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☆ Major aid groups suspend work in Afghanistan AS Taliban bar women
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

KABUL, Afghanistan — Four major international aid groups on Sunday suspended their operations in Afghanistan following a decision by the country’s Taliban rulers to ban women from working at non-governmental organizations. Excluding women from schools and NGO work in Afghanistan “can and will lead to catastrophic humanitarian consequences in the short to long term,” the International Committee of the Red Cross warned. Half of Afghanistan’s population, or 24 million people, are in need of humanitarian aid, according to the group. The International Rescue Committee said it was dismayed by the Taliban decision, adding that more than 3,000 of its staff in Afghanistan are women. The Economy Ministry’s order comes days after the Taliban banned female students from attending universities across the country, triggering backlash overseas and demonstrations in major Afghan cities.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Afghanistan’s Taliban-run government on Saturday ordered all local and foreign nongovernmental organizations to prevent female employees from reporting to work, in the latest restrictive move against women’s rights and freedoms in the country. The order was made in a letter written in Persian by Economy Minister Qari Din Mohammed Hanif, Abdur Rahman Habib, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Economic Ministry, told NBC News. Afghan women protest against a new Taliban ban on women accessing university education on Thursday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Getty ImagesForeign governments, including Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia and Turkey, condemned the university ban, which also led to criticism and protests inside Afghanistan. In the western city of Herat on Saturday, Taliban forces used water cannons to disperse women protesting the ban on university education, Reuters reported.

Share this -Link copied'It's too much for me': Zelenskyy begins speech by thanking U.S. Zelenskyy began his remarks before a joint meeting of Congress at 7:40 p.m. "I think we share the exact same vision, that of a free, independent and prosperous Ukraine," Biden said. The Ukrainian president added that the soldier told him that "many (of) his brothers, this system saved." President Joe Biden holds a medal presented to him by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Share this -Link copiedPhoto: Zelenskyy shakes hands with Biden as he arrives President Joe Biden welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House.

☆ Zelenskyy's risky 10-hour visit to Washington was in the works for months, and the secret journey was carefully coordinated with the US
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Zelenskyy's historic, risky 10-hour visit to Washington was months in the making. Pelosi held discussions on the trip with the top Ukrainian lawmaker as far back as October, AP reported. Along these lines, the White House did not announce Zelenskyy's visit until 1 am on Wednesday, though reports of the trip first emerged Tuesday. By coming to Washington, Zelenskyy was able to make a direct appeal to lawmakers and Americans for more help. December 22, 2022 — Update: This article was updated to state that Zelenskyy was accompanied by the US ambassador to Ukraine.

☆ Ukraine's heavy artillery, not high-tech anti-tank missiles, is what stopped Russia's rush to Kyiv, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Coverage of the fighting often focused on the role of anti-tank missiles in stopping that advance. Many people believe the initial Russian offensive was halted in large part by Ukraine's diverse arsenal of anti-tank missiles. This was enough to pin down Russian armor, hit targets of opportunity, and engage Russian tanks from beyond the range their cannons. However, "delivering large volumes of fire against concentrated units is best achieved by artillery," Watling said. Many Russian tanks — and Ukrainian tanks, which are upgraded Soviet-era designs — are designed to fire anti-tank guided missiles from their cannons.

☆ Kevin McCarthy's oversight agenda will be 'a recurring skit on SNL' if he makes MAGA cheerleaders Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert investigators: GOP strategists
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert want in on the GOP oversight blitz. the Oversight Committee member said of the need to keep congressional probes above board. McCarthy's office has repeatedly told Insider that the House GOP steering committee, which McCarthy leads, will handle assignments for the next Congress "at the appropriate time." Aaron Cutler, a former House GOP leadership aide and now partner at Hogan Lovells, urged House Republicans to avoid "focusing on the wrong things," and to cut bait if needed. Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty ImagesGiven that some sort of spectacle is probably unavoidable at this point, Roe urged House Republicans to tread carefully.

☆ Saudi Arabia Hosts China's Xi Jinping in Apparent Snub to White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Saudi Arabia is hosting China's President Xi Jinping at a lavish summit this week. This comes in the wake of a series of diplomatic spats between Saudi Arabia and the US. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia announced that it would be keeping the production cuts in place, but the country has also made diplomatic moves seemingly designed to placate the US. Saudi Arabia is China's main oil supplier, and this is an issue likely to feature prominently at the summit. Though Crown Prince Mohammed is seeking to steer a foreign policy less dependent on Washington, DC, it's unlikely either nation will want to significantly loosen ties any time soon, analysts say.

☆ Christmas vacations: 15 of the best places to go
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Cnn Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

The Bath Christmas Market has a multitude of wooden chalets selling distinctively British handmade crafts in a quaint Georgian setting. Bogotá, ColombiaA woman dressed as Santa Claus sits next to a Christmas tree and a Christmas star at Bolivar Square in Bogota. Salzburg and Oberndorf, AustriaThe Christmas Market and associated festivities in Salzburg are really something to sing about. Dating back to 1570, Strasbourg claims to be the oldest Christmas market in France and one of the oldest in Europe. damianalmua/Adobe StockThe traditional Christmas colors of red, green and white take on an entirely new meaning in New Zealand.

