Middle East: Recent Episodes
Voice of America
Analysts say they expect Lebanon’s newly formed government to end subsidies to basic commodities like fuel by the end of this month. To replace a bloated system of subsidies, the state has offered cash cards to the most vulnerable, but in a country where the U.N, says 78% of people are living in poverty, there are questions on whether that will be enough. For VOA, Anchal Vohra reports from Beirut.Camera: Tilo Gummel Produced by: Tilo Gummel and Bakhtiyar Zamanov
Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden called on Israel’s new leaders to take confidence-building steps to improve the lives of Palestinians, prompting Israeli officials to announce a package that includes 120 million dollars in loans and 16,000 Israeli work permits for Palestinians. But as Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from the West Bank city of Ramallah, these gestures are being met with skepticism among Palestinians. Camera: Ricki Rosen
The U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, has warned that more than 4 million people in Lebanon – many of them children -- could face a critical shortage of water in the coming days. The water crisis comes on top of a fuel crisis and a plummeting currency as Lebanon’s economy collapses and plunges millions into poverty. For VOA, Anchal Vohra reports from Beirut.Camera, Production: Tilo Gummel
The latest sign of the economic collapse afflicting Lebanon is a fuel crisis that has paralyzed the country. Now, the militant group Hezbollah says it will import fuel from Iran, a move that could bring more trouble than it relieves. Jacob Russell reports from Beirut.Produced by: Jon Spier Camera : Jacob Russell
Kurdish forces in Syria said two towns under their control have been bombarded by Turkish military and allied Syrian militias, killing six people, including two civilians, and wounding more than a dozen others. VOA’s Zana Omer reports from Tell Tamer, Syria, in this story narrated by Sirwan Kajjo.Producer and camera: Zana Omer.
Several Egyptian opposition television stations are based in Istanbul, where they broadcast programming critical of Egypt's government led by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Turkey was a strong supporter of deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, but with Turkish-Egyptian rapprochement efforts underway, the opposition TV channels face an uncertain future. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.Produced by: Adam Greenbaum
Iraqi refugees at the al-Hol camp in northeast Syria are voicing concerns about growing violence inside the camp following the weekend slaying of yet another Iraqi by suspected Islamic State militants. The camp hosts tens of thousands of people, including families of Islamic State foreign fighters. VOA's Zana Omer filed this report, narrated by Sirwan Kajjo.Camera: Zana Omer
In the northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah, a family has turned their home into a shelter for wounded and abused animals. Dilshad Anwar reports from Iraq.
It was a year ago that a massive explosion at the port of Beirut left many parts of the historic city in ruins. Reporter Anchal Vohra was among the injured that day. She returned to the scene of the devastation to see how her neighbors are rebuilding their lives and has this report for VOA.Camera: Tilo Gummel.
One year after the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut little progress has been made in the investigation and no accountability has been assigned. As Lebanon flounders under multiple crises, the blast has become a symbol of both defeat and resistance. For VOA, Jacob Russell reports from Beirut
Yazidis in Iraq and around the world are commemorating the 7th anniversary of a massacre carried out by the Islamic State group against members of the religious minority in the Iraqi town of Sinjar. Yazidi survivors and activists say the international community must prioritize justice for their community. VOA’s Dakhil Elias filed this report, narrated by Raveen Dosky.Produced by: Farhad Fallahi
There have been growing protests against the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, sparked by the death of Abbas critic Nizar Banat while in Palestinian police custody. The demonstrators are also angry that the 85-year-old Abbas recently cancelled long-overdue Palestinian elections. Abbas critics say they will continue the protests until new elections are called. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Hebron in the West Bank. Camera: Ricki Rosen
There is a women-only village in northern Syria's Rojava region, where widowed families live. Due to an increase in domestic violence in the area, village leaders are now also welcoming victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. VOA's Zana Omar brings us this story from northeastern Syria, in this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.Camera: Zana Omar Produced by: Zana Omar
President Joe Biden this week assured visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin that the U.S. will not allow Iran to become a nuclear power. Despite the assurances, many Israelis are skeptical. As the U.S. seeks to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal, Israeli analysts say Iran is moving closer to a nuclear bomb. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen Produced by: Henry Hernandez
A fatal attack by a gunman on a provincial office of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party is stoking fears of growing political violence against opposition parties. For VOA, Dorian Jones report from Istanbul.Produced by: Rod James
Iran's newly elected president has reiterated support for the 2015 nuclear deal and promised to stabilize relations with Arab neighbors in the Gulf region. Henry Ridgwell reports on what the world can expect from President-elect Ebrahim Raisi.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Produced by: Adam Greenbaum
During the Turkish incursion into Syria in October of 2019, hundreds of thousands of Syrians were internally displaced to various refugee camps. VOA’s Newroz Resho brings us the story of a displaced health worker who now lives and serves in a Syrian refugee camp. Bezhan Hamdard narrates.Camera: Newroz Resho Produced by: Newroz Resho
A group of volunteers in the Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah is planting trees to provide a healthier environment for the local community. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed has this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard
Iranians go to the polls Friday to choose a new president. But with international monitors banned, critics say the election will be far from free or fair — and as Henry Ridgwell reports, public discontent could lead to a low voter turnout.Producers: Henry Ridgwell, Rob Raffaele. Camera: Henry Ridgwell.
Economic troubles have prompted cash-strapped farmers in Lebanon’s Bekaa valley to increasingly turn to cannabis cultivation. For VOA, Jacob Russell has this report from eastern Lebanon.Camera: Jacob Russell Produced by: Marcus Harton
Since the war in Syria broke out a decade ago, refugees have fled to countries in the Middle East and Europe as well as to countries in Africa that face instability, like Somalia. And, as Mohamed Sheikh Nor reports from Mogadishu, Somali officials say Syrian refugees are enriching the host nation culturally and economically.Camera: Mohamed Sheikh Nor
Two Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem have been flashpoints of tension over plans to evict hundreds of Palestinians from homes they have lived in for decades - among the reasons for the recent fighting between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement in Gaza that left hundreds dead. The Israeli government considers it no more than a property dispute, while Palestinians say it is an attempt to force them as a people to leave East Jerusalem. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen Video editor: Jason Godman
For the first time in 12 years, Israel will likely have a new government that does not include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Pending approval by the Knesset, the new government coalition also includes an Arab party for the first time. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.
Antony Blinken has wrapped up his first visit as U.S. secretary of state to the Middle East, where he aimed to shore up the Gaza cease-fire. He also sought to cement relationships and ensure the delivery of aid after a violent flare-up between Israel and Hamas that killed more than 250 people, most of them Palestinians. For VOA, Irris Makler reports from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen
Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Egypt and Jordan on Wednesday to shore up the Gaza cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. As VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports, the worst violence in Gaza in years has forced the Biden administration to focus more attention on the Middle East than it likely intended.
U.S. President Joe Biden cited his administration's "quiet, relentless diplomacy" in helping to broker a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports on what role the United States will likely play going forward to facilitate a lasting peace.
The United States is calling on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to de-escalate and reduce tensions amid deadly Hamas rocket attacks and Israeli retaliatory airstrikes following clashes in Jerusalem. VOA Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine has more on this latest foreign policy challenge for the Biden administration.Camera: Saine Skype Video interviews
It’s been a tense few days in Jerusalem and along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. In Jerusalem, Israeli police and Palestinians have clashed repeatedly, and in Gaza, Palestinians fired dozens of rockets at southern Israel, provoking Israeli airstrikes. The heightened tensions during the holy month of Ramadan have people on both sides worried, as Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen.
Young social media activists from Israel and the United Arab Emirates met this month in Dubai in a bid to expand the Abraham Accords peace treaty signed between the two countries last year. The meeting was shared by more than 15 million followers on social media, as Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Dubai. Camera: Ricki Rosen
Hyperinflation and political deadlock in Lebanon have decimated the country’s economy and people are increasingly turning to sustainable local solutions as a matter of necessity. For VOA, Jacob Russell has this report from Lebanon.Camera: Jacob Russell
Despite warnings that no quick breakthroughs are expected, both U.S. and Iranian officials are praising indirect talks in Vienna that are aimed at reviving the 2015 international Iran nuclear deal. VOA.s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine has this report.Camera: Katherine Ahn, Guita Aryan
Years of conflict between Islamic State and the Iraqi government has left cities like Mosul in ruins. With alarming unemployment rates, thousands of children are searching through landfills in bid to survive. VOA’s Kawa Omer met a few of them in this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
Deaf children in Egypt face serious obstacles when seeking an education because many come from poor families and rural areas far from the capital, Cairo. Experts say nearly 5 million of Egypt’s 100 million residents are deaf, due in part to frequent intermarriage of close relatives. Notwithstanding their broad smiles and bubbling enthusiasm, deaf children in Egypt must cope with serious challenges at the same time the organizations that work to educate them struggle to run quality programs. Clair Malik, an educator who founded and built the Egyptian diocese of the Episcopal Church’s Deaf Unit from scratch in 1982, said the school must work not only with deaf children, but also with their parents, many of whom come from poor and rural areas and are often uneducated. She said the school tries to teach the parents sign language to help them communicate with the children. Malik, who studied at Gallaudet University for the deaf in Washington, D.C., even though she is not deaf, said there has been major progress in educating deaf people in recent years. Graduates of the Deaf Unit have gone on to attend university, she said, and Egypt now boasts sign-language interpreters on government TV and in at least one university. Mary Ishaq, who runs the school, watches over the many details of how her staff interacts with the students. She told VOA there are both theoretical and practical aspects to educating deaf people: “The children,” she said, “learn reading and writing from an academic perspective and then they learn a skill, so that they can earn a living and not depend on society to support them.” The Rev. Clement Alfons, a deaf social worker, has worked to become a bridge between the deaf and those who can hear. He said he became involved with the deaf while growing up in Sudan and observing their hardships. Father Alfons told VOA that deaf children like himself “were shoved aside by society and marginalized” when he was growing up. “Deaf children,” he said, “often have bad habits and values because they frequently have bad role models.” Anglican Bishop Dr. Mouneer Anis said that despite the constant challenge of raising funds to run the school and keep it staffed, he is proud of what it has accomplished. He said that “rather than being just neglected children,” students of the Deaf Unit “are now cared for” and “given the chance to play sports, learn handcrafts and socialize with their peers.” “They also ...
The Syrian civil war is now ten years old. The conflict has created over 5 million refugees many of whom are still living in camps. VOA’s Anchal Vohra traveled to the Beqaa valley in Lebanon for this report.
Israel is keeping air travel restrictions in place because of the pandemic, and that means Christian pilgrims from all over the world will once again not be able to visit the traditional sites in the Holy Land this Easter. But Israeli tourism officials have been working on building new attractions for the faithful, and as Linda Gradstein reports for VOA, pilgrims will have much to see when they return. Camera: Harvey Stein
Turkey is deepening its economic ties with China, despite a growing international outcry over Beijing's treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority. Analysts say the subject of the Uyghurs is not likely to come up in conversations later this week when China’s foreign minister visits Turkey. Dorian Jones reports for VOA from Istanbul. Produced by: Bronwyn Benito
As Syria marks the 10-year anniversary of its civil war, people in Idlib, the last opposition stronghold in Syria, are taking stock of the last decade. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report with Shadi Turk in Idlib.Camera: Mohammad Daboul
March 15th marks ten years since the civil war began in Syria, and in many parts of the country the government of President Bashar al-Assad appears victorious. But in Idlib, the last remaining opposition stronghold, four million people are trapped in a war that some say is far from over. VOA’S Heather Murdock reports with Shadi Turk in Idlib, Syria. Contributer: Shadi Turk, Camera: Mohammad Daboul
The complicated war in Syria between Russian and Iranian backed government forces and rebels supported by the U.S. and Turkey has now lasted ten devastating years. It has created millions of refugees, thousands of whom now live in the U.S. Kulsoom Khan spoke with some of them in this story narrated by VOA’s Bezhan Hamdard.Camera: Kulsoom Khan
Muslims voted in record numbers in the 2020 presidential election with well over 60% casting their votes for now President Joe Biden. Some now wish to see more Muslims in the White House. VOA's Yuni Salim spoke to some American Muslims in this report narrated by Nova Poerwadi. Camera: Yuni Salim, wires services
Most Palestinians remain without access to the COVID vaccine, but Israel is vaccinating Palestinian laborers who work in Israel and the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Long lines of Palestinian workers have been forming at vaccination stations. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from one of those stations.Camera: Ricki Rosen
Two documentaries shine a light on women defying the odds in the face of brutality and corruption. VOA’s Penelope Poulou spoke with the filmmakers and has the story. Camera: Penelope Poulou Producer: Penelope Poulou
When Islamic State fighters in 2014 advanced through the northern Iraqi city of Qaraqosh, one family fled that same night after burying their nine-year-old son — a casualty of the fighting. Now they and other Christian families are slowly returning home in time to welcome Pope Francis. VOA's Arash Arabasadi has this story.Produced by: Arash Arabasadi
The Biden administration and European officials continue efforts to reopen negotiations with Iran about a new nuclear deal, despite Iran’s refusal to talk to the US. Meanwhile, tensions in the region are rising, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu blaming Iran for an explosion aboard an Israeli-owned ship in the Persian Gulf. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen
The children of many displaced families in Syria are often doing dangerous, low-paying work as a means to survive because these families are neglected by governments and aid organizations. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report with videographers Mohamad Daaboul and Fateh Rasilan in Idlib, Syria.Shadi Turk contributed to this report.
The recent killing in Lebanon of activist and commentator Lokman Slim, a prominent critic of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, has rattled the country and raised fears that more people may be targeted. The group has denied any involvement in Slim’s death. For VOA, Anchal Vohra reports from southern Lebanon.Camera: Tilo Gummel Produced by: Tilo Gummel, Barry Unger
With close to half of Israel’s population vaccinated with at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Israel’s Health Ministry is reporting even better results than Pfizer’s clinical trials. Israel, which leads the world in its percentage of the population vaccinated, is sharing its medical results with Pfizer. The good news comes as much of the Israeli economy reopened over the weekend. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen
President Joe Biden has announced steps to reengage with Tehran and return to the Iran nuclear deal that the Trump administration withdrew from in 2018. The move has been criticized by Israel, which says it will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report on the challenges ahead for Biden’s policy on Iran.
Long shelved as a relic of Israel’s socialist beginnings, the collective farm settlements known as kibbutzim are making a comeback in the age of COVID. The isolation and outdoors lifestyle of the kibbutz is what draws many young Israelis, weary after repeated lockdowns. For VOA, Linda Gradstein has the story from Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip.Camera: Ricki Rosen.
Tehran said Monday that the impasse over the future of the Iran nuclear deal could be broken, suggesting that Europe help choreograph moves by Iran and the United States to return to the agreement. Henry Ridgwell looks at the future prospects for the 2015 accord.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Producer: Rod James
A family in northern Iraqi Kurdistan town of Koya, continues to operate an antique mill that dates back to the 1920s. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed has more in this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
While much of the world welcomes the election of Joe Biden as U.S. president, some in Israel are nervous that he will change U.S. Middle East policy. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen
Outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Iran is the new home base for the al-Qaida terrorist group. Analysts paint a more complicated picture but agree Iran has long harbored senior al-Qaida members, noting that Iran will continue to pose a challenge for the incoming Biden administration. With VOA's Persian Service contributing, VOA Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Washington.
Israel has just begun a third lockdown after COVID-19 rates rose sharply in recent weeks and is headed to a fourth election in two years after the latest coalition government imploded. But Israel seems to be having success with its rollout of vaccines. Israel now leads the world in the number of vaccines per capita. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen
In what is usually a festive Hanukkah holiday season, Israelis are facing a tough reality. The country may be heading toward a third COVID-19 lockdown and a fourth national election within the past two years. But even in these troubled times, Israelis enjoy their Hanukkah tradition of elaborate and fancy doughnuts. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Videographer: Ricki Rosen
Only weeks after Israel and the UAE signed a normalization agreement, entrepreneurs on both sides are already exploring new business opportunities. Many say there is a potential for billions of dollars' worth of in deals, as Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem.
Thousands of Iraqi Kurdish federal employees protested unpaid salaries in Iraq’s northeastern city of Sulaymaniyah this week. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed reports in this piece narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. Camera: Rebaz Majeed Producer: Rebaz Majeed
When Islamic State fell in Iraq, tens of thousands of men were arrested. Some were eventually set free because they were not IS members, yet years later many hundreds of them still languish in the desert settlements because they cannot return home. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report with Halan Akoiy from the Hassan Sham Camp in Iraq. Camera: Halan Akoiy, Heather Murdock, Kawa Omar
The Hassan Sham Camp, like so many others in Iraq, was built in 2016, as Iraqi and coalition forces retook territories held by the Islamic State terror group.At least a million people fled their homes at the time and tens of thousands of men were arrested as IS suspects in the chaos.In the years that followed, many were found guilty. Many were not. But here in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, hundreds of men who were acquitted or released after serving sentences for minor crimes are stuck in camps, with no way home.Facing a life in limbo in desert camp, Mahmoud has married and moved his mother into the camp. He does not want his face shown for security reasons. Nov. 16, 2020, Hassan Sham, Iraq. (Halan Akoiy/VOA)Mahmoud, 25, was arrested and accused of being involved with IS. After he had been detained for two years, authorities found him not guilty and let him go. But his release papers are not recognized outside the Kurdistan region, and if he tries to return to his home, he could be arrested again.“I was released. I have a paper from the court of [the Kurdistan regional capital, Irbil] that proves my innocence,” he insisted, taking out the paper.Other young men joked that a paper demonstrating acquittal in Irbil is worse than useless outside the Kurdistan region, encouraging Iraqi forces to make a quick arrest.Mivan Akey, Hassan Sham Camp manager, says 200 men have been freed from criminal charges in the camp, but cannot go home. Nov. 16, 2020, Hassan Sham, Iraq. (Halan Akoiy/VOA)About 200 men are now living in Hassan Sham Camp under these circumstances, according to the camp manager, Mivan Akey, and other camps across the region face the same problem.The government of Baghdad does not recognize the decisions of Irbil courts in IS cases. And because the men were accused of serious crimes, they are ineligible for permits to move into towns and cities in the Kurdistan region.“People here are bearing the cold and the extreme heat in these camps with limited humanitarian support,” he said at the camp on Monday, “simply because they cannot find security elsewhere.”Aid groups say roughly 2 million to 3 million people remain displaced in Iraq, and as the country moves to close camps, many have nowhere to go. July 25, 2020, in Hassan Sham, Iraq. (Halan Akoiy/VOA)Camp closuresBy most counts, roughly 2 million to 3 million people ...
