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📰 EU considers deportation hubs

📰 EU considers deportation hubs

and Japan's trade deficit widens

Ross Crabtree & Billy Robinson
October 18, 2024

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The European Union is considering offshore "return hubs" as part of a stricter migration policy, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged EU leaders to issue an "immediate invitation" for NATO membership, outlining a "victory plan" to end the war by 2025.

In other developments, Kenya's Senate has impeached the country’s deputy president, and the newly appointed Hamas political bureau leader was reportedly killed in Rafah.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇵🇸 🇮🇱 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warns Israel over North Gaza evacuation orders: Northern Gaza is under full Israeli evacuation orders, but many residents, including the elderly and disabled, have stayed behind, citing the dangers and difficulties of leaving. UN human rights chief Volker Türk has cautioned Israel that any large-scale forced evacuation of civilians without “imperative military grounds” could be considered a war crime. On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike hit Abu Hussein school, a shelter in the Jabaliya area of Gaza City, killing at least 28 people, including doctors and children, with the death toll expected to rise. Another 11 people died in two separate airstrikes in Gaza City. The ongoing campaign in Jabaliya, now in its second week, has left the area and nearby towns, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia, under siege. About 400,000 people remain trapped amid relentless fighting, facing severe shortages of humanitarian supplies.

2️⃣ 🇰🇪 Kenya impeaches Deputy President Gachagua: In a landmark decision, the Kenyan Senate has voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, marking the first such removal since the 2010 constitution introduced impeachment proceedings. The 59-year-old was found guilty on five out of 11 charges following two days of hearings. The Senate only needed to uphold one charge to oust him from office. This vote comes after the National Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar motion last week. Gachagua, who had strongly denied all allegations, faced charges including corruption, money laundering, insubordination, ethnic divisiveness, bullying public officials, and threatening a judge.

3️⃣ 🇺🇦 🇪🇺 Zelenskyy requests NATO invitation: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on European leaders to extend an "immediate invitation" for Ukraine to join NATO as he presented his "victory plan" aimed at ending the war by 2025. Speaking at a Brussels summit with the EU's 27 leaders, Zelenskyy outlined a five-point proposal, urging the lifting of restrictions on long-range weapons targeting military sites within occupied Ukraine and Russia, as well as enhancing air defence support. While Ukraine seeks a prompt invitation to NATO with full membership later, this is viewed as unrealistic by many in the alliance. Zelenskyy emphasised that implementing the plan could end the war by next year, asserting that a "deterrence package" on Ukrainian soil would compel Russia to either engage in genuine peace talks or face military defeat. His visit coincides with a critical time, as Ukraine struggles against Russian advances in the Donbas region, facing an impending harsh winter and the potential return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency. Zelenskyy also recalled the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Ukraine relinquished its nuclear arsenal in exchange for sovereignty guarantees. He affirmed, "We are choosing NATO, not nuclear weapons," expressing hope that Trump would support this stance.

4️⃣ 🇪🇺 European Union mulls offshore ‘return hubs’ for its migration crackdown: At a recent summit focused on stricter migration policies, the EU has begun exploring the controversial idea of “return hubs”—offshore centres for deported individuals outside the bloc. The concept has gained momentum following significant far-right electoral gains in Europe, prompting mainstream leaders to seek tougher immigration measures. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed discussions on establishing such hubs but acknowledged open questions remain, such as how long people could stay and what to do if deportation proves unfeasible. No potential host countries were specified, though similar proposals faced rejection in 2018 from North African governments. Von der Leyen cited Italy's partnership with Albania as a potential model, where asylum claims are processed offshore. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other EU leaders expressed support for exploring pragmatic approaches to immigration, while concerns were raised over potential parallels to controversial policies like the UK’s failed Rwanda asylum scheme.

5️⃣ 🇯🇵 Japan records another trade deficit: Japan recorded a trade deficit of 294.3 billion yen ($2 billion) in September—as reported by the Finance Ministry—driven by a decline in exports to major markets like China. For the first half of the April-March fiscal year, the trade deficit reached 3.1 trillion yen ($21 billion). September exports fell 1.7% year-on-year, marking the first decline in 10 months, while imports rose 2.1%, influenced by a weak yen that increased import costs. The drop in exports was unexpected, with some attributing it to temporary disruptions such as a recent typhoon, though concerns about slowing global demand persist. From April to September, exports grew 6.6% to 53.55 trillion yen ($358 billion), while imports increased 7% to 56.66 trillion yen ($379 billion). Japan's trade balance included a 4.3 trillion yen ($29 billion) surplus with the U.S. and a 3 trillion yen ($20 billion) deficit with China.

Major Story

🇵🇸 🇮🇱 YAHYA SINWAR KILLED IN RAFAH

Background

Israel announced that its forces had killed Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s leader in Gaza, during an operation in the southern Gaza Strip. The military stated that Sinwar was ‘eliminated on Wednesday along with three other fighters.’ This follows Sinwar’s recent appointment as Hamas's political bureau head after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran on July 31. While Israel confirmed the death, Hamas has not yet commented.

Israeli Response

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed Sinwar’s killing as a ‘significant achievement,’ stating that Israel had ‘settled its account’ with him but emphasised that the conflict is not over. He described Sinwar’s death as a "landmark" in weakening Hamas, vowing that the group will no longer govern Gaza. Israeli National Unity Party Chairman Benny Gantz echoed these sentiments, calling the operation a "military and moral achievement" and promising ongoing military efforts in Gaza.

International Reactions

The United States welcomed the news, with President Joe Biden calling it a moment of relief and a potential turning point for a Gaza without Hamas's rule. Vice President Kamala Harris hailed it as justice for the victims of Hamas attacks, while House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed support, viewing the event as a source of "relief" for Israel.

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Other News

1️⃣ 🇲🇽 Mexico’s senate votes to amend constitution to protect public companies: Mexico's Senate approved a constitutional amendment on Wednesday to prioritise state-owned electricity company CFE over private and foreign competitors in power dispatch. The measure passed with 86 votes in favour and 39 against, surpassing the two-thirds majority required for constitutional changes. This reform mandates the national grid operator, Cenace, to give precedence to power generated by CFE, even if it is more expensive than electricity from private sources. The amendment had already passed in the lower house, backed by President Claudia Sheinbaum's Morena party. The changes will become official after gaining approval from a majority of state legislatures and being published in the government’s official gazette. Sheinbaum, following her predecessor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s approach, aims to strengthen state control over Mexico's energy sector—a move that Lopez Obrador had attempted but faced legal setbacks during his term.