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Israeli occupier attacks threaten historic Christian presence in West Bank town

In Taybeh, one of the few Palestinian communities with a Christian majority in the occupied West Bank, fears are growing that Israeli occupier attacks on farmland and property could push more families to emigrate, threatening the town’s demographic character and historic Christian presence. Local officials and clergy warned of the impact of rising violence by Israeli occupiers, which has coincided with worsening living and economic conditions in the town. Taybeh, east of Ramallah, is one of the few Palestinian towns in the West Bank that still has a Christian majority, according to church and local accounts. Residents say the town’s Christian roots go back thousands of years. Residents say the attacks have deepened fears in the town, even as they stress their determination to remain on their land. Also Read: Pakistan raises red flag over illegal settlements in West Bank, calls for Israel accountability In recent years, Israeli occupiers have established several ill...

US State Dept denies reports of travel ban list

The US State Department has dismissed reports suggesting that the government is preparing a list to impose new visa restrictions on several countries. Reaffirming its commitment to resettling Afghans who assisted the US mission in Afghanistan, the department clarified that no such list exists. At a recent news briefing, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce acknowledged that the Trump administration was conducting a broader security review of visa policies, following an executive order issued on January 20. However, Bruce refuted claims that Afghanistan was on a list of nations facing a full suspension of visa issuance. “There is no list. What people are looking at over these last several days is not a list that exists here that is being acted on,” she stated. She further explained that the review is part of an ongoing process to evaluate visa policies and improve US security. The spokesperson's response follows the emergence of a draft list that reportedly includes 41 countries, such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, categorised into three groups, each subject to different levels of travel restrictions. The memo, which was seen by Reuters identifies 41 countries, proposes a full visa suspension for a first group of nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea. In the second group, five countries would face partial suspensions that would impact tourist and student visas as well as other immigrant visas, with some exceptions. In the third group, a total of 26 countries that includes Belarus, Pakistan and Turkmenistan among others would be considered for a partial suspension of US visa issuance if their governments "do not make efforts to address deficiencies within 60 days", the memo said.

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