Philippines says acts in national interest in South China Sea

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — China should recognize that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and not at the direction of other countries, Manila’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

The Philippines’ foreign ministry also said the “real issue is China’s refusal to abide by international law” and how its “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive behavior at sea” have affected Filipino communities.

“We call on countries to be circumspect and to avoid actions and words that only contribute to tensions in the region,” it said in a statement responding to comments from China that Manila was being directed by external forces.

At a press conference on March 7, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said the Philippines’ actions in the South China Sea were not independent but part of a “screenplay written by external forces,” to smear China.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the foreign ministry’s statement.

The Philippines has embarked on what it calls a transparency initiative to shed light on China’s actions in the South China Sea, including embedding journalists on maritime patrols and resupply missions.

Its approach has resonated with allies, including the United States, who support the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that found China’s vast South China Sea claims had no legal basis. China rejects that finding.

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North Korea warns of ‘accidental’ war risk from US-South Korea drills

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea on Monday condemned joint U.S.-South Korean military drills as a “provocative act,” warning of the danger of sparking war with “an accidental single shot,” days after Seoul’s air force mistakenly bombed a village on its own territory.

“This is a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean peninsula, which may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides by means of an accidental single shot,” said Pyongyang’s foreign ministry, as quoted by state media.

The joint U.S.-South Korea “Freedom Shield 2025” exercise was set to kick off on Monday, and will involve “live, virtual, and field-based training,” according to a U.S. statement.

The exercise will run until March 21, the statement said.

Military cooperation between Seoul and Washington regularly invites condemnation from Pyongyang, where the government sees such moves as preparation for an invasion, and often carries out missile tests in response. 

The latest exercise comes after two South Korean Air Force fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a village during a joint training exercise with U.S. forces on March 6. 

Fifteen people, including civilians and military personnel, were wounded in that incident, South Korea’s National Fire Agency said.

Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions.

The two Koreas remain technically at war since their 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The United States stations tens of thousands of soldiers in the South, in part to protect Seoul against Pyongyang.

The large-scale Freedom Shield exercises are one of the allies’ biggest annual joint exercises.

In its statement on Monday, North Korea’s foreign ministry dubbed the exercises “an aggressive and confrontational war rehearsal.”

Last week, Pyongyang slammed the United States for “political and military provocations” over the visit of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to the South Korean port of Busan.               

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Korean moon jars shine in Colorado show

Traditional Korean moon jars and modern takes on the elegant white vases are the focus of a new art exhibit in the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado. VOA Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story from Denver.

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In tense relations with India, Pakistani TV dramas build bridges

KARACHI, PAKISTAN — Two Pakistani women sit together on a couch, rehearsing their lines while a director scrutinizes them.

Waiting off camera for his scene is the male lead, an actor blessed with Bachelor hair and fine bone structure. Also out of sight: the Islamabad homeowners, who are holed up in a separate room and whose furniture and knickknacks will be seen by millions of viewers — many from the society that has been their country’s neighbor and uneasy sparring partner for much of the past century.

This is the set of the Pakistani drama Adhi Bewafai, or Half Infidelity — one of what some in other nations would call “soap operas.”

But these dramas, it turns out, are not just for Pakistanis. Realistic settings, natural dialogue and almost workaday plots about families and marriages make Pakistani dramas a hit with viewers at home and abroad — especially in the neighboring country that split with Pakistan in 1947 and is its nuclear archrival today: India.

Television, it seems, is succeeding where diplomacy sometimes can’t.

A glimpse into life across the border

Several thousand people work in Pakistan’s drama industry; the country produces between 80 to 120 shows a year, each one a source of escapism and intrigue. They offer Indians a tantalizing glimpse into life across the border — and manage to break through decades of enmity between the two governments.

Maheen Shafeeq, a research associate at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, says there is effectively no relationship between the two governments. Each government is fixed on a single issue it cannot move past — for India, it’s terrorism; for Pakistan, the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The governments are very much opposed to each other,” she says. “They don’t agree what they should talk about.”

Although it’s difficult for Indians to visit Pakistan, where these shows are filmed, they faithfully follow the plot twists and turns through platforms like YouTube, ZEE5, and MX Player.

For those of a certain generation, however, it wasn’t always so easy to keep up.

Kaveri Sharma, a writer in the Indian city of Patna, recalls her mother-in-law and aunt jiggling antennas in the 1980s and 1990s in hopes of catching a signal from Pakistan’s state broadcaster, PTV. It’s how Sharma first realized that the country next door was a drama powerhouse. It inspired her to discover the shows for herself years later, even going on to watch them with her own daughter.

“They feel familiar, but they are also a break from our own lives,” Sharma says. “I don’t see any differences between the two countries. Everything is relatable. I see Karachi and think that it could be Lucknow or Patna. What happens on the shows could happen to me or my friends.”

She had heard only negative things about Pakistan since childhood — that it was the enemy that would take everything from India. The TV dramas have added subtlety and detail to this image for her. She would love to visit, but is unlikely to get the opportunity. So she explores Pakistan through the locations, malls, offices, streets and restaurants depicted on the small screen.

The names of popular Karachi neighborhoods roll off her tongue. Sharma, like Bibi Hafeez in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad and Punita Kumar in the central Indian city of Raipur, raves about the dramas’ universality of themes, the strong characterization and the emotional range.

“Pakistani characters are not only heroes or villains. They have shades to them, and that is very human,” says Kumar, who chanced upon a Pakistani drama through a chunky videocassette when she was a teenager living in the northern Indian city of Aligarh. It was love at first watch.

“They captivated me. We got a cable connection that offered PTV. Then YouTube came and I realized I could search for whatever drama I wanted. I haven’t taken a stop,” she said. “We get exposure to Pakistani life in the scenes, but the struggles the characters have with their relatives are ones I would have with my own.”

