US Reportedly Plans to Deport More Than 150 Afghans to Afghanistan via Pakistan

The Trump administration plans to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants back to Afghanistan via Pakistan, US media reported on Friday (October 30), according to AFP. Advocacy groups say the move could put the lives of those removed at risk. The New York Times, citing three unnamed US officials, reported that the first flight could leave as soon as Monday.

Background

AFP noted that President Donald Trump issued travel bans last year for several countries, including Afghanistan, as part of a broad immigration crackdown, and sought to end deportation protections for Afghans. Some of those Afghans had been granted special immigrant visas after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Among those expected to be deported, according to the group AfghanEvac, are relatives of Afghans who helped the US military before the fall of Kabul.

Why Pakistan is involved

The United States cannot arrange deportations directly to Afghanistan, so officials told the Times that Pakistan will oversee the expulsions. Pakistan's government ordered law enforcement earlier this year to arrest Afghans without visas as part of a long-running repatriation policy that has pushed back millions of Afghans. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been tense since 2021 and worsened after deadly border clashes last October, with conflict intensifying again in February when Pakistan declared an open war on its neighbour. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring militants, which the Taliban government denies.

Reactions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to comment on Saturday at a G20 foreign ministers' gathering in Atlanta, directing questions to the Department of Homeland Security, which did not respond to AFP. AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver criticised the timing, which comes during the week of the US midterm elections, and said some of those facing removal are family members of men who served alongside US forces. The Taliban announced a general amnesty for those who worked with Western-backed governments after returning to power, but the United Nations has recorded reports of extrajudicial killings, detentions and abuses.

This is a developing story, and the reported plans have not been confirmed by US authorities in the article cited.

Source: The Star (AFP) - US to deport 150 Afghan immigrants back to Afghanistan via Pakistan

H5 Bird Flu Confirmed in Dolphin in South Australia, State Detections Reach 340

A new case of H5 bird flu has been confirmed in a common dolphin in South Australia, bringing the state's total number of confirmed detection events to 340, authorities said on Saturday (October 31). The information was reported by Xinhua and republished by The Star.

Where and how many

The South Australian government said in its latest update that the new detection was recorded at Victor Harbor on the Fleurieu Peninsula, south of the state capital Adelaide. It cautioned that the 340 confirmed events may involve more than 340 animals, because each event can include one or more infected animals. Since January 1, 2,874 tests have been conducted, and 15,872 reports have been made to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline since June 20.

Poultry and human risk

According to the update, no H5 bird flu infections have been detected in poultry or other livestock in the state, and the risk to human health remains low. These two points are the ones that authorities usually watch most closely, because spread into farms can hurt food supply and trade, while human cases would signal a more serious public health concern.

What the public is told to do

Authorities urged people to avoid touching sick or dead birds and other wildlife and to report suspected infections to the hotline. The same basic precautions are generally recommended in many countries where avian influenza is circulating: keep a safe distance from wildlife, keep pets away from carcasses and wash hands thoroughly after any outdoor activity near wetlands or beaches.

Why it matters

The detection in a marine mammal is notable because it shows the virus is being found in species beyond the birds that usually carry it. Wildlife agencies and health authorities routinely monitor such cases to understand how the virus behaves and whether it is adapting. For now, the official message from South Australia is that the situation involves wildlife and not farms, and that the risk to people is low.

Source: The Star (Xinhua) - H5 bird flu detected in dolphin in South Australia

Thousands Rally in Delhi Demanding India's Election Chief Resign Over Voter List Revision

Thousands of people protested in New Delhi on Sunday (November 1), demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a revision of voter lists, Reuters reported. The rally is the latest in more than a month of opposition demonstrations challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

What happened at the rally

Led by Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi, protesters marched from central Delhi to the historic Ramlila Maidan ground as hundreds of security personnel, some carrying batons and shields, surrounded the venue. Authorities had tightened security and warned of traffic diversions beforehand. Speaking from the stage, Gandhi said Kumar would have to vacate his post and described the removal of names from voter rolls as an attack on every citizen's voice. Protesters say the revision benefits Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The dispute over voter rolls

According to Reuters, the revision removed more than 130 million names from the rolls, more than the population of Japan. Opposition parties allege that the deletions disproportionately affected Muslim voters and members of other minorities who are unlikely to support the BJP. The Election Commission says the aim is to update the lists by removing duplicate and ineligible voters. It has denied favouring any party and says wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol. One protester told Reuters that four members of her family were deleted because of a false record that they had moved away.

