Author: Fatimah Idera

A group of migrants in the early hours of Saturday moved into the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, London. Photos from the scene showed a bus arriving at the hotel and dropping off the group under the cover of night, just days after protests erupted over the site’s proposed use as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. The protests, which took place in late July, followed reports that the government planned to house migrants at the four-star hotel. Demonstrators from both sides of the debate, including members of the group Stand Up To Racism, gathered outside the hotel in response.…

A teenage girl has died after going swimming too soon after eating a large meal during a seaside trip, an inquest has heard. Lucy Reed, from Lincolnshire, tragically died from asphyxiation on June 24, 2023, after entering the water near Cleethorpes Pier shortly after eating pizza and chips. According to findings presented at Grimsby Town Hall, Lucy inhaled gastric contents after vomiting while swimming, leading to a fatal lack of oxygen. The senior coroner Paul Smith concluded that Lucy’s death was the result of misadventure, describing it as the unintended consequence of swimming on a full stomach. The inquest heard…

Labour has lost its first sitting councillor to the newly formed political party led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, marking an early shift in local government support ahead of the party’s formal launch. Grace Lewis, a 22-year-old councillor representing the Westwood ward on Coventry City Council, announced her resignation from the Labour Party on Friday. She will now serve as an independent councillor and has pledged her support to Corbyn and Sultana’s emerging political movement, currently operating under the placeholder name “Your Party.” Corbyn and Sultana, both serving as independent MPs, unveiled the new party in July 2025. Positioned…

MThe constituency office of Health Secretary Wes Streeting in Ilford North has been vandalised by a group identifying themselves as trans rage activists, prompting a police investigation. The incident, which occurred early on Friday, August 1, involved smashed windows and graffiti painted across the front of the office. The words “child killer” were daubed on the building. The activist group “Trans Bash Back” claimed responsibility for the act in a post on the social media platform BlueSky. Alongside a photo of the vandalised office, the group wrote: “Don’t want action? Don’t kill kids. Report revealed that Glass was broken and…

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…