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World’s most powerful passports: Japan tops 2020 rankings
The Henley Passport Index, which measures the world's most travel-friendly passports from time to time based on data received from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA), has released its first report of the new decade.
According to the report, Japan is now on top of the list. Now, a Japanese passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 191 destinations around the globe.
Asia dominates the top of the list, with Singapore in second place and South Korea joins Germany in third place.
European countries stay strong in the top 10 of the rankings, while the US and the UK are shown down the rankings – from the number one to eighth in comparison to what they held in 2015 rankings.
Afghanistan ranks the lowest. Its passport stands in number 107 – last in the list.
A Japanese passport holder can access 165 more destinations than a holder of the world's weakest passport, that of Afghanistan, which offers visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to just 26 destinations.
Eleven people have been killed in a shooting at a shrine in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province, local sources said on Friday.
The incident took place at 9 pm on Thursday at the shrine of Sayed Padsha Jan in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district.
A local resident said the dead were residents of Nahrin district and wanted to spend the night at the shrine.
Asadullah Mustafa Hashemi, the provincial information and culture director, confirmed the incident but did not provide details on how it happened or the number of casualties.
Provincial police spokesman said they had not received any information about the incident yet.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Serdar Muhammetdurdiyev on Thursday met with Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan announced.
During the meeting, the sides discussed priority vectors of strategic interstate cooperation built on a long-term, mutually beneficial basis, as well as exchanged views on the implementation of previously reached agreements.
It was noted that personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a key role in intensifying the interstate dialogue, which give a strong impulse to further development and expansion of Turkmen-Chinese ties.
It was emphasized that Turkmenistan considers multilateral international platforms for maintaining stability in Afghanistan as an important factor in promoting sustainable improvement of socio-economic state of the neighboring country. The sides exchanged views on the preparations to the 5th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan's Neighboring States to be held in Turkmenistan.
The interlocutors reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide all-round support for the economic restoration of Afghanistan.
The U.S. House Of Representatives has passed a legislation on evacuation of Afghans who assisted Americans during the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
“The passage of the CARE Authorization Act of 2024 further underscores the commitment made by the U.S. government to safeguard those who served shoulder-to-shoulder with our personnel during the twenty-year mission in Afghanistan,” Congresswoman Dina Titus said in a statement.
“The State Department has made it clear: There is no deadline for the crucial job of protecting Afghan allies. By authorizing the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts at the State Department, we can more effectively relocate and resettle those who have qualified to immigrate to the U.S. as a result of their service to this country.”
In 2022 the State Department established a specialized office called the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) to streamline and coordinate the ongoing relocation and resettlement process for eligible Afghans from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the United States.
The CARE Authorization Act of 2024 will formally authorize the CARE office at the State Department for three years and grant important authorities to advance its mission. These include an extension of authorities to enter into personal services contracts as well as measures to streamline the transfer of funds to and from other agencies involved in the Afghan relocation mission.
Eleven people shot dead at shrine in Baghlan
Chinese, Turkmen officials meet to discuss Afghanistan
U.S. House approves bill on evacuation of Afghan allies
Gunmen attack Pakistan passenger vehicles, killing at least 38 people
Tahawol: Expanding ties & cooperation with Iran discussed
China to offer Afghanistan tariff-free trade
Private sectors of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan sign contracts worth $100 million
Pakistan bans entry to parks, zoos as air pollution worsens
Gurbaz ton guides Afghanistan to seal ODI series over Bangladesh
Trump, Putin speak as Biden plans to lobby Trump to stick with Ukraine
Tahawol: Expanding ties & cooperation with Iran discussed
Saar: Calls for improving Afghanistan’s relations discussed
Tahawol: Calls for expanding cooperation between Afghanistan-Iran discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s self-sufficiency challenges reviewed
Tahawol: Concerns over tension between Russia-Ukraine reviewed
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