BRITAIN has ordered two more accommodation barges to house asylum-seekers, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Monday (5).
Sunak has pledged to stop crossings of the Channel from northern Europe made in small boats, after record numbers of people arrived last year.
But huge backlogs in the processing of applications have put the government under pressure, particularly over housing people while their claims are dealt with.
On a visit to the Channel port of Dover, Sunak announced new sites at former Royal Air Force bases to accommodate "hundreds" in the coming months.
"Nearly 3,000" will be housed there by the end of the year, he added, arguing it would ease pressure on costly hotels where many migrants have been staying.
"To reduce pressures on local communities, we will also house people on ships," he told a news conference.
"The first will arrive in Portland next week and we've secured another two today that will accommodate another 1,000."
Supporters of the UK's bid to leave the European Union made "taking back control" of the country's borders a key plank of their Brexit campaign.
With the UK now out of the EU, immigration remains a live political issue, particularly as a general election approaches next year.
Last month, Sunak said legal immigration levels were also "too high" and announced restrictions on family visas for international students.
'Crossings are down'
Sunak, who visited the operations room tracking small boat crossings, claimed the asylum system was being "overwhelmed" by exploitative criminal gangs.
Asylum applications, however, are still well below those in European countries such as France and Germany.
Sunak, pushing proposed new laws currently in parliament to criminalise asylum-seekers arriving via the Channel, claimed the crackdown was working.
A total of 7,610 people have been detected in small boats so far this year, according to government figures.
"Crossings are down 20 per cent compared to last year," Sunak said, adding: "Illegal migrants entering the rest of Europe have risen by 30 per cent."
Just more than 33,000 people were waiting more than six months for an initial decision on asylum by the end of December 2021, out of a total of 82,000 applications.
By the same time last year, that figure had ballooned to nearly 89,000 out of just over 132,000 applications, according to the Oxford Migration Observatory.
But Sunak said the backlog had now been cut by over 17,000.
With the UK no longer part of the EU's migrants policy, the government has been forging returns programmes with individual countries on mainland Europe.
A new partnership with France has also been signed to prevent small boats crossings in the first place.
But a controversial deal to deport failed asylum-seekers to Rwanda, denounced by human rights groups, is stuck in the courts.
Chief adviser to the Government of Bangladesh Professor Muhammed Yunus speaks during an live interview at Chatham House on June 11, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
BANGLADESH's interim leader Muhammad Yunus has drawn criticism from two of his government’s major allies after holding a meeting with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London.
The student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) and Jamaat-e-Islami have both accused Yunus of favouring a particular party, raising concerns over the neutrality of the upcoming elections.
Yunus, who returned to Dhaka on Saturday (14) after a four-day trip to London, met Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and current acting chairman of BNP, during his visit.
Following the meeting, BNP leader Amir Kharsu Mahmud Chowdhury and Yunus' security adviser Khalilur Rahman held a joint press briefing, suggesting that elections might be held in February next year. This sparked immediate reactions from his allies back home.
Both Jamaat and the NCP have strongly criticised the meeting, calling it a clear sign of bias. The BNP remains the main rival of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, which was ousted last year following student-led protests.
In a statement on Saturday, Jamaat called the joint press briefing a "breach of political norms" and accused Yunus of undermining his impartiality. "Through this, he has expressed special affection for a party (BNP), which has undermined his impartiality," the statement said. Jamaat also criticised Yunus for discussing election dates abroad rather than consulting all parties upon his return.
The NCP, which emerged as a political force following the student uprising that toppled Hasina’s government, voiced similar concerns. In its statement, the NCP said: “The people will not accept any election date before the implementation of the proposed July Charter.”
The party argued that the meeting focused mainly on setting an election date rather than addressing the people’s main demands for justice and reforms. “The NCP finds this very disappointing,” it added.
Acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Tarique Rahman, poses for a portrait in a hotel in south-west London on December 30, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
Yunus’ interim government has faced pressure from several political parties, including the BNP, to hold elections as soon as possible. Initially, Yunus had announced that elections would be held between December 2024 and June 2025, depending on the progress of reforms and trials of former Awami League leaders. However, under continued pressure, he recently suggested that polls could be held in April 2025.
During the London meeting, BNP leaders pushed for an earlier date, proposing elections before the start of Ramadan in mid-February. Khalilur Rahman, a senior figure in Yunus' government, indicated that this might be possible if significant progress was made on reforms and trials. BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury also expressed hope that a consensus could soon be reached.
Jamaat’s statement further warned that Yunus' actions could raise doubts among the public about the fairness of the upcoming elections. “It is morally inappropriate for Yunus, as head of the interim government, to hold a joint press briefing with a single party,” the party said.
