The war of words between Iran and the United States is intensifying as Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf mocked Donald Trump’s claims that Iran’s oil infrastructure was close to “exploding” under US blockade pressure. Ghalibaf said no oil wells had been affected and warned that Washington’s strategy could instead send global oil prices soaring toward $140 per barrel. The escalating standoff around the Strait of Hormuz continues to fuel fears of a deeper global energy crisis.


Iran Mocks Trump Oil Warning as Blockade Tensions Push Crude Toward $140

Following a month-long blockade of the Latin Corridor Nagano Karabakh, a small landlocked region that is situated within Azerbaijan is pretty much on the verge of a humanitarian crisis. It is struggling to even get basic necessities and thousands of residents there at this moment are said to be completely stranded with little access to food and medicine.

Azerbaijan: Food, essentials run out for Armenians over blockade, Karabakh under humanitarian crisis

China's imposition of 'undeclared blockade' against Nepal has severely disrupted traffic of consumer items across the border between the two countries. This is resulting in loss of millions of rupees. China is attempting to tighten its grip on Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani, the two most crucial trading points.

China is using the pretext of Covid prevention and only allowing two to three truckloads of goods each day from the trading points into Nepal.

“Since two years the trading with China has come down drastically. After the 2015 earthquake, Tatopani was shut down for almost four years, and later when it was opened, the border once was again shut down by Chinese authorities citing COVID which slowed down the trading," says Ashok Shreshtha President of the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association.

He added that China should make arrangements for easy import and export of goods from the border.

Concerns are mounting in Nepal. At least 300 trucks are stuck at Kerung and Tatopani border points for last 16 months, Shreshtha said.

He stressed that traders were incurring heavy losses. Chinese government is not issuing visas to Nepalese traders as a result of which &nbsp;they are not ordering any goods from China.

<img alt="Maps" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="25c39907-2992-4461-b539-455605b203f0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/image_3.png" />

(Map shows&nbsp;location of trading points)

Earlier, it used to take only two weeks for container trucks to reach Nepal through the northern land border with China, but it now takes nearly three months for Chinese goods to reach Nepal when imported through Indian ports.

It appears unlikely that Chinese government is unaware of the reality at Nepal-China border.&nbsp;

A statement released by the Chinese side earlier said that they had opened cargo transportation to nepal

“The Chinese side opened one-way cargo transportation to Nepal by overcoming great difficulties and has continuously enhanced the ports' cargo handling capacity, which played an important role in ensuring the supply of anti-pandemic and livelihood materials in Nepal. We look forward to working with the Nepali side to overcome the present difficulties and make efforts to restore the economy and normal personnel exchanges.” Chinese Embassy in Nepal said in this statement on Jan 13, 2022.

However, China has not initiated any step to ease the trade deadlock between the two countries.&nbsp;

In addition to the blockade, the Chinese side has also banned entry of Nepali citizens under the pretext of Covid prevention. Nepalese MBBS students in China have been barred from entering the country.

Communist parties warm up to each other

While Nepali citizens face difficulties, Communist parties of both countries are warming up to each other.

Nepal adheres to the “One China” policy and had also signed China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for different infrastructure projects when Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the Prime Minister in 2017.&nbsp;

Recently, Dahal held an hour-long hush-hush virtual meeting last week with Song Tao, the high-ranking head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC).&nbsp;

Chinese leader Song Tao said China wants to deepen traditional ties with Nepal's political parties based on mutual political trust.&nbsp;

It appears that China is hina is being heavy-handed in dealing with Nepal and enforcing an undeclared blockade because the present coalition headed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is perceived as being 'pro-India' and 'pro-West'.

As per Trade and Export Promotion Centre in&nbsp;Nepal:

Chinese imports to Nepal have shrunk by 3 per cent of its imports in a span of 2 years&nbsp;

2019-20: 17.6%

Current: 14.6%

China mainly exports electronic goods and garments to Nepal.&nbsp;

Nepal export to China have been reduced to lowest ever percentage in these countries' trading history.

2019-20: 1.8%

Current: 0.4%&nbsp;

Nepal mainly exports carpets, handicraft items, traditional items to China.&nbsp;

China's imposition of 'undeclared blockade' against Nepal has severely disrupted traffic of consumer items across the border between the two countries. This is resulting in loss of millions of rupees.

