UK

Metaverse headsets, yoga mats and pulled pork added to UK inflation ‘shopping basket’

In a yearly update to the basket of items the Office for National Statistics (ONS) uses to calculate UK price rises, pulled pork, virtual reality (VR) headsets and yoga mats…

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NHS England to be abolished, Keir Starmer announces

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he will abolish NHS England as part of his plans to overhaul the public sector. NHS England leads the NHS in England - which means the…

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Arrested captain of ship involved in North Sea crash is Russian national

The arrested captain of the Solong - the container ship involved in the crash in the North Sea - is a Russian national, the vessel's owner has said.The rest of…

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UK expands its Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme to EU citizens

Starting from today, EU citizens planning to visit the UK can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, or ETA, which will be required to enter the country from 2 April…

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Brexit boost for Britain as Donald Trump targets EU with massive 25% tariffs

Britain has been handed a massive Brexit boost after Donald Trump vowed to clobber the EU with 25% import tariffs. The US president took revenge on the bloc after saying…

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UK retail could shed 160,000 part-time jobs after employer tax increase

Up to 160,000 part-time retail jobs in Britain are at risk of being lost over the next three years as a result of higher employer taxes and regulatory changes, the…

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British PM Starmer to Meet Donald Trump in Washington Following Defence Spending Announcement

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to travel to Washington to meet with former U.S. President Donald Trump after announcing plans to increase UK defence spending to 2.5% of…

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Britain implements delayed third phase of post-Brexit border rules

The delayed third phase of Britain's post-Brexit border regime for imports from the European Union will begin on Jan 31 - four years after Britain left the bloc's single market…

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UK Weighs Joining Pan-European Trade Convention Amid Post-Brexit Talks

The European Union's new trade chief, Maros Sefcovic, has suggested that Britain could consider joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) Convention as part of efforts to "reset" UK-EU trade relations post-Brexit. Speaking…

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UK warns Putin after Russian spy ship seen near British waters

The Royal Navy has been monitoring a Russian spy ship after it was spotted around UK waters earlier this week, the defence secretary has told MPs. John Healey said the…

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Ukraine, UK sign a 100-year partnership agreement

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a landmark 100-year partnership agreement on Thursday to deepen security ties and strengthen their countries' relationship. "Today is a…

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Britain to make sexually explicit ‘deepfakes’ a crime

Creating and sharing sexually explicit "deepfakes" will become a criminal offence in Britain, the government said on Tuesday, in a bid to tackle a surge in the proliferation of such…

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Suspected people smugglers to face severe curbs under new UK laws

Suspected people smugglers will face severe curbs under new laws in Britain, the government said, as it steps up efforts to fight illegal migration and strengthen border security. Those suspected…

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Ice and flooding warnings across the UK cause severe travel disruptions

An ice warning is in force for much of the UK as temperatures dropped after a major incident was declared due to flooding. The yellow Met Office warning indicates there…

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Britain and Cyprus team up to stop illicit Russian cash flow

Britain and Cyprus pledged on Tuesday to fight illicit Russian cash flows during a visit by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in an endorsement of the pro-west tilt the Mediterranean…

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UK workers face some of Europe’s greatest job stress

British workplaces rank among the worst in Europe for long hours, tight deadlines and limited autonomy, without being any more productive, according to a report prepared as the new Labour…

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UK net migration hit record of more than 900,000 in 2023

Net migration to Britain hit a record of more than 900,000 in 2023, much higher than original estimates, although tougher visa rules have started to reduce the number of arrivals,…

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Britain tightens sanctions on employers exploiting foreign workers

Britain on Thursday set out stronger sanctions against employers who exploit foreign workers, following research showing abuses particularly in the social care sector. Businesses that repeatedly flout visa rules or…

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UK army chief: We’re ready to fight Putin in Eastern Europe

Britain's armed forces would be ready to fight their Russian counterparts "tonight" if Vladimir Putin invades another Eastern European nation, a top U.K. military chief said. "If the British Army…

