Six former members of the police force in the UK have each been given a suspended jail sentence for sending messages that are racist, sexist, and homophobic on WhatsApp, an investigation initiated by BBC Newsnight revealed. The six perpetrators were not serving officers at the time. The Deputy Chief Magistrate, Tan Ikran said that the… Continue reading Met Police: Ex-officers sentenced over racist WhatsApp posts
Category: UK News
Gaza protesters block BAE Systems aerospace factory in Lancashire
A group of protesters, led by Workers for a Free Palestine, have blocked the entrance to an aerospace factory in Lancashire, calling for an end to the production of fighter jets that they claim are being used in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. The Lancashire facility, owned by BAE Systems, is responsible for manufacturing… Continue reading Gaza protesters block BAE Systems aerospace factory in Lancashire
BBC funding: TV licence fee to rise by £10.50, government says
The UK government has announced that the current BBC licence fee of £159 will see an increase of £10.50, or 6.6%, in April. The rise is determined using September’s rate of inflation rather than an average across the last year, which resulted in a lower figure than the BBC and Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)… Continue reading BBC funding: TV licence fee to rise by £10.50, government says
Colin Pitchfork: Double child murderer denied prison release
The Parole Board has made the decision not to release Colin Pitchfork from prison, who was jailed for the rape and murder of two 15-year-old girls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth. Pitchfork, who was the first murderer to be convicted using DNA evidence, had originally been released from prison but was recalled in 2021 before… Continue reading Colin Pitchfork: Double child murderer denied prison release
Gaza protesters block BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow
Campaigners in Glasgow have blockaded the BAE Systems shipyard in opposition to its ties to Israel. The protest at the defence firm’s site in Govan was organised by a local group alongside Workers for a Free Palestine. The campaign group has also blockaded defence factories in Bournemouth, Brighton, and Lancashire. They are urging BAE Systems… Continue reading Gaza protesters block BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow
Ulverston: Homes evacuated as bomb squad called to house
A suspicious item discovered in a house in Ulverston has led to 53 homes being evacuated and a major incident being declared. Cumbria Constabulary identified the item in the Steel Street area on Wednesday evening, leading to a 100m cordon being put in place and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team carrying out an assessment. A… Continue reading Ulverston: Homes evacuated as bomb squad called to house
Orangefield Park woodland cut down by accident
Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE) has admitted that a woodland in Orangefield Park, east Belfast, was mistakenly cut down due to issues with communication. According to a local councillor, 170 trees and saplings were felled in error, despite instructions to NIE Networks to trim the trees instead. NIE has accepted responsibility for the mistake and… Continue reading Orangefield Park woodland cut down by accident
Newspaper headlines: 'Jenrick quits in revolt' and Johnson 'sorry' over Covid deaths
The resignation of immigration minister Robert Jenrick has thrown UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plans to pass the Rwanda deportation bill into chaos, according to several leading newspapers. The Financial Times reports that the legislation, which was designed to strengthen UK asylum policy via legal means, will fail to get parliamentary approval following opposition from… Continue reading Newspaper headlines: 'Jenrick quits in revolt' and Johnson 'sorry' over Covid deaths
UK weather: Yellow warnings issued as heavy rain expected
Wet and windy weather across the UK has prompted weather warnings, with at least 20 flood warnings in place in parts of western England. The Met Office has warned that regions in the UK could experience up to 80mm of rainfall, marking the likelihood of flooding. The ground on which the rainfall will fall is… Continue reading UK weather: Yellow warnings issued as heavy rain expected
Johnny Marr on music, memories and how Manchester made him
Johnny Marr, a legendary guitarist known for his work in bands like The Smiths, The The, and Modest Mouse, has been fully embracing his role as a frontman in his solo career for the past decade. Marr’s decision to merge his talents as a guitarist and singer was not about him wanting to be a… Continue reading Johnny Marr on music, memories and how Manchester made him