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US cancels Fulbright Program, citing inability to provide safe exchange experience

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The US State Department has announced the suspension of its prestigious Fulbright Foreign Student Program in Afghanistan.

A State Department official told ABC News the decision was delivered to 140 semi-finalists who had been chosen last year but left in limbo following the chaotic withdrawal of US troops in August.

"Due to significant barriers impeding our ability to provide a safe exchange experience, the selection process for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program in Afghanistan for the 2022-23 academic year will not move forward," a State Department official told ABC News.

"We recognize the significant time and effort that the current applicants have invested and understand that this decision brings disappointment," h said.

According to ABC News, the program has been suspended for the foreseeable future.

"At this time, we are not proceeding with or accepting applications for the Fulbright Program in Afghanistan. Should conditions change such that we can again support Fulbright opportunities for Afghan students, we will again invite applications for the program," the official added.

While the program will continue for the more than 100 Fulbright students from Afghanistan who are currently studying in the US, the official did not provide details on their return to their country.


The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 with a goal of international relationship building by offering both grants to US citizens to study or teach abroad and to non-US citizens to study in the United States.

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Canada sent 19 failed asylum seekers back to Afghanistan last year

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Canada's border guards sent 19 rejected Afghan asylum seekers back to the country last year despite Otawa’s Temporary Suspension of Removals (TSR) that has been in place for Afghan nationals since 1994.

CBC reported that none of the 19 Afghans had their cases rejected on the basis of safety or security risks. The border service did not however reveal further details.

The border agency said a TSR is meant to "halt removals to a country or place when general conditions, such as armed conflict or an environmental disaster, pose a risk to the entire civilian population."

It also said individuals who were found inadmissible "on grounds of criminality, serious criminality, international or human rights violations, organized crime, or security" can be removed despite a TSR, CBC reported.

The CBSA said the 19 who failed their refugee claims left Canada "voluntarily," and that the Afghans were "aware that they benefit from a stay of removal due to the Temporary Suspension of Removal on Afghanistan but requested to have their removal order enforced despite the legislative stay.

"In other words, the individual was advised that they can remain in Canada until the TSR is lifted and they opted to return to Afghanistan."

Canada has welcomed some 54,000 Afghans since August 2021, surpassing a commitment it made to bring in 40,000 in 2021.

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Trump team compiling list of military officers responsible for US withdrawal from Afghanistan

Trump has on a number of occasions condemned the withdrawal as a “humiliation” and “the most embarrassing day in the history of our country.” 

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The Trump transition team is compiling a list of senior current and former U.S. military officers who were directly involved in the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and exploring whether they could be court-martialed. 
 
NBC reported that the team working on the transition of power between President-elect Donald Trump and outgoing President Joe Biden are considering creating a commission to investigate the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
 
Citing a US official and a person familiar with the plan, NBC stated a commission would then gather information about who was directly involved in the decision-making for the military, how it was carried out, and whether the military leaders could be eligible for charges as serious as treason.
 
“They’re taking it very seriously,” the person with knowledge of the plan said.
 
The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
 
Matt Flynn, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for counternarcotics and global threats, is helping lead the effort, the sources said. 
 
Trump has on a number of occasions condemned the withdrawal as a “humiliation” and “the most embarrassing day in the history of our country.” 
 
NBC reports however that it is not clear what would legally justify “treason” charges since the military officers were following the orders of President Joe Biden to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
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Ottawa taking detention of Canadian in Afghanistan ‘very seriously’

Lavery helped an estimated 100 Afghans flee Kabul during the chaotic withdrawal of US and allied forces.

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The Canadian government is taking "very seriously" the detention in Afghanistan of a former member of Canada's elite special forces, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday.

Retired soldier David Lavery, known in Kabul as Canadian Dave, was detained by the Islamic Emirate shortly after landing in Kabul on Monday, according to Canadian broadcaster CTV News.

His whereabouts are unknown, the outlet added, citing unnamed sources.

Asked about Lavery, Trudeau said: "I can first of all assure you that the Canadian government is taking very, very seriously the situation."

He also said consular assistance has been provided to Lavery's family.

Lavery helped an estimated 100 Afghans flee Kabul during the chaotic withdrawal of US and allied forces.

He spent decades in the Canadian military and is said to have been a key member of its elite Joint Task Force 2 special operations unit.

More recently, Lavery has reportedly operated a private security firm in Kabul.

The Islamic Emirate has not yet commented.

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