China's imposition of 'undeclared blockade' against Nepal has severely disrupted traffic of consumer items across the border between the two countries. This is resulting in loss of millions of rupees. China is attempting to tighten its grip on Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani, the two most crucial trading points. China is using the pretext of Covid prevention and only allowing two to three truckloads of goods each day from the trading points into Nepal. “Since two years the trading with China has come down drastically. After the 2015 earthquake, Tatopani was shut down for almost four years, and later when it was opened, the border once was again shut down by Chinese authorities citing COVID which slowed down the trading," says Ashok Shreshtha President of the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association. He added that China should make arrangements for easy import and export of goods from the border. Concerns are mounting in Nepal. At least 300 trucks are stuck at Kerung and Tatopani border points for last 16 months, Shreshtha said. He stressed that traders were incurring heavy losses. Chinese government is not issuing visas to Nepalese traders as a result of which they are not ordering any goods from China. (Map shows location of trading points) Earlier, it used to take only two weeks for container trucks to reach Nepal through the northern land border with China, but it now takes nearly three months for Chinese goods to reach Nepal when imported through Indian ports. It appears unlikely that Chinese government is unaware of the reality at Nepal-China border. A statement released by the Chinese side earlier said that they had opened cargo transportation to nepal “The Chinese side opened one-way cargo transportation to Nepal by overcoming great difficulties and has continuously enhanced the ports' cargo handling capacity, which played an important role in ensuring the supply of anti-pandemic and livelihood materials in Nepal. We look forward to working with the Nepali side to overcome the present difficulties and make efforts to restore the economy and normal personnel exchanges.” Chinese Embassy in Nepal said in this statement on Jan 13, 2022. However, China has not initiated any step to ease the trade deadlock between the two countries. In addition to the blockade, the Chinese side has also banned entry of Nepali citizens under the pretext of Covid prevention. Nepalese MBBS students in China have been barred from entering the country. Communist parties warm up to each other While Nepali citizens face difficulties, Communist parties of both countries are warming up to each other. Nepal adheres to the “One China” policy and had also signed China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for different infrastructure projects when Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the Prime Minister in 2017. Recently, Dahal held an hour-long hush-hush virtual meeting last week with Song Tao, the high-ranking head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Chinese leader Song Tao said China wants to deepen traditional ties with Nepal's political parties based on mutual political trust. It appears that China is hina is being heavy-handed in dealing with Nepal and enforcing an undeclared blockade because the present coalition headed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is perceived as being 'pro-India' and 'pro-West'. As per Trade and Export Promotion Centre in Nepal: Chinese imports to Nepal have shrunk by 3 per cent of its imports in a span of 2 years 2019-20: 17.6% Current: 14.6% China mainly exports electronic goods and garments to Nepal. Nepal export to China have been reduced to lowest ever percentage in these countries' trading history. 2019-20: 1.8% Current: 0.4% Nepal mainly exports carpets, handicraft items, traditional items to China.

Ground report: China imposes 'undeclared blockade' against Nepal

Several thousand migrants from Haiti, South America and Central America set off from southern Mexico headed north on Saturday, clashing with law enforcement trying to hold the caravan back.

Some people among the latest mass movement of migrants trying to pass north through Mexico said they hoped to eventually reach the US&nbsp;border, where the number of migrants trying to gain entry was already hitting new records.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-mexico-border-arrests-reach-record-highs-reveals-report-423367">US-Mexico border: Arrests reach record highs, reveals report</a>

Some 3,000 people, including families with young children, began trekking on foot on Saturday from the city of Tapachula near the Guatemala border toward Mexico's capital.

One of the caravan's organizers, Irineo Mujica, said he was leading the group to Mexico City in protest of the lack of government assistance in the south, where officials have attempted to contain thousands of migrants, and to demand legal documents that would let migrants move freely in the country.

