Samir Jeraj

1 week ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

One of my dad’s favourite snacks is something he calls a garlic ladwa, also known as lasan ja ladu. They are made from leftover rotlo — millet flatbreads — crumbled into a hot oil or ghee and mixed into a paste with young green garlic, then cooled and shaped into balls. Traditionally served with yoghurt or mashed aubergine, they are usually eaten for breakfast.

1 week ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

Muslims are three times less likely to become judges and coroners in English and Welsh courts than members of other faiths, according to research published by University College London, amid warnings that a lack of diversity could weaken public trust in the judiciary. Muslims comprise 6.5% of the English and Welsh population, according to the 2021 census, but only 1.8% of salaried judges, 2.2% of fee-paid (part-time) judges and 0.6% of coroners.

2 weeks ago | newstatesman.com | Samir Jeraj

Mary remembers when she became homeless. She was in year four at school and her family “hopped” around different friends’ houses for a year. During that time, she stopped going to class for months, which led to the school stepping in. Mary is one of the millions of young people in the UK who grew up in poverty, a number that has now grown to 4.5 million. Living in a low-income family meant Mary could never afford school trips or school meals – even her school uniform required months of saving up.

2 weeks ago | newstatesman.com | Samir Jeraj

Georgia-Leah was a student at drama school when she started to develop difficulties with walking. Eventually she had a seizure and fellow students dialled 999. She was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), where there are problems with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body. Georgia-Leah’s past experiences of poor healthcare for a previous mental health condition meant she was wary of services, and of asserting her rights.

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

Peers are expected to discuss scrapping the “right to rent” duty on landlords as early as next week, in a move to end a decade-long hostile environment policy accused of leaving Black and Asian renters less able to find a home than their white counterparts. The duty, created by the 2014 Immigration Act, requires prospective tenants to prove they have the right to be in the UK — and imposes fines and even prison sentences on landlords who let to anyone without legal migration status.