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☆ Americans can sponsor refugees directly under program launching this week -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Ted Hesson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Groups of Americans will be able to directly sponsor refugees for resettlement in the United States under a new program launching on Thursday, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, a step that could bolster admissions and reduce government costs. The sponsor groups will also be required to pass background checks and create a support plan. The program will aim to find U.S. sponsors for 5,000 refugees in fiscal year 2023, which ends on Sept. 30, another of the sources said. The administration also used parole to admit Afghans and Ukrainians and piloted sponsor programs to support them in the United States. Refugee Resettlement Program, which takes referrals from the United Nations and U.S. embassies.

☆ Why Singapore isn't imposing new travel rules on visitors from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

watch nowBut he said travel volumes between Singapore and China are "very low" — with fewer than 1,000 people arriving from China daily. "As of now, we run 38 weekly flights from China to Singapore, compared to around 400 flights pre-Covid," he said. Current rules are effectiveSo far, more than a dozen countries have announced new rules for visitors from China. In the same month, seven imported cases became severely ill, and only one was from China, he said. 'We do not discriminate'Ong noted that while some countries are imposing a pre-departure test requirement on visitors from China, Singapore will "not discriminate because severe cases can originate from any country."

HONG KONG — On the first day of unimpeded travel between mainland China and Hong Kong, Olivia Gai was one of the first in line. On Tuesday, the Chinese embassies in South Korea and Japan said they would stop issuing short-term visas for travelers to China. The South Korean Foreign Ministry says its restrictions on travelers from China are based on science. According to some estimates, China’s Covid death toll could reach 1 million or more in the coming months. Nonetheless, more countries have begun requiring negative Covid tests for travelers from China, and at least one country, Morocco, has banned arrivals entirely.

South Korea on Tuesday hit back at claims that its Covid rules for Chinese travelers are "discriminatory," saying more than half of its imported cases are coming from China. Citing South Korea's proximity to China, Choi said a surge in infections in China could put South Korea at risk. But South Korea and Japan — two top destinations for Chinese travelers — said they are not increasing flights in response to China's border reopening. China's embassies in South Korea and Japan announced Tuesday that they would stop issuing visas to "Korean nationals" and "Japanese citizens." Choi said South Korea's new Covid travel restrictions are "only temporary" and were made to "place the highest priority on the health and safety of people residing in South Korea."

The holiday, known before the pandemic as the world's largest annual migration of people, comes amid an escalating diplomatic spat over COVID curbs that saw Beijing introduce transit curbs for South Korean and Japanese nationals on Wednesday. The virus is spreading unchecked in China after Beijing abruptly began dismantling its previously tight curbs in early December following historic protests. Among them, South Korea and Japan have also limited flights and require tests on arrival, with passengers showing up as positive being sent to quarantine. COUNTING DEATHSSome of the governments that announced curbs on travellers from China cited concerns over Beijing's data transparency. Annual spending by Chinese tourists abroad reached $250 billion before the pandemic, with South Korea and Japan among the top shopping destinations.

REUTERS/Tingshu WangBEIJING, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Chinese state media defended on Wednesday the retaliatory measures against South Korea and Japan over their COVID-19 travel curbs as "reasonable", while Chinese tourists decried Seoul's "insulting" treatment on social media. South Korea, Japan, the United States and more than a dozen other countries imposed at the start of the year requirements for pre-departure negative test results from visitors from China. 'INSULTING'Chinese social media anger mainly targeted South Korea, whose border measures are the strictest among the countries that announced new rules. Global Times reserved a separate article for South Korea, saying the measures made Chinese people suspicious that Seoul was putting up a "political show." Annual spending by Chinese tourists abroad reached $250 billion before the pandemic, with South Korea and Japan among the top shopping destinations.

