Author: UK News

Rising temperatures could see more pests introduced on increasingly tropical plants Snakes and spiders slipping into country in flowers and plants Spiders, insects, fungi and agricultural pests are being imported into the UK and northern Europe in cut flowers and other ornamental plants. Snakes and lizards are also slipping unnoticed into northern Europe in vast shipments of flowers and potted plants, researchers have warned. Continental European snakes, geckos and Italian wall lizards are among the animals making their way to the region in potted olive trees destined for gardens and green space, according to the study published on Friday in…

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch spoke about the risk of reduced attention due to the automation of Tube trains London Underground passenger who fell on Tube tracks was run over by four trains after going unnoticed A passenger who fell onto the London Underground tracks and went unnoticed was repeatedly run over by four Tube trains, a report has revealed. The incident occurred on Boxing Day in 2023 at Stratford station, with the passenger fatally injured after they were unable to reach a position of safety. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said that the incident had unfolded after the individual…

The crash with Staffordshire Police’s unmarked Skoda Octavia happened in early December Elderly woman dies on Christmas Day following crash with unmarked police car  A police force has referred itself to a watchdog after a pensioner died following a crash with an unmarked police car in Stoke-on-Trent. A red Nissan Micra was in a collision with the unmarked Skoda Octavia, driven by Staffordshire Police, shortly after 3.50pm on Thursday 5 December. The police car was using its blue lights at the time. The driver of the Nissan, who was a woman in her eighties, was taken to hospital following the…

Labour said it will ‘re-consult’ on the Conservative plans, but the government is looking to find the same savings High Court rules disability benefit reforms plan as unlawful – but Labour remains committed to cuts  The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) consultation into plans to cut billions in disability benefits has been ruled unlawful by the High Court for being “unfair and misleading”. The planned changes, focused on an overhaul of the work capability assessment (WCA), would have seen nearly half a million claimants worse off by as much as £416.19 a month. Although drawn up by the previous…

Watchdog investigating allegations against Jason Hogg over ‘inadequate’ probe around sensitive police information retention Thames Valley Police chief constable suspended over gross misconduct claims  The chief constable of Thames Valley Police has been suspended from duty amid an investigation into allegations of gross misconduct. Police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, Matthew Barber, said Jason Hogg’s suspension would take effect immediately. The police watchdog, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), is investigating the allegations. It’s claimed Mr Hogg failed to adequately investigate allegations relating to the improper retention of sensitive police information, Mr Barber said. He said the matters…

Home secretary announces a number of local grooming gang inquiries and a ‘rapid national review’ to consider causes of crime Labour bows to pressure to announce new grooming gang inquiries  Yvette Cooper has announced a “rapid national audit” into the scale and nature of grooming gangs across the country amid growing calls from MPs for a new inquiry. The home secretary also pledged five new local inquiries backed by government funding in a statement to the Commons on Thursday. The “no holds barred” rapid review, which will report within three months, will be led by crossbench peer Louise Casey and…

Keir Starmer has made his first trip to Kyiv as UK prime minister to offer long-term support to Ukraine which could see British troops brought in as peacekeepers Starmer considers UK troops in Ukraine in peacekeeper role as he meets Zelensky in Kyiv Sir Keir Starmer is considering plans to send British troops into Ukraine to act as peacekeepers in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. The development came during the prime minister’s first trip to Ukraine since he took power six months ago, which included a meeting with president Volodymyr Zelensky. The trip saw the prime minister seizing…

These are London deals you won’t want to miss Looking for 10 things to do in London? Luckily, there’s lots to do in this city for cheap! At least… There is now. Metro has teamed up with Time Out to bring you the best deals across the capital. Every Friday, 10 new deals will drop, available in the Metro newspaper, on Metro.co.uk, and on our socials. You’ll also find them in our weekly London newsletter, The Slice, in your inbox every Wednesday. This week, London’s serving up more than just the usual hustle and bustle. Coco di Mama’s got three specialty coffees for the…

Basic facts Trending – Israel and Hamas announce truce  The ongoing truce talks between Israel and Hamas trend globally today. Many of the UK newspapers are leading with the news that the truce is all but finalised – but on websites, there appears to be a delay in the confirmation of an official ceasefire with Israel saying Hamas has ‘reneged’ on ‘parts of the deal.’  The media picks up on reactions from on the ground in both Gaza and those waiting for the hostages to be returned as well as the reactions from world leaders including the US president.  There…

Hope of end to ‘dark chapter’ with Israel-Hamas ceasefire The Guardian leads with a sense of cautious relief, showcasing jubilant crowds in Gaza, with some making peace signs. One Palestinian describes it as the best day of his life, noting that his neighbourhood is filled with tears of joy. However, the paper also emphasises the exhaustion and disbelief among Palestinians, suggesting many remain doubtful the war will truly end. Celebrations in Deir al-Balah, captured in powerful images, dominate the front page.

A double injustice The Metro leads on Andrew Malkinson who spent 17 years behind bars for a rape he did not commit. The paper says he has still not received compensation. Helen Pitcher, the head of the Criminal Cases Review Commission “which twice refused his bid to appeal” his conviction, resigned on Tuesday. Malkinson said that decision had made him “feel vindicated”, the paper reports. A tribute to Linda Nolan features on the front page.

Historic Gaza breakthrough – Ceasefire! The front page of The Independent is dedicated to news of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The paper says both sides have agreed to stop 15 months of fighting and release the hostages. Donald Trump declares: “They’ll be released shortly.”

Ceasefire joy on both sides The Times highlights the celebrations occurring in both Gaza and Tel Aviv, describing the announcement as a rare moment of shared hope. However, it notes that the ceasefire agreement, which reportedly faced delays due to disputes over the extent of the Israeli withdrawal, is scheduled to take effect on Sunday. The front page has an article linking mobile phone robberies to the rise in knife crime.

Chaos in hospital corridors The Daily Mirror says the “chaos in hospital corridors” is a result of “ten years of health service cuts”. It features an image of patients “lining a corridor” of a hospital in Blackburn last week. The paper quotes the head of the Royal College of Nursing as saying: “I have no doubt this is costing lives.” The Mirror has a tribute to singer Linda Nolan, whose death was announced on Wednesday, with the paper saying she was “with her sisters to the end”.

Rapper on BBC is Jimmy’s killer The Sun leads with its investigation in which it claims a rapper who is being promoted by the BBC (which they deny) is the murderer of schoolboy Jimmy Mizen who was stabbed to death outside a London bakery in 2008. It says rapper TEN is Jake Fahri, who was sentenced to life in jail in 2009, and told he would serve at least 14 years for the crime. TEN’s music “which glorifies knife deaths, has recently been showcased on BBC Radio 1Xtra”, the paper says.

Thursday’s front pages cover the news of an Israel-Gaza ceasefire, set to come into effect from 19 January. The papers celebrate the end of 15 months of bloodshed and look ahead at what the future holds for both sides. 

The crisis facing the NHS makes several of the tabloid front pages, which cover the death of Linda Nolan who died at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer. 

Away from the two main stories, a handful of front pages lead with standalone domestic stories, including a report on a man who spent 17 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit and is still waiting on compensation. 

The back pages are dominated by last night’s Premier League action, with Arsenal’s win over Spurs leading most of the splashes. 

For the first time in three months, the UK economy grew, recording a slight expansion of 0.1% in November, according to official figures. This follows two consecutive months of economic contraction.

Joshua Michals is accused of leaving partner and fellow student Zhe Wang to die in a ‘pool of blood’ American killed fellow Goldsmiths student ‘after she urged him to take an STI test after sex’, court told  An American student killed his Chinese partner in a “savage attack” after she urged him to take an STI test following sex, a court heard. Zhe Wang, 31, was found dead in a “pool of blood” by police last March after she was allegedly attacked by 25-year-old Joshua Michals, a fellow student at Goldsmiths, University of London. Michals is now on trial at…

After his first anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq resigned over her links to the former Bangladeshi government, Keir Starmer has replaced her with Emma Reynolds who has lobbied for financial interests with China Starmer’s replacement for anti-corruption minister already embroiled in China lobbying row The Treasury has become embroiled in a new row just hours after the department’s anti-corruption minister was forced to resign, with questions mounting over the appointment of a minister who previously lobbied on behalf of financial interests with China. Emma Reynolds, who formerly served as the treasurer for the APPG on China, has been appointed as the…

Full report: Detectives return to Aberdeen river in hunt for missing sisters Aberdeen missing sisters latest: Brother says it’s ‘strange’ twins ‘never mentioned’ plan to move out of flat The brother of two missing sisters from Aberdeen has said that the pair “never mentioned” a plan to move out of their flat prior to their disappearance. As the search enters its second week and detectives returned to the river where they were last seen, Police Scotland continues to appeal for help finding Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32 and part of a set of triplets. After the pair were reported…

Everything we know about the missing Huszti sisters in Aberdeen a week after their disappearance Police are still looking for sisters Henrietta and Eliza Huszti more than a week after they went missing from their home in Aberdeen City Centre. The sisters, both 32 and part of a set of triplets, were reported missing by their landlord, days after they stated their intention to leave the tenancy they shared. Henrietta and Eliza – who are both from Hungary – are both described as white women of slim build with long brown hair. Police continue to keep an open mind about…

Installation rates are still well below the target of 600,000 heat pumps a year UK homeowners flock to heat pumps but numbers still well below targets  The number of heat pumps being installed in UK homes and small business jumped 43% last year but is still significantly below targets set by the previous government. There were almost 60,000 certified installations of heat pumps in 2024, data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) shows, bringing the the total number of certified heat pump installations in UK homes and small businesses to more than 275,000. But installation rates are still well below the target of 600,000 heat…

It comes as a leading think tank urged the prime minister to boost trade defences to deter against economic threats from Donald Trump Ed Davey urges Starmer to join new EU customs union to defend against Trump tariffs Ed Davey will urge Sir Keir Starmer to negotiate a UK-EU customs union to “turbocharge the economy” and strengthen the UK’s hand against possible tariffs from president-elect Donald Trump. Giving a speech in London on Thursday, the Liberal Democrat leader will say such a deal would help the UK to negotiate with Mr Trump “from a position of strength”. He will also…

Large part of UK from South West to Yorkshire covered by yellow warning UK braces for travel chaos after Met Office issues yellow weather warning for fog  A blanket of fog descending over much of Britain could see flights cancelled and trains disrupted, forecasters warn. Met Office experts issued a yellow weather warning to run until late Thursday morning across southwest and central England, the Midlands and parts of Yorkshire and the Humber. In some areas, the fog would be dense and visibility would be below 100 metres, the forecaster said. By dawn on Thursday, some of the fog is…

The Conservative leader is set to make a major speech on Thursday where she will accuse Labour of repeating the mistakes of the Tory government she served in Kemi Badenoch to admit Tory ‘no plan’ Brexit was a mistake Kemi Badenoch is to own up to a series of mistakes made by the Tory governments she served in but warned that Labour under Keir Starmer is repating the mistakes of Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. In a major speech in central London on Thursday, the new Tory leader will admit that leaving the European Union “without a plan…