Government response

Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda called the protest a carefully orchestrated drama and a calculated conspiracy, while the BJP has accused rivals of undermining democracy by questioning legitimate electoral processes. The near-daily protests, involving opposition parties, student groups and a youth-led group, began in late September after the Indian Express reported that Kumar's two deputies had raised internal concerns about the revision.

The bigger picture

Reuters describes the protests as the worst crisis for Modi since he came to power in 2014, although his government remains stable and the next general election is not due until 2029.

Source: The Star (Reuters) - Thousands join Indian opposition protest demanding poll chief's resignation

Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Off Japan's Mie Prefecture, No Tsunami Warning Issued

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 struck off the south-east coast of Mie Prefecture in central Japan on Sunday morning (November 1), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The report was carried by Xinhua and republished by The Star. No tsunami warning has been issued.

Key details

According to the JMA, the quake occurred at around 7.15am local time at a depth of about 350 kilometres. It registered 3 on Japan's seismic intensity scale, which runs from 0 to 7, in parts of Fukushima Prefecture. The epicentre was located at 33.7 degrees north latitude and 137.1 degrees east longitude, in the waters off the coast.

What the numbers mean

As general background, Japan's intensity scale measures how strongly the ground shakes at a particular location, unlike magnitude, which describes the energy released at the source. A reading of 3 is generally considered light to moderate shaking that people indoors can clearly feel, but it rarely causes significant damage. The great depth of this earthquake is also relevant. Deep earthquakes tend to spread shaking over a wide area while producing less intense surface motion than shallow quakes of similar magnitude, and they are less likely to generate tsunamis. The initial report did not mention any damage or casualties.

Living with seismic risk

Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences earthquakes regularly, so its building codes, early warning systems and public drills are among the most developed in the world. Residents and visitors are encouraged to follow official updates from the JMA, since preliminary figures such as magnitude and depth can be revised as more data becomes available.

Malaysians who have family members, students or travel plans in Japan may wish to check advisories from the Malaysian embassy in Tokyo and local authorities. This post will be updated if further information is released.

Source: The Star (Xinhua) - Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes off Japan's Mie Prefecture

Hong Kong Leader Apologises for Tai Po Fire as Housing Chief Resigns

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has apologised for last year's deadly Tai Po fire and promised sweeping reforms, while Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho resigned to take political responsibility. The developments were reported by the South China Morning Post and republished by The Star on October 31.

The apology

Lee and seven other top officials bowed their heads at the start of a press briefing, the first time his administration directly expressed regret since the blaze at Wang Fuk Court on November 26 last year. The fire killed 168 people and displaced 1,984 families. Lee said the tragedy had caused pain and sorrow to the affected families and to society, and he apologised on behalf of the government.

The independent report

The briefing took place on the same day the government released a 1,154-page report by a judge-led independent committee, published 11 months after the fire. The committee concluded that the disaster resulted from faults and deliberate misconduct by private sector players, as well as decades of failure by government bodies overseeing construction, building management and fire safety. It named four government departments as bearing part of the blame, with the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit receiving the biggest share of responsibility. The report suggested that the tragedy could have been avoided.

Reforms announced

The government said it will pursue reforms in seven areas and revise six pieces of legislation, including giving the Competition Ordinance more power to criminalise bid-rigging in major building repair works. The Independent Checking Unit will be scrapped and replaced with a public housing control unit. A Public Service Commission team will also investigate 40 to 50 officers and interview about 100 civil servants over possible errors or misconduct.

Reaction

Beijing's liaison office praised the government's response, while Lee was repeatedly asked at the briefing whether the apology came too late and whether more officials, or he himself, should be held accountable.

Source: The Star (SCMP) - Hong Kong leader John Lee apologises for Tai Po fire, unveils reforms as housing chief resigns