newsmart – Latest News

timesofindia.indiatimes.com | 27 min. ago NEW

UK breakup on menu? Leaders of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales to meet

dailymail.com | 50 min. ago NEW

Piddington women fighting to stop 1,250-person asylum centre in village of 350 prepare for 'independence referendum' on leaving the UK

Tuesday is decision day for the 350 or so residents of Piddington, as the Oxfordshire villagers cast their vote in a 'referendum' on leaving the UK.

dailymail.com | 50 min. ago NEW

MPs demand American 'paedo' diplomat found with child abuse images is extradited back to the UK after US secretly flew him out without telling British police

The former US serviceman was secretly seized from his Putney home in August and flown out of Britain without the knowledge of police.

dailymail.com | 2 hrs. 46 min. ago

'I'm in great danger - you have to get me out immediately!' The dramatic escape of Russian superspy turned defector 'Redwood' from under the noses of the KGB

In this final extract, Vladimir Kuzichkin - the Russian superspy who defected to the West - plans his escape to the UK under the noses of the KGB and the Ayatollah's Revolutionary Guard.

theguardian.com | 3 hrs. 6 min. ago

Hidden history of royal staff uncovered in Buckingham Palace restoration

Whist drive ticket embedded in rock and news article on Great Train Robbers among items discovered during 10-year restorationLost or long-discarded items revealing glimpses of the behind-the-scenes life of Buckingham Palace staff over decades have been uncovered during the restoration of the UK monarchy’s HQ.Misplaced belongings, found beneath the floorboards, in other areas of the royal residence and preserved within the fabric of the building, include a ticket to a whist drive run by the royal household’s social club from nearly 80 years ago. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 3 hrs. 7 min. ago

Hospitality industry urges Andy Burnham to lay out VAT cut plans

More than 800 businesses ask PM to make good on pledge, or risk more closures and job lossesHundreds of UK hospitality businesses, backed by celebrity chefs including Angela Hartnett and Heston Blumenthal, have asked Andy Burnham to lay out plans to lower VAT for the sector, urging him to make good on his previous pledge.More than 800 businesses have written an open letter to the prime minister as part of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, to warn that without a “fairer tax burden for hospitality”, there will be more closures and job losses, and fewer opportunities for young people. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 3 hrs. 7 min. ago

Researchers hope powerful new microscope will reveal ‘root cause’ of incurable bowel disease

No run-of-the-mill tech, ‘Curie’ operates at 10 times the resolution of conventional microscopy and could spur discoveries leading to new treatmentThe number of young people living with debilitating and incurable bowel conditions worldwide is growing, but researchers now hope a one-of-a-kind microscope will help them understand such diseases and find new treatments.According to the British Society of Gastroenterology, more than half a million people in the UK are living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis the two main forms. Continue reading...

mirror.co.uk | 4 hrs. 25 min. ago

Ministers face calls to act after US diplomat 'flown out of UK over indecent images'

An American diplomat accused of possessing indecent images of children has been removed from the UK by US officials without informing the British police first

theguardian.com | 4 hrs. 47 min. ago

‘Sweat the asset’: new development minister plots path to make UK aid count

Kirsty McNeill reaffirms Labour’s 0.7% of GDP pledge and promises value for money to allay voter concernsThe development minister, Kirsty McNeill, has declared herself “a huge believer in aid”, as she reaffirmed Labour’s manifesto pledge to return to a target of 0.7% of national income spending.McNeill, a former adviser to Gordon Brown and senior executive at Save the Children, declined to give any timetable, repeating the formula that the government would work towards the target “when fiscal circumstances allow”. Continue reading...

mirror.co.uk | 6 hrs. 34 min. ago

UK weather maps show 34 areas will be battered by heavy rain on Monday - see full list

The Met Office says the unsettled Atlantic weather will return on Monday, delivering typical autumnal downpours and strong winds - especially in the north of England and in most of Scotland

bbc.co.uk | 6 hrs. 43 min. ago

Russia hits Ukrainian train shortly after Boris Johnson and top European officials leave station

The former UK PM said "I don't know what warped logic drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning".

livemint.com | 8 hrs. 21 min. ago

Who is Anupriya Nagar? 21-year-old who used UK part-time savings to back ₹200 crore hit ‘Hanuman Ansh’

Anupriya Nagar joined the project when production had already been completed, and the team was looking for funds to finish post-production.

livemint.com | 8 hrs. 53 min. ago

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland unite over the UK’s future

Will Burnham be the last PM of the Union? Explained | Leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are reportedly planning a joint declaration seeking the right to hold independence referendums. Their Cardiff summit comes amid growing support for pro-independence parties and rising pressure on the UK’s constitutional structure.

