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UK: New Govt reviewing rules as Health, care worker visa applications drop 83% 

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The number of people applying to come to Britain on a health and care worker visa has dropped significantly after major changes were made under the previous government, figures released on Thursday revealed.

Home Office data shows there were 13,100 applications for the visa between April and August 2024 – 83 per cent fewer than the same five months in 2023, when 75,900 people applied.

In August there were 2,300 applications for health and care worker visas, down from 18,300 in the same month in 2023, after harsher rules were introduced.

There were 26,500 applications for dependents on the health and care route between April and August 2024 – 73 per cent fewer than the five months in 2023.

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However skilled work visas requests increased between April and August 2024 to 33,700 applications – 12 per cent more than in 2023.

The previous Tory government enforced strict new rules on overseas care workers in a bid to lower net migration to Britain.

Foreign carers were banned from bringing their loved ones to the UK in March, while the minimum salary required for those arriving on a skilled worker visa rose from £26,200 to £38,700 in April.

Measures requiring care providers to register with the Care Quality Commission if they are sponsoring migrants were also brought in. Meanwhile the minimum income requirement for those bringing dependents to the UK on family visas rose to £29,000-a-year from £18,600, and was set to rise further.

The new Labour government is reviewing the rules and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has ordered the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to investigate wage thresholds and labour shortages in key sectors and whether visa curbs for skilled workers should be introduced.

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It comes as a damning report by former health minister Lord Darzi, also published on Thursday, described the NHS as being “in serious trouble”.

The rapid review, commissioned by the new Labour government, was completed in nine weeks.

It set out a wide range of challenges impacting the struggling service, including that between 2009 and 2023 the number of nurses working in the community fell by five per cent, while the number of health visitors dropped by nearly 20 per cent.

However, it did not directly mention visa rule changes or Brexit, despite the health sector struggling to recruit staff since the UK left the EU and stricter visa rules came into place.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship Seema Malhotra said: “On the Conservatives’ watch net migration trebled, leaving complete chaos for this new government to clean up.

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“The Tories repeatedly broke their promises to the public on immigration levels. James Cleverly left the Home Office with a £6.4 billion overspend and net migration at almost 700,000.

“The Labour government has begun work to bring net migration down.

“We’ve commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review sectors reliant on high international recruitment.

“We’re working across government to link the immigration system with new training and workforce plans for British workers and stop rogue employers hiring from abroad.

“That’s how we’ll reduce net migration and equip the economy to start growing again.”

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South Africa Anti-Immigration Group Sets September 30 Deadline for Undocumented Foreigners

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South Africa’s anti-immigration group, March and March, has announced September 30 as a fresh deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, as it staged a protest outside the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Durban on Monday.

The group marched through central Durban under the theme, “It’s time to fetch your people,” calling on African leaders attending the 46th SADC Summit to take back their citizens living in South Africa without legal documentation.

March and March had earlier led nationwide protests on June 30, demanding tougher government action against undocumented immigration and warning that its campaign would continue until its demands were addressed.

Announcing its latest action, the group said the September 30 deadline would mark the beginning of what it described as the “mother of all protests”, while urging South Africans to assist the police in identifying undocumented foreigners.

The protest took place as the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government got underway in Durban, with leaders from the regional bloc’s 16 member states in attendance.

The demonstration has renewed debate over South Africa’s treatment of foreign nationals, particularly citizens of other African countries.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently condemned discrimination and violence against foreigners, saying South Africa could not advocate regional integration at the SADC summit while practising exclusion within the country.

The June 30 protests were accompanied by security operations and reports of attacks and looting in some areas, according to police reports cited in the original report.

March and March has continued to demand tougher action against undocumented immigration, while tensions over the treatment of foreign nationals have prompted some African countries to evacuate their citizens from South Africa.

The latest protest has brought the immigration dispute directly to the doorstep of the SADC summit, placing the issue before regional leaders whose citizens are among those affected.

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Trump Threatens Oman With Bombing Over Strait of Hormuz Talks

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US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of a US deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, while calling on Tehran to surrender.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, amid ongoing talks between Oman and Iran over future maritime navigation arrangements through the strategic waterway.

“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump said, referring to the discussions between Oman and Iran as Washington pursues its own negotiations.

Iranian and Omani officials have been holding talks for weeks, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry saying Monday that both sides were working towards a joint declaration on the strait.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is under US control, despite Iran maintaining an effective blockade that has severely restricted maritime traffic.

On Friday, Trump said he could even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, prompting Iran to insist that the strategic waterway “will remain Iranian.”

Trump also called on Iran to “put up the white flag of surrender,” according to Yingst.

The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran to the north and Oman to the south, was previously regarded as an open international waterway and carries a significant share of global energy shipments.

AFP

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Iran offers $30,000 bounty for killing, capturing US soldiers

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Iran’s military announced on Sunday that it was offering a bounty equivalent to $30,000 for killing or capturing US soldiers, with the reward doubled if carried out by a woman.
Army chief Amir Hatami said the plan had been drawn up following “the large number of requests” to participate in the financial support, according to the IRNA state news agency.

There has been no known deployment of US ground forces in Iran during the Middle East war, with the exception of a rescue mission in April for a downed American pilot.

Hatami did not provide any details on where or when the killing or capturing of US soldiers was expected to take place.

“Anyone who kills or captures and hands over an invading American military personnel will receive a reward equivalent to $30,000 or 5 billion tomans from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army,” Hatami said, using an informal unit equivalent to 10,000 Iranian rials.

“Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward,” he added.

The war between Tehran and Washington began on February 28 after the United States, joined by Israel, attacked Iran. It was followed by an April ceasefire after nearly 40 days of fighting, and a June framework for peace talks that later collapsed.

Iran and the United States have since traded fire sporadically, with fighting mainly centred in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz.

AFP

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Family Seeks Help to Locate Enugu Man in Dallas After Viral Social Media Post

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The family of Philip Ifeanyi Elobuike, an indigene of Eziama Village, Ebe, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, has appealed to the public for assistance in locating him after his photograph surfaced on social media following nearly two years without contact.

Elobuike first travelled to the United States around 2004 and initially settled in the Los Angeles area of California. He later moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, before relocating to Dallas, Texas.

According to his family, Elobuike remained in contact with his relatives in Nigeria until around 2024, when communication with him suddenly stopped. Before losing contact, he was active on social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

His family had continued searching for him, and on August 11, 2026, they were relieved when his photograph surfaced on social media. The picture provided them with at least some reassurance that he was alive.

Elobuike Philip 

However, contrary to reports circulating in some media outlets and on social media, Elobuike has not been reunited with his family or located by his kinsmen in the United States.

His relatives and members of the Nigerian community reportedly spent the entire day on August 12 searching for him in different parts of Dallas but were unable to locate him.

The family is therefore appealing to members of the public, particularly Nigerians and other individuals in the Dallas area, to assist in locating Elobuike and ensuring that he is safely reunited with his family.

The family also urged people to disregard reports claiming that he has already been found and reunited with his relatives, describing such reports as inaccurate.

Anyone who has information about Elobuike’s whereabouts or comes across him is urged to contact any of the following:

Dr. Fred Ngwu: (214) 418-8145
Moses Onyejekwe: (213) 479-2340
Law Okolo: (646) 302-2597

The family expressed appreciation to everyone who has shared his photograph and appealed for continued circulation of the information until he is successfully located.

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Canada Deports 205 Nigerians Amid Immigration Crackdown

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No fewer than 205 Nigerians were deported from Canada in June 2026 as Canadian authorities intensified enforcement of the country’s immigration laws, according to official figures released by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Immigration removal statistics published by the CBSA showed that 10,607 individuals were removed from Canada during the month, with Nigerians ranking among the top 10 nationalities affected by the exercise.

The figures indicate that Nigerians accounted for nearly two per cent of all removals carried out in June.

India recorded the highest number of deportations, with 3,323 nationals removed, followed by Mexico with 1,573. The United States accounted for 372 deportees, while Colombia and Romania recorded 354 and 293 removals respectively.

Other countries with significant numbers of nationals deported included Bangladesh, with 227, and Pakistan, with 207.

Explaining the rationale behind the removals, the CBSA said enforcing immigration laws was critical to protecting the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.

“Removing individuals who do not have the right to enter or stay in Canada is essential to maintaining the integrity of Canada’s immigration program and to ensuring fairness for those who come to this country lawfully,” the agency stated.

The latest figures underscore Canada’s continued enforcement against individuals found to have no legal right to remain in the country, as authorities seek to ensure compliance with the nation’s immigration laws.

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