December 11th will mark 30 years since the beginning of the First Chechen war. The initial Russian assault on Chechnya signaled not just the start of a merciless conflict that killed tens of thousands of civilians in Chechnya, but also the end of Russia’s liberal dream. As Russia’s first war after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the First Chechen war served as a prologue to …
VOA Mandarin: Protesters in London call for accountability for China’s human rights violations
On this year’s International Human Rights Day on Tuesday, human rights organizations representing Chinese dissidents in exile from Hong Kong, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet held a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in London. The organizations called for accountability for China’s human rights violations and demanded that the British government confront Beijing’s ongoing abuses. They urged Britain to end its economic activities with China to …
South Korea’s ex-defense minister formally arrested over martial law imposition
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — A former South Korean defense minister was formally arrested Wednesday over his alleged collusion with President Yoon Suk Yeol and others in imposing martial law last week, as authorities investigate whether their acts amount to rebellion. Martial law, the first in more than 40 years, lasted only about six hours but has triggered a domestic firestorm and large street protests. Yoon and …
Taiwan says China has launched biggest maritime operation in decades
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Defense officials in Taiwan say China has deployed nearly 90 naval and coast guard vessels in waters stretching from islands in the south of Japan to the South China Sea. The deployment is the largest to regional waters in almost three decades, Taiwanese officials say, and part of what appears to be a military exercise. China has not yet commented on the movements …
Netanyahu assails media as he testifies for first time in corruption trial
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the witness stand for the first time on Tuesday in his long-running corruption trial, saying he was being hounded for his hawkish security policies. Netanyahu, 75, is Israel’s first sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime. He is testifying at the same time Israel is engaged in a war in Gaza and facing possible …
Medics: Israeli airstrikes kill 25 in northern Gaza
Palestinian medics said Tuesday that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 25 people in the Gaza Strip. The medics said strikes hit a multi-story building in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza, and that most of those killed were from the same family. The latest attacks came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was an “additional doorway” open to securing a …
Zelenskyy says ‘decisiveness’ necessary to bring end to war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that “only decisiveness” can bring Russia’s war in Ukraine to an end and bring lasting peace. Days after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Zelenskyy said working together to bring an end to the war is the top priority, and he expressed gratitude to Trump “for his strong resolve to bring this war to …
Assad’s downfall marks the loss of Moscow’s main ally in the Middle East
Russian state media say Moscow has granted asylum to ousted Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, who reports say landed in Moscow after escaping from Damascus Sunday. The Kremlin was a key supporter of 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, which until a few days ago appeared unshakable. Elizabeth …
K-pop light sticks fire up impeachment protests in South Korea
SEOUL, South Korea — While South Korean protesters have long employed songs, dances and chants, customized light sticks popular with K-pop fans have emerged as an effective new tool for demonstrators calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Tens of thousands of protesters have braved near sub-zero temperatures and gathered outside the National Assembly in the capital of Seoul since Yoon’s failed martial law …
VOA Turkish: Fall of the Syrian currency impacting economy in Derik
The collapse of the Syrian regime and the influx of thousands of families into Kurdish areas, particularly in Derik, has led to an economic crisis in these regions. As a result, the value of the dollar has risen sharply, significantly impacting the livelihoods of both local residents and newly arrived immigrants. View the full story here. …
VOA Turkish: 3 members of the security forces were killed in Turkish airstrikes near Manbij
Turkish warplanes launched three airstrikes near the Qara Quzaq Bridge, a strategic bridge that connects the eastern Euphrates to the western Euphrates. The strikes, targeting Kurdish security forces, resulted in the deaths of one member of the Internal Security Forces and two traffic police officers. These strikes, along with ongoing attacks by Turkish-backed Syrian armed groups on areas governed by the Kurdish Autonomous Administration, have …
US wary of fissures, fragmentation as Syria looks to rebuild
washington — U.S. diplomats and military officials have intensified their outreach to groups vying to chart a new course for Syria, as well as to Syria’s neighbors, in an effort to ensure the fall of the regime of former President Bashar Assad does not give way to a more unstable and dangerous future. A number of key meetings took place Monday in Jordan, where senior U.S. …