Persons: CNN —, Santa Claus, Claus, ”, Allan Baxter, Jesus, Jane Austen, Jane Austen Centre –, Austen, Melchior, Gaspar, Balthazar, Roy Rochlin, Bergdorf Goodman, Wangari Maathai, Fernando Vergara, “ Ruta, John’s, Miguel de Allende, Mary, Joseph, “ posada ”, Mozart, White Organizations: CNN, Bath Abbey, Jane Austen Centre, The, Royal, Catholic, Rockefeller, Getty Images Rockefeller, New York, Radio City, Columbus Circle, Fashion’s, Saks Fifth, Macy’s Herald Square, Kenyan, Park, Nuremberg, Toy Museum, Bolivar, Downtown, Malta Toy Museum, Quebec City, Adobe, Nord Expe, Mexico Piñatas, UNESCO, ”, Santa Locations: England, Philippines, Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland, Santa, Bethlehem , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, New York City, Bethlehem, Moravian, Bath, “, Fernando , Philippines, Asia, San Fernando, Catholic Philippines, Manila, of Bethlehem, Barcelona, Spain, Santa Eulalia, New York City New York, Central Park, Macy’s, Nairobi, Kenya, Nuremberg, Germany, German, Bogotá, Colombia, Bogota, Christmastime, Malta, Downtown Valletta, Quebec City, Canada, Petit Champlain, Quebec, Old Quebec, Sentier, Nord, Miguel, Mexico, posadas, ponche, Piñatas, Salzburg, Oberndorf, Austria, ” Salzburg, Bavaria, Strasbourg, France, Europe, Queenstown , New Zealand, New Zealand, Queenstown, Wakatipu

☆ Caught in 'the green beam': How US Air Force gunship crews let a target know they have it in their sights
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Air Force's AC-130 gunship has a reputation for delivering firepower to the battlefield. The green beamAn AC-130J crew identifies a target with green light during an exercise in Florida in May. Ridge ShanWhile discussing the performance of Air Force special-operations crews during the Kabul evacuation, Slife referred to a targeting technology that Air Commandos use and affectionally call "the green beam." AC-130 crews use the green beam — which Slife called a "giant green laser pointer" — both to point things out to friendly forces and to deter adversaries by letting them know that they're in the gunship's sights. Hitting something is not as simple as seeing it, since gravity, elevation, speed, and atmospheric conditions affect the trajectory of the AC-130's artillery and cannon fire, but having those aids is still invaluable for gunship crews.

☆ Crowds of people set cars on fire and smashed windows with bricks in Brussels and Rotterdam after Morocco beat Belgium 2-0 in shocking World Cup upset
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Britney Toh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Videos show riots erupted in Brussels on Sunday after Belgium defeated Morocco 2-0 in the World Cup. Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. Footage circulating on social media depicted streets engulfed in tear gas and vehicles set ablaze, as throngs of people clashed with riot police. This was Morocco's first ever World Cup match victory since 1998, per CNN. Winning their final group stage match against Canada next Thursday will advance them to the round of 16 off 32 teams, for the second time in World Cup history.

☆ Brussels sees riots after Morocco beats Belgium at World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS — Police had to seal off parts of the center of Brussels, deploy water cannons and fire tear gas to disperse crowds following violence during and after Morocco’s 2-0 upset win over Belgium at the World Cup. Police moved in after one person suffered facial injuries, said Brussels police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere. Brussels mayor Philippe Close urged soccer fans to stay away from the city center and said authorities were doing their utmost to keep order in the streets. Morocco’s victory was a major upset at the World Cup and was enthusiastically celebrated by fans with Moroccan immigrant roots in many Belgian cities. It was not immediately clear how many people were detained during the disturbances.

☆ Belgium-Morocco World Cup match triggers riots in Brussels, dozen people detained
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Clashes in Brussels after the World Cup football match between Belgium and Morocco - Brussels, Belgium - November 27, 2022 A man with his face covered and a fire extinguisher is seen during clashes after the World Cup match between Belgium and Morocco REUTERS/Yves HermanBRUSSELS, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Belgian police detained a dozen people and made one arrest on Sunday after Morocco's victory over Belgium in the World Cup match in Qatar triggered riots in Brussels with a car and some electric scooters set on fire. The riots took place in several places across the Belgian capital where dozens of soccer fans, some draped in Moroccan flags, clashed with riot police with water cannons and tear gas. "Around 7 p.m. calm returned and preventive patrols remain in place in the sectors concerned," police spokesperson Ilse Van de Keere said. "The rioters used pyrotechnic material, projectiles, sticks, and set fire on the public highway," the police said. Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ancient anti-aircraft guns are taking on a new mission amid Russia's war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russia and Ukraine have both turned to older anti-aircraft guns to bolster their air defenses. During World War II, half of the Allied bombers shot down over Germany may have victims of "flak" — a shortened version of a German word for 1930s-era anti-aircraft guns. SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty ImagesRussia and Ukraine are both using Soviet-made S-60 anti-aircraft guns that date to the 1940s. Older anti-aircraft guns also offer a political advantage. Even as more sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons have been deployed, anti-aircraft guns have remained useful, albeit in more limited roles.

"We have been bearing down on terrorists for a few days with our planes, cannons and guns," Erdogan said in a speech in northeastern Turkey. "God willing, we will root out all of them as soon as possible, together with our tanks, our soldiers." Turkey has mounted several major military operations against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and Islamic State militants in northern Syria in recent years. The YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said 15 civilians and fighters were killed in Turkish strikes in recent days. Turkey said its warplanes destroyed 89 targets in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, with 184 militants killed in operations targeting the YPG and PKK on Sunday and Monday.

☆ Wall St jumps, Treasury yields climb on Truss resignation, solid earnings
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

All three major U.S. stock indexes overcame initial indecision to surge into positive territory, and 10-year Treasury yields continued to march past 14-year highs. European stocks whipsawed after Truss said she would leave 10 Downing Street, but were last showing solid gains. Emerging market stocks rose 0.03%. Benchmark Treasury yields resumed their rise after economic data appeared to confirm the Fed is unlikely to relent in its aggressive campaign to rein in inflation. The dollar index fell 0.64%, with the euro up 0.48% to $0.9818.

☆ Dutch government to spend billions on military procurement
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The Dutch government will invest up to 3.5 billion euros ($3.44 billion) in military procurement, the defence ministry said, in a policy turnaround in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. After years of declining spending, the Dutch military will purchase between 2023 and 2026 a rocket artillery system and 10 howitzer cannons for up to 1 billion euros. The new mobile air defence system is intended to improve defence against threats from enemy helicopters, aircraft, drones and cruise missiles, Van der Maat said. Poland is set to buy rocket artillery systems from South Korea. In fulfillment of that, Dutch spending will be 2.03% in 2024 and 2.01% in 2025.

☆ Scattered clashes in Chile mark third anniversary of riots
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SANTIAGO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Scattered clashes around Chile between protesters and police on Tuesday marked the third anniversary of widespread protests against inequality in 2019 that left more than 30 people dead. In the capital of Santiago, hooded protesters lit fires and threw rocks at police, including in the area surrounding Plaza Baquedano, the epicenter of the 2019 riots, while police responded with gas and water cannons. "The social unrest expressed - and brought - a lot of pain and has left huge consequences," Boric said. Several human groups organizations have questioned the police response during the protests, which left hundreds of protesters blinded by rubber bullets and tens of thousands of people detained. The protests that erupted in 2019 died down with an agreement to draft a new constitution and the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.

☆ Ukraine asks France to prove its love with weapons
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( John Irish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

France has delivered Caesar howitzers, portable air defence systems and heavy armoured vehicles primarily. Wednesday's clip made clear to France that it wanted more than just words and promises. France does have the SAMP/T (Mamba) surface-to-air defence system, although quite how many it could provide is unclear. "We have not had any answers from France to our requests on this," Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine's ambassador to France, told reporters on Monday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by John Irish; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Who is Mahsa Amini, and Why Did Her Death Spark Protests in Iran?
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( David S. Cloud | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Demonstrations broke out across Iran after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody on Sept. 16. She was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s strict Islamic dress code requiring women to wear headscarves, or hijabs. Protesters burned headscarves and clashed with police, who used tear gas, water cannons and firearms loaded with metal pellets to quell the unrest.

Share this -Link copiedThe full order of service for the funeral at Westminster Abbey The funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II is underway at Westminster Abbey. Police officers patrol outside Westminster Abbey in London on Monday, ahead of the state funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II. The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II leaves Westminster Hall for her funeral service in Westminster Abbey. Around 2,300 police officers will line the route from Westminster Abbey to Windsor Castle and 1,000 police officers will line the route from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch. Share this -Link copiedBuckingham Palace releases previously unseen portrait of queen Queen Elizabeth II, photographed at Windsor Castle in May 2022.

☆ Ukraine's troops have been highly effective with the M777 howitzer, but US troops can turn it into a 'giant sniper rifle'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

US troops also have a new targeting system that makes the M777 even more precise. LCpl Samantha L. Jones/USMCIn 1979, the M198 155mm medium-towed howitzer entered service for the United States. While it would take two C-130s to deliver an M198 artillery system to the battlefield, the entire M777 setup could arrive in just one. That's more than all of the 155mm artillery rounds fired by the entire US military in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. US soldiers with the Joint Effects Targeting System Target Laser Designation System at Fort Greely in Alaska.

☆ The US has given Ukraine nearly 1 million 155 mm artillery shells. Now it's looking for US companies to build more of them.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Army is looking for companies that can build up to 12,000 155 mm artillery shells a month. The US had sent 126 M777 cannons and more than 800,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition to Ukraine as of early September. Last year, the Army wanted to cut funding for the production of 155 mm shells that had been approved by Congress. The US has also been sending M982 Excalibur GPS-guided 155 mm shells to Ukraine. Canada has shipped 155 mm shells to Ukraine and is now asking South Korea to replenish its stocks.

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