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Voice of America
Hundreds Join Rare Protests Against Syria's Jihadi Rebels
Idlib, Syria — Hundreds took to the streets across Syria's rebel-held northwest Friday in rare protests against its jihadi rulers, as anger simmered a week after a man died in their custody.
About half of Idlib province and parts of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia are controlled by former al-Qaida affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS.
The rebel-controlled region hosts about 3 million people, many of whom fled other parts of the country held or recaptured by the Russian- and Iranian-backed...
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Where Is China in the Red Sea Crisis?
PENTAGON — As Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen continue attacks on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, a coalition of about two dozen countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., has been working to secure the important waterway.
About 15 commercial ships have been damaged by Houthi drones or missiles since mid-November, and the U.S. says there are now between four and eight coalition ships in the Red Sea on any given day to help protect international vessels.
Last week the...
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Iranian Singer Awarded Grammy for Amini Protest Song, Sentenced to Prison
Dubai, United Arab Emirates — An Iranian singer who won a Grammy presented by U.S. first lady Jill Biden has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for his anthem supporting the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.
Shervin Hajipour posted on Instagram on Friday, the same day that Iran held its parliamentary election, what appeared to be part of the judgment against him.
It said Hajipour received a three-year, eight-month sentence on charges of "propaganda against...
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US Says Airstrikes, Naval Convoys Help Thousands of Ships Transit Red Sea
Washington — Attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden may have put a dent in global trade. But U.S. officials argue a combination of airstrikes and naval convoys are allowing thousands of ships to still make the journey unscathed.
Over the past three months, an estimated 4,677 cargo ships have transited the Red Sea, the U.S. Defense Department told VOA.
Of those, 423 vessels passed through under the protection of...
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Israeli-Palestinian Group Sees Reconciliation as Way Forward
As negotiators discuss a possible cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, the Parents Circle Family Forum, a nonprofit organization made of Israelis and Palestinians who have lost loved ones in previous conflicts, sees reconciliation as the only way forward once hostilities cease. Keith Lane has more.
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Iran Begins Voting in First Parliament Election Since 2022
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran began voting Friday in its first parliamentary elections since the mass 2022 protests over its mandatory hijab laws after the death of Mahsa Amini, with questions looming over just how many people will turn out for the poll.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 84, cast one of the first votes in an election that also will see new members elected to the country's Assembly of Experts. The panel of clerics, who serve an eight-year term, is...
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Hardliners Set to Tighten Grip in Iran Vote as Frustration Mounts
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — Iran elects a new parliament on Friday in a vote that will test the popularity of the country's hardline clerical rulers, with mounting public dissent over economic woes and restrictions on political and social freedoms set to keep many Iranians at home.
With heavyweight moderates and conservatives staying out of the race and reformists calling it an "unfree and unfair election," the vote will pit hardliners and low-key conservatives against one...
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Who Is Syrian Christian Militia Targeted in Turkish Drone Attacks?
washington — Local officials in northeastern Syria said a series of Turkish drone strikes on Wednesday killed and wounded several people in a Kurdish-controlled town near the border with Turkey.
Unlike other attacks carried out by Turkey in recent months, those targeted Wednesday were not Syrian Kurdish fighters. According to local sources, three members of a local Christian militia were killed and two others were wounded in several Turkish drone strikes on the town of Derik in...
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Israeli Medical Technology Helps Treat, Save Soldiers
More than 10,000 Israelis have been wounded since the war with Hamas began almost five months ago, according to Israel’s Ministry of Health. A new rehabilitation center in Jerusalem is offering cutting edge therapies for both soldiers and civilians. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Camera: Ricki Rosen
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Gaza Health Ministry Says Israeli Fire Killed More Than 100 People at Aid Delivery Point
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Iran-Backed Attacks Slow Since 3 US Service Members Killed
Capitol Hill — Attacks by Iranian-backed proxies have slowed since the drone attack in January that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan near the Syrian border.
There have been only two minor attacks in Syria since Feb. 2, when the United States launched retaliatory attacks on targets in Syria and Iraq.
But U.S. lawmakers warned Wednesday that the lull does not de-escalate the risks of a regional conflict.
“Iran doesn't have complete command and control of their operations,”...
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Voter Frustration May Lead to Low Turnout in Iran Parliamentary Elections
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran is holding parliamentary elections this Friday, yet the real question may not be who gets elected but how many people actually turn out to vote.
Widespread discontent over the cratering economy, years of mass protests rocking the country, and tensions with the West over Tehran's nuclear program and Iran's support for Russia in its war on Ukraine have many people quietly saying they won't vote in this election.
Officials have urged people...
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IRC Suspends Red Sea Route for Sudan Aid Amid Rising Cost, Risks
nairobi, kenya — Getting humanitarian supplies to millions of Sudanese affected by the country’s more than 10 months of conflict is getting expensive and risky because of attacks on Red Sea shipping by Houthi rebels based in Yemen.
The International Rescue Committee said this week that its logistics partner would now bypass the Red Sea route and deliver supplies through Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula. It said the new route would raise...
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Al-Hol Camp: Syrians Face Uncertain Future Amidst Security Risks, International Concerns
Thousands of Syrians are being held in northeastern Syria at the al-Hol detention camp that also hosts families of Islamic State fighters. Local officials say none of them can leave the notorious camp without international intervention. Zana Omer has the story, narrated by Sirwan Kajjo.
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US Military Reports Destroying 5 Houthi Drones
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'Uncommitted' Michigan Voters Send Signal to Biden on Gaza Cease-Fire
As negotiators push to secure a temporary cease-fire deal that would halt the Gaza war before Ramadan begins, a message from Michiganders signaling anger at President Joe Biden's support of Israel's campaign that has killed almost 30,000 Palestinians. Early results show that 13% of Democratic primary voters in the critical swing state, home to a large Arab American constituency, marked their primary ballots as "uncommitted" on the president. White House Bureau Chief Patsy...
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