☆ Blast outside Kabul's military airport, multiple casualties -interior ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Mohammad Yunus Yawar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KABUL, Jan 1 (Reuters) - An explosion outside the military airport in Kabul on Sunday has caused multiple casualties, a spokesman for the Taliban-run interior ministry said. "Today morning an explosion took place outside Kabul military airport, due to which a number of our citizens were martyred and injured," spokesman Abdul Nafi Takor told Reuters, adding that investigations are under way. Local residents said a loud explosion was heard before 8 am in the vicinity of the military side of the heavily fortified airport. They said the area had been sealed off by security forces, and all roads had been closed. Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Neil Fullick and Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council said President Joe Biden's administration will continue to back Venezuela's interim government "regardless of what form it takes." He did not comment on whether that support included extending a key protection to Citgo under the new structure. Another potential scenario with the commission taking over: a new U.S. court battle over the legitimacy of Citgo's board of directors. A federal court in 2020 ratified the executives appointed by Guaido to run Citgo. Lawyers advising Citgo's supervisory boards have warned about the challenges of presenting a new government structure before U.S. courts.

☆ Venezuela opposition removes interim President Guaido
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Mayela Armas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters say opposition control of foreign assets is not at risk and the dissolution is necessary for unity ahead of the elections. "There are already tools to protect the assets in the United States, the United Kingdom, Portugal," said Justice First lawmaker Juan Miguel Matheus. Both the article eliminating the interim government and the article creating the assets commission passed with 72 votes in favor, 29 against and 8 abstentions. Guaido, whose Voluntad Popular party did not back the effort, had urged lawmakers to replace him instead of dissolving the interim government. The United States will continue to support the opposition, the assembly and the interim government "regardless of what form it takes," a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council said on Friday.

☆ Venezuela foreign assets will not pass to Maduro -opposition
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Vivian Sequera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CARACAS, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Opposition lawmakers in Venezuela seeking the removal of Juan Guaido as the country's interim president said on Thursday that foreign assets will not pass to the government of President Nicolas Maduro if Guaido is removed from his post. Three of four major opposition groups - Justice First, Democratic Action and A New Era - are backing a bill to oust Guaido and create a five-member commission to manage foreign assets, especially U.S.-based refiner Citgo, a subsidiary of state-owned oil company PDVSA. The effort received initial approval from the assembly last week, despite warnings from Guaido that Maduro could take control of assets abroad, but must be voted on a second time. But Maduro has remained in control of nearly all Venezuela's institutions, including its security forces, and Guaido's interim government, which has control over some foreign assets and runs many embassies, has seen international support wane. The Supreme Court in the United Kingdom - where Maduro has sued for access to the gold - has ruled British courts are bound to accept their government does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's president "for any purpose."

☆ Venezuela opposition vote to remove Guaido's interim government
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Acting as congress chief and interim president following Nicolas Maduro's disputed re-election as president in May 2018, Guaido in 2019 appointed the board of Citgo, a subsidiary of state oil firm PDVSA. While mostly powerless at home where Maduro's government exercises control over nearly all institutions, including security forces, Guaido's interim government has supervised the foreign assets and runs many embassies. If approved next week, opposition lawmakers will then choose five representatives for the board of directors that will head assets held abroad, and Guaido's interim presidency, along with his government, will be removed. Guaido has been the face of Venezuela's opposition abroad since he declared himself interim president in 2019. Talks between the opposition and Maduro's government hosted by Mexico ended earlier this month with no further negotiations scheduled.

Wilmaris Villarroel/via REUTERSDec 15 (Reuters) - Protests triggered by Peru's developing political crisis have stranded dozens of tourists, including children, in a remote mountain town for over 48 hours as locals refuse passage to Bolivia, a member of the group told Reuters. The Dec. 7 ouster of former President Pedro Castillo has sparked deadly street protests across Peru, as well as highway and train blockades that have stranded hundreds of tourists at Peru's Machu Picchu ruins. Villarroel told Reuters that locals would not let the group, which she says includes elderly people and children, continue their journey. Villarroel added that the buses' Bolivian drivers have been unwilling or unable to turn around, and that police presence has been minimal. Meanwhile, efforts to secure aid from foreign embassies in Peru have been unsuccessful, Villarroel said.

