UK2.XYZ NEWS

'Overcrowded' and 'set up to fail': Freed prisoners react to early release scheme

Offenders speak to the BBC as the first wave of early releases see hundreds of prisoners freed.

Burglar who killed pensioner whose house he was raiding jailed

A burglar who killed a pensioner as he tried to protect his 91-year-old wife has been jailed for 18 years.

Scottish Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal freed on bail after nine years in Indian prison

The Sikh activist from Dumbarton was arrested in 2017 in connection with alleged terror offences.

Burnham's Man City comments 'completely out of touch', Tories say

The prime minister said he would be "really concerned" if the club's owners sell up after Premier League rule breaches.

Sophie Lancaster's 'feral' killer to be freed as last-ditch attempt to block release fails

Sophie Lancaster’s killer Brendan Harris is set for release after an appeal to block his parole failed, despite him denying he personally hit her

Tennessee halts executions after death row inmate Christa Pike survives hers

Christa Pike was transported to hospital after the failed attempts. Her condition remains unknown.

Netanyahu says Flydubai flight attacker 'underwent Islamist radical indoctrination'

Israel's prime minister says the pilot who tried to take over the Flydubai plane clearly intended to "down the plane".

Man City to argue sponsorship deals came from Abu Dhabi government

Manchester City's appeal against the Premier League's verdict hinges on the club's claim that its sponsorship deals came from the Abu Dhabi government.

Man City to argue sponsorship deals came from Abu Dhabi government

Manchester City's appeal against the Premier League's verdict hinges on the club's claim that its sponsorship deals came from the Abu Dhabi government.

Lib Dem MPs criticise Davey over pension triple lock response

Sir Ed questioned the PM's plans to change the triple lock, telling the BBC removing it "would put more pensioners into poverty".

Hundreds of criminals start leaving prison under new early release scheme

Around 4,500 inmates are expected to be released early by June 2027 under a scheme designed to stop prisons becoming full.

Who is the 'hero' Indian pilot who was stabbed on Israel-bound flight?

Capt Smit Machchhar was attacked by another pilot onboard the Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv.

Donald Trump’s trade secretary just lowered the bar for publicly kissing his big ass and the internet nearly died of second hand shame

There’s nothing in America that can’t be achieved with the right amount of hard work. As long as all of that hard work is focused directly on slinging third grade teacher-level praise at the President. Donald Trump’s hand-picked Secretary of Commerce leads the pack when it comes to heaping compliments on his dear leader. Howard […]

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Injured O'Reilly withdraws from England squad

Nico O'Reilly withdraws from the England squad for their final two Nations League games of the international break because of injury.

Russia targets busy bridge in central Kyiv

The Pivdennyi bridge came under fire as a metro train was travelling across - the first such attack on Kyiv's bridges.

Richard Keys tried to take revenge on Liam Gallagher over the Man City fallout but the joke was still very much on him

It’s the only sports story in town right now as Manchester City wait to find out just how severe a punishment they will face after being found guilty of a mountain of serious financial breaches. One person who was keen to tell everyone how he wasn’t surprised was Richard Keys, who older readers might remember […]

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Russian dissident Garry Kasparov says US warned him of danger to his life

"My family and I will not truly be safe as long as Putin is in power," says the former chess world champion.

Flydubai passenger describes hugging his children as plane nosedived during attack

Adam Polovincik tells the BBC he told his young children "everything is going to be all right" as flight plunged more than 17,000ft (5,200m).

Elon Musk claimed that AI will make us all rich and got dragged to the bank and back in the replies – 17 withering takedowns

Of all the condescendingly idiotic things Elon Musk has said over the years, this might be the most mortifying. Musk was at the White House alongside the other geekiest, and richest, minds in tech to draft a plan for policing artificial intelligence. After putting together a typo-filled, “morally” binding “constitution” for AI, Musk and Trump […]

The post Elon Musk claimed that AI will make us all rich and got dragged to the bank and back in the replies – 17 withering takedowns appeared first on The Poke.

Man, 92, admits manslaughter of his wife

A 92-year-old man has admitted to killing his wife.

Seventeen people rescued after fishing boat runs aground

Seventeen people have been airlifted to safety after a fishing boat ran aground off the coast of Orkney.