The NCP also stressed that Yunus’ government appeared to be giving priority to one party’s demands, warning that an election without a clear reform roadmap could turn the people’s uprising into a mere power transfer. “We believe that holding the National Assembly elections without implementing the July Charter will suppress the people’s desire for state building,” its statement said.
Yunus, who took charge after Hasina fled to India in August last year, has previously said he does not intend to remain in power long term.
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National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) carry out a rescue operation after a helicopter carrying seven people on board, on its way to Guptkashi, crashed near Gaurikund, in Rudraprayag. (@uksdrf X/ANI Photo)
SEVEN people including a toddler were killed on Sunday (15) in India when a helicopter ferrying Hindu pilgrims from a shrine crashed in the Himalayas, officials said.
The helicopter crash left the pilot and all six passengers dead when their chopper came down during the flight from Kedarnath temple, in Uttarakhand state, said disaster response official Nandan Singh Rajwar.
It was likely caused by bad weather, according to state tourism official Rahul Chaubey.
The incident prompted Indian civil aviation authorities to suspend chopper services to shrines in the Himalayas, Chaubey said.
The state's chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, said there will be "zero tolerance for any compromise with passenger safety" in a post on X.
Pilgrims flock to Kedarnath, which stands at an altitude of 3,584 metres (11,759 feet), and other revered Himalayan shrines during the summer when it is possible to access them.
Helicopter charter firms serve wealthy pilgrims who want to visit mountainous shrines while avoiding arduous trekking.
But there have been multiple mishaps already this season, including a crash last month in which six people were killed.
In a separate incident this month, a pilot was forced to make an emergency landing on a highway after their helicopter developed a technical fault.
(AFP)
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer. (Photo by JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
PRIME MINISTER Sir Keir Starmer has announced a full statutory national inquiry into child sexual abuse, reversing his earlier position following months of mounting pressure, including criticism from US billionaire Elon Musk.
The decision comes after an audit conducted by Baroness Louise Casey recommended a national investigation into the scale and nature of group-based child sexual abuse. The inquiry will cover England and Wales and will have statutory powers under the Inquiries Act, allowing it to compel witnesses to provide evidence.
Speaking to reporters on his way to the G7 summit in Canada, Starmer explained his change of stance: "I have never said we should not look again at any issue. That's why I asked Louise Casey, who I hugely respect, to do an audit.
"Her position when she started the audit was that there was not a real need for a national inquiry. But she has looked at the material and has come to the view that there should be a national inquiry. I have read every single word of her report, and I am going to accept her recommendation."
The scandal, which came to public attention over a decade ago, involves the sexual exploitation of thousands of girls, mostly white and from disadvantaged backgrounds, by gangs of men, often of Pakistani descent. These gangs operated in several English towns and cities, including Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, and Bristol, for nearly forty years.
Baroness Casey’s audit was commissioned in January by home secretary Yvette Cooper, who requested a "rapid audit" into the data and evidence around group-based exploitation.
Cooper said the review examined both the demographics of the gangs and the victims, as well as cultural factors driving the crimes. Although originally intended to take three months, the review was delayed. Earlier this month, Home Office Minister Jess Phillips apologised for the delay, saying Casey had requested a short extension.
At the beginning of the year, the government had resisted calls for a national inquiry, arguing that the issue had already been examined during the seven-year inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay.
Nick Tenconi, Interim Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and Chief Operating Officer of Turning Point UK (centre) poses with banners during a protest calling for justice for victims of sexual abuse, outside the council offices at City Centre on January 20, 2025 in Oldham, England. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)
Instead, Cooper announced five local government-backed inquiries, one in Oldham and four others in areas yet to be named. These local investigations will still proceed, but now form part of the wider statutory national inquiry.
Saturday’s (14) announcement follows growing public and political pressure, intensified by interventions from Musk. In January, Musk used his social media platform X to criticise the British government for failing to launch a national inquiry. On Saturday, Musk responded to the announcement by reposting a comment thanking him for raising awareness, saying he was "glad to hear this is happening."
The move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians, who accuse Starmer of delaying action. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who has long pushed for a national inquiry, said: "Keir Starmer doesn’t know what he thinks unless an official report has told him so. I've been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January. Many survivors of the grooming gangs will be relieved that this is finally happening. But they need a resolution soon, not in 10 years' time."
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also welcomed the decision but warned against any attempt to water down the investigation. "A full statutory inquiry, done correctly, will expose the multiple failings of the British establishment. This cannot be a whitewash. It’s time for victims to receive the justice they deserve and for perpetrators to face the full force of the law," he posted on X.
Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe credited Musk’s involvement as pivotal in forcing the government’s hand. "None of this would have happened without Elon Musk. No inquiry, no justice, nothing. He deserves huge credit for that," Lowe said. Musk simply replied with a heart emoji.
