Author: Fatimah Idera

Almost one million NHS health cost exemption certificates have been issued to asylum seekers in the UK over the past five years, according to newly released data. Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request to the NHS Business Services Authority reveal that 920,199 HC2 certificates were granted to asylum seekers between 2019 and 2024. This represents 59% of the 1.56 million total HC2 certificates issued nationwide during that time. What HC2 certificate is The HC2 certificate is part of the NHS Low Income Scheme and offers full exemption from health-related charges to individuals on very low incomes. Benefits include…

By Fatimah Idera and Helen Okechukwu Nigeria’s healthcare system has suffered another setback as the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives – Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM-FHI) embarked on a seven-day strike following unmet demands, leaving patients in dire conditions with little to no adequate medical attention. Recall that on 14 July, the association issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government (FG) to respond, but unfortunately, their demands were not met. Despite being major players in the healthcare system, Morakinyo Rilwan claims that they have been neglected for over 40 years. The association is demanding improved welfare services…

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published a list of 87 medical conditions that could make individuals eligible for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a disability benefit offering up to £110.40 per week. PIP is designed to support people with long-term physical or mental health conditions, disabilities, or learning difficulties who need extra help with daily living activities. It is available to those of working age and also supports older individuals, particularly those at or beyond State Pension age, who wish to remain independent in their own homes. The benefit is non-means-tested and tax-free, meaning it is not affected…

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States would impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from India, effective August 1. Trump said India would face an unspecified penalty on the same date. “While India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high among the highest in the world,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “They also maintain the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country.” He also criticised India’s longstanding military and energy ties with Russia, stating: “They…

Some women who were exploited by grooming gangs in Rotherham during their childhood say they were also abused by police officers in the town at that time, According to reports, one says she was raped from the age of 12 by a serving South Yorkshire Police (SYP) officer in a marked police car. He would threaten to hand her back to the gang if she did not comply, she says. “In a world where you were being abused so much, being raped once by a police officer was a lot easier than multiple rapes by the gang, and I think…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called on the Bank of England to cut interest rates at least two more times this year, warning that Britain’s economy remains fragile following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s sweeping tax hikes. In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF said interest rates should be lowered from their current level of 4.25% to support growth. The UK central bank has already reduced rates twice this year but is now expected to pause before potentially resuming cuts later in 2025. The Fund warned that fiscal tightening at home, combined with global uncertainty including concerns over Donald Trump’s…

President Donald Trump has criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s energy policies, accusing the Labour Government of squandering the North Sea’s vast oil and gas resources and pushing up household energy bills. In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday morning, the former US President said Britain was wasting a treasure chest of natural resources. He blamed the Government’s tax hikes and regulatory restrictions for deterring investment and driving energy prices higher. Trump’s comments come just a day after a joint appearance with Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, where the two held an hour-long press conference. During the meeting,…

Sir Keir Starmer is under growing pressure to abandon plans to align the UK’s carbon trading system with the European Union’s, as MPs warn the move could damage British industry and raise energy costs.

Households in the United Kingdom are facing steeper weekly shopping bills as food prices rise faster than overall inflation, driven by higher costs for essentials like beef and teabags. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), food price inflation jumped to 4% in July, the highest level since February 2023. This outpaces the UK’s overall inflation rate, which rose to 3.6% in the year to June, up from 3.4% in May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS said that the inflation increase was largely fuelled by rising costs in food and fuel. Despite this, inflation remains…

Amid mounting the global outcry over widespread malnutrition and starvation-related deaths in Gaza, Israel has announced new humanitarian measures, including daily tactical pauses and expanded aid corridors The move comes as international agencies and governments demand urgent action to address what aid groups describe as a deepening humanitarian catastrophe. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed it will implement daily “tactical pauses” in military operations from 10:00 to 20:00 local time to allow aid to enter Gaza. These corridors, the IDF claims, aim to refute the false claim of intentional starvation. Speaking from an Israeli air base, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…