Displaying items by tag: British Isles

Axel Rudabakana, a 17-year-old, has been charged with the murder of three young girls during a dance class in Southport. Bebe King (6), Elsie Stancombe (7), and Alice Aguiar (9) were fatally stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed event on 29 July. Axel, who appeared in court on 1 August, also faces ten counts of attempted murder. Responding officers found multiple victims suffering from severe injuries. Two adults were critically injured while protecting the children. Families of the victims expressed their grief, with Bebe’s family stating their devastation and Alice’s family paying tribute to their 'Princess’. In the wake of the attack, violence has erupted in Southport and in four cities,, causing many police injuries and leading to many arrests: see

The Bank of England has cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point to 5%, marking the first reduction in over four years. This decision ends the joint-longest period of stable rates since the Bank gained independence in 1997. The nine-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted five to four in favour of the cut. Lower interest rates will impact many savings accounts and floating rate mortgages immediately, though fixed rate mortgages had already anticipated this change. The rate cut follows a drop in the consumer price index rate of inflation to 2%, the MPC’s target. However, the Bank's updated forecasts indicate that inflation will rise to around 2.75% by the year's end. Governor Andrew Bailey cautioned that while inflationary pressures have eased, rates should not be cut too quickly to maintain stable inflation and support economic growth. The forecasts will be reviewed after the new chancellor’s budget announcement in October.

Sajid Ali, 56, from Hall Green, Birmingham, has been convicted of leading a criminal gang in a £11 million drug smuggling operation. With four accomplices, he orchestrated a plan to import Class A drugs concealed in a shipment of bananas from Ecuador. The cocaine was hidden inside the roof of a shipping container, which was to be moved from London to an industrial estate in Coventry for extraction and distribution. The National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested the men in April 2022, and seized a total of 139 kilograms of cocaine, valued at up to £11,120,000. Ali was considered too senior to handle the drugs directly and fled to Türkiye when he couldn't reach his associates. He was later arrested at Heathrow Airport when attempting to return to the UK. He denied involvement, but evidence, including burner phone communications, proved otherwise. A successful collaboration between the CPS and the NCA brought him to justice. Proceedings to confiscate the gang's illegal profits have now commenced.

Problematic smartphone use is linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and insomnia among teenagers, according to recent research. Teens exhibiting problematic use were twice as likely to report anxiety, with 44% of 13 to 16-year-olds and 56% of 16 to 18-year-olds affected, compared to their peers. While problematic use resembles addiction, it impacts a minority of teens. The study distinguished between screen time and problematic use, noting screen time itself was not directly linked to anxiety or depression but was associated with insomnia. The research, conducted between 2020 and 2022, involved over 700 teenagers. Many teens expressed a desire to reduce phone use, with nearly 90% of younger teens and two-thirds of older teens attempting strategies like silencing notifications. Effective strategies include turning off notifications, using 'do not disturb' mode, and keeping phones out of the bedroom at night.

On 31 July Team GB celebrated a stellar fifth day at the Paris Olympics, highlighted by two gold medals in just fifteen minutes. Triathlete Alex Yee and the women's quad sculls rowers secured the fifth and sixth golds for Britain. Team GB also won a BMX silver, and bronze medals in triathlon and diving. Alex Yee, trailing New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde, made a remarkable comeback to clinch gold in the men’s triathlon, surpassing his Tokyo silver. The women's quad sculls team won gold in a photo-finish against the Netherlands. France's Leon Marchand stole the evening spotlight, achieving an unprecedented 200m breaststroke and butterfly double, bringing his gold tally to three after his individual medley win. Host nation France also celebrated as Cassandre Beaugrand won the women's triathlon, with Britain’s Beth Potter securing bronze. At the end of the day Team GB boasted 17 medals, their highest tally at this stage in any Games. Pray for France as she hosts the games.

British radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, 57, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday for directing a terrorist organisation. He was convicted of leading al-Muhajiroun, a group banned as a terrorist organisation over a decade ago, and encouraging support for it. 'Organisations such as yours normalise violence in support of an ideological cause,' the judge told him, adding, ‘Such groups embolden individuals to commit acts they might otherwise avoid and disrupt peaceful coexistence.’ Choudary received a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years before parole eligibility, minus the year he has already spent in custody. Once Britain's most prominent Islamist preacher, he had praised the 9/11 attackers and expressed a desire to convert Buckingham Palace into a mosque. He was imprisoned in 2016 for supporting IS and released in 2018 after serving half of his sentence. He stood trial with Canadian Khaled Hussein, 29, who was sentenced to five years for membership in a proscribed organisation.

Keir Starmer marked a significant milestone Wednesday with his first PMQs as Prime Minister, and the first for a Labour leader in over a decade. Here are some key takeaways: - The tone was notably more amicable than in past sessions. The leader of the opposition, Rishi Sunak, even made a self-deprecating joke, saying Team GB wouldn't want his advice on "how to win." - Sunak focused his questions on national security, an area where both Conservatives and Labour show strong support, particularly for Ukraine. - When Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for more support for carers, Starmer commended Davey as a "tireless campaigner" for carers' rights. - The SNP's Stephen Flynn adopted a more confrontational approach, criticizing the prime minister over the two-child benefit cap. - Several new faces appeared in the Commons. Questions came from Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay and Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe, while Reform leader Nigel Farage observed the proceedings. This PMQs session highlighted a mix of unity and contention as new leaders and members engaged in the debate.

Sir Keir Starmer has suspended seven Labour MPs for six months after they voted to scrap the two-child benefit cap, opposing the government. The MPs—Richard Burgon, John McDonnell, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum, Zarah Sultana, Rebecca Long-Bailey, and Ian Byrne—joined forces with Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Plaid Cymru, the SDLP, the Alliance Party, and independent MPs like Jeremy Corbyn to support an SNP amendment to the King's Speech. Starmer's decisive action underscores his demand for loyalty within the party. Despite a majority of over 174, he quashed the rebellion with a 363 to 103 vote. Rumors of threatened suspensions before the vote quelled a potentially larger revolt. Ms. Sultana, upon her suspension, voiced her commitment to aiding vulnerable children. Another Labour MP who voted with the government expressed confidence in its commitment to reducing child poverty. The two-child benefit cap, introduced by George Osborne in 2015, restricts Universal Credit or child tax credits for families with more than two children. The policy has been linked to increasing child poverty. Although Starmer previously advocated for its removal, he reversed his stance due to financial concerns. Scrapping the cap is estimated to cost around £3 billion.

Evangelicals have downplayed the commissioning of 20 “overseers” to provide pastoral support to those opposing same-sex blessings in the Church of England. The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) organized this alternative spiritual oversight. Among the commissioned overseers is former Bishop of Willesden, Rt Revd Pete Broadbent, who emphasized their role as senior friends offering advice and prayers, not as substitutes for bishops. The initiative aims to help Evangelicals considering leaving the Church of England to stay. The Bishop of Leicester, Rt Revd Martyn Snow, and Rt Revd Henry Scriven both described the move as a supportive structure rather than a significant departure from Church norms. The commissioning liturgy clarified that it was not an ordination or consecration. Overseers were selected through interviews and references, underwent safeguarding checks, and were asked to commit to teaching faithfully and respecting Church discipline. Only two of the 20 overseers are women, reflecting the CEEC's commitment to diverse evangelical traditions. This move follows the General Synod’s vote to allow blessings for same-sex couples, which the CEEC regards as a watershed moment, necessitating a structurally secure space for Evangelical clergy and congregations.

Market expectations for an August interest rate cut diverge from economists' predictions. A Reuters poll of economists indicates that the Bank of England is expected to cut interest rates next week for the first time in over four years. Most economists surveyed—over 80%—anticipate the rate will drop to 5% from the current 5.25%, which is the highest it has been in over 15 years following 14 consecutive hikes. However, market sentiment is less certain. A slight majority (54%) believe rates will be held steady, while 46% anticipate a cut. Earlier predictions were more confident about a rate reduction, with 97% of economists in a June poll expecting a cut before the latest inflation data was released. The anticipated rate cut would make borrowing cheaper, as evidenced by Nationwide offering a five-year fixed-rate mortgage deal at less than 4%. The last interest rate cut occurred in March 2020 during the onset of COVID-19 in the UK. The Bank of England has maintained higher rates to combat inflation, aiming to bring it down to 2%. Despite recent drops in inflation, rates have remained at 5.25%.