Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been pressed on whether the UK would offer refuge to Sudanese children fleeing the conflict, as the first flight ferrying British citizens evacuated from Sudan touched down at Stanstead Airport on Wednesday.
Mr Sunak told the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions the country would “continue to work to end the bloodshed in Sudan”.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn asked the Prime Minister to outline a "safe and legal route" available to a child refugee seeking to flee Sudan to arrive in the UK.
Mr Sunak replied: "As outlined earlier, our priority in Sudan, first and foremost, was to evacuate our diplomats and their families, which I'm very pleased we were one of the first countries to be able to do.
"Since yesterday, we have been conducting a large-scale evacuation of British nationals.
"We have some of the largest numbers of British nationals on the ground and rightly — and I am sure the whole house will agree with me — that it is reasonable, legal and fair to prioritise those most vulnerable families, particularly those with elderly people in them, medical conditions, but also children.
"That's what we are in the process of doing and I pay tribute to all those who are making it possible."
Mr Flynn asked Mr Sunak to confirm that it would be his government's intention to "detain and deport" a child refugee who flees Sudan and comes to the UK.
The SNP Westminster leader said: "To be clear, and I think everyone in the house is aware of this, children in Sudan are already dying.
"Now, whether it's a Tory slogan to stop the boats or a Labour slogan to stop small boats, we need some more humanity in this debate rather than the race to the bottom, which we see here today.
"So, can I ask the Prime Minister now that he has confirmed that there is no safe legal route, will he therefore confirm that it would be his government's intention to detain and deport a child refugee who flees Sudan and comes to the United Kingdom?"
Mr Sunak said his government had "invested almost £250 million in humanitarian support in Sudan over the past five years" and that Britain had "a proud record of compassionately supporting those who need our assistance".
"Just over the last few years, we have welcomed almost half a million vulnerable people to our country, including many children," Mr Sunak added.
The first flight of evacuees from Sudan landed in Britain on Wednesday afternoon, as the military races against time to lift people to safety during a fragile, temporary ceasefire.
RAF flights from near the capital Khartoum were continuing throughout Wednesday after hundreds of UK citizens were taken to safety in Cyprus.
A chartered jet flying a first group back to London Stansted left Larnaca in the morning, with officials working to rescue more than 2,000 citizens who had registered in Sudan.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said 200 to 300 people have left from the Wadi Saeedna airstrip to date.
British citizens have been told to make their own way to the airfield, north of Khartoum, where the military is co-ordinating the large-scale evacuation.
But a UK-born student attempting to flee Sudan said she did not have enough petrol to make the dangerous one-hour drive from the outskirts of Khartoum to the airstrip.
“I'm trying to get there but the problem is the vehicles that we have have no gas and the petrol stations are empty,” said Samar Eltayeb, 20, from Birmingham.
“There'll be constant flights within the next few days, but if I can't find gas to get there then I'm stuck.”
Families with young children were among those on the first flights that landed in Cyprus on Tuesday, the first day of the evacuation. A British man told the BBC his sister, who left Sudan overnight, felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK had taken charge of the Wadi Saeedna airstrip near the capital from German forces, after Berlin staged its last evacuation flight on Tuesday night.
The German Defence Ministry said it had flown more than 700 people out of the country, including 200 German citizens.
About 120 British troops have already been supporting the operation at Wadi Saeedna.
Mr Wallace said the UK military could be ready to use force if needed to protect the airbase in the event it comes under attack during the airlift, although troops are primarily there to help with logistics and provide air traffic control.
The British government is also considering other options, including an evacuation by sea from Port Sudan, 800km from the capital.
HMS Lancaster and the RFA Cardigan Bay have been sent to the region.
Sudan crisis latest - in pictures
The government has estimated about 4,000 British citizens are in Sudan.
The UK began the large-scale evacuation of its citizens on Tuesday, following other nations in pulling people out of Sudan, where violent clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have killed hundreds of people and left foreigners stranded.
The government came under criticism for beginning its operation days after other countries.
Ms Braverman defended the UK's response, saying the government had to cope with a “larger cohort of British nationals in Sudan compared to many other countries”.
The families of some UK citizens stranded in Sudan say they have had “very limited” contact from the Home Office.
Saleh El-Khalifa, whose mother is attempting to flee Sudan with her elderly father, said the Home Office advice to stay indoors had not been a “viable option”.
His mother was forced to make a journey to Port Sudan with her 86-year-old father, who suffers from a terminal illness, and was trying to cross the border into Saudi Arabia, he said.
Mr Khalifa told BBC Breakfast the journey was “beyond challenging” and that information from the Home Office had been “very limited”.
“The first few days me and my sister tried to contact [the Home Office]," he said. "The advice was the same, to stay indoors and not move. That wasn't a viable option as there was no guarantee of their safety by staying in one location.
“That is why the majority of people have had to move to ensure their own life and safety, which is a situation no one should have to be put in.
“It is at the point now where my mum might be trying to get into Saudi Arabia, as she believes it would be a safer route back to the UK, as opposed to being told at the last moment where these flights are taking off.
“We heard about one of the first flights yesterday that it was only on the ground for less than half an hour and the location was being shared very minimally.
“Even if my mum had been told of the right time, the time frame she would have had to get there would have been almost impossible.”
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
The years Ramadan fell in May
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPurpl%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarl%20Naim%2C%20Wissam%20Ghorra%2C%20Jean-Marie%20Khoueir%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHub71%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20and%20Beirut%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%242%20million%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Homie%20Portal%20LLC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20End%20of%202021%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdulla%20Al%20Kamda%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2014%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELaunch%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Family: wife, four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren
Reads: Newspapers, historical, religious books and biographies
Education: High school in Thatta, a city now in Pakistan
Regrets: Not completing college in Karachi when universities were shut down following protests by freedom fighters for the British to quit India
Happiness: Work on creative ideas, you will also need ideals to make people happy
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1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
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8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
Cryopreservation: A timeline
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Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
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Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
