Politics

The public consultation on the proposed Abingdon reservoir has closed; the plan could cost up to £7.5bn and customers of Thames Water, Affinity Water and Southern Water are expected to pay through bills. Local businesses and some MPs have raised concerns about local impacts, costs and Thames Water's ability to deliver.

Metropolitan Police recorded 97 homicides in London in 2025, the lowest total in over a decade, and officials say the per‑capita homicide rate has fallen to 1.1 per 100,000 residents.

Sadiq Khan says London reached its lowest per capita homicide rate on record last year and credits increased City Hall investment in the Metropolitan Police and prevention programmes for reducing violence.

Five years after the George Floyd video, footage from Renee Good's death in Minneapolis is circulating but remains inconclusive, and officials and media offer differing interpretations.

President Trump warned Iran it was close to crossing a 'red line' and said the US was reviewing "very strong options"; human rights groups reported roughly 490–500 protesters killed amid a security crackdown.

Authorities say a Texas middle school teacher has been charged with aggravated sexual assault after alleged sexual contact with a 14-year-old and an investigation involving multiple students; she is due back in court the first week of April.

Jerome Powell is reported to be under criminal investigation, with the probe overseen by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, and some senators have raised concerns about the implications for the Federal Reserve and the Justice Department.

An undercover Mail investigation reports people advertising on Facebook have offered to arrange UK visas for migrants for sums from about £12,000, using sham job offers and forged documents. The Home Office says it is investigating and a Commons report found widespread abuse of the skilled worker route and gaps in exit checks.

Rights groups say 23-year-old student Rubina Aminian was fatally shot during protests in Tehran, and her family reported being prevented by security forces from burying her at home.

The UK urged Iran's leadership to show restraint as reports said at least 538 people have been killed and more than 10,000 detained amid widespread protests; demonstrations also took place in London, including actions at Iran's embassy.

Hong Kong's High Court will hear Jimmy Lai's mitigation plea on Monday ahead of sentencing, after he was found guilty last month on two counts related to national security.

Reports say Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov is reportedly receiving dialysis after alleged kidney failure, and intelligence-linked sources have reported growing concern while Moscow has not commented.

Protests that began after a late-December currency shock have spread across Iran while authorities imposed an internet blackout and increased security operations; rights groups have reported hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests.

Professor Sir Peter Mathieson warned Scottish universities are at risk from an unsustainable funding model; Edinburgh has faced strikes over planned savings and Dundee has reported financial difficulties.

Several U.S. senators questioned the effectiveness of military strikes on Iran amid large anti-government protests; officials are reported to brief the president on options, including cyber and potential military measures, on Tuesday.

Donald Trump has publicly offered support for Iranian protesters while Iranian figures have urged him to act; international analysts and regional partners are offering mixed counsel and report no major US military movement.

Lawmakers in Congress are debating investigations, funding limits and other responses after an ICE officer fatally shot a Minnesota woman, while the administration and Homeland Security leadership say the officer acted in self-defense.

Lord chancellor David Lammy said reducing the number of jury trials could clear a backlog of nearly 80,000 cases within a decade; the proposals, influenced by aspects of Canada’s system, have prompted concern from dozens of Labour MPs and legal organisations.

An ICE agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, and political leaders responded quickly with sharply divided statements.

Syrian authorities say deadly clashes in the Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh neighbourhoods displaced about 155,000 people; government forces have taken control and some residents have returned while Sheikh Maqsud remained closed.

Iran Human Rights reported a 23-year-old student was found dead after Tehran protests and her family identified the body; nationwide demonstrations and reports of a tightened security response are ongoing.

Denmark's prime minister said the country is at a 'fateful moment' after US President Donald Trump threatened action on Greenland, and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland are due to meet the US secretary of state this week.

Hundreds marched in Crowborough for the tenth consecutive Sunday against a government plan to house about 540 male asylum seekers at a former army camp, and a local residents' group has launched a legal challenge.

Axios reports that Steve Bannon has told allies he is quietly plotting a 2028 presidential bid; Bannon denies the claim and says he is focused on supporting Donald Trump.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville warned the 2026-27 Scottish budget will require "hard choices" and defended higher taxation for those with the "broadest shoulders". The budget, covering about £60bn, will be announced by Finance Secretary Shona Robison on Tuesday.

The article reports President Trump posted on Truth Social warning Cuba that Venezuela will no longer send oil or money following the reported capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

A US State Department official compared UK threats to block the X platform to a 'Russia‑style' ban as Ofcom conducts an expedited assessment of X and xAI over images produced by the AI tool Grok; the UK government says it would back Ofcom and could use powers under the Online Safety Act.

Israel says it is closely monitoring widespread protests in Iran, and the Israeli military describes the unrest as an internal matter while remaining prepared to respond if needed.

Benin held parliamentary and local elections about one month after a failed coup attempt; the main opposition was barred from local contests and faces barriers to the upcoming presidential ballot.

Iranian police said they detained key protest figures who will face legal procedures, while Washington and Tehran have exchanged threats over possible US intervention.