1.3 million Afghan nationals deported from Pakistan since November

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Islamabad, May 15 (IANS) As part of the ongoing campaign to deport illegal and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders from Pakistan, the government has repatriated about 1.3 million Afghan nationals since November 2023, Pakistan’s Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmed Malik said during a meeting.

The parliamentary committee overseeing the repatriation drive was informed that the government targetted illegal Afghan nationals living in the country, allowing them the opportunity to leave voluntarily, adding that a parallel operation was launched to crackdown against those who were still present after the deadline of March 31 expired.The committee was told that a warning was issued to all illegal Afghan nationals that they would be deported after the deadline ends. Moreover, the government later on decided to also deport those Afghan nationals who were in possession of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC), thus expanding the domain of the expulsion campaign by the government.Launched in 2017, the ACC grants temporary legal status to Afghan refugees.”There are at least three million Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,” said Mukhtar Ahmed Malik.”Those Afghans who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them,” he added.On the other hand, there are thousands of Afghan families in Pakistan, who do not wish to go back to Afghanistan, and are demanding the Pakistan government to reconsider their deportation.”I was born in Pakistan, married in Pakistan, have kids in Pakistan. We do not know anything about Afghanistan. My father brought me here when I was a five-year-old. Since then, we are living here,” said Rahimullah, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.”Now, they want us to leave. I ask them, where would we go and what would our children do there? Do they have a future there? We want to request the Pakistan government to reconsider for the sake of the future of our children,” he added.Pakistan has been home to over 2.8 million Afghan refugees for over 40 years. However, the deportation drive to expel Afghan nationals from the country began after Islamabad blamed the Afghan Taliban interim government in Kabul for cross-border terrorism supporting and supporting anti-Pakistan groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). As tensions simmered, Pakistan has made it clear that it would not host Afghan nationals in the country anymore.–IANSint/hamza/as

Bangladesh: Jagannath University students stage protest for basic necessities on campus

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Dhaka, May 15 (IANS) Students in Bangladesh’s Jagannath University have been protesting against the administration, demanding the acceptance of their three-point demand, which is focused on house allowances, budget for the university and the new campus building. On Thursday, the students blocked Kakrail intersection in Dhaka, causing traffic congestion in surrounding areas, as their protest entered its second consecutive day.The protesting students declared they would not leave the streets until their three-point demand was met, after police action and Information Advisor Mahfuj Alam’s attempt failed to move them through talks, according to local media reports.Their demands included housing allowance for 70 per cent students of the university from the next fiscal year, approving a full budget for Jagannath University for the 2025-26 fiscal year, and building a second campus for the university.In the early hours on Thursday over hundred students and some teachers, including the vice-chancellor and pro-vice chancellor, continued their sit-in in Dhaka’s Kakrail intersection near Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’ official residence Jamuna.According to local media reports, the students declared that they would not vacate the streets until their demands are met.Furthermore, on Wednesday, Information and Broadcasting Advisor Mahfuj was attacked with bottles as he tried to address the students protesting for their demands, Bangladeshi leading daily, Prothom Alo reported.”We don’t see it as a major issue because he went to the government as our representative. Compared to the police attack on students, this is nothing,” said a student in response to the incident.”We have decided that we will not leave this place under any circumstances. If any untoward incident occurs, the advisors and the government must take full responsibility,” said a protesting student, addressing a media briefing.”We’ve been here since yesterday. We will continue our protest until our demands are met,” said another student.Meanwhile, a large number of law enforcement officials, including the police and the Border Guard Battalion (BGB), are on high alert, with barricades being placed in front of the protesters.Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, over 50 people were injured as police intercepted a long march of university teachers and students towards the chief advisor’s official residence, Jamuna, marching for their three-point demand.The police fired tear gas, lobbed sound grenades, and used water cannons to disperse the protesters, local media reported.In a separate development, protests raged at Dhaka University as a group of students under the banner of “Students Against Terrorism” brought out a torch procession on the campus Wednesday night, protesting the murder of fellow student Shahriar Alam Shammo.”In the last 9 months, we have seen three bodies. One was Tofazzal, another was hanging from a tree, and the latest one was last night — a student of Dhaka University. The DU VC must take responsibility for these murders. We reject the condolence expressed by the DU administration,” Bangladeshi media outlet UNB reported, quoting a protesting student as saying.–IANSint/scor/sd/

Death toll from tropical disease outbreak in northern Australia rises to 31

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Sydney, May 15 (IANS) The death toll from an outbreak of a tropical disease linked to heavy rainfall and flooding in northern Australia has increased to 31.According to the latest data from the health department in Queensland reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday, 31 people have died from melioidosis in the state in 2025.It said that one person, from the coastal city of Townsville in tropical northern Queensland, died from melioidosis in the past week.In the same period, there were four new reported cases; one in Townsville and three in the city of Cairns, further north. It takes the total number of reported cases in Queensland in 2025 to 221, an increase of 163 compared to the same point in 2024.Townsville, Cairns and surrounding areas received record-breaking rainfall in February that caused widespread devastating flooding, Xinhua news agency reported.Steven Donohue, director of the Townsville Public Health Unit, told the ABC that cases have slowed down significantly since the weather dried up and authorities believe the outbreak is “probably over.””It is a pretty nasty disease, particularly when it happens to the sick and elderly. Deaths are not uncommon,” he said.Queensland Health previously advised people to be alert for symptoms, including a cough, fever and difficulty breathing, and to wear protective footwear, gloves and a mask when coming into contact with muddy water or soil and when using a hose or high-pressure cleaner.Melioidosis is a rare tropical disease caused by bacteria commonly found in soil and water in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. After heavy rainfall it becomes airborne.Melioidosis has a wide range of signs and symptoms. You usually develop symptoms of melioidosis within 1 to 4 weeks after you’ve been exposed to it. Some cases have developed symptoms months or years after exposure. The disease can affect one body system or affect the entire body. Because of these factors, melioidosis is hard to diagnose and may be mistaken for other diseases.Sometimes the illness is just in one area (localised), and it may look like an ulcer or skin sore. You might have a fever, swelling, and muscle aches.–IANSint/jk/rad

South Korea: DP’s Lee rallies in liberal stronghold; PPP’s Kim apologises for martial law decree

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Seoul, May 15 (IANS) South Korean Democratic Party (DP) candidate, Lee Jae-myung, held a campaign rally in South Jeolla Province on Thursday, while People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo apologised for the failed martial law bid by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, with less than three weeks to go before the presidential election.Lee, Kim and Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party have formed a three-way race for the June 3 presidential vote to pick a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid. So far, the DP’s Lee has maintained a comfortable lead in opinion polls.A National Barometer Survey conducted this week showed that Lee of the DP was leading Kim with 49 per cent support against Kim’s 27 per cent, with the minor party’s Lee in third with 7 per cent.South Jeolla Province is considered a stronghold for the DP, and Kim of the PPP, which remains at odds over Yoon’s ouster, issued his second public apology for Yoon’s failed martial law bid.In Seoul, Kim said he “sincerely” apologised for Yoon’s martial law debacle, in an apparent move to broaden his support base as he struggled to catch up with the DP candidate.Lee of the DP kicked off the fourth day of his official campaign by holding live YouTube talks with the youth at Hwagae Market in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, to address concerns related to employment, housing and child care.Lee then travelled to the cities of Gwangyang, Yeosu and Suncheon, and is set to visit Mokpo in Jeolla Province, commonly known as Honam, a traditional support base of the liberal DP, to appeal to voters.In a Facebook post, Lee also expressed his “sincere” gratitude to teachers and acknowledged their dedication in guiding students in commemoration of Teacher’s Day, which fell on Thursday.Kim of the PPP, on the other hand, focussed on the Seoul Metropolitan Area the same day, starting off with a breakfast meeting on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and corporate strategies at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business.During the meeting, Kim pledged to amend the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which penalises employers and corporations for fatal accidents in public places.”If I become the decision-maker, I will make sure that this harmful law no longer disturbs you,” Kim said.Kim then visited Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul to greet commuters.He also held a luncheon meeting with Joseph Yun, acting US ambassador to South Korea, at the US Ambassador’s residence in central Seoul.The two sides are likely to have discussed various bilateral issues, including US tariffs and security under US President Donald Trump’s second administration, Yonhap news agency reported.Kim’s emphasis on economic and foreign policy issues reflects his strategy to appeal to voters in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, who tend to be less influenced by regional sentiment and are more sensitive to policies.Kim campaigned in Daegu, Busan and other parts of the Yeongnam region in the country’s southeast earlier this week to rally support from conservative voters before returning to Seoul.–IANSint/jk/rad

Two dead, 4 injured in traffic crashes in Australia

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Sydney, May 15 (IANS) Two people have died and four others have been injured in two separate traffic crashes within hours on Wednesday in northern Australia, the police said on Thursday.The police service in the state of Queensland said in a statement that emergency services were called to a highway near the rural town of Breddan, over 1,000 km northwest of Brisbane, shortly after 4 p.m. local time on Wednesday after two vehicles travelling in opposite directions collided head-on.The passenger in one of the vehicles, a woman in her 50s, was declared dead at the scene, and a man in his 50s who was driving was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, reports Xinhua news agency.The driver of the other vehicle, a woman in her 40s, sustained significant injuries and was taken to the hospital in a critical condition.Less than 90 minutes earlier, police and emergency services were deployed to reports of a three-vehicle crash near Bajool, about 500 km northwest of Brisbane.The Queensland Police Service said that an SUV was travelling south on the Bruce Highway, a major highway linking Brisbane to the state’s far north, when it collided with a northbound white pickup truck.A grey pickup truck, also travelling north, then collided with the white pickup.A 24-year-old man, the driver of the SUV, was declared deceased at the scene. The drivers of both pickup trucks were transported to the hospital for treatment.Police said the forensic crash unit is investigating both incidents.Australia is in the midst of the annual National Road Safety Week, which highlights the impact of road trauma and the importance of safe driving habits.In the southeastern state of Victoria, 11 people have died on roads in a five-day span, taking the state’s 2025 road death toll to 114 compared to 102 at the same point in 2024.A major road safety operation conducted by Victoria Police on Monday detected 930 traffic offences, including 530 speeding offences.”In light of National Road Safety Week, and the fact we’ve had so many deaths on our roads in a matter of days, we urge everyone to be safe on the roads and most importantly — slow down,” Glenn Weir, Victoria’s road policing assistant commissioner, said in a statement on Wednesday.–IANSint/sd/

Indian delegation discusses cooperation with top UN counter-terrorism officials

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United Nations, May 15 (IANS) A delegation from India met with the top UN counter-terrorism officials on Wednesday for a wide-ranging discussion on cooperation in fighting terrorism in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack by The Resistance Front.

During their discussions with the Indian delegation, Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Assistant Secretary-General Natalia Gherman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) focused on cooperation, “particularly in support of implementing key Security Council counter-terrorism resolutions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy,” a readout of the meeting from UNOCT said.Voronkov and Gherman expressed their condolences for the victims of the terrorist attack last month in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.The delegation from India, which includes intelligence officials, was at the UN headquarters to present India’s case for declaring The Resistance Front (TRF), the perpetrator of the Pahalgam massacre, an international terrorist organisation and sanctioning it, according to sources at the UN.The TRF, an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), which has been listed as an international terrorist organisation by the UN.The delegation was also meeting on Wednesday with the monitoring team of the Security Council panel known as the 1267 Committee that sanctions terrorist groups and those associated with them, the sources said.The team, the sources said, is presenting the committee with evidence of TRF carrying out Pahalgam attack and its other activities.The committee is named after Security Council Resolution 1267 that calls for action against the Islamic State or Da’esh, and Al-Qaida, and groups and people associated with them.The delegation was also meeting with diplomats from UN members to press for declaring TRF a terrorist organisation.The readout from UNOCT of the meetings with the Indian delegation said that for India and the UN counter-terrorism agencies the “key areas of cooperation include UNOCT-led technical capacity-building initiatives supported by India — such as cybersecurity, countering terrorist travel, supporting victims of terrorism, and countering the financing of terrorism”.The delegation and the UN officials also “discussed efforts to counter the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes,” the readout said.These goals were set out in the 2022 Delhi Declaration adopted by the UN Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee chaired by India when it met in the Indian capital and paid special attention to emerging terrorist threats through use of emerging technologies.The declaration also called for the development of guiding principles to be prepared with CTED’s support on threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems and the use of emerging financial technologies for terrorist activities.LeT was listed as an international terrorist organisation in 2005 and sanctioned.The sanctions list includes 27 names under which LeT operates, including Pasba-e-Kashmir, and variations of Jamaat-ud-Dawa.About a dozen individuals associated with it, including its leader Hafeez Mohammed Saeed, have also been sanctioned along with three organisations linked to it, including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.The sanctions include freezing of their assets and travel ban.–IANSal/khz

Pregnant Israeli woman critically injured in West Bank shooting

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Jerusalem, May 15 (IANS) A late-stage pregnant Israeli woman in her 30s was critically wounded in a shooting attack on a vehicle in the West Bank, according to a statement issued by Israel’s national emergency service, Magen David Adom.
The woman was rushed to Beilinson Hospital near Tel Aviv, where medical teams worked to save both her life and that of her unborn baby, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV News reported.A man about 40-years-old, who was also in the vehicle at the time of the attack, sustained minor injuries, the hospital said.The shooting occurred while the vehicle was running on a road between the Israeli settlements of Brukhin and Peduel.In a separate statement, the Israel Defense Forces said it had begun a pursuit of the shooter.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the attack on Thursday morning, saying he was deeply shocked.”This despicable event reflects exactly the difference between us and the vile terrorists whose goal in life is to kill us. I trust that the security forces, even in this case, will quickly reach the murderers and bring them to justice, along with everyone who helped them.””I am deeply shocked by the horrific attack in Samaria against a woman in advanced pregnancy and her husband, as they were on their way to the delivery room.”Following the terror attack, Israeli politician Naftali Bennett said on X: “I pray with all my heart for them. Let there be no doubt: if there is no security in Samaria, there will be no security in Tel Aviv either. The enemy wants to murder us everywhere. We must eliminate it.”Magen David Adom paramedic Erez Vogel was one of the first responders to arrive on the spot.”We left from a nearby community with the ambulance and arrived quickly. On the side of the road, we saw a private vehicle with signs of gunfire. Inside was a woman in the driver’s seat, unconscious and suffering from severe gunshot wounds. In the passenger seat sat a man in his 40s, fully conscious, who was also wounded by gunfire. He was trying to treat the injured woman next to him, attempting to stop her bleeding,” he said.”We pulled both of them out of the vehicle and provided medical treatment. The woman was loaded into an intensive care ambulance and evacuated to the hospital while undergoing CPR — her condition was critical. The man was transported in a separate intensive care ambulance, fully conscious but in serious condition.”The attack was apparently carried out by shooting from a passing vehicle.The IDF has launched a manhunt for the terrorists.A special task force was opened and intelligence forces were also deployed, trying to track down the shooters. At the same time, roadblocks were deployed in the area.–IANSint/khz