US President Donald Trump's administration reversed a decision late on Thursday and said fiancés would be considered close family members and therefore allowed to travel to the United States as its revised travel ban took effect.
The US State Department concluded "upon further review, fiancés would now be included as close family members," said a State Department official who requested anonymity.
The Trump administration had previously decided, on the basis of its interpretation of a US Supreme Court ruling, that grandparents, grandchildren and fiancés travelling from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen would be barred from obtaining visas while the ban was in place.
The 90-day ban took effect at 8 pm EDT (0000 GMT Friday), along with a 120-day ban on all refugees.
On Monday, the Supreme Court revived parts of Trump's travel ban on people from the six Muslim-majority countries, narrowing the scope of lower court rulings that had blocked parts of a March 6 executive order and allowing his temporary ban to go into effect for people with no strong ties to the United States.
A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, who also requested anonymity, said it would be updating its guidance to state that fiancés would not be barred from obtaining visas while the ban was in place.
The Supreme Court exempted from the ban travellers and refugees with a "bona fide relationship" with a person or entity in the United States. As an example, the court said those with a "close familial relationship" with someone in the United States would be covered.
The state of Hawaii asked a federal judge in Honolulu on Thursday evening to determine whether the Trump administration had interpreted the court's decision too narrowly.
Hawaii said in a court filing that the US government intended to violate the Supreme Court's instructions by improperly excluding from the United States people who actually have a close family relationship to US persons, echoing criticism from immigrant and refugee groups.
Hawaii called the refusal to recognise grandparents and other relatives as an acceptable family relationship "a plain violation of the Supreme Court's command."
Hawaii's Attorney General Doug Chin asked US District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu, who blocked Trump's travel ban in March, to issue an order "as soon as possible" clarifying how the Supreme Court's ruling should be interpreted.
Watson ordered the Justice Department to respond to Hawaii's request by Monday, and said he would allow Hawaii to reply by July 6.
A senior US official did not answer directly when asked how barring grandparents or grandchildren would make the United States safer, but instead pointed to Trump's guidance to pause certain travel while we review our security posture.
The US government expected things to run smoothly and business as usual at US ports of entry, another senior US official told reporters.
A handful of immigration lawyers gathered at Dulles International Airport outside Washington on Thursday in case of any problems.
We're going to keep fighting this ban, even if it applies very narrowly, said Sirine Shebaya, a senior staff attorney at Muslim Advocates. It's still a Muslim ban, and its still trying to send a message to a whole community that they're not welcome here.
The administration said refugees who have agreements with resettlement agencies but not close family in the United States would not be exempted from the ban, likely sharply limiting the number of refugees allowed entry in coming months.
Hawaii said in its court filing it was preposterous not to consider a formal link with a resettlement agency a qualifying relationship. Refugee resettlement agencies had expected that their formal links with would-be refugees would qualify as bona fide.
The administration's decision likely means that few refugees beyond a 50,000-cap set by Trump would be allowed into the country this year. A US official said that, as of Wednesday evening, 49,009 refugees had been allowed into the country this fiscal year.
The State Department said refugees scheduled to arrive through July 6 could still enter.
Trump first announced a temporary travel ban on January 27, calling it a counterterrorism measure to allow time to develop better security vetting.
The order caused chaos at airports, as officials scrambled to enforce it before it was blocked by courts.
Opponents argued that the measure discriminated against Muslims and that there was no security rationale for it.
A revised version of the ban was also halted by courts.
The State Department guidance, distributed to all US diplomatic posts on Wednesday evening and seen by Reuters, fleshed out the Supreme Court's ruling about people who have a bona fide relationship with an individual or entity in the United States.
It defined a close familial relationship as being a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling, including step-siblings and other step-family relations.
A department cable said grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fiancés, "and any other 'extended' family members" were not considered close family.
The guidelines also said workers with offers of employment from a company in the United States or a lecturer addressing US audiences would be exempt from the ban, but that arrangements such as a hotel reservation would not be considered bona fide relationships.
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Showing posts with label syria. Show all posts
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Monday, 3 July 2017
Thursday, 29 June 2017
USA: New Criteria For Visa Applicants From Six Mainly Muslim Nations
The US administration has set new criteria for visa applicants from six mainly Muslim nations and all refugees that require a close family or business tie to the United States.
The move comes after the Supreme Court partially restored President Trump's executive order that was widely criticized as a ban on Muslims.
Visas that have already been approved will not be revoked, but instructions issued by the State Department say that new applicants from Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Yemen must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the United States to be eligible.
The same requirement, with some exceptions, holds for would-be refugees from all nations who are still awaiting approval for admission to the U.S.
Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fiances or other extended family members are not considered to be close relationships, according to the guidelines that were issued in a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates late on Wednesday.
The new rules take effect at 8 p.m. EST on Thursday, according to the cable.
As far as business or professional links are concerned, the State Department said a legitimate relationship must be formal, documented and formed in the ordinary course rather than for the purpose of evading the ban.
Journalists, students, workers or lecturers who have valid invitations or employment contracts in the U.S. would be exempt from the ban.
The exemption does not apply to those who seek a relationship with an American business or educational institution purely for the purpose of avoiding the rules, the cable said.
A hotel reservation or car rental contract, even if it was prepaid, would also not count, it said.
Consular officers may grant other exemptions to applicants from the six nations if they have previously established significant contacts with the United States,significant business or professional obligations in the U.S., if they are an infant, adopted child or in need of urgent medical care, if they are traveling for business with a recognized international organization or the U.S. government or if they are a legal resident of Canada who applies for a visa in Canada, according to the cable.
Critics said they are watching closely to see how the guidelines are used.
Initial reports reflect that the government may try to unilaterally expand the scope of the ban, for example, by arbitrarily refusing to treat certain categories of familial relationships as bona fide.
On Monday, the Supreme Court partially lifted lower court injunctions against Trump's executive order that had temporarily banned visas for citizens of the six countries.
The justices' ruling exempted applicants from the ban if they could prove a bona fide relationship with a U.S. person or entity, but the court offered only broad guidelines,suggesting they would include a relative, job offer or invitation to lecture in the U.S. as to how that should be defined.
Senior officials from the departments of State, Justice and Homeland Security had labored since the decision to clarify the ruling and Wednesday's instructions were the result.
The new guidance will remain in place until the Supreme Court issues a final ruling on the matter.
Arguments before the justices will not be held until at least October, so the interim rules will remain in place at least until the fall.
Shortly after taking office, Trump ordered the refugee ban and a travel ban affecting the six countries, plus Iraq.
He said it was needed to protect the U.S. from terrorists, but opponents said it was unfairly harsh and was intended to meet his campaign promise to keep Muslims out of the United States.
After a federal judge struck down the bans, Trump signed a revised order intended to overcome legal hurdles. That was also struck down by lower courts, but the Supreme Court's action Monday partially reinstated it.
The initial travel ban led to chaos at airports around the world, but because the guidelines exempt previously issued visas, similar problems are not expected.
After a judge blocked the original ban, Trump issued a scaled-down order and the court's action Monday further reduced the number of people who would be covered by it.
Also, while the initial order took effect immediately, adding to the confusion, this one was delayed 72 hours after the court's ruling.
Under the new rules, would-be immigrants from the six countries who won a coveted visa in the government's diversity lottery,a program that randomly awards 50,000 green cards annually to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States will also have to prove they have a bona fide relationship within the U.S. or are eligible for another waiver or face being banned for at least 90 days.
That hurdle may be a difficult one for those immigrants to overcome, as many visa lottery winners don't have relatives in the U.S. or jobs in advance of arriving in the country.
The move comes after the Supreme Court partially restored President Trump's executive order that was widely criticized as a ban on Muslims.
Visas that have already been approved will not be revoked, but instructions issued by the State Department say that new applicants from Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Yemen must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the United States to be eligible.
The same requirement, with some exceptions, holds for would-be refugees from all nations who are still awaiting approval for admission to the U.S.
Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fiances or other extended family members are not considered to be close relationships, according to the guidelines that were issued in a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates late on Wednesday.
The new rules take effect at 8 p.m. EST on Thursday, according to the cable.
As far as business or professional links are concerned, the State Department said a legitimate relationship must be formal, documented and formed in the ordinary course rather than for the purpose of evading the ban.
Journalists, students, workers or lecturers who have valid invitations or employment contracts in the U.S. would be exempt from the ban.
The exemption does not apply to those who seek a relationship with an American business or educational institution purely for the purpose of avoiding the rules, the cable said.
A hotel reservation or car rental contract, even if it was prepaid, would also not count, it said.
Consular officers may grant other exemptions to applicants from the six nations if they have previously established significant contacts with the United States,significant business or professional obligations in the U.S., if they are an infant, adopted child or in need of urgent medical care, if they are traveling for business with a recognized international organization or the U.S. government or if they are a legal resident of Canada who applies for a visa in Canada, according to the cable.
Critics said they are watching closely to see how the guidelines are used.
Initial reports reflect that the government may try to unilaterally expand the scope of the ban, for example, by arbitrarily refusing to treat certain categories of familial relationships as bona fide.
On Monday, the Supreme Court partially lifted lower court injunctions against Trump's executive order that had temporarily banned visas for citizens of the six countries.
The justices' ruling exempted applicants from the ban if they could prove a bona fide relationship with a U.S. person or entity, but the court offered only broad guidelines,suggesting they would include a relative, job offer or invitation to lecture in the U.S. as to how that should be defined.
Senior officials from the departments of State, Justice and Homeland Security had labored since the decision to clarify the ruling and Wednesday's instructions were the result.
The new guidance will remain in place until the Supreme Court issues a final ruling on the matter.
Arguments before the justices will not be held until at least October, so the interim rules will remain in place at least until the fall.
Shortly after taking office, Trump ordered the refugee ban and a travel ban affecting the six countries, plus Iraq.
He said it was needed to protect the U.S. from terrorists, but opponents said it was unfairly harsh and was intended to meet his campaign promise to keep Muslims out of the United States.
After a federal judge struck down the bans, Trump signed a revised order intended to overcome legal hurdles. That was also struck down by lower courts, but the Supreme Court's action Monday partially reinstated it.
The initial travel ban led to chaos at airports around the world, but because the guidelines exempt previously issued visas, similar problems are not expected.
After a judge blocked the original ban, Trump issued a scaled-down order and the court's action Monday further reduced the number of people who would be covered by it.
Also, while the initial order took effect immediately, adding to the confusion, this one was delayed 72 hours after the court's ruling.
Under the new rules, would-be immigrants from the six countries who won a coveted visa in the government's diversity lottery,a program that randomly awards 50,000 green cards annually to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States will also have to prove they have a bona fide relationship within the U.S. or are eligible for another waiver or face being banned for at least 90 days.
That hurdle may be a difficult one for those immigrants to overcome, as many visa lottery winners don't have relatives in the U.S. or jobs in advance of arriving in the country.
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
USA: Trump Travel Ban Religiously Motivated
The Latest on the legal challenges to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban targeting six-Muslim majority countries:
4 p.m.
An attorney challenging President Donald Trump's revised travel ban says the Republican's anti-Muslim rhetoric is evidence that the policy was motivated by hostility to the religion.
Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union urged a 13-judge panel of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Monday to uphold lower court ruling that blocks the president's revised travel ban.
Jadwat said Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric continued even after he was elected.
He noted that Trump's call for a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the country remained on his campaign website after he took office. The statement, was still online Monday morning, appeared to have been taken down before the hearing.
Judge Robert B. King said the case appears to hinge on whether the court considers Trump's statements or focuses solely on the text of the order, which is religiously neutral.
3:25 p.m.
An attorney for President Donald Trump is urging a federal appeals court to focus on the religiously neutral text of Trump's revised travel ban rather than the Republican's anti-Muslim campaign statements.
Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey B. Wall told the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday that the court should not second-guess the president's national security decisions because of comments made on the campaign trail.
A 13-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is examining a ruling that blocks the administration from temporarily barring new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
A handful of judges appeared skeptical of Wall's arguments that they shouldn't give weight to Trump's campaign statements.
The judge's aren't expected to issue a ruling Monday.
___
2:55 p.m.
Dozens of demonstrators are gathered in front of the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, as a hearing is underway on whether to allow an executive order targeting immigrants from six predominantly Muslim countries to go into effect.
Rabbi Michael Knopf of Bend the Arc Jewish Action said on Monday that people were there to assure the Muslim community that they oppose the ban imposed by President Donald Trump's administration and they want to invite all Americans of conscience to join them in saying they oppose any ban any time. He said the ban has caused Muslim men, women and children to live in fear.
Attorneys for the Justice Department are defending Trump's executive order before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It's the first time an appeals court has heard arguments on the revised travel ban, which was issued in March.
The court is examining a ruling that blocks the administration from suspending new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
___
8:10 a.m.
Three judges appointed by President Bill Clinton will hear the Trump administration's appeal of Hawaii's so-far successful challenge to the president's travel ban that targets six predominantly Muslim countries.
The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will listen to arguments on May 15 at its Seattle courthouse. The 9th Circuit hears appeals from federal courts in nine western states.
A federal judge in Hawaii blocked the travel ban in March, ruling that it unfairly targets Muslims. Hawaii's attorney general argued the ban would harm the state's universities and tourism industry.
The three 9th Circuit judges who will consider Trump's Hawaii appeal are Michael Daly Hawkins, Ronald Gould and Richard Paez. Hawkins was appointed in 1994. The other two were appointed in 1999.
___
10 a.m.
A panel of 13 appeals court judges in Virginia will hear a challenge to President Donald Trump's revised executive order targeting six predominantly Muslim countries.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Judge Allyson K. Duncan and Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III will not hear arguments in the case Monday. Wilkinson's son-in-law is Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, who's arguing the case on behalf of Trump.
It was not immediately clear why Duncan isn't on the panel. Both judges were appointed to the court by Republican presidents.
