UK

Millions of women in England will soon be able to access free contraceptive pills by going to their local chemist without having to see a GP.   The new NHS plans start next month, and they will give women greater choice over where to get the pill and will free up appointments in under pressure

An amber warning for strong wind has been issued for northwest England and Northern Ireland as Storm Debi hits the UK. The Met Office said gusts of 70-80mph are possible on the coasts and on higher ground, and 55-65mph inland. The warning stretches from just north of Liverpool and covers most of Lancashire and areas

The King will lead a Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph today, just hours after protests sparked hundreds of arrests in London. The Metropolitan Police has been under pressure to prevent disruption at Remembrance events after tensions surrounding Saturday’s pro-Palestine march and counter-protests. The number of officers on duty in the capital is double the

The King is leading a Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph this morning, surrounded by thousands of veterans and members of the public. He joins the country in commemorating the end of the First World War and other conflicts involving British and Commonwealth forces. Almost 10,000 veterans and 800 armed forces personnel from all three

The Metropolitan Police has said it is “actively looking” for individuals pictured at Saturday’s pro-Palestinian march in London carrying antisemitic placards. Hundreds of thousands of people have been taking part in a march in the capital calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Palestinian militant group Hamas. While it has remained largely peaceful, images

King Charles will appear on the front of the Big Issue magazine, ahead of his 75th birthday, it has been revealed. His portrait was taken by renowned photographer Rankin, and will be available on Monday. In the magazine, the King talks about the importance of tackling food waste, adding he wants to use his birthday

Police investigating the disappearance of Justin Henry say they have recovered a body from the boot of a car. The 34-year-old had been reported missing on 16 October – and was last seen on CCTV at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Croydon late the night before. Police found a body in a red Nissan Almera car

A diabetes drug has been approved by a UK regulator to help obese and overweight adults lose weight. Patients with weight-related health problems – such as prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart problems – will have access to the drug Mounjaro privately after it was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory

A police commissioner has defended comments he made after two boys were killed in a bike crash in Cardiff. Harvey Evans and Kyrees Sullivan were riding an electric bike when it crashed on Snowden Road last May. Alun Michael gave an interview the following morning – and denied there had been a police chase in

Police support officers are guarding the Cenotaph in Rochdale after “Free Palestine” was painted across it ahead of Remembrance Sunday. It follows two incidents at the cenotaph, one on Monday and one today. It is understood the graffiti appeared on Tuesday afternoon. Two teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been charged with

Several vehicles travelling along a stretch of road in Caerphilly have been hit by “bricks and patio slabs” as police investigate a spate of incidents in recent weeks. Two drivers whose cars have been struck in the past month have spoken to Sky News, and there are several further reported incidents on social media. Gwent

Personal letters confiscated by Britain’s Royal Navy 265 years ago before they could reach French sailors during the Seven Years’ War have been read for the first time. Written between 1757 and 1758, the billet-doux (love letters) were meant for the crew onboard the Galatee, a French warship captured by the British. The wives, fiances,

The national living wage could rise to £11.46 an hour last year – well above what the government has announced. The minimum rate for adults over 23 is pegged to median hourly pay – and stronger-than-expected wage growth means April’s increase could exceed the £11 an hour recently suggested by the chancellor. Average weekly earnings

The King and Queen have begun a four-day state visit to Kenya, which could be eclipsed by calls for an apology over abuses during British colonial rule. The royal couple were welcomed by President William Ruto and the first lady at the State House in Nairobi. The King will deliver a significant speech at a

Police in West Yorkshire say they are investigating a serving officer over allegations he shared racist and misogynistic content in a WhatsApp group with colleagues. Sky News has seen evidence of the content and messages on a device that was handed to the force 18 months ago. The officer’s ex-wife said she understood that West

A Metropolitan Police firearms officer charged with the murder of Chris Kaba will be named publicly, a judge has ruled. The marksman, who had previously been known only as NX121, is facing trial at the Old Bailey over the shooting of 24-year-old Mr Kaba in Streatham Hill, south London. In a ruling at the Old

The COVID public inquiry is set to become explosive this week, with former Boris Johnson aide Dominic Cummings expected to dish the dirt on the former prime minister. The maverick former No 10 adviser, once Mr Johnson‘s closest ally but now his sworn enemy, heads a list of top former Downing Street insiders giving evidence

Police are being encouraged to double their use of retrospective facial recognition (RFR) software to track down offenders over the next six months. Policing minister Chris Philp has written to force chiefs suggesting the target of exceeding 200,000 searches of still images against the Police National Database using the technology by May. RFR allows authorities

Seasonal affective disorder – or SAD – is often dismissed as “winter blues” or “depression-lite” – actually it is a “major depressive disorder”. It is a nuanced and misunderstood mood disorder, Dr Laurence Wainwright, a psychiatry academic at Oxford University, tells Sky News. But because it comes and goes, it’s not taken seriously – even

A police officer was left with “serious bite injuries” after being attacked by a dog believed to be an XL bully. The Leicestershire Police officer was called to a property in Ibstock, near Coalville, in search of a wanted man at around 4.40pm on Thursday, the force said. He and another male officer attended the