Voice of America’s immigration news

belgrade, serbia — Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Serbia this week brought out a crowd waving Serbian and Chinese flags and praising the "ironclad" friendship of two countries. Elsewhere in the West, it raised many questions about Serbia's future role in Europe.  Analysts say that was exactly the idea. At a time of global rivalry between Beijing and Washington, the messages Xi delivered from Belgrade appeared aimed at a much wider audience.  Xi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed a number of bilateral agreements on Wednesday, which followed the 25th anniversary of NATO's bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade during NATO's 1999 campaign to halt the ethnic cleansing of Albanians in Kosovo. The U.S. apologized for that action, calling it "a mistake."  David Shullman, an expert on China with the Washington-based Atlantic Council, told VOA that Xi's arrival in Belgrade on the May 7 anniversary was aimed at sending a broader message in the context of the war in Ukraine: that China is not a "warmonger" like the U.S. and NATO.  Chinese messaging, Shullman said, "parrots Russia's messaging about the war in Ukraine, about not putting a blame on Russia, but putting a blame on the U.S., NATO for 'fanning the flames' of the war, continuing to support the Ukrainians, and that China is the one that's the force for peace and stability. …   "There is an awareness in the Chinese system [that] this is a key binding point between China and Serbia, and it fits into that message that China has been pushing about NATO and the U.S."  China's president referred to the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in an op-ed published Tuesday in Serbia's pro-government newspaper Politika: "The people of China value peace, but they will never allow a historical tragedy to happen again."   Paul McCarthy, director for Europe at the International Republican Institute in Washington, agreed that the timing of Xi's visit was no accident.  "I think that Xi's entire visit to Europe was organized around the 25th anniversary of the NATO bombing," he said. "It is too symbolic an opportunity for the Chinese to miss and underlines, so to speak, the position of Serbia and the strategic disagreement with the West that has been going on for 25 years."  Xi and Vucic signed a statement on the two countries' "shared future," which the Serbian president described as being a level above the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the two countries agreed to in 2016.  According to the Atlantic Council's Shullman, Xi has often used the phrase "shared future" to indicate he wants a new balance of power in the world.  "The story of a shared future is how China wants to establish a global order that is less U.S.-led, that is multipolar, that is a more 'democratic' international order — as the Chinese say," he said.  "In essence, it is an order that is no longer led by the U.S. and in which China plays a more significant role."  He added: "The fact that Serbia is spoken of as the first European country that will be part of the community and 'common future' shows that for Chinese leaders, especially Xi, Serbia is of great importance ... as an economic partner and as a country that is a candidate for the EU."  In addition, Xi's visit to Serbia signaled to Washington that China has reliable partners in Europe and that the U.S. "will not be able to completely win over Europe to its side."   China owns mines and factories across Serbia and has provided billions of dollars' worth of funding for roads, bridges and various facilities, becoming Serbia's key partner in much-needed infrastructure development.   Still, some experts say the future of cooperation between Belgrade and Beijing is uncertain, given the complicated relations between the U.S. and China.  Vuk Vuksanovic, a senior researcher at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, told VOA that broadening cooperation between Serbia and China from a strategic partnership to the level of "building a community of Serbia and China with a common future in the new era" is little more than a diplomatic game that suits both governments at the moment.  He added that the future relationship depends much more on Beijing than on Belgrade.   "The previous strategic partnership agreement was a joint statement from 2009 that had warm rhetoric but did not actually bring about any monumental transformation of those relations," he said.  "And that was until the moment when China showed greater interest in the Balkans due to the Belt and Road Initiative," a massive, Chinese-led global infrastructure development strategy. "I think the key question for the U.S. will be whether that cooperation will include some major project in the field of defense and high technology."  The International Republican Institute's McCarthy said it is unclear how the agreements between Serbia and China and the plans for a "common future" will affect Serbia's relationship with the West.  Still, he noted, a free-trade agreement between China and Serbia that comes into force in July "turns Serbia more towards the East," raising the question of "how serious is Serbia on its European path."  He added: "I have to say that, from Washington's perspective, they might feel like they're losing the battle for Serbia's heart, so to speak."  This article originated in VOA’s Serbian Service with contributions from Dino Jahic, Marko Protic and Stefan Miljus.

