British Isles
Hospitals declare critical incidents amid rise in flu cases
Several NHS trusts in England have declared critical incidents amid a significant rise in flu cases. Hospitals are facing 'exceptionally high' demand, particularly in emergency departments, driven by a surge in respiratory illnesses.…
CofE faces uncharted waters as Welby's tenure ends
The Church of England enters uncertain times as Justin Welby steps down amidst controversy over handling abuse cases. Welby resigned in November after an inquiry found he failed to address abuses by John…
Scotland: Bible translator honoured with MBE
Aberdeenshire solicitor Gordon M Hay has been awarded an MBE for his pioneering translation of the entire Bible into Doric, a variant of the Scots language. Spanning 17 years, his work includes the…
Starmer hails 'year of change' in first New Year message as PM
Sir Keir Starmer marked 2024 as a 'year of change' in his first New Year message as prime minister. He acknowledged the challenges encountered since his election victory in July, in managing the…
Manchester: 1,300+ evacuated because of flooding
At least 1,300 people were evacuated across Greater Manchester on New Year’s Day following severe flooding caused by heavy rain. A major incident was declared as many areas faced widespread damage. Rivers, including…
NHS England: early cancer diagnosis getting better
The proportion of cancer patients diagnosed at early stages has reached a record high in England, with 58.7% of cases identified at stages one and two between September 2023 and August 2024. This…
Scotland: NHS will struggle to last another year
Scotland’s NHS faces a critical future: the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned it may not survive another year without urgent reforms. It has stressed the need for transformative changes to maintain the…
Channel migrants: over 36,000 arrivals in 2024
In 2024, 36,816 people crossed the English Channel in small boats, a slight increase from 2023’s 29,437 but fewer than the record 45,774 in 2022. Tragically, 2024 became the deadliest year for crossings,…
Archbishop says Church must 'be changed' over abuse
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, called for transformative change in the CofE during his Christmas sermon, amid ongoing criticism over abuse scandals. Justin Welby resigned in November following backlash over his handling…
Some parents to lose automatic right to home education
A new bill will aim to bolster child protection by empowering local councils to intervene when home environments are deemed unsafe. This proposed legislation, unveiled by education secretary Bridget Phillipson, will end the…
