UK

The UK government is “in negotiations” over three Britons held by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the home secretary has said. The three British men include “danger tourist” Miles Routledge, 23, charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, and an unnamed UK national who manages a hotel in Kabul. They are all believed to have been held by

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman’s body was found in a marina in Reading, Thames Valley Police have said. Police were called just after 10.30am on Saturday to reports of a body in the water at the Thames & Kennet Marina in Caversham. Officers recovered it from the water

An 18-year-old man has been stabbed to death and a teenage boy left seriously injured after a “violent attack” in Leeds, police said. West Yorkshire Police said a murder investigation has been launched after the stabbings on Friday evening. The 18-year-old male was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Controversial influencer Andrew Tate has been released from jail in Romania. He and his brother have been placed under house arrest instead. The 36-year-old former professional kickboxer and his brother Tristan are being investigated over allegations of sexual assault and exploitation. They are also being detained on suspicion of organised crime and human trafficking. The

Ashes-winning former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan says the racism charge against him has been dismissed. The 48-year-old had been accused by the England and Wales Cricket Board of making a derogatory comment towards a group of Yorkshire teammates of Asian ethnicity before a match in 2009, including Azeem Rafiq who first spoke out in

A self-confessed drug dealer has been convicted of the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home in Liverpool last August. Thomas Cashman, 34, was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and two charges of possession of firearms by a jury at Manchester Crown Court. Olivia died

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder after two men were found shot dead at two different locations in Cambridgeshire. Police said they found the bodies of a 32-year-old and a 57-year-old after they were called to incidents on Wednesday evening. They described the attacks as “targeted”. In the early hours

The King and Queen Consort are in Germany – the first state visit since the start of the new monarch’s reign. The couple arrived at Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport at about 1pm UK time, and are currently at the Brandenburg Gate, the first time the landmark has been used to welcome any visiting head of state.

Tributes are being paid to Paul O’Grady after the TV star died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening. ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly described O’Grady as “a really special man” adding that it was “such sad news”. She said Paul O’Grady was “funny, fearless, brave, kind and wise” and “will be sorely missed”. Commenting on Mr

Prince Harry has said the Royal Family witheld information from him about phone hacking because they didn’t want him to bring a claim as it would “open a can of worms”. In a witness statement submitted before his civil claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers, the Duke of Sussex said that he was conditioned

UK grocery inflation has hit a new record high – with customers now paying hundreds more a year – but there are warnings the worst is yet to come. As inflation for food hits 17.5%, Kantar Worldpanel reported households are now facing a potential £837 hike in the annual cost of their regular basket –

Former England footballer Carlton Palmer has revealed he had a “suspected small heart attack” during the first mile of a half marathon – which he completed. The midfielder tweeted that he was “being kept in hospital” and “tests are ongoing”. In an earlier tweet, the 57-year-old said his heart “played up again in the first

Prince Harry has arrived at the High Court as legal proceedings begin in a phone-tapping and privacy case involving Associated Newspapers. He is among a group of claimants in accusations against the publisher of The Daily Mail newspaper. Associated Newspapers denies the allegations and a preliminary High Court hearing starting today, will consider legal arguments

A major incident has been declared after a leak from an oil field in Dorset. The leak has come from the Wytch Farm facility in the Purbecks which is one of the largest onshore oil fields in Europe. Philip Broadhead, the leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, has said oil has escaped into the

Nitrous oxide is set to be banned under government plans to clamp down on anti-social behaviour. Levelling up secretary Michael Gove made the announcement this morning on the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme. “Antisocial behaviour can ruin lives,” he said. Confirming the ban on laughing gas, Mr Gove said: “I think anyone who has the

At an old airbase in a rural corner of Essex, it’s been a busy week. Trees have been cut down, barriers put up and windows replaced in disused accommodation blocks. For the residents living nearby, it’s proof that the rumours are true… MDP Wethersfield near Braintree, Essex, is about to become home to 1,500 asylum