theguardian.com | 9 hrs. 19 min. ago

The Guardian view on the government’s corporate reforms: entrenching neoliberalism, not ending it

Editorial | A recent consultation on corporate reporting prizes the interests of shareholders over society. It’s a step in the wrong directionThe question of what corporations are for is deeply political. In a 1970 article for the New York Times, Milton Friedman argued that the “social responsibility of business is to increase its profits”. The idea that CEOs should worry about providing good jobs was “pure and unadulterated socialism”, he wrote. Friedman and his fellow neoliberals saw companies as vehicles for enforcing their politics. Their ideas endured: UK bosses are now paid 130 times more than average workers.Despite Andy Burnham’s pledge to end neoliberalism, a 12-week consultation recently launched by his government risks entrenching it. The consultation was first announced as part of the Starmer government’s crusade against “red tape”. The average annual report for some businesses now runs to 98,000 words, and no doubt there are areas that could be simplified. But the consultation proposes removing vital information and presumes that company reports primarily serve shareholders, rather than other stakeholders. Both are steps in the wrong direction. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 10 hrs. 17 min. ago

A painful truth about post-Brexit immigration

Letters | While the media rightly highlights the harsh treatment of UK citizens abroad, the UK Home Office is quietly inflicting similar cruelty, says Vera-Lynn WatsonYour report (Wife of British man at risk of deportation from Sweden calls on Burnham to intervene, 3 September) highlights a painful truth about post-Brexit immigration: families are being treated as administrative burdens rather than human beings. However, this harsh treatment cuts both ways.I am a 71-year-old German-American citizen, married to my British husband for 38 years. We have only ever been apart for work. We bought property in the UK in 2023 so my husband could retire there. After retiring from my job in Germany, I applied for a UK family visa on 1 April 2026, expecting to settle down with him and my two adult sons within six weeks. The lawyer was rather optimistic. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 10 hrs. 17 min. ago

The aunts, the ‘red peer’ and the Basque refugees

Letters | Judith Martin on a mural that commemorates the brave work of obituary writer Daniel Vulliamy’s aunts in the 1930sDaniel Vulliamy’s account of the life of Paco Robles (Other lives, 28 July) is a moving one, citing the work done by his aunts to care for the children brought to the UK from the devastation of the Spanish civil war.Readers might be interested to know that Daniel Vulliamy’s aunts, Poppy and Chloe, can be seen in a mural at Buscot Park in Oxfordshire, where the extraordinary “red peer”, Lord Faringdon, having been told by Poppy that, as a socialist, he should not be living alone in such a big house, provided a lodge and other accommodation for 55 Basque boys. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 10 hrs. 18 min. ago

Police release images of six men sought after violent disorder in Portsmouth

Hampshire and Isle of Wight force says it wants to speak to men in connection with anti-migrant unrest that left seven officers injuredPolice have released images of six men they would like to speak to after violent disorder in Portsmouth last week that left seven officers injured.About 200 people gathered at Eastney Marina on Sunday night after a small boat carrying asylum seekers arrived on the south coast having crossed the Channel. The activists dispersed the following day in the early hours. Continue reading...

mirror.co.uk | 10 hrs. 21 min. ago

Sir Tom Jones' latest 'swipe' after shock The Voice axe

Legendary musician Sir Tom Jones made a cryptic dig at The Voice UK as the fallout from his axing as a judge on the singing competition continues

livemint.com | 10 hrs. 22 min. ago

Britain once trained India's air force. Why are IAF pilots now training RAF pilots?

The deployment is part of efforts by India and the UK to deepen military training and defence cooperation.

ft.com | 10 hrs. 23 min. ago

[$] EU-UK reset talks delayed again amid tension over ‘Made in Europe’ rules

Summit pushed back until late November against backdrop of challenges facing UK industry

theguardian.com | 10 hrs. 47 min. ago

How could Reform UK spend its £72m of new billionaire donations?

Harborne and Delo’s cash could buy a massive head start in an election, but spending big has possible pitfalls Nigel Farage once said he could spend his £5m gift from Christopher Harborne on Ferraris if he wanted to, given its unconditional nature.With the new donations to his party from Harborne and his fellow crypto billionaire Ben Delo of £72m over the past weekend alone, Farage’s party now has nearly enough cash to buy a Reform UK branded Ferrari for a party organiser in each of Britain’s 632 constituencies (though that would certainly be a waste and a bit of a tax headache). Continue reading...

mirror.co.uk | 10 hrs. 51 min. ago

Boris Johnson evacuated after train drone strike in Ukraine

Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson had to be evacuated from a train close to the Ukraine-Poland border following a drone strike which hit the tracks

dailymail.com | 11 hrs. 24 min. ago

Europe must prepare for hard winter to keep up economic pressure on Russia, UK national security adviser warns

Jonathan Powell said the continent's people must continue to 'swallow' the impact of sanctions on Moscow, adding that now was not the time for its leaders to take their 'foot off the gas'.

mirror.co.uk | 11 hrs. 51 min. ago

Major EES update for 9 UK tourist hotspots including Portugal

The European Union entry-exit system (EES) has caused repeated delays for Brits at major EU airports this year

theguardian.com | 12 hrs. 17 min. ago

The Children review – Meera Syal and co go nuclear in poignant drama

Lyric Hammersmith, LondonA catastrophic explosion forces retired nuclear engineers Syal and Declan Conlon to confront their past after a visit by Kerry Fox in this revival of Lucy Kirkwood’s debutTen years on from its powerful debut, Lucy Kirkwood’s clever and funny play feels just as potent – if not more so. There’s so much to admire and enjoy here: Kirkwood’s skilful and layered writing; Rachel O’Riordan’s precise and thoughtful direction; Gary McCann’s striking design and, above all, a trio of richly nuanced performances from three brilliant older actors: Meera Syal, Declan Conlon and Kerry Fox. For all the ideas about the legacy we leave behind for our children, I found myself reflecting on how much we still overlook our elders, and what a terrible failing and waste that is.O’Riordan’s softly rumbling production unfolds sometime in the near future (although that supposed future feels horribly close these days). There has been a catastrophic explosion at a nuclear power plant. Exclusion zones have been established and lives redrawn. Husband and wife, Robin and Hazel (who are both nuclear engineers), have retired to a nearby crumbling cottage. When old friend and fellow engineer, Rose, turns up unannounced – determined to lure them back to work at the power plant – all three are forced to confront painful mistakes from their past and think deeply about their futures.At Lyric Hammersmith, London, until 3 October. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 12 hrs. 19 min. ago

Mohamed Al Fayed abuse compensation claims could reach £150m, says law firm

Combined value of 275 women’s claims is far greater than amount Harrods has set aside for payoutsCompensation claims by 275 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by the former owner of Harrods Mohamed Al Fayed could reach between £100m and £150m, according to a law firm representing the women.The combined value of their claims, calculated by KP Law (KPL), which represents more than half of known survivors, is around two to three times greater than the amount the luxury department store has set aside for all abuse payouts. Continue reading...

bbc.co.uk | 12 hrs. 35 min. ago

US embassy child abuse images suspect flown from UK before police interview

The individual worked at the US embassy in Vauxhall, south London, had diplomatic protection, despite not being a diplomat.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com | 12 hrs. 59 min. ago

Is UK heading for a breakup? Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland push for independence

bbc.co.uk | 13 hrs. 5 min. ago

Reform's £72m donations 'entirely in line with law', Jenrick says

The government is trying to change the law on donations to UK political parties from British expats.

theguardian.com | 13 hrs. 25 min. ago

‘Really helpful’: the AI bootcamps aimed at addressing UK youth unemployment

Pilot project in Preston comes with apprenticeship offer for Neets at end of three-week courseIn a youth centre opposite Preston bus station, the UK government is trying to address two of the greatest challenges facing the national economy: AI and youth unemployment.The hope is that one will solve – rather than cause – the other. In a room at the recently opened Vault, a community hub in the Lancashire city, an “AI bootcamp” is under way – part of a trial in the north-west to give 16- to 24-year-olds AI training. Continue reading...

nypost.com | 14 hrs. 5 min. ago

US diplomat extracted from London after feds allegedly discover child porn — and UK pols are furious: ‘Protecting pedophiles’

An American diplomat working at the US Embassy in London was detained and sent back to the US in a secret operation after authorities allegedly found child porn on his devices, according to a report. The unidentified diplomat is alleged to have received the twisted material from his US-based brother, leading to a raid by...

businessinsider.com | 14 hrs. 8 min. ago

I moved away from my home country 6 years ago. When I returned, I felt like an outsider.

Six years ago, I left my home country, Mexico, and moved to New York, then to the UK. When I returned to Mexico, I realized how much I had changed.

theguardian.com | 14 hrs. 24 min. ago

Stitching our warped reality together: a cartoonist and art critic take different approaches to the Bayeux tapestry

One Guardian contributor was tasked with creating a modern-day version of the medieval masterpiece, the other with reviewing the original. Both their visions proved terrifyingly pertinent. Here’s how they both tackled itOur journalists often draw connections between seemingly disparate issues or events to give people a fuller grasp of how things interrelate. But not every story can convey the scope and complexity of today’s algorithmically warped reality.One of the Guardian’s regular cartoonists has managed this feat by drawing inspiration from a medieval embroidery made almost 1,000 years ago. Edith Pritchett was asked by her editors on the Guardian’s Saturday magazine to draw a modern-day version of the Bayeux tapestry, the 11th-century artwork that has been capturing imaginations this month as it goes on public display in the UK for the first time since its creation. Her updated version was included as a pullout poster in the print edition of the Guardian last weekend and also published as a special scrollable digital feature. Continue reading...

mirror.co.uk | 14 hrs. 28 min. ago

'Our girl was murdered by boyfriend - killers like hers are getting off lightly'

The grieving parents of murder victim Megan Newborough call on the Government to speed up when ending UK sentencing disparities, demanding a 25-year minimum prison tariff for domestic killers to ensure justice for women.

theguardian.com | 15 hrs. 20 min. ago

‘The show choir definitely helped me’: the dos and don’ts of joining student societies

Signing up for university clubs and societies is a surefire way to meet like-minded people, boosting your social life and your CV at a strokeClubs and societies are a huge part of student life, though many miss out on them. According to a recent survey by Savanta, 67% of students, particularly those who live at home while studying at university, did not take part in societies, clubs or social activities at least once during term.But if you ask the students and graduates who did benefit from extracurricular activities, they’ll tell you they are well worth the trip. Here are their dos and don’ts. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 15 hrs. 20 min. ago

Dover unrest exposes serious flaws in Britain’s handling of far-right extremism

Authorities were caught off guard by the disruption, which they labelled a ‘protest’ despite mass intimidation tacticsTo anybody watching the videos of a group of masked men, all wearing black, descending on the port of Dover last weekend, it was immediately obvious that something novel and disturbing was happening: a mass intimidation in uniform not seen in Britain since the 1930s.Yet to the police and the rest of the UK’s intelligence apparatus, the arrival of the men chanting “stop the boats” was a surprise, despite the fact that residents of a village 18 miles away tried to report that dozens of men were congregating there on the Friday, threatening to go to Dover and “attack Muslims”. Continue reading...

euronews.com | 15 hrs. 54 min. ago

Sea of EU flags seems to outnumber Union Jacks at BBC's Last Night of the Proms

Ten years on from the UK's historic Brexit referendum, the nation's decision to leave the European Union appears as divisive as ever.

dailymail.com | 15 hrs. 55 min. ago

Meghan calls Camilla 'step-queen' and Charles tells Harry 'Don't tell me you've spent that Netflix money already' as couple are mocked over their UK return on Saturday Night Live UK

Harry and Meghan's controversial return to the UK has been ruthlessly mocked during a sketch on Saturday Night Live UK.

theguardian.com | 17 hrs. 8 min. ago

Warning: our democracy won’t survive the death of reading. Read on if you still can

John Harris | While fascists protest in UK ports and purvey nonsense and poison online, ever fewer people have the perspective or analytical tools to challenge themImagine this. Quite by chance, your TikTok feed presents you with footage of the fascists who recently took part in highly organised shows of strength in Dover and Portsmouth (and, on Wednesday, outside the London offices of the Daily Mail, demanding a new house for the mother of their leader, Daniel “Tommo” Thomas). For as long as the images hold your attention, you see and hear flashes of explanation, but then, as usual, you scroll away to someone leaping off a tall building, a fight on the London Underground, or a trick-performing dog.Hypothetically, TikTok users are able to skip through 260 videos in under 35 minutes. And it’s this distracted, quick-fire way that so many people receive information that may be responsible for a worrying statistic from YouGov last week. Its poll on the Dover and Portsmouth events showed that 53% of people aged 18-24 years old simply didn’t have a point of view on whether the masked demonstrations were “a legitimate way of protesting”. Further, 43% of those of all ages were either unaware of the story, or not following it at all. Continue reading...

thedailybeast.com | 17 hrs. 9 min. ago

Prince Harry’s Rural Hideaway Is a Farmhouse Filled With Celebrities

Cameron Spencer / Getty ImagesFollowing up on the world’s least surprising story (that Meghan’s first sighting in the wild in the UK was at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire last week), my sources tell me that Prince Harry was spotted at the Soho Farmhouse pool area on Thursday.Hold on to your hats, because my sources tell me Harry was wandering around the reception area of the pool, known as the Boat House, looking for a towel.History, sadly, does not relate where the rogue royal headed next.Read more at The Daily Beast.