Pakistani TV veteran Khaled Anam is delighted by Indians’ enthusiasm for the country’s serials and the barriers they help erode.

“What Bollywood is to India, dramas are to Pakistan,” says Anam, who is based in Karachi and has worked as an actor since the 1980s. He has appeared in many dramas, including the ratings smash Humsafar (Life Partner).

India’s productions go big, while Pakistan’s are more low key

India dominates the movie market in South Asia and beyond, with big stars and bigger budgets. Pakistanis have been exposed to Bollywood films for decades, although the prevailing hostile political climate means they can’t watch them in movie theaters. The bans are mutual, though. India, like Pakistan, restricts content from across the border in movie theaters and TV channels.

And while India is no slouch when it comes to TV production, it doesn’t offer viewers what Pakistan does, according to Anam: simplicity, depth of writing and a limited number of episodes.

“There are 15-minute flashbacks in Indian serials. (The characters) are decked out and dolled up. It’s a fantasy world. The shows go on forever. Everything is ‘DUN dun dun!'” says Anam, mimicking a dramatic musical riff and shaking his hands.

The actors on the couch in Islamabad are rehearsing lines about a woman who is disrespectful and so, according to one of them, is an unsuitable marriage prospect. The delivery and grammar could be heard in virtually any South Asian household.

“Pakistanis are generally emotional people, and that is in their dramas also,” says Islamabad-based director Saife Hassan. “It would take me less than two minutes to explain the plot of the super-duper hit Kabhi Main, Kabhi Tum (Sometimes Me, Sometimes You). It’s about the emotions between a husband and wife.”

Hassan, who began his TV career in the 1990s, says Indians frequently comment on his social media pages and send him direct messages about his work. He even recalls Indian viewers praying for the recovery of a character who was in a coma.

Hassan would love to see more homegrown dramas make it onto platforms like Netflix, as some Indian shows have with great success. But he wonders whether international audiences would understand and connect with Pakistani stories or lives: “The way we think is different from the West. Our shows are not driven by events. They are driven by emotions.”

There is also a lack of raunch in Pakistani dramas, which are family-friendly with little to no vulgarity, violence, or even action. Indians, therefore, are a natural audience for Pakistani dramas, Hassan says. “They are our people. They are like us. They eat like us,” he says. “I love India, and I love Indians. They have grown out of this animosity.” 

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Thousands in Nepal want monarchy back as public frustration with politics grows

KATHMANDU — Thousands of supporters greeted Nepal’s former king in capital Kathmandu on Sunday and demanded his abolished monarchy be reinstated and Hinduism brought back as a state religion. 

An estimated 10,000 supporters of Gyanendra Shah blocked the main entrance to Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport as he arrived from a tour of western Nepal. 

“Vacate the royal palace for the king. Come back king, save the country. Long live our beloved king. We want monarchy,” the crowds chanted. Passengers were forced to walk to and from the airport. 

Hundreds of riot police blocked the protesters from entering the airport and there was no violence. 

Massive street protests in 2006 forced Gyanendra to give up his authoritarian rule, and two years later the parliament voted to abolish the monarchy as Gyanendra left the Royal Palace to live the life of a commoner. 

But many Nepalis have grown frustrated with the republic, saying it has failed to bring about political stability and blaming it for a struggling economy and widespread corruption. Nepal has had 13 governments since the monarchy was abolished in 2008. 

Rally participants said they were hoping for a change in the political system to stop the country from further deteriorating. 

“We are here to give the king our full support and to rally behind him all the way to reinstating him in the royal throne,” said Thir Bahadur Bhandari, 72. 

Among the thousands was 50-year-old carpenter Kulraj Shrestha, who had taken part in the 2006 protests against the king but has changed his mind and now supports the monarchy. 

“The worst thing that is happening to the country is massive corruption and all politicians in power are not doing anything for the country,” Shrestha said. “I was in the protests that took away monarchy hoping it would help the country, but I was mistaken and the nation has further plunged so I have changed my mind.” 

Gyanendra has not commented on the calls for the return of monarchy. Despite growing support for the former king, Gyanendra has slim chances of immediately returning to power. 

He became the king in 2002, after his brother and family were massacred in the palace. He ruled as the constitutional head of state without executive or political powers until 2005, when he seized absolute power. He disbanded the government and parliament, jailed politicians and journalists and cut off communications, declaring a state of emergency and using the army to rule the country. 

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Iran, Russia, China to hold joint military exercises

TEHRAN, IRAN — The navies of Iran, Russia and China will hold military drills off the coast of Iran this week in a bid to boost cooperation, Iranian media reported Sunday.

The three countries, which share a common desire to counter what they characterize as American hegemony, have held similar exercises in the region in recent years.

The drills “will begin on Tuesday in the port of Chabahar,” located in southeast Iran on the Gulf of Oman, the Tasnim news agency said, without specifying their duration.

“Warships and combat and support vessels of the Chinese and Russian naval forces, as well as the warships of Iran’s naval forces of the army and the Revolutionary Guards,” the ideological arm of Iran’s military, are expected to participate, according to Tasnim.

The exercises will take place “in the northern Indian Ocean” and aim to “strengthen security in the region, and expand multilateral cooperation between participating countries,” Tasnim said.

Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka will attend as observers.

China will deploy “a destroyer and a supply ship,” Beijing’s defense ministry said on the WeChat social media network.

The Iranian army conducted drills in the same area in February to “strengthen defense capabilities against any threat.” 

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VOA Uzbek: Migrant workers in Russia feel pressure

The war in Ukraine and the terrorist attacks in Moscow have led to unprecedented pressure on migrant workers in Russia, both in the political sphere and among the Russian public. Thousands of Uzbeks working in Russia are now considering returning home to help with the construction of “New Tashkent” development projects. 