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Britain detects two more cases of new mpox variant

Britain has detected two more cases of the new mpox variant clade Ib in household contacts of the first case, the country's health security agency (UKHSA) said, bringing the total…

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Key measures in UK Labour Party’s first budget in nearly 15 years

British finance minister Rachel Reeves presented her first budget statement to parliament on Wednesday, unveiling the biggest tax rises since 1993 and changes to the government's fiscal rules to increase…

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Britain identifies its first case of new mpox variant

Britain has detected its first case of new mpox variant clade Ib, the country's health security agency (UKHSA) said, adding that the risk to the population remained low.The clade Ib…

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Least and most affordable places to rent in England named in new ONS data

Rent has remained unaffordable in England, having been so since records began, the latest official figures show. The typical private sector renter, on a typical wage in England, paid a…

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EU and Britain agree on cooperation in antitrust investigations

The European Commission on Tuesday said it had finalised discussions with Britain on an agreement that would allow both sides to cooperate directly in antitrust investigations. The agreement is the…

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Number of female business leaders in Britain falls in 2024

The number of women who hold executive reins in corporate Britain has fallen for the first time in eight years in an "unacceptable" reversal that could delay gender parity for…

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Britain and Germany to bolster defence cooperation with new agreement

Britain and Germany will sign a defence agreement on Wednesday, the first of its kind between Europe's two biggest spenders on defence, which includes a commitment to develop new deep-strike…

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The UK’s budget – it’s all about the ‘working people’

Speculation is swirling about what new British finance minister Rachel Reeves might announce in her first tax and spending plan this month, but one thing she seems certain to say…

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Tube strikes next month

London Underground workers, including drivers, are walking out next month in a row over pay. Finn Brennan, Aslef's full-time organiser on London Underground, said managers had refused to discuss any…

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British leader Starmer’s chief of staff quits over reports about salary

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ‘s chief of staff quit on Sunday, citing concerns that growing news reports about her role “risked becoming a distraction to the government.” Sue Gray’s…

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Aldi and Lidl Disrupt UK Supermarket Sector

High investment and low prices appear to be disrupting the established order in the UK supermarket sector. German retailers Aldi and Lidl are stealing a march on their UK competitors…

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EU lawmakers warn UK that Brexit reset at risk if London caps card fees

Thawing post-Brexit relations are under threat if the U.K. does not rethink a proposed cap on card transaction fees, European lawmakers are warning London. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer heads…

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Liz Truss doesnt rule out a comeback

Liz Truss packed out a 300-seater auditorium at the Conservative party’s annual conference Monday, while dozens of disappointed activists were turned away. And she isn’t ruling out making a political…

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UK police will investigate others over ex-Harrods boss assault allegations

British police called for anyone with allegations against former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed to come forward and said it would look to prosecute others after multiple women accused the…

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UK police investigating Islamophobic hack of Wi-Fi at train stations

British police said on Thursday they had launched an investigation into a cyberattack after passengers at the country's major railway stations saw an Islamophobic message when they tried to use…

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Resetting UK-EU Ties: Starmer and Von der Leyen’s Key Talks Next Week

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit Brussels next week for talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about “resetting” Britain’s relationship with the European Union. “I want…

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UK Labour Party’s first conference in power lacks celebration

A bumpy start, or just rather flat? Regardless, few at Labour's annual conference in the northern English city of Liverpool are enjoying the kind of celebration they expected from the…

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UK faces ‘significant flooding’; football match postponed

Heavy rain is hitting parts of England and Wales, with the Met Office issuing an amber weather warning for much of central and southern England. A month's worth of rainfall…

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Argos announces annual Top Toys List for Christmas 2024

With less than 100-days until Christmas, leading UK retailer Argos has released its annual list of toys predicted to dominate Christmas wish lists this year. Established in 1973, Argos is…

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Harrods apologises for sex abuse allegations against former owner Mohamed Al Fayed

