UK threatens jail for people smugglers who advertise on social media
LONDON (Reuters) -People smugglers who use social media to promote their services to migrants seeking to enter Britain illegally could face five years in prison under plans announced by the government.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government is under huge political and public pressure to cut the number of migrants arriving illegally in small boats from France. More than 25,000 people have made the crossing so far this year.
Analysis by the Interior Ministry showed around 80% of migrants arriving on small boats had used social media during their journey to find or communicate with people smugglers.
Under a new offence, which will be added to legislation already passing through parliament, individuals who post online to advertise services that facilitate a breach of immigration laws will face fines and prison sentences of up to five years.
It is already an offence to facilitate illegal immigration to Britain, but the government said its latest plan would give law enforcement agencies another option to disrupt the criminal gangs that profit from organising the crossings.
Last month, the government launched a new sanctions regime allowing it to freeze assets, impose travel bans and block access to the country's financial system for individuals and entities involved in enabling irregular migration.
(Reporting by William James; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
22 minutes ago
- The Sun
Canada airdrops aid to Gaza, accuses Israel of breaking international law
CANADA said on Monday it delivered humanitarian assistance through airdrops to Gaza, which has been under a devastating Israeli military assault for almost 22 months, with Ottawa again accusing Israel of violating international law. 'The (Canadian Armed Forces) employed a CC-130J Hercules aircraft to conduct an airdrop of critical humanitarian aid in support of Global Affairs Canada into the Gaza Strip. The air drop consisted of 21,600 pounds of aid,' the Canadian government said in a statement. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that it was Canadian Armed Forces' first humanitarian airdrop over Gaza using their own aircraft. The Israeli military said 120 food aid packages for Gaza's residents were airdropped by six countries, including Canada. The other five were Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Germany and Belgium. Canada said last week it plans to recognize the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September, ratcheting up pressure on Israel as starvation spreads in Gaza. Canada also said on Monday that Israeli restrictions have posed challenges for humanitarian agencies. 'This obstruction of aid is a violation of international humanitarian law and must end immediately,' Canada's government said. The Israeli embassy in Ottawa had no immediate comment. Israel denies accusations of violating international law and blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza. Israel cut off food supplies to Gaza in March and then lifted that blockade in May - but with restrictions that it said were needed to prevent aid from being diverted to militant groups. President Donald Trump also claimed Hamas militants were stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it. However, Reuters reported late last month that an internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies. Israel says it is taking steps for more aid to reach Gaza's population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, allowing airdrops and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's subsequent military assault has killed over 60,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations. - Reuters
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Rupert Murdoch's new tabloid to bring New York Post attitude to California
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -"Headless body in topless bar"-type headlines made famous by the iconic New York Post tabloid could soon greet Californians as Rupert Murdoch's News Corp prepares to expand to the West Coast with its biggest U.S. daily newspaper launch in nearly 15 years. The California Post, to be headquartered in Los Angeles and set to launch in early 2026, said Sean Giancola, CEO and publisher of the New York Post Media Group, which will include the new publication. California news industryexperts say the tabloid would seek to capitalize on the struggles of the incumbent Los Angeles Times, which has shed subscribers and staff. The California Post will offer a familiar mix of what it calls "common-sense journalism," celebrity and entertainment news and sports reporting across multiple platforms, including mobile and desktop, audio, social media and print," Giancola said in an interview. "We already reach 3 million people in the L.A.