UK

The chancellor has admitted more schools and other public buildings with structural problems could come to light in the coming weeks. It comes as the government investigates the extent of problems with crumbling concrete. More than 100 schools and colleges have been told by the Department for Education (DfE) to partially or fully shut buildings

The government has finally published a list of schools identified with collapse-prone concrete after days of mounting pressure. The list published by the Department for Education showed 19 schools where the start of term has had to be delayed as a result of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Four schools had to open remotely while

Not all schools impacted by concrete safety fears have been contacted and it is not clear how many will have to shut fully, a minister has admitted. Schools minister Nick Gibb said in most cases “just a few buildings” or rooms within the affected schools will have to shut but “in some cases it will

School buildings in England made with a certain type of concrete that is prone to collapse will be immediately closed over safety fears, the government has announced. Around 104 schools or “settings” will be disrupted on top of 50 that have already been affected this year. The Department for Education (DfE) said the “vast majority

Grant Shapps is expected to become the UK’s new defence secretary as the prime minister carries out a reshuffle at the top of government, Sky News understands. Ben Wallace announced last month that he would be leaving the role the next time Rishi Sunak made changes to his cabinet – as well stepping down as

The rollout of flu and COVID-19 vaccines in the UK has been brought forward after the emergence of a new variant. NHS officials have indicated the BA.2.86 – which came to light on 18 August – is the most concerning since the arrival of Omicron. Scientists also say it has mutated, but has not been

The chief executive of National Air Traffic Services (NATS) has said he cannot reveal the cause of the glitch which has affected thousands of passengers but is “not ruling out anything at this stage”. Martin Rolfe said on Tuesday evening that an initial investigation had found that the air traffic control failure was caused by

An air traffic control boss has said “unreliable” flight data was the cause of widespread disruption that affected thousands of passengers stuck at airports. Martin Rolfe, the chief executive of National Air Traffic Services (NATS), said an initial investigation had found the air traffic control failure was caused by flight data which its system “didn’t

The transport secretary has apologised for yesterday’s nationwide air traffic control fault – saying issues on this scale “haven’t happened for a decade”. Mark Harper stressed that technical experts have ruled out a cybersecurity incident, with the Civil Aviation Authority set to investigate. “Something on this scale hasn’t happened for almost a decade – normally

Passengers have been told to expect “significant delays” of up to 12 hours as air traffic controllers across the UK are experiencing a technical fault. One airline reported a “network-wide failure” but NATS, the national air traffic controllers, said UK airspace was not closed but restrictions were in place on one of the busiest travel

The government is not ruling out using electronic tagging to control migrants who come to the UK illegally. Home Secretary Suella Braverman told Sky News she is willing to use a “range of options” in dealing with migrants who cross the Channel in small boats. It comes after a report in The Times said the

Two people have died after a car was driven into a flooded area in Merseyside. Officers were called following safety concerns for a man and a woman inside a black Mercedes in Mossley Hill at 9.20pm on Saturday. The vehicle had driven into a flooded area in Queens Drive, between North Mossley Hill Road and

The Metropolitan Police is on high alert following a significant security breach that led to officers’ and staff’s details being hacked. All 47,000 personnel have been notified about the potential exposure of their photographs, names, and ranks, The Sun newspaper reported. The breach occurred when cybercriminals managed to infiltrate the IT systems of a contractor

Whole-life prison sentences will become the “default” punishment for “sexual or sadistic” murders, the prime minister has said. Former NHS neo-natal nurse Lucy Letby was told she will never be released on Monday after being convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six others on 18 August. She is only the fourth woman

Hundreds of charities once affiliated with the late Queen remain in the dark over whether they will be given a new royal patron. Many say they are optimistic – but the slimmed-down monarchy means many could miss out. After the death of Queen Elizabeth, each of her royal patronages was sent a letter explaining there

The energy regulator has confirmed a cut to its price cap that will see average household bills come down this autumn, as experts continue to warn of hikes to come during the winter months. Ofgem said the typical household paying by direct debit for gas and electricity faces an annual charge of £1,923 from October

Two men have been arrested by police investigating the fire at the Crooked House pub in Staffordshire. A 66-year-old man from Dudley and a 33-year-old man from Milton Keynes were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, Staffordshire Police said. They remain in custody and are being questioned by officers while the

The backlog of asylum cases in the UK has hit a new record high, according to Home Office figures. A total of 175,457 people were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of June 2023, up 44% at the end of June 2022 and the highest figure

A former teacher has been found not guilty of animal cruelty after video footage showed her kicking and slapping a horse. Sarah Moulds, 39, had been accused of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal – a grey pony she owned called Bruce Almighty. The 39-year-old, who said she lost her job as a teacher

Health Secretary Steve Barclay has hinted at changing the status of the inquiry looking into the crimes of Lucy Letby, saying he wanted to ensure the families affected had “full confidence” in the probe. The government ordered an inquiry last week after Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six