High-end London department store Harrods has apologised over allegations its former owner, Egyptian billionaire businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, raped and sexually assaulted several female ex-employees. A BBC documentary and podcast…

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Bank of England keeps rates at 5%, extends £100 billion bond reduction plan

The Bank of England held interest rates at 5.0% on Thursday and voted to run down its stock of British government bonds by another 100 billion pounds over the coming…

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EU top court backs UK appeal against EU order to recover mlns in state aid

Europe's top court on Thursday sided with Britain in its fight against an EU order to recover millions of euros from the London Stock Exchange, ITV, and other multinationals that…

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Keir Starmer Faces Scrutiny Over Record-High Freebies as Football Hospitality Sparks Concerns

Keir Starmer has accepted significantly more hospitality gifts than any other Member of Parliament since taking over as Labour leader, Sky News has revealed. Concerns are growing within government circles…

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UK PM Starmer pledges migration cooperation ahead of Italy talks

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised "a new era" in cross-border cooperation to tackle people smuggling gangs ahead of talks on Monday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, part…

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Russia expels six British diplomats and claims they were spying

Russia's FSB security service has said this morning it had revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow, claiming their activity indicated they were involved in spying and sabotage…

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Stolen Banksy ‘Girl with Balloon’ painting found

One of British street artist Banksy's best-known paintings, "Girl with Balloon", has been found after its theft from a London gallery last week with two men charged, police said on…

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EU Citizens Travelling to UK Will Have to Pay €11 Authorisation From April 2025

EU citizens travelling to the UK without a visa will soon have to pay a €11 fee and apply for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The UK introduced the ETA…

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UK imposes sanctions on 10 ships in crackdown on Russia’s shadow oil fleet

The UK has taken new steps to clamp down on Russia’s shadow fleet exporting oil and funding Moscow’s war machine, with the Foreign Office announcing sanctions on 10 ships that…

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UK flight chaos continues with dozens more cancellations at Gatwick and Heathrow

For the fourth consecutive day, thousands of UK-bound passengers faced flight cancellations due to a combination of bad weather and air traffic control staff shortages. Around 3,500 passengers scheduled on…

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Eurogroup president hails ‘new footing’ in UK-EU relations

Britain and the European Union must turn their "first steps" to rebuild trust into a "steady walk" as they confront common challenges, the president of the Eurogroup of euro zone…

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Grenfell victims say they’re still waiting for justice after damning report

Victims of the Grenfell Tower fire say they are still waiting for justice after a damning report blamed it on "dishonest" companies and a chain of failures by governments. A…

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Rise in number of firms going bust in England and Wales, Insolvency Service says

The number of firms in England and Wales going bust last month rose by 16% year-on-year, according to official figures. Commentators said the 2,191 company insolvencies in July showed how…

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UK to spend 10.5 million pounds to prepare ports for new EU border checks

Britain will spend 10.5 million pounds ($13.9 million) to help ports prepare for the European Union's post-Brexit security checks for UK nationals entering the bloc and reduce the risk of…

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UK’s Starmer says things will get worse before they get better

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday it would take a long time to rebuild Britain and rid it of the rot he says took hold under the previous Conservative…

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UK has record 991,000 self-employed workers aged 60 or over

The number of people aged 60 and older who are self-employed has reached a record of almost 1 million, research suggests. This represents an increase of more than a third…

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Immigration biggest issue for Britons for first time since 2016, poll shows

Immigration tops the list of issues that Britons consider most important for the first time since 2016 - when Britain voted to leave the European Union - following riots this…

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Taylor Swift set for emotional London return after terror threat

Taylor Swift will take to the stage in London on Thursday, resuming the world's biggest ever concert tour amid tightened security after a foiled Islamic State-inspired attack forced the cancellation…

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Brits would vote to rejoin EU in new referendum, poll finds

The British public would vote by a sizable margin to rejoin the European Union if a new referendum was held, according to a nationwide poll. The YouGov survey, carried out…

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