Tag: UK

  • Lawyers for Prince Harry attempting to involve Rupert Murdoch in UK court dispute

    Lawyers for Prince Harry attempting to involve Rupert Murdoch in UK court dispute

    Prince Harry’s lawyers and others are trying to change their lawsuit in London against Rupert Murdoch’s British tabloid newspapers. They want to say that the media mogul was part of a cover-up of bad behavior.

    Harry and over 40 other people are taking legal action against News Group Newspapers (NGN) because they think the Sun and the News of the World invaded their privacy unlawfully from the mid-1990s to 2016.

    Other people who are also claiming money include British filmmaker Guy Ritchie, actor Hugh Grant, and some former important politicians. Doreen Lawrence is also part of another case against the company that prints the Daily Mail newspaper, along with Harry.

    The trial for the case against NGN will start in January and could last up to eight weeks.

    On Wednesday, the claimants’ lawyers asked Judge Timothy Fancourt for permission to add new accusations to their case against NGN. They want to say that senior executives gave incorrect information to parliament and a public inquiry.

    Murdoch, who is 93 years old, is accused of giving false information on purpose. Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News UK, is also accused of lying or giving misleading information during her trial in 2014.

    The people making the claim said that Will Lewis, who used to work for News International and now works for the Washington Post, was also involved in hiding the truth.

    A person from NGN said that the people making accusations against NGN staff are being dishonest and trying to harm their reputation.

    “These claims are not about getting money for people who were victims of hacking or getting information illegally. Be very careful when thinking about them,” said the spokesperson.

    NGN’s lawyers said the new accusations, which included 200 new journalists, executives, and private investigators, were not needed, too much, and not related.

    “It is becoming more obvious that some people in the claimant group are using this document to campaign against tabloid newspapers,” said Anthony Hudson, the lawyer for NGN, in court.

    Hudson said in legal documents that accusations against Brooks and others would make NGN have to redo criminal trials or investigate the investigation.

    Old accusations

    In 2011, NGN said sorry for lots of journalists at the News of the World hacking phones. The owner, Murdoch, who was born in Australia, closed the newspaper because of the angry reaction.

    NGN has solved over 1,300 complaints, but the group has always said that the staff at the Sun did not do anything wrong. Brooks, a person who used to be in charge of a newspaper, was found not guilty of hacking and other crimes after a long trial in 2014.

    David Sherborne, the lawyer for Harry and the other people suing, said in court that both Murdoch and Brooks knew that the original statement from NGN, saying only one reporter was breaking the law, was not true.

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    They and other leaders were not honest when they made these statements because they knew they were not true at the time.

    NGN’s Hudson said the changed claims were based on old documents, and in the past versions, Murdoch was only mentioned briefly with no accusations against him.

    The people suing also said they want to use evidence from a former IT worker. They believe that Brooks’ computer hard drive was hidden and maybe broken on purpose in 2011 to hide her involvement in something wrong.

    The court will listen to Harry’s request to change his case for the next two days. They will decide later if they can include the new accusations.

  • “We neither confirm nor deny investigations” – UK Customs on alleged £15 million seizure from Ghana

    “We neither confirm nor deny investigations” – UK Customs on alleged £15 million seizure from Ghana

    The rumour of the seizure of £15 million from a politically exposed person in Ghana by law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom (UK) has been circulating on social media for more than a week.

    “Dark rumours circulating in Accra of a politically exposed Ghanaian bigshot knocking heads with British airport customs about millions of sterling being moved through the UK without the necessary paperwork. Frantic digging for trusted sources all over,” the originator of the claim, Bright Simons, stated on X.

    Following Bright Simon’s post, some media houses including Citinewsroom, Daily Guide Network, Asaase Radio, Modern Ghana and Peace FM published reports indicating that the UK authorities have denied seizing any monies.

    “Following checks by Citi FM from both agencies to verify the claims, the two agencies stated that they have no record of any such amount seized from any Ghanaian,” the March 18, 2024, Citinews report said.

    Fact-Check Ghana sent the UK’s His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) office questions on Monday, March 18, 2024.

    In response to Fact-Check Ghana on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the HMRC says it could not confirm or deny investigations into the matter.

    “We neither confirm nor deny investigations,” the email response signed by Ashleigh Prince, Press Officer – Law Enforcement, HMRC stated.

    Security expert Colonel Festus Aboagye (Retired) says the response from the HMRC could mean that “given the sensitivity of the case, the authorities may not want to jeopardize the investigations, if any.”
    “It can also mean they don’t have enough information or evidence to definitely confirm or refute the claim or statement. It indicates ambiguity or lack of clarity to acknowledge the uncertainty rather than making a definitive statement without proper evidence,” he said.

    The United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is the tax authority of the U.K. government. The agency is responsible for collecting taxes, paying child benefits, regulating tax and customs laws, and enforcing the payment of minimum wage by employers. According to the HMRC, it has a range of powers and specialist investigation capabilities that enable it to uncover even the most complex and determined frauds and bring the perpetrators to account. The agency also tackles international tax crime and money laundering.

    Source: Fact Check Ghana

  • Mysterious 1,800-year-old Roman monument found in garage

    Mysterious 1,800-year-old Roman monument found in garage



    Construction workers in the UK found an old Roman statue that is almost 2,000 years old while they were building a parking lot.

    Last year, a digger driver named Greg Crawley found a marble head of a Roman lady at the Burghley House in England. He was doing renovations at the 16th century estate when he made the discovery.

    Two weeks later, another statue was discovered near the first one. The artifacts were cleaned, checked, and put back together by an expert. The expert said the statue was made in the 1st or 2nd century.

    Specialists observed that a metal rod was put into the statue so it could be connected to a bust or pedestal. This was something that Italian sellers did in the late 1700s when they were selling old things to rich people visiting Italy.

    “It is thought that the ninth Earl bought the sculpture during his trips to Italy in the 1760s and brought it back to Burghley,” the house explained.

    Brownlow Cecil, who was the ninth Earl of Exeter, became the title holder in 1754. He loved to travel and collected beautiful art, as stated by the estate.

    The estate doesn’t know how the head and bust ended up buried in the car park. They think it’s a total mystery.

    Burghley House thinks the statue may have been thrown away and covered up with dirt, or maybe someone tried to rob the place but messed up.

    The digger driver, Crawley, said he felt really happy to find something very old and special. He called it the best thing he ever found.

    “I was shocked when they said it was a statue made of Roman marble,” he said.

    The statue will be put on show with other statues that the ninth earl collected at Burghley House.

  • UK Financial Intelligence Unit denies arresting Ghanaians for laundering £15M

    UK Financial Intelligence Unit denies arresting Ghanaians for laundering £15M

    The UK Financial Intelligence Unit and the Border Agency are reported to have refuted claims suggesting that £15 million has been seized from an individual from Ghana.

    Earlier, Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, revealed that it is rumoured that a Ghanaian bigshot was battling with British Airport customs over some millions being moved through the UK without the necessary paperwork.

    Following this, a prominent member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) was said to have been arrested in the UK with £15 million confiscated from him.

    Now, Citi FM reports that both agencies say they have no record of such an amount being impounded from any Ghanaian.

  • About 150 tonnes of supplies from UK reach Gaza

    About 150 tonnes of supplies from UK reach Gaza

    The UK has dispatched 150 tonnes of aid to Gaza today. This includes 13,000 blankets and 840 tents for families. UNICEF and the Foreign Office will give out the aid.

    This also includes about 3,000 shelter and repair kits, 6,000 sleeping mats and over 3,000 dignity kits for women and girls.

    A hospital tent that can be changed to fit what’s needed will come later this week. The building left Manchester on 5 March and can start working in just 48 hours.

    It can help more than 100 patients each day. It has a pharmacy, a place to assess how sick people are, a unit for serious injuries and a place to help people who are very sick, as well as a special area for pregnant women.

    The hospital will have doctors and nurses from the local area as well as from other countries, like the UK.

    The foreign secretary said the UK will give an additional £10m in aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, making the total amount given this year over £100m.

    The money will help UN agencies give important help to people in need. They will provide things like tents to help keep them safe.

    Lord Cameron said: “There are too many people in Gaza who are going through a lot of pain and hardship. ” Everyone should have a place to live and sleep, and everyone should have hygiene products to stay clean. Our big help delivery, together with a new hospital paid for by the UK, will help people stay alive.

    “But we need to stop the fighting right away so we can send the aid that Gaza desperately needs. ” This will also help to safely let hostages go.

    We can try to achieve a lasting peace that will not lead to any more destruction, violence, or loss of life.

  • Former commander to take up new role as UK’s ambassador – Zelenskyy

    Former commander to take up new role as UK’s ambassador – Zelenskyy

    The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he has allowed his ex-top general, who he fired last month, to be the new ambassador to the United Kingdom. This is important because the United Kingdom supports Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

    Last month, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy chose someone new to lead the Ukrainian military because the previous leader, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, was replaced. The change was made to try to get the war moving again because it was stuck.

    “We should make our partnership with Britain even stronger,” said Zelenskyy.

    Britain has been a good friend to Ukraine during the war, which has been going on for three years now.

    Britain said on Thursday that they will give 10,000 drones to Ukraine.

    Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said that during his visit to Kyiv with Zelenskyy, the UK will invest 125 million pounds (US$160 million) in addition to the 200 million pounds (US$256 million) already promised for drones.

  • LGBT+ activists, sympathizers in UK protest Ghana’s anti-LGBT+ Bill

    LGBT+ activists, sympathizers in UK protest Ghana’s anti-LGBT+ Bill

    On March 6, 2024, outside Ghana’s High Commission in the United Kingdom, a gathering of LGBTQ+ activists and allies voiced their opposition to the recently passed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, commonly known as the anti-LGBT+ Bill.

    Their numbers, around 100 strong, showcased a vibrant display of solidarity, with many adorned in garments reflecting the rainbow hues of pride and brandishing banners emblazoned with messages urging the dismissal of the Bill.

    In a poignant demonstration captured in a video shared by Accra-based Asaase Radio, speakers took to the forefront to articulate their anguish over the implications of such legislation.

    Some spoke of the profound hurt inflicted by laws that target sexual minorities, while others invoked a call to action, emphasizing the importance of standing up for the rights and lives of LGBTQ+ individuals.

    “They are pushing many of us away, not on a slave ship this time, but through the stroke of a pen, filled with animosity and penned by individuals akin to themselves,” lamented one impassioned activist.

    The anti-LGBT+ Bill currently seeks to outlaw LGBTQ+ activities and penalize their advocacy, promotion, and financial support. Under its provisions, individuals found engaging in such acts could face imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, while those involved in their promotion or sponsorship may be subject to three to five years behind bars.

    Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has opted to withhold his decision on signing the Bill into law, citing ongoing legal challenges regarding its constitutionality in the Supreme Court.

    Watch the video below:

  • UK sliding towards mob rule – Sunak

    UK sliding towards mob rule – Sunak

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that Britain is starting to have a “mob rule” because of the protests against the Israel-Hamas war. According to a human rights group, his remarks were too theatrical and hyperbolic.

    Sunak spoke to a group of police officers and said that he has noticed a growing trend of violent and threatening behavior. This behavior is meant to silence discussions and prevent elected officials from doing their job.

    “More and more people agree that mob rule is taking over instead of democratic rule,” he said, according to a transcript from the prime minister’s office. “We all need to quickly make a change together. ”

    Tom Southerden from Amnesty International said on Thursday that when people talk about mob rule, they are making the problem seem much bigger than it actually is. This could make peaceful protests seem less legitimate.

    Many people are protesting in London every week to stop a fight that has killed over 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Israel says that Hamas has killed about 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and kidnapped around 250 people in October. 7 people tried to hurt someone or something.

    The protests have mostly been calm, but many people have been arrested for holding signs and chanting in support of Hamas, which is not allowed in Britain. Jewish groups and many politicians say the large marches have made Jewish people in London feel scared, even though some Jewish people have also joined marches for peace.

    Disagreements about the fighting in Gaza are causing problems in British politics. Some politicians are worried about their safety because they have been threatened for their views on the war. Reports of more hate towards Jewish and Muslim people in Britain have gone up a lot since October when Hamas did something. Israel was attacked, so they went into Gaza.

    Last week, a discussion in the House of Commons about whether to ask for a stop to fighting turned into a mess. There were claims that the speaker of the house broke the rules because of pressure from people who support Palestine.

    During the argument, people showed a message on the Parliament building that some think means they want to destroy Israel.

    On Saturday, Sunak stopped Conservative official Lee Anderson from being in the party because he said London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who is Muslim, was influenced by Islamists and let them take control of the city.

    Protesters who support Palestine were at a Conservative lawmaker’s house. Environmental activists also went to Sunak’s family home in northern England.

    The prime minister met with police chiefs to discuss the 31-million-pound fund to make sure lawmakers are safe. This is because some politicians have been threatened and intimidated because of the war.

    At the meeting on Wednesday, the government told police chiefs that protesting outside of politicians’ homes should be seen as intimidating.

    Sunak instructed the officers to take strong action to protect our democratic processes from being threatened, disrupted, or undermined.

    British officials usually meet with people in their local areas, but security has been increased because of past attacks. In 2016, a Labour politician named Jo Cox was killed by a far-right extremist. In 2021, a Conservative named David Amess was murdered by someone who was influenced by the Islamic State group.

    Sunak said these things after the government started making it harder for people to peacefully protest for several years. New laws have been made to stop behaviors that are considered bothersome to the public. People who are found guilty of this may be put in jail for up to 10 years. The police now have more authority to control protests that they believe are causing trouble. Many environmental activists have been taken by the police and put in jail for stopping traffic and doing other peaceful actions.

    “Being able to speak and gather with others are very important rights in a fair and free society,” explained Southerden, who is the director of law and human rights at Amnesty U. K

    The United Kingdom “These past few years, the government has been cracking down on people’s right to protest. They’re making it illegal to use peaceful protest tactics and giving the police a lot of power to stop protests from happening,” he said.

    People in Rochdale, a town in northwest England, voted on Thursday to choose a new lawmaker. The election campaign was messy because of the war in Gaza. The Labour Party rejected its candidate, Azhar Ali, because he said that Israel let Hamas enter Gaza. 7 attacks were planned as an excuse to invade Gaza.

    His name is still listed as an option to vote for, along with other people running for office. These include George Galloway, a former member of the Labour party who is against their position on the Israel-Hamas conflict, and Simon Danczuk, another former Labour politician who now supports the right-wing Reform U. K

  • UK “on the verge of going dark with widespread blackouts”

    UK “on the verge of going dark with widespread blackouts”

    New research says that the UK might have blackouts within five years because a lot of power stations are closing down.

    According to the think tank Public First, the country lacks sufficient methods to generate the amount of power lost.
    Four nuclear power plants in the UK will be shut down by April 2028: Hartlepool, Heysham I and II, and Torness.

