The UK government has apologised for mistakenly leaking the personal data of nearly 18,000 Afghans who applied under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) in 2022. It also revealed a secret relocation scheme, the Afghan Response Route (ARR), set up to protect many of those affected.
Defence Secretary John Healey told Parliament that an official mistakenly sent an email containing the full list of more than 18,000 applicants’ names. Fearing Taliban reprisals, the previous government established the ARR, through which around 3,000 individuals underwent strict security checks and were relocated.
A court order had kept details of the breach and the secret programme under wraps for nearly two years. After this injunction was lifted, the government disclosed the incident.
Healey offered a formal apology, stating that while the breach occurred under the previous administration, he was sorry on behalf of the UK government. He added that the Ministry of Defence attempted to contact those affected but faced difficulties due to outdated records.
He described the prolonged secrecy surrounding the issue as “deeply uncomfortable” and called for greater transparency going forward. Healey also urged opposition parties to join in offering an apology.
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Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter is set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday as Switzerland races to secure a deal that would prevent a severe 39% tariff on its exports to the United States.
Oil prices rose on Wednesday amid renewed supply concerns following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on India for continuing to purchase oil from Russia.
Pakistan has begun expelling documented Afghan refugees weeks before its 1 September deadline, the UN refugee agency says, warning that the early removals breach international law and could uproot more than one million people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has received U.S. Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin today, the presidential press service announced.
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