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Ben Sturt

Ben Sturt is a UK-based journalist, but reporting globally. He currently works with The Londoners and TES magazine and has previously written for The Diplomat and SunStar.

Ben covers politics, current affairs and education. Ben has a particular interest in the Philippines and the wider Southeast Asia region, where he was based for two years.

Featured Articles

South West Londoner •

Twickenham school protest: Families demand TfL address safety concerns at 'dangerous' crossing

Children and parents from a Twickenham primary school have demanded safety improvements to the St Margarets Roundabout crossing following a protest.


A swell of families from the St Stephen’s School community were also joined by dozens of residents, Munira Wilson MP and Richmond Council leader Gareth Roberts, at the demonstration which happened on Friday.


The protest – which took place next to the A316 crossing – came after a parent-led petition aimed at London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transp...
Tes Magazine •

Schools across Northern Ireland in ‘state of disrepair’

Schools in Northern Ireland are “unsafe”, in a state of disrepair and could face renovation costs of up to £800 million.

That is according to the Stormont Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, which is calling for an “urgent, system-wide reform of the schools’ estate management and maintenance”.

The committee published a report following its inquiry into managing the schools estate.

The report finds that significant maintenance backlogs could pose a health and safety risk and jeopardise educa...
Tes Magazine •

Welsh schools embrace AI - but worry about data and safeguarding

Artificial intelligence is having a positive impact in Welsh schools for both teachers and pupils despite concerns around safeguarding, data protection and overreliance, a report has found.

Estyn, which inspect standards across education in Wales, visited 21 schools that have been noted for their use of AI.

The inspectorate’s report shows that teachers are benefiting from the technology reducing their workload, particularly in lesson planning, and are also finding it useful for resource creati...
Tes Magazine •

Scottish schools face ADHD and autism diagnosis 'postcode lottery'

Schools are having to contend with a “postcode lottery” on neurodivergence diagnosis , MSPs have heard.

The Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, which met this week as part of its inquiry into ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) pathways and support, was told that the current diagnosis framework is struggling to keep up with increasing demand.

The committee also heard that the lack of consistency across Scotland in diagnosing, treatment and support for ADHD and AS...
North East Londoner •

British Filipino community divided on former President Rodrigo Duterte's ICC detention

The British Filipino community is divided about former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s continued detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC).Duterte, 80, was extradited to ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, back in March and is charged with crimes against humanity. Duterte has contested his extradition.ICC prosecutors allege that Duterte, whilst president between 2016 and 2022, pursued an anti-drugs policy which directed a systematic attack against a civilian population, resulting in...
Tes Magazine •

Pupil unhappiness ‘doubles’ at secondary school

The proportion of students who are unhappy at secondary school is twice as high as that in primary, according to a major new survey.

The charity Parentkind has today released key insights from the responses it received from almost 6,000 parents of school-age children and young people in the UK.

In the National Parent Survey, one in five respondents said their child was only rarely or never happy at school. The charity warned that this proportion would represent around 2 million children and yo...
The Diplomat •

Philippine Senator’s Deepfake Post Raises Fresh Disinformation Concerns

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, the former chief of the Philippine National Police and a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, set off a national debate in the Philippines last week after he shared an AI-generated “deepfake” video in support of beleaguered Vice President Sara Duterte.

Dela Rosa was responsible for executing the bloody anti-narcotics campaign waged by Rodrigo Duterte during his 2016-22 presidency. Now with Duterte isolated in The Hague and his daughter Sara facing imp...
The Diplomat •

US-Philippines Relations Take Center Stage After Midterm Elections

Following an underwhelming electoral return, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is likely to lean all the more heavily on his relationship with Washington.

Awaiting trial from within the confines of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could only watch on as he was once again elected mayor of his hometown of Davao City, one of more than 18,000 positions up for grabs in last week’s midterm elections. Despite being situated thousands of mile...
The Diplomat •

Tensions Rising in the Philippines After Former President Duterte’s ICC Arrest

The ex-leader may finally face justice for his bloody “war on drugs”, but the country he leaves behind is increasingly divided.

Last week, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by Philippine police at the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC), in connection with their investigation into his bloody “war on drugs.” The anti-narcotics campaign, which spanned across his Davao mayorship and 2016-2022 presidency, saw thousands killed without trial for their alleged crim...
The Diplomat •

Philippine Sex Education Bill Is ‘Woke and Abhorrent,’ President Says

The proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act has come under fire from President Marcos, despite the country’s alarming teenage pregnancy rates.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. takes part in a video call with outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru at the Malacañang Palace in Manila, Philippines, January 13, 2025.

Last week, Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. made an impassioned critique of Senate Bill No. 1979, blasting some...
The Diplomat •

With Public Tirade, Philippine Vice President Further Widens Rift With Marcos Clan

The relationship between Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr hit a new low last week, after Duterte launched a scathing attack on the president in a two-hour-long press conference on October 18.

In the extraordinary outburst, Duterte threatened to dig up the remains of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the former Philippine dictator and father of the current president. “One of these days, I will go there. I will get the body of your father and throw it in the...
The Diplomat •

Former Philippine President Duterte Makes Political Comeback Amid Usual Controversy

The ex-leader’s return coincides with the eroding relationship between his family and the Marcos clan, as well as the arrest of his close ally, televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.

On October 8, the final day of the weeklong registration period for next year’s midterm elections, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte submitted his candidacy for mayor of Davao City. It is a position that the 79-year-old held for more than two decades prior to his election as president in 2016.

It is from the Dav...
SunStar Publishing Inc. •

Saving Philippine Eagle is in Our Hands (Part 2)

The reason they’re here (in rescue centers) is because they have nowhere else to go. It all comes back to preventing habitat loss.”After their period of monitoring and quarantine at Vandenbroeck’s clinic, the eagles will transfer to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao.The Center, overseen by the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), offers hope for the Philippine Eagle and other endangered species of indigenous birds and animals. They have a successful breeding program, with 29 eaglets raised over...
SunStar Publishing Inc. •

Saving Philippine Eagle is in Our Hands

Vandenbroeck battled over the loud metal clang of the eagles banging against the cage door to detail that the birds are feeding well, which is good news for their recovery. However, this may also indicate that the eagles have been in captivity for some time.“It seems from their behaviour, we are thinking they could have been caught for awhile, because they are not as aggressive. They would be a lot more aggressive if they were freshly caught from the wild, that banging would be non-stop,” Vanden...