    The last coal power plant in the country, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, will close in September this year.

    Drax Power, the company that runs the biomass-fuelled Drax power station in North Yorkshire,asked Public First to make a report called” Mind the Gap: Exploring Britain’s energy crunch. “

    Delays in building Hinkley Point C could make the problem worse because more people want electricity from electric vehicles and heat pumps.

    The new nuclear power station was supposed to start making electricity next year, but now it won’t be ready until at least 2031.

    At the same time, the expected cost of building the facility in Somerset has gone up from £18 billion when it was first approved to £35 billion.

    According to the Telegraph, Public First predicts that the UK will need7. 5GWmore power than it can provide by 2028.

    Last year, gas was the main way we made electricity in the country. But according to National Grid data, wind power was actually used more than gas in January, October, and December.

    Even though we use natural gas a lot, last year we made the least amount of electricity from fossil fuels since 1957.

    The UK gets 56% of its energy from low carbon sources, but the government wants it to be 95% by 2030.

    The French energy company EDF runs all eight nuclear power stations in Britain. They said last month that they will decide by the end of the year if they will keep Hartlepool, Torness, and Heysham I and II power stations operating for longer.

    This morning, BBC Panorama said that Drax, the power company involved in the Public First report, has been burning wood from rare Canadian forests.

    The company got£6 billion in environmentally friendly payments while its wood pellet-burning plant releases about 12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, as reported by the BBC.

  • US and UK launch new attacks on Houthi in Yemeni

    US and UK launch new attacks on Houthi in Yemeni

    The Pentagon says that fighter planes from the US and UK attacked 18 Houthi sites in Yemen. This is the fourth time that the two countries have worked together on such an operation.

    The US targeted storage places, drones, defense systems, radars, and a helicopter of the militant group in Saturday’s strikes.

    The UK says that the allies worked to make the Houthi group weaker.

    The Iran-supported Houthis are continuously attacking ships in the Red Sea, which is a major trade route.

    The Houthis, who are in charge of a lot of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, have been attacking ships that they believe are connected to Israel and the Western countries in reaction to the ongoing war between Israel and Gaza.

    The way products are shipped around the world is being affected because some big shipping companies are changing their routes to avoid the Red Sea. This is causing problems and making it more expensive to ship things.

    The Pentagon said it attacked 18 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday. The targets were where the Houthi group stored weapons and missiles, as well as air defense systems.

    “These targeted attacks are meant to stop the Houthis from being able to threaten global trade, ships, and the lives of innocent people in a very important waterway. ”

    The Houthis have attacked more than 45 ships since mid-November. This is a threat to the world economy, as well as the safety and stability of the region. It needs a response from the international community.

    The strikes were done with help from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, according to the statement.

    Soon after, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said that America will not wait to act if necessary to protect lives and keep trade moving freely in one of the world’s most important waterways.

    UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said that it is our job to keep people safe at sea and ensure that ships can move freely.

    “That’s why the Royal Air Force attacked Houthi military targets in Yemen for a fourth time. ”

    Earlier today, the US military said they destroyed seven Houthi missiles that were going to be used to attack ships.

    A few days ago, the crew of a cargo ship from Belize and registered in the UK left their ship in Yemen because it was hit by missiles from the Houthis.

  • UK reiterates support for Ukraine on war’s anniversary

    UK reiterates support for Ukraine on war’s anniversary

    UK leaders have once again promised to help Ukraine two years after Russia invaded them.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to do whatever is necessary and dedicated nearly £250 million to make artillery shells.

    King Charles said Ukrainian people are very strong and are facing a lot of difficult times.

    It happens one day after the UK said they will punish Russia more.

    Mr Sunak, who went to Kyiv recently to make a new security agreement and promise £2. 5bn of military help to Ukraine over the next year, said “we must stay strong and determined” on this “sad anniversary”.

    “This is the time to show that we won’t let tyranny win, and to say that we will support Ukraine now and in the future,” he said.

    “We are ready to do whatever we need to do, for as long as it takes, until they win. ”

    The Defense Secretary, Grant Shapps, said that the UK government is really committed to supporting Ukraine.

    He said Ukraine really needs ammunition right now, and Parliament is all in agreement on supporting Ukraine, even if they disagree on other issues.

    Mr Shapps said bad things will happen if Western countries don’t help Ukraine. He also said the world won’t be safe unless we stop leaders like Putin.

    The leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, said that President Vladimir Putin’s “being scared and cruel” will not win.

    Leaders from countries like Canada, Italy, and Belgium, as well as the head of the EU Commission, went to Kyiv to show their support.

    Previous leader of the UK, Boris Johnson, also joined them. Mr Johnson said that during his visit to Kyiv, he is confident that the Ukrainians will succeed in getting rid of Putin’s forces.

    He said that Ukraine can only do it with the military, political, and economic help they need.

    A new package was announced on Saturday. It includes £245m to replenish Kyiv’s artillery ammunition reserves. This is important for Ukraine’s resistance, as there have been shortages of ammunition recently.

    Mr Sunak said Ukraine has pushed back the Russian invaders and recaptured half of the land that Putin took, despite facing difficult circumstances.

    The Royal Air Force finished delivering anti-tank missiles, as they said they would.

    The prime minister said something after the Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron told the United Nations to be careful and not give up.

    He spoke at the UN in New York and said we need to understand the consequences of giving up.

    Putin said there won’t be peace until Russia reaches its goals.

    The leader of another country asked the US Congress to support giving more military help to Ukraine.

    The US has given the most weapons and money to Ukraine during the fighting, says the Kiel Institute.

    However, a bill that would provide nearly $60 billion in military support may not be approved by Congress because some Republicans in the House of Representatives are against it.

    This week, the UK put in place new punishments for people and groups that are supporting Russia’s military. They also targeted six prison leaders after the death of a critic of Russian president Putin and his war in Ukraine.

    Although, Sir Keir Starmer is aiming to become the Prime Minister after the upcoming general election this year. He said that the UK will help Kyiv, no matter who is leading the country.

    “He said the strength of the Ukrainian people has impressed and touched the world. ”

    “The UK and our friends will support them until they win. ”

    On Saturday, the First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, said that Scotland strongly supports Ukraine. He will be joining other political and religious leaders at a service.

    He said Ukrainians are fighting for freedom, fairness, and the right for European countries to live together in peace and safety.

    The fighting in Ukraine has been at a deadlock for a while now, but it looks like Russia has made some progress lately.

    Over the weekend, Ukrainian soldiers left the city of Avdiivka in the east. They had been fighting against a strong Russian attack for four months, even though there were not as many of them and they did not have as many weapons.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is going to talk to leaders from G7 on the computer. He wants countries like the US and UK to give Ukraine more weapons. If they don’t, Russia might feel more confident to do bad things.

    More than 50 countries, including the UK, are asking Russia to stop fighting Ukraine and remove all of its military forces and weapons from Ukraine’s territory.

  • UK and EU to ink new agreement to address minor boat crossings

    UK and EU to ink new agreement to address minor boat crossings

    The UK is making an agreement with the EU’s border agency to work together to stop small boats from crossing the English Channel.

    We made a deal with Frontex to share more information and knowledge.

    This is the newest step in a plan to work together to stop illegal immigration.

    Last year, about 30,000 people moved from France to the UK by crossing the Channel. This was a decrease of one third from 2022.

    However, the overall amount was still the second highest number ever.

    The agreement involves training for the UK and EU border agencies to learn from successful strategies in other countries, working together to create new technologies, and sending staff to both sides to coordinate efforts to prevent people from crossing the border.

    Frontex and UK Border Force officials will sign the agreement in London. The Home Secretary and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs will also be there.

    Mr Cleverly said that immigration crime and people smuggling are big problems all around the world, and we need to work together to find solutions.

    “Our important agreement with Frontex and the UK is a big move in stopping illegal migration, keeping our borders safe, and preventing boats from coming in. ”

    The home secretary said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the deal is about sharing information and cooperating on operations, not about sending migrants back to their home countries.

    He said the government is thinking about making agreements with more countries to return people, like they did with Albania in December 2022.

    Lucy Moreton, who represents border force staff, said that the deal will not address the bigger problem of migration because it does not include a returns agreement.

    She said Today that the UK would not regain access to the Eurodac database after Brexit.

    The database keeps the fingerprints of asylum seekers and migrants who have come into a European country. This can prove that they have permission to live in other countries and help them go back.

    Last year, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that stopping the boats was one of his five main goals.

    Up to now, 1,716 people have crossed the dangerous way this year, which is less than the 2,720 people in the same time last year.

    In May, Mr Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to work together to stop small boats from crossing the UK-EU border. Now they have made a deal to put their agreement into action.

    In March, the UK agreed to give France almost £500m over three years to help hire more police officers and build a new jail.

  • Special forces prevents elite Afghan troops’ bids for resettlement in UK

    Special forces prevents elite Afghan troops’ bids for resettlement in UK

    The UK’s Special Forces stopped Afghan soldiers they had fought with from moving to the UK when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. This is according to a report by BBC Panorama.

    Leaked papers prove that special forces said no to some people who applied to join them, even though some of the applications showed strong proof that the person had served with the British military.

    Afghan commandos went with British special forces on very risky missions during the war.

    The Defence Ministry said it was doing a review on its own.

    When the Taliban took control in August 2021, members of Afghan Special Forces units CF 333 and ATF 444 were in danger because they had helped UK Special Forces fight against the Taliban.

    They could apply to move to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) program, but many were not approved. Many people have been hurt, harmed, or killed by the Taliban since.

    The Armed Forces Minister, James Heappey, said that they will check 2,000 applications again because they think the process for making decisions about them was not strong enough.

    Panorama saw some papers that show a set of rules that say since 2023, any Triples applications that meet a certain standard have been sent to UK Special Forces for approval or denial of sponsorship.

    The SOP document, which was found by the investigative website Lighthouse Reports and shared with Panorama, says that if UK Special Forces said no to sponsoring someone, that person was automatically seen as not eligible and got a rejection letter.

    Panorama got a hold of emails from inside the Ministry of Defence. The emails showed that government workers in charge of moving people to a new place couldn’t argue with the special forces’ decision to say no, even when they thought the person should be resettled.

    Ex-SAS soldiers have told Panorama that they think the veto in the SOP document is a problem for UK Special Forces because it creates a conflict of interest.

    The veto allowed special forces to make decisions about applications at a time when an investigation was happening in the UK. The investigation was looking into claims that SAS soldiers had committed war crimes in Afghanistan while the Triples units were there.

    The public inquiry can force people in the UK to come and give information, but it can’t force people from other countries who are not in the UK to do the same. If the Afghan Special Forces were in the UK, they might be asked to give important evidence.

    “One former UK Special Forces officer said it’s a clear conflict of interest. ”

    “At the same time that UK Special Forces are being looked into for their actions by a public inquiry, their headquarters were able to stop former Afghan Special Forces colleagues and potential witnesses from coming to the UK safely. ”

    Another ex-soldier from the UK Special Forces told the BBC that it’s not okay and it seems like they are trying to hide something.

    A person from the inquiry team told Panorama that they cannot talk about particular witnesses but they know about the recent news about the Triples. They also want anyone with important information to speak up.

    Panorama talked to people who used to be part of the Triples but were not allowed to move to a new place in 2023. They say they saw or told about things that seemed like serious crimes done by UK Special Forces.

    We looked at the papers from two ex-Triples officers when they applied to the Arap scheme. Here are some examples:

    A letter inviting someone to come to SAS headquarters in Hereford to give a talk about the Triples.

    Message from the British embassy about money.

    Pictures of two UK Special Forces leaders and a British ambassador.

    Pictures with Gen David Petraeus, who leads all US troops in Afghanistan.

    A British officer’s letter talking about someone who is a part of the “UK mentored Afghan SF” team.

    Previous permission to come into the UK.

    The people who applied to be officers were not allowed to enter the UK.

    They told Panorama that they are hiding in Afghanistan, going from one house to another. They can’t be with their families or work.

    One person said he was questioned and hurt by the Taliban before running away. The other person said he ran away first, but heard the Taliban went to his house looking for him.

    I’m in a really bad situation. I am hiding and my family can’t live together, go out, or work,” he said.

    “I thought my British coworkers and friends, who I worked with for many years, would help me get to a safe place. ” Now I feel like no one remembers the sacrifices I made.

    “I feel like I’m all by myself in a really terrible place. ”

    Both officers were involved in SAS operations that are currently being looked at closely by the public inquiry.

    Someone complained to the British military during those operations. He said that the SAS did bad things in the war and took his team away from helping them because he thought they were killing Afghan people without following the law.

    The move caused a big problem in the UK Special Forces. The leaders had to try to fix the situation and get the Afghan partner units to cooperate again.

    Lawyers who help former Triples members apply for support said that more of them are getting denied under the Arap scheme.

    “Many Triples asked us for help after being turned down in 2023, even though they showed proof of working with the UK Special Forces in Afghanistan and the dangerous situation they are still in,” explained Erin Alcock, a lawyer at Leigh Day.

    Ms Alcock said that the applications were rejected all at once under a “blanket policy”.

    The Ministry of Defence said that Arap caseworkers make the final decisions and then send eligible cases to the minister for approval.

    But it did not argue that UK Special Forces could not refuse applications in 2023.

    “We are carefully looking at all the applications from former members of Afghan specialist units, including the Triples, one by one. ” This review will look at all the information we have, including what other people have given us.

    “Someone who has never worked on these applications is doing the review. ”

    Mr Heappey, who is in charge of the military, said that Triple applications were rejected because the government does not have enough information about their employment and payment history compared to other applicants.

    However, soldiers who worked with the Triples disagreed with the minister’s explanation. They said that the Afghan forces were paid by the British directly and that there were records for every payment.

    “One former officer saw spreadsheets that clearly showed we paid them for their service, skills, rank, and the number of operations. ”

    “These men were on the ground almost every day for 20 years, risking their lives in operations that we told them to be a part of,” he said.

    A former soldier said to the BBC that Mr. Heappey was given the wrong information or was lied to. Either way, he is not showing a real interest in learning and exploring new things in his job.

    The UK Special Forces were accused of stopping military investigators from asking Afghan partner units about alleged war crimes by the SAS.

    Experienced investigators from the Royal Military Police said that leaders of special forces kept stopping them from talking to Afghan soldiers during their investigations from 2012 to 2019.

    One former senior investigator said that they found the Afghan partner forces who worked with UKSF could be important witnesses. But when they tried to interview them, the special forces leaders made it very difficult.

    The RMP had a hard time getting information, so in 2014 they asked the military prosecutor to charge a high-ranking UK Special Forces officer with interfering with justice. This happened after he ended an interview with an Afghan soldier about accusations of war crimes. The Service Prosecuting Authority decided not to take on the case.

  • Beyoncé: Star “can open the floodgates” for UK country music

    Beyoncé: Star “can open the floodgates” for UK country music

    Millions of people watched the Super Bowl to see the Kansas City Chiefs win, Usher roller skating, and the latest news about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

    However, many people thought the best part was a commercial from Beyoncé.

    “Okay, they are prepared. “”Get ready for the new music,” she says, talking about the next part of her Renaissance project.

    Two new country songs called Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages were released right away. They are part of the album that will be out next month.

    Big artists like Beyoncé bringing country music, it’s just going to open the doors for us,” UK country singer Kezia Gill tells BBC News beat.

    Kezia,who is from Derby, thinks that Beyoncé’s music can be enjoyed by everyone.

    “Ifind it funny that a lot of people will think Beyoncé came up with this all by herself. “

    “But if it can attract a lot of people of the same age, then it will be really great. “

    Beyoncé recently announced her new project,shortly after Lana Del Rey confirmed that she is working on her first country album, Lasso, back in February.

    UK artist Jess Thristan believes that it is important for female artists to release country music in order to help the genre grow,especially for women trying to make it in the industry.

    Taylor Swift’s music album Fearless, released in 2008,helped make country pop music more understandable and enjoyable for young people.

    Her new version of Fearless,called Fearless (Taylor’s Version), is currently the most popular country album in the UK. But Jess generally feels that the country music genre is mostly controlled by men and has a lot of stereotypes.

    “In the UK, we have a great lineup of new female country singers. “

    “I believe we are trying to change the idea of what male country artists are like, and to show people all the greatthings women are doing in the industry. “

    Jess from Halifax says if you’re feeling inspired by Beyoncé and Lana’s new songs, go to a country show in the UK.


    ‘The dream is to be accepted. ‘

    Roisin O’Connor, who works at The Independent with music, believes that Beyonce’s new music could change country music a lot.

    “Since Beyonce is one of the most popular artists in the world, this could really get the UK excited,” she says.

    I think you could call it the last place where things are discovered. It’s the one type of music that people in the UK don’t really understand yet.

    “Many people in the UK like country music, but it’s not played as often on the radio compared to other types of music. “

    Roisin thinks country music has had problems with being “closed off” to new ideas.

    The radio station in Oklahoma didn’t want to play Beyoncé’s new songs at first, but now they have changed their mind and will play them.

    “Roisin says the industry has a long history of not accepting or recognizing black artists. “

    “It has also had some issues with women and creating narrow ideas about what a female country artist should be like. “

    For me, this is Beyoncé asserting her position. She was raised in a place where country music is popular [Houston, Texas], so she has the same right as anyone else to make a country album.

    Kezia thinks it would be really great if people in the UK accepted her type of music.

    She said that people have a bad habit of saying “country and UK country. “

    “It’s not the UK. “There is no music from the UK in the pop or jazz genre. It’s only music like jazz, pop, and country.

    “Sometimes people think it’s just about line dancing and cowboys, but that’s not true. ” It’s not true, it’s a story.

    I believe being accepted means we can perform at festivals instead of just performing on a country stage. “toonly be on the main stages,” she says.

  • I am not taxed when my shows don’t make profit in the UK – Diana Hamilton

    Award-winning Gospel musician, Diana Hamilton, has voiced her discontent with Ghana’s taxation system for events during an appearance on the United Showbiz on Saturday, February 10, 2024.

    Hamilton highlighted her experience of organizing events both in the UK and Ghana, noting a significant disparity in how the two countries tax event organizers.

    She noted that in the UK, the tax system is very conducive and feasible since she is only taxed on her profits, and should she run at a loss, there is no tax.

    “I have the privilege of hosting events in the UK and Ghana. If I hold an event in the UK, all the monies accrued will go into my account. I make all my withdrawals, and at the end of the year, I get taxed on my profits. And if I make a loss, I do not get taxed.

    However, that is not the same in Ghana. She bemoaned the ineffectiveness of officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) whom she says fail to properly apply taxes.

    “But in Ghana, when I am hosting an event, the GRA officials won’t check anything; all they do is stand at the entrance and count the number of people entering the hall and they tax you. With or without complimentary tickets, as long as anyone enters the hall, they will count everyone and tax you on that without taking into consideration the venue, cost of production, and all that.”

    Diana is calling for decisive measures to ensure a more respectable and competent tax system in Ghana to save businesses.

    “I’ve had the privilege of doing both, and I hope we look into this and a solution will be found,” she said.

  • Diana Hamilton shares conducive tax system in the UK

    Diana Hamilton shares conducive tax system in the UK

    Award-winning Gospel musician, Diana Hamilton, has voiced her discontent with the taxation system governing events organized in Ghana.

    During an appearance on the United Showbiz on Saturday, February 10, 2024, Hamilton highlighted her observations regarding the stark contrast between the tax regulations for event organizers in Ghana compared to those in the United Kingdom, where she has also hosted events.

    Hamilton expressed her belief that there is a significant disparity in how the two countries approach taxing event organizers, indicating her dissatisfaction with the current system in Ghana.

    Diana Hamilton highlighted the favorable tax system in the UK, where she is only taxed on her profits from events. She emphasized the flexibility of this system, noting that if she were to operate at a loss, no taxes would be levied. However, she lamented the disparity in Ghana, where the taxation process is less conducive.

    Hamilton criticized the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), stating that officials often fail to accurately apply taxes. She expressed frustration with the inefficiencies within the tax system in Ghana, indicating a need for improvement and proper enforcement by GRA officials.

    “I have the privilege of hosting events in the UK and Ghana. If I hold an event in the UK, all the monies accrued will go into my account. I make all my withdrawals, and at the end of the year, I get taxed on my profits. And if I make a loss, I do not get taxed.

    “But in Ghana, when I am hosting an event, the GRA officials won’t check anything; all they do is stand at the entrance and count the number of people entering the hall and they tax you. With or without complimentary tickets, as long as anyone enters the hall, they will count everyone and tax you on that without taking into consideration the venue, cost of production, and all that,” she told show host MzGee.

  • Man faces charges for killing father and daughter

    Man faces charges for killing father and daughter

    A 37-year-old man went to court because he is accused of killing a father and his five-year-old daughter in Ireland.

    Anthony O’Brien, who was 30 years old, and his daughter Nadine passed away in a fire at their home in Killeen Heights in Tralee, County Kerry, twelve years ago.

    Philip Griffin, who was sent back from the UK, has also been accused of setting fire to something.

    He was kept in jail until his trial.

    The people next door heard yelling from the family’s house at around 2am on May 12, 2012.

    Mr O’Brien assisted his wife, Kelly O’Brien, in getting away.

    He tried to save Nadine, but they both passed away.

    Garda Det Sgt Ernie Henderson said in court that Mr. Griffin was taken into custody at Dublin Airport on Wednesday.

    The defendant did not say anything when the charges were read to him in court.

    His lawyer requested for him to get medical help while he is in jail.

    Mr Griffin was given free help from a lawyer because the court found out he had no money or belongings.

    He will have to go to court in Tralee next Wednesday.

    The judge said no to the state’s request to limit news about the case so that people can’t figure out who Nadine O’Brien is.

    He said it didn’t matter because the case had already been reported, and he wasn’t sure if he could do something about it.

  • UK issues famine warning for Ethiopia

    UK issues famine warning for Ethiopia

    At Ayder hospital in Mekelle, the main city of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, there are lots of people and noise in the hallways, like in any busy hospital. However, the children’s section of the hospital is very quiet.

    Here are children who are suffering because there is not enough food in northern Ethiopia. Mostly babies are very sick because they don’t have enough food to eat.

    Their mothers are sitting quietly next to their beds, looking off into the distance, holding their babies close to them, and hoping that the little milk they have can save their babies.

    They and Ethiopia are experiencing the effects of conflict and drought again. These problems have destroyed farms and crops, and caused millions of people to leave their homes.

    The government says 16 million people in the country don’t have enough food to eat. Almost half of them have very little or no food at all. This means that a lot of people are not just a little hungry, they are very, very hungry.

    This is the reason why Tsega Tsigabu, who is 23 years old, and her four-month-old son, Kidisty, are staying in Ayder hospital without improvement.

    However, their plants did not grow and they went to Mekelle to try to stay alive. Just like many others, they were sent to a camp because they were kicked out of their homes.

    Mrs Tsega’s husband was in the army, but he hurt his hand and can’t work now. She brought her baby to get a shot and the nurses quickly noticed that the baby was not getting enough food.

    Mrs Tsega says that even when she was pregnant, she did not eat a healthy diet. “I wasn’t making enough breast milk, so the baby didn’t get enough to eat and became malnourished. ” I was hungry because there wasn’t enough food at my house.

    “If we don’t do something now, there could be a big shortage of food,” says UK Africa minister Andrew Mitchell in an interview with the media.

    The hospital doctors say that the number of very hungry and sick children coming in has doubled since 2020 when the fighting started between Tigrayan forces and Ethiopian and Eritrean armies.

    In 2022, the fighting stopped, but many people, about one million, still can’t go back home and are still in the area affected by the conflict.

    We went with the British Africa minister, Andrew Mitchell, to Agulae, which is an hour’s drive north into the hills. There, a clinic was checking on children from nearby villages.

    He saw worried moms waiting to measure their kids’ arm size. If the arm is very skinny, the child may be malnourished. The nurses shared their charts with him and they all showed that the numbers were getting worse.

    Mr Mitchell told the media that if we don’t do something now, there is a big chance of not having enough food.

    “There are clear signs that a famine may happen soon. ” In my opinion, there is no famine happening in Ethiopia right now. We have the ability to prevent it. But if we don’t do something now, there is a high risk that a famine will happen in this country that has already suffered a lot because of the war.

    He said that Britain will give an extra £100m to help up to three million mothers and babies in Ethiopia get better healthcare. This money will be used to provide medicine and vaccines to stop deaths that could have been prevented.

    Is it probable that there will be hunger in Ethiopia.

    International organizations are careful about using a word that some consider to be inappropriate.

    It means that 20% of families don’t have enough food, 30% of young children are very malnourished, and two out of every 10,000 people die every day. Only a few people think that Ethiopia has officially met those standards.

    But for Getachew Reda, who is the president of the Tigray temporary regional government, those definitions are not important.

    He told the BBC that there is a growing famine in Tigray. He said more and more people were facing death, and criticized the international community for not doing enough to help.

    Getachew Reda, president of the Tigray interim regional administration, says there is a very bad famine happening in Tigray.

    “Many people who could have been able to feed themselves are not able to and are dying from hunger,” said Mr Getachew.

    “I don’t care if you call it famine, or a risk of famine, or a potential famine. What happened in 1985 will seem small if we don’t deal with the famine that’s happening now. ”

    He was talking about the terrible problems in the mid-1980s when a lot of people died from hunger in Tigray and other places.

    The government in Addis Ababa is mad because it disagrees that there is famine.

    Shiferaw Teklemariam, who is in charge of helping Ethiopia during disasters, said that Ethiopia is being harmed by climate change. He told local governments not to make the issue political and asked them and the international community to do more.

    “There is not enough rain, no enough food,” Mr Shiferaw told the media.

    “The government is taking the situation very seriously, and we also ask everyone else to help too. ”

    Previous times when people in Ethiopia did not have enough to eat were sometimes connected to when the leaders of the country lost power. Experts believe that the current government, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is worried about the protests.

    The government is working with the UN to help with the food crisis, but the economy is not doing well and there is less money to spend.

    Nobody knows exactly how bad the crisis is because it’s hard to get accurate information.

    Access to media is restricted. Many places in the north are too dangerous for aid groups to go because there is still fighting, especially in Amhara.

    In Tigray and the nearby Afar region, people are worried that the food shortage could be even more serious. Repeated stories from different places in northern Ethiopia show that things are getting worse.

    Most people agree that the world should do more to help each other.

    Last year, USAID (American development agency) and the United Nations’ World Food Programme stopped giving help for five months because a lot of the aid was being stolen, mostly to feed different armed groups.

    This has made the situation worse. The world is paying more attention to problems in the Middle East and Ukraine, so Ethiopia is not getting as much focus and support.

    The leader of the UN, Ramiz Alakbarov, said that this crisis has been forgotten. “He said the world is not paying attention. ”

    “We feel sad for all the problems happening in other places, but we also need to remember the people living here. ” We have to get things in order and donors need to give more money.

    In Mekelle, we saw the World Food Programme giving out wheat, lentils, and oil to people in need.

    Hungry people wait in line with special codes that show who they are, where they live, and what they need. But they only get a little food and don’t have much money left.

    Claire Nevill, who works for the WFP in Ethiopia, said that people need more than just food. They also need help to go back to their farms and grow their own food.

    There are still militias and Eritrean forces in some parts of the country.

    “In Ethiopia, there are many problems happening at the same time,” she said.

    “We have a lack of water, people getting better from a two-year fight, prices going up, more sickness happening, and all these things are making people even more hungry and malnourished. ” If we don’t help people get food now, things will get worse.

    We met Tsige Degef, 28, at Ayder hospital. Her 15-month old daughter, Bereket, was not getting enough food and was not healthy.

    Her story was common. During the war, Ms Tsige’s large family had to sell their oxen to buy costly grains. When there was peace, the crops didn’t grow and there was no other options for food.

    Ms Tsige was already having a hard time when Bereket got sick. She said her feet and legs were very puffy. “I was really anxious. ” She was throwing up every day. A mom is really scared when her child is sick because she does not want her child to die.

    Bereket is improving and Ms Tsige thinks she might be able to leave the hospital soon. She said she hopes that she will get better soon.

    “I want to start a tea store and sell things to make sure I can take care of my child better. ” I promise to try my best to make sure she doesn’t feel bad in the future.

  • US, UK launch strikes on 36 Houthi targets in Yemen

    US, UK launch strikes on 36 Houthi targets in Yemen

    In the second day of significant U.S. operations against Iran-linked groups following an attack on American troops, the United States and Britain conducted strikes on 36 Houthi targets in Yemen.

    The strikes targeted buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems, launchers, and other capabilities used by the Houthis to attack Red Sea shipping.

    The Pentagon stated that 13 locations across Yemen were targeted in the strikes, which aimed to address the Houthis’ threat to maritime security.

    This action is part of the broader U.S. campaign against Iran-linked groups in response to recent attacks on American soldiers.

  • Ghana receives first batch of looted regalia from UK

    Ghana receives first batch of looted regalia from UK

    The first batch of seven objects looted during the third Anglo-Asante War of 1874 has been returned to Ghana and will be formally presented to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on Thursday, February 8th.

    Arriving on a United Airlines flight, the objects will be presented at the commencement durbar marking the 150th anniversary of the war at Dwaberem, Manhyia Palace. Dr. Silvia Forni, Director of the Fowler Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles, will lead the delegation making the official presentation.

