Sweden is set to deport a blind, 106-year-old Afghan refugee. 
 
Bibikhal Uzbek is believed to be the oldest asylum seeker of the world. 
 
In 2015, she along with her son and grand children, traveled through the mountainous paths from Kunduz via Iran and Turkey to seek refuge in Europe. 
 
Her application for asylum was denied by the Swedish migration agency and she is now instructed to return to Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
 
Uzbek is just two weeks short from turning 107. On hearing the news of application rejection, she had a stroke and is now bedridden--unable to see, speak or walk. 
 
The agency claims that the family&#39;s hometown, Kunduz is entirely safe for the family to return. 
 
Heavy clashes between Afghan security forces and the Taliban cause massive unrest in the area. 
 
The family claims that she is not in physically fit to travel back to Afghanistan. They have filed an appeal for her to stay in Sweden to live out the final period of her life.&nbsp; 
 
In the recent past, Sweden&#39;s Asylum Agency drew criticism for testing religious knowledge of converted Christian asylum seekers. 
 
In 2016, more than 4500 refugees withdrew applications and left the country, major factors being lengthy processes, rigorous rules, and difficulty in employment.

On hearing the news of application rejection, she had a stroke and is now bedridden--unable to see, speak or walk

Sweden is set to deport a blind, 106-year-old Afghan refugee. Bibikhal Uzbek is believed to be the oldest asylum seeker of the world. In 2015, she along with her son and grand children, traveled through the mountainous paths from Kunduz via Iran and Turkey to seek refuge in Europe. Her application for asylum was denied by the Swedish migration agency and she is now instructed to return to Afghanistan. Uzbek is just two weeks short from turning 107. On hearing the news of application rejection, she had a stroke and is now bedridden--unable to see, speak or walk. The agency claims that the family's hometown, Kunduz is entirely safe for the family to return. Heavy clashes between Afghan security forces and the Taliban cause massive unrest in the area. The family claims that she is not in physically fit to travel back to Afghanistan. They have filed an appeal for her to stay in Sweden to live out the final period of her life. In the recent past, Sweden's Asylum Agency drew criticism for testing religious knowledge of converted Christian asylum seekers. In 2016, more than 4500 refugees withdrew applications and left the country, major factors being lengthy processes, rigorous rules, and difficulty in employment.

Sweden to deport 106-year-old blind Afghan refugee

Canada will continue to accept asylum seekers crossing illegally from the United States but will ensure security measures are taken to keep Canadians safe, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday.

The number of would-be refugees crossing into Canada at isolated and unguarded border crossings has increased in recent weeks amid fears that US President Donald Trump will crack down on illegal immigrants, and photos of smiling Canadian police greeting the migrants have gone viral.

Opposition Conservatives want Trudeau&#39; s centre-left Liberal government to stem the flow of asylum seekers from the United States because of security fears and a lack of resources to deal with them.

&quot;One of the reasons why Canada remains an open country is Canadians trust our immigration system and the integrity of our borders and the help we provide people who are looking for safety,&quot; Trudeau told parliament.

&quot;We will continue to strike that balance between a rigorous system and accepting people who need help.&quot;

Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen also said Canada would continue to honour the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires it to turn back refugees if they make asylum claims at Canadian border crossings with the United States. Refugee advocates have argued this drives asylum seekers to cross illegally at isolated locations, risking their lives in frigid weather.

Amnesty International and other groups are pressuring the Canadian government to abandon the agreement, arguing the United States is not safe for refugees.

Canadian police said on Monday they had bolstered their presence at the Quebec border and that border authorities had created a temporary refugee centre to process the asylum seekers.

The number of people making refugee claims at Quebec-US border crossings more than doubled from 2015 to 2016. Last month, 452 people made claims in Quebec compared with 137 in January 2016.

The influx is straining resources in the western prairie province of Manitoba and in Quebec, where taxis drop asylum seekers off metres away from the Quebec-U.S.border, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said.

The right-leaning Conservative opposition have called on Canadian authorities to hand illegal immigrants over to US authorities, but Hussen said Canada can honour its refugee agreement with the United States while helping asylum seekers who enter the country illegally.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Opposition Conservatives want Trudeau' s government to stem the flow of asylum seekers from the US because of security fears

Canada will continue to accept asylum seekers crossing illegally from the United States but will ensure security measures are taken to keep Canadians safe, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday. The number of would-be refugees crossing into Canada at isolated and unguarded border crossings has increased in recent weeks amid fears that US President Donald Trump will crack down on illegal immigrants, and photos of smiling Canadian police greeting the migrants have gone viral. Opposition Conservatives want Trudeau' s centre-left Liberal government to stem the flow of asylum seekers from the United States because of security fears and a lack of resources to deal with them. "One of the reasons why Canada remains an open country is Canadians trust our immigration system and the integrity of our borders and the help we provide people who are looking for safety," Trudeau told parliament. "We will continue to strike that balance between a rigorous system and accepting people who need help." Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen also said Canada would continue to honour the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires it to turn back refugees if they make asylum claims at Canadian border crossings with the United States. Refugee advocates have argued this drives asylum seekers to cross illegally at isolated locations, risking their lives in frigid weather. Amnesty International and other groups are pressuring the Canadian government to abandon the agreement, arguing the United States is not safe for refugees. Canadian police said on Monday they had bolstered their presence at the Quebec border and that border authorities had created a temporary refugee centre to process the asylum seekers. The number of people making refugee claims at Quebec-US border crossings more than doubled from 2015 to 2016. Last month, 452 people made claims in Quebec compared with 137 in January 2016. The influx is straining resources in the western prairie province of Manitoba and in Quebec, where taxis drop asylum seekers off metres away from the Quebec-U.S.border, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said. The right-leaning Conservative opposition have called on Canadian authorities to hand illegal immigrants over to US authorities, but Hussen said Canada can honour its refugee agreement with the United States while helping asylum seekers who enter the country illegally. (Reuters)

Canada will continue to accept asylum seekers crossing illegally from US: Justin Trudeau

Asylum seekers held at a Papua New Guinea detention centre briefly took control of two compounds and expelled guards following the death of a refugee who fell ill at the centre, Papua New Guinea police said on Sunday.

Senior Sergeant Thomas Lelepo, from Lorengau Police Station on Manus Island, said guards at the Manus Island regional processing centre were expelled by residents last night.

&ldquo;There was a situation there ... over the death of a resident,&rdquo; he told Reuters by phone, adding that order had been restored.

A 27-year-old Sudanese man, who was identified as Faysal Ishak Ahmed by refugee advocates, collapsed at the centre and was evacuated to hospital in Australia this week. Australia&rsquo;s Department of Immigration and Border Protection said he died on Saturday.

The man&#39;s death is not being treated as suspicious by Australian authorities, but detainees and refugee rights groups have claimed the man was seriously ill for months and had made repeated requests for medical assistance before the emergency.

Under Australia&#39;s tough border security policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing at the camps on Papua New Guinea&#39;s Manus island and Nauru in the South Pacific. They are never eligible for resettlement in Australia.

An Australian immigration department spokesperson confirmed an incident on Manus Island overnight.

&ldquo;The Department is aware of a disturbance involving a group of residents in the mess area of Manus RPC,&rdquo; the spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. &ldquo;The disturbance has now been resolved. There is minor property damage and no reported injuries.&rdquo;

Photos posted to Facebook by Iranian refugee Behrouz Boochani, who is among the asylum seekers held on Manus Island, showed what appeared to be damage to a mess area inside one of the compounds.

Mr. Boochani wrote: &ldquo;We just kicked out the Wilson security from Delta and Oscar detentions. This message is for the government.&rdquo;

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The United Nations and human rights groups have condemned Australia&#39;s immigration policy, citing human rights abuses in the centres on Manus Island and Nauru and prison-like conditions that have driven some detainees to attempt suicide.

A total of 872 asylum seekers are held on Manus despite Papua New Guinea&#39;s Supreme Court ruling in April that their detention was illegal and ordering the camps to close.

(Reuters)

The asylum seekers were protesting over the death of a Sudanese man who had been critically ill for months and was not given medical aid

Asylum seekers held at a Papua New Guinea detention centre briefly took control of two compounds and expelled guards following the death of a refugee who fell ill at the centre, Papua New Guinea police said on Sunday. Senior Sergeant Thomas Lelepo, from Lorengau Police Station on Manus Island, said guards at the Manus Island regional processing centre were expelled by residents last night. “There was a situation there ... over the death of a resident,” he told Reuters by phone, adding that order had been restored. A 27-year-old Sudanese man, who was identified as Faysal Ishak Ahmed by refugee advocates, collapsed at the centre and was evacuated to hospital in Australia this week. Australia’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection said he died on Saturday. The man's death is not being treated as suspicious by Australian authorities, but detainees and refugee rights groups have claimed the man was seriously ill for months and had made repeated requests for medical assistance before the emergency. Under Australia's tough border security policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing at the camps on Papua New Guinea's Manus island and Nauru in the South Pacific. They are never eligible for resettlement in Australia. An Australian immigration department spokesperson confirmed an incident on Manus Island overnight. “The Department is aware of a disturbance involving a group of residents in the mess area of Manus RPC,” the spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. “The disturbance has now been resolved. There is minor property damage and no reported injuries.” Photos posted to Facebook by Iranian refugee Behrouz Boochani, who is among the asylum seekers held on Manus Island, showed what appeared to be damage to a mess area inside one of the compounds. Mr. Boochani wrote: “We just kicked out the Wilson security from Delta and Oscar detentions. This message is for the government.” The United Nations and human rights groups have condemned Australia's immigration policy, citing human rights abuses in the centres on Manus Island and Nauru and prison-like conditions that have driven some detainees to attempt suicide. A total of 872 asylum seekers are held on Manus despite Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruling in April that their detention was illegal and ordering the camps to close. (Reuters)

Asylum seekers riot at Papua New Guinea detention camp

The deal struck between Australia and the outgoing Obama administration to relocate as many as 1,200 asylum seekers to the United States will begin after President-elect Donald Trump takes over the office in January 2017, Reuters reported Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as saying.

Turnbull on Sunday&nbsp;said that the US had agreed to take &ldquo;substantial&rdquo; number of refugees held in the detention camps of Papua New Guinea and the island of Nauru, Reuters reported. Many of the refugees are Muslims who have fled conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Trump&#39;s transition team, however, has not commented on the deal that was announced earlier this month.&nbsp;

The spokesperson for the US State Department, too, refused to provide the details on Turnbull&#39;s comments, but said that &ldquo;the United States had a longstanding programme of accepting refugees referred for resettlement by the UN refugee agency and would determine the size of in consultation with that agency&rdquo;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Asylum seeker&nbsp;deals

The resettlement deal was announced as a quid pro quo after the Australian government agreed to accept people from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador as part of Australia&#39;s annual intake of 18,750 asylum seekers, thus helping the Central American refugees from Washington to resettle.&nbsp;

Analysts have, however, suggested that the timings of the deal, that came days before in the anticipation of Democrat Hillary Clinton winning the US presidency, might mean that the deal could be dashed. Trump, notorious&nbsp;for his anti-immigration stance, on Sunday said that he &nbsp;would deport up to three&nbsp;million illegal immigrants living in the US.&nbsp;

&quot;But by holding off and starting the process in the expectation that Hillary Clinton would win the US presidency, it gives Trump the ability to reject the deal,&rdquo; said Peter Chen, professor of political science, University of Sydney. Should Trump reject the deal, Turnbull would have to look for another country that would take the refugees, Reuters said.

Turnbull, however, expressed confidence in the new US administration standing by the deal, since it did not require any increase in the United States&#39; annual intake of asylum seekers, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Trump's anti-refugee comments during the election makes it uncertain if this already made US-Australia asylum seeker deal will be honoured

The deal struck between Australia and the outgoing Obama administration to relocate as many as 1,200 asylum seekers to the United States will begin after President-elect Donald Trump takes over the office in January 2017, Reuters reported Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as saying. Turnbull on Sunday said that the US had agreed to take “substantial” number of refugees held in the detention camps of Papua New Guinea and the island of Nauru, Reuters reported. Many of the refugees are Muslims who have fled conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Trump's transition team, however, has not commented on the deal that was announced earlier this month. The spokesperson for the US State Department, too, refused to provide the details on Turnbull's comments, but said that “the United States had a longstanding programme of accepting refugees referred for resettlement by the UN refugee agency and would determine the size of in consultation with that agency”. Asylum seeker deals The resettlement deal was announced as a quid pro quo after the Australian government agreed to accept people from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador as part of Australia's annual intake of 18,750 asylum seekers, thus helping the Central American refugees from Washington to resettle. Analysts have, however, suggested that the timings of the deal, that came days before in the anticipation of Democrat Hillary Clinton winning the US presidency, might mean that the deal could be dashed. Trump, notorious for his anti-immigration stance, on Sunday said that he would deport up to three million illegal immigrants living in the US. "But by holding off and starting the process in the expectation that Hillary Clinton would win the US presidency, it gives Trump the ability to reject the deal,” said Peter Chen, professor of political science, University of Sydney. Should Trump reject the deal, Turnbull would have to look for another country that would take the refugees, Reuters said. Turnbull, however, expressed confidence in the new US administration standing by the deal, since it did not require any increase in the United States' annual intake of asylum seekers, Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

After Trump takes office, about 1,200 asylum seekers to be resettled in US: Australian PM Turnbull

Australia is planning to impose a lifetime ban on refugees or asylum seekers coming to the country illegally via boats.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday announced that the Australian government is sending an &quot;absolutely, unflinching, unequivocal message&quot; that boat people will not be allowed to enter the country.&nbsp;

&quot;This is a battle of will between the Australian people, represented by its government, and the criminal gangs of people-smugglers,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;You should not underestimate the scale of the threat. These people-smugglers are the worst criminals imaginable. They have a multibillion-dollar business&quot;.

&quot;It is a critically important, strong message to send to the people smugglers, they must know that the door to Australia is closed to those who seek to come here by boat with a people smuggler. It is closed. We accept thousands of refugees and we do so willingly but we will not tolerate any repeat of people smuggling ventures which resulted in over 1,200 deaths at sea under the Labor party and 50,000 unauthorised arrivals,&quot;&nbsp;Reuters quoted Turnbull as saying.

However, children would be exempted from this amendment.&nbsp;

UNICEF has hit back at the proposal, calling it unreasonable and unnecessary.&nbsp;

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Media release: Government&rsquo;s lifetime refugee ban is not reasonable or necessary <a href="https://t.co/H4QivZGcM9">https://t.co/H4QivZGcM9</a>
&mdash; UNICEF Australia (@unicefaustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/unicefaustralia/status/792616364020076550">October 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The government is looking to amend the Migration Act (1958) and will introduce the bill in the next Parliamentary sitting.&nbsp;

This is not the first time that the Australian government has tried to amend the Act.&nbsp;

In 2013, former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd had declared,&quot;As of today, asylum-seekers who come here by boat without a visa will never be settled in Australia,&quot; AFP reported.&nbsp;

All refugees and asylum seekers are sent to the Pacific islands of Nauru and Papua New Guinea&#39;s Manus for processing.&nbsp;

The new proposal will impact the people sent to these islands, including the ones who went back home or took asylum in a different country from July 19, 2013 onwards.&nbsp;

Save the Children, a refugee advocacy group has said this will alleviate&nbsp;the refugees&#39;&nbsp;trauma.&nbsp;

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Media release: Government&#39;s changes to Migration Act would permanently split families and condemn thousands to limbo <a href="https://t.co/tomoHKnNNy">https://t.co/tomoHKnNNy</a>
&mdash; HumanRightsLawCentre (@rightsagenda) <a href="https://twitter.com/rightsagenda/status/792549924097314817">October 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Mat Tinkler, the group&#39;s director of policy and public advocacy in Australia said, &quot;We have grave concerns that this kind of announcement will push people over the edge.&quot;

&quot;The government must act urgently to give hope to these people, not continue to take it away,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre lawyer, David Manne, said this proposal will punish genuine people, who are in need of asylum.&nbsp;

&quot;This does nothing to address that fundamental question about where they are going to be taken so that they can rebuild their lives in safety and with dignity,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Australia has granted refuge&nbsp;to 18,750 people in recent years&nbsp;from 13,750&nbsp;and has also agreed to take 12,000 people displaced from war-torn Syria and Iraq.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Australia will present the case for a lifetime visa ban on asylum seekers entering the country illegally by boat to the Parliament next week

Australia is planning to impose a lifetime ban on refugees or asylum seekers coming to the country illegally via boats. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday announced that the Australian government is sending an "absolutely, unflinching, unequivocal message" that boat people will not be allowed to enter the country. "This is a battle of will between the Australian people, represented by its government, and the criminal gangs of people-smugglers," he said. "You should not underestimate the scale of the threat. These people-smugglers are the worst criminals imaginable. They have a multibillion-dollar business". "It is a critically important, strong message to send to the people smugglers, they must know that the door to Australia is closed to those who seek to come here by boat with a people smuggler. It is closed. We accept thousands of refugees and we do so willingly but we will not tolerate any repeat of people smuggling ventures which resulted in over 1,200 deaths at sea under the Labor party and 50,000 unauthorised arrivals," Reuters quoted Turnbull as saying. However, children would be exempted from this amendment. UNICEF has hit back at the proposal, calling it unreasonable and unnecessary. Media release: Government’s lifetime refugee ban is not reasonable or necessary https://t.co/H4QivZGcM9 — UNICEF Australia (@unicefaustralia) October 30, 2016 × The government is looking to amend the Migration Act (1958) and will introduce the bill in the next Parliamentary sitting. This is not the first time that the Australian government has tried to amend the Act. In 2013, former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd had declared,"As of today, asylum-seekers who come here by boat without a visa will never be settled in Australia," AFP reported. All refugees and asylum seekers are sent to the Pacific islands of Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus for processing. The new proposal will impact the people sent to these islands, including the ones who went back home or took asylum in a different country from July 19, 2013 onwards. Save the Children, a refugee advocacy group has said this will alleviate the refugees' trauma. Media release: Government's changes to Migration Act would permanently split families and condemn thousands to limbo https://t.co/tomoHKnNNy — HumanRightsLawCentre (@rightsagenda) October 30, 2016 × Mat Tinkler, the group's director of policy and public advocacy in Australia said, "We have grave concerns that this kind of announcement will push people over the edge." "The government must act urgently to give hope to these people, not continue to take it away," he added. Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre lawyer, David Manne, said this proposal will punish genuine people, who are in need of asylum. "This does nothing to address that fundamental question about where they are going to be taken so that they can rebuild their lives in safety and with dignity," he added. Australia has granted refuge to 18,750 people in recent years from 13,750 and has also agreed to take 12,000 people displaced from war-torn Syria and Iraq. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Australia refugee ban: Turnbull says gates closed for illegal boat entry

Australia on Tuesday rejected claims by rights group Amnesty International that conditions on a tiny South Pacific island where some 400 Australian-bound asylum seekers are held &quot;amount to torture&quot;.

In a detailed report titled Island of Despair, Amnesty alleged that many of the asylum seekers on Nauru are being driven to attempt suicide to escape the prison-like conditions they face in indefinite detention.

Under Australia&#39;s tough immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing at a camp in Nauru or to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and are not eligible for resettlement in Australia.

&quot;I reject that claim totally. It is absolutely false,&quot; Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio of the torture claim. &quot;The Australian government&#39;s commitment is compassionate and strong.&quot;

Amnesty, which said its findings were based on both desk research and field work in Nauru between July and October, said the detention was a &quot;systematic regime of neglect and cruelty.&quot;

&quot;The conditions on Nauru,refugees&#39; severe mental anguish, the intentional nature of the system, and the fact that the goal of offshore processing is to intimidate or coerce people to achieve a specific outcome,amounts to torture,&quot; the report said.

The Nauru government did not respond directly to the Amnesty report but criticised an ABC TV story that made similar allegations and quoted children on Nauru, where refugees are mainly from Iran and Afghanistan.

&quot;It was clear these children were coached,&quot; the government said in a statement, adding the ABC report was &quot;biased political propaganda and lies, and was an insult to the people of Nauru.&quot;

Almost 60 people, or about 15 percent of the 410 men, women and children on the island, reported they had either attempted suicide or had thoughts about harming themselves, Amnesty said.&nbsp;

Despite receiving refugee status, they continue to be confined to poor accommodation with little access to medical care, Amnesty said, adding that children, who make up little more than a tenth of the number of detainees, suffer disproportionately.&nbsp;

&quot;I met children as young as nine who had already tried to kill themselves and were talking openly about ending their lives,&quot; said Anna Keistat, an Amnesty official.

Amnesty joins a chorus of criticism by human rights groups of Australia&#39;s immigration policy, and comes just weeks after the United Nations said Nauru was failing to protect children.&nbsp;

Turnbull&#39;s government has been trying to organise resettlement of the asylum seekers in other countries, but has so far only struck a deal with Cambodia that has proved unpopular with refugees.

Asked if he was in negotiations with the United States to take some of the detainees, Turnbull declined to comment but stressed that they would not be allowed to enter Australia.&nbsp;

&quot;If you seek to come to Australia with a people smuggler or you&#39;ve sought to come to Australia with a people smuggler, you will not settle in Australia,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Australia is also facing pressure over a second detention centre in Papua New Guinea that holds 823 men after that country&#39;s Supreme Court in April ordered its closure.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

An Amnesty report had said many asylum seekers, who are detained and sent to Nauru, were considering suicide due to 'regime of cruelty'

Australia on Tuesday rejected claims by rights group Amnesty International that conditions on a tiny South Pacific island where some 400 Australian-bound asylum seekers are held "amount to torture". In a detailed report titled Island of Despair, Amnesty alleged that many of the asylum seekers on Nauru are being driven to attempt suicide to escape the prison-like conditions they face in indefinite detention. Under Australia's tough immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing at a camp in Nauru or to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and are not eligible for resettlement in Australia. "I reject that claim totally. It is absolutely false," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio of the torture claim. "The Australian government's commitment is compassionate and strong." Amnesty, which said its findings were based on both desk research and field work in Nauru between July and October, said the detention was a "systematic regime of neglect and cruelty." "The conditions on Nauru,refugees' severe mental anguish, the intentional nature of the system, and the fact that the goal of offshore processing is to intimidate or coerce people to achieve a specific outcome,amounts to torture," the report said. The Nauru government did not respond directly to the Amnesty report but criticised an ABC TV story that made similar allegations and quoted children on Nauru, where refugees are mainly from Iran and Afghanistan. "It was clear these children were coached," the government said in a statement, adding the ABC report was "biased political propaganda and lies, and was an insult to the people of Nauru." Almost 60 people, or about 15 percent of the 410 men, women and children on the island, reported they had either attempted suicide or had thoughts about harming themselves, Amnesty said. Despite receiving refugee status, they continue to be confined to poor accommodation with little access to medical care, Amnesty said, adding that children, who make up little more than a tenth of the number of detainees, suffer disproportionately. "I met children as young as nine who had already tried to kill themselves and were talking openly about ending their lives," said Anna Keistat, an Amnesty official. Amnesty joins a chorus of criticism by human rights groups of Australia's immigration policy, and comes just weeks after the United Nations said Nauru was failing to protect children. Turnbull's government has been trying to organise resettlement of the asylum seekers in other countries, but has so far only struck a deal with Cambodia that has proved unpopular with refugees. Asked if he was in negotiations with the United States to take some of the detainees, Turnbull declined to comment but stressed that they would not be allowed to enter Australia. "If you seek to come to Australia with a people smuggler or you've sought to come to Australia with a people smuggler, you will not settle in Australia," he said. Australia is also facing pressure over a second detention centre in Papua New Guinea that holds 823 men after that country's Supreme Court in April ordered its closure. (Reuters)

Australia denies report on asylum seekers being driven to kill selves

Kabul will commit to 're-admitting any Afghan citizen who has not been granted asylum in Europe'

The European Union (EU) has signed a deal with the Afghan government under which its member states will be allowed to deport an ‘unlimited number’ of asylum seekers from the country, the Guardian reported on Monday. According to the British daily, the deal was being worked upon for months, leading to a large EU-hosted donor conference in Brussels this week. Donors in the conference are expected to pledge about $3 billion a year for Afghanistan through 2020. Meanwhile, Guardian's report suggests that in a previously leaked memo, the EU hinted stripping Afghanistan of aid if its government did not cooperate. The deal was signed on Sunday and has not been made public but the Guardian reports that Kabul will commit to re-admitting any Afghan citizen who has not been granted asylum in Europe and those who do not want to go back voluntarily. The agreement called the 'Joint Way Forward' also opens up the deportation of women and children, which at the moment almost exclusively happens from Norway. “Special measures will ensure that such vulnerable groups receive adequate protection, assistance and care throughout the whole process.” If family members in Afghanistan cannot be located, unaccompanied children can be returned only with “adequate reception and caretaking arrangement having been put in place in Afghanistan”, the text of the agreement says, as per the report. (WION)

EU signs 'deal' with Kabul allowing member states to deport asylum seekers

Voting to elect a new government on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru began on Saturday, with international observers invited to monitor the polls for the first time in more than a decade after criticism over human rights in the world&#39;s smallest republic.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights last year urged Nauru to take action to improve its standing in a range of areas including freedom of expression, the independence of the judiciary and crackdowns on media access.

Nauru&#39;s government rejected the majority of the UN&nbsp;criticism.

There were 67 candidates vying for support from just under 8,000 registered voters for the 19 seats in parliament in Nauru, which lies about 3,000 kilometres (1,800 miles) northeast of Australia.

The island also hosts a controversial detention centre housing asylum seekers on behalf of Australia,&nbsp;its biggest foreign aid contributor. Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is sent for processing offshore.

The detention centre houses about 500 people and has been widely criticized by the United Nations and human rights agencies for harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse. 
 
Many staying there have self-harmed.&nbsp;Political instability has plagued Nauru, with reports of frequent government crackdown&#39;s on dissent.

The election is being monitored by international observers for the first time in 12 years including a team from The Commonwealth led by the former president of Kiribati Anote Tong, the government of Nauru said.

&quot;The success of these elections will depend on every individual playing their part to ensure the process is inclusive, transparent and peaceful,&quot; Tong said in a statement.

The Commonwealth observer team is expected to issue a report on the credibility of the elections before July 13.

(Reuters)

An international monitor will oversee elections in Nauru, known its widely-criticized detention centre for asylum seeke

Voting to elect a new government on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru began on Saturday, with international observers invited to monitor the polls for the first time in more than a decade after criticism over human rights in the world's smallest republic. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights last year urged Nauru to take action to improve its standing in a range of areas including freedom of expression, the independence of the judiciary and crackdowns on media access. Nauru's government rejected the majority of the UN criticism. There were 67 candidates vying for support from just under 8,000 registered voters for the 19 seats in parliament in Nauru, which lies about 3,000 kilometres (1,800 miles) northeast of Australia. The island also hosts a controversial detention centre housing asylum seekers on behalf of Australia, its biggest foreign aid contributor. Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is sent for processing offshore. The detention centre houses about 500 people and has been widely criticized by the United Nations and human rights agencies for harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse. Many staying there have self-harmed. Political instability has plagued Nauru, with reports of frequent government crackdown's on dissent. The election is being monitored by international observers for the first time in 12 years including a team from The Commonwealth led by the former president of Kiribati Anote Tong, the government of Nauru said. "The success of these elections will depend on every individual playing their part to ensure the process is inclusive, transparent and peaceful," Tong said in a statement. The Commonwealth observer team is expected to issue a report on the credibility of the elections before July 13. (Reuters)

Tiny Pacific island of Nauru goes to polls

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