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US judge strikes down Trump visa suspension for 75 countries, including Afghanistan

The decision is significant for Afghan applicants who have been waiting for US immigrant visas, including some applicants pursuing family-based and other immigrant pathways.

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A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, including Afghanistan, ruling that the measure exceeded the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan described the policy as “patently unlawful,” saying it conflicted with federal immigration law by categorically restricting immigrant visa issuance based on applicants’ nationality.

The State Department introduced the suspension in January, affecting applicants from countries across South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Balkans. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh were among the countries covered by the policy. The department had argued that applicants from the designated countries were considered at high risk of becoming dependent on public assistance in the United States.

The judge’s ruling followed a lawsuit brought by immigrant-rights organizations, visa applicants and US citizens sponsoring relatives from affected countries. The plaintiffs argued that the blanket suspension unlawfully prevented consular officers from making individualized assessments required under immigration law.

The decision is significant for Afghan applicants who have been waiting for US immigrant visas, including some applicants pursuing family-based and other immigrant pathways. However, the ruling does not mean that all Afghan visa restrictions have been removed or that visas will be issued automatically. Individual applicants must still meet all applicable immigration and security requirements, and other US entry restrictions remain separate from the policy challenged in this case.

The ruling is another legal challenge to the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which the administration says is intended to strengthen screening and protect US national security. Immigrant-rights groups have argued that some of the administration’s measures unlawfully restrict due process and disproportionately affect people from certain countries.

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Muttaqi and Iranian representative discuss expansion of bilateral relations

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Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met on Wednesday with Mohammad Reza Bahrami, a representative of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the sidelines of the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format and discussed ways to expand bilateral relations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides exchanged views on Afghanistan-Iran relations, regional developments, and ways to strengthen mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Muttaqi expressed appreciation for Iran’s engagement with Afghanistan and its constructive participation in regional meetings, emphasizing the need to further expand relations between Kabul and Tehran.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Bahrami stressed the importance of relations between the two countries and shared Iran’s views on regional cooperation, stability, and expanding economic engagement between Afghanistan and Iran.

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British special forces could face prosecution over alleged Afghanistan crimes

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The UK Ministry of Defence identified material suggesting that British service personnel may have committed “serious offences” in Afghanistan, including possible murder, manslaughter and grievous bodily harm, a High Court hearing in London was told.

The information was referred by UK Special Forces (UKSF) to the Defence Serious Crime Command earlier this year, The Independent reported.

According to the court, any criminal investigation into the allegations has been paused pending the outcome of the Afghanistan Inquiry.

The inquiry, chaired by Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, is examining allegations that UK special forces unlawfully killed people during operations in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013, as well as claims of a subsequent cover-up.

It is also investigating allegations of inadequate investigations by the Royal Military Police.

The latest court proceedings relate to a senior British soldier, identified only as Witness IIA126, who is challenging the inquiry’s decision to restrict his and his lawyers’ access to certain evidence.

His lawyer, Kate Grange KC, argued that the restrictions had prevented the soldier from reviewing evidence concerning an allegation that a person was shot in the head while possibly asleep during a “deliberate detention operation.”

The inquiry is opposing the legal challenge, arguing that the restrictions were necessary to protect the identities of witnesses whose evidence was considered highly sensitive.

Jonathan Glasson KC, representing the inquiry, told the court that the discovery of material potentially indicating serious offences did not mean that any particular individual would necessarily face criminal charges.

The inquiry is expected to continue its examination of the allegations, with a written judgment on the latest legal challenge due at a later date.

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Afghan agriculture minister in Tashkent for international forum

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Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Attaullah Omari, has arrived in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, to attend an international forum on food security and sustainable development.

Omari is visiting Tashkent at the invitation of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture and is scheduled to participate in the Global Technical Forum for Landlocked Countries on Food Security and Sustainable Development Goals, being held from October 7 to 8.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture said the visit will provide an opportunity to discuss expanding bilateral and regional cooperation with Uzbekistan in agriculture, irrigation, livestock, trade and investment.

The Afghan delegation is also expected to meet officials and representatives from participating countries to discuss agricultural exports, trade, investment opportunities, and the exchange of technical knowledge and expertise.

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