Residents remained on edge Thursday in the earthquake-stricken areas of Albania, as aftershocks continued to rattle the area. Thursday afternoon, another 5.0-magnitude quake was registered near the city of Thumane just hours after authorities called off search-and-rescue operations in the area after recovering the bodies of the last people who had been reported missing. The 6.4-magnitude temblor that struck Tuesday caused the most devastation in Thumane, where 23 people were killed, including seven from one family. “God let us keep two (members of the family) but took seven from us,” survivor Sul Cara told VOA. “Now we are focused on paying our respects to the dead, as honor and tradition demands of us. We will try our best to show strength as we send off seven loved ones to burial. This is a heavy tragedy to bear, but at the same time we have found strength in the outpouring of support, not just from this town but from the whole country.” Albanians sit at a makeshift camp in Durres, Nov. 28, 2019, after an earthquake shook Albania. The death toll rose to 47 as search operations continued in other locations, but rescuers are increasingly pessimistic survivors will be found. Residents …

An American teenager, whose recent videos on the social media app TikTok have caused controversy, says she will continue her activism to raise awareness of the plight of Uighur Muslims in China despite Beijing’s efforts “to conceal the truth.” Feroza Aziz, a 17-year-old from New Jersey, said her account on the Chinese-owned social network was suspended after she posted three videos in which she condemned China’s policy against the Uighurs. The videos, which were disguised as makeup tutorials, have received millions of views. 👏👏17 yr old Feroza Aziz used Chinese platform TikTok to pretend to talk about eyelashes while raising awareness of China’s treatment of #Uighur Muslims in campsViewed by millions before she was banned, TikTok has now apologised & reinstated her accountpic.twitter.com/F3N4EOpkXK — Akil N Awan (@Akil_N_Awan) November 28, 2019 “I posted my first video on Saturday and it was about the Uighurs being thrown into concentration camps,” Aziz told VOA Thursday in a phone interview. “I woke up the next day to see that I got viral on the million views. Then I decided to post two more videos regarding the situation on Sunday night,” she said. There are an estimated 13 million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslim …

On a remote bend of the Mekong River in northern Laos, where its muddy waters make a hard right turn through steep verdant hills, the 330-odd residents of Houaygno village are bracing for an imminent exodus. Vietnam’s state-owned PetroVietnam Power has chosen the site for the $3 billion, 1,460-megawat Luang Prabang hydropower dam; construction is set to start next year. Its sprawling catchment will flood 23 villages in whole or in part — home to 10,000 people in all — and locals have been told to start packing. They say government and company officials have promised to compensate them in full, but trust is scarce. “We don’t really trust them because we heard about the dams they built before, that people were supposed to get support but they didn’t get it,” said a Houaygno rice farmer over a lunch of noodle soup and curdled cow’s blood on the porch of his cinderblock home facing the river. Workers operate a drill to test the bedrock for construction of the Luang Prabang dam near Houaygno village. (Zsombor Peter/VOA) On the shore, a work crew was driving a drill into the ground by the rusty rattle of an old diesel generator to test …

Sudanese transitional authorities approved a law on Thursday to dissolve the former ruling party and repealed a public order law used to regulate women’s behavior under ex-President Omar al-Bashir, the justice minister said.  The two measures responded to key demands by a protest movement that helped overthrow Bashir in April. Their implementation will be a crucial test of how far transitional authorities are willing or able to go to overturn nearly three decades of rule by Bashir, who took power in a 1989 coup and whose Islamist movement penetrated deep into Sudan’s institutions. The law to dissolve Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP) also allows for the party’s assets to be seized, Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdelbari said. State TV described it as a measure to “dismantle” the former regime.  The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which spearheaded the protests against Bashir, welcomed the law.  “It is an important step on the path to building a democratic civilian state,” the group said in a statement.  The law was passed during a marathon, 14-hour meeting of Sudan’s sovereign council and cabinet. The meeting saw disputes over an article that bans people who took leading posts in the former regime from practicing politics, sources with knowledge of the proceedings told Reuters.  Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said on Twitter that the measure was not an act …

Hong Kong braced for a fresh round of protests over the weekend as police said they would withdraw from a university on Friday that has been the site of some of the worst clashes between protesters and security forces in nearly six months of unrest. The protests, announced by demonstrators on social media,  are planned from Friday, through the weekend and into next week.  A big test of support for the movement is expected on December 8  with a rally planned by Civil Human Rights Front, the group that  organized million-strong marches in June.  Relative calm The Asian financial hub has seen a week of relative calm since local elections on Sunday delivered an overwhelming victory to pro-democracy candidates.  Anti-government protests have rocked the former British colony since June, at times forcing businesses, government, schools and even the international airport to close.  Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hundreds of police officers entered the ruined campus of Polytechnic University on Thursday to collect evidence, removing dangerous items including thousands of petrol bombs, arrows and chemicals that had been strewn around the site. Chow Yat-ming, a senior police officer, said Thursday night that the police would be able to finish their investigations by Friday. All officers would leave the site thereafter, enabling people to freely enter and exit the campus.  …

Iraqi security forces used live ammunition against mostly unarmed demonstrators Thursday, killing at least 40 people in one of the bloodiest days since anti-government protests began last month, security and medical officials said.    At least 25 people were killed and more than 200 wounded when security forces opened fire on protesters who had blocked key roads and bridges in the southern city of Nasiriyah.  Baghdad said it had sent military troops to restore order across southern Iraq, where protests have grown increasingly violent. Demonstrators have occupied buildings and bridges and have clashed with security forces, who have used tear gas and live ammunition almost daily since protests began. ‘A war zone’  Amnesty International denounced the violence in Nasiriyah, calling it a bloodbath.    “The scenes from Nasiriyah this morning more closely resemble a war zone than city streets and bridges. This brutal onslaught is just the latest in a long series of deadly events where Iraqi security forces meted out appalling violence against largely peaceful protesters,” said Lynn Maalouf, the group’s Middle East research director.  FILE – An Iraqi woman reacts as she looks at a makeshift memorial with personal belongings of those who were killed at anti-government protests at Tahrir …

The new U.S. ambassador to El Salvador says the United States is looking forward to reintegrating migrants there from other Central American nations who are seeking asylum in the United States. Ambassador Ronald Johnson, speaking in his first interview since his appointment in July, told VOA there was not a timeline on when El Salvador would start taking in migrants. “I don’t have a timeline on it, but I do think that the intent is that it will be implemented in a way that is not burdensome to any of the countries,” Johnson said.   …

Germany intends to strengthen its laws against anti-Semitic crimes as part of the government’s response to a deadly attack in the eastern part of the country.  Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht told parliament Thursday of her planned amendment to the country’s current law that would make anti-Semitism an aggravating factor for hate crimes in the nation’s criminal code. Currently, discrimination against particular groups is considered an aggravating factor, but the law does not specifically refer to Jews.  The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) defines hate crimes or “bias crimes” as those “motivated by intolerance towards certain groups in society.”  “We have to send a clear signal against anti-Semitism,” Lambrecht told lawmakers.    A proposed change to the law would need to be approved by parliament, where the government holds a majority of seats.   Halle attack The change is part of the government’s strategy to tackle anti-Semitism in the country following a deadly October attack in Halle, Germany. A gunman opened fire on a kebab shop after failing to storm a synagogue on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. The shooter killed a customer in the shop and a passerby.  FILE – An apparent explosives cache is seen in a bag inside …

Nigerian authorities this week launched the first nationwide register of sex offenders and held a candlelight procession in the capital, Abuja, to raise awareness and work to prevent violence against women. While they welcomed these as steps forward, women’s rights activists and victims of gender-based violence note Nigeria has a poor record of prosecution. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja. …

A U.N. official is warning that Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of southern Africa, is on the brink of starvation, with millions facing food insecurity. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare. …

Dozens of French activists blocked an Amazon warehouse south of Paris in a Black Friday-inspired protest, amid increased opposition to the post-Thanksgiving sales phenomenon that has seen a group of French lawmakers push to ban it altogether. Protesters from climate group Amis de la terre (Friends of the Earth) spread hay and old refrigerators and microwaves on the driveway leading to the warehouse in Bretigny-sur-Orge on Thursday. They held signs in front of the gates reading “Amazon: For the climate, for jobs, stop expansion, stop over-production!” The activists were later dislodged by police. More demonstrations are expected as Black Friday looms into view. French climate groups are planning “Block Friday” demonstrations Friday. Their objections are garnering some support within France’s National Assembly. Some French lawmakers want to ban Black Friday, which has morphed into a global phenomenon even though it stems from a specifically U.S. holiday: Thanksgiving Thursday. A French legislative committee passed an amendment Monday that proposes prohibiting Black Friday since it causes “resource waste” and “overconsumption.” The amendment, which was put forward by France’s former environment minister, Delphine Batho, will be debated next month. France’s e-commerce union has condemned it. On Europe 1 radio Thursday, France’s ecological transition …

