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Thousands of Afghans have been brought to Britain in secrecy after a data leak
Thousands of Afghans have been brought to Britain in secrecy after a data leak

Japan Today

time15-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Japan Today

Thousands of Afghans have been brought to Britain in secrecy after a data leak

FILE - Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron delivers a speech to British and US troops during a visit to Camp Bastion, outside Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand province in south Afghanistan, July 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, pool, file) By JILL LAWLESS Thousands of Afghans, including many who worked with British forces, have been secretly resettled in the UK after a leak of data on their identities raised fears that the Taliban could target them, the British government revealed Tuesday. The government said it is closing the program, which a rare court order had barred the media from disclosing. 'To all those whose information was compromised, I offer a sincere apology today,' Defense Secretary John Healey said in the House of Commons. He said he regretted the secrecy and 'have felt deeply concerned about the lack of transparency to Parliament and the public.' Healey told lawmakers that a spreadsheet containing the personal information of nearly 19,000 people who had applied to come to Britain after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was accidentally released in 2022 because of a defense official's email error. The government only became aware of the leak when some of the data was published on Facebook 18 months later. The then-Conservative government sought a court order barring disclosure of the leak, in an attempt to prevent the personal information being made public any further. The High Court issued an order known as a super injunction that barred anyone from revealing its existence. The government then set up a secret program to resettle the Afghans judged to be at greatest threat from the country's Taliban rulers. The injunction was lifted on Tuesday in conjunction with a decision by Britain's current Labour Party government to make the program public. It said an independent review had found little evidence that the leaked data would expose Afghans to a greater risk of retribution from the Taliban. The review said the Taliban had other sources of information on those who had worked with the previous Afghan government and international forces, and in any case was more concerned with current threats to its authority. Some 4,500 Afghans — 900 applicants and approximately 3,600 family members — have been brought to Britain under the program, and about 6,900 people are expected to be relocated by the time it closes, at a total cost of about 850 million pounds ($1.1 billion). Around 36,000 Afghans have been relocated to the UK under other resettlement routes since 2021. Critics say that still leaves thousands of people who helped British troops as interpreters or in other roles at risk of torture, imprisonment or death. Sean Humber, a lawyer at the firm Leigh Day, which has represented many Afghan claimants, said the 'catastrophic' data breach had caused 'anxiety, fear and distress' to those affected. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder of the UK's Afghanistan and Central Asian Association, said 'thousands of Afghans who supported the UK mission — many of whom placed their trust in this country — have had that trust gravely betrayed.' He urged the government to 'offer meaningful compensation, and take urgent steps to protect those still at risk.' British soldiers were sent to Afghanistan as part of an international deployment against al-Qaida and Taliban forces in the wake of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks. At the peak of the operation, there were almost 10,000 UK troops in the country, mostly in Helmand province in the south. Britain ended combat operations in 2014, and its remaining troops left Afghanistan in 2021 as the Taliban swept back to power, two decades after they were ousted. The Taliban's return triggered chaotic scenes as Western nations rushed to evacuate citizens and Afghan employees. Super injunctions are relatively rare, and their use is controversial. Unlike regular court injunctions, super injunctions bar reporting that they were even ordered. The handful of cases in which they have come to light involved celebrities trying to prevent disclosures about their private lives. This is the first known case of a super injunction being granted to the government. Healey said he was not aware of any others. Judge Martin Chamberlain, who ruled that the injunction should be lifted, said Tuesday at the High Court that the gag order had 'given rise to serious free speech concerns." 'The super injunction had the effect of completely shutting down the ordinary mechanisms of accountability, which operate in a democracy," he said. 'This led to what I describe as a 'scrutiny vacuum.'' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Turkey will fine airline passengers who unbuckle before the plane stops
Turkey will fine airline passengers who unbuckle before the plane stops

Toronto Sun

time28-05-2025

  • Toronto Sun

Turkey will fine airline passengers who unbuckle before the plane stops

Published May 28, 2025 • 1 minute read A Turkish Airlines plane takes off from Istanbul Airport near the Black Sea shores, in Istanbul, on April 6, 2019. Photo by Lefteris Pitarakis / AP ANKARA, Turkey — Airline passengers in Turkey who unbuckle their seat belts, access overhead compartments, or occupy the aisle before their plane has fully stopped now face fines under new regulations issued by the country's civil aviation authority. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The updated rules, which aim to enhance safety and ensure a more orderly disembarkation, came into effect earlier this month. They were adopted following passenger complaints and flight inspections indicated a growing number of safety violations during taxiing after landing, according to the Turkish Directorate of Civil Aviation. It is not unusual in Turkey for passengers to stand up or move inside the cabin soon after the plane has landed, often leading to chaotic disembarkation. Under the new regulations, commercial airlines operating flights in Turkey are required to issue a revised version of the standard in-flight announcement to remain seated, warning that violations will be documented and reported, according to a circular issued by the aviation authority. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Passengers are also reminded to wait for those in front of them to exit first instead of rushing forward. The circular does not say how much passengers who disregard the regulations could be fined, but Turkish media reports have said fines of up to $70 will be imposed. 'Despite announcements informing passengers of the rules, many are standing up before the aircraft reaches its parking positions and before the seat belt sign is turned off,' the aviation authority noted. 'This behaviour compromises the safety of passengers and baggage, disregards the satisfaction and exit priority of other travelers,' it said. There have been no immediate reports confirming that the newly introduced fines are being enforced. Turkey is a popular travel destination, drawing millions of tourists every year. Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Toronto Maple Leafs News Canada

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