Latest news with #bordercontrol
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Thailand Bars Citizens From Crossing to Cambodia Casino City
Thailand banned its citizens from going to work in a casino city in Cambodia, the latest curb on border movements as tensions simmer between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. All Thais who are employed in casinos, gambling dens and other entertainment venues in Poipet are barred from leaving Thailand via checkpoints in Sa Kaeo province from Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the Royal Thai Army, which cited safety reasons.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
US denies arresting Australian writer because of his political views
The US government has denied arresting an Australian writer because of his political beliefs, saying he was turned away from the border for giving false information on an entry form. Alistair Kitchen, 33, said he was refused entry to the US last week after being grilled about his views on the Gaza conflict and articles he wrote about pro-Palestinian protests. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the ABC claims Mr Kitchen was arrested for political views were "unequivocally false". "The individual in question was denied entry because he gave false information on his [Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) application] regarding drug use," a DHS spokesperson said on Wednesday. Mr Kitchen said he admitted to previously taking drugs after a border agent searched his phone and claimed to have found evidence of prior use. He said he told the officer he had used cannabis in New York, where it is legal. However, federal US law still prohibits the drug. Mr Kitchen was travelling from Melbourne to New York to visit friends when he was pulled out of the customs line during a layover in Los Angeles. He maintains he was initially interrogated about blog posts he penned on protests at New York's Columbia University against the war in Gaza. "Customs and Border Protection (CPB) specifically and proudly told me I was detained because of my reporting on the student protests at Columbia University, before they proceeded to interrogate me on my views on Gaza," Mr Kitchen told the ABC on Wednesday. DHS did not specifically deny that Mr Kitchen was questioned about the Israel-Gaza conflict. The agency said the US had the "most secure border" in American history "under the leadership of the Trump Administration and Secretary [Kristi] Noem". "This has allowed CPB to focus to actually vet and interview the people attempting to come into our country," the DHS spokesperson said. "Lawful travellers have nothing to fear from these measures, which are designed to protect our nation's security. "However, those intending to enter the US with fraudulent purposes or malicious intent are offered the following advice: Don't even try." Mr Kitchen said there was nothing new about travellers being denied entry for past drug use but suggested the practice was now being used to bar foreigners for other reasons. "What is new is the politically-motivated weaponisation of these policies to keep out forms of speech the US government does not want to hear," he said. Adding to Mr Kitchen's distress, after 12 hours of detention in LA, his phone was not returned until he landed in Australia on a Qantas flight on Saturday. CPB said it was "standard practice" that the phone and travel documents of a person being removed from the US were "placed into a packet and given to the airline". Mr Kitchen previously said he was told by the Australian consulate the airline had discretion over whether to return the passenger's belongings once on board. Qantas declined to comment.
The Sun
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Will ministers EVER understand the harm being caused by them taking the public for fools?
Truth and lies WILL those ministers and officials running our public bodies ever understand the harm which is being caused by them taking the public for fools? Left-wing ideology has infected the civil service so much that anyone questioning the wisdom of allowing millions to arrive from overseas is automatically considered a 'far right' threat by the Prevent programme. 1 Meanwhile, police still fail to properly record crimes committed by foreign nationals, or have to be forced to come clean by brave opposition politicians. The latest example of trying to warp reality concerns the ongoing chaos at Britain's borders. Appearing on BBC Question Time, Treasury minister Darren Jones made the totally false claim that small boat migrants are mainly 'women, children and babies'. Yet — far from correcting the record — Downing Street tried to shut up shop. The reality? Some 70 per cent of those illegally arriving here by dinghy are men, many of them economic migrants. The overwhelming majority of Brits are decent, tolerant and warmly welcoming people. Those in charge would do well to treat them as such. Not seek to suppress debate or massage away uncomfortable truths. Starmer 'loses control' as over 1,000 migrants cross Channel in biggest daily total of 2025 – as French cops watch on A just mission ISRAEL was entirely justified in launching its surgical strikes on rogue terror-state Iran. The mad mullahs in Tehran are hell-bent on developing nukes and then wiping out Israel. Iran — bank-rolling both Hamas and Hezbollah — has repeatedly failed to comply with the UN on its uranium enrichment programme. And ignored Donald Trump's ultimatums to stop. How else was Israel supposed to react to this intolerable situation? Our Government should recognise another breathtaking Mossad operation has done well to take out the leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Ordinary Iranians will be silently giving thanks, too. Britain and America now have a duty to stand by Israel. The destruction of Iran's nuclear ambitions would do the world a great favour. Gongs & arrows The King's Birthday Honours this year celebrate Britain's finest achievers — from the youngest to the oldest. Luke Littler, just 18, deservedly gets an MBE for his darting heroics. There's a gong, too, for 99-year-old war hero Geoff Roberts, a veteran of the Arnhem campaign.
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Ryanair blasts Portuguese border control over traveller queues
Ryanair has criticised Portuguese border control for staff shortages at airports like Faro, Lisbon, and Porto, leading to long delays and missed flights for passengers. The airline reported that over 270 passengers have missed flights in the past two weeks due to border control delays, with some facing waits of up to 2.5 hours. Ryanair's COO, Neal McMahon, described the staff shortages as "unacceptable" and called on the Portuguese government to urgently address the issue to prevent further disruptions during the summer season. Faro Airport recently announced the rollout of e-gate access for British arrivals, but passengers report continued long queues at border control. Portugal's PSP police force announced it would deploy 500 new officers to boost border control in Portuguese airports by July, hoping to fix the issue amid the summer tourist boom.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The betrayal of Gibraltar: Anger at Starmer's 'surrender deal' with EU that hands Spain control over territory's border
Sir Keir Starmer was accused last night of striking another 'surrender' deal after handing over control of Gibraltar's border to the European Union. The agreement means Britons travelling to the peninsula could be refused entry by Spanish guards enforcing the EU rules – despite it being a British Overseas Territory. The arrangement was made to enable the border to fully re-open between Gibraltar and Spain, which is crossed by thousands daily living either side to get to work or visit friends and family. Britons travelling to the territory at present face an initial passport check carried out by Gibraltar officials but they would face a second check carried out by Spanish border officials on behalf of the EU. It means Britons could be rejected if they do not meet strict Schengen Area rules. For instance, post-Brexit Britons cannot stay in the EU for longer than 90 days within any 180-day period without a visa. It raises the prospect of UK travellers needing to obtain an EU visa to visit a British territory if they have exceeded their 90-day allowance, or they face being refused entry at the border. A specific post-Brexit agreement, covering the territory and to keep the Spain-Gibraltar border open, was needed because, at Madrid's insistence, it was not part of the wider EU-UK trade pact struck after Brexit. It was also not included in Sir Keir's 'reset' deal unveiled last month. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and chief minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo agreed the new deal in principle in Brussels yesterday. Pictured: Lammy and Picardo in a social media clip Foreign Secretary David Lammy and chief minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo agreed the new deal in principle in Brussels yesterday. But Brexiteers warned that the Falklands could be next following Sir Keir's controversial Chagos Islands 'surrender' deal. Tory Armed Forces spokesman Mark Francois said: 'First Chagos and now Gibraltar – and then probably the Falklands, too. This Europhile, human-rights obsessed Government can no longer be trusted to robustly defend any of our overseas interests, as this further needless concession to Spain shows. 'Labour used to sing The Red Flag – now they just wave a big white one instead.' David Jones, former Brexit minister, said: 'There is no reason why British people visiting their own territory should be providing passports to foreign entities. This is contrary to Britain having sovereignty over Gibraltar. 'The Spanish have wanted to get their hands on Gibraltar ever since the Treaty of Utrecht [which handed Britain sovereignty in 1713] – it's a vitally important asset to us. 'It has thousands of our citizens living there and people visiting their own territory should not have to present passports to foreign officials.' Former home secretary Suella Braverman said: 'Another surrender and a hand-over in all but name. It is unforgivable. The Falklands will be next.' The text of the treaty is yet to be finalised and published. However, Government sources insisted 'nothing will compromise the way the Armed Forces operate' at the strategically important RAF Gibraltar military base next to Gibraltar Airport. They insisted residents of the Rock will not be affected by the changes. As well as re-opening the Spain-Gibraltar border for people, the deal also removes goods controls, allowing for them to be traded more smoothly. Mr Lammy said: 'This government inherited a situation from the last government which put Gibraltar's economy and way of life under threat. Today's breakthrough delivers a practical solution after years of uncertainty.' Downing Street said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had, in a phone call, congratulated Sir Keir over the Gibraltar deal, claiming 'his government had succeeded where others had failed'.
