UK

An inquest has found failures by police in their use of an emergency restraint belt put over the face of a church caretaker may have caused or contributed to his death. Thomas Orchard, 32, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, died in October 2012, a week after being arrested for causing a public disorder in Exeter

The Home Office has rowed back on plans to increase the salary threshold for family members of migrants in the UK following a backlash Home Secretary James Cleverly told the Commons earlier this month that the threshold for a family visa would rise from £18,600 to £38,700 by “next spring” in a bid to reduce

Serious concerns have been raised about West Midlands Police, with the force found inadequate in three areas. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said it had concerns about how the police force – the country’s second-largest – investigates crime, protects vulnerable people and manages offenders and suspects. It graded West

COVID-19 infection levels are rising and more people aged 18-44 are catching it than the elderly, new figures suggest. Around 2.5 million people, or one in 24 in England and Scotland, are likely to have tested positive for the illness on 13 December. That equates to around 4.2% of people in private households across the

FIFA and UEFA acted unlawfully in blocking the creation of the European Super League (ESL), the European Union’s top court has ruled. The court said both bodies were abusing their dominant position in the sport. But it added its ruling does not mean that a competition such as the Super League must necessarily be approved.

A proposed new nuclear power station in Suffolk has cleared a legal hurdle after the Court of Appeal ruled the government’s decision to approve the site was lawful. Protest group Together Against Sizewell C argues the nuclear site will cause irreparable damage to the Suffolk Coast and brought the challenge, which was dismissed on Wednesday

When Brianna Ghey left home on 11 February, she thought she was going to meet a friend. But in what detectives described as the “ultimate betrayal”, the 16-year-old had been lured from her house that Saturday afternoon by a girl with “murderous intent”. A little more than two hours later Brianna, who was transgender, was

England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps has been crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The 30-year-old strung a series of impressive performances as the Lionesses reached the Women’s World Cup final this summer, including a penalty save from Spain’s Jenni Hermoso in the final – a game England lost 1-0. Earps also won

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the JN.1 COVID strain as a “variant of interest”. Announcing the new classification, the UN agency stressed the risk posed by the strain is considered “low”. “Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low,” WHO said. It

Police are still searching for a missing woman who vanished in Perth. Investigating officers believe Clare Marshall, 64, left the Dundee Road area in the early hours of Monday and may have walked to Moncreiffe Island. Extensive searches within the area and along the River Tay have taken place since the alarm was raised. Specialist

The long-awaited transgender guidance for schools in England has been published by the government. The main points from today’s developments include:• Schools and colleges to be told that parents should be involved in decisions affecting their children• Single-sex spaces must be protected for the safeguarding of all children• A sea change in approach on social

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to after a teenage girl was raped on a train to London. The victim was on a c2c train from Laindon, Essex, to West Ham on 9 December when she was assaulted. British Transport Police (BTP) have released a CCTV image of a

A body found in the search for Gaynor Lord has been formally identified as the mother-of-three. The remains were recovered from the River Wensum on Friday, a week after Mrs Lord disappeared. The 55-year-old was last seen on CCTV walking along St Augustines Street in Norwich, at 4.01pm on Friday 8 December, having left work

A campaigner has asked the BBC to defend what he called an “elitist” format of University Challenge in a public debate. Frank Coffield, an emeritus professor of education, has campaigned for fairer entry rules that would see Oxford and Cambridge confined to one team – in line with all other universities. He has alleged the

Drivers are falling victim to scams involving fake online parking payment websites, Which? has warned. An investigation by the consumer champion found an increasing number of fake adverts for popular parking apps appearing near the top of online search results. The fake sites impersonate popular parking payment apps to trick drivers into giving away their

Police searching for a 63-year-old man reported missing in Ipswich have found a body. The family of Julian De Bono, who disappeared in the early hours of Sunday last week, have been informed after underwater search teams made the discovery in the River Gipping just after 3pm today. A Suffolk Police spokesman said a post-mortem

The King and Queen have been filmed showing their sense of humour in a documentary tracing the first year of King Charles’s reign. In behind-the-scenes footage of the build-up to last year’s coronation, the couple are seen laughing and joking during dress rehearsals. At one point, the King holds up his robes like wings during

Police have searched a river for a man who was last seen in the early hours of Sunday morning last week. Julian De Bono, 63, was last seen on Yarmouth Road in Ipswich around 1.55am, Suffolk Police said. Searches have taken place in and around the nearby river as well as the wider area where

There’s a sharp easterly wind blowing but Harrison Webster’s Norfolk home is warm in every room. What’s going on here is a world first: polluting companies are paying for a domestic makeover to ditch the carbon. His mum is happy, his cats are happy, there are no fossil fuels and lower bills. A great home

A Christmas tree dubbed the “most humble in the world” has sold at auction for £2,600. The 103-year-old tree, which is only 31 inches tall with 25 branches and 12 fake berries, fetched well above inital estimations of £60-80. Originally brought in 1920, the artificial tree was gifted to Loughborough resident Dorothy Grant in the