UK on track for one of the warmest years on record after warm September

September was the fourth warmest year on record in the UK according to the Met Office and whilst overall rainfall was average there were large regional variations.

FIFA looks at US for new women's Club World Cup

FIFA is looking to stage another major event in the US, with plans advancing for the launch of the women's Club World Cup despite the leadership crisis around Gianni Infantino, Sky News understands.

Body of baby girl found in Wales may have been in the water for weeks, police say

The body of the baby found near Siliwen Road, Bangor, was a girl, a post-mortem examination reveals.

What happened in failed execution of Christa Pike - and what next?

The convicted killer is in hospital in Tennessee after surviving two lethal injections, in a case that has raised many questions.

England call up Crane and rest Archer for Pakistan series

Leg-spinner Mason Crane has the chance to play for England for the first time in eight years after being recalled for the one-day international tri-series in Pakistan.

Driver killed in train crash 'sped up after red signal'

A train driver killed in a crash acknowledged a red signal but continued to speed up as he passed it, according to investigators.

Baby's body found on shoreline may have been in water for weeks

A baby girl whose body was found on a shoreline in North Wales may have been in the water for weeks, police have said.

Travelodge 'fundamentally failed' woman sexually assaulted in hotel room

A woman who was assaulted at a Travelodge when a man was given a key card to her room was treated in a "disgraceful" way by the hotel chain, an independent review found.

Briton jailed in India for nine years released on bail, rights group says

A British man who has been detained in India for nearly nine years without conviction has been released on bail, according to human rights organisation Reprieve.

Watch: Why are students protesting at schools in France?

The BBC's Hugh Schofield is in Paris as a wave of school protests over overcrowded classes and teacher shortages spreads across France.

Tourette's campaigner Davidson asks to watch Scottish Baftas via video link after racial slur row

John Davidson, whose condition includes involuntary tics, shouted a racial slur during the Bafta Film Awards in February.

'Buzzing' inmates freed early from prison say ‘thank you Andy Burnham’

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been thanked by some prisoners who have been released from jail early today, a decision made by the government due to overcrowding in prisons

Naomi Campbell wins appeal over charity ban

A tribunal rules that the model was unaware of misconduct at her charity Fashion for Relief.

Travelodge failed sex assault victim 'at every stage', review finds

Room intrusions were still being reported at one-in-10 Travelodge hotels this summer, a review finds.

Space firm granted licence to launch rockets from UK

A German rocket firm has been granted a launch licence by UK regulators - and it plans to blast off from the Shetland Islands early next year.

Trump's AI rebrand causes 'unprecedented' demand for Slovenian website names

The president wants AI to be called super intelligence - or SI - the same initials used by Slovenian domains.

‘What’s an obscure item you own that 99.9% of the population does not have?’ – 22 weird and wonderful possessions

We live in a world of rampant consumerism, which means that the vast majority of our possessions are exactly the same as everyone else’s. Yes, it’s a bit embarrassing when you realise your friends’ houses are cookie-cutter versions of yours because they kitted out the whole place from IKEA too. But, very occasionally we end […]

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Nine scandals that rocked the sporting world

Manchester City are far from the first. The lure of glory and riches on the biggest stages have tempted plenty of other sports stars to break the rules.

Teacher who tied boy, 9, to bed and called husband's name during sex act is jailed

WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: Former prep school teacher Deborah Franklin, 65, has been jailed at St Albans Crown Court for seven years after being found guilty of gross indecency against a boy she tutored

Why penalty for Williamson handball was correct call

Arsenal defender Leah Williamson was at the heart of a bizarre incident in their Women's Champions League draw with Paris FC.

This looks like George Osborne has just found out how the triple lock works, 16 years after he launched it

The former political opponents Ed Balls and George Osborne now have a podcast together, named Political Currency. The two former chancellors don’t solely talk about finance, but it’s often at the heart of their discussions, and their recent dissection of Andy Burnham’s conference performance included their take on his remarks about changing the pensions triple […]

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Prep school teacher jailed for gross indecency against boy she tutored

A former prep school teacher has been jailed for seven years after being found guilty of gross indecency against a boy she tutored.

Russell says his 'confidence is back and growing'

George Russell says he "doesn't feel lost any more" as he seeks to end a difficult season on a high and chase down team-mate Kimi Antonelli's championship lead.

People shared the ‘craziest thing’ their spouse has ever done and these 14 range from adorably unhinged to utterly bonkers

Ah, marriage, the sacred bond where two people vow to love and honor each other until they eventually drive each other completely insane. We say this after one of the good folk over on Reddit asked married folks to dish on their spouses. And let’s just say people did not hold back. ‘Married people of […]

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What role would you play in the Traitors castle? Take our quiz to find out

Navigate the early stages of the series with our interactive

Train sped up past red signal before fatal crash

Investigators say the train accelerated after passing a red signal that was not normally active.

More than a third of UK business owners fell into entrepreneurship by accident, according to a poll

A study of 1,000 business owners found 35% hadn't planned to run a business, while 62% had no previous business experience when they started out

An influencer told Chat GPT she was deleting the app and its brain-melting response is a hideous snapshot of where we find ourselves now

Like us you might not be familiar with influencer Alexandra Cross but no matter because you will be perfectly well acquainted with the world of Chat GPT. And that is what brings us here right now after Cross went viral – wildly viral – after she told Chat she was deleting the app. And it […]

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Mum's 'nightmare' as neighbour demolishes his semi-detached home without proper permission

Shivarna Mitra saved up for years to put a deposit down on her three-bed home in Pudsey, Leeds, but claims her house has now been left riddled with problems and 'unsellable'

Some flag-waving patriots had a get-together in the woods and as a vision of Farage’s Britain it’s hard to beat

If you go down to the woods today you’re sure for an unpleasant surprise. Because a bunch of flag-waving patriots have got there before you for what appears to be a bit of a get-together with like minded folk. And as a vision of Farage’s Britain – or something like it – it is surely […]

The post Some flag-waving patriots had a get-together in the woods and as a vision of Farage’s Britain it’s hard to beat appeared first on The Poke.

Pete Hegseth just declared the American military a ‘woke free zone’ and of all the funny replies this one hit hardest

It’s mission accomplished for Donald Trump’s secretary of defence, sorry, secretary of war Pete Hegseth. No, nothing to do with the absolute clusterfuck that is the war on Iran, but something much closer to Hegseth’s tiny heart – the war on woke. Hegseth: "It's worth saying again so the fake news understands it. We are […]

The post Pete Hegseth just declared the American military a ‘woke free zone’ and of all the funny replies this one hit hardest appeared first on The Poke.

How much do you know about the celeb Traitors line-up? Take our fiendishly tricky quiz to find out....

Think you're a Traitors super-fan? Then prove it by showing you know these little known facts about this series' crop of stars. Why not take on your mates to see who can score highest?

GB News’ Tom Harwood was wanging on about plastic bottle tops again, but sympathy was thin on the ground – 18 of the juiciest replies

We’re not exactly sure at what point tethered bottle tops became a central battleground in the modern culture wars, but here we are. For months now, commentators on the right have been directing their absolute fury toward these eco-friendly lids, though few have framed the issue as a personal safety hazard quite like GB News […]

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Kate Garraway burst Suella Braverman’s hypocritical migration bubble in four words flat and it was just magnificent

To ITV’s Good Morning Britain now, where Reform UK-er and Tory turncoat Suella Braverman was in the studio to big up her memoirs about growing up in Thatcher’s Britain and rising up the ranks to be a minister in one of the least effective governments in living memory. And during this particular exchange she looked […]

The post Kate Garraway burst Suella Braverman’s hypocritical migration bubble in four words flat and it was just magnificent appeared first on The Poke.

Moment Esther Rantzen surprises Nicholas Winton with children he saved

One of her most memorable career moments came during one particular episode in 1988 - the footage of which has gone viral several times over in recent years.

Major high street giant Boots in '£7 billion sale deal talks' with ex-Selfridges owner

High street giant Boots is reportedly close to be sold in a huge £7 billion deal to the Canadian arm of the Weston family, who use to own department store Selfridges

Ranking the best British football exports this century

From David Beckham and Gareth Bale to Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who are the best British exports this century?

