UK

An incident is ongoing in the English Channel involving two search and rescue helicopters, RNLI lifeboats and other UK and French navy boats. The rescue operation is understood to be under way off the coast of Kent, near Dungeness. A UK government spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident in UK waters and all

Rishi Sunak has promised to bring in new laws to tackle illegal immigration, saying anyone who comes to the UK illegally will not be allowed to stay. Making a raft of announcements in the Commons, the prime minister said the legislation would be introduced early next year and mean people who do not come to

The “tide is turning” in rail unions when it comes to pay offers on the table, Transport Secretary Mark Harper has claimed. Members of the RMT rejected the latest offer from Network Rail yesterday by 64%. The deal would have included a 5% and 4% pay rise over two years, but meant thousands of job

Talks to avert the nursing strike on Thursday have failed after the union leader behind the action accused Health Secretary Steve Barclay of refusing to discuss pay. In a statement on Monday night, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen said: “I needed to come out of this meeting with something serious to

Hospitals in England have paid up to £5,200 for a single shift by an agency doctor, amid growing pressure on the NHS. The most expensive shift was £5,234, according to figures obtained by Labour through Freedom of Information requests to NHS trusts across the country. The party said that was paid by a trust in

A number of people are in a critical condition after falling through ice on a lake in Solihull. West Midlands Fire Service said a search and rescue operation is ongoing, and teams can be seen searching the dark water using torches. West Midlands Police said: “We are currently at the scene of a serious incident

Harry Kane has taken responsibility for England’s World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France, saying: “I will take it on the chin and of course it hurts now, and it will hurt for a long time, but that’s part of being captain.” Having reached the semi-finals in 2018 and then finishing runners-up at

At least three people have died in the wake of a “devastating” explosion at a three-storey tower block in Jersey. Chief Minister Kristina Moore confirmed the latest total at a press conference following the explosion in the early hours of Saturday morning. “Around a dozen” are feared missing after the “ferocious” blast at Haut du

Millions of people are expected to watch on TV as England take on France in a World Cup quarter-final tonight. The two giants of European football will meet at Qatar’s Al Bayt Stadium, with the winner going on to face Morocco or Portugal in a semi-final on 14 December. The British Beer and Pub Association

Snow could hit parts of southern England within days, with forecasters warning the Arctic blast will continue into next week and may see temperatures plummet as low as -15C. The Met Office has issued a yellow snow and ice warning for London and the South East from 9am on Sunday to 9am on Monday, saying

People are facing “dreadful consequences”, a charity has warned, as parts of the UK face plummeting temperatures. The Met Office has issued several yellow weather warnings for snow and ice over the next few days, and the UK Health Security Agency has also issued a level three cold weather alert covering England. Get the five-day

Anne Sacoolas has been sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months, for causing the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn by careless driving. Sacoolas, 45, was driving her Volvo on the wrong side of the B4031 in Northamptonshire, a two-lane road with a 40mph limit, when she hit Harry, 19, who was

More than three million low-income households cannot afford to heat their homes during the current spell of cold weather – putting their health at risk, according to new research. It comes as the Met Office warns that an Arctic blast is hitting the UK, which could cause overnight temperatures as low as -10C by the

Border Force workers across UK airports and ports will take strike action on key dates in December as their union calls for the government to come back to the negotiating table. Strikes will take place between 23rd and 26th December, and from 28th to 31st December, impacting Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow and Manchester airports,

A senior pharmacist says a penicillin shortage is leading to fears that some prescriptions will not be filled as seasonal sickness levels continue to rise. Pharmacy director Zeshan Rehmani criticised the Department of Health for being “out of touch” after it mooted proposals to give antibiotics to children in schools to help fend off illnesses

A five-year-old girl who died after contracting a Strep A infection has been named by her school as Stella-Lily McCorkindale. The P2 pupil attended Black Mountain Primary School in Belfast, which sent a letter to parents on Friday, addressing the “tragic loss” and sending thoughts to the pupil’s family and friends. In a statement on

Union leaders have rejected revised offers to end industrial action on the railways – and announced more strikes over Christmas. RMT members at Network Rail are being urged by union bosses to reject new pay proposals and proceed with walkouts on 13-14 and 16-17 December. The RMT has also announced further strike action from 6pm

A young child has died after being diagnosed with Strep A – the eighth to have been killed by the bacterial infection in recent weeks. The latest victim was a pupil at Morelands Primary School in Waterlooville, Hampshire. An invasive form of the Strep A bacterial infection has spread across the UK in recent months,

England cruised past Senegal 3-0 in their first World Cup knockout match, with a mouth-watering clash against holders France awaiting them in the last eight. Two quick-fire goals – the first from Jordan Henderson, the second from Harry Kane – put Gareth Southgate’s side in control going into the half-time break, after what had been

Temperatures are set to plummet below -8C (17.6F) in parts of the UK by the middle of the week, with the Met Office issuing a warning for heavy snow in Scotland. An Arctic chill is expected to sweep the country, bringing with it below-average temperatures for the time of year as winter begins to bite,