Reeves urged to scrap international student levy over growth concerns

Business leaders have called on Rachel Reeves to scrap a proposed levy on university fees for international students, warning it could have major consequences for growth and global competitiveness.

In their open letter shared with The Independent, business groups slammed what they call “a university tax” and warned that the planned 6 per cent rise on fees will have “unintended consequences” for the UK.

The note piles further pressure on the chancellor ahead of the Budget and comes after ministers brought forward a raft of measures earlier this year designed to tighten up rules around student visas.

The letter, signed by 15 groups including UK Music, Business LDN and Tech UK, claims that international students contribute tens of billions to the economy every year, “supporting local businesses and fuelling regional regeneration”.

“A reduction in international student numbers could also indirectly affect domestic student opportunities,” the letter said.

“As income from international fees helps subsidise the cost of home students.”

They added: “We therefore urge the government to pause the implementation of the levy, undertake a full risk assessment and to consult fully with the higher education and business sectors on a sustainable funding model that protects opportunities for disadvantaged students without undermining one of the UK’s most successful export markets.”

The government’s immigration white paper, published in May, said ministers would explore introducing a levy on higher education income from international students, and ministers are looking at 6 per cent.

After the white paper was published – which also said the government would reduce graduate visas to 18 months – sector leaders warned the plans could deter international students from coming to the UK and exacerbate financial challenges for universities.

Henri Murrison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, one of the signatories of the letter, said that international students are “central” to the economies of cities like Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle.

“They support local businesses, create jobs, and help sustain our universities, which are key to city regions productivity growth,” he said.

“The proposed levy risks pulling the rug out from under one of the few areas where the northern growth corridor currently outperforms its competitors globally.”

John Dickie, chief executive of Business LDN which represents firms including Deloitte and Uber, said that scrapping the levy would “support growth and the UK’s international competitiveness”.

“Overseas students make a significant contribution to the economy so we should be rolling out the welcome mat for the most talented people from across the globe rather than pushing them away,” he said.

Research from policy consultancy PublicFirst released in September estimated nine out of 12 regions in the UK would face a wider loss of more than £100 million in the first year of a levy because of the likely loss in international students.

The impact would be largest in London, at £480 million, followed by Scotland (£197 million) and then the South East (£163 million).

Of the 50 most impacted constituencies, 37 are held by Labour, researchers said.

A government spokesperson said: “The International Student Levy will fund the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants to break down the barriers to opportunity for disadvantaged students.

“We have also taken tough decisions to put universities on firmer financial footing. We are increasing tuition fees annually in line with inflation and have refocused the Office for Students to monitor the financial health of the sector.

“We are taking action to open up access to universities, restoring them as engines of aspiration, opportunity and growth. We will set out further details in the Autumn Budget.”

‘Most severe flu outbreak in decades’ as infections surge

Top doctors are urging people to take up their flu vaccinations ahead of what could be the “most severe flu outbreak in decades” this winter.

Hospital admissions are already on the rise for the H3N2 strain, with infections hitting numbers not usually seen until December. Health bosses are concerned that many of the most vulnerable may not have received their vaccine yet as the NHS braces itself for a difficult winter.

Doctor Hilary Jones has explained more about the health service’s “SOS campaign”, which is encouraging people to get vaccinated this coming week.

“Australia had the worst flu for seven years,” he said. “What tends to happen there in their winter tends to follow here. We’re already seeing a spike in hospitalisations here, so the season has started early.”

He added the flu virus mutates, meaning it can evade immunity built up over years of exposure and vaccinations. The current dominant strain in H3N2 developed seven mutations over the summer, meaning those who received vaccines last year may not be protected.

“We’re getting the warning now that this could be a very bad season for flu,” Dr Hilary said when he appeared on ITV’s Lorraine show. “The NHS have launched this SOS campaign saying there are 2.4 million appointments available next week for people to go and get their jabs. Many people are eligible for a free vaccination.”

He warned that flu is “much, much worse” than a bad cold, and can leave sufferers bed-bound for at least a week.

“We shouldn’t think of flu as being a bad cold, it’s much much worse,” Dr Hilary said. “Raging sore throat, high fever, aching muscles, you’re bed-bound for a week or so.”

The doctor explained flu should be taken seriously and can be deadly when picked up by the most vulnerable groups.

“Last year there were 70,000 excess deaths in Europe, 7,500 here,” he said. “Some of them were children – 53 children died of flu last winter. So it’s not just the elderly.”