Of the 13 judges remaining, three are Republican appointees and nine are Democratic appointees. Chief Judge Roger Gregory was given a recess appointment to the court by President Bill Clinton and was reappointed by President George W. Bush.
___
3:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump is hoping that a federal appeals court will approve his revised travel ban that targets six Muslim-majority countries.
Attorneys for the Justice Department will defend Trump's immigration executive order before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday. It's the first time an appeals court will hear arguments on the revised travel ban, which was issued in March.
The court in Richmond, Virginia, will examine a ruling that blocks the administration from suspending new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The revised travel ban has also been blocked by a judge in Hawaii. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in that case next week.
4 p.m.
An attorney challenging President Donald Trump's revised travel ban says the Republican's anti-Muslim rhetoric is evidence that the policy was motivated by hostility to the religion.
Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union urged a 13-judge panel of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Monday to uphold lower court ruling that blocks the president's revised travel ban.
Jadwat said Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric continued even after he was elected.
He noted that Trump's call for a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the country remained on his campaign website after he took office. The statement, was still online Monday morning, appeared to have been taken down before the hearing.
Judge Robert B. King said the case appears to hinge on whether the court considers Trump's statements or focuses solely on the text of the order, which is religiously neutral.
3:25 p.m.
An attorney for President Donald Trump is urging a federal appeals court to focus on the religiously neutral text of Trump's revised travel ban rather than the Republican's anti-Muslim campaign statements.
Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey B. Wall told the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday that the court should not second-guess the president's national security decisions because of comments made on the campaign trail.
A 13-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is examining a ruling that blocks the administration from temporarily barring new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
A handful of judges appeared skeptical of Wall's arguments that they shouldn't give weight to Trump's campaign statements.
The judge's aren't expected to issue a ruling Monday.
___
2:55 p.m.
Dozens of demonstrators are gathered in front of the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, as a hearing is underway on whether to allow an executive order targeting immigrants from six predominantly Muslim countries to go into effect.
Rabbi Michael Knopf of Bend the Arc Jewish Action said on Monday that people were there to assure the Muslim community that they oppose the ban imposed by President Donald Trump's administration and they want to invite all Americans of conscience to join them in saying they oppose any ban any time. He said the ban has caused Muslim men, women and children to live in fear.
Attorneys for the Justice Department are defending Trump's executive order before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It's the first time an appeals court has heard arguments on the revised travel ban, which was issued in March.
The court is examining a ruling that blocks the administration from suspending new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
___
8:10 a.m.
Three judges appointed by President Bill Clinton will hear the Trump administration's appeal of Hawaii's so-far successful challenge to the president's travel ban that targets six predominantly Muslim countries.
The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will listen to arguments on May 15 at its Seattle courthouse. The 9th Circuit hears appeals from federal courts in nine western states.
A federal judge in Hawaii blocked the travel ban in March, ruling that it unfairly targets Muslims. Hawaii's attorney general argued the ban would harm the state's universities and tourism industry.
The three 9th Circuit judges who will consider Trump's Hawaii appeal are Michael Daly Hawkins, Ronald Gould and Richard Paez. Hawkins was appointed in 1994. The other two were appointed in 1999.
___
10 a.m.
A panel of 13 appeals court judges in Virginia will hear a challenge to President Donald Trump's revised executive order targeting six predominantly Muslim countries.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Judge Allyson K. Duncan and Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III will not hear arguments in the case Monday. Wilkinson's son-in-law is Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, who's arguing the case on behalf of Trump.
It was not immediately clear why Duncan isn't on the panel. Both judges were appointed to the court by Republican presidents.
Of the 13 judges remaining, three are Republican appointees and nine are Democratic appointees. Chief Judge Roger Gregory was given a recess appointment to the court by President Bill Clinton and was reappointed by President George W. Bush.
___
3:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump is hoping that a federal appeals court will approve his revised travel ban that targets six Muslim-majority countries.
Attorneys for the Justice Department will defend Trump's immigration executive order before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday. It's the first time an appeals court will hear arguments on the revised travel ban, which was issued in March.
The court in Richmond, Virginia, will examine a ruling that blocks the administration from suspending new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The revised travel ban has also been blocked by a judge in Hawaii. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in that case next week.
Sunday, 7 May 2017
USA: US Courts To Hear Trump Travel Ban Again
Legal challenges to President Donald Trump’s temporary travel ban on people from some Muslim-majority countries heat up again next week when two US appeals courts consider whether it is constitutional.
The legal fights may end up at the U.S. Supreme Court perhaps in the fall, many months after Trump first issued an executive order in January saying there was an urgent need to halt some immigration to the United States for 90 days while officials reviewed the visa process.
Trump dropped the original travel order after unfavourable legal rulings and replaced it with a more limited ban which is itself now being challenged in appeals courts on two coasts.
Arguing that the United States needed to tighten national security measures, Trump’s attempt to limit travel was one of his first major acts in office.
The fate of the ban is one indication of whether the Republican can carry out his promises to be tough on immigration and national security.
Omar Jadwat, an attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, who will be arguing the case at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia on Monday, said the fact that so much time has passed since the ban was issued is proof that there was no pressing national security need for it in the first place.
The court fight will give those challenging the order an opportunity to argue that the government never intended for the travel pause to be temporary, said Buzz Frahn, an attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in Palo Alto, California whose firm has been closely tracking the ongoing litigation.
Now almost 100 days after the original travel ban, the government says the period of 90 days was reset when the administration issued the new order in March.
The Department of Homeland Security “is, and will be, continuously examining ways to enhance the screening and vetting process to shut down terrorist and criminal pathways into the United States,” agency spokesman David Lapan said.
Some improvements will be classified, others will be public, but the Department has only just begun ways to enhance the security of our immigration system, he said in an email.
Opponents including states and civil rights groups - say that both the first ban and the revised ban, which also put a halt to all refugee admissions to the country for four months, discriminates against Muslims.
The government argues the text of the order does not mention any specific religion and is needed to protect the country against attacks.
Court Procedures
The 4th Circuit will decide the fate of a ruling from a Maryland district judge that struck down a section of the revised executive order barring visitors from Syria, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia.
The hearing will take place before 14 full-time judges of the appellate court. Ten of them were appointed by Democrats, and four by Republicans.
Then, on March 15, a three-judge panel at the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will review a decision from a Hawaii judge that halted not just the travel portion of the ban but also the section that barred refugees.
The judges who will sit on a panel in Seattle have been assigned but their identities have not been made public.
The 9th Circuit blocked Trump’s first ban in February, in a unanimous vote by one Republican-appointed judge and two-Democratic appointees.
Trump lashed out at the ruling on Twitter and said he is ready for a fight at the Supreme Court.
The nation’s highest court is more likely to hear a case if the federal appeals courts reach opposite rulings or if the issue is of great national importance, according to legal experts.
But the Supreme Court’s session ends in June, and if it take the case it would probably not be heard until after the justices return in October.
The legal fights may end up at the U.S. Supreme Court perhaps in the fall, many months after Trump first issued an executive order in January saying there was an urgent need to halt some immigration to the United States for 90 days while officials reviewed the visa process.
Trump dropped the original travel order after unfavourable legal rulings and replaced it with a more limited ban which is itself now being challenged in appeals courts on two coasts.
Arguing that the United States needed to tighten national security measures, Trump’s attempt to limit travel was one of his first major acts in office.
The fate of the ban is one indication of whether the Republican can carry out his promises to be tough on immigration and national security.
Omar Jadwat, an attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, who will be arguing the case at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia on Monday, said the fact that so much time has passed since the ban was issued is proof that there was no pressing national security need for it in the first place.
The court fight will give those challenging the order an opportunity to argue that the government never intended for the travel pause to be temporary, said Buzz Frahn, an attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in Palo Alto, California whose firm has been closely tracking the ongoing litigation.
Now almost 100 days after the original travel ban, the government says the period of 90 days was reset when the administration issued the new order in March.
The Department of Homeland Security “is, and will be, continuously examining ways to enhance the screening and vetting process to shut down terrorist and criminal pathways into the United States,” agency spokesman David Lapan said.
Some improvements will be classified, others will be public, but the Department has only just begun ways to enhance the security of our immigration system, he said in an email.
Opponents including states and civil rights groups - say that both the first ban and the revised ban, which also put a halt to all refugee admissions to the country for four months, discriminates against Muslims.
The government argues the text of the order does not mention any specific religion and is needed to protect the country against attacks.
Court Procedures
The 4th Circuit will decide the fate of a ruling from a Maryland district judge that struck down a section of the revised executive order barring visitors from Syria, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia.
The hearing will take place before 14 full-time judges of the appellate court. Ten of them were appointed by Democrats, and four by Republicans.
Then, on March 15, a three-judge panel at the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will review a decision from a Hawaii judge that halted not just the travel portion of the ban but also the section that barred refugees.
The judges who will sit on a panel in Seattle have been assigned but their identities have not been made public.
The 9th Circuit blocked Trump’s first ban in February, in a unanimous vote by one Republican-appointed judge and two-Democratic appointees.
Trump lashed out at the ruling on Twitter and said he is ready for a fight at the Supreme Court.
The nation’s highest court is more likely to hear a case if the federal appeals courts reach opposite rulings or if the issue is of great national importance, according to legal experts.
But the Supreme Court’s session ends in June, and if it take the case it would probably not be heard until after the justices return in October.
Thursday, 9 March 2017
USA: Judge Allows Hawaii State To Challenge New Travel Ban
Hawaii requested emergency court intervention on Wednesday to halt a revised executive order from President Donald Trump placing U.S. entry restrictions on refugees and travellers from six Muslim-majority countries.
Arguing that the new travel ban violates the U.S. Constitution, the state asked a Hawaii federal court to grant a temporary restraining order that should apply nationally.
U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson ruled earlier in the day that the state could sue over Trump's new order, which was signed by the president on Monday.
It is the first legal challenge to the revised order.
Watson said the state could revise its initial lawsuit, which had challenged Trump's original ban signed in January.
A hearing is set for March 15, a day before the new ban is to go into effect.
The government has said the president has wide authority to implement immigration policy and that the travel rules are necessary to protect against terrorist attacks.
Some legal experts have said court challenges will be more difficult now because changes to the order give exemptions to more people.
The revised travel order changed and replaced the original, more sweeping ban issued on Jan. 27 that caused chaos and protests at airports and was challenged in more than two dozen lawsuits around the country. A federal judge in Seattle put the first order on hold, in a decision upheld by an appeals court in San Francisco.
The new order is much more narrowly tailored. It keeps a 90-day ban on travel to the United States by citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, but excludes Iraq and applies the restriction only to new visa applicants. It also removed an indefinite ban on all refugees from Syria.
The order no longer covers legal residents or existing visa holders, and makes waivers possible for some business, diplomatic and other travellers.
Immigration advocates have said the new ban, like the original one, discriminates against Muslims.
But the first hurdle in a lawsuit is proving "standing" to sue, which means finding someone who has been harmed by the policy. With so many exemptions, legal experts have said it might be hard to find individuals that a court would rule have a right to sue.
Hawaii claims its state universities would be harmed by the order because they would have trouble recruiting students and faculty. It also says the island state's economy would be hit by a decline in tourism. The court papers cite reports that travel to the United States "took a nosedive" after Trump's actions.
The state was joined by a new plaintiff named Ismail Elshikh, an American citizen from Egypt who is an Imam at the Muslim Association of Hawaii whose mother-in-law lives in Syria, according to the lawsuit.
"This second Executive Order is infected with the same legal problems as the first Order," the state said in court papers filed on Tuesday. The President's order "is subjecting a portion of Hawaii's population, including Dr. Elshikh, his family, and members of his Mosque, to discrimination and second-class treatment," Hawaii said.
The lawsuit says that Elshikh fears his mother-in-law will not be able to enter the country under the new order. "The family is devastated," the filing said.
One of the groups eligible for waivers under the new ban are those seeking to visit or live with a close relative and who would face hardship if denied entry.
Adam Lauridsen, a San Francisco attorney representing students challenging Trump's first order, said the waiver provisions in the new ban are similar to case-by-case exemptions allowed in the first ban. Earlier legal challenges were allowed to move forward despite those waivers, he said.
In support of its actions, the Trump administration has cited a section of law that says the president can suspend entry to the United States by "any class" of foreigners if he finds it would be "detrimental to the interests" of the country.
Arguing that the new travel ban violates the U.S. Constitution, the state asked a Hawaii federal court to grant a temporary restraining order that should apply nationally.
U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson ruled earlier in the day that the state could sue over Trump's new order, which was signed by the president on Monday.
It is the first legal challenge to the revised order.
Watson said the state could revise its initial lawsuit, which had challenged Trump's original ban signed in January.
A hearing is set for March 15, a day before the new ban is to go into effect.
The government has said the president has wide authority to implement immigration policy and that the travel rules are necessary to protect against terrorist attacks.
Some legal experts have said court challenges will be more difficult now because changes to the order give exemptions to more people.
The revised travel order changed and replaced the original, more sweeping ban issued on Jan. 27 that caused chaos and protests at airports and was challenged in more than two dozen lawsuits around the country. A federal judge in Seattle put the first order on hold, in a decision upheld by an appeals court in San Francisco.
The new order is much more narrowly tailored. It keeps a 90-day ban on travel to the United States by citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, but excludes Iraq and applies the restriction only to new visa applicants. It also removed an indefinite ban on all refugees from Syria.
The order no longer covers legal residents or existing visa holders, and makes waivers possible for some business, diplomatic and other travellers.
Immigration advocates have said the new ban, like the original one, discriminates against Muslims.
But the first hurdle in a lawsuit is proving "standing" to sue, which means finding someone who has been harmed by the policy. With so many exemptions, legal experts have said it might be hard to find individuals that a court would rule have a right to sue.
Hawaii claims its state universities would be harmed by the order because they would have trouble recruiting students and faculty. It also says the island state's economy would be hit by a decline in tourism. The court papers cite reports that travel to the United States "took a nosedive" after Trump's actions.
