Author: Micheal Webb

Berlin (06/11 – 58) UN Special Rapporteur of Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, has once again called on the authorities of Tajikistan to release imprisoned Tajik journalists and bloggers. Mary Lawlor posted on her social media account, formerly Twitter, that during a meeting with Tajikistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jonibek Hikmat, in New York on October 24, she reiterated her call for the Tajik authorities to release the convicted human rights defenders and journalists, including Daler Imomali, Abdullo Gurbati, and Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva. Last year, in Tajikistan, eight journalists and bloggers were sentenced to various prison terms, ranging from 7…

Frankfurt (22/09 – 58.33) Since May 2022, the Tajikistani authorities have stepped up their ongoing crackdown on Pamiris, an ethnic, linguistic and religious minority originating from the Pamir mountains in Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast of Tajikistan. They have arbitrarily detained hundreds of Pamiris, including civil society activists and human rights defenders, and imprisoned over 200 of them after convictions in unfair trials, in a campaign aimed at stripping the local communities of their leadership and dismantling their civil society. The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Pamiri civil society activists, journalists and human rights defenders who have been detained solely…

TAMPA, Fla. – On Sept. 14, U.S. Central Command and the Egyptian Armed Forces, along with troops from 32 other nations, concluded Exercise BRIGHT STAR 2023, at Mohamed Naguib Military Base, Egypt. Approximately 8,400 troops with over 140 aircraft, 17 naval vessels, and 250 vehicles from across the globe gathered at five training locations in Egypt to participate in the largest and oldest middle eastern exercise. Established initially to build the strategic security relationship between Egypt and the United States, it has expanded to the current scope and plays a leading role in regional security. BRIGHT STAR 2023 focused on promoting…

In the collective daydreams of Central Asian presidents, there is no end to the possibilities for regional integration. The ideas came thick and fast at the latest semi-formal get-together of Central Asian leaders, held this year in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe. In his speech at the fifth heads of state consultative meeting on September 14, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev focused his thoughts on how to promote more trade. “The business communities of our countries should be the main drivers for increasing trade turnover. And so, creating a propitious environment for them must be a priority,” he told his colleagues,…

TOKYO — A strong tropical storm lashed central and western Japan with heavy rain and high winds Tuesday, causing flooding and power blackouts and paralyzing air and ground transportation while many people were traveling for a Buddhist holiday week. The storm weakened from Typhoon Lan early in the morning and made landfall near Cape Shionomisaki in the central prefecture of Wakayama, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. It had sustained winds of up to 108 kph (68 mph) as it headed northwest to cut across the region before veering east toward Hokkaido over waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, the JMA said. No casualties…

Today, as part of the United States whole-of-government strategy to tackle the nation’s overdose epidemic, and in close coordination with the Government of Mexico, the United States is designating three Sinaloa Cartel members involved in the illicit trafficking of fentanyl and other deadly drugs. Illicit production and trafficking of synthetic drugs pose a serious global health and security challenge and directly contribute to the U.S. opioid overdose epidemic. As part of President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy, we are focused on both strengthening public health and systematically dismantling the global infrastructure of those who profit from the death of Americans,…

Today, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden participated in the raising of the U.S. flag at UNESCO, further realizing the President’s vision of a United States that is engaged globally wherever and whenever our national interests can be advanced. The United States is committed to UNESCO, where important conversations happen every day to promote scientific cooperation, safeguard freedom of expression, preserve irreplaceable cultural heritage, advance media independence and pluralism, and strengthen education everywhere.  By rejoining UNESCO, the United States recommits to that premise and the proposition that great things can be accomplished by nations working in partnership. Source : State.Gov

The United States has rejoined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after a nearly 5-year absence, becoming its 194th member state. UNESCO helps protect the world’s cultural and national heritage by designating World Heritage sites. It also plays a key role in promoting international cooperation in education, science, culture, technology and freedom of the press. First lady Jill Biden spoke during the U.S.-flag-raising ceremony at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on July 25. “Some of the biggest challenges of our time cannot be solved in isolation,” she said, calling the ceremony a symbol of America’s commitment to global collaboration…

WASHINGTON ― More than a year ago, Congress passed a $40 billion Ukraine aid package. Lawmakers allocated a miniscule portion of that package ― less than 2% ― to expedite munitions production and expand access to critical minerals via the Defense Production Act. The Pentagon is now starting to make use of the bill’s $600 million appropriation for Defense Production Act funding. As it expands munitions production, the department hopes that these funds will also help onshore critical defense supply chains and lessen the industrial base’s reliance on Russia and China. The Pentagon’s Defense Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization office, which oversees…

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Super Bowl will return to the Bay Area in 2026 at the home of the San Francisco 49ers, following a vote of approval by NFL owners on Monday at their spring meetings. This will be the third time for the big game in the Bay Area. Levi’s Stadium, which opened in Santa Clara in 2014, also hosted Super Bowl 50 when Denver beat Carolina. The 49ers won Super Bowl 19 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto when they beat Miami after the 1984 season. The 2026 game will be Super Bowl 60. Niners team president Al…