Click here for the full story in Uzbek. 

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UN urges Taliban to end restrictions on girls on International Women’s Day

WASHINGTON — Four years ago, Yalda never imagined that she would not be able to continue her education or achieve her dream of graduating from school.

“My parents would often talk about the Taliban’s first rule [in the 1990s],” recalled Yalda, who requested that her full name not be used for security reasons. “I used to think it was fortunate I wasn’t born during those days. Sadly, we ended up experiencing the same fate.”

Yalda, who was in 10th grade when the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, is one of the 1.5 million girls deprived of an education in Afghanistan.

Like most school-age girls, she is now confined to her home.

“I think I live in a prison. I am so hopeless, and wish I had not been born a girl,” Yalda said.

In addition to banning girls from secondary and university education, the Taliban have barred them from working with government and nongovernment organizations, traveling long distances without a close male relative, and going to parks, public baths and salons.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, in a statement issued on March 8, condemned the “progressive erasure of women and girls from public life” and called on the Taliban to lift restrictions on Afghan women.

“These restrictions are not only violations of human rights but also barriers to Afghanistan’s progress, deepening poverty and isolation for millions,” said UNAMA’s statement.

The Taliban rejected the U.N. call, saying that women in Afghanistan are given their due rights “in accordance with Islamic Sharia law.”

“At present, Afghan women reside in a state of complete physical and psychological security,” they said.

An Afghan teacher, who did not want her identity to be disclosed for fear of reprisal, told VOA that Afghan women do not feel safe in the country.

“We don’t have safety. I can’t teach anymore. We don’t have any future,” said the teacher. “We are not considered as equal human beings in this country.”

Afghanistan is listed last — 177th out of 177 countries — on Georgetown University’s global Women Peace and Security Index of inclusion, justice and security for women.

The teacher said that women in Afghanistan are filled with despair, saying that “any change by the group is unlikely.”

Hoda Jaberian, the UNESCO program coordinator for education emergencies in Paris, called the Taliban’s restriction “a war against women.”

She told VOA that women’s rights in Afghanistan should remain a top priority for the international community.

“This is the responsibility of the international community to ensure that the rights of Afghan women and girls are restored without any delay,” Jaberian said.

No country has yet formally recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

Adela Raz, a former Afghan ambassador to the United States, told VOA that one of the main reasons for not recognizing the Taliban’s government is the group’s failure to grant women their rights.

She added that, alongside the United Nations, Muslim-majority nations and neighboring countries should pressure the Taliban to respect women’s rights in Afghanistan.

“The neighboring countries, to an extent, have ties with the Taliban and their position is important” to apply pressure on the Taliban to uphold women’s rights.

Yalda says that she and other girls in Afghanistan, however, are losing hope.

“They [the Taliban] haven’t changed in the past 3½ years. I don’t think they will,” said Yalda.

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Myanmar junta chief announces election for December or January

Myanmar’s military government will hold a general election in December 2025 or January 2026, state media said Saturday, citing the junta chief, who provided the first specific time frame for the long-promised polls in the war-torn nation.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021, when the military ousted an elected civilian government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a protest movement that morphed into an armed rebellion against the junta across the Southeast Asian country.

The junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, vowed to hold an election, but his administration repeatedly extended a state of emergency, even as the military was battered by a collection of anti-junta opposition groups.

Critics have widely derided the promised polls as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies, given that dozens of political parties have been banned, and the junta has lost its grip over large parts of Myanmar.

“We plan to hold a free and fair election soon,” Min Aung Hlaing said during a visit to Belarus, where he announced the time frame, the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported.

“Fifty-three political parties have already submitted their lists to participate in the election,” he said.

The junta was able to conduct a full, on-the-ground census in only 145 of the country’s 330 townships to prepare voter lists for the elections, according to a census report published in December.

The election also brings the risk of more violence as the junta and its opponents push to increase their control of territory in Myanmar, where the widening conflict has left the economy in tatters and displaced over 3.5 million people.

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India says it is working to cut tariffs as it eyes US trade deal

NEW DELHI — India said Friday it is working to lower trade barriers with the United States as it tries to reach a bilateral trade deal with Washington this year.

The two countries said after a February White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they will try to reach a deal by fall, aiming to increase bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters Friday the objective of the bilateral trade agreement would be “to strengthen and deepen India-U.S. two-way trade in the goods and services sector, increase market access, reduce tariff and nontariff barriers, and deepen supply chain integration between the two countries.”

Trump has accused Delhi of imposing unfair trade barriers through high tariffs and has been putting pressure on India to cut duties on U.S. imports. India, for example, imposes tariffs of up to 110% on all car imports.

“India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You cannot even sell anything in India,” Trump said Friday at the White House. “They have agreed. By the way, they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done.”

There was no immediate comment from Indian officials.

Conciliatory approach

Analysts say India has adopted a conciliatory approach on tariffs, opting to engage the U.S. in talks as it looks to avoid friction. India already has lowered duties on some imports that will benefit American companies, such as high-end motorcycles and bourbon.

“The U.S. is, first of all, India’s largest export market, so we do not want to upset that,” said New Delhi-based trade analyst Biswajit Dhar. “Then there are other considerations at play. There is a sense that the U.S. is a valued strategic partner, so we don’t want trade tensions to upset that equilibrium, also.”

While India has been spared tariffs so far from the Trump administration, reciprocal tariffs that Trump has said he will be announcing early next month could affect Indian exports to the U.S. in areas from pharmaceuticals and drugs to auto components. Two-way trade in goods between the countries was more than $129 billion last year, with Indian exports surpassing $87 billion.

