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Washington — As Iran stages a presidential election runoff on Friday, its critics say the West should not interpret uncertainty about the likely victor as an indication of a democratic contest between two competing loyalists of the Islamic republic’s supreme leader. Friday’s vote pits ultraconservative former Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili against the relatively moderate former Health Minister Masoud Pezeshkian. Official results from the June 28 first-round vote gave Pezeshkian 44% of the vote, four points ahead of Jalili, with two other ultraconservatives lagging behind. The inability of any candidate to clinch at least 50% of the vote triggered the runoff between the top two performers. Most of the Iranian electorate boycotted the first round, with the government reporting an official turnout of 40%. The U.S. says the Islamic republic’s elections are neither free nor fair because its ruling system disqualifies candidates deemed not sufficiently loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iranian government also has a record of inflating turnout figures to boost its domestic legitimacy, according to independent research and advocacy groups such as U.S.-based United Against Nuclear Iran. UANI’s director of research on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Kasra Aarabi, co-authored a June 25 report asserting that a shadowy IRGC branch called the Baqiatallah Headquarters has been a leading force in rigging Iranian presidential and parliamentary elections. The report cited what it called primary Persian sources, including official IRGC material, presentations and recordings obtained from government offices. In a statement to VOA, Iran's U.N. Mission in New York reacted to the UANI report by saying the Guardian Council, an Iranian body stacked with Khamenei loyalists who vet presidential candidates, is responsible for verifying the accuracy of elections and addressing complaints. "Regarding the first round of the presidential election, the Guardian Council has confirmed the validity of the outcome,” the statement said. Aarabi discussed the potential of a manipulated vote and weak turnout for the presidential runoff election on Thursday’s edition of VOA’s Flashpoint Global Crises program. The following interview transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity. VOA: Will we see the same kind of record low turnout that we saw in the election's first round? Kasra Aarabi, United Against Nuclear Iran: We can expect this to happen again in the second round. Despite Khamenei trying hard to increase political participation and revive the manufactured, hard-liner-reformist dichotomy between Jalili and Pezeshkian, Iranians are not buying it. They no longer believe the Islamic republic can be reformed. They believe that Jalili and Pezeshkian are two sides of the same coin. In spite of the low participation numbers, Khamenei has been relatively successful in creating the illusion of false competition inside the country for an external audience. If you look at Western media coverage of the election, he has been able to manufacture a bit of a buzz for this election. Although Iranians have not fallen into Khamenei’s trap, at least some of the outside world has. So on that count, he will be partially satisfied. VOA: Given that relative moderate Pezeshkian got a bit more votes than ultraconservative Jalili in the first round, and we do not know how voters who picked the other two ultraconservative candidates may vote in the runoff, what does this uncertainty signify about the election? Aarabi: When we consider the idea that Pezeshkian is a reformist who presents what some might call a golden opportunity for change, let's be real. Power in Iran is completely centralized in the hands of the supreme leader, his office —  the Beit-e Rahbari — and the IRGC. And who is Pezeshkian? He endorsed and supported the paramilitary Basij forces who were suppressing Iranians in the streets in the 2022 Mahsa Amini anti-government protests. He played a key role in introducing the compulsory hijab for women and girls in universities and hospitals in the early years of the Islamic revolution. He expressed full support for the IRGC and even wore Revolutionary Guard outfits. He is not a reformist by any count, but he adopted this veneer of reformism. VOA: Would you say that there is any meaningful difference between Pezeshkian and Jalili? Aarabi: There is no meaningful difference in terms of substance, because all strategic policy is determined by Khamenei. He has been ruling Iran in absolute terms for more than 30 years. Appearance is perhaps the only thing that is different. With Jalili, you get the true essence of the Islamic republic and its real face. With the narrative built around Pezeshkian, you get a masked individual and a veneer of reformism. Iranians inside the country do not buy this anymore. The popular Persian slogan inside Iran has been: "Hard-liner, reformist, your time is up, the game is over." That is why people are boycotting the elections. Outside Iran, the illusion of a so-called reformist Iranian president could shape Western policy toward the Islamic republic and could lead to an easing of pressure on the regime. I think Western powers are so determined to hold on to this idea that the Islamic republic can be reformed, that a "reformist" president would prompt them to change their Iran policy. But it would not change the Iranian regime's policy, because that policy is in the hands of the supreme leader. He has made it very clear that the regime is becoming more aggressive, more ideological and more strategically reckless.  