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.

islamabad — At least four people were reported killed on Thursday during clashes between protesters and Taliban security forces in eastern Afghanistan. Residents in Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan, held a demonstration after being told by Taliban authorities to vacate their homes for the construction of a customs clearing facility, according to witnesses and officials. Protesters blocked a busy highway linking Afghanistan to Pakistan and refused to allow the destruction of their properties. Taliban security forces fired gunshots to disperse the crowd and clear the highway to allow trade convoys to resume their journey in both directions, eyewitnesses reported. An area information and culture department spokesperson confirmed the clashes, saying residents "created chaos in response" to the official order. Arafat Mohajer said that the violence resulted in the death of a Taliban officer and "a number of people who were occupying the [state[ land [illegally]." He did not share further details. Protesters refuted the official claims, saying they had the deeds and owned the land. A resident in Jalalabad, the provincial capital, confirmed to VOA by phone that firing by Taliban security forces killed three protesters. The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan three years ago and faced no public opposition to their hard-line policies until this month. Last week, farmers and residents took to the streets in northeastern Badakhshan province to protest the eradication of poppy fields by the Taliban counternarcotics units. Security forces opened fire to disperse the demonstrators, killing two people. Hibatullah Akhundzada, the reclusive Taliban supreme leader, has imposed a nationwide ban on poppy cultivation and production, usage, transportation and trade of all illicit drugs in Afghanistan. Some information for this report came from AFP.

washington — President Joe Biden welcomed the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces to the White House on Thursday, celebrating what he called a "banner year" for women's basketball. "It matters to girls and women, finally seeing themselves represented," Biden said during the celebration held in the East Room of the White House. "It matters to all Americans. That's why as a nation, we need to support women's sports." Both he and Vice President Kamala Harris were given the customary jerseys from the winning team. As he held his up, Biden yelled, "Put me in Coach, I'm ready to play!" In her own remarks, Harris praised the team for playing with "such joy" and being role models both on and off the basketball court. "You simply inspire people across our nation and around the world," Harris said. The Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty in the WNBA championship last October to win their second consecutive WNBA title. As he began his remarks, Biden made a not-so-veiled reference to his own reelection prospects, noting, "I kind of like that back-to-back stuff."

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.

johannesburg — What's the future of Artificial Intelligence in Africa? When that question is entered into the AI platform ChatGPT, it answers that it "holds immense potential for transformative impact across various sectors," notably health care, agriculture and education. Human experts tend to agree, and AI is fast becoming the latest frontier in U.S.-China competition on the continent. "To advance in AI research and innovation, African countries will need significant investments in computing infrastructure," said Chinasa T. Okolo, a Center for Technology Innovation fellow at The Brookings Institution. "The U.S. and China could potentially be good partners to help with such initiatives." In the coming years, researchers predict AI companies will run out of data in English and Western languages but that is not the case in Africa where much more data is still needed, Okolo said. "Thus, by investing in Africa, companies from AI superpowers like the U.S. and China stand to gain valuable data that they could use to build services and systems to be sold back to African countries," she said. South Africa's AI drive One country on the continent that is rapidly pursuing AI is South Africa. At a government summit on AI in April, Mondli Gungubele, the minister of communications and digital technologies, said, "The era of generative AI is just beginning, and as a country and a continent we cannot and must not allow ourselves to be left behind." South Africa has already established the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa, or AIISA, and it is rolling out "hubs" at universities across the country. It was created to ensure that the country's industries and sectors benefit from AI, said Hitekani Magwedze, spokesman for the ministry of communications and digital technologies. "Through the AIISA, we have now created AI hubs in manufacturing and services, farming and agriculture, automotive and transportation, and military and defense," with more sectors planned, Magwedze told VOA.  "South Africa has global partnerships with major countries such as U.S. and China in the G20 and BRICS," he said. "These leading countries see South Africa as a gateway into Africa and the developing countries agenda." Magewedze said AI can help with unemployment, inequality and poverty in the country. In May, Tshwane University of Technology will launch a new AI Career Tech Center in collaboration with U.S. tech giant, Intel. "The AI hubs across the country are partnering with strong partners from the international community to achieve the objectives of the AI institutes," said Anish Kurien, Acting Director of the university's AIISA hub. Earlier this month, South Africa's Department of Defense launched a Defense Artificial Intelligence Research Unit at the country's military academy. "There is a need for African solutions to African challenges, and AI is an enabling technology of the [Fourth Industrial Revolution] which will play a role in solving many of the social issues facing our beloved continent," Wayne Dalton, the deputy director of the new research unit, told VOA. When asked about U.S.-China involvement, Dalton said, "South Africa's AI strategy and goals are in their infancy" but "there will be plenty of opportunities for the U.S. and China to help us achieve these goals." The increased focus on AI in South Africa comes at a time when public opinion has increased for China and slightly decreased for the U.S., according to a new Gallup report released in April. Trends in public opinion may not necessarily apply to collaboration on the AI front, and African nations will partner with parties that can offer the most value, said Okolo. "While the U.S. government has provided substantial aid to African countries, China took a different approach by leading with infrastructure investments, which will increasingly become important as African countries aim to bolster their telecommunications and data infrastructure," she said. China and US interest The U.S. has already invested in AI in Africa. Silicon Valley giant Google opened its first AI lab in Ghana, while IBM has research facilities in Kenya and South Africa. At an American Chamber of Commerce Business Summit in Nairobi last month, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced a partnership to enable U.S. companies to invest in AI and data centers in Kenya. Lisa Walker, managing director for Africa operations at Prosper Africa, a U.S. government trade initiative, told VOA the organization is advancing partnerships under U.S. President Joe Biden's Digital Transformation with Africa strategy. "Prosper Africa launched the Africa Tech for Trade Alliance in April of last year. Today, there are 24 private sector partners under this Alliance including industry leaders like Google, AWS, Intel, Cisco Systems, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, UPS, DHL, FedEx and others," she said. China also has taken an interest in AI in Africa. For over a decade, China has been investing in the continent's internet infrastructure and connectivity through President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. In April, a China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum was held in the China's southeastern coastal city of Xiamen and attended by representatives from some 20 African countries. "Africa is an important participant in scientific and technological progress. The development and application of AI is of great significance to the developing countries, including China and African countries," Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told VOA. As for U.S.-China competition in AI, Liu said, "China is willing to carry out communication, exchanges and practical cooperation with all parties, including Africa and the United States, on AI global governance to ensure that AI always develops in the direction of human civilization and progress." During their meeting in San Francisco last year and a recent phone call, Liu said, Chinese and U.S. leaders agreed to promote cooperation in the field of AI. Liu added that the two sides will soon hold the first intergovernmental dialogue on AI. Prosper Africa's Walker had a different take when asked about U.S.-China competition, saying U.S. companies had "incomparable brand value." "It's the focus on mutual growth, local job creation and shared prosperity that continues to set American tech companies apart from international competitors," she said. However, Brookings Institution fellow Okolo is more pessimistic about U.S.-China involvement in Africa. "While I've seen rising interest in Africa from the U.S. and China, I believe it's honestly hard to say how well these countries are interested in specifically working with African countries to advance AI innovation," said Okolo. "While American and Chinese researchers often collaborate with each other in academic AI research, these countries themselves are vying to be leaders within the 'AI race.'" According to the recently released AI Index Report from Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, the U.S. was the leading source of top computer programs known as AI models last year, with 61 compared to China's 15. However, it found that China led globally in terms of AI patents with 61.1%, while the U.S. accounted for only 20%.

