David Shadrach

Brexit win or cringe? UK reacts to new blue passport NEWS / UNITED KINGDOM  Brexit United Kingdom European Union Europe, The UK adopted the burgundy passport upon joining the EU [Conservative Party] The UK has announced it will change the colour of its passports from the EU-associated burgundy currently in circulation to the pre-EU blue. British Prime Minister Theresa May made the announcement on Friday, promising the return of the "iconic" travel document by 2019. "The UK passport is an expression of our independence and sovereignty, symbolising our citizenship of a proud, great nation," she said in a tweet announcing the passport, which will also contain new security features to prevent forgery. The UK passport is an expression of independence and sovereignty – symbolising our citizenship of a prou great nation. That's why we have announced that the iconic #bluepass will return after we leave the Europe Union in 2019. conservatives.com/sharethefacts/… 12:49 P...

Israel to maintain ties with Austria's far-right FPO NEWS / ISRAEL  READ MORE 'Europe has to reform': How the far right grew in 2017 READ MORE How will US Jerusalem move affect Israel's far right? The Far Right Israel Austria Politics Racism SIGN UP A demonstrator holds a candle with a picture of FPO head Heinz-Christian Strache in a protest demanding no government participation for the far right in Vienna, Austria [File: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters] Critics have blasted Israel's plans to maintain ties with Austria's new right-wing coalition, which features a far-right party with Nazi roots. Although Israeli officials promised to limit contact with ministers of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), rights groups fear any involvement at all with the far-right populist outfit that advocates anti-Muslim, anti-refugee, anti-immigration and Eurosceptic policies could normalise xenophobia. The FPO is a junior partner in Austria's coalition government, headed by the rig...

Israeli forces kill two Palestinians in Gaza protests NEWS / ISRAELI–PALESTINIAN CONFLICT  Gaza Israeli–Palestinian conflict Jerusalem Israel, There has been no let-up in anger over Trump's Jerusalem move [Mohammed Salem/Reuters] At least two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed by Israeli forces during protests over US President Donald Trump 's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The ministry said in a statement on Friday that two Palestinians were killed and more than 70 others were injured during clashes with Israeli forces in northern Gaza near the border with Israel. According to local news media, 24-year-old Zakariya al-Kafarneh was killed by live ammunition while taking part in the protests. The name of the second Palestinian killed was unknown. Maan News agency said Israeli troops used live bullets, tear gas and stun grenades against Palestinian protesters, who had gathered for the third ...

Mahmoud Abbas urges EU to take lead in peace efforts NEWS  READ MORE Trump threat to cut US aid: Deterrent or hot air? READ MORE Will the UN challenge US threats over Jerusalem? Abbas says he has 'trust' in French President Macron's peace efforts [Francois Mori, Pool/AP Photo] Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the European Union to take the initiative in the Israel-Palestine peace process from Paris Abbas also says he will "no longer accept" any peace plan put forward by the US following President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6. "The United States has proven to be a dishonest mediator in the peace process," Abbas said during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday. Tensions between the US and the world community came to a head at the UN General Assembly on Thursday evening. A nonbinding draft resolution to declare Trump's recognition of Jer...

US: There is no military solution to end war in Yemen NEWS / YEMEN  United States Yemen Middle East Investigators remove bodies of the people who were killed in a Saudi-led coalition air strike in Sanaa, Yemen on December 13 [Anadolu] The US has said that "there is no military solution to end the war in Yemen" and believes that the best way to end the crisis is through "aggressive diplomacy". In a briefing on Thursday, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Tim Lenderking also said that US President Donald Trump's administration believes "that there is room for the Houthis in a political settlement" if the rebel group stops attacking Saudi Arabia, a US ally. "We believe that there is room for the Houthis in a political settlement. We welcome that, but not when the Houthis continue to rocket and – rocket our – a key ally like Saudi Arabia on a regular basis, and also not – not when the Houthis are menacing the border of Saudi Arabia, which is somethi...

Saudi sisters who fled to Turkey fear forced return NEWS / SAUDI ARABIA  READ MORE HRW lambasts Saudi counterterrorism law READ MORE Saudi women scholars call out prince's reform agenda Human Rights Saudi Arabia Middle East Turkey SIGN UP The case of Ashwaq, left, and Areej is being reviewed by an Istanbul court [Videos/Twitter screenshot] Two sisters from Saudi Arabia, who are currently in Turkey, are desperately trying to avoid being returned to the kingdom, where they could be imprisoned, their lawyer has told Al Jazeera. Serdarhan Topo said that his clients, 30-year-old Ashwaq Hamoud and 28-year-old Areej Hamoud, also fear violence from family members if they are forced to go back home. The sisters, who are Saudi nationals, say they were subjected to torture and abuse at the hands of relatives. They tried to flee to New Zealand on February 8 from Hong Kong, where they had arrived from Saudi Arabia via undocumented methods. "However, they were not allowed to board on the ...

