UK

Around 700 UK troops are deploying to Cyprus to be ready to help evacuate British nationals from Lebanon as fears grow of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah. Defence Secretary John Healey – who chaired a meeting of the UK’s emergency Cobra committee earlier – has urged all Britons to leave the crisis-torn country “now”.

Commuters are facing road closures and disrupted rail services as dozens of flood warnings remain in place and further rainfall is expected. Some areas have been struck by more than a month’s worth of rain in the past 24 hours – with rising waters damaging homes and making roads impassable. Meanwhile, a fresh weather warning

An amber warning for heavy rain is in force for millions of people in England until 9pm tonight. Many places could see between 60mm and 80m (2.36in and 3.15in) – with up to 120mm (4.72in) possible in a few locations, said the Met Office. A broad area from Gloucester through the Midlands and up to

Sir Keir Starmer will defend focusing on “short-term pain” for “long-term gain” as he reiterates the need for “tough decisions” during his keynote speech at the Labour Party conference. Speaking on Tuesday, the prime minister will again point to the £22bn “black hole” in public finances he claims was left by the Conservatives, saying there

A former Harrods director told Sky News he does not see how security at the department store “wouldn’t have known” about Mohamed al Fayed’s behaviour towards women. Five women have alleged they were raped by Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, with several others alleging sexual misconduct. A legal team representing

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has acknowledged it had twice failed to bring charges against Mohamed al Fayed for sexual abuse. The former Harrods owner, who died last year at the age of 94, was described as a “monster” earlier this week by lawyers representing alleged sexual abuse victims. Women say he raped and sexually

Anthony Joshua missed out on the chance to become a three-time heavyweight world champion after he was stopped by British rival Daniel Dubois in the fifth round. Dubois knocked down Joshua in the opening round before dropping his opponent at the end of round three and at the start of the fourth, and then again

Fewer police officers are working on unsolved murder cases amid warnings the Metropolitan Police is dangerously stretched. Five officers from the force are moving from a specialist cold case department investigating the 30-year-old murder of Atek Hussain to instead bolster basic command units. Mr Hussain, 32, was stabbed in the heart as he returned from

A former member of the Harrods management team has told how Mohamed al Fayed would “cherry pick” women from the shop floor. Speaking to Sky News anonymously, the woman described the billionaire, who died last year aged 94, as “demonic” and said he “controlled everything with fear”. Lawyers representing 37 alleged victims of sexual abuse

Mohamed al Fayed was a “predator” who “preyed on the most vulnerable”, one of his alleged victims has said. FayedThe billionaire was described as a “monster enabled by a system that pervaded Harrods” by lawyers representing alleged victims of sexual abuse, at a press conference in London. Dean Armstrong KC said the case “combines some

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted it would “cost the taxpayer a fortune” if he were to watch Arsenal from the stands after it emerged he had accepted thousands of pounds worth of free football tickets. The prime minister has faced criticism after Sky News’ Westminster Accounts project revealed he had received two-and-a-half times more gifts

Sir Keir Starmer has received substantially more freebies than any other MP since becoming Labour leader, Sky News can reveal. Government officials are worried the prime minister’s willingness to accept hospitality to go to football matches could amount to a conflict of interest given plans to overhaul the sport’s regulator which many clubs oppose. The

A serving prison governor from one of the country’s crowded jails has spoken anonymously to Sky News about conditions inside, the reality of early release and why we should rethink who is sent to jail. Here is what he told us. There is a smell you always associate with prison – the smell of unwashed

The Princess of Wales has returned to work with a private meeting at Windsor Castle, according to an entry on the court circular. The post from Tuesday reads: “The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this afternoon held an Early Years meeting at Windsor Castle.” The

The rat man from the council has just turned up. He is back at James and Oscar’s home laying more poison that the rats keep eating. “I woke up the other night at three in the morning and one was biting my nose,” James says. It’s the stuff of nightmares but it has become James and

Huw Edwards has been given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years for accessing indecent images of children as young as seven. The former BBC presenter had pleaded guilty to three counts of “making” indecent images of children. While the judge called his crimes “extremely serious offences,” he concluded that Edwards didn’t present a

A search has been launched for a missing 18-year-old in the Scottish Borders. Kamile Gimbutyte, also known as Rhian, was last seen in the Melrose area at around 2pm on Sunday and is believed to have been going for a walk in the Eildon Hills. Inspector David Robertson said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned for

A man has been charged with murdering a wife and two daughters in a crossbow attack at their home in Hertfordshire. Kyle Clifford, 26, from Enfield, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today, Bedfordshire Police said. He is also charged with false imprisonment and two counts of possession of offensive weapons. Clifford is suspected of

Several migrants have died off the coast of France while attempting to cross the Channel, authorities have said. The deaths occurred in the commune of Ambleteuse, French officials said. It comes as French authorities rescued some 200 people off the coast of Calais over a 24-hour period between Friday and Saturday night. A boat carrying

At least eight migrants have died off the coast of France while attempting to cross the English Channel as new data reveals 801 people arrived on the UK’s shores yesterday. The latest government figures show those who arrived made their journey on Saturday in 14 boats. The current record for the highest number of arrivals