UK

Four boys who died after falling into a frozen lake in Solihull have been named by police. Brothers Samuel Butler, six, and Finlay Butler, eight; their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11, and Jack Johnson, 10, were identified by West Midlands Police. Three of the boys, Jack, Thomas and Finlay, died on Sunday after falling into Babbs

A fisherman whose crew saved 31 people stranded in the English Channel said he was woken in the early hours of the morning when migrants surrounded his boat “screaming for help”. Skipper Raymond told Sky News he had been sleeping when he was awoken by a member of his crew, who told him, “There are

NHS nurses are striking today in a dispute with the government over pay and patient safety. Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will take industrial action on 15 December and 20 December across England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the first time in the union’s 106-year history. Strikes by ambulance staff and some

At least three people have died after a small migrant boat with up to 50 on board capsized in the English Channel off the coast of Kent, near Dungeness. A major search and rescue operation involving helicopters and lifeboats is ongoing and 43 people have been rescued alive – some from the water, others from

Rishi Sunak has promised to bring in new laws to tackle illegal immigration, saying anyone who comes to the UK illegally will not be allowed to stay. Making a raft of announcements in the Commons, the prime minister said the legislation would be introduced early next year and mean people who do not come to

The “tide is turning” in rail unions when it comes to pay offers on the table, Transport Secretary Mark Harper has claimed. Members of the RMT rejected the latest offer from Network Rail yesterday by 64%, with general secretary Mick Lynch calling it “substandard”. The deal would have included a 5% and 4% pay rise

Talks to avert the nursing strike on Thursday have failed after the union leader behind the action accused Health Secretary Steve Barclay of refusing to discuss pay. In a statement on Monday night, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen said: “I needed to come out of this meeting with something serious to

Freezing temperatures have left large parts of the country covered in snow, with millions struggling to get to work and school. Cold air from the Arctic has seen the mercury drop to below zero in most places, with conditions only due to warm up again at the weekend. Drivers stuck in freezing cars for hours

Four children are in critical condition after falling through the ice at a Solihull lake, police have said. A search and rescue operation is under way at Babbs Mill Park after the children fell into the water and suffered cardiac arrest. Police did not confirm how many children were involved in the incident – or

Harry Kane has taken responsibility for England’s World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France, saying: “I will take it on the chin and of course it hurts now, and it will hurt for a long time, but that’s part of being captain.” Having reached the semi-finals in 2018 and then finishing runners-up at

England’s World Cup dream lies in tatters after being knocked out by holders France in their quarter-final clash. After going 2-1 behind, England had a glorious chance to draw level following a foul on Mason Mount, but Harry Kane blazed the resulting penalty over the bar. France took the lead in the 16th minute when

Freezing fog, sleet and snow could bring travel disruption to parts of the UK during the coming days, the Met Office has warned. Southeast England is covered by a yellow weather warning for snow and ice on Sunday and Monday. The western coast of England, Wales and the north of Northern Ireland have warnings for

Up to four inches of snow could fall in London and southeast England as an arctic blast sends temperatures tumbling to as low as -15C in Scotland. The Met Office has issued a yellow snow and ice warning for southern and eastern England from 9am on Sunday to 9am on Monday, warning of widespread disruption

People are facing “dreadful consequences”, a charity has warned, as parts of the UK face plummeting temperatures. The Met Office has issued several yellow weather warnings for snow and ice over the next few days, and the UK Health Security Agency has also issued a level three cold weather alert covering England. Get the five-day

Anne Sacoolas has been sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months, for causing the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn by careless driving. Sacoolas, 45, was driving her Volvo on the wrong side of the B4031 in Northamptonshire, a two-lane road with a 40mph limit, when she hit Harry, 19, who was

Prince Harry has described the “feeding frenzy” surrounding his relationship with Meghan in the couple’s much-anticipated documentary series, saying: “It is basically the hunter versus the prey”. The first three episodes of the couple’s Netflix series Harry & Meghan were released on Thursday morning, with the Royal Family no doubt preparing for potential bombshell revelations

Border Force workers across UK airports and ports will take strike action on key dates in December as their union calls for the government to come back to the negotiating table. Strikes will take place between 23rd and 26th December, and from 28th to 31st December, impacting Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow and Manchester airports,

Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said there is a “good supply” of penicillin after a senior pharmacist warned “there’s no drugs”. Pharmacy director Zeshan Rehmani criticised the Department of Health for being “out of touch” after it mooted proposals to give antibiotics to children in schools to help fend off illnesses including Strep A –

A five-year-old girl who died after contracting a Strep A infection has been named by her school as Stella-Lily McCorkindale. The P2 pupil attended Black Mountain Primary School in Belfast, which sent a letter to parents on Friday, addressing the “tragic loss” and sending thoughts to the pupil’s family and friends. In a statement on

Antibiotics could be given to children at schools affected by Strep A to stop the spread of the infection, schools minister Nick Gibb has said. Mr Gibb told Sky News that the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) is “working closely with the schools involved and giving very specific advice to those schools which may