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Hundreds of arrests and mysterious beatings as Georgia cracks down on pro-EU protests
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
Human trafficking rises sharply after dropping during pandemic, UN says
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, Rio Tinto face sexual harassment class actions in Australia
BHP issued a statement on Wednesday saying it apologized to anyone who has ever experienced any form of harassment at BHP
VOA Kurdish: US military official visits Syria, Iraq to assess operations
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...
VOA Kurdish: With divided loyalties, Kirkuk, Iraq, watches the situation in Syria
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.
VOA Kurdish: After 12 years, family confirms son is alive in Damascus jail
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.
VOA Kurdish: Israeli strikes on Syrian military bases target weapons
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.
VOA Kurdish: Fighting continues between armed groups in northern Syria
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.
VOA Spanish: Assad's fall shows vulnerability of authoritarianism in Latin America, say analysts
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...
VOA Creole: Gang massacre in Haiti sparks widespread condemnation
The armed gang attack that killed more than 180 people, many of them elderly, over the weekend in Haiti's Cite Soliel area has sparked widespread condemnation.
U.S. State Department official Brian Nichols posted a message on X expressing shock and asking the international community to provide more support for the multinational force in Haiti. The United Nations is calling for a thorough investigation and for those responsible for the attack to be held accountable. The Haitian government...
Russian officials report damage from Ukrainian air attacks in Bryansk, Rostov
Zelenskyy: Ukraine lacks sufficient air defense systems to protect it from Russian missile strikes
Sudan again tops International Rescue Committee crises watchlist
The report said 305.1 million people around the world are in humanitarian need - up from 77.9 million in 2015 - and that the 20 countries on the IRC watchlist account for 82% of them
Myanmar's economy to shrink as floods compound crisis, says World Bank
The country of 55 million people has been in turmoil since 2021 when the military seized power from the elected civilian government
Ex-defense chief in South Korea tried to kill himself after being arrested over martial law case
Yoon’s ill-conceived power grab has paralyzed South Korean politics, frozen its foreign policy, and rattled financial markets
Geopolitical shakeup following Assad’s defeat in Syria
The Kremlin was a key supporter of Bashar al-Assad in his government's brutal attempts to defeat rebels, and that memory may make it difficult for Moscow to regain its foothold in Syria. Meanwhile, a Turkish-backed Syrian militia is moving against Kurdish forces in Syria. The corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is back on in Israel. A look at the woman nominated to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., and the implications of President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to shut...
White House wants Syrian-led process for new government after Assad’s ouster
National security adviser John Kirby spoke with VOA on the Biden administration’s Syria policy after the Assad government fell
Bill to protect journalists fails in US Senate
The PRESS Act would protect journalists from being forced by the government to reveal their sources
ICC prosecutor to Myanmar: Obey international law or face justice
The ICC investigation primarily focuses on past violations committed by Myanmar's military, particularly the crimes against the Rohingya population
Trump’s signals hands-off Syria approach. Can he deliver?
Donald Trump has signaled he wants to avoid involvement in Syria following an insurgent group's ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. However, as White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports, the president-elect might need to balance his stance with U.S. goals in the region.