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Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Mick Clifford: Liam Farrell's family united in grief and suspicion
Liam Farrell was full of life, belying his 87 years. He was in good health, a daily communicant, keeping active. He lived in the townland of Aughamore, outside the village of Rooskey, Co Roscommon. He'd been in the same house since 1947. His death in the early hours of Janaury 12, 2020, left his family shocked, but also highly suspicious. The circumstances of his last hours have haunted them since and they are still looking for answers. Liam had lived alone since his wife died in 2002. Two of his adult children lived within 10 miles or so of the family home. Another son lived in Donegal and two other sons were exiled in the US. The family remains close and, since Liam's death, united in grief and suspicion. On the evening of Saturday, January 11, he walked the 400m from his home into the village AT around 9.30pm. This was his routine, a chance for some socialising more than actually drinking. He went first to Peter Reynolds pub. Once inside the door he spotted Ann Vaughan whom he'd known for 30 years. Ann's sister had recently died and Liam went over and sympathised as he had only heard of the bereavement the previous day. Then he sat at the bar and slowly nursed a pint. Ann noticed somebody she described as a stranger sit in beside him. 'I had never seen him in a pub before,' Anne later said in a deposition. This stranger was wearing a dark suit and a black hat. She said she didn't like the look of this man, who was about 60, she reckoned. She didn't hear the conversation between the pair of them so she couldn't say where he was from. 'He had whitish hair and was plain-shaven. Himself and Liam was having a good conversation at the bar and I commented to my daughter that Liam must know this man. "The stranger was drinking a bottle of Coke. I watched as Liam ordered the second pint of Guinness. Liam drank down his pint and he said to the man he was going.' As he left, Liam turned to Ann and her daughter and said, 'I'll see ye, folks'. He was en route across the road to the village's other pub, the Weir Lodge. Ten or 15 minutes later, the stranger left. Ann was 'a bit unsure about the look of him'. A minute later she followed him out of the pub but there was no sign of him. 'He didn't cross the bridge [the Shannon flows through Rooskey] nor head up towards Liam's house because I would have seen him walking if he did. I don't know, nor can I be sure, where this guy went. "I came back into the pub and a few minutes later I went out again and I went up as far as the Weir Lodge to see if Liam Farrell went in there. I opened the door and just looked in and I saw Liam Farrell was sitting at the counter but he looked fine. I'm not sure who he was sitting with. There was a few at the bar around him. With that, she went back to Reynolds, any concern she had washed away. 'That was the last time I saw Liam alive,' she said. Liam Farrell's family considers the interaction with the stranger and what Ann Vaughan witnessed as highly relevant to what would happen their father. There is no other supporting evidence to provide further ballast to this theory. Liam had a dog at home, Marley, who was usually kept outside the house. At around 11pm that night, while Liam was still in the Weir Lodge, a neighbour who lives across the road heard a dog barking. Michael McLoughlin was watching the movie My Left Foot on TV. From his house he has a good view of the Farrell home. 'I heard a dog barking from Liam's residence,' he said in a deposition. 'At this point I took a look out my window at the Farrells' house.' He saw the front window lights were on which, he believed, was unusual. 'I didn't see anyone or anything at Liam Farrell's house at that point,' he said. Liam Farrell was a hard-working, humble man who had great faith. Liam left the Weir Lodge around midnight. He walked back home, a straight run at the side of the road, no big deal to a man like him. He arrived home, but what exactly happened thereafter has not been fully established. At 3.30pm the following afternoon, Liam's daughter Ann Carroll drove over from her home in Longford to check on him. They had been speaking on the phone the previous day but couldn't get a response on the Sunday. Entering the driveway, she noticed that the light in the front porch was on, which was unusual. Marley approached her when she pulled up at the gable end of the house. She got out of the Ford Mondeo and took with her a packet of sweets, a little something to satisfy her father's sweet tooth. She walked around to the rear of house. Habitually, everybody used the back door, including her father. When she turned the corner she saw her father lying on the ground. He was barefoot, his shoes and socks scattered nearby. There was a lot of blood on her father's shirt. His left eye was black from bruising. He was lying on his back, his head underneath the kitchen window. There were two coats near him, his red tie was also nearby, still knotted. Ann noticed the mop bucket near her father, the water in it turned red with blood. The mop was lying against the back wall. Then she saw her father's watch on the ground, part of it damaged. She got down now beside her father. 'Daddy, what happened you?' Ann said. 'Did you fall? Can you hear me? Wake up.' She touched her father's chest and his face and both felt cold. She rang her brother Brendan, told him what she'd found. He said he'd ring for an ambulance. 'I did not feel happy with the situation,' she would later say. 