News 11/02/26

Sir Keir Starmer has described comments about immigration made by Manchester United co owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as offensive and wrong.

The Ineos founder told Sky News the UK had been colonised by immigrants and suggested the prime minister was too nice to take difficult decisions to stabilise the economy. Responding, Sir Keir said Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country and called on Sir Jim to apologise. A Number Ten spokesperson said the remarks play into the hands of those who want to divide the country.

Police and prosecutors have held talks over allegations that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor leaked confidential reports to Jeffrey Epstein.

Documents in the latest release of the Epstein files appear to suggest the former Duke of York shared government information with the sex offender while serving as the UK’s trade envoy. Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Thames Valley Police said it has spoken with specialists at the Crown Prosecution Service about allegations of misconduct in public office.

An inquest has heard Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor left a note saying being dropped from the show destroyed him.

The forty four year old was found dead in a hotel room in Shepherd’s Bush in February twenty twenty four. Coroner Dr Anton van Dellen told jurors Windsor wrote he had been fighting it since losing his job. He joined Strictly in twenty ten and danced with several celebrities over four series until twenty thirteen.

The Metropolitan Police say a thirteen year old arrested after two boys were stabbed at Kingsbury High School was a former pupil.

Officers believe he entered a classroom on Tuesday, sprayed a pupil with a non noxious substance and stabbed a thirteen year old. A twelve year old was stabbed as he left. The suspect was arrested at a mosque in NW10 and held on suspicion of attempted murder.

An eighteen year old has been named as the suspect in a shooting that killed eight people and injured others in British Columbia.

Police said Jesse Van Rootselaar died from a self inflicted gunshot injury. Six people were killed and at least twenty five injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. His mother and step brother were found dead nearby.

Democratic representative Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico has accused Donald Trump’s government of an active cover up over names contained in the Epstein files.

She said the law is clear the files should never have been redacted in the way they currently are. Stansbury claimed the United States government is protecting allies of the president and the Department of Justice, and alleged active members of the administration have lied under oath to the American people and to Congress.

Police say two boys aged twelve and thirteen who were stabbed at a London school are in a stable condition.

The attack happened at Kingsbury High School in Brent on Tuesday. Officers are continuing to question a thirteen year old boy arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, with counter terror police involved in the investigation. Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan said the injuries were serious but thankfully not life threatening and the boys remain in hospital.

A butcher who murdered her girlfriend, cut her body in half and buried her under concrete in their garden has been jailed for life with a minimum term of twenty one years.

Derby Crown Court heard Anna Podedworna, from Poland, killed Izabela Zablocka by striking her with a horse figurine at their home in Normanton. She then wrapped the remains in bin bags and placed them in what prosecutors described as a filthy, makeshift grave. Ms Zablocka, who was thirty, was reported missing in 2010 after losing contact with her family. Podedworna denied knowing her whereabouts for years, but prosecutors said she eventually cracked last year and emailed police when a Polish journalist travelled to the UK to interview her.

Kemi Badenoch has told the Commons the controversy surrounding Lord Peter Mandelson and the Epstein files was not an isolated incident.

She questioned why the prime minister announced a peerage for his former director of communications, Matthew Doyle, weeks ago. The Sunday Times reported after the announcement that Doyle had previously campaigned for a Labour councillor charged over indecent images of children. Badenoch asked why, despite knowing this, the prime minister gave Doyle a job for life in the House of Lords.

Two boys stabbed at a school in north west London are in a stable condition in hospital, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Emergency services were called to Kingsbury High School in Brent at twelve forty GMT on Tuesday, where a twelve year old and a thirteen year old had been attacked. A thirteen year old boy arrested on suspicion of attempted murder is being questioned. Counter terrorism officers are leading the investigation due to surrounding circumstances, although it has not been declared a terrorist incident.

A three day cold weather health alert has been issued for the Midlands and northern England.

The UK Health Security Agency says there is a greater risk to life for vulnerable people and a minor impact on healthcare services because of increased demand. The alert runs from six am on thirteen February until eight am on sixteen February. Met Office snow and ice warnings are also in force on twelve and thirteen February across northern England and almost all of Scotland.

Tottenham have sacked head coach Thomas Frank after eight months in charge.

The Dane leaves following Tuesday’s two one home defeat to Newcastle. Spurs are sixteenth in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone. Frank was appointed last summer after over performing at Brentford but leaves with the worst Premier League home win percentage of any Tottenham manager since two thousand and eight, having won thirteen of thirty eight games.

Several people have received heavy jail terms totalling up to fifty years for drug offences in the South East.

Following an investigation by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, Umeir Iqbal and Haaris Sheikh were sentenced at Reading Crown Court on five February for their roles in importing and distributing class A and class B drugs. Iqbal, thirty three, of Castleview Road in Slough, was jailed for twenty years for importation of cocaine, conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis, and possessing a mobile phone in prison.

El Paso International Airport in Texas has been ordered to halt all flights for ten days.

A notice from the Federal Aviation Administration cites special security reasons and designates the surrounding skies as defence airspace. Pilots who fail to comply may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement. The notice also warns the United States government may use deadly force against aircraft considered an imminent security threat.

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is facing growing pressure from United States officials and the family of Virginia Giuffre to testify in America about his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna told the BBC the Royal Family has not been transparent, while Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez said King Charles the Third should direct his brother to travel to the United States to answer questions. On Monday the King said the Royal Family were ready to support police inquiries. Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and reached an out of court settlement with Giuffre in twenty twenty two with no admission of liability.
Ten people have died and twenty five others are injured after a shooting at a school in Canada.

Police say the attack happened in the town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia. The suspect is among the dead and was found with what officers believe to be a self inflicted gunshot wound. The Peace River South School District confirmed a lockdown remains in place at the secondary school and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School.

A man is being questioned by law enforcement in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie.

A senior official familiar with the investigation confirmed the development. It is not clear whether he is the person seen in images released by the FBI on Tuesday showing what was described as an armed individual on Guthrie’s doorstep on the night she went missing.

The number of British troops stationed in Norway will double over the next three years as part of efforts to counter Russian threats in the High North.

Defence Secretary John Healey said personnel numbers will increase from around one thousand to two thousand. The move follows concern among Nato allies about Russia’s activities in the Arctic, including reopening Cold War bases and expanding its military presence. Healey said demands on defence are rising and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security since the Cold War.