Af soldier seeks asylum after arrest at border
Houston, Jan 21: Abdul Wasi Safi kept documents detailing his time as an Afghan soldier who worked with the US military close to him as he made the monthslong, treacherous journey from Brazil to the US-Mexico border. He fled Afghanistan fearing retribution from the Taliban following the August 2021 American withdrawal, and hoped the paperwork would secure his asylum in the US. Despite thick jungles, raging rivers and beatings, he kept those documents safe. But after crossing the US-Mexico border near Eagle Pass, Texas, in September, Wasi Safi was arrested on a federal immigration charge. He remains jailed at a detention centre in Eden, Texas, and fears his asylum claim may be denied. If sent back to Afghanistan, he could be killed by the Taliban, which since its takeover has killed more than 100 Afghan officials and security force members, according to a United Nations report. (AP)
6.5 magnitude earthquake jolts Argentina
Buenos Aires:, Jan 21: An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 occurred 517 km North of Cardoba, Argentina at around 3:39 am on Friday (local time), according to National Center for Seismology. “Earthquake of Magnitude:6.5, Occurred on 21-01-2023, 03:39:37 IST, Lat: -26.82 & Long: -63.36, Depth: 586 Km, Location: 517km N of Cardoba,” tweeted NCS. The quake was 104 km from Monte Quemado, Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina. The quake struck at a depth of 600 kilometres (372.82 miles), according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). The tremors were felt in Paraguay and Argentina, as per US Geological Survey. (AP)