Along with peace agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, Israel signed a normalization agreement with Sudan. As Linda Gradstein reports from Tel Aviv, many Sudanese asylum seekers living in Israel fear the deal could lead to their deportation back to Sudan.
Israelis followed the U.S. election results almost as closely as Americans did. And while three quarters of the Jewish community in the U.S. voted for Joe Biden, polls showed three quarters of Israeli Jews wanted President Donald Trump to win. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen Produced by: Jason Godman
The olive harvest season in the West Bank is usually a time for celebration, but Palestinians say extremist Jewish settlers routinely destroy trees and even attack farmers. Linda Gradstein reports from the village of Burin near Nablus on a group of dovish Israelis who say they are determined to stop these attacks. Camera: Ricki Rosen
Since his election in 2016, President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear agreement and imposed tough sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy. How might the relationship between Washington and Tehran change after the U.S. election on November 3? Henry Ridgwell reports.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Produced by: Henry Hernandez
Last Saturday’s Russian-brokered cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh has been broken with fresh shelling in the last few days. However, in this report narrated by Jonathan Spier, Pablo Gonzalez in Stepanakert, the main city controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists in the enclave of Azerbaijan, the truce – albeit imperfect – has given at least some respite to residents.Camera: Pablo Gonzalez Producer: Jonathan Spier
Israelis and Palestinians are closely following the U.S. elections. For many in Israel, incumbent Donald Trump is the most pro-Israeli U.S. president in history. Some in the Jewish state fear that a Joe Biden victory could mean a change in U.S. foreign policy – one that Palestinians would welcome. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Videographer: Ricki Rosen
Two years after the brutal murder and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, rights advocates and U.S. lawmakers say the fight for justice is not over. VOA's Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Washington. Produced by: Mary Cieslak
Sesame Street and its spinoffs are among the most popular children’s television programs on the planet. An Arabic language-version of the show targets millions of children in the Middle East, many from displaced and host communities. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports the current season looks to help children cope with childhood in the coronavirus era
Israel starts a three-week national lockdown Friday after the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached a new high of almost 5,000 per day. Several hospitals report that they have no room for new coronavirus cases. While the virus infection is widespread around the country, the ultra-Orthodox Jewish and Arab Israeli communities are the hardest hit. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen Produced by: Mary Cieslak
U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the signing of the “Abraham Accords” at the White House Tuesday, a deal that normalizes Israel’s relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Experts say the accords signify a shift away from the decades-long regional strategy that in exchange for diplomatic recognition, Israel must provide concessions to the two-state solution towards an independent Palestinian state. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has the story.
For many young people, fall is the end of summer fun and the start of the new school year. But 2020 is no ordinary year with the coronavirus pandemic affecting everyday life around the world. Students in some countries who may already live in conflict zones face the challenge of in-person learning in the era of COVID. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports.Camera: Reuters Producer: Arash Arabasadi
Amid an escalation of tensions between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas government, Palestinians have launched hundreds of incendiary devices carried by balloons over the border into Israel. Now, Israel has developed a laser defense system – the first of its kind in the world – to shoot them down. Linda Gradstein reports from Kibbutz Kisufim near Israel’s border with Gaza. Camera: Ricki Rosen, Agencies, Courtesy Produced by: Barry Unger
In Syria, a society dominated by men, a group of women entrepreneurs has opened a small produce market in Amuda, a town in the northeastern part of the country. The market, entirely run by women, represents a challenge to what is normally a male-dominated economic activity. VOA’s Zana Omer visited the market and filed this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.Videographer: Zana Omer.
Many observers had predicted that verdicts in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri would touch off disturbances in Lebanon, but none of that happened on Tuesday when those verdicts came. As Anchal Vohra reports from Beirut, many Lebanese are more worried about other pressing matters — like how to rebuild their lives after a recent massive explosion — and earning a living at a time when their country is suffering a debilitating economic crisis.Camera: Tilo Gummel Produced by: Rob Raffaele
Doctors in Libya are braced for a surge in serious coronavirus cases, as the infection rate has jumped in recent weeks. Latest figures suggest there are around 8,500 cases in the conflict-torn country, though the true figure is likely to be much higher. As Henry Ridgwell reports, authorities are urging people to adhere to social distancing to slow the spread of the disease.Camera: Henry Ridgwell Produced by: Rob Raffaele
US President Donald Trump announced a deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize relations between the two countries. "This is a truly historic moment," Trump said, during a White House ceremony, Aug. 13, 2020.
Lebanon’s government has resigned after last week’s devastating explosion in Beirut — and reports of negligence by the country’s officials — unleashed a wave of public anger that added to months of unrest in the country. The resignation of the country’s prime minister and his Cabinet come as many Lebanese fear that hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid could end up in the pockets of the same politicians whom they hold responsible for the catastrophe. Anchal Vohra in Beirut has this report. Camera: Tilo Gummel, Agency, WhatsApp/Twitter
Tensions between Israel and Iran have been rising quickly in recent days as Israeli forces face off with Iranian-backed militants across the Jewish state’s borders with Lebanon and Syria. This week, those tensions spiked further when several fighters – including militants – were killed when unidentified warplanes attacked a Syrian base near the Iraqi border. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.VIDEOGRAPHER: Ricki RosenPRODUCER: Kimberly Weeks
Lebanon, for years was seen as a model of both economic progress and resilience in the Middle East, but mismanagement and corruption have led to prolonged protests and economic collapse. Now, the Lebanese currency has lost most of its value and an estimated 70 percent of its people need aid. The Lebanese are struggling to make ends meet as their salaries become worthless, and the banks are enforcing capital controls — making it hard for people to withdraw their savings. From Lebanon for VOA, Anchal Vohra has this report.Camera: Tilo Gummel Producer: Rod James
Cases of COVID-19 are increasing daily in the Palestinian West Bank, with the city of Hebron emerging as the virus epicenter. The health and economic crisis have worsened after the Palestinian Authority cut off ties with Israel, in protest of Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The World Bank this week announced a $30- million grant for emergency aid to the West Bank and to create more jobs. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen Produced by: Rob Raffaele
Millions of Syrians have been internally displaced because of the years-long conflict, many trapped in the northern part of the country where they have been isolated by the fighting and rely almost entirely food aid to stay alive. Now the coronavirus has spread into the region and earlier this month the United Nations voted to stop using one of just two international borders open for aid. Activists say food and medical supplies for civilians are now being used as a weapon of war. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report from Istanbul with exclusive video and interviews from Idlib, Syria.