The state was joined by a new plaintiff named Ismail Elshikh, an American citizen from Egypt who is an Imam at the Muslim Association of Hawaii whose mother-in-law lives in Syria, according to the lawsuit.
"This second Executive Order is infected with the same legal problems as the first Order," the state said in court papers filed on Tuesday. The President's order "is subjecting a portion of Hawaii's population, including Dr. Elshikh, his family, and members of his Mosque, to discrimination and second-class treatment," Hawaii said.
The lawsuit says that Elshikh fears his mother-in-law will not be able to enter the country under the new order. "The family is devastated," the filing said.
One of the groups eligible for waivers under the new ban are those seeking to visit or live with a close relative and who would face hardship if denied entry.
Adam Lauridsen, a San Francisco attorney representing students challenging Trump's first order, said the waiver provisions in the new ban are similar to case-by-case exemptions allowed in the first ban. Earlier legal challenges were allowed to move forward despite those waivers, he said.
In support of its actions, the Trump administration has cited a section of law that says the president can suspend entry to the United States by "any class" of foreigners if he finds it would be "detrimental to the interests" of the country.
Sunday, 5 March 2017
Emirates Changes Pilot, Crew Rosters on US Flights After Trump Order
Emirates airline has changed pilot and flight attendant rosters on flights to the United States following the sudden US travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, highlighting the challenges facing airlines trying to deal with the new rules.
The world’s largest long-haul carrier, which flies daily to 11 US cities, has made “the necessary adjustments to our crewing, to comply with the latest requirements,” an Emirates spokeswoman told Reuters by email on Sunday. She added US flights continue to operate to schedule.
President Donald Trump on Friday suspended the entry of people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The decision caught airlines off guard, according to the International Air Transport Association.
“I cannot think of anything comparable. This brings a mix of administrative confusion, impact and uncertainty for many travellers as well as practical operational headaches and complexities for airlines in planning their flight programmes,” independent aviation consultant John Strickland told Reuters.
The ban applies to pilots and flight attendants from the seven countries, even though all flight crew who are not US citizens already need a special visa to enter the country.
Nicoley Baublies, from the German cabin crew union UFO, said the move was very unusual and meant uncertainty for airlines in terms of planning.
“Lufthansa has always ensured it has very diverse crews, with staff of different nationalities and that means that we are for the first time in decades having to look at where people come from,” he said at Frankfurt airport.
A spokesman for Lufthansa said on Sunday it was too early to comment on the effects of the order but that airlines and passengers were required to follow the new rules.
Another Emirates spokeswoman said the impact of the ban on operations would be minimal. The airline employs over 23,000 flight attendants and about 4,000 pilots from around the world, including the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi said the airline had “taken steps to ensure there will be no issues for flights departing over the coming weeks”.
Japan Airlines (JAL) on Monday said it had begun screening passengers from the countries affected by Mr Trump’s travel ban before their departure for the United States.
JAL officials would contact the US Customs and Border Protection agency to confirm whether passengers would be allowed entry, a spokesman for Japan’s second-biggest carrier said.
It is unclear if the ban applies to dual nationals – those who hold one passport from a country on the list and another from a non-US country that is not.
Etihad said on its website that dual citizens could travel to the US using their non-banned passport. Iata have told its members that the ban does not apply to dual nationals if they have a passport not on the list, according to an email seen by Reuters.
However, the Guardian reported on Saturday, quoting State Department officials, that dual nationals were banned.
US officials said on Sunday holders of green cards need to check with a US consulate and will be cleared on a case by case basis.
On Sunday, Iata sent another email to member airlines, seen by Reuters, asking for examples of Green Card holders being denied boarding. It also said it was seeking more information from authorities in Washington.
Baublies said the uncertainty over the rules was not helping.
“Trump reacts in 140 characters, we don’t know what it means – for people with the wrong entries in their passports or with dual nationality or married to someone from one of the countries affected, are they allowed to travel?” There are also concerns the restrictions could dampen travel demand. “Ultimately this could feed through to the role airlines play in the global economy in supporting business and tourism due to as yet unquantifiable impacts on demand & cost,”Strickland said.
Mr Baublies said airlines were usually among the first affected by global crises.
“We hope it doesn’t mean that seats are left empty because people don’t know where they can travel with which passport.”
Dubai-based Emirates and Etihad Airways are both owned by the governments of the United Arab Emirates, a US ally and Muslim-majority country.
Both carriers said they would continue to comply with the new rules on US immigration but where possible would offer to refund or rebook affected passengers.
Emirates and Etihad have also said that passengers were affected by the ban over the weekend but their flight crews had not been impacted.
Qatar Airways declined to comment on the impact of the ban on flight operations, although on Saturday it issued a statement on its website that passengers would need a green card or diplomatic visa to enter the US Emirates and Etihad issued similar statements.
The world’s largest long-haul carrier, which flies daily to 11 US cities, has made “the necessary adjustments to our crewing, to comply with the latest requirements,” an Emirates spokeswoman told Reuters by email on Sunday. She added US flights continue to operate to schedule.
President Donald Trump on Friday suspended the entry of people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The decision caught airlines off guard, according to the International Air Transport Association.
“I cannot think of anything comparable. This brings a mix of administrative confusion, impact and uncertainty for many travellers as well as practical operational headaches and complexities for airlines in planning their flight programmes,” independent aviation consultant John Strickland told Reuters.
The ban applies to pilots and flight attendants from the seven countries, even though all flight crew who are not US citizens already need a special visa to enter the country.
Nicoley Baublies, from the German cabin crew union UFO, said the move was very unusual and meant uncertainty for airlines in terms of planning.
“Lufthansa has always ensured it has very diverse crews, with staff of different nationalities and that means that we are for the first time in decades having to look at where people come from,” he said at Frankfurt airport.
A spokesman for Lufthansa said on Sunday it was too early to comment on the effects of the order but that airlines and passengers were required to follow the new rules.
Another Emirates spokeswoman said the impact of the ban on operations would be minimal. The airline employs over 23,000 flight attendants and about 4,000 pilots from around the world, including the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi said the airline had “taken steps to ensure there will be no issues for flights departing over the coming weeks”.
Japan Airlines (JAL) on Monday said it had begun screening passengers from the countries affected by Mr Trump’s travel ban before their departure for the United States.
JAL officials would contact the US Customs and Border Protection agency to confirm whether passengers would be allowed entry, a spokesman for Japan’s second-biggest carrier said.
It is unclear if the ban applies to dual nationals – those who hold one passport from a country on the list and another from a non-US country that is not.
Etihad said on its website that dual citizens could travel to the US using their non-banned passport. Iata have told its members that the ban does not apply to dual nationals if they have a passport not on the list, according to an email seen by Reuters.
However, the Guardian reported on Saturday, quoting State Department officials, that dual nationals were banned.
US officials said on Sunday holders of green cards need to check with a US consulate and will be cleared on a case by case basis.
On Sunday, Iata sent another email to member airlines, seen by Reuters, asking for examples of Green Card holders being denied boarding. It also said it was seeking more information from authorities in Washington.
Baublies said the uncertainty over the rules was not helping.
“Trump reacts in 140 characters, we don’t know what it means – for people with the wrong entries in their passports or with dual nationality or married to someone from one of the countries affected, are they allowed to travel?” There are also concerns the restrictions could dampen travel demand. “Ultimately this could feed through to the role airlines play in the global economy in supporting business and tourism due to as yet unquantifiable impacts on demand & cost,”Strickland said.
Mr Baublies said airlines were usually among the first affected by global crises.
“We hope it doesn’t mean that seats are left empty because people don’t know where they can travel with which passport.”
Dubai-based Emirates and Etihad Airways are both owned by the governments of the United Arab Emirates, a US ally and Muslim-majority country.
Both carriers said they would continue to comply with the new rules on US immigration but where possible would offer to refund or rebook affected passengers.
Emirates and Etihad have also said that passengers were affected by the ban over the weekend but their flight crews had not been impacted.
Qatar Airways declined to comment on the impact of the ban on flight operations, although on Saturday it issued a statement on its website that passengers would need a green card or diplomatic visa to enter the US Emirates and Etihad issued similar statements.
Saturday, 4 February 2017
IRAN: American Citizens Barred From Visiting Iran In Retaliation To President Trump's Decree On Travel To USA
Iran seeks to lift visa restrictions with a number of countries in an effort to help boost the mutual tourism ties with the target countries.
The country plans to abolish visas for travelers from 36 countries, including tourists from Russia, said Iranian Vice President for Cultural Heritage and Tourism Zahra Ahmadipour.
A full list of countries is not named yet.
Currently, Russians who plan to visit Iran are obliged to obtain entry visas in advance in the consular department of the Iranian Embassy in Moscow. The term of visa issuance is less than 10 days, the fee is €35.
In July 2016, Iran increased its visa on arrival extension from 1 month to 3 months, while citizens of 190 countries can obtain visa on arrival at the country’s airports with one-month validation.
Also, the citizens of Turkey, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bolivia, Egypt, Syria and Armenia can travel to Iran and stay in the country without visa from 15 to 90 days under the visa requirement regulations.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry declared that for now, American citizens will be barred from entering their country.
The Islamic Republic announced that they have decided to bar Americans from entering their territory in response to US President Trump’s new decree to halt the entry of citizens from 7 majority Muslim countries including Iran.
“The ban is a clear insult to the Islamic world and especially to the wonderful Iranian nation,” the Iranian side said.
The country plans to abolish visas for travelers from 36 countries, including tourists from Russia, said Iranian Vice President for Cultural Heritage and Tourism Zahra Ahmadipour.
A full list of countries is not named yet.
Currently, Russians who plan to visit Iran are obliged to obtain entry visas in advance in the consular department of the Iranian Embassy in Moscow. The term of visa issuance is less than 10 days, the fee is €35.
In July 2016, Iran increased its visa on arrival extension from 1 month to 3 months, while citizens of 190 countries can obtain visa on arrival at the country’s airports with one-month validation.
Also, the citizens of Turkey, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bolivia, Egypt, Syria and Armenia can travel to Iran and stay in the country without visa from 15 to 90 days under the visa requirement regulations.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry declared that for now, American citizens will be barred from entering their country.
The Islamic Republic announced that they have decided to bar Americans from entering their territory in response to US President Trump’s new decree to halt the entry of citizens from 7 majority Muslim countries including Iran.
“The ban is a clear insult to the Islamic world and especially to the wonderful Iranian nation,” the Iranian side said.
USA: US Customs And Border Protection (CBP) Agency Oders Airlines To Board Passengers From Seven Banned Countries
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has issued an advisory to airlines allowing them to board passengers from previously barred Muslim-majority countries after a US judge temporarily halted a controversial travel ban.
The decision was taken after Seattle District Judge James Robart announced a temporary suspension of President Donald Trump's week-old executive order temporarily barring refugees and nationals from seven countries from entering the US.
Spokespersons for Qatar Airways and US-based United Airlines confirmed that they will board all passengers with valid travel documents that are affected by the order after receiving an advisory to do so from the CBP.
"As directed by the US Customs and Border Protection, nationals of the seven affected countries listed below and all refugees seeking admission presenting a valid, unexpired US visa or green card will be permitted to travel to the United States and will be processed accordingly upon arrival," read a travel alert posted on Qatar Airways' website.
All airlines flying from Tehran to the US on Saturday would board Iranian nationals with valid visas.
The judge's temporary restraining order represents a major challenge to Trump's action, although his administration could still appeal the ruling and have the policy upheld.
It comes on the heals of a week's worth of spontaneous protests at airports across the country.
The US state department said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to work out how Friday's ruling affects its operations, and will announce any changes affecting travellers as soon as information is available.
The White House said it would file an appeal as soon as possible.
"At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of this outrageous order and defend the executive order of the president, which we believe is lawful and appropriate," the White House said in a statement. A revised statement released later omitted the word "outrageous".
"The president's order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people," the White House said.
Trump's executive order bars Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocks citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen entry into the US for 90 days. Refugees from countries other than Syria are barred from entry for 120 days.
The state department said on Friday that up to 60,000 foreigners from the seven countries concerned had their visas cancelled as a result of the order. A justice department attorney, however, told a court hearing in Virginia that about 100,000 visas had been revoked.
The ban caught the airline industry off guard, with some carriers forced to re-roster flight crew in order to abide by the order.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee celebrated the decision as a victory for the state, adding: "No person - not even the president - is above the law.
"There is still more to do," he said in a statement. "The fight isn't yet won. But we should feel heartened by today's victory and more resolute than ever that we are fighting on the right side of history."
The judge's decision was also welcomed by groups protesting the ban.
"This order demonstrates that federal judges throughout the country are seeing the serious constitutional problems with this order," said Nicholas Espiritu, a staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.
Eric Ferrero, Amnesty International USA spokesman, lauded the short-term relief provided by the order but added: "Congress must step in and block this unlawful ban for good".
But the fluid legal situation was illustrated by the fact that the ruling came just hours after a federal judge in Boston declined to extend a temporary restraining order allowing some immigrants into the United States from countries affected by Trump's three-month ban.
The immigration ban has popular support, with 49 percent of Americans agreeing with the order and 41 percent disagreeing. Some 53 percent of Democrats said they "strongly disagree" with Trump's action while 51 percent of Republicans said they "strongly agree".
The decision was taken after Seattle District Judge James Robart announced a temporary suspension of President Donald Trump's week-old executive order temporarily barring refugees and nationals from seven countries from entering the US.
Spokespersons for Qatar Airways and US-based United Airlines confirmed that they will board all passengers with valid travel documents that are affected by the order after receiving an advisory to do so from the CBP.
"As directed by the US Customs and Border Protection, nationals of the seven affected countries listed below and all refugees seeking admission presenting a valid, unexpired US visa or green card will be permitted to travel to the United States and will be processed accordingly upon arrival," read a travel alert posted on Qatar Airways' website.
