Afghan Taliban government swaps prisoners with US

The Taliban government said Tuesday it had released two American citizens from prison in return for an Afghan fighter held in the United States, in a deal brokered by Qatar.Outgoing US president Joe Biden agreed on the deal shortly before leaving office on Monday, with the exchange finally taking place after Donald Trump returned to the White House, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.”An Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammed, imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.The ministry said Mohammed had been serving a life sentence in California after being arrested “almost two decades ago” in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.Mohammed, who was convicted of narco-terrorism by a US court, returned to the province on Tuesday, where he was greeted by a crowd and presented with garlands of flowers. He told journalists he was grateful to the Taliban authorities for his release and he was “very happy” to be reunited with his family.”A lot of innocent people are imprisoned, my request is that all of them can be released and be able to return to their homes,” he said.His son, Rafiullah Mohammed, said his father was innocent and that the family demanded compensation.Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP two US nationals had been released, declining to provide any further details on the exchange.- ‘Overwhelming gratitude’ – The family of US citizen Ryan Corbett, who was detained by the Taliban in 2022, confirmed he was released and thanked both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as Qatar.”Today, our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” the family said on their website.They called for two other Americans still held in Afghanistan to be released.The person familiar with the deal confirmed William McKenty as the second released American detainee. Little is known about what he was doing in Afghanistan and his family asked for privacy.Qatar’s lead negotiator, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, confirmed the Gulf state’s mediation in the exchange, with all the released people going through Doha.Two other Americans are believed to remain in detention in Afghanistan, former airline mechanic George Glezmann and naturalised American Mahmood Habibi.In August 2024, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was seeking information about the disappearance of Afghan-American businessman Habibi two years previously.- ‘New chapter’ -Biden came under heavy criticism for the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021, more than a year after Trump presided over a deal with the Taliban insurgents to end US and NATO involvement in the two-decade war.After Trump’s election win in November, the Taliban government had said it hoped for a “new chapter” in ties with the United States.Taliban authorities have repeatedly said they want positive relations with every country since sweeping back to power in 2021.No state has officially recognised their government, with restrictions on women’s rights a key sticking point for many countries, including the United States.The Taliban government on Tuesday called the exchange “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue, expressing special gratitude for the effective role of the brotherly country of Qatar in this regard”.”The Islamic Emirate views positively those actions of the United States that contribute to the normalisation and expansion of relations between the two countries,” it added, using the Taliban authorities’ name for their government.A 2008 US Department of Justice statement named Mohammed — in his 30s at the time — as a member of “an Afghan Taliban cell” and said he was arrested in October 2006 and sentenced in December 2008 to “two terms of life in prison on drug and narco-terrorism charges”. It was the first narco-terrorism conviction in a US federal court, the statement said.At least one Afghan prisoner remains in detention at the secretive US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Muhammad Rahim, whose family called for his release in November 2023. In February last year, two former prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017 were welcomed home to Afghanistan, more than 20 years after they were arrested. 

Afghan Taliban government swaps prisoners with US

The Taliban government said Tuesday it had released two American citizens from prison in return for an Afghan fighter held in the United States, in a deal brokered by Qatar.Outgoing US president Joe Biden agreed on the deal shortly before leaving office on Monday, with the exchange finally taking place after Donald Trump returned to the White House, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.”An Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammed, imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.The ministry said Mohammed had been serving a life sentence in California after being arrested “almost two decades ago” in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.Mohammed, who was convicted of narco-terrorism by a US court, returned to the province on Tuesday, where he was greeted by a crowd and presented with garlands of flowers. He told journalists he was grateful to the Taliban authorities for his release and he was “very happy” to be reunited with his family.”A lot of innocent people are imprisoned, my request is that all of them can be released and be able to return to their homes,” he said.His son, Rafiullah Mohammed, said his father was innocent and that the family demanded compensation.Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP two US nationals had been released, declining to provide any further details on the exchange.- ‘Overwhelming gratitude’ – The family of US citizen Ryan Corbett, who was detained by the Taliban in 2022, confirmed he was released and thanked both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as Qatar.”Today, our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” the family said on their website.They called for two other Americans still held in Afghanistan to be released.The person familiar with the deal confirmed William McKenty as the second released American detainee. Little is known about what he was doing in Afghanistan and his family asked for privacy.Qatar’s lead negotiator, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, confirmed the Gulf state’s mediation in the exchange, with all the released people going through Doha.Two other Americans are believed to remain in detention in Afghanistan, former airline mechanic George Glezmann and naturalised American Mahmood Habibi.In August 2024, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was seeking information about the disappearance of Afghan-American businessman Habibi two years previously.- ‘New chapter’ -Biden came under heavy criticism for the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021, more than a year after Trump presided over a deal with the Taliban insurgents to end US and NATO involvement in the two-decade war.After Trump’s election win in November, the Taliban government had said it hoped for a “new chapter” in ties with the United States.Taliban authorities have repeatedly said they want positive relations with every country since sweeping back to power in 2021.No state has officially recognised their government, with restrictions on women’s rights a key sticking point for many countries, including the United States.The Taliban government on Tuesday called the exchange “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue, expressing special gratitude for the effective role of the brotherly country of Qatar in this regard”.”The Islamic Emirate views positively those actions of the United States that contribute to the normalisation and expansion of relations between the two countries,” it added, using the Taliban authorities’ name for their government.A 2008 US Department of Justice statement named Mohammed — in his 30s at the time — as a member of “an Afghan Taliban cell” and said he was arrested in October 2006 and sentenced in December 2008 to “two terms of life in prison on drug and narco-terrorism charges”. It was the first narco-terrorism conviction in a US federal court, the statement said.At least one Afghan prisoner remains in detention at the secretive US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Muhammad Rahim, whose family called for his release in November 2023. In February last year, two former prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017 were welcomed home to Afghanistan, more than 20 years after they were arrested. 

