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Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I'm a Palm Beach County pastor. Here's what I learned by welcoming refugees.
These words may confuse you: immigrants, migrants, illegal aliens, foreigners, newcomers. But here is a word I hope you know well: refugees. A refugee is seeking 'refuge' because he or she is fleeing political or religious persecution, and is forced to leave home and relocate to a shelter. The U.S. Refugees Admissions Program is on pause by President Donald Trump, who wants to determine if it's in the interest of our country. Trump closed the door on many already approved to come here, including former Afghan allies who once aided the United States, and refugee family members waiting to be reunited. Faith-based U.S. resettlement organizations are no longer able to provide housing, job placement or language courses. Shutting down congressionally mandated programs harms thousands of vulnerable refugee families that we have pledged to support. Among the agencies affected are Church World Services, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services and Catholic Relief. Under this order by President Trump the following refugees would not have been allowed to enter our country: Henry Kissinger, Madeline Albright, Albert Einstein, Gloria Estefan, Sigmund Freud, Marlene Dietrich, Anne Frank, Billy Wilder and Elie Wiesel. Refugees usually remain in United Nations-sponsored camps for 10-15 years. They are approved (vetted) on many different security levels, have thorough physical check-ups, take job training courses, English language classes and classes on adjusting on a new life elsewhere. Letters: Wake up, Floridians: Our politicians don't respect or represent us They must all have 'a sponsor' who will meet them at the airport, assist in finding a job, and secure housing. No refugee can come to the U.S. without a sponsor who agrees to walk beside them until they are independent, and able to care for themselves. Government-approved resettlement agencies pair a sponsor with a corresponding family. A sponsor receives no compensation, but funds are available by the sponsoring agency if there is an emergency. Opinion: Trump's mass deportations hurt Floridians like these. It's a shame to US values. Refugees agree to begin repaying the U.S. government for transportation costs within two years of their arrival in the U.S. As a Lutheran pastor, I led our congregation to welcome more than 200 refugees to Palm Beach County. All were successful and have given back more than they received. For more information about the history of refugees, I recommend an outstanding book, "They Are Us," available through Fortress Press. This book reminds us that the only natives here are the American Native Indians, and that we all came from beyond our borders and have a duty to be hospitable and welcoming to all who desire to make our country even greater. Rev. John Frerking, 35 year senior pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in North Palm Beach. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What is a refugee? I'm a pastor and I'll tell you | Opinion
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
El Salvador convicts army officers for 1982 killing of 4 Dutch journalists
Three former officers in El Salvador's military have been convicted for the killings of four Dutch journalists during the Central American country's brutal civil war in 1982. Former Minister of National Defence Colonel Jose Guillermo Garcia, 91, former police Colonel Francisco Moran, 93, and ex-infantry brigade commander Colonel Mario Adalberto Reyes Mena, 85, were found guilty late on Tuesday by a jury in the northern city of Chalatenango, a lawyer said. The Diario El Salvador news outlet reported that the three former officers – none of whom was present in court – were sentenced to 15 years in prison each for the killings. The four Dutch journalists, Koos Koster, Jan Kuiper, Hans ter Laag and Joop Willemsen, were killed while filming a television documentary on El Salvador's civil war, which saw an estimated 75,000 civilians killed – mostly by United States-backed government security forces – between 1980 and 1992. The journalists had linked up with leftist rebels and planned to spend several days behind the front lines reporting on the war. But Salvadoran soldiers armed with assault rifles and machineguns ambushed them and the rebels. 'We have clearly shown the level of responsibility of the accused,' said Oscar Perez, a lawyer for the Foundation Comunicandonos, which represents the victims. 'The entire organised power structure that intervened in the political-military decisions that led to the murder of the journalists,' he said. A United Nations-sponsored Truth Commission in 1993 found that the journalists had walked into an ambush trap that was planned by Reyes, who still lives in the US, and with the knowledge of other officers. The Salvadoran Supreme Court approved an extradition request for Reyes in March, but there has been no progress in his return from the US so far. The ageing Garcia and Moran are under police surveillance in a private hospital in the capital, San Salvador. García was deported from the US in 2016, after a US judge declared him responsible for serious human rights violations during the early years of the war between the military and the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front fighters. The prosecution of the men was reopened in 2018 after the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a general amnesty passed following the end of the civil war. The case against the suspects moved slowly, but in March 2022, relatives of the victims and representatives of the Dutch government as well as the European Union demanded that those responsible for the journalists' killing face trial.
