A Cambodian man deported by the US to the African kingdom of Eswatini under the Donald Trump administration’s third-country programme was released on Wednesday to be repatriated, his lawyer said.
The man spent five months in detention at a maximum-security prison with other deportees.
Pheap Rom was deported to the southern African nation in October and held at the Matsapha Correctional Centre.
After his release, he took a commercial flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, to start his journey to Cambodia, his US-based lawyer Tin Thanh Nguyen told the Associated Press.
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The US has sent 19 migrants from other countries to Eswatini in three batches since July. Mr Rom is the second to be repatriated after a Jamaican man was flown home in September.
When Mr Rom and a group of nine other shackled deportees arrived in Eswatini on 6 October, they were greeted by 20 or 30 military personnel wearing masks and carrying machine guns surrounding the private jet.
None of the detainees knew where they were going, though some felt hopeful they would be freed after finishing their prison sentences. Mr Rom had finished his 15-year prison sentence in the US for attempted murder.
As they departed the airport and veered into a rural road, panic set in. “They pulled into the dirt road and you see nothing but dirt road. I was like, oh, yeah, they’re definitely going to kill us and just dump us on this dirt road,” Mr Rom, 43, said during a phone interview while he was still detained in Eswatini last week.
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Instead, they were escorted into Matsapha Correctional Centre, a maximum-security prison, where the men would be detained, without any charges, and kept apart from inmates convicted of murder, terrorism, robbery and other crimes committed in that country.
The first two months were the hardest, Mr Rom said. Inmates were woken up at 7.30am, allowed 15 minutes outdoors, and were inside their cells at 5.30pm.
Phone use was permitted once a week and limited to 10 or 15 minutes. “And that once a week they will sit right there and listen to your conversation and then they will write down what you’re talking about in a book that they have, in the logbook that they had,” he said, referring to the guards.
If families were asleep, working or didn’t have WhatsApp, they were unable to call again for another week. Under those conditions, it was difficult to reach attorneys.
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A report released by the Senate Foreign Committee Relations estimated it cost about $413,000 to deport a person from the US to Eswatini.
Despite the expense, Mr Rom described impoverished conditions at the prison.
Inmates received one roll of toilet paper and a bar of soap per week.
Meals were often meatless. For breakfast, inmates received either porridge or a piece of bread with tea, Mr Rom said. For lunch and dinner, they received a scoop of rice and vegetable broth or a side of beans. Some days they received chicken, but often if they wanted protein, they had to buy boiled eggs, chicken or beef platters from the commissary.
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Conditions improved in the last three months of Mr Rom’s detention. Outdoor time was increased and inmates had access to the internet and cellphones to make international calls to family, friends and lawyers.
Mr Rom’s family moved to the US as refugees when he was a child and later became lawful permanent residents. Mr Rom lost his legal status during removal proceedings and was ordered deported. Though he has not lived in Cambodia, he said he was still excited to go there and be free.
“I hope that my repatriation sets a path for their repatriation, because these guys are still human beings, fathers, sons, uncles and they deserve due process,” Mr Rom said.
Mr Trump has taken a hard-line stance on immigration and the US has deported around 300 migrants to countries they have no ties with under the third-country programme, according to a report compiled by Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Lawyers have criticized the programme as unlawful.
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The US has struck deals with at least seven African nations to take some of those migrants. The US paid Eswatini $5.1 million to take up to 160 deportees, according to details of the deal released by the US State Department. While Eswatini’s government has previously said the migrants are there in “transit” on their way home, the deal allows them to be held in Eswatini for up to a year.
Mr Rom served a 15-year prison sentence in the US for attempted murder and was released in late 2024, Mr Nguyen said, adding in a statement that Mr Rom being held at the prison in Eswatini for five months was unlawful because he faced no criminal charges in the African country.
“Rom’s release proves what we have argued from the beginning. These third-country deportations are unnecessary and unlawful,” he said.
The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have defended third-country deportations as a means to quickly remove people who are in the US illegally. Many of the deportees sent to Eswatini were convicted of serious crimes and had completed their sentences in the US.
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But lawyers say sending migrants to countries they have no ties with is a tactic by the administration to bypass US immigration laws and denies the deportees their rights, including a fundamental principle that anyone being detained should be able to challenge it in court. Third-country deportations have been the subject of several legal cases, both in the US and in some countries where migrants are sent.
Last year, the US Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to go ahead with third-country deportations. In February, a US federal judge ruled that the policy was unlawful because it didn’t give migrants notice of where they were being sent or an opportunity to challenge their deportations. An appeals court lifted that order this month.
The deportations have been the subject of two legal challenges in Eswatini, which is ruled by a king and is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world. An Eswatini lawyer acting on behalf of deportees being held at the Matsapha prison — where Mr Rom was also held — says he has been denied access to them and has sued the government.
In a separate case, local advocacy groups have challenged the legality of Eswatini holding foreign nationals for months in a prison.
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The Trump administration’s choice of African countries to strike deportation deals with and pay money to is also under scrutiny. It includes nations with notoriously repressive governments and sketchy human rights records such as Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.
Eswatini’s King Mswati III has long been accused of clamping down on pro-democracy movements, sometimes violently.
The US has sent more than two dozen deportees to Equatorial Guinea, a small, authoritarian state in West Africa ruled by the same president since 1979 and where the government is accused of being one of the most corrupt in the world.
Democrats in the US have questioned the Trump administration over a $7.5 million payment it made to the government of Equatorial Guinea.
Irene Campbell said a leadership contest should take place.
A third Scottish Labour MP has urged Keir Starmer to quit as Prime Minister after their Holyrood election drubbing.
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Irene Campbell called for an “orderly transition of leadership” amid claims former deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting are planning to challenge Starmer.
The PM is making a crunch statement tomorrow.
In a tweet, the North Ayrshire and Arran MP wrote: “Knocking on doors over recent weeks and months, voters were very angry with Labour citing many mistakes and U-turns especially the Winter Fuel Payment decision. It didn’t matter that it was a Scottish election and addressing the failures of the SNP.
“It didn’t matter that it was a Scottish election and addressing the failures of the SNP, voters were telling us that we weren’t offering anything new, radical or different… I will listen to what the Prime Minister has to say tomorrow.
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“My view is that we must fully consider what happened, why it happened and what we do to address this. I believe that the solution is likely to be a full and democratic contest to allow an orderly transition of leadership and for this to be achieved by the end of the year.”
It comes after fellow Scottish Labour MPs Euan Stainbank and Brian Leishman also called for Starmer to go.
Candidates have told the Record Starmer’s mistakes in office gifted the SNP a fifth term on Friday.
This is a breaking news story – we’ll bring you updates, pictures and video as it happens.
The MV Hondius, at the centre of the hantavirus outbreak, docked in Tenerife in the Canary Islands on Sunday
19:24, 10 May 2026Updated 19:33, 10 May 2026
A military aircraft has been dispatched to repatriate two Irish nationals stranded aboard a virus-stricken cruise ship, the republic’s Department of Health has confirmed.
The MV Hondius, at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak, docked in Tenerife in the Canary Islands on Sunday morning. Later that day, an Air Corps aircraft departed from Baldonell Aerodrome, a military air base in west Co Dublin, bound for the island.
The aircraft has been deployed to conduct “an aeromedical evacuation” of the two Irish citizens, who are reported to have been adhering to isolation protocols aboard the vessel and are said to be in “good health”.
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Subject to their medical condition, the pair are due to return to Ireland on Sunday aboard the Air Corps aircraft, accompanied by Health Service Executive (HSE) medical personnel.
Upon arrival back in Ireland, they will be transferred to an HSE facility where they will be closely monitored throughout their quarantine period, in line with international health guidelines, reports the Irish Mirror.
On Saturday, a Department of Health spokesperson stated: “If they become symptomatic, they will be assessed and treated as appropriate.”
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In an official statement, the department added: “The return of passengers and crew from MV Hondius has been carefully planned and guided by public health authorities to ensure safety for everyone – these measures protect communities while respecting the dignity and wellbeing of those returning home.”
Spanish authorities have confirmed that the health of all passengers is currently being assessed and that the disembarkation process is “proceeding well”.
The vital victory stretched Arsenal‘s lead to five points ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand, and put league silverware in touching distance after three successive second-placed finishes.
Some will say Arteta’s side have got here the hard way, while others will argue victories secured when a team does just enough to get over the line is the mark of champions.
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The 1-0 win over West Ham was the seventh time this season Arsenal have won by that scoreline in the Premier League.
It wraps up what has been a crucial week for the club, with title rivals Manchester City dropping points in midweek.
Before the win over Fulham last weekend, Arsenal had won just two of their previous eight games in all competitions and suffered back-to-back defeats in the league for the first time during those matches, too.
But now after three successive wins without conceding a goal, one of which secured their place in the Champions League final, Arsenal are on the cusp of history.
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“What a moment, what an afternoon, what a week it’s been for us,” Arteta said.
“So full of emotions, I cannot praise enough the attitude, the desire, the courage and the quality of the team shown throughout this week, because there was so much at stake and today we knew against a team that is fighting for their life, a club with an incredible history, how tough it was going to be.”
Confident Barcelona had several more chances to make their margin of victory more emphatic, but found returning Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in impressive form. They will need to win all of their remaining matches to equal the LaLiga record of 100 points, while a win over Real Betis next weekend would see them go through a whole league season with a 100 per cent winning home record at the Camp Nou. It was a bittersweet moment for head coach Flick, who was in the dugout following the death of his father, which was announced just hours ahead of kick-off.
Emma Willis is reportedly set to accept the Strictly Come Dancing hosting role, with Zoe Ball also tipped to join her as they replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the BBC show.
Jasmine Allday Assistant TV and Showbiz Editor and Peter Hennessy UK & World News Editor
23:41, 10 May 2026
Emma Willis is reportedly being lined up for the Strictly Come Dancing presenting position alongside another well-known personality.
Considerable conjecture has surrounded who might succeed Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the BBC ballroom programme after they decided to depart from the show last year, reports the Mirror..
A source said: “Emma has been offered the Strictly job and is going to accept. She absolutely nailed the chemistry tests and the BBC adore her. Emma is a household name and a safe pair of hands so the BBC know she will do the job justice.
“She’s incredibly popular with the public too and will suit the role down to a tee. She was absolutely thrilled to have been offered the job. Strictly is one of the biggest shows on television and to be trusted with the new era is something Emma feels incredibly proud and humbled by.”
Zoe Ball is also expected to be invited to appear alongside Emma, replacing Tess and Claudia. The duo allegedly underwent a chemistry test together, as did other combinations including Alex Jones and Rylan Clark and Bradley Walsh and Rob Rinder.
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“Emma is seen as the Tess of the duo. Her background in live – and occasionally tense – broadcasting situations means she can handle anything that is thrown at her,” a source told The Sun. “Zoe and her really clicked and it’s looking likely that Zoe will take on the role Claudia held in the auditorium with the celebs and the pro’s. The BBC are excited about how their new look Strictly is coming together and think the public will agree.”
The Mirror has approached BBC representatives for comment.
Both Emma and Zoe are prominent figures at the BBC, each presenting their own radio programmes with the corporation. Emma fronts her own Saturday afternoon programme on BBC Radio 2.
She’d previously expressed her affection for the BBC dancing programme. In 2021, when questioned about participating in the show, she said: “If I had time, I would do it in a heartbeat. Like I absolutely love it.”
Back in September, Tess and Claudia revealed they were stepping down from the programme following the conclusion of that series.
They stated: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.
“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show,” adding: “They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
Netflix drama Adolescence was the big winner at the Bafta Television Awards on Sunday.
At 16, Owen Cooper became the youngest ever winner of the award for best supporting actor for Adolescence.
Stephen Graham was named best leading actor for playing Cooper’s on-screen dad, and, in his speech, he encouraged young viewers to believe they could follow a similar path in acting.
Narges Rashidi won best leading actress for playing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in BBC One’s real-life drama Prisoner 951 and dedicated the award to the British-Iranian woman and her family.
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The Celebrity Traitors won best reality programme, and host Claudia Winkleman dedicated it to the show’s “extraordinary cast who played with dignity, gusto and their entire hearts and we love them”.
The Swedish flatpack furniture giant has urged its customers to cease using this everyday product immediatley
Rachel Vickers-Price UK and World News Reporter
03:02, 11 May 2026
Furniture giant IKEA has issued an urgent recall for a household product used everyday in homes around the world. The international furniture brand has recalled a popular Ikea-branded garlic press, amid fears small metal fragments could break off into people’s food and be swallowed accidentally. The recall affects certain batches of the IKEA 365+ VÄRDEFULL Garlic press in black after the company discovered a manufacturing defect during an internal investigation. According to IKEA, there is a risk that “small metal pieces” may detach from the kitchen tool during use and subsequently be ingested with food, posing a potential safety hazard to customers.
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The affected garlic presses were sold worldwide, both in store and online, and carry the article number 601.636.02. The kitchen implement also can be identified via date stamps found on the product. Date stamps include 2411 up to 2522 (see below for how to decode IKEA date stamps). The offending presses can also be identified by an IKEA logo marking on the upper handle. Customers who own one of the recalled products have been urged to stop using it immediately and contact IKEA for a full refund, the retailer advised in a statement, before adding that shoppers will not need to provide a receipt or proof of purchase in order to get their money back. A statement on the Swedish furniture house’s website also urged any customers who may have loaned or gifted the item to spread the world.
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In a statement, IKEA – best known for its penchant for Allen keys and ready-to-assemble furniture – apologised for the inconvenience caused by the recall. As well as the shedding garlic press, the Swedish furniture brand has issued a litany of other recalls in recent months. Other recalled items include:
Spatula (365+ HJÄLTE): Date stamp 2445 (YYWW) or later is recalled.
Power Bank (VARMFRONT): Date stamps 2313, 2316, 2318, or 2319 are recalled due to fire hazards.
ÅSKSTORM 40W USB charger dark grey: Article number 60461197 is recalled
Mirrors (LETTAN): Affected date stamps before and including 2105.
ROSTAD LÖK: Fried onion, 100g, Article number: 302.371.76 Best Before Date: 02-06-2026 – 22-11-2026
BLÅVINGAD fishing game, multicolour: All iterations of this children’s toy should be returned to IKEA following reports of small metal rivets coming loose from the painted wooden shapes, presenting a potential choking hazard.
Product date stamps:
IKEA date stamps run off a Year-Week format. For example: 2411 would mean 2024, week 11.
Garlic Press: Stamped on the black plastic handle.
Furniture/Other: Usually a 4-digit number on a sticker, often found underneath or on the back of the item.
If you are impacted by any of the aforementioned recalls, more information is available via the IKEA website.
A report says Britain is expected to lose 163,000 jobs this year amid the economic woes caused by the Iran war
Holly Williams, Press Association Business Editor
00:01, 11 May 2026
Jobs in south Wales will be among the worst affected as a result of the conflict in Iran, a report has warned.
Britain is expected to lose 163,000 jobs this year amid the economic woes caused by the Iran war with lower income regions set to be hit hardest, the report states.
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The Item Club’s latest regional outlook warns that two of the UK’s lowest income regions – south Wales and the Humber – will suffer the most painful jobs market woes in the next year or so because of sharp energy price rises.
They are heavily reliant on manufacturing and construction industries, which Item Club cautions will shed jobs in response to higher costs and supply disruption from the Middle East conflict.
The report is predicting jobs to drop by 5,700 in South Wales and by 2,800 in the Humber over 2026.
Tim Lyne, economic adviser to the Item Club, said: “Some of the lowest income regions will feel the biggest effects of the manufacturing and construction sectors reducing headcount in the face of rising energy prices and supply chain disruption.
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“While consumers in these areas typically have less rainy-day savings, which will reduce spending in the retail and hospitality sectors.”
Overall it forecasts UK employment will decline by 0.4% this year, equivalent to 163,000 job losses on a net basis.
This will be driven by a pull back in consumer spending, the soaring cost of fuel, energy, materials and ingredients, as well as disruption to shipping.
The Bank of England warned late last month the rate of UK unemployment could hit 5.6% this year, up from 5.2% currently, in its more gloomy scenario for the impact of the war.
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The Item Club said as households rein in discretionary spending in the face of a surge in the cost of living, the retail and hospitality sector will suffer the biggest slowdown across Britain’s major cities.
The independent forecasting group predicts that employment in London will drop by 25,000 this year as its retail and hospitality sector slows, with a 12,500 reduction in Birmingham, 9,800 drop in Leeds and 6,200 decline in Glasgow.
There may be some bright spots, however, with Cambridge set to see employment growth in 2026, while Belfast and Edinburgh are expected to see relatively limited job losses.
Mr Lyne said: “Across the UK, the jobs market is going to soften, but it’s looking especially fragile in South Wales and the Humber as they’re particularly exposed to manufacturing businesses that are seeing big increases in their costs of materials.
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“Resilience will come in places like Cambridge where the tech sector is based.” For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here
The report said that while publicly-funded sectors – such as education, public administration and human health and social work – are expected to hire more jobs over the year, this will not be enough to offset wider losses.
It also warns over a widening gap in living standards across the UK caused by the Iran war.
Low income areas will see households suffer the steepest hikes in the cost of living, as more of their spending goes on essentials, such as food, fuel and energy bills, which are set to see big price rises.
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Households in cities such as Newcastle, Belfast and Birmingham spend as much as 13% of their disposable income on energy and food, compared to less than 9% for an average household in London, according to the report.
This could see these cities left particularly exposed if the Iran war is not resolved soon, the Item Club said.
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A trip to the park is a family favourite activity so here are some of the best parks in Cambridgeshire to visit this summer
Taking a trip to the park is a popular way to keep children busy throughout the spring and summertime. It can also be incredibly cheap thanks to green spaces being free and available to everyone, leaving some extra money for a treat during the day.
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Cambridgeshire has a range of parks to explore with playgrounds and other activities for kids to get involved in. No matter where you are in the county, you will be able to find somewhere to enjoy some sunny weather while your children go off and play.
If you are new to the area or want to visit a different park from your usual choice, you might want to check out one of these popular choices . CambridgeshireLiveasked its readers to tell us which parks in Cambridgeshire are the best and here are the three that came out on top.
3. Great Shelford Recreation Ground
Location: Woollards Ln, Great Shelford, Cambridge CB22 5LZ
The recreation ground in Great Shelford managed to get third place in our poll. The commuter village is hugely popular with families and is often regarded as one of the best places to live in Cambridgeshire thanks to its local facilities, including the park.
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The ‘Playscape’ can be found on the recreation ground and has been “designed to be inspiring and inclusive for all”. The playground features a range of things for children to explore such as swings, a sandpit, towers, and an accessible trampoline.
Found at the back of an industrial estate in Milton, this country park is a popular place to take dogs for a long weekend walk. However, Milton Country Park also has lots of other activities to get involved in like an outdoor play area, cycle paths, and even laser tag.
Thanks to the large lakes found in the park, the area is a good spot for water sports with lots of classes available to book from paddle boarding to canoeing. The Grounds Café is right next to one of the lakes and offers families a place to enjoy a hot drink and a piece of homemade cake.
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1. Nene Park
Location: Ferry Meadows in Nene Park, Peterborough PE2 5UU
For anyone who has been to Nene Park in Peterborough, it is probably unsurprising that it has topped our poll. It is easy to visit Nene Park multiple times and do completely different activities each time.
Ferry Meadows, which can be found at the heart of the park, has three playgrounds for children of all different ages, a visitor centre with a gift and farm shop, and café that over looks Overton Lake. The park also has a mobile climbing wall, boat trips, and lots of water activities you can book before your trip.
The proposal relates to 172–174 Crook Street, a three-storey property formerly known as the Church Hotel.
The ground floor is currently occupied by Baba Jee’s restaurant which is temporarily closed, with office space above.
Developers are seeking prior approval from Bolton Council to convert the first and second floors into eight self-contained flats, with four units on each floor.
The ground floor restaurant would remain unchanged.
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Proposed layouts of the flats (Image: Bolton Council)
Planning documents state the scheme would create four flats on each of the upper floors, with bin and cycle storage provided at the rear.
No external alterations to the building are proposed.
The site sits just outside Bolton town centre in a mixed-use area close to the main transport interchange.
Applicants say the location is sustainable and well connected, with seven parking spaces included in the plans.
In the supporting statement, the applicant argues the development meets national permitted development rules and would provide acceptable living conditions, including adequate natural light and protection from noise.
The building is not listed and is not within a conservation area or flood risk zone, according to the application.
Bolton Council will now assess the plans, with residents able to comment before a decision is made.
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