Pete Hegseth is creating the Office of Religious Affairs, and the US Constitution would like a quiet word – 21 alarmed responses

We cross now to the United States, where Pete Hegseth, the self-styled Secretary of War, has been making a fool of himself and the country with some grade A macho BS. He took some of the military on a run …with flags. We are a ridiculous country. https://t.co/vxqt230J6v — S.V. Dáte (@svdate) September 30, 2026 […]

The post Pete Hegseth is creating the Office of Religious Affairs, and the US Constitution would like a quiet word – 21 alarmed responses appeared first on The Poke.

Mum says a school worker called her a 'nutter' and accused her dog's breed of 'killing babies'

Teresa Clive, 36, describes a "scary" dog lead dispute with a school worker in Greenwich Park, who allegedly called her dog Storm an XL Bully and warned children about "murder dogs'"

This American mocked Brits for saying ‘washing-up liquid’ and these 18 comebacks will make you proud to be British

We feature no end of transatlantic confusion – and sometimes just plain old conflict – on these pages, but this one really is a classic of the genre. It’s a tweet that went viral – so very viral – a little while back about Brits’ penchant for saying ‘washing up liquid’ rather than – stand […]

The post This American mocked Brits for saying ‘washing-up liquid’ and these 18 comebacks will make you proud to be British appeared first on The Poke.

Prince William's true feelings about Meghan Markle summed up in two brutal words

Prince Harry is back in the UK but his older brother, Prince William, is said to be keen to "avoid" drama over the return of the Sussex family

Donald Trump unveiled a new and utterly baffling way of standing, sending the internet into a hilarious frenzy of speculation – 18 funniest reactions

We’ve grown used to the unusal stances of Donald Trump. Not political stances – we’ll never get used to the idea that five-year-olds should go hungry because Doge cut their food stamps, while every raised surface in Washington DC needs to be plastered in gold leaf. No, the stance we’ve accepted is this weird tilt […]

The post Donald Trump unveiled a new and utterly baffling way of standing, sending the internet into a hilarious frenzy of speculation – 18 funniest reactions appeared first on The Poke.

'I love the sheep and the people' - Knitters flock to Shetland's wool week

The annual event is marking its 17th year and draws visitors from all over the world.

Veteran broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen has died at the age of 86, sending this incredibly moving moment of TV history viral again

Dame Esther Rantzen has died at the age of 86, almost six decades after beginning a career in broadcasting that would see her become a household name. Broadcaster and campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen has died at the age of 86. Her family said in a statement she was the “most wonderful mother” and “cherished grandmother” […]

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OAP arrested after police find suspicious items at Somerset property and evacuate 153 homes

A 100m police cordon has been set up overnight in Worle, near Weston-super-Mare, following the discovery of suspicious substances and items at a property in Somerset

'I'm very shocked' - College students react to Cornell University rape investigation

The BBC asked students in Washington about the allegations from a woman who says she was raped at a fraternity house in 2024.

China has cracked down on AI relationships. Is it ahead of the game?

Beijing has cracked down on AI chatbots that can replicate human relationships. Experts are asking if this is the right thing to do.

UK weather maps show -1C Arctic blast to hit Britain after Polar Vortex forecast

Bitterly cold weather could be just days away, with forecast models suggesting temperatures will dip below 10C across every part of the UK at some point in October

Boy, 8, dies after being kicked by horse at UK stables in tragic accident

Louie Isaac Webster, 8, from Wigan, was pronounced dead at Alder Hey Children's Hospital after being kicked in the head by a horse at a Warrington livery stables — a coroner recorded a conclusion of accidental death

China spies target 100 UK academics to get hands on James Bond-style secret tech

China is looking at real-life Q's to get hands on 007-style tech after eggheads were given research cash by an organisation the British security service says is a front for Beijing’s intelligence agency

Andy Burnham vows 'honesty' over funding costs of National Care Service

The PM promised to “say where that money is coming from” for the free-at-the-point-of-use service, leaving the door open to tax rises

Teenager admits trying to have sex with Shetland pony named Cheeky

WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: Thomas Mikaelson, 19, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday (September 30), to attempting to allow sexual penetration by a living animal as he was photographed outside court

Three teens who died when car plunged into River Wear pictured for first time

The three youngsters were in a car that came off the road, and plunged into the River Wear in Sunderland yesterday afternoon

