A former Solomon Islands footballer who sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl has avoided prison, instead receiving a community order. Moffat Konofilia, 48, kissed the teenager twice on the lips after telling her he had never been so close to a white woman. The assault happened in Weymouth, Dorset, on December 15, 2023, while he was living on the Bibby Stockholm asylum barge. The distressed victim reported the incident to police…

A Jamaican man who avoided deportation on human rights grounds has now been ordered out of the UK after committing more crimes just days after winning his asylum appeal. Jevaughn Williams, 28, came to Britain in 2001 with his mother and was granted indefinite leave to remain in 2008. But from 2012 onwards, he began a life of crime, starting with possession of a sawn-off shotgun and later a knife…

British billionaire trader Alex Gerko is turning heads in the tech and finance world after announcing that interns at his firm, XTX Markets, will earn an eye-watering £26,000 ($35,000) a month during their placement. The 12 to 14-week research internship, advertised on XTX’s website, is aimed at postgraduate students and could see participants pocket between $105,000 and $122,500 in total. The role, based in New York, includes a generous sign-on…

By Eniola Amadu Washington, DC, has filed a lawsuit against the Donald Trump administration, accusing the president of violating the Constitution and federal law by deploying thousands of National Guard troops to patrol the capital without the consent of local leaders. The case, lodged on Thursday by the city’s attorney general, Brian Schwalb, argues that the deployment — which includes troops from several Republican-led states — undermines the city’s sovereignty,…

By Eniola Amadu Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, has declared that the Executive must “throw everything we have” into tackling hate crime to build a society where everyone feels welcome and included. Her remarks came as the Stormont Executive issued a joint response to a spate of racist and sectarian attacks in areas including north Belfast, Ballymena and Donaghadee. Thursday’s statement marked the first time leaders had spoken collectively…

By Eniola Amadu The British government has announced plans for new legislation that would prohibit the sale of energy drinks to anyone under the age of 16 in England. If approved, the restriction will apply not only to supermarkets and convenience stores but also to restaurants, cafés, vending machines and online platforms. The move follows growing evidence that excessive consumption of energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster and Prime…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that the government’s budget will be delivered on Wednesday 26 November, setting the stage for tough choices on tax and spending. The statement will outline how the government intends to fund essential services such as the NHS, schools, policing and defence, while balancing strained public finances and trying to reassure investors. Reeves told the BBC that her priority was to turn the economy around by…

Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner after she admitted underpaying tax on her second home. Rayner confirmed reports that she failed to pay the full tax owed on her Hove property, a shortfall estimated at £40,000. The Labour deputy leader has since referred herself to the government’s ethics adviser and said she had even considered resigning. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions,…

By Eniola Amadu A senior British police officer, Gavin Stephens, has urged politicians to “reduce and defuse tensions” rather than fuel divisions, warning that growing polarisation over asylum seekers is placing a serious strain on law enforcement. Stephens, chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, made the remarks after weeks of demonstrations and counter-protests across the UK sparked by the government’s controversial policy of housing asylum seekers in hotels. His…

The UK government is preparing to introduce a law that will prevent anyone under the age of 16 in England from buying energy drinks . Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, and Prime are those the ban would apply across shops, cafés, restaurants, vending machines, and online sales. Research suggests that up to a third of children in the UK consume energy drinks every week, despite many supermarkets already…

As part of efforts to reduce the number of migrants housed in hotels, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has revealed that the government is exploring the use of industrial and military sites, including warehouses as alternative accommodation for asylum seekers. During an interview, Cooper confirmed that warehouses are one of the things being looked at as the government ramps up plans to phase out the use of costly hotel accommodation.  This…

Britain’s government bond markets came under renewed strain on Tuesday, with yields on long-dated debt rising to their highest levels in decades and the pound weakening. These challenges facing Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she prepares for the autumn budget. The yield on 30-year gilts surged to 5.723%, the highest since 1998 signalling higher borrowing costs for the UK. The 10-year gilt yield, closely watched by the Office for Budget Responsibility…