Latest news with #ForeignOffice
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
BREAKING: Gangs and people linked to people-smuggling named and shamed with new sanctions
Gang leaders and individuals linked to people-smuggling have been named and shamed today in a world's-first sanctions scheme. The government announced on Wednesday that 25 people "at the heart of people-smuggling networks" have been targeted. They include gang leaders based in the Balkans and North Africa , suppliers of people-smuggling equipment in Asia and money movers in the Middle East, the Foreign Office said. The individuals face having their assets seized and will be banned from entering the UK after being sanctioned. It is the first time any government in the world has announced such a scheme, which is similar to the targeting of Russian oligarchs linked to the invasion of Ukraine. Those named carried out a range of jobs facilitating dangerous crossings - from providing fake passports, transporting engine parts and moving cash. Ministers hope the move will help deliver a hammer blow to an industry which has grown to be worth over £10billion a year in the last five years. UK firms who deal with sanctioned individuals will face hefty fines worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'This is a landmark moment in the government's work to tackle organised immigration crime, reduce irregular migration to the UK, and deliver on the Plan for Change. 'From Europe to Asia we are taking the fight to the people-smugglers who enable irregular migration, targeting them wherever they are in the world and making them pay for their actions. "My message to the gangs who callously risk vulnerable lives for profit is this: we know who you are, and we will work with our partners around the world to hold you to account.' It comes days after a landmark treaty was signed with Germany - where gangs have been found to store small boat components - to work together on people smuggling. Announcing the sanctions regime would be put in place earlier this week, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "The new sanctions regime marks a decisive step in our fight against the criminal gangs who profit from human misery. It will allow us to target the assets and operations of people-smugglers wherever they operate, cutting off their funding and dismantling their networks piece by piece." We'll be bringing you the latest updates on this Breaking Politics News story. Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story HERE. Get email updates on the day's biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters. Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following The Mirror every time you see our name.
India Today
4 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
US confirms Pakistan visit, fuels buzz of Trump-Sharif meeting in Washington
A seemingly offhand remark by US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce has ignited buzz over a possible meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US President Donald was responding to a reporter who asked for her thoughts on Trump's past offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue - a proposal he had made while claiming to have prevented war between India and Pakistan. While issuing a response, Bruce confirmed that a Pakistani delegation would be visiting Washington for a bilateral meeting. advertisement"We have Pakistan who is going to be here for a bilat, and I'll be participating in that, so I'm looking forward to that as well," Bruce said, smiling. "Well, I like things that make me smile, and not many questions here make me smile." Her response followed a reference to Trump's remarks in Saudi Arabia, where he claimed he had directed his team to bring India and Pakistan together for talks, adding that he prevented conflict between the the buzz, reports had earlier emerged suggesting that Trump was planning a trip to Pakistan - but those claims were ultimately of Pakistan's top news channels, Geo News and ARY News, withdrew reports they aired earlier which had claimed that the US President would visit Pakistan in News later issued an apology, stating: "Geo News apologises to its viewers for airing the news without a verification." A senior ARY official told Reuters the story was retracted after the Pakistani Foreign Office clarified it had no knowledge of any such in the day, several TV stations had claimed Trump would arrive in Islamabad in September and possibly head to India afterward. The White House stepped in to clear the air, with a US official telling media outlets:"A trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time." A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Islamabad also told Reuters, "We have nothing to announce."Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told "We have no information about this matter."Though there is no official visit planned, US-Pakistan relations have seen an uptick lately. Last month, Trump made headlines by hosting Pakistan's Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House - a first for any US has been nearly two decades since a sitting US President last visited Pakistan. The last visit took place in 2006, when then-President George W Bush landed in Islamabad.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Times
Women and children ‘will suffer most from overseas aid cuts'
Britain's aid cuts will increase the number of children dying unnecessarily, an official government review has concluded as ministers scale back support to some of the world's poorest countries. An impact assessment carried out by the Foreign Office warned that plans to reduce spending on health projects in Africa would increase disease and ultimately deaths, particularly among women and children. Planned cuts to education spending in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo would have a 'negative impact' on 170,000 children in former conflict zones, the report added. Ministers announced plans to cut the aid budget by five per cent this year as the government reduces spending from 0.5 per cent of GDP to 0.3 per cent by 2027. Support for Sudan will fall from £145 million in the last financial year to £120 million this year. Aid to Ethiopia will fall from £314 million to £161 million, and Somalia will lose more than £36 million. Total global spending on health projects will fall from £974 million to £527 million. The budget for humanitarian aid, food security and resilience will also be cut. • Some areas have been protected, however, and their budgets will increase. The BBC World Service 's total budget will rise from £104 million to £137 million. Spending on energy, climate and the environment will rise from £414 million to £656 million. Overall, total government spending on official development assistance will fall from £9.2 billion last year to £8.7 billion this year. These cuts will be much deeper next year: the overseas aid budget falls to £6.8 billion before it is reduced again to £6.1 billion in 2027. Ministers said the cuts meant that Britain would have to support organisations with a 'proven track record of impact'. This is likely to lead to significant cuts to bilateral programmes, where Britain directly supports individual countries. Government sources said they were still working through the implications of next year's cuts, which would result in 'difficult choices'. An impact assessment, published alongside the government's new spending plans, said some programmes would be adversely affected immediately. The cuts will affect aid programmes in Kenya immediately DONWILSON ODHIAMBO/GETTY Among those is the hunger safety net programme in Kenya, which the Foreign Office said would have a negative impact given the 'critical role of social protection for poor, vulnerable and marginalised households and groups'. The budget for the programme to support the ending of preventable deaths will also be cut, which the report said would reduce assistance in 11 countries 'at a time when demand is likely to be high given other funding cuts'. Baroness Chapman, the development minister, said the cuts meant the UK needed to 'modernise our approach to international development'. She said: 'Every pound must work harder for UK taxpayers and the people we help around the world and these figures show how we are starting to do just that through having a clear focus and priorities.' Gideon Rabinowitz, the director of policy at Bond, which represents UK aid organisations, said it was clear that the government was 'deprioritising funding for education, gender and countries experiencing humanitarian crises such as South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia'. He said: 'The world's most marginalised communities, particularly those experiencing conflict and women and girls, will pay the highest price for these political choices.'
Maroc
14 hours ago
- Business
- Maroc
HM King Mohammed VI Has Made Morocco A Leading Nation in Africa
His Majesty King Mohammed VI has led Morocco's democratic and economic development with wisdom, making the Kingdom "a leading country" on the African continent, according to Lord Henry Bellingham, former UK Foreign Office Minister for Africa. "It is fitting to pay tribute to His Majesty King Mohammed VI and his leadership, which has enabled Morocco to achieve remarkable democratic progress and emerge as a leading country across Africa," he stated in an interview with MAP on the occasion of the celebration of the Throne Day. Lord Bellingham highlighted the promising evolution of UK-Morocco relations, bolstered in particular by the close ties between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Majesty King Charles III. "In terms of trade, many opportunities have opened up between the UK and Morocco. This is largely due to the path laid out by HM King Mohammed VI," he added, noting that the two Kingdoms share many common features, including privileged relations with the world's major economies. Numerous sectors are open to strategic high-level partnership between the two nations, Lord Bellingham continued, underscoring the significance of the decision by Rabat and London to strengthen their bilateral ties. He also emphasized the cultural dimension of UK-Morocco relations, which adds further depth to the historic bonds that date back over 800 years. The former minister welcomed the recent decision by the United Kingdom to support the autonomy plan presented by Morocco to definitively resolve the regional conflict surrounding its territorial integrity. Support for the autonomy plan "is both an important and decisive decision," said Lord Bellingham, who also served as Minister of State at the Foreign Office responsible for Asia-Pacific. By viewing the autonomy plan as "the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis" for resolving the Sahara issue, the UK is aligning itself with key allies that support Morocco's territorial integrity, including the United States, France, and Spain, he affirmed. "It is equally important to recall that several African countries have opened consulates in the cities of Laâyoune and Dakhla," Lord Bellingham observed. In his opinion, the opponents of Morocco's territorial integrity must face the facts and recognize the geopolitical shift in favor of the recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara. Lord Bellingham, a member of the UK House of Lords, also praised the Atlantic Initiative launched by His Majesty the King, which aims to offer Sahel countries access to the Atlantic Ocean. This initiative will undoubtedly contribute to peace and stability in the region while paving the way for economic development and improved livelihoods, he said. Morocco launched the initiative, which, according to the British politician, is especially vital at a time when the world is witnessing alarming instability in the Sahel. He added that if any country exemplifies a stable democracy with modern institutions and a highly respected Monarchy, it is Morocco. "Morocco's efforts and initiatives for stability and economic development in the region further strengthen the Kingdom's credibility to lead change in the Sahel and across the region," Lord Bellingham concluded. MAP: 22 July 2025
The Independent
15 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Funding for some aid organisations and countries to be cut, minister says
Funding for underperforming aid organisations and support for some countries will be cut after the UK's aid budget was slashed, the Foreign Office has said. Announcing the plan for aid spending for 2025-2026 on Tuesday, the minister for development said the Government was 'modernising' its approach and that 'every pound must work harder for UK taxpayers'. The Government announced in February it would cut development assistance aid from its current level of 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% in 2027. As part of its new approach, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said in its annual report on Tuesday that it will prioritise global organisations with a proven track record of impact, such as the World Bank and the vaccine alliance Gavi, in efforts to deliver better results for taxpayers and aid beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the FCDO said bilateral support for some countries will decrease and multilateral organisations deemed to be underperforming will face future funding cuts. The FCDO has not yet announced which countries will be affected. Instead, the UK will increasingly share its expertise in areas such as finance and science and on tackling issues such as the climate crisis, health threats and humanitarian emergencies. Through the aid budget, the UK will continue to play a humanitarian role supporting those in crisis, including in Gaza where spending is protected. Support will also continue for Ukraine and Sudan while a reserve fund will be held to enable the UK to respond to future crises at pace. The cut to the aid budget, announced in February, will fund a rise in defence spending which will be increasing to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a view to it hitting 3% in the next parliament. Former minister for international development Anneliese Dodds quit the role over the plan, saying she knew there were no 'easy paths' to increase defence spending, but that she disagreed with the decision for aid to 'absorb the entire burden' in her resignation letter to Sir Keir Starmer. Her successor, Baroness Jenny Chapman, said: 'We are modernising our approach to international development. 'Every pound must work harder for UK taxpayers and the people we help around the world and these figures show how we are starting to do just that through having a clear focus and priorities. 'The UK is moving towards a new relationship with developing countries, becoming partners and investors, rather than acting as a traditional aid donor. 'We want to work with countries and share our expertise – from world-leading science to the City of London – to help them become no longer dependent on aid, and organisations like the World Bank and Gavi are central to how we can work with others to solve some of the biggest challenges of our time: humanitarian disasters, pandemics and the climate crisis.' On Tuesday, the FCDO confirmed that the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's fund for the world's lowest income countries, will receive £1.98 billion in funding from the UK over the next three years, helping the organisation benefit 1.9 billion people. World Bank president Ajay Banga welcomed the announcement and said: 'Every taxpayer pound is multiplied many times over through the Bank's ability to mobilise capital and partner with the private sector. 'These resources help create jobs in developing countries – jobs that build self-reliant economies, reduce the drivers of instability, crime, and migration, and grow the middle class. 'In turn, they create future consumers of UK products and investment opportunities that strengthen the UK economy over the long term.' In June, the Government announced it will give Gavi £1.25 billion between 2026 and 2030 after former prime minister Boris Johnson originally pledged £1.65 billion over five years to the organisation in 2020. The FCDO previously said the money will help Gavi protect up to 500 million children from some of the world's deadliest diseases such as meningitis, cholera and measles.
