Voice of America’s immigration news

Hamas says it’s committed to a ceasefire with Israel

Located about 50 miles southeast of Iraqi Kurdistan's capital, Irbil, Baghaznera is a small village in the TaqTaq district. Residents there are determined to continue a simple life centered around livestock and agriculture. Despite the modernization of urban areas, the villagers remain committed to their way of life and refuse to migrate to the city. Click here for the full TV story in Kurdish.

The Chinese government's ambitious "urban village redevelopment" plan was initially expected to not only improve urban environments and enhance residents' quality of life but also serve as a key driver for boosting the real estate market and revitalizing local economies. However, amid the economic slowdown, tightening fiscal conditions and increasing resistance to demolition, many urban village redevelopment projects have been delayed or stalled, drawing widespread attention. Click here...

Local officials confirmed to VOA on Thursday that a mass grave containing the remains of 17 people has been found in Hawija town, west of Iraq's disputed province of Kirkuk. Pary Nuri, an adviser to the Iraqi president, told VOA the remains are believed to belong to peshmerga fighters captured by the Islamic State in late 2014. Kurdish military officials told VOA that about 105 Kurdish peshmerga and volunteer fighters have gone missing since 2014 during the U.S.-led coalition's fight against...

A group of environmental activists from the village of Khurmal in Iraqi Kurdistan's Halabja province have started a campaign to promote the use of bicycles instead of cars. The campaign has been welcomed by local residents of different ages, breaking a long-held social stigma around riding bicycles by older people. Click here for the full TV story in Kurdish.     

China's 2024 lottery sales reached a record of 620 billion yuan ($84.8 billion), averaging more than 2,000 yuan per person as China is estimated to have about 300 million lottery players. Some observers believe the lottery has become a means for many poor people to dream of getting rich overnight. However, others said that sales of China's sports lottery are the biggest contributor, accounting for 66% of the total lottery sales. Click here for the full story in Mandarin.

Party’s popularity has been fueled by dissatisfaction with the large numbers of immigrants in the country

Trump hosts Indian leader on the same day he signs plan for reciprocal tariffs on US trading partners

European security is in the spotlight following Donald Trump’s calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy and as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth continues his visit to NATO headquarters ahead of the Munich Security Conference. President Trump says he will impose reciprocal tariffs on all imports coming into the United States from all countries. Hamas says hostages will be released on time, averting a crisis and possible re-starting of hostilities. As part of new, stricter...

Some migrants sent to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba

'Very destructive winds of up to 290 kilometers per hour' are likely close to center of Cyclone Zelia as it crosses coast, Australian Bureau of Meteorology says

Some migrants seeking asylum in the US are choosing a route through US territories in the western Pacific

Google signals a shift toward developing AI tools for the military

U.S. lawmakers warned Thursday of the danger of allowing China and Russia to gain influence in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The warnings came as regional and Western powers met in Paris to discuss Syria's future. VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson has more.

French president’s comments come amid uncertainty over US commitment to region

Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national convicted of cybercrime and released by U.S. authorities as part of a prisoner swap, arrived in Moscow on Thursday and thanked President Vladimir Putin and others for arranging the exchange, state news agency RIA said. Vinnik, who pleaded guilty in May 2024 to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, told RIA in a dispatch issued after midnight that he was at home with his family. He said he had flown on a U.S. plane that stopped in Poland...

Elon Musk calls for deletion of 'entire agencies' from federal government

US intends to match rates other countries impose on American goods