Denmark passes law to strip jihadists of nationality
AFP, Sweden
Denmark’s parliament on Thursday passed a controversial law allowing the government to strip dual-national suspected jihadists of their citizenship to stop them from returning to Danish soil. The law is primarily designed to target Danes fighting for the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.
It enables the government to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals while they are abroad, even without a court ruling-which previously was a requirement.
Solomon govt vetoes China’s ‘unlawful’ island lease
Reuters, Sydney:
The Solomon Islands government says a deal signed by one of its provinces to lease the entire island of Tulagi to a Chinese company is unlawful and should be terminated.
Details of the controversial long-term lease between Solomons’ Central Province and China Sam Enterprise Group were made public shortly after the Pacific nation switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing in September. The shift in allegiance sparked a strong rebuke from the United States.
Torrential rains lash Japan 80,000 to be evacuated
Reuters, Tokyo
Torrential rains on Friday battered a wide swathe of eastern Japan that was hit by flooding and high winds from Typhoon Hagibis two weeks ago, sending rivers to the tops of their banks and prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands.
Israel, Jordan mark 25 years of imperfect peace
AP, Israel
The Naharayim park was established 25 years ago as a symbol of the landmark peace agreement between Israel and Jordan. Now, as the two countries mark a quarter century of official relations, the park and its “Island of Peace” are being shuttered.
It is a fitting reflection of the Israeli-Jordanian relationship – one that began with great promise, but which has been plagued by mistrust, disappointment and missed opportunities.
While the peace agreement remains intact, there is a sense on both sides that it should have delivered much bigger dividends.
