Netherlands to impose land border controls from Dec 9, says migration ministry

Netherlands' Police officers stand by as people gather during a small pro-Palestinian demonstration on Dam Square in Amsterdam, on November 9, 2024. (FILE/AFP)

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Updated 11 November 2024

Reuters

November 11, 2024 15:03

Netherlands to impose land border controls from Dec 9, says migration ministry

Updated 11 November 2024

Reuters

November 11, 2024 15:03

AMSTERDAM: The Netherlands will impose controls on its land borders from Dec. 9, a spokesperson for Migration Minister Marjolein Faber said on Monday, confirming an earlier report by Dutch news agency ANP.
The controls on borders, all of which are with fellow countries in the EU's Schengen border-free zone, are set to last six months, part of a wider crackdown on migration proposed by the right-wing coalition led by the anti-Muslim nationalist PVV party of Geert Wilders. They follow a similar move by neighbouring Germany.

Topics: Netherlands

Weather hampers search for 3 climbers missing on New Zealand’s highest peak

Updated 05 December 2024

December 05, 2024 23:08

Weather hampers search for 3 climbers missing on New Zealand’s highest peak

Updated 05 December 2024

December 05, 2024 23:08

WELLINGTON: New Zealand authorities have “grave concerns” for three mountain climbers from the US and Canada who are missing after a planned ascent of the country’s highest peak, Aoraki, as efforts to find them stalled for a third day amid bad weather.

Strong winds meant an aerial search for the men could not resume as anticipated on Thursday, Police Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker said in a statement.

The Americans — Kurt Blair, 56, from Colorado and Carlos Romero, 50, of California — are certified alpine guides, according to the website of the nonprofit American Mountain Guides Association. New Zealand authorities have not named the Canadian climber at the request of his family.

The men flew to a hut partway up the mountain on Saturday to begin their ascent and were reported missing on Monday when they did not arrive to meet their prearranged transport after the climb. Searchers hours later found several climbing-related items believed to belong to the men, but no sign of them, police said.

The search for the men stalled on Tuesday and Wednesday due to deteriorating weather conditions on Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook, with heavy rain and snow forecast.

Walker earlier hoped efforts would resume Thursday but said conditions on the day were unsafe.

Aoraki is 3,724 meters high and is part of the Southern Alps, the scenic and icy mountain range that runs the length of New Zealand’s South Island.

Topics: New Zealand

Namibia’s first woman president ‘breaks glass ceiling’

Updated 05 December 2024

AFP

December 05, 2024 23:03

Namibia’s first woman president ‘breaks glass ceiling’

Updated 05 December 2024

AFP

December 05, 2024 23:03

JOHANNESBURG: Namibia’s first woman president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, on Thursday said her victory in a disputed vote last week had broken a “glass ceiling.”

The vice president secured just past 57 percent of the vote, well ahead of the candidate for the main opposition Independent Patriots for Change on 25.5 percent, the election authority announced on Tuesday.

Yet the IPC has said it did not recognize the vote, pointing to a “multitude of irregularities.”

“As a woman, I’m the first to admit that my election to the highest office in the land is definitely one that is breaking the glass ceiling for a Namibian woman,” she told reporters at her first briefing since her victory’s announcement.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, became the first woman to rule the mineral-rich nation, governed by her South West Africa People’s Organization party since independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.

In her address, Namibia’s new leader praised Liberia’s former head of state Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who in 2006 became the first woman president on the African continent, for being “the one who really led the way.”

“And for me, it’s just to reaffirm that equal responsibility of women and men in society is a reality,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, a SWAPO stalwart known by her initials NNN, will be among Africa’s few women leaders.

The conservative daughter of an Anglican pastor, she assumed the role of vice president in February this year.

Topics: Namibia

Macron vows to stay in office till end of term

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses the nation during a televised broadcast from the Elysee Palace. (AFP)

Updated 34 min 11 sec ago

December 05, 2024 19:17

Macron vows to stay in office till end of term

Macron will name a new prime minister within days following downfall of Michel Barnier
President laid blame at the door of far right opponents for bringing down government

