National News

Zoe Atkin won women’s ski halfpipe bronze in Livigno on Sunday to claim Great Britain’s fifth medal of their record-breaking Winter Olympics.

High-level talks are ongoing after Donald Trump’s announcement of 15% global tariffs and the Government wants “the best deal possible” for UK firms, a Cabinet minister has said.

The Schools White Paper will set a target to halve the disadvantage gap by the time children born under this Government finish secondary school.

Local political pressure may have played a part in the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from attending a match against Aston Villa, a committee of MPs has concluded.

Comedian Paul Elliott, known as one half of the Chuckle Brothers, will be travelling across the UK next month as he takes part in Marie Curie’s biggest annual fundraiser.

Britain’s men’s curling team had to settle for a silver medal after losing 6-9 to Canada in the Olympic final in Cortina.

Scotland stayed on course for a first Triple Crown since 1990 with a pulsating 26-23 comeback Guinness Six Nations victory against winless Wales in Cardiff.

US President Donald Trump has said he is raising the global tariff he wants to impose to 15%, up from the 10% he had announced a day earlier.

England’s Guinness Six Nations unravelled spectacularly as they were brutally removed from title contention following a 42-21 rout by Ireland at Allianz Stadium.

Royal Mail’s failure to meet delivery targets is a long term problem due to a recruitment crisis, the postal workers’ union has warned.

Voting Scottish Conservative on the peach ballot is the “secret weapon” to remove the SNP from power, Russell Findlay will say.

Low-cost natural solutions such as creating wetlands are needed to help make the UK “climate ready” to cope with increasingly extreme weather, a leading insurer has said.

A new trial will explore if a special medical tampon can help detect the earliest signs of ovarian cancer.

US President Donald Trump has announced a 10% global tariff on “all countries” after the Supreme Court struck down his reciprocal levies policy.

The King has said “the law must take its course” after expressing his “deepest concern” over the arrest of his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

One in nine new homes were built in flood risk areas between 2022 and 2024, exposing a “worrying” rising trend, analysis shows.

UK inflation has eased to its lowest since March last year on the back of falling petrol prices and slower food price increases, according to official figures.

Sick days taken from school have increased by 50% during flu season, analysis has found, as health experts call on the Government to increase vaccine rollout.

The Rev Jesse L Jackson, a protege of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr and two-time presidential candidate who led the civil rights movement for decades after Dr King’s assassination, has died. He was 84.

YouTuber and experimental singer-songwriter Look Mum No Computer will represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May, the BBC has announced.

A nine-year-old boy has become the first person in the UK to have pioneering surgery to make him taller.

Six companies linked to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson are being wound down in the wake of the publication of the Epstein files, Companies House documents show.

Further yellow warnings for snow and ice will come into force on Monday, covering large swathes of the UK.

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to act in “months, not years” to protect young people from addictive social media platforms, amid calls for a ban for under-16s.

Former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful is to get a wax statue in Madame Tussauds to celebrate London Fashion Week.

Around one in three workers feel less satisfied and engaged in their job, hitting their productivity, research suggests.

The average price tag on a home edged down by £12 month-on-month in February following a record jump of nearly £10,000 in January, according to a property website.

Team GB chef de mission Eve Muirhead has hailed the greatest day in British Winter Olympic history as records tumbled like an avalanche in Livigno and Cortina.

A yellow snow warning is in force in part of the UK as flooding is expected in more than 70 areas.

Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale roared to Great Britain’s best ever result on snow at the Winter Olympics as they claimed a thrilling gold medal in mixed team snowboard cross.

Larry the cat is marking 15 years as No 10’s mouse catcher after serving six prime ministers in Downing Street.

New sanctions against Moscow could follow from Britain and its allies blaming the Kremlin for poisoning Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has suggested.

The gender pay gap will not close for another 30 years at the current rate of progress, according to a new report.

Skeleton Success as Matt Weston wins UK's first solo gold at a winter games since 1980

The Royal Navy will work with NATO allies after US threats to Greenland

An unseen photo of the Prince and Princess of Wales has been released to mark Valentine’s Day.

A married couple whose lives were saved by organ transplants have urged people to join the donor register as one of them faces a wait for a new kidney.

A good kiss has more to do with the “thoughts, fantasies and emotional context we bring to it” than the physical act itself, scientists have discovered.

Palestine Action remains banned as a terror group despite its co-founder winning a High Court challenge.

The Trump administration has revoked a scientific finding that has been the central basis for US action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.

The medicines regulator has urged men to avoid buying unauthorised erectile dysfunction (ED) pills online after it emerged that almost 20 million illegal tablets have been seized in the last five years.

