By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The UK government will end overseas recruitment of care workers this year as part of a broader effort to reduce net migration, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced on Sunday.

Cooper said it is “time to end care worker recruitment from abroad,” and revealed that new rules would require care providers to hire British workers or extend visas for those already in the UK. The government will outline the full changes on Monday, aimed at cutting the number of low-skilled migrants, particularly in the care sector, by up to 50,000 over the next year.

The move comes as the government seeks to address persistently high migration figures. Net migration reached a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023 and remained high at 728,000 last year.

While Cooper emphasized the government’s intention to significantly reduce migration, she rejected the idea of fixed targets, arguing they “undermined the credibility” of immigration policy. She also confirmed the threshold for skilled worker visas will be raised to graduate level, up from the current A-level standard.

Further tightening will include a reduced number of roles eligible for temporary shortage occupation visas. Currently, roles like carpenters, graphic designers, and pharmaceutical technicians qualify for discounted visa rates under the Immigration Salary List, but Cooper said this list will be narrowed.

In addition to the visa changes, new training requirements will be introduced to encourage more UK residents to re-enter the workforce, especially in sectors like social care.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp welcomed the care worker visa ban but criticized the overall plans as insufficient. He called for an annual cap on migration and said the Conservatives would push for a vote in Parliament this week. Though he did not specify a figure, Philp said the proposed cap would go “significantly beyond” the 50,000 reduction expected under the current measures.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The United States and China have reached a new trade agreement following two days of intense negotiations in Geneva, according to a White House statement released on Sunday.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the discussions as “productive” and said full details of the deal would be announced on Monday.

We made substantial progress between the United States and China in these important trade talks,” Bessent said.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer emphasized the speed at which both sides reached consensus, hinting that the gap between their positions may have been narrower than expected.

“There was a lot of groundwork done beforehand,” Greer noted. “But let’s not forget the urgency — the US faces a $1.2 trillion trade deficit. That’s why the President imposed tariffs and declared a national emergency. This deal is a key step toward resolving that.”

The breakthrough comes amid ongoing trade tensions that had created new opportunities for Indian exporters, with US importers turning to India after Washington imposed steep 145% tariffs on Chinese goods. However, the new US-China agreement could see China regain some of its lost market share, potentially undermining India’s recent gains.

Indian exporters have reported that Chinese firms, eager to retain their US clients, have even approached them for assistance in fulfilling orders. If the new deal includes tariff reductions, India’s advantage could erode significantly.

Despite a 20% drop in China’s exports to the US in April, China’s overall exports climbed 8.1% year-on-year, buoyed by strong trade with ASEAN and other regions, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.

Earlier, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said China was “very, very eager” to strike a deal and rebalance trade relations. He also hinted that the US could announce additional trade agreements with other nations soon.

Former President Trump, commenting on the outcome, called the negotiations “a total reset” carried out in a “friendly, but constructive” manner.

“Great progress made!” he wrote on Truth Social. “We want China to open up to American business — for the good of both countries.”

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has elected a consultant psychiatrist at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, Prof. Chris Piwuna, as its new national president.

Piwuna, who also serves as the Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Jos, succeeds Prof. Victor Osodeke, a Professor of Soil Science from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.

The election took place during the union’s 23rd National Delegates Congress held in Benin on Sunday, May 11, 2025.

The race was between Piwuna and Prof. Adamu Babayo of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

Prior to his emergence as president, Prof. Piwuna was the union’s Vice President.

The election process reportedly concluded at about 3:00 a.m. on Monday.