#UK: PM Sunak's Plan To Send Illegal Migrants To Rwanda Approved

[world politics news]

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's latest effort to send some migrants to Rwanda finally won approval from Parliament, hours after he pledged deportation flights would begin in July.

The parliamentary delay that had stalled the legislation for two months was finally broken last week when the unelected House of Lords “recognised the primacy” of the elected House of Commons and dropped the last of its proposed amendments, clearing the way for the bill to become law.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

ITALY: Investment, Not Charity, For Africa Says Meloni

[world politics news]

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told her EU partners that curbing migration from African countries has less to do with offers of charity than strong partnerships coupled with strategic investments in those nations.

Meloni told reporters at a year-end news conference that last month's deal on the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact partially improved the situation for Italy and other asylum countries, but does not represent a solution to increasing migrant arrivals.

“What needs to be done in Africa is not charity,” the Italian prime minister said. “What needs to be done in Africa is to build cooperation and serious strategic relationships as equals, not predators.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Gov't To Start Shipping Illegal Immigrsnts To Rwanda

[world politics news]

The UK government's announcement that it plans to send migrants illegally entering the UK to the East African nation of Rwanda for processing has outraged many from politicians and charities to the Church of England.

The UK will reportedly pay Rwanda £120m and refugees could be sent to east Africa within weeks.

The government has defended the policy, with Foreign Minister Priti Patel stating in the House of Commons that the current dispersal system is "unfair" and overwhelmed, with local authorities sharing the burden "disproportionately". Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was the "morally right thing to do."

Little reported is the fact that for several days straight, migrant crossings in the English channel have completely stopped.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Prime Minister Asks EU Help After Migrant Incursion From Belarus

[world politics news]

Poland's border police have announced that about 50 migrants have made it across the border this past weekend into the EU from Belarus after forcing their way through fences and barriers, amid a standoff which has seen multiple thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers set up camps just meters from Polish guards. 

NATO must take "concrete steps" to resolve the migrant crisis on the Belarus border, the Polish prime minister was quoted as saying on Sunday, adding that Poland, Lithuania and Latvia may ask for consultations under Article 4 of the alliance's treaty.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELARUS: Parliament Blocks Migrant Crossings

[world politics news]

Lawmakers in Belarus have voted to suspend an agreement with the European Union obliging the ex-Soviet nation to take back migrants that crossed its territory into the EU.

The vote in the upper house of the Belarusian parliament formalizes the move that was announced by Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko in June.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CROATIA: Italian EU Parliament Members Investigating Migrant Abuse Claims Stopped At Croatian Border

[world politics news]

Croatia’s Interior Minister, Davor Bozinovic, condemned a failed visit by a group of Italian European Parliament Members to the Croatia-Bosnia border as having “the obvious intention to damage Croatia’s reputation."

He spoke out after the MEPs and accompanied reporters tried to reach the Croatian border with Bosnia and Herzegovina to check allegations that Croatian police routinely mistreat migrants and refugees trying to enter the EU member state.

The delegation was thwarted in its mission by Croatian police officers.

“This is another in a series of provocations related to the actions of the Croatian police in fulfilling their tasks, and that is the protection of the state border,” Bozinovic told the media.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ITALY: Gov't Puts Pressure On Tunisia To Halt Migrants

[world politics news]

Italy is putting political pressure on Tunisia after a recent wave of migrants arrived on its southern shores and islands.

Italian authorities are struggling to manage migrant numbers on the island of Lampedusa, which is 100 miles from the Tunisian coast, transferring hundreds of migrants on ferries to the mainland daily.

They said the huge numbers arriving in packed dinghies and small boats across the channel of Sicily also carried a risk of COVID-19.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Parliament Begins Debate On Post-Brexit Immigration Bill

[world politics news]

New immigration legislation now being debated in Parliament will focus on putting EU citizens wanting to move to the country on an equal footing with other nationalities, and will end the free movement of EU citizens into the UK, something that existed before Brexit.

But it will also pave the way for the government to introduce a new points-based system, which some say will affect the ability of care workers to come to the UK.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: European Court Rules Three Countries Broke EU Law By Refusing Migrants

[world politics news]

The European Court of Justice  has ruled that Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic breached their obligations under EU law by refusing to take in refugees.

The court says in its ruling that these countries had failed to accept their share of 120,000 asylum seekers who had arrived in Italy and Greece, under a relocation programme agreed by the European Council in 2015.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDIA: Cabinet Approves Restrictions On Muslim Immigration

[world politics news]

Thehe Union Cabinet has signed off on a legislation that stands to give citizenship to certain religious minorities who fled from neighboring countries before 2015, but does not include Muslims.

The 1955 citizenship act's naturalisation clause currently allows resident immigrants to get citizenship if they have lived in the country for more than 11 years - along with other terms and conditions.

The bill, if passed, would change a key part in the category for illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan - Muslim-majority states that were once part of the undivided India.

The residency requirement would also be reduced from 11 years to 6 years, for Hindusddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Jains and Parsis fleeing persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but not for Muslims.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IRELAND: YouTube Bans Controversial Political Activist, Freelance Journalist Gemma O'Doherty For "Hate Speech"

[world politics news]

YouTube has permanently removed former European parliament candidate and political activist Gemma O’Doherty’s account for what it says are violations of its policies aimed at protecting against hate speech.

O’Doherty last week posted a video which included criticism of ethnic minorities in Ireland. Her anti-immigration views have riled many in Ireland's political and media establishments.