    The objects were acquired by the Fowler Museum in 1965 from the Wellcome Trust, and discussions for their return have been ongoing for several years.

    The Wellcome Collection was established in memory of Sir Henry Wellcome. Permission for the objects’ departure from California was granted in December under a CITES permit, allowing for their repatriation.

    The returned objects include an ornamental chair, large beads, a strand of seed or bug-shaped beads, gold of an elephant hair, a royal stool ornament, a royal necklace, and a royal stool ornament, all dating back to the period before Asantehene Kofi Karkari in the 1840s.

    This repatriation is part of a new cultural cooperation initiative involving the Fowler Museum, UCLA, the Manhyia Palace Museum, and the College of Art and Built Environment at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, envisioned by the Asantehene.

  • Why UK is not fully returning looted Asante gold to Ghana

    Why UK is not fully returning looted Asante gold to Ghana

    Asantehene’s technical advisor, historian and museum economist, Ivor Agyeman-Duah, has revealed why the UK government is not outrightly returning gold and artefacts looted in 1874 from the palace in Kumasi by British colonial military troops. 

    In a report, it is stated that while engaging Archaeologist and Ghana heritage specialist Rachel Ama Asaa Engmann noted that the moral right to ownership does exist, however, there are also the laws of antiquity in the UK.

    “The Victoria & Albert and the British Museum are national museums. They are governed by very strict laws which do not permit de-accessioning or permanently removing a work of art or other object from a museum’s collection to sell it or otherwise dispose of it.

    “That had always been the constraining factor over the last 50 years. But there was also a way that we could have these items for a maximum of six years. Not all the objects are being exhibited at the British Museum. Many have never been exhibited and lie in storage in a warehouse.

    “Based on the circumstances and the trinity of anniversaries, we came to an agreement. Discussions will however continue between us and these museums to find a lasting agreement. Of course, the Ghana experience will be important for restitution claims from other countries in Africa,” he is quoted to have said.

    Ivor Agyeman-Duah noted that the return of the looted artefacts is an issue that has been on the drawing board for half a century.

    “It’s not just an immediate concern of the current Asantehene. It has been a concern of the last three occupants of the stool (throne). But this year is critical because it marks 150 years since the Sagrenti War. It also marks 100 years since the return of the Asantehene Agyeman Prempeh after his exile in Seychelles and 25 years since the current Asantehene, Oseu Tutu II, ascended the stool.

    “So, while in London in May 2023, after having official discussions with directors of these museums, he reopened discussions and negotiations. He asked me and Malcolm McLeod, former curator and scholar at the British Museum and vice-principal at the University of Glasgow, to help in the technical decisions that would be made. We’ve been working on this for the past nine months,” he revealed.

  • Group of children stabs teacher outside school gate in UK

    Group of children stabs teacher outside school gate in UK

    A teacher in east London almost died when he was stabbed by a group of kids outside the school.

    The teacher who wasn’t named, got stabbed in the back by students at Forest Gate School. He then went to a pharmacy for help. It happened on Tuesday afternoon.

    The teacher, who is in his 40s, told the staff that he had only been working at the school for about two weeks when they rushed over to help him.

    He said that some of the people who attacked him were wearing school uniforms and he knew some of them, but not all.

    Gulzarin Iqbal, who is 27 years old and works as a physician’s assistant at the nearby Lord Lister Health Centre, said he heard people fighting outside and then heard someone scream.

    “He said it sounded like a man and some younger people. ”

    “Their voices were loud, but I thought it could just be a regular fight – it’s east London after all. ”

    “I heard a scream, so I quickly went outside to find out what was going on. ”

    At that time, the group had left, but I could still see people in the pharmacy. I ran to the other side of the road and saw a man laying on the ground with his face down.

    ‘There was a large amount of blood. ‘ or ‘There was a massive bleeding. ‘

    A lady who works at Sharman’s Pharmacy and wants to stay anonymous, said: “He came in and asked for help. He said, ‘I’m a teacher at the school and I’ve been stabbed. ‘”

    ‘There was a lot of blood on the floor. He got a knife in his back.

    We called the police and the ambulance right away, and a man from the health center across the street came to assist.

    ‘The helpers came very quickly and they took him somewhere else. ’

    Dr Parvesh Patel, a pharmacist at Mansons Pharmacy, said: “I think he thought a pharmacy was the safest place to be. ”

    “He said someone stabbed him with a big knife, but I didn’t see it. ”

    I quickly put pressure on the cut on his back.

    “People can die from bleeding after a stabbing, so it’s always a concern. ” You never know what will happen.

    The pharmacy workers called for help, and when the police arrived, I asked them to put pressure on my wound so I could go to the health center for supplies.

    My arms had a lot of blood on them.

    ‘I brought a defibrillator and a heart monitor to keep an eye on his heart just in case. ‘

    ‘The ambulance came five minutes after that. ’

    The police said the man’s injuries are not bad enough to threaten his life.

  • UK to send its former Afghan special forces elsewhere

    UK to send its former Afghan special forces elsewhere

    The government says it will look again at the cases of Afghan special forces who worked with the British but were not allowed to come to the UK.

    James Heappey, the Minister in charge of the Armed Forces, said that applications from people who were not eligible would be looked at again if they had good reasons to say they were connected to special units in Afghanistan.

    The “Triples” were special groups created and paid for by the UK.

    However, many people were not allowed to move to a different place after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.

    Activists have been advocating for them since the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021. One person called the government’s decision a very important and life-changing day.

    The ARAP program started in April 2021 to help Afghan people who worked closely with the UK government.

    People who qualify can move to the UK with their partner, children who rely on them, and other family members who are eligible too, according to the program.

    Last month, media said that over 200 ex-members of the Triples are in Pakistan and could be sent back. British soldiers gave them good reviews but didn’t keep track of them.

    Mr Heappey said that after reviewing the ARAP criteria, they found some inconsistencies. They will take action to fix this.

    He said a new team in the Ministry of Defence will review the cases again. The UK is thankful to the people who served in Afghanistan with or for the British forces.

    ‘Deceptive or not skilled’

    Commando Force 333 and Afghan Territorial Force 444 were considered to be the best soldiers in the Afghan military.

    The British started them during their 20-year mission in the country, working closely with UK special forces. Former high-ranking officers told BBC Newsnight that the British paid them for many years.

    When the Taliban took control of Kabul, the Triples were one of the last Afghan groups still fighting. They also helped to keep British people safe as they left the city.

    Some people were able to leave the country during the disorganized evacuation, but many people were not able to. They thought that because they had been with the British for a long time, they would automatically get help from the ARAP scheme. But many former Triples have gotten stuck in a process that is called “a big unfairness. ”

    One person told the BBC that it was really awful.

    “They were really sure they would be looked after, but it was really sad to have to hide and see their friends get killed, and not get any help or be turned away,” they said.

    “We did not take care of these people like we were supposed to. We made a mistake. ” These choices were against the law. The MoD knew they were breaking the law but just tried to postpone dealing with it.


    “They have been tricky. “

    Gen Sir Richard Barrons, who was in the British Army in Afghanistan for more than 12 years, said it is shameful that the UK has not moved these soldiers. It shows that either we are not honest as a country or we are not capable.

    Many important military, legal, political, and diplomatic people have been helping them for a long time. However, the government had not wanted to review their cases up until now.

    Last month, the minister in charge of the military told the lawmakers that there was a problem with identification. Mr Heappey said it was difficult to check the work of those who served in the unit but not directly with UK personnel.

    Former soldiers were very angry and said they tried to give references but were ignored.


    ‘Not everyone will succeed’

    Thursday’s news was good for the people who wanted it, but the delay has caused some people to die. We don’t know the exact number, but there are a lot of reports about former soldiers being hurt or killed by the Taliban.

    “We have lost some people already, not everyone will survive, but for those who do, this is the end of two and a half years of hiding. ” This is good news for them, because it has the chance to give them and their families a better life.

    Heappey said it was difficult to figure out who was eligible because the government didn’t have all the information they needed.

    He also said: “We appreciate the support and advocacy for ARAP from members, and we understand how much it means to people here and in other places. ” We feel strongly about this in the MoD and the government, and we will work fast to make it happen.

    Despite the announcement on Thursday, supporters of the Triples who talked to the BBC still have questions about how quickly eligible people will be brought over and why it took the government so long to change a policy they see as a betrayal.

  • UK praises Ghana’s advancements under the IMF agreement

    UK praises Ghana’s advancements under the IMF agreement

    UK’s Minister of State for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, expressed happiness about Ghana’s successful review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program.

    He is pleased with the disbursement of a second tranche of US$600 million, seeing it as a sign of resilience and progress in steering the economy back to a path of growth despite challenges.

    During a meeting with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as part of the 9th UK-Ghana Business Council in Accra, Mr. Mitchell praised Ghana’s efforts. He also encouraged the government to closely follow the conditions outlined in the IMF program.

    “The UK-GBC is the foundation of our economic trade and investment partnership with Ghana. Since its establishment in 2018, we’ve witnessed a commendable boost in trade, investment and the forging of stronger partnerships, laying a robust foundation for growth,” he said.

    Acknowledging the difficulties faced by Ghana’s government in adhering to the conditions of the IMF programme, he conveyed the UK’s support for the programme’s reforms, saying: “We understand it has not been easy, which is why we are backing you to stick with the conditions of the IMF programme this year. By doing so, Ghana can continue to alleviate the economic pressures its citizens face.”.


    He mentioned various ways the British government can contribute to economic growth, citing the longstanding partnership between the central banks, tax authorities, and statistical agencies of both countries.

    Mr. Mitchell also revealed that the UK is currently developing a new program to aid Ghana’s long-term economic and financial stability. As part of this collaboration, officials from both countries have already been in discussions.

    In the UK’s recent roadmap for international development white paper, he highlighted the importance of modern equal partnerships that extend beyond aid to bring about mutual benefits.

    “Here in Ghana, with these partnerships and the UK-GBC, I believe we are ahead of others.

    “The economic context of our discussions has been challenging over the last few years. But let me assure you that Britain will continue to support Ghana. We will deepen mutual trade and investment opportunities, creating more jobs and prosperity,” he added.

    He further said the value of trade between the two countries currently stands at £2.1 billion, representing a £647million increase compared to the previous year.

    For his part, Vice President Dr. Bawumia acknowledged the growing cooperation in mutually beneficial areas of trade and investment between Ghana and the UK.

    He envisioned that the 9th UK-GBC meeting would further enhance bilateral and economic relations as well as strengthen strategic partnerships in various areas. “A platform such as this aims at boosting economic and commercial relations between our two countries and is most encouraging,” he added.

    Given these circumstances, he is optimistic about the future of trade relations between the two countries. He mentioned significant improvements in various areas of cooperation, such as agro-processing, garments and textiles, pharmaceuticals, roads, and airport infrastructure, since the inception of the UK-Ghana Business Council.

    Dr. Bawumia acknowledged the support received through UK-GBC in identifying new investment opportunities and assisting the country’s economic recovery plan.

    He emphasised that Ghana remains an attractive business destination in Africa for foreign direct investment (FDI). With the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) now in effect, trade activities are expected to increase, contributing to economic growth, with Ghana serving as the gateway to a population of 1.3 billion Africans.

    Despite economic challenges, he stated that Ghana’s positive growth projections can facilitate the expansion of trade and investment activities with strategic partners.

    Therefore, he anticipates that UK businesses and the investor community can capitalise on Ghana’s favourable environment and foundation to enhance the momentum of such exchanges.

  • UK to assist Ghana in getting back all stolen money that went through London

    UK to assist Ghana in getting back all stolen money that went through London

    UK Minister of State for Dev’t, Hon Andrew Murrison, has revealed to the Royal African Society that London is the preferred location for corrupt individuals and illegal financing. He also mentioned the government’s plans to collaborate with overseas territories in order to enhance financial transparency.”Respected” Andrew Mitchell said.

    He states that the UK is ready to help Ghana in recovering any stolen funds that pass through London.

    The white paper talks about dirty money or stolen funds. This happened when David Cameron was the Prime Minister of Britain, and is now the Foreign Minister. As Prime Minister, he focused on fighting world wide corruption and stopping the illegal movement of money.

    “I want to say that our two countries are very close and help each other in all areas. If money is stolen from Ghana because of corruption, Britain will support Ghana in trying to get it back. “Around 40% of stolen money and dirty funds from around the world usually go through London or British Overseas Territories. Britain wants to help Ghana if Ghana need sit, the President said in an interview on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on January 31.

    Alfred Ocansey and Mr Mitchell sat on the sidelines of the ninth UK-Ghana Business Council meeting in Accra. They both helped to lead the meeting with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

    The Council members talked about how money is used to help with climate issues around the world. They were happy that Ghana is working to get money to support projects that help with things like reducing carbon emissions,electric vehicles,shipping, and using hydrogen as a fuel.

  • London is the main route for global illicit funds – UK Minister

    London is the main route for global illicit funds – UK Minister

    Hon Andrew Murrison, has revealed to the Royal African Society that “London is the destination of choice for corrupt individuals and illicit finance. ” He also said that the government will be working with the overseas territories to improve financial transparency. “Respected” Andrew Mitchell said.

    He says the UK is willing to assist Ghana in getting back any stolen money that goes through London.

    The white paper talks about dirty money or stolen funds. This happened when David Cameron was the Prime Minister of Britain, and is now the Foreign Minister. As Prime Minister, he focused on fighting worldwide corruption and stopping the illegal movement of money.

    “I want to say that our two countries are very close and help each other in all areas. If money is stolen from Ghana because of corruption, Britain will support Ghana in trying to get it back. ” Around 40% of stolen money and dirty funds from around the world usually go through London or British Overseas Territories. Britain wants to help Ghana if Ghana needs it, the President said in an interview on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on January 31.

    Alfred Ocansey and Mr Mitchell sat on the sidelines of the ninth UK-Ghana Business Council meeting in Accra. They both helped to lead the meeting with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

    The Council members talked about how money is used to help with climate issues around the world. They were happy that Ghana is working to get money to support projects that help with things like reducing carbon emissions, electric vehicles, shipping, and using hydrogen as a fuel.

  • VIDEO: Man leaves schooling in the UK to come and hawk in Ghana

    VIDEO: Man leaves schooling in the UK to come and hawk in Ghana

    A Ghanaian street hawker, whose academic journey once led him to Preston Hill in South East London, United Kingdom (UK), has become the focus of a viral video circulating on social media.

    In the footage, he recounts his early years, sharing that he pursued education in the UK at a tender age, ultimately earning his A-level qualifications.

    Despite this academic background, his current reality involves navigating the challenges of street vending in Ghana.

    Watch video below:

  • US-based Ghanaian pastor’s son goes missing

    US-based Ghanaian pastor’s son goes missing

    The 22-year-old son of the lead pastor at Revelation City Church in the United States, Reverend Maxwell Appiah, has gone missing.