Years of conflict in Syria created millions of refugees in one of the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crises. Refugees live in crowded camps with limited access to food or land to grow crops. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports on a camp in Jordan where experts teach Syrian refugees how to farm in tight spaces.Produced by: Arash Arabasadi
Kurdish forces say a planned joint counterterrorism raid with Iraqi forces against Islamic State militants was called off following a flag brawl with their Iraqi counterparts at a checkpoint in the north. VOA’s Dilshad Anwar reports from the region in this story narrated by Namo Abdulla.Produced by: Nawid Orokzai
After the outbreak of coronavirus in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, the regional government ordered lockdowns across the region and is asking everybody to stay at home. While the lockdown is impacting thousands, some people who used to depend on daily incomes are facing serious challenges providing food for their families. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed reports.Camera: Rebaz Majeed
As Israel battles a second wave of COVID-19, protests against the government’s alleged mismanagement of the crisis are gaining strength. Tens of thousands of young Israelis are taking to the streets, many demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resign. Linda Gradstein has more from Jerusalem.PRODUCER: Jason Godman
Thousands of Sufi mourners attended the funeral of their spiritual leader, Sheikh Mohammad al-Kasnazani, Friday in Iraq’s northeastern city of Sulaymaniyah. Among the mourners were more than 500 Iranian Kurdish Sufis who forced their way through the Iran-Iraq border to participate in the funeral rituals. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed attended the funeral and filed this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. Camera: Rebaz Majeed Produced by: Bezhan Hamdard
The caftan is perhaps one of the most traditional and enduring garments in fashion history. It is believed to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia and has evolved and been adapted by a great many cultures over thousands of years. Today, the iconic outfit still enjoys universal appeal, and in fact has recently had a surprising resurgence, according to fashion experts. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.
Roughly 280,000 refugees from Africa live in Yemen, and they are among the poorest, most vulnerable people in the world. Aid organizations say during this pandemic, international resources to support them have dwindled to almost nothing. And families say they are barely surviving, choosing to potentially expose themselves to the virus rather than to starve. Heather Murdock reports from Istanbul with Naseh Shaker in Sanaa, Yemen.Camera: Naseh Shaker Produced by: Jon Spier
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he intends to impose Israeli sovereignty on more than 130 Jewish settlements, as laid out in President Trump’s Deal of the Century, the U.S. administration’s peace plan. Palestinians strongly oppose the plan, and while most Jewish settlers support it, some settlers worry it could lead to a Palestinian state in the part of the West Bank that is not annexed. For VOA, Linda Gradstein reports from the West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat near Bethlehem, where opinions are divided.Camera: Ricki Rosen
When coronavirus the pandemic struck the Middle East, mass protests in Lebanon and Iraq mostly disbanded as both governments imposed strict lockdowns. But in the months that followed, many protesters returned to the streets – poorer and angrier than before. And like with protesters in the U.S. and around the world, gaping inequalities are at the heart of their grievances. VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Istanbul with Ali Khedr in Beirut. Camera: Heather Murdock, Ali Khedr, Reuters footage Video editor: Jon Spier
Lebanon in recent months has been hit by a series of crises. First, mass protests, then an economic meltdown, and finally the coronavirus lockdown. All of this has left hundreds of thousands of migrant workers – many of them women – from across the world vulnerable, and in a growing number of cases, out on the streets. Jacob Russell has their story from Beirut. Camera: Jacob Russell Video editor: Jason Godman
Saturday June 20th marks the 19th observance of World Refugee Day. The annual celebration champions the accomplishments of refugees while raising awareness and rallying financial support. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports that this year highlights challenges during the era of COVID-19 and the contributions refugees make on the frontlines and beyond. Producer: Arash Arabasadi
Thousands of Jews around the world are considering making what's called Aliyah. It's Hebrew for immigrating to Israel, partly to find shelter in a place that, as of Wednesday, has suffered few coronavirus deaths compared to other countries. While Israel has banned tourists from entering, it is allowing new immigrants. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen Produced by: Rob Raffaele
In Istanbul, a 36-year-old woman is a one-person traveling medical unit treating some of Turkey's most vulnerable refugees at a time when, for many people, hospitals are not an option. Some refugees do not have their papers in order. Others cannot afford care or fear getting the coronavirus at a hospital. In Istanbul, VOA's Heather Murdock reports about one woman's mission to do good.Camera: Heather Murdock Contributor: Shadi Turk
The Turkish city of Sanliurfa, close to the southern border, is home to hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on the city’s migrants, as jobs have all but dried up and there is little aid money to help them through. Henry Ridgwell reports.Camera: Memet Aksakal
The future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is in question as Israel prepares to annex parts of the West Bank in coming weeks. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says he has ended all security cooperation with Israel. The Israeli army has stepped up its alert in advance of July 1, the date Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the annexation will happen. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.
In Israel, the Internal Security Service known as the Shin Bet has been tracking everyone’s cellphones for the past two months to determine who might have been in contact with coronavirus patients. Although some human rights groups have raised concerns about privacy, most Israelis support the measures, and the country’s supreme court has ruled to make sure the measures do not become permanent. Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem.Camera: Ricki Rosen Produced by: Barry Unger/Jon Spier
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said one of his new government's goals is to annex parts of the West Bank. He echoed that comment earlier this week, saying the plan would include the Jordan Valley. Annexation would affect dozens of Bedouin communities who have lived there since the 1950s. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank.
