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China welcomes Huawei executive home, but silent on freed Canadians

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Chinese state media welcomed telecoms giant Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, back to the “motherland” on Saturday, after more than 1,000 days under house arrest in Canada, on what they called unfounded charges of bank fraud.

But they have kept silent about Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, the two Canadians released from Chinese custody in an apparent act of reciprocation by Beijing.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV carried a statement by the Huawei executive, written as her plane flew over the North Pole, avoiding U.S. airspace.

Her eyes were “blurring with tears” as she approached “the embrace of the great motherland”, Meng said. “Without a strong motherland, I wouldn’t have the freedom I have today.”

Meng was arrested in December 2018 in Vancouver after a New York court issued an arrest warrant, saying she tried to cover up attempts by Huawei-linked companies to sell equipment to Iran in breach of U.S. sanctions.

After more than two years of legal wrangling, she was finally allowed to leave Canada and fly back to China on Friday, after securing a deal with U.S. prosecutors.

Huawei, founded by Meng’s father Ren Zhengfei, said in a statement that it “looked forward to seeing Ms. Meng returning home safely to be reunited with her family.” It said it would continue to defend itself against U.S. charges.

Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, detained by Chinese authorities just days after Meng’s arrest, were released a few hours later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

State news agency Xinhua formally acknowledged the end of Meng’s house arrest on Saturday, attributing her release to the “unremitting efforts of the Chinese government”.

Hu Xijin, editor in chief of the Global Times tabloid backed by the ruling Communist Party, wrote on Twitter that “international relations have fallen into chaos” as a result of Meng’s “painful three years”.

He added, “No arbitrary detention of Chinese people is allowed.”

However, neither Hu nor other media have mentioned the release of Spavor and Kovrig, and reactions on China’s Twitter-like Weibo social media platform have been few and far between.

The foreign ministry has not commented publicly.

China has previously denied engaging in “hostage diplomacy”, insisting that the arrest and detention of the two Canadians was not tied in any way to the extradition proceedings against Meng.

Spavor was accused of supplying photographs of military equipment to Kovrig and sentenced to 11 years in jail in August. Kovrig had still been awaiting sentencing.

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DABS names Abdul Haq Hamkar as new CEO

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Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) officially introduced Al-Haj Mullah Abdul Haq Hamkar as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a special decree by the Islamic Emirate’s Supreme Leader Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials, including representatives from the Ministries of Defense and Interior, provincial authorities, national institutions, the former DABS CEO Abdul Bari Omar, and directors and staff of the company.

Speakers highlighted recent progress at DABS, efforts to improve transparency and services, and the company’s move from losses toward profitability. In his remarks, Hamkar emphasized the importance of orderly transfer of responsibilities, obedience to leadership, and expanding electricity services, noting the central role of power supply in daily life and economic development.

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Afghan FM Muttaqi holds talks with UNAMA’s officer-in-change Georgette Gagnon

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Amir Khan Mutaqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, met on Tuesday in Kabul with Georgette Gagnon, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting covered the upcoming visit of Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, to Kabul, as well as the progress and upcoming meetings of the Doha Process working groups on counter-narcotics and private sector support, and other related issues.

The statement added that Muttaqi said the Islamic Emirate has made satisfactory progress in the Doha Process working groups, but opposing parties have yet to achieve significant results regarding alternative livelihoods and banking issues.

He emphasized that it is necessary for the relevant parties to take effective steps in these areas to enable progress in other sectors as well.

Gagnon referred to DiCarlo’s visit at the end of this month and called for cooperation in this regard.

She also evaluated the outcomes of previous sessions of the two Doha Process working groups positively and noted that further attention would be given to these matters.

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Pakistan approves re-export of stranded Afghan transit trade cargo

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The federal government has approved the re-export of all Afghan transit trade consignments stranded at Karachi and Gwadar ports, offering relief to traders affected by prolonged border closures.

According to Pakistani media, traders will be allowed to re-export their Afghan transit shipments through any Pakistani seaport of their choice.

Sources said the commerce minister has formally conveyed the decision to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The measure aims to ease congestion and address disruptions caused by the suspension of trade routes.

Pakistan had earlier closed the Torkham and Chaman crossings for commercial activity due to security concerns, halting transit trade between the two countries from October 12.

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