    Darius Appiah was last seen on Wednesday, January 23, 2024, leaving work at 2:22 pm after placing an order for pickup.

    An official complaint filed with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office reveals that his phone was turned off about an hour later, impeding efforts to locate him.

    Since then, there has been no sign of Darius, and his phone remains inactive.

    His parents have made a heartfelt plea on social media, calling on intercessors and watchmen to join them in praying for the safe return of their son.

    They ask for the message to be shared widely to enhance search efforts and urge those with any information to contact the Sheriff’s Office.

    Darius was last seen wearing a blue winter coat, blue jeans, and brown hiking boots. He drives a dark green 2004 Lexus RX330 SUV with Virginia license plate VBT8217.

    The family appeals to anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s Office promptly.

  • Man detained by UK police for Rwandan genocide

    Man detained by UK police for Rwandan genocide

    Police in Gateshead arrested a man for investigating crimes like genocide and other serious crimes that happened in Rwanda 30 years ago.

    The 69-year-old person was asked about the 1994 genocide, when 800,000 people were killed.

    Experts from the Counter Terrorism Policing War Crimes Team helped Counter Terrorism Policing North East to make an arrest last Thursday.

    Police said the man was let go on bail while they keep investigating.

    The War Crimes team is a part of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.

    Commander Dominic Murphy said they are looking into very serious crimes, and anyone who did them should be punished, no matter where they are.

    He said, “Getting proof to support a possible future trial is a difficult process that needs careful and accurate work. ”

    “Even though someone has been arrested, the police will keep working on this investigation to make more progress. ‘

    The investigation is not related to the war crime inquiries that started in 2018 and involved five people in the UK.

    From April to June 1994, about 800,000 people in Rwanda were killed in just 100 days.

  • UK stops funding UN organisation following over Hamas attack

    UK stops funding UN organisation following over Hamas attack

    Some countries,like the UK, have stopped giving money to UNRWA, a group that helps Palestinian refugees.

    After the company said some of its workers were fired because they were linked to the Hamas attacks on 7 October.

    The UK government expressed shock and disapproval of Israel’s claims.

    The US, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany have stopped giving extra money to the UN agency.

    In 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, was created. It is the largest UN agency working in Gaza.

    It helps Palestinians by giving them health care, education, and other help in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. It hires about 13,000 people in Gaza.

    Ever since Israel started fighting back after the attacks on 7 October, UNRWA has been providing shelter for many people who had to leave their homes in Gaza.

    It says it is looking into the information from Israel.

    Israel has said that the United Nations, including UNRWA, is unfair and has shown hatred towards Jewish people.

    In an interview with the media, UNRWA’s former main spokesperson, Christopher Gunness, said that stopping aid to UNRWA was not fair and will only make things worse for people in Gaza.

    Mr Gunness thinks UNRWA showed it has a strict policy by firing the workers before finishing their own investigation.

    One million people who were forced to leave their homes are now staying near UNRWA buildings for safety. Mr Gunness said that the people will suffer because of this decision. The cutting of UNRWA services will also make the region less stable when Western governments are trying to prevent a big conflict in the area.

    On Friday, a person who helps the leader of Israel said on the BBC that the Hamas attacks on 7 October involved “people who are getting paid by [UNRWA]”.

    Mark Regev claimed that there was evidence indicating that teachers at UNRWA schools had openly celebrated the attacks on October 7th.

    He also talked about an Israeli captive who, after being freed, said she had been “kept in the home of a person who worked for UNRWA”.

    “They have a group that Hamas controls, and I think it’s about time for the UN to look into the connection between UNRWA and Hamas,” he said.

    The accusations made big donors react.

    “The UK government is shocked by claims that UNRWA workers took part in the attack on Israel on 7 October. The government strongly disapproves of this terrible act of terrorism. “

    “The UK has stopped giving money to UNWRA for now while we look into some worrying claims,” it said.

    Earlier, the US government said it will stop giving more money to the UN agency because they are worried about UN workers being involved in the attacks.

    The EU said it will consider what to do next after a thorough investigation.

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “shocked by this news”.

    Philippe Lazzarini, who is in charge of UNRWA, said that they are doing a complete investigation to find out the truth as soon as possible.

    “To make sure the agency can keep helping people in need, I have decided to fire these staff members right away,” Mr Lazzarini said.

    He said that any employee involved in “acts of terror” will be held responsible.

    Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz,wants to shutdown UNRWA in Gaza after the war.

    However, Hussein Al-Sheikh, the Palestinian Authority’s minister for civilian affairs, said that when some countries stop supporting the important UN agency, it can cause big political and humanitarian problems.

    Mr al-Sheikh asked Western donors to change their decision right away. He also said that we need the most help for this international organization.

    The Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, Micheál Martin, said that Ireland will not stop giving money to the agency. He said the agency helps2. 3 million people and many staff members have been killed while doing their work.

    Hamas asked the UN and other organizations not to give in to Israel’s threats and blackmail. They said this in a message on Telegram.

    Last year, Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities and killed about 1,300 people, mostly innocent civilians.

    Another 250 people were captured and held against their will. Israel attacked Hamas in Gaza after certain events. This has led to the death of over 26,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry run by Hamas.

    The US, Germany and the EU give a lot of money to UNRWA.

    The agency is having a hard time delivering help to many of the 1. 7 million people who have been forced to leave their homes because of 12 weeks of fighting.

    Several places in Gaza where people were seeking protection were bombed by Israel’s air force.

    On Wednesday, a UN shelter in Khan Younis was hit, and 12 people died.

  • UN offers assistance after employees accused of attacking Israel

    UN offers assistance after employees accused of attacking Israel

    The leader of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has called on countries that have ceased funding to reconsider their “unexpected” actions.

    More than two million people in the Gaza Strip rely on it to survive, according to Philippe Lazzarini.

    Eight countries, including the UK, took action because Israel said some UNRWA staff were involved in the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October.

    The agency is looking into it and has already fired those workers.

    Israel has been saying for a long time that some parts of the UN, like UNRWA, are not fair and may even be against Jewish people.

    Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US have stopped giving money to UNRWA.

    Established in 1949, UNRWA is the largest United Nations agency working in Gaza. It gives medical care, schooling, and other help to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. It gives jobs to about 13,000 people in Gaza.

    Since Israel started fighting back against Hamas, UNRWA has been using its buildings in Gaza to protect many people who had to leave their homes.

    On Saturday, Mr. Lazzarini said it was surprising that funds were stopped because of allegations against a few staff members. UNRWA took quick action by firing them and asking for an independent investigation.

    “It would be very wrong to punish an agency and a whole community because of allegations of crimes by some people, especially during a war, when people are being forced to leave their homes, and there are political problems in the area. ”

    “UNRWA gives a list of all its workers to the countries they work in every year, even Israel. ” The agency did not get any complaints about particular staff members.

    Mr Lazzarini said that a UN office is going to look into the terrible accusations and find out what really happened.

    An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the media on Friday that the Hamas attacks on 7 October involved people who are getting paid by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

    Mark Regev said they had evidence that teachers at UNRWA schools had openly rejoiced about the attacks. Hamas fighters killed about 1,300 people, mostly innocent civilians, and took 250 more as hostages.

    Mr Regev also mentioned an Israeli hostage who said she was kept in the home of someone who worked for UNRWA after she was released.

    “They have a group that is controlled by Hamas and I think it’s about time for the UN to look into the connections between UNRWA and Hamas,” he said.

    The claims made the big donors react.

    The UK government is very upset that UNRWA staff may have been part of the attack on Israel on 7 October. They have condemned this terrorist act many times.

    “The UK is stopping giving money to UNRWA for now while we look into these worrying claims,” they said.

    Before, the US government said it would stop giving more money to the UN agency because it was really worried about the accusations.

    The EU will decide what to do next after looking at the results of the investigation.

    The US, Germany, and EU give a lot of money to UNRWA.

    The UN leader, António Guterres, said he was very shocked by this news.

    Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, wants to shut down UNRWA’s operations in Gaza after the war.

    However, the Palestinian Authority’s minister for civilian affairs, Hussein Al-Sheikh, said that countries stopping support for the important UN agency could cause significant political and humanitarian problems.

    The attacks on October 7th caused Israel to strike back hard on Hamas in Gaza. They used airstrikes and shelling that resulted in the deaths of over 26,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry run by Hamas in that area.

    UNRWA is having a hard time getting help to many of the 1. 7 million people who had to leave their homes because of 12 weeks of fighting.

  • One of the most wanted fugitives in UK detained

    One of the most wanted fugitives in UK detained

    One of the most wanted men in the UK has been put in jail for being in a gang that sold drugs and guns.

    Dean Garforth used to live in Widnes, Cheshire. He was running away from the police for two years. They caught him in Marbella, Spain in 2022 while he was trying to escape on an e-bike.

    The 31-year-old confessed to planning to sell illegal drugs and moving weapons and bullets.

    He was given a prison sentence of 18 years and 8 months at Chester Crown Court.

    Cheshire Police said Garforth was the leader and used the EncroChat network to talk about selling a lot of illegal drugs with other criminals.

    Investigators started collecting evidence against him in April 2020, watching and studying his messages using the username Slickcliff.

    The next month, a van didn’t stop when the police tried to pull it over on Bradley Way, Widnes.

    It was later discovered parked in Norlands Park in Widnes.

    The police found a phone that belonged to Garforth when they looked in the van.

    Garforth used the device to send messages on EncroChat, but now EncroChat doesn’t work anymore.

    Between March and July 2020, Garforth talked to his friends about getting and setting up lots of deliveries of drugs, guns, and bullets in the north-west of England.

    Police went to his house in October 2020 with a warrant, but he had already gone to Spain, they said.

    In January 2022, he was on a list of 12 wanted people in the UK who are thought to be hiding in Spain.

    Garforth was riding an electric bike on a road in Marbella when he got arrested in a planned operation in October 2022 and was later sent back to the UK.

    Detective Chief Inspector Nick Henderson said that Garforth, like many other criminals, thought that EncroChat was a safe and secure way to send messages without getting caught.

    “He didn’t know it, but our detectives were watching. ”

    The locked device used to be seen as a secure way to talk about crime without getting caught by the police. Once the police figured it out, it meant that people using it would have a hard time denying that they were involved in serious crime.

  • Asante Gold: UK to return Ghana’s stolen “crown jewels”

    Asante Gold: UK to return Ghana’s stolen “crown jewels”

    The UK is returning some of Ghana’s valuable treasures that were taken from the king’s court 150 years ago.

    A gold peace pipe is one of 32 things that will be returned on loan for a long time, the media has found out.

    The V&A museum is giving 17 things and 15 of them are from the British Museum.

    Ghana’s main negotiator said he wants better cultural cooperation after many years of anger.

    Some national museums in the UK, like the V&A and the British Museum, are not allowed to permanently return disputed items in their collections. Instead, they can lend the items to other countries as a way to give them back temporarily.

    However, some countries that say they own disputed artifacts are worried that by borrowing them, it will seem like they agree that the UK owns them.

    Tristram Hunt, who is in charge of the V&A museum, told the media that the gold items used by the court are like our important Crown Jewels.

    The things that will be borrowed include a special sword and gold badges. These were taken during wars in the 1800s between the British and the Asante. The badges were worn by officials who had the job of helping the king.

    Mr Hunt said that when museums have things taken from wars and military campaigns, they should think about sharing them more fairly with the countries they came from.

    “I don’t think our museums will be in danger if we form partnerships and trade with others. ”

    However, Hunt said the new cultural partnership is not a way to give back permanent ownership to Ghana.

    The loans will last for three years, and there is a possibility to extend them for another three years. They are not with the government of Ghana, but with Otumfo Osei Tutu II, who is the current Asante king. He is also known as the Asantehene and attended the Coronation of King Charles last year.

    The Asantehene still has an important ceremonial role, even though his kingdom is now part of Ghana’s modern government.

    The things will be shown at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the main city of the Asante region, to honor the Asantehene’s 25th anniversary.

    The Asante gold artifacts are very important to the Asante royal government. People think they have the spirits of past Asante kings in them.

    They are very important to Ghana just like the Benin Bronzes. The Benin Bronzes are thousands of sculptures and plaques that were taken by Britain from the palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in southern Nigeria. Nigeria has been asking for them to come back for many years.

    Nana Oforiatta Ayim, who helps the culture minister in Ghana, said to the media: “These items are not just things, they are also very important for spiritual reasons. ” They are an important part of the country’s spirit. “It’s parts of us coming back. ”

    She said that the loan was a good way to start and a sign that some healing and remembering of the violence that happened is beginning.

    British museums have a lot of stuff from Ghana, like a gold trophy head that is a well-known piece of Asante royalty.

    The Asante people created a strong and powerful state in West Africa. They traded gold, textiles, and enslaved people.

    The kingdom was well known for being strong and rich because of its army and money. Even today, when the Asantehene greets people on important events, he wears so many heavy gold bracelets that he sometimes needs someone to help hold up his arm.

    Europeans went to a place in Africa called the Gold Coast because they heard there was a lot of money there. The British had many fights with the Asante people during the 1800s.

    In 1874, British soldiers attacked Kumasi as punishment for an Asante attack. They looted the city and took many valuable items from the palace.

    Many of the things the V&A is giving back were purchased at an auction on 18 April 1874 at Garrards, a London jewelry store that looks after the UK’s Crown Jewels.

    They are three heavy gold items called ‘soul washers’ badges (Akrafokonmu), which were worn around the necks of important officials at court. Their job was to cleanse the soul of the king.

    Angus Patterson, who works at the V&A museum, said that taking these things in the 19th Century wasn’t just about getting rich, but it was a part of it. It’s also about getting rid of signs of the government or signs of people in charge. “It’s a very political action”.

    The British Museum is giving back 15 items that were taken during a war in 1895-1896. One of the items is a special sword called the Mpomponsuo.

    There is also a special hat called a Denkyemke, which is decorated with lots of gold ornaments. High-ranking officials like lords or ladies wore it at important events like coronations and big celebrations.

    The British Museum is sharing a gold model of a lute-harp called Sankuo. It’s almost 200 years old and has a connection with the Asantehenes. This model was not stolen or taken and will be on display.

    In 1817, the British writer and diplomat Thomas Bowdich was given a sankuo as a gift from the Asantehene. The gift was meant to show how rich and powerful the Asante nation was.
    “Solve the problems without getting involved in the politics. ”

    Can you give back things to a country that says you took them without permission.

    This is a solution to rules in the UK that some countries may not like because they are trying to fix something bad that happened in the past.

    The Parthenon Sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles in the UK, is the most well-known example of this issue.

    Greece has been asking for the old sculptures in the British Museum to be given back. The leader of the trustees, George Osborne, recently said he wants to find a practical and sensible solution. He is considering a partnership that sets aside the question of who really owns the ancient sculptures.