He urged people to get vaccinated, saying immunisation is the “best way” to prevent getting seriously ill with the flu.

Flu vaccines are available for everyone aged 65 and over, under-65s in clinical risk groups, pregnant women, care-home residents and carers, close contacts of those who are immunosuppressed, frontline social care workers, and health and social care staff, as well as for children.

But he added anyone who does not qualify for the free vaccine can easily protect themselves by paying for the jab at a pharmacy.

“If you wanted to get one privately just walk into the pharmacy, you don’t have to make an appointment, you can just get it there and then,” he said.

Earlier this week, NHS England said it is making 2.4 million vaccination slots available next week, which it said was enough to vaccinate the whole of Greater Manchester or Botswana.

Public health minister Ashley Dalton said: “Vaccination is the best form of defence against flu – particularly for the most vulnerable. With flu cases already triple what they were this time last year, I urge everyone eligible to take up one of the 2.4 million appointments available next week.”

Makhachev trounces JDM to earn multi-champion status at UFC 322

Islam Makhachev made easy work of Jack Della Maddalena to snatch his welterweight title and become a multi-division champions at UFC 322, achieving something his legendary coach and childhood friend Khabib Nurmagomedov never managed.

Makhachev steamrolled the Australian across five rounds in a bout that was nearly difficult to watch, with the 34-year-old’s systematic destruction of Della Maddalena’s right calf leaving the defending champion in visible agony for the championship rounds.

He was shut out for five straight rounds on the ground, with the scorecards reading 50-45 in Makhachev’s favour across the board.

Makhachev had moved up to 170lbs after conquering the lightweight division and 29-year-old Della Maddalena, making his first title defence since dethroning Belal Muhammad earlier in the year, was expected to give the formidable Dagestani a tough test on his welcome to the division.

His elite scrambling ability, combined with knockout power and black-belt BJJ acumen, meant he possessed all the tools to overcome Makhachev, at least on paper. But in practice, he proved little threat to Makhachev’s apparent invincibility, squashing the life out of the champion as he recorded 18 minutes of control time across a 25 minute fight.

Makhachev became the 11th fighter to win UFC championships in multiple divisions, and tied Anderson Silva’s record with 16 consecutive wins.

In the co-main event at Madison Square Garden, Zhang Weili emulated Makhachev by moving up a division but, in opposite fashion, was dominated by the defending champion as flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko delivered a unanimous decision victory over the former strawweight champion.

Zhang was second best for the entire fight, struggling to close the distance to do damage on the feet and finding Shevcheno’s strength too much to overcome, falling to fight-defining takedowns in every round.

Elsewhere, British former welterweight champion Leon Edwards suffered a damning knockout loss to Carlos Prates, his third consecutive defeat and the first time he’d been slept in the UFC.

Things weren’t any better for Sean Brady, another welterweight contender who beat Edwards at UFC London in March, with the American failing to build on what was the biggest win of his career as he was stopped by undefeated 25-year-old Michael Morales.

Both Morales and Prates have now entered what is a stacked welterweight title picture, with the likes of Ian Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Belal Muhammad all also vying to be Makhachev’s first challenger.

Benoit Saint Denis also recorded the sixth fastest knockout in UFC history as he stopped veteran Beneil Dariush in 16 seconds, while Bo Nickal got back in the win column with a brutal headkick knockout of Rodolfo Vieira.

Benn beats Eubank Jr and crosses fine line between relief and revenge

After 35 minutes of their much-hyped rematch, Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr finally delivered the drama that coloured all 36 minutes of their enthralling initial clash.

With barely 60 seconds to go on this cold November night in Tottenham, Benn put down Eubank Jr, who was driven to the canvas a second time before all was said and done. Still, in one of many examples of staggering heart in this unique duo of duels, Eubank Jr rose to his feet both times, making it to the final bell.

That metallic clang was only ever going to herald one result: a clear decision victory for Benn, and more importantly for the 29-year-old, revenge and redemption. He has “revenge” tattooed on his right arm and “redemption” inked on his left, and it was the right that was raised at the end – briefly, before he was hoisted aloft by his proud father.

More than 30 years after Nigel Benn failed to overcome Chris Eubank Sr in two seismic contests for British boxing, in a bitter rivalry of their own, Conor finally claimed a win for his family in a feud spanning two generations.

Benn was always a step behind Eubank Jr in April’s clash at this same venue, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but he was still able to make it a thrilling encounter on that evening – an instant classic. As is often the case, though, the sequel did not deliver the same quality as the first episode.