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal visited Washington this week to discuss trade issues with American officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

During remarks to an Indian television network, Lutnick called on India to reconsider its tariffs in light of the “special relationship” with the United States.

“It’s time to do something big, something grand, something that connects India and the United States together, but does it on a broad scale, not product-by-product, but rather the whole thing,” he said speaking Friday from Washington to India Today TV.

Defense purchases

He also said India must shift defense equipment purchases away from Russia and buy more from the U.S.

Analysts say purchasing more military hardware from the U.S. could help bridge India’s trade surplus with the U.S., which stood at more than $40 billion last year.

Lutnick also said he wanted India to open its market to U.S. farm exports, which New Delhi has long resisted for fear it will hurt tens of millions of India’s small farmers.

In New Delhi, trade analysts said there is room for India to lower tariffs in several areas outside of agriculture.

“I think we can lower tariffs to zero level on most industrial goods, but agriculture we don’t want to touch. It is very sensitive,” said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative think tank in New Delhi. “For us, that is not a trade issue but a livelihood issue, with more than 700 million farmers depending on it for their incomes.”

Other analysts agree that tariffs on imports of farm products, a key area in which the U.S. wants access, could pose a hurdle for the two countries during negotiations.

“Agricultural products are a strict ‘no’ for India. This will cause unease here and could become a sticking point as they try to clinch a trade deal,” trade analyst Dhar said.

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1 dead, several hurt as tropical low tracks across Australian coast

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — Flooding rains are set to continue lashing the Australian east coast even though it avoided the destructive winds of its first tropical cyclone in 51 years, officials said Saturday. One person was confirmed dead and several were injured.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred had been expected to become the first cyclone to cross the Australian coast near the Queensland state capital, Brisbane, Australia’s third-most populous city, since 1974.

But it weakened Saturday to a tropical low, which is defined as carrying sustained winds of less than 63 kilometers per hour.

The cyclone’s remnant crossed the coast late Saturday 55 kilometers north of Brisbane and will continue to track west across the inland bringing heavy rain, Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement.

“The real threat now is from that locally heavy-to-intense rainfall, which may lead to flash and riverine flooding,” bureau manager Matt Collopy said.

Cyclones are common in Queensland’s tropical north but are rare in the state’s temperate and densely populated southeast corner, which borders New South Wales state.

A 61-year-old man who disappeared in a flooded river near the New South Wales town of Dorrigo was confirmed the first fatality of the crisis when his body was recovered on Saturday, police said.

Defense personnel were injured when two military trucks involved in the emergency response collided in the town of Tregeagle in New South Wales on Saturday, police said.

Of the 36 Brisbane-based military personnel involved in the incident, 13 were injured, Australian government minister Matt Keogh said. Keogh provided no details on what had happened or the injuries.

A woman sustained minor injuries when an apartment building lost its roof in the Queensland border city of Gold Coast on Friday, police said. The woman was one of 21 people who were evacuated from the building.

A couple sustained minor injuries when a tree crashed through the ceiling of their Gold Coast bedroom during strong winds and rain on Thursday night, officials said.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said 330,000 homes and businesses had lost power due to the storm since Thursday. No other natural disaster had created a bigger blackout in the state’s history. New South Wales reported as many as 45,000 premises without electricity on Saturday. But tens of thousands had been reconnected by late in the day, officials said.

Rivers were flooding in Queensland and New South Wales after days of heavy rain, the meteorology bureau said. The dead man recovered on Saturday was the only fatality among 36 flood rescues carried out by emergency teams in northern New South Wales in recent days, most involving vehicles attempting to cross floodwaters, police said.

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South Korea’s President Yoon free after court quashes detention

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol walked out of a detention center in Seoul on Saturday after prosecutors decided not to appeal a court decision to cancel the impeached leader’s arrest warrant on insurrection charges.

Yoon remains suspended from his duties, and his criminal and impeachment trials continue over his short-lived martial law imposition on Dec. 3.

The Seoul Central District Court canceled Yoon’s arrest warrant on Friday, citing the timing of his indictment and “questions about the legality” of the investigation process.

“First of all, I would like to thank the Central District Court for their courage and determination in correcting the illegality,” Yoon said in a statement.

His lawyers said the court decision “confirmed that the president’s detainment was problematic in both procedural and substantive aspects,” calling the ruling the “beginning of a journey to restore rule of law.”

Prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment.

In Yoon impeachment trial, the Constitutional Court is expected to decide in coming days whether to reinstate him or remove him from office.

Yoon, the first South Korean president to be arrested while in office, has been in custody since Jan. 15.

On Saturday, Some 38,000 Yoon supporters rallied in Seoul, while 1,500 people demonstrated against him, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unofficial police estimates.  

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Social media storm throws cat owners in Kashmir into tizzy

SRINAGAR, INDIA — Viral social media posts threw cat lovers in Indian-controlled Kashmir into a tizzy.

Panic spread and local veterinarians saw a surge in pet owners coming in with their cats — all because of posts that went viral on social media. It began with a warning in January from veterinarians in the disputed Himalayan region, where the cat population has soared over the past years, partly because of stray cats roaming free and pet stores bringing in ever more costly breeds to keep up with local demand.

The vets said there’s been an uptick in infections among the feline population due to lack of vaccination and mishandling of strays.

What was meant to be a cautionary note was misinterpreted. Video clips and news reports started claiming that cats transmit potentially deadly infections to humans, and that cat-borne diseases can cause miscarriages among women.

Days later, the region’s animal husbandry department issued a statement saying there’s no harm in keeping cats as pets as long as proper hygiene is maintained. But the statement did little to calm pet owners in Kashmir, where cats have been long revered in Islamic folklore for their cleanliness and considered noble and intelligent creatures.

