News 20/08/25

Two Labour-run councils say they are weighing up legal action to prevent hotels in their areas being used to house migrants.

It comes after Epping Forest District Council secured a temporary injunction against the use of The Bell Hotel. Wirral and Tamworth councils say they are considering similar steps, arguing the practice risks bypassing planning rules and undermining local communities. Wirral’s Labour leader, Paula Basnett, said all options were being explored to make sure any use of premises in the borough was lawful.

Russia’s Foreign Minister says Moscow is aware of what he called “clumsy” attempts by the European Union to influence Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine.

Sergei Lavrov stressed that any security discussions excluding Russia were, in his words, a “road to nowhere.” He added that Moscow was prepared to raise the level of delegations in potential negotiations, insisting Russia remained open to talks on political aspects of a settlement.

Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth has been charged in connection with possession of indecent images.

The 52-year-old was arrested at a property in Dumfries and Galloway earlier this month. He has been suspended by his party and is now listed as an independent on the Scottish Parliament’s website. Smyth said the events had come as a shock and that he is cooperating fully with police inquiries.

Thousands of pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their GCSE, BTec Tech Awards and other Level 2 results tomorrow.

The pass rate is expected to remain broadly similar to last year, when grades fell for the third year in a row following the pandemic. Education leaders have warned of growing competition for sixth form places as students look to continue their studies.

A former Church of England priest who led a rave-inspired worship group has been convicted of indecently assaulting nine women.

68-year-old Chris Brain was behind the Nine O’Clock Service in Sheffield during the 1980s and 1990s. The services, which targeted younger worshippers, combined multimedia with music and performances. At its peak the movement drew crowds of up to 600 people.

Brain denied one count of rape and 36 counts of indecent assault against 13 women, but a jury found him guilty of offences involving nine victims.

Two people have been arrested in north-west London after an ice cream seller was fatally stabbed.

Police were called to Monks Park in Wembley on Tuesday evening where a 38-year-old man was found with multiple stab wounds. He died at the scene.

A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, while a 31-year-old woman has been detained on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

A mother-of-two who died after being struck by a falling tree branch in Blackburn has been described as someone who would “do everything she could for anyone.”

32-year-old Madia Kauser was walking home with her family in Witton Park on the 11th of August when the incident happened. She is said to have pushed her young daughter to safety before being hit.

Her husband, Wasim Khan, called her the “most beautiful woman in the world” and said he feels completely lost without her. Lancashire Police and the Health and Safety Executive are carrying out a joint investigation and appealing for witnesses.

A member of rap trio Kneecap has been released on unconditional bail after appearing in court charged with supporting a proscribed terror organisation.

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London gig last November.Crowds of supporters waving flags and banners gathered outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court to greet him.

It took him more than a minute to enter the building as security officers ushered him through photographers and demonstrators, alongside bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh.

Councils across England are preparing legal challenges to remove asylum seekers from hotels in their areas.

It follows a High Court injunction preventing asylum seekers being housed at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. Nigel Farage says all 12 Reform UK councils will follow Epping’s lead, while a Conservative-run authority in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, is also considering action.

Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle says the government will continue to work with councils and communities to address concerns.

Children who vape are three times more likely to take up smoking later in life, according to the largest review of its kind.

Researchers at the University of York and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analysed 384 studies and found vaping was linked not just to smoking, but also heavier and more frequent use.

The study also identified risks of asthma, along with higher chances of alcohol and drug use.

A battery-powered train has set a new world record for the longest journey on a single charge.

The Great Western Railway service, a converted District Line train, travelled 200 miles overnight from Reading through London Paddington and Oxford before returning.

It passed the previous record of 139 miles at four o’clock this morning while crossing Brunel’s Maidenhead Bridge.

A London pub is sparking debate after adding a 4 percent service charge to every bill, including those ordered at the bar.

The Well and Boot in Waterloo applies the discretionary fee to food and drink. It takes the price of a pint of Guinness from £7.45 to £7.75, while cocktails rise from £12.50 to £13.

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The final batch of £1 coins featuring Queen Elizabeth II is being released into circulation.

More than 23 million coins dated 2021 and 2022 will enter tills and people’s pockets, marking what the Royal Mint calls “a pivotal moment in British coinage history.”

At the same time, 7.5 million new £1 coins bearing the face of King Charles III are also being introduced. His portrait has appeared on UK coins since 2023, but until now only on the £1 and 50 pence pieces.

Treatment for people with type 2 diabetes should become more personalised, with wider access to newer medicines — including weight-loss drugs.

That is the recommendation from NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which says it amounts to the biggest shake-up in diabetes care for a decade.

Offering more patients these medicines, the watchdog says, could help prevent serious complications such as heart disease, strokes and kidney damage, while also reducing costs for the NHS and saving lives.

Around 4.6 million people in the UK are currently diagnosed with diabetes, 90 percent of whom have type 2. A further 1.3 million are thought to be undiagnosed.

The bank holiday weekend is approaching for England, Wales and Northern Ireland — but what will the weather bring?

High pressure looks set to dominate on Saturday and Sunday, keeping conditions settled and largely dry, with spells of sunshine. A few showers remain possible.

Bank Holiday Monday could be similar, though forecasters say details are less certain, with some models pointing to outbreaks of rain across southern and western parts of the UK.