O'Doherty, a former award-winning journalist and anti-corruption crusader, ran as a candidate in the European Parliamentary elections in May, and previously sought a place in Ireland's presidential ballot.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ITALY: Mayor Of Village Who Welcomed Illegal Immigrants Says Human Traffickers Are Also "Victims"

[world politics news]

The mayor of an Italian village known for openly welcoming illegal immigrants has sparked outrage by calling those who traffic in migrants "victims."

Domenico Lucano, mayor of Riace, said, "To alleviate the shameful media of its serious responsibilities, the Italian government said that the responsibility lies with the traffickers, but I say that they, too, are victims." His comment comes after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that he wants to stop the smuggling of immigrants at all costs by directly hitting those who work to make this flow possible: the traffickers of migrants.

This week, a judge said he cannot reside in his home town while he awaits trial. In October 2018, Italian police put Lucano under house arrest for allegedly helping illegal migrants to stay in the country by organizing "marriages of convenience." He has been suspended from office, as well.

[FULL STORY HERE, HERE AND HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SWEDEN: Dalai Lama Shocks Audience, Saying "Europe Belongs To Europeans," Urges Migrants To Return Home

[world politics news]

Speaking at a conference in Sweden's third-largest city of Malmö, home of a large migrant population, the Dalai Lama shocked his audience by telling them that he believed that "Europe belongs to the Europeans," and that he believed recent migrants from other nations should return to their home countries and help to rebuild them. The Tibetan spiritual leader said Europe was "morally responsible" for helping "a refugee really facing danger against their life." He continued, "Receive them, help them, educate them… but ultimately they should develop their own country." The anti-migrant Sweden Democrats made large gains in the recent parliamentary election.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SPAIN: Gov't Under Fire For Border Fence Proposal After Violent Attack By Migrants Leaves Dozens Of Border Agents Injured

[world politics news]

Spain's Socialist government is under pressure to reverse its position on making border fences "safer" after a violent attack by hundreds of illegal migrants left border guards severely injured. Over 600 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa stormed the border in the region Ceuta. Dozens were injured as migrants bombarded agents with quicklime, sticks, stones, bags of excrement as well as aerosols used as flame throwers. Despite the attack, the Spanish government is sticking to its plans to remove the controversial razor-sharp blades on the border fences. The removal should be "immediate," said Home Secretary Fernando Grande-Marlaska.  Opposition parties say the Spanish immigrant reception system is facing collapse, given the sharp rise in numbers of refugees in recent months.

[FULL STORY HERE]

MEXICO: Leftist Pres. Candidate Lopez Obridor Wins In Landslide, Calls Trump With Deal

[world politics news]

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has claimed victory in Sunday's presidential election. He will be the country's most left-wing government in decades. Lopez Obrador wasted no time calling Pres. Trump, offering to stem the tide of migration to the north in exchange for more aid, directed towards job creation within Mexico. Trump said he was encouraged by the call, and said he looked forward to good relations with Mexico's new president.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#MEXICO: Leading Pres. Candidate Calls For Mass Migration To US; Migration "A Human Right"

[world politics news]

Mexican presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador has called for mass immigration to the United States during a speech Tuesday declaring it a “human right” for all North Americans. “And soon, very soon — after the victory of our movement — we will defend all the migrants in the American continent and all the migrants in the world,” Obrador said, adding that immigrants “must leave their towns and find a life in the United States.” He then declared it as “a human right we will defend,” eluniversal.com reports.
[FULL STORY HERE]

#HUNGARY: Parliament Passes "Anti-Soros" Bill; Makes It A Crime To Help Recent Immigrants

[world politics news]

Hungary’s parliament has passed a package of legislation making helping asylum seekers punishable with up to a year in prison. The legislation swept through a lower house of parliament dominated by the ruling Fidesz Party, in a 160 to 18 vote. Under the provisions of the "Stop Soros law," it becomes a criminal offence to carry out "organisational activities" that assist immigrants not entitled to protection with asylum requests, and to help people “residing illegally in Hungary” to get a residence permit.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: "Axis Of The Willing" Formed By Germany, Austria, Italy Against Illegal Immigration

[world politics news]

The interior ministers of Austria, Germany and Italy have formed an "axis of the willing" to combat illegal immigration, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz made the announcement in Berlin, escalating a Europe-wide conflict over the issue. The involvement of German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer will be seen as a shot across the bow at Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is trying to pull together a deal for EU cooperation on allowing more asylum seekers into Germany. Seehofer has given Chancellor Angela Merkel a two-week ultimatum to stem the flow of migrants, an issue threatening the stability of her coalition government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SLOVENIA: Anti-Immigration Party Wins Largest Number Of Votes In National Election; Set To Take Power [world politics news]

[world politics news]

The anti-immigration Slovenian Democratic Party is set to be the biggest party in parliament following Slovenia's election, an exit poll suggests. The election gave SDS almost 25% of the vote, double that of its nearest rival, a center-Left anti-establishment party. However, four left or center-left parties polled around 10%-12% each, which would make it tough for the SDS to form a coalition.

Pictured: SDS Leader and former PM Janez Jansa and his wife, after voting

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Chancellor Kurz Stands With Hungarian PM Against EU Immigration Quotas

[world politics news]

The EU migrant redistribution scheme "isn't working," Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said while welcoming Hungary's Viktor Orban in Vienna. The two leaders called for opposition to illegal migration to Europe. At the same time,  Austria should work to ease tensions between western and the eastern EU members, Kurz said in Vienna at a joint press conference.

[FULL STORY HERE]