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☆ U.N. Peacekeeping Mission Says Staff, Vehicles Attacked in Congolese Capital
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

KINSHASA (Reuters) - The head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Democratic Republic of Congo said its staff and vehicles were attacked in the capital Kinshasa on Saturday as a worsening eastern security crisis fuels a backlash against the mission. Crowds on motorbikes gathered in the riverside Gombe district, where the U.N. mission known as MONUSCO and many embassies are located. A number of the mission's vehicles were torched, said MONUSCO head Bintou Keita in an online post. Photos You Should See View All 21 ImagesKinshasa police and the government did not respond to a request for comment. The fighting "could compromise food security and economic activities in Goma and the region.

Persons: Bintou Keita, OCHA, MONUSCO, Ange Kasongo, Justin Makangara, Ange Aboa, Alessandra Prentice, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Democratic, Kinshasa Locations: KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa, Gombe, Ivorian, Goma, North Kivu, Congo, Congolese, Abidjan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will resume a long-suspended Peace Corps program in the North Pacific island of Palau as the Biden administration continues moves to counter growing Chinese influence in the region. “Volunteers will live and work side-by-side with community partners to improve childhood literacy and math and science skills, along with teaching English as a foreign language,” Peace Corps director Carol Spahn said in a statement. Palau’s president, Surangel Whipps, said the return of the Peace Corps reflects the strong relationship between his nation and the United States. Peace Corps officials said they hope that with congressional funding the Palau reopening will be the first of several new programs it will restart in the Pacific. The Peace Corps, a creation of the John F. Kennedy administration, currently has Pacific island programs in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Persons: Biden, Carol Spahn, Surangel Whipps, “, ” Whipps, John F, Kennedy, Didi Tang Organizations: WASHINGTON, Peace Corps, “ Volunteers, Peace, Corps, Pacific, Marshall, Associated Press Locations: United States, North, Palau, Taiwan, Federated States, Micronesia, China, Marshall Islands, Beijing, U.S, Pacific, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu

☆ Iran shows it can unleash its own deadly drone war against US troops
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. In its Sunday attack on a US outpost in Jordan, Iran and its militia allies showed they have the suicide drone technology to defeat US air defenses. The drone struck Tower 22 near Jordan's border with Syria, killing three US service personnel and injuring over 40 . Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERSSunday's attack wasn't the first time these militias have used such drones against American troops. Advertisement"The drone was deployed at the same time as a returning US military drone, allowing it to approach undetected," Rogers said.

Persons: —, James Rogers, Arash Azizi, Azizi, Houthis, Rogers, IRGC, Qassem, Soleimani, Samad, Biden, Ceng Sagnic, Sagnic Organizations: Service, Business, White, of, Clemson University, Iran's, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Planet Labs, Handout, REUTERS, Force, TAM, C Locations: Jordan, Iran, Jordan's, Syria, Iraq, Russia, Ukraine, Tehran, Yemen, Lebanon, Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, Baghdad

☆ UAE Sends First Ambassador to Syria Since Conflict
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

Incoming Emirati envoy Hassan al-Shehi presented his credentials to Syria's foreign affair minister Faysal al-Meqdad at the foreign ministry on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and, to a lesser extent, the UAE then backed rebels against Assad - but Abu Dhabi has rebuilt ties with Damascus in recent years. Assad visited the UAE in 2022 - his first trip to an Arab state since the civil war erupted - and again in 2023 after a devastating earthquake killed thousands in Syria. The tragedy cleared the way for a thaw in Arab ties with Assad and months later the Arab League reversed its more than decade-long suspension of Syria's membership. Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the Syria conflict, which spiralled out of an uprising against Assad, drew in numerous foreign powers and splintered the country.

Persons: Hassan al, Shehi, Faysal, Bashar al, Assad, Abu Dhabi, Firas Makdesi, Maya Gebeily, Ed Osmond Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Incoming, Arab League, Regional Locations: DAMASCUS, Damascus, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Iran, Al, Riyadh

☆ Saudi Arabia's first alcohol store is a big step, but also aims to tackle a longstanding problem: Booze smuggling
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia's first alcohol store has opened in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, accessible to non-Muslim diplomats. Drinking is also forbidden under Islam, and most of Saudi Arabia's local population is religiously observant. From there, bottles are often sold on the black market at huge markups, according to expat and local residents of the country. A one-liter bottle of vodka, for instance, typically costs between $500 and $600 on the black market, sources said, while they described a single bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label going for between $1,000 and $2,000. At-home booze making has also taken place in the kingdom for decades, according to expats who've previously lived there.

Persons: Johnnie Walker Blue, expats who've Organizations: Saudi, CNBC Locations: Riyadh, Saudi, British, Dubai

☆ Saudi Arabia opens its first-ever alcohol store — but it's only accessible to a select group
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

According to a list of store rules seen by CNBC, the venue is only accessible to non-Muslim diplomats, and authorization must be validated through an app called Diplo. Saudi Arabia has opened its first alcohol store in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, two sources told CNBC. "It's a baby step to opening up alcohol sales to non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia eventually, to hotels and other venues," said the consultant, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic. Foreign embassy staff, who are able to import alcohol to be kept on embassy premises, are known in Saudi Arabia to often import booze in large quantities and then sell it on the black market. Saudi Arabia has undergone seismic change both socially and economically in the years since the young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, now the kingdom's de-facto ruler, came to power.

Persons: we've, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Organizations: CNBC, Foreign, Saudi, Crown Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Western

☆ Ayodhya temple: India’s Narenda Modi hails a new ‘divine India’ as he inaugurates Ram Mandir ahead of election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

By moving ahead of building the temple, now we all take the oath of building a national, capable, successful, beautiful, and divine India,” Modi said. His promise to build the Ram Mandir helped spur that initial election success. A devotee gets anoint the name of Lord Ram on his forehead ahead of the Inauguration of the Ram Mandir Temple on January 20, 2024 in Ayodhya, India. Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images“I have come here to seek blessings from Lord Ram and Sita, I am very happy today,” she said. “I have come here to seek blessing from Lord Ram, Modi has done so much,” he said.

Persons: Narendra Modi’s, Lord Ram –, Ram, ” Modi, “ Ram, Modi, Lord Ram, Rafiq Maqbool, Pran Pratishtha, Mohan Bhagwat, ”, Yogi Adityanath, Acharya Mohanjodaro Bharadwaj, Babar, Money Sharma, Maulana Badshah Khan, “, ” Khan, weaponizing, Modi “, Modi fasted, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Chandravanshi, Ritesh Shukla, Sita, Lal Singh Khushwa Organizations: CNN, “, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Human Rights, AP, YouTube Locations: India, India’s Ayodhya, Babri, Ayodhya, Vedika, India's, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, New York, Square, South Asia, Sarayu, New India, US, Tamil Nadu, “, Chhattisgarh

☆ An Israeli airstrike on the Syrian capital killed at least 4 Iranian advisers, state media say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

An Israeli strike on the Syrian capital on Saturday destroyed a building used by the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, killing at least four Iranians, Syrian and Iranian state media reported. Iranian state television said four advisers from the Revolutionary Guard had been killed in the strike in Damascus, without identifying them, adding that Israel was behind the strike. Last month, an Israeli airstrike on a suburb of Damascus killed Iranian general Seyed Razi Mousavi, a longtime adviser of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Iranian and Syrian officials have long acknowledged Iran has advisers and military experts in Syria, but denied there were any ground troops. Earlier this month, a strike said to be carried out by Israel killed top Hamas commander Saleh Arouri in Beirut.

Persons: Israel, Nour, Sadegh Omidzadeh, Hajj Gholam, Rami Abdurrahman, Khaled Mawed, Seyed Razi Mousavi, Bashar Assad, Bashar Assad's, Saleh Arouri Organizations: Iranian, Revolutionary Guard, Quds Force, Hajj, Syrian, Human Rights, Security, Windows, Associated Press Locations: Wafideen, Damascus, Syria, Israeli, Syrian, Iran, Mazzeh, Venezuela, South Africa, Israel, Gaza, Beirut, Golan, Lebanon, Red

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — An Israeli strike on the Syrian capital, Damascus, destroyed Saturday a building used by Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard killing and wounding 10 people, state media outlets and an official with an Iran-backed group said. State-TV reported that the “Israeli aggression” targeted a residential building in the tightly guarded western Damascus neighborhood of Mazzeh, home to several diplomatic missions, including the Lebanese and Iranian embassies. The strike came amid widening tensions in the region and the Israeli offensive on Gaza that has killed thousands. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesLast month, an Israeli airstrike on a suburb of Damascus killed Iranian general Seyed Razi Mousavi, a longtime adviser of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years.

