News 06/11/25

Police have arrested six people ahead of the Europa League clash between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Birmingham.

The build-up to the game has been dominated by security fears and political tension, with a ban placed on away supporters following large pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group said last month visiting fans would not be allowed to attend due to public safety risks.

The government later said it would “work around the clock” to allow both sets of supporters to attend, but Maccabi Tel Aviv confirmed it would not take any away tickets even if the decision was overturned.

The US Congress has written to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor requesting an interview over his long-standing friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform says it’s examining Epstein’s “sex trafficking operations” and financial records — including one reference to a “massage for Andrew.” In its letter, the committee said it aims to identify Epstein’s co-conspirators and enablers, and understand the full scale of his network.

It told Andrew that “well-documented allegations” and his personal ties to Epstein suggest he may hold information relevant to the inquiry.

Actress Pauline Collins, best known for her role as Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85.

Her family said she passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after living with Parkinson’s disease for several years. They described her as a “bright, witty and sparky” presence on stage and screen, adding that her magic was felt in every role she played — from mothers and politicians to queens.

Collins won international acclaim for Shirley Valentine, which earned her an Oscar nomination and made her one of Britain’s most beloved actresses.

The parents of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe say the family of her killer, Axel Rudakubana, should be “held to account.”

In an emotional statement to the Southport killings inquiry, Jenni and David Stancombe said listening to the hearings had been “incredibly difficult.” They accused Rudakubana’s parents of knowing their son was dangerous but failing to act, describing their silence as a “failure of parenting and of society.”

Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell says the party must stick to its manifesto promise not to raise key taxes.

She told the BBC that pledges on income tax, VAT and National Insurance should be honoured, despite speculation the Chancellor could raise rates in this month’s Budget.

Powell said there was “no question” the government should follow through on its election commitments.

The mother of the Southport killer has expressed deep remorse for her son’s actions in a statement read to the inquiry.

Laetitia Muzayire told the hearing she spoke “from deep respect and sorrow”, describing her family’s grief as “beyond words”. She said they think of the children whose lives were lost or changed every single day, carrying that pain in their hearts and prayers.

While mourning her son, she said her deepest sorrow was for the innocent victims and families whose lives have been devastated.

Thames Valley Police have released CCTV images of two people they want to identify after an assault in Windsor.

It happened outside Meimo’s Restaurant on Peascod Street around 8pm on Tuesday the 30th of September. A man in his fifties was punched, pulled to the ground and kicked in the head.
He was taken to hospital for treatment and has since been discharged. Investigating officer PC Connor De Meyer is appealing for anyone who witnessed the attack or recognises the people in the images to come forward.

King Charles has formally removed Prince Andrew’s title and HRH status.

The change, detailed in Letters Patent published in The Gazette, confirms that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will no longer be entitled to hold the title of “Royal Highness” or the dignity of “Prince.” The King’s decision follows continued controversy surrounding Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

It also means Andrew has lost his dukedom and any remaining official standing within the Royal Family.

A man has been jailed for 26 years for murdering a Good Samaritan during a wedding brawl.

Hassan Jhangur killed father-of-two Chris Marriott when he drove his car into a fight outside his sister’s wedding reception in December 2023. Jhangur used his Seat Ibiza as a weapon, first hitting Riasat Khan, the father of the groom, before striking Marriott in what the judge described as a “senseless act of hot-headed violence.”

The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4 percent.

Analysts say the first cut could now come in December — once the impact of the 26 November budget becomes clearer. The rate, which guides borrowing costs for banks and lenders, hasn’t been below 4 percent since early last year. Lower inflation at 3.8 percent, slower wage growth and weaker economic activity have all added pressure for a reduction.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says today’s Bank forecast shows inflation is expected to fall faster than previously thought.

One of the prisoners mistakenly released from Wandsworth Prison has handed himself in.

Thirty-five-year-old William “Billy” Smith gave himself up to Surrey Police after a three-day manhunt. He’d been sentenced to 45 months for fraud but was released the same day by mistake.

The search continues for sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was also wrongly freed from Wandsworth on 29 October.

A record number of people were referred to the government’s anti-terror programme Prevent in the past year.

Figures show 8,778 referrals were made — up 27 percent from the year before. More than half involved individuals with no identified ideology. An inquiry into the Southport killings heard referrals linked to “violent fixation” have risen sharply since that attack.

The killer, Axel Rudakubana, had been referred three times — but was never deemed a threat because he showed no clear ideology.

Police are warning crime could rise if government plans to reform sentencing laws go ahead.

Under the proposed Sentencing Bill, aimed at tackling prison overcrowding, short sentences would be used less often and some offenders could be released earlier. But senior officers believe those changes could lead to a 6 percent increase in crime in the short term.

It comes as a manhunt continues for two inmates mistakenly released from Wandsworth Prison — 24-year-old registered sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, and 35-year-old William Smith.

The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates on hold at 4 percent following its final meeting before the chancellor’s Budget.

Although recent inflation figures have sparked talk of a possible rate cut, most analysts believe that move won’t come until December. Governor Andrew Bailey has previously said more rate cuts are likely, but the timing remains uncertain.

The Bank’s base rate affects everything from mortgage payments and business loans to the returns savers receive.

The British Army’s long-delayed Ajax armoured fighting vehicle is finally being rolled out — eight years late and costing nearly 10 million pounds each.

The 40-tonne machine, as heavy as a Russian tank, is fitted with advanced cameras, armour protection and a 40-millimetre gun capable of blasting through concrete. The government says the fleet could even be deployed to Ukraine as part of any future peacekeeping arrangement.

Defence procurement minister Luke Pollard says the project’s £5.5 billion price tag has come with challenges but insists Ajax represents the next generation of battlefield technology.

A man has been charged following an alleged rape at a park in Slough.

Thirty-six-year-old Travis Moore from London faces one count of rape and one count of attempted rape, both involving the same victim. The alleged attack happened at Godolphin Recreation Ground in the early hours of November 2.

Moore has been remanded in custody and will appear at Reading Crown Court on December 1.

And Collins Dictionary has revealed its word of the year for 2025 — or rather, two words — “vibe coding.”

It refers to creating apps or websites by describing them to artificial intelligence instead of writing code manually. The term was coined by OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy earlier this year to describe how AI lets developers “give in to the vibes” when building software.

It topped a shortlist of ten words reflecting the language, trends and technology shaping 2025.