    This deal with the Asantehene is like another version of that; a fair agreement that works for the Asante king and follows the laws of Britain.

    Nigeria probably wouldn’t take a loan of the Benin Bronzes, and Ghana’s government would have had a hard time accepting this kind of agreement.

    But Hunt said the agreements between the V&A, the British Museum, and the Manhyia Palace Museum “go beyond politics. ” “It doesn’t fix the problem, but it starts the talk. ”

    Ms Oforiatta Ayim, who advises the culture minister of Ghana, said that it is natural for people to be upset about the idea of a loan. They hope to see the items eventually returned to Ghana for good.

    “We know that the things were taken during a violent event, and we know that they belong to the Asante people,” she said.

    The British government keeps things that are disputed and explains why they are kept.

    Neither the Conservative or Labour parties want to change the laws. The British Museum Act of 1963 and the National Heritage Act of 1983 stop museum leaders at important museums from selling or getting rid of things in their collections.

    Mr Hunt wants to make a new law. He wants museums to have more freedom, but also a committee to approve returning items.

    Some are worried that British museums might have to give away some of their most valuable items in the future. Or, as Michelle Donelan, a former culture secretary, told me about the return of the Parthenon Sculptures, it could lead to a discussion about everything in our museums.

    But Hunt said that very few people have argued about who owns the V&A’s 2. 8

    Another worry is that things that are borrowed and fought over might not be given back.

    Ghana’s main negotiator, Ivor Agyeman-Duah, denied that. “He said you always keep your promises and never break them. ”

    There are more pretty Asante gold things in the UK. The Wallace Collection has the trophy head, which is one of the most well-known Asante treasures. The British forces took it and bought it at the 1874 auction.

    The Royal Collection also has a mask made of gold, which looks like a trophy head. This item showed that enemies had been beaten. It was attached to ceremonial swords in the state’s special equipment.

    Is there a chance that they will be shown in Ghana in the future. Agyeman-Duah is being careful and patient in making it happen.

    As Britain is dealing more and more with its history of ruling other countries, these agreements could be a good way to talk about the past and improve relationships in the future, as long as both sides agree.

  • US and UK initiate new attacks on Houthis

    US and UK initiate new attacks on Houthis

    The US and UK worked together to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen.

    The Pentagon said that on Monday, the attacks hit eight places, including a place where weapons are kept underground and a place where Houthi group’s missiles and surveillance equipment are kept.

    The Houthis, who are supported by Iran, have been attacking ships that they believe are connected to Israel and the West as they pass through the important Red Sea trade route.

    The US and UK said they were trying to keep trade moving freely.

    The Pentagon said they did more attacks on the Houthis that were fair and needed.

    We want to reduce tensions and make the Red Sea calm again. But we want to tell the Houthi leaders that we will protect people and keep trade moving in the Red Sea. It’s an important waterway and we won’t ignore any threats.

    The US has attacked Houthi targets in Yemen for the eighth time. This is the second time the UK and another country have worked together on a military operation, after they joined forces for strikes on 11 January.

    The UK’s foreign secretary, Lord David Cameron, said that they have sent a strong message and will keep making it difficult for the Houthis to carry out attacks.

    When asked if the attacks could make things worse in the Middle East, Lord Cameron said that it was the Houthis who were making things worse and he believed the previous attacks worked well.

    He said the story the Houthis told about the attacks being connected to the war between Israel and Hamas should not be believed. The UK wants the fighting in Gaza to stop quickly.

    Lord Cameron said the UK asked for a quick break from fighting to help people in need, and they hope it leads to a long-lasting and stable stop to the fighting. He said he will suggest a plan when he goes to the region this week.

    The statement said that Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands supported the strikes.

    The UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will speak in the House of Commons today about the decision to do more strikes. Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition, did not know about the strikes before they happened. But this morning, he was seen going to the Cabinet Office for a private meeting.

    Fighter planes from the USS Eisenhower attacked on Monday.

    Four RAF Typhoon planes, along with two Voyager tankers, teamed up with the US forces, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced.

    “We used special bombs to hit many targets at two military sites near Sanaa airfield with our airplane. ” The MoD said that these places were being used to keep attacking ships in the Red Sea.

    “Like the UK usually does, we carefully planned the strikes to make sure no civilians would get hurt. We also made sure to bomb at night to lower the risk even more,” the statement said.

    Government minister Huw Merriman said to Sky News that the airstrikes will happen again if the Houthis keep attacking ships in the Red Sea.

    The UK’s Defense Secretary, Grant Shapps, said that the strikes were done to protect themselves from the Houthis’ unacceptable attacks on ships.

    “This action will make it harder for the Houthi group to cause problems and will weaken their ability to impact global trade,” he wrote on X.

    Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey said his party is worried about the attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea. They believe that limited strikes may be necessary, but it’s very important for Parliament to discuss and vote on the matter.

    Houthi-controlled Al Masirah TV said that there were attacks in Sanaa, Taiz, and Bayda provinces in Yemen, including the al-Dailami air base near the capital Sanaa.

    Ten days after the US and UK bombed the Houthis, they are still standing strong.

    They keep shooting different things at ships near Yemen, and they accidentally hit a ship carrying Russian oil.

    Under a new operation called Poseidon Archer, the US has attacked more targets after already attacking Houthi sites.

    The Pentagon says that the missiles were destroyed right before they were going to be launched. Western intelligence recently said they think that about 30% of the Houthi’s missiles were damaged or destroyed.

    The Houthis, who get help from Iran, want to keep attacking ships they think are connected to Israel, the US, or the UK.

    These actions have made them very well-liked in their country, where many people have been suffering under their harsh rule.

    Many people in the Arab world like the Houthis because they say they support Hamas and are against Israel with help from Iran.

    Mr Sunak talked with US President Joe Biden earlier on Monday.

    The White House said Mr. Biden and Mr. Sunak talked about attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea. The White House said they promise to protect ships, trade, and sailors from unfair attacks, and to allow ships to travel freely.

    It said: “The president and prime minister talked about giving more help to the people in Gaza and keeping them safe. They also talked about getting back the people who are kept as prisoners by Hamas. ”

    The Houthis started attacking ships that carry goods in November. They said they were doing this because of Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

    Since that time, the group has carried out many attacks on commercial ships that go through the Red Sea, which is one of the busiest routes for ships in the world.

    The US and UK started bombing many Houthi targets on January 11th.

    The strikes, which were also backed by Australia, Bahrain, the Netherlands, and Canada, started because Houthi forces didn’t stop attacking the area even after being warned.

  • Gaza War was catalyst for radicalization – UK police

    Gaza War was catalyst for radicalization – UK police

    The war between Israel and Gaza has made more people in the UK support terrorism, according to the head of counter-terrorism police.

    Matt Jukes said that there is a lot of online comments that are not true and are being spread by fake images, which is causing a big problem.

    He said the conflict had a similar effect as the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.

    33 people have been arrested for terrorism related to Israel-Gaza.

    These are people who are taken by the police because of things they said or wrote during protests. Police didn’t say if they found any plans for a terror attack.

    The government thinks a terrorism attack is likely, but not certain.

    Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes told reporters that a counter-terrorism unit has received 3,000 reports of suspicious activity online.

    700 people had been found to have a connection to the UK, and they might have been breaking the law. A few kids, some as young as 11 and 12, were having worrisome talks.

    “Matt Jukes said that all the stuff online is creating a dangerous atmosphere. ” It had caused a big change in people’s thinking, possibly leading them towards terrorism.

    “He said this is not just empty talk, we are seeing clear signs of a big danger. ”

    In 2023, more people were referred to the government’s Prevent program, which tries to stop radicalization and help those at risk. The number of referrals went up by 13%.

    Mr Jukes said that terrorist attacks might not happen right away and that becoming radicalized can take a long time.

    He said, “When I sit in my seat, I see that some things are not going well. ”

    Detectives are most worried about the possibility of an attack from one person who might be unstable and have mental health issues.

    Unit that deals with crimes committed during wars.

    A group of over 20 officers is focused on looking into possible war crimes, including claims about Israel-Gaza.

    This has gotten 92 people talking about the conflict, with 73 of them being against Israel and 19 against Hamas. Research is still in the early stages of review.

    The police are being criticized for using their time and money to investigate serious crimes like torture, genocide, and other human rights violations.

    However, high-ranking officers say that out of every £100 spent on counter-terrorism policing, only 30p is used to investigate war crimes.

    Mr Jukes said that we should not let the UK be a safe place for people who have committed crimes during a war.

    High-ranking officials also state that the UK must help the International Criminal Court and investigate the deaths of British people.

    Detectives have a problem because they might get some evidence that war crimes happened, but no one saw it happen.

    Information usually comes from law firms, charities, and people involved in a conflict.

    Unfriendly countries

    The counter-terrorism team is also facing a greater danger from unfriendly countries, mostly Russia, Iran, and China.

    An Austrian man named Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev was sent to prison for three years. He was caught by security guards doing suspicious activities at an Iranian media company in Chiswick, London. The media company had received threats because of its reporting on Iran.

    The police are worried that other countries are hiring criminals in the UK to do illegal things. This is because criminal groups can easily work in different countries and transport weapons.

    A new team has been created to stop unfriendly countries from causing harm. They work closely with the security and secret intelligence services, MI5 and MI6.

  • UK island base unsuitable for immigration – UN

    UK island base unsuitable for immigration – UN

    The UN agency for refugees said it’s not good for migrants to stay in a faraway place in the Indian Ocean with a secret UK-US military base. They got permission to visit and saw that it’s not a good place for migrants to stay for a long time.

    Many Sri Lankan Tamils have been stuck for more than two years in a temporary camp on Diego Garcia.

    This is the first time people have asked for asylum in this place.

    The UK government said it was searching for a “solution that will last a long time”.

    “The health and safety of migrants is the most important thing. ” The spokesperson said that the top importance of the British Indian Ocean Territory administration is to make sure it stays safe and well-managed. The official name of the islands is British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

    UNHCR people went to Diego Garcia near the end of 2023 with help from the UK government. They were allowed to go to the island for the first time since the migrants arrived over two years ago.

    The UN agency said it was “checking with officials” about what it had found.

    A person speaking for the military said that Diego Garcia is an island with a military base and almost no people living there. It’s not a good place for people to live for a long time.

    “We want the UK to fairly and quickly decide on the pending claims and help those who need international protection, following the rules of international law. ”

    The first group of Tamils arrived on Diego Garcia in October 2021 because their boat got into trouble while they were trying to sail to Canada, as told by the migrants and officials.

    The island is far away from other people, and unauthorized visitors are not allowed.

    The group’s later requests for protection were the first ever to be made in Biot. This area is said to be different from the UK and the Refugee Convention does not apply there.

    Many people in the group say they are connected to the old Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka. The rebels lost in the war that ended in 2009. They also say they have been treated badly because of this.

    Hunger protest

    Asylum seekers say the conditions on the island are very bad, but because of the island’s unique laws, they are stuck in a difficult situation.

    Many people have tried to hurt or kill themselves. Lawyers say children have also gone on hunger strikes.

    Our lives are boring and dull. “I feel like I am just existing, not really living,” a man told the media.

    Attorneys helping people seeking safety on Diego Garcia say there are still around 60 people on the island. Many people have been moved to Rwanda for help after trying to end their own lives.

    The media was made knows that this agreement is different from the government’s plan to send some asylum seekers to an East African country. This plan passed an important step in Parliament this week.

    “Our clients have been stuck on Diego Garcia for more than two years and still haven’t had their requests for international protection approved,” explained Tessa Gregory, one of the group’s lawyers.

    The things they are going through. The conditions are really bad and not at all good for a group that has children and people who have been through torture and sexual violence.

    Ms Gregory said that British lawyers representing the migrants want to go to the island.

    Five people have been given permission to stay in another country, but we don’t know yet where they will go.

    The government is helping other countries accept people who cannot go back to their own country safely.

    The government has said to the BBC that they take all claims of mistreatment very seriously and look into them completely.

  • President of Rwanda says UK could receive its money back

    President of Rwanda says UK could receive its money back

    Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said he might give back the money to the UK if they don’t send any asylum seekers to his country as part of their agreement.

    The UK has given Rwanda £240m and will give another £50m later. No asylum seekers have been sent to the country yet.

    When Kagame was asked why he was taking the money, he said, “I will only use it if those people come. ” If they don’t show up, we can give the money back.

    But the government of Rwanda said there is no requirement to do it later on.

    In response to what Mr. Kagame said on Wednesday, a spokeswoman said that if the UK asks for their money back, they will think about it.

    The president spoke before an important vote in the government. The vote passed a law to bring back the deportation plan, which was declared illegal by the Supreme Court last year.

    The new law will now be looked at closely by the House of Lords. It is expected to face a lot of disagreement there.

    The Rwandan government said the money they received was for helping their country grow economically and to get ready to welcome and take care of migrants when they come.

    “Rwanda doesn’t have to give back any of the money they received, according to the agreement,” said spokesperson Yolande Makolo.

    If no migrants come to Rwanda as part of the plan, and the UK government wants their money back that was supposed to support the migrants, we will think about giving them a refund.

    “At this time, it’s too early to discuss numbers because we’re still waiting for the UK government to finish making decisions. We are still determined to make the partnership successful. ”

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thinks that sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda will stop other people from trying to cross the Channel in small boats.

    Labour says the plan is too expensive and won’t work. They would get rid of the policy if they win the election.
    The problem in the UK.

    On Wednesday evening, members of parliament voted to bring back the scheme, after a group of Conservative MPs who opposed it did not succeed in stopping it.

    Many Conservative members of Parliament tried to change the bill, but they did not succeed. They believe that the law won’t do a good enough job of preventing individual appeals from stopping deportation flights.

    Before the vote, the BBC’s Economics Editor Faisal Islam got a short interview with Paul Kagame at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    The president didn’t say how much money he could give back to the UK, or when.

    Mr Kagame was asked about the current problems with the deal in his country. He said it’s not Rwanda’s problem. “He said that the UK should be asked because it is their problem, not Rwanda’s problem. “

    Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves was happy that Mr. Kagame offered to give back the money. She promised to use the money to help with asylum cases and to stop criminal gangs.

    She said in Davos that using the money for controlling small boat crossings would be a better idea and have a better chance of success.
    ‘Lost’ people looking for a safe place to stay.

    Labour says the Rwanda plan will end up costing British taxpayers £400 million in the long run.

    During Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the government lost track of more than 4,000 people they were supposed to send to Rwanda.

    The Daily Telegraph reported that out of 5,000 people who were supposed to be deported, only 700 are keeping in touch with officials.

    Sir Keir said that spending £400 million on a plan that doesn’t help anyone in Rwanda and resulted in the loss of 4,000 people is not a real plan, it’s just a joke.

