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Four pro-Palestine protesters say they are facing deportation from Germany due to alleged sympathies with Hamas, in a move they compared to Donald Trump’s crackdown on student dissent in the US.
Shane O’Brien, Roberta Murray, Kasia Wlaszczyk and Cooper Longbottom – who come from Ireland, Poland and the US – are vowing to fight deportation orders issued by the city of Berlin. They describe themselves as activists with no criminal record who have protested against Germany’s support for Israel.
They said the deportation papers accuse them of anti-Semitism and supporting “terrorist organisations”, namely Hamas, as well as its “front organisations in Germany and Europe”. Germany banned Hamas activities in the country and shut down an alleged front called Samidoun, after the militants staged their 2023 offensive in southern Israel.
German media said the case is linked to unrest at Berlin’s Free University in October. The university reported about 40 masked protesters attempting to occupy a building in what it called a “violent attack” on the campus.
Activists have frequently complained of a stifling of pro-Palestinian dissent in Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies. Successive governments in Berlin have described Israel’s security as a paramount interest of the German state arising from the Holocaust.
According to the four activists, this “reason of state” was mentioned in the Berlin deportation papers. They said the orders were an example of Germany “weaponising migration law” against Palestinians and their supporters. EU citizens generally enjoy freedom of movement within the bloc but German and European law allows for restrictions on the grounds of public order or security.
“Germany’s revocation of one student visa and three EU citizens’ right to move within the EU is an unprecedented escalation, with dire implications,” the four activists said. “This parallels the Trump administration using deportation as a method of repression against US residents exercising their right to freedom of speech.
“Our deportation is a political act – an attempt to intimidate an entire movement. By stripping us of our freedom of movement, Germany intensifies its repression of pro-Palestinian voices, disproportionately targeting Palestinian, Muslim and Arab communities.”
Under Mr Trump’s crackdown at least 300 visas have been revoked and former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested over his involvement in student protests. Pro-Israel groups have provided officials with the names of hundreds of people they accuse of “raging against America” and supporting terrorist groups.
A new government taking shape in Berlin looks set to solidify Germany’s pro-Israel stance. Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democrats, who won the election on February 23, proposed in their manifesto that recognising Israel’s right to exist should become a condition of German citizenship.
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
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DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
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Business Insights
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4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
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Gold
Faisal Al Ketbi (Open weight and 94kg)
Talib Al Kirbi (69kg)
Omar Al Fadhli (56kg)
Silver
Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Khalfan Belhol (85kg)
Zayed Al Mansoori (62kg)
Mouza Al Shamsi (49kg women)
Bronze
Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi (Open and 94kg)
Saood Al Hammadi (77kg)
Said Al Mazroui (62kg)
Obaid Al Nuaimi (56kg)
Bashayer Al Matrooshi (62kg women)
Reem Abdulkareem (45kg women)
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Install an air filter in your home.
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Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
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5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m
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6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m
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7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
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8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m
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Price: Dh136,814