Quality may seem a curious word to use, actually; Benn and Eubank Jr both admitted in April that they did not box especially well, and in Saturday’s rematch, there were many poor moments and less excitement.

That was until the final minute.

Benn had admittedly fought more intelligently this time, scoring with right crosses to the body and holding the centre of the ring throughout, and in doing so, he established a lead that Eubank Jr was never going to overturn – not with the listless, laboured performance the 36-year-old turned in here. Benn said in April that his downfall was, in part, trying too hard to hurt Eubank Jr, but here, he ironically punctuated his redemption by dealing his blood rival the pain he’d wished to for years.

The first knockdown came courtesy of a right cross that skimmed off the side of Eubank Jr’s head, sending him lolloping backwards to the canvas as if in slow motion. After he beat the count, he was next floored by a shot as he turned, driving him face-first towards the floor.

Had it not been for those two moments, perhaps Benn’s redemption would have felt more like relief than revenge. As it was, he might have got all three.

“How does it feel?” Benn asked himself, before joking to his dad: “I got one on you, Nigel! I got one on you, mate! I feel like this is the end of the Benn-Eubank saga. Done, finished, over. I know Chris has twins coming, and I’ve got my boy…”

He added: “To everyone who said I can’t box, put that in your pipe and smoke it. How about that?” And some might retort that Benn was not always slick on this evening – often off balance or mistiming shots – but he boxed better than Eubank Jr, who never got going and who fought behind a slow, aimless left hook.

“I mean, listen, this wouldn’t have been what it was without Chris – and our dads most of all,” Benn continued. “This is generational. This has never been done before. Credit to Chris, that’s all I’ve got to say. Thank you, [Chris]. Not bad for two silver-spoon kids, eh?”

Eubank Jr, who had exchanged words and smiles with Benn after the final bell, put his hand on the shoulder of a rival who – despite all of the bad blood – might have finally earned his respect.

“I’ve been through hell and back to get to this fight, and it is what it is,” he said, his father standing behind him, having already offered some words of consolation. “I tried my best, and listen: the kid fought hard, he fought tough.

“He’s got power! He was bigger than me on the scales, I don’t know how you did it,” Eubank Jr went on, referencing Benn’s second venture up to middleweight in this rivalry.

“Listen, we put on a show, and yeah, Conor Benn was the best man tonight, so congratulations to him. It’s 1-1, I’ve got to go away and deal with some things I’ve been dealing with the last couple of months, and who knows?”

In truth, Benn and Eubank Jr have surely squeezed every drop of drama possible from this grudge. And that grudge appears to be easing. One thing is for sure, Benn eased to victory here, and he added the exclamation mark he so sorely craved.

George Osborne reportedly in running to be chair of HSBC

Former chancellor George Osborne is in the running to become the next chair of HSBC, according to numerous reports.

Multiple sources told Sky News the ex-politician, who served as chancellor under David Cameron between 2010 and 2016, is one of three remaining candidates to take over as chair from Sir Mark Tucker.

The outlet reported Mr Osborne had been approached over the job during the summer amid a long-running hunt for Sir Mark’s successor. The bank refused to confirm or deny these reports when approached for comment by The Independent.

HSBC Holdings is the second-largest FTSE-100 company, with a market capitalisation of almost £190bn, making its chairmanship one of Britain’s top corporate jobs.

Mr Osborne’s inclusion on a list of contenders is seen as surprising due to his lack of direct banking and boardroom experience. Since leaving political office in 2017, he has held a variety of positions including the editorship of the London Standard. He is currently a partner at merger advisory firm Robey Warshaw.

Also reported to be on the shortlist are former Barclays finance director Naguib Kheraj, and Kevin Sneader of Goldman Sachs.

The banking giant launched a search for Sir Tucker’s successor in May after he informed the board of his intention to end his eight-year tenure.

Sir Tucker, who took on the role of chair in October 2017, has been at the helm of HSBC during crises including the Covid pandemic and the rising cost of living, and growing tensions between the US and China.

Ann Godbehere, who sits on the board and is leading the search for a successor, said Mr Tucker had “provided excellent stewardship of the bank through the Covid 19 pandemic, and most recently, led the group CEO succession process”.

“Very importantly, he has also deepened the group’s relationships with key clients, regulators and investors around the world,” she added.

