Africa & World

The United Kingdom is set to end the recruitment of care workers from abroad as part of a sweeping crackdown on immigration, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Cooper revealed that care worker visas will be scrapped later this year, compelling employers in the sector to prioritize hiring UK residents or extend the stay of foreign staff already in the country.

The move comes ahead of new immigration policy changes expected to be unveiled on Monday. Government sources say the upcoming reforms aim to curb net migration significantly, with projections suggesting a reduction of up to 50,000 care and lower-skilled workers entering the UK over the next 12 months.

“This is the moment to bring overseas recruitment in the care sector to a close,” Cooper said, noting that the reforms will focus on promoting local employment rather than relying on international labour.

While the Home Office has yet to release the full contents of its long-awaited immigration White Paper, Cooper indicated that the broader plan includes raising the threshold for skilled worker visas from A-level to graduate-level qualifications. In addition, the list of industries eligible for temporary visa exemptions will be tightened.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised the measures, calling them insufficient and renewing calls for a fixed annual cap on migration.

Net migration has remained a politically sensitive issue in the UK, with figures peaking at 906,000 in the year to June 2023 before dropping to 728,000. Despite repeated pledges by previous administrations to reduce the numbers, efforts have so far failed to produce lasting results.

Cooper said while the government is pursuing a “substantial reduction” in migration, it will not commit to specific numerical targets, arguing that past targets have damaged the credibility of migration policies.

The African Union (AU) has lifted sanctions imposed on Gabon, the continental body announced on Wednesday, following what it described as significant progress in the country’s political transition.

In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the AU’s Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department said the Peace and Security Council had reviewed developments in Gabon and found the transition process to be “generally successful.”

As a result, Gabon is now permitted “to immediately resume her participation in the activities” of the AU, the statement said.

Gabon was suspended from the AU in August 2023 after a military coup led by General Brice Oligui Nguema ousted President Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled the country for more than five decades.

Following the coup, Nguema pledged to return the country to civilian governance after a two-year transitional period. In April 2025, he was elected president with 94 percent of the vote under a new constitution that grants the presidency expanded powers.

The AU’s decision to lift the suspension comes months after a diplomatic appeal by Nguema during a visit to Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, where he sought support for the easing of sanctions.

Despite its oil wealth, Gabon—home to approximately 2.3 million people continue to grapple with high unemployment, frequent power and water shortages, and mounting public debt.

North Korea has officially declared its involvement in the war against Ukraine, confirming for the first time that it has deployed troops to fight alongside Russian forces.

In a report published by state news agency KCNA, Pyongyang’s military announced that its soldiers contributed to the “complete liberation” of Russia’s Kursk border region, following an order from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The report framed the deployment as part of a broader military alliance with Moscow under a mutual defense treaty.

The announcement marks a major escalation, as it effectively places North Korea in a state of war against Ukraine. It comes just days after Russia’s Chief of General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, publicly praised the “heroism” of North Korean troops—the first official acknowledgment from Moscow of Pyongyang’s role in the conflict.

Responding to the development, the United States condemned North Korea’s actions, stating that Pyongyang must bear responsibility for prolonging the war.

South Korean and Western intelligence agencies had previously reported that North Korea sent thousands of troops to the Kursk region in 2024, although Pyongyang had not confirmed this until now.

According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un praised the deployed soldiers, calling them “heroes” and “representatives of the honour of the motherland.” The report added that the fighting in Kursk demonstrated the “alliance and brotherhood” between North Korea and Russia, describing it as a “friendship proven by blood” that would further strengthen bilateral ties.

Pope Francis, who died Monday at age 88, will be succeeded following a papal conclave in the Sistine Chapel.

After nine days of official mourning, cardinals from around the world will assemble in the Chapel to cast secret ballots.

The election process typically lasts two to three weeks; all ballots are burned after each round of voting.

Once a new pope is elected, white smoke will signal the result from the Chapel’s chimney. A Mass celebrating the inauguration of the 267th pope is scheduled for a few days thereafter.

In the interim, Cardinal Kevin Farrell an Irish‑born prelate who holds U.S. citizenship will serve as camerlengo.

He will oversee day‑to‑day Vatican administration and manage all preparations for the conclave.