Mir Mubashir, a local businessman who lives on the outskirts of Srinagar, the region’s main city, said the posts and reports made him worried. His heart heavy, he took Liger, his Persian kitty, to her vet to make sure she was fine.

“I felt really scared,” he said. Only after the vet’s assurances that all was well did he calm down.

Reflecting the level of concern, Altaf Gilani, the head of the main Srinagar animal hospital, said they had examined 2,594 cats in the first seven weeks of this year, compared to a total of 1,010 cats in January and February last year. If regular deworming, vaccinations and hygiene protocols are followed, pet owners are not at risk, he said.

Keeping cats, much like raising pigeons in Kashmir, is seen as a stress buster and mood elevator in a region long plagued by conflicts. Split between Pakistan and India but claimed by both in its entirety, Kashmir has recently seen two harsh lockdowns, first in 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stripped the region’s semi-autonomy, and again in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.

More and more people began adopting stray cats during the lockdowns. Children were encouraged to play with them — experts called it pet therapy.

“Cats entice you to love them and you get attached once you spend time with them,” said Mujtaba Hussain, another cat owner.  

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Greenland and Afghanistan: Frontiers in race for critical minerals

Just as discoveries of fossil fuel reserves helped to shape the 20th century, the race for critical minerals is shaping the 21st. These minerals are seen as strategically crucial for modern economies, including those used in construction, energy and manufacturing — particularly for semiconductors and other technology applications.

Where mineral resources are located and extracted has often played a major role in geopolitical and economic relations. Today, the world’s attention is turning to two places believed to be rich in untapped reserves — but accessing each of them comes with unique challenges.

Afghanistan

Sitting at the intersection of multiple tectonic plates, Afghanistan’s geology has resulted in extensive and diverse mineral deposits. Historically, its territory was a primary source of copper and gold as well as gems and semiprecious stones, particularly lapis lazuli, a stone prized for its intense blue color.

Today, Afghanistan is estimated to hold nearly $1 trillion worth of mineral reserves. This includes 60 million tons of copper, 183 million tons of aluminum and 2.2 billion tons of iron ore. Gold is mined on an artisanal scale in the northern and eastern provinces, while the mountainous north contains valuable marble and limestone deposits used in construction.

The China National Petroleum Corporation also pumps oil in the north, though Afghanistan has no domestic refining capability and is reliant on neighbors such as Turkmenistan, Iran and Kyrgyzstan for fuel.

Most of the international focus, however, is on Afghanistan’s other metal deposits, many of which are crucial to emerging technologies. These include cobalt, lithium and niobium, used in batteries and other electronics. The country’s unexplored lithium reserves may even exceed those of Bolivia, currently the world’s largest.

Afghanistan also holds major deposits of rare earth metals like lanthanum, cerium and neodymium, which are used for magnets and semiconductors as well as other specialized manufacturing applications.

One obstacle to extracting Afghanistan’s minerals is its terrain, considered the eighth most mountainous in the world. But security has been a much bigger impediment. Amid the political instability that followed the first fall of the Taliban in 2001, many gemstone and copper mines operated illegally under the command of local militants. With workers paid very little and the product smuggled out to be sold in neighboring Pakistan, the Afghan people saw little benefit from these extraction operations.

Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban, who have been eager to make use of the country’s mineral wealth and increase exports, are hampered by a lack of diplomatic recognition and their designation as a terrorist group by multiple nations. This is, however, beginning to change, as some countries establish de facto diplomatic ties.

In 2024, the Taliban government’s resource ministry announced that it had secured investments from China, Qatar, Turkey, Iran and the United Kingdom. China, which was the first nation to accredit a Taliban-appointed ambassador, is expected to be a major player in Afghanistan’s extractive industries as part of its Belt and Road Initiative.

However, as newly discovered deposits require an average of 16 years to develop into operational mines, harnessing Afghanistan’s mineral potential will take a great deal of investment and time — if the political and security issues can somehow be worked out.

Greenland

For millions of years, Greenland has been mostly covered by an ice sheet, habitable only along coastal areas. Despite some offshore petroleum and gas exploration, fishing and whaling have remained the primary nongovernment industries.

Now, as ice recedes amid climate change, the large island’s frozen interior offers new opportunities in untapped mineral resources. These include more common metals such as copper and gold, as well as titanium and graphite. But as elsewhere, there is even greater interest in Greenland’s deposits of technology-critical minerals.

The autonomous Danish territory is estimated to contain deposits of 43 of the 50 minerals designated by the United States as crucial to national security. Among these are the sought-after rare earth metals, in addition to other metals with technological applications such as vanadium and chromium.

Currently, a majority of the world’s rare earth metals are mined in China, making Greenland’s deposits vital for countries seeking to reduce their dependence on Chinese imports. This strategic importance is one of the factors that led U.S. President Donald Trump to propose buying Greenland from Denmark.

Greenland’s government has issued nearly 100 mining licenses to companies like KoBold Metals and Rio Tinto. But these have mostly involved exploration, with only two mines currently operating in the country. Getting a mine to production can take as long as a decade, because it involves several unique challenges.

One such hurdle is Greenland’s strong environmentalist movement, which has successfully shut down mining projects for safety concerns. Rare earths pose a particular issue, because they must be extracted from other ores — a process that can cause waste and pollution. At the Kvanefjeld site in the south, metals were to be extracted from uranium ore until the fear of radioactive pollution led to a ban.

The receding ice and warming climate have made extraction easier not only by revealing more territory but also by extending possible working hours and easing ship navigation. However, the environment remains harsh and inhospitable, and the island suffers from a lack of infrastructure, with few roads or energy facilities outside major settlements. Nevertheless, Greenland’s government considers the mining industry to be an important means of developing the economy.

Conclusion

Shaped by both politics and geography, Greenland and Afghanistan have become two major frontiers in the global scramble for critical minerals. Which parties will have the opportunity to benefit from their resources will depend on the interplay of military power, economics and diplomacy. 

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Japan’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriage unconstitutional, court finds

TOKYO — A Japanese high court ruled Friday that Japan’s refusal to legally recognize same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the latest victory for same-sex couples and their supporters seeking equal rights.

Friday’s decision by the Nagoya High Court, in central Japan, marks the ninth victory out of 10 rulings since the first group of plaintiffs filed lawsuits in 2019.

The decision was also the fourth high court ruling in a row to find the current government policy unconstitutional, after similar decisions in Tokyo, Fukuoka and Sapporo.

After a fifth court ruling expected later this month in Osaka, the Supreme Court is expected to handle all five appeals and make a decision.

The Nagoya court said Friday that not allowing same-sex couples the legal right to marry violates a constitutional guarantee of equality. The court also upheld the right to individual dignity and the essential equality of both sexes.

The current civil law, which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, is discrimination based on sexual orientation and lacks rationality, the ruling said.

The government has argued that marriage under civil law does not cover same-sex couples and places importance on natural reproduction. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters after the ruling Friday that the government will monitor pending lawsuits and public opinion.

The plaintiffs and their lawyers say the overwhelming winning record of 9-1 in the courts is already enough and the government should quickly take action.

More than 30 plaintiffs have joined the lawsuits on marriage equality filed in five regions across Japan since 2019. They argue that civil law provisions barring same-sex marriage violate the Constitutional right to equality and freedom of marriage.

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Across Pacific, new-found freedoms face legal, economic obstacles

Across Pacific Island nations, journalists are pushing back on draconian laws and defamation cases, while weighing the cost of Chinese economic help against true editorial freedom. VOA’s Jessica Stone has the story. Camera: Sharon Elone

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Australians told ‘prepare for worst’ as tropical cyclone nears

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA — Violent winds toppled power lines Friday as a tropical cyclone crept towards Australia’s eastern coast, sparking evacuation orders and leaving more than 50,000 homes without electricity.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred was 165 kilometers east of Brisbane city on Friday morning, crawling towards the densely populated coastline at “walking speed,” government forecasts said.

Some four million people were in the firing line along a 400-kilometer stretch of coastline straddling the border of Queensland state and New South Wales.

It is a region rarely troubled by typhoons — it has been more than 50 years since a tropical cyclone made landfall in that part of Queensland.

More than 50,000 homes were without power on Friday morning as damaging winds brought down power lines, officials and utility companies said.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the storm already “packed a punch,” warning conditions would get worse as it approached land late on Friday or early Saturday.

Emergency response officials said they had issued evacuation orders for some 10,000 people in the flood-prone northern rivers region of New South Wales.

There was particular concern for the town of Lismore, which was engulfed by record 14-meter floodwaters after heavy rains in 2022.

Many residents have spent the past three days fortifying their homes with sandbags, tying down loose furniture and stocking up on food and water.

“A lot of people are feeling a bit anxious, for sure, because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Paul Farrow from Coolangatta, a coastal suburb better known for its sun-splashed beaches.

“Yeah, we could all lose our houses. Who knows?” the 62-year-old told AFP.

“The pubs might be shut for a week or two. Who knows?”

Farrow said he had stashed a “couple of peaches,” a “couple of cartons of beer” and “a bag of grapes” to get him through.

“So I’ll be right,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the region should “hope for the best but prepare for the worst.”

“When nature does its worst, Australians are at our best. We rally. We lift each other up. We look out for our neighbors,” he told reporters.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred would likely cross the coast “early Saturday morning,” the Bureau of Meteorology said, although its path was becoming difficult to predict.

It was forecast to make landfall around 60 kilometers north of Brisbane.

Drenching rains, “destructive” wind gusts, and “abnormally high tides” would pummel the coast as it crept nearer, the bureau said.

More than 900 schools across Queensland state and neighboring parts of northern New South Wales were closed on Friday, education department officials said.

While cyclones are common in the warm tropical waters lapping Australia’s northern flank, it is rarer for them to form in cooler waters further south.

Alfred would be the first to make landfall in that part of Australia since 1974, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Researchers have repeatedly warned that climate change amplifies the risk of natural disasters such as bushfires, floods and cyclones. 

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Malala visits Pakistani hometown, 13 years after Taliban shooting

After 13 years of living abroad, Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai returns to her home village in northeastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. VOA’s Fayaz Zafar files this report on her visit to the province’s Swat district, narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
Camera: Fayaz Zafar

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Nigeria, China crack down on Chinese nationals in financial crimes

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria and China said this week they will cooperate in efforts to crack down on the increasing number of Chinese nationals taking part in financial crimes in the African country.

The joint effort comes after Chinese Ambassador Yu Dunhai visited Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, in Abuja.

In a statement posted to the EFCC website Tuesday, Dunhai expressed regret over the rising trend of Chinese nationals engaged in financial crimes in Nigeria.

He assured Nigerian authorities that the Chinese government is ready to send delegates to work with local law enforcement agencies to address the issue.

At the same time, Dunhai urged authorities to protect the rights of Chinese citizens while investigations are conducted.

Since November, Nigerian authorities have arrested at least 400 Chinese nationals suspected of cybercrime, telecom fraud and illegal mining. Many of them are facing trial.

But Nigerian political analyst Chukwudi Odoeme warned that China’s influence over the process could undermine the rule of law.

“The collaboration looks good, but then the relationship between Nigeria and China is something that is suspicious in this particular arrangement,” Odoeme said. “The collaboration may be defeated in the sense that China will have undue influence, and it may even lead to political release of those persons instead of subjecting them through the criminal trial system in Nigeria.”