A HSBC spokesperson said: “Brendan Nelson was appointed interim chairman on 1 October. The process to appoint a new chairman continues and we will provide an update in due course.”

Mr Osborne could not be reached for comment.

Food photography tips: how to make food look as good as it tastes

Ever since the rise of social media, sharing food online has become a global obsession. From Instagram reels to TikTok trends, food content dominates our feeds and for good reason. Food is a universal love language. There’s something irresistible about the smell of freshly baked bread or the comfort of a steaming bowl of delicious pasta.

But as any food lover knows, capturing a photo that truly does your meal justice is easier said than done. Yet, it’s a powerful skill to have, as the perfect food shot can turn a humble dinner into viral content and, in some cases, transform small cafés, bartenders, and home bakers into internet stars.

At the heart of this movement sits the smartphone camera. And as someone who’s been immersed in food photography for over a decade and adores a smartphone for its ease of use and authentic way of capturing food moments, I was eager to see what Samsung’s new lightweight Galaxy S25 FE device could bring to the dinner table as it were.

When it comes to shooting food, I look for four essential things in a phone camera:

The Galaxy S25 FE ticks all four boxes and then some, and truly feels as though it was designed with the modern day foodie/food creator in mind. It even introduces ground-breaking AI features that promise to make editing and shooting more intuitive than ever, for a true end-to-end all encompassing device that elevates your food images effortlessly.

When it comes to food photography, the right lens can transform an ordinary plate into a visual feast – and the Galaxy S25 FE delivers a versatile mix that makes shooting creative, effortless, and fun.

The phone features four lenses in total, each one offering something unique for the way you tell your food story. Up front is a 12 MP selfie lens – solid, though not one you’ll often reach for when photographing your meals (unless you’re keen to share a reaction pic after). The real excitement is at the back, where three impressive lenses open up endless visual possibilities.

The 12 MP ultra-wide lens truly shines in tight spaces – whether you’re in a bustling café or a cosy, low-lit bar – capturing the full atmosphere with ease. It’s also perfect for those beautiful ‘table spread’ shots that continue to be popular on social media: think a tapas feast, a Christmas dinner, or a brunch spread where you want every dish in frame, without needing to balance on a chair!

For most food photography though, the star of the show is the 50 MP wide lens. It’s the one that produces those crisp, vibrant images with lifelike colours that leap off the screen. I always suggest shooting dishes that are abundant in natural hues such as bright salads, deeply coloured curries, or gorgeous fruit platters – and wherever possible, using natural light – because on social media colourful food always wins! I’ll often book a restaurant table near a window or shoot at my home studio beside one: it’s the easiest way to make textures sing and let the Galaxy S25 FE’s sensor show what it can really do.

Then there’s the 8 MP telephoto zoom lens, your best friend for capturing all the delicious food trends making the rounds right now such as the creamy frosting on a cinnamon roll or the sparkle of sea salt on a perfectly fried egg with feta and chilli sauce. It’s also great for those close-up shots that add a touch of drama and intimacy to your food feed – the ones that make people stop scrolling and think, ‘Dang, I need that right now.’

Together, these lenses help you capture not just what your food looks like, but how it feels to eat it.

As mentioned above, natural light is always a food photographer’s best friend, but when you’re enjoying a cosy evening meal, it’s not always an option. Most phone cameras struggle in those dimly lit restaurants or candlelit bars, often leaving food looking flat and colours washed out. That’s why I was especially curious to see how the Galaxy S25 FE would perform once the sun went down considering it has Enhanced Nightography and an AI-powered ProVisual Engine – an image processing engine that analyses each shot to automatically improve its visual. So, I put it to the test and am pleased to report, it delivered.

Even under low, warm lighting, the Galaxy S25 FE captures crisp textures and allows your food to look as good as it tastes, whilst infusing it with that evening ambience. For best results, I would recommend using the ultra wide lens in evening settings to capture the restaurant’s atmosphere and the wide lens for your food shots as it will result in the sharpest low light shots.

The Galaxy S25 FE also introduces some clever AI-powered tools that make creating food content even easier. One standout is Audio Eraser*, perfect for those who prefer filming in lively, bustling restaurants. It intelligently removes unwanted background noise, allowing the subtle sounds of your dish like the gentle bubble of hot soup or the satisfying crunch of a bite to take centre stage instead.

There’s also Photo Assist**, which includes Generative Edit and Sketch to Image***. The former lets you effortlessly move or remove distractions from your frame, while the latter allows you to write or draw directly onto your image – not something I’d necessarily do because food is just so naturally beautiful in its own right, but which could be ideal if you’re keen to add a more personal or artistic touch to your social media food posts to ensure you stand out from the crowd.

