A major ambulance trust has declared a “critical incident” due to “extreme pressures” it’s facing on its services. South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), which operates across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire, said its staff are continuing to “work extremely hard” to manage the situation. A critical incident is usually declared when an organisation’s services are
UK
A musician has pleaded guilty to the murder of teenager Bobbi-Anne McLeod. The student, 18, went missing on the evening of 20 November and was last seen at a bus stop in Plymouth. She was due to travel to the city centre to meet friends but never arrived. Three days later, her body was discovered
Boris Johnson is set to announce plans to send migrants to Rwanda to be processed, it has been reported. The prime minister is edging closer to unveiling proposals to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and settlement, according to reports in The Times. The Home Office did not deny the reports, with a spokesperson
Cancer survival rates in England risk going into reverse as the health service faces specialist staff shortages and the prolonged impact of the pandemic, MPs have warned. A report by the health and social care committee pointed to staff having to ration treatment and said factors including reluctance of patients to come forward and late
The official list of COVID-19 symptoms has been expanded to include nine new signs of the disease including headaches, diarrhoea and a blocked nose. The list has been updated as COVID infection levels hit a record high in the UK, with almost five million people estimated to be currently infected. Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist
Tory MP David Warburton has told friends he has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital after allegations about his behaviour were made in a Sunday newspaper, Sky News understands. The MP has said he is being treated “for severe shock and stress”, adding: “This has been sheer hell.” The Somerton and Frome MP has had
About 100 protesters have disrupted key oil terminals in England for a third consecutive day. Activists from the environmental campaign group Just Stop Oil have forced a number of facilities to cease operating on Sunday. The protesters are demanding that the UK government stops new oil and gas projects. More than 30 members of Just
“There were times when I didn’t want to be here,” says a former drug user after her dealer took over her flat. Sarah effectively became a prisoner in her own home, too afraid to cook or even shower. Sky News has changed her name to protect her identity. Sarah used crack cocaine and heroin from
Ferry passengers heading to France face disruption today after cross-Channel services from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk were hit by weather conditions yesterday and overnight. Queues have been reported due to a shortage of ferries, with capacity already reduced after P&O services were suspended. A statement from DFDS Ferries said: “Customers are advised to travel
The Indian tech firm in which Rishi Sunak’s wife owns shares believed to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds is closing its office in Russia, Sky News understands. The chancellor’s wife Akshata Murthy has a 0.91% stake in Infosys, a company founded by her father, which had continued to operate in Russia since the
The first fines have been issued to people in government for breaking COVID rules at the height of lockdown. Officials are understood to have received fines thought to be in connection with an event in the Cabinet Office on 18 June 2020. The fines, worth £50, have been sent to individuals by email. The names
A man on trial for allegedly murdering his neighbour said his childhood teddy bear “told him to kill”, but an expert has said he is “sceptical” of his claim. Can Arslan, 52, fatally stabbed father-of-three Matthew Boorman 27 times on his front lawn last October, before forcing his way into the home of a second
Energy customers around the country have been struggling to submit gas and electricity meter readings, a day before prices are set to soar when the price cap is raised. Millions of households will see their energy bills rise to a typical £1,971 a year when the cap is changed on 1 April. The 54% increase
Boris Johnson has refused to admit to criminality in Downing Street as he was grilled by MPs after fines were issued over the police’s partygate investigation. The prime minister came under pressure, during questions from the Commons liaison committee, to concede that this week’s announcement of 20 fixed penalty notices by the Met Police meant
The mother of 17-month old Peter Connelly, known as Baby P, can be freed from jail, the Parole Board has decided. Tracey Connelly, 40, was jailed in 2009 over the death of her son who died after suffering more than 50 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken back. The case sparked outrage as Baby
A major report will today reveal the true scale of failings at a hospital trust where hundreds of babies died or were left brain damaged. The Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust has been under investigation for failings in maternity care. A culture at the Trust that favoured natural births as well as repeated failure to
Prince Andrew has arrived at Prince Philip’s memorial service with the Queen by his side. The decision to have the Duke of York accompany his mother to the Service of Thanksgiving will be seen as a clear signal of Her Majesty’s support for her son. The event marks Prince Andrew’s first public appearance since he
A second P&O ferry, the Pride of Kent, is being detained after it failed safety checks by authorities amid the backlash over the company’s decision to replace 800 seafarers with lower-paid crew. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) made the revelation as a new crewmember aboard a P&O vessel told Sky News there was an
A man has been charged with murder after a mother was stabbed to death while her two children were at school. The victim of the attack on Thursday in Bethnal Green, east London, was 40-year-old Yasmin Begum, who lived in the area. Quyum Miah, 40, has been charged with murder, burglary and two counts of
A whistleblower who worked at a hospital trust where hundreds of babies died or were left brain-damaged says there was “a climate of fear” among staff who tried to report concerns. Bernie Bentick was a consultant obstetrician at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust for almost 30 years. This week, an independent inquiry will reveal