Voice of America’s immigration news
Voice of America is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries
Updated: 2 hours 48 min ago
South Korea's tourism, soft power gains, at risk from extended political crisis
Seoul mayor reassures safety amid tourist cancellations
Australia to charge tech companies for news content if they do not pay
Rule to affect tech firms with local revenue over $160 million
Somalia, Ethiopia agree to end dispute
They plan to begin talks by February to iron out details over a controversial maritime access deal
Korean journalists recount night of fear under Yoon’s martial law
Decree would have placed media under military control
Serbia's president says he won't flee his country like Syria's Assad did despite growing protests
Vučić's opponents in Serbia have compared him to Assad and other world dictators
New data finds fewer US grandparents are taking care of grandchildren
Factors include pandemic and other occurrences like the opioid crisis
Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon village under ceasefire deal
UN General Assembly demands immediate Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages
US signals conditional support for future government in Syria
Biden wants inclusive transition towards nonsectarian governance as Trump signals hands-off approach
Incoming Trump team prepares military-backed deportations
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to carry out the largest deportations in US history
French-language song surpasses 1 billion listens on Spotify for the first time
Piano-vocal song, composed for a 2009 movie, saw renewed interest in 2019 on YouTube
VOA is in Damascus
VOA is on the ground in Damascus as security and political concerns following the Assad regime’s fall still linger. Donald Trump has signaled a hands-off approach to Syria when he takes office, but how realistic is that? Russia is planning on using its hypersonic missile in Ukraine again and the International Court of Justice hears from island nations who say climate change is an existential threat.
VOA Afghan: Killing of Taliban minister could widen divisions within the group, analysts say
The killing of the key Taliban minister shows the security challenges that the Taliban face and could widen the divisions within the Taliban, say analysts. The Taliban said Wednesday that the acting minister of refugees and repatriation, Khalil-Ur-Rahman Haqqani and his four associates were killed in a suicide bombing that occurred within the ministry’s building in Kabul. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.
Click here for the full story in Dari.
VOA Kurdish: Groups urge solidarity plan to support Syrian Kurds
Civil society organizations, journalists and political observers convened in Irbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to discuss the situation in Syria. They expressed grave concern about the threats facing Kurdish regions in Syria, emphasizing the need for unity among Kurdish political parties to confront these challenges. They also announced plans for a solidarity campaign to support Syrian Kurds.
Click here for the full story in Kurdish.
VOA Kurdish: Kurdish MPs advocate for action amid Syrian unrest to protect Kurdish rights
Kurdish Members of Parliament in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have expressed concerns over the ongoing crisis in Syria, emphasizing the urgency of electing a parliamentary president to address the threats facing Syrian Kurds. Ali Hama Salih, a KRG parliamentarian, called for opening the Smelka border crossing between the Kurdistan Region and the Syrian Autonomous Administration to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Click here for the full story in Kurdish.
VOA Kurdish: Despite ceasefire, fighting continues in Manbij, Syria
Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Manbij, fighting persists between the Syrian Democratic Forces and Turkish-backed armed groups. The conflict has included Turkish drone strikes on key areas like Kobani, Raqqa, and Ain Issa, resulting in civilian casualties. Manbij has been a focal point of the offensive, with Turkish-backed militants attempting to advance into Kobani but facing resistance from Hezbollah forces.
In Deir el-Zour, Hezbollah withdrew from positions west of the Euphrates,...
VOA Spanish: Letters from political prisoners in Venezuela recount the horrors of their imprisonment
Messages of desperation sent by political prisoners in Venezuela are being made public by relatives and organizations as a way of demanding their release from the government of Nicolás Maduro. Several of the letters include confessions of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Click here for the full story in Spanish.
VOA Creole: Haitian government announces reopening of Port-au-Prince airport
Haiti's Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime announced Wednesday that Port-au-Prince's international airport will be reopening soon. In an official statement, the prime minister's office detailed measures the government is taking to secure the airport and surrounding areas. American Airlines announced earlier this week it was suspending all flights to Haiti for the time being. Haiti has been wracked by gang violence.
Click here for the full story in Creole.
US signals conditional support for future government in Syria
Biden wants inclusive transition process toward nonsectarian governance, while Trump signals hands-off approach