Energy giant Centrica has announced a £2.4 million partnership with Multibank in a huge boost to the charity set up by former prime minister Gordon Brown.

Pop star Kylie Minogue has said it was “really special” to see her likeness created in a new Barbie doll, dressed in her red Padam Padam music video costume.

A stroke survivor whose only symptom was being unable to read has urged people to look out for uncommon signs of the potentially deadly condition.

Thomas Tuchel has signed an extension to his contract as England head coach through to the end of the home European Championship in 2028.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis made Sean Dyche his third managerial sacking of the season in a desperate bid to avoid relegation.

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has apologised that his claim Britain has been “colonised” by migrants “offended some people in the UK and Europe”.

Lessons can be learned from the “extreme case” of the death of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon’s baby, the chairman of a major safeguarding review said.

The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with more than £500 million in new defence missiles and systems, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced.

The Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) crisis in school buildings has affected pupils’ learning and wellbeing, MPs have said, despite Government progress towards fixing it.

Thomas Frank has been sacked by Tottenham after Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle.

The first Instagram, TikTok and Facebook posts by members of the public promoting weight-loss jabs have been banned by the advertising regulator.

Dozens of antisemitic incidents were reported in the aftermath of the deadly Manchester synagogue attack, some celebrating what had happened, according to a report.

A shooting at a school in British Columbia left eight dead including a woman police believe to be the suspect, with two more people found dead at a nearby home, Canadian authorities said on Tuesday.

Two “stunning” stone altars discovered at a Roman fort near Edinburgh and acquired for the nation are to go on show for the first time in a new exhibition.

The King has made clear his “profound concern” at allegations about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct, with Buckingham Palace saying it will “stand ready to support” the police if approached over the claims.

The curator of a London exhibition of Aardman characters including Wallace and Gromit has said he hopes it will inspire new generation of animators.

Reality TV star Olivia Attwood, presenter Dermot O’Leary and former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Oti Mabuse are among the celebrities modelling a new Red Nose Day T-shirt collection.

The British Museum has successfully raised £3.5 million to save a gold pendant linked to Henry VIII’s marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, following a four-month fundraising campaign.

A “major” upgrade to the Met Office’s forecasting system could help avoid flight delays, the forecaster has said.

A former joiner has set up a support service for men diagnosed with breast cancer after his own diagnosis.

Health and beauty chain Superdrug has revealed plans to open 30 new stores this year, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to the UK retail sector.

Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff after coming under fire in the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal.

Donald Trump’s social media post featuring a video about election conspiracy theories and a racist depiction of former president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as primates in a jungle has been deleted.

Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson has said it is “quite a relief” sharing the news of the third book with the world, adding the upcoming Gruffalo Granny reflects the fact she is a “big fan of grandmotherhood”.

Beavers are set to be released at two sites in south-west England as part of efforts to reintroduce the species into the wild.

Suffolk strangler Steve Wright has been told he will die in jail after being brought to justice for the abduction and murder of schoolgirl Victoria Hall more than 25 years ago.

“There’s no end in sight”, forecasters have said after announcing rain has fallen every day of 2026 in south-west England and South Wales.

There have been 36 clinical reports of children suffering symptoms consistent with toxin poisoning linked to recent baby formula recalls, the UK Health Security Agency has said.

Diagnosis rates of autism are “more or less equal for men and women”, a new study suggests.

Criminals are using AI to clone people’s voices and set up unauthorised direct debits over the phone, National Trading Standards (NTS) has warned.

MPs have approved the release of documents relating to Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as British ambassador to the United States.

Testing period blood for signs of cervical cancer could be a new, accurate way of screening for the disease, researchers say.

Peter Mandelson “betrayed our country” by leaking information to Jeffrey Epstein, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he will still be Prime Minister this time next year, insisting frequent leadership changes are not in the “national interest” as he vowed to take the fight to Reform UK.

A “very serious incident” has occurred at a Leicestershire university campus.

Snooker great John Virgo has died at the age of 79.

The Princess of Wales stitched a label into a pair of jeans gifted to her husband and declared: “He will love those,” as she celebrated Wales’ textiles industry.

The Prime Minister should take charge of the courts crisis in a radical shake-up of the criminal justice system, a retired senior judge has recommended.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has moved from his Windsor mansion amid the release of new files relating to Jeffrey Epstein.

A criminal investigation has been launched into allegations Lord Peter Mandelson passed market-sensitive information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Lord Alf Dubs, who fled Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia on the Kinderstransport scheme, has called for Shamima Begum to be returned to the UK and face trial.

Resident doctors in England have voted to continue industrial action for another six months as part of their row over pay and jobs.

Families with children who have cancer will have travel costs covered under a new £10 million Government scheme.

