Pakistan Affairs

Tag: news

  • What are dioxins and did the Ohio train crash release them into the air? | CBC News

    Following a 38-train car derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S. senators from the state sent a letter to the state\’s environmental protection agency expressing concern that dioxins may have been released when some of the chemicals in the damaged railcars were deliberately burned for safety reasons. Dioxins are highly toxic, persistent compounds created through combustion and attach to dust particles. Exposure to high concentrations can cause skin inflammation. The main pathway that dioxin gets into human bodies is through consumption of meat, dairy, fish and shellfish contaminated by the substance. Experts agree that burning vinyl chloride does create dioxins and that the accident could have created them. Dioxins can stick around in soil for decades and accumulate up the food chain in oils and other fats. They have been linked with cancer, developmental problems in children and reproductive issues and infertility in adults. Testing for dioxins is important to determine the extent to which they are present in the soil and the surrounding area and to reassure the community.



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  • An Afghan military interpreter made it to Canada — but his siblings were forced back to Afghanistan | CBC News

    Asad Ali Afghan and his family fled Afghanistan for Pakistan in November 2021, after he served as an Afghan military interpreter. After nine months of waiting for the federal government to push through the paperwork, they arrived in Winnipeg and settled in Delta, B.C. a month later. However, three siblings of Asad remain in Afghanistan, as Canadian authorities never assigned case files to them. The brothers and sister were hoping to come to Canada under a special immigration program designed for former employees of the Canadian government or military in Afghanistan and their families.

    When they arrived in Pakistan, they had no way to prove they were on their way to Canada, and were soon deported back to Afghanistan. They are now living in fear of the Taliban, who have been known to arrest, torture, flog and murder those who have helped foreign militaries. Meanwhile, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has received applications for most of the 18,000 spots in the Special Immigration Measures program, and have sent out invitations to apply for the remaining spots.

    Both the NDP and Conservative immigration critics have heard of other Afghans hoping to come to Canada who have been sent back to Afghanistan, and the NDP is calling on the Canadian government to lift the 40,000 cap on the number of Afghans it wants to bring here. The IRCC says 28,285 Afghans have arrived in Canada since August 2021, and the Conservative counterpart is urging the government to use its soft power and process the applications quickly.



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  • Pakistani brothers released after being held for 20 years without charge at Guantanamo Bay | CBC News

    Two Pakistani brothers, Abdul and Mohammed Rabbani, who have been held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison for two decades, were released by US officials on Friday and returned to Pakistan. They will be reunited with their families after being questioned by Pakistani authorities. The brothers were arrested in 2002 in Karachi, on suspicion of their links to al-Qaeda. The US Defence Department announced their repatriation in a statement the previous day.

    The brothers alleged torture while in CIA custody before being transferred to Guantanamo. US military records describe the two as providing little intelligence of value, and that they did not recant statements made during interrogations on the grounds they were obtained by physical abuse. The brothers\’ release was the latest US move toward emptying and shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

    The US government set up the prison to house extremist suspects after the 9/11 attacks. Supporters of using the detention facility for such figures say doing so prevented attacks. At its peak in 2003, it held about 600 people considered terrorists by the US. There were 40 detainees when President Joe Biden took office in 2021. Biden has said he hopes to close the facility. Critics say the military detention and courts subverted human rights and constitutional rights and undermined American standing abroad. Thirty-two detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay, including 18 eligible for transfer if stable third-party countries can be found to take them.

    After two decades of imprisonment, two Pakistani brothers, Abdul and Mohammed Rabbani, have been released from the Guantanamo Bay military prison and returned to Pakistan. The brothers were arrested in 2002 in Karachi on suspicion of their links to al-Qaeda, and have alleged torture while in CIA custody before being transferred to Guantanamo. US military records describe the two as providing little intelligence of value.

    The US Defence Department announced their repatriation in a statement the previous day. The brothers\’ release is the latest US move toward emptying and shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, which was set up to house extremist suspects after the 9/11 attacks. There were 40 detainees when President Joe Biden took office in 2021. Biden has said he hopes to close the facility. Thirty-two detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay, including 18 eligible for transfer if stable third-party countries can be found to take them.



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  • Why China\’s reopening could be bad news for the Fed

    The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring the situation in China, as the country\’s reopening could have a major effect on global inflation. As the world\’s largest economy in terms of purchasing power and two-way trade with the US, China is expected to boost spending and global economic growth as factories ramp up production and tourists begin to travel the world again. However, this could lead to higher oil prices and the cost of imports rising, leading to inflation. At the same time, Beijing\’s decision to loosen restrictions could help with the supply shortages that have stoked inflation, potentially offsetting some of the effects of increased Chinese demand. The Fed is also keeping an eye on geopolitical events, such as Russia\’s invasion of Ukraine, which could lead to unexpected shocks in the oil market. As of now, it is too early to tell how the situation will play out, but the Fed is closely monitoring China for signs of an acceleration in the global appetite for goods and services.



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  • Why China\’s reopening could be bad news for the Fed

    The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring the situation in China, as the country\’s reopening could have a major effect on global inflation. As the world\’s largest economy in terms of purchasing power and two-way trade with the US, China is expected to boost spending and global economic growth as factories ramp up production and tourists begin to travel the world again. However, this could lead to higher oil prices and the cost of imports rising, leading to inflation. At the same time, Beijing\’s decision to loosen restrictions could help with the supply shortages that have stoked inflation, potentially offsetting some of the effects of increased Chinese demand. The Fed is also keeping an eye on geopolitical events, such as Russia\’s invasion of Ukraine, which could lead to unexpected shocks in the oil market. As of now, it is too early to tell how the situation will play out, but the Fed is closely monitoring China for signs of an acceleration in the global appetite for goods and services.



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  • Why China\’s reopening could be bad news for the Fed

    The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring the situation in China, as the country\’s reopening could have a major effect on global inflation. As the world\’s largest economy in terms of purchasing power and two-way trade with the US, China is expected to boost spending and global economic growth as factories ramp up production and tourists begin to travel the world again. However, this could lead to higher oil prices and the cost of imports rising, leading to inflation. At the same time, Beijing\’s decision to loosen restrictions could help with the supply shortages that have stoked inflation, potentially offsetting some of the effects of increased Chinese demand. The Fed is also keeping an eye on geopolitical events, such as Russia\’s invasion of Ukraine, which could lead to unexpected shocks in the oil market. As of now, it is too early to tell how the situation will play out, but the Fed is closely monitoring China for signs of an acceleration in the global appetite for goods and services.



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  • Why China\’s reopening could be bad news for the Fed

    The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring the situation in China, as the country\’s reopening could have a major effect on global inflation. As the world\’s largest economy in terms of purchasing power and two-way trade with the US, China is expected to boost spending and global economic growth as factories ramp up production and tourists begin to travel the world again. However, this could lead to higher oil prices and the cost of imports rising, leading to inflation. At the same time, Beijing\’s decision to loosen restrictions could help with the supply shortages that have stoked inflation, potentially offsetting some of the effects of increased Chinese demand. The Fed is also keeping an eye on geopolitical events, such as Russia\’s invasion of Ukraine, which could lead to unexpected shocks in the oil market. As of now, it is too early to tell how the situation will play out, but the Fed is closely monitoring China for signs of an acceleration in the global appetite for goods and services.



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  • Kyodo News Digest: Feb. 24, 2023

    On February 22, 2023, Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv\’s Independence Square to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of their country. The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to demand Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine, and Japan is chairing the Group of Seven summit online in support of the Ukrainian people. In addition, Japan has pledged $27 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Turkey and Syria, which were recently affected by earthquakes, and $16 million in emergency grant aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, China called for a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine and opposed sanctions on Russia imposed by Western countries. North Korea announced that it had fired four cruise missiles that flew 2,000 kilometers, and the G-20 finance chiefs met in India to address challenges facing the global economy. To show their solidarity, Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Oleksiy Makeyev visited the Saitama Shrine in Japan to pray for peace.



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  • Melanie Mark \’at peace\’ with decision to leave nastiness of politics behind | CBC News

    Melanie Mark, the first First Nations woman to serve in the British Columbia Legislature and as a cabinet minister, announced her resignation and spoke on CBC\’s The Early Edition about her decision. She said she feels \”at peace\” and \”a sense of freedom.\” Mark called out the Opposition Liberals for going too far in their criticisms of her during her tenure. She admitted she was \”boisterous in the House\” but felt statements made on the floor should be truthful. B.C. Liberal Party Leader Kevin Falcon said their job as Opposition is to ask hard questions of government. Mark said she will focus on her family, mentor and coach the MLA who takes her seat, and make her resignation official by the end of March. Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, said Mark made a difference in provincial politics and can walk away with her head held high. Equal Voice\’s Chi Nguyen said it\’s a real toll for all leaders who serve, especially for women and women of colour.



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  • Melanie Mark \’at peace\’ with decision to leave nastiness of politics behind | CBC News

    Melanie Mark, the first First Nations woman to serve in the British Columbia Legislature and as a cabinet minister, announced her resignation and spoke on CBC\’s The Early Edition about her decision. She said she feels \”at peace\” and \”a sense of freedom.\” Mark called out the Opposition Liberals for going too far in their criticisms of her during her tenure. She admitted she was \”boisterous in the House\” but felt statements made on the floor should be truthful. B.C. Liberal Party Leader Kevin Falcon said their job as Opposition is to ask hard questions of government. Mark said she will focus on her family, mentor and coach the MLA who takes her seat, and make her resignation official by the end of March. Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, said Mark made a difference in provincial politics and can walk away with her head held high. Equal Voice\’s Chi Nguyen said it\’s a real toll for all leaders who serve, especially for women and women of colour.



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