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Baghdad, Iraq, 9 April 2017 As fighting in Iraq reaches its peak, urgent humanitarian needs of women and girls impacted by the conflict continue to escalate. At this critical juncture, thanks to the 5 Million additional contribution of the European Commission Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) up-scales its frontline humanitarian response. This includes the provision of lifesaving reproductive health services, in recently re-taken areas of East and West Mosul, and the delivery of first assistance kits to displaced women and girls, from Mosul and other active conflict areas in Iraq.

Through this EU partnership, UNFPA will provide much needed Reproductive Health services to more than 700,000 conflict affected women and girls in Iraq. Furthermore, over 120,000 newly displaced women and girls from Mosul will receive first line relief items, as part of the Rapid Response Mechanism Consortium which also includes UNICEF and World Food Programme (WFP), said Mr. Ramanathan Balakrishnam, UNFPA representative in Iraq.

This generous support from the European Union will contribute to UNFPAs establishment and running of three field maternity hospitals. These facilities will offer safe delivery options and lifesaving obstetric emergency services to conflict affected women from West Mosul.

Bringing back essential health services in conflict affected areas, in Mosul, is a priority for the EU. Pregnant women and displaced women and girls who have survived the hardship of conflict will receive much needed emergency medical services said Mr. Javier Rio-Navarro, EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) head of office in Iraq. This EU contribution also supports the procurement and running of two mobile delivery units and two mobile Reproductive Health clinics in retaken districts and neighbourhoods in East and West Mosul, as well as similar services in Anbar, Kirkuk and Salah al-Din governorates.

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every child birth is safe and every young persons potential is fulfilled.

For more information or media inquiries please contact: Mohamed Megahed; Communication Officer; megahed@unfpa.org

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UNFPA and European Union provide emergency medical care to Women and Girls affected by the conflict in Iraq - ReliefWeb

Nigeria and European Union (EU) are working to have an agreement that will facilitate the repatriation of Nigerians living illegally in EU countries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, on Sunday in Abuja said that the EU also sought to engage with the government in providing vocational training for those who had been repatriated.

The EU for now, he explained was trying to have a collective agreement with Nigeria covering all the EU countries so that there can just be a one-stop-shop and everybody can repatriate Nigerians.

We are looking to see whether it will not be fairer to just have separate bilateral agreements rather than one omnibus agreement with the EU.

In fact, the EU wants to engage with us in helping to provide vocational training programmes for Nigerians who have been repatriated so that they do not come back, have nothing to do, have no skills and have no choice but try and go back again.

So they are also keen to cooperate with us to provide skills development for them.

The minister noted that the issue of migration had become a priority for most EU countries.

He said it was pertinent to engage with the EU to ensure that the legal rights of Nigerians, be they irregular or regular migrants, are fully respected.

Onyeama dismissed claims that some Nigerians were deported from some countries without the knowledge of the Nigerian Government.

He explained that opportunities were given for migrants to exhaust all legal rights open to them before repatriation.

He said this was in line with bilateral agreements on repatriation which Nigeria had signed with some countries.

The ones from Libya wanted to come home because the conditions in which they were staying were deplorable so it was a question of facilitating their return home.

Of course, you know that Libya is almost a failed state at the moment so it is not advisable for any Nigerian to be in that country at the moment.

With regard to the UK, he said Nigeria had an agreement which stipulates that that country could not deport without Nigerias cooperation.

So, you have to first identify and be sure, we insist, that the person is Nigerian and we insist also that the person has exhausted all their rights.

At the moment, these things stand; it is not possible for the UK to unilaterally repatriate without our cooperation, he said.

The minister further said the government was not oblivious of the economic situation in the country and stressed the need for an enabling environment for all citizens.

The prime responsibility rests with us; we, as a government, have to provide for our citizens and that is what Mr President is trying to do in the restructuring of the economy.

