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☆ An empty station, a burning countryside, soot raining from the sky: This is what it's like to ride Laos' gleaming new $6 billion railway in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Laos is one of the few remaining communist countries in the world. But a shiny new railway funded by China now cuts through the countryside. It's a massive 1,000-kilometer, or 621-mile train network that aims to connect Laos with Thailand and Kunming in southern China. Despite being one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, Laos took on a $1.8 billion loan from China to build the railway. I flew to Laos from Singapore in early April to experience first-hand how the historic railway is developing.

In a Telegram post, groups calling themselves the “Freedom of Russia Legion” and “Russian Volunteer Corps” said they had “liberated” a settlement in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. The situation in Belgorod marks “the first time” that Ukrainian-aligned forces have launched “a cross-border land operation against Russian targets,” according to CNN’s Sam Kiley. A helicopter circles over Russia's Belgorod region, the site of fighting between Russian defectors and pro-Kremlin troops amid the war in Ukraine. The Freedom for Russia Legion numbers a few hundred of diehard, battle-hardened Russian volunteers fighting their own people as part of the Ukrainian armed forces. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said: “Russian forces are working to push out the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group from the territory of the Russian Federation and destroy it.

☆ Canada and U.S. agree to trace guns intercepted at border
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Canada and the United States have agreed to strengthen the bilateral cooperation to reduce gun violence," Mendicino said. The United States traces guns by requiring firearm dealers to record the serial numbers of the guns they sell and who purchased them. "Data and information sharing are powerful tools in the fight against gun violence," said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who was also present. Previously, gun tracing in Canada has been inconsistent. Canada traced only 6-10% of guns involved in crimes, according to 2019 data from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), a federal agency.

LISBON, April 6 (Reuters) - Portugal's government approved on Thursday the abolition of the scandal-hit immigration agency SEF, whose border force officers, uncertain about their future, have mooted industrial action during the usually busy Easter period. It was not immediately clear whether the strike will go ahead from Friday. Parliament approved SEF's abolition in November of the same year, but the process has been slow. There will be a transition period of six months, and SEF officers will help to train their replacements, the government said. Additional reporting by Patricia Rua, editing by Andrei Khalip and Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/5] Asylum seekers that stated they were from Afghanistan cross into Canada at Roxham Road, an unofficial crossing point from New York State to Quebec in Champlain, New York, U.S. March 24, 2023. REUTERS/Christinne MuschiMarch 24 (Reuters) - Canada and the United States on Friday changed a two-decade-old refugee agreement as part of their attempts to reduce the record influx of asylum seekers entering Canada via unofficial border crossings. DIRT PATH ENTRYThe vast majority of irregular asylum seekers coming to Canada cross at Roxham Road, a narrow dirt path linking New York State with the province of Quebec. Hours before the new deadline kicked in, Roxham Road was relatively quiet. A Reuters photographer at Roxham Road saw a group of 11 Turkish refugees cross into Canada, brought to the border by a Turkish Uber driver.

[1/5] Migrants wait to cross into Canada at Roxham Road, an unofficial crossing point from New York State to Quebec for asylum seekers, in Champlain, New York, U.S. March 25, 2023. U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced changes to the Safe Third Country Agreement on Friday after a record number of asylum seekers arrived in Canada via unofficial border crossings, putting pressure on Trudeau to address it. Roxham Road, which had become a notorious unofficial crossing for asylum seekers into Canada, closed at midnight Saturday. Quebec RCMP did not immediately respond Saturday morning to questions about what will happen to people intercepted at Roxham Road. The new deal's stated aim is to promote orderly migration and ease pressure on communities overwhelmed by a spike in asylum seekers who crossed at places like Roxham Road to avoid being turned back at official entry points.

☆ Two Canadian firms included in US sanctions list for alleged support to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - The United States' list of recently sanctioned entities for alleged support for Russia's war effort in Ukraine includes two Canadian companies, U.S. and Canadian authorities said on Monday. The Commerce Department recently imposed export curbs on nearly 90 Russian and third-country companies and prohibited them from buying items such as semiconductors. The Commerce Department list did not mention what the two firms shipped or attempted to ship that triggered U.S. action. He added the company intended to engage further to address the concerns but could not comment on any specifics at this point. Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Cole Burston/File PhotoFeb 24 (Reuters) - Airports are taking steps to avoid gridlock during the upcoming holiday travel seasons, with some limiting flights during peak hours to avoid the long lines and luggage piles that marred last summer. While smoother holiday travel is expected for Europe and North America, airlines and airports which learned tough lessons on holiday travel in 2022, are taking a more prudent approach as global traffic rebounds roughly to pre-pandemic levels. Despite extensive planning and hiring this year, some airlines and airports are still wrestling with industry staff shortages, including baggage handlers. Germany's Lufthansa AG (LHAG.DE) said it has cut summer flights by an unspecified amount due to shortages of personnel like ground handlers at airports in Frankfurt and Munich. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency were not immediately available to comment on staffing.