Persons: ”, Seyed Razi Mousavi, Bashar Assad’s, Israel, Saleh Arouri, ____ Mroue Organizations: Revolutionary Guard, Syrian, Human Rights, Lebanese, East, Associated Press, Iranian Locations: DAMASCUS, Syria, Damascus, Iran, Mazzeh, Gaza, Israel, Beirut, Golan, Lebanon, Red

☆ Ayodhya Ram Mandir: A decades long Hindu nationalist dream is about to be achieved. What does this mean?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Ahead of the event, Modi has been fasting and praying in an 11-day ritual steeped in Hindu religious symbolism. But many Hindus believe the Babri Masjid was built on the ruins of a Hindu temple, allegedly destroyed by Babar, the first Mughal emperor of South Asia. The site is significant to them because they believe it’s the birthplace of Lord Ram, now honored with the construction of the new Ram Mandir. Hindu nationalist groups had for years campaigned to demolish the mosque to build a temple in its place. Muslims pray for peace ahead of verdict on a disputed religious site in Ayodhya, inside a mosque premises in Ahmedabad, India, November 8, 2019.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Lord Ram, ”, ” Modi, Babar, Douglas E, Curran, “, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Amit Dave, “ Young, Asaduddin Owaisi, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Larsen, Toubro Organizations: CNN, country’s, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, YouTube, India’s, AP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Indian National Congress Locations: Indian, Ayodhya, India, Babri, South Asia, Uttar Pradesh, Ahmedabad

The Ram Mandir's opening Monday would fulfill a decadeslong Hindu nationalist pledge that is expected to resonate with voters during the upcoming national election expected in April or May. The narrow roads have given way to four-lane pilgrim route, including the newly developed 13-kilometer (8-mile) Ram Path leading to the temple. At least two head priests from a Hindu sect have refused to go the opening ceremony, saying consecrating an unfinished temple goes against Hindu scriptures. And volunteers from Modi’s party and other Hindu nationalist groups are going door to door, distributing religious flags and pamphlets. Many others shared Bhatia's feelings about the temple's opening.

Persons: Lord Ram, Hinduism’s, Ram, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Ananya Sharma, ” Sharma, Om Prakash Bhatia, —, marigold, “ Lord Ram, ” Bhatia, “ Jai Sri Ram, ”, “, Gaurav Shourey, ” ___ Banerjee, Piyush Nagpal Organizations: DELHI, Bharatiya Janata Party, Associated Press Locations: India's, Ayodhya, homestays, India, Modi, Indian, New Delhi, vermillion, Lucknow

☆ Unofficial US delegation says support for Taiwan remains ‘rock solid’ after voters defied China
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong/Taipei CNN —Former senior US officials reaffirmed “rock solid” American support for Taiwan in a visit Monday after the self-ruled island defied threats from China by electing a new president loathed by Beijing. “And we hope that the United States will continue to support Taiwan to deepen our cooperation in this area,” he said. An unofficial US delegation meets with Taiwan's President-elect Lai Ching-te and Vice-President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim in Taipei on January 15, 2024. Since then, the US has maintained close unofficial ties with Taiwan and is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself. Asked by reporters to comment on Taiwan’s election results Saturday, US President Joe Biden said: “We do not support independence.”

Persons: Lai Ching, Biden, Tsai Ing, Stephen Hadley, ” Hadley, ”, James Steinberg, Lai, Hsiao Bi, “, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Yoko Kamikawa, Xi, Joe Biden Organizations: Taipei CNN — Former, Taiwan, Saturday, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan's, China’s, Ministry Locations: Hong Kong, Taipei, China, Beijing, Taiwan, United States, Washington, Taiwan Strait, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Tokyo, Japanese, Kuomintang

☆ I was slapped and called a sex worker, says flight attendant fired by Qatar Airways after wearing tinted moisturizer
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A former Qatar Airways flight attendant said police targeted him for wearing items from Hermès. AdvertisementA former Qatar Airways flight attendant who was detained for using tinted moisturizer says an officer accused him of being a sex worker because he was wearing luxury clothing. Ignatius told BI. The following day, Ignatius said Qatar Airways confiscated his passport and that he was not allowed to leave the living quarters. He said he now works as a flight attendant with Jetstar, owned by Australia's Qantas.

