UK

“Last-minute getaway trips” could be disrupted due to wet and windy weather in the run-up to Christmas, the RAC has warned. A number of yellow weather warnings for rain and wind are coming into force from Saturday 23 December until Christmas Day morning, mainly affecting northern Scotland but stretching down to parts of the east

A criminal investigation has been launched into alleged child abduction in connection with Alex Batty – who reappeared this month after going missing six years ago. The investigation has been launched by Greater Manchester Police. Alex, now 17, has returned to the UK after spending years in France and Spain with his mother and grandfather.

FIFA and UEFA acted unlawfully in blocking the creation of the European Super League (ESL), the European Union’s top court has ruled. The court said both bodies were abusing their dominant position in the sport. But it added its ruling does not mean that a competition such as the Super League must necessarily be approved.

Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Brianna Ghey in a “frenzied and ferocious” knife attack. The pair, known only as girl X and boy Y, were just 15 when Brianna was lured to Linear Park in Culcheth, near Warrington, and stabbed 28 times in her head, neck and back with a hunting

“Every time I go to the hospital, I collect one from the play lady,” Oliver says.  Oliver Chapman, 11, is softly spoken. And he is obviously quite shy. This explains why he does not make eye contact when he talks. He is talking about multicoloured beads and his small fingers are playing with a long

Christmas travel plans could be under threat as Storm Pia is set to bring winds of up to 80mph to parts of the UK. The Met Office has issued a weather warning for high winds for the northern half of the country on Thursday, bringing the potential for travel chaos in the run-up to Christmas.

Prince Andrew’s alleged links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein could come under further scrutiny with the release of hundreds of files from a defamation case. They include 40 documents of evidence from Johanna Sjoberg, who has claimed the Duke of York touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside Epstein’s Manhattan apartment in

The long-awaited transgender guidance for schools in England has been published by the government. The main points from today’s developments include:• Schools and colleges to be told that parents should be involved in decisions affecting their children• Single-sex spaces must be protected for the safeguarding of all children• A sea change in approach on social

Alex Batty – the British teenager found in France after going missing for six years – has reportedly told journalists he is “glad to be home for Christmas”. He was 11 when he went on holiday with his mother Melanie Batty – who does not have legal parental guardianship – and his grandfather, David Batty,

A body found in the search for Gaynor Lord has been formally identified as the mother-of-three. The remains were recovered from the River Wensum on Friday, a week after Mrs Lord disappeared. The 55-year-old was last seen on CCTV walking along St Augustines Street in Norwich, at 4.01pm on Friday 8 December, having left work

In the corner of a cramped hotel room, there’s a small Christmas tree. Two stockings hang from the window ledges. There isn’t room for much more. Bunk beds and a double bed take up much of the space. The rest of the room is filled with the possessions of a family of four who have

A British man accused of allegedly defrauding investors of nearly $100m (£79m) through a Ponzi-like scheme involving non-existent luxury wines has pleaded not guilty in a US court. Stephen Burton, 58, was extradited to New York from Morocco on Friday to face the charges after he was arrested in 2022 after entering that country using

A teenager found in France six years after he was reported missing has been reunited with his family and returned to the UK. Alex Batty was 11 when he never returned from a holiday to Spain with his mother Melanie Batty, 38 – who does not have legal parental guardianship – and his grandfather David

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a van hit a group of people in a town centre in Derbyshire. One man suffered serious injuries and died at the scene in Ilkeston, while two other people were taken to hospital with injuries that are not thought to be serious, Derbyshire Police said.

Steve Coogan has praised “brave” Prince Harry after a judge found that the royal’s phone was hacked by the Daily Mirror. The actor, comedian and press campaigner hailed the Duke of Sussex for bringing the High Court case, saying he had shunned an alleged “Faustian pact” between the tabloid press and other members of the

Former Mirror editor Piers Morgan has said there is “no evidence” to suggest that he ever hacked a phone, or told someone else to do so, as he launched a scathing attack against Prince Harry. His comments came as he made a statement outside his house this afternoon after a High Court ruling this morning.

British teenager Alex Batty did not seem angry about being “kidnapped” by his mother six years ago and now just wants to live a “normal life”, the French student who found him has told Sky News. Fabien Accidini offered the 17-year-old a lift in the early hours of Wednesday morning after spotting him walking alone

A nurse and a healthcare worker have been jailed after patients were sedated for an “easy shift” and “amusement”. Catherine Hudson, 54, and Charlotte Wilmot, 48, ill-treated those in their care on a stroke unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in Lancashire between February 2017 and November 2018, the trial heard. Sentencing the pair at Preston

A major incident has been declared in South Wales as roads were closed around an industrial estate after a “loud explosion” was heard before a “large fire” broke out. South Wales Police said roads around Severn Road in Treforest are expected to remain closed for some time due to the “serious incident”. Local councillor Karl

Police searching for a missing mother-of-three have released CCTV of her last known movements – after her coat was found in a river. Gaynor Lord, 55, disappeared on Friday after leaving work in Norwich City Centre. CCTV shows her walking away from Jarrold department store where she works at 2.45pm – an hour and 15