All airlines flying from Tehran to the US on Saturday would board Iranian nationals with valid visas.
The judge's temporary restraining order represents a major challenge to Trump's action, although his administration could still appeal the ruling and have the policy upheld.
It comes on the heals of a week's worth of spontaneous protests at airports across the country.
The US state department said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to work out how Friday's ruling affects its operations, and will announce any changes affecting travellers as soon as information is available.
The White House said it would file an appeal as soon as possible.
"At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of this outrageous order and defend the executive order of the president, which we believe is lawful and appropriate," the White House said in a statement. A revised statement released later omitted the word "outrageous".
"The president's order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people," the White House said.
Trump's executive order bars Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocks citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen entry into the US for 90 days. Refugees from countries other than Syria are barred from entry for 120 days.
The state department said on Friday that up to 60,000 foreigners from the seven countries concerned had their visas cancelled as a result of the order. A justice department attorney, however, told a court hearing in Virginia that about 100,000 visas had been revoked.
The ban caught the airline industry off guard, with some carriers forced to re-roster flight crew in order to abide by the order.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee celebrated the decision as a victory for the state, adding: "No person - not even the president - is above the law.
"There is still more to do," he said in a statement. "The fight isn't yet won. But we should feel heartened by today's victory and more resolute than ever that we are fighting on the right side of history."
The judge's decision was also welcomed by groups protesting the ban.
"This order demonstrates that federal judges throughout the country are seeing the serious constitutional problems with this order," said Nicholas Espiritu, a staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.
Eric Ferrero, Amnesty International USA spokesman, lauded the short-term relief provided by the order but added: "Congress must step in and block this unlawful ban for good".
But the fluid legal situation was illustrated by the fact that the ruling came just hours after a federal judge in Boston declined to extend a temporary restraining order allowing some immigrants into the United States from countries affected by Trump's three-month ban.
The immigration ban has popular support, with 49 percent of Americans agreeing with the order and 41 percent disagreeing. Some 53 percent of Democrats said they "strongly disagree" with Trump's action while 51 percent of Republicans said they "strongly agree".
Friday, 3 February 2017
USA: Executive Order On Immigrants Bad For US And World Tourism
President Donald Trump's executive order blocking immigrants from seven majority Muslim nations will hit tourism to the US, the UN's World Tourism Organization warned today.
The ban on nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen has triggered a domestic and international uproar, but supporters argue it is a temporary measure aimed at boosting national security.
In a statement, the Madrid-based UNWTO voiced "deep concern and strong condemnation" over the immigration clampdown.
The move is "contrary to the principles of freedom of travel" and will "hinder the immense benefits the tourism sector brings in terms of economic growth and job creation," added the agency.
Rather than increased security, the travel ban will lead to "growing tensions and threats," said UNWTO chief Taleb Rifai.
He added that "the image of a country which imposes travel bans in such a hostile way" would affect potential visitors the world over and "risk dumping travel demand to the USA."
Trump's executive order, which has also temporarily halted refugee arrivals, has seen immigrants and even legal permanent US residents detained in several airports.
Some were turned away and put on departing flights, but many were released into the US, often with the help of US attorneys, after a delay.
The ban on nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen has triggered a domestic and international uproar, but supporters argue it is a temporary measure aimed at boosting national security.
In a statement, the Madrid-based UNWTO voiced "deep concern and strong condemnation" over the immigration clampdown.
The move is "contrary to the principles of freedom of travel" and will "hinder the immense benefits the tourism sector brings in terms of economic growth and job creation," added the agency.
Rather than increased security, the travel ban will lead to "growing tensions and threats," said UNWTO chief Taleb Rifai.
He added that "the image of a country which imposes travel bans in such a hostile way" would affect potential visitors the world over and "risk dumping travel demand to the USA."
Trump's executive order, which has also temporarily halted refugee arrivals, has seen immigrants and even legal permanent US residents detained in several airports.
Some were turned away and put on departing flights, but many were released into the US, often with the help of US attorneys, after a delay.
Thursday, 2 February 2017
KENYA: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Receives Over 90 Somali Deported From USA
More than 90 Somali nationals and two Kenyans on Wednesday arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after being deported from the United States.
The deportees, believed to have been affected by US President Donald Trump’s implementation of his pledge to crack down on illegal immigrants, arrived at the airport at midday aboard Omni, an American Charter Airline.
The Somalis then boarded a flight that left for Mogadishu at 3pm.
Security sources at the airport said the travellers were accompanied by security officers, who also accompanied them to Mogadishu.
Airport OCPD Zipporah Waweru confirmed that there had been a plane carrying Somalis in transit to Mogadishu, but she could not confirm whether they were deportees.
“They have left and to me, they looked happy so I cannot for sure tell you that they were deported or not,” Ms Waweru said.
Mr Trump had vowed during the campaign for the White House to kick out illegal immigrants and immigrants with criminal records, saying they would be deported at their own cost.
On Tuesday, Mr Trump said he was ready to build a wall on the Mexican border and send away illegal immigrants as he rolled out a series of immigration decrees.
Officials said Mr Trump had directed that migrant quotas and programmes be cut, thus slowing down the processing of visas.
The orders would restrict immigration and access to the United States for refugees and visa holders from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, according to American media.
During his campaign, Mr Trump said he would deport or jail up to three million illegal migrants.
The deportees, believed to have been affected by US President Donald Trump’s implementation of his pledge to crack down on illegal immigrants, arrived at the airport at midday aboard Omni, an American Charter Airline.
The Somalis then boarded a flight that left for Mogadishu at 3pm.
Security sources at the airport said the travellers were accompanied by security officers, who also accompanied them to Mogadishu.
Airport OCPD Zipporah Waweru confirmed that there had been a plane carrying Somalis in transit to Mogadishu, but she could not confirm whether they were deportees.
“They have left and to me, they looked happy so I cannot for sure tell you that they were deported or not,” Ms Waweru said.
Mr Trump had vowed during the campaign for the White House to kick out illegal immigrants and immigrants with criminal records, saying they would be deported at their own cost.
On Tuesday, Mr Trump said he was ready to build a wall on the Mexican border and send away illegal immigrants as he rolled out a series of immigration decrees.
Officials said Mr Trump had directed that migrant quotas and programmes be cut, thus slowing down the processing of visas.
The orders would restrict immigration and access to the United States for refugees and visa holders from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, according to American media.
During his campaign, Mr Trump said he would deport or jail up to three million illegal migrants.
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
EGYPT: EgyptAir Implementing Trump Travel Ban, Someone Tell Trump It Is Bad For America Tourism And Travel
According to Hossam Hussein, an EgyptAir official who is responsible for the carrier’s daily flight to New York, authorities there had notified them hours earlier of the new restrictions.
The directive calls for airlines to prevent U.S. immigration visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries from boarding flights to the United States.
The countries affected are Sudan, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Somalia and Libya.
Officials at EgyptAir however said holders of diplomatic passports or government officials from the affected countries would be allowed to board.
The move by the US President has sparked confusion and anger after immigrants and refugees were kept off flights and left stranded in airports.
PAKISTAN: Next On The "Travel Ban" Countries May Be Pakistan Afghanistan
Pakistan, viewed as an epicentre of global terrorism, could be included in a list of Muslim- majority countries from where immigration to the US has been banned by President Donald Trump, the White House has hinted.
"Why not Pakistan?," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked when he appeared on Tuesday at the George Washington University for a forum on media's relationship with President Trump.
"Maybe we will," Spicer said, responding to the question, which has been trailing senior White House officials ever since President Trump signed an executive order that prevented people from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the US. These countries are Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen.
For the past few days, top White House officials have been asked why the list does not include countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
The White House Press Secretary indicated that Pakistan could very well be part of that list. "Maybe we will. The bottom line is we started with the seven countries that have previously been identified, did a 90-day review. Maybe during that 90-day review we find other countries or we take someone off or whatever. But it is a review process," Spicer said.
"Our number one priority as a government and as leaders is to protect the 324 million people who live in this country. So I understand that people may be inconvenienced a little coming into the nation. But this is our nation, our country. Our first and foremost responsibility is to our people," he asserted.
"If people want to come to this country and visit or travel or study, then we welcome them. We've always been a welcoming country. But the idea that we should just have an open door and let people in willy-nilly is ridiculous," Spicer said.
Over the weekend, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus had also said that Pakistan could also be included in a list of Muslim-majority countries from where immigration to the US has been banned by President Trump.
"Why not Pakistan?," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked when he appeared on Tuesday at the George Washington University for a forum on media's relationship with President Trump.
"Maybe we will," Spicer said, responding to the question, which has been trailing senior White House officials ever since President Trump signed an executive order that prevented people from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the US. These countries are Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen.
For the past few days, top White House officials have been asked why the list does not include countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
The White House Press Secretary indicated that Pakistan could very well be part of that list. "Maybe we will. The bottom line is we started with the seven countries that have previously been identified, did a 90-day review. Maybe during that 90-day review we find other countries or we take someone off or whatever. But it is a review process," Spicer said.
"Our number one priority as a government and as leaders is to protect the 324 million people who live in this country. So I understand that people may be inconvenienced a little coming into the nation. But this is our nation, our country. Our first and foremost responsibility is to our people," he asserted.
"If people want to come to this country and visit or travel or study, then we welcome them. We've always been a welcoming country. But the idea that we should just have an open door and let people in willy-nilly is ridiculous," Spicer said.
Over the weekend, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus had also said that Pakistan could also be included in a list of Muslim-majority countries from where immigration to the US has been banned by President Trump.
USA: American Travel Restrictions To Hurt Many Countries Including The USA
Seeking to capitalise on U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial new travel restrictions, companies and officials in Asia said they would target greater tourism and education ties with Muslims worried about the curbs.
Trump's Friday directive put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the group CEO of Asia's largest budget airline, AirAsia, suggested countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could cash in.
"With the world now getting more isolationist it's time for ASEAN to start making it easier for tourists to come," Tony Fernandes said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving in 2016 from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.
The country is also a key destination for medical tourism and halal tourism, with food and other products largely halal-certified.
In neighbouring Thailand, tourism officials said the U.S. ban could lift visitor numbers.
"The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector," Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the United States from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.
With concerns about safety and security building, some Asians were reconsidering U.S. travel plans and seeking alternatives, even though their countries were not subject to the restrictions.
"When you want to travel, especially for leisure, then you want peace of mind," said Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Singapore's Dynasty Travel.
"Right now people are planning for their March-April onwards travel. They will put their travel plans (to the United States) on hold at this juncture in time."
Singaporeans may either chose to travel to the United States later in the year or explore alternative locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada or within Asia, she said.
Trump has argued tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect America from attacks, but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and defiles America's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.
Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said Trump's travel restrictions were not only hurting innocent people but were "bringing great damage to his own economy and to the standings of Americans internationally".
"Everyone who has relatives in America, whether they are from the countries listed or not, they are petrified of what this man is going to do to America and to their relatives," Trad told Reuters.
Some education providers had seen early signs of an impact.
Rod Jones, CEO of Australian-listed education firm Navitas Ltd, said the company had seen a downturn in inquiries for their U.S.-based English language courses.
"We have started to see students back off from the U.S. because of their concerns about potential issues they may face," Jones told analysts on an earnings call.
"But they still want to go somewhere," Jones added, identifying Canada and Australia as important alternatives. "The Canadian Prime Minister has come out and said 'if the U.S. doesn't want you, we'd love to have you' and I think it is the approach of Australia too."
Aulia Adila, 24, a young professional in the media industry in Jakarta, had been considering the United States as an option for postgraduate study.
"When Trump had a chance of winning the election this made me reconsider going to the States to study. Now that he won, and with the Muslim ban and the new migrant policy, it's becoming even more impossible and unsafe to be in America," Adila said.
"I'm considering another country where I'll feel safe."
Trump's Friday directive put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the group CEO of Asia's largest budget airline, AirAsia, suggested countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could cash in.
"With the world now getting more isolationist it's time for ASEAN to start making it easier for tourists to come," Tony Fernandes said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving in 2016 from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.
The country is also a key destination for medical tourism and halal tourism, with food and other products largely halal-certified.
In neighbouring Thailand, tourism officials said the U.S. ban could lift visitor numbers.
"The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector," Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the United States from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.
With concerns about safety and security building, some Asians were reconsidering U.S. travel plans and seeking alternatives, even though their countries were not subject to the restrictions.
"When you want to travel, especially for leisure, then you want peace of mind," said Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Singapore's Dynasty Travel.
"Right now people are planning for their March-April onwards travel. They will put their travel plans (to the United States) on hold at this juncture in time."
Singaporeans may either chose to travel to the United States later in the year or explore alternative locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada or within Asia, she said.
Trump has argued tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect America from attacks, but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and defiles America's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.
Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said Trump's travel restrictions were not only hurting innocent people but were "bringing great damage to his own economy and to the standings of Americans internationally".
"Everyone who has relatives in America, whether they are from the countries listed or not, they are petrified of what this man is going to do to America and to their relatives," Trad told Reuters.
Some education providers had seen early signs of an impact.
Rod Jones, CEO of Australian-listed education firm Navitas Ltd, said the company had seen a downturn in inquiries for their U.S.-based English language courses.
"We have started to see students back off from the U.S. because of their concerns about potential issues they may face," Jones told analysts on an earnings call.
"But they still want to go somewhere," Jones added, identifying Canada and Australia as important alternatives. "The Canadian Prime Minister has come out and said 'if the U.S. doesn't want you, we'd love to have you' and I think it is the approach of Australia too."
Aulia Adila, 24, a young professional in the media industry in Jakarta, had been considering the United States as an option for postgraduate study.
"When Trump had a chance of winning the election this made me reconsider going to the States to study. Now that he won, and with the Muslim ban and the new migrant policy, it's becoming even more impossible and unsafe to be in America," Adila said.