    “This government spent a lot of money on a policy to remove people, but it didn’t actually remove anyone. ”

    Mr Sunak supported the government’s work on immigration, then said: “It’s not fair to hear him acting like he cares about stopping the boats when he has said clearly that he would get rid of the plan even if it’s working to reduce the numbers. ”

    “He doesn’t have strong beliefs or a clear plan, so we’re starting over again. ”

    The Home Office told BBC that its documents were leaked to The Telegraph and are not available to the public.

    It said the numbers are based on old data from last year. It didn’t say if there are new numbers or when they might be available.

    The Home Office has a special team that works with the police and others to find and bring back people who have left without permission using all kinds of technology.

  • Rwandan president says UK might receive their money back

    Rwandan president says UK might receive their money back

    Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said he will give back the money to the UK if they don’t send any refugees to his country as part of their agreement.

    The UK has given £240m to Rwanda, and will give another £50m later. Until now, no refugees have been sent to the country.

    When Kagame was asked why he was taking the money, he said: “I will only use it if those people come. ” “If they don’t show up, we can give the money back. ”

    Rishi Sunak is about to have an important vote in parliament for his Rwanda bill.

    The prime minister says his idea to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda will stop other people from trying to come to the UK in small boats.

    Labour thinks it is a costly trick that won’t be effective, and they would get rid of the policy if they win the election.

    Some of Mr Sunak’s own Conservative party members disagree with him. They think the rules are not strict enough and the government should be willing to break international laws to start deportation flights.

    On Wednesday evening, Members of Parliament will vote on changes to a law and decide if the bill should move on to the next step.

    The government thinks they will win the vote, even though many right-wing Tory MPs rebelled on Tuesday.

    The BBC’s economics expert, Faisal Islam, quickly spoke to Paul Kagame at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    The president did not say how much money he will give back to the UK, or when. When asked about the problems with the deal involving his country, Mr. Kagame said that it’s not Rwanda’s problem. The President said that the UK should handle the problem, not Rwanda.

    Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said she is happy that Mr. Kagame offered to give back the money. She promised to use the money to handle asylum requests and to stop the criminal gangs involved in this situation.

    She said in Davos that it would be better to use the money for controlling small boat crossings, which is essential and more likely to succeed.

  • Leading Palestinian ambassador accuses UK of being hypocritical

    Leading Palestinian ambassador accuses UK of being hypocritical

    The Palestinians’ representative in the UK said the government is being unfair and hypocritical in the way it treats them.

    Husam Zomlot said bad things about PM Rishi Sunak for not supporting a request to take Israel to court for war crimes in Gaza.

    He said that the UK’s reputation was hurt in the Middle East.

    But he was glad that the government decided to stop violent Israeli settlers from coming to the UK.

    UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that people who live in Israel and have been attacking Palestinians will not be allowed to enter the country. The decision came after the US said they were planning to do the same thing.

    “MrZomlot said he is happy about it. ” “In my opinion, that was a very important moment. It’s not about the policy itself, but it’s the first time in 75 years that the UK has taken any action related to sanctions on Israel. ”

    Recently, there has been more violence from settlers, especially after the big attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October and the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

    Around 700,000 Jewish people live in about 140 communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These areas have been taken over by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war, but Palestinians want them to be part of their own country in the future.

    Most countries think the settlements are illegal, but Israel disagrees.

    Mr Zomlot disagreed with a law that stops public organizations from refusing to do business with Israel or Israeli settlements. The bill got approved in the House of Commons last week and now it will be sent to the House of Lords.

    “This is the contradiction,” Mr Zomlot said at a meeting with reporters in London. Where are you in the UK. Do you think Israel taking over the 1967 borders is a military occupation and colonization.

    “The UK policy is so inconsistent that I. ” I don’t know the UK’s policy on Palestine anymore. If you ask me, I don’t understand it. Unreliable, conflicting

    Mr Zomlot, the leader of the Palestinian group in the UK, criticized Prime Minister Sunak for not supporting South Africa’s case against Israel for genocide at the International Court of Justice.

    The ICJ started listening to the case last week.

    A spokesperson for the prime minister said Mr Sunak thought the accusation was completely unfair and incorrect.

    “The UK government supports Israel’s right to protect itself under international law,” the spokesperson stated.

    MrZomlot said that the UK’s disagreement with South Africa’s claim of genocide is like the UK acting as judge of the world and getting involved where it shouldn’t.

    He said that the UK was being unfair and hypocritical in its treatment of Israel and international law.

    The envoy said that Israel is causing a big humanitarian problem in Gaza and asked the world to make them stop fighting.

    He said that stopping the fighting right away is the most important thing. “This is still our most important priority. ”

    Israel has bombed Gaza and killed about 24,000 people, mostly women and children. This information comes from the health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas. Israel started a war to destroy Hamas because the group had killed 1,300 people, mainly civilians, and took 240 others as hostages in their attack on Israel.

  • After US-UK attacks, Yemenis would “rally round the flag”  – Iranian expert

    After US-UK attacks, Yemenis would “rally round the flag” – Iranian expert

    The recent attacks by the US and UK on Houthi targets in Yemen will make some Yemeni people support the Houthi group more, according to Hassan Ahmadian, who teaches about the Middle East at the University of Tehran. He spoke to the BBC News channel about this.

    He says the Houthis are more liked in Yemen and the surrounding area because of their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which they say are aimed at Israel during their conflict with Gaza.

    The US and UK are trying to say that their recent actions are not connected to the Gaza war, but many people in the Middle East don’t believe them.

    “It fits into many stories. ” He said the United States is helping Israel break the rules of international law in their fight against Gaza.

    “But when it comes to Yemen, it’s against breaking international laws, which is unfair and hypocritical. ” This attack will only make that situation worse.

  • UK to boost its aid to Ukraine to £2.5 billion – Rishi Sunak

    UK to boost its aid to Ukraine to £2.5 billion – Rishi Sunak

    The UK is going to give Ukraine £2. 5 billion worth of military help in the next year, which is the biggest amount of aid since Russia invaded Ukraine.

    The Prime Minister said this while visiting the country, and he will also sign a new deal to help with its safety in the future.

    Authorities said that the package will give Ukraine missiles that can travel far distances, defense against attacks from the air, and shells for their artillery.

    About £200 million will be used to buy drones, and most of them will will be made in the UK.

    Authorities say that next year, a big package of military equipment will be given to Ukraine. It will include a lot of drones, which is the most that any country has provided to Ukraine.

    The prime minister has chosen not to promise money for many years.

    Some government officials and high-ranking military leaders believed that by doing this, it would show Russia that Britain supports them for a long time.

    Instead of spending the same amount as the last two years, Mr. Sunak has decided to spend an extra £200 million. The UK’s yearly military support for Ukraine was £2. 3 billion

    Downing Street plans to offer help to Ukraine as the first step in building a strong long-term relationship between Ukraine and the UK.

    It will also give £18 million to help people in need, support strengthening Ukraine’s energy systems, and give more money for teaching English online.

    James Heappey, who is in charge of the military, said on BBC Breakfast that the drones will help Ukraine in the future.

    He said: “They are unmanned aircraft that are being created quickly, taking into account all the things we learned from what happened in Ukraine over the last two years. ”

    He said that the money shows that the UK is still being a leader in Europe by giving a lot of money to Ukraine.

    Mr Sunak, who went to Ukraine 15 months ago in November 2022, said: “I am here today to say that the UK will not give up. ” We will be there for Ukraine when things are hard and when things get better in the future.

    He said: “The UK is already one of Ukraine’s best friends, because we know their safety is our safety.

    Today, we are giving more military help to Ukraine. We are also giving them lots of new drones and making a new security agreement with them. This will help Ukraine feel safer and more secure in the future.

    “For two years, Ukraine has bravely defended itself against a strong attack from Russia. ” They are still fighting strong to protect their country and the principles of freedom and democracy.

    The UK finally promised to support Ukraine after MPs pushed for the government to do so. They said the government should have been clearer earlier so Ukraine could plan its military strategy.

    Both the United States and the European Union are having a hard time deciding on how to help Ukraine, which really needs more shells and missiles.

    In the US, some politicians are stopping a $60 billion package to help Ukraine because they want to use the money for dealing with migration at the border.

    Viktor Orban, the leader of Hungary, stopped a €50bn (£43bn) aid package for Ukraine from the EU because of a disagreement with Brussels over funding.

    The UK and Ukraine are signing an agreement today. It includes promises to help each other with military and economic support. This is to stop Russia from attacking Ukraine before Ukraine becomes a part of Nato.

    Authorities said that the UK is the first out of seven major industrialized countries to sign an agreement. All seven countries promised to do this at a meeting last year.

  • Major Tory uprising against Sunak over Rwanda bill

    Major Tory uprising against Sunak over Rwanda bill

    Rishi Sunak is having a big problem with some members of his political party because they don’t like his idea to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

    More than 30 members of the party’s less influential members support making it more difficult for people to appeal deportation by changing the bill next week.

    The changes show how divided the Tory party is on the policy, which the Prime Minister thinks is very important.

    Ministers say that only a very small number of appeals are allowed in the bill.

    Some people who support the changes are former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and a few former cabinet ministers, including former home secretary Suella Braverman.

    Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who quit because of the proposed law last month and is a leading rebel, said the new law would not stop people from challenging immigration decisions over and over again.

    Last month, the government made a new law because the Supreme Court said their plan to send asylum seekers to East Africa was not allowed.

    The law wants to say that it’s okay to send refugees to Rwanda from the UK. This would stop flights from being stopped because of legal reasons.

    Government officials may not have to follow urgent rules from the European Court of Human Rights to stop a flight to Rwanda while a person’s legal case is being decided.

    However, the rebels believe that the policy can still be stopped by many people appealing against it, and they want to make the circumstances for allowing appeals stricter.

    They also want to make it the usual thing for ministers to ignore orders from the ECHR that stop flights.

    ‘Be the one who gets the last word in the discussion’

    The changes probably won’t pass on Tuesday because they won’t get enough support from Labour MPs to beat the government’s majority.

    But, if the rebels vote against the government’s bill later on and it stays the same, the bill could be in danger.

    A group of 29 MPs could be powerful enough to change Mr Sunak’s 56-seat majority if they vote with Labour, who doesn’t agree with the Rwanda policy.

    Mr Jenrick said on BBC Radio 4’s Today show that he might vote against the entire bill if their suggested changes don’t work.

    But he said he was not thinking about that yet, and the rebels wanted to win the argument.

    One Nation stress

    Government might give in to the rebels to get them to agree, but experts think this probably won’t happen until the bill is almost finished in Parliament.

    The government is feeling pressure from some members of the Conservative Party who believe that the bill can’t be made stricter without breaking international law.

    Mr Jenrick said the current bill would not work because it does not stop people from coming to the UK to ask for asylum.

    He said that people should only be able to appeal to not be sent out of the country in a few special situations, like if a woman is having a baby or if someone can’t travel on a plane.

    “If we don’t change this law, there will be more people crossing the border illegally, more poorly run hotels for migrants, and we will waste billions of taxpayer dollars in the future,” he said.

    Downing Street said that the bill is the strongest law ever in Parliament and it shows that this Parliament, not any foreign court, has the most power.

  • USA and UK thwart biggest Houthi attack in the Red Sea

    USA and UK thwart biggest Houthi attack in the Red Sea

    Navies from the UK and US stopped a big attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea, according to the UK defence secretary.

    The US military said that a group supported by Iran sent out 18 drones and three missiles on Tuesday night.

    They were attacked and shot by jets from carriers and warships. No one got hurt or things broken.

    The Houthis have not said anything, but they have attacked merchant ships because of the fighting in the Gaza Strip.

    They have said, sometimes not true, that the ships were connected to Israel.

    Houthis are not listening after being told not to attack the Red Sea.
    What does attacks in the Red Sea mean for world trade.

    The US military said that there have been 26 attacks since November 19th.

    The US, UK, Germany, Italy, Australia, Japan and 10 other countries are telling the Houthis to stop their attacks right away. They say the attacks are against the law and are a danger to ships passing through the important waterway, where 15% of the world’s trade goes through.

    The allies have chosen not to attack areas in rebel-held north-west Yemen in response. However, the UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has warned that if the attacks keep happening, the Houthis will face the consequences.

    “We will do what’s necessary to keep innocent people safe and protect the world’s economy,” he said.

  • Two British hostages left in Gaza – UK Foreign Secretary

    Two British hostages left in Gaza – UK Foreign Secretary

    Hamas in Gaza is still holding two people from Britain as hostages, as said by David Cameron.

    The UK’s chief diplomat is being questioned by a group of legislators at a foreign affairs meeting.
    Two British citizens are still being held as captives. I don’t want to say anything else abou tthem.

    When he was asked if we know if they are alive, he said, “I don’t want to say anything else. ” We don’t have anything to tell you.

    Israel says that they still can’t find 123 people who were taken to Gaza by Hamas during the attacks on 7 October.

    Israel believes that 23 of these people are dead.

    More update on this story soon.

  • Saudi Arabia hopes to work with Israel after war

    Saudi Arabia hopes to work with Israel after war

    The Saudi Arabian ambassador to the UK wants to make friends with Israel after the war in Gaza, but only if it helps create a country for the Palestinians.

    Prince Khalid bin Bandar told the media that a deal was almost finished. The talks between the US and Saudi Arabia were stopped after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October.

    Saudi Arabia still wants to be friends with Israel even though many people were hurt in Gaza. But they won’t do it if it means hurting the Palestinian people.

    The ambassador said that the international community is not doing enough to stop the fighting in Gaza and that this is a failure of humanity.

    He also said he wants the UK to be fair to Israel and treat it like it treats other countries. “The lack of attention towards Israel is a problem because it hinders peace,” he said.

    Saudi Arabia is a leading country in the Arab and Islamic world. Since 1948, it has not officially accepted Israel, and if a deal to make things normal between the two countries happens, it would be a very big moment for Israel.

    In late September, the leader of Saudi Arabia said in a TV interview in the US that we are getting closer to an agreement every day.

    Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman thinks the Palestinian issue is very important. He said any agreement should make life easier for the Palestinians. But he didn’t say it had to lead to a new Palestinian state.

    Palestinian leaders have said they will reject any deal that doesn’t give them a state. But earlier, they were asking for more money and control of land in the West Bank in exchange for working with the US-backed Saudi-Israel process.

    Saudi officials wanted the US to stop talking about the attack a few days after it happened. About 1,300 people were killed and 240 others were taken hostage by hundreds of Hamas gunmen from Gaza. They had gone into southern Israeli communities.

    The health ministry in Gaza, which is under the control of Hamas, says that over 23,200 people have died during the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Israel started the military campaign to try and get rid of Hamas.

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to reporters after meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed on Monday. He mentioned that the topic of normalizing relations was discussed during their meeting.

