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STV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- STV News
'I have a lifeline scholarship to study in Scotland - but I'm trapped in Gaza'
A Palestinian writer, translator and scholar has who has been offered the chance to undertake a PhD at the University of Edinburgh says she fears losing the lifeline opportunity over government red tape. Shaimaa Abulebda used to have an ordinary life, which, like her old university and neighbourhood, is in ruins. Shaimaa has been given the chance to reclaim some of her old life and continue her work in Scotland. But the opportunity could be taken away over a refusal by the Home Office to issue her a visa until she submits biometric data, including professional photographs and fingerprints. The UK-authorised biometrics registration centre in Gaza closed in October 2023, with travelling to other centres in neighbouring countries now impossible. 'Coming to Edinburgh has been a long-standing dream', Shaimaa told STV News on a video call from a displacement camp. 'It's not just an opportunity to continue my studies, it will also be a way to reclaim my future as a scholar and researcher. 'It's about a c ontinuation of my life's work and my life's research. I think of it as my opportunity to bring more attention to Palestinian literature. 'It would give me space, mentorship, and access to resources within the intellectual community in Edinburgh. It's what I need to grow as a writer, as a researcher, as a scholar. It would be a lifeline.' Shaimaa is one of millions displaced by the conflict between Israel and Hamas since October 7, 2023 – around 90% of the population of Gaza. The writer herself has been displaced 12 times and is now living in a tent on the beach that was once a refuge for her. She describes the situation as 'unbearable,' with little to eat and no nourishment from any food given. 'On a typical day [before the conflict], I used to start with exercises and head to work as a lecturer at the Islamic University of Gaza', she explained. Getty Images 'Usually I taught two classes a day. After work, I used to tend to our garden, take an evening walk, prepare for my lectures, do some freelance content writing work. I used to spend my weekends at the beach. 'Now my life is overturned, everything has changed for me and my family. 'We have been displaced 12 times so far. I've watched my city and university getting bombed, and narrowly escaped being bombed. I've lost mentors, relatives. 'Being in constant displacement suspended my ability to think, be creative, to try and even speak coherently. 'Right now, I'm trying to reclaim my life back. I applied for PhD at Edinburgh, and I rewrote my PhD proposal. I had an interview with a potential supervisor one day before the war. I applied for a scholarship. 'This process gave me some hope, it gave me a sense of focus and being grounded, some agency to reclaim my life amid destruction and loss. 'It feels like I am building something and trying to work through something, something that matters, something that will outlast devastation and give meaning to survival for the life I had and the life I'm trying to rebuild. 'Conditions now remain very extremely difficult. I'm struggling to access clean water and food. Almost everything is unavailable or outrageously expensive. 'My daily routine has been completely upended. Living in a tent is unbearable in both summer and winter, and I've lived through both.' As she waits for news on continuing her work in Scotland, Shaimaa is striving to stay focused by reading, writing, and documenting as much of her experience as she can. She is also working on translating a Palestinian novel from Arabic to English. 'I'm not sitting around waiting for things to change', she added. Getty Images 'Even though I am displaced, we have been living through this war for almost two years. I am still trying to read, write, and document everything. 'Through these pieces, I have documented my trauma and the collective trauma of displaced Palestinians. 'I am trying to challenge dominant narratives, trying to preserve our culture and the memory of Palestinians' The University of Edinburgh believes Shaimaa and others like her will make an 'invaluable' contribution to the institution. Colm Harmon, vice principal students, said: 'We have been actively exploring ways in which the biometric requirement of the visa could be deferred until a student has left Gaza and has reached another country, such as Egypt or Jordan. 'We don't yet know if this will be possible, but we are hoping that restrictions can be adapted to allow this to happen. If they are, it will greatly benefit students like Shaimaa, one of a number of exceptional scholars in Gaza that we hope to welcome to our campus very soon. 'In addition to her own exciting research in the department of English literature, she will play a central role in developing public literary educational activities in Edinburgh and Palestine. She will also be helping to publish two collections of new Palestinian writing that will have a global impact. 'We are excited for the invaluable contribution that she will make to our university and to the wider literary community, but more fundamentally, education is key to how Gaza emerges from conflict, and scholars like Shaimaa are the future foundations of that. 'We are proud to support her and her peers, as part of a strong effort from UK higher education.' Campaigners and local MPs have called on the UK Government to do the same as other countries and let Gazans travel to a safe country to finish their visa applications. The University and College Union (UCU), which represents 125,000 education workers, has called for government intervention. In a letter to Yvette Cooper, UCU general secretary Jo Grady urged the home secretary to 'expedite the process and ensure all these young Palestinians make it to our seminar rooms and lecture halls for the start of the academic year.' As the wait continues for Shaimaa and dozens like her, the fear of the opportunity slipping away grows with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. More than half of the dead are women and children. Over 100 charity and human rights groups have said that Israel's blockade and military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip towards starvation. Meanwhile, experts say Gaza is at risk of famine because of Israel's blockade and the offensive launched in response to Hamas's attack on October 7. Gaza's Health Ministry said 48 Palestinians have died of malnutrition in the past month, adding that 59 Palestinians died of malnutrition so far in 2025, up from 50 in 2024, and four in 2023 when Israel started its war against Hamas. 'Each day feels like a delay, and waiting is really hard on me', Shaimaa adds. 'It feels like the war continues to shape my life, to snatch things that have been longstanding for me. I know that such processes take time. I live in constant fear of another loss, another missile, losing an opportunity that I have worked for for so many years. 'It feels like I have lost the agency I reclaimed in the process of applying, the focus that I had. 'Now I'm just waiting, with nothing left for me to do or achieve. 'I am trying to remain confident that the government will try to find a way and that I will lawfully get my visa and get to campus safely.' STV News approached the Foreign Office for a statement, but did not receive a response. 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The Guardian
31-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
