Russia to place nuclear weapons near Belarus’ borders with NATO
Reuters Russia will move its tactical nuclear weapons close to the western borders of Belarus, the Russian envoy to Minsk said on Sunday, placing them at NATO’s threshold in a move likely to further escalate Moscow’s standoff with the West. In one of the Russia’s most pronounced nuclear signals since the beginning of its invasion […]
Russian lawmakers to consider booking system to cross land borders
Reuters Russian lawmakers are preparing legislation that will make it mandatory for people to book a time and place in advance to cross the border, raising fresh fears that the Kremlin could impose more restrictions on travel in and out of the country. Amendments to a transport law, introduced to parliament on Monday, stipulate that […]
Wary of foreign “bad manners”, Japan cautuously eases borders to aid tourism
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japan’s easing of a two-year ban on foreign tourists seeks to balance the enormous economic importance of tourism with concerns that travellers would trigger a COVID outbreak, insiders say. Under the decision, Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign tourists on package tours starting 10th June. Last week a few “test tours”, mainly […]
Echoes of 2015 as EU grapples with Afghan migration, security challenges
Brussels, BelgiumReuters European Union countries on Tuesday said they would step up aid to Afghanistan and its neighbours but could not agree a common policy on accepting asylum-seekers fleeing Taliban rule. Western nations involved in the fight against the Taliban have airlifted 100,000 people who supported them, and would take them in, along with others […]
US “concerned” by flow of migrants from Belarus to Lithuania
Vilnius, LithuaniaReuters The United States is concerned about the flow of Middle Eastern and African migrants from Belarus into Lithuania, a US diplomat said. Lithuania began building a 550 kilometre long razor wire barrier on its border with Belarus on Friday after accusing Belarusian authorities of flying in migrants from abroad to send illegally into […]
Pope says rights of migrants trump national security concerns
RNS Pope Francis visits the to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, in late 2014. PICTURE: European Union 2014 – European Parliament/Fred Marvaux Pope Francis urged countries to greatly improve their welcome to migrants and stop collective expulsions, saying migrants’ dignity and right to protection trumps national security concerns. Pope Francis’ politically pointed message was […]