UK

Earth has been rocked by the first extreme geomagnetic storm in two decades, creating a spectacular light show in UK skies and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere – but also posing a threat to communication networks, navigation systems and power grids. Elon Musk’s Starlink, which owns around 60% of the estimated 7,500 satellites currently

Skies over the UK were turned shades of pink and green as the Northern Lights produced incredible displays for skygazers. The impressive Aurora Borealis, usually only visible from northern parts of the British Isles, was visible across large parts of the UK overnight, including Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and, unusually, southern England. The display was

No deportation flights to Rwanda will take off under a Labour government, Sir Keir Starmer has told Sky News. The Labour leader told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby “there’ll be no flights” as he wants to “scrap the scheme”, which aims to send asylum seekers entering the UK illegally from a safe country, such

Just Stop Oil says two protesters in their 80s have broken the glass around the Magna Carta at the British Library. The climate activist group said Reverend Dr Sue Parfitt, 82, and Judy Bruce, an 85-year-old retired biology teacher, entered the library and smashed the glass enclosure around the historic document. According to Just Stop

A search is under way in the Channel after parts of a pleasure boat were spotted in the water off the coast of Hastings, Sky News understands. HM Coastguard is coordinating a response after reports were received that parts of a vessel were found in waters south of the East Sussex resort town. The alarm

The mastermind behind an extreme body modification ring that carried out “grizzly and gruesome” procedures including castrations has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years. Warning: The following article contains graphic details of extreme physical mutilation Marius Gustavson, 46, ran a “lucrative business” sharing images of “dangerous, unnecessary and life-changing surgeries”

A British girl has had her hearing restored after becoming the first person worldwide to take part in a pioneering new gene therapy trial. Opal Sandy was born totally deaf due to auditory neuropathy, which disrupts nerve impulses from the inner ear to the brain. But the 18-month-old’s hearing is now almost normal – and

The King and Prince Harry won’t meet up on Wednesday during the Duke of Sussex’s trip to the UK due to a timetable clash between a royal garden party and an Invictus Games event. Harry is in London this week, celebrating 10 years of the Invictus Games. Since his trip from California was announced there

Chaos has been reported at airports across the UK – as two airports have confirmed a nationwide border issue. Both Stansted and Gatwick airports said the issue was related to e-gates at passport control. A Heathrow spokesperson said: “Border Force is currently experiencing a nationwide issue which is impacting passengers being processed through the border.

A schoolboy was nearly decapitated when he was attacked by a man wielding a samurai sword, a court has heard. Marcus Monzo, 36, is accused of murdering Daniel Anjorin, 14, and injuring four others in an attack in Hainault, northeast London, last Tuesday. The Old Bailey was told Monzo allegedly ran up behind the teenager

The Chinese state has hacked the Ministry of Defence, Sky News understands. MPs will be told on Tuesday of a massive data breach involving the MoD, targeting service personnel. It is understood investigations have not shown any data has been taken. The government will not name the country involved, but Sky News understands this to

John Swinney has won the SNP leadership contest and is set to be named as Scotland’s new first minister, replacing Humza Yousaf. Mr Swinney could become Scotland’s seventh first minister as early as Tuesday. He is expected to give a speech later on Monday. The former deputy first minister, who served under close ally Nicola

Actor Bernard Hill, who played roles in Lord Of The Rings and Titanic, has died aged 79, his agent has confirmed. Hill also featured as Yosser Hughes in the iconic drama series Boys In The Blackstuff. Hill was given a number of awards for his role as King Theoden in the Lord of the Rings

A child has died in a house fire in Bradford. A woman and three other children managed to escape the property and are being treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. In a statement, West Yorkshire Police said: “At 1.08 this morning (5 May) Police were called by the fire service to reports of a serious

Tory incumbent Andy Street has suffered a shock defeat to Labour in the West Midlands mayoral election after a partial recount was ordered. Labour’s candidate, Richard Parker, beat Mr Street by just 1,508 votes – 0.25% – to deliver a major blow to Rishi Sunak in the key electoral battleground after a hammering in the

The Conservative Party has suffered its worst electoral defeat in years, losing more than half of its councillors who stood for re-election across England. Labour hailed a “truly historic” result in Rishi Sunak’s own backyard of York and North Yorkshire, where David Skaith smashed Tory Keane Duncan by almost 15,000 votes. The region, which was

After counting more than two million votes cast in the English council elections, a provisional National Share Estimate shows the Conservatives on just 26% of the vote, a 19-point drop compared with the 2019 general election and one of its worst ever performances in any set of local elections. Labour‘s vote rises from 33% in

The Conservatives are on track for their worst local election results ever – as counting continues. In a strong night for Labour, the party has taken control of a string of Leave-voting councils and won the Blackpool South by-election. It’s a bleaker outlook for the Tories, who in some areas have been pushed into third

Vote counting is under way after polls closed in local elections taking place across England and Wales. More than 2,600 council seats across 107 councils are up for grabs in England, alongside 11 mayoral elections, a parliamentary seat and police and crime commissioners throughout England and Wales. Polls opened at 7am and closed at 10pm.

After a night of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, the UK could see its warmest day of the year so far, the Met Office has said. Following on the back of two severe storm warnings covering parts of southern England and Wales, Thursday could reach 24C – the warmest day of 2024 so far. Thunderstorms hit