When AIDS was first identified, more than 40 years ago, it was considered a death sentence. Since then, it has become a chronic but treatable disease. The yearly World AIDS Day observance is a way to make people realize AIDS is still with us and, despite advances, the epidemic isn’t over. VOA’s Carol Pearson reports …

Festive floats and giant balloons are on the move in New York City for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an annual, nationally-televised spectacle. Blustery weather had threatened to ground the balloons, a crowd favorite not permitted to fly in strong winds. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio drew cheers from the crowd when he declared the balloons “are going to fly” even if a “little lower.” Handlers are keeping the massive inflatables only a couple meters above them. In the past, strong winds have caused some helium-inflated characters to detach from tethers, leading to injuries. This year’s parade, the 93rd sponsored by American retail department store Macy’s, includes a canine cartoon character, Snoopy, as an astronaut. The event features about 8,000 marchers, two dozen floats and many marching bands — ending with an appearance by Santa Claus. Among the performers scheduled for this year are singers Celine Dion, Ciara, Kelly Rowland and Idina Menzel. For many Americans, the holiday to give thanks also marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.   …

When opposition leader Keiko Fujimori leaves prison, her supporters will applaud her freedom and her detractors will lament what they consider more impunity for the corrupt, but the reality is the future is far from clear for the woman who twice almost won Peru’s presidency. The Constitutional Tribunal narrowly approved a habeas corpus request to free Fujimori from detention while she is investigated for alleged corruption. But the magistrates noted the 4-3 decision does not constitute a judgment on her guilt or innocence with regards to accusations she accepted money from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. The daughter of imprisoned former President Alberto Fujimori — who herself was jailed in October 2018 — could be returned to a cell. “Although the Constitutional Tribunal has freed her for a strictly procedural matter, it has not absolved her of any of the charges, and it also did not dismiss the new charges made by the Public Ministry,” political analyst Iván García Mayer said. It is unclear when Fujimori will be freed, but authorities said after Monday’s court ruling that it could happen later in the week. The 44-year-old will leave prison to a changed political landscape, facing the tough task of rebuilding her …

Flash flooding has hit the small but strategic East African nation of Djibouti, where the government and United Nations said the equivalent of two years’ rain fell in a single day. Several regional countries including Kenya are struggling after heavy rains, with more to come. A joint Djibouti-U.N. statement on Thursday said up to a quarter-million people have been affected in recent days in the country on the Red Sea that’s home to military bases for the United States, China and others. With heavy rains forecast through the end of the month that number could grow. Djibouti has been called one of the world’s most vulnerable non-island nations in the face of climate change as sea levels rise. Neighboring Somalia has been hit hard by recent flooding as well. In Kenya, East Africa’s economic hub, the government said 120 people have been killed in flooding and mudslides during an unusually severe rainy season. More than 60 died over the weekend in West Pokot county. More than 18,000 people across Kenya are displaced, according to the Kenya Red Cross Society. Infrastructure has been damaged, making aid delivery more difficult. Doctors are worried that diseases, especially waterborne ones, might spread.                   …

Pakistan’s Supreme Court limited the tenure extension of the sitting army chief to six months Thursday, as opposed to the three years the government wanted to grant him. In addition, the court has asked the government to use the time to amend laws to clarify the terms and conditions of the post, including the length of tenure and whether that tenure could be extended.   “[I]nspite of the assistance rendered by the learned Attorney-General, we could not find any provision relating to the tenure of COAS [Chief of Army Staff] or of a General and whether the COAS can be reappointed or his term can be extended or his retirement can be limited or suspended under the Constitution or the law,” the court wrote in its order.   Once the new legislation is enacted, the court said, it would determine the future of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure and other conditions of service.   On Tuesday, the court suspended a government notification extending General Bajwa’s term for three years.   The decision sent shock waves through a country that has been ruled by the military for more than half of its existence and where the military is considered …

Turkey’s foreign minister has called on NATO to support Ankara’s security concerns, accusing allies of backing Baltic countries’ security concerns but dismissing threats to Turkey from Syrian Kurdish fighters.       Mevlut Cavusoglu made the comments Thursday. He confirmed media reports that said Turkey was blocking a NATO defense proposal for the Baltic nations and Poland until the alliance supports Turkey’s concerns relating to the Kurdish fighters, which Ankara considers to be terrorists.         Cavusoglu said: “We are not against NATO’s retaliation plans for the Baltic nations but (NATO) should also want for Turkey what it wants for the Baltics.”         He said the NATO chief was working to overcome the dispute.         A plan to defend the Baltic nations in case of a Russian attack needs the backing of all member states. …