According to a complaint, Wu allegedly sent threatening messages to a person who posted a flier on or near the college campus supporting Chinese democracy. Charging documents allege Wu reported the person to the Chinese government and told them its representatives would “greet” their family members. A photo of Xiaolei Wu posted to his Instagram. @aldimeowu/InstagramWu has been suspended from Berklee College of Music, according to a statement from the school Wednesday night. However, the rising nationalist sentiment is by no means representative of all Chinese students overseas.

☆ Indian and Chinese soldiers got into a fight on their disputed border, a first since a brutal 2020 brawl that left troops on both sides dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Indian and Chinese troops clashed near their disputed border, leading to several injuries. "Both sides immediately disengaged from the area," the Indian army said, per Reuters. This marked the first such clash since a deadly skirmish between the two sides in June 2020. The Indian and Chinese embassies in Washington, DC, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider. Peace along the Line of Actual Control is no more possible till the boundary issue is addressed," N.C. Bipindra, a defense analyst, told the Wall Street Journal regarding Friday's border skirmish.

[1/4] Women wearing face masks and face shields talk on a street, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue in Shanghai, China, December 12, 2022. Reuters witnessed similar queues outside clinics in the central city of Wuhan, where COVID-19 first emerged three years ago. But the figures reflect the dropping of testing requirements, say analysts, while Chinese health expects have warned of an imminent surge. Yet China is pushing ahead with efforts to free up nationwide travel, even if foreign trips may still be a while off. The number of domestic flights available across China exceeded 7,400, nearly double from a week ago, flight tracker app VariFlight showed.

The fate of the bill is also linked to an election overhaul measure to avoid another Jan. 6, which Senate leaders hope to attach to it. The two parties are about $26 billion apart on domestic spending, Shelby said, which isn’t much considering the omnibus package would likely be more than $1.5 trillion. Although they control both chambers, they still need at least 10 Senate GOP votes to defeat a filibuster on a funding bill. The government funding bill is likely the last train leaving the station in the current session of Congress, and a number of other provisions could ride along. Senators have struck a deal on a bill that cleared committee on a bipartisan vote of 14-1 in September.

[1/4] People wearing masks line up outside a pharmacy to buy products as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue in Beijing, China December 6, 2022. China may announce 10 new national easing measures as early as Wednesday, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. So, because right now in Chaoyang district cases are quite high, it is better to stock up on some medicines," he said. In the latest incident, videos posted on Twitter showed university students chanting protest slogans against COVID policies on their campus in Nanjing city. The uneven nature of the easing measures and varying interpretation of the rules from city to city has been an ongoing source of frustration for many people and businesses.

☆ 'Bloody parcels' containing animal eyes mailed to Ukrainian embassies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Leila Sackur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Bloody parcels containing the eyes of animals and explosives have been sent to several Ukrainian embassies and consuls across Europe, officials said late Friday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said in a statement on Facebook that embassies in Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia and Italy had received packages containing the disembodied eyes of animals. Consulates in Naples, Italy, Krakow, Poland, and the Czech city of Brno had also been targeted, he said. Letter bombs were mailed to six addresses in Spain earlier this week, including the Ukrainian Embassy and the U.S. Embassy, as well as to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, causing security to be tightened. Farther south, the Ukrainian consul in Naples, Maksym Kovalenko, told the AP that his office received two letters containing fish eyes at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

☆ The death of an American soldier fighting in Ukraine exposes chaos and dysfunction in the foreign legion
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The widow, alongside other soldiers, told Insider about mismanagement and dysfunction in the legion. A Foreign Legion fighter looks on at wreckage in Ukraine following a Russian attack. "When we were told to go out again, in my mind I knew someone was going to die," AJ told Insider. "How everything was handled, especially after his death, was scandalous," Lipka told Insider. Mavericks told Insider he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and still mourns the deaths of his comrades.