Nouakchott, Mauritania — Nearly 90 migrants bound for Europe died when their boat capsized earlier this week off the coast of Mauritania, the state news agency and a local official said Thursday. Dozens more remain missing. "The Mauritanian coast guard recovered the bodies of 89 people aboard a large traditional fishing boat that capsized on Monday, July 1, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean" about 4 kilometers from the country's southwest city of Ndiago, the state news agency said. The coast guard rescued nine people, including a 5-year-old girl, it said. The agency quoted survivors saying that the boat had set sail from the border of Senegal and Gambia with 170 passengers on board, bringing the number of missing to 72. A senior local government official gave AFP similar information, on condition of anonymity. The Atlantic route is particularly dangerous because of strong currents, with migrants often traveling in overloaded, often unseaworthy, boats without enough drinking water. But it has grown in popularity because of the increased vigilance in the Mediterranean. The number of migrants landing at Spain's Canary Islands in 2023 more than doubled in one year to a record 39,910, according to the Spanish government. Off the coast of North Africa, Spain's Canary Islands lie 100 kilometers away at their closest point. But many boats, often long wooden vessels known as pirogues, leave from much farther away, setting sail from Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Gambia and Senegal. More than 5,000 migrants died while trying to reach Spain by sea in the first five months of this year, or the equivalent of 33 deaths per day, according to Caminando Fronteras, a Spanish charity. That is the highest daily number of deaths since it began collating figures in 2007, and the vast majority were on the Atlantic route. 

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Istanbul/Washington — Turkey's media regulator, Radio and Television Supreme Council, known as RTUK, withdrew an independent radio station's broadcast license on Wednesday over the mention of "Armenian genocide" on air. RTUK's decision to revoke the license of Acik Radyo, an Istanbul-based radio station that began broadcasting in 1995, came after a guest on April 24 made a statement on the Armenian genocide. "[Today is] the 109th anniversary, the anniversary of the massacres of Armenians, that is, the deportations and massacres that took place in the Ottoman lands, the massacres that are termed genocide," the guest said on air. "This year, the commemoration of the Armenian genocide was also banned, you know." April 24 is a day of commemoration for the World War I-era massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor to modern Turkey. U.S. President Joe Biden acknowledged April 24 as a commemoration day of the Armenian genocide for the first time in 2021. Turkey denies the existence of the Armenian genocide or any deliberate plan to wipe out the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Fines, suspensions In May, RTUK imposed an administrative fine of about $5,800 (189,283 liras) on the station and a suspension of its broadcasts, June 10-14, over the guest's statement. The regulator said Acik Radyo's broadcast on April 24 violated the law by inciting public hatred and enmity by making distinctions "based on race, language, religion, gender, class, region, and religious order." In a meeting on Wednesday, most RTUK members voted to revoke the license of Acik Radyo because it did not comply with the previous ruling that imposed the fine and programming suspension. Acik Radyo said it had requested to pay the administrative fine in installments and that after the request was approved, it paid the first installment. "It is thus clear that we have no intention to resist the law or to violate this decision through unlawful means and that we are trying to follow a well-intentioned course," Acik Radyo wrote in a statement on Wednesday. The station said it finds the regulator's ruling unacceptable and emphasized that the guest's statement "indisputably stands within the scope of freedom of expression and press freedom." Responding to a VOA request for comment, RTUK directed VOA to fill out a form providing personal information such as address and identity card number. Station to appeal ruling After receiving the ruling, the outlet said it will appeal the regulator's decision. "Açık Radyo, as it has done for the past 30 years, will continue its broadcast with the same responsibility and in line with the same universal principles of journalism," the station noted. Ilhan Tasci, an RTUK member who voted against revoking Acik Radyo's license, said the outlet risks closing after receiving the notification. Tasci said that the radio's technical devices will be sealed three days after receiving RTUK's notification unless a court rules against the decision to revoke its license. Similar cases, reactions In Turkey, there have been legal cases over the acknowledgment of the Armenian genocide through the Turkish Penal Code's Article 301, which defines the crime of "denigrating Turkishness." On Wednesday, journalists Haluk Kalafat and Elif Akgul were acquitted of the "denigrating Turkishness" charge in a case that started with a complaint in 2019, accusing the journalists of "Armenian genocide propaganda." The indictment, prepared in 2022, concerned six news stories related to the Armenian genocide, reported by Kalafat and Akgul. Erol Onderoglu, Reporters Without Borders' Turkey representative, says there have been acquittals in Armenian genocide-related cases and that RTUK's ruling to revoke Acik Radyo conflicts with such court decisions. "RTÜK's view of itself as being above the court and eyeing to revoke a radio station's license is a completely anti-democratic approach that disregards democracy and pluralist discourse," Onderoglu told VOA. "Here, there is a problem that RTÜK is open to political interventions and that politics has a significant presence in the selection of board members," Onderoglu added. Political parties nominate RTUK's nine members in proportion to their representation in the parliament. Currently, the AKP and the allied Nationalist Movement Party hold the majority. Several journalism organizations and press freedom advocates also find RTUK's decision anti-democratic and against freedom of expression. "While the radio has expressed its legal objections and the process continues, making such a decision means muting one of the handful of channels in Turkey where we can breathe," Yetvart Danzikyan, the editor-in-chief of weekly Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, wrote in his column. "This mistake must be reversed as soon as possible. Açık Radyo must remain open and continue to make the voice of democracy and equality heard," he added. 'A black mark' The Turkish Journalists Association called RTUK's decision "a black mark in the history of Turkish media." "RTÜK, which should protect the plurality of voices in society, citizens' right to receive information, and the public interest, has again damaged press freedom by revoking the license of Açık Radyo. The duty of journalists and media outlets is not to please the government with their news," the association wrote in a statement. "In a democratic society, this decision, which is a disproportionate and excessive punishment by RTÜK, will be overturned by the judiciary," the association added.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

sao paulo — Brazil's Federal Police have indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro for money laundering and criminal association in connection with undeclared diamonds the far-right leader received from Saudi Arabia during his time in office, according to a source with knowledge of the accusations. A second source confirmed the indictment, although not for which specific crimes. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. Brazil's Supreme Court has yet to receive the police report with the indictment. Once it does, the country's prosecutor-general, Paulo Gonet, will analyze the document and decide whether to file charges and force Bolsonaro to stand trial. The indictment dramatically raises the stakes in a series of investigations into the divisive ex-leader applauded by his opponents but denounced as political persecution by his supporters. Bolsonaro and his lawyers have denied any wrongdoing related to the case, as well as the slew of investigations facing the former president. Those include allegedly ordering an aide to manipulate public health records to falsify his COVID-19 vaccination certificate, for which he was already indicted, as well as involvement in inciting an uprising in capital Brasilia on January 8, 2023, that sought to oust his successor from power. Last year, Federal Police accused Bolsonaro of attempting to sneak in diamond jewelry reportedly worth $3 million and selling two luxury watches. Police said in August that Bolsonaro received cash from the nearly $70,000 sale of two luxury watches he received as gifts from Saudi Arabia. Brazil requires its citizens arriving by plane from abroad to declare goods worth more than $1,000 and, for any amount above that exemption, pay a tax equal to 50% of their value. The jewelry would have been exempt from tax had it been a gift from Saudi Arabia to Brazil, but not Bolsonaro's to keep for himself. Rather, it would have been added to the presidential collection. The investigation showed that one of Bolsonaro's top aides, Mauro Cid, in June 2022 sold a Rolex watch and a Patek Philippe watch to a store in the U.S for a total $68,000. They were gifted by Saudi Arabia's government in 2019. Cid later signed a plea bargain with authorities and confirmed it all. Bolsonaro retains staunch allegiance among his political base, as shown by an outpouring of support in February when an estimated 185,000 people clogged Sao Paulo's main boulevard to protest what the former president calls political persecution. His critics, particularly members of his rival President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's political party, have cheered every advance of investigations and repeatedly called for his arrest. Last year, Brazil's top electoral court ruled that Bolsonaro abused his presidential powers during his 2022 reelection bid, which rendered him ineligible for any elections until 2030. The case focused on a meeting during which Bolsonaro used government staffers, the state television channel and the presidential palace in Brasilia to tell foreign ambassadors that the country's electronic voting system was rigged. Bolsonaro is expected to meet Argentinian President Javier Milei this weekend at a conservative conference in Balneario Camboriu, in Brazil's south.