Persons: Gilbert Ignatius, Ignatius, —, he's, Irving loafers, Kelly Organizations: Qatar Airways, Service, Criminal Investigation Department, Qatar's, South Metropolitan TAFE, Irving, BI, Jetstar, Australia's Qantas Locations: Qatar, Doha, Indonesia, Perth, Australia, Indonesian, Philippines

☆ U.S. Ex-Ambassador Charged as Secret Agent for Cuba
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( José De Córdoba | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Victor Manuel Rocha, pictured in 2001, served as a diplomat in Cuba, Bolivia, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Mexico. Photo: Gonzalo Espinoza/AFP/Getty ImagesA former senior U.S. diplomat who served in U.S. embassies across Latin America was accused of spying for Cuba’s intelligence service for decades in one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting security breaches of the U.S. government, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Monday. Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday. The unsealed complaint said that the 73-year-old Rocha had worked for Cuba as a covert agent since at least the early 1980s until now.

Persons: Victor Manuel Rocha, Gonzalo Espinoza, Rocha Organizations: Getty, ., Federal Bureau of Investigation Locations: Cuba, Bolivia, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, U.S, America

Russia has increasingly had to turn to a so-called "ghost fleet" of aging tankers to ship oil and avoid the cap. Panama, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Liberia have allowed some of those ships to carry their flags, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence and oil analysts. Lloyd's List Intelligence has said nearly 40% of the about 535 dark-fleet tankers have registered ownership via companies incorporated in the Marshall Islands. It also seeks to give leverage to countries buying oil outside the price-cap coalition to get discounted oil from Russia. The group is asking Liberia and the Marshall Islands to increase awareness among those in the trade that its flag should not be used for tankers transporting oil priced above the cap.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Lindsey Whyte, John Berrigan, Brian Nelson, Timothy Gardner, Simon Webb, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Marshall, Intelligence, Britain's Treasury, U.S . Treasury, Reuters, EU, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, China, India, Republic, Marshall, Washington, British

☆ Philippines woos neighbours to craft code on South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Chinese Coast Guard vessel (L) blocks the ML Kalayaan chartered supply boat (R) during a mission to deliver provisions at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on November 10, 2023. Speaking in Hawaii at a livestreamed event, Marcos said escalating tension in the South China Sea required the Philippines to partner with allies and neighbors to maintain peace in the busy waterway, with the situation now "more dire". The embassies of China, Malaysia and Vietnam in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on a possible code. ON-OFF CONFRONTATIONSTalks on components of the code have yet to start, with concerns about how far China, which claims ownership of most of the South China Sea, is committed to a binding set of rules that ASEAN nations want to align with existing international law. China has turned submerged reefs into military installations equipped with radar, runways and missile systems, some inside the Philippines' EEZ.

Persons: Shoal, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Xi Jinping Organizations: Guard, ROSA, Getty, South China, ASEAN, Economic Cooperation, PLA, People's Liberation Army Navy Locations: South, AFP, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, United States, Hawaii, ASEAN, Manila, Asia, San Francisco, South China, Brunei, Indonesia, Beijing, Philippine

☆ Opinion: Why Israel’s divide-and-rule approach towards Palestinians backfired so spectacularly
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Opinion Hussein Ibish | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal.” The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Hamas’ unwavering commitment to armed struggle and violence allowed the Israeli right to paint the entire Palestinian national movement as hopelessly extreme. He reportedly said that this was part of Israel’s strategy — to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank. But the old, infirm and chain-smoking politician, who at least has time and again proven his unwavering rejection of violence as a Palestinian national strategy, represents exactly this trend among Palestinians. The Biden administration appears to understand the challenge in theory, but how much they can or will do to implement such a revised policy towards the Palestinian political scene is uncertain at best.

Persons: Hussein Ibish, Read, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, Yasser Arafat, DAVID AKE, Ariel Sharon, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Netanyahu, Hussein, Abbas, Christy Bowe, Israel’s, Yasser Arafat’s, it’s, It’s, Biden, Israel —, Abbas — Organizations: Gulf States Institute, CNN, West Bank, Fatah, Palestinian Authority, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Hamas, Palestinian, Muslim, White, AFP, Getty, UN, Israel, White House, ImageCatcher Locations: Washington, Israel, Gaza, Oslo Accords, AFP, Oslo, Israeli, Palestinian, Jerusalem, Middle, Abbas

☆ Opinion: Osama bin Laden was a mass murderer, not a TikTok influencer
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

He is the author of “The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden.” The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Bin Laden’s al Qaeda affiliate in Iraq helped to trigger the Iraqi civil war in 2006, during which tens of thousands of Iraqis died. And this is only a partial list of the mayhem carried out by bin Laden and his followers. The “Letter to America” also decries the United States’ role in global warming, American tolerance for homosexuality and the drug culture that exists in the United States. It might behoove those posting on TikTok to understand some of this history before praising bin Laden’s purported brilliance.

