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Democrats urge Rubio to rescue a refugee program he once supported

But the Democrats say this kind of assistance to refugees does not qualify as “foreign development assistance,” since it helps people in the United States rather than abroad.

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Congressional Democrats are appealing to Marco Rubio to restart refugee resettlement services — something the new Secretary of State supported as a Republican senator from Florida — after the Trump administration issued stop work orders to halt programs, Politico reported.

In a letter, a group of lawmakers urged their former colleague to use his leverage to undo the pause on Reception and Placement services, which help refugees rebuild in the U.S, the newspaper reported.

On the first day of his administration, President Donald Trump moved to suspend the entire U.S. Refugee Admissions Program until further notice and issued a pause on “foreign development assistance.”

But the Democrats say this kind of assistance to refugees does not qualify as “foreign development assistance,” since it helps people in the United States rather than abroad.

They also cite the 32,000 refugees that relocated to the U.S. through the Refugee Admissions Program in fiscal year 2025 — a number of whom are still eligible for assistance through the R&P program — in addition to the many Afghan nationals now in the country who aided U.S. efforts in Afghanistan and are now also eligible for help.

“The stop work orders undermine legal obligations that the Department has entered into through its contracts with U.S.-based and intergovernmental organizations, increasing new arrivals’ vulnerability to homelessness and food insecurity at a time when they still have no lifeline for support,” the members wrote.

Signers of the letter are the top Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary Committee — Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, respectively — alongside the ranking members of each panel’s immigration subcommittee — Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Sen. Alex Padilla of California.

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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi

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Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.

Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.

This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.

The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.

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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions

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Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.

During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.

Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.

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Afghanistan makes major strides in cutting drug trafficking, says Putin

Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin says Afghanistan has taken “active and effective” steps to curb drug trafficking, noting a significant drop in opium production across the country. He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with India Today during his India trip, highlighting what he described as “visible progress” in Afghanistan’s internal security efforts.

Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders. He added that Afghanistan has also made important advancements in the fight against terrorism.

Responding to a question about why Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate, the Russian president said Afghanistan had been engulfed in civil conflict for many years, but the current authorities now hold control over the country. “This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged,” Putin emphasized.

He further noted that maintaining contact with Afghanistan’s leadership is crucial for shaping events inside the country. “If you want influence, you must engage with the people in charge — and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

Putin’s remarks come as several regional powers continue to recalibrate their diplomatic strategies toward Afghanistan, focusing on stability, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.

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