Black teen entrepreneur thriving, UK teacher sacked for racist rants, plus more
Plus: why what the US did in Venezuela matters to the Caribbean
Hi everyone,
Welcome to In Focus and to the first edition of 2026! Time flies, eh?
This newsletter highlights the stories shaping Black life in Britain, especially those that are under-reported, misunderstood or quietly sidelined.
From a specialist sickle cell hospital unit facing closure to Windrush families potentially missing out on millions and #EthnicityPayGap campaign, we’re hitting the ground running today.
We’ve also opened up new contact forms for you to submit story ideas and give feedback. Please see the end of this newsletter.
Every week, In Focus will bring you:
The biggest headlines affecting Black communities which mainstream media often underreport or miss
Good news, highlights and achievements worth celebrating
Thanks for riding with us!
Good news
Malaki Conteh: teen entrepreneur runs Caribbean food businesses and ‘helps pay his own £4,000-a-term school fees’
Liam Rosenior appointed Chelsea head coach, becoming the first Black British boss of a “Big Six” club
Palestinian embassy opens in London following UK recognition
Phillis Wheatley, enslaved poet first published in London, honoured with US Black Heritage stamp
‘Pride of Nursing’ award winner struck off over racist Facebook posts
Ethnicity Pay Gap billboards lead calls for mandatory reporting
Black workers are more likely to be paid less than their white counterparts, including for the same or equivalent roles.
Bold billboards across London and Manchester are marking Ethnicity Pay Gap Day today, 8 January, demanding action on persistent racial pay disparities, led by Diane Greyson, founder of the #EthnicityPayGap campaign.
More information about this can be found here.
Specialist sickle cell unit in London hospital at risk of closure as campaign launches
The unit provides urgent, expert care for people living with sickle cell disease, a genetic condition that disproportionately affects Black communities.
Campaigners warn that shutting the service would push patients into less specialised settings, increase delays in treatment, and worsen health outcomes.
Over 1,500 people have already signed a petition urging NHS England and hospital bosses to reverse the decision. Read more here.
UK teacher banned after telling pupils Rosa Parks ‘did not exist’ and Islam is ‘demonic’, plus calling Black Lives Matter ‘Burn, Loot, Murder’
A UK teacher has been banned from the profession after telling year six pupils that Rosa Parks “did not really exist”, Martin Luther King Jr was a fraud and Black Lives Matter stands for “Burn, Loot, Murder”.
Patrick Lawler, 62, made the remarks while teaching at Bede Academy in Northumberland between 2015 and 2020, during a lesson meant to cover medieval history.
Regulators ruled his conduct brought the profession into disrepute. In a separate revelation, not cited in this dismissal, it emerged that Lawler has far-right links and previously called for the murder of foreigners who refuse to leave Britain.
US strikes on Venezuela spark Caribbean alarm over security, travel and economic fallout
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has urged calm and diplomatic dialogue after US military action in Venezuela and the abduction of its president, in breach of international law.
Caribbean leaders say air travel, economic stability and citizen safety are already under threat as tensions rise close to home.
Though Venezuela is not a CARICOM member, the crisis is unfolding in the Caribbean’s backyard with direct risks to security, migration and fragile island economies.
Windrush families could be sitting on lost Premium Bonds as £100m remains unclaimed
Windrush-era parents and grandparents often invested in Premium Bonds as long-term savings, but lost records mean many families never saw the returns.
For those who aren’t aware: these bonds are a government-backed savings product where your money is held safely, not spent. Each £1 you save counts as a numbered entry in a monthly prize draw, instead of earning interest.
With more than £100m still unclaimed, descendants are being urged to check what may be owed. Reporting by Sinai Fleary.
Milton Cole: Tributes paid as beloved stalwart of The Voice Newspaper dies
Tributes have been paid to Milton Cole, a long-standing and much-loved presence at The Voice Newspaper, who died in Jamaica on 7 November 2025.
Originally brought in as a security guard during the paper’s Coldharbour Lane years, Milton became a trusted fixture of the newsroom, remembered for his warmth, deep reggae knowledge and the guidance he freely shared.
He is survived by his son, Leo Cole, and a grandson, with a funeral taking place on 7 February 2026 in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, alongside a tribute gathering in Brixton on the same date.
What else we’re reading
Romaine Bowman, a four-year-old boy, was shot dead as he lay in bed on New Year’s Day
The number of deaths in the UK ‘is likely to outweigh the number of births in 2026, marking a “turning point” for the country’, think-tank predicts
Scotland-based care worker struck off after using racist language while on duty
Dr. Janell Green Smith, a US midwife who advocated for Black maternal health, dies of childbirth complications
‘Full-blown agony: my battle against the mysterious pain of cluster headaches’ | Morgan Ofori
‘How do we get racial justice?’ | Lester Holloway
Newcastle contact police after Joe Willock receives racist abuse
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