Afghan Taliban government swaps prisoners with US

The Taliban government said Tuesday it had released two American citizens from prison in return for an Afghan fighter held in the United States, in a deal brokered by Qatar.Outgoing US president Joe Biden agreed on the deal shortly before leaving office on Monday, with the exchange finally taking place after Donald Trump returned to the White House, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.”An Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammed, imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.The ministry said Mohammed had been serving a life sentence in California after being arrested “almost two decades ago” in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.Mohammed, who was convicted of narco-terrorism by a US court, returned to the province on Tuesday, where he was greeted by a crowd and presented with garlands of flowers. He told journalists he was grateful to the Taliban authorities for his release and he was “very happy” to be reunited with his family.”A lot of innocent people are imprisoned, my request is that all of them can be released and be able to return to their homes,” he said.His son, Rafiullah Mohammed, said his father was innocent and that the family demanded compensation.Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP two US nationals had been released, declining to provide any further details on the exchange.- ‘Overwhelming gratitude’ – The family of US citizen Ryan Corbett, who was detained by the Taliban in 2022, confirmed he was released and thanked both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as Qatar.”Today, our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” the family said on their website.They called for two other Americans still held in Afghanistan to be released.The person familiar with the deal confirmed William McKenty as the second released American detainee. Little is known about what he was doing in Afghanistan and his family asked for privacy.Qatar’s lead negotiator, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, confirmed the Gulf state’s mediation in the exchange, with all the released people going through Doha.Two other Americans are believed to remain in detention in Afghanistan, former airline mechanic George Glezmann and naturalised American Mahmood Habibi.In August 2024, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was seeking information about the disappearance of Afghan-American businessman Habibi two years previously.- ‘New chapter’ -Biden came under heavy criticism for the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021, more than a year after Trump presided over a deal with the Taliban insurgents to end US and NATO involvement in the two-decade war.After Trump’s election win in November, the Taliban government had said it hoped for a “new chapter” in ties with the United States.Taliban authorities have repeatedly said they want positive relations with every country since sweeping back to power in 2021.No state has officially recognised their government, with restrictions on women’s rights a key sticking point for many countries, including the United States.The Taliban government on Tuesday called the exchange “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue, expressing special gratitude for the effective role of the brotherly country of Qatar in this regard”.”The Islamic Emirate views positively those actions of the United States that contribute to the normalisation and expansion of relations between the two countries,” it added, using the Taliban authorities’ name for their government.A 2008 US Department of Justice statement named Mohammed — in his 30s at the time — as a member of “an Afghan Taliban cell” and said he was arrested in October 2006 and sentenced in December 2008 to “two terms of life in prison on drug and narco-terrorism charges”. It was the first narco-terrorism conviction in a US federal court, the statement said.At least one Afghan prisoner remains in detention at the secretive US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Muhammad Rahim, whose family called for his release in November 2023. In February last year, two former prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017 were welcomed home to Afghanistan, more than 20 years after they were arrested. 

A69: la justice administrative rejette une demande de suspension du chantier

La justice administrative a rejeté mardi une demande de suspension en urgence du chantier de l’A69, autoroute contestée qui doit relier fin 2025 Toulouse et Castres, estimant qu’une telle mesure n’était pas nécessaire dans l’attente d’une décision sur le fond prévue en février.”Le juge des référés ne suspend pas les travaux de l’A69 car l’affaire devant être jugée +au fond+ par le tribunal le mois prochain, le projet en cause ne produira que très peu d’effet concret d’ici là”, écrit le tribunal dans un communiqué, rejetant ce nouveau recours de plusieurs associations et collectifs opposés à cette autoroute qu’ils considèrent “d’un autre temps”.”L’impact de la poursuite du chantier, dans ce court laps de temps, demeurera très limité”, poursuit le tribunal dans son communiqué, alors que “les impacts environnementaux ont d’ores et déjà été produits à l’échelle globale du chantier”.Dans sa décision, le juge évoque aussi un risque financier mis en avant par des promoteurs de l’A69, comme l’Etat ou le constructeur Atosca, selon lesquels “l’application des clauses de suspension du contrat de concession et des marchés de travaux en cours d’exécution, jointe au coût de sécurisation, se traduirait par un coût de plusieurs millions d’euros”.”Quand il s’agit de l’Etat ou du concessionnaire, on tolère beaucoup de choses et, par contre, quand il s’agit de respecter le droit de l’environnement, on s’accorde quelques largesses”, a aussitôt réagi Thomas Digard, du collectif d’opposants La Voie est libre.Pour lui, le juge “considère qu’un mois et demi de chantier ne peut pas avoir d’impact significatif et donc que ce n’est pas la peine de suspendre, mais on voit qu’il y a cinq mises en demeure contre le concessionnaire sur une période similaire. Il est donc tout à fait possible de porter atteinte à l’environnement en cinq semaines”, dit-il à l’AFP.En revanche, les préfectures des deux départements concernés par l’A69, le Tarn et la Haute-Garonne, rappellent mardi dans un communiqué commun qu'”après 22 mois de travaux et six recours en urgence traités par le tribunal administratif de Toulouse, le juge a, de manière constante, estimé que les conditions d’une suspension de chantier n’étaient pas réunies”.- Livraison fin 2025 -Sollicitée par l’AFP, une porte-parole d’Atosca souligne qu'”engagés à plus de 65% et mobilisant plus d’un millier de compagnons, les travaux se poursuivent avec l’objectif d’une livraison à la fin de l’année 2025″.Pour un autre partisan de l’A69, le président PS du conseil départemental du Tarn, Christophe Ramond, cette décision “réaffirme une fois de plus la légitimité de l’A69, soutenue par tout un bassin de vie”.Le 13 janvier dernier, à l’audience, les opposants à l’A69 avaient demandé la suspension “urgente” du chantier, dénonçant les effets sur l’environnement des “lourds travaux prévus” dans les semaines à venir.Le collectif La Voie est libre et d’autres associations avaient présenté ce recours après la réouverture de l’instruction concernant les autorisations environnementales du chantier, décidée le 9 décembre par le tribunal administratif de Toulouse.Cette décision avait été qualifiée d'”étonnante” par les associations qui, après des mois de lutte sans succès contre cette portion d’autoroute de 53 km, avaient repris espoir, quand la rapporteure publique s’était prononcée pour une annulation de l’autorisation du chantier, lors d’une audience sur le fond le 25 novembre.La nouvelle audience sur le fond pourrait avoir lieu avant fin février, selon un calendrier prévisionnel communiqué aux opposants par le tribunal administratif.

A69: la justice administrative rejette une demande de suspension du chantier

La justice administrative a rejeté mardi une demande de suspension en urgence du chantier de l’A69, autoroute contestée qui doit relier fin 2025 Toulouse et Castres, estimant qu’une telle mesure n’était pas nécessaire dans l’attente d’une décision sur le fond prévue en février.”Le juge des référés ne suspend pas les travaux de l’A69 car l’affaire devant être jugée +au fond+ par le tribunal le mois prochain, le projet en cause ne produira que très peu d’effet concret d’ici là”, écrit le tribunal dans un communiqué, rejetant ce nouveau recours de plusieurs associations et collectifs opposés à cette autoroute qu’ils considèrent “d’un autre temps”.”L’impact de la poursuite du chantier, dans ce court laps de temps, demeurera très limité”, poursuit le tribunal dans son communiqué, alors que “les impacts environnementaux ont d’ores et déjà été produits à l’échelle globale du chantier”.Dans sa décision, le juge évoque aussi un risque financier mis en avant par des promoteurs de l’A69, comme l’Etat ou le constructeur Atosca, selon lesquels “l’application des clauses de suspension du contrat de concession et des marchés de travaux en cours d’exécution, jointe au coût de sécurisation, se traduirait par un coût de plusieurs millions d’euros”.”Quand il s’agit de l’Etat ou du concessionnaire, on tolère beaucoup de choses et, par contre, quand il s’agit de respecter le droit de l’environnement, on s’accorde quelques largesses”, a aussitôt réagi Thomas Digard, du collectif d’opposants La Voie est libre.Pour lui, le juge “considère qu’un mois et demi de chantier ne peut pas avoir d’impact significatif et donc que ce n’est pas la peine de suspendre, mais on voit qu’il y a cinq mises en demeure contre le concessionnaire sur une période similaire. Il est donc tout à fait possible de porter atteinte à l’environnement en cinq semaines”, dit-il à l’AFP.En revanche, les préfectures des deux départements concernés par l’A69, le Tarn et la Haute-Garonne, rappellent mardi dans un communiqué commun qu'”après 22 mois de travaux et six recours en urgence traités par le tribunal administratif de Toulouse, le juge a, de manière constante, estimé que les conditions d’une suspension de chantier n’étaient pas réunies”.- Livraison fin 2025 -Sollicitée par l’AFP, une porte-parole d’Atosca souligne qu'”engagés à plus de 65% et mobilisant plus d’un millier de compagnons, les travaux se poursuivent avec l’objectif d’une livraison à la fin de l’année 2025″.Pour un autre partisan de l’A69, le président PS du conseil départemental du Tarn, Christophe Ramond, cette décision “réaffirme une fois de plus la légitimité de l’A69, soutenue par tout un bassin de vie”.Le 13 janvier dernier, à l’audience, les opposants à l’A69 avaient demandé la suspension “urgente” du chantier, dénonçant les effets sur l’environnement des “lourds travaux prévus” dans les semaines à venir.Le collectif La Voie est libre et d’autres associations avaient présenté ce recours après la réouverture de l’instruction concernant les autorisations environnementales du chantier, décidée le 9 décembre par le tribunal administratif de Toulouse.Cette décision avait été qualifiée d'”étonnante” par les associations qui, après des mois de lutte sans succès contre cette portion d’autoroute de 53 km, avaient repris espoir, quand la rapporteure publique s’était prononcée pour une annulation de l’autorisation du chantier, lors d’une audience sur le fond le 25 novembre.La nouvelle audience sur le fond pourrait avoir lieu avant fin février, selon un calendrier prévisionnel communiqué aux opposants par le tribunal administratif.

Trump starts firing opponents after executive order blitz

President Donald Trump announced plans to weed out some 1,000 opponents from the US government Tuesday on his first full day in power after taking office with a shock-and-awe blitz of executive orders.Trump was due to meet with leaders of the narrow Republican majority in Congress at the White House as he tries to get his agenda, including tax cuts, approved at rapid pace.In a post shortly after midnight on his Truth Social app, Trump said four people had already been “FIRED!” from advisory roles and made clear they were the tip of the iceberg as he seeks to quickly tighten his grip on the government bureaucracy.”My Presidential Personnel Office is actively in the process of identifying and removing over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the previous Administration, who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again,” he posted.One of those fired was retired general Mark Milley from an infrastructure advisory body. Milley was chairman of the joint chiefs of staff during Trump’s first presidency but became one of the Republican’s most prominent critics after he tried to overturn the 2020 election.The acting head of the Department of Homeland Security separately announced the firing of Coast Guard chief Linda Fagan, who was appointed under Democrat Joe Biden and was the first woman to head one of the six branches of the US military.Trump was inaugurated Monday in the Capitol’s ornate Rotunda, with ceremonies forced indoors due to bad weather for the first time in decades.Only a select group was able to attend in person, rather than the usual massive crowd on the Mall for inaugurations.In an unprecedented display of influence from America’s super-rich, major tycoons including Elon Musk and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos were among those with the best seats.After taking the oath, 78-year-old Trump — the oldest person ever to be sworn in as US president — signed a blizzard of executive actions intended to transform the country.These included pulling the United States from the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization, while pardoning hundreds of supporters convicted of crimes while attacking the Capitol four years ago in the attempt to overturn the election.- Media relations -Trump attended a prayer service at Washington’s National Cathedral on Tuesday, where just last month he had joined outgoing president Biden and the other living ex-presidents for the funeral of late president Jimmy Carter.Newly installed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would also make a “big infrastructure announcement” later, although she did not say what this would be.One thing not happening Tuesday was a traditional daily White House press briefing by the top spokeswoman, who indicated that — as during his first term — Trump himself would do the messaging.“I can confirm the American people won’t be hearing from me today, they’ll be hearing from the leader of the free world once again. President Trump will be speaking to the press later at the White House,” she told Trump-friendly Fox News.Trump likes to berate the “fake news media” and call journalists “the enemy of the people” but also encourages intensive press coverage — in stark contrast to the media-shy Biden.- ‘Golden age’  -Trump’s inaugural address in the Rotunda mixed dark imagery about a failing America with promises that he would usher in a “golden age.”After the pomp and ceremony, it was the showman Trump — along with the sometimes strongman-style rhetoric — that quickly took over.”Could you imagine Biden doing this? I don’t think so,” Trump told cheering supporters in a sports arena as he tossed them the pens used to sign a first round of orders.Once in the Oval Office, Trump held an impromptu 50-minute press conference as he signed multiple more orders, including the one pardoning around 1,500 Capitol rioters.He also declared a national emergency at the Mexican border and said he would deploy US troops to tackle illegal immigration — a key campaign issue in his November election victory over Kamala Harris.The returning president pledged to impose trade tariffs on Mexico and Canada, rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” and take “back” the Panama Canal, which has been controlled by the Central American country since 1999.He confirmed he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

