UK

Three people have died and six others have been taken to hospital after a train derailed in Aberdeenshire. Aerial shots appear to show one carriage completely overturned after the service from Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street came off the tracks near Stonehaven earlier. British Transport Police said formal identifications are yet to take place but

The UK has been tipped into the “largest recession on record”, according to official figures charting the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the economy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the enforced hibernation of activity through the COVID-19 lockdown meant gross domestic product (GDP) slumped by 20.4% in the second quarter of

Pubs and bars in England are ignoring COVID-19 guidance, potentially putting public health at risk, a Sky News investigation has found. An undercover team visited a variety of hospitality venues in one Greater Manchester suburb, posing as walk-in customers. Nine out of 10 venues visited were not following government guidance by asking for customer contact

Payroll figures show 730,000 people have lost their jobs since the start of the coronavirus crisis lockdown as the UK braces for an expected acceleration in unemployment. Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed a leap of 81,000 last month alone despite continuing support for employers via government loan vehicles and the

Teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are getting their A-level and AS-level results today after exams were cancelled due to COVID-19. Having been out of school since the middle of March due to the coronavirus lockdown, pupils’ grades have been given by their teachers and then each school’s overall grades have been assessed by

There is “little evidence” that coronavirus is transmitted in schools, the education secretary has said. Gavin Williamson said the education and care of children is “a national priority” ahead of the planned return of pupils to schools in England in September. He said the government is continuing to do “everything in our power” to ensure

Subsidies for healthy food, plain packaging for unhealthy food, and more research into meat alternatives could help the UK’s obesity crisis, according to a new report. The report – Turning The Tables – by social policy think-tank Demos, found that too many people face “significant barriers to eating healthy diets”. It estimated that, before lockdown,

Labour MP Dawn Butler has told Sky News she believes she was the victim of racial profiling after the car she was in was stopped by police. The former shadow equalities minister filmed the incident, which happened in the London borough of Hackney on Sunday afternoon. She said police officers stopped her “black male friend”

The government has said it wants to see migrant boats intercepted at sea and directly returned to France in a bid to curb recent increases in Channel crossings. Home Secretary Priti Patel has appointed a “clandestine Channel threat commander” who will work to make the route “unviable for small boat crossings”. Dan O’Mahoney, a former

The UK is demanding that France crack down on migrants crossing the Channel, amid government plans to make the route “unviable”. Sky News filmed on Saturday morning as another dinghy was intercepted by a Border Force patrol vessel, with there having already been record-breaking numbers of migrants arriving in the UK on small boats in

The national lockdown may have indirectly caused 16,000 excess deaths in two months, according to government analysts. The new report says a reluctance to attend A&E and difficulties accessing medical assistance likely meant that for every three deaths from coronavirus itself, a further two occurred because of the wider impact of the lockdown. The findings

Preston is the latest part of the UK to face a tightening of lockdown measures after rising coronavirus infection rates were reported in the city. The rolling seven-day rate of new cases of COVID-19 in the Lancashire city has risen from 20.3 per 100,000 people in the seven days to 27 July to 32.8 in

The UK could see record-breaking temperatures on Friday – with forecasters warning it could be the hottest day of the year so far. Temperatures are set to rise above 37C (98.6F) in London and the South East today, with the stifling heat expected to continue through Saturday and Sunday. It could be even hotter than

50 million face masks bought by the UK government will not be used in the NHS due to safety concerns. The personal protective equipment (PPE) ordered from Ayanda Capital have ear loops rather than head loops, and there are concerns over whether they are adequate. The Good Law Project and EveryDoctor, which are suing the

Former coronavirus hospital patients are being urged to donate plasma as part of a major trial. Research is being carried out to assess whether convalescent plasma donations can be transfused into patients who are struggling to develop their own immune response. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which is collecting the plasma for the trial, said

An official heatwave could hit the UK on Thursday, with some parts basking in temperatures hotter than top holiday destinations in the Caribbean. Temperatures are expected to soar to 37C (98.6F) by the end of the week, caused by hot air moving in from southern Europe. It means parts of the country will be basking