Six In The Morning Saturday 4 December 2021

 

Anger simmers over Omicron travel bans in southern Africa

By Zaina Adamu and Stephanie Busari, CNN

Updated 1509 GMT (2309 HKT) December 4, 2021

African leaders are hitting back against travel bans imposed over the Omicron variant, accusing wealthy countries of being hypocrites for delivering new restrictions instead of the vaccine doses the continent desperately needs.

Omicron, initially detected in Botswana, has reignited debate over the effectiveness of strict border closures and triggered outrage that South Africa's transparency in reporting the strain has led to what the region sees as its scapegoating.

South African scientists were the first to identify the variant, which has since been detected in countries around the world. It has now emerged that Omicron was already present in Europe before the travel bans were announced. It's still not known where Omicron originated.

Police treated us like criminals, say families of girls trafficked to Islamic State in Syria

British authorities accused of interrogating parents who came seeking help when their daughters went missing

Mark Townsend Home Affairs Editor

@townsendmark

Sat 4 Dec 2021 13.00 GMT

Details of how police attempted to criminalise British families whose children were trafficked to Islamic State (IS) in Syria are revealed in a series of testimonies that show how grieving parents were initially treated as suspects and then abandoned by the authorities.

One described being “treated like a criminal” and later realising that police were only interested in acquiring intelligence on IS instead of trying to help find their loved one. Another told how their home had been raided after they approached police for help to track down a missing relative.

Their experiences were revealed in a parliamentary session last week that was closed to the media at the request of the families, due to concern they would be misrepresented and harassed. However, four of the families that gave evidence have agreed to share their experiences with the Observer anonymously to shed light on their treatment by the authorities and how their daughters have been left stranded in Syrian refugee camps.

‘We will all go to England, one hundred per cent’: Despite tragedy, migrants still determined to get to UK

Reuniting with family members, being able to speak English, and the quality of life are the main factors

Zoe Tidman

The English Channel saw its deadliest shipwreck since the migrant crisis began last week: 27 people died when their boat sunk trying to reach the UK.

The tragedy, in which only two survived, has once again shone a spotlight on the dangers of making the crossing.

But in France, asylum seekers living in campsites in bitterly cold temperatures remained determined to make it to the UK.

Israeli police kill Palestinian assailant in Jerusalem: police, state media

Israeli security forces shot dead a Palestinian man in annexed east Jerusalem on Saturday after he stabbed an Israeli civilian and tried to attack police, Israeli police and Palestinian medics said.

The assailant used a knife to stab a man near the city's Damascus Gate and then "attempted to stab a border police officer," police said in a statement.

"Police neutralised the stabber," it added.

A spokeswoman for the Palestinian Red Crescent said police killed the Palestinian assailant.

Where does Iran’s nuclear deal stand after seven rounds of talks?

European delegations head back to capitals for consultations after submission of two proposals by Iranian side, with fresh round of talks expected next week.

By Maziar Motamedi

Published On 4 Dec 20214 Dec 2021

 All the signatories of the nuclear accord inked by Iran and world powers in 2015 say they want it restored as there is no viable alternative, but Iranian and Western definitions of a “good deal” to achieve that goal remain heavily at odds.

The seventh round of talks in Vienna ended on Friday, only to better expose the divide in the different sides’ approach to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

While the Iranian delegation said it has the mandate and will to remain in the Austrian capital to resume talks as long as necessary, the European missions called for a short pause to return to capitals for consultations.

Japanese airlines resume inbound flight bookings for returnees

Domestic airlines on Saturday resumed taking inbound international flight bookings, enabling returnees and expatriates to travel back to the country after the reversal of an initial travel blanket ban to prevent the Omicron coronavirus variant spread.

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines started accepting new reservations, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, following criticism the measures against Omicron had gone too far.

The move comes after the Japanese government lowered its daily cap for people arriving from overseas to 3,500 from 5,000.