News – World and UK

Britain’s commitment to train Ukrainian soldiers will continue throughout 2025, the Defence Secretary has confirmed following a meeting with allies in Germany. John Healey announced the extension of Operation Interflex, which has already seen 45,000 Ukrainian troops receive training on British soil, at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) at the US Air Force’s Ramstein base on Friday. The training programme lasts a minimum of five weeks […]

A train operator has urged passengers not to travel on several routes in north-west England on Sunday due to a lack of staff. Northern, which is owned by the Department for Transport, warned that “short notice cancellations are expected”. It said in a statement that due to “train crew being unavailable” it is advising passengers “do not travel” between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge; Manchester Victoria and Chester; Manchester Piccadilly and Chester; […]

Former Top Gear star Chris Harris has said he expressed safety concerns to the BBC before Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff’s injury at the show’s test track and told them that someone could die. TV presenter and former England cricketer Flintoff, 46, was badly hurt in an accident while filming at Dunsfold Aerodrome in December 2022, which led to the show being rested for the “foreseeable future” by the BBC. Speaking about […]

A painter and decorator who helped fuel a fire outside a hotel housing hundreds of asylum seekers and attacked police with missiles during rioting in Rotherham, has been jailed for nine years. The prison sentence handed down to Thomas Birley, 27, is the longest so far given to a defendant arrested following the violence which erupted in many towns and cities in early August. Sheffield Crown Court heard how Birley, of Rowms […]

A van driver has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for smuggling migrants in a hidden compartment who were discovered screaming for help as they were starved of oxygen. Anas Al Mustafa, 43, was convicted of assisting unlawful migration by trafficking the seven people in a specially adapted van via a ferry between Dieppe, in France, and Newhaven, East Sussex, on February 16. The discovery at the East Sussex […]

Indie band English Teacher said it is “insane” that they mark the first act from outside London to win the Mercury Prize in a decade. The four-piece group, who met while studying at the Leeds Conservatoire in 2020, won the prestigious award for their debut album This Could Be Texas. Judges said the album stood out for its “originality and character” and revealed “new depths on every listen; the mark […]

Fuel prices have fallen to their lowest levels in almost three years after a drop in wholesale costs. The RAC said the average price of fuel at UK forecourts on Thursday was 139.7p per litre for petrol and 144.4p per litre for diesel. The last time prices were that low was October 2021. Prices reached record highs in the summer of 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the previous February, […]

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky met top United States military leaders and more than 50 partner nations in Germany on Friday to press for more weapons support as Washington announced it would provide another 250 million dollars (£190 million) in security assistance to Kyiv. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the meeting of the leaders was taking place during a dynamic moment in Ukraine’s fight against Russia, as it conducts its […]

Dame Sarah Storey wrote another chapter in the history books by winning the women’s C4-5 road race at Paris 2024 to collect her 19th Paralympic gold. Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian finished the 71 kilometre course in one hour, 54 minutes and 24 seconds, just ahead of French silver medallist Heidi Gaugain, while Colombian Paula Ossa took bronze. Success for the 46-year-old secured her 30th medal across nine Games, including […]