International News
France Joins UK, Canada In Toughening Immigration Rules Against Nigerians
France has enacted stringent immigration regulations, aligning with the United Kingdom and Canada, targeting international students, including Nigerians.
The newly passed law impedes students from bringing their families to France and introduces a tougher immigration policy, delaying access to welfare benefits for migrants.
The legislation also prohibits detaining minors in detention centers, though leaders from a third of French regions have expressed reluctance to comply with specific measures in the law. Controversially, the provision distinguishes between citizens and migrants, affecting eligibility for benefits even for those residing legally in the country.
Following the footsteps of the United Kingdom, which implemented a no-dependant restriction on international students in May, Nigerian students face limited options for their study abroad plans. The UK’s decision was prompted by a surge in net migration, reaching one million individuals, leading Conservative MPs to urge urgent action to regain control over immigration figures.
Nigerian students, traditionally significant contributors to the UK’s international student community, had started exploring alternatives in the European zone, with France being a consideration. However, the new French immigration policy further narrows their options.
Additionally, the alternative route of the skilled worker visa in the UK has undergone changes. In December, Home Secretary James Cleverly raised the minimum salary requirement for the visa, making it £38,700, higher than the existing median average salary for a full-time worker in Britain. The changes also affect health and social care workers, exempting them from the salary increase but preventing them from bringing family dependents.
Canada has also joined the tightening of immigration rules. Starting January 2024, international students must show proof of funds amounting to ₦16,050,000.0000 ($20,000), more than double the previous requirement. This adjustment, the first since the early 2000s, applies to cover 75% of the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO), tuition, and travel costs for a single applicant’s first year.
While implementing these changes, Canada extended the waiver on the 20-hour per week work cap for international students until April 30, 2024. This extension is applicable to students already present in Canada and those who submitted a study permit application as of December 7th, 2023, allowing them to work more than the usual 20 hours per week during class sessions.
The United Kingdom is considering sweeping new restrictions that could limit or completely block children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms, as part of a broader push to improve online safety and reduce excessive screen time among young users.
The proposal, currently under government consultation, is being led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and focuses on addressing concerns over how teenagers interact with platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
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Officials say the move is driven by growing evidence and public concern that algorithm-driven feeds and “endless scrolling” features may be negatively affecting children’s sleep patterns, concentration levels, and overall well-being.
The government is also reviewing whether additional measures such as app curfews and time limits should be introduced.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the consultation has already attracted widespread public input, with tens of thousands of responses from parents, teenagers, and advocacy groups.
She noted that the government is particularly interested in feedback on addictive platform design features and the use of AI tools targeting younger users.
The UK is also studying policies already implemented in other countries. Australia has introduced stricter age-based restrictions, while Greece and Indonesia have also moved toward tighter regulation of children’s access to social media.
Authorities emphasize that no final decision has been made, but the consultation process is expected to shape future legislation on how tech companies operate and how young users are protected online in the digital age.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked global reactions following his remarks about Pope Leo XIV after the Pope’s recent anti-war message calling for peace in conflict-hit regions.
The controversy began after Pope Leo XIV delivered a strong appeal at the Vatican, urging world leaders to end ongoing wars and prioritise dialogue over violenceviolence.
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The pontiff warned against the “idolatry of power” and called for global cooperation to restore peace.
Reacting to the message, Trump told reporters he is “not a big fan” of Pope Leo XIV, describing him as “very liberal” and questioning his views on crime and international security.
The U.S. President further criticised the Pope’s stance on global conflicts, suggesting his message overlooks serious security challenges linked to rising geopolitical tensions, including nuclear concerns.
In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump intensified his criticism, accusing the Pope of taking a weak position on foreign policy matters and suggesting political factors influenced his leadership position.
The comments have since triggered widespread debate across political and religious circles, adding to ongoing tensions between Washington and the Vatican over issues such as immigration policy, military action, and global diplomacy.
While both sides have previously denied any formal rift, the latest exchange has renewed global attention on their differing positions regarding war and peace efforts.
The Israeli military said on Thursday that Mohammed Wishah, an Al Jazeera journalist killed in a strike in Gaza on Wednesday, was a Hamas operative “operating under the guise of a journalist.”
According to Israeli forces, Wishah was “a key terrorist in Hamas’ rocket and weapons production headquarters” and had been planning attacks against soldiers in the area.
The military said he used his journalist identity to advance Hamas’ operations against Israel.
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Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based broadcaster, strongly condemned the killing. In a statement, the network described the attack as a “heinous crime of targeting and killing” its correspondent and insisted the strike was deliberate, not accidental.
The channel vowed to pursue “all necessary legal action to prosecute those responsible for the killing of its correspondents and staff in Gaza.”
Media rights organization Reporters Without Borders also condemned the incident, stating that Wishah’s name now joins “more than 220 journalists killed in two and a half years by Israeli forces in Gaza, at least 70 of whom were killed while performing their duties.”
The killing occurred despite a US-backed ceasefire in Gaza that has been in effect since October 2025, highlighting ongoing tensions and frequent accusations of truce violations by both Israel and Hamas.
Al Jazeera listed Wishah among 11 of its journalists killed in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel that triggered the Gaza war.
Past incidents include the killing of Mohammad Salama in August 2025 and the deaths of four Al Jazeera staff and two freelancers outside Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City earlier that year, prompting widespread condemnation.
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