480 Afghan refugee families return home
Kabul, May 26 (UNI) A total of 480 Afghan refugee families returned to Afghanistan from the neighboring Pakistan and Iran on Sunday, reported the state-owned Bakhtar news agency on Monday.
All the former refugees, after returning to their homeland, have received necessary assistance at the crossing points, the report added.
More than 3,300 Afghan refugee families returned to their homeland from Iran and Pakistan last week.
About 7 million Afghan refugees have been living abroad, and reportedly, 2 million refugees, mostly from the neighboring Pakistan and Iran, have returned to Afghanistan over the past year as the host countries have asked undocumented refugees to return home.
UNI XINHUA GNK 1359
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
2 days ago
- United News of India
Stampede deaths a defining image of a callous govt: HDK holds DKS responsible
New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who is also the president of the Karnataka State Janata Dal (Secular), has hit out at the Congress-led administration over the stampede deaths at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, describing the tragedy as the 'defining image of a callous and self-obsessed government.' Kumaraswamy held Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar personally responsible for the tragedy that claimed 11 lives during RCB's homecoming parade, accusing him of poor judgement, and a dangerous obsession with personal glorification. The Union Minister demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah immediately dismiss his deputy from the cabinet. Addressing the media late Wednesday night from his official residence in New Delhi, Kumaraswamy denounced the state's top leadership as 'arrogant,' alleging that the Chief Minister had completely lost control over his government. 'The CM is inactive, the Home Minister is a puppet, and the Deputy CM runs amok,' he said. Kumaraswamy slammed the hasty organisation of two parallel celebration events — one near Vidhana Soudha and the other at the stadium — questioning the motive behind such urgency. 'The team won the IPL on Tuesday night. Why the mad rush for a felicitation the next morning? Who received the team at the airport? Only Shivakumar and his loyalists. Was this the DK Shivakumar RCB team?' he said. He blamed the government's lack of coordination and security arrangements for the fatal crowd surge. 'Had there been one single, well-planned event with proper preparation, this disaster could have been avoided. Instead, it was a PR circus meant to showcase one man — and the fans paid the price,' Kumaraswamy said. Calling for a judicial inquiry into the incident, Kumaraswamy reiterated that if the Chief Minister had 'even a shred of accountability,' he must begin by sacking his deputy. UNI BDN ARN PRS
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
What to know about Trump's new travel ban on 12 countries
Nearly five months into his second term, President Donald Trump Wednesday signed a new travel ban restricting entry into the United States from 12 countries and imposing visa limitations on seven others. The order revives Trump's immigration agenda that he had pushed for during his first term and is aimed at curbing what he described as a potential surge in immigration. The current ban is scheduled to take effect at 12:01 am Monday (June 9), giving government agencies and travellers a narrow window to adjust. A travel ban is a federal policy that prohibits or restricts nationals from specific countries from entering the United States. The restrictions can vary, ranging from full entry bans to limited suspensions of specific visa categories. Trump's latest proclamation is a revival of his policy from his first term, which barred travel from several countries. Five of the countries affected in that order appear again in this new list. The ban comes days after a deadly attack in Boulder, Colorado, allegedly carried out by an Egyptian national. While Egypt is not included in the ban, President Trump cited the attack as a reminder of the risks posed by individuals who overstay visas or who come from nations with poor screening practices. The order divides nations into two categories: those under a complete travel ban and those facing visa restrictions. The majority are located in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The Trump administration offered three main reasons: 1. Lack of document security and screening capabilities: Countries such as Afghanistan, Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Venezuela were cited for having unreliable authorities when it comes to issuing passports or screening nationals traveling abroad. 2. High visa overstay rates: Nations like Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan were included due to large numbers of nationals who overstayed visas in the U.S. 3. Links to terrorism or state-sponsored terror: Countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Cuba and Sudan were flagged for alleged involvement in or support for terrorism. The ban grants exemptions to green card holders, including those who have a pathway to US citizenship, the White House order stated. People holding dual citizenship, one with the US and another with a banned country, are also exempted. Individuals seeking visas through immediate family ties to US citizens will not be affected either, the order added. Given that the United States is one of the hosts of the World Cup in 2026, and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, athletes and coaches traveling for sporting events, along with their families, will still be allowed to enter the country. Refugees who have already been granted asylum are also exempted. Afghan nationals who had supported the US government during the decades-long war following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks fall under this exception as well. Finally, Iranians fleeing religious persecution, particularly those from minority communities such as Christians, are also exempted from the ban. In 2017, shortly after taking office, President Trump introduced an executive order banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. That order, widely known as the 'Muslim ban', had triggered chaos at airports, legal challenges, and nationwide protests. Over time, the ban evolved through multiple iterations and was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Unlike the 2017 ban, this new proclamation provides a brief window before implementation and includes some specific exemptions. Jan 27, 2017: First travel ban introduced. Entry into the US was barred for people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. Feb 3, 2017: A federal judge blocked the ban in Washington v. Trump. Mar 6, 2017: The Trump administration introduced a second travel ban, removing Iraq from the list. The ban also exempted those with an existing green card or valid visa. Mar 15, 2017: Two federal judges blocked core provisions of the ban, ruling that the most important section — banning travel from half a dozen countries — could not be enforced. Sept 24, 2017: Third travel ban was introduced. Entry was barred for most citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. Iranian nationals with valid student and exchange visitor visas were allowed to enter. Dec 4, 2017: The Supreme Court allowed the third ban to take effect while legal challenges continued. Apr 10, 2018: Travel restrictions on Chad were removed after the country agreed with the administration's security concerns. June 26, 2018: The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold the third travel ban, saying the president has authority over national security concerns relating to immigration. Jan 31, 2020: Fourth travel ban introduced. Immigrants from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania were barred from entering the US, but tourists and others entering on a temporary basis were not. Jan 20, 2021: Upon taking office, President Biden revoked all of Trump's travel bans.
United News of India
2 days ago
- United News of India
Two minor siblings go missing in Punab
Phagwara (Punjab), June 5 (UNI) Two minor siblings were reported missing late Wednesday under suspicious circumstances from Gobindpura locality of Phagwara, police said, adding they have registered a case against unidentified persons following a complaint lodged by Satish Anand, a migrant labourer hailing from Bihar and a resident of Gobindpura. According to the complaint, Anand and his wife Radha had gone to work on Wednesday morning, leaving their two sons, Shivam (12) and Bambam (10), in the care of their maternal grandmother at their residence in Gobindpura. Upon returning home later in the day, the couple find both children missing. The grandmother, who was supposed to be supervising the children, was reportedly unaware of when or how the boys disappeared, police said. Alarmed by their absence, Anand immediately approached the police, expressing suspicion that the children might have been kidnapped. A police officer said a case has been registered under Section 346 IPC, which deals with the wrongful confinement of a person with the intent to keep him secret or out of public view. 'As of now, no arrests have been made. We are actively investigating all possible angles, including the possibility of abduction. Efforts are underway to trace the missing children. We are also speaking to neighbours and potential witnesses,' said the investigating officer, requesting anonymity. The police have launched a search operation and are examining CCTV footage from the area to gather leads. They have also appealed to the public to come forward with any information that might help in locating the children. UNI GS XC PRS
