Category Archives: UK news

Court rules against Home Office in asylum seeker kidnapping case

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Department had claimed that being kidnapped for ransom was not exploitation of trafficking victims in case of Syrian man abducted in Libya

The court of appeal has rejected claims by the Home Office that being kidnapped for ransom is not exploitation of trafficking victims.

The ruling means that many people who have been kidnapped for ransom, whom officials have previously excluded from being victims of exploitation under trafficking rules, will now have to have these claims considered. They may be eligible for the support and recovery package trafficking victims are entitled to.

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TikTok accused of helping to promote sex industry to girls

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Researchers say popular performers covertly market OnlyFans content and tell followers about wealthy lifestyle

TikTok is helping to promote and normalise the sex industry, allowing “sexfluencers” to post videos aimed at marketing pornographic content they have uploaded elsewhere on sites such as OnlyFans, a report indicates.

After studying non-explicit content posted on TikTok over the course of a year by some of OnlyFans’ most popular young female performers, researchers said the women buried coded references to pornography in “girly lifestyle content” that showed them shopping, playing with their pets, baking or offering skincare advice.

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Three men charged in US with using AI to impersonate CEOs and steal millions

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Men allegedly impersonated voices and images of executives to convince employees to send large payments

Three foreign nationals were arrested and charged with using AI to allegedly impersonate corporate CEOs and attorneys to steal over $100m, according to an indictment that was newly unsealed by the US Department of Justice.

According to a press release from the United States attorney’s office for the southern district of New York, three men – Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit – were arrested for using AI to alter and impersonate the voices and images of executives and attorneys at various companies in order to convince employees to send over large payments. Soall and Hazan were arrested in Spain over the summer, while Sheetrit was arrested in the United Kingdom in September. The alleged fraud took place between 2024 and 2026.

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Thomas Markle, Meghan’s father, arrested in Florida on charges related to child sexual abuse material

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Father of the Duchess of Sussex was taken into custody near Tampa, US prosecutors said

Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was arrested by US federal agents in Florida on Friday and charged in connection with possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Markle, 82, was taken into custody at a senior care facility in Polk county early on Friday, and made a brief initial appearance in federal court in Tampa on Friday afternoon, the Associated Press reported.

In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453 or visit their website for more resources and to report child abuse or DM for help. For adult survivors of child abuse, help is available at ascasupport.org. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International

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Russell Brand barrister reports himself to watchdog over clash with journalist

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Ian Winter KC told Rosamund Urwin of the Sunday Times, whose investigation led to Brand’s victims coming forward: ‘I hope you are pleased with yourself’

Russell Brand’s barrister has reported himself to his professional regulator after being accused of launching a tirade at a journalist shortly after his client had been found guilty of rape.

Ian Winter KC “confronted” the Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin, whose investigation led to Brand’s victims coming forward, telling her: “I hope you are pleased with yourself.”

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Russell Brand suspected to have attacked at least 10 other women

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Met police chief says ‘many more’ victims could come forward, as actor and comedian awaits sentencing

Police are bracing themselves for more victims of Russell Brand to come forward, with at least 10 more women suspected of having been attacked by the disgraced star.

Brand, 51, will be sentenced on Monday to what is expected to be a lengthy jail sentence for rape and sexual assaults after he abused his fame to become a “predator” targeting women, and got away with it for years.

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Want to have a better chat? Scientists say the secret is ‘pink noise’

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The most enjoyable conversations strike a balance between exploring a topic and pulling in fresh ideas, study finds

As an early stab at rules for conversation, Cicero did a fine job: watch your tone, never look bored, never lose your temper and never ramble on, particularly about yourself, he advised.

Now scientists have followed in the great orator’s footsteps and discovered a telltale signature of an enjoyable chinwag. The secret of a mutually satisfying exchange is a healthy dose of pink noise, they say.

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Burnham to force employers to publish salaries on job ads in latest government ‘small fix’ – UK politics live

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Prime minister said his government would bring in legal requirement for companies to say what they pay when listing new jobs

Hello and welcome to the UK politics live blog.

Employers will be forced to publish salaries on job adverts, Andy Burnham has announced, in the government’s latest “small fix” to help improve people’s lives.

Whether you’re a young person starting out or a parent trying to support your family, you should know what a job pays before spending your time and effort applying for it.

That’s why we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay.

Andy Burnham has said he wants to “recast” the UK’s deal to cede control of the Chagos Islands after resistance from Washington, which said the agreement could instead be modelled on America’s Greenland deal with Denmark.

Shabana Mahmood’s changes to the migration system could harm women and children, a Labour MP has warned, as members of her own party continue to raise concerns with the home secretary’s proposals.

The EU is seeking a firmer pledge from the British government to guarantee European students discounted rates on university tuition fees before a much-anticipated summit this month.

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Global stocks fall amid ‘big worries over AI’ after Democrats’ midterms triumph

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Asian and European markets follow US tech rout with many analysts predicting more waves of selling to come

European and Asian stock markets fell sharply on Friday after the Democrats’ decisive victory in the midterms triggered a rout in US tech stocks a day earlier.

