UK

The government said it is prepared for a range of scenarios amid fears Britain’s biggest water company could collapse. Sky News has learnt that ministers and Ofwat, the industry regulator, have started to hold discussions about the possibility of placing indebted Thames Water into temporary public ownership. Contingency plans are being drawn up amid growing

Human remains found in a California mountain area are those of British actor Julian Sands, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed. It is five months since the 65-year-old was reported missing in the Mount Baldy region of the San Gabriel mountains. Hikers found the remains on Saturday morning, with officials now positively identifying them

Nurses’ strikes are set to end in England after the profession’s largest union failed to secure enough votes to carry out further action. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) had planned to stage more walk-outs after its members rejected a pay offer from the government last month. However, unions have to hold ballots every six

A man running to be the Conservative candidate for London mayor has denied allegations that he groped a woman “in the strongest possible terms”. Daniel Korski is one of three people hoping to run against Sadiq Khan in next year’s election. In an article for The Times, TV producer Daisy Goodwin alleged she was “groped”

There is no evidence Nicola Bulley was harmed before she drowned in the River Wyre, a Home Office pathologist has said. Dr Alison Armour, giving evidence at an inquest at County Hall in Preston, said watery fluid and fragments of dirt found inside Ms Bulley’s body were “typical features we see in cases of drowning”.

The US Coast Guard has said investigators looking into the Titan submersible implosion are “taking all precautions” in case they find bodies on the sea floor. Captain Jason Neubauer, who is leading the probe, said it was a “priority” to salvage debris after pieces of the vessel were found on Thursday about 487m (1,600ft) from the

Several police forces across the UK have asked people not to call 999 due to a “technical fault”. London’s Metropolitan Police – the UK’s largest force – said many 999 calls were not connecting and advised people to call 101 in an emergency until further notice. South Wales Police, Greater Manchester Police and Derbyshire Police

Canadian police are looking into the deaths of five people killed in the implosion of the Titan submersible. Superintendent Kent Osmond, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, confirmed on Saturday it was looking into the circumstances. Parts from the sub were discovered on the sea floor on Thursday, only about 400m from the wreck of

A thunderstorm alert has been issued for large parts of eastern England and Scotland on Sunday. “Large hail” measuring up to 3cm in diameter, lightning, and strong gusts of wind are forecast by the Met Office, which also said that 3-4cm of rain could fall in an hour or two. There may also be some

A water company boss has blamed people working from home for a new hosepipe ban.  South East Water will impose the first hosepipe ban of the summer from Monday, affecting more than two million homes and businesses across Kent and Sussex. Its chief executive, David Hinton, said in a letter to customers that post-pandemic working

A former Royal Navy submarine captain has explained the possible reasons for the “catastrophic implosion” suffered by the Titan submersible on its descent to the wreck of the Titanic. All five people on board are now believed to have lost their lives in the catastrophe after debris from the vessel was discovered on Thursday. “The

The family of British billionaire Hamish Harding have paid tribute to the “dedicated father” following his death on the Titan submersible. Mr Harding’s family said he “lived his life for his family, his business and for the next adventure”. The Dawood Foundation also released a statement saying it was with great sadness they were announcing

The Bank of England has shocked economists and investors by raising interest rates half a percentage point to 5% – the highest level since 2008. Economists had expected the Monetary Policy Committee to raise interest rates by only a quarter percentage point, but the MPC voted 7-2 for the surprise increase, explaining that it was

Labour has unveiled a five-point plan to tackle the mortgage crisis – but Rishi Sunak is insisting that “beating inflation has to be the priority”. The Opposition and the prime minister were speaking ahead of the Bank of England preparing to hike interests rate yet again after inflation in the UK defied expectations and failed

The number of teenage girls with eating disorders has increased dramatically since the start of the COVID pandemic, with experts warning of a “postcode lottery of care”. The new study, published in the Lancet Child And Adolescent Health journal found that since March 2020 eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia were 42% higher

The five people on board the missing submersible close to the wreck of the Titanic have “about 40 hours of breathable air” left, the US Coastguard has said. In an update on Tuesday, Captain Jamie Frederick said the search had not yielded any results so far. An ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) has been deployed

Three teenagers have died after the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree in Oxfordshire. Three men, two aged 18 and one aged 17, were killed when the silver BMW left the road on the the A415 in the village of Marcham shortly after midnight. The 18-year-old driver of the vehicle is in

UK billionaire Hamish Harding is one of the people on board a missing tourist submersible used to take people to see the wreck of the Titanic. Mr Harding’s stepson Brian Szasz, said on Facebook: “Hamish Harding my step father has gone missing on submarine thoughts and prayers. “My stepdad Hamish Harding has gone missing on

The prime minister has declined to back extra support for mortgage holders despite higher interest rates making payments more expensive – and a further rise in rates expected. Asked if the government will introduce financial support for mortgage bills, similar to those introduced to help with energy bills, Rishi Sunak said he understood the public

More than half a month’s worth of rain could fall in parts of the UK in the next 24 hours, the Met Office has said. Yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms and rain are in place across England and Wales – and southern parts of Scotland – and only expire at midnight tonight. A further alert