Sajid Javid has told Sky News he wants to remove the PCR test requirement for travellers returning from some foreign countries “as soon as I possibly can”. The health secretary said he was aware of the cost for families holidaying abroad and that the measure should not be in place “for a second longer than
UK
Emma Raducanu has become the first British woman in 44 years to win a Grand Slam singles title. The 18-year-old from Bromley overpowered Leylah Fernandez, a 19-year-old from Canada – winning 6-4 6-3 in the US Open final. Their showdown lasted an hour and 51 minutes, and was the first major tennis final between two
The body of a man has been recovered by the Coastguard in the English Channel, after being spotted by another vessel. The body, which was lifted from the water this afternoon, has been taken to Eastbourne, Sussex Police have said. Officers said the man had been seen in the water in the “mid-English Channel”. They
Emma Raducanu is one match away from winning the US Open after making history as the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final. Raducanu, 18, earned a place in the record books by defeating 17th-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 in straight sets during a stunning semi-final on Thursday night. Now the British tennis sensation,
The Duchess of Cambridge and prime minister are among those to congratulate and send good luck wishes to young British tennis ace Emma Raducanu after she reached the US Open final. The high-profile praise came after the 18-year-old defied the odds to defeat Maria Sakkari of Greece in straight sets. In doing so, Raducanu became
Emma Raducanu is through to the final of the US Open after defeating Maria Sakkari of Greece in straight sets. The British 18-year-old has now become the first qualifier in history to ever reach a grand slam final – and the youngest since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004 when she was 17. Thursday night’s
A knife attacker has forced staff at a petrol station in Bristol to hide inside a safe room after getting into the shop. One person has been taken to hospital after leaving the petrol station in Hengrove Way, Avon and Somerset Police said, adding armed officers and a negotiator were at the scene. The force
Growing numbers of children are at risk of being excluded and “falling off the radar” as schools return to normal following the pandemic, experts fear. Analysis of recent government data shows the problem was worsening before the pandemic but there was a lull while schools were closed because of the virus. Department of Education figures
A plan to hike National Insurance contributions will raise “enough money” to pay for reforms to the care sector in England and is “a very Conservative thing to do”, Sajid Javid has said. The health secretary told Kay Burley that while “I don’t like raising taxes”, without these changes, NHS waiting lists would have reached
People in the north of England were more likely to die from COVID-19, spent longer in lockdown, and were made poorer than the rest of the country, a new report states. The Northern Health Science Alliance – which includes universities and NHS Trusts – commissioned the study to establish the impact of the pandemic on
National Insurance contributions will rise by 1.25% to pay for the social care system in England in a bid to end the “unpredictable and catastrophic costs” faced by many. A social care package, which the prime minister has called “the biggest catch-up programme” in the NHS’s history, will be funded through a new, UK-wide 1.25%
Teachers lack the resources needed to “stamp out [the] root causes” of extremist views among children in classrooms in England, a study suggests. Staff say they are concerned about the increase in pupils looking at hateful content online and developing dangerous ideas linked to racism, homophobia and conspiracy theories. Extremism is being allowed to flourish
Some children as young as 12 should be allowed to overrule their parents on whether they have the COVID vaccine, a senior doctor has said. Dr David Strain, a clinical lead for COVID services, told Sky News he believed there were 12-year-olds “mature enough” to decide to have the coronavirus jab without the consent of
Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding has died aged 39, her mother has said. The singer had announced she was diagnosed with advanced-stage breast cancer in August 2020, saying the disease had spread to other parts of her body. On Instagram, her mother Marie wrote: “It is with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news
One of Prince Charles’s closest aides has stepped down from his role following claims he offered to help secure an honour for a rich Saudi donor. Michael Fawcett, a former assistant valet to the prince, has temporarily left his job as chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation, the charity confirmed on Saturday. The Sunday Times
Flying at the Bournemouth Air Festival has been suspended after a light aircraft crashed into Poole Harbour. Police said in a statement: “We received a report at 3.50pm on Saturday 4 September 2021 that a small aircraft had crashed into the water in the Sandbanks area of Poole Harbour. “Emergency services are at the scene.
Two divers are missing and presumed dead after they were reported to be trapped on a wreck off the coast of Cornwall. HM Coastguard confirmed that the rescue phase of their search is over and it has now become a recovery operation. The two divers were exploring HMS Scylla, a popular diving destination near Whitsand
Almost three quarters of people under 50 who needed hospital treatment for the COVID Delta variant last week in England were unvaccinated, figures have revealed. Data released by Public Health England showed 9,472 people were admitted to hospital with the highly transmissible coronavirus variant in the seven days up to 29 August. Of this number, 5,098
Freed double child killer Colin Pitchfork will be subject to the most strict licence conditions ever imposed, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has told Sky News. The cabinet minister moved to reassure the public after his efforts to keep the murderer behind bars for longer failed. He also highlighted a far-reaching review being carried out into
Racist chants were directed at England players during their 4-0 win over Hungary. Sky Sports News reporter Rob Dorsett said he heard “sporadic monkey chants from various areas of the crowd” at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. They were “primarily towards Raheem Sterling when he touched the ball”, Dorsett added. “I have seen four separate