News – World and UK

An acid attack victim has said he is “so thankful” after his was eye saved by a graft created from a donated placenta. Paul Laskey, 43, from Newcastle, suffered a severe chemical burn to his left eye after an acid attack. Mr Laskey’s son was robbed at knife point, and when Mr Laskey tried to intervene, he was squirted in the face with a corrosive substance – believed to be […]

A first look at a new BBC thriller about a “man who is hated within the deaf community” has been released. Reunion stars deaf performers Matthew Gurney and Rose Ayling-Ellis along with How To Have Sex actress Lara Peake, Bad Sisters star Anne-Marie Duff and Back To Black actor Eddie Marsan. In released pictures, Ayling-Ellis is shown looking shocked as Duff appears to be in anguish at something, while other […]

Energy suppliers will be made to offer tariffs with low or no standing charges, allowing customers to pay the costs as part of their unit rate instead, under plans from regulators. Ofgem said it is consulting on bringing in the option under the price cap that would cover so-called zero standing charge tariffs. The watchdog said it wants the tariffs to be available in time for winter 2025. Standing charges […]

Lord William Hague vowed to champion free speech and warned against “comfort blankets of cancellation” as he was officially admitted as the 160th Chancellor of the University of Oxford. During his formal admission ceremony, the former Conservative leader said freedom of speech and of academic work and research “will be of paramount importance” in an age where ideas change rapidly. Lord Hague told hundreds of attendees at the Sheldonian Theatre […]

A vast majority of councils have signalled they will apply a maximum council tax increase of at least 4.99% this year, it has emerged. Figures for the 139 top-tier authorities in England that have proposed or confirmed increases so far show 85% are planning a rise just short of 5% – the threshold that would trigger a local referendum in normal circumstances. When the six councils in acute financial stress […]

Emma Raducanu says she will be OK after a “difficult experience” at the Dubai Tennis Championships where she was approached by a man displaying “fixated behaviour” before her second-round defeat to Karolina Muchova. The individual reportedly handed Raducanu a letter the day before her match with Muchova before he was then spotted in the first few rows of the crowd at the United Arab Emirates event on Tuesday. Play was […]

Individual members of The 1975 should not be held personally responsible for the Malaysian authorities shutting down a festival after lead singer Matty Healy kissed a male bandmate on stage, the High Court has heard. The Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur closed on the first of what was to be three nights in July 2023, with the Malaysian government slamming Healy’s conduct and blacklisting the band from the country. […]

Manchester United paid a total of £14.5million to sack manager Erik ten Hag, sporting director Dan Ashworth and other members of football staff, the club’s latest accounts show. This has been a painful season for the Premier League club, with the 20-time league champions languishing a lowly 15th in the standings following Sunday’s 1-0 loss at Tottenham. Ruben Amorim has failed to spark an upturn as successor to Ten Hag, […]

A medal given to Luke Skywalker after he destroyed the Death Star in Star Wars is on sale for 300,000 to 600,000 US dollars (£238,000 to £476,000). Propstore is selling the Medal of Yavin, which was worn by the future Jedi master Luke (Mark Hamill) during the first film in the franchise after he was presented with it by his sister Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). The medal is also […]