The Fourth of July Independence Day holiday in the United States includes lots of fireworks. One town in Oregon is forgoing the noisy celebration that disturbs marine birds nesting on its rocky shore. VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya takes us to The Great Puffin Watch Party.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Goma, Congo — A militia attack on a gold mine in northeastern Congo killed six Chinese miners and two Congolese soldiers, a civil society group said Thursday, the latest assault as violence worsens in the resource-rich region. The attack on Wednesday targeted the village of Gambala and the nearby “Camp Blanquette” gold mine in the Ituri province, according to Jean Robert Basiloko, a member of a local civil society group. A militia known as the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo, or CODECO, claimed responsibility for the attack. Eastern Congo has been torn by decadelong fighting between government forces and more than 120 armed groups, often involving bombs targeting civilians as the militias seek a share of the region’s gold and other resources. Violence in the region has worsened in recent months as security forces battle the militias. On Wednesday, the militiamen set homes ablaze and then attacked the mine, which is guarded by a competing armed group, the Zaire Militia, Basiloko told The Associated Press. They attackers killed six Chinese miners and two Congolese troops, he added, and abducted two other miners, whose whereabouts remain unknown. CODECO and the Zaire Militia are involved in a complex conflict, mixing economic ambitions and power struggles. The Zaire Militia, a dissident faction of CODECO, fiercely opposes its former allies. CODECO is a loose association of militia groups mainly from the ethnic Lendu farming community. Attacks by CODECO killed nearly 1,800 people and wounded more than 500 in the four years through 2022, according to the African Center for the Study and Research on Terrorism. The United Nations has said some of the attacks could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Washington — Leading U.S. technology companies reportedly have increased security screening of employees and job applicants, which experts say is necessary to counter the cyber espionage threat from China. While the enhanced screening is being applied to employees and applicants of all races, those with family or other ties to China are thought to be particularly vulnerable to pressure from the Beijing government. But at least one Chinese computer science graduate student at a U.S. university is hoping to make his ties to China an asset. Zheng, who does not want to reveal his first name for fear of retaliation from the Chinese government, says he recently changed his focus to cybersecurity in hopes of improving his job prospects in the United States. "The goal is a bit high, but I think I know more about China as a person born and raised in China. I hope to become a force with my own characteristics in cybersecurity and a role in fighting against Chinese cyber-attacks," said Zheng, who is seeking political asylum in the United States. While Zheng said he is not very worried that increased security checks will affect his job prospects, he said many international students in his class worry that they will be shut out from cybersecurity jobs. Google, OpenAI and Sequoia Capital are among a number of technology and venture capital firms that have stepped up security checks on employees and potential recruits, according to a recent report by The Financial Times. The newspaper cited sources at those companies saying they were responding to warnings from the U.S. government about a growing threat from Chinese espionage over the past two years. Chinese cyber espionage concerns FBI Director Christopher Wray delivered one such message in a speech in April, saying the Chinese government has tried to steal “intellectual property, technology and research” from American industries. In response, the U.S. government has stepped up security measures over the last two years, including updating its export control regulations to restrict China's ability to obtain advanced computing chips and artificial intelligence. The strengthened warnings to U.S. companies are part of that response. Ivan Kanapathy, senior vice president with Beacon Global Strategies, told VOA that Silicon Valley executives share the U.S. government’s concern. "In recent years, emerging technology companies have become more wary; they don't want to fall victim to China's technology absorption strategy," he said. "Companies can't afford to help a competitor that will put them out of business. We've seen that happen across many industries already. It's only natural for American and other allied cutting-edge companies to be concerned and take steps to mitigate the risks of PRC state-sponsored espionage," he said. Ray Wang, CEO of Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research Inc., said that the theft of American intellectual property has become more rampant since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and that people with ties to China were often targeted. "During COVID, many folks with relatives in China were put in compromising positions where they were asked to do things for the Chinese government, or one's relatives would be put at risk," Wang said. “China has infiltrated almost every aspect of the U.S., and the U.S. is facing systemic problems.” Kanapathy said China might also obtain American technology through talent poaching, meaning they recruit someone with experience in a particular technology and ask the person to take the technology to start a new company in China. Although it is ethically questionable, it is sometimes legal. "China likely also tries to place its own people, including engineers, into certain companies that have desirable technologies. It's a multipronged strategy," he said. In a statement to VOA, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu acknowledged the accusations but said the U.S. government "is short on delivering solid evidence.” “We firmly oppose to the groundless accusations and smears towards China and hope the relevant parties can view China’s development objectively and fairly,” he wrote. Liu also pointed out that the World Intellectual Property Organization last year named China as the world’s highest ranking middle-income economy and 12th overall in terms of independently creating intellectual property rights. "China's scientific and technological achievements are never made through ‘stealing.’ The Chinese people, including our intellectuals, made such achievements with our talent and hard work,” he wrote. Security screening concerns While the enhanced security reviews usually apply to all employees, Wang said. Google and OpenAI have imposed stricter reviews for Chinese employees, and Microsoft is transferring some of its most important Chinese engineers from China to other regions of the world; NVIDIA has also been highly vigilant in screening. Microsoft employees in China, mostly involved with cloud computing, were recently offered the opportunity to work in the United States, Australia or Ireland, among other countries, state-run outlet said in a report. The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft asked as many as 800 employees, mostly engineers with Chinese nationality working on cloud computing and AI, to consider relocating. He said companies should exercise caution to avoid triggering xenophobia. "So almost every new worker, not just Chinese nationals, should undergo the same vetting process. I think it's really important. As Asian Americans, we have to be very careful about those implications," he said. So far, that has not been a problem for Joey Wu, a Chinese software engineer in California. Wu told VOA he has not seen stringent measures exercised against Chinese people, nor has he been treated differently due to his Chinese citizenship. "I think the U.S. is relatively tolerant and open,” Wu said. “It is not easy for a large technology company to have so many foreign employees. Chinese companies, such as Huawei, are full of Chinese faces, with very few foreigners, and it is unlikely that Americans will be hired to play a more important role.” Kanapathy pointed out that the founders of many technology companies are from China or India themselves, and these are the people who request security checks on Chinese citizens. VOA contacted Google, OpenAI and Sequoia Capital for comments but did not receive a response by the time of publication. VOA’s Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.

LONDON — Keir Starmer will be Britain's next prime minister with his Labour Party set to win a massive majority in a parliamentary election, an exit poll on Thursday indicated, while Rishi Sunak's Conservatives are forecast to suffer historic losses. The poll showed Labour would win 410 seats in the 650-seat parliament and a majority of 170, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government. Sunak's party was forecast to only take 131 seats, down from 346 when parliament was dissolved and the worst electoral performance in its history. Voters punished the party for a cost-of-living crisis and years of instability and in-fighting that have seen five prime ministers since 2016. "Britain’s future was on the ballot at this election. And, if we are successful tonight, Labour will get to work immediately with our first steps for change," Pat McFadden, Labour's campaign coordinator said in statement. The centrist Liberal Democrats were predicted to capture 61 seats while Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage's right-wing populist Reform UK was forecast to win 13. While the forecast for Reform was far better than expected, the overall outcome suggests the disenchanted British public appears to have shifted support to the center-left, unlike in France where Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party made historic gains in an election last Sunday. It was not just the Conservatives whose vote was predicted to have collapsed. The pro-independence Scottish National Party was forecast to win only 10 seats, its worst showing since 2010, after a period of turmoil which has seen two leaders quit in little over a year, a police investigation into the party's finances and splits on a range of policies. In the last six U.K. elections, only one exit poll has got the outcome wrong: In 2015 the poll predicted a hung parliament when in fact the Conservatives won a majority. Official results will follow over the next hours. Sunak stunned Westminster and many in his own party by calling the election earlier than he needed to in May with the Conservatives trailing Labour by some 20 points in opinion polls. He had hoped that the gap would narrow as had