By Andrea Shalal and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is seeking to free up half of the $7 billion in frozen Afghan central bank assets on U.S. soil to help the Afghan people while holding the rest to possibly satisfy terrorism-related lawsuits against the Taliban, the White House said on Friday. President …
U.S. plans to free half of $7 billion in frozen Afghan funds for aid Read More »
GENEVA (Reuters) – Switzerland has raised concerns about human rights in Afghanistan, including about girls’ education, in a meeting with the Taliban, a government spokesman said on Friday, as the new rulers in Kabul wrapped up a week of talks in Geneva. The trip is seen as a key step in Taliban efforts to boost …
Swiss raise rights concerns, including girls’ education, with Afghan Taliban Read More »
(Reuters) – A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Taiwan on Friday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said. The quake was at a depth of 10 km, EMSC said. (Reporting by Akriti Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
MUMBAI (Reuters) – The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines that are part of the Quad group of countries’ pledge to donate shots across the world, manufactured by India’s Biological E, will roll out in the first half of 2022, the grouping said in a statement on Friday. Last year, Australia, Japan, India and the United …
Quad-supported vaccine roll-out to begin in first half Read More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) – An aide to Thailand’s prime minister on Friday said he would next week seek the expulsion of human rights group Amnesty International from the country, after it was accused by ultra royalists of undermining national security. Seksakol Atthawong, a vice minister in Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s office, said a petition opposing Amnesty’s …
Thai PM’s aide seeks to expel rights group Amnesty International Read More »
By Hyonhee Shin and Yew Lun Tian SEOUL/BEIJING (Reuters) – South Korean police are investigating an alleged assault on a Chinese student in the southern port city of Busan, local media reported on Friday, amid growing anti-China sentiment over an Olympics skating race controversy. The disqualification of two South Korean short track speed skaters at …
South Korea police probing assault of Chinese man amid Olympic skating furore – reports Read More »
By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United Nations aims to kickstart this month a system to swap millions of aid dollars for Afghan currency in a plan to stem humanitarian and economic crises and bypass blacklisted Taliban leaders, according to an internal U.N. note seen by Reuters. Since the Taliban takeover in August, foreign …
Exclusive – U.N. aims to launch new Afghanistan cash route in February: U.N. note Read More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Quad countries — an informal grouping of Australia, Japan, India and the United States — on Friday condemned North Korea’s “destabilising” ballistic missile launches and reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s complete denuclearisation. In a statement, the four countries also said they reaffirmed their commitment to upholding and strengthening the “rules-based” multilateral …
Quad says condemns North Korea’s missile launches, opposes ‘coercive’ economic policies Read More »
By Farah Master HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong reported a record number of new daily COVID-19 infections on Friday and China said it would fully support the city with its “dynamic zero” coronavirus strategy, as local authorities struggle to control a deepening outbreak. Hong Kong’s chief secretary John Lee, Health Secretary Sophia Chan and Security …
Record Hong Kong COVID infections strain hospitals, China pledges support Read More »
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong on Friday extended a ban on incoming flights from eight countries, including the United States and Britain, and imposed one on Nepal until March 4, with the government citing concerns over a growing COVID-19 outbreak. The other countries are Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan and Philippines. Flights to Hong …
Hong Kong extends ban on flights from eight countries, adds Nepal Read More »
