Author: Fatimah Idera

The UK government is looking to Ukraine’s wartime experience to tackle the growing threat of drones smuggling drugs and weapons into British prisons. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy disclosed this during a visit to Ukraine, marking a century-long security partnership between both countries. Lammy said British prison authorities have been tasked with learning from Ukraine’s advanced anti-drone measures, developed in response to Russian military attacks. According to him, drones used over prisons pose a serious threat to national security, prompting increased investment in modern security systems and cutting-edge technology. Official figures show that between April 2024 and March 2025,…

Following approval by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s planning committee, Planning permission has been granted for the construction of 403 new homes in Carrickfergus and County Antrim. The £70 million development, located in north of Prince Andrew Way, will be delivered in phases over the next five to six years and is expected to create around 200 construction jobs. The scheme includes 40 social housing units and 41 affordable homes, alongside a mix of private properties. As part of the approval, a long-awaited access road in the area must be completed before building begins. Upgrades to the North Road…

The UK government is introducing a new scheme to provide emergency cash for low-income residents across England. Starting in April, the Crisis and Resilience Fund will allocate £1 billion annually for three years. People can apply through their local councils, whether or not they currently receive benefits. The fund replaces the Household Support Fund, which ends in March, and allows councils to assist residents facing sudden financial shocks, such as job loss, unexpected bills, or broken appliances. Unlike the previous scheme, the new fund focuses on direct cash support, aiming to reduce reliance on food parcels and vouchers. Councils have…

More than 100 asylum seekers were held at two UK immigration detention centres staged overnight protests against the government’s controversial “one in, one out” agreement with France. The protests took place on Wednesday night at Harmondsworth detention centre near Heathrow and Brook House near Gatwick, where people selected for removal to France are held. Detainees said they were peacefully resisting transfer to the airport, arguing that the scheme was unfair and placed some of them at serious risk. Under the policy, a small number of people who arrive in the UK by small boat are detained and sent to France,…

A Palestinian citizen of Israel has been granted asylum in the UK after a long legal battle, in a decision described as unprecedented. The man, identified as Hasan, is believed to be the first Palestinian with Israeli citizenship to be formally recognised as a refugee in the UK. The Home Office accepted that he has a “well-founded fear of persecution” if returned to Israel. Hasan, 26, was born in Israel to a Palestinian family whose community remained after the 1948 war, known to Palestinians as the Nakba. He later moved to the UK as a child and spent most of…

The UK has sent a military officer to Greenland to take part in a joint reconnaissance mission, as Denmark and its allies increase their military focus on the Arctic and High North. Downing Street confirmed the officer was deployed at Denmark’s request to join a reconnaissance team ahead of a planned Danish-led exercise known as Operation Arctic Endurance. UK officials stressed the move does not amount to a troop deployment but is part of routine military planning with allies. Denmark’s defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said the operation would involve several allied nations and warned that security conditions in the…

More than 20 council elections in England scheduled for May are likely to be postponed, as councils say they cannot run them properly while major local government reforms are under way. Around a third of eligible councils have asked the government for permission to delay their elections, arguing that ongoing restructuring has stretched their capacity. Under the reforms, many areas are moving from a two-tier system of district and county councils to single unitary authorities, which will be responsible for all local services. In total, up to 63 council areas could delay elections until 2027, following earlier postponements in some…

According to a new survey that highlights mixed and sometimes conflicting views on free speech, about one in three students believe politicians from Reform UK should be barred from speaking on university campuses. The poll, conducted by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), found that 35% of students supported banning Reform UK speakers. This included 41% of students who said they voted for Reform in the 2024 general election. At the same time, 69% of respondents said universities should never restrict free speech, revealing a clear contradiction in attitudes. Similar views were expressed about other parties. Sixteen per cent of…

The number of women dying during or shortly after pregnancy in the UK has risen by 20% over the past 14 years, despite a Conservative government pledge to halve maternal deaths. Figures from MBRRACE-UK, a research programme led by the University of Oxford, show that maternal mortality increased between 2009–11 and 2022–24, instead of falling as promised. In 2015, former health secretary Jeremy Hunt vowed to cut maternal deaths by half by 2030, later bringing the target forward to 2025. Experts described the latest findings as deeply troubling. While deaths linked to pre-existing conditions worsened by pregnancy rose only…

France has banned 10 British far-right activists from entering or remaining in the country over activities targeting migrants.