No fewer than 250 Nigerians have been deported from different European countries since January, including the 50 that were repatriated on Thursday from eight countries for immigration-related offences. (NAN)

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European Union to repatriate Nigerians living illegally in EU countries - Vanguard

The European Parliaments chief Brexitnegotiator Guy Verhofstadtis calling onTheresa Mayto be open to a plan helping British people who want to retain EU citizenship after the UK leaves.

Writing exclusively for The Independent, Mr Verhofstadt sends a clear and direct message to the Prime Minister that he wants the European Union to make a generous offer to people in the UK angry at losing EU privileges.

In response to his article a government spokesman has now said thatMs May and Brexit Secretary David Davis are actuallyready to "discuss" any proposals that are put forward.

The European Parliament has already cemented into its formal negotiating guidelines its intention to explore what a potential offer to Brits might look like, with ideas including allowing them to opt in to a form of associate EU citizenship.

In his article,Mr Verhofstadtunderlines the EUs willingness to agree a quick reciprocal deal guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in Europe, but he then moves on to the separate issue of offering rights to people in the UK who he calls British Europeans.

He cites the resolution passed by the European Parliament on Wednesday which notes that many UK citizens have expressed strong opposition to losing the rights they currently enjoy and commits the EU-27 to examine how to mitigate this.

The ex-Belgian prime ministerwrites in his piece: I fought hard in the parliament for this provision to be maintained and hope in the coming months to continue to push for such an offer from the EU to British Europeans.

The European Union will defend its interests in discussions with the British Government, but I also believe it is important the European Union is generous and open to British citizens.

Guy Verhofstadt addresses parliament ahead of vote on EU negotiation red lines

He adds: I hope any such steps will be viewed openly by Theresa May.

The Independent first reported European proposals last year to offer Brits associate citizenship of the EU, an idea which was then personally championed by Mr Verhofstadt.

The proposals began life as an amendment to a report byliberal Luxembourg MEP Charles Goerens, promising Brits who live and work across borders a way around the disruption caused by the Leave vote and young people looking to live in the EU more choice over where to move.

Despite some Brexiteers taking a dim view of the idea, seeing it as an attempt to undermine a clean break from the EU after Britain leaves, the government responded positively.

A spokesmantold The Independent:"Securing the status of UK nationals in the EU and EU nationals in the UK, on a reciprocal basis, is a top priority for us as we enter into negotiations. We welcome the fact that our European partners are also prioritising this and will be seeking the earliest possible agreement on this issue.

"As for future arrangements, these will be subject to discussion. Naturally we will discuss any ideas that are put forward."

Mr Verhofstadts article also followed MichaelHowards claim that the UK would go to war against Spain if it felt the sovereignty of Gibraltar was threatened, words Ms May later refused to condemn.

The Tory grandee reacted after European Council President Donald Tusk placed a note in the EUs draft negotiating statement that suggested Spain could veto any Brexit deal affecting the status of the British territory.

Mr Verhofstadt writes in his piece: Within days of Article 50 being tabled we were reminded of the important role the EU has played in unifying European nations, when some who should know better compared Gibraltar to the Falkland islands and suggested the British Prime Minister would be justified in taking military action against Spain, despite the fact that no one threatened the sovereignty of Gibraltar.

Yes, it is inevitable that the EU will now support the economic interests of Spain and the Republic of Ireland in any forthcoming discussions about the EUs external borders, but in the coming years the EUs interest will be to secure peace on our continent, not stoke division.

Mr Verhofstadt went on to pour cold water on Ms Mays plans to secure access to the single access to specific sectors, like finance firms in the City of London or the automotive industry.

Brexit: Theresa May on trade, security and the single market

He added: As the Parliaments Brexit text also makes clear, any future economic agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom must not contain piecemeal or sectorial provisions regarding preferential access to the single market.

This is not punishment, it is an inevitable consequence of the UK Governments decision to leave it.

