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  • Trump Claims to Have Resolved Many Wars — Is He Right?

    Trump Claims to Have Resolved Many Wars — Is He Right?

    President Donald Trump claims he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize after engaging in eight conflicts since assuming office last January. However, many of the underlying issues remain unresolved, and hostilities have reignited in some areas, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and along the Cambodia-Thailand border.

    Here are some of the key international disputes Trump has involved himself in:

    Armenia and Azerbaijan
    On August 8 of the previous year, Trump facilitated a meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to sign a joint declaration promising to pursue peaceful relations, ending decades of hostility. Later, Trump explained on a radio show that he got to know the leaders through trade dealings. He questioned their ongoing conflict, saying, “Why are you guys fighting? I told them, ‘I won’t do a trade deal if you’re fighting — it’s crazy.’” The two nations agreed to a ceasefire in 2023 and drafted a peace agreement in March, though it remains unsigned. The White House-backed declaration stops short of a formal treaty and includes unresolved issues, such as Armenia possibly needing to revise its constitution. Economic deals were also made, granting the U.S. development rights through a strategic transit corridor in southern Armenia, purportedly to boost energy exports. Vice President JD Vance visited both countries in February, signing strategic partnerships and a nuclear accord.

    Cambodia and Thailand
    Tensions persist between Thailand and Cambodia despite a fragile ceasefire brokered in part by Trump. After a five-day military clash along the border in July—the worst in over ten years—Trump reached out to then-acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai two days after hostilities began. He conditioned trade deals on an end to the conflict. Trump oversaw a ceasefire agreement signed in Malaysia in October, but it collapsed within weeks, prompting a new ceasefire on December 27.

    Israel, Iran, and Palestinian Territories
    Trump chaired a meeting of his Peace Initiative aimed at resolving conflicts in Gaza. In October, Israel and Hamas agreed to a first-phase ceasefire and hostage deal, but fighting persists. The agreement marked progress in ending a two-year conflict that resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian casualties, with both sides exchanging accusations of breach. Fundamental issues remain unresolved, including Hamas’ disarmament, governance of Gaza, and the presence of international security forces. Trump also sought to expand the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and Arab countries. Initially, he engaged with Iran over its nuclear program, but Israel’s aerial strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, with U.S. support, intensified tensions. Trump claimed to have obliterated Iran’s key nuclear sites, though reports suggest the program was only temporarily damaged. Recently, Trump has threatened Iran with increased military pressure, including a significant buildup in the Middle East.

    Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo
    This year, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels launched a swift offensive, controlling more territory in eastern Congo than ever before, raising fears of regional spillover. Under Trump’s influence, Rwanda and Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal on June 27, though implementation remains incomplete. Trump hosted Congo and Rwandan leaders at a Washington event in December, where they reaffirmed their commitment to his peace plan. Nevertheless, fighting continues, with accusations from Congo and the U.S. of Rwanda violating commitments. Rwanda denies backing M23, but UN experts and Congolese officials dispute this. Separate talks mediated by Qatar are underway. A December agreement between Congo and the U.S. on critical minerals faces constitutional questions, casting doubt on its durability. The conflict ties back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, with the U.S. keen on accessing Congo’s strategic minerals to compete with China.

    India and Pakistan
    In May, tensions between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan surged following an attack India blamed on Pakistan. Trump, along with Marco Rubio and JD Vance, urged de-escalation. A ceasefire was declared after four days of fighting, though fundamental disputes remain unaddressed. Trump later claimed that U.S. threat of trade sanctions helped secure the truce, a point India disputes.

    Egypt and Ethiopia
    Long-standing tensions over Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam continue, with Egypt fearing water shortages in the Nile. Trump expressed confidence in a resolution, saying, “We’re working on that one problem, but it’ll be solved.” Later, the White House suggested the conflict was formally resolved, though details remain unclear. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed proceeded with dam filling in September despite objections from Egypt and Sudan. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to defend Egypt’s interests.

    Serbia and Kosovo
    Five years after Trump brokered peace agreements to enhance economic ties, tensions still simmer. Trump claimed to have halted a war between them during his first term and intended to fix the situation again. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia views it as part of its territory, and no peace treaty exists. Prime Minister Albin Kurti seeks greater control over northern Kosovo, inhabited mainly by ethnic Serbs skeptical of independence. President Vjosa Osmani credited Trump with preventing escalation recently, though Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied concerns of imminent conflict.

    Russia and Ukraine
    During his 2024 campaign, Trump controversially claimed he could resolve the Ukraine conflict within a day. The nearly four-year war has left over a million casualties, and efforts to end it have stalled. Trump has oscillated between calls for a ceasefire and insisting negotiations could still succeed amid ongoing combat. He imposed sanctions on Russia’s largest oil firms in October and recently pushed Ukraine’s leader to accept a deal favoring Moscow, causing concern among European allies. Recently, no significant progress has emerged from these efforts.

    South Korea and North Korea
    Trump expressed intentions to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un once more to push for peace. During his presidency, Trump held three summits with Kim, but talks ultimately broke down over nuclear disarmament demands. North Korea has since advanced its missile and nuclear programs. Trump acknowledged North Korea’s nuclear capabilities in his second term and supported Seoul’s pursuit of nuclear submarines, while Kim suggested negotiations could resume if the U.S. dropped its nuclear demands.

