World

UK PM Johnson’s Tories attack ECHR after Rwanda plan ruling

Members of Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party demanded the UK withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights after a court ruling forced the Home Office to cancel its first deportation flight to Rwanda at the eleventh hour.

With the plane sitting on the tarmac, judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg — which enforces the convention — halted the deportation of one of the men due for deportation. That triggered a series of legal challenges leading to the remaining handful of deportees to be withdrawn from the flight.

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The move prompted fury among Tory MPs, some of whom demanded Johnson leave the ECHR. In a series of WhatsApp exchanges Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith called the issue “war with the ECHR. His colleague Alexander Stafford called it a “disaster.”

Their comments were verified by a member of their WhatsApp group.

The rulings are the latest setback for Johnson’s flagship immigration policy, which involves sending to Rwanda migrants it regards as having arrived illegally in Britain.

Challenges by refugee charities in the courts had already reduced those scheduled to fly to a handful from more than 100, while the plan had already drawn sharp criticism from religious leaders including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and Prince Charles, the heir to the throne.

The ECHR said the man due for deportation “should not be removed to Rwanda until three weeks after the delivery of the final domestic decision in his ongoing judicial review proceedings.”

It said it was granting the request on an “exceptional basis because of “a real risk of irreversible harm.”

“I know the public will be surprised that we have European judges overruling British judges,” Cabinet minister Therese Coffey told Sky News on Wednesday.

UK Still a Member

The court is part of the Council of Europe — which still counts the UK as a member — rather than the European Union, which Britain left. The UK played a role in drafting the convention after World War II, and it was enshrined in British law in the 1998 Human Rights Act.

Johnson on Tuesday raised the possibility of pulling the UK out of the convention. Speaking before the late rulings, he told broadcasters “the legal world is very good at picking up ways of trying to stop the government from upholding what we think is a sensible law.”

Asked if it’s time for the UK to come out of the convention, Johnson said: “will it be necessary to change some laws to help us as we go along? It may very well be, and all these options are under constant review.”

The view that the UK should pull out of the convention is not universal among Tories. Pensions minister Guy Opperman said he didn’t advocate withdrawal. “As I understand it, the UK courts have primacy on this matter,” he told Times radio.

“But as I understand the decision last night from the ECHR, a decision was made that not everything had been considered by the UK courts in those circumstances. This is a temporary delay.”

Northern Ireland Risk

Complicating matters further, the convention is woven into the Good Friday Agreement, the peace deal for Northern Ireland that Johnson says he’s trying to protect by introducing fresh legislation to override parts of the Brexit deal he brokered with the EU governing trade in the region.

Home Secretary Priti Patel called the ECHR intervention a surprise and vowed to push on with the policy, despite the setback.

“I have always said this policy will not be easy to deliver and am disappointed that legal challenge and last-minute claims have meant the flight was unable to depart,” she said in a statement.

“These repeated legal barriers are similar to those we experience with other removals flights and many of those removed from this flight will be placed on the next.”

The UK government argues that sending migrants to Rwanda will halt the flow of people arriving in small boats organized by people smugglers, often in treacherous conditions and with sometimes tragic consequences.

Read mpre:

UK Supreme Court upholds migrant flight to Rwanda

Explainer: Why are asylum seekers in UK being sent to Rwanda?

Prince Charles calls UK’s Rwanda migrants policy ‘appalling’: Reports

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM