British Isles
Birmingham: council to press ahead with radical changes on bin collection
In Birmingham, the city council and the Unite union remain locked in a bitter deadlock as the city’s bin strike enters its twelfth month, including nine months of full walkouts. Despite the ongoing…
Met police's huge rollout of facial recognition technology
The Government is preparing a major expansion of facial recognition technology across the UK, giving police access to passport and driving-licence photos to speed up the identification of offenders. The Met Police, which…
‘Shine, Jesus shine’ remixed for Christmas campaign
The classic worship song Shine, Jesus, Shine has been newly reimagined for the UK-wide ‘Shine Your Light’ Christmas campaign, which seeks to unite thousands of believers in a shared moment of worship and…
France: Paris leads the way in tackling ‘carspreading’
Across the UK and Europe, cars are steadily growing longer, wider, and heavier - a trend critics have nicknamed ‘carspreading’. SUVs in particular have surged in popularity, with their market share rising from…
Street preacher acquitted after being accused of hate speech
A Christian street preacher in Swindon has been acquitted of charges related to comments he made in a public space, a case which sparked wider debate about free speech and the policing of…
Mitzvah Day demonstrates the power of inter-faith cooperation
The twentieth Mitzvah Day in the UK demonstrated the power of shared service to strengthen interfaith relationships at a time when tensions have risen nationwide. Volunteers from Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities joined…
Budget: the main headlines
Rachel Reeves has delivered her second Budget against a backdrop of weak economic growth, high inflation and tightening household finances. Seeking to raise revenue without triggering an inflation spike, she avoided the previously…
North Sea energy: Government allows some new licences
The Government has announced a shift in its North Sea energy policy, allowing limited new oil and gas licences - but only where developments connect to existing fields and infrastructure without further exploration.…
Justice system: Lammy wants to restrict the right to a jury trial
Major changes to the justice system in England and Wales are being considered as justice secretary David Lammy proposes restricting the right to a jury trial for many criminal cases. Only those accused…
Man arrested in connection with huge pile of waste
Authorities in Oxfordshire are working to tackle one of the most serious fly-tipping incidents the region has seen, after a massive illegal waste pile - around 150 metres long and up to six…
