UK

Border Force workers across UK airports and ports will take strike action on key dates in December as its union calls for the government to come back to the negotiating table. Strikes will take place between 23rd and 26th December, and from 28th to 31st December, impacting Birmingham Airport, Cardiff Airport, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Manchester

A senior pharmacist says a penicillin shortage is leading to fears that some prescriptions will not be filled as seasonal sickness levels continue to rise. Pharmacy director Zeshan Rehmani criticised the Department of Health for being “out of touch” after it mooted proposals to give antibiotics to children in schools to help fend off illnesses

A five-year-old girl who died after contracting a Strep A infection has been named by her school as Stella-Lily McCorkindale. The P2 pupil attended Black Mountain Primary School in Belfast, which sent a letter to parents on Friday, addressing the “tragic loss” and sending thoughts to the pupil’s family and friends. In a statement on

Union leaders have rejected revised offers to end industrial action on the railways – and announced more strikes over Christmas. RMT members at Network Rail are being urged by union bosses to reject new pay proposals and proceed with walkouts on 13-14 and 16-17 December. The RMT has also announced further strike action from 6pm

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to abolish the House of Lords in his first term if he is elected prime minister. Speaking to Sky News, the Labour leader confirmed his party “do want to abolish the House of Lords“, adding that he does not think anybody could “defend” the institution. Sir Keir told Kay Burley:

England cruised past Senegal 3-0 in their first World Cup knockout match, with a mouth-watering clash against holders France awaiting them in the last eight. Two quick-fire goals – the first from Jordan Henderson, the second from Harry Kane – put Gareth Southgate’s side in control going into the half-time break, after what had been

The government is considering deploying the army to help ease possible strike disruption over Christmas, Conservative Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed. Mr Zahawi told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that military personnel could be “driving ambulances” and working on UK borders under the proposals. The Conservative Party chairman also suggested that pharmacists

A Year 8 pupil at a school in southeast London has died after contracting Strep A – as another bereaved family revealed the symptoms their son experienced in his final days. Colfe’s School wrote to parents on Thursday to inform them a student had died after developing the infection. Sky News understands that the pupil

Less mixing between children due to the pandemic could have caused a drop in immunity to infections such as Strep A, a leading expert has suggested. Six children have died in the UK after being found to have the bacterial infection and there have been more cases than normal this year. Most Strep A cases

The father of a four-year-old girl who is in critical care with Group A Strep has said he’s “praying for a miracle” she comes home alive. Dean Burns’s daughter, Camila Rose Burns, has been fighting for her life on a ventilator at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool since Monday after she contracted the infection.

A child has become the third to die from a Strep A infection in the UK in the past week. Health officials said the child, whose age has not been revealed, went to a school in Ealing in west London and died after contracting the invasive Group A streptococcal (iGAS or Strep A) infection. Dr

A black domestic abuse campaigner who was repeatedly asked where she “really came from” by Prince William’s godmother said she felt abused, verbally attacked and “trapped”. Ngozi Fulani, founder of the charity Sistah Space, works as an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse and described the exchange as a “violation”. “I was not giving the

Lady Susan Hussey has left her role at Buckingham Palace after she asked a black visitor where she “really came from” during a reception hosted by the Queen Consort. Ngozi Fulani, the chief executive of Sistah Space and a prominent advocate for survivors of domestic abuse, described the exchange as a “violation”. Lady Hussey served

A member of the Buckingham Palace household has resigned after “unacceptable” comments were made at a reception held by the Queen Consort. Ngozi Fulani, chief executive of Sistah Space, said she was asked by the household member where she “really came from” during an event at the palace on Tuesday. Ms Fulani, who is black,

Labour has won the Chester by-election – the first public vote since both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss were ousted from Number 10. Samantha Dixon retained the seat for her party with 17,309 votes – a 61% share and nearly 11,000 more than the Conservative candidate. Labour was expected to win but the margin was

Doctors have hailed a “new era” of medicine after a study showed for the first time that a drug can slow the debilitating symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Results from the clinical trial also revealed that the drug lecanemab cleared clumps of a protein called amyloid – thought to be a key cause of the most common

Fifty migrants who have arrived in the UK this year have been diagnosed with diphtheria, the immigration minister has revealed, with the vast majority being reported in the last two months. Robert Jenrick told MPs that the number has increased significantly since he first gave an update on 1 November. The latest UK Health Security

A scheme that will see households rewarded for not using power-intensive products at peak times could be used for the first time on Tuesday, it has been revealed. National Grid’s system operator said it may activate its Demand Flexibility Service (DFS), which is designed to avoid blackouts, on Tuesday evening to reduce strain on the

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of the murders of two boys following fatal stabbings in southeast London. The victims, named earlier as Charlie Bartolo and Kearne Solanke, were found with stab wounds in Titmuss Avenue, Thamesmead, and Sewell Road, Abbey Wood, on Saturday at around 5.10pm. Officers had attended with the London

The murders of two 16-year-old boys who were stabbed to death in London are believed to be linked, police say. They have been named as Kearne Solanke and Charlie Bartolo Police have appealed for information about the killings after the teenagers were found injured in two locations around a mile apart in Thamesmead, southeast London,