Senior Labour MPs have called for Lord Mandelson to face criminal prosecution after he was alleged to have leaked sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein.

The parents of a schoolboy who was stabbed to death by a fellow pupil during his lunch break said they believe the school could have saved his life by acting on “too many red flags” shown by his killer.

The Traitors star Stephen has said that he hopes he has been a “positive representation” of the Hebrides and that his time on the show has helped “paint a good picture” of the Western Isles.

Police are investigating a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of leaking sensitive information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

US crayon maker Crayola has pledged to invest millions of pounds in the UK and Ireland as part of plans to double its business in the region, as its boss aims to reignite creativity among children and families in the digital age.

Social media users who tout illegal routes into the UK face up to five years in prison, starting on Monday.

Young Scots are saving hundreds of pounds a year on bus travel compared with those in England, the SNP have said.

Britain will help Ethiopia to create more homegrown jobs in an effort to stop its people from making small boat crossings to the UK, Yvette Cooper has said.

British pop singer Olivia Dean has called for immigrants to be celebrated after she won the best new artist gong at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

The Government does not know how many NHS staff will be affected by its changes to immigration rules, a health minister has admitted, amid a consultation on reforms.

Tom Banton underlined his World Cup credentials by firing England to a series-clinching six-wicket DLS victory in the second T20 against Sri Lanka in Kandy.

Lord Peter Mandelson has said he does not remember receiving payments from paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein which totalled 75,000 US dollars and were made when he was a Labour MP.

The next round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, Volodymyr Zelensky has announced.

The Government is heaping pressure on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to reveal all he knows about Jeffrey Epstein so the disgraced paedophile financier’s victims are given all they “deserve and need”.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor “should be prepared” to testify before the US Congress about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, after he featured in the latest disclosure of files related to the disgraced paedophile financier, Sir Keir Starmer has suggested.

The British military has completed a demanding training exercise involving the three armed services ahead of taking responsibility for Nato’s special operations forces.

Elena Rybakina won her power battle with Aryna Sabalenka to claim a first Australian Open title.

The King has paid a surprise visit to joggers at a local Sandringham parkrun organised in partnership with the Move Against Cancer charity.

Neal Skupski continued Britain’s impressive recent record in men’s doubles by winning the Australian Open title alongside American Christian Harrison.

A major British film studio has backed a scheme aimed at getting young people into work.

People in Northern Ireland face a political choice between “Stormont or Starmer”, DUP leader Gavin Robinson has said.

Wine and spirits bosses have warned that firms “have no choice but to increase prices” to stay afloat as an increase to alcohol duty comes into force.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor exchanged emails with Jeffrey Epstein about a “beautiful” Russian woman and invited him to Buckingham Palace, documents appear to show.

Catherine O’Hara, Emmy-winning Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone star, dies at 71 By Associated Press Reporters Catherine O’Hara, the Emmy-winning actor known for comedic roles across the decades, from Kevin’s beleaguered mother in Home Alone to Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, has died aged 71.

Federal prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione in the killing of UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson, a judge has ruled.

Millions of families will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount every winter for the rest of the decade, the Government has announced.

Two Army officers have been charged over their conduct in the case of Gunner Jaysley Beck, who was sexually assaulted and then took her own life.

Train passengers are missing out on more than £80 million per year in compensation for delayed journeys because of “unacceptable” claims processes, according to new analysis.

The Government and NHS England have failed to take “any meaningful steps” to slash the rising costs of clinical negligence in England despite 20 years worth of warnings, according to MPs.

Tariffs on Scotch whisky exports to China are to be halved as a result of a deal struck by Sir Keir Starmer – with the Prime Minister insisting the agreement showed how his Government’s “hard-headed international engagement brings benefits at home”.

Some 94 patients suffered harm at the hands of a Great Ormond Street orthopaedic surgeon, a report has concluded.

Nearly one in two (47%) parents are worried their child with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) could see support reduced as they await details on Government reforms, a survey has found.

Santander is to shut 44 of its bank branches in a move putting 291 jobs at risk

Late actor Sir Laurence Olivier, a Second World War military strategist and a Victorian-era photographer are among the people being honoured as nine blue plaques are installed in London.

A boy who was one of the first children to be given a £1.65 million treatment has returned to the hospital where he received his care to thank his nurse for his new-found freedom.

Sir Keir Starmer has met Xi Jinping in Beijing, telling the president he wants a “more sophisticated” relationship with China.

Test captain Ben Stokes will join the England Lions coaching team in the United Arab Emirates next month.

Bundee Aki looks set to miss Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations opener against France after being withdrawn from Andy Farrell’s squad for disciplinary reasons.

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in China on the first visit by a British Prime Minister in eight years.