CNN —Ukraine’s foreign minister has accused Russia of being behind a series of more than a dozen letters containing explosives or animal parts that were sent to Ukrainian diplomats around the world. “This campaign is aimed at sowing fear,” Dmytro Kuleba told CNN’s Matthew Chance in an exclusive interview in Kyiv on Friday. CNN was shown an image of one of the letters containing what officials said was the eyeball of a pig inside a padded envelope. ‘Who benefits?’Kuleba earlier urged foreign governments to guarantee maximum protection of Ukrainian diplomatic institutions in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Nikolenko also stated that the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States received a letter with a photocopy of a critical article about Ukraine.

☆ Ukrainian embassy in Madrid receives 'bloody package'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MADRID, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Spanish police have cordoned off the area surrounding the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid after it received a "bloody package" similar to the ones sent to other embassies abroad, Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Friday. This comes after a spate of six letter bombs targeted high-profile targets in Spain related to the war in Ukraine, including the United States' embassy, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the Defence Minister, an arms manufacturer, an air base and a European satellite centre. On Friday, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said several of the country's embassies abroad have received "bloody packages" containing animal eyes. Reporting by David Latona in Madrid and Tom Balmforth in Kyiv; Editing by Aislinn LaingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ukrainian embassies receive 'bloody packages' containing animal eyes - Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Several Ukrainian embassies abroad have received "bloody packages" containing animal eyes, the foreign ministry said on Friday, after a series of letter bombs were sent to addresses in Spain including Ukraine's embassy in Madrid. An embassy source in Rome said human faeces were left in front of the door. Nikolenko also said that the embassy in Kazakhstan had received a bomb threat, which was subsequently not confirmed. The embassy in the United States received a letter containing an article that was critical about Ukraine, he said. Reporting by Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv; additional reporting by Philip Pullela in Rome; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Timothy HeirtageOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ukraine says its embassies in countries across Europe have been receiving bloodstained packages with animal eyes in them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainian embassies in Europe have gotten packages with "animal eyes," in them, an official said. This comes after an apparent bomb inside an envelope exploded at the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid. "The packages contained animal eyes," Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a Facebook post on Friday. The gruesome packages were received by the Ukrainian embassies in Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Italy, and Austria, Nikolenko said. "We have reasons to consider what's going on a well-planned campaign of terror and intimidation of embassies and consulates of Ukraine," Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

☆ Pakistani embassy in Kabul attacked, one injured
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A spokesperson for Kabul police said the embassy compound was targeted by gunfire from a nearby building. Pakistan's Foreign Office said the attack had been aimed at the head of mission, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani. It said Nizamani was safe, but a Pakistani security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad, was critically wounded in the attack while protecting the ambassador. A spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign office said they had no plans to evacuate the embassy after the incident. "(The) Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns the attempted shooting and failed attack on the Pakistani embassy in Kabul," spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Twitter, adding that Taliban security agencies would investigate.

☆ Explosive envelope delivered to U.S. Embassy in Madrid detonated by police
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Abigail-Williams-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Abigail Williams | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

An explosive envelope that was delivered at the gate of the U.S. Embassy in Madrid was detonated in a controlled environment without injury, two U.S. officials told NBC News on Thursday. Over the past couple of days, similar explosive letters were sent to other locations throughout Spain, including the Spanish Ministry of Defense. Police in Spain said the envelope "contained substances similar to those used in pyrotechnics." Earlier this week, a package was sent to the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid, injuring a security officer, and to an arms company in Spain that manufactures rocket launchers donated to Ukraine. The package sent to the embassy was addressed to Ukraine's ambassador to Spain, Serhii Pohoreltsev.

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