The Houthis shatter European pretensions to naval power
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Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Telegraph
‘Iranian' refugee can stay in Britain – by claiming he's now Afghan
An asylum seeker who claimed to be Iranian has won a reprieve to stay in the UK after maintaining he is now Afghan and in fear of the Taliban. The man, granted anonymity by immigration judges, had his asylum claim rejected 10 years ago after failing to establish that he had a 'well-founded fear of persecution' if returned to Iran. He was not, however, removed from the UK and lodged an appeal, ahead of which he claimed to have lived in Afghanistan until he was 17 before travelling to Iran. He claimed that he had not raised it previously and instead falsely asserted to be Iranian out of fear of being returned to Afghanistan, legal documents disclose. The Home Office argued his credibility was 'significantly undermined' by his claim previously to be Iranian but judges ordered his case should be reheard because he was not present when his appeal was rejected. His lawyers claimed his non-attendance was due to an administrative oversight. The appeal is the latest case revealed in court papers, seen by The Telegraph, where illegal migrants or foreign criminals have been allowed to remain in the UK. It follows the revelation that thousands of Afghans have moved to the UK under a secret scheme which was set up after a British official inadvertently leaked their data. The existence of the leak and relocations was kept secret after the Government obtained a super-injunction stopping it from becoming public. The asylum seeker arrived in the UK in August 2012 and claimed asylum the following month. An appeal by a first-tier immigration tribunal was rejected on the basis that he was found to 'lack credibility and to have failed to establish a well-founded fear of persecution in Iran.' He remained in the UK and in July 2021 appealed, claiming he feared persecution upon return to Iran on account of his Baluch ethnicity, his Sunni Muslim faith, and the fact that he had left Iran illegally. The man claimed his brother's smuggling activities would also place him at risk if returned and that his poor mental health would prevent him from reintegrating in Iran, in breach of his article three rights to protection from persecution under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Then, in a witness statement submitted in advance of his appeal hearing, he provided an alternative basis for claiming asylum – that he was a national of Afghanistan, where he lived until the age of 17. He claimed he left Afghanistan because of the problems his family faced with the Taliban. He further indicated that his father, brother, and sister remain residents in Afghanistan. 'He stated that, upon claiming asylum in the UK, he falsely asserted Iranian nationality out of fear of being returned to Afghanistan. He now claims that, if returned to Afghanistan, he would face ill-treatment at the hands of the Taliban,' the court was told. 'He also maintains that his mental health issues would constitute very significant obstacles to his reintegration in Afghanistan and that his removal would therefore amount to a breach of Article 8 [rights to a family life] under the ECHR.' 'His credibility was central' The Home Office maintained that, given he had previously advanced a claim based on Iranian nationality, his credibility was now 'significantly undermined'. Officials also said there was 'no substantive evidence' to establish his Afghan nationality, except for a biometric identity card allegedly belonging to his cousin, 'for which no supporting evidence of a familial relationship was provided'. But after he failed to turn up for the hearing, an upper immigration tribunal judge ruled that his case should be reheard by a first-tier tribunal. This was because his 'credibility was central to the determination of the claim, thereby rendering his oral evidence of critical importance', the court ruled. 'Furthermore, there was evidence before the Tribunal of the [asylum seeker's] documented mental health difficulties, which required careful consideration in the context of procedural fairness. 'The Judge's reasoning fails to reflect adequate engagement with these issues, or with the question of whether the appeal could be fairly and justly determined in the [asylum seeker's] absence.'
NBC News
4 hours ago
- NBC News
Congo and rebels have committed to ending war in the east. Here's what to know.
DAKAR, Senegal — Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels have signed a declaration of principles for a permanent ceasefire in eastern Congo, where ethnic tensions and quest for rich minerals have resulted in one of Africa's longest conflicts with thousands killed this year. The African Union called Saturday's signing, facilitated by Qatar, a "major milestone" in peace efforts. Qatari authorities said it paves the way for "a comprehensive peace that addresses the deep-rooted causes of the conflict." But the ink has barely dried on the document signed in Qatar before both sides appeared to contradict each other in interpreting a major highlight of the declaration. Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said the declaration takes into account "the non-negotiable withdrawal" of the rebels from seized territories, including the biggest city of Goma. The M23 rebels denied this, with a spokesman telling The Associated Press: "We are in Goma with the population and we are not going to get out." The declaration is supposed to lead to a final peace deal The declaration of principles was the first direct commitment by both sides since the rebels, supported by neighboring Rwanda, seized two key cities in eastern Congo in a major advance early this year. In it, both parties committed to "building trust" through various measures, including an exchange of prisoners and detainees as well as restoring state authority in all parts of the country, including rebel-held areas. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has been mentioned as a key party in facilitating such release, said after the signing that it "stands ready to help." The signing sets in motion negotiations for a final peace deal, to be signed no later than Aug. 18. It also reflects provisions of a U.S.-brokered peace deal signed between Congo and Rwanda on June 27. Both the U.S.-facilitated and Qatar-led peace talks are aligned, and the Congolese and Rwandan presidents are soon expected in Washington to finalize negotiations for ending the conflict. The conflict dates back to the Rwandan genocide The conflict can be traced to the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, when Hutu soldiers and militias killed between 500,000 and 1 million minority Tutsis as well as moderate Hutus and the Indigenous Twa. When Tutsi-led rebels stopped the genocide and ousted the Hutu government, nearly 2 million Hutus fled into neighboring Congo, fearing reprisals. Rwandan authorities accused the authorities in Kinshasa of sheltering those responsible for the mass killings among the civilian refugees, most of whom had returned when Rwanda first invaded Congo in 1996. But Kigali said the remaining Hutu fighters in eastern Congo are still a threat to Rwanda's Tutsi population, and wants them neutralized. At least 6 million people have been killed in the conflict since then, mostly characterized by on-and-off fighting but also famines and unchecked disease outbreaks. Minerals hold key to the conflict Analysts have said a lot of interests in the conflict in Congo are tied to the mostly untapped minerals in the east, estimated to be worth as much as $24 trillion by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Trump administration has pushed to gain access to the minerals key to much of the world's technology. It is also to counter China, a key player in the region where the U.S. presence and influence have eroded. That is already playing out with KoBold Metals, a U.S. mining company that on Friday announced it has signed an agreement with Congo for "large-scale minerals exploration program" in the east. Rwanda's interests are also tied to the conflict minerals, although it often says its involvement is to protect its territory and punish those connected to the 1994 genocide. A team of U.N. experts said in a report in December that Rwanda was benefitting from minerals "fraudulently" exported from areas under the control of the M23. Rwanda has denied it. Although the M23 has touted itself as a group independent of Rwanda and capable of governing territories under its control, it still relies heavily on Kigali. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan troops in eastern Congo. Justice remains a major issue The U.N. and rights groups have accused both sides of committing atrocities and possible war crimes since fighting escalated in January. It includes children being killed in summary executions, the rape and sexual abuse of thousands of children, attacks on hospitals, forced recruitments and disappearance of residents in rebel-held areas.
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
At least 73 Palestinians killed whilst accessing aid in Gaza
It was one of the deadliest days in over 21 months of Israel's genocide in Gaza, as civilians were targeted whilst trying to access food and medical relief. Reports from AP say the highest death toll came in northern Gaza, where 67 people were killed near the Zikim crossing with Israel as aid trucks had just arrived. READ MORE: 'Israel killed my brother. My boycott app in his memory now has 11 million users' According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), 25 trucks carrying supplies for 'starving communities' entered the area but were met by large crowds that came under gunfire. The WFP condemned the violence as 'completely unacceptable.' Eyewitnesses accused the Israeli military of opening fire on the crowds. Ehab Al-Zei, who had been waiting for flour, told AP: 'Suddenly, tanks surrounded us and trapped us as gunshots and strikes rained down. We were trapped for around two hours.' 'I will never go back again,' he added. 'Let us die of hunger, it's better.' Another survivor, Nafiz Al-Najjar, said tanks and drones targeted civilians 'randomly,' and that he witnessed his cousin and others being shot dead. Israel's military claimed the crowd posed a threat and acknowledged some casualties, but dismissed the numbers reported by Palestinian officials as exaggerated. Medical teams said more than 150 people were injured, many of them in critical condition. READ MORE: 'Beyond shameful': Harvie urges SNP to explain secret talks with Israeli diplomat Elsewhere, seven Palestinians were killed while sheltering in tents in Khan Younis, including a five-year-old boy, according to the Kuwait Specialised Field Hospital. The killings in northern Gaza did not take place near aid points operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – a US- and Israel-backed project. However, health workers and witnesses say hundreds have been killed trying to access aid from that same network. On the same day, Israel issued new evacuation orders in central Gaza, cutting off access between Deir al-Balah and the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. The United Nations is seeking clarification on whether its facilities in the area are included in the order. An unnamed UN official noted that in past cases, UN facilities had been spared, but the scale of the current evacuation zone – which stretches to the Mediterranean coast – will severely limit humanitarian access. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged people to flee to the Muwasi area – a desolate tent camp with no basic infrastructure, now overcrowded with displaced families. The announcement came as ceasefire talks in Qatar failed to produce progress. READ MORE: When 'critical friends' fall out: Angus Robertson's Israel meeting details revealed Pope Leo has since renewed calls for an end to the violence. At the end of his Sunday Angelus prayer from a summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, he said: 'I once again call for an immediate end to the barbarity of this war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.' He also expressed his 'deep sorrow' for the Israeli attack on the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, which killed three people and wounded 10 others, including the parish priest. 'I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations,' the Pope added. Earlier this month, the Israeli military claimed it had taken control of more than 65% of Gaza. More than 58,800 Palestinians have been killed since the genocide began. Gaza's 2.3 million residents are now facing full-scale famine, displacement, and relentless bombardment, with aid barely trickling in
