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Henry Ridgwell

Produced by Henry Ridgwell

November 23, 2023
African Child Refugees 'Wrongly Classified' as Adults in Spain, Rights Groups Say

Human rights groups say many child migrants are being wrongly classified as adults by Spanish police amid a surge in migration from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands, putting the children at increased risk. VOA's Henry Ridgwell reports.
November 22, 2023
Britain Pushes Tech Solutions for Global Hunger; Critics Blame Inequality

LONDON — Innovations in food production could alleviate hunger for millions of people, according to Britain, which hosted a global summit on food insecurity Monday, but critics say the focus on technology ignores the growing inequality of wealth.
November 16, 2023
Britain Re-Strategizes $150 Million Asylum Deal with Rwanda

British authorities Thursday said a new treaty to send migrants to Rwanda could be ready for ratification within days — developments following a ruling passed on Wednesday by the Supreme Court that blocked the plans by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s administration on the basis of it being illegal. For more, VOA’s Henry Ridgwell filed this report from London.
October 28, 2023
EU Calls for Israel-Hamas War Pauses

European Union leaders that spoke this week during a summit held in Belgium’s capital, Brussels, called for ‘pauses’ in the Israel-Hamas war to allow aid in the Gaza Strip. Reporter Henry Ridgwell filed this report that detailed more on the EU’s position.
October 26, 2023
Western Leaders Speak on Iran, Hamas Relations Amid Middle East War

As tensions in the Middle East escalate following attacks on Israel by Hamas militants — and Israel’s subsequent bombing of Hamas targets in Gaza — the future of Iran’s nuclear program remains unresolved. As VOA's Henry Ridgwell reports, the West sees Tehran as the major backer of Hamas, and the group’s attack on Israel has set back efforts to de-escalate tensions with Iran.
October 17, 2023
EU Heads of State Set for Emergency Meeting to Respond to Israel, Hamas Conflict

European Union heads of state are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to respond to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas militants. According to Israeli officials, the conflict has led to the death of at least 1,400 people, including foreign nationals from France, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania and other countries. For more on the response by European authorities, VOA’s Henry Ridgwell filed this report.
October 04, 2023
WHO Approves Wider Rollout of Malaria Vaccine Being Used in Burkina Faso, Ghana

The World Health Organization, WHO, Monday approved a wider roll out of a second malaria vaccine that was developed by Britain’s Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India. The vaccine is already in use in Ghana and Burkina Faso with expectations of a quick roll out across Africa in the coming months. For more, reporter Henry Ridgewell produced this report.
June 27, 2023
China Backs Putin Amid Wagner Russia Take Over Attempt

Chinese authorities Monday said Beijing will maintain its support of Russian President Vladimir Putin amid a recent takeover attempt by mercenary Wagner Group over the weekend – a development that western leaders argue reveals the Kremlin’s weakness. For more, VOA’s Henry Ridgwell produced this report where he highlighted sentiments passed by Western leaders, Chinese, and Russian authorities.
June 21, 2023
Greece Pressed to Investigate Migrant Shipwreck, Hundreds Still Missing

Greece is under growing pressure to launch an investigation into the June 13 sinking of a vessel that was carrying up to 750 migrants. At least 82 people died and hundreds are still missing, including many women and children. Most were from Egypt, Syria and Pakistan. Henry Ridgwell reports.
June 10, 2023
Russia Circumvents West Sanctions

Analysts with the U.S. based Atlantic Council report Russia has increased its global trade since the offset of the war in Ukraine, this despite western attempts to stifle the Kremlin’s economy through sanctions. For more, VOA’s Henry Ridgewell produced this report that documents how Russia has circumvented Western sanctions and increased global trade, including with some members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
May 20, 2023
Britain Calls for European Court Reforms for Rwanda Deal

British authorities report a spike in illegal migration and are calling for reform of the European Court of Human Rights to allow a 2022 deal signed with Rwanda that would send asylum seekers to the East African nation for processing. For more on the attempts by Britain to see the Rwanda deal come to fruition, VOA correspondent Henry Ridgwell produced this report where he spoke to analysts and authorities.
May 05, 2023
Britain Prepares for Charles III Coronation Amid Modern Challenges

Coronation ceremony traces its history back more than 1,000 years
March 19, 2023
Warming Oceans Exacerbate Security Threat of Illegal Fishing: Report

Illegal fishing is a multibillion-dollar global industry closely linked to organized crime. The trade will pose a greater threat to security as climate change warms the world’s oceans, according to a report from Britain’s Royal United Services Institute. Henry Ridgwell has more from London.
March 18, 2023
100,000 Displaced by Recent Attacks in Eastern DRC: UN

The United Nations said this week that over 100,000 people have fled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after recent armed rebel attacks. The global aid group also reiterated statements issued by several international rights groups who support allegations by President Felix Tshisekedi’s government that neighboring Rwanda is fueling the conflict in DRC’s eastern regions by supporting M23 rebels, a development vehemently denied by Kigali. For VOA, reporter Henry Ridgwell spoke to refugees, authorities, and experts, some of whom are calling on Western nations to pressure Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s administration.
February 24, 2023
Russia Putin Announcement Sparks Nuclear Arms Race Fears

Experts report that a recent announcement by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin who said that his nation will suspend its participation in the New START treaty, which limits the number of warheads deployed by his nation and the U.S., has aroused fears of a new global nuclear arms race. For more, VOA’s Henry Ridgwell speaks to authorities and experts from London.
February 01, 2023
Africa Improved Fighting Corruption: Transparency International

Global anti-corruption organization Transparency International recently released its annual report that states Africa showed encouraging signs of tackling corruption on the continent despite little progress in 2022 towards addressing the issue worldwide due to growing violence and insecurity. For more, reporter Henry Ridgwell speaks to officials of the anti-corruption organization from London.
January 20, 2023
EU Frontiers: Steep Rise in Irregular Crossings

Tunisians, Syrians and Afghans constitute almost half of the 330,000 so-called irregular crossings on the European Union's external frontiers in 2022 - a steep rise of 64% from the previous year according to Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. That figure doesn't include millions of Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war in Eastern Europe with the Agency saying that there were high numbers from Nigeria, Egypt and Bangladesh as well. From London, VOA's Henry Ridgwell reports that the western Balkan and central Mediterranean routes to Italy accounted for most of the irregular arrivals.
January 17, 2023
Oxfam: Windfall Taxes on Food Companies

Oxfam has found that the world's richest 1% of the global population - many due to attend the World Economic Forum at Davos this week, have roughly two-thirds of ''all new wealth created since 2020'' in its report titled "Survival of the Richest” published Monday.
January 17, 2023
Oxfam Finds Inflation is Making People Get Poorer

Oxfam has found that the world's richest 1% of the global population - many due to attend the World Economic Forum at Davos this week, have roughly two-thirds of ''all new wealth created since 2020.'' The charity asserts the source of that wealth is partly governments' money pumped into the global economy to tackle the coronavirus. Oxfam calls for windfall taxes imposed on energy companies to be extended to food companies making big profits.
January 12, 2023
HRW Report Applauds Russia Shunning

Global rights organization, the Human Rights Watch Thursday released its annual report which hails the international community for speaking out against human rights violations that were reported in China, Afghanistan and amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For more, VOA’s Henry Ridgewell speaks to HRW authorities and other experts.

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