By Sam Francis
Political reporter, BBC News
23 April 2024, 09:49 BST
Updated 1 hour ago
The tragic loss of five lives, including that of a child, in an attempt to cross the Channel to reach the UK has been acknowledged by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Addressing the initial reports of the fatalities, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of his proposed strategy, which involves relocating some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The Prime Minister stressed the necessity of disrupting the operations of criminal organizations facilitating these dangerous crossings as an act of compassion.
Recently, the government’s Safety of Rwanda Bill was sanctioned by Parliament, endorsing Rwanda as a safe haven for asylum seekers and paving the way for deportation flights.
Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer criticized the plan as a costly “gimmick” that would have minimal impact on curbing illegal entries, advocating for more practical measures to enhance border security and combat human trafficking.
Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson anticipates legal challenges to the policy, emphasizing the government’s readiness to address them.
The controversial initiative aims to redirect asylum seekers arriving illegally from safe countries like France to Rwanda for processing and potential resettlement.
With a surge in migrants and refugees attempting the perilous Channel crossing this year, exceeding last year’s figures by a quarter, the urgency of deterring such journeys is evident.
Tragically, five individuals, including a young girl, lost their lives during a recent failed crossing attempt, underscoring the dangers of these treacherous voyages.
Efforts to rescue the distressed passengers were met with challenges, resulting in a heartbreaking loss of lives, prompting renewed calls for preventive measures.
Prime Minister Sunak reiterated the compassionate motive behind his plan, emphasizing the need to dismantle the exploitative practices of criminal networks profiting from illegal migration.
Legal representatives of potential deportees to Rwanda express concerns over the limited timeframe to present cases against their removal, particularly for vulnerable individuals.
Minister Tomlinson reaffirms the government’s commitment to combatting illegal crossings, citing the imminent implementation of deportation flights as a deterrent.
Charitable organizations condemn the asylum scheme, labeling it a violation of international laws and human rights standards.
More on the UK’s Rwanda asylum bill
The emergency legislation, known as the Safety of Rwanda bill, designates Rwanda as a safe destination in UK law, granting authorities leeway to bypass certain human rights regulations.
The bill faced multiple revisions between the Commons and House of Lords before eventual approval, reflecting the contentious nature of the legislation.
Minister Tomlinson acknowledges uncertainties regarding the government’s procedural steps for detaining, processing, and repatriating asylum seekers under the new law.
Prime Minister Sunak announces logistical preparations for the deportation process, including the recruitment of case workers, judges, and escorts for the upcoming flights.
Despite the expansion of immigration detention facilities, the capacity remains insufficient to accommodate the projected number of deportees under the government’s initiative.
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I felt terrified.. Mai Omar reveals the most difficult scenes of “The Avocado Blessing”
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Cairo – “The Gulf”
Egyptian actress Mai Omar revealed her most difficult scenes in the series “Avocato Blessing,” which she felt terrified during, and she stopped filming more than once as a result of her stress.
Mai Omar explained in a television interview with the makers of the series “Nima the Avocado” that the scene of Nima being buried alive and her going down to a real cemetery was very cruel, especially since she is exposed to panic attacks in narrow and dark places.
She indicated that the idea of closing the tomb worried her, as she was haunted by bad thoughts about a natural disaster occurring outside and the work crew fleeing and leaving her alone.
Director Mohamed Sami intervened to explain that Mai Omar – his wife – blamed him a lot during their return home after filming ended, and accused him of being harsh in dealing with the actors and not taking her feelings into consideration and understanding her psychological state.
Sami stressed that he does not sympathize with the actors and feels that their duty is to perform those scenes. He admitted that when he went down to the grave to inspect it before filming, he felt afraid, but that did not prevent him from taking Mai Omar down, because her job is to act and implement the director’s vision.
It is noteworthy that the series “The Blessing of Avocato” stars Mai Omar, Ahmed Zaher, Arwa Gouda, Imad Ziadeh, Kamal Abu Rayya, Tariq Al-Nahri, Walaa Al-Sharif, Ahmed Majed, written by Mahab Tariq and Mohamed Sami, produced by Maha Selim, directed by Mohamed Sami.
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I felt terrified.. Mai Omar reveals the most difficult scenes of “The Avocado Blessing”
Shooting at Holmlia is being investigated as attempted murder – Dagsavisen
– That is the starting point, then we will have to take a look at whether the case should be coded down as it appeared more serious initially, says Thomas Pedersen Enger, head of crime in the Oslo police district, to The daily newspaper.
The man has not been questioned, but has been in conversation with the police, says Enger.
Still no one has been arrested. The police ended the active search for the perpetrators during the night.
The police received a report of the shooting at 9:16 p.m. The man was found in a kindergarten in Holmlia, south of Oslo. He was initially described as seriously injured, and the police stated that he received life-saving first aid at the scene.
However, the injuries were less serious than first thought.
– According to the conditions, he is doing well. He is not seriously injured and now only has minor injuries, crime leader Johan Jahr told NTB just after 2 am on Tuesday.
The police have no concrete suspects on the block.
– We have spoken to witnesses and arrested and checked several people in the area, but no one has aroused suspicion, said Jahr.
The police have seized several items, but have not found any weapons.
Read also: Warns Norway against doing like Sweden: – We are now seeing the consequences (+)
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Shooting at Holmlia is being investigated as attempted murder – Dagsavisen