"I'm considering another country where I'll feel safe."
Monday, 30 January 2017
USA: Trump Travel Ban, Court issues Emergency Order Temporarily Barring The U.S. From Deporting People
A federal judge in New York has issued an emergency order temporarily barring the U.S. from deporting people from nations subject to President Donald Trump's travel ban.
U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly issued the order Saturday evening after lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union filed a court petition on behalf of people from seven predominantly Muslim nations who were detained at airports across the country as the ban took effect.
Cheers broke out in a crowd of demonstrators outside a Brooklyn courthouse as the decision, effective nationwide, was announced.
The order barred U.S. border agents from removing anyone who arrived in the U.S. with a valid visa from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
It also covered anyone with an approved refugee application.
It was unclear how quickly the order might affect people in detention.
7 p.m.
New York City's Kennedy Airport became a scene of anguish Saturday for relatives of people detained after arriving in the U.S. from nations subject to President Donald Trump's travel ban.
Lawyers and advocates working at the airport say they didn't have a hard count on the number of people taken into custody after getting off their flights.
Yosre Ghaled was among about a dozen distraught people waiting at a terminal Saturday to see if loved ones would be released or deported.
She says her mother-in-law's sister had been detained.
The 67-year-old Yemeni citizen had flown to the U.S. to live with family because she is sick from heart problems and diabetes.
Two members of congress joined hundreds of protesters at the airport, demonstrating against the detentions.
1 a.m.
The government of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is taking exception to the Israeli prime minister's praise of a border wall to keep out illegal immigration.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Twitter Saturday that "President Trump is right" for building a wall.
"I built a wall along Israel's southern border," he wrote. "It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea."
Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a communique that it had expressed its "profound surprise, rejection and disappointment in the prime minister's message on Twitter" to Israel's ambassador. "Mexico is Israel's friend and should be treated as such."
12:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump says his crackdown on refugees and citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries "is not a Muslim ban."
A day after signing an executive order implementing the ban immediately, Trump says it's "working out very nicely."
But confusion, worry and outrage boiled over Saturday as airlines blocked people from travelling to the United States and legal challenges were mounted.
Included is a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The U.S. refugee program is suspended for 120-days.
Trump's order imposed the most aggressive ban on Syrians, indefinitely blocking entry to the U.S. by anyone from that country, including those fleeing civil war.
12:10 a.m.
Airlines around the world are turning away passengers, refunding tickets and rebooking flights in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's immigration order.
The order signed Friday included a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen. It also suspended the U.S. refugee program for four months.
That forced airlines to tell some customers they couldn't proceed on flights to the U.S.
Dubai-based Emirates said a small number of its passengers were affected Saturday, and it was helping them rebook. Delta Air Lines and British Airways both said they were offering refunds for passengers who couldn't complete their trips.
Several airlines, including Qatar Airways, posted travel alerts on their websites warning customers about the changes.
11:50 p.m.
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says his country's decision to not issue Americans visas will not be retroactive.
Zarif says on Twitter: "Unlike the U.S., our decision is not retroactive. All with valid Iranian visa will be gladly welcomed."
U.S. visa restrictions that took effect on Saturday for people from several countries, including Iran, ban travel even for those who already had American visas.
11:20 p.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a message for refugees rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump: Canada will take you.
Trudeau tweeted Saturday "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength .WelcomeToCanada."
Trudeau also tweeted a picture of him greeting a Syrian child at Toronto's airport.
Trudeau oversaw the arrival of more than 39,000 Syrian refugees soon after he was elected in late 2015.
The young prime minister has been reluctant to criticize President Donald Trump. His government has been trying to balance his liberal view of the world while not offending the new Trump administration.
More than 75 per cent of Canada's exports are to the U.S.
10:20 p.m.
An Iraqi who was detained overnight at a New York City airport because of President Donald Trump's ban on refugees from certain Muslim nations has called America "the land of freedom" after being released from custody.
Hameed Khalid Darweesh worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army when it invaded Iraq in 2003. Later he was a contract engineer for the U.S.
He was granted permission to relocate to the U.S., but was detained along with another traveller from Iraq after arriving at Kennedy Airport Friday night.
Lawyers petitioned a federal court early Saturday to let them go. Two Democratic U.S. Representatives, Nydia Velazquez and Jerrold Nalder, were at the airport trying to get 11 other detainees released.
After he was freed Saturday, Darweesh told a waiting crowd that "America is the greatest nation, the greatest people in the world."
9:50 p.m.
In Somalia, people are reacting with dismay and warnings that countries could retaliate against the United States' new immigration and visa policies with restrictive policies of their own.
"I am shocked beyond words. This will mean that my new husband will never be able to join me in the U.S.," said Fatima Ashkir, a Somali-American woman from Florida who came to Mogadishu to marry her Somali boyfriend.
Others say they are not surprised at President Donald Trump's executive order imposing a three-month ban on refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Somalia.
"His intentions of hurting rather than to help were clear from the very beginning," said Ahmed Abdullahi, a university student in Mogadishu. "But you have to know that this will have a serious effect on relations between Americans and the Muslim world. A tit-for-tat response by Muslim countries, in which Americans could be barred from entering countries affected, is likely to be seen."
8:30 p.m.
Iran's foreign ministry is suggesting the country will limit issuing visas to American tourists in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump's suspension of immigration and visas for nationals from Muslim countries including Iran.
The official IRNA news agency Saturday carried a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry that says Iran will resort to "counteraction" to Trump's executive order.
The statement says: "Iran, to defend the dignity of the great Iranian nation, will implement the principle of reciprocity until the removal of the insulting restriction against Iranian nationals."
The statement adds: "It will apply corresponding legal, consular and political actions."
The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since 1979 when militants stormed the U.S. embassy.
8 p.m.
Cairo airport officials say five U.S.-bound Iraqi migrants from one family who have been prevented from boarding an EgyptAir flight to New York's JKF airport would return to Iraq.
They said the five will spend Saturday night at Cairo airport and leave for Irbil, capital of Iraq's Kurdish region, Sunday morning.
They added that the sixth U.S.-bound migrant, a Yemeni national, left the airport to return to Cairo, where he resides.
The officials said Saturday's action by the airport was the first since President Donald Trump imposed a three-month ban on refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
The officials said the six migrants, escorted by officials from the U.N. refugee agency, were stopped from boarding the plane after authorities at Cairo airport contacted their counterparts in JFK airport.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
7:05 p.m.
Dutch airline KLM says it has had to turn away seven would-be passengers because they would no longer have been accepted into the United States under President Donald Trump's ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations.
Manel Vrijenhoek, at KLM's press office, said: "We would love to bring them there. That's not the problem. It's just that this is what the U.S. sprang on the rest of the world -- that these people are no longer welcome."
She said the seven were due to fly with KLM from different airports around the world. Vrijenhoek said she had no specifics on their nationalities, although she confirmed they were from countries affected by the three-month immigration ban: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
Trump signed the order Friday.
6:40 p.m.
A U.S. federal law enforcement official says any non-U.S. citizen from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen is now barred from entering the United States.
That covers legal permanent residents -- green card holders -- and visa-holders from those seven countries who are out of the United States after Friday, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order with the temporary ban. They cannot return to the U.S. for 90 days.
The official says there's an exemption for immigrants and legal permanent residents whose entry is in the U.S. national interest, but it's unclear how that exemption will be applied.
The official says visa and green card holders already in the U.S. will be allowed to stay.
The official wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the details of how Trump's order is being put in place and spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Customs and Border Protection is notifying airlines about passengers whose visas had been cancelled or legal residents scheduled to fly back to the U.S., and the airlines are being told to keep them off those flights.
6:35 p.m.
Israel's leader has endorsed President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall along the Mexican border.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted Saturday that Israel's wall along its border with Egypt has been successful in stopping a swell of African migrants.
"President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea," he wrote, with images of the Israeli and American flag.
The tweet marked a rare public foray for the Israeli leader into a charged American domestic affair. The two leaders spoke earlier this week and Netanyahu is planning to visit Trump in the White House next month.
After repeated clashes with President Obama, Netanyahu has high expectations for Trump, who has signalled he will take a kinder approach.
5:45 p.m.
Malala Yousafzai, shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012 to stop her campaigning for girls' education and co-winner of the 2014 Nobel peace prize, says she is heart-broken by U.S. President Donald Trump's ban on refugees from entering the United States for four months.
The order Friday suspends a program that saw around 85,000 people displaced by war, political oppression, hunger and religious prejudice resettled in the U.S. last year. Trump indefinitely blocked people fleeing Syria's civil war, and imposed a 90-day ban on U.S. entry from seven Muslim majority nations.
In a statement Saturday, Yousafzai implores Trump "not to turn his back on the world's most defenceless children and families."
Refugees and immigrants, she says, have "helped build your country."
Trump's mother was born in Scotland.
5:15 p.m.
Qatar Airways is advising passengers bound for the United States from seven newly banned majority Muslim countries that they need to have either a U.S. green card or diplomatic visa to travel.
A statement on the company's website says: "Nationals of the following countries: Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen ... may travel to the U.S. only if they are in possession of a permanent resident card (Green card) or any of the below visas."
It listed foreign government, United Nations, international organization and NATO visas.
President Donald Trump has issued a 90-day ban on all entry to the U.S. from countries with terrorism concerns, including Syria, Iraq and Libya.
3 p.m.
Cairo airport officials say seven U.S.-bound migrants -- six from Iraq and one from Yemen -- have been prevented from boarding an EgyptAir flight to New York's JFK airport.
The officials said the action Saturday by the airport was the first since President Donald Trump imposed a three-month ban on refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
The officials said the seven migrants, escorted by officials from the U.N. refugee agency, were stopped from boarding the plane after authorities at Cairo airport contacted their counterparts in JFK airport.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
2:45 p.m.
The head of a leading refugee aid agency says President Donald Trump's decision to ban Syrian refugees hurts innocents fleeing violence.
Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council tells The Associated Press on Saturday that Trump's decision "will not make America safer, it will make America smaller and meaner."
Trump on Friday suspended refugee admissions for four months and indefinitely banned those from war-torn Syria, pending program changes that are to ensure refugees won't harm national security.
Egeland says the decision dealt a "mortal blow" to the idea of international responsibility for those fleeing persecution. He says the U.S. is leading a "race to the bottom" in which politicians in wealth countries provide "zero moral leadership."
1 p.m.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says the time has come for removing walls between nations rather that building new ones.
Rouhani did not name any particular country but his remarks come shortly after President Donald Trump's executive order Friday suspending all immigration and visa processes for nationals from a handful of countries with terrorism concerns, including Iran, for 90 days.
Rouhani said Saturday that, "It is not the day for creating distance among nations."
Speaking at a tourism conference broadcast on state TV, Rouhani said that those seeking to create such walls, "have forgotten that the Berlin Wall collapsed years ago."
12:30 p.m.
The International Rescue Committee is calling President Donald Trump's suspension of the U.S. refugee resettlement program a "harmful and hasty" decision.
In a statement issued late Friday night after the suspension was announced, IRC President David Miliband said, "America must remain true to its core values. America must remain a beacon of hope."
The IRC statement declared that the U.S. vetting process for prospective refugees is already robust -- involving biometric screening and up to 36 months of vetting by "12 to 15 government agencies."
Miliband praised The United States' record as a resettlement destination and said, "This is no time for America to turn its back on people ready to become patriotic Americans."
U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly issued the order Saturday evening after lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union filed a court petition on behalf of people from seven predominantly Muslim nations who were detained at airports across the country as the ban took effect.
Cheers broke out in a crowd of demonstrators outside a Brooklyn courthouse as the decision, effective nationwide, was announced.
The order barred U.S. border agents from removing anyone who arrived in the U.S. with a valid visa from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
It also covered anyone with an approved refugee application.
It was unclear how quickly the order might affect people in detention.
7 p.m.
New York City's Kennedy Airport became a scene of anguish Saturday for relatives of people detained after arriving in the U.S. from nations subject to President Donald Trump's travel ban.
Lawyers and advocates working at the airport say they didn't have a hard count on the number of people taken into custody after getting off their flights.
Yosre Ghaled was among about a dozen distraught people waiting at a terminal Saturday to see if loved ones would be released or deported.
She says her mother-in-law's sister had been detained.
The 67-year-old Yemeni citizen had flown to the U.S. to live with family because she is sick from heart problems and diabetes.
Two members of congress joined hundreds of protesters at the airport, demonstrating against the detentions.
1 a.m.
The government of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is taking exception to the Israeli prime minister's praise of a border wall to keep out illegal immigration.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Twitter Saturday that "President Trump is right" for building a wall.
"I built a wall along Israel's southern border," he wrote. "It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea."
Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a communique that it had expressed its "profound surprise, rejection and disappointment in the prime minister's message on Twitter" to Israel's ambassador. "Mexico is Israel's friend and should be treated as such."
12:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump says his crackdown on refugees and citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries "is not a Muslim ban."
A day after signing an executive order implementing the ban immediately, Trump says it's "working out very nicely."
But confusion, worry and outrage boiled over Saturday as airlines blocked people from travelling to the United States and legal challenges were mounted.
Included is a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The U.S. refugee program is suspended for 120-days.
Trump's order imposed the most aggressive ban on Syrians, indefinitely blocking entry to the U.S. by anyone from that country, including those fleeing civil war.
12:10 a.m.
Airlines around the world are turning away passengers, refunding tickets and rebooking flights in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's immigration order.
The order signed Friday included a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen. It also suspended the U.S. refugee program for four months.
That forced airlines to tell some customers they couldn't proceed on flights to the U.S.
Dubai-based Emirates said a small number of its passengers were affected Saturday, and it was helping them rebook. Delta Air Lines and British Airways both said they were offering refunds for passengers who couldn't complete their trips.
Several airlines, including Qatar Airways, posted travel alerts on their websites warning customers about the changes.
