标签： Asia

The British government has introduced a series of sweeping reforms to the asylum system, aiming to curb immigration and increase deportations. Announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in Parliament on Monday, the proposals have sparked fierce criticism from across the political spectrum, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Green Party leader Zack Polanski. The reforms, influenced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and Blue Labour founder Lord Maurice Glasman, mark a significant shift in Labour’s approach to immigration. Key measures include seizing assets from asylum seekers to cover processing costs, limiting annual asylum admissions to a few hundred initially, and making refugee status temporary with reviews every 30 months. Refugees will no longer be eligible for indefinite leave to remain after five years, instead waiting up to 20 years for permanent residency. Some asylum seekers will lose state benefits, while AI-driven technology will be trialled for age verification. The government also plans to reconsider human rights law, particularly Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, in migration cases. These reforms come amid public discontent over immigration figures and the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which has consistently topped opinion polls. Net migration dropped to 431,000 in 2024, down from 906,000 the previous year, due to reduced healthcare and student visas. Critics, including Corbyn and Polanski, have condemned the proposals as dehumanizing and divisive, accusing Labour of adopting far-right rhetoric. Mahmood, however, defends the reforms as necessary to restore moderate politics and control illegal migration, which she claims is tearing the country apart. Despite internal dissent, the government is unlikely to reverse course, with Mahmood emerging as a key figure in Labour’s shift to the right on immigration.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has firmly rejected allegations of illicit drug use made by his estranged sister, Senator Imee Marcos, labeling them as unfounded and politically motivated. The accusations surfaced during an anti-corruption rally on Monday, where Senator Marcos claimed, without evidence, that her brother had struggled with drug addiction since their youth and that it continued to the present day. She further asserted that this alleged drug use was a catalyst for widespread corruption in the government. In response, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed the claims as ‘a story without value,’ citing a 2021 drug test taken by President Marcos during his presidential campaign, which returned negative results. This is not the first time President Marcos has faced such allegations. His predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, had previously accused him of being on a ‘narco-list’ during Duterte’s tenure as mayor of Davao City, a claim denied by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. Duterte, who is currently detained in The Hague over alleged human rights violations during his ‘war on drugs,’ remains a polarizing figure in Philippine politics. Senator Imee Marcos, an ally of Duterte, has distanced herself from her brother and has been critical of his policies, particularly his efforts to strengthen security ties with the United States, which contrast with Duterte’s pro-China stance. President Marcos’s son, Congressman Ferdinand Alexander ‘Sandro’ Marcos, defended his father, calling the allegations ‘a web of lies’ aimed at destabilizing the government. Meanwhile, President Marcos has initiated a comprehensive investigation into irregularities in infrastructure projects, particularly flood-control works, following an internal audit that revealed widespread substandard practices and corruption. The scandal has sparked public outrage, with many demanding accountability from implicated officials and lawmakers.

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously endorsed a 20-point plan proposed by former US President Donald Trump to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The resolution, adopted with a 13-0 vote and abstentions from China and Russia, grants Trump significant control over Gaza’s stabilization efforts. The plan includes the establishment of an international stabilization force, a ‘Board of Peace’ chaired by Trump, and a committee of Palestinian technocrats to oversee governance for a two-year period. The resolution also outlines a potential pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, contingent on meeting specific reform and reconstruction milestones. The stabilization force, in coordination with Egypt and Israel, will secure border areas, ensure the demilitarization of Gaza, and facilitate humanitarian aid. However, Hamas has rejected the resolution, arguing it undermines Palestinian rights and imposes an international trusteeship. The plan’s success hinges on the Palestinian Authority’s reforms and Gaza’s reconstruction progress, with the US mediating discussions between Israel and Palestinians for a peaceful coexistence.