The first female Archbishop of Canterbury has vowed to speak out on misogyny, as she was confirmed in her new role as the Church of England’s top bishop.

An estimated 16 million people – or 29% of UK adults – experienced post delays with Royal Mail over Christmas, Citizens Advice has said.

The number of 18-year-olds from the poorest areas applying for university has increased in every part of the UK, the latest figures from Ucas show.

The decline in the mental health of children and young people is “one of the biggest challenges of our time”, leading charities have warned.

EasyJet’s claim that the cost of adding large cabin bags to flight bookings was “from £5.99” was “misleading”, a regulator has found.

The Princess of Wales praised a “gold dust” rugby league club for the support given to its community of fans when she braved Storm Chandra at a stadium in West Yorkshire.

Newcastle striker Anthony Gordon admits he is a victim of his own success as he attempts to replicate the blistering form which won him England recognition.

Former Labour MP Conor McGinn has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman in 2022.

Pubs and music venues will get 15% off their business rates bills from April as part of a major support package, the Treasury has announced.

The King and Queen met Holocaust survivors and lit candles of remembrance to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945.

Irish actress Jessie Buckley has continued her awards season streak with a Bafta nomination for her role in Hamnet.

Heavy rain and strong winds are hitting the UK as Storm Chandra brought weather warnings, flooding, travel disruption and school closures.

Four temporary courts set up during the Covid-19 pandemic will be made permanent in an effort to cut court backlogs.

Ground rents will be capped at £250-a-year in England and Wales as part of sweeping changes to the leasehold system announced by the Government.

Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett is one of a host of acclaimed actresses who will be performing at the National Theatre this year.

Former Love Island stars Dani Dyer-Bowen and Gabby Allen and retired Olympic swimmer Emily Seebohm have passed the course in the latest series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Football must do more to protect players, the family of ex-Scotland defender Gordon McQueen said after an inquest found that heading the ball was “likely” to have contributed to a brain injury which was a factor in his death.

Nigella Lawson will replace Dame Prue Leith as a judge on the Great British Bake Off, it has been announced.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman said she felt she had “come home” as she confirmed her defection to Reform UK.

Warrington, Bristol, Barnsley and Brighton buck the national trend of slow growth in living standards since 2013

NHS England changes bowel screening in bid to pick up more cases early

Home Secretary pledges faster police response and less red tape in major reforms

Gunners lead stays at four points as new boss Carrick wins again

Key Labour committee bars him from standing in by-election

The Labour First Minister of Wales has not ruled out the possibility that Sir Keir Starmer could be ejected from Downing Street before the end of the year.

The King has spoken of his pride in the charity he founded 50 years ago which aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people in the UK.

Counter-terror, fraud and criminal gang investigations are set to be taken over by a new national police force dubbed the “British FBI” under major policing reforms.

Donald Trump has said UK soldiers who fought in Afghanistan were “among the greatest of all warriors” after previously drawing criticism for his claims Nato troops stayed away from the front lines during the conflict.

Andy Burnham has announced that he intends to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election, setting up a potential return to Westminster for the Greater Manchester mayor.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Donald Trump’s remarks about British troops in Afghanistan were “insulting and frankly appalling” and signalled the US President should apologise.

A husband has admitted drugging and raping his now ex-wife over a 13-year period.

Wes Streeting vows to end the postcode lottery of cancer care with more training and technology

More than 50 organisations employing over 1,400 workers moved to a four-day working week in 2025, according to new figures.

An acclaimed artist, known for her depictions of Second World War heroines, is to design a sculpture “portraying the strong and complex personality” of Queen Elizabeth II as part of the national memorial to the late monarch.

The first asylum seekers have been moved into a former military barracks in East Sussex as ministers face pressure to end the use of hotels.

A former Labour minister has announced he will stand down as an MP for medical reasons, paving the way for a potential Westminster return for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Irish actress Jessie Buckley has been nominated for an Oscar, while vampire drama Sinners has made history as the first film to score 16 nods.

Sir Keir Starmer said he will discuss how to “take the vital steps” towards strengthened security in the Arctic with Denmark’s prime minister, who thanked him for the UK’s support during “quite a difficult time” for the country amid Donald Trump’s demands to annex its semi-autonomous territory Greenland.

The Duke of Sussex has returned to a court in London for the fourth day of the trial of his legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail.

Around one in four children who started reception in 2025 were not toilet trained, a survey of teachers has found, amid warnings more children are struggling with basic life skills.

Hollywood star Sean Bean is to host an award-winning podcast for birdwatchers.

There has been a “substantial increase” in the proportion of people using medicines for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the UK, driven by a rise in prescription rates among adults, in particular women.

Next has bought Russell and Bromley after the footwear and handbag retailer fell into administration.