11:50 p.m.
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says his country's decision to not issue Americans visas will not be retroactive.
Zarif says on Twitter: "Unlike the U.S., our decision is not retroactive. All with valid Iranian visa will be gladly welcomed."
U.S. visa restrictions that took effect on Saturday for people from several countries, including Iran, ban travel even for those who already had American visas.
11:20 p.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a message for refugees rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump: Canada will take you.
Trudeau tweeted Saturday "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength .WelcomeToCanada."
Trudeau also tweeted a picture of him greeting a Syrian child at Toronto's airport.
Trudeau oversaw the arrival of more than 39,000 Syrian refugees soon after he was elected in late 2015.
The young prime minister has been reluctant to criticize President Donald Trump. His government has been trying to balance his liberal view of the world while not offending the new Trump administration.
More than 75 per cent of Canada's exports are to the U.S.
10:20 p.m.
An Iraqi who was detained overnight at a New York City airport because of President Donald Trump's ban on refugees from certain Muslim nations has called America "the land of freedom" after being released from custody.
Hameed Khalid Darweesh worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army when it invaded Iraq in 2003. Later he was a contract engineer for the U.S.
He was granted permission to relocate to the U.S., but was detained along with another traveller from Iraq after arriving at Kennedy Airport Friday night.
Lawyers petitioned a federal court early Saturday to let them go. Two Democratic U.S. Representatives, Nydia Velazquez and Jerrold Nalder, were at the airport trying to get 11 other detainees released.
After he was freed Saturday, Darweesh told a waiting crowd that "America is the greatest nation, the greatest people in the world."
9:50 p.m.
In Somalia, people are reacting with dismay and warnings that countries could retaliate against the United States' new immigration and visa policies with restrictive policies of their own.
"I am shocked beyond words. This will mean that my new husband will never be able to join me in the U.S.," said Fatima Ashkir, a Somali-American woman from Florida who came to Mogadishu to marry her Somali boyfriend.
Others say they are not surprised at President Donald Trump's executive order imposing a three-month ban on refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Somalia.
"His intentions of hurting rather than to help were clear from the very beginning," said Ahmed Abdullahi, a university student in Mogadishu. "But you have to know that this will have a serious effect on relations between Americans and the Muslim world. A tit-for-tat response by Muslim countries, in which Americans could be barred from entering countries affected, is likely to be seen."
8:30 p.m.
Iran's foreign ministry is suggesting the country will limit issuing visas to American tourists in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump's suspension of immigration and visas for nationals from Muslim countries including Iran.
The official IRNA news agency Saturday carried a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry that says Iran will resort to "counteraction" to Trump's executive order.
The statement says: "Iran, to defend the dignity of the great Iranian nation, will implement the principle of reciprocity until the removal of the insulting restriction against Iranian nationals."
The statement adds: "It will apply corresponding legal, consular and political actions."
The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since 1979 when militants stormed the U.S. embassy.
8 p.m.
Cairo airport officials say five U.S.-bound Iraqi migrants from one family who have been prevented from boarding an EgyptAir flight to New York's JKF airport would return to Iraq.
They said the five will spend Saturday night at Cairo airport and leave for Irbil, capital of Iraq's Kurdish region, Sunday morning.
They added that the sixth U.S.-bound migrant, a Yemeni national, left the airport to return to Cairo, where he resides.
The officials said Saturday's action by the airport was the first since President Donald Trump imposed a three-month ban on refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
The officials said the six migrants, escorted by officials from the U.N. refugee agency, were stopped from boarding the plane after authorities at Cairo airport contacted their counterparts in JFK airport.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
7:05 p.m.
Dutch airline KLM says it has had to turn away seven would-be passengers because they would no longer have been accepted into the United States under President Donald Trump's ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations.
Manel Vrijenhoek, at KLM's press office, said: "We would love to bring them there. That's not the problem. It's just that this is what the U.S. sprang on the rest of the world -- that these people are no longer welcome."
She said the seven were due to fly with KLM from different airports around the world. Vrijenhoek said she had no specifics on their nationalities, although she confirmed they were from countries affected by the three-month immigration ban: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
Trump signed the order Friday.
6:40 p.m.
A U.S. federal law enforcement official says any non-U.S. citizen from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen is now barred from entering the United States.
That covers legal permanent residents -- green card holders -- and visa-holders from those seven countries who are out of the United States after Friday, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order with the temporary ban. They cannot return to the U.S. for 90 days.
The official says there's an exemption for immigrants and legal permanent residents whose entry is in the U.S. national interest, but it's unclear how that exemption will be applied.
The official says visa and green card holders already in the U.S. will be allowed to stay.
The official wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the details of how Trump's order is being put in place and spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Customs and Border Protection is notifying airlines about passengers whose visas had been cancelled or legal residents scheduled to fly back to the U.S., and the airlines are being told to keep them off those flights.
6:35 p.m.
Israel's leader has endorsed President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall along the Mexican border.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted Saturday that Israel's wall along its border with Egypt has been successful in stopping a swell of African migrants.
"President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea," he wrote, with images of the Israeli and American flag.
The tweet marked a rare public foray for the Israeli leader into a charged American domestic affair. The two leaders spoke earlier this week and Netanyahu is planning to visit Trump in the White House next month.
After repeated clashes with President Obama, Netanyahu has high expectations for Trump, who has signalled he will take a kinder approach.
5:45 p.m.
Malala Yousafzai, shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012 to stop her campaigning for girls' education and co-winner of the 2014 Nobel peace prize, says she is heart-broken by U.S. President Donald Trump's ban on refugees from entering the United States for four months.
The order Friday suspends a program that saw around 85,000 people displaced by war, political oppression, hunger and religious prejudice resettled in the U.S. last year. Trump indefinitely blocked people fleeing Syria's civil war, and imposed a 90-day ban on U.S. entry from seven Muslim majority nations.
In a statement Saturday, Yousafzai implores Trump "not to turn his back on the world's most defenceless children and families."
Refugees and immigrants, she says, have "helped build your country."
Trump's mother was born in Scotland.
5:15 p.m.
Qatar Airways is advising passengers bound for the United States from seven newly banned majority Muslim countries that they need to have either a U.S. green card or diplomatic visa to travel.
A statement on the company's website says: "Nationals of the following countries: Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen ... may travel to the U.S. only if they are in possession of a permanent resident card (Green card) or any of the below visas."
It listed foreign government, United Nations, international organization and NATO visas.
President Donald Trump has issued a 90-day ban on all entry to the U.S. from countries with terrorism concerns, including Syria, Iraq and Libya.
3 p.m.
Cairo airport officials say seven U.S.-bound migrants -- six from Iraq and one from Yemen -- have been prevented from boarding an EgyptAir flight to New York's JFK airport.
The officials said the action Saturday by the airport was the first since President Donald Trump imposed a three-month ban on refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
The officials said the seven migrants, escorted by officials from the U.N. refugee agency, were stopped from boarding the plane after authorities at Cairo airport contacted their counterparts in JFK airport.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
2:45 p.m.
The head of a leading refugee aid agency says President Donald Trump's decision to ban Syrian refugees hurts innocents fleeing violence.
Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council tells The Associated Press on Saturday that Trump's decision "will not make America safer, it will make America smaller and meaner."
Trump on Friday suspended refugee admissions for four months and indefinitely banned those from war-torn Syria, pending program changes that are to ensure refugees won't harm national security.
Egeland says the decision dealt a "mortal blow" to the idea of international responsibility for those fleeing persecution. He says the U.S. is leading a "race to the bottom" in which politicians in wealth countries provide "zero moral leadership."
1 p.m.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says the time has come for removing walls between nations rather that building new ones.
Rouhani did not name any particular country but his remarks come shortly after President Donald Trump's executive order Friday suspending all immigration and visa processes for nationals from a handful of countries with terrorism concerns, including Iran, for 90 days.
Rouhani said Saturday that, "It is not the day for creating distance among nations."
Speaking at a tourism conference broadcast on state TV, Rouhani said that those seeking to create such walls, "have forgotten that the Berlin Wall collapsed years ago."
12:30 p.m.
The International Rescue Committee is calling President Donald Trump's suspension of the U.S. refugee resettlement program a "harmful and hasty" decision.
In a statement issued late Friday night after the suspension was announced, IRC President David Miliband said, "America must remain true to its core values. America must remain a beacon of hope."
The IRC statement declared that the U.S. vetting process for prospective refugees is already robust -- involving biometric screening and up to 36 months of vetting by "12 to 15 government agencies."
Miliband praised The United States' record as a resettlement destination and said, "This is no time for America to turn its back on people ready to become patriotic Americans."
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
IRAN: Iran And Armenia Open Borders For Cooperation
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif recently signed a memorandum on liberalization of the visa regime between the two countries in Tehran. The director of the Caucasus Institute, Alexander Iskandaryan, explained to Vestnik Kavkaza that the decision of Tehran and Yerevan came from a longstanding background: "Iran and Armenia have good-neighborly relations, which are developing in the economic and communication spheres. Iran is one of the two countries with which Armenia has open borders. Political relations between them are also quite favorable – there are many Iranian tourists and businessmen in Armenia."
Iranian citizens have prevailed among people receiving visas to Armenia for years, they are ahead of citizens of the US, Turkey, Israel, Syria, Canada, Japan, Lebanon, India and Iraq. In 2013 Armenia unilaterally ratified the visa regime for citizens of 27 EU Member States, as well as 4 non-EU members, but to which regulations of the Schengen-area apply – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland: they can visit Armenia without visas and stay in the country for 90 days.
According to Iskandaryan, the abolition of visas is advantageous for Iran in economic terms: "Relations will develop, because the process of lifting the sanctions against Iran has started, while there were economic problems between Armenia and Iran in the absence of political problems – that is, some decisions were taken, but there was a problem with money. The fact is that Iran's hands were financially tied. Now, due to the gradual removal of sanctions, Iran will feel freer in a financial sense and can continue developing its partnership."
A senior research fellow of the Institute for Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Sazhin, also praised the abolition of visas.
"When they lift the visa regime, they remove barriers to human communication. Given the fact that Armenia and Iran have thousands of years of common history [there are more than 150 thousand ethnic Armenians in Iran now], the abolition of visas is a positive thing. Recently, Armenians have visited Iran, and Iranians have visited Armenia, including on vacation. All this, of course, is also a positive thing," Sazhin told Vestnik Kavkaza.
However, according to him, there is the political aspect in this process: "Relations between Tehran and Yerevan are good both economically and politically. Despite the fact that Iran is a Muslim country, while Armenia is a Christian country, there are almost no fundamental contradictions between them. Nevertheless, the Karabakh problem exists. Iran seeks and offers itself as a mediator in resolving the very difficult relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia".
Saturday, 11 June 2016
EGYPT: Tourism For Egyptians Is Principal Source Of Income
Being an Egyptian can be hard these days, especially for an Egyptian employed in the tourism industry. Ahmed M. Ali is an Egyptologist educated at Cairo University who works as a tour guide for many major tour operators. He is the author of the book By Way of Accident, an examination of the history of discovery of the great archaeological treasures of Egypt. But right now it’s the future of Egypt that concerns him.
Egypt’s once-thriving tourism industry has been struggling since the Arab Spring in 2011. Though the country has passed through the first and second waves of its social and political revolution and settled into stability, the tourists have not returned.
Egypt’s tourism industry dates back to the first Nile cruise in 1870 and has long been a vital economic sector. A large percentage of the population is dependent on tourism for its livelihood. But now Egyptians feel that the world has abandoned them. Every time Egypt appears in the Western news, it seems to be with a bad spin that makes potential tourists afraid to visit.
The most recent blemish on Egypt’s reputation as a safe tourist destination was the crash of EgyptAir 804. Though the cause of the crash has not yet been determined, the Western media has been talking about it as an act of terrorism for days, with the implication that Egypt is unsafe.
In point of fact, during the last several years, even when Egypt was undergoing social turmoil, incidents in which any tourist was hurt were almost unheard of. Why then is there so much fear of travel to Egypt? And why does the Western media seem to be hostile to Egypt? Ahmed Ali is seeking answers to those questions.
A comparison of the coverage of the crash of the Russian MetroJet flight in the Sinai desert in October 2015 and last week’s EgyptAir crash convinced Ali that there is a bias in the way news about Egypt is handled by the Western media.
“A few months ago we had the Russian plane crash over Sinai,” said Ali. “The media coverage of the two incidents was completely different. One was carrying Russians, one was carrying Egyptians and others. One started in Sharm el Sheikh, the other in Paris. After the first one everyone was pointing fingers to Egyptian airports, security measures and terrorism in Sinai. Somehow they emotionalized the whole story as if the whole country was not safe, the airports were not safe.”
In the case of the EgyptAir crash, the flight originated in Paris. The plane was built in France. The crash was over the Mediterranean. But somehow again it was Egypt that was singled out to get tarred with the brush of terrorism.
“They never mention security measures in Europe,” he said. “They never mention anything about Paris. They only mention EgyptAir, the possibility of terrorism. So if it’s terrorism, where did this terrorism come from? It came from Paris. If there is terrorism related to this incident, it had to have come from the airport.”
Rather than pointing fingers and laying blame, the fight against terrorism requires a spirit of cooperation, said Ali.
“With terrorism, are we dealing with local phenomenon or an international phenomenon?” he said. “In Egypt we think terrorism is an international phenomenon that will force all of us to work together and collaborate. We’re fighting our own war, we’re doing our best but we’re not getting much help.”
Egypt needs the recovery of its tourism industry to help rebuild the country and maintain it as one of the few bastions of peace, stability and moderation in the region, something Ali argues is important to Europe and the U.S. as well as to Egypt itself.
“We have problems all around us,” he said. “Egypt is in the middle of a lot of troubles. Egypt is the only country in this part of world still standing on its feet. There are problems in Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Iraq. And in the middle of all these problems, Egypt is trying to rebuild itself. So what I’m trying to understand is why international media is pushing Egypt into the corner?”
