UK

The Isle of Man government is to encourage businesses to round prices to the nearest 5p as it looks to phase out 1p and 2p coins. The island’s treasury stopped minting Manx pennies – equivalent to UK pennies – in 2016 because the cost of making them outweighed their value. However, in a recent survey,

Fireworks have been thrown at riot police in Edinburgh in “Bonfire Night-related disruption”. Dozens of young people gathered in Niddrie, a suburb of the Scottish capital, just before 5pm on Sunday in a repeat of disorder seen last year. Petrol bombs were lobbed at police officers, who were subjected to repeated attacks during the standoff.

This is King Charles’s first King’s Speech as monarch. This matters to him, not only because he knows the world will be looking to see if he does something differently (he won’t – continuity matters), nor because it could be an opportunity to say something about his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in a new

Police have made three arrests during a fourth week of pro-Palestinian protests in central London. One person was arrested after “displaying a placard that could incite hatred”, the Metropolitan Police said. They were held under section 12 of the Terrorism Act. Another was detained for assaulting a police officer while the third was arrested for

Pet owners are gearing up for a stressful time for both themselves and their animals as fireworks season begins. With bonfire night and Diwali in October and November, followed not long afterwards by New Year’s Eve, there is little respite from the bangs and vibrations that can have devastating effects on animals. People suffer as

The national living wage could rise to £11.46 an hour last year – well above what the government has announced. The minimum rate for adults over 23 is pegged to median hourly pay – and stronger-than-expected wage growth means April’s increase could exceed the £11 an hour recently suggested by the chancellor. Average weekly earnings

The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) will not make neck guards mandatory following the death of a professional player whose neck was slashed by a skate during a game. The EIHL, the highest level of ice hockey in the UK, said wearing the protective equipment was “strongly encouraged” but not mandatory in a statement. The

Even with four days there seemed a lot to do in Kenya. This was a moment for the King to define his vision for the Commonwealth. But it was also a chance to address historic colonial violence. This year marks sixty years of Kenyan independence, but many in the country still seek a formal apology

The energy price cap is set to rise in January at a steeper level than initially expected due to “growing volatility” in global wholesale costs, according to a closely watched report. Market specialist Cornwall Insight said the Israel-Hamas war and the effects of industrial action overseas had contributed to a shift in its energy price

Boris Johnson asked his most senior scientific advisers if blowing a “special hair dryer” up your nose could kill COVID, according to Dominic Cummings. Mr Cummings’s full evidence statement to the COVID inquiry has been revealed, following his blockbuster in-person grilling on Tuesday. In the document, which runs for more than 100 pages, Mr Johnson‘s

Elon Musk has told Sky News that AI is a “risk”, as the billionaire joins world leaders and tech bosses at a UK safety summit. The SpaceX and Tesla owner has long been outspoken about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence, and earlier this year warned it could even lead to “civilisation destruction”. Asked by

Police have issued an appeal for help to identify a body washed up on a beach in Hampshire. The man was found dead near Eastern Parade in Southsea, Portsmouth, at 6.39am on Tuesday. Part of the beach and seafront were cordoned off for police to make inquiries. But they have been unable to identify him

King Charles presented a number of medals to one of the world’s oldest surviving Second World War veterans in Kenya on day two of the royal state visit. The monarch handed five medals to former corporal Samweli Mburia, during a poignant ceremony where other old soldiers who fought for Britain against Hitler’s regime also received

The US and China have endorsed a joint declaration on the need to manage the potentially “catastrophic” risks posed by Artificial Intelligence. The world’s leading AI powers were among 28 nations to agree to the UK’s Bletchley Declaration, which stresses the need for countries to work together to manage the powerful technology. It was published

Police have arrested 35 people after Just Stop Oil activists held up traffic on a major road in west London. It came as members of the climate change group, which wants the government to stop issuing new oil and gas licences, slowly marched down Kensington’s West Cromwell Road on Wednesday morning. Footage showed demonstrators wearing

England defender Alex Greenwood was given oxygen by medical staff on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher after a clash of heads during a Nations League match against Belgium. The collision occurred only 20 minutes into the game in Leuven at the King Power De Dreef Stadium, which the Lionesses lost 3-2.

The King has said there is “no excuse” for “abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence” committed by the British against Kenyans in the past, during a speech at a state banquet in the country. Past wrongs during colonial rule are a cause of the “greatest sorrow and deepest regret,” the monarch added. The King, who

The King and Queen have begun a four-day state visit to Kenya, which could be eclipsed by calls for an apology over abuses during British colonial rule. The royal couple were welcomed by President William Ruto and the first lady at the State House in Nairobi. The King will deliver a significant speech at a

A stake of up to 10% in the Premier League football club West Ham United has been put up for sale, providing the latest test of international investors’ appetite for a slice of one of England’s top-flight clubs. Sky News has learnt that Vanessa Gold, daughter of the late businessman David Gold and a joint-chair

Police have cordoned off a beach in Portsmouth after a body was found on the shore. Officers were called to Eastern Parade seafront in Southsea at 6.39am today after the discovery. Police and coastguard members attended the scene. Dog walkers were diverted around tape which cordoned off the closed section. Image: A police cordon at