Myanmar's stateless Chin endure refugee life in India FEATURE / MYANMAR  WATCH: MSF: Myanmar army killed some 7,000 Rohingya in a month (2:32) Angel L. Martinez Cantera India Myanmar Refugees A Chin rights group says upto 20,000 members of the ethnic group live in India [Angel L Martinez/Al Jazeera] New Delhi, India - "We would be next, but we fear retaliations if we return", says 44-year-old Sang Par, voicing the plea of several hundred members of the Chin community from Myanmar crammed into one-bedroom apartments in Chanakya Place, one of New Delhi's most densely populated neighbourhoods. As the Supreme Court of India deliberates the government's plan to deport thousands of Rohingya refugees scattered across the country, other stateless Burmese ethnic groups fear a similar fate. Last week, Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding, which would pave the way to repatriate 650,000 Rohingya refugees who fled atrocities in Myanmar. A decade ago, Sang Par's...

Jerusalem as capital: All the latest NEWS / ISRAELI–PALESTINIAN CONFLICT  CASUALTIES 10 people killed 2,908 injuries: PRCS 400 arrests: PPS Besides words, what can be done? Protests from Jakarta to Rabat Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital Jerusalem Israeli–Palestinian conflict Palestine Middle East, The decision of US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has generated a series of reactions in Palestine and around the world. Here are the latest developments, both on the diplomatic and street front, as of Friday, December 22: Latest developments Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Washington to reverse its move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in line with the UN General Assembly's vote to reject Trump's decision. "The U.S. should turn back from this wrong step," he said, at a meeting of his AK Party in Istanbul on Friday. Erdogan criticised the US president for making "ugly and unfo...

Puigdemont declares victory for 'Catalan Republic' NEWS / CATALONIA  Politics Catalonia Europe Spain, Puigdemont's Together for Catalonia won 34 seats, becoming the second biggest party in the Catalan parliament [Francois Lenoir/Reuters] Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has declared victory for the "Catalan Republic" over the Spanish government in Catalonia's snap election, with secessionist parties having held onto their majority in the region's parliament. Catalonia's parliament has 135 seats, requiring 68 seats for a majority. Secessionist parties won 70 seats in Thursday's election , meaning they will hold a majority, according to the latest count of votes. Puigdemont, speaking in the early hours of Friday morning from self-imposed exile in Brussels, said the result was indisputable. "Now, it is necessary to rectify, repair and restore. The recipe that Rajoy sold in Europe has failed. Let them take note," he said on Twitter. ...

'Europe has to reform': How the far right grew in 2017 NEWS / POLITICS  The Far Right Politics European Union Europe 2017 Events SIGN UP Demonstrators carry signs reading 'Nazis get out' during a protest in Vienna, Austria, where the far right has now entered government [File: Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images] The rise of the far right was a defining feature of European politics in 2017. In December, the trend peaked with Austria becoming the only European country to bring the far right into government. Several parties have exploited discussions about immigration , Islam and the role of the European Union , considering them a threat to security, to win support, from France to Poland. We have a new government and #Austria 's police as well as its army will be under the control of Austria's far right party FPÖ. Including all secret services. And on top the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. - Am not sure if the rest of the world has already noticed this. 7:25 PM - Dec ...

UN General Assembly rejects Trump's Jerusalem move NEWS / ISRAELI–PALESTINIAN CONFLICT  The history behind disputes over Jerusalem WATCH: Trump threatens to cut aid over UN Jerusalem vote (2:19) Jerusalem Israeli–Palestinian conflict East Jerusalem Battle for Jerusalem Middle East A resounding majority of United Nations member states has defied unprecedented threats by the US to declare President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital "null and void". The non-binding resolution was approved at a UN General Assembly emergency meeting on Thursday with 128 votes in favour and nine against, while 35 countries abstained. It passed despite intimidation by Trump, who had threatened on Wednesday to eliminate financial aid to member states who would vote against his decision, while Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, had warned that she would be "taking names" of those countries. Shortly after the vote, Palestinian leaders called the v...

UN Jerusalem resolution: How each country voted NEWS / BATTLE FOR JERUSALEM  UN Battle for Jerusalem Jerusalem, Nearly 130 member states voted in favour of the resolution [UN/Al Jazeera] The United Nations has voted by a huge majority to declare a unilateral US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital "null and void". At an emergency session of the body's General Assembly on Thursday, 128 countries voted in favour of a resolution rejecting US President Donald Trump's controversial decision on December 6. Nine countries voted against, while 35 abstained. Trump had earlier threatened to cut aid to UN members who would vote against his decision. Here is a country breakdown of the General Assembly vote: Member states that voted in favour of the resolution A : Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan B : Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi C...

Trump threat to cut US aid: Deterrent or hot air? NEWS / JERUSALEM  READ MORE Jerusalem as capital: All the latest READ MORE Why US aid to Egypt is never under threat WATCH: Trump and the Ethics of Foreign Aid READ MORE ANC resolves to downgrade embassy in Israel Donald Trump Jerusalem United States UN Politics The Trump administration has pushed for major cuts to US foreign aid overall [Jonathan Ernst/Reuters] Despite exerting unparalleled pressure on UN member states, the US could not stave off a General Assembly vote on Thursday, condemning Donald Trump 's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The UNGA passed the draft resolution - which declared the Jerusalem decision to be "null and void" - by an overwhelming margin, with 128 states voting in favour and nine against, with 35 abstentions. The results came after days of threats from the US delegation to the United Nations and from Trump himself, who said earlier in the week that he would consider cu...