Deportation

Ukraine war: Pope Francis should learn from his WWII predecessor’s mistakes in appeasing fascism

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Pope Francis has provoked fury by suggesting in a television interview that Ukraine should find “the courage to raise the white flag”.

Key Points: 
  • Pope Francis has provoked fury by suggesting in a television interview that Ukraine should find “the courage to raise the white flag”.
  • As Pope Pius XII, Eugenio Pacelli led the Catholic Church throughout the second world war.
  • However, while Hitler’s determination to eliminate the Jewish people was brought to his attention, he did not publicly condemn it.
  • Though he admired the authoritarian regimes of Franco in Spain and Salazar in Portugal, Pius XII was not pro Nazi.

‘Catholics will be loyal’

  • He told the German chancellor:
    I am certain that if peace between Church and state is restored, everyone will be pleased.
  • The German people are united in their love for the Fatherland.
  • I am certain that if peace between Church and state is restored, everyone will be pleased.
  • He feared that criticism of Hitler’s regime would provoke harm to German Catholics.
  • In August 1942 Pius XII received a letter from Andrej Septyckj, a Ukrainian Cleric, bearing news of the massacre of 200,000 Jews in Ukraine.
  • Pius XII flirted with public criticism of Nazi inhumanity in his 1942 Christmas Eve broadcast.

Evil then and now

  • As I discovered while researching my book, Reporting the Second World War - The Press and the People 1939-1945, he could have learned as much by reading British newspapers.
  • In autumn 1942, titles including The Times and Daily Mail reported the World Jewish Congress’s belief that a million Jews had already died.
  • Today, his successor might contemplate the damage inflicted on his wartime predecessor’s reputation by his meek collusion with the wrong side.
  • Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba responded caustically to Pope Francis’s crass comments with: “Our flag is a yellow and blue one.


Tim Luckhurst has received funding from News UK and Ireland Ltd. He is a member of the Free Speech Union and the Society of Editors

Tax Tip - Fraud Prevention Month: How to recognize fraud, scams and tax schemes

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 4, 2024

OTTAWA, ON , March 4, 2024 /CNW/ - Every March, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) joins organizations around the world to recognize Fraud Prevention Month.

Key Points: 
  • OTTAWA, ON , March 4, 2024 /CNW/ - Every March, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) joins organizations around the world to recognize Fraud Prevention Month.
  • Learning how to identify fraud, scams and tax schemes helps keep your personal information safe.
  • Find more information on how to recognize a scam on the Scam Prevention and the CRA webpage .
  • If you are ever unsure and want to confirm if the CRA contacted you, hang up and contact the CRA:

Generations. The Sobey Family and Canadian Art

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

The Sobey Family and Canadian Art exhibition affords a unique perspective of Canadian creativity past and present.

Key Points: 
  • The Sobey Family and Canadian Art exhibition affords a unique perspective of Canadian creativity past and present.
  • He maintained the tradition and established the Sobey Art Award, which for over 20 years has highlighted emerging Canadian artists.
  • The Sobey Family and Canadian Art, which admirably rounds out a visit to this remarkable exhibition.
  • The Sobey Family and Canadian was organized and circulated by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg, Ontario).

Modern slavery: how the UK government’s 2023 reforms made it harder for victims to prove they are being exploited

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 9, 2024

These people are forced to work in a variety of exploitative situations, ranging from cannabis farms to building sites to sex work.

Key Points: 
  • These people are forced to work in a variety of exploitative situations, ranging from cannabis farms to building sites to sex work.
  • From our analysis of the data, however, these reforms made the situation for potential victims considerably worse.

The reforms

  • It used to be that the authority, known in the guidance as the “first responder”, made the referral purely based on a victim’s story.
  • But following the reforms, they additionally had to provide “objective evidence” such as other eyewitness testimonies or findings from a police investigation.
  • Positive ‘reasonable grounds’ decisions by age group (%), 2014-23: The lead time for positive decisions has greatly increased.
  • Decisions previously took four to six days, roughly in line with a Home Office target commitment of five working days.

Final-stage decisions

  • Over the past decade, these “conclusive grounds” decisions have been far slower than initial decisions.
  • In 2019, for instance, there were 9,290 “reasonable grounds” decisions but only 3,615 final decisions (including pending decisions from previous years).
  • This has led to a significant increase in the number of final-stage decisions since 2022.
  • Final-stage decisions 2014-23: The Home Office has also blamed decision speed on “timely sharing of information” by first responders and potential victims.