'I rang 999 and I asked for the guards.' At around 3.45pm, gardaí Brian O'Connor and Brendan Cafferky arrived at the scene from Carrick-On-Shannon station. By then, Brendan's wife Bernadette was there and her husband on his way. 'I made my way to the rear of the house where I viewed several items of clothing on the ground,' Garda O'Connor said. 'I viewed there was a pair of shoes, socks, and a jacket there. I also noticed that there was a €20 note and a €5 note that was in half. I also noticed that there was a wrist watch on the ground. I noticed that there was blood on the back door handle.' Within minutes, the gardaí also found Liam Farrell's house keys. They were on the ground at the entrance to the property, just in off the road and they were stained with blood. There were attempts to revive Mr Farrell but it was much too late for that. His body was taken away in an ambulance to Sligo hospital. Crime scene Before 5pm, detectives from Carrick had arrived at the house and the area was declared a crime scene. An investigation was conducted into Liam Farrell's death in the months that followed. This was at a time of covid, the lockdowns, the effective stilling of much work. Up to 100 interviews were conducted by the gardaí. Nobody was arrested. No suspect of a possible assault on the night Mr Farrell died was identified. During the investigation, the state pathologist Linda Mulligan was contacted and she compiled a report. Crucially, any investigation was compromised because Mr Farrell's body was examined by a hospital pathologist, rather than a forensic pathologist like Ms Mulligan. Ordinarily in this country, a hospital pathologist will perform an autopsy on a body where there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. The state pathologist — forensic by training — will conduct the process where there are suspicious circumstances and any outcome can dictate the direction of an investigation into the death and relevant evidence. The autopsy on Liam Farrell was conducted by pathologist Paul Hatel in Sligo. He determined that the cause of death was, in layman's terms, a heart attack. While there would be subsequent dispute over the circumstances of Mr Farrell's death, his conclusions on causation were not disputed. Inquest The inquest into Liam Farrell's death didn't take place until September 11, 2024 and was conducted in Carrick-on-Shannon. The main point of dispute in the proceedings were around the circumstances of Mr Farrell's death. This centred on the evidence of three different pathologists. Mr Hatel was asked about the cause of death and then whether he had concluded anything about the external injuries to Mr Farrell, particularly the bruising around the deceased's left eye. He said it would be inappropriate for him to speculate on it. 'The presumption is, when a deceased body is brought to my morgue for me to perform an autopsy, that any consideration of foul play has been ruled out,' he told the coroner. 'So I would be operating under that presumption. If the body was felt to be in a death scene of suspicious circumstances, that would be a state pathologist case and that would go to the state pathologist. I would never see that body.' He said he was aware that a forensic pathologist acting for the Farrell family had criticism of his work but he rejected this. By any stretch, Mr Hatel had acted entirely professionally and reached a conclusion on the cause of death that was not disputed. The state pathologist Linda Mulligan, who had been called in by the gardaí at a later stage, concluded that the black eye could have suffered as a result of a fall or an assault. The totality of the evidence, including that found at the scene, led her to two possible scenarios, she told the coroner. 'One, the deceased suffered a heart attack, which we know he definitely did, and did not immediately collapse but attempted to gain entry to his house while confused and in pain. 'This resulted in a fall or falls, explaining the injuries and possibly an element of hypothermia,' she said. 'The second scenario is that another party was involved in the deceased sustaining the injuries, which led to a stress-induced heart attack.' The finding of Liam Farrell's keys at the entrance to the property could fit into either scenario. While there was blood stains on the keys, there was no trail of blood from there on to the house, and around the side to the back door area where Mr Farrell was found. The late Liam Farrell. If somebody had assaulted him at the entrance and brought him around the back, an issue could have arisen over the assailant demanding the keys but Liam showing he didn't have them any longer. Equally, if he suffered some form of cardiac event at the entrance, he may have fallen and injured himself and the keys may have fallen on the ground if he was in a disorientated state. His confusion could have been exacerbated at the back door when he realised he no longer had the keys. Liam Farrell had a mobile phone but he kept it in the house and hadn't brought it with him that evening. The third pathologist to give evidence was Jack Crane, former state pathologist for Northern Ireland. He was retained by the Farrell family, and concluded that Mr Farrell had been confronted by an intruder outside his home. 'He had clearly been assaulted by being struck a number of times in the face, possibly causing him to fall to the ground,' Mr Crane told the court. 'Whilst on the ground, he may have attempted to defend or protect himself against further attack resulting in injuries to his hands. 'It would appear that he had attempted to make his way back into his home but had eventually succumbed to the effects of his coronary artery disease exacerbated by the strain of the physical assault.' The last witness at the inquest was Liam's son, Peter Farrell, who now lives in Texas. He told of an encounter with a neighbour a few weeks after the funeral just before he was due to fly home. The neighbour intimated that there was something more to Liam Farrell's death than was believed to be the case. This neighbour did not give evidence. The coroner's court was told he was approached by gardaí for a statement but declined to give one. The jury returned an open verdict on the death of Liam Farrell. They recommended that if the house is declared a crime scene a forensic pathologist should attend. Investigation review Following the inquest, Garda commissioner Drew Harris ordered a review of the investigation. In April this year, senior gardaí met with the Farrell family in Carrick-On-Shannon to discuss the outcome of the review, which had made 23 recommendations. One of the recommendations was reported to be to consult an expert in labrador behaviour to assess whether Marley could have removed Mr Farrell's socks and shoes before his death. The family now wants their father's body exhumed because a forensic autopsy was not conducted. 'We want that done,' Peter Farrell says. 'That was denied our father.' He says that he and his siblings found the briefing with the gardaí after the review to unsatisfactory. They were briefed by one of the detectives involved in the original investigation, even though a senior investigating officer from another division had been appointed to conduct the review. 'It was all non specific,' he says. 'When we asked questions about the recommendations and about the gardaí involved we were told that was a matter for the commissioner,.' The family's solicitor, Frank Buttimer, has written to the Garda commissioner seeking a meeting where the Farrells' questions can be properly addressed. 'This family is in pursuit of justice on behalf of their late father and they continue to seek answers to issues that are clearly of obvious concern. I have written to the commissioner asking for a meeting. 'The family is aware of the confidentiality that attaches to Garda investigations and they respect that but they are equally concerned that some matters remain unaddressed.' A statement from the Garda press office confirmed that the review had been carried out and an update provided to the family. The recommendations have been 'supplied to the investigation team who are actioning them'. The statement adds that a full investigation was carried out, a file submitted to the DPP and no prosecution was recommended. 'A peer review is not a re-opening or a re-start of any criminal investigation,' the statement said. Read More
The Australian
28-04-2025
- Business
- The Australian
Navigating financial sustainability: three key insights for healthcare CFOs
Healthcare CFOs are grappling with financial sustainability, with rising costs putting vulnerable Australians at risk of losing access to affordable, high-quality care. Deloitte's latest annual healthcare CFO survey reveals the impact of Australia's ageing population, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, inequitable access to services, workforce shortages and outdated technology infrastructure, among other issues facing providers. Although the sector's finance leaders expect a modest increase in revenue, they also expect a decline in operating profit over the financial year. Labour costs are a major factor, driven in part by workforce shortages and rising wages, along with inflationary impacts on the cost of drugs, equipment and other supplies. Surveyed CFOs are looking to balance growth with sustainable resource management, with a focus on improving operational efficiency and maximising revenue from existing models. Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to play a critical role, though most providers are still underinvesting in the technology. These challenges have profound implications for patients. As providers pass on costs, the financial burden disproportionately affects vulnerable Australians and worsens health inequities. Indrani Pal is Partner in Audit & Assurance at Deloitte Australia Peter Reynolds is Partner in Audit & Assurance at Deloitte Australia. Patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may delay or forgo essential care when faced with higher out-of-pocket expenses, leading to poorer health outcomes and higher healthcare costs in the long term. These risks highlight the need for providers to adopt strategies that balance financial sustainability with equitable access to care. Here are three considerations healthcare CFOs should take on board. The first is to manage the rising cost of healthcare. Providers are under immense pressure to remain financially sustainable amid persistent inflation and operational challenges. Around two in three public healthcare CFOs (65 per cent) expect operating margins to fall due to the rising cost of medication, equipment and other supplies — a sentiment shared by 40 per cent of CFOs in the private sector. In response, they are going back to the basics with a focus on containing costs, improving workforce productivity and optimising capacity to manage these financial pressures. Providers are adapting their strategies for optimising revenue, with more than half of surveyed CFOs (59 per cent) managing cash flow on a monthly basis to maintain liquidity and respond quickly to financial challenges. A further 93 per cent are focusing on collecting cash efficiently from existing sources through efficient billing and other relevant processes. However, financial strategies should always be aligned with health equity objectives to improve access to care while ensuring financial sustainability. The second consideration is to manage talent challenges, including high workloads, rising turnover and fierce competition. CFOs are concerned about the pressure of high workloads in the fast-paced healthcare sector, worsened by talent shortages, operational inefficiency and the need to contain costs amid economic instability and inflation. This is leading to higher stress and burnout among staff, which ultimately detracts from quality of care and threatens financial sustainability. Fierce competition for skilled professionals and limited new talent are making it harder for leaders to attract qualified candidates, further hindered by outdated technology and ineffective recruitment practices. In response, finance leaders are looking to innovate workforce models and streamline tasks to redirect time to higher value activities, improve efficiency and attract potential recruits. The last consideration is to prioritise investment in AI and other digital infrastructure. In terms of capital expenditure over the next three years, the majority of surveyed CFOs (76 per cent) are prioritising data and interoperability tools, core business technologies and digital technologies like virtual health. Venture investments and mergers and acquisitions aren't seen as high priorities during this period of economic uncertainty, with operational improvements and financial stability considered more pressing than expansion or high-risk investments. While CFOs believe it's important to invest in AI, only 10 per cent believe their organisation is ready to implement AI and just 3 per cent say their organisation is AI fluent. This contrasts starkly with their global counterparts, more than 80 per cent of whom expect generative AI to have either a moderate (26 per cent) or significant (55 per cent) impact on their organisation in 2025. AI, deployed in the right ways, is critical to solving the long-term cost pressures facing healthcare providers. While reducing costs in the short term may offer immediate relief, strategic investments in technology could significantly boost efficiency and foster growth. The healthcare sector stands at a critical juncture where financial sustainability hinges on strategically managing costs, investing in technology and empowering the workforce. As CFOs navigate these challenges, they will need to balance immediate financial pressures with long-term goals to foster resilience and growth. Indrani Pal and Peter Reynolds are Partners in Audit & Assurance at Deloitte Australia. - Disclaimer This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as 'Deloitte Global') does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the 'Deloitte' name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see to learn more about our global network of member firms. Copyright © 2025 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. -
The Independent
10-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
British couple imprisoned by Taliban faced 29 ‘interrogations', daughter says
An elderly British couple imprisoned in Afghanistan have faced 29 'interrogations' and several court appearances – while no charges have been brought against them, their daughter has said. Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were arrested as they travelled to their home in Bamyan province, in central Afghanistan, in February. The couple were detained alongside Faye Hall, an American friend who had rented a plane to travel with them, and a translator from the couple's Rebuild training business. Their daughter, Susie Romer, told Channel 5's 5 News on Thursday that the pair had 'absolutely no idea' why they are being imprisoned and called on the UK government to do more to secure their release. She said: 'They've been through so many investigations – I believe it's 29 interrogations that they've had to endure. 'They've been in court three or four times now, I believe, and various accusations that have been brought against them, they've been thoroughly investigated and shown up as empty accusations. 'So they've been told that there is not actually a charge against them.' Ms Romer went on to say that while the British government has been assisting the family, she is not convinced that the message that her parents should be 'immediately released' has been conveyed by the Government to the Taliban. She said the family had met Foreign Officer minister Hamish Falconer, who had told them the case was a 'priority' for him. Ms Romer continued: 'We do want the Government to make it clear to the Taliban that my parents should be immediately released and we've told them this. 'It's been 10 weeks now, and we've not been reassured that this message has been conveyed, but this is really urgent. 'Each day that they remain in prison, they're at risk, so we'll keep on asking the Government to send that message.' Ms Romer added that the conditions her parents were being held in were 'absolutely horrific', that they were receiving one meal per day and there were mice and cockroaches 'running around'. She said that hearing her parents 'weep' on the phone was 'excruciating' for her. In an interview with BBC News last week, their son, Jonathan Reynolds, said he had been 'interacting' with the US government after a video plea to President Donald Trump for help to get his parents released. The couple, who originally met at the University of Bath, married in Kabul in 1970 and have run school training programmes for 18 years. They remained in the country after the Taliban takeover in 2021. After taking power, the Taliban introduced a ban on women working and education for girls older than 12. In a statement to The Associated Press this week, the Taliban said the case 'will soon be resolved' and 'should not be a cause for concern'. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been contacted for comment.
Arab News
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Son of elderly British couple held by Taliban asks for US help
LONDON: The son of a British couple currently detained in Afghanistan has asked the US for assistance in obtaining their release, saying they have 'never heard one accusation or one charge.' Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, who have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years, were arrested on Feb. 1 by the Taliban in Bamiyan province over what they believed was a flight permit issue. However, despite being initially told it was a minor problem and that they would be released, the pair, along with Chinese-American friend Faye Hall and their translator, had their phones confiscated and were later transferred to a Kabul jail by the Interior Ministry. Their son Jonathan Reynolds, who lives in Chicago, told Sky News that the pair and their family had not been given an explanation by the authorities for their nine-week detention. 'Originally they (authorities) said they didn't have the right paperwork to have a chartered plane, which was incorrect and it was all produced,' he said. 'They took a short flight (to Bamiyan from Kabul) to pick up a Chinese-American friend who has visited multiple times,' he added. 'I believe there have been 29 investigative interviews with staff members — people they have served and supported — and everything has come up as no credible charges.' In February, the Taliban said the pair were arrested because it was believed their Afghan passports were fake. Peter Reynolds has said he was told books 'against Islam' had been confiscated at their house in Afghanistan, but officials had not followed up on these claims. 'They've been in and out of court, which is infuriating for them because there's no charges and they are told every single time: yes, they are innocent, it's just a formality, we've made a mistake,' Jonathan Reynolds said. In February, the BBC reported that a Taliban official had said the government was keen for the couple to be released. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani was quoted by The Independent as having said: 'A series of considerations is being taken into account, and after evaluation, we will endeavor to release them as soon as possible.' Hall was released on March 29 after bounties placed on the heads of various Taliban figures, including the interior minister, were dropped by the US. The Taliban said her release was 'a goodwill gesture.' Peter Reynolds told the BBC: 'Anybody who has the ability to unlock that key and let them out, whether it be the Taliban, whether it be the British government or whether it be the American government, I would ask — do it now, please.' The family previously appealed to the Taliban to show clemency for Eid Al-Fitr, when the regime handed out amnesties to several thousand detainees in its prisons. The couple, who married in Kabul in 1970, run the Rebuild organization, which provides training and educational programs for local people. 'I think anyone who goes in their 60s and 70s to live and become Afghan citizens is probably not naive to the dangers of it,' Jonathan Reynolds told Sky. 'If they wanted to live a quiet, retired life and be around their grandkids they could have done that. 'They are under a deep conviction from back in the late 60s when they married in Afghanistan in 1970 that they were going to give their life for a bright future for Afghanistan.' He said he is extremely concerned for his parents' welfare, especially as food and medicine are limited in the Taliban's prison system. EU and Qatari officials have been able to get essentials to the couple, who are being held separately, and Jonathan Reynolds expressed gratitude to Qatar for aiding his parents. However, contact with them has been limited to the use of a pay phone in the jail — and the couple have had no direct contact with each other since being jailed.
Arab News
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Briton, 79, describes ‘hell' of Taliban prison
LONDON: A 79-year-old Briton imprisoned in Afghanistan is living in 'the nearest thing to hell I can imagine.' Peter Reynolds and his wife Barbie were detained on Feb. 1 along with their Chinese-American friend Faye Hall and their interpreter Jaya in Bamiyan province. The couple, who both hold Afghan passports, have lived in the country for 18 years, where they married in 1970 and run various educational projects. They were arrested after flying to Bamiyan from Kabul in a small rented plane which they were later told lacked proper landing permission. In a phone call, details of which were shared with the Sunday Times, Peter Reynolds described conditions in Pul-e-Charkhi prison as living in 'a cage rather than a cell.' He added: 'I've been joined up with rapists and murderers by handcuffs and ankle cuffs, including a man who killed his wife and three children, shouting away, a demon-possessed man.' Peter Reynolds said he receives only one meal a day, but he is in 'VIP conditions' compared to his wife, who is being held in the women's wing of the prison. 'The atmosphere is pretty shocking. I'm learning a lot about the underbelly of Afghanistan,' he said. 'The prison guards shout all the time and beat people with a piece of piping. It's a horrible atmosphere — the nearest thing to hell I can imagine.' He added that the four were initially told they would shortly be released. However, their phones were confiscated and they were handed over to the Ministry of Interior in Kabul. Officials there told him his house in Bamiyan had been raided, and 59 books 'against Islam' had been found and confiscated. 'I asked, 'Can you tell me any part of those books which is against Islam?'' Peter Reynolds said. 'No one has been able to, so I think it's an outrage. 'They've interrogated more than 30 people who worked with us in Yakawlang and Kabul, including our accountant and tax people, and we had to put our thumbprint on a nine-page-long CID (criminal investigation department) report and they said they could find no crime. That was three weeks ago but still they haven't released us.' He added: 'These things are an utter disgrace and shame. The Taliban have made a mistake and need to face up to it.' Hall was released last week after bounties worth $10 million placed on various Taliban figures, including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, were lifted by the US. Peter Reynolds told his family not to pay any ransoms demanded for the couple's release. 'No money should be paid in hush money or hostage money, it doesn't solve anything if millions of dollars are paid,' he said. 'This government needs to face up to the fact it has made a mistake, it has done wrong. If money is paid there's nothing to stop them arresting people again.' He said although a lawyer working for the EU had delivered him medication last week, he has been denied all requests to see his wife. Sarah Entwistle, the couple's eldest daughter, told the Sunday Times: 'The hardest part for mum and dad is this is the longest they have gone without speaking to each other since they became sweethearts in the 1960s. 'When they go to court, they are taken separately and can only see each other from behind the mesh and mouth, 'I love you.'' Peter Reynolds has appeared in court four times and his wife three times since their detention, but their case has not progressed. In a phone call last week, she reassured her family that she was 'in her element' and had started teaching fellow inmates English. 'This is who my parents are, even in this dark place, trying to be a hope to people,' Entwistle said. 'In the midst of all this, mum and dad are still true to themselves — loving people, keeping peace and creating solutions in one of the darkest, violent and most hopeless places in the world.' She added: 'They understand the power of the Taliban but are literally prepared to sacrifice their lives for the welfare of these people. We couldn't be prouder of them.' Peter Reynolds said despite his ordeal, he wants to keep working in Afghanistan. 'I told the Ministry of Interior I don't want to leave here saying how bad Afghanistan is, we want to be a friend of Afghanistan.' The couple moved to Afghanistan from the UK in 2007. Their organization Rebuild was established to provide education and training, 'dedicated to fostering healthy relationships in homes, workplaces and communities across Afghanistan.' After the fall of the Western-backed government in 2021, they decided to stay in the country as they had experienced no issues with the Taliban in the past. Barbie Reynolds even became the first woman in the country to receive a certificate of appreciation from the new regime. Entwistle said she had met with UK Foreign Office officials, including Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer, who said they were 'doing all they can' but it could take 'a few more weeks' to make progress. Relations between the UK and the Taliban are strained, with neither having an embassy in the other's capital. The Sunday Times reported that the Taliban is pushing for it to be allowed to have a diplomatic presence in London, with 200,000 Afghans currently living in the UK.
