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Fazel Basharati, a prominent leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has spoken about the ongoing discussions with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and other political parties to form a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). In an interview with VOA, Basharati addressed the PUK’s stance on the prime minister’s position, questioning the conditions they would use to apply for the role. He said the …

SYDNEY — One person died on Sunday in Australia’s north Queensland state in heavy flooding, authorities said, urging thousands of people to move to higher ground because of torrential rains. Queensland authorities said major flooding was underway in coastal Hinchinbrook Shire, a locality of about 11,000 people about 500 kilometers north of state capital, Brisbane. Several suburbs in the nearby city of Townsville were also affected, …

TEHRAN, IRAN — The naval arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards unveiled a new underground missile facility on the south coast in footage aired by state television Saturday, two weeks after unveiling an underground naval base.  “Hundreds of cruise missiles capable of countering enemy destroyers’ electronic warfare are stationed in these underground cities,” the televised report said.  “The systems are being kept hundreds of meters underground and …

BANGKOK — Myanmar’s scam operations are expanding south along Thailand’s border, authorities have told VOA in recent days, and will continue operating as long as their access to SIM cards, Starlink satellites, electricity and the key human resources — scammers — continues. The Myawaddy area in Myanmar, opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, is the “global capital” of scams, opposition People’s Party lawmaker Rangsiman …

Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages Saturday, the latest in a series of exchanges agreed to in a deal aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Yarden Bibas, 35, were handed over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis before being returned to Israel. Israeli-American Keith Siegel, 65, was released …

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — A mountain in New Zealand considered an ancestor by Indigenous people was recognized as a legal person on Thursday after a new law granted it all the rights and responsibilities of a human being. Mount Taranaki — now known as Taranaki Maunga, its Maori name — is the latest natural feature to be granted personhood in New Zealand, which has ruled that …

Syria’s new authorities have announced the arrest of Atif Najib, a former senior security officer and cousin of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. Najib is seen by many as being responsible for suppressing the initial protest which triggered Syria’s 2011 uprising. Najib was arrested in western Syria in the Latakia countryside, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported he “was hiding in a farm.” He …

WASHINGTON — On the front lines of the war in Ukraine, local newspapers are vital lifelines in areas where Russia has destroyed cell towers and internet infrastructure. Journalists provide information about evacuation routes, document alleged Russian war crimes and troop movements, and counter Moscow’s propaganda. Even a temporary freeze of U.S. foreign aid can mean financial difficulties for small media organizations that rely on outside donors …

The militant group Hamas has announced — and Israel has confirmed — the identity of the next three hostages to be released Saturday in the fourth such exchange between the sides under a ceasefire agreement to halt more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza.   The hostages include Yarden Bibas, 35, who was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror …

Bangkok — Myanmar’s rebel groups made historic gains last year, the fourth of a civil war set off by a military coup in February 2021, seizing wide swathes of the country’s west and northeast and overrunning two of the regime’s regional command bases for the first time. As the war enters its fifth bloody year Saturday, experts tell VOA the rebels are positioned to keep gaining …

DUBAI, UAE — The Israeli military said on Friday it struck several Hezbollah targets overnight in the Bekaa Valley and along the Syrian-Lebanese border. The army said the targets include a facility used for underground weapons development and another associated with the smuggling of arms into Lebanon. On Thursday, Israel said it intercepted a surveillance drone launched by Hezbollah calling it “a breach of the ceasefire …

Three more Israeli hostages and five Thai workers are back in Israel after being freed as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem reports there were emotional reunions, but their liberation did not go smoothly. Video includes images from Ricki Rosen. …

washington — The White House says President Donald Trump is going to pursue the denuclearization of North Korea, although analysts say that is easier said than done. White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes told VOA Korean via email this week that “President Trump had a good relationship with [North Korean leader] Kim Jong Un,” and that Trump’s “mix of toughness and diplomacy led to …

Foreign dignitaries and officials are beginning to travel to Syria to meet with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country’s newly appointed transitional president. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani became the first head of state to visit Damascus, Syria’s capital, and meet with Sharaa. The Qatari royal court said the emir discussed with Sharaa “the urgent need to form a government that represents all segments …

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — The Lunar New Year, also called the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival in China, is traditionally celebrated with tables piled with food and red envelopes filled with cash for children. In past years, smoke from outdoor fire pits filled the air throughout the morning and afternoon, as people burned paper money to ensure that even the ancestors can feel the financial …

Iran has stepped up its efforts to recruit spies in Israel. Authorities in Israel say they have arrested more than 30 in the past year, with two army reservists detained this week. One of them is accused of giving Iran classified information on Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. (Videographer: Ricki Rosen ) …

MANILA — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered on Thursday to remove a U.S. missile system from the Philippines if China halts what he called its “aggressive and coercive behavior” in the disputed South China Sea.  The U.S. Army installed the Typhon mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines in April last year to support what the longtime treaty allies described as training for joint combat …

A small Chinese company sent shockwaves around the tech world this week with news that it has created a high-performing artificial intelligence system with less computing power and at a lower cost than ones made by U.S. tech giants. Michelle Quinn reports. …

Israel and Hamas are set to carry out their third exchange of hostages and prisoners on Thursday as part of a ceasefire agreement that has halted fighting in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is due to release three Israelis and five Thai citizens. Israel is releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners. Previous exchanges have freed seven hostages the militants were holding in Gaza and 300 prisoners held by …

A former rebel leader who helped defeat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last month was named interim president of the country Wednesday. Commanders of military factions that toppled the former regime named Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has served as the de facto head of government since the fall of Assad, as president during the formation of a new government. Al-Sharra, who was once aligned with al-Qaida, is …

A report issued Wednesday by Google found that hackers from numerous countries, particularly China, Iran and North Korea, have been using the company’s artificial intelligence-enabled Gemini chatbot to supercharge cyberattacks against targets in the United States. The company found — so far, at least — that access to publicly available large language models (LLMs) has made cyberattackers more efficient but has not meaningfully changed the …

The suspension of the USAID program in northern and eastern Syria has affected local institutions and organizations in the region. In Kobani, six local civil society organizations have suspended their activities, according to Saifuddin Qadir, a volunteer with Al Raed Organization for Development. Click here for the full TV story in Kurdish. …

Turkey continues its military attacks on the Kurdistan Region, resulting in civilian casualties, while both the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government have been silent. Six people were killed in a recent Turkish drone and artillery strike, which Ankara claims targeted PKK militants. Critics argue these attacks amount to civilian killings and environmental destruction, yet political and economic interests prevent Baghdad and Irbil …

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on semiconductors. How do analysts and people from Taiwan’s chip industry view the potential tariffs?   Click here for the full story in Mandarin.  …