Persons: Peter Bergen, Osama bin Laden, CNN —, bin Laden, ”, bin, Bin Laden’s, I’ve, “, Nelly Lahoud, ” Lahoud, Facebook Lahoud, “ Bin Laden Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, Guardian, Israel, Hamas, Saudi, Palestine, US Navy, Team, ISIS, US Army War College, Twitter, Facebook Locations: New America, America, al Qaeda, Africa, Qaeda, Iraq, Indonesia, Bali, London, United States, Palestine, Israel, Islam, Al Aqsa, Jerusalem, Al, Quds, Pakistan, Syria, Abbottabad, Vietnam

☆ Car crashes into barricade near Israel embassy in Tokyo, man detained
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Francis Tang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] A view of the scene after a car crashed into a barricade near the Israeli embassy in Tokyo, Japan, November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - A car crashed into a barricade near the entrance of the Israeli embassy in Tokyo on Thursday and a man in his 50s was detained on the spot, local media reported. An official at the Israeli embassy said the matter was under police investigation and declined further comment. Several pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been held outside Israeli embassies around the world in recent weeks, including in Tokyo, in protest against Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Around the same time, a staffer at the Israeli embassy in Beijing was assaulted on the street and hospitalised.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Israel, Francis Tang, Satoshi Sugiyama, Mariko Katsumura, John Geddie, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Fuji, Police, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Tama, Gaza, Israel, Beijing

☆ Taliban minister raises issue of refugee assets during Pakistan visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Charlotte Greenfield | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Naseer Ahmed/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsISLAMABAD, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The Taliban's acting commerce minister met Pakistan's foreign minister in Islamabad this week, an Afghan embassy statement said on Tuesday, discussing trade and how the thousands of Afghan citizens Pakistan is expelling could take cash and other assets back to their homeland. Taliban officials say militancy is an internal matter for Pakistan and have called on Islamabad to halt its deportation of Afghan citizens. Afghan citizens returning to Afghanistan have said there are restrictions on the transfer of cash and property to Afghanistan from Pakistan, where many had built businesses and homes for decades. Last month, Pakistan set a Nov. 1 start date for the expulsion of all undocumented immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of Afghans. Pakistan's foreign office said the Taliban acting commerce minister would also undertake a trilateral meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

Persons: Naseer Ahmed, Haji Nooruddin Azizi's, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Jilani, Charlotte Greenfield, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Balochistan Province, Chaman, Rights ISLAMABAD, Islamabad, Afghan, Karachi, Western, Uzbekistan, South, Central Asia

☆ Pakistan opens new border crossings to expedite Afghans' repatriation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Saleem Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Afghan nationals with belongings sit atop a truck as they head back with their families to Afghanistan from Pakistan, at the Chaman Border Crossing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border in Balochistan Province, in Chaman, Pakistan November 10, 2023. REUTERS/Naseer Ahmed/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsQUETTA, Pakistan, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Pakistan on Monday opened three new border crossings to accelerate the repatriation of undocumented Afghan nationals who have been ordered to leave the country or face expulsion, officials said. The new crossings were set up at the Afghan border in southwestern Balochistan province in addition to the main crossing in Chaman district, said Jan Achakzai, information minister for the provincial caretaker government. More than 280,000 Afghan nationals have left Pakistan since the new policy was announced in early October, according to the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR). Kabul has also asked Islamabad to give Afghan nationals ample time to leave.