Instead Mr Verhofstadt suggest the deal brokered between the EU and Ukraine could provide an appropriate framework for a special future relationship with Britain.

The Strasbourg parliaments formal negotiating guidelines will now feed into the overall mandate handed to chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier after a meeting of the European Council on April 29.

Read the rest here:
European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator demands Theresa May back Britons who want to keep EU citizenship - The Independent

Brits may have to pay a 10 fee forthe visas 72 hours before travelling

BRITS travelling abroad within the European Union may have to pay for a US-style visa which would cost them 10 but Eurocrats arent going to get their way without a fight.

The proposed visas, which Brits may have to apply for at least 72 hours before travelling, will be a crunch part of the Brexit negotiations being carried out by Theresa May.

PA:Press Association

AP:Associated Press

Named the EU Travel Information and Authorisation System, plans are being formulated by the European Commission on how it will impact Brits when the UK finally leaves the European Union after voting to do so last year.

However Britain is determined to fight the proposed visa system.

A spokesman for The Department for Brexit, when asked about the possibility of Brits having to get the visas each time they travel, said: Were determined to get the best possible deal for the UK and are preparing for a smooth and orderly exit from the EU.

We are aware that the EU is discussing the possibility of introducing a system of travel authorisation.

This is one of many areas that may need to be addressed as we leave the EU and agree a new partnership.

PA:Press Association

Today Sir Michael Caine continued his assault on the European Union further explaining why he felt he had no choice but to back Brexit.

The 84-year-old, speaking in Spain while promoting his new film Going in Style, told El Mundo: I voted in favour of Brexit. I did it because once I heard Jean-Claude Juncker speak.

AP:Associated Press

This man was the former Prime Minister of a country almost as small as a radio station.

I heard this man say what he felt David Cameron, the then-Prime Minister of my country and a person I had voted for, had to do.

Who had elected Juncker? And what for? It seemed like a joke to me. From that moment I decided not to pay any attention to my Prime Minister and vote for Brexit.

Read the rest here:
Bitter Eurocrats 'plotting to make Brits PAY to travel for holidays within EU with US-style visa' - The Sun

Mr Juncker said to the US Vice President Mike Pence last month: If we leave them alone - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, Macedonia, Albania, all those countries we will have war again.

Many people are resisting the new Serbian President Aleksander Vucic with daily, mass anti-government protests, claiming the election was rigged.

Opposition groups have alleged a crackdown on the media during the campaign and even election day bribes.

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Adrian Callaghan/Daily Express

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I child makes the sign of peace inside a refugee camp, Serbia

f we leave them alone - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, Macedonia, Albania, all those countries we will have war again

Jean-Claude Juncker

However, the newly-elected Serbian President is seen by the EU as the nations access to the bloc.

The EU is concerned about Russias expanding influence in the Balkans, particularly after the Kremlins gift of war planes and tanks.

Serbia is suffering from high unemployment with a slow-growing economy, which is leaving many people to a life of poverty.

GETTY

His Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) gained power in 2012 on the promise of gaining EU membership, when 70 per cent of Serbs wanted to join the Union.

In Serbia, the GDP per capita was 4,564 in 2015 compared to more than 28,000 as an average for the rest of the countries in the EU.

According to a political analyst for the Open Society European Policy Institute European, only 43 per cent of people in Serbia want to join the EU with 35 per cent of people against becoming a member.

However, the US ambassador to Serbia, Kyle Scott, has said that Belgrade is moving closer to the European Union.

Serbia officially started its entry talks with the EU in January 2014.

The EU wants a proposal agreed in July to re-engage with the Balkans and to ensure they are not overly exposed to the growing influence of Russia.

Many Serbs view Western European countries as advocates of the 1999 NATO bombing to stop the killing of ethnic Albanians in the former province of Kosovo.

The rest is here:
REVEALED: How Western Balkans is the melting pot that could DESTROY the EU... - Express.co.uk