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UK tells Afghans promised sanctuary in Britain they must make their own way to safety

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UK tells Afghans promised sanctuary in Britain they must make their own way to safety

Afghan families approved for sanctuary in Britain will have to flee the Taliban-run country on their own, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

Defence minister Luke Pollard told the Commons in a written statement on Tuesday that the nearly 9,000 Afghans eligible to come to the UK but still awaiting relocation would get no help from the UK to leave Afghanistan.

They will “need to make their own way to a third country when they are able to do so”, he said, with housing and visa support available there until 2028.

Mr Pollard said that some of those eligible to come to the UK had already moved to third countries, such as Pakistan, this year. He explained: “Having seen increased evidence of successful self-moves and after assessing carefully again the risks to this cohort and other factors, including value for money for the taxpayer, we have decided to end in-country assistance for movements out of Afghanistan.”

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The National Audit Office revealed in March that it would take the government nearly three more years to bring all those promised sanctuary to Britain if evacuations were not sped up.

The Afghan resettlement schemes closed to new applicants in July last year, just before it was revealed that the MoD had been responsible for a vast data leak of applicants’ details that the department said had put thousands of lives at risk.

MoD personnel help Afghan families to evacuate during the fall of Kabul in 2021
MoD personnel help Afghan families to evacuate during the fall of Kabul in 2021 (UK MOD Crown copyright)

Families are eligible to come to Britain due to their previous support of the UK forces in Afghanistan, or because their data was breached. Ministers had previously committed to bringing all eligible Afghans to the UK by March 2029 under the new combined scheme, the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). However, Mr Pollard said on Tuesday that a cut-off of December 2028 would be introduced, when all help and relocations would end.

The MoD has also ended the use of short-term housing on the defence estate for Afghan families, with Mr Pollard telling MPs “we cannot sustain ARP support indefinitely”.

Six hotels are in use to house Afghan families, Mr Pollard said, and two of these will be closed within days. The Independent reported last week that two Afghans, approved for UK relocation, are challenging the MoD at the High Court over the failure to help them flee Afghanistan.

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Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard announced the withdrawal of support for Afghan families on Tuesday
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard announced the withdrawal of support for Afghan families on Tuesday (Getty)

Dr Sara de Jong, a founding member of the Sulha alliance, which helps former Afghan military interpreters, said: “The MoD’s announcement to stop in-country support for moving safely out of Afghanistan will come as a complete shock to Afghans with a relocation offer. The fact that some have been able to escape doesn’t mean that that option is open to everyone.

“Those who can’t take the risk to go out of hiding to get the paperwork and don’t have the financial means to pay hugely inflated visa prices are now abandoned. The statement also ignores the ongoing security issues between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which makes independent moving even more challenging.”

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Orange Order rubbish claims they will help with mortgage costs to ‘strengthen Protestant community’

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Daily Record

A message has been widely circulated on WhatsApp saying that people should be encouraged to buy a home in the Castlecaulfield area to “support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future” — but the local Orange Lodge says the message is fake

An Orange Lodge has stated that messages claiming it would assist people with mortgage costs to “support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future are “fake”.

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A message has been widely circulated on WhatsApp saying that “friends, families, and anyone with a connection to the Castlecaulfield area in Co Tyrone should be encouraged to buy a home locally in order to “support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future.”

It also alleged that, following discussions with financial advisers, the local Orange Lodge might be able to assist people with mortgage costs to live in the area.

Belfast Live approached the Castlecaulfield Orange Lodge about the message on social media, with a spokesperson confirming “the message is fake”.

Local DUP councillor Mark Robinson said the message bore similarities to one that had circulated in the area previously and believed they were intended to inflame local tensions ahead of the parade season. He also remarked that Orange Order membership would rocket if it were to begin helping people with their mortgages, reports Belfast Live.

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After seeing the message he said: “Just checked my calendar there, thought maybe it was April Fool’s Day!

“This looks like a very similar message that done the rounds before. I suspect it’s the same culprits trying to raise tensions in the area prior to local parades. Sad that some people have nothing better to do with their time.”

The bogus message stated: “Following on from our brief meeting, we’re asking all Castlecaulfield friends, families, and anyone with a connection to the area to consider the opportunity of purchasing a home locally.

“With numbers at the primary school currently lower than we’d like, it’s important we come together to support and strengthen our Protestant community for the future. Encouraging more local families to live in the area can make a real difference.

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“[Name removed] has been in touch with a number of financial advisors, and there may be support available to help with mortgage costs from the Orange Lodge. If this is something you’d be interested in, please get in touch with [Name removed], [Name removed], or [Name removed] for more information.

“We’d encourage anyone considering a move to act sooner rather than later, ahead of the upcoming developments being released. God save the king.”

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Coronation Street’s Jodie Ramsey says time on soap ‘may have ended’ in cryptic victim clue

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Manchester Evening News

Actress Olivia Frances Brown has cryptically commented on Jodie Ramsey possibly being the victim of a shocking murder on the cobbles

Coronation Street star Olivia Frances Brown has admitted her time on the long-running show ‘may have ended’ as she cryptically commented on Jodie Ramsey possibly being the victim of a shock murder on the cobbles.

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As those who follow the ITV soap will recall, Jodie’s first appearance on-screen sparked a mystery as Olivia made her debut in the role during Corrie’s epic crossover with Emmerdale, dubbed Corriedale, which featured a horror multi-vehicle pile-up, before she ended up being revealed as Shona Platt’s long-lost sister.

While not involved in the dramatic crash that was at the centre of the historic crossover, it was during her escape that she became injured, running into a tree when DC Kit Green gave chase through the woods.

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It was how she ended up in the hospital, and it was there that she was reunited with her long-lost sister, Shona Platt, who had been involved in the deadly smash with her husband, David.

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Since then, despite Shona’s unease at first, Jodie has made herself comfortable with the Platts after being invited to stay at No.8 Coronation Street. But as viewers know, Jodie has started a plan to get between her sister and her husband, while her behaviour towards other Weatherfield residents has also come into question.

But this week, Jodie is among the possible victims of a murder, alongside fellow Weatherfield villains Theo Silverton, Carl Webster, Megan Walsh and Maggie Driscoll.

A flashforward episode of Corrie, which was aired in February, first confirmed the storyline, with fans seeing the shocked and anxious teen being interviewed by detectives about finding the dead body of someone she knows. As the episode returned to the present day, Corrie viewers started to see how the behaviour of the five characters could lead to their possible death.

While the murder technically took place on April 23, this week, Corrie viewers will revisit the same day, but each episode will be seen from the perspective of a different potential victim. At the end of the week, Betsy will find one of them dead, and as the victim is finally revealed, the hunt to find the killer will then begin.

Jodie’s episode airs on Wednesday (April 29), ahead of Friday’s (May 1) big reveal, but actress Olivia has already teased that it could be the end of her time in Weatherfield.

Asked how the character has ended up one of the possible victims, and if she was surprised herself to learn that Jodie could possibly die, the new soap star told the Manchester Evening News and other press: “I would have been surprised if she wasn’t one of the victims, the way she’s been carrying on! Trouble follows her around like a bad smell.

“She is always caught up in the chaos. Whatever’s going on, if there is any chaos in the street, she’ll probably be at the heart of it. It’s the way that she is. It’s who she is. It’s the way she has learnt to deal with things. It’s the way she goes through life.”

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On how it feels to be part of the dramatic week, Olivia added: “It’s been great. To be new on the show and to be thrown right into the centre of all the drama. It’s been a really lovely experience. It’s just been like a rollercoaster from the beginning. I really don’t want it to end – but it might have ended!”

And despite Jodie’s questionable actions so far, Olivia has had quite a positive reaction to her arrival in the show. “It’s been lovely, actually,” she admitted. “It’s been nice to see how invested people have become with the character and to see how close they are watching.

“The majority of feedback that I’ve had is that people just can’t quite suss her out and figure out what she’s up to. Which is good really, because she isn’t straightforward and she’s not your typical villain. She’s a very complex, layered person. There’s a bit of a sadness to her, really.

“The things that she is doing come from a place of loneliness. She wants people to value her, she wants to feel that closeness that she can see everybody else enjoying around her. She feels like she can’t have it off her own back. She feels like she has to manipulate people around her in order to trick them into loving her, which is quite sad.”

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Inside Gorka Marquez’s BBC Strictly Come Dancing exit

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Wales Online
Inside Gorka Marquez’s BBC Strictly Come Dancing exit | Wales Online