Persons: Naseer Ahmed, Pakistan's, Jan Achakzai, Asif Shahzad, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Monday, United Nations, Refugees, Thomson Locations: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Balochistan Province, Chaman, Rights QUETTA, Islamabad, Kabul, Afghan, Balochistan, UNHCR

☆ Pakistan Opens New Border Crossings to Expedite Afghans' Repatriation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Saleem AhmedQUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan on Monday opened three new border crossings to accelerate the repatriation of undocumented Afghan nationals who have been ordered to leave the country or face expulsion, officials said. Many Afghans have opted to go home voluntarily to avoid deportation under a government push for undocumented migrants to be expelled. The new crossings were set up at the Afghan border in southwestern Balochistan province in addition to the main crossing in Chaman district, said Jan Achakzai, information minister for the provincial caretaker government. More than 280,000 Afghan nationals have left Pakistan since the new policy was announced in early October, according to the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR). Kabul has also asked Islamabad to give Afghan nationals ample time to leave.

Persons: Saleem Ahmed, Pakistan's, Jan Achakzai, Asif Shahzad, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, Monday, United Nations, Refugees Locations: Saleem Ahmed QUETTA, Pakistan, Islamabad, Kabul, Afghan, Balochistan, Chaman, UNHCR

☆ As crisis deepens, Cubans scramble to migrate by any means
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Dave Sherwood | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The crowded terminal, a launch point for Cubans making their way by air to Nicaragua then overland to the United States, is one barometer of the frenzy to migrate from the communist-run island nation. For many, like Echavarria and his wife, it has also become a last resort as Cuba's economic crisis deepens with no end in sight. 'I GOT LUCKY'Artist Ernesto Perez, 51, told Reuters he had waited since 2015 for his turn to enter the United states legally under a family reunification program. Cuba blames the long-running U.S. trade embargo and Trump-era sanctions for fueling the economic crisis and the exodus of more than 400,000 Cubans leaving for the United States in the last two years. For many Cubans, however, Nicaragua remains the only viable option for getting off the island, said Yoany Bilbao, a 28-year old auto mechanic.

Persons: Alexandre Meneghini, Echavarria, Olga, Joe Biden, Alain Ferguson, Ferguson, Ernesto Perez, Perez, Brian Nichols, Yoany, Dave Sherwood, Ted Hesson, Ismael Lopez, Alien Fernandez, Mario Fuentes, Nelson Acosta, Mica Rosenberg, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S, Central America, West, CBP, United, Trump, Senior U.S . Department of State, Thomson Locations: Panama, Havana, Cuba, Rights HAVANA, Havana's, Nicaragua, United States, Central, U.S, Florida, Mexico, Washington, San Jose

☆ China tells Britain to stop efforts to 'enhance' ties with Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The Chinese government on Thursday told Britain to stop its efforts to "enhance" ties with Taiwan after a high level meeting in London and the signing of a new trade agreement between the island and Britain. "We urge the UK to abide by the one-China principle and stop using trade cooperation as an excuse to engage in official exchanges or enhance substantive relations with Taiwan," it added. Britain and Taiwan both maintain de facto embassies in each other's capitals, but London does not officially recognise the democratically elected government in Taipei. Britain approved a sharp increase in exports of submarine parts and technology last year to Taiwan as it upgrades its naval forces, Reuters reported in March. Because of its diplomatic isolation and pressure from China, chip powerhouse Taiwan has few formal foreign trade agreements, though it is a member of the World Trade Organization and has free trade agreements with Singapore and New Zealand.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Nigel Huddleston, Chen Chern, Ben Blanchard, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Wednesday, Trade Partnership, British Trade, World Health Organization, Reuters, World Trade Organization, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Rights BEIJING, Britain, Taiwan, London, China's, Beijing, China, Taipei, Singapore, New Zealand

☆ Keeping Lights Off: Undocumented Afghans Go Underground in Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

She is one of thousands believed by rights activists to be in hiding in Pakistan to avoid deportation under a government push for undocumented migrants to leave the country. That includes over one million Afghans, many of whom the Pakistan government says have been involved in militant attacks and crime. 'WORSE THAN PRISON'Reuters spoke to a dozen undocumented migrants trying to stay under the radar of the nationwide sweep. "This is worse than prison," said a 22-year-old Afghan man who said he ensured the lights remained off at night. Some locals who are helping the Afghans arrange for food and water to be secretly smuggled into the shelter under the cover of night.

Persons: Ariba Shahid, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Sijal Shafiq, Shafiq, Wafa, I'm, Saleh Zada, Gibran Peshimam, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Authorities, United Nations Locations: Mohammad Yunus Yawar KARACHI, Pakistan, Kabul, Afghanistan, Karachi, United States, Hazara, Islamabad, France, Canada

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