Reforms to the reforms

  • Within months of the reforms, the government faced several legal challenges by slavery claimants who had received negative decisions.
  • The government responded by agreeing with the legal challenge and clarifying its guidance in July 2023, in what amounted to a partial U-turn.
  • The government duly stopped issuing disqualifications, though it didn’t help the 334 people excluded under the reforms.
  • In the meantime, the 2023 data reveals the price that potential victims of modern slavery paid for the government’s reforms.


The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Even many critics of the Rwanda deportation policy are missing the point of why it’s wrong

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024

Several recently attempted a rebellion against the latest bill, arguing that it failed to conclusively stop refugees from legally challenging their own deportation to Rwanda.

Key Points: 
  • Several recently attempted a rebellion against the latest bill, arguing that it failed to conclusively stop refugees from legally challenging their own deportation to Rwanda.
  • Labour has said that it opposes the policy on the grounds that it is unworkable, a breach of international law, and unaffordable.
  • Opponents of the policy on the left must reckon with the racist undertones of the policy and its prejudicial treatment of specific groups of refugees.
  • Much recent discussion suggests that the policy is wrong primarily because Rwanda is not a “safe” place for refugees.

The real problem with the policy

  • Instead, we have been left with a debate on the government’s own, self-serving terms.
  • I would argue that what is wrong with the government’s policy has almost nothing to do with the destination of deportations, and everything to do with who is being sent there.
  • There is, therefore, nothing random about the UK government’s choice of Rwanda.
  • As such, it is on the government’s own racist bait that much of what has recently counted for dissent has been caught.
  • Critics of the plan have also raised concerns that under Rwanda’s authoritarian regime, many refugees’ basic human rights may be violated.

The humanity of refugees

  • The UK government has had no trouble recognising the humanity of numerous other groups of refugees.
  • Yet the current debate now, almost exclusively, focuses on questioning Rwanda’s safety, and the cost of the policy to the British taxpayer.


Ẹniọlá Ànúolúwapọ́ Ṣóyẹmí is a Board Member of Internews Europe.

National Press Club Journalism Institute FOIA case advances

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 5, 2024

Judge Rudolph Contreras' ruling came in a Freedom of Information case brought by the National Press Club Journalism Institute and Kathy Kiely seeking records about Emilio Gutiérrez Soto, the National Press Club's 2017 press freedom honoree.

Key Points: 
  • Judge Rudolph Contreras' ruling came in a Freedom of Information case brought by the National Press Club Journalism Institute and Kathy Kiely seeking records about Emilio Gutiérrez Soto, the National Press Club's 2017 press freedom honoree.
  • Kiely is the Lee Hills Chair in Free Press Studies at the Missouri School of Journalism and the Institute's former Press Freedom Fellow.
  • On October 4, 2017, while his case was pending on appeal, Gutiérrez spoke at the National Press Club and was awarded the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award.
  • So, the National Press Club Journalism Institute filed a FOIA request for all of the agency's communications regarding Gutiérrez.

National Black Farmers Association Launches #SupportBlackFarmers Petition Urging White House to Stop Menthol Ban

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 16, 2023

Founded by John Boyd, Jr., a 4th generation black farmer, businessman, and farmers rights activist, the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) is calling on the Biden Administration to end its proposed ban on menthol tobacco products, calling it a misguided federal policy that will devastate Black farmers and rural communities.

Key Points: 
  • Founded by John Boyd, Jr., a 4th generation black farmer, businessman, and farmers rights activist, the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) is calling on the Biden Administration to end its proposed ban on menthol tobacco products, calling it a misguided federal policy that will devastate Black farmers and rural communities.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231116346741/en/
    John Boyd, Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association (Photo: Business Wire)
    “The White House is about to hand down another mandate that will put more Black farmers out of business,” said John Boyd, Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association.
  • “The proposed federal ban targets adult use of menthol tobacco products – the kind of tobacco products preferred and grown by Black farmers.
  • The association previously represented one million Black farmers across the country, a figure which now stands at over 130,000 across 47 states.

Fabiana Zangara: Transforming Lives Through Immigration Law

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 18, 2023

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fabiana Zangara, a distinguished immigration attorney based in New York, is transforming lives through her commitment to helping individuals pursue their American dream.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fabiana Zangara, a distinguished immigration attorney based in New York, is transforming lives through her commitment to helping individuals pursue their American dream.
  • Having personally navigated the intricacies of immigration, Zangara understands the impactful and often complicated nature of the immigration process on individuals' lives and aspirations.
  • Addressing the current political climate and changing immigration policies, Zangara offers valuable advice for individuals aspiring to fulfill their American dream through legal immigration channels.
  • Fabiana Zangara shared a compelling success story that highlights the transformative power of effective legal support in the immigration process.

Egypt's Rafah crossing is a lifeline to Palestinians living in Gaza – but opening it is still unresolved

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip – after a devastating Hamas attack on Israel – has caused alarm in Egypt.

Key Points: 
  • Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip – after a devastating Hamas attack on Israel – has caused alarm in Egypt.
  • Egypt shares a 12km-long border with Gaza and controls the main exit point – the Rafah crossing – for the approximately 2 million people living there.

How significant is the Rafah border crossing to both Egypt and the Gaza?

    • This has historically given it an important role to play in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict because it controls one of the two main border crossings for civilians.
    • The Rafah crossing is the only border Gaza has which isn’t directly administered by Israel.
    • Since 2007, Israel has imposed a blockade (over land, sea and air) and an embargo on the Gaza Strip.
    • Egypt has de facto supported Israel’s blockade because the Rafah border is tightly controlled, only opening on an unpredictable and occasional basis.

What does the new outbreak of war mean for the Gaza-Egyptian border?


    The outbreak of the current war between Israel and Hamas, together with other Palestinian resistance factions, highlights three key issues:
    • The openings were sporadic and the conditions for a transit authorisation were unclear.
    • In recent years, Gaza’s residents have depended on the functioning of the Rafah crossing and on the tunnels.
    • Second, a humanitarian opening of the crossing would probably mean the arrival of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Egypt.
    • Most of them won’t have citizen rights and live outside of any legal and humanitarian protection framework.

What should Egypt do given the complexity of the situation?

    • If we rule out an unlikely Egyptian military intervention to stop Israel’s assault on Gaza (which could eventually lead to a larger regional war), Egypt only has two options.
    • Or second, to provide humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced people in the Gaza Strip through safe corridors.
    • Right now the main risk, which Egypt must bear in mind when making this decision, is the immense loss of life facing Gazans.

Egypt's Rafah crossing is a lifeline to Palestinians living in Gaza - but opening it is still unresolved

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip – after a devastating Hamas attack on Israel – has caused alarm in Egypt.

Key Points: 
  • Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip – after a devastating Hamas attack on Israel – has caused alarm in Egypt.
  • Egypt shares a 12km-long border with Gaza and controls the main exit point – the Rafah crossing – for the approximately 2 million people living there.

How significant is the Rafah border crossing to both Egypt and the Gaza?

    • This has historically given it an important role to play in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict because it controls one of the two main border crossings for civilians.
    • The Rafah crossing is the only border Gaza has which isn’t directly administered by Israel.
    • Since 2007, Israel has imposed a blockade (over land, sea and air) and an embargo on the Gaza Strip.
    • Egypt has de facto supported Israel’s blockade because the Rafah border is tightly controlled, only opening on an unpredictable and occasional basis.

What does the new outbreak of war mean for the Gaza-Egyptian border?


    The outbreak of the current war between Israel and Hamas, together with other Palestinian resistance factions, highlights three key issues:
    • The openings were sporadic and the conditions for a transit authorisation were unclear.
    • In recent years, Gaza’s residents have depended on the functioning of the Rafah crossing and on the tunnels.
    • Second, a humanitarian opening of the crossing would probably mean the arrival of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Egypt.
    • Most of them won’t have citizen rights and live outside of any legal and humanitarian protection framework.

What should Egypt do given the complexity of the situation?

    • If we rule out an unlikely Egyptian military intervention to stop Israel’s assault on Gaza (which could eventually lead to a larger regional war), Egypt only has two options.
    • Or second, to provide humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced people in the Gaza Strip through safe corridors.
    • Right now the main risk, which Egypt must bear in mind when making this decision, is the immense loss of life facing Gazans.