Tourism can almost work miracles because it is an industry whose benefits go immediately and directly to the people of the country.
“When I talk about Egypt, I talk about 90 million persons,” said Ali. “I’m not talking about the president or the government, the ministers and officials. I’m talking about 90 million people who are struggling to survive. Tourism for Egyptians is very important. It is a principal source of income, providing millions of jobs. Hotels, restaurants, buses, airports, these all provide jobs. And millions of people lost their jobs because of this media coverage.”
In spite of negative publicity, there is little evidence that Egypt is unsafe. But in order for Egypt to continue as a strong, moderate ally to the U.S. in the Middle East, it needs economic stability. Supporting its tourism industry sends an infusion of capital straight into the population at the grassroots level and helps keep a moderate ally in the Middle East strong.
“Everybody confirms that Egypt is stable now,” said Ali. “With a strong government, Egypt is trying to face the storms in the Middle East and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Iraq. Egypt is trying to hold onto what we call a nationalist state as opposed to a religious state, but all these countries around us are torn by religious and sectarian fighting groups. Nobody wants to see Egypt like that. We want rational, reasonable progress, reforms that take into consideration the structure of Egyptian society.”
Negative media coverage, even if inaccurate, can decimate tourism, and that can take down the country.
“Tourism is a very sensitive industry,” said Ali, “and media plays a major role in controlling people’s emotions. With such negative reports about Egypt, ignoring the positive things that have been going on since 2015, the rebuilding of the country and the infrastructure, the strength of its government, the unity of the country and how we stand in front of this wave of barbarism and fascistic religious groups. They are pointing a finger at Egypt almost every other week and displaying a picture that is not entirely correct. Tourism gets affected by all this.”
Somehow the people of Egypt endure in spite of the virtual loss of their tourism industry, though it is not clear how much more economic duress can be sustained before it leads to serious social disruption.
“For how long can the people of the tourism business take it?” asked Ali. “How much can they take? I don’t know. This concentration on negative news about whatever happens in Egypt puts Egypt in a bad corner and I don’t know how we get out of this.”
When people do travel to Egypt, they find it to be very different from the impression they got from the media.
“Most people who come to Egypt have a whole different perspective about Egypt until they come, and then they change,” said Ali. “The lesson is clear. What people read about Egypt in most mainstream media is very bad. There is huge difference between news and writing about what you think about what is going on. We are no longer dealing with news, we are dealing with emotion making, the exportation of fear that serves other causes.”
When Americans do visit Egypt they are treated like returning heroes.
“When American tourists come to Egypt they are celebrated,” said Ali. “People meet them and welcome them. We understand that the American who visits actually loves Egypt and chooses to come against all odds, to come to learn. When people meet them in the streets they don’t think about the White House. They don’t think about the complicated foreign policy of your country. They don’t think about security measures in your airports, or the gun control problems in your country. They deal with that person as an individual, the person who chooses to come to this country.”
Ali believes that the value of tourism goes beyond mere economics.
“Tourism is the industry of hope,” he said, “and we don’t want to kill that hope. The industries of fear, politics, business and other agendas have nothing to do with tourism. Tourism is when people travel somewhere to learn and have fun, sharing wealth and experiences. So it is the industry of hope. So what we are fighting for is to be able to share hope, to support the industry of hope and optimism that tomorrow is better for everyone.”
Egypt’s once-thriving tourism industry has been struggling since the Arab Spring in 2011. Though the country has passed through the first and second waves of its social and political revolution and settled into stability, the tourists have not returned.
Egypt’s tourism industry dates back to the first Nile cruise in 1870 and has long been a vital economic sector. A large percentage of the population is dependent on tourism for its livelihood. But now Egyptians feel that the world has abandoned them. Every time Egypt appears in the Western news, it seems to be with a bad spin that makes potential tourists afraid to visit.
The most recent blemish on Egypt’s reputation as a safe tourist destination was the crash of EgyptAir 804. Though the cause of the crash has not yet been determined, the Western media has been talking about it as an act of terrorism for days, with the implication that Egypt is unsafe.
In point of fact, during the last several years, even when Egypt was undergoing social turmoil, incidents in which any tourist was hurt were almost unheard of. Why then is there so much fear of travel to Egypt? And why does the Western media seem to be hostile to Egypt? Ahmed Ali is seeking answers to those questions.
A comparison of the coverage of the crash of the Russian MetroJet flight in the Sinai desert in October 2015 and last week’s EgyptAir crash convinced Ali that there is a bias in the way news about Egypt is handled by the Western media.
“A few months ago we had the Russian plane crash over Sinai,” said Ali. “The media coverage of the two incidents was completely different. One was carrying Russians, one was carrying Egyptians and others. One started in Sharm el Sheikh, the other in Paris. After the first one everyone was pointing fingers to Egyptian airports, security measures and terrorism in Sinai. Somehow they emotionalized the whole story as if the whole country was not safe, the airports were not safe.”
In the case of the EgyptAir crash, the flight originated in Paris. The plane was built in France. The crash was over the Mediterranean. But somehow again it was Egypt that was singled out to get tarred with the brush of terrorism.
“They never mention security measures in Europe,” he said. “They never mention anything about Paris. They only mention EgyptAir, the possibility of terrorism. So if it’s terrorism, where did this terrorism come from? It came from Paris. If there is terrorism related to this incident, it had to have come from the airport.”
Rather than pointing fingers and laying blame, the fight against terrorism requires a spirit of cooperation, said Ali.
“With terrorism, are we dealing with local phenomenon or an international phenomenon?” he said. “In Egypt we think terrorism is an international phenomenon that will force all of us to work together and collaborate. We’re fighting our own war, we’re doing our best but we’re not getting much help.”
Egypt needs the recovery of its tourism industry to help rebuild the country and maintain it as one of the few bastions of peace, stability and moderation in the region, something Ali argues is important to Europe and the U.S. as well as to Egypt itself.
“We have problems all around us,” he said. “Egypt is in the middle of a lot of troubles. Egypt is the only country in this part of world still standing on its feet. There are problems in Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Iraq. And in the middle of all these problems, Egypt is trying to rebuild itself. So what I’m trying to understand is why international media is pushing Egypt into the corner?”
Tourism can almost work miracles because it is an industry whose benefits go immediately and directly to the people of the country.
“When I talk about Egypt, I talk about 90 million persons,” said Ali. “I’m not talking about the president or the government, the ministers and officials. I’m talking about 90 million people who are struggling to survive. Tourism for Egyptians is very important. It is a principal source of income, providing millions of jobs. Hotels, restaurants, buses, airports, these all provide jobs. And millions of people lost their jobs because of this media coverage.”
In spite of negative publicity, there is little evidence that Egypt is unsafe. But in order for Egypt to continue as a strong, moderate ally to the U.S. in the Middle East, it needs economic stability. Supporting its tourism industry sends an infusion of capital straight into the population at the grassroots level and helps keep a moderate ally in the Middle East strong.
“Everybody confirms that Egypt is stable now,” said Ali. “With a strong government, Egypt is trying to face the storms in the Middle East and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Iraq. Egypt is trying to hold onto what we call a nationalist state as opposed to a religious state, but all these countries around us are torn by religious and sectarian fighting groups. Nobody wants to see Egypt like that. We want rational, reasonable progress, reforms that take into consideration the structure of Egyptian society.”
Negative media coverage, even if inaccurate, can decimate tourism, and that can take down the country.
“Tourism is a very sensitive industry,” said Ali, “and media plays a major role in controlling people’s emotions. With such negative reports about Egypt, ignoring the positive things that have been going on since 2015, the rebuilding of the country and the infrastructure, the strength of its government, the unity of the country and how we stand in front of this wave of barbarism and fascistic religious groups. They are pointing a finger at Egypt almost every other week and displaying a picture that is not entirely correct. Tourism gets affected by all this.”
Somehow the people of Egypt endure in spite of the virtual loss of their tourism industry, though it is not clear how much more economic duress can be sustained before it leads to serious social disruption.
“For how long can the people of the tourism business take it?” asked Ali. “How much can they take? I don’t know. This concentration on negative news about whatever happens in Egypt puts Egypt in a bad corner and I don’t know how we get out of this.”
When people do travel to Egypt, they find it to be very different from the impression they got from the media.
“Most people who come to Egypt have a whole different perspective about Egypt until they come, and then they change,” said Ali. “The lesson is clear. What people read about Egypt in most mainstream media is very bad. There is huge difference between news and writing about what you think about what is going on. We are no longer dealing with news, we are dealing with emotion making, the exportation of fear that serves other causes.”
When Americans do visit Egypt they are treated like returning heroes.
“When American tourists come to Egypt they are celebrated,” said Ali. “People meet them and welcome them. We understand that the American who visits actually loves Egypt and chooses to come against all odds, to come to learn. When people meet them in the streets they don’t think about the White House. They don’t think about the complicated foreign policy of your country. They don’t think about security measures in your airports, or the gun control problems in your country. They deal with that person as an individual, the person who chooses to come to this country.”
Ali believes that the value of tourism goes beyond mere economics.
“Tourism is the industry of hope,” he said, “and we don’t want to kill that hope. The industries of fear, politics, business and other agendas have nothing to do with tourism. Tourism is when people travel somewhere to learn and have fun, sharing wealth and experiences. So it is the industry of hope. So what we are fighting for is to be able to share hope, to support the industry of hope and optimism that tomorrow is better for everyone.”
Saturday, 14 May 2016
Hezbollah Boss Mustafa Badreddin Killed In Syria
Top Hezbollah commander Mustafa Badreddine was killed in an Israeli strike in Syria this week, the Lebanese Shia group has said.
"He took part in most of the operations of the Islamic resistance since 1982," Hezbollah said in a statement on Friday, announcing his death and describing him as a "great jihadi leader".
Badreddine, 55, was one of the highest ranking officials in the group, and believed by the US government to be responsible for Hezbollah's military operations in Syria, where it is fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Mustafa Badreddine was buried in Beirut after a funeral procession in a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital.
He was killed on Tuesday night, the statement said, adding that the attack targeted one of Hezbollah's bases near Damascus airport, the group's nerve-centre in the Syrian capital.
On Friday, thousands of Hezbollah supporters carried the coffin of Badreddine, draped in a Hezbollah flag, during his funeral procession in a southern suburb of Beirut.
The group said it was working to "define the nature of the explosion and its cause, and whether it was the result of an air strike, or missile attack or artillery".
Mustafa Badreddine replaced his brother-in-law Imad Mughniyah after the Hezbollah commander was killed in a car bombing in Damascus in 2008.
Israel officially denied being behind Mughniyah's killing, but Israeli media reported at the time that the Hezbollah commander had been a target of Israeli assassination attempts since the 1990s.
Mughniyah was assassinated by Israeli intelligence agents in revenge for the 2006 Lebanon War.
Earlier on Friday, the Lebanese TV station Al Mayadeen reported that Badreddine had also been killed in an Israeli attack.
However, there was no immediate response from Israel, which has attacked Hezbollah targets in Syria several times during the country's five-year conflict.
"We decline to comment," an Israeli military spokeswoman said.
Badreddine was the highest-ranking Hezbollah commander to have been killed in Syria since the conflict began five years ago.
"Some Hezbollah sources are saying that when Imad Mughniyah was killed, he was not replaced by just one man, Badreddine, but rather by several men. Nonetheless, Badreddine was a very high-ranking figure in the organisation.
"Hezbollah has suffered heavy losses in Syria, with some sources estimating that at least 1,200 fighters have died since the group started its involvement in the war. The group is weakened and some in Lebanon are wondering what Hezbollah's exit strategy is.
"Hezbollah's military intervention in Syria caused a divide in Lebanon. Some say it was totally wrong as it exposed Lebanon to threats. However, Hezbollah sees this as an existential decision because the Syrian government provides a lifeline to the group."
Badreddine was indicted by the United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon over the 2005 killing of a former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri, and was also sanctioned by the United States.
Badreddine was sentenced to death in Kuwait for his role in bomb attacks there in 1983. He escaped from prison in Kuwait after Iraq, under the leadership of Saddam Hussein, invaded the country in 1990.
"This is a pretty significant blow to Hezbollah ... He was extremely close to the Secretary General of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah," Levitt said.
"He took part in most of the operations of the Islamic resistance since 1982," Hezbollah said in a statement on Friday, announcing his death and describing him as a "great jihadi leader".
Badreddine, 55, was one of the highest ranking officials in the group, and believed by the US government to be responsible for Hezbollah's military operations in Syria, where it is fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Mustafa Badreddine was buried in Beirut after a funeral procession in a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital.
He was killed on Tuesday night, the statement said, adding that the attack targeted one of Hezbollah's bases near Damascus airport, the group's nerve-centre in the Syrian capital.
On Friday, thousands of Hezbollah supporters carried the coffin of Badreddine, draped in a Hezbollah flag, during his funeral procession in a southern suburb of Beirut.
The group said it was working to "define the nature of the explosion and its cause, and whether it was the result of an air strike, or missile attack or artillery".
Mustafa Badreddine replaced his brother-in-law Imad Mughniyah after the Hezbollah commander was killed in a car bombing in Damascus in 2008.
Israel officially denied being behind Mughniyah's killing, but Israeli media reported at the time that the Hezbollah commander had been a target of Israeli assassination attempts since the 1990s.
Mughniyah was assassinated by Israeli intelligence agents in revenge for the 2006 Lebanon War.
Earlier on Friday, the Lebanese TV station Al Mayadeen reported that Badreddine had also been killed in an Israeli attack.
However, there was no immediate response from Israel, which has attacked Hezbollah targets in Syria several times during the country's five-year conflict.
"We decline to comment," an Israeli military spokeswoman said.
Badreddine was the highest-ranking Hezbollah commander to have been killed in Syria since the conflict began five years ago.
