The Gateway Protection Programme is operated by the British government
in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) and co-funded by the European Union, offering a legal route for
a quota of UNHCR-identified refugees to settle in the United Kingdom. It
was proposed by the British Home Secretary, David Blunkett, in October
2001, and its legal basis was established by the Nationality,
Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. The programme launched in March 2004,
initially with a quota of 500 and later 750 refugees per year, but the
actual number of refugees resettled in most years has been fewer than
the quota permitted. As of 2012, refugees of 12 different nationalities
had been resettled, with the largest groups being Iraqis, Congolese,
Ethiopians, Burmese and Somalis, and 18 of the UK's 434 local
authorities had participated as resettlement locations. Evaluations of
the programme have praised it as having a positive impact on the
reception of refugees by local communities, but have also noted the
difficulties these refugees have faced in securing employment.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Protection_Programme>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1801:
With the signing of the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso, Spain
returned the colonial territory of Louisiana to France in return for the
Tuscany area of Italy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Treaty_of_San_Ildefonso>
1890:
At the urging of preservationist John Muir and writer Robert
Underwood Johnson, the United States Congress established Yosemite
National Park (Yosemite Valley pictured) in California.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_National_Park>
1940:
The first section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the United
States' first inter-city expressway comparable to the German Autobahn,
opened to traffic.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Turnpike>
1991:
Croatian War of Independence: Yugoslav National Army forces
invaded the area surrounding Dubrovnik, Croatia, beginning a seven-month
siege of the city.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Dubrovnik>
2005:
Terrorist suicide bombs exploded at two sites in Bali,
Indonesia, killing twenty people and injuring over 120 others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Bali_bombings>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
concoction:
1. The preparing of a medicine, food or other substance out of many
ingredients.
2. A mixture prepared in such a way.
3. Something made-up, an invention.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/concoction>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of
natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not
based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth,
possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God's standards of
truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love.
--Jimmy Carter
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter>