Month: July 2022

Getty Images The monkeypox outbreak has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. The classification is the highest alert that the WHO can issue and follows a worldwide upsurge in cases. It came at the end of the second meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee on the virus. More than 16,000

Reuters The summer tourist season is under way, with some people travelling abroad for the first time since the Covid pandemic. But what is causing chaos at some UK airports? BBC News has spoken to a number of airline workers anonymously over the last few weeks. We got the inside story from front-line staff, including

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Ukraine and Russia have signed “mirror” deals which will allow Kyiv to resume exports of grain through the Black Sea. The agreement will allow millions of tonnes of grain, currently trapped in Ukraine by the war, to

Getty Images Long NHS waiting times appear to be pushing people into paying thousands of pounds for private treatment. There were 69,000 self-funded treatments in the UK in the final three months of last year – a 39% rise on the same period before the pandemic. Experts said it was a sign of how desperate

Reuters Tory leadership candidate Rishi Sunak has said that in December 2021 he flew back from an overseas government trip to stop a Covid lockdown which was “hours” away from being announced. The ex-chancellor told LBC a lockdown would have damaged businesses and he successfully fought hard to stop one. At the time, the Omicron

Getty Images Surging inflation led interest payments on UK government debt to hit the highest amount on record in June. Interest payments paid by the government for last month hit £19.4bn. It pushed government borrowing for the month up to the second-highest June level since records began in 1993. Borrowing – the difference between spending

Jonathan Hordle/ITV Rishi Sunak will face Liz Truss in the race to be the next prime minister, after Penny Mordaunt was eliminated in the latest Tory leadership ballot. Ms Truss overturned Ms Mordaunt’s narrow lead in the final vote among Tory MPs, securing a place in the run-off by 113 votes to 105. She will

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. London’s fire service had its busiest day since World War Two dealing with several blazes in record-breaking temperatures on Tuesday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said. The city was one of 15 areas around the UK to

Thick, dark smoke rose from fields, buildings and grassy areas in the capital and south-east England as fire engines tackled raging blazes on Tuesday afternoon. The London Fire Brigade declared a major incident and urged people not to have barbecues or bonfires due to the “unprecedented” challenges facing crews. Read more on this developing story

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The UK is set to see its hottest day on record, with temperatures on Tuesday expected to reach up to 42C (107.6F). A high of 38.1C was reached in Suffolk on Monday, just short of the UK

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak has topped the third MPs’ vote for the next Tory leader and prime minister, with backbencher Tom Tugendhat eliminated. Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt took second place, while Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was third

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The UK could have its hottest day on record on Monday, with temperatures forecast to hit up to 41C. The Met Office has issued a red warning for heat across large parts of England, stretching from York

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Tory leadership rivals stepped up their attacks on each other’s records and policies in their latest TV debate. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak tax rises he introduced would “choke off” growth. Mr Sunak accused

Getty Images An amber warning for extreme heat has begun for England and parts of Wales as the UK braces for record temperatures. The Met Office warning will extend to southern Scotland from Monday until Tuesday, when England’s alert will rise to red for the first time. Network Rail and Transport for London have warned

Reuters People should take simple steps to stay safe to reduce the number of deaths caused by the heatwave, the UK Health Security Agency’s top scientist says. Temperatures are set to hit 40C (104F) in England next week while the rest of the UK could also see new record highs. A national emergency has been

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Tory leadership frontrunners have clashed over how best to fund public services and control inflation in the contest’s first TV debate. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss attacked tax rises introduced under ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak as “wrong” and pledged