Latest news with #ForeignOffice
South Wales Guardian
8 hours ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Mother of jailed British activist admitted to hospital while on hunger strike
Laila Soueif's family said she had been admitted to St Thomas's Hospital in London on Thursday night with dangerously low blood sugar levels, but continues to refuse medical intervention. Ms Soueif has been on hunger strike for 242 days in protest against the imprisonment of her son, Alaa Abd El-Fattah, who has been in jail in Egypt since September 2019. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital on Friday, Ms Soueif's daughter Mona Seif said she feared her mother was on the brink of death and urged the Prime Minister to act immediately. Ms Seif said: 'The bottom line is we are losing her and there is no time. 'Keir Starmer needs to act now, not tomorrow, not Monday, now.' In December 2021, Mr Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison for spreading false news and should have been released last year. UN investigators have declared his imprisonment in breach of international law and earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer promised he would 'do everything I can' to ensure his release. Ms Seif said: 'If he is unable to deliver, if he is unable to bring my brother (home), then he needs to show that Britain is angry, that Britain is not going to let go of its citizen.' In a statement on Friday, Ms Soueif's family said she had received glucagon treatment, which induces the liver to break down stored fat to obtain glucose, but continued to refuse treatment that would provide her with calories. She has lost 42% of her bodyweight, now weighing 49kg, and has not eaten food since September 29 2024. She was previously admitted to hospital in February, with doctors warning she was at 'high risk of sudden death', and in early March agreed to move to a partial hunger strike following a call between Sir Keir and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. But she resumed her full hunger strike on May 20, saying: 'Nothing has changed, nothing is happening.' Mr Abd El-Fattah has been on his own hunger strike for 90 days following his mother's admission to hospital in February. The Prime Minister raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian president again in a call last week, and Middle East minister Hamish Falconer discussed his release with Egypt's foreign minister Badr Abdelatty on Sunday. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: 'We are concerned to hear of Laila's hospitalisation. We remain in regular contact with Laila and her family and have checked on her welfare. 'We are committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release and continue to press for this at the highest levels of the Egyptian government.'
Business Recorder
19 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan finally appoints ambassador to Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: In a major surprising move amid lingering tense ties between the two neighbours, Government of Pakistan has decided to upgrade the level of its chargé d'affaires in Kabul to the level of ambassador. The important decision has been announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, after having broad-based consultations with the prime minister and other relevant stakeholders. Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are on a positive trajectory after my very productive visit to Kabul with Pakistan delegation on 19th April 2025, he remarked. 'To maintain this momentum, I am pleased to announce the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its Chargé d'Affaires in Kabul to the level of Ambassador. I am confident this step would further contribute towards enhanced engagement, deepen Pak-Afghan cooperation in economic, security, CT and trade areas and promote further exchanges between two fraternal countries,' the Foreign Office statement quoting DPM as saying on Friday. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Everything We Know About The Chagos Islands Deal Between The UK And Mauritius
The United Kingdom has finalized a historic £3.4 billion agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The deal allows the UK to secure a 99-year lease and maintain control of the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base. The BBC reports that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the deal on May 22, 2025. This ends decades of international legal disputes over the remote Indian Ocean archipelago. The controversial agreement will cost British taxpayers approximately £101 million annually. However, it ensures continued access to the joint US-UK military installation that Starmer describes as 'right at the foundation of our safety and security at home.' Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam hailed the arrangement as completing 'the total process of decolonization.' At the same time, critics, including some displaced Chagossians, express concerns about their right to return to their ancestral lands. The agreement comes after years of mounting international pressure on Britain to relinquish control of the territory it separated from Mauritius in 1965, before Mauritian independence. The Chagos Islands are about 1,250 miles northeast of Mauritius and nearly 6,000 miles from the UK. The islands became a focal point of controversy when Britain forcibly removed approximately 2,000 islanders between the late 1960s and early 1970s. This deportation occurred to accommodate the construction of a US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago. A leaked Foreign Office memo infamously referred to the Chagossians as 'a few Tarzans and Man Fridays,' highlighting the colonial attitudes that facilitated their displacement. Under the new agreement, the UK will pay Mauritius an average of £101 million annually for 99 years to lease Diego Garcia. The payment structure includes £165 million for each of the first three years. This is followed by £120 million annually for years four through thirteen, with subsequent payments indexed to inflation. The deal also establishes a £40 million trust fund to support Chagossian communities. The agreement creates a 24-mile exclusion zone around Diego Garcia where nothing can be built without UK consent. Foreign military and civilian forces are banned from other islands in the archipelago. There are also provisions to prevent Chinese influence in the region. Furthermore, the UK retains veto power over access to the islands. Starmer confirmed that all 'Five Eyes' security alliance partners, the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, support the agreement. Meanwhile, Russia, China, and Iran oppose post Everything We Know About The Chagos Islands Deal Between The UK And Mauritius appeared first on Travel Noire.
Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Son of Brit couple Craig & Lindsay Foreman detained in Iran for 150 days on spying charges reveals shock at arrests
THE young son of a British couple imprisoned in Iran on spying charges has revealed how devastated he was after hearing of his parents' arrest. Husband and wife Craig and Lindsay Foreman have spent almost 150 days in jail since being detained during a round-the-world motorbike trip. 8 Craig and Lindsay Foreman have spent almost 150 days in an Iranian jail since being arrested on spy charges Credit: Rex 8 Ever since their incarceration, the pair have hardly spoken to their loved ones and mainly had contact with the Foreign Office Credit: Rex 8 The British couple had been on a round-the-world motorcycle trip Credit: Facebook/PPK2K RTW Motorcycle Mission The Brits entered Iran despite being warned by the Foreign Office and their family to avoid passing through the notoriously strict state. The couple, both in their 50s, were held back in January on unspecified espionage charges. The Iranian government continues to claim they were 'posing as tourists' to gather intelligence against the Middle East nation. Ever since their incarceration, the pair have hardly spoken to their loved ones and mainly had contact with the Foreign Office. Now the teenage son of Craig, a carpenter, and wife Dr Lindsay, a life coach, has revealed how hard the past few months have been on the family. Anxious Toby said Foreign Office officials visited his mum on Tuesday and handed her a letter from her closest loved ones back home. He told the Mirror: 'There was a visit yesterday day. Someone from the Foreign Office, checking if she's okay. "We have been able to pass on a message to the Foreign Office, everyone wrote a letter to give them to them, but we don't know what they received. 'We just don't want to make things worse. We're waiting to see if anything big happens over the next few months.' The 19-year-old university student described hearing about his parent's arrest as a "real shock". My dad has been sentenced to death in Iran on trumped-up charges and faces imminent execution - we must save him He said: 'Everyone in the family is dealing with it in different ways. I had never heard about English people being detained out there. 'I thought there was more of a security concern with them taking relatively expensive bikes out there. 'We were not expecting for them to get detained." Toby is holding on to hope that due to his mum's long career in psychiatry she will be able to cope with her prison stretch as best as possible and help Craig too. At the time of Craig and Linday's arrest a spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary said: "These individuals were cooperating with covert institutions linked to the intelligence services of hostile Western countries under the guise of investigative and research activities. "According to the observations of intelligence and security institutions, the connection of these individuals with several institutions affiliated with intelligence services has been confirmed, and additional investigations are ongoing in this regard." The judiciary spokesperson also said the pair "were monitored with the cooperation of security agencies and arrested". The pair first travelled into Iran from Armenia on December 30, and reportedly planned to leave by January 4, as they headed for Australia. 8 The pair shared pictures of them in Iran before their arrest Credit: Facebook/PPK2K RTW Motorcycle Mission 8 Brit couple Craig & Lindsay Foreman (whose faces were blurred) meeting British ambassador Hugo Shorter Credit: X/Iran Nuances 8 The couple were warned not to travel to Iran by their family and friends Credit: Rex While in Iran they visited Tabriz, the capital Tehran, and Isfahan before staying in Kerman. It was here where they were picked up by police and arrested. At the time, the Foreign Office said the couples arrest had "caused significant concern". The couple, who had previously been featured on Channel 4's A New Life in the Sun, had ignored pleas from friends, family and the Foreign Office (FCDO) not to enter Iran. FCDO guidance explicitly warns against all travel to the country, cautioning that British citizens could be arrested simply for their nationality. Brits 'face torture and years in hellhole jail' on 'fabricated' espionage charges CRAIG and Lindsay Foreman could be left to languish in a hellhole jail for years, sources fear. Insiders believe Iran's merciless leaders have made a "fabricated case" to use Craig and Lindsay as pawns in their sick game to get Western countries to give in to their demands. United Against Nuclear Iran's (UANI) policy director Jason Brodsky told The Sun while they are unlikely to face execution, they could be jailed for years and face torture. He said: "Iran uses hostage diplomacy as a means to extract concessions from Europe and the United States. "Hostages have languished for years behind bars in Iran. "The Iranian regime has executed dual-nationals previously, or those with Iranian citizenship in addition to American or European nationality. "Since the Foremans do not have dual-nationality, an execution is unlikely but the danger of harm remains. "The Iranian regime employs both psychological and physical torture methods depending on the situation." Insiders and campaigners say it is likely the couple were arrested simply for being British. It is feared they have been taken "hostage" to put pressure on the UK. Hossein Abedini of the National Council of Resistance told The Sun: "All of these actions are aimed at gaining leverage from the country to which the hostages belong therefore, any verdicts could arise. "This is a repetitive process that has occurred many times, but due to the concessions made by the West, the regime assesses this as a profitable business." Despite this, the pair acknowledged the extreme risk in a social media post on December 30. It read: 'Despite the advice of friends, family, and the FCDO (which strongly advises against travel to Iran for British nationals), we've chosen to keep moving forward. 'Why? Because we believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life. Yes, we're aware of the risks. 'We also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear.' The UK government has been urged to act quickly to try and free the pair. Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was imprisoned in Iran for six years, urged officials to move faster than they did in her case. He said: 'My heart goes out to them, and I hope they are not in for a long ordeal, and that the government is able to respond more promptly than it did in our case." 8 The couple previously featured in Channel 4's A New Life In The Sun show Credit: Channel 4
The Irish Sun
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Son of Brit couple Craig & Lindsay Foreman detained in Iran for 150 days on spying charges reveals shock at arrests
THE young son of a British couple imprisoned in Iran on spying charges has revealed how devastated he was after hearing of his parents' arrest. Husband and wife Advertisement 8 Craig and Lindsay Foreman have spent almost 150 days in an Iranian jail since being arrested on spy charges Credit: Rex 8 Ever since their incarceration, the pair have hardly spoken to their loved ones and mainly had contact with the Foreign Office Credit: Rex 8 The British couple had been on a round-the-world motorcycle trip Credit: Facebook/PPK2K RTW Motorcycle Mission The Brits entered Iran despite being warned by the Foreign Office and their family to avoid passing through the notoriously strict state. The couple, both in their 50s, were held back in January on The Iranian government continues to claim they were 'posing as tourists' to gather intelligence against the Middle East nation. Ever since their incarceration, the pair have hardly spoken to their loved ones and mainly had contact with the Foreign Office. Advertisement read more in Brits in Iran Now the teenage son of Craig, a carpenter, and wife Dr Lindsay, a life coach, has revealed how hard the past few months have been on the family. Anxious Toby said Foreign Office officials visited his mum on Tuesday and handed her a letter from her closest loved ones back home. He told the "We have been able to pass on a message to the Foreign Office, everyone wrote a letter to give them to them, but we don't know what they received. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking 'We just don't want to make things worse. We're waiting to see if anything big happens over the next few months.' The 19-year-old university student described hearing about his parent's arrest as a "real shock". My dad has been sentenced to death in Iran on trumped-up charges and faces imminent execution - we must save him He said: 'Everyone in the family is dealing with it in different ways. I had never heard about English people being detained out there. 'I thought there was more of a security concern with them taking relatively expensive bikes out there. Advertisement 'We were not expecting for them to get detained." Toby is holding on to hope that due to his mum's long career in psychiatry she will be able to cope with her prison stretch as best as possible and help Craig too. At the time of Craig and Linday's arrest a spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary said: "These individuals were cooperating with covert institutions linked to the intelligence services of hostile Western countries under the guise of investigative and research activities. "According to the observations of intelligence and security institutions, the connection of these individuals with several institutions affiliated with intelligence services has been confirmed, and additional investigations are ongoing in this regard." Advertisement The judiciary spokesperson also said the pair "were monitored with the cooperation of security agencies and arrested". The pair first travelled into Iran from Armenia on December 30, and reportedly planned to leave by January 4, as they headed for Australia. 8 The pair shared pictures of them in Iran before their arrest Credit: Facebook/PPK2K RTW Motorcycle Mission 8 Brit couple Craig & Lindsay Foreman (whose faces were blurred) meeting British ambassador Hugo Shorter Credit: X/Iran Nuances Advertisement 8 The couple were warned not to travel to Iran by their family and friends Credit: Rex While in Iran they visited Tabriz, the capital Tehran, and Isfahan before staying in Kerman. It was here where they were picked up by police and arrested. At the time, the Foreign Office said the couples arrest had "caused significant concern". Advertisement The couple, who had previously been featured on Channel 4's A New Life in the Sun, had ignored pleas from friends, family and the Foreign Office (FCDO) not to enter Iran. FCDO guidance explicitly warns against all travel to the country, cautioning that British citizens could be arrested simply for their nationality. Brits 'face torture and years in hellhole jail' on 'fabricated' espionage charges CRAIG and Lindsay Foreman could be left to languish in a hellhole jail for years, sources fear. Insiders believe Iran's merciless leaders have made a "fabricated case" to use Craig and Lindsay as pawns in their sick game to get Western countries to give in to their demands. United Against Nuclear Iran's (UANI) policy director Jason Brodsky told The Sun while they are unlikely to face execution, they could be He said: "Iran uses hostage diplomacy as a means to extract concessions from Europe and the United States. "Hostages have languished for years behind bars in Iran. "The Iranian regime has executed dual-nationals previously, or those with Iranian citizenship in addition to American or European nationality. "Since the Foremans do not have dual-nationality, an execution is unlikely but the danger of harm remains. "The Iranian regime employs both psychological and physical torture methods depending on the situation." Insiders and campaigners say it is likely the couple were arrested simply for being British. It is feared they have been taken "hostage" to put pressure on the UK. Hossein Abedini of the National Council of Resistance told The Sun: "All of these actions are aimed at gaining leverage from the country to which the hostages belong therefore, any verdicts could arise. "This is a repetitive process that has occurred many times, but due to the concessions made by the West, the regime assesses this as a profitable business." Despite this, the pair acknowledged the extreme risk in a social media post on December 30. It read: 'Despite the advice of friends, family, and the FCDO (which strongly advises against travel to Iran for British nationals), we've chosen to keep moving forward. Advertisement 'Why? Because we believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life. Yes, we're aware of the risks. 'We also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear.' The UK government has been urged to act quickly to try and free the pair. Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife Advertisement He said: 'My heart goes out to them, and I hope they are not in for a long ordeal, and that the government is able to respond more promptly than it did in our case." 8 The couple previously featured in Channel 4's A New Life In The Sun show Credit: Channel 4 8 The couple were also accused of using research as a 'guise' to enter Iran Credit: Rex