The Galaxy SE25 FE isn’t just another smartphone, instead it’s a powerful tool for food lovers and food content creators alike. Whether you’re an aspiring influencer keen to share your latest cookie haul, a café owner hoping to make your matcha lattes go viral or simply a home cook who loves sharing their latest creations, this phone can absolutely help you along your delicious journey. Cheers to that!

Kimberly Espinel is an award-winning food photographer, blogger, stylist, podcaster, teacher and author – find out more at her website or on Instagram.

To find out more about the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE visit Samsung

*Samsung account login required. Six types of sound can be detected; voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise. Results may vary depending on audio source & condition of the video.

**Samsung account login is required. Requires network connection.

***Samsung account login and network connection may be required for certain AI features.

Search underway after UK Navy crew member goes missing off Irish coast

A significant multi-agency search operation is currently underway off the northwest coast of Ireland for a missing UK Navy crew member.

The person was last seen late on Friday, around 10.30pm.

A distress call was made to the Irish Coast Guard early on Saturday morning. Ireland’s Department of Transport confirmed the extensive search effort.

“The Irish Coast Guard’s Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Malin Head received a distress alert from a UK Naval support vessel just before 9am this morning,” a statement issued on Saturday read.

“The alert was for a missing crew member on board, last seen at approximately 10.30pm last night.”

The vessel was situated north of Tory Island when the alarm was raised.

Malin Head Coast Guard is coordinating the search for the missing crew member in the waters between Tory Island, Co Donegal, and Eagle Island, Co Mayo.

The Irish Coast Guard, the Irish Air Corps, the RNLI, the naval vessel and others are involved in the search.

Airborne assets include the Coast Guard’s fixed-wing plane Rescue 120F from Shannon airport, Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 from Sligo, and the Irish Air Corps plane, CASA 284.

At sea, the UK Naval support vessel is participating alongside three RNLI all-weather lifeboats from Ballyglass, Arranmore Island, and Lough Swilly, with other vessels also assisting.

“Other vessels of opportunity are also involved in the search,” the statement said.

Labour grandee tells Starmer to sack No 10 chief Morgan McSweeney

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to fire his Downing Street chief of staff by former Labour home secretary David Blunkett.

Lord Blunkett said the prime minister should dismiss his top adviser Morgan McSweeney and replace him with someone who can “manage people well”.

The intervention by Lord Blunkett comes days after anonymous briefings by unnamed Downing Street sources claimed that health secretary Wes Streeting was plotting to replace the prime minister.

Mr Streeting denied the allegation and said it was proof of a “toxic culture” in No 10.

Sir Keir apologised to Mr Streeting. He later said he had been assured the briefings “didn’t come from Downing Street”, adding: “I will absolutely deal with anybody responsible for briefing against ministers, cabinet ministers or any other ministers.”

Lord Blunkett said: “If I was Keir Starmer I would say to Morgan McSweeney, ‘You have got great skills, you helped enormously with me in building a winning team before the election. Now is the time for me to find you another role that you are good at and I will bring in someone with the overall experience that we need to be the chief of staff’.”

He went on: “It is a particular role – it is about knowing about government and having been in a senior position where you have had to not only run the show but manage people well. It is not rocket science but it is a particular skill.”

Mr McSweeney has been blamed by some within Labour for the fallout from the attacks on Mr Streeting, which were an apparent ploy to warn off potential leadership contenders.

The prime minister has also faced calls to sack Mr McSweeney over the row.

But sources who have spoken to Mr McSweeney told the BBC on Thursday he would remain in his post.

They said: “He’s done absolutely nothing wrong. He’s not going anywhere.” They added: “I can categorically say he was not involved indirectly or directly.”

Speaking to the Newsagents podcast, Lord Blunkett said if the government did not improve its performance it would pave the way for Nigel Farage to take power.

He said: “We will be in serious trouble if we don’t get our act together, because the opinion polls are awful and the feeling of bewilderment in the electorate is palpable.”

The unrest at the top of the party comes as Labour’s poll ratings have plummeted since Sir Keir delivered a landslide general election victory in July 2024.

It precedes Rachel Reeves’s 26 November Budget, in which the party could rip up its manifesto promise not to increase income tax, and what MPs fear could be a bloodbath in elections next May in English councils and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.