China is Nigeria’s largest trading partner by value, with trade totaling $5 billion in 2023.

In the first quarter of last year, Chinese companies provided 23% of Nigeria’s total imports.

Critics argue that Chinese nationals are exploiting trade routes and immigration loopholes to enter Nigeria illegally and engage in criminal activities.

Authorities say many of the arrested Chinese nationals were found to be living in Nigeria without proper documentation.

Public affairs analyst Jaye Gaskia raised concerns about the transparency of the collaboration.

“On what basis are you going into this collaboration? For what purpose?” he asked. “The conversations around trying to develop such collaborative strategies also need to be transparent, so that citizens will be able to interrogate the process to see whether national interest is going to be somehow undermined.

“We have to be careful, and we have to ensure who does the prosecution,” Gaskia said. “The best-case scenario is for the country not to cede its own sovereignty in terms of how this is going to happen.”

Nigeria’s debt to China exceeds $5 billion — more than the bilateral loans owed to all other countries combined.

Meanwhile, Nigeria is seeking China’s backing to join the grouping of the world’s 20 largest economies, the G20, and secure a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

But political analyst Rotimi Olawale believes the debt should not influence how Nigeria handles criminal cases.

“I don’t think that the debt we owe China, $5 billion, will affect anything,” Olawale said. “That’s government-to-government relations. The most important thing is that the case should not be politicized. We must clearly define our rules and uphold our laws.”

Previously, Nigeria’s parliament called for the mass deportation of illegal Chinese migrants.

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Taliban urge Pakistan, Iran to slow return of Afghan nationals

ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan’s Taliban Thursday called on neighbors Pakistan and Iran to be patient with Afghan refugees and follow an organized process for their return, considering Afghanistan’s economic challenges. 

Pakistan and Iran have sent back more than 2.7 million Afghans to their home country since the 20-year U.S.-led war in Afghanistan ended in August 2021.  

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Taliban acting minister of refugees and repatriation affairs, separately met with Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani, Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in Afghanistan, and Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Alireza Bekdali, in Kabul. 

In a post on social media platform X, the Afghan ministry said Kabir expressed hope that the “host countries will exercise patience and forbearance toward refugees.” 

“Islamic Emirate encourages Afghan refugees to return to the country,” said the statement. “But due to lack of conditions at home, host countries should consider organized return process instead of forced deportation, and act according to a gradual mechanism.” 

Afghan expulsion 

Since Pakistan launched a drive in late 2023 to remove foreign nationals residing illegally in the country, citing security concerns, more than 825,000 Afghans have left, according to data compiled by the U.N. High Commission for Refugees. However, only a small fraction — roughly 40,000 — have been deported. 

Pakistan approved a multistage plan in late January targeting nearly 3 million Afghan citizens. It includes legally declared refugees, documented as well as undocumented migrants, and those awaiting relocation to the United States and other Western countries. 

That plan calls for repatriating documented Afghan migrants and undocumented Afghan citizens in Phase 1. It also calls for the removal of Afghans awaiting third-country relocation from Islamabad by March 31. 

Last July, Pakistan extended the validity of Proof of Registration, or POR, cards for Afghan refugees until June 30, 2025. The government’s January plan to expel Afghans says POR card holders will be dealt with later. 

Driven largely by economic concerns, Iran deported more than 1.8 million Afghans between 2022 and 2024, according to aid website Relief Web that takes data from UNHCR. Last September, Tehran announced it plans to deport up to 2 million by March 2025.

Time needed 

Kabir called on Iran and Pakistan to slow the pace of returns until bilateral mechanisms are put in place. 

“Time should be given to hold bilateral and trilateral meetings in this regard,” the statement said. 

Nizamani, Pakistan’s top diplomat in Afghanistan, said refugees are not a political tool, according to the Afghan ministry’s post. 

“He said that Pakistan’s future is linked to Afghanistan, therefore, it does not use Afghan refugees as political tools, but wants the problems to be resolved through understanding,” the refugee ministry said on X. 

A request to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, seeking confirmation of Nizamani’s remarks, was not returned. 

Iranian ambassador Bekdali called for a permanent solution to the issue, the Taliban ministry said. 

“We want to see the illegal migrants living in Iran, refugees, provided with the necessary legal documents,” the statement quoted Bekadli as saying. There was no immediate confirmation from Bekdali’s office regarding his remarks. 

Refugee rights groups and human rights watchdogs have repeatedly called on Iran and Pakistan to ensure that the rights of Afghan refugees and undocumented migrants are protected, and they are not forced to return to Afghanistan, where the economy is in shambles, the majority relies on aid, and women face severe curbs on basic rights and liberties.

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Thailand pushing to repatriate foreigners rescued from Myanmar scam centers

Bangkok — Thailand is working with authorities in the capital cities or embassies of some countries that have citizens stuck on the Thai-Myanmar border following their rescue from scam compounds to hasten their repatriation, an official said on Thursday.

About 7,000 people pulled out of scam centers in Myanmar’s Myawaddy are currently housed in camps administered by armed groups operating along the frontier, following a multi-national crackdown to dismantle the illegal compounds.

The Myawaddy scam centers are part of a network of such compounds across Southeast Asia, where criminal gangs have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people to help generate illicit revenues running into billions of dollars a year, according to the United Nations.

Workers in such centers, many of whom say they have been coerced, engage in online scams to defraud victims worldwide. 

Countries such as China and Indonesia have already repatriated some of their citizens from Myawaddy with the assistance of Thai authorities, but thousands still remain in the area, including those from African nations that do not have an embassy in Thailand. 

On Thursday, the first of 19 China-bound repatriation flights planned this week for nearly 1,500 Chinese nationals rescued from Myawaddy took off from the Thai border town of Mae Sot.  