M23 fighters further encircle key DR Congo city of GomaTue, 21 Jan 2025 16:58:25 GMT

The army acknowledged Tuesday a “breakthrough” by the M23 in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where the armed group fighting government forces has seized a trading hub that supplies the city of Goma. The fall of Minova to M23 fighters backed by the Rwandan army further encircles regional capital Goma in a conflict that has displaced …

M23 fighters further encircle key DR Congo city of GomaTue, 21 Jan 2025 16:58:25 GMT Read More »

Paris-Milan: la liaison SNCF rétablie le 31 mars, après 19 mois d’interruption

SNCF Voyageurs a annoncé mardi la réouverture de sa liaison entre Paris, Milan et Turin le 31 mars prochain, 19 mois après son interruption en raison d’un éboulement en vallée de Maurienne ayant endommagé un tunnel ferroviaire.”Nous allons rouvrir nos liaisons entre Paris et l’Italie !”, s’est réjoui dans une publication sur X le directeur de TGV-Intercités, Alain Krakovitch.La compagnie italienne Trenitalia, qui opère elle aussi une liaison sur cet axe, a annoncé le retour des trains entre Paris et l’Italie pour le 1er avril. Elle prévoit deux allers-retours par jour. SNCF Voyageurs proposera de son côté trois allers-retours quotidiens. La compagnie française a mis en place un service de substitution entre Paris et Milan en janvier dernier afin de conserver un aller-retour par jour.Les voyageurs empruntent un bus entre Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne (Savoie) et Oulx (Piémont) et effectuent le reste en TGV pour un voyage long de sept heures et demi à neuf heures – contre entre six à sept heures avant l’accident.Le 27 août 2023, une partie de falaise s’était effondrée en vallée de Maurienne après de fortes pluies qui avaient succédé à une sécheresse. Des milliers de tonnes de rochers avaient enseveli un tunnel ferroviaire long de 300 mètres environ et gravement endommagé l’infrastructure. Il a fallu purger la montagne de 5.000 mètres cubes de roche instable, grâce à des largages d’eau par hélicoptère ou encore du dynamitage, avant de sécuriser la falaise pour ensuite remettre en état le réseau.En temps normal, la voie ferrée reliant la France et l’Italie accueille chaque jour une trentaine de trains de marchandises internationaux ainsi que 5 à 6 allers-retours de trains à grande vitesse et la desserte locale par TER de la vallée de la Maurienne.

Les Bourses européennes ont terminé en hausse

Les Bourses européennes ont terminé en hausse mardi, digérant une première salve de décrets présidentiels de Donald Trump après son retour à la Maison Blanche et attendant d’en savoir plus sur sa politique commerciale vis-à-vis de l’Europe et de la Chine.La Bourse de Paris a gagné 0,48%, Londres a avancé de 0,33% et Francfort s’est octroyé 0,25%.