Updated 34 min 11 sec ago

December 05, 2024 19:17

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron vowed Thursday to stay in office until the end of his term, due in 2027, and announced that he will name a new prime minister within days following the resignation of ousted Prime Minister Michel Barnier.
Macron came out fighting a day after a historic no-confidence vote at the National Assembly left France without a functioning government. He laid blame at the door of his opponents on the far right for bringing down Barnier’s government.
“They chose disorder,” he said.
The president said the far right and the far left had united in what he called “an anti-Republican front” and stressed: “I won’t shoulder other people’s irresponsibility.”
He said he’d name a new prime minister within days but gave no hints who that might be.
Macron acknowledges his own “responsibility”
While critical of his political opponents, Macron also acknowledged his own “responsibility” in the chaos now shaking French politics and alarming financial markets.
He revisited his decision in June to dissolve parliament. That precipitated the crisis, leading to new legislative elections that produced the now hung parliament, divided between three minority blocs that don’t have enough seats to govern alone.
“I do recognize that this decision wasn’t understood. Many people criticized me for it. I know many continue to criticize me for it,” he said. However, he argued, “I believe it was necessary” to let French voters speak.
Earlier in the day, Macron “took note” of Barnier’s resignation, the Elysee presidential palace said. Barnier and other ministers will be “in charge of current affairs until the appointment of a new government,” the statement said.
The no-confidence motion passed by 331 votes in the National Assembly, forcing Barnier to step down after just three months in office— the shortest tenure of any prime minister in modern French history.
Priority is to pass a budget law
The new prime minister “will be charged with forming a government of general interest representing all the political forces … that commit not to vote a no-confidence motion,” Macron said.
The priority will be to pass a budget law for 2025, he added.
Macron tore into lawmakers who brought Barnier’s government down, accusing them of pursuing their own political interests. He noted that the vote came with the end of year holidays just around the corner.
“Why did lawmakers act this way? They’re not thinking of you, of your lives, your difficulties,” he said. “They’re thinking of just one thing: the presidential election — to prepare it, to provoke it, to precipitate it.”
But Macron said he’d see out the 30 months still left in his second and last term as president.
Macron faces the critical task of naming a replacement capable of leading a minority government in a parliament where no party holds a majority. Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly and a member of Macron’s party, urged the president to move quickly.
“I recommend he decide rapidly on a new prime minister,” Braun-Pivet said Thursday on France Inter radio. “There must not be any political hesitation. We need a leader who can speak to everyone and work to pass a new budget bill.”
The process may prove challenging. Macron’s administration has yet to confirm any names, though French media have reported a shortlist of centrist candidates who might appeal to both sides of the political spectrum.
Macron took more than two months to appoint Barnier after his party’s defeat in June’s legislative elections, raising concerns about potential delays this time.
The no-confidence vote has galvanized opposition leaders, with some explicitly calling for Macron’s resignation.
“I believe that stability requires the departure of the President of the Republic,” said Manuel Bompard, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, on BFM TV Wednesday night.
Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, whose party holds the most seats in the Assembly, stopped short of calling for Macron’s resignation but warned that “the pressure on the President of the Republic will get stronger and stronger.”
Macron, however, has dismissed such calls and ruled out new legislative elections. The French constitution does not call for a president to resign after his government was ousted by the National Assembly.
“I was elected to serve until 2027, and I will fulfill that mandate,” he told reporters earlier this week.
The constitution also says that new legislative elections cannot be held until at least July, creating a potential stalemate for policymakers.
Economic uncertainty looms
The political instability has heightened concerns about France’s economy, particularly its debt, which could rise to 7 percent of GDP next year without significant reforms. Analysts say that Barnier’s government downfall could push up French interest rates, digging the debt even further.
Rating agency Moody’s warned late Wednesday that the government’s fall “reduces the likelihood of consolidating public finances” and worsens the political gridlock.
Macron’s speech, scheduled for 8 p.m. local time, is expected to address these economic challenges while setting a course for the future government.
Teachers’ protest takes political tone
A planned protest by teachers against budget cuts in education took on a new tone Thursday, as demonstrators in Paris linked their demands to the political crisis.
“Macron quit!” read a sign held by Dylan Quenon, a 28-year-old teacher at a middle school in Aubervilliers, just north of Paris.
Quenon said Macron bears responsibility for what he described as the dismantling of public services like schools. “The only way for this to change is to have him out of office,” he said.
Protesters expressed little hope that Macron’s next appointee would reverse course.
“I’m glad this government is falling, but it could possibly lead to something even worse,” said Élize De La Gorce, a 33-year-old teacher in Stains, north of Paris.

Topics: Emmanuel Macron France

Ammunition used in CEO’s killing had ‘Deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose’ written on it

Updated 05 December 2024

December 05, 2024 18:37

Ammunition used in CEO’s killing had ‘Deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose’ written on it

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference
Police release photos of a person wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting

Updated 05 December 2024

December 05, 2024 18:37

NEW YORK: The masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest US health insurance companies outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” two law enforcement officials said Thursday.
The words were written in permanent marker, according to one of the officials, who were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference at a Hilton hotel in Midtown, blocks from tourist draws like Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art. The reason behind the killing remained unknown, but investigators believe it was a targeted attack.
The message left on the ammunition echoes the phrase “delay, deny, defend,” which is commonly used by attorneys and insurance industry critics to describe tactics used to avoid paying claims. It refers to insurers delaying payment, denying a claim and then defending their actions. Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors and patients for complicating access to care.
Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled.
The killing and the shooter’s movements in the minutes before and afterward were captured on some of the multitudes of security cameras present in that part of the city.
The hunt for the shooter brought New York City police Thursday morning to at least two hostels on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, based on a tip that the suspected shooter may have stayed at one of the residences, according to one of the law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation.
Police also released photos of a person they said was wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The photos appeared to have been taken in the lobby of the HI New York City hostel, according to images of the lobby available online.
“We are fully cooperating with the NYPD and, as this is an active investigation, can not comment at this time,” Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the hostel said in an emailed statement.
Investigators believe, judging from surveillance video and evidence collected from the scene, that the shooter had at least some prior firearms training and experience with guns and the weapon was equipped with a silencer, said one of the law enforcement officials who spoke with the AP.
Investigators also were looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan, the official said. The shooter fled on a bike and was last seen riding into Central Park.
Security camera video showed the killer approach Thompson from behind, level his pistol and fire several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam while the health executive tumbled to the pavement.
Cameras showed him fleeing the block across a pedestrian plaza, then escaping on the bicycle. Police issued several surveillance images of the man wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face, which wouldn’t have attracted attention on a frigid day. Authorities also used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer’s whereabouts remained unknown.
Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.
The insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., was holding its annual meeting with investors in New York to update Wall Street on the company’s direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson’s death.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” UnitedHealth Group said in a statement. “We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.
Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the US and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.

Topics: UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson NYPD

Muhammad becomes most popular baby name in England and Wales

Muhammad has become the most popular name for boys in England and Wales, overtaking Noah. (Getty Images/File)

Updated 05 December 2024

ARAB NEWS

December 05, 2024 20:15

Muhammad becomes most popular baby name in England and Wales

Variants Mohammed and Mohammad feature in top 100 along with Yusuf and Ibrahim
Popular culture remains key influence, with names such as Billie and Lana gaining popularity

Updated 05 December 2024

ARAB NEWS

December 05, 2024 20:15

LONDON: Muhammad has become the most popular name for boys in England and Wales, overtaking Noah.

The figures from the Office for National Statistics do not group together the different spellings of Muhammad, meaning that all the various iterations of the name together have made it the most popular for many years.

Mohammed and Mohammad both appear in the top 100 names for boys born in England and Wales in 2023.

There were 4,661 children registered as Muhammad, increasing from 4,177 in 2022.

The name was popular in regions with higher Muslim populations, such as London, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and the North West.

Mohammed was the 28th most popular, with 1,601 newborns registered, while Mohammad was 68th, with 835.

Other Muslim boys’ names in the top 100 include Yusuf, Ibrahim, and Musa.

The third most popular boys’ name was Oliver, followed by George and Leo.

For girls, Olivia has remained the most popular name for eight years. Amelia and Isla have been second and third for two years in a row.

The top 100 girls’ names included Layla, Maryam, and Fatima, which are all favorites with Muslim families.

The ONS said popular culture remained a key influence for parents choosing names for their babies.

Increasing numbers were names after music stars Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey, and actors Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy.

Even the names of celebrity babies such as the offspring from the Kardashian-Jenner family, Reign and Saint, gained popularity.

Topics: Muhammad UK England office for national statistics baby names

Netherlands to impose land border controls from Dec 9, says migration ministry

Netherlands to impose land border controls from Dec 9, says migration ministry

Weather hampers search for 3 climbers missing on New Zealand’s highest peak

Weather hampers search for 3 climbers missing on New Zealand’s highest peak

Partial remains of British climber believed found 100 years after Everest ascent

Record number of climbers chase 14-peak dream in Tibet

Namibia’s first woman president ‘breaks glass ceiling’

Namibia’s first woman president ‘breaks glass ceiling’

Namibians vote to wind up chaotic polls

Thousands left queuing to vote in Namibia after scheduled polls close

Macron vows to stay in office till end of term

Macron vows to stay in office till end of term

France’s Macron seeks new PM after Barnier resigns

Macron seeks remedy to France’s political crisis

Ammunition used in CEO’s killing had ‘Deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose’ written on it

Ammunition used in CEO’s killing had ‘Deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose’ written on it

Manhattan subway bomber sentenced to life in prison

Driver smashes $750,000 Porsche on deserted Manhattan streets during New York COVID-19 lockdown

Muhammad becomes most popular baby name in England and Wales

Muhammad becomes most popular baby name in England and Wales

Muhammad again among UK’s most popular baby names

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Netherlands to impose land border controls from Dec 9, says migration ministry

Netherlands to impose land border controls from Dec 9, says migration ministry

Weather hampers search for 3 climbers missing on New Zealand’s highest peak

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