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Foreign Affairs (News/Activism)

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  • UN Watch demands democracies explain election of human rights abusers to UN positions. [US = the only state to object to some of the countries elected to the committee]

    04/11/2026 11:43:45 PM PDT · by Milagros
    JPost ^ | Apr 12, 2026 | Tzvi Jasper
    In UN Watch's press release, the NGO cited the UN's Economic and Social Council's (ECOSOC) recent nomination of Iran to the UN’s Committee for Program and Coordination. UN Watch demanded an explanation on Saturday from democratic countries for why they'd allowed "serial abusers of human rights" to be elected to key positions in the United Nations. In UN Watch's press release, the NGO cited the UN's Economic and Social Council's (ECOSOC) recent nomination of Iran to the UN’s Committee for Program and Coordination, which would include an active role in shaping policy on women's rights, disarmament, and terrorism prevention, as...
  • Pakistan deploys 13,000 troops and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

    04/11/2026 10:04:22 PM PDT · by Az Joe · 21 replies
    The Hindu ^ | 04/12/2026 | staff
    The deployment aimed to enhance joint military coordination, improve operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries, and support security and stability at regional and international levels
  • After ten years and $318million in taxpayer funds, investigators still don't even know the most BASIC fact about two of Ben Roberts-Smith's alleged victims (War crimes allegations against Australian Victoria Cross winner)

    04/11/2026 8:46:35 PM PDT · by naturalman1975 · 2 replies
    Daily Mail (Australia) ^ | 12th April 2026 | Stephen Gibbs
    Two of the five men Ben Roberts-Smith is accused of murdering while serving with the Special Air Service in Afghanistan have never been identified by war crimes investigators. Court documents seen by the Daily Mail show one of the Victoria Cross recipient's alleged victims is described only as 'Person Under Control 1', or alternatively 'Enemy Killed in Action 3'. Roberts-Smith is accused of murdering that Afghan male with another SAS soldier dubbed 'Person 68' at Syahchow in Uruzgan Province on October 20, 2012. Another alleged victim who is only known to authorities as 'Person Under Control 2' or 'Enemy Killed...
  • VP Vance says Iran failed to meet expectations after 21 hours of negotiations in Pakistan - USA leaving

    04/11/2026 6:45:43 PM PDT · by janetjanet998 · 124 replies
    X
    VP Vance says Iran failed to meet expectations after 21 hours of negotiations in Pakistan, particularly on its nuclear program, and the U.S. delegation is leaving without a deal.
  • Exclusive: Macron seeks to draw Trump to G7 with post-summit invite to Versailles

    04/11/2026 4:32:51 PM PDT · by MinorityRepublican · 13 replies
    Reuters ^ | April 10, 2026 | Gabriel Stargardter
    French President Emmanuel Macron has invited U.S. President Donald Trump to a sumptuous dinner at the ornate Palace of Versailles the ‌day after a G7 summit in mid-June, although it remains unclear if Trump will ‌attend either event, sources said. France is the host of this year's G7, with a leaders' summit in the lakeside resort ​of Evian-les-Bains at the foot of the French Alps scheduled for June 15-17 - dates that Macron has already moved to accommodate a mixed martial arts event Trump is hosting at the White House on his 80th birthday on June 14. Trump's relationship with...
  • US-Iran talks last into the early morning hours in Pakistan

    04/11/2026 2:36:03 PM PDT · by McGruff · 25 replies
    CNN ^ | April 11, 2026
    Here's the latest • Marathon meetings: The US and Iran have begun a new round of talks in Pakistan as hourslong negotiations extend into Sunday morning local time, according to Iranian media. • Sticking point: Pakistani sources say the overall tone of the discussions has been positive, but a stalemate persists over control of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway where the US said it began mine-clearing operations on Saturday. • Historic face-to-face: A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance met directly with Iranian officials in Islamabad, marking a significant moment for two countries that have typically...
  • Iran threatens to attack US Navy ships entering Strait of Hormuz

    04/11/2026 2:18:22 PM PDT · by rexthecat · 41 replies
    NY Post ^ | April 11, 2026 | Katherine Donlevy
    US Navy ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the start of the war — as Iran threatened to attack any US vessels that entered the strait. “Several” American military vessels crossed the channel Saturday in a move that “was not coordinated with Iran,” Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported, citing intelligence officials. At least two were US Navy guided-missile destroyers, according to reports.
  • Is Iran Unable to Locate its Mines in the Strait of Hormuz?

