Latest news with #diplomaticmissions
National Post
a day ago
- Politics
- National Post
Trump's new travel ban takes effect for citizens from 12 countries
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries took effect Monday amid rising tension over the president's escalating campaign of immigration enforcement. Article content The new proclamation, which Trump signed last week, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don't hold a valid visa. Article content Article content Article content The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday. Travellers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the U.S. even after the ban takes effect. Article content Article content During Trump's first term, a hastily written executive order ordering the denial of entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries created chaos at numerous airports and other ports of entry, prompting successful legal challenges and major revisions to the policy. Article content No such disruption was immediately discernible at Los Angeles International Airport in the hours after the new ban took effect. Article content Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste, who was at the airport earlier Sunday in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting a flight to her home state of Florida, said many Haitians wanting to come to the U.S. are simply seeking to escape violence and unrest. Article content 'I have family in Haiti, so it's pretty upsetting to see and hear,' Louis-Juste, 23, said of the travel ban. 'I don't think it's a good thing. I think it's very upsetting.' Article content Many immigration experts say the new ban is more carefully crafted and appears designed to beat court challenges that hampered the first by focusing on the visa application process. Article content Trump said this time that some countries had 'deficient' screening for passports and other public documents or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. He relied extensively on an annual Homeland Security report of people who remain in the U.S. after their visas expired. Article content Measuring overstay rates has challenged experts for decades, but the government has made a limited attempt annually since 2016. Trump's proclamation cites overstay rates for eight of the 12 banned countries. Article content Trump also tied the new ban to a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. U.S. officials say the man charged in the attack overstayed a tourist visa. He is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump's restricted list.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Trump's new travel ban set to take effect amid escalating tension over immigration enforcement
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries is set to take effect Monday amid escalating tension over the president's unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement. The new proclamation, which Trump signed on Wednesday, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don't hold a valid visa. The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday. Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste, who was at the airport Sunday in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting a flight to her home state of Florida, said many Haitians wanting to come to the U.S. are simply seeking to escape violence and unrest in their country. 'I have family in Haiti, so it's pretty upsetting to see and hear,' Louis-Juste, 23, said of the travel ban. 'I don't think it's a good thing. I think it's very upsetting.' Many immigration experts say the new ban is designed to beat any court challenge by focusing on the visa application process and appears more carefully crafted than a hastily written executive order during Trump's first term that denied entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries. In a video posted Wednesday on social media, Trump said nationals of countries included in the ban pose 'terrorism-related' and 'public-safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. He also said some of these countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report about tourists, businesspeople and students who overstay U.S. visas and arrive by air or sea, singling out countries with high percentages of nationals who remain after their visas expired. Trump also tied the new ban to a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The man charged in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump's restricted list. U.S. officials say he overstayed a tourist visa. The ban was quickly denounced by groups that provide aid and resettlement help to refugees. 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, a nonprofit international relief organization. Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro's government condemned the travel ban, characterizing it in a statement as a 'stigmatization and criminalization campaign' against Venezuelans.
Japan Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan working to improve treatment of 'culinary diplomats' in diplomatic missions
The Foreign Ministry is working to improve the treatment of chefs at Japanese diplomatic missions around the world, who serve as the nation's "culinary diplomats." In light of labor shortages in recent years, the ministry will increase pay for such chefs by about 1.5 times. It will also shift away from the "outdated" practice of heads of diplomatic missions, including ambassadors, concluding private employment contracts with chefs. In July, the ministry will start accepting applications for these chef positions under improved working conditions, with the improved treatment set to take effect next January. There are over 200 Japanese diplomatic missions, including embassies and consulates-general, around the world. Chefs at these establishments are responsible for creating menus, procuring ingredients and preparing dishes for dinners and receptions hosted by heads of the establishments to entertain foreign dignitaries. The Japanese government considers washoku Japanese cuisine as part of the country's "soft power," and these chefs are expected to play a key role in this context. "The best thing about my job is that I get to make full use of my knowledge and experience in an inconvenient environment," said Muneyuki Izawa, the 56-year-old chef at the Japanese ambassador's official residence in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. "I hope (people) try their hand" at being culinary diplomats, he added. In recent years, Japan has been facing difficulties hiring chefs for its diplomatic missions overseas. More than 10 Japanese Embassies currently lack chefs, according to the ministry. The absence of chefs "could affect our ability to attract guests for parties and compete with other countries," a former ambassador said. In a survey of chefs at diplomatic establishments and people who had declined offers to become such chefs, some complained about unstable working conditions, including the need to negotiate pay. "I was fed up with dealing with the ambassador," a former chef said. Also behind the shortage of applicants for chef positions at diplomatic establishments is the current washoku boom overseas, which makes it even more difficult to hire Japanese chefs. To improve the situation, the ministry has decided to set the term of chefs at two years in principle to support their career development. It will also allow chefs to conclude contracts with diplomatic missions. The ministry will also improve allowances for chefs, including creating spousal allowances. Chefs' annual pay is expected to total at least ¥6 million. Furthermore, chefs will be allowed to live in private rental homes while receiving new residential allowances. Until now, they have been required in principle to live in the official residences of heads of diplomatic missions. At a news conference on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said, "We hope to recruit talented chefs to further strengthen Japan's diplomatic foundation."
NHK
09-05-2025
- Politics
- NHK
Nagasaki to invite all countries and regions to peace ceremony on August 9
The mayor of Nagasaki plans to invite all countries and regions with diplomatic missions in Japan to this year's peace ceremony, which marks the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the city. This is the first time for Nagasaki to invite all countries and regions to the annual ceremony on August 9 since 2021. Last year, Nagasaki did not invite Israel. The city said it wanted to ensure the ceremony to mourn atomic bomb victims would be carried out smoothly in a calm and solemn atmosphere. The US ambassador and those from some other countries responded to the city's decision by not attending the ceremony. Russia and Belarus have not been invited to the ceremony since 2022 after Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine. Mayor Suzuki Shiro said in a news conference on Thursday that the city plans to invite all countries and regions, including Israel and Russia, which have embassies and diplomatic missions in Japan. Suzuki said he hopes all representatives will attend the ceremony, especially now that divisions in the international community are deepening. He said he wants them to witness with their own eyes, hear with their own ears, and feel in their hearts the cruel and inhumane consequences of the use of atomic weapons. The city plans to take strict security measures and to request the attendees' cooperation for a calm and solemn ceremony.