Iran's government is facing a crisis of legitimacy over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to critics. Iran has recorded more than 120,000 cases and 7,000 deaths from COVID-19, according to scientists’ estimates. There are also concerns over gross human rights abuses during the outbreak, as Henry Ridgwell reports.Producers: HenryRidgwell, Jonathan Spier
Concerns over spreading the coronavirus have changed the ways we socialize, shop and study. The pandemic has forced countless school closures, leaving many students without a place to learn. VOA's Arash Arabasadi brings us a story of a Palestinian teenager using her time away from school to enlighten her neighbors.Produced by: Arash Arabasadi
Both Israelis and Palestinians were shocked when a Jewish settler threw a Molotov cocktail into a home in a Palestinian village in the West Bank, killing an 18-month-old toddler and his parents. Five years later, the attacker, Amiram Ben Uliel, was convicted in an Israeli court on three counts of murder. It is rare that Israeli citizens are convicted for attacks on Palestinians, as Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen Produced by: Mary Cieslak
A surge of deaths in Yemen has prompted aid groups to warn that the war-torn, impoverished nation may have far more than the 122 COVID-19 cases officially reported as of May 17. Aid groups say hospitals are closing because health workers have no protective gear and people are dying because they cannot get treatment. VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Istanbul with Naseh Shaker in Sana’a, Yemen.Videographer: Naseh Shaker
After seven weeks of lockdown, Israel’s coronavirus numbers, like those of many other countries, are looking better. On Monday, the country of nine million people had slightly more than 250 deaths and the number of new infections is dropping quickly. Unlike Israel’s other wars, where its army was at the forefront, this time it is the medical system that is leading the way and Arab Israelis are part of it. Arab citizens of Israel are prominent in medical fields and many say their role in this crisis could signal a change in Israeli society. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.
For some Egyptians, the impact of the coronavirus shutdown has been more frightening than the virus itself, which has infected thousands and killed hundreds by early May. With businesses closed, the poor are getting poorer. Now, as Egypt is starting to slowly reopen, medical experts warn the nation can’t handle a larger outbreak. VOA’s Heather Murdock in Istanbul has this report with Hamada Elrasam in Cairo.
Beirut’s long celebrated nightlife has persevered through war, uprising and instability. Now it faces its greatest challenge yet as coronavirus shuts down an already ravaged economy and keeps everybody at home. Jacob Russell has this report from Beirut.
The holy month of Ramadan is set to begin later this week for the world’s two billion Muslims. It is a month of fasting, family gatherings, and prayer in mosques. But all over the Muslim world, “shelter-in-place” orders will keep people at home. In Israel, the government is expected to announce a nightly curfew on Arab towns and East Jerusalem to keep people inside. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.
After Palestinian authorities reported a shortage of protective gear against the coronavirus, a garment factory on the West Bank reconfigured its production line to make face masks and protective suits. VOA’s Sanaa Kamal reports.
A garment factory near Iraq’s northeastern city of Sulaymaniyah has shifted its production from clothing to face masks to help meet demand during the coronavirus outbreak. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed filed this report from Sulaymaniyah, narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
For the billions of Christians around the world it is Holy Week, the seven days spanning from Palm Sunday to Easter. Along with one third of the world under lockdown to try to stop the COVID virus, Christians in the Holy Land are preparing for a very different kind of holiday. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of the Mossad security force and other officials entered home quarantine after Israel’s health minister tested positive for COVID-19. The minister belongs to the country’s ultra-Orthodox community, which has resisted government bans on large gatherings and emerged as the epicenter of the coronavirus in Israel. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem.
Tensions are soaring in Syrian prisons as the prospect of trials for accused Islamic State militants has been sidelined by the coronavirus threat. Officials say a prison riot over the weekend was contained and no one escaped. But they warn that prisons in northeastern Syria will remain a “ticking bomb” without international support. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report from a recent trip to Hasseka, Syria.
In this age of Covid 19 families are finding themselves in close quarters. Parents of school age children are having to coordinate lessons from home. And in some cases parents of older children, like VOA’s Linda Gradstein are dealing with the challenges of a long term full house
While confirmed cases in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and Gaza are relatively low, numbering a little over 100, Palestinian health officials worry because so far there has been little testing for the virus. They fear the situation will rapidly become dire, especially in densely populated Gaza, where the health care infrastructure is already very fragile. Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem.
People are rushing to stock up on supplies as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. That’s making masks and disinfectant hard to find. A handful of Turkish vocational school students are trying to deal with that shortage by making masks and disinfectant materials themselves. VOA’s Mahmut Bozarslan is in Diyarbakir with collaboration of Orhan Erkılıc in Gaziantep. This report is narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
Empty hotel rooms because of tourists staying home in fear of the coronavirus are being turned into recovery units in Israel for those infected. The Israeli move to convert these room is being considered by Spain, where 47 million people are on partial lockdown. VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo reports.
Cox’s Bazar is home to the largest Rohingya refugee camp of nearly a million. But with no internet access and a lack of basic information about coronavirus, many residents do not have a full picture of the threat. Local authorities are trying to address the issue by helping to educate the Rohingyas about how they can protect themselves from infection. VOA’s Muazzem Shakil Hossain has more in this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
Once subject to strict Islamic State (IS) rules, women in the group’s former self-proclaimed capital Raqqa are now trying to bring a sense of normalcy back to their lives. Dozens of school girls across the city have participated in a basketball tournament for the first time since the defeat of the group by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by the U.S., in October 2017. VOA's Reber Kalo filed this report from Raqqa, Syria.
Like many countries, Iraq is taking measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. While several medical screening check points have been deployed throughout major cities, officials in Mosul are also asking people to stay home as much as possible. Kawa Omar has more in this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
At least 9 people were killed in Turkey due to an earthquake in neighboring Iran this week. The country sits on an active fault line so disaster readiness and assistance is always a prime concern. The Search and Rescue Foundation, also known as AKUT, is on the front line of any disaster. VOA’s Soner Kizilkaya recently visited their training facility and filed this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has emerged from Monday's elections — the third in a year — in a stronger position than after the last poll, but he still does not have enough seats to form a governing coalition. As Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem, the latest poll took place amid fears about the spread of the coronavirus.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the Trump administration’s strategy in Iran in a tense Capitol Hill hearing Friday. The panel marked the first time Pompeo has answered questions from lawmakers in an open setting since the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in early January. VOA’s Congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more on Congressional Democrats’ concerns about transparency in US foreign policy.
