UK

The UK government has approved visas for a group of young female footballers from Afghanistan. The girls had fled to Pakistan after their country fell to the Taliban in August, and it was from there that they had told Sky News that they were desperate to find safety in the UK. At the time, they

A newborn baby has been rescued by the RNLI after surviving a nine-hour journey across the Channel made by a group of migrants on Saturday. Sky News witnessed the newborn girl, named Ayyan and wrapped in a blanket, being handed to a police officer on the shore in Dungeness, Kent, after making the potentially treacherous

The Foreign Office is lifting restrictive COVID travel advice for a further 51 countries and territories. Destinations that are having the “all but essential travel” advice lifted today comprise of former amber list nations such as Jamaica and The Bahamas. A second stage will see 42 ex-red list countries and territories having the advice removed

Around one in six adults in Britain have been unable to buy essential food items in the last fortnight, representing up to eight million people – new figures indicate. Some 17% of adults said they had not been able to purchase such goods because they were not available, according to newly released data from the

South Africa, Thailand, Mexico and the Seychelles are among 47 countries being taken off England and Wales’s travel red list as it is slashed to just seven. As of 4am on Monday, 47 countries will be removed from the red list so travellers arriving from those destinations will no longer have to quarantine in a

Council tax may need to rise by up to 5% a year for the next three years – the latest in a long list of warnings that the cost of living is expected to increase substantially. The forecast comes from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), which said that, under government spending plans, a rise

A watchdog investigating the decision to grant Plymouth gunman Jake Davison a shotgun licence has issued two disciplinary notices to Devon and Cornwall Police staff. Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regional director David Ford said: “Based on the evidence gathered so far, we have now served disciplinary notices on two individuals within the force

A vigil has been held for Sabina Nessa in Eastbourne, where the man suspected of her murder was arrested. About 200 people gathered to pay tribute to the school teacher and protest the “crisis” of violence against women as the sun set in the Sussex seaside town. The peaceful demonstration, held in front of the

The mother of a teenager who was shot dead in the street says her hopes are fading that her son’s killer will ever be caught – and believes police have “prioritised” other murder cases. Cherie Nedd told Sky News that her 18-year-old son Ethan Nedd-Bruce “was just coming home” when he was attacked outside a

Priti Patel has announced an independent inquiry into the “systematic failures” by the police following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer. Speaking at the Conservatives’ party conference in Manchester, the home secretary said the incident had “exposed unimaginable failings” in policing and added that an inquiry will “ensure something like this can

A life-changing drug treatment is to be released to thousands of people in England in what has been described as a historic moment for people with sickle cell disease. The condition – which is particularly common in people with an African or Caribbean background – causes severe pain and organ failure, often requiring hospital admissions.

Soldiers will begin delivering fuel to petrol stations this morning as parts of the country continue to struggle with shortages. Around 200 military personnel are being deployed on Operation Escalin in an effort to increase the number of tanker drivers. Most of the troops, who have been on standby since last week, will work in

The sister of a teenager who died from COVID-19 says she cries herself to sleep every night, as she described the shock of losing her older sibling. Jorja Halliday, 15, died last Tuesday, hours after being rushed to the Queen Alexandria Hospital in Portsmouth. Her sister Julie, 12, says she was it was a “complete

Every police officer in the UK should be re-vetted following the sentencing of Wayne Couzens, a former senior Metropolitan Police chief superintendent has said. Parm Sandhu told Sky News she had “real concerns” more people “with questionable backgrounds” had been missed under current vetting procedures. She spoke after Couzens was given a whole life order

A mother has warned that anyone can die from COVID-19, even young people after her teenage daughter died just days after contracting the virus. Jorja Halliday, 15, from Portsmouth, died at the Queen Alexandra Hospital on 28 September after she tested positive for the coronavirus four days earlier. Her mother, Tracy Halliday, 40, said: “Some

Top marathon runner Charlotte Purdue has revealed she now chooses to run on a treadmill when it gets dark rather than do so outdoors, due to concerns for her safety. Speaking in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder, the 30-year-old – who still holds the UK junior record for the 10,000 metres – also

Army tanker drivers are to start delivering fuel to petrol stations from Monday in an emergency government move prompted by the continuing crisis at the pumps. Senior ministers have been alarmed at how slowly the fuel supply disruption is improving, with motorists still forced to queue for hours for fuel after more than a week

Wayne Couzens may have been responsible for more crimes, including an indecent exposure just 72 hours before he kidnapped, raped, and murdered Sarah Everard. The 48-year-old was linked to the incident at a McDonald’s in Swanley, Kent, but, although his car was reported to officers, he was not named as a suspect and the investigation

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has said Wayne Couzens’ crimes have “brought shame” on the force – adding she is “so sorry” he was able to use his “position of trust” to “deceive” Sarah Everard before murdering her. Dame Cressida issued the statement amid calls for her to resign after it emerged former Met

An officer who strangled Sarah Everard with his police belt after kidnapping her under the guise of a fake arrest will die in jail. Wayne Couzens, 48, was handed a whole life order for the “grotesque” killing of the 33-year-old marketing executive which shocked and outraged the nation. Sentencing at the Old Bailey on Thursday,