Browsing: UK featured

Good morning! Grab your coffee and let’s take a brisk scroll through today’s headlines…

In politics, Sir Keir Starmer has bowed to pressure and announced a U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts. The scheme, which had been scaled back to save £1.4 billion, left over 10 million pensioners without support. Starmer now says more pensioners will qualify again, with changes expected in the autumn Budget – though the exact numbers and timing are still under wraps. It comes after Labour lost big to Reform UK during recent local elections.

Meanwhile, a government-commissioned review has suggested that prisoners should serve only a third of their sentences in custody, rather than the current half. There are proposals to chemically castrate sex offenders in order to release them earlier in a bid to free up spaces in prisons.

In economic news, the UK government’s borrowing reached £20.2 billion in April, surpassing expectations and placing additional pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

After lots of glorious sunshine, the UK is set to experience a shift in weather just in time for the bank holiday weekend. The Met Office forecasts unsettled conditions, with many areas expecting rain or showers and more unpredictable weather patterns continuing into the half-term week.

Elsewhere, the UK government has been temporarily blocked from finalising a landmark deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following a late-night injunction granted by the High Court.

In sport, underdogs are stealing the spotlight. Crystal Palace shocked football fans by beating Manchester City 1–0 to lift the FA Cup – their first major trophy. Not to be outdone, Spurs ended their 17-year silverware drought with a scrappy 1–0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final, with Brennan Johnson the unlikely hero.

On the international front, there has been a shooting in the US with two Israeli embassy staffers shot dead near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

The WHO has said Gaza’s health service is ‘stretched beyond breaking point’ and Donald Trump held a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa – in which the US president ambushed his counterpart with unfounded claims of genocide against white South Africans.

A High Court injunction has temporarily blocked the UK government from finalising a deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, initiated by legal action from Chagossian woman Bertrice Pompe.

Tottenham Hotspur have finally ended their 17-year trophy drought by beating Manchester United 1–0 in the Europa League final.

Sir Keir Starmer has announced a U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts, following weeks of political pressure.

The proposed sentencing policy review could lead to sex offenders undergoing chemical castration, with widespread early release for certain inmates after serving only a third of their sentences.

Tottenham Hotspur ended a 17-year trophy drought by defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final, marking their first European trophy in 41 years.

Parents of a student who took her own life challenge a government report on student suicides for failing to address systemic issues within higher education.

Cliff Notes – Jofra Archer ruled out of West Indies ODIs due to thumb injury Jofra Archer has been ruled out of England’s ODI series…

Sir Keir Starmer has announced a U-turn on last year’s controversial cuts to winter fuel payments. More than nine million pensioners lost out on payments…

Wednesday’s headlines are dominated by the shock announcements from the UK government regarding the situation in Gaza. Despite being fairly silent and in line with the USA regarding the Middle East crisis, the UK government has finally taken a stand. The right-wing papers keep the story off the front pages, instead focusing on various domestic political stories.

Wednesday’s headlines are dominated by the UK government’s U-turn on its stance on the genocide in Gaza. For the right-leaning UK press, the story is largely kept off the front pages and replaced with domestic stories – mostly political.

Cliff Notes – Eamonn Holmes falls off chair live on air Eamonn Holmes, 65, fell off his chair during a live broadcast on GB News,…

Let’s grab a coffee and dive into this morning’s headlines — it’s a busy one! From rising inflation giving wallets a bit more to worry about, to the UK taking a firm stand on the Gaza crisis, and Donald Trump unveiling a space-age missile defence plan (yes, really) — here’s your quick catch-up on the stories making waves across the UK today.

Petro Pochynok, 34, has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson linked to two properties and a car associated with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

UK inflation rose to 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This figure is higher than most forecasts — economists expected around 3.3%, while the Bank of England predicted 3.4%.

The UK government has suspended trade negotiations with Israel and summoned its ambassador, amidst escalating military actions in Gaza and humanitarian concerns.

After prolonged negotiations, Britain and the European Union have finally signed a comprehensive economic partnership deal, marking a turning point post-Brexit.

Hannah Spearritt, former member of S Club, has relocated to Costa Rica with her partner and two children, embracing a “survivalist” lifestyle in the jungle.

Manchester United’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup final highlights a growing gap in investment and performance between the two clubs, with United failing to secure any trophies this season.

What to watch on TV this week? From the best British soaps to the globally loved Great British Bakeoff – to the final day of the Premier League. There’s plenty to watch this week, on TV and on streaming.

There are a lot of events this week, from the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show to one of the most iconic pop culture events globally – Comic Con. The Emirates are hosting a watch-along as Arsenal women face Barcelona in the final of the Women’s Champions League in Lisbon – tickets are cheap and you get to hang out with other Gunners!

Lucy Connolly’s appeal against a 31-month prison sentence for inciting racial hatred through an inflammatory social media post was denied, with the court finding no basis for reducing her sentence.

An illegal immigrant who was involved in smuggling more than 3,000 others into Europe has been sentenced to 25 years in jail.

A roundup of the news dominating the UK every day.

Tuesday’s newspaper front pages cover the landmark EU deal that, according to the prime minister, puts the UK back on the global stage. The paper’s political leanings are as clear as ever in this morning’s headlines with the left-leaning press celebrating the UK rebuilding its relations with the EU – and highlighting the economic benefits that will come with it. The right-leaning press sees it as a betrayal of Brexit – even though many of the papers have acknowledged that Brexit in its current form does not work.