PTI
Geneva
US President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from mainly Muslim countries is illegal and “mean-spirited”, the United Nations human rights chief Zeid bin Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein said today.
Zeid, who rarely communicates on Twitter, said in a tweet that “discrimination on nationality alone is forbidden under human rights law”, adding that “the US ban is also mean-spirited and wastes resources needed for proper counter-terrorism.” Trump on Friday signed an executive order suspending the arrival of all refugees for at least 120 days, Syrian refugees indefinitely -- and barring citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.
The measures introduced a week after his inauguration were fiercely criticised over the weekend, although UN reactions were largely tepid.
The UN bodies most directly engaged with migration -- the UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) -- issued a statement on Saturday which made no mention of the executive order and stopped far short of condemning it.
Instead, the agencies urged the US to “continue its strong leadership role and long tradition of protecting those who are fleeing conflict and persecution.” They also vowed “to engage actively and constructively with the US Government... to protect those who need it most”.
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One million sign petition to cancel Trump's UK state visit
PTI
London
An online petition seeking cancellation of US President Donald Trump's State Visit to the UK has quickly crossed the one-million signature-mark to be considered for a debate in British Parliament, amid international uproar over his controversial immigration ban on people from seven Muslim nations.
The petition titled 'Prevent Donald Trump from making State Visit to the United Kingdom' on the UK Parliament website had been created on Saturday afternoon and rapidly collected the 100,000 signatures needed for it to be considered for a debate in the House of Commons.
The issue will be discussed in the House of Commons tomorrow for a date to be set for the debate.
“Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official State Visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen,” the petition reads.
“Donald Trump's well documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him from being received by Her Majesty the Queen or the Prince of Wales. Therefore, during the term of his presidency Donald Trump should not be invited to the United Kingdom for an official State Visit,” it adds.
British Prime Minister Theresa May had communicated the invitation to Trump on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II during her US visit last week.
Downing Street has indicated that it has no plans of withdrawing the invitation for the state visit, which involves lavish pomp and ceremony, often with a stay at Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
“We extended the invite and it was accepted,” a Downing Street statement said.
UK Opposition parties have also called for a postponement of the visit, scheduled for June this year.
“Theresa May would be failing the British people if she does not postpone the state visit and condemn Trump's actions in the clearest terms. Thats what Britain expects and deserves,” Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn said.
Palace has so far declined to comment on the controversy gathering momentum in the wake of the US President's executive order that temporarily suspends all immigration for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.
UK foreign secretary Boris Johnsonhas secured assurances from the White House that the vast majority of British citizens with dual nationality of countries on the list will be exempt from the new US travel ban.
Trump has provoked a fierce backlash after his ban on people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from travelling to America.
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Iraq parliament votes in favour of travel ban on US: MPs
PTI
Baghdad
Iraqi lawmakers voted today to call on the government to enact a reciprocal travel ban on Americans after Iraqis were barred from entering the United States, MPs said.
The call is a response to President Donald Trump's executive order barring citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the US for at least 90 days, a move he billed as an effort to make America safe from “radical Islamic terrorists”.
Pan-Islamic body warns Trump's travel ban emboldens extremists
PTI
Jeddah
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation today warned that the travel ban imposed by US President Donald Trump would strengthen the position of extremists worldwide.
“Such selective and discriminatory acts will only serve to embolden the radical narratives of extremists and will provide further fuel to the advocates of violence and terrorism,” said the OIC in a statement.
The 56-member organisation urged the US to reconsider its “blanket decision” and to “maintain its moral obligation to provide leadership and hope at a time of great uncertainty and unrest in the world.” “As a result of this ban many of those fleeing war and persecution have been adversely and unjustly affected,” said the Jeddah-based organisation.
An executive order signed by Trump on Friday suspended the arrival of all refugees for a minimum of 120 days, Syrian refugees indefinitely and bars citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.
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Emirates changes flight crews after Trump travel ban
AFP
Dubai
Dubai carrier Emirates said it has adjusted its crews for flights to the United States following President Donald Trump's travel ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
The new president faced mass protests and global outrage over the controversial bar on travellers from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, as around 300 people were stopped or detained worldwide en route to the US.
"We have made the necessary adjustments to our crewing, to comply with the latest requirements," a statement from Emirates said.
The carrier added that no staff member had yet been affected by the travel restrictions and stressed that all flights to the US were operating as scheduled.
