News – World and UK

44-year-old Turkish man arrested Sir Keir Starmer has said the arrest of a 44-year-old Turkish man suspected of being a supplier of small boats was a “significant piece of the jigsaw” in tackling Channel migrant crossings but “I’m not pretending it’s the silver bullet”. The suspect was detained at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam on Wednesday after a joint investigation by Dutch and Belgian authorities and the UK’s National Crime Agency […]

The British Museum is to receive the highest-value gift in UK museum history as it acquires £1 billion worth of Chinese ceramics. Trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation are to donate 1,700 pieces to the London museum, based in the city’s Bloomsbury area. British businessman Sir Percival David, who lived from 1892 to 1964, collected the items in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and China, with his passion for the […]

Consumer group Which? has launched a £3 billion claim against Apple, claiming the tech giant has breached competition law by “forcing its iCloud services on customers”. It says Apple has encouraged users to sign up to iCloud to store photos, videos and other data and is therefore favouring its own products, while simultaneously making it difficult to use alternative products, ultimately stifling competition. Which? says Apple does not allow customers […]

Fewer pharmacies could be open in the evenings and at weekends from the New Year after pharmacy owners voted in favour of collective action for the first time in their history. Some could also withdraw from providing emergency contraception and stop smoking services. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said its members “have been forced into an untenable position by a decade of underfunding”. The trade association warned that pharmacists “don’t want to […]

The King is celebrating his 76th birthday, marking the occasion with a visit to a surplus food festival. Charles is treating the day as a normal working one and carrying on with his duties despite facing a personally challenging year in which both he and the Princess of Wales were diagnosed with cancer. The monarch will open the first two Coronation Food Hubs on the first anniversary of the launch […]

The Republican Party has won enough seats to control the US House, completing the party’s sweep into power and securing their hold on the American government alongside president-elect Donald Trump. A House Republican victory in Arizona, alongside a win in slow-counting California earlier on Wednesday, gave the Republicans the 218 House victories that make up the majority. The Republicans have also gained control of the Senate from the Democrats. With […]

Pension “megafunds” are set to be created to help unlock billions of pounds of investment in businesses and infrastructure. Rachel Reeves will use her first Mansion House speech as Chancellor to outline the pensions shake-up. Under the plans, the reforms will be introduced through a new Pension Schemes Bill next year, consolidating defined contribution (DC) schemes and pooling assets from 86 local government pension scheme authorities. The Local Government Pension […]

Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz’s participation in the ATP Finals in Turin has been cast into doubt after he pulled out of practice with illness. His coach Juan Carlos Ferrera told Spanish media the 21-year-old cut short his session after just five minutes as a chest complaint was making breathing difficult. Alcaraz is due to play Andrey Rublev on Wednesday. Daniil Medvedev won his first indoor match […]

Home buyers could typically save more than £40,000 by purchasing a “fixer-upper” property, according to analysis. The average asking price of a fixer-upper home is £327,224, which is £44,634 less than the £371,858 typical price tag for a home in Britain, Rightmove said. Rental prices have surged by 61% over the past decade, which could prompt renters to consider more affordable properties in need of refurbishment as a pathway to […]