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Around 78,000 people had phones or bags snatched in the year to March 2024 The Government has pledged to crack down on phone thefts after the number of incidents soared by more than 150% last year. An estimated 78,000 people had phones or bags snatched from them on British streets in year to March 2024, according to data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales. This represented a 153% rise when compared to the […]

A plaque paying tribute to writer, actor and musician Benjamin Zephaniah has been unveiled by Brunel University London. The dub poet, who appeared in hit BBC show Peaky Blinders as Jeremiah Jesus, died at the age of 65 in December 2023, shortly after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. The newly unveiled plaque has been placed in the university’s redeveloped outdoor community space, the Quad, now renamed Benjamin Zephaniah Square. At the unveiling, […]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back against a new wave of pressure to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza after hundreds of thousands of Israelis protested and went on strike and US President Joe Biden said he needed to do more after nearly 11 months of fighting. Mr Netanyahu said he will continue to insist on a demand that has emerged as a major sticking point in talks […]

Jack Draper booked his place in a first career grand slam quarter-final as he demolished Tomas Machac in the US Open fourth round. Draper has always loved playing in New York, where the fast courts help his style, and he will now be dreaming big, having yet to drop a set in his opening four matches. His form is bringing back memories of Emma Raducanu, who famously flew under the radar […]

Disappointed Harry Potter fans booed after an annual announcement at London King’s Cross railway station did not happen. People gathered at the station hoping to hear a message on the public address system stating that the fictional Hogwarts Express would depart from platform 9 and three-quarters at 11am, as happens in JK Rowling’s books. The Back to Hogwarts tradition, which celebrates the start of each academic year at Hogwarts School […]

James Cleverly accused Sir Keir Starmer of an “act of vandalism” on defence spending as he repeatedly attacked the Prime Minster during his pitch to become the next leader of the Conservative Party. In what was billed as a major speech in his campaign, the former home secretary said his priorities as prime minister would be to boost national security, reduce migration and restore “confidence in capitalism”. Committing to spending […]

Thunderstorms are set to hit parts of the UK this week as the country is unlikely to “see the return of summer”, forecasters have warned. A yellow weather warning has been issued by the Met Office covering large parts of the UK, during which up to 80mm of rain may fall in the worst affected areas in eastern Scotland. The warning for thunderstorms, which is in place all day Monday […]

Dave Ellis set aside previous Paralympic frustration and issues with the river Seine water quality to power to triathlon glory before Megan Richter grabbed another gold for Great Britain. Visually-impaired Ellis, whose Tokyo 2020 ambitions were derailed by a snapped bike chain, claimed the men’s PTVI3 title in Paris by crossing the line alongside guide Luke Pollard in 58 minutes and 41 seconds. Success for the 38-year-old was swiftly followed […]

The wife of a Conservative councillor has admitted sending a social media message stirring up racial hatred against asylum seekers on the day of the Southport attacks. Lucy Connolly, who is married to West Northamptonshire councillor Raymond Connolly, pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court on Monday to a charge of inciting racial hatred by publishing and distributing “threatening or abusive” written material on X, formerly Twitter. Details of the offence […]