotel and many of the people inside were rescued, including Somalia’s former state minister for defense, Yusuf Siad Indha-Adde.
A VOA reporter, Abdikafi Yusuf Aden, was also inside the hotel at the time and survived.
“There was confusion and thick smoke rose up after the blast occurred. People were jumping down over the wall as we ran for our lives,” Aden told VOA Somali.
Aden said he saw at least three people injured where he was hiding but was unable to confirm what happened outside or on the other side of the hotel.
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Thousands Protest in Vienna as Far-Right March on COVID-19 Measures Banned
Thousands of protesters faced off with police in riot gear in Vienna Sunday at the site of a banned far-right demonstration against coronavirus restrictions.Vienna police banned numerous protests planned for this weekend, including one on Sunday by the far-right Freedom Party, on the grounds that protesters have generally failed to observe rules on social distancing and often not worn face masks.Since December 26, Austria has been in its third national lockdown, with non-essential shops and many other businesses closed and their staff unable to work.The opposition Freedom Party has denounced various restrictions as “corona madness” and its leaders have sent mixed messages on issues such as vaccinations.Freedom Party deputy leader Herbert Kickl on Saturday accused the conservative-led government of banning criticism in general. He urged his supporters to go on a walk in the capital instead of attending the banned protest, and to “articulate their displeasure peacefully.”The affiliation of many of Sunday’s protesters was not immediately clear.Some of them, however, expressed support for the Freedom Party, and many opposed conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, chanting — often without wearing masks — and waving banners saying “Kurz must go.” Many carried Austrian flags.The crowd, which police estimated at 5,000, gathered on a square in central Vienna across the central ring road from the former imperial palace as well as from the offices of Kurz and President Alexander Van der Bellen.Rows of police in riot gear and face masks prevented the crowd from marching down the ring road.After riots in the Netherlands apparently set off by the introduction of a nighttime curfew, Austrian police avoided escalation despite having ordered the crowd to disperse, and the atmosphere was tense but peaceful.A Reuters witness saw police make some arrests and estimated the size of the protests at thousands. Police confirmed arrests had been made without giving numbers.
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