As Lebanon’s economy grinds to a halt and its political system comes under increasing pressure from the streets, young people are leaving the country in droves. Instability and a lack of opportunity are creating an exodus of Lebanon’s best and brightest as they reluctantly seek sanctuary elsewhere. Jacob Russell has this report from Beirut.
The Russian-backed Syrian government push to capture the Idlib province in northwest Syria has worsened the humanitarian situation as nearly 1 million civilians have been forced to flee eastward to safer locations. VOA's Zana Omer filed this report from Manbij, Syria.
"If my children behave badly I tell them I will take them back to Idlib," says Abeel, a 36-year-old mother of nine children, smiling sadly at her joke. "Then they listen to me."Most children don't fear their homes, she says. But her children are terrified of returning to the near-constant bombardments of the past three months in Idlib province. One of her sons was killed in an airstrike two years ago.After nine years of war, more than half of the Syrian people have been displaced, like Abeel and her family, who now have fled the war five times. The battle in Idlib, however, where the war appears to be reaching a bloody conclusion, has created an unprecedented exodus.Abeel, 36, with her children who all fled from Idlib a week ago during the night, are seen in Raqqa, Syria, Feb. 23, 2020. (Heather Murdock/VOA)And in a bullet-ridden housing complex once occupied by Islamic State militants in Raqqa, many families say they see no option to ever go home."I saw my own child die in front of me and another one was injured," Abeel continues. "How can I possibly forget? What about my husband? I don't know where he is. What if I lose him as well? It's best to stay here."When Abeel arrived a week ago, there were no apartments available among the crumbling buildings, with roofs collapsing from long-ago airstrikes. For now, she is staying with her sister-in-law and her husband. All 11 people sleep in the same room.Deeb Zara'a, paralyzed from the waist down after being hit by shrapnel in a battle with IS militants, is pictured in Raqqa, Syria, Feb. 22, 2020. (Heather Murdock/VOA)"It took us two days to get here," she says. "We drove without headlights because even the hint of a light would make them shoot at us."A few doors down, Deeb Zara'a, a father of three, is paralyzed from the waist down. During battles in 2013 with Islamic State militants, he was hit by shrapnel and has been bedridden since. He once farmed olives and sold olive oil. Now he relies entirely on humanitarian aid and handouts.Bombs started raining down on his neighborhood three months ago, he explains, but he left only recently. Fleeing home without the use of his legs seemed almost impossible."But then there was no one left," he says. "I couldn't survive on my own."Searching for safety Most of the nearly 1 million ...
Israelis go to the polls for a third time in a year next week. Observers see the election as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister whose political future is at stake as anger and frustration grows over the Jewish state’s unending political deadlock. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Tel Aviv.
It has been almost three years since Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-majority nations started a land and air blockade against the tiny oil-producing Gulf nation of Qatar, accusing it of supporting groups including the Muslim Brotherhood and for its ties to Iran. Yet rather than suffering damage, Qatar’s economy has diversified and the World Bank now says it is growing faster than Saudi Arabia's. Once an exporter only of oil and gas, Qatar is growing more of its own food and producing milk — a nutritional essential that only recently had to be trucked in from its now hostile neighbors. For VOA, Jacob Wirtschafter reports from Doha.
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, the man long seen as the symbol of stability in the Middle East but who was ousted in a popular uprising, is dead. The former leader was 91 and died Tuesday. VOA's Elizabeth Arrott looks back at the man called by some a modern pharaoh
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, the man long seen as the symbol of stability in the Middle East but who was ousted in a popular uprising, is dead. The former leader was 91 and died Tuesday. VOA's Elizabeth Arrott looks back at the man called by some a modern pharaoh.
As Iraq struggles through economic and political instability, a handful of Iraqi artists attempt to document the harsh lives of the Iraqi people through paintings. Six painters and artists in Sulaymaniyah have come together and opened an exhibition. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed has filed a report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
It’s already being called a humanitarian catastrophe, and analysts say the fighting in Idlib, Syria, is moving closer to more heavily populated areas. While international aid organizations call for an immediate cease-fire, VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Manbij that local aid groups say an end to fighting will not even begin to quell this disaster.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives in Riyadh on Wednesday at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Some issues on the agenda include tensions with Iran, the Trump administration's Mideast peace plan, the ongoing war in Yemen and human rights issues. VOA’s Ardita Dunellari reports the meetings take place at a time when both countries are recalibrating their approach to open regional matters and to their bilateral relations.
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to defeat the opposition and retake all the areas still under the rebel control. Assad addressed the nation Monday as his army made gains against rebel forces and jihadists in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces in the northwest. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports the Syrian army seems ready to also clash with Turkish military forces supporting rebels in the region.
An Iraqi Kurdish family spends time together like most others. They gather almost every day and talk about their lives listening and learning from their parents. But unlike most families, this larger-than-life clan meets away from home and away from the kitchen table. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi muscles through this story.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed to the United Nations Security Council Tuesday not to accept a peace proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump, but left the door open to negotiations with Israel. VOA's Richard Green has more on Abbas's reaction to the Trump's plan, based on reporting by UN correspondent Margaret Besheer
When the Islamic State terror group swept across northern Iraq in 2014, they tried to wipe out the Yazidi people, a minority ethnic group that had lived in the mountains for millennia. Thousands of men were killed, and women and girls forcibly enslaved. The ancient Yazidi culture was at risk of being eradicated. A new project aims to teach young Yazidis the ancient music of their ancestors and create a permanent record of the culture. And as Henry Ridgwell reports from London, the songs are helping the Yazidi to overcome the mental scars of their brutal treatment at the hands of Islamic State.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s recently announced Middle East peace plan calls for Israel to keep control over all of Jerusalem, with its Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites. The plan envisions the capital of the Palestinian state in outlying suburban neighborhoods of Jerusalem such as Abu Dis, which is technically in the West Bank. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Abu Dis.