Andy Burnham says 'strong indications Iran played a part' in suspected RAF Fairford plot

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there is “strong indications” Iran played a part in a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford as he responds to Trump's comments

Police probe spikings amid claims 'university rugby players plotted to target freshers'

Officers toured 20 University of Bath Freshers' Week events to reassure students after a WhatsApp message warning spikers were 'on the prowl' was circulated around the campus

First murder probe on tiny Channel Island since WW2 as woman found in water

The body of mother-of-two Hannah Benfield, nee Cox, was discovered in the sea at the base of cliffs on the western end of Alderney early on Monday

Precise moment 'fashionably late' becomes plain rude - what time is unacceptable

A poll of fed-up folk found arriving 15 minutes behind schedule is still considered socially acceptable but get near the half hour mark and you're in trouble

Sue Johnston, 82, launches 'Age Intelligence' to rival AI

The Brookside actress has unveiled a very different kind of AI and wants you to put it the test by submitting the queries they would normally go to a digital chatbot with

Millions battered as energy prices set to soar towards £2,000 when costs jump tomorrow

Over four million people will see a 4% energy bill rise on Thursday, which adds £60-a-year to the typical bill - taking it to £1,723 - just as the cooler weather sees millions crank up their heating

Limited-edition Traitors doughnut launches at Krispy Kreme before big show

The new special edition doughnuts are inspired by the smash-hit TV show - one a faithful and the other is a little traitorous

All the crazy Labour conference merch revealed - including sell-out Andy Burnham mug

Labour delegates went wild for crazy conference swag in Liverpool - and one £10 Andy Burnham item triggered an absolute buying frenzy before teatime

Donald Trump had big tech’s biggest names sign an AI ‘Constitution’ but the document had one glaring mistake – 17 super intelligent shutdowns

For anyone worried about the creepily encroaching artificial intelligence takeover, have no fear, Donald Trump is here to save the day. While he’s not busy renaming AI to SI (that’s “super intelligence” for all of you luddites out there) and launching ruthlessly honest chatbots, the President of the United States is penning contracts to keep […]

The post Donald Trump had big tech’s biggest names sign an AI ‘Constitution’ but the document had one glaring mistake – 17 super intelligent shutdowns appeared first on The Poke.

Russell Crowe’s no-nonsense way of dealing with autograph hunters was already good but the final payoff was absolute Maximus

Hard to believe we know but no-one’s ever asked for our autograph but you can imagine it might get a little tiresome of you were someone of the stature of, say, Russell Crowe. And we mention the great man because of this particular clip of the star dealing with autograph hunters that has just gone […]

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Someone asked about things that are ‘basically on life support and we don’t realise it yet’ – 21 everyday features we’re about to lose

The world around us changes at such a breakneck pace that things that we thought would be with us long term are suddenly redundant. Just ask anyone with multiple shelves of unwatched DVDs still cluttering up their living room. So can we predict what’s next for the chop? They’ve been discussing this on the AskReddit […]

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Donald Trump tried to brag about how he doesn’t take a salary and the internet buried him in a pile of receipts

Of all the things that didn’t happen, Donald Trump not making any money as President of the United States didn’t happen the most. And yet he keeps insisting that everyone sing his praises for not taking a salary during his current term. Here he is bragging to a room full of hostages (probably?) that he […]

The post Donald Trump tried to brag about how he doesn’t take a salary and the internet buried him in a pile of receipts appeared first on The Poke.

Prince Harry's real reason for UK return revealed by Earl Spencer in frank interview

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK in August 2026, and the Duke's uncle Earl Spencer has shared his thoughts on the move in a new interview while promoting his book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister

This young lad’s show-and-tell rock-out is still one of the most joyous things on the internet

Back in 2021, when we seem to remember there being an awful lot of misery in the world for some reason, one thing that brought a brief light into the gloom was this absolutely brilliant viral video of a small boy’s moment in the classroom spotlight. @britaincovey Teacher didn’t know how to react 😂 ♬ […]

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Breast Cancer Scandal: Exposing the Harm

BBC Health correspondent Sharon Barbour investigates a deepening breast cancer scandal.

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