Syrian refugees in Turkey gather at border crossings to return to their homeland
KILIS / IZMIRl, TURKEY — Hundreds of Syrian refugees lined up Monday at Turkey’s southern Oncupinar border crossing in Kilis province to return to their homeland after the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Syrians who spoke to VOA Turkish said they were happy to soon be back in their country, as they saw a new beginning there. Muhammed Taha, who crossed into Turkey in 2014, …
Ethnic armed group claims capture of key western Myanmar border
BANGKOK — One of the most powerful ethnic minority armed groups battling Myanmar’s army has claimed the capture of the last army outpost in the strategic western town of Maungdaw, gaining full control of the 271-kilometer (168-mile) border with Bangladesh. The capture by the Arakan Army makes the group’s control of the northern part of Rakhine state complete and marks another advance in its bid for …
Zelenskyy says he is open to negotiated end to war with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday he is open to the possibility of a diplomatic resolution to the country’s war with Russia. “Ukraine wants this war to end more than anyone else. No doubt, a diplomatic resolution would save more lives. We do seek it,” the Ukrainian president said Monday at a joint press conference in Kyiv with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz. Zelenskyy also …
Unemployment continues to plague China’s youth in 2024
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — FILE – A recruiter talks with an applicant at a booth at a job fair at a shopping center in Beijing, on June 9, 2023. A record of more than one in five young Chinese are out of work, their career ambitions at least temporarily derailed by a depressed job market as the economy struggles to regain momentum after its long bout with …
Israel moves troops to Syrian border after Assad ouster
Following the overthrow Sunday of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, Israel has seized control of a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights and attacked weapons factories near Damascus. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. …
From VOA Mandarin: Trump 2.0 and the future of the CHIPS Act
The Biden administration is shoring up its CHIPS Act funding agreements before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. Trump has previously disparaged the CHIPS Act and called for higher tariffs instead of subsidies to incentivize companies to build semiconductor factories. What would be the future of TSMC under the Trump administration? See the full story here. …
VOA Spanish: Syrian refugees are rapidly returning to their country
Without hesitation and after more than 13 years in exile, hundreds of Syrian refugees rushed to return to their country this week in the hope of reuniting with their families and reestablishing their lives. Joan Cabasés Vega spoke with some of the refugees from the Masnaa border crossing between Lebanon and Syria. See the full story here. …
From VOA Mandarin: In China, record-high number of applicants for the civil service exam
The number of people who successfully registered for China’s 2025 national public service exam reached a historic high of 3.416 million. For many young people, securing a position as a civil servant has become the preferred choice for a stable career, particularly in light of China’s economic uncertainties and intense pressures in the job market. See the full story here. …
Turkey eyes bigger role in Syria after Assad’s ouster
Turkey is one of the principal backers of some of the Syrian rebels who ousted Bashar al-Assad and a likely winner as Ankara seeks to gain influence in the country. However, analysts warn much will depend on whether a stable government emerges after Assad’s departure. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. …
Germany, other European countries suspend decisions on Syrians’ asylum bids after Assad’s fall
BERLIN — Germany and several other European countries said Monday they are suspending decisions on asylum claims by Syrian nationals because of the unclear situation in their homeland following the fall of Bashar Assad. Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees said Monday that more than 47,000 applications are currently pending. It said it would reassess the situation and resume decisions once things in Syria have …
Altercation highlights chronic tension between Thailand, Myanmar over fishing rights
BANGKOK, THAILAND — A recent altercation between fishermen from Thailand and the Myanmar navy has publicized the long-running dispute between the two countries about overlapping fishing rights, experts say. In the early hours of November 30, Myanmar patrol boats fired on 15 Thai fishing vessels off Ranong province in southern Thailand. One Thai national was killed while four Thai crew members were detained along with 27 …
China’s defense minister reappears, as military purge marches on
Taipei, Taiwan — Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun has reappeared in public after a media report claimed he was under disciplinary investigation. Analysts say that while his reappearance suggests Dong is politically safe, it does not mean China will stop its anti-corruption purge against the military. Dong attended a security forum in Shanghai last Thursday on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea. This marked …