Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Food banks come to the rescue of foreign students in the UK during lockdown

FOOD BANKS in the UK have come to the rescue of international students after part-time work and funding from families dried up during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Some students are facing suspension by their universities over non-payment of fees, reported BBC.


At Newham community project in east London, volunteers are feeding up to 600 students, most in their early 20s. Besides, it has been negotiating on behalf of about 300 students who are behind with their fees at 18 universities.

"We came to know about the issue when about 50 students came into a local mosque asking for food," said project organiser Elyas Ismail.

Before the pandemic they provided food for about 30 needy households each week but now support 20 times more.

According to Home Office guidance, students pursuing degree level or higher education at a UK university are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week.

Hyderabad-native Rahemunnisa Shaik , who studies MBA at the University of East London (UEL), said that she is going through a 'very difficult time'.

She arrived in the UK last September with her husband and in May this year gave birth to a baby girl. Shaik now owes £1,500 to the university which she needs to pay by mid-September.

The university says that it has provided nearly £1 million in support since March for some students who are unable to cover their costs.

To get an extension till mid-September students must meet certain conditions, a statement from the university said.

According to the report in BBC, six major universities have agreed flexible payment plans, most to December, but some universities are asking for immediate payment.

Lexiao Guan, from Chengdu in China, was asked by the Royal College of Art  to pay outstanding fees of £7,100 immediately. Later, the college agreed to extend the deadline and reinstate all the students affected, although they are withholding final degree results until the fees are paid.

More For You

Spain earthquakes

Almería airport sustained damage in its departures lounge

CSmonitor

Spain earthquakes: What we know about the 5.4-magnitude tremor that shook tourist regions

Highlights:

  • A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Almería, southern Spain, at 7.13 am on Monday
  • The tremor was felt in over 50 towns, including tourist destinations like Malaga
  • No injuries have been reported, but building damage occurred in airports and showrooms
  • The quake follows a weekend of floods and severe weather in Spain
  • No UK Foreign Office travel warnings have been issued, but travellers are advised to check local alerts

Southern Spain was rocked by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake on the morning of Monda,y 14 July, with tremors felt across several provinces, including popular tourist destinations.

The earthquake struck at 7.13 am off the coast of Almería, nearly two miles below sea level, according to Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN). Despite its intensity, there have been no reported injuries, although some structural damage has occurred.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India flight crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Getty Images

Air India chief says crash report opens new questions, no conclusions yet

A PRELIMINARY report into last month's Air India plane crash that killed 260 people has raised further questions, and the investigation is still ongoing, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in a memo to staff on Monday.

The initial report, released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday, pointed to confusion in the cockpit shortly before the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump Jr and girlfriend Bettina Anderson

Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson turn heads with intense PDA before Trump’s Club World Cup appearance

Getty Images

Donald Trump Jr and girlfriend Bettina Anderson flaunt PDA ahead of FIFA Club World Cup final​

Highlights:

  • Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson were seen getting intimate at Teterboro Airport before heading to the FIFA Club World Cup final.
  • The couple matched in white shirts and embraced publicly while awaiting President Donald Trump and Melania Trump.
  • Anderson defended Don Jr online earlier this year after a New York Magazine article criticised him.
  • Trump Jr’s ex-fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle was recently appointed US Ambassador to Greece, while ex-wife Vanessa is now dating Tiger Woods.

Donald Trump Jr and his girlfriend Bettina Anderson turned heads over the weekend with an unabashed public display of affection on the tarmac in Teterboro, New Jersey, just before President Trump and Melania Trump landed ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup final. The couple, who have been together since mid-2024, looked inseparable as they hugged, kissed, and held hands openly, seemingly unconcerned by the presence of others or nearby cameras.

 Donald Trump Jr and girlfriend Bettina Anderson All eyes on Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson as their PDA grabs attention before Trump’s arrivalGetty Images

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump-Getty

Trump will become the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

King Charles to host Donald Trump for state visit in September

KING CHARLES will host US president Donald Trump in September for a second state visit to Britain, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday.

The visit is scheduled to take place from 17 to 19 September.

Keep ReadingShow less
southend london plane crash

A plume of black smoke rises from an area near the runway after a small plane crash, as seen from inside a building at London Southend Airport on July 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Southend Airport closed after plane crash

LONDON Southend Airport in Essex has been closed until further notice after a small plane crashed at the airport on England’s south-east coast on Sunday, according to police.

In a post on X, London Southend Airport said all flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while emergency services, police, and air accident investigators are at the scene.

Keep ReadingShow less