UK

The first fines have been issued to people in government for breaking COVID rules at the height of lockdown. Officials are understood to have received fines thought to be in connection with an event in the Cabinet Office on 18 June 2020. The fines, worth £50, have been sent to individuals by email. The names

Household energy bills prices are likely to rise even higher this autumn as the war in Ukraine deepens the gas crisis, the boss of one of the UK’s largest energy companies has told Sky News. Greg Jackson, founder and chief executive of Octopus, which has more than two million direct customers, said volatility in wholesale

A man on trial for allegedly murdering his neighbour said his childhood teddy bear “told him to kill”, but an expert has said he is “sceptical” of his claim. Can Arslan, 52, fatally stabbed father-of-three Matthew Boorman 27 times on his front lawn last October, before forcing his way into the home of a second

Energy customers around the country have been struggling to submit gas and electricity meter readings, a day before prices are set to soar when the price cap is raised. Millions of households will see their energy bills rise to a typical £1,971 a year when the cap is changed on 1 April. The 54% increase

The mother of 17-month old Peter Connelly, known as Baby P, can be freed from jail, the Parole Board has decided. Tracey Connelly, 40, was jailed in 2009 over the death of her son who died after suffering more than 50 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken back. The case sparked outrage as Baby

A major report into maternity failings at an NHS trust has found at least 210 deaths could have been avoided. At least 201 babies could have lived if their care had been better, including 131 who were stillborn and 70 who died soon after birth. Nine mothers also died avoidable deaths. In 94 cases babies

Free COVID tests will still be available to certain groups after universal testing ends on Friday – but it could still be rolled out again if a new variant of concern emerges, the government has announced. As the pandemic enters a new phase, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said COVID will start to be treated like

Prince Andrew has arrived at Prince Philip’s memorial service with the Queen by his side. The decision to have the Duke of York accompany his mother to the Service of Thanksgiving will be seen as a clear signal of Her Majesty’s support for her son. The event marks Prince Andrew’s first public appearance since he

A second P&O ferry, the Pride of Kent, is being detained after it failed safety checks by authorities amid the backlash over the company’s decision to replace 800 seafarers with lower-paid crew. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) made the revelation as a new crewmember aboard a P&O vessel told Sky News there was an

A man has been charged with murder after a mother was stabbed to death while her two children were at school. The victim of the attack on Thursday in Bethnal Green, east London, was 40-year-old Yasmin Begum, who lived in the area. Quyum Miah, 40, has been charged with murder, burglary and two counts of

A whistleblower who worked at a hospital trust where hundreds of babies died or were left brain-damaged says there was “a climate of fear” among staff who tried to report concerns. Bernie Bentick was a consultant obstetrician at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust for almost 30 years. This week, an independent inquiry will reveal

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a mother-of-two was stabbed to death while her children were at school. Police have released a picture of the victim of the attack in Bethnal Green, east London, who has been named as 40-year-old Yasmin Begum. Scotland Yard said a 40-year-old suspect was detained on

There must be no “appeasement” of Russia, the Ukrainian ambassador to London has said, adding that the UK’s help during the invasion will “never be forgotten”. Vadym Prystaiko was addressing people in Trafalgar Square following a march through central London. They chanted “we stand with Ukraine” and carried banners reading “stop Putin’s war” and “no

A P&O ferry has been detained in Larne, Northern Ireland, according to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The agency said the ship, the European Causeway, was held “due to failures on crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training”. In a statement it said: “The vessel will remain under detention until all these issues are resolved

A 28-year-old man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years after he was found guilty of murdering his partner’s two-year-old son Kyrell Matthews. Kyrell was found in cardiac arrest at his home in London in October 2019, with 41 rib fractures from being “crushed or broken by blows” and a

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a warm welcome as they touched down in the Bahamas for the final leg of their Caribbean tour. Days after the country’s reparations committee voiced its concern about the royal visit, Prince William and Kate were greeted by Prime Minister Philip Davis. The couple had freshened up their

Bodycam footage showing the moment an alleged killer was arrested following the stabbing of Sir David Amess has been shown to jurors. Alleged terrorist Ali Harbi Ali is standing trial accused of murdering the Southend West MP, who was killed as he held meetings with constituents in Essex on 15 October. The case continued on

The UK has imposed sanctions on 65 more Russian people and businesses aimed at cutting off “vital industries fuelling Putin’s war machine”, the foreign secretary said. Liz Truss announced the fresh sanctions, which include the Wagner Group of Russian mercenaries and Alfa Bank, Russia’s largest private bank. Some of the individuals sanctioned include Polina Kovaleva,

Rishi Sunak has raised the national insurance threshold by £3,000 and announced a cut in fuel duty tax by 5p a litre in an attempt to ease the burden of the cost of living crisis. The national insurance threshold has now been raised to £12,570. Unveiling his spring statement in the Commons, the chancellor said

A harrowing 999 call made after Sir David Amess was fatally stabbed has been played at the trial of the alleged terrorist accused of the MP’s murder. The caller Yvonne Eaves, who had arranged to meet the MP for Southend West at his constituency surgery, told the emergency operator that a man wielding a “big