While both the Biden and Trump campaigns share their messaging on abortion, VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports on how the issue of reproductive rights is faring in the minds of citizens and lawmakers ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Tensions rise as the Israeli military makes a move into Rafah, while negotiations for a ceasefire hang in the balance. University protests across the U.S. are gaining momentum, with politicians racing to connect with the youth vote and make sense of the unrest. This week on The Inside Story...Gaza War: Widening Crisis.

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.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visits Turkey on May 13 for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The leaders hope to ease tensions that have brought the two NATO members close to armed confrontation several times in recent years. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. Camera: Berke Bas.

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.

jerusalem — Yemen's Houthi rebels on Thursday claimed responsibility for two missile attacks in the Gulf of Aden on two Panama-flagged container ships that caused no damage. Meanwhile, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader again threatened that Tehran could build a nuclear weapon if it chose to pursue atomic armaments.  The comments by Yemeni military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree and former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi come as the allies of Hamas continue to pressure Israel over its continuing war on the militant group in the Gaza Strip.  The Houthis insist their assaults on shipping through the crucial waterway leading to the Suez Canal and onward to the Mediterranean Sea will continue as long as the war goes on. Meanwhile, Iran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel amid the war, bringing a yearslong shadow conflict between the two nations out into the light.  In a prerecorded statement, Saree claimed attacks on the MSC Diego and MSC Gina. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a U.S.-led coalition of nations operating in the Mideast, said those two missile attacks happened early Tuesday.  "Neither were hit and all crew on board are safe," the center said. "The vessels were last reported proceeding to next port of call."  The center added that the vessels were "likely targeted due to perceived Israeli affiliation."  Both vessels were operating for Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Co., which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there, according to local health officials. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.  The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.  Meanwhile Thursday, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency carried the comments made by Kharrazi, a former foreign minister under reformist President Mohammad Khatami.  Speaking to the Al Jazeera news network in an interview that appeared not to have been immediately aired, Kharrazi elaborated on an atomic bomb threat he made to the channel back in 2022 amid tensions with the West over Iran's tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.  "If Iran's existence is threatened, we will have to change our nuclear doctrine," Kharrazi said, according to IRNA. "Recently, the military officials also announced that if Israel wants to attack nuclear facilities, it is possible and imaginable to revise Iran's nuclear doctrine and policies and divert from the previous declaration considerations."  Tensions have grown between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2018, when then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Tehran's nuclear deal. Since then, Iran has abandoned all limits the deal put on its program and enriches uranium to up to 60% purity — near weapons-grade levels of 90%.  Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have hit a new high. Tehran launched a drone-and-missile attack on Israel last month after Israel's apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria killed two Iranian generals and others.  The Iranian city of Isfahan then apparently came under Israeli fire in recent weeks, despite being surrounded by sensitive nuclear sites. 

KUALA LUMPUR — A U.S. treasury official warned of environmental risks from illicit transfers of Iranian oil off Malaysia, news portal Malaysiakini reported on Thursday, as the United States narrows its focus on financing for militant groups routed through Southeast Asia.  The United States sees Iran's capacity to move its oil as being reliant on service providers based in Malaysia, a senior U.S. treasury official said this week.  The official also said the U.S. was attempting to prevent Malaysia from becoming a jurisdiction where the Palestinian militant group Hamas could raise and transfer funds.  Brian Nelson, U.S. Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said one of the main ways Iran raised money was through the sale of illicit oil to buyers in East Asia, Malaysiakini reported.   "Many of these shipments traverse the waters around Malaysia and are loaded onto vessels of questionable legitimacy that may also pose major environmental and safety risks," he was reported as saying.  Nelson expressed concern for any parties providing "ship-to-ship" transfers of illicit oil as such maneuvers could lead to accidents or oil spills that could threaten Malaysia's coasts.   The U.S. Treasury has also seen an uptick in attempts by Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, to raise and move money in Southeast Asia, Nelson added.   He urged those who wish to support humanitarian assistance to Gaza to donate to reputable charities to ensure the funds were not diverted elsewhere.  Nelson and Neil MacBride, Treasury general counsel, are on a visit to Singapore and Malaysia this week to advance efforts in countering financing and revenue generation by Iran and its proxies.   The office of Malaysia's prime minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  But Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he conveyed the country's stance regarding sanctions to Nelson during a meeting on Thursday. Saifuddin said Malaysia would comply with United Nations sanctions but would not recognize unilaterally applied sanctions.   He told reporters he also informed Nelson that Malaysia had investigated and taken action against an organization with suspected links to Palestinians. He did not name the organization.