    Additional Notes:
    Many conflicts Trump engaged with remain unresolved or have seen renewed hostilities, emphasizing the challenges of his interventionist approach on the global stage.

  • Pakistanis among hundreds fleeing to Thailand after Myanmar scam bust

    Pakistanis among hundreds fleeing to Thailand after Myanmar scam bust

    Almost 700 foreigners, including Pakistanis, have escaped Myanmar and crossed into Thailand, according to the Thai military. This surge follows a military operation targeting KK Park, a well-known cybercrime hub.

    Thailand has detained 677 individuals—618 men and 59 women—who entered Tak province at the border. The military stated that Myanmar’s armed forces have taken control of KK Park and are conducting inspections in the area, which has prompted many residents to flee into Thailand.

    The Thai authorities are processing these arrivals legally and are screening them thoroughly. Extra detention centers have been prepared in case current facilities become overcrowded, the military added.

    A video from Thai PBS captured on October 22, 2025, and shared with AFP shows people crossing the Moei River near KK Park from Myanmar into Thailand. The area is recognized internationally for its involvement with cyber scams.

    KK Park’s expansive complex is primarily operated by Chinese criminal groups, with local militia factions aligned with Myanmar’s military guards. The border zones among Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia have become hotspots for online scam operations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The United Nations reports that billions of dollars have been generated from trafficking hundreds of thousands of people forced to work in these illicit scam factories.

  • UK Government Tightens Immigration Amid Hard-Right Surge

    UK Government Tightens Immigration Amid Hard-Right Surge

    Sure! Here’s a rewritten version of the content in American English:

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    UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer gestures during an address.

    • Government’s policy document outlines plans to limit overseas care workers.
    • Starmer claims the policies will “finally regain control of our borders.”
    • Starmer warns the country could become an “island of strangers.”

    LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared on Monday that he would “finally regain control” of Britain’s borders as his administration introduced policies intended to reduce legal immigration and counter the growing influence of far-right groups.

    Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, stated that he was terminating an “experiment in open borders” that witnessed net migration surge to almost one million people during the tenure of the previous Conservative government, which lost last year’s elections.

    The government’s Immigration White Paper reveals plans to decrease the number of overseas care workers and to extend the period individuals must reside in the UK from five to ten years before being eligible for settlement and citizenship.

    Stricter English language requirements will be enacted, mandating that all adult dependents demonstrate a basic understanding of the language. Additionally, the duration students can remain in the UK after completing their studies will be shortened.

    Starmer stated that these measures would “finally regain control of our borders,” evoking the pro-Brexit slogan popular during the campaign to exit the European Union in 2016.

    In its general election manifesto last year, Labour committed to significantly lowering net immigration, which hit 728,000 in the year leading up to last June.

    It reached a peak of 906,000 in 2023 after averaging around 200,000 for much of the 2010s.

    Starmer, a former human rights attorney who supported remaining in the EU, faces intensified pressure to address immigration following significant gains by the anti-immigration Reform party in local elections.

    Nigel Farage’s party, known for its Eurosceptic stance, secured over 670 local council positions and its first two mayoralties. It is currently performing well in national polls while Labour is struggling.

    However, Starmer’s shift towards stricter immigration policies risks alienating a substantial portion of Labour’s liberal base, as the Liberal Democrats and Greens are gaining support from the left.

    The Prime Minister acknowledged that migrants “make significant contributions” to the UK but cautioned that, without more stringent controls, the nation risks becoming an “island of strangers.”

    He expressed a desire for net migration to decrease “significantly” by the next election, likely in 2029, yet declined to specify how much.

    ‘Turning the page on chaos’

    He faced criticism from a Labour MP, with Nadia Whittome accusing him on BlueSky of echoing the “scaremongering of the far-right.” She remarked, “Migrants are our neighbors, friends, and family,” and denounced the government’s “anti-migrant rhetoric” as shameful and dangerous.

    The White Paper introduces new powers to deport foreigners convicted of crimes in the country. Currently, the government is only notified of foreign nationals who receive prison sentences.

    With the new guidelines, all foreign nationals found guilty of offenses will be reported to the government.

    “Britain has benefited from individuals who come to launch new ventures, study at universities, contribute to our cultural and athletic achievements, and perform some of the most challenging jobs in the nation,” stated Interior Minister Yvette Cooper in Parliament.

    “For our immigration system to be both effective and fair, it must be properly regulated and managed,” she added, pledging to “reduce net migration and turn the page on chaos.”

    The document also imposes new visa controls requiring foreign skilled workers to have a university degree in order to secure employment in the UK.

    In a bid to reduce the number of lower-skilled migrants, Cooper indicated plans to cut 50,000 visas for lower-skilled workers this year.

    Regarding the proposal to lengthen the waiting period for settlement or citizenship applications, the government stated that high-skilled individuals “who play by the rules and contribute to the economy” could be expedited.

    Care England, a charity advocating for the adult care sector, criticized the move to halt new applications for social care visas from abroad, describing it as a “crushing blow to an already fragile sector.” CEO Martin Green said, “International recruitment wasn’t a cure-all, but it was a lifeline. Removing it without warning, funding, or alternatives is not only shortsighted, it’s cruel.”

    Starmer is also being pressured to halt the influx of migrants crossing the English Channel in inflatable dinghies. More than 36,800 made the crossing last year, according to government statistics, with several fatalities reported.

    Separate legislation aimed at addressing irregular immigration, known as the Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, is currently under consideration in Parliament.

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