"Some Hezbollah sources are saying that when Imad Mughniyah was killed, he was not replaced by just one man, Badreddine, but rather by several men. Nonetheless, Badreddine was a very high-ranking figure in the organisation.
"Hezbollah has suffered heavy losses in Syria, with some sources estimating that at least 1,200 fighters have died since the group started its involvement in the war. The group is weakened and some in Lebanon are wondering what Hezbollah's exit strategy is.
"Hezbollah's military intervention in Syria caused a divide in Lebanon. Some say it was totally wrong as it exposed Lebanon to threats. However, Hezbollah sees this as an existential decision because the Syrian government provides a lifeline to the group."
Badreddine was indicted by the United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon over the 2005 killing of a former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri, and was also sanctioned by the United States.
Badreddine was sentenced to death in Kuwait for his role in bomb attacks there in 1983. He escaped from prison in Kuwait after Iraq, under the leadership of Saddam Hussein, invaded the country in 1990.
"This is a pretty significant blow to Hezbollah ... He was extremely close to the Secretary General of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah," Levitt said.
Monday, 14 March 2016
JORDAN: Regional Instability Impacts Medical Tourism To Jordan
Regional instability impacts medical tourism to Jordan.
Jordan's medical tourism sector impacted by ongoing regional instability and increase in national operating expenses. Threats to the sustainability of Jordan's medical tourism status over the long-term.
According to BMI Research, Jordan's medical tourism sector will be detrimentally impacted by ongoing regional instability and an increase in national operating expenses.
Jordan's healthcare system is relatively advanced and offers affordable services for medical tourists, so the country often claims to be a leading medical tourism destination in the Middle East. Downside risks - including conflicts in neighbouring countries and the ongoing influx of refugees - threaten the sustainability of Jordan's medical tourism status over the long-term.
BMR Research expects Jordan's sustainability as a medical tourism hub to come under immense threat as it faces a range of challenges on a national-scale. The key problem is the ongoing political instability in neighbouring countries. Spillover effects from conflicts in Syria will create uncertainty in operating conditions and negatively affect Jordan's investment attractiveness. Regional insecurity is already taking a toll on the general tourism industry in Jordan this situation will worsen in 2016, with fewer tourists. The most recent data available shows that tourism receipts in Jordan fell by 15.7% in the first half of 2015 and regional incidents since then means numbers for late 2015 and 2016 will see further falls.
Jordan is still one of the most stable countries in the Middle East region. However, the country has not been immune to unrest, and over the longer term, the absence of major progress in addressing corruption will continue to represent major challenges for the government and this will negatively impact the attractiveness of the healthcare sector. Corruption is among the greatest obstacles Jordan will face in the coming decade. Almost two-thirds of Jordanians perceive the public and private sectors as corrupt, which will deter the country's reputation as a medical destination.
The government aims to attract 300,000 medical tourists in 2018, with potential revenues of JOD1.06bn (USD1.5bn). However, this figure is optimistic in BMI's view, particularly given the emergence of Dubai as the preferred regional medical tourism centre.
The influx of refugees from Iraq and Syria has already put an enormous strain on Jordan's healthcare system. BMR expects this continuing trend to negatively impact the government's financing abilities for medical services. The role of the private sector in attracting medical tourists will become even more significant over the long-term. The hike in electricity tariffs will cause operating expenses to increase in Jordan. The recent income tax law is also expected to have a negative impact as the tax imposed on hospitals has increased from 14% to 20%.
Although Jordan does get patients from the Middle East and North Africa claims on international patient numbers are broad guesses and do not split medical tourists from refugees or victims of conflict in Gaza, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and African countries such as Chad. The Private Hospitals Association regularly claims figures of 250,000 but after a decade of use this figure-with no known base - has outworn its welcome. Exactly how many medical tourists Jordan gets is unknown.
Jordan's medical tourism sector impacted by ongoing regional instability and increase in national operating expenses. Threats to the sustainability of Jordan's medical tourism status over the long-term.
According to BMI Research, Jordan's medical tourism sector will be detrimentally impacted by ongoing regional instability and an increase in national operating expenses.
Jordan's healthcare system is relatively advanced and offers affordable services for medical tourists, so the country often claims to be a leading medical tourism destination in the Middle East. Downside risks - including conflicts in neighbouring countries and the ongoing influx of refugees - threaten the sustainability of Jordan's medical tourism status over the long-term.
BMR Research expects Jordan's sustainability as a medical tourism hub to come under immense threat as it faces a range of challenges on a national-scale. The key problem is the ongoing political instability in neighbouring countries. Spillover effects from conflicts in Syria will create uncertainty in operating conditions and negatively affect Jordan's investment attractiveness. Regional insecurity is already taking a toll on the general tourism industry in Jordan this situation will worsen in 2016, with fewer tourists. The most recent data available shows that tourism receipts in Jordan fell by 15.7% in the first half of 2015 and regional incidents since then means numbers for late 2015 and 2016 will see further falls.
Jordan is still one of the most stable countries in the Middle East region. However, the country has not been immune to unrest, and over the longer term, the absence of major progress in addressing corruption will continue to represent major challenges for the government and this will negatively impact the attractiveness of the healthcare sector. Corruption is among the greatest obstacles Jordan will face in the coming decade. Almost two-thirds of Jordanians perceive the public and private sectors as corrupt, which will deter the country's reputation as a medical destination.
The government aims to attract 300,000 medical tourists in 2018, with potential revenues of JOD1.06bn (USD1.5bn). However, this figure is optimistic in BMI's view, particularly given the emergence of Dubai as the preferred regional medical tourism centre.
The influx of refugees from Iraq and Syria has already put an enormous strain on Jordan's healthcare system. BMR expects this continuing trend to negatively impact the government's financing abilities for medical services. The role of the private sector in attracting medical tourists will become even more significant over the long-term. The hike in electricity tariffs will cause operating expenses to increase in Jordan. The recent income tax law is also expected to have a negative impact as the tax imposed on hospitals has increased from 14% to 20%.
Although Jordan does get patients from the Middle East and North Africa claims on international patient numbers are broad guesses and do not split medical tourists from refugees or victims of conflict in Gaza, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and African countries such as Chad. The Private Hospitals Association regularly claims figures of 250,000 but after a decade of use this figure-with no known base - has outworn its welcome. Exactly how many medical tourists Jordan gets is unknown.
Thursday, 18 February 2016
TURKEY: Antalya Records Less Russian Tourists With 81% Decrease
The number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey’s top holiday resort town of Antalya decreased by 81 percent, as their numbers plummeted to 2,427 in January from 12,870 of January 2015 while the total number of tourists visiting the city in January decreased 17 percent, according to official figures.
Numbers also showed that only a total of 97,601 tourists visited Antalya in January, the lowest for January in the last decade.
Antalya hosted some 135,010 tourists in January 2006 and 125,446 in January 2007. It saw its highest turnout in January 2008 with 140,306. In January 2009 and January 2010, Antalya received 106,539 and 140,019 visitors, respectively. After 2010, the number of tourists visiting the city reached a stable level, with 126,272 tourists in January 2011, 122,314 in January 2012, 111,485 in January 2013 and 116,974 in January 2014. Last January, Antalya’s total visitors stood at 117,746.
Antalya gathers millions of local and international tourists each year, with its luxury hotels usually overbooked especially in the summer seasons. Meanwhile in winter, tourism slows down due to dropping temperatures.
The Russian market experienced the largest decrease in the number of tourists visiting the city in January 2016, as Russia ranked 5th in 2016, compared to 2nd in 2015 in terms of countries with the highest number of visitors to Antalya.
Turkey was Russia’s number one foreign tourism destination for years but this came to an abrupt end following the shooting down of a Russian military plane by Turkish jets on the Syria-Turkey border on Nov. 24, 2015. Upon the incident, Russia imposed economic sanctions against Turkey and travel restrictions on Russian tourists visiting Turkey.
Turkey’s tourism industry also expects to see losses in other markets this year after an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) suicide bomb attack in Istanbul’s top tourist spot Sultanahmet, which killed 11 German tourists on Jan. 12, highlighted security concerns for tourists planning to visit Turkey.
The loss in the German market stood at 16 percent as the number of Germans visiting Antalya decreased to 44,262 in January 2016 from 52,731 in January 2015. While Germans took the top spot for tourists in Antalya, the Dutch followed second. However the Dutch market has also decreased by 20 percent compared to 2015, as this year’s January number fell to 4,544 from 5,688.
The number of Israeli visitors saw a 122 percent increase, bringing it to third. In January 2016, the number of Israeli tourists visiting the city reached to 4,475, a huge leap from 2,008 visitors in January 2015.
Britain came fourth with a 14 percent decrease as Antalya only hosted some 2,965 English tourists in January. British tourists mostly like Antalya for its luxury golf club resorts in the Belek region of the province.
According to the statistics of Antalya’s provincial directorate of culture and tourism, among the 38 countries that send tourists to Antalya, only nine surpassed their January 2015 numbers. However, the surplus in the number of tourists arriving from these nine (which included Israel, Ukraine, France, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Estonia, Serbia and Syria) covered only 30 percent of the loss caused by the decrease in the Russian market.
Numbers also showed that only a total of 97,601 tourists visited Antalya in January, the lowest for January in the last decade.
Antalya hosted some 135,010 tourists in January 2006 and 125,446 in January 2007. It saw its highest turnout in January 2008 with 140,306. In January 2009 and January 2010, Antalya received 106,539 and 140,019 visitors, respectively. After 2010, the number of tourists visiting the city reached a stable level, with 126,272 tourists in January 2011, 122,314 in January 2012, 111,485 in January 2013 and 116,974 in January 2014. Last January, Antalya’s total visitors stood at 117,746.
Antalya gathers millions of local and international tourists each year, with its luxury hotels usually overbooked especially in the summer seasons. Meanwhile in winter, tourism slows down due to dropping temperatures.
The Russian market experienced the largest decrease in the number of tourists visiting the city in January 2016, as Russia ranked 5th in 2016, compared to 2nd in 2015 in terms of countries with the highest number of visitors to Antalya.
Turkey was Russia’s number one foreign tourism destination for years but this came to an abrupt end following the shooting down of a Russian military plane by Turkish jets on the Syria-Turkey border on Nov. 24, 2015. Upon the incident, Russia imposed economic sanctions against Turkey and travel restrictions on Russian tourists visiting Turkey.
Turkey’s tourism industry also expects to see losses in other markets this year after an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) suicide bomb attack in Istanbul’s top tourist spot Sultanahmet, which killed 11 German tourists on Jan. 12, highlighted security concerns for tourists planning to visit Turkey.
The loss in the German market stood at 16 percent as the number of Germans visiting Antalya decreased to 44,262 in January 2016 from 52,731 in January 2015. While Germans took the top spot for tourists in Antalya, the Dutch followed second. However the Dutch market has also decreased by 20 percent compared to 2015, as this year’s January number fell to 4,544 from 5,688.
The number of Israeli visitors saw a 122 percent increase, bringing it to third. In January 2016, the number of Israeli tourists visiting the city reached to 4,475, a huge leap from 2,008 visitors in January 2015.
Britain came fourth with a 14 percent decrease as Antalya only hosted some 2,965 English tourists in January. British tourists mostly like Antalya for its luxury golf club resorts in the Belek region of the province.
According to the statistics of Antalya’s provincial directorate of culture and tourism, among the 38 countries that send tourists to Antalya, only nine surpassed their January 2015 numbers. However, the surplus in the number of tourists arriving from these nine (which included Israel, Ukraine, France, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Estonia, Serbia and Syria) covered only 30 percent of the loss caused by the decrease in the Russian market.
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
TURKEY: Hotel Cancellations In Istanbul Over Bombings
Seven people have been detained in connection with a suicide bombing at the heart of Istanbul's historic district that killed 10 German tourists, Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala said.
The bomber, identified as a member of Islamic State who had entered Turkey as a refugee from Syria, blew himself up on Tuesday among tourists visiting some of Istanbul's most popular attractions.
Fifteen people, mostly foreigners, were also wounded in the attack.
"The number of those detained in connection with Istanbul attack have reached seven. The investigation is underway in the most comprehensive way", Ala told reporters at an ambassadors' conference in Ankara.
Turkey was quick to identify the bomber, named by Turkish media as 28-year old Saudi-born Nabil Fadli, as the man who had given his fingerprints a week ago at an immigration centre.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said fragments of the bomber's skull, face and nails at the site of the blast matched his records.
Turkey, which like Germany is a member of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, has become a target for the radical Sunni militants.
It was hit by two major bombings last year blamed on the group. One was in the town of Suruc near the Syrian border and the other in the capital Ankara, where more than 100 people were killed in the worst attack of its kind on Turkish soil.
Dozens of tourists and Turks holding carnations have paid their respects at the blast scene on Thursday, near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the top sites in one of the world's most visited cities.
The bomber, identified as a member of Islamic State who had entered Turkey as a refugee from Syria, blew himself up on Tuesday among tourists visiting some of Istanbul's most popular attractions.
Fifteen people, mostly foreigners, were also wounded in the attack.
"The number of those detained in connection with Istanbul attack have reached seven. The investigation is underway in the most comprehensive way", Ala told reporters at an ambassadors' conference in Ankara.
Turkey was quick to identify the bomber, named by Turkish media as 28-year old Saudi-born Nabil Fadli, as the man who had given his fingerprints a week ago at an immigration centre.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said fragments of the bomber's skull, face and nails at the site of the blast matched his records.
Turkey, which like Germany is a member of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, has become a target for the radical Sunni militants.
It was hit by two major bombings last year blamed on the group. One was in the town of Suruc near the Syrian border and the other in the capital Ankara, where more than 100 people were killed in the worst attack of its kind on Turkish soil.
Dozens of tourists and Turks holding carnations have paid their respects at the blast scene on Thursday, near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the top sites in one of the world's most visited cities.
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