    04/11/2026 1:53:07 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 16 replies
    Euronews ^ | 11/04/2026 | Chaima Chihi
    The New York Times reports, citing officials, that Iran may not have accurate records of the locations of all the mines it has laid. Reports suggest that the planting was carried out in a random and disorganised. The New York Times, citing US officials, reported that Iran is finding it increasingly difficult to reopen the Strait of Hormuz due to its inability to locate all the naval mines it planted during the recent conflict, in addition to the possibility of some of them being swept away by sea currents. ADVERTISEMENT The Strait of Hormuz crisis is a direct result of...
  • Finland prepares launch of permanent underground nuclear waste facility

    04/11/2026 1:49:12 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 16 replies
    Euroweekly News ^ | 10 Apr 2026 | Natascha Rivera
    Finland is preparing to launch the world’s first permanent underground structure for storing nuclear waste, marking a major breakthrough towards finding a solution for one of nuclear energy’s most difficult problems. The Onkalo nuclear waste repository, is built deep inside 1.9 billion year old bedrock and is designed to store highly radioactive waste for up to 100,000 years. Authorities are expected to grant the facility a licence within months. A facility deep underground, hosuing thousands of tonnes of nuclear wast Onkalo (meaning “cave” in Finnish) will become the first facility to offer a long-term nuclear waste disposal solution once it...
  • House Republican: Graham should ‘have his Oval Office credentials revoked’

    04/11/2026 12:42:31 PM PDT · by Ultra Sonic 007 · 27 replies
    The Hill ^ | 3/26/2026 | Max Rego
    Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) suggested Wednesday that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) should have less access to President Trump as the conflict with Iran persists. “I absolutely think he should have his Oval Office credentials revoked,” Cammack told Migrant Insider’s Pablo Manríquez as she departed the Capitol. Graham, a staunch foreign policy hawk who has openly supported the U.S. military operation in the Middle East, is a frequent guest at the White House and often travels with Trump. On Monday, he and Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) met with the president and newly minted Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin — before the...
  • U.S. Intelligence Shows China Taking a More Active Role in Iran War

    04/11/2026 11:05:36 AM PDT · by MarlonRando · 44 replies
    New York Times ^ | 4-11-26 | Mark Mazetti
    American intelligence agencies have obtained information that China in recent weeks may have sent a shipment of shoulder-fired missiles to Iran for its conflict with the United States and Israel, according to U.S. officials. The officials said that the intelligence is not definitive that the shipment has been sent, and that there is no evidence that the Chinese missiles have yet been used against American or Israeli forces during the conflict.
  • China plans to deliver air defense systems to Iran in coming weeks, US intelligence reveals

    04/11/2026 9:03:43 AM PDT · by Mr. Mojo · 57 replies
    Reuters via The Jerusalem Post ^ | 4-11-26 | SHOSHANA BAKER,
    US intelligence indicates China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks, CNN reported late on Friday, citing three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments. According to intelligence outlined in the CNN report, Beijing is preparing to transfer shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems known as MANPADs. These systems pose an asymmetric threat to low-flying US military aircraft, as demonstrated during the five-week war, and they could continue to do so if the ceasefire breaks down. Two sources informed CNN that there are signs Beijing is attempting to route shipments of the weaponry through third...
  • Somali Responsible for Largest Minnesota Medicaid Fraud Case Goes On the Run

    04/11/2026 5:10:27 AM PDT · by texas booster · 22 replies
    FrontPage Magazine ^ | April 11 2026 | Daniel Greenfield
    Abdirashid Ismail Said was the centerpiece of Attorney General Keith X. Ellison’s attempt to pretend that he was also being tough on Somali fraud. Since Said had already been convicted of Medicaid fraud in 2022, he should never have been allowed to bill Medicaid for anything. And once he was charged, he should never have been released on bail. But he was and did and now he’s on the run, and we’re all supposed to pretend that Ellison tried really hard and just couldn’t figure things out. The Minnesota Attorney General announced in December 2023 that Said is responsible for...
  • US denies agreeing to unfreeze Iran assets after conflicting reports

    04/11/2026 4:22:01 AM PDT · by nuconvert · 14 replies
    A US official denied on Saturday that Washington had agreed to release frozen assets belonging to Iran, contradicting earlier reports. Reuters had reported that the United States agreed to release Iranian funds held in Qatar and other foreign banks, citing a senior Iranian source, which described the move as a goodwill step ahead of talks.
  • Minnesota fraud suspect flees the country days before his trial

