Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Prince Charles slams UK's Rwanda plan: Report

The government says the one-way flights will deter asylum claimants from entering Britain by illegal routes

Prince Charles slams UK's Rwanda plan: Report

Britain's Prince Charles has called the government's plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda "appalling", a report said Saturday after it cleared a legal challenge.

The UK government intends to fly the first planeload of 31 claimants to Rwanda on Tuesday -- shortly before Charles is due to represent his mother Queen Elizabeth II at a Commonwealth summit in Kigali.


Prime Minister Boris Johnson -- who is also set to attend the summit -- welcomed his government's victory in Friday's High Court hearing, although an appeal is due to be heard on Monday.

"We cannot allow people traffickers to put lives at risk and our world leading partnership will help break the business model of these ruthless criminals," Johnson tweeted.

Charles, however, joined others including senior Christian clerics in denouncing the plan, and fears the issue could overshadow the Commonwealth summit on June 24-25, The Times reported.

"He said he was more than disappointed at the policy," the newspaper quoted an unidentified source as saying.

"He said he thinks the government's whole approach is appalling. It was clear he was not impressed with the government's direction of travel," the source added.

A spokesman for Charles declined to comment on private conversations, "except to restate that he remains politically neutral".

"Matters of policy are decisions for government," the spokesman added.

The government says the one-way flights will deter asylum claimants from entering Britain by illegal routes, and offer those who do try a new life in Rwanda instead.

More than 10,000 migrants have made the perilous sea journey from France to Britain so far this year, a huge increase on prior years.

(AFP)

More For You

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access

Getty

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for stronger protections for children online, warning that not enough is being done to shield young people from the dangers of social media

During a visit to New York, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the memory of children whose families believe harmful online content contributed to their deaths. The installation, named the Lost Screen Memorial, features 50 smartphones, each displaying an image of a child lost to what their families describe as the adverse effects of social media. The memorial was made available to the public for 24 hours.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

Afghan refugees arrive at a camp near the Torkham border last Sunday (20)

Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

MORE than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in the past three weeks, the interior ministry said on Tuesday (22), after Islamabad announced the cancellation of residence permits.

Calling Afghans “terrorists and criminals”, the Pakistan government launched its mass eviction campaign on April 1. Analysts said the expulsions are designed to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, which Islamabad blames for fuelling a rise in border attacks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

Energy secretary Ed Miliband reads a letter from Britain's King Charles III during the Future of Energy Security Summit at Lancaster House on April 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

THE government has announced an initial £300 million investment to strengthen domestic offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review. The funding will be distributed through Great British Energy, the country's publicly-owned clean energy company.

Prime minister Keir Starmer on Thursday (24) said the investment aims to support jobs and help the UK reach clean power by 2030.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-pahalgam-getty

'I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,' Modi said in his first speech since the incident.

Getty Images

Modi vows to hunt Kashmir attackers ‘to the ends of the Earth’

INDIA and Pakistan have exchanged a series of diplomatic measures after prime minister Narendra Modi blamed Pakistan for a deadly shooting in Pahalgam, Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.

Modi said India would identify and punish those behind the attack and accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump also announced an initiative on historically black colleges and universities and signed orders on AI education and workforce development.

Getty Images

Trump signs orders targeting university diversity policies and accreditation

DONALD TRUMP signed a set of executive orders on Wednesday aimed at US universities, focusing on foreign donations, college accreditation, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

One order directs the federal government to enforce existing laws requiring universities to disclose large foreign gifts. Another addresses accreditation, which Trump has described as a “secret weapon.”

Keep ReadingShow less