Eight pallbearers who carried the late Queen’s coffin at her funeral are among those to be recognised in a special honours list. The soldiers – who were selected to be pallbearers from the King’s Company (then Queen’s), 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards – have been awarded the silver Royal Victorian Medal. They were named as recipients

The King’s first state visit of his reign has been postponed after widespread unrest in France erupted into violence over President Emmanuel Macron’s retirement age reforms. The official trip will be rescheduled as soon as possible, the Elysee Palace said in a statement. King Charles and the Queen Consort’s visit has been put on hold

The King’s first state visit of his reign could be disrupted by ongoing French protests against President Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age. Unions have called for more demonstrations to coincide with the King and Queen Consort’s visit to Paris, due to take place on Sunday. A banquet at the Palace of Versailles hosted

Sir Keir Starmer paid £67,033 to HMRC in the last financial year, his tax returns show. The Labour leader published the details after Rishi Sunak released his on Wednesday, following months of political pressure. Sir Keir’s document shows he paid £67,033 in total tax for the 2021/22 financial year, and £51,547 the previous year. It

The government is cutting benefit payments to some of Britain’s poorest families or threatening them with debt collectors in a raid that is “plunging people into poverty”.  More than a million people have had their universal credit payments cut over the past year because they were overpaid tax credits in the past by HMRC. Some

Boris Johnson has sworn “hand on heart” he did not lie to MPs about partygate events in Downing Street – and said a gathering where he was pictured holding a glass in the air was “absolutely essential for work purposes”. The former prime minister also said the size of Number 10 made it difficult to

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has said he is going to vote against the first part of the government’s new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland. The Windsor Framework was agreed by Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 27 February to change the way the Northern Ireland Protocol operates. The first

The Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic and may have more officers like killer Wayne Couzens and serial rapist David Carrick, a damning report has found. A review by Baroness Louise Casey, who spent a year investigating the Met Police in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard by Couzens, said Britain’s

A headteacher has said she will refuse an Ofsted inspection following the death of fellow principal Ruth Perry. Ms Perry, who was head at Caversham Primary School in Reading, killed herself in January while waiting for an Ofsted report which gave her school the lowest possible rating, her family said. Flora Cooper, executive headteacher of

Boris Johnson has said he accepts he misled parliament over partygate but insists his statements were “in good faith”. In his evidence to the privileges committee, published on Tuesday, the former prime minister accused it of having gone “significantly beyond its terms of reference”. He added that it was “unprecedented and absurd” to claim that

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said she is “encouraged” by “constructive” discussions with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) about the injunction that halted migrant flights to Rwanda. A government source said any change to the injunction “would remove a key barrier to getting flights off the ground”. The ECHR, which granted an injunction

The King has marked his first Mother’s Day since the death of the Queen by posting a touching picture of the pair on Instagram. The image shows the King as a toddler standing on his mother’s lap as both beam for the camera. Another photo shows the Queen Consort with her late mother, Rosalind Shand,

A government source has confirmed to Sky News its new Illegal Migration Bill would “seal off all the loopholes” and that UK officials are “certainly working towards getting the flights off by summer”. It comes as the home secretary signed an update to the government’s migrants agreement with Rwanda, expanding its scope to “all categories

The chief executive of the Scottish National Party has resigned with immediate effect in the face of a no confidence vote. Peter Murrell, who is married to Nicola Sturgeon, said his future had become “a distraction” from the current contest to replace his wife as SNP leader and first minister following a damaging secrecy row.

Which rail services will be impacted? Avanti West Coast – One train per hour will run in both directions between London Euston and each of Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. A limited service will operate to and from Glasgow. Chiltern Railways – No trains will run north of Banbury. There will be one train per

Kyle Walker will not face a criminal charge over an allegation that he indecently exposed himself in a bar, police have confirmed. The Manchester City and England footballer voluntarily attended a police station for questioning on Thursday following the circulation of a video on social media. The alleged incident was said to have happened in

“There are days when I wake up and I feel like I can’t do this one more single day,” says Dorothy. “Then I look at Melvin and I force myself to get up because he needs to eat. He needs medicine and he needs bathing.” Dorothy Cook, 65, and Melvin, 76, have been together for