The German President visits the UK. A gala banquet at Windsor Castle

British Monarch Charles III and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier pledged their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia yesterday at a banquet at Windsor Castle. The gala dinner marked the culmination of the first state visit to the UK by a German head of state in 27 years.more

A 3.3-magnitude earthquake has shaken homes in England with residents describing it as feeling like an “underground explosion”. The tremor struck shortly after 11.23pm on Wednesday and was felt across Lancashire and the southern Lake District, including the towns of Kendal and Ulverston, within 12 miles of the epicentre, according to the British Geological Survey (BGS).more

British adults are hiding their outgoings on things like beauty products, gambling and cryptocurrencies from their partners as part of a pattern of "secret spending", a new report has found.more

Have you ever wondered what it must be like to join Santa and his reindeer riding high in the sky on Christmas Eve? Now, it might just be possible to experience the next-best thing as for the first time ever, the London Eye has opened a Christmas Grotto where visitors can meet Santa and his merry band of elves 135 metres above London's rooftops.more

The government is set to craft a new strategy to reduce the number of 'forever chemicals' polluting the environment. Labour's updated Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025, published on Monday, sets out over 90 commitments to improve the quality of England's natural environment, air and water.more

Nigel Farage told donors to his Reform UK party that he is seeking a merger or agreement with the Conservative Party ahead of the UK general election, the “Financial Times” reported, citing sources close to the matter. The leader of the populist group denied these reports.more

Children who arrive in the UK on small boats could be searched to check if they are concealing phone sim cards in their mouths under new Home Office rules. New measures will allow immigration enforcement officials to seize phones at the border if it is believed they contain useful intelligence about people-smugglers.more

Around half of women plan to avoid their Christmas parties over safety fears, a poll has found. A shocking 49 per cent of women said they would stay in and miss the celebrations due to worries they are unsafe while travelling home.more

A Royal Air Force (RAF) RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft conducted a reconnaissance flight around the Kaliningrad Oblast, according to the UK Defence Journal. Patrolling the Baltic Sea region by British forces is part of routine missions, the number of which has increased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.more

Justice Secretary David Lammy has said 12 prisoners have been accidentally released in the past three weeks, two of whom are still at large. It comes on top of the 91 prisoners who were freed by mistake between April and October in England and Wales.more

Poundland is preparing to shut three more branches this December, adding to the dozens already shut in recent months, as it continues a wide-ranging restructure under its new owners.more

The UK's most underrated city has been named, and it's a surprising choice. The city is packed with history, beautiful architecture and is surrounded by stunning countryside - it's Worcester.more

Anyone clearing out before Christmas has been issued a stark warning over a HMRC raid. HMRC can now see online selling activity, and non-compliance with tax rules could lead to in-depth investigations or large fines that exceed your earnings.more

The number of 999 calls in London has risen over the past week, with London Ambulance Service (LAS) reporting its three busiest days of 2025 in a row. The service said the 20% increase included more calls from people with breathing difficulties due to viral infections and respiratory illnesses such as the flu.more

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that China poses "national security threats" to Britain, but defended his government's decision to step up engagement with the country, saying closer business ties are in the national interest.more

The cost of a pint of beer in London pubs is to rise as they are hit with a triple blow on tax, business rates and staff costs, hospitality chiefs are warning.more

Two former heads of all UK Special Forces suppressed evidence of possible SAS war crimes, a former high-ranking officer has told a public inquiry in closed evidence sessions. The officer, who was among the most senior in special forces, said he had passed what he called "explosive" evidence suggesting "criminal behaviour" to the then-director special forces in 2011.more

Resident doctors in England have announced new strike dates, following the continuing failure of the Government to make a credible offer on jobs or pay. The strike will run from 7am on 17th December to 7am on 22nd December. more

A new tax for electric vehicles and some hybrid vehicles has been announced by the chancellor in the Budget. From April 2028, electric car drivers will pay a road charge of 3p per mile, while plug-in hybrid drivers will pay 1.5p per mile, with the rates going up each year with inflation.more

The US authorities announced yesterday that British pharmaceutical products would be exempt from existing and future tariffs. Under the agreement, the British health service is to allocate more money to the purchase of innovative medicines.more

O2, Vodafone, EE and Three are facing a huge class action lawsuit over claims millions of loyal customers have been overcharged. Read this and the latest consumer and personal finance news in the Money blog, brought to you by reporter Jess Sharp.more

The exodus of UK citizens is being driven by tens of thousands of Eastern Europeans moving home after gaining citizenship or taking British partners with them, according to reports. Poland and Romania recorded the highest increase in Britons arriving in the past four years, according to Times analysis of United Nations data.more

In a speech delivered today in London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke in favour of strengthening trade ties with the European Union. In his opinion, the Brexit agreement has ‘significantly damaged the British economy’.more

Liverpool Street, the UK's busiest railway station, will shut for multiple days over the festive period - disrupting journeys for millions of people. National Rail is carrying out a second lot of engineering works from Christmas Day until New Year's Day, with services resuming on January 2.more

The Post Office has urged people to organise sending their parcels ahead of the expected busiest day at its branches on December 8. Britons are planning on sending more gifts this Christmas compared to last year – up from 20% to 33%, according to a survey for the Post Office.more

Campaigners have urged the government to pilot four-day working weeks in schools in England and Wales saying it would boost teacher wellbeing, retention and recruitment rates.more

The warning states that "fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible" and landslides have been triggered by the amount of rain expected to fall in Wales, according to the British Geological Survey.more

Nearly 100 people were detained by police during pro-Palestinian demonstrations that took place this weekend in 10 cities across the UK, including London, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham, the BBC reported.more

Sectors including software development, AI specialists and cybersecurity experts are among the most in demand jobs in the UK, according to a report from Gradstar Global Education. Civil and green energy engineers, healthcare practitioners, nurses, and construction trade workers were also identified as in-demand careers. more

Rachel Reeves unveiled a £15 billion benefits spending plan at Wednesday's Budget, which includes increased payments for those on Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and child benefits.more

A train service taking commuters from Manchester to London is to run empty for around five months following a decision by the rail regulator. A decision by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), means the 07:00 GMT service operated by Avanti West Coast from Manchester Piccadilly to London will still run but will only be used to carry staff from mid-December.more

An amazing retirement village is accepting guests in Shropshire, England—but instead of catering to elderly people, it's designed for elderly cats. Shropshire Cat Rescue has been rescuing elderly cats set to be euthanized and providing them with top notch elder care for over 21 years. more

France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK. The change in policy comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote to President Emmanuel Macron urging him to back the plan and saying we currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel, according to a report in Le Monde, external.more

House prices in London and the wider south of England have dipped for the first time in 18 months, driven by uncertainty in the run up to the autumn budget, according to Zoopla.more

More than 170 paintings and drawings by British landscape painters William Turner and John Constable are on display at Tate Britain in London starting Thursday in the exhibition "Rivals and Originals." The exhibition commemorates the 250th anniversary of the births of both artists.more

"The biggest sale of the year." "Mega offers like never before." - it's hard to escape the ads this Black Friday. Whether you're excited for the seasonal sales or avoiding the shops altogether, one thing is clear - the US shopping event which follows Thanksgiving has been fully embraced by UK retailers.more

The government has U-turned on its manifesto commitment to offer all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job. Ministers now plan to introduce the right after six months instead, after business groups voiced concerns it would discourage firms from hiring.more