☆ EU lawmakers back 'prohibitive' capital rules for cryptoassets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers backed a draft law on Tuesday to implement the final leg of post-financial global bank capital rules, adding "prohibitive" requirements to cover risks from cryptoassets. The European Parliament's economic affairs committee approved a draft law to implement Basel III capital rules from January 2025, though backing several temporary divergences to give banks more time to adapt. EU states have already approved their version of the draft law, and lawmakers will now negotiate a final text with member states, with further tweaks expected. EU states have taken a more accommodative approach to when foreign banks serving customers in the bloc should open a branch, or convert a branch into a more heavily capitalised subsidiary, with EU lawmakers on Tuesday taking a harder line. The EU is keen to build up "strategic autonomy" in capital markets as it faces a competing financial centre on its doorstep after Brexit.

☆ Drone footage shows Ukrainian forces trapping fighters from Russia's Wagner Group in a lethal crossfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Drone footage shows the Ukrainian troops annihilating a unit of Wagner fighters in Soledar. The video shows soldiers — who the State Border Service of Ukraine identified as Wagner Group fighters — being monitored by a drone. The soldiers then come under fire from Ukrainian fighters using large-caliber machine guns, resulting in a number of injuries, according to the border force. In a Telegram post, the State Border Service of Ukraine described the events. "Although the enemy has concentrated its greatest forces in this direction, our troops – the Armed Forces of Ukraine, all defense and security forces – are defending the state."

☆ UK's ADVFN extends closing date of open offer, AGM amid postal strikes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Global stocks and crypto information website ADVFN Plc (AFN.L) said on Tuesday it extended the closing date of an open offer and postponed its annual general meeting (AGM) amid ongoing strikes in the UK, including by postal firms. British workers across various key sectors including transportation, health and postal department have intensified strikes this month over pay, causing country-wide disruptions amid a deepening cost-of-living crisis. ADVFN said it was extending the closing date to Jan. 5 from Dec. 21 as a number of shareholders were concerned about their participation in the open offer due to the postal disruption, while the AGM has been pushed back to Jan. 13 from Dec. 29. The UK-based company said some of the eligible shareholders for the open offer were worried that due to the delays in receiving the necessary documents either directly or from nominees, they might not be able to submit applications by the originally-planned closing date. Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Putin orders border strengthening, demands greater control of society by special services
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 19 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the strengthening of Russia's borders and instructed special services to keep greater control of society and to ensure the safety of people in regions in Ukraine that Moscow claims as its own, news agencies reported. "Work must be intensified through the border services and the Federal Security Service (FSB)," Russia's state-owned RIA news agency cited Putin as saying. Speaking on Security Services Day, widely celebrated in Russia, Putin instructed the services to increase control of the society and maximise their "use of the operational, technical and personnel potential" to prevent risks coming from abroad and internal traitors. "Maximum composure, concentration of forces is now required from counterintelligence agencies, including military intelligence," TASS state agency citied Putin as saying. "It is necessary to severely suppress the actions of foreign special services, quickly identify traitors, spies and saboteurs."

Dec 19 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the Federal Security Services to step up surveillance of Russian society and the country's borders to prevent risks from abroad and traitors at home. Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Security Services Day - widely celebrated in Russia - Putin said the "emergence of new threats" increases the need for greater intelligence activity. "Work must be intensified through the border services and the Federal Security Service (FSB)," Putin said. Putin instructed the FSB to maximise their "use of the operational, technical and personnel potential" to tighten control of the society. "It is necessary to severely suppress the actions of foreign special services, quickly identify traitors, spies and saboteurs."

☆ Britain is 'resolute' on nurses' pay, senior minister says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The British government is "resolute" it will not budge on nurses' pay, senior minister Oliver Dowden said on Sunday, ahead of a planned second nationwide walkout by the profession over an average pay offer of 4% while inflation runs at more than 10%. Its leader Pat Cullen said on Friday that unless ministers "start playing ball by taking part in meaningful negotiations" over pay, nurses would continue to take action. "Governments have had every chance to act but they have chosen to turn their backs on us," she said. Dowden said nurses' pay was recommended by an independent pay review body, which had determined that nurses would receive a minimum rise of 1,400 pounds, equating to about 4% on average. Britain is facing a wave of industrial action this winter, including rail and postal services as well as healthcare.

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