Author: Fatimah Idera

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said she would ban children under 16 from using social media if her party returned to government, arguing current laws do not go far enough to protect young people online. Badenoch said platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat should be legally required to carry out robust age checks to prevent under-16s from accessing their services. Her proposal mirrors recent action in Australia, which became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16. In the UK, online safety is already governed by the Online Safety Act, a…

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has inducted 175 foreign-trained pharmacists into the Nigerian pharmacy profession, urging them to uphold high ethical standards and contribute to quality healthcare delivery. The induction and oath-taking ceremony, marking the completion of the second cycle of the 2025 Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Orientation Programme (FPGOP), was held on Friday at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja. Addressing the inductees, PCN Registrar, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, said the orientation programme was designed to familiarise foreign-trained graduates with pharmaceutical practice in Nigeria, in line with the PCN (Establishment) Act, 2022. He noted that all candidates successfully completed…

Britain’s mortgage market is gearing up for a revival, with fierce competition among lenders pushing rates lower, opening the door to easier borrowing and raising hopes of a housing rebound in the year ahead. The UK mortgage market could be on the brink of a boom as lenders compete aggressively for customers, driving down rates and relaxing lending rules, according to brokers and analysts. A new report from financial data firm Moneyfacts says expectations are building for a strong mortgage market in 2026. The number of available mortgage deals has climbed to its highest level in 18 years, giving buyers…

Christina Worle, dental strategy clinical lead at the ICB, said the centre, expected to open by summer 2026, will have a “meaningful impact in an area where residents face challenges accessing NHS dental care.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood plans to end government support for some asylum seekers as part of efforts to close more asylum hotels, reports reveals. The move, expected to begin in spring, will target those who can support themselves financially but do not, individuals with the right to work who break the law or work illegally, and those who refuse to leave the UK. This change could affect thousands of the 111,651 people currently receiving payments or accommodation, though many will still remain eligible for help. Around 36,000 asylum seekers were housed in hotels at the end of September, with fewer…

The North-Central caucus of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) has insisted on the immediate reinstatement of doctors dismissed from the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Lokoja, as a key condition to avert an impending nationwide strike. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the caucus leader, Dr Fanen Dogoh, described the sack of the doctors over alleged unauthorised protests and union activities as unjust. He said multiple committees set up to review the matter had all reportedly recommended their reinstatement, but the Federal Government had failed to act on the findings. Dr Dogoh noted that the government had…

The Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, Dr. Saad Ahmed, has warned that ongoing and planned strikes by health unions could seriously disrupt healthcare services across Nigeria. Speaking on Thursday, Dr. Ahmed urged sustained dialogue between the government and unions to prevent interruptions in essential medical services. His comments came amid the indefinite industrial action by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the planned resumption of strike action by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) from January 12. Dr. Ahmed stressed that healthcare delivery, particularly in tertiary hospitals, relies on teamwork, noting that every category…

MPs have warned that too many delays for disability benefit claims to be processed is putting people at risk of debt and poverty as many waits for more than a year. A report by the cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) highlighted that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is falling short of its own targets for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims. The department aims to process 75% of new claims within 75 working days, but only 51% met this target in the last financial year. The average time for a claim to be decided at the end of October…

Councils across England are set to receive new powers to fine motorists who park on pavements and cause disruption, as part of government plans aimed at improving safety and accessibility on local streets. The measures, expected to come into force later this year, will allow local authorities to penalise drivers whose vehicles create unnecessary obstruction on pavements. Guidance will also be issued to ensure the rules are enforced in a fair and proportionate way. At present, pavement parking is completely banned in London and Scotland. In the rest of England, councils can only introduce restrictions on a street-by-street basis, a…

The principal of the University of Edinburgh, Prof Sir Peter Mathieson, has warned that Scotland’s university funding system is no longer sustainable and needs urgent reform to protect the sector. Speaking on BBC Scotland’s Scotcast podcast, Mathieson said Scottish students should be allowed to contribute towards the cost of their education through a graduate repayment scheme linked to income, rather than traditional upfront tuition fees. Undergraduate tuition is currently free for most Scottish students. He stressed that he was not calling for the return of tuition fees but argued that universities are in danger under the current model. According to…