New Straits Times
30-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Embracing Timor-Leste
DESPITE backing from Malaysia and Indonesia, certain Asean members have reservations about Timor-Leste's membership to the bloc. The country is politically and economically underwhelming, unable to make significant contributions and once accepted, potentially burdensome to the grouping. Yet, because of its troubled economy, incapacitated institutions and political volatility, Timor-Leste badly needs Asean like a fish needs water, as membership can help it overcome its problems. World Bank data show Timor-Leste's economy had shrunk for three straight years since 2020, from a high of US$3.62 billion to just US$2.08 billion in 2023. But the worst could be over, as the government in Dili announced on March 25 that Timor-Leste's gross domestic product grew four per cent last year. The country is also bogged down by underdeveloped infrastructure and education system, as well as poor English fluency, prejudicing its ability to participate in Asean initiatives. Yet, Timor-Leste is a diamond in the rough, blending natural beauty, and rich history and culture, underscoring its huge potential for tourism. The capital of Dili has a unique Portuguese colonial charm and its biodiverse Coral Triangle is teeming with marine life. By 2030, Timor-Leste's tourism revenue from Asean travellers is estimated to be US$150 million. Its people are warm and generous, so much so that in 2005, Timor-Leste, despite its impoverishment, donated US$100,000 for South Asian tsunami victims. Timor-Leste broke free from Indonesia in 2002, after its citizens overwhelmingly chose independence in a United Nations-sponsored referendum in 1999. In efforts to be an Asean member, Dili has ticked every box: an observer since 2002, participated in meetings and discussions, aligning development plans with Asean economic integration and signed key treaties. They also prioritised infrastructure development, including improvements to its international airport, while strengthening economic and institutional frameworks. Timor-Leste understands that an Asean membership is a lifeline that will translate to access to regional markets and investment opportunities. Still, the future looks promising: by October, Timor-Leste is expected to become Asean's 11th member, underscoring that membership isn't confined to enriching the already wealthy. It also proves that Asean isn't just paying lip sevice to talk of economic prosperity. By embracing Timor-Leste as a full-fledged member, Asean shows it's not just what a country brings to the table that matters, but also how the grouping stays true to its original goal of uplifting the region. And this aligns with Malaysia's "prosper thy neighbour" ethos. If we help a friendly nation grow and prosper, everybody wins.
India Today
13-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Watch: Rival militias clash in Tripoli after reported killing of Libya's SSA chief
Heavy gunfire and violent clashes shook the streets of Tripoli on Monday evening after reports surfaced that a local militia leader had been killed. According to Reuters, gunshots were heard across the city centre and other neighbourhoods of the Libyan leader who was killed was Abdelghani al-Kikli, also known as "Ghaniwa." He commanded the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA), one of the strongest armed groups operating in Tripoli. His group is based in the Abu Salim area, a heavily populated part of the media are flooded with videos showing intense fighting and the sounds of heavy gunfire. People across the city said they heard loud gunshots, and the streets quickly turned chaotic. Drivers began speeding and honking their horns in panic.#Breaking: More videos of the clashes in #Ttripoli, capital city of #Libya tonight. Babak Taghvaee - The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) May 12, 2025 "Senior security sources confirmed that al-Kikli was killed at a headquarters affiliated with the 444th Combat Brigade in the Tripoli Military Zone," quoted the Libyan media reported early Tuesday that the defence ministry had regained full control of Abu Salim, where the SSA was ISSUES SAFETY ALERT, SCHOOLS SHUTThe Stability Support Apparatus, headed by al-Kikli, falls under the jurisdiction of the Presidential Council that was established in 2021 under a United Nations-sponsored peace process. The existing unity government, also referred to as the Government of National Unity (GNU), is led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid a reaction to the violence, the GNU's interior ministry released a message asking people to stay indoors. "For their own protection," it advised, citizens are not to venture the University of Tripoli, cancelled all classes, exams, and administrative activities at its campuses until further notice. The announcement was made public via a Facebook post by the leadership of the CALLS FOR CALM AMID GROWING TENSIONSThe United Nations Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) urged all groups involved in the fighting to stop immediately and restore calm in Tripoli. The UN also reminded fighters of their duty to protect innocent civilians. "Attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes," the statement said has been plagued into instability since 2011, when a rebellion backed by NATO led to the fall of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. The country has since been split between rival factions in the east and the west. While in 2020 a ceasefire was established, attempts to create permanent peace have been largely capital, Tripoli, is also a conflict hotbed. There are several groups of armed forces who frequently struggle for power, influence, and dominance over the riches of Libya - particularly its oil READ: Sheikh Hasina's Awami League officially banned as Bangladesh revises terror law
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canadian lender RBC abandons sustainable finance goals
TORONTO (Reuters) -Canada's Royal Bank of Canada will abandon its sustainable finance goals as industry practices for measuring and reporting sustainable finance have evolved, it said on Tuesday. "We have reviewed our methodology and have concluded that it may not have appropriately measured certain of our sustainable finance activities as presented on a cumulative basis," Canada's biggest lender said in its 2024 sustainability report published on Tuesday. "We are considering potential changes to our overall approach to sustainable finance, including our Sustainable Finance Framework," the bank said. It said last year's changes to Canada's Competition Act limited banks from sharing certain sustainability disclosures and the progress being made. RBC and other big banks have quit the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a United Nations-sponsored initiative set up by Mark Carney, who won an election on Monday and will stay on as Canada's Prime Minister. Campaigners worry banks are seizing on a shift in the political climate, particularly under U.S. President Donald Trump, to dilute commitments to act quickly on decarbonising their portfolios. Sign in to access your portfolio
