Author: Fatimah Idera

Six people have been arrested following violent scenes outside a Dublin hotel housing asylum seekers, where Irish police came under sustained attack from protesters hurling bricks, fireworks and bottles. The disorder erupted on Tuesday evening at the Citywest Hotel in Saggart. Gardaí said demonstrators tried to force their way through police lines, with some charging the cordon on horse-drawn sulkies and others wielding garden tools and makeshift weapons. A Garda vehicle was set alight, while the force’s helicopter was targeted with laser beams. One female officer suffered a foot injury and received treatment at the scene. Garda Commissioner, Justin Kelly…

Two survivors of child sexual exploitation have resigned from the government’s national inquiry into grooming gangs, accusing ministers of mishandling the process and sidelining victims’ voices.

About 6,500 offenders, including rapists, killers and child sex abusers, could be eligible for early release under Labour’s sentencing reforms, according to Conservative analysis. The government had a plan to free up around 10,000 prison spaces by allowing serious, violent and sexual offenders on fixed-term sentences of four years or more to leave prison at the halfway stage, rather than at two-thirds, if they comply with prison rules and rehabilitation programmes. The proposal is contained in Labour’s new sentencing bill, currently before Parliament. The Conservatives argue the changes would apply to 85% of serious offenders serving determinate sentences. These figures…

Asylum seekers are being baptised in hotel bathtubs by a Christian charity working in migrant accommodation across the UK. The practice has raised concerns that some Muslim migrants may be undergoing conversion ceremonies to boost their chances of securing asylum. Carelinks Ministries, a registered charity linked to the minority Christadelphian denomination, has travelled to asylum hotels to perform baptisms in bathrooms. The group has defended its activities, insisting that it simply baptises those who request it and plays no role in asylum applications. Several seekers who became Christadelphians after arriving in Britain have later won their claims under the European…

During his visit to the synagogue, the King met survivors, community leaders and witnesses to the incident, and was shown around the building where the attack unfolded.

Undergraduate tuition fees in England will begin rising in line with inflation from next year, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has confirmed. The move marks the end of a long-running fee freeze and comes amid mounting financial pressures across the university sector. Phillipson told MPs that maintenance loans would also be uprated annually with inflation, and that universities would eventually only be permitted to charge full fees if they demonstrate high-quality teaching. The reforms apply only to England, as higher education policy is devolved; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to set their own rules. Universities have warned for years…

Labour MPs are urging ministers and London’s mayor to abandon controversial proposals that would reduce affordable housing quotas in the capital in a bid to revive stalled housebuilding. Housing secretary, Steve Reed and mayor Sadiq Khan are considering changes that would allow developers to secure fast-track planning approval by committing to deliver just 20% affordable housing, down from the current 35% minimum. The plan is being developed amid a dramatic fall in construction across London, but MPs want the policy dropped before its expected announcement in the coming weeks. Florence Eshalomi, Labour chair of the housing select committee, warned that…

The son of former England football star Stuart Pearce has died following a tractor crash in Gloucestershire, police have confirmed. Harley Pearce, 21, from Marlborough in Wiltshire, was killed in the incident on the A417 at Old Birdlip Hill in Witcombe, near Gloucester. In a tribute, his family said they were “truly shocked and utterly heartbroken by the loss of their cherished son and devoted brother”. They described Harley as “a golden boy with an infectious smile” who “left an unforgettable imprint on all who knew him”. “This shocking tragedy will leave a huge hole in the hearts of those…

The United Kingdom has formally reduced the length of stay permitted for international students after graduation, cutting the post-study work period for bachelor’s and master’s degree holders. The change, announced by the Home Office on October 15, follows the government’s plan to tighten migration rules and curb what it sees as misuse of the Graduate Route visa. Under the new legislation laid before Parliament on October 14, bachelor’s and master’s graduates will no longer enjoy the two-year post-study stay previously allowed. PhD graduates, however, will continue to receive up to three years on the route, in line with existing policy.…

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called for an immediate suspension of penalties and repayment demands imposed on thousands of unpaid carers caught up in broken and discredited allowance system. Investigation by the Guardian revealed that carers across the UK had been saddled with large debts and in some cases prosecuted for fraud after unknowingly breaching strict earnings rules linked to the £82.30-a-week benefit. Despite a government pledge last year to fix the system, hundreds of carers are still being hit with fresh overpayment demands every week. “Itcannot be right that the government is still hounding carers for repayments long…