traditionally been the case in British elections, but the deficit has failed to budge in a fairly disastrous campaign. It started badly with Sunak getting drenched as he stood in the rain outside Downing Street and announced the vote, before aides and Conservative candidates became caught up in a gambling scandal over suspicious bets placed on the date of the election. Sunak's early departure from D-Day commemorative events in France to do a TV interview angered veterans, and even those within his own party said it raised questions about his political acumen. If the exit poll proves right, it represents an incredible turnaround for Starmer and Labour, which critics and supporters said was facing an existential crisis just three years ago when it lost a parliamentary seat on a 16% swing to the Conservatives, an almost unique win for a governing party. But a series of scandals — most notably revelations of parties in Downing Street during COVID lockdowns — undermined then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and by November 2021 the Conservative poll lead, which had been higher than at any time during Margaret Thatcher's 11 years in government, was gone. Liz Truss' disastrous six-week premiership, which followed Johnson being forced out at the end of 2022, cemented the decline, and Sunak was unable to make any dent in Labour's now commanding poll lead While polls have suggested that there is no great enthusiasm for Labour leader Starmer, his simple message that it was time for change appears to have resonated with voters. However, the predicted Labour result would not quite match the record level achieved by the party under Tony Blair in 1997 when the party captured 418 seats with a majority of 179.

STUTTGART, Germany — Spain plays host nation Germany on Friday in the quarterfinals of the European Championship in an eagerly-anticipated matchup between two of the best performing sides at the soccer tournament. There is also a potential record on the line as Spain and Germany have each won three European Championships, better than any other nation. Two of the most exciting talents will be on show in Spain teenager Lamine Yamal and 21-year-old Germany forward Jamal Musiala. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) in Stuttgart. Here's what to know about the match: Match facts The winner will advance to face France or Portugal in the semifinal in Munich on Tuesday. Spain and Germany are the leading scorers at Euro 2024, having netted nine and 10 goals respectively in their four matches. They have also conjured the most attempts on target. Spain has never eliminated a host nation, either at a European Championship or the World Cup. La Roja is the only team to have won all its matches at Euro 2024, beating Croatia, Italy and Albania in the group stage before thumping Georgia 4-1 in the round of 16. Germany beat Scotland and Hungary but drew against Switzerland before eliminating Denmark. Germany hasn't beaten Spain in a major tournament since a group-stage victory at Euro '88.   Team news Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Fabian Ruiz all missed Spain's training session on Tuesday, while Aymeric Laporte only jogged once around the field. However, all are expected to be fit for Friday's match. Germany defender Jonathan Tah returns from suspension and coach Julian Nagelsmann has reported no injury concerns.   By the numbers Spain and Germany have conceded only three goals between them. The only time Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon had to pick the ball out of his net was against Georgia, while Germany conceded against Scotland and Switzerland. The teams have met 26 times, with Germany winning nine to Spain's eight. Spain edges Germany slightly on goals scored with 32 compared to 31. Three of the last four encounters have finished in a 1-1 draw with the exception being a 6-0 thrashing of Germany by Spain in a UEFA Nations League match in November 2020. Germany has won all six of its European Championship quarterfinals. Spain has lost five of its nine. Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will likely make a national record 39th appearance in a major tournament, having matched Bastian Schweinsteiger's mark in the previous round. Germany has won the last six penalty shootouts it has been involved in, losing only its first in the 1976 final. Spain has won seven of its 13.   What they're saying "I am not at all nostalgic and I don't feel like this will be my last-ever match." — Germany midfielder Toni Kroos, who will be retiring after the tournament "We're aiming for the trophy and even though it's been a pleasure playing with Toni Kroos — because he's been a teammate [at Real Madrid] and a friend — I'd still like to 'retire' him on Friday!" — Spain forward Joselu "If you want to win this tournament, you have to go through Spain." — Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich "Both are amazing players, they are young talents who will be the best in the world in the future. The wrong thing that everybody does is compare players, I think we only have to enjoy them." — Spain midfielder Mikel Merino on Yamal and Musiala. "My focus is not so much on Yamal but on Jamal," — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Violence against reporters covering environmental issues is trending upward, according to UNESCO and media advocates. For VOA News, Robin Guess reports.