British Isles
Home secretary facing backlash for criticising police
Suella Braverman is facing a backlash after claiming police 'play favourites' with pro-Palestinian protests. Downing Street did not clear the controversial article in which the home secretary criticised the policing of pro-Palestinian marches…
Christian Institute challenging conversion therapy ban
The Christian Institute, through its Let Us Pray campaign, is defending the normal activities of churches against potential government bans on so-called 'conversion therapy’. This term encompasses various practices, including abusive ones already…
Council costs warning as fostering places fall
A decline in available fostering places has led to local councils wasting substantial amounts of money, warns a carers' organisation. Capacity issues can force councils to place children in more costly residential homes,…
Storm Ciaran brings weather warnings and disruption
On 2 November, Storm Ciarán hit the UK and Channel Islands, bringing strong winds and heavy rain as forecasters warned lives could be at risk. Dozens of people in Jersey were evacuated to…
World first AI agreement at UK summit
Representatives and companies from 28 countries, including the USA, China, and the EU, have signed a declaration on AI safety at a summit held at Bletchley Park. This aims to address the risks…
Economy: interest rates could remain high for longer
The Bank of England has declared that the base interest rate will remain at 5.25% for at least another six weeks. The bank’s governor, Andrew Bailey, emphasised that there is ‘no room for…
Care homes: infection monitoring
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has introduced the Vivaldi social care pilot, aiming to collect and analyse data from over 500 care homes across England to combat infections. This initiative builds on…
Christian councillor reinstated after ‘Pride is a sin’ text
Local councillor King Lawal, previously suspended for sharing his religious views on social media, has been reinstated after an investigation by Northamptonshire Council’s standards committee. He had been suspended and removed from various…
Edinburgh set to declare a housing emergency
Due to a homelessness crisis, Edinburgh is poised to declare a housing emergency. The city council's housing convener, Jane Meagher, will table a motion to establish an emergency action plan and request urgent…
East Africa: German president apologises for killings, King Charles ‘regrets’
During a visit to southern Tanzania, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier apologised and asked for forgiveness for colonial-era killings during Germany’s rule. He vowed to raise awareness of the atrocities in his country, in…
