News 02/01/26

One man has been confirmed dead during a major search and rescue operation off the Yorkshire coast, according to Humberside Police.

Officers were alerted to reports of people in difficulty near Withernsea at three ten on Friday afternoon. Emergency services recovered an unconscious man from the water. Searches continue and it remains unclear how many people are still missing currently.

Hundreds of British hospitality workers could lose their jobs as the owner of TGI Fridays prepares to buy back a reduced version of the chain.

Sugarloaf TGIF Management, which took control two months ago, is planning a pre pack administration. Insiders say the deal could close a significant number of the company’s forty nine restaurants in the coming days across Britain.

Anthony Joshua’s driver has been charged following a crash in Nigeria that injured the boxer and killed two members of his team.

Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, forty six, was charged at Sagamu Magistrates’ Court. Police say the charges include causing death by dangerous driving. Joshua was treated in hospital and discharged on Wednesday after the vehicle hit a stationary truck.

A new special educational needs unit will open at a Buckinghamshire school after council approval.

The eight place unit at Iver Village Junior School will support pupils with communication and interaction needs including autism. It will operate alongside two hundred and twenty mainstream places and be staffed by specialist teachers, with its own outdoor play area in refurbished rooms at the front.

A former pupil of a British school has been identified as among those missing after the fire.

Charlotte Niddam previously attended Immanuel College in Hertfordshire although her nationality remains unclear. Valais attorney general Beatrice Pilloud says the prosecution service is sparing no effort to determine the circumstances of the tragedy. She says it appears the fire started from sparkler candles also known as flares placed on top of champagne bottles.

A man has died after getting into difficulty at Brighton beach on New Year’s Day.

Sussex Police were alerted after a man was recovered from the sea at around ten thirty five that morning. He had been in the water to the west of Brighton Palace Pier. The fifty one year old from Kettering in Northamptonshire was brought ashore received medical attention and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tesla has lost its position as the world’s bestselling electric vehicle maker after a difficult year.

The US company faced unease over chief executive Elon Musk’s political activities and strong overseas competition. Tesla says it delivered one point six four million vehicles in twenty twenty five a fall of nine percent on the previous year. Chinese rival BYD sold two point two six million vehicles and is now the largest EV manufacturer.

The number of patients in hospital with flu has fallen in England but NHS leaders warn the cold snap could increase pressure.

Early January is normally the busiest period for the health service making the drop welcome. Last week two thousand six hundred and seventy six people were in hospital with flu down from just over three thousand the week before. The UK Health Security Agency has issued cold health alerts meaning significant impact is likely in coming days.

A bitter cold snap has begun to sweep across the UK and is expected to grip the country through the weekend with some areas already recording around ten centimetres of snow.

The Met Office has issued several warnings for snow and ice with multiple yellow alerts now extended into Monday. In northern Scotland amber snow warnings remain in force until midday on Saturday.

A suspect has been charged with murder after the death of a twenty four year old man on New Year’s Eve.

Greater Manchester Police were called to a disturbance at an address on Tarn Drive at around eleven fifty five pm. Officers found a man with injuries consistent with a stabbing. Despite the efforts of emergency services he died at the scene. Anthony Junior Murray twenty five has been charged with murder and possession of a bladed article.

The UK’s flagship stock market index has broken the ten thousand points mark for the first time.

The milestone was reached within half an hour of trading on the first day of the new year. The FTSE one hundred tracks the hundred most valuable companies listed in London including major banks supermarkets mining firms and international oil and gas businesses.

The first victim of the fire has been named as Emanuele Galeppini an Italian teen golfer.

The Italian Golf Federation said it mourned the death of a young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values. His World Amateur Golf Ranking profile described him as an Italian junior golfer living in Dubai who loves to golf compete and eat.

Two men have been charged after a pedestrian in his eighties died when he was hit by a car and carried on top of it.

The pensioner was struck on the A289 Gads Hill in Gillingham Kent just after midday on Monday. He was found on Grange Road and pronounced dead at the scene. Albert Matraxhiu 28 of Edgware in north London and Erald Paci 29 of Chatham in Kent have been charged with death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.

Venus Williams is set to become the oldest female player to compete in the Australian Open main draw at the age of forty five.

The seven time Grand Slam champion has received the final women’s wildcard for the tournament which begins on 18 January. Williams last appeared at Melbourne Park in 2021 when she was beaten in the second round. She said she was grateful for the opportunity to return.

South Central Ambulance Service has introduced a new fleet of more than one hundred ambulances.

The one hundred and six double crewed emergency vehicles replace older models across Berkshire Buckinghamshire Hampshire and Oxfordshire. The vehicles are part of a seventy five million pound project funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. The service says the ambulances will improve response times reliability safety and efficiency.

Amber severe weather warnings for snow and yellow warnings for snow and ice have been issued by the Met Office for parts of the UK on Friday.

The most severe conditions are expected in Scotland but all nations are affected with travel disruption likely. Amber cold health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency cover England. The snow warning begins at midday on Friday and could strand vehicles cut off rural communities and disrupt rail and air travel.

A children’s short break home in Slough has been rated outstanding by Ofsted.

Breakaway received the top grade following a two day inspection in October. The home provides short break care for children and was praised for its inclusive approach partnership working and the progress made by those in its care. It is the second time this year the service has achieved an outstanding rating after first receiving the grade in March.

Spinner Shoaib Bashir and seam bowler Matthew Potts are included in England’s twelve player squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia with Gus Atkinson ruled out injured.

Atkinson is the only absentee from the side that won the fourth Test in Melbourne and number three batter Ollie Pope is again left out. England have already surrendered the urn but hope to finish with successive wins and a three two series scoreline.

A double murderer has been awarded seven thousand five hundred pounds compensation by the High Court over breaches of his human rights.

Fuad Awale is serving a life sentence for shooting two teenagers in two thousand and eleven and was moved to a close supervision centre after helping to take a prison officer hostage. He was later prevented from contacting other prisoners and said the restrictions harmed his mental health and breached his rights.

A chickenpox vaccine is being rolled out on the NHS for the first time.

It will be offered to young children alongside the MMR jab protecting against measles mumps and rubella. The approach has been used for years in countries including the United States Canada and Australia and is welcomed by health experts. The rollout follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in 2023 with hundreds of thousands of children in England eligible from today.

Rachel Reeves is quietly hammering workers with stealth taxes following her budget last year according to a think tank.

While the chancellor did not raise income tax national insurance or VAT her November statement extended a freeze on the first two until 2031. As wages rise more people are pulled into higher tax bands. The Treasury says the policy is fair and necessary and expects it to raise twenty three billion pounds in 2030 to fund priorities including NHS waiting lists.