    “He wants to keep working on that,” he said. “But first the fighting in Gaza must stop, and there must be a clear way for the Palestinians to have their own state. “

    During an interview with the BBC’s Today show, the Saudi ambassador in London said that his country’s leaders are definitely interested in making an agreement.

    [A deal] was almost done,that’s for sure. We really wanted Palestine to become an independent state in the end. Prince Khalid said that we still believe in normalizing the situation, but not if it hurts the Palestinian people.

    He said, “We were almost back to normal,so we were close to having a Palestinian state. “You can’t have one without the other. They were talking about how things are put in order and managed.

    When asked if Saudi Arabia thinks Hamas should be part of the future Palestinian state, Prince Khalid said they need to think about it a lot. Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the US, UK, and other Western countries.

    “If you believe things can get better,then change is possible. ” But when there is a fight, you have to understand that both sides have lost, he said.

    “Israel’s current government has a very strong and uncompromising view, which makes it hard to find a solution to the conflict. “

    He didn’t say much, but the US criticized two extreme Israeli politicians for suggesting that Palestinians should be moved out of Gaza.

    Prince Khalid said that the war in Gaza has caused a lot of people to die and has also led to a big crisis. He also warned that there is a risk that some people may become radical because of the war.

    “The high level of violence from both sides,especially from Israel, in the past three months is something I have never seen before,” he said. “The numbers are very bad,really bad. “

    “This will make Palestinian people and others around the world feel even more hopeless. “Every one sees human failure in what is happening, because no one has taken action to stop it. Efforts are being made, but they are not sufficient.

  • Apple settles lawsuits alleging it purposefully slowed down iPhones

    Apple settles lawsuits alleging it purposefully slowed down iPhones

    Apple has started paying money for a lawsuit about slowing down some iPhones in the US.

    People who made complaints will get a share of a $500 million (£394 million) agreement, which comes out to about $92 per claim.

    In 2020, Apple agreed to end the lawsuit. They said they didn’t do anything wrong but they didn’t want to keep spending money on the court case.

    In the UK, there is another case trying to get £1. 6bn in money as compensation.

    In December 2017, Apple admitted that they intentionally made some iPhones run slower as they got older, which confirmed what many people had suspected for a long time.

    It was mentioned that as batteries got older, they didn’t work as well, which made the phones last longer.

    However, Apple was accused of slowing down the performance of some iPhones without informing its customers. This caused a lot of anger, so Apple offered a discounted battery replacement to solve the problem.

    It caused the US to take legal action. At first, they thought people might get $25 each, but now it looks like they might get about $100 each.

    Apple tried to stop a big lawsuit in the UK last November, but they did not win.

    Justin Gutmann brought a case in June 2022 that involves about 24 million people who use iPhones.

    Apple said the lawsuit is not true and they would never do anything to purposely make their products stop working or give a bad experience to customers just to make them buy new products.

    Unlike the US agreement, which only covered iPhone 6 and 7, the UK lawsuit also includes people who had iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X and is asking for money for them.

  • Artificial womb technology has potential to save thousands of premature newborns

    Artificial womb technology has potential to save thousands of premature newborns

    Scientists have created a fake womb that might help premature babies. It looks like something from a science fiction story, but it could be used to save babies very soon.

    A group of people at the hospital made a strange bag that imitates the fluid-filled space inside a mother’s womb. This is where babies get used to breathing in liquid instead of air.

    The artificial womb helps premature babies grow until their lungs are more developed and ready to breathe on their own.

    Dr Emily Partridge said the plan is to help people through difficult times until they can manage on their own.

    Babies that are extremely premature are born before 28 weeks of the normal 40-week pregnancy. About 6 out of every 100 babies are born in the UK right now, which is around 3,200 babies. Babies born at 22 weeks have a 10% chance of survival, but before 22 weeks the chance is almost zero.

    The team tested their new device on baby lambs that were born early, about the same as a baby born at 23 or 24 weeks.
    A baby sheep in a machine that acts like a mother’s womb.

    The baby lambs were put in a machine that acted as a womb, and their umbilical cords were connected to a device that gave them oxygen and pumped blood through their bodies, just like it would happen in their mother’s womb. The liquid, created in a lab to copy the fluid in the womb, was then used to help the lamb breathe like normal.

    The tests went really well, so now the team wants permission to test the device on people.

    The animals showed normal or increased activity, slept at regular times, breathed and swallowed occasionally, and seemed comfortable and not stressed, said the team.

    One problem is that parents of premature babies might feel overwhelmed and emotional, making it difficult for them to make a fully informed decision about the trial.

    Yale University’s Mark Mercurio said that he thinks the good things about the artificial womb could be more important than the risks for babies born very early, when they have less than a 20% chance of living.

    Dr Partridge said the project taught him to never give up. “You have to keep trying, keep going until you succeed. ”

    However, it can’t make babies grow completely in a lab, which is a dream for some science fiction writers.

    Dr Alan Flake, a team member, has said that this idea is just a simple but exciting idea without much technical or developmental knowledge.

  • Young Brits exposed to radicalization on internet after Hamas attack

    Young Brits exposed to radicalization on internet after Hamas attack

    Since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, the UK’s Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit has seen a 12-times increase in hateful social media content being reported to police officers who specialize in dealing with this type of content.

    The unit now spends more time checking if extreme and hateful social media posts break the law against terrorism, rather than just focusing on IS propaganda and online reactions to attacks in the UK.

    The team got over 2,700 tips from people using an online form after Hamas attacked Israel and Israel responded with air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

    There is a lot of hate that is increasing and it is making young Britons more vulnerable to being radicalized by computer programs.

    The BBC was the only ones allowed to see the team’s work. The police officers told me that they are seeing a lot of antisemitic content being shared by young people in Britain who they have not noticed before.

    They said that there is a lot of hate coming from young people acting recklessly online.

    One person said the time from October 7th is noticeable because there was a lot of content being shared. The BBC isn’t saying the officers’ names because of their job.

    Their boss, Matt Jukes, who is in charge of Counter Terror Policing, is worried because his team has to deal with the worst online content, but social media companies are not doing enough to stop the spread of hateful content.

    Algorithms are systems that suggest new stuff to you based on what you like and interact with. This means that some people may be influenced by the posts they see on social media and start believing in more extreme ideas, even if they didn’t think that way before. It’s not just about showing what they already believe.

    Jukes says that people who used to have to look for this material in the past are now receiving it without having to search for it. “Before, people had to go to specific places or websites to find hateful and extreme material. But now, this kind of material is being sent to them, even when they’re not looking for it. ”


    ‘Posts that are thoughtless and driven by strong feelings’

    People who send in posts to the team don’t know much about what happens after that.

    I am told that the team checks posts and online content to see if they might break UK terrorism or other terror laws.

    They are searching for posts that are very intense and shared a lot, rather than posted alone. The concern is about posts on social media that promote terrorism and could encourage people to commit violent acts or adopt extremist beliefs.

    Currently, this includes posts that show support for Hamas and glorify or show support for acts of terror, one of the officers explains.

    They showed me a few different pictures from X, TikTok, and a messaging app, with the usernames blurred out. The messages ask for help to join Hamas and give them money to travel. Hamas is seen as a terrorist organization by the UK and other governments. Some people write mean things about Jewish people online.

    “People are using X, Instagram, and TikTok platforms. ” An officer says that many of the posts are just written words. “Young people often make impulsive, emotional posts on social media because they feel at ease using these sites. ”

    They say that many of the profiles have never shared this kind of content before. They think that people who are not aware are starting to share very mean anti-Jewish ideas.

    People who post like this come from different places and backgrounds, and are generally younger.

    “We have seen a lot more material that is against Jewish people than material that is against Islam. ” “It’s very noticeable,” another officer says. “We received material from far-right groups that strongly support Israel. ”

    Since October 7th, I’ve found and looked into posts on social media that are against Islam and are racist. Some of these posts were made by accounts that don’t support the pro-Palestinian movement, and there were also hurtful comments about Jewish people from accounts that don’t support Israel. I have seen the same thing online as several human rights groups and campaigners have said about an increase in hate against Muslims and Jewish people on social media.

    In 2017, a lot of online posts were praising and celebrating terrorist attacks that happened in the UK, like the ones at London Bridge, Manchester Arena, in Westminster, and at a mosque in London’s Finsbury Park. However, police officers say that there have been a lot more ongoing reports since the latest Israel-Gaza War started, and the discussions have been much more intense than before.

    They have found 630 possible cases that may have broken laws about terrorism or hate crimes.

    I’ve been told that 150 of those cases have been sent to the police for more investigation or action. Around 10 cases have been given to the counter terrorism teams in the Met, and others have been given to local police or regional counter terrorism units for investigation.

    The police say that TikTok, X, and Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook, have been helpful and fast in deleting very bad content when they are told about it. However, they say it’s been harder to deal with posts that are not clearly breaking the rules of the social media sites.

    People are saying mean and awful things. “But many of the things we’re dealing with are right on the edge,” a police officer says.

    “You have an area where there could be content, opinions, and material that is not very pleasant. ” When does it become a crime. The team has to decide.

    As of October 7th, TikTok has put a lot of effort into keeping its users safe. TikTok has made it clear that it is against hate and hatespeech. They are working on new ideas to show different videos and stop the same ones from being shown all the time.

    Meta, the company that has Instagram, explains in its “community standards” how it uses both technology and people to find and delete content that goes against its rules. This includes content that attacks people because of their religion, ethnicity, or where they come from. The social media company will delete any pictures made by a dangerous group or person, unless the user is sharing it to report news or condemn it.

    “Algorithms – a way to make people extreme in their beliefs. ”

    What about all the hate that is in the middle. It’s not extreme enough to be against the law, but it still makes people talk badly with each other and might make some people become more extreme in their beliefs.

    Matt Jukes says that he noticed a big divide online recently.

    “People feel good when they see positive things on the internet. ” Many other people in their own little world feel the same way.

    Younger people who use social media a lot may be at a higher risk. There are advantages to that; it could be said that they are more connected than ever before, they are seeing different perspectives and content, and many of them are more involved and excited. For some people, it could be dangerous to see extremist things on it.

    Right now, social media companies are responsible for handling mean posts. This also depends on the people who make the rules for the sites and the people who use them.

    The new Online Safety Act makes social media companies responsible for illegal content.

    The biggest question is about what to do with algorithms that are accused of encouraging hate and making harmful language seem normal.

    Jukes says it’s amazing that there’s a mix of terrorism threats, hate crimes online and offline, and interest from state actors in the upcoming year.

    These intense and harmful talks that aren’t breaking any laws could have a big effect on how people talk to each other in public. Not only in this war, but also in the elections happening around the world this year.

  • Novice boxer to become champion for refugees in two years

    Novice boxer to become champion for refugees in two years

    A young refugee has been boxing since coming to the UK two years ago, and now he is a national champion and hopes to have a career in the sport.

    Ahsan Karimi, who is 18 years old and lives in Bristol, is learning at Sweatbox Gym in South Bristol with coach John Conway.

    The teenage boy and his family left Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021 and were given a place to stay near the gym in Redcliffe, Bristol.

    Mr Conway said it’s very uncommon to train for only two years and then win the championships.

    Mr Conway met Ahsan’s dad through a friend and invited the family to join his gym, Sweatbox Gym, which he owns with someone else.

    When Ahsan started boxing at 16, Mr. Conway said the teenager was really good at it right away.

    Over the next two years, Ahsan worked hard and won eight out of nine fights. Then he went to the National Development Championships in Cannock, Staffordshire, in October.

    He said he was “very happy” to win the National Youth Champion at 67kg.

    “I worked really hard, trained a lot, and went through tough times to become the champion today. ”

    “My family was really happy, especially my parents who supported me a lot, and I want to make my family even happier. ”

    Mr Conway said: “The final was really exciting. ” The person in the group who had the most knowledge and skill and was likely to win. Ahsan won against them.

    “He got better every time he fought and ended up winning against people who had more experience than him. ”

    “He goes to the gym three times a week to work out, and he has made many friends there. The atmosphere at the gym is really positive. ”

    Mr Conway said that everyone is very proud of Ahsan because they watched his progress in a short time and were impressed.

    “I’m very glad that we could help him and give him an opportunity, and he made the most of it,” said Mr.

    Ahsan said, “Sweatbox feels like my other home. ” I am thankful to them for giving me this chance and will always be grateful for it. I want to thank my coach John for helping me a lot with my training.

    He said he is excited to keep practicing with his friends and wants to do even better in the future.

    “I want to be the best in the world one day and be a hero to my country. I also hope to teach others to be champions,” he said.

  • Travel insurance alert after £100k bill received by family in UK

    Travel insurance alert after £100k bill received by family in UK

    A family is telling people to be careful with their insurance. They made a mistake on a form and their policy was not valid when their daughter got sick on vacation. They had to pay a £100,000 medical bill.

    Katya Katalinic, who is 18 years old, from Midhurst, West Sussex, had a bleeding in her brain in South Africa in February.

    She remained in Africa after a family trip to Kenya during Christmas.

    Axa, their insurance company, said the policy was not valid because the family gave the wrong information.

    Miss Katalinic said she woke up in the hospital with strangers around her.

    “I couldn’t talk or read anymore, so I felt like a baby when it happened,” she said. “I didn’t know anything. ”

    Marsha Katalinic, her mom, made sure the whole family had insurance for their trip to Kenya in 2022.

    When her parents went back to the UK in the new year, Miss Katalinic chose to continue with a course to learn how to work on a yacht in South Africa.

    Her dad, Roberto Katalinic, got more insurance for her. They tried to use it when she got sick and they rushed to Cape Town.

    Mr Katalinic said he told the hospital manager about the policy.

    “MrKatalinic looked at the screen and told me, ‘You’re not going to like this email,’”

    “Axa told him that they would not pay, so the parents will have to pay for the cost. ”

    Axa said the insurance was not valid because Miss Katalinic’s trip to South Africa began in Kenya, not the UK.

    Mr Katalinic said that he thought the journey had to start in the UK, and that’s where it did start.

    “The journey began here, in Midhurst in the UK. ”

    Miss Katalinic is telling people to be prepared for bad things that could happen to them. She says that even though you may hear about bad things happening to others, you might not think it will happen to you. She wants everyone to make sure they have everything they need to be okay in case something bad happens.

    Axa said in a statement that when you buy the insurance, you need to confirm that everyone on the policy is going to and coming back from the United Kingdom and that your trip has not started yet.

    “On this occasion, the answers given didn’t match Miss Katalinic’s situation and this was only discovered after she made her claim. ” We stopped the policy because we found out it wasn’t valid. We gave Miss Katalinic all her money back.

    According to deputy editor Sam Richardson, consumers are given the information they need, but it’s hard to find and requires a lot of effort to discover.

    It’s worrisome that 25% of claims aren’t paid. It shows that these products could be improved so people understand them better.