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.

WASHINGTON — North Macedonia elected its first woman president Wednesday as the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia suffered historic losses in presidential and parliamentary elections. With nearly all the votes counted, university professor Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the presidential candidate of the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE opposition party, won nearly 65% of the vote, with incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski winning 29%, according to the country’s State Election Commission. In the parliamentary contest, the VMRO-DPMNE-led coalition Your Macedonia won 43% of the votes, giving it 58 of the parliament’s 120 seats, just short of a majority. Although it was uncertain on election day whether the 40% turnout threshold for the presidential election would be reached, due to calls for a boycott, the State Election Commission reported that turnout exceeded 46%. In her first post-election public address, President-elect Siljanovska-Davkova promised to “act as the president of all citizens, of all ethnic groups, of party members, of those who are not in parties, because a president, especially not if she is a woman, cannot unite and search for unity if he sticks to party lines.” VMRO-DPMNE party head Hristijan Mickoski called the election results a “historic victory for North Macedonia and the people of Macedonia,” adding that the ruling Social Democratic Union, or SDSM, lost because of "crime, corruption, incompetence, false values, the confiscated state, tenders, nepotism and a hundred other consequences that made the state suffer and the people disappointed." SDSM officials have repeatedly rejected these criticisms. SDSM head Dimitar Kovacevski congratulated the victors Wednesday while telling reporters that his party’s loss was “disappointing” and “a heavy blow.” EU and NATO considerations The country agreed to change its name from the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia in 2019 following a decadeslong dispute with Greece over the designation. In a 2018 referendum, voters in North Macedonia approved an agreement with Greece that included changing the country’s name in order to clear the way for its European Union and NATO accession. However, turnout for the referendum was less than the 50% threshold required to validate the results, leaving parliament to approve the change. Mickoski has refused to acknowledge the country’s name change and the 2018 agreement with Greece. The opposition also supports standing firm in ongoing linguistic and historical disputes with neighboring Bulgaria, an EU member that has blocked North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations. EU membership negotiations with North Macedonia — and fellow-candidate Albania — began in 2022, and the process is expected to take years. Commenting Wednesday on North Macedonia’s elections and their potential effect on the country’s EU accession bid, Deputy U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Gabriel Escobar said, “I am confident and hope that regardless of the elections in North Macedonia, the road to Europe will continue.” On Tuesday, European Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero told reporters in Brussels that “North Macedonia has committed itself to constitutional changes and, from our perspective, we believe that all political forces will focus on progress in the EU integration process." Pisonero added: “The European Council has clearly stated what the expectations are and we, for our part, fully support the perspective of North Macedonia's membership in the EU, and we hope that we will be able to open the negotiation process as soon as possible." Corruption is an issue The European Commission reported in November that corruption, another hot-button issue, “remains prevalent in many areas” of North Macedonia. In December, U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia Angela Aggeler said there was “an epidemic of corruption in this country that has affected every sector, every organization, and only by exposing the corrupt actors can we begin to help the country address these issues.” The VMRO-DPMNE has accused the SDSM and its junior coalition partner, the Democratic Union for Integration, the third-largest political party and largest ethnic Albanian political party, of causing a “corruption pandemic.” Wednesday was the third time that Macedonian citizens in the U.S. and elsewhere outside North Macedonia voted in the country’s presidential elections. According to the State Election Commission, more than 2,300 domestic and international observers monitored the voting.