Security forces in Iraq shot dead 20 protesters in a 24-hour period amid spiraling violence in the capital and the country’s south, as Iran condemned the burning of its consulate. Security forces Thursday fired live ammunition, killing four protesters and wounding 22 on the strategic Ahrar Bridge in Baghdad, security and medical officials said. Violence across southern Iraq continued throughout the night, with security forces killing 16 protesters and wounding 90 since Wednesday evening. Protesters closed roads and a large number of police and military forces were deployed across key oil-rich provinces. In Baghdad, protesters attempted to cross the Ahrar Bridge leading nearby to the heavily fortified Green Zone, the seat of Iraq’s government. Protesters are occupying parts of three bridges – Jumhuriya, Sinak and Ahrar – all leading to the fortified area. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Protesters had set fire to the Iranian consulate in the holy city of Najaf late Wednesday, in one of the worst attacks targeting Iranian interests in the country since the anti-government protests erupted two months ago. The Iranian staff were not harmed and escaped out the back door. Anti-government protests have gripped Iraq since Oct. 1, when …

Britain’s opposition parties intensified attacks on Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday with two weeks to go until election day, with polls suggesting the U.K. leader’s Conservatives have a substantial lead.                     Jo Swinson, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, used a speech in London to argue that Johnson has dragged the office of prime minister “through the mud.” She declared that Johnson can’t be trusted because he vowed to lead Britain out of the European Union by Oct. 31 — and didn’t — and said he would never ask the EU to delay Brexit – but did.                     “Boris Johnson only cares about Boris Johnson. He will do whatever it takes, sacrifice whatever or whoever is needed to get what he wants,” she said. “This is a man who decided which side to support in the EU referendum by game-playing what would be most likely to get him the keys to Number 10.”                     Johnson faced further criticism for not accepting an invitation to an evening debate on the subject of climate change. Driving home the point of his expected absence, opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn chose to outline Labour’s environmental policies on Thursday, including a pledge …

Rebels have attacked and killed Ebola response workers in eastern Congo, the World Health Organization chief said Thursday, an alarming development that could cause the waning outbreak to again pick up momentum in what has been called a war zone. “We are heartbroken that our worst fears have been realized,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter. Three health workers were killed when Mai-Mai fighters attacked a base of the United Nations health agency overnight in Biakato, local official Salambongo Selemani told The Associated Press. One resident also was killed and Congolese forces killed one attacker and captured two others, Selemani said. Warnings had been posted earlier demanding that the health workers leave or face “the worst,” the official said. Earlier threats This is not the first time that health workers trying to contain the second-worst Ebola outbreak in history have been targeted. Some have called this outbreak more complicated than any other. Several rebel groups are active in the region, and local officials say some believe Ebola is nothing but a political ploy. “Imagine, a doctor leaves home in the U.S. or elsewhere to come sleep in a tent to help save us from this scourge of Ebola and yet …

More than 2 million hectares of land, including vast areas of forest, have been scorched in eastern Australia’s bushfires. Scientists are beginning to assess the toll on wildlife, particularly endangered koala populations. Koalas are an Australian icon. The furry marsupials live in trees and in parts of the country they are in decline. They are listed as a vulnerable species under federal environment law in the states of Queensland and New South Wales, where bushfires have destroyed vast areas of habitat in recent weeks. Some campaigners have argued the koala is “functionally extinct” in parts of Australia. It is a controversial assertion that is not supported by many experts. They believe that to be considered to be “functionally extinct,” a species must have fallen to a few hundred, or dozens, which does not apply to koalas. Rescued from flames They are, though, often in peril. Several koalas have been rescued, burned and dehydrated, from the fires. Dozens of fires continue to burn across eastern Australia, and experts say it is impossible to know the impact on native wildlife. A video of an Australian woman picking up an injured koala from a bushfire was widely viewed on social media. The animal …

North Korea has conducted another apparent missile test, just weeks ahead of its end-of-year deadline for nuclear talks. South Korea’s military said the North launched two projectiles from South Hamkyong Province toward the sea off its east coast at 5 p.m. local time. The statement did not say how far the weapons flew or what type of weapons they were. Japanese officials say North Korea appears to have launched a missile and that does not appear to have landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone. It is North Korea’s first launch in nearly a month and its 13th round of weapons tests since early May. The test comes as North Korea intensifies pressure ahead of its end-of-year deadline for the United States to make more concessions in stalled nuclear talks. North Korea last month walked out of working level nuclear talks with the United States, blaming Washington for the breakdown. Pyongyang has since warned it could restart nuclear or longer range missile tests. Earlier this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw an artillery firing drill near the disputed inter-Korean sea border off the western coast. …