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Countries close borders to foreigners amid Omicron fears

Japan will close its border to foreign nationals, including business travelers and students from Tuesday, marking one of the most severe responses to the emergence of Omicron. Israel shut its borders from midnight on Sunday. Speaking on Monday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the imminent closure of the border to non-Japanese nationals from Tuesday. “This […]

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US invented ‘hostage diplomacy’ says Beijing, claims foreigners are safe in China after Spavor and Kovrig release

Beijing has dismissed “rumors” that Westerners are not safe in China and that they may be used as hostages in future diplomatic disputes, after two Canadians were released as Ottawa dropped charges against Huawei’s CFO. On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying hit back at the Western media and several “absurd rumors” after she […]

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ICC backs probe into Philippines ‘war on drugs’ despite Manilla warning foreigners to stay out of it

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has granted its prosecutor’s request to open an investigation, within the jurisdiction of the court, into alleged crimes committed in the Philippines during the ‘war on drugs’. In a statement on Wednesday, the ICC’s pre-trial chamber granted its prosecutor permission to probe reported crimes in the Philippines between 2011 and […]

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Around 200 foreigners, including Americans, fly out of Kabul in first large-scale departure since US ends troop withdrawal

Around 200 people, including Americans, took off from Kabul airport on a commercial flight to Doha on Thursday, in the first large-scale evacuation effort since coalition forces left Afghanistan last month. On Thursday, a Qatar Airways flight left Hamid Karzai International airport in Kabul for Doha, Qatar, carrying some 200 foreigners, including Americans, marking the […]