UK

The UK economy has officially entered recession, figures show. A recession is defined as two consecutive three-month periods where the economy contracts rather than grows. A major measure of economic growth, gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 0.3% between October and December, the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows. It’s a steeper fall than

There was always a “huge sense of relief” for Gill Williams when she found a body. Working as a police diver, the most difficult part of her job was the long, tiring searches – her mind playing tricks as she felt her way forward in the cold, dark water, waiting to touch a limb. During

A mechanic who helped run one of the dark web’s biggest child sex abuse websites has been jailed for 16 years after he was convicted under organised crime laws in the first case of its kind. Nathan Bake, a 28-year-old tyre fitter from Runcorn, Cheshire, was the head moderator and second in command of The

Shoplifting has hit a record high with 16.7 million incidents recorded last year – more than double compared to 2022. The spate cost retailers around £1.8bn, a record sum, and the first time it has surpassed the £1bn mark, according to an annual survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Violence and abuse against shop

There have been calls for another Labour party parliamentary candidate to be barred from standing for election after he allegedly referred to “f***ing Israel” at a meeting of activists. Graham Jones, the former Labour MP for Hyndburn who lost his seat in 2019 and is seeking to stand again, is alleged to have said that

The Labour Party has withdrawn support for its candidate in the Rochdale by-election after receiving an official complaint over his “antisemitic” remarks. It is understood that Azhar Ali has also been suspended from the party pending an investigation. A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Following new information about further comments made by Azhar Ali coming to

A teenager who went missing for six years has said he hopes police do not find his mother and grandfather after he was allegedly abducted. Alex Batty, then 11-years-old, went on holiday with his mother, Melanie Batty – who does not have legal parental guardianship – and his grandfather, David Batty, in 2017. But the

Four boys aged between 12 and 14 have been arrested on suspicion of rape in Rochdale. Police were called to reports of a rape in Newbold at around 6pm on Saturday, Greater Manchester Police said. Four suspects, aged 12, 13, 14, and 14, were arrested and remain in police custody. The victim is being supported

A smiling King Charles has attended church in Sandringham for the first time since his cancer diagnosis was announced. The 75-year-old monarch was seen arriving for the service in Norfolk on Sunday morning – a day after thanking supporters for their wishes following his cancer diagnosis. The King briefly waved as he walked up to

The King has made his first statement since being diagnosed with cancer, using it to give his “heartfelt thanks” to the public for their “comfort and encouragement”. In a message, written from Sandringham in Norfolk, King Charles said: “I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good

Police have started searching the River Thames for the body of chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi. The Metropolitan Police said boats were out searching by 9am and would shortly be approaching from the east of Chelsea Bridge. Detectives said on Friday they believed Azedi was dead after CCTV showed him leaning over the railings of

As a homeless father, Dave says taking drugs is the only thing that puts him to sleep. Under their influence, he’s no longer “bothered about sleeping on the streets” or “worrying about the cold”. “If I had a nice warm flat, I’d give it up like that,” he says. The number of people dying from

Prince Harry and the publisher of the Daily Mirror newspaper have settled the remainder of his hacking claim against them. It follows a High Court judge’s ruling in December that phone hacking by Mirror Group Newspapers was carried out from 1996 to 2011, and was “widespread and habitual” from 1998. Judge Timothy Fancourt also said

Up to 25cm of snow is forecast in parts of England and Wales for Thursday, according to the Met Office. There are two amber weather warnings in place for snow and ice, and five yellow weather warnings for rain, snow and ice across the UK on Thursday, some of which carry over to Friday. The

A plot to kidnap a child was being hatched in a Portuguese holiday resort a week before Madeleine McCann vanished there, Sky News has been told. Expat Ken Ralphs said that Christian B, the German drifter suspected of abducting Madeleine, tried to recruit a mutual friend to help find a youngster to sell to a

Rishi Sunak has been criticised for aiming a political jibe about transgender people at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – while Brianna Ghey’s mother Esther attended PMQs. In Prime Minister’s Questions, his weekly showdown with MPs and the leader of the opposition, Mr Sunak said the Labour leader had broken promises on “defining a woman”.

The UK is living in “truly dangerous times” with the chance of “large-scale conflict” likelier than at any point in recent history, defence officials have warned. Russia‘s war in Ukraine, Iran-linked violence in the Middle East and the potential for China to invade Taiwan are among the challenges that could spark a sudden escalation. At

The government is being told to urgently set up a financial package to help patients damaged by epilepsy drug valproate and vaginal mesh. Calculations for the cost of the package amount to half a billion pounds – just for the initial payments, according to a report by the Patient Safety Commissioner for England, Dr Henrietta

Prince Harry has arrived at Clarence House to see his father – a day after the King’s cancer diagnosis was revealed. The Duke of Sussex flew in from LAX in California, where he has lived since 2020, and landed at Heathrow Airport in London on a British Airways flight on Tuesday afternoon. His father has

The King has been diagnosed with cancer and has started treatment today, Buckingham Palace has announced. The diagnosis comes following treatment for an enlarged prostate, although the palace says he does not have prostate cancer. The palace has not confirmed what type of cancer the 75-year-old monarch has. Follow live: King chose to share diagnosis