A highway checkpoint in Tapachula with some 400 law enforcement officers aimed to block their path, but many migrants managed to break past. A Reuters video showed people carrying backpacks and with children on their shoulders pushing through a cluster of officers in anti-riot gear who attempted to contain the crowd.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-travel-blogger-killed-in-mexico-gang-shootout-423400">Indian travel blogger killed in Mexico gang shootout</a>

One family, including a woman and small children, were knocked to the ground in the crush of people, their belongings scattering.

Some migrants who attempted to leave Tapachula in September to head north were subject to brutal treatment by Mexican officials, and the government's National Migration Institute condemned incidents of violence captured on video.

US&nbsp;authorities arrested more than 1.7 million migrants at the US-Mexico border this fiscal year, the most ever recorded.

Several thousand migrants from Haiti, South America and Central America set off from southern Mexico headed north on Saturday, clashing with law enforcement trying to hold the caravan back.

Several thousand migrants from Haiti, South America and Central America set off from southern Mexico headed north on Saturday, clashing with law enforcement trying to hold the caravan back. Some people among the latest mass movement of migrants trying to pass north through Mexico said they hoped to eventually reach the US border, where the number of migrants trying to gain entry was already hitting new records. Also Read | US-Mexico border: Arrests reach record highs, reveals report Some 3,000 people, including families with young children, began trekking on foot on Saturday from the city of Tapachula near the Guatemala border toward Mexico's capital. One of the caravan's organizers, Irineo Mujica, said he was leading the group to Mexico City in protest of the lack of government assistance in the south, where officials have attempted to contain thousands of migrants, and to demand legal documents that would let migrants move freely in the country. A highway checkpoint in Tapachula with some 400 law enforcement officers aimed to block their path, but many migrants managed to break past. A Reuters video showed people carrying backpacks and with children on their shoulders pushing through a cluster of officers in anti-riot gear who attempted to contain the crowd. Also Read | Indian travel blogger killed in Mexico gang shootout One family, including a woman and small children, were knocked to the ground in the crush of people, their belongings scattering. Some migrants who attempted to leave Tapachula in September to head north were subject to brutal treatment by Mexican officials, and the government's National Migration Institute condemned incidents of violence captured on video. US authorities arrested more than 1.7 million migrants at the US-Mexico border this fiscal year, the most ever recorded.

New migrant caravan in Mexico pushes past blockade to head north

United Nations aid chief in Yemen warned on Wednesday, 8th of November, that if a Saudi-led military coalition did not allow humanitarian aid access to Yemen, it would have &quot;grave implications&quot; on seven million people whose lives depend on aid relief.

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthi movement in neighbouring Yemen said on Monday, on the 6th of November that it had closed all air, land and sea ports to the Arabian Peninsula country to stem the flow of arms to the Houthis from Iran.

The move, which follows the interception of a missile fired towards the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday on the 4thy of November, is likely to worsen a humanitarian crisis in Yemen that according to the United Nations has pushed some seven million people to the brink of famine and left nearly 900,000 infected with cholera.

George Khoury, the head of U.N. Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen urged the Saudi-led coalition to re-open an aid lifeline to bring imported food and medicine into Yemen. He said the aid workers and humanitarian aid could not reach the country due to the current blockade.

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthi movement in neighbouring Yemen said on Monday, on the 6th of November that it had closed all air, land and sea ports to the Arabian Peninsula country to stem the flow of arms to the Houthis from Iran.

United Nations aid chief in Yemen warned on Wednesday, 8th of November, that if a Saudi-led military coalition did not allow humanitarian aid access to Yemen, it would have "grave implications" on seven million people whose lives depend on aid relief. The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthi movement in neighbouring Yemen said on Monday, on the 6th of November that it had closed all air, land and sea ports to the Arabian Peninsula country to stem the flow of arms to the Houthis from Iran. The move, which follows the interception of a missile fired towards the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday on the 4thy of November, is likely to worsen a humanitarian crisis in Yemen that according to the United Nations has pushed some seven million people to the brink of famine and left nearly 900,000 infected with cholera. George Khoury, the head of U.N. Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen urged the Saudi-led coalition to re-open an aid lifeline to bring imported food and medicine into Yemen. He said the aid workers and humanitarian aid could not reach the country due to the current blockade.

Blockade by Saudi-led coalition affects lives of seven million Yemenis: UN

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