Cooper is expected to address Parliament on Monday (16), with Baroness Casey’s full report scheduled to be published at the same time.
(with inputs from agencies)
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King Charles, wearing a black armband to pay respects to the victims of Air India plane crash, attends the Trooping the Colour parade on his official birthday in London. (Photo: Reuters)
A MINUTE's silence for the victims of the Air India plane crash was observed on Saturday during the Trooping the Colour parade in London marking King Charles's official birthday. Some members of the royal family wore black armbands during the ceremony.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said King Charles, 76, had requested changes to the parade “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy”.
The crash on Thursday involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that was taking off from Ahmedabad in eastern India and heading to London's Gatwick Airport. A total of 279 people, including passengers, crew and individuals on the ground, were killed.
Among the victims were 52 Britons. The only survivor identified so far is British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh from Leicester.
Following the disaster, King Charles said in a written statement that he was “desperately shocked by the terrible events” and extended his “deepest possible sympathy”.
Royal family attends parade
Trooping the Colour is a military tradition that dates back over 200 years and marks the monarch's official birthday. The event begins at Buckingham Palace, proceeds down The Mall, and concludes at Horse Guards Parade, where the King receives a royal salute and inspects the troops.
Hundreds of people gathered along The Mall and outside the palace to view the event. A small group of anti-monarchy protesters were present, carrying yellow signs that read “not my king” and “down with the crown”.
King Charles, who continues weekly treatment for an unspecified cancer, was accompanied by Queen Camilla. Also present were Prince William, 42, his wife Catherine, and their children George, 11, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, seven.
No appearance by Harry and Meghan
Catherine, 43, the Princess of Wales, had earlier announced in March 2024 that she had been diagnosed with an unspecified cancer. In January 2025, she said she was “in remission” and has since gradually resumed public engagements.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan did not attend the event. The couple stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and now live in the United States. Reports in the UK media suggest that relations between Harry and other members of the royal family remain strained, with minimal communication between him and his brother William.
Although Trooping the Colour is held in June, King Charles was born in November. The tradition of a second birthday celebration was introduced in 1748 by King George II to ensure the monarch’s birthday could be marked in better weather.
Saturday's parade coincided with a major military parade in Washington led by US President Donald Trump on his 79th birthday.
(With inputs from agencies)
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They were all remanded in custody, except Bashir, who absconded before the trial began. (Photo: Greater Manchester Police)
SEVEN men were convicted on Friday in the UK’s latest grooming trial, after a jury heard that two girl victims were forced to have sex “with multiple men on the same day, in filthy flats and on rancid mattresses”.
Jurors at the court in Manchester, northwest England, deliberated for three weeks before finding the seven men, all of whom are of South Asian descent, guilty of rape.
Mohammed Zahid, 64, Mushtaq Ahmed, 67, Kasir Bashir, 50, Mohammed Shahzad, 44, Naheem Akram, 48, Roheez Khan, 39, and Nisar Hussain, 41, will be sentenced at a later date, but judge Jonathan Seely warned that they face “lengthy prison sentences”.
They were all remanded in custody, except Bashir, who absconded before the trial began.
Operation Lytton and police investigation
The men were prosecuted as part of Operation Lytton, an investigation launched by Greater Manchester Police in 2015 into historical child sexual exploitation in Rochdale, a town near Manchester.
The issue has long been seized upon by far-right British figures, including notorious influencer Tommy Robinson, but has also been adopted as a rallying cry by the Conservatives and Nigel Farage’s hard-right Reform UK party.
The issue of grooming gangs received international attention earlier in the year when US tech billionaire Elon Musk launched incendiary attacks on his X platform against the UK government after it resisted calls for a national inquiry.
Over the course of several decades, men of mostly South Asian origin in various English towns are suspected of having sexually abused thousands of mostly white girls from working class families, often from troubled homes.
Court testimony on abuse
Prosecutor Rossano Scamardella said during the trial that the men had abused the two girls for several years from the age of 13 — between 2001 and 2006.
“They were often forced to have oral sex and vaginal sex with multiple men on the same day, in filthy flats and on rancid mattresses,” he said.
“On other occasions they would be required to have sex in cars, car parks, alleyways or disused warehouses. Wherever and whenever these men wanted it.
“They were children passed around for sex; abused, degraded and then discarded,” he added.
One of the alleged victims was also “being exploited and abused by many other Asian men” not in the dock, said Scamardella.
Police response and apology
Following the verdicts, detective superintendent Alan Clitherow, of Greater Manchester Police, apologised for not acting earlier.
“There was information at the time that police and other agencies could, and should, have done something with, and we didn’t,” he said.
“The way those victims were dealt with at the time is indefensible and inexcusable. We have made comprehensive apologies for that.”