For those countries without a local mission, Thailand’s foreign ministry has been in contact with an accredited embassy or the capital directly, said ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura. 

“It is up to the receiving government whether they will send officials from their embassies to fly into Thailand or send people from their respective capitals,” he told reporters at a briefing in Bangkok. 

Thailand requires any country repatriating its citizens from Myawaddy to send officials to the Thai-Myanmar border to facilitate the process, which includes disease screening and immigration checks. 

Hundreds of foreign nationals extricated from the scam compounds have little food, scant healthcare and filthy toilets in a remote militia camp they have been taken to. 

Some detainees from African nations currently housed in that camp told Reuters last week that they also do not have the means to buy tickets to return home. 

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China has ample policy room to deal with economic risks, finance minister says

BEIJING — China’s finance minister on Thursday left the door open to more stimulus measures on top of those announced at the annual parliament meeting this week, in the event the tariff-hit economy veers off its track towards its roughly 5% growth target.

Lan Foan, speaking to the media alongside other officials a day after Premier Li Qiang’s annual address to lawmakers, said China had ample policy room to deal with any domestic and external threats to economic growth.

The government announced on Wednesday more fiscal resources will be deployed in 2025 compared with last year to keep the economy growing at the same pace, while fighting a trade war with Washington.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff increases on China are threatening China’s sprawling industrial complex, at a time when persistently sluggish household demand and the unraveling of the debt-laden property sector are leaving the economy increasingly vulnerable.

China’s state planner, Zheng Shanjie, said he was confident about reaching the annual growth target despite mounting external uncertainties and insufficient domestic demand.

The country will launch major projects in key sectors such as railways, nuclear power, water conservancy, and other key industries, aiming to attract private investment, Zheng said.

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UN report finds women’s rights weakened in quarter of all countries

UNITED NATIONS — Women’s rights regressed last year in a quarter of countries around the world, according to a report published by UN Women on Thursday, due to factors ranging from climate change to democratic backsliding.

“The weakening of democratic institutions has gone hand in hand with backlash on gender equality,” the report said, adding that “anti-rights actors are actively undermining long-standing consensus on key women’s rights issues.”

“Almost one-quarter of countries reported that backlash on gender equality is hampering implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action,” the report continued, referring to the document from the 1995 World Conference on Women.

In the 30 years since the conference, the U.N. said that progress has been mixed.

In parliaments around the world, female representation has more than doubled since 1995, but men still comprise about three-quarters of parliamentarians.

The number of women with social protection benefits increased by a third between 2010 and 2023, though 2 billion women and girls still live in places without such protections.

Gender employment gaps “have stagnated for decades.” Sixty-three percent of women between the ages of 25 and 54 have paid employment, compared to 92% of men in the same demographic.

The report cites the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts, climate change and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), as all new potential threats to gender equality.

Data presented by the UN Women report found that conflict-related sexual violence has spiked 50% in the past 10 years, with 95% of victims being children or young women.

In 2023, 612 million women lived within 50 kilometers of armed conflict, a 54% increase since 2010.

And in 12 countries in Europe and Central Asia, at least 53% of women have experienced one or more forms of gender-based violence online.

“Globally, violence against women and girls persists at alarming rates. Across their lifetime, around one in three women are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner,” the report said.

The report sets out a multi-part roadmap to address gender inequality, such as fostering equitable access to new technologies like AI, measures toward climate justice, investments to combat poverty, increasing participation in public affairs and fighting against gendered violence.

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Cyclone Alfred stalls off Australia’s east as millions brace for impact

SYDNEY — Cyclone Alfred stalled off Australia’s east coast on Thursday as officials shut airports, schools and public transport while residents stockpiled supplies and sandbagged homes against flooding expected when the Category 2 storm hits.

The storm is now likely to make landfall by Saturday morning near Brisbane, Australia’s third-most populous city, the Bureau of Meteorology said in its latest update, compared with a prior projection of landfall by early Friday.

The storm’s destructive reach will stretch across the border regions of the states of Queensland and New South Wales, the bureau said, bringing heavy rain, flooding and damaging wind.

“Alfred is behaving at the moment like a completely unwanted houseguest. It’s told us it’s going to be late but linger even longer,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told reporters.

“Unfortunately, that means the window for destruction in our community – heavy rains, winds, powerful surf — is longer than we would have otherwise liked.”

Storm warnings on Thursday stretched for more than 500 kilometers across the northeast coast, as huge waves whipped up by the cyclone eroded beaches, and officials urged residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate soon.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the defense force would be ready to support emergency services.

Heavy rain from the weather system has already drenched some regions, said Dean Narramore, forecaster at Australia’s weather bureau.

Narramore said the cyclone’s stalling could result in “a longer and prolonged period of heavy rainfall, particularly in northern New South Wales” leading to life-threatening flash flooding.

New South Wales resident Sara Robertson and her family moved their valuables from their home in the rural town of Murwillumbah to a motel ahead of the storm.

“I’m glad we’ve got a little bit more of a breather, feeling very tired today and we still have a lot to do,” Robertson told ABC News after moving computers and electronics into the motel.

More than 5,000 properties in southeast Queensland and thousands in northern New South Wales are without power as officials warned there would be more outages when the wind speed increases.

Brisbane airport said it will suspend operations around 4 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Thursday but keep its terminals open for defense operations.

Qantas Airways said its international operations from Brisbane would remain suspended until Saturday noon and domestic flights until Sunday morning.

More than 1,000 schools in southeast Queensland and 250 in northern New South Wales were closed on Thursday, while public transport in Brisbane has been suspended.

Alfred has been called by officials a “very rare event” for Brisbane, Queensland’s state capital, with the city last hit by a cyclone more than half a century ago in 1974. The city of around 2.7 million had near misses from cyclones in 1990 in 2019. 

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