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A driver has appeared in court accused of failing to stop after a crash that killed two children riding an e-scooter in Essex. Sixteen-year-old Roman Casselden and his nine-year-old sister Darcie died at the scene in Ashlyns, Pitsea, on the first of February. Twenty-one-year-old Deimante Ziobryte appeared before Basildon Magistrates’ Court and will return in January. Police say she is charged in connection with the fatal collision. A US judge […]

Thames Water’s largest group of creditors is preparing to put more than a billion pounds on the table to help rescue Britain’s biggest water utility. It's understood that creditors holding about 13 billion pounds of Thames Water’s senior debt will propose injecting hundreds of millions in new equity and writing off a further chunk of existing capital. The extra package, worth roughly 1.25 billion in total, is expected to be […]

Rudy Giuliani is in hospital after a car crash in New Hampshire. The former New York mayor suffered a fractured vertebra, cuts and bruises, and injuries to his arm and leg after his rental car was struck from behind near Manchester on Saturday evening. His head of security, Michael Ragusa, said Giuliani is in good spirits and recovering well, insisting the incident was not a targeted attack and that nobody […]

Yemen’s Houthi rebel movement has confirmed that its self-proclaimed Prime Minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, was killed in an Israeli air strike earlier this week. The Iran-backed group said several senior officials also died when the Israel Defense Forces struck Sanaa on Thursday. Israel described the attack only as hitting a “military target.” The Houthis have controlled much of north-west Yemen since 2014, when they ousted the internationally recognised government, […]

A suspended Labour MSP has denied allegations he planted a secret camera in toilets at the Scottish parliament. Colin Smyth has been charged by police in connection with the claim. The South Scotland representative was arrested earlier this month and separately charged with possessing indecent images, leading to his suspension from Scottish Labour. His access to Holyrood has now been deactivated. Reform UK’s deputy leader has defended a council-imposed media […]

Eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel has been named as one of the children killed in Wednesday’s shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. His father described the attacker as a "coward." Eighteen others were injured, including children aged six to 15 and three adults in their eighties. Police say Robin Westman, born Robert Westman, opened fire with a rifle through the windows of the church while children sat in pews. A warehouse […]

An asylum seeker has denied trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl, telling a court: “I’m not a wild animal.” On the second day of his trial, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu gave the response through an interpreter after being asked directly about the allegation. The 38-year-old insisted he “can’t do these kind of things,” adding, “these are children, new generation.” The court also heard he had told the teenager he wanted her […]

An asylum seeker living in an Epping hotel has appeared in court accused of trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl and telling her he wanted to have a baby with her. Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard that 38-year-old Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu made inappropriate comments to the teenager and her friend shortly after she offered him pizza because he looked hungry. Prosecutors say he then invited the girls back to his hotel. […]

Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a woman reported being raped in Burnham Park, Slough. The incident is believed to have happened between 11:45 on Sunday night and 12:30 on Monday morning. The victim is being supported by specialist officers. Superintendent Clare Knibbs says a thorough investigation is underway, with several lines of enquiry being followed, although no arrests have yet been made. Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel […]

New laws to cut the use of short prison sentences and toughen community punishments are set to be introduced within weeks. Ministers are expected to bring the legislation before Parliament after the summer recess. The plans would abolish most short-term jail terms and create an earned release scheme, based on a system in Texas. Prisoners who show good behaviour could be released earlier, while those who break rules would stay […]