The UK government has imposed sanctions on Rosneft, Russia's largest oil producer, and on Lukoil as part of a new package aimed at weakening Moscow's economy amid the war in Ukraine. The Foreign Office said the two firms export about 3.1 million barrels of oil a day. Rosneft, Russia's biggest company, accounts for around 6% of global oil production and makes up nearly half of Russia's oil output. The measures […]

A former funeral director has pleaded guilty to a string of offences, including presenting four women with ashes he falsely claimed were the remains of their unborn children. Robert Bush admitted 35 counts of fraud by false representation in connection with his work at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull.\n\nHumberside Police launched a major investigation after remains were found at one of the firm’s sites in March last year following […]

Official figures from the College of Policing show 735 officers were placed on the barred list in the year to 31 March 2025, up from 593 the year before, a rise of 24%. The College said the figure reflects ongoing efforts to remove officers whose behaviour falls below the standards expected by the service and by the public. The total number of reasons recorded on the barred list was 1,149, […]

Graduate hiring among large employers fell by 8% in the 2024-25 cycle, while apprenticeship hires rose by 8%, the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) found. The survey covered 155 large member employers who recruited more than 31,000 people onto graduate or apprenticeship programmes. This marks the first year-on-year fall in graduate vacancies since the pandemic in 2020, ISE said. Because graduates still outnumber apprentices, the overall entry-level market for ISE […]

The Defence Secretary will say the UK has supplied more than 85,000 military drones to Ukraine in the last six months, with £600 million invested this year to speed up drone delivery for Kyiv’s forces. The drones include many short-range FPV models used for reconnaissance and to support strikes. Official briefings say that in September Russia launched about 5,500 one‑way attack drones into Ukraine, up from 4,100 in August. In […]

A trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was stopped at the Channel Tunnel border in Folkestone while travelling in a Bentley Bentayga on a trip to Benidorm. His defence contends the stop was unlawful and rooted in a discriminatory stance linked to his political views after officers questioned him and demanded access to his phone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. Prosecutors […]

The International Monetary Fund has warned that UK inflation is set to rise to the highest level among G7 economies in 2025 and 2026. In its World Economic Outlook, the fund said price growth in the UK would pick up more sharply in both years than in July projections. It also raised its forecast for UK growth in 2025 while trimming the outlook for 2026, amid concerns over the labour […]

A government survey has found that about one in three parents have turned to social media for parenting advice. The Department for Education is due to publish guidance on Tuesday to help parents access evidence-based information on feeding times, where to find childcare, sleep and speech and language development. The guidance is released as £12 million is distributed across 65 local areas to establish Best Start family hubs offering parenting […]

Ricky Gervais will guest star in a new U&Gold series exploring classic British sitcoms. The show, Joe And David’s Magical Sitcom Tour, follows comedians Joe Wilkinson and David Earl as they plan themed days for one another, with each leg drawing on The Office, Porridge or Fawlty Towers. Gervais, aged 64, will feature in the Office episode and perform the David Brent track Freelove Freeway for Wilkinson and Earl. The […]