in Iraq
Iraq
Leaving hostages in Gaza breaks 'sacred' bond for Israelis
Jerusalem — Six months after Hamas's October 7 attack, dozens of hostages are still languishing in captivity — a fact that for many Israelis has ruptured a foundational contract between them and their government.
"The Jewish people need protection, especially with who we live next to," said Einat Avni Levi, whose family home is within sight of Gaza.
Five of her neighbors in the Nirim kibbutz community were killed and five more taken hostage by Hamas militants on October...
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VOA immigration weekly recap, April 7-13, 2024
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Mideast tensions loom ahead of Biden meeting with Iraqi PM al-Sudani
washington — President Joe Biden is set to welcome Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Monday, with the threat of a Gaza war spillover looming in the background. Security officials are on guard against expected Iranian retaliation for an attack on its consulate in Damascus earlier this month.
On Friday, Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets and drones from southern Lebanon into northern Israel. While Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged frequent cross-border...
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UN: Massive aid must enter Gaza to avoid catastrophic outcome
geneva — A senior U.N. official warned of a catastrophic outcome for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living precariously in war-torn Gaza if humanitarian aid delivery into the territory is not massively expanded in the coming days.
"We have to have a system that allows us to be safe and protected when we deliver aid, and that is the responsibility of Israel as we operate in the territory that they occupy," said Jamie McGoldrick, outgoing U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the...
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Hezbollah launches rockets, drones into Israel as US warns Iran
Washington — U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a stern, one-word warning to Iran on Friday as the world braced for Tehran to exact revenge for a deadly Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus, Syria.
“Don’t,” Biden said to reporters following a speech on domestic policy at an event in New York City.
“We are devoted to the defense of Israel,” the president said in response to questions from reporters. “We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel, and Iran will not...
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Italy urges Iran to show restraint over Israeli strike on consulate
ROME — Italy's foreign affairs minister said Friday he spoke by telephone with his Iranian counterpart Friday to urge restraint amid fears of a strike on Israel from Tehran.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a statement that he had appealed to Iran's Hossein Amirabdollahian "for moderation."
"We cannot risk escalation at such an extremely volatile stage. All regional actors must show responsibility," Tajani said.
Tajani's appeal came amid fears...
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Germany detains Iraqi couple suspected of genocide against Yazidis
WASHINGTON — German officials are interrogating an Iraqi couple who are suspected of committing crimes that may amount to genocide while they were associated with the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria between October 2015 and December 2017.
The German federal public prosecutor general released a statement Wednesday saying “Twana H.S. and Asia R.A. are strongly suspected of genocide according to the German Code of Crime” against Yazidis, a religious minority that was targeted by the...
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Lufthansa extends Tehran flights suspension until April 18
BERLIN — German flagship airline Lufthansa has announced that it is extending its suspension of flights to and from Tehran until April 18. The airline will not use Iranian airspace during that time, the company said Friday.
The carrier said the decision was taken after a "careful evaluation" using government security assessments about the situation in the Middle East and its own information.
Lufthansa first announced it had canceled a flight from Frankfurt to Tehran last...
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Israel releases video of aid truck entering Gaza
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Argentine court blames Iran and Hezbollah for 1994 Jewish center bombing
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina's highest criminal court reported a new development Thursday in the elusive quest for justice in the country's deadliest attack in history — the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center headquarters — concluding Iran had planned the attack and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group had executed the plans.
In a ruling obtained by The Associated Press, Argentina's Court of Cassation deemed Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, responsible...
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20 years later, Abu Ghraib detainees get their day in US court
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Twenty years ago this month, photos of abused prisoners and smiling U.S. soldiers guarding them at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison were released, shocking the world.
Now, three survivors of Abu Ghraib will finally get their day in U.S. court against the military contractor they hold responsible for their mistreatment.
The trial is scheduled to begin Monday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, and it will be the first time that Abu Ghraib survivors are able to bring their...
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Reporter’s Notebook: Walking along a Syrian street ruled by two governments
hasaka, syria — Palestine Street, in the heart of the northeastern Syrian city of Hasaka, resembles a typical scene in a conflict-ridden part of the Middle East: a crowded market with customers walking through dust-covered stores while the cries of street vendors give a bustling vibe to the place. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But being the curious reporter that I am, I couldn’t help noticing something odd. Most stores on the right side of the street have painted Syrian flags on their...
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Pakistan bans Iran-backed Shiite group fighting in Syria
islamabad — Pakistan has banned the activities of an Iran-backed Shiite militant group allegedly involved in recruiting and sending young Pakistanis to fight in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
An Interior Ministry directive, seen Thursday by VOA, identified the proscribed outfit as the Zaynabiyoun Brigade, saying it "is engaged in certain activities which are prejudicial to the peace and security" of Pakistan. It did not elaborate.
A ministry...
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Turkey-Israel disagreement over Gaza hits trade relations
washington — Tensions between Israel and Turkey over the war in Gaza are at risk of escalating into an all-out trade war, threatening a bilateral economic relationship that has long been nurtured even as the countries bicker over political issues.
On Tuesday, Turkey’s Trade Ministry announced new restrictions on exporting 54 product groups, including aluminum, steel, several construction products, jet fuel and chemical fertilizers, to Israel.
Some experts think Ankara has historically...
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Israel, Iran trade new threats over Israeli airstrike on Tehran’s consulate in Syria
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Thomas Gumbleton, Catholic Bishop and a Progressive Voice, Dies at 94
He was arrested protesting war and clashed with fellow bishops in supporting gay marriage and the ordination of women and championing victims of sex abuse by priests.
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How Iran Shapes the Mideast: Power by Proxy
A guide to the armed groups that let Iran extend its influence throughout the region.
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