Six EU countries have triggered an outcry by insisting that deportations to Afghanistan must continue in order to deter refugees.
A leaked letter from the Austrian, Belgian, Danish, Dutch, German and Greek interior ministers said stopping deportations would “send the wrong signal”.
They told the European Commission that a lenient stance was “likely to motivate even more Afghan citizens to leave their home for the EU”.
Gains made by the Taliban in Afghanistan after Nato troops all but ended their 20-year mission have raised fears of an imminent refugee crisis.
More than 200,000 Afghans have been displaced in three months.
Afghanistan wants a three-month halt to deportations because of the deteriorating security situation in the country, while NGOs are urging Europe to reconsider failed asylum claims.
While some countries including Sweden and Finland have agreed to pause deportations, other EU countries are determined to continue them.
The letter by six EU ministers, first reported by Belgian newspaper Knack, led to fierce criticism from watchdogs who said Europe had its priorities wrong.
“Afghanistan is on fire, but let’s keep sending refugees back, EU members say,” said Rik Goverde of Save the Children. “Humanity at its finest.”
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles, a network of NGOs, took issue with the ministers’ call for neighbouring countries to take in more refugees.
It said that only a small proportion of Afghan refugees would come to Europe and that the EU should focus on ensuring security and humanitarian aid.
“The vast majority of displaced Afghans will be hosted in neighbouring countries as is currently the case,” it said.
“Turmoil and violence in Afghanistan, escalating alarmingly. Priority for six EU states: returning people and preventing displaces Afghans arriving in Europe.”
Jan Kooy, a deputy media director at Human Rights Watch, pointed out that some countries saw Afghanistan as too dangerous for their own citizens.
“This letter went out as Taliban extremists are winning ground all over Afghanistan, and many countries urge their nationals to leave because their lives may be at risk,” Mr Kooy said.
'Genuine needs'
The ministers said in their letter that Brussels should press Afghanistan to take back nationals who do not have “genuine protection needs” in Europe.
They said some Afghan nationals had committed serious crimes in Europe or merited “particular attention when it comes to integration challenges”.
Hannah Neumann, a German member of the European Parliament, criticised her country’s government for putting its name to the letter.
“It’s Taliban slaughter that motivates people to run away from Afghanistan, not EU member states stopping forced returns,” she said. “Why is the German government signing this disgraceful letter?”.
About 400,000 Afghans have been forced from their homes since the beginning of the year, more than half of them in the last three months, it is estimated.
Iran hosts about a million Afghans, with another 1.4m living in Pakistan, according to the UN’s refugee agency.
Responding to criticism of the letter, Belgium’s Asylum and Migration Minister Sammy Mahdi said those who did not need protection should be deported.
“The fact that regions of a country are not safe does not mean that every national of that country is automatically entitled to protection,” he said.
The European Commission said it had received the letter from the six countries and would reply in due time.
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul: Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m; Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
Winner: Miqyaas, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Shanty Star, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Alkaamel, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Speedy Move, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
