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U.S. Resumes Deportations to Haiti Following End of TPS Protection

U.S. Resumes Deportations to Haiti Following End of TPS Protection

The U.S. deported over 160 individuals to Haiti on Thursday, marking the first such action since the Trump administration secured a legal victory to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitians. The flight landed in Cap-Haitien, northern Haiti, due to the main international airport in Port-au-Prince being deemed too dangerous, with the U.S. government having banned commercial flights to the capital until early September due to ongoing gang violence. The deportees included both former TPS holders and Haitians who had served prison sentences. Many arrived clad in white and covered their faces, fearing targeting by gangs that control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. Haitian immigration officials offered deportees up to $65, food, and drink, with plans to house those unable to reach their homes immediately.
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Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries

Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries

A federal judge in New York vacated a Trump administration policy that had suspended the processing of visas from 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the Trump administration has deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States
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Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods beginning Sept. 8 as trade negotiations collapse

Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods beginning Sept. 8 as trade negotiations collapse

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods beginning Sept. 8
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U.S. Policy Shifts and Funding Cuts Threaten Global Polio Eradication Efforts

U.S. Policy Shifts and Funding Cuts Threaten Global Polio Eradication Efforts

Recent policy changes and funding cuts by the U.S. government are jeopardizing global polio eradication efforts, according to a report by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Independent Monitoring Board (IMB). In 2025, the Trump administration announced its intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) and defund it, along with dismantling USAID and withdrawing from parts of the United Nations. These actions led to the evaporation of approximately $230 million dedicated to fighting global polio. Nicholas Enrich, then acting assistant administrator for global health at USAID, warned in a March 2025 memo that these cuts could lead to an additional 200,000 severe polio cases annually in the U.S., especially amid rising anti-vaccine sentiment. The Congressional Budget in April proposed nearly halving global health funding, specifically targeting Gavi, a key polio vaccine supplier. Although the State Department reinstated Gavi's funding in July 2025 due to bipartisan pushback, expert...
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Trump wants more economic pressure on Iran. What are his options?

Trump wants more economic pressure on Iran. What are his options?

By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to hit Iran hard economically, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Washington would impose measures on Tehran that have "never been seen" as soon as next week.
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Taliban Releases Detained UN Staff Members Amidst Continued Restrictions on Women's Rights in Afghanistan

Taliban Releases Detained UN Staff Members Amidst Continued Restrictions on Women's Rights in Afghanistan

The Taliban rulers in Afghanistan have released two United Nations staff members who were detained over a week ago in the western city of Herat. The U.N. reported that the individuals were in good health and that charges against them had been dropped, though the reasons for their initial arrest and detention remain unclear. This incident is part of a broader pattern of detentions by Taliban authorities. Recently, Human Rights Watch reported that six staff members of a local organization focused on women's and children's rights were forcibly disappeared for over a month, and as of Thursday, they remained in custody. Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban has implemented severe restrictions, including banning girls from education beyond primary school and prohibiting women from nearly all forms of employment, effectively excluding them from public life. They have also condoned child marriage and limited the legal recourse for domestic violence to cases involving visible injuries. In June, at least 3...
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Taliban Releases Two Detained UN Staff Members in Afghanistan, Reasons for Detention Unclear

Taliban Releases Two Detained UN Staff Members in Afghanistan, Reasons for Detention Unclear

The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have released two United Nations staff members who were detained for over a week in the western city of Herat. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed their release on Thursday morning, stating that both individuals appeared to be in good health. However, UNAMA has not been formally notified of the reasons for their arrest and detention, though it understands that charges against them have been dropped. The UN is continuing to engage with the de facto authorities to ensure respect for the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, as well as the safety, security, and freedom of movement for its personnel across Afghanistan. This incident follows a series of detentions by the Taliban, including six staff members of a local organization working on women's and children's rights who were reportedly 'forcibly disappeared' for over a month, according to Human Rights Watch.
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Congressman Michael McCaul to Retire, Ending Advocacy for Special Immigrant Visas

Congressman Michael McCaul to Retire, Ending Advocacy for Special Immigrant Visas

GOP Representative Michael McCaul of Texas is set to retire from Congress, effective January. McCaul has been a prominent supporter of special immigrant visas (SIVs) for individuals from Afghanistan, aid officials, and those who served alongside the U.S. military. His retirement, alongside that of Rep. Don Bacon, marks the departure of two Republican members who have consistently advocated for immigration protections and the benefits of legal immigration. This comes at a time when Republican support for legal immigration pathways has reportedly dipped by 14 percentage points in the past year, and issues like Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are increasingly conflated with unlawful immigration. McCaul's stance on SIVs reflects a commitment to those who assisted U.S. efforts abroad, particularly in Afghanistan.
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Inside the Global Fight to Keep Polio From Making a Comeback

Inside the Global Fight to Keep Polio From Making a Comeback

As humanitarian funding cuts devastate health institutions, experts fear a foe long-vanquished from much of the world is on the brink of a rebound
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International Committee of the Red Cross Seeks Health Field Officer in Mekele, Ethiopia

International Committee of the Red Cross Seeks Health Field Officer in Mekele, Ethiopia

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is actively recruiting for a Health Field Officer 2 position in Mekele, Ethiopia. This role is part of the ICRC's ongoing global efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and protect human dignity in areas affected by armed conflict and violence. The ICRC, established in 1863, works in collaboration with Red Cross and Red Crescent partners worldwide to deliver life-saving aid, facilitate family reunification, and locate missing individuals. A key aspect of their work involves engaging with authorities and armed forces to ensure access to detainees, improve their living conditions, and advocate for compliance with international humanitarian law, particularly concerning the protection of non-combatants, including from digital threats. The Health Field Officer will interact internally with other health staff and operations departments, and externally with national health authorities and international and local stakeholders.
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US imposes 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products, and Canada says it will retaliate

US imposes 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products, and Canada says it will retaliate

The United States is imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products after last-ditch negotiations failed to resolve the latest strain in already tense relations between the historic allies
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Trump Administration Initiates First Deportation Flight to Haiti Following End of TPS

Trump Administration Initiates First Deportation Flight to Haiti Following End of TPS

The Trump administration has dispatched the first deportation flight to Haiti since the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Haitians in June. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flight, carrying 161 passengers, departed from Alexandria, Louisiana, and landed at Cap Haitien Airport on Thursday. This action follows a U.S. Supreme Court order in June that permitted the Trump administration to end TPS for over 350,000 Haitians. While ICE has conducted deportation flights to Haiti previously under the Trump administration, this marks the first such flight since the official end of TPS. It remains unclear whether any former TPS holders were among the 161 passengers on this specific flight. Separately, a third-country deportation flight also landed in Liberia, signifying the first forced transfer to the West African nation under a deportation agreement with the U.S. government.