Walliams books pulled from London shelves after failed bid to block sex claims

Camden removes books from display as academy trusts withdraw titles and school leaders seek government guidance; the author denies the allegations.

Defra authorises water abstraction controls in southern and eastern England

Officials stress leakage reduction and sustainable management as prolonged below-average rainfall prompts emergency measures

Microsoft blames network upgrade fault for global outage hitting NHS and police

Police lost online crime reporting and health staff used paper records as the company restored services gradually and ruled out a cyberattack

Tesco’s half-price Christmas trees could be ‘sagging by Christmas Day’, grower warns

Mick Walker recommends waiting until a week before Christmas Eve, while Tesco says its care instructions should keep trees looking their best until Christmas Day.

Probation officers reject 5% pay rise and back overtime ban as early releases pile on pressure

Napo warns of a service already in crisis as thousands of prisoners are freed early; ministers promise 1,300 extra officers and plans to maintain supervision.

Westminster recovers 13 council homes illegally sublet or left empty

Homes in Mayfair and Soho were among those recovered as London boroughs confront rising pressure from temporary accommodation costs

Conservatives agree payout for unauthorised Burnham ‘bottler’ portrait

Stanley Chow threatened legal action over the conference giveaway; the party is understood to have agreed a £1,000 image fee plus a contribution towards legal costs

King jokes with Croydon traders as market marks 750 years

Surrey Street Market celebrated 750 years of trading, while an earlier BRIT School visit showcased students’ fashion and musical performances

Former roads minister Guy Opperman banned for six months after repeated speeding

Magistrates reject his childcare hardship plea after a 25mph offence in a 20mph zone takes his penalty points to 12

DWP proposes health benefit reforms as long-term sickness claims rise

Plans combine stronger employment support for people with chronic conditions with targeted financial protection for vulnerable households

US halts all airport departures as radar and radio failures cripple air traffic control

All 22 regional control centres affected as officials report no sign of a cyberattack; investigators will examine a newly expanded AI system, but there is no evidence linking it to the failure.

$5bn in Nvidia chips, apparently no engineers: scrutinise Megaspeed

Reporters found a tiny Malaysian storefront and two Singapore employees unable to explain the business. An alleged presidential warning adds a question of accountability.

US flights grounded as communication problem hits all air traffic control centres

Transport secretary says all control centres are affected as the aviation authority cites safety reasons for a nationwide ground stop

Greenwich issued £741,461 in penalties at yellow box ruled too large

A three-second stop prompted a six-month appeal, while the council says enforcement protects emergency access and denies a revenue motive

Tesla to wind down Cybertruck production after weak sales and recalls

Musk turns towards CyberCab taxis after sales fall far short of his original manufacturing ambitions

Piddington threatens legal challenge after asylum base wins planning approval

The Oxfordshire site could accommodate more than 1,200 detained asylum seekers, