Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

A 23-year-old Ethiopian man has been charged with sexual assault following an incident at a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Southampton, southern England. The charge was confirmed by Hampshire Constabulary, which said the case is being treated with seriousness and urgency. The alleged incident took place on Friday, January 16, at the Highfield House Hotel, located on Highfield Lane. The hotel is one of several across the UK currently being used to accommodate asylum seekers while their immigration claims are assessed by the Home Office. According to police, the alleged victim is a member of staff working at…

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that at least $19 billion was stolen from American government programs designed to support migrants. He made the statement during a televised interview with NewsNation, where he alleged widespread fraud and misuse of public funds linked to migrant assistance schemes. According to Trump, the figure of $19 billion is only an estimate and may be far higher. “We have at least $19 billion in stolen funds, and I believe the actual figure will be much higher,” he said. He alleged that the theft occurred across multiple U.S. states, including California, which he has frequently…

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he will not give in to pressure from US President Donald Trump over the future of Greenland, despite threats of trade tariffs. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament, Starmer made it clear that Britain will stand by its principles and values on the issue. Starmer said using tariffs to pressure allies is “completely wrong” and stressed that the UK’s position is firm. He told MPs that the future of Greenland should be decided only by the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. According to him, this position will not…

French authorities have carried out their first on-water interception of a suspected migrant smuggling boat as part of new efforts to reduce small boat crossings to the UK. The operation took place on Saturday on the Aa canal in Gravelines, near Calais, a known hotspot for Channel crossings. During the operation, officers boarded an inflatable “taxi boat” believed to be heading out to collect migrants before moving towards the open sea. Images shared by the BBC showed the dinghy being towed back to the dock by a police vessel, with several men on board who were later detained. French maritime…

Florida is moving closer to expanding its network of migrant detention centers, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently toured a large industrial warehouse in central Florida. The building, located about 30 minutes from Walt Disney World near Orlando, is being assessed as a possible new detention site as the state looks to increase its capacity to hold migrants. The visit comes as Governor Ron DeSantis continues to push for more detention facilities across Florida. Since September, he has said that the state’s existing centers, including Alligator Alcatraz in the Everglades and Deportation Depot near the Georgia border, are…

Spain recorded a historic increase in foreign employment in 2025, with more than 3.1 million foreign workers registered with the country’s social security system. The figures, released on January 16 by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, show the highest number ever recorded. According to the data, Spain ended 2025 with over 3.1 million foreign employees, representing an increase of 208,000 workers over the past 12 months. Compared to December 2021, the number rose by 815,671 workers, following the introduction of a new labour reform that helped stabilise employment growth. The ministry said growth remained steady throughout the…

French authorities have intercepted a migrant boat in the water for the first time, marking a major shift after years of small boat crossings across the English Channel. The operation took place on the Aa canal in Gravelines, where officers stopped a so-called “taxi boat” used by smugglers to collect migrants before heading towards the UK. The interception has raised hopes that France may now take stronger action to prevent dangerous Channel crossings. French officials have previously admitted that smugglers’ tactics have been highly effective. Official documents show that 81 percent of taxi boats were successful in transporting migrants last…

Germany’s schools are seeing a steady rise in the number of students with a migration background, according to new figures from the German Federal Statistical Office. In 2024, 29 percent of students in general education schools had a migration background. This means that almost one in three pupils is either a migrant or the child of migrants. The data shows a clear increase compared to previous years. In 2019, students with a migration background made up 26 percent of the total school population. Today, only 59 percent of students in Germany come from families with no migration background at all,…

A boat carrying 79 migrants has arrived on the southern Greek island of Gavdos, according to the Greek coast guard. The small island, located south of Crete, has become one of the key arrival points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean in recent years. The latest arrival comes amid a renewed increase in migrant movements to Greece’s southern islands. Greek authorities confirmed that two passengers on the boat were arrested on suspicion of helping to facilitate the irregular crossing. The men, aged 19 and 23, are Somali nationals and are believed to have been paid to steer the vessel to Gavdos.…

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, has said migrant departures from Libya have increased in recent months. He made this known after meeting Libya’s Prime Minister, Abdulhameed Mohamed Dbeibah, during talks held in Misrata on January 18. Migration was the main issue discussed by both leaders. Tajani said immigration directly affects both countries because Libya and Italy are transit points for migrants heading to Europe. He noted that Italy wants to strengthen its cooperation with Libya to better manage the situation. According to him, Italy is ready to support Libya through training its police and working with…