    04/10/2026 11:12:51 PM PDT · by Jonty30 · 36 replies
    https://www.kare11.com ^ | April 10, 2026 | Lou Raguse
    MINNEAPOLIS — Abdirashid Said is the original Personal Care Assistant company fraudster who stole taxpayer money while claiming to operate out of a mailbox at an office on Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis. After he was convicted in 2021 and ordered to have nothing to do with companies that receive Medicaid money, other PCA companies took his place at the Central Avenue office. And Said started receiving checks from them. "Were those checks for employment for you, Mr. Said?" former state prosecutor Steve Forrest asked at a probation violation hearing. "No, they were for loans," Said said. Said claimed the...
  • Arriving in Pakistan, Iran’s top negotiator demands US accept ‘preconditions’ before talks start

    04/10/2026 8:42:33 PM PDT · by Mr. Mojo · 76 replies
    Times of Israel ^ | 4-11-26 | JACOB MAGID
    An Iranian negotiating delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqher Ghalibaf arrived in Islamabad Friday ahead of Saturday’s peace talks with the United States, which Ghalibaf demanded accept Iran’s “preconditions” before talks could begin. Speaking from Islamabad, Ghalibaf claimed Iran had goodwill toward negotiations but no trust in the United States, adding that the Islamic Republic was ready to reach a deal if Washington offered what he described as a genuine agreement and granted Iran its rights, Iranian state media reported. Ghalibaf stated earlier that Tehran’s demands include a ceasefire in Lebanon, which Iran and mediating Pakistan have stated was...
  • Trump tells The Post he’s preparing military if Iran fails to comply in talks: ‘We’re loading up the ships’

    04/10/2026 5:31:31 PM PDT · by McGruff · 56 replies
    NY Post ^ | April 10, 2026 | Steven Nelson
    President Trump told The Post on Friday that US warships are being reloaded with “the best ammunition” to resume strikes on Iran if peace talks in Pakistan fail. Trump spoke shortly after Vice President JD Vance boarded Air Force Two en route to Islamabad, where he will be joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to negotiate a final peace after a two-week cease-fire was reached on Tuesday. “We’re going to find out in about 24 hours. We’re going to know soon,” Trump said in a phone interview when asked if he thought the talks would...
  • Xi expresses ‘full confidence’ in China-Taiwan unity in meeting with opposition chief

    04/10/2026 11:43:23 AM PDT · by CondoleezzaProtege · 18 replies
    France 24 ^ | 10 April 2026
    Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his opposition to Taiwanese independence during a meeting with Cheng Li-wun, leader of Taiwan's pro-Beijing opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. Her official trip to Beijing, the first such visit in a decade, sparked controversy in the self-ruled island that China claims as its territory. Cheng's trip comes a month before US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing for a summit with Xi. The United States has been piling pressure on Taiwanese opposition lawmakers to back a proposal for defence purchases, including US weapons, to deter a potential Chinese attack. Cheng has railed against the...
  • Putin declares 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine for Orthodox Easter

    04/10/2026 11:28:56 AM PDT · by CondoleezzaProtege · 85 replies
    CBS News ^ | Apr 9, 2026
    Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend, following an earlier call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a pause in some of the hostilities to observe the holiday. Putin's decree, released by the Kremlin, orders Russian forces to observe a ceasefire starting at 4 p.m. Saturday and lasting until the end of Sunday. Zelenskyy proposed earlier in the week that each side stop targeting each other's energy infrastructure over the holiday, saying he made the offer through the United States, which has been mediating talks between delegations from Moscow and...
  • Trump administration cannot nix legal status of 5,000 Ethiopians, US judge rules

    04/10/2026 3:27:20 AM PDT · by where's_the_Outrage? · 38 replies
    Reuters ^ | Apr 9, 2026 | Nate Raymond
    BOSTON, April 8 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday halted a move by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to end legal protections granted to over 5,000 Ethiopians that have allowed them to live and work in the United States. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston marked the latest legal setback for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's efforts to terminate the Temporary Protected Status designation for 13 countries in furtherance of Trump's hardline immigration agenda. TPS under federal law is available to people whose home countries have experienced natural disasters, armed conflicts or other extraordinary...