UK News

Thousands of young people are being exploited by criminals to launder money, The Children’s Society is warning. Figures obtained by the charity from UK fraud prevention service Cifas indicate that 6,434 under-21s were identified last year where there were grounds to believe that frauds or financial crimes had been attempted through them. The charity said its own research indicates some children aged 15 to 17 have experienced severe violence as […]

Carlos Alcaraz expects another blockbuster final against Jannik Sinner when they bring their gripping rivalry to Wimbledon. Two-time defending champion Alcaraz beat Taylor Fritz to reach his third consecutive SW19 final, where he will face world number one Sinner in his first. The two dominant players in men’s tennis over the past two years finally met in their first grand slam final at the French Open last month, where Alcaraz […]

The third heatwave of the summer is set to peak on Saturday, forecasters said, with highs of more than 34C possible in parts of the UK. Amber heat health alerts are in place for the Midlands and southern and eastern England until 9am on Monday, warning of the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Temperatures reached 34.7C at Astwood […]

Former Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Blair, who was in charge of the force during the July 7 bombings, has died at the age of 72. Ian Blair, who ran the force from 2005 to 2008, took a seat as a crossbench peer in 2010 when he became Lord Blair of Boughton. He had been knighted in 1999. Lord Blair, who had been an often controversial top officer, “continued to be […]

Two elderly residents have died after a stolen BMW which was being pursued by police crashed into a care home, a force has said. Highcliffe Care Home in Witherwack, Sunderland, had to be evacuated following the serious collision which caused structural damage to the building at around 9.40pm on Wednesday. On Friday morning, Northumbria Police said: “Sadly, two care home residents – a woman in her 90s and a woman […]

It’s been six months since Glasgow’s safer drug consumption room – known as The Thistle – opened its doors in the East End. The Thistle, as it stands, is the UK’s first and only drug consumption room. It’s been described by some as a warm, inviting place; full of compassion and dignity, designed without stigma and with lived experience at its heart. To others, it’s a waste of time, of […]

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across parts of England, as hosepipe bans come into force in various locations amid the third heatwave of the summer. The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA’s) latest heat health warning comes as hot and dry weather scorches England, with temperatures set to rise further over the weekend. The alert comes into effect at 12pm on Friday and will cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, South […]

The UK economy contracted unexpectedly in May, marking the second month in a row of falling output and heaping further pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.1% in May, following a 0.3% drop in April. Most economists had expected the economy to rebound with slight growth of 0.1% in May. The economy could now be heading for a […]

Yvette Cooper has declined to say how many migrants would be returned under a new deal with France aimed at stopping small boat crossings in the Channel. The Home Secretary said the pilot scheme announced by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron on Thursday did not have “fixed” numbers and would be introduced “in a steady way”. But she insisted it would “fundamentally undermine” the people smugglers organising the crossings, […]