Meta Ditches Fact-Checkers Ahead of Trump’s Second Term
7 January 25
Meta is found to be removing fact-checkers and significantly reducing censorship across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, with plans to replace fact-checking with community notes, similar to X. Mark Zuckerberg announces that these changes will prioritise free speech and reduce content moderation, especially on topics like immigration and gender.
Source: Wired
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Nigel Farage paid £189,000 for part-time job as ‘brand ambassador’ for gold bullion firm
7 January 25
During a phone-in on LBC, Nigel Farage says that if the government does not hold a national inquiry into sexual abuse and rape by gangs, the Reform party will hold one. Robert Moore, Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley, claims in parliament that the scale of sexual abuse in Bradford could ‘dwarf’ what happened in Rotherham.
Source: Guardian
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Taxi-driver jailed for social media posts which encouraged violent disorder
6 January 25
Taxi driver Andrew McIntyre, whose ‘Southport Wake Up’ posts on social media were said to be a ‘catalyst’ for violent disorder following the Southport knife attack, is jailed at Liverpool Crown Court for seven and a half years, with the judge saying that he was ‘motivated by racial hatred’.
Source: Evening Standard
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Record numbers of children in England jailed many miles from their families
6 January 25
Statistics show that the proportion of young people being detained in young offender institutions (YOIs) more than 100 miles from their home has doubled over the last decade to 15% – the highest ​since its peak at the height of the Covid pandemic.
Source: Guardian
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A post on the two candidates for leadership of the Muslim Council for Britain wrongly suggested both had praised Iran (Dec 6).
6 January 25
The Times prints an official apology to two candidates for leadership of the Muslim Council of Britain for wrongly suggesting they both had praised Iran. They further apologise to Dr Wajid Akhter for wrongly reporting that he had said that New Year celebrations ‘usually’ involve ‘un-Islamic practices’.
Source: X
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Foreign Office refused to give us details about Briton jailed in Saudi, family say
6 January 25
The family of Ahmed al-Doush, a British national held in a Saudi jail for over four months without charge, speak about his alleged maltreatment and say the Foreign Office refused for two months to share any information with his pregnant wife. The reason for his arrest is unknown.
Source: Guardian
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Austria’s far-right Freedom Party asked to form government
6 January 25
In Austria, after coalition talks between centrist parties collapse, the far-right Freedom party formally receives a mandate to form a new government.
Source: Deutsche Welle
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Curb extremism now or face new terrorist threats, Labour warned
5 January 25
Labour is warned by two former counter-terrorism experts, Sara Khan and Neil Basu, that the home secretary’s plans to strengthen Prevent and appoint an independent commissioner do not take on the full societal impact of current extremism, especially the use of social media and language of hatred to trigger violence.
Source: Guardian
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Prisoner who took MoJ to court says he remains in isolation 20 months later
5 January 25
Muslim prisoner Kevin Thakrar, who brought a legal challenge in April 2023 alleging he had been held in solitary confinement for two years, says he remains in isolation 20 months later because of the high court’s failure to issue a judgment on his case.
Source: Guardian
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Germany defunds 2 Israeli human rights groups
5 January 25
Having already defunded Palestinian NGOs, the German government cuts funding for two Israeli groups, Zochrot and New Profile, that focus on anti-militarisation and Palestinian rights. No explanation is given.
Source: Deutsche Welle
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UK rollout of eVisas could leave non-EU migrants ‘vulnerable’
4 January 25
The Home Office is found to have failed to carry out equality or data protection impact assessments on the roll-out of its e-Visa scheme, launched in April 2024, for around 4 million non-EU national residents, despite warnings of difficulties for those who are older and unfamiliar with technology and of the system’s vulnerability to hacking of immigration status.
Source: Guardian
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NHS giving asylum seekers priority care to ‘address inequalities’ as waiting lists pile up
4 January 25
University College Hospitals London (UCLH) is attacked by right-wing media for a scheme to reduce health inequalities, 987 Inclusion Health, which allows vulnerable patients, including undocumented migrants and asylum seekers, priority access to consultants through the hospitals’ accident and emergency services.
Source: LBC
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Protesters march in London for release of teenage boy in Dubai jail
4 January 25
Protesters march through central London demanding that foreign secretary David Lammy intervene to get 18-year-old Briton Markus Fakana released from prison in Dubai, where he was convicted for having sex with his 17-year-old British travelling companion in September and is now, his supporters claim, in solitary confinement.
Source: Guardian
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Firm led by ex-UK envoy on ethics made £13m on not-for-profit visa services
3 January 25
It is revealed that Ecctis, a firm contracted to run language tests for migrants on a not-for-profit basis in 2014, is found to have made over £13 million in profits and had its contract renewed, while its CEO, who had been a UK representative on a Council of Europe ethics committee, wrongly received management fees of £85,000 a quarter.
Source: Guardian
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Far-right Italian PM says she is ‘in tune on many issues’ with Keir Starmer
3 January 25
Italy’s far-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni says that she is ‘in tune’ with Keir Starmer on ‘the fight against mass illegal immigration’ and the need to explore ‘innovative solutions’ on asylum, as she fights the courts over her off-shoring deal with Albania.
Source: Guardian
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