Voice of America’s immigration news

US will recognize Syrian government that upholds key principles, secretary of state says

Chad's military says it has deployed several hundred troops along border with Cameroon to stop rebels from abducting civilians after armed men kidnapped a dozen Cameroonians

Memorandum was shaped to help Trump's team build its approach in dealing with relationships involving America's most prominent adversaries and competitors

Russia says it is in contact with 'those who are currently controlling the situation'

Clashes come after Jubbaland held election against advice of authorities in Mogadishu, officials say

As Syrians danced in the streets over President Bashar al-Assad's fall from power, Anwar Etnesh drove his car into the dense traffic clogging the route from his hometown Daraa north to Damascus. Hordes of Syrians like Etnesh were heading to Syria's capital to celebrate the end of the Assad family's rule. But Etnesh was on a mission to find his 55-year-old cousin, whom Assad soldiers arrested in Daraa 13 years ago during anti-government protests. He was never seen or heard from...

In an attempt to end polarization in Zimbabwe's media, an organization is hosting sports events for journalists from the privately owned and state-run media. Columbus Mavhunga joins the inaugural event in Harare, where he files this report.

Deadly Israeli airstrikes hit central, northern Gaza

One of the key factors driving the weather is an atmospheric river, which is a long band of water vapor that can transport moisture from the tropics to more northern areas

Rights groups say the crackdown is without recent precedent in Georgia, a country that had been seen as among the most pro-Western and democratic of the Soviet Union's successor states

The latest report showed adult women remain the largest group of victims, representing 39% of cases, followed by men at 23%, girls at 22% and boys at 16%

BHP issued a statement on Wednesday saying it apologized to anyone who has ever experienced any form of harassment at BHP

U.S. Central Command commander General Michael Eric Kurilla visited Syria and Iraq to assess ongoing operations against Islamic State, the first visit of a senior U.S. military official since the fall of the Assad regime.  In Syria, Kurilla met with Syrian Democratic Forces leaders and U.S. troops to discuss force protection and efforts to prevent Islamic State from exploiting the evolving situation.  In Iraq, Kurilla met with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and other officials...

Kirkuk is a city with many ethnic and religious divisions, and they’ve all been watching the situation unfold in Syria.  Different groups in Kirkuk have different loyalties: Shiites support Assad. Sunni Arabs back the Syrian Liberation Front. Kurds support Syrian Democratic Forces. Turkmen follow Turkey’s agenda. Dilshad Anwar has a video report on how the conflict in Syria could impact the situation in Kirkuk.  See full story here. 

A family came to the Duhok refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan at the start of the Syrian civil war 12 years ago. The father works as a car mechanic, and his wife is a tailor. Although they survived the war, their son was missing.   The family never lost hope and never stopped searching for him.  After the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham announced the names of detainees in a Damascus jail. Their son’s name was on the list.  See full story here. 

Israel has pounded military bases across Syria with strikes targeting weapons depots to prevent equipment from falling into the hands of hostile parties.   Targets included the Qamishli international airport as well as a military base that was controlled by the regime of the former president. VOA Kurdish stringer in Qamishli Zana Omer has the latest.  See full story here. 

While Syrians in Damascus and abroad are celebrating the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, fighting continues in parts of the country. Freelance journalist Ridwan Bezar, from Kobani in northern Syria, provides an update on the ongoing fighting between Turkish-backed armed groups and the Syrian Democratic Forces. See full story here.

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria demonstrates the vulnerability of authoritarian governments such as those in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba, according to analysts, who question the current capacity of Russia and Iran to actively defend their more distant allies.  Assad’s Latin American supporters are watching what has happened in Syria “with great apprehension,” according to Geoff Ramsey, an analyst at the Atlantic Council, a U.S.-based research and think tank.  See full story...