(market) and over 7 million in California, so there is a base of audience there that already engages in our brand," Giancola said in an interview. Murdoch, the company's chairman emeritus, recognized California as a market opportunity and gave the venture his blessing, said one source with knowledge of the matter. "You don't launch a newspaper without getting feedback from one of the best guys in the business," the source added. The last daily newspaper launched in the U.S. by News Corp, owner of the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal, was the Daily, a digital newspaper for Apple's then-new iPad tablet, in 2011. It folded the following year. A Los Angeles Times spokesperson did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the California Post. POPULIST APPROACH California news industry veteran Jonathan Weber said the state's newspapers adhereto a mainstream approach to journalism, which could present an opportunity for a different kind of voice that reflects this moment in the country's evolution. "Maybe there is room for a sort of pugilistic, more right-wing, kind of sensationalist sort of approach," said Weber, a former Reuters editor and serial entrepreneur who founded the San Francisco Standard and the tech business-focused Industry Standard. "There might be an opening for that." But he said the California Post also faces challenges. The New York Post is popular with readers who buy the tabloid at a newsstandbefore jumping on the subway, whereas Californians tend to drive to work, Weber said. Giancola said the New York Post Media Group has a much broader reach online than through its print edition, via a trio of digital brands including celebrity-focused Page Six, an entertainment -and pop-culture guide, the Decider and its main website. These sites attracted a combined 90 million monthly unique visitors in June, the company said. The Post achieved profitability in 2022 by monetizing these audiences, and running a "lean" news operation, Giancola also has expanded into new formats, including podcasts, video and e-commerce. "L.A. and California - like a lot of geographical areas in the country - are news deserts," said Giancola. "We think we can come into L.A. with the same formula and really cover California in a bespoke way." Ken Doctor, the California-based CEO of Lookout Local, a community journalism organization, said the New York Post could simply rebrand the tabloid for California and boost its readership and advertising. It could also fill a void for a niche set of readers in a state that is dominated by left-wing politicians but where 38% voted for President Donald Trump in the last election. "There is a place for a culturally conservative publication, and one that is populist and fits the populist times," said Doctor. Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong has said he plans to bring in more conservative voices as he seeks "balance" to correct what he perceives as a left-leaning bias ahead of an initial public offering of the publication within the next year. The loss-making 143-year-old newspaper laid off more than 20% of its newsroom staff in January 2024. (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles and Juby Babu in Mexico; Editing by Ken Li and Jamie Freed)
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Netherlands first to fund US arms for Ukraine via NATO channel
AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS: The Netherlands said on Monday it will contribute 500 million euros ($578 million) to purchase U.S. military equipment for Ukraine, becoming the first NATO country to contribute to a new mechanism to supply Kyiv with American weapons. President Donald Trump said last month the U.S. would provide weapons to Ukraine, paid for by European allies, but he did not provide details on how this would work. 'As the first NATO ally, the Netherlands will deliver a €500 million package of US weapon systems (including Patriot parts and missiles),' Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said in a post on X. NATO chief Mark Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, welcomed the announcement and said he has encouraged other alliance members to participate in the new mechanism, called the NATO Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative. 'This is about getting Ukraine the equipment it urgently needs now to defend itself against Russian aggression,' Rutte said in a statement. 'I have written to all NATO Allies, urging them to contribute towards this burden sharing initiative, and I expect further significant announcements from other Allies soon,' he added. The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, told Reuters on Monday that he expected many more countries to announce over the coming weeks that they will participate. 'We're moving as fast as possible,' Whitaker said in an interview at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Asked about a timeline for getting U.S. deliveries to Ukraine under the new mechanism, he said, 'I think we'll see it moving very quickly, certainly in the coming weeks, but some even sooner than that. 'The Dutch are just the first of many. You're going to see a series of announcements in the coming weeks,' he added. NATO said it would coordinate the new initiative, which is funded by European members of the alliance and Canada and will be divided into packages worth approximately $500 million. In a statement, the alliance said, 'Working closely with Ukraine and the United States, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich will validate packages that correspond to Ukraine's needs, such as air defence, ammunition and other critical equipment for rapid delivery from U.S. stockpiles'. Kyiv welcomed the Dutch decision. 'Ukraine, and thus the whole of Europe, will be better protected from Russian terror,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on X. 'I am sincerely grateful to the Netherlands for their substantial contribution to strengthening Ukraine's air shield,' he added. ($1 = 0.8649 euros) - Reuters
