Week 7 - 26/02/2021

Published on 26 February 2021 at 11:31

White Paper to Abolish Direct provision 

The Government will replace the Direct Provision system with an international protection system over the course of the next four years.

 

A two-phased approach was set out in a White Paper that was published this morning.

 

Under the plans, it is anticipated that all existing Direct Provision centres will close by the end of 2024.

 

The Direct Provision system was established to house asylum seekers entering the Irish State in search of international protection.

 

But what began as an interim measure, over 20 years ago, still exists. It has been criticised by human rights organisations, NGOs, and those in the system.

 

Today, the Government's White Paper will propose a new two-phase approach.

 

Court Rules ISIS Bride Cannot Return to UK to Challenge Citizenship

ISIS bride Shamima Begum has been blocked by the Supreme Court from returning to the UK to fight for her British citizenship.

 

Begum was a 15-year-old when she ran away from her east London family home to join Islamic State in February 2015.

 

When she was discovered in a Syrian refugee camp in 2019, then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid stripped her of British citizenship on national security grounds.

 

The legal battle reached the Supreme Court as the government argued Begum’s return to the UK would increase the risk of a terrorist attack.

 

Sturgeon Challenged Over Alleged Naming of Salmond Complainer

Nicola Sturgeon has come under pressure to explain what action she took over allegations that a complainer against Alex Salmond was named to one of his former aides.

 

Sturgeon was challenged by opposition leaders about claims that the woman’s identity was revealed to Geoff Aberdein, Salmond’s former chief of staff, in a “gross breach of confidentiality”.

 

Scottish Labour’s interim leader, pressed Sturgeon on whether that was authorised and if so, by whom. “That action was certainly not about protecting the interests of the women involved,” Baillie said. “Did the first minister authorise the contact, and if not, who did?”

 

Salmond, who is due to give evidence about his claims in Holyrood today, alleges in a submission to MSPs that Aberdein was given the information in early March 2018 by one of Sturgeon’s aides.

 

US Targets Iran Backed Militia with Airstrikes in Syria 

The Pentagon announced on Thursday that the US military launched an airstrike in eastern Syria on facilities used by Iran-backed militia.

 

The strikes follow events in Iraq where militias targeted US troops and a diplomatic sites.

 

The Pentagon said that the strikes were aimed at facilities located a "border control point" used by Iran-backed groups like the Kait'ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kait'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS).

 

Officials did not reveal if there were any casualties from the strike however, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 17 pro-Iran fighters were killed in the attack.

 

The airstrike is the first military action taken by US President Joe Biden

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