A sell-off on Wall Street on Thursday was followed by sharp falls in Asian stock markets on Friday. The investor sentiment then reached London, where the market was, at one stage, poised for its worst day since March.

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Met police chief urges potential victims of Russell Brand to come forward

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Mark Rowley says he would not be surprised if many more people emerged with allegations against convicted rapist

The head of Scotland Yard has called for anyone with fresh allegations against the convicted rapist Russell Brand to come forward.

Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan police commissioner, said he would not be surprised if “many more” alleged victims of Brand emerged after the former comedian turned online influencer was on Thursday convicted of rape and sexual assault.

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Seven people arrested in Glasgow after Bonfire Night violence across Scotland

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Emergency services targeted with fireworks and police vehicle set alight in Glasgow

Seven people were arrested in Glasgow after violence on Bonfire Night in parts of Scotland during which fireworks were launched at emergency services and a police vehicle was set alight.

In what it called Operation Amberlight, Police Scotland deployed the largest number of officers to deal with disorder since the visit by the US president, Donald Trump, last year.

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UK house prices fall at steepest rate in more than three years

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October drop of 0.6% leaves average price of property at £296,285, says Lloyds, as high mortgage rates hit market

UK house prices fell at the steepest rate in more than three years in October, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline, as high mortgage rates hit the housing market.

The average price of a typical UK property stood at £296,285 last month as prices unexpectedly fell 0.6% compared with September, the steepest fall since the lender Lloyds recorded a 1.6% drop in August 2023.

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British Ebola patient evacuated from DRC arrives at London hospital

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Doctor who was helping response to outbreak in Africa taken to specialist isolation unit at Royal Free hospital

A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has returned to the UK for specialist treatment.

The patient, whose identity is unknown, was transported home on a medical evacuation flight, the Department of Health and Social Care said on Thursday. They are now being cared for in a specialised high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free hospital in Hampstead, north London.

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Cancer diagnoses in England hit record high of more than 1,000 people a day

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While NHS is identifying more cases, it is failing to meet timescale targets on diagnosis and treatment, experts say

Cancer diagnoses in England have hit record highs, with more than 1,000 people a day diagnosed, NHS figures show.

But experts warned that although the health service was identifying more cases, it was still failing to meet timescale targets on diagnosis and treatment.

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Bank of England raises interest rates to 4%, the first increase for more than three years

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Base rate increases from 3.75% and Bank governor signals another rise in near future to combat rising inflation

The Bank of England has raised interest rates for the first time in three years and warned of another increase to combat inflationary pressure unleashed by the Iran war.

Eight members of the Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted for the rise, which takes the base rate from 3.75% to 4%. The ninth member, Catherine Mann, preferred a more dramatic half-point increase.

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Duchess of Sussex’s estranged half-brother ‘person of interest’ in child sexual abuse inquiry

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Philippine official says there are ‘signs that point to Thomas Markle Jr’s involvement in crime’, but he’s not yet being treated as a suspect

The Duchess of Sussex’s estranged half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, has been named as a “person of interest” in the Philippine authorities’ inquiry into child sexual abuse image allegations made against her father, Thomas Markle Sr.

The country’s interior and local government secretary, Jonvic Remulla, told a press conference in Manila there were “signs that point that the son is involved in the crime as well”.

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Henry Nowak’s killer has sentence extended by court of appeal

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Vickrum Digwa’s ‘unduly lenient’ term for Southampton teenager’s murder increased after attorney general’s appeal

Henry Nowak’s killer has seen his sentence extended by the court of appeal after it ruled that his original sentence was “unduly lenient”.

Vickrum Digwa’s original sentence of life with a minimum term of 21 years was lengthened to a minimum of 24 years and 190 days after a successful appeal by the attorney general, Ellie Reeves.

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Beware ‘sun, sea and surgery’ cosmetic tourism packages, experts advise

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British College of Aesthetic Medicine launches checklist as part of ‘vet it before you get it’ campaign

Cosmetic tourism is often sold as a package of sun, sea and surgery, but experts have said travelling overseas for procedures can end in infections, disfigurement and death.

Nora Nugent, a consultant plastic surgeon and former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said travelling to countries such as Turkey for surgery came with myriad risks – and not just on the operating table.

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British healthcare worker with Ebola evacuated from DR Congo to UK

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Patient is ⁠in ​stable condition and will be transferred to a specialist ‘high consequence’ infectious disease unit

A British healthcare worker with Ebola is being evacuated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the UK for medical treatment, it has been confirmed.

“A British citizen currently in the DR Congo has tested positive for Ebola,” a spokesperson for the UK government said in a statement on Wednesday. “The UK has well-established procedures for dealing with cases like this, and those processes have been activated … The risk to the UK public from Ebola remains low.”

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Burnham says US midterm results have created ‘opportunity’ for world to focus on cost of living and ending Iran war – UK politics live

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‘I think people want to see the world coming together and focusing on the things that matter to people,’ PM says

Louise Haigh starts by saying she is standing in for Andy Burnham.

She says this weekend the whole country will fall silent to mark Remembrance Sunday.

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