Human rights groups have strongly criticized Italy for extending a deal with Libya that facilitates the return of migrants to detention centers, where these migrants say torture and rape are commonplace. The European Union has sent hundreds of millions of dollars to Libya to boost its coastguard capabilities and clamp down on human smuggling - but critics say the money is ending up with criminal gangs. More from Henry Ridgwell
When the tear gas clears, and the chants and shouting become quiet, a bit of despair sometimes filters through protest camps occupying Iraq's city centers."At the beginning, more families came to the protests," said Ali Khafaji, 30, a volunteer medic and protester in Karbala, a sacred city to Shia Muslims about 100 kilometers south of Baghdad."But since the violence began, it is mostly just young men. People are disappointed."They are disappointed, he told us, because four months of calls for accountable government, equitable resource distribution and basic services like electricity, health care and education, have led to almost no change. Ali Khafaji, center, a volunteer medic and protester, says demonstrations in Karbala, Iraq, will continue regardless of violent attempts to shut them down, Jan. 25, 2020. (H.Murdock/VOA)Their only option now, he says, is to keep protesting until their demands are met or they are forced out with violence. The deaths of protesters — roughly 600 counted so far — have yet to be investigated."They can burn our tents, and we will put up new ones," Khafaji said. Hopes from a distanceIn far-off Iraqi cities, young people of different religions and ethnicities also have pinned their hopes on these protests. Called the "largest anti-establishment movement" in Iraq's history, youth all over the country say they are rooting for the protesters fighting for what they say every Iraqi should already have.Abdulrahman, left, and his friend Ali say they agree with the protesters' demands but the streets of Mosul, Iraq, are too volatile to stage protests, Jan. 29, 2020. (H.Murdock/VOA)"When I went to the protests, I saw a future," said Abdulrahman, a 22-year-old engineering student in Mosul, who joined the protesters in Baghdad for three days last fall, as he and his friend, Ali, sat at a table studying for exams in a Mosul cafe.Mosul is in the north of Iraq and Islamic State militants ruled the city with brutal violence only a few years ago. The militants' rule in Mosul ended in a bloody nine-month-long war, and much of the city is still in rubble."I felt proud to be Iraqi for the first time in my life," Abdulrahman said. "Our capital is full of militias and corruption. Whatever happens next cannot be worse." Mosul Since the protests began in October, many businesses in Iraq have grown poorer as people squirrel away money in case disaster strikes. Fears of renewed violence or government collapse are ...
Explosive devices like landmines are uniquely deadly because in some cases they stay behind long after a conflict ends. Their proliferation causes about 4,000 injuries and deaths every year according to the Minesweepers group. One artist is drawing attention to the problem in a unique exhibit in Northern Iraq. VOA’s Rebaz Majeed has more in this report.
President Trump's plan includes Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley, the long strip of land that runs between Jordan and the West Bank. It makes up almost a third of the entire West Bank, and is one of the world's main sources of dates. Neither Israelis nor Palestinians who live in the area know exactly what the so-called "deal of the century" will mean for the area, but Israelis are optimistic and Palestinians are worried. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from the Jordan Valley.
A garment factory in the small town of Bartella - east of Mosul, Iraq - employs some 550 workers; most of whom are women. The town is known by locals as ‘Small Iraq’ because workers from different religions and ethnicities live here. But while a factory of mostly women is a mark of progress, there are still issues. VOA’s Kawa Omar filed this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
President Donald Trump unveiled his Middle East peace plan at the White House Tuesday, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side. The plan includes redrawing the map of the West Bank to favor Israel while offering Palestinians a conditional pathway to statehood. Palestinians have rejected the plan and called on Arab neighbors to boycott. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has the story.
U.S. President Donald Trump and visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are both touting the release Tuesday of a long-awaited Middle East peace plan as “the deal of the century.” But Palestinians have already rejected it, saying the Trump administration is unfairly biased towards Israel, and are warning it could lead to new waves of resistance. VOA’s Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the State Department.
Tens of thousands took to the streets in Baghdad Friday calling for U.S. troops to leave Iraq. The protests come as James Jeffrey, U.S. special envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, acknowledged that the fight against the terrorist group in Iraq is paused, and the American and coalition troops stationed there are now focused on self protection amid rocket attacks from Iran. VOA’s diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Washington.
In Lebanon, where most media outlets have strong political leanings, the largest anti-government protests in decades have been unfolding amid a virtual blackout of domestic news-media coverage
Protests in Iraq continue despite recent violence and deepening divides following an exchange of attacks between the United States and Iran inside Iraqi territory earlier this month. On Friday, mass demonstrations are expected against U.S. military involvement in Iraq, as well as for the basic rights protesters have been demanding for months. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report from Baghdad.
The 37,000 African asylum seekers in Israel live in limbo. They are allowed to work and their children go to Israeli schools, but they have no official status and live on the fringes of Israeli society. Now a new social enterprise project aims to help them share their stories and culinary culture with native Israelis. Linda Gradstein reports from Tel Aviv.
Days of angry protests in Iran over the military's accidental downing of a Ukrainian airliner appear to signal a deeper discontent with the government. The demonstrations began after the Iranian government acknowledged it shot down the aircraft killing all 176 passengers on board, most of them Iranian. The incident appears to have redirected public anger away from America's targeted killing of a top Iranian general and more toward Iran's leadership — and their political repression as the country's economy struggles under U.S. sanctions. VOA's Brian Padden has more on whether the protests signal the beginning of a popular revolt.
Russia says good progress has been made in talks in Moscow over a ceasefire in Libya – but a breakthrough deal has yet to be signed between the rival forces. Russia, which supports strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east of the country, helped broker a ceasefire alongside Turkey, which plans to deploy troops to defend Haftar’s rival, the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord based in Tripoli. As Henry Ridgwell reports, more and more foreign powers are getting involved in the conflict – and while hopes have been raised of a longer-term peace deal, there is also a danger the intervention could backfire.
Iranians joined protests on the streets of Tehran and other cities for the second day in a row Sunday, following the Iranian government’s admission that it shot down a Ukrainian Airlines passenger jet Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board. The government had previously insisted that allegations of a missile strike were Western propaganda. As Henry Ridgwell reports, Iran’s government is facing growing pressure both from abroad and at home -- but it’s not clear if the protests will develop into bigger anti-government demonstrations.
Iranians joined protests on the streets of Tehran and other cities for the second day in a row Sunday, following the Iranian government’s admission that it shot down a Ukrainian Airlines passenger jet Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board. The government had previously insisted that allegations of a missile strike were Western propaganda. As Henry Ridgwell reports, Iran’s government is facing growing pressure both from abroad and at home -- but it’s not clear if the protests will develop into bigger anti-government demonstrations.