UK savers could have up to £110,000 protected under regulator's new plan
UK savers would have up to £110,000 of their deposits protected if their bank or building society goes bust under proposals put forward by the Bank of England. The plan, put forward by the central bank on Monday, represents a near-30% hike from the current limit of £85,000, and would mark the first substantial change to the savers' protection scheme since the 2008 banking crisis. The Bank's regulatory arm, the Prudential Regulation Authority, said the increase would account for inflation and is intended to 'give consumers confidence that their money is safe if their UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union fails'. Sam Woods, the chief executive of the Prudential Regulation Authority, said: 'Confidence in our financial system is an essential foundation for economic growth. 'We want to support confidence in our banks, building societies and credit unions by raising the amount that people can keep in their account which is covered by the deposit guarantee scheme to £110,000 per person, so all that money is safe even if the firm fails.' Everyday customers and most small businesses have a portion of their savings guaranteed under the programme, which is run by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The scheme was launched in 2001 but was substantially ramped up after the global banking crash, with an £85,000 limit set in 2010. That limit was set in reaction to the financial crisis, when a number of UK banks were brought to their knees. That included Northern Rock, which suffered the first bank run in the UK in over a century in 2007. At that time, only the first £2,000 of savings were protected in full, while 90% of the next £33,000 would be paid back. That meant most people lost money if their lenders failed. A much higher cap, introduced in 2010, was temporarily cut to £75,000 to bring it in line with euro exchange rates under EU rules in 2015, before being restored to £85,000 in 2017. However, post-Brexit rules now allow the UK to set its own cap. The PRA will now consult on the new limit and, if approved, it would cover the savings of retail and SME customers from 1 December. Debate over the deposit protection level has been swirling since the mini-banking crisis of 2023, when lenders including Credit Suisse and Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The failure of SVB's UK arm prompted fears that a swathe of startups and small businesses could lose their cash and go bust as a result of relatively low deposit protection levels compared with the US. Across the Atlantic, standard deposit protection is significantly higher at $250,000 (£193,000). 'The events of 2023 in the banking sector, including the failure of Silicon Valley Bank UK Ltd, while not requiring FSCS involvement, highlighted the importance of depositor protection in supporting confidence in the financial system,' the Bank of England's consultation said. 'Accordingly, the need for robust depositor protection that underpins confidence in the financial system remains a key element of the regulatory framework to minimise the impact of banking failures.'
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Savings protection limit could be increased to £110,000 later this year
The deposit protection limit for savers if their bank or building society fails could be raised by £25,000 later this year, under proposals being consulted on. The Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), which supervises financial institutions, has proposed increasing the depositprotection limit of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) from its current level of £85,000 to £110,000. The FSCS protects customers of financial services firms that have failed. If a firm has gone bust and cannot pay claims against it, the scheme can step in to pay compensation. The deposit protection limit represents the maximum amount of money the FSCS typically protects should a bank, building society or credit union become insolvent. It has been set at £85,000 since 2017. The proposed increase takes into account inflation since the limit was last changed, and is designed to give consumers confidence that their money is safe if their UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union fails, the PRA said. If taken forward, the new limit would apply to firms that fail from December 1 2025. Sam Woods, deputy governor for prudential regulation and chief executive of the PRA, said: 'Confidence in our financial system is an essential foundation for economic growth. 'We want to support confidence in our banks, building societies and credit unions by raising the amount that people can keep in their account which is covered by the deposit guarantee scheme to £110,000 per person, so all that money is safe even if the firm fails.' Martyn Beauchamp, chief executive of the FSCS, said: 'Depositor protection is what FSCS is best known for, as it covers the money held in our day-to-day current accounts and savings. ' Consumers tell us that the existence of FSCS protection is a key driver of their trust in financial services, and this trust is in turn a critical component of stability and growth. Get a free fractional share worth up to £100. Capital at risk. Terms and conditions apply. 'It's important that FSCS's limit is reviewed to ensure it stays appropriate and relevant.' The UK Government has put a strong focus on economic growth in its plans. Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at Which? said: 'Raising the deposit protection limit is a sensible decision to support consumer confidence in the financial services industry. 'At a time when the Government and regulators are going for growth, this decision is a reminder that strong consumer protections and economic growth go hand-in-hand.' Eric Leenders, managing director for personal finance at banking and finance industry body UK Finance, said: 'The FSCS provides depositors with valuable protection and underpins confidence in the UK's financial system. 'The current limit of £85,000 was set back in 2017 and so it makes sense to review it. We look forward to working with the Prudential Regulation Authority as part of their consultation into the wider FSCS deposit protection system.' The FSCS has paid £10.1 million to depositors in the past three full financial years, primarily in relation to small credit union failures. Since it was set up in 2001, the FSCS has paid more than £20 billion, primarily in relation to deposit failures during the 2008 financial crisis. The proposal is part of a wider consultation on FSCS deposit protection. Other proposals include increasing the limit applicable to certain temporary high-balance claims – which may be used for certain life events such as buying or selling a house and payouts from insurance policies – from £1 million to £1.4 million. This could also take effect from December 1 2025. Consultation responses in relation to the proposals around the limit of protection available from the FSCS are requested by June 30 2025. The PRA expects to confirm the outcome of its consultation in November 2025, with any change to the deposit protection limit needing approval from the Treasury. Deposits are protected up to the protection limit that is in effect at the time of the failure of a firm. The protection limit is provided on a per person and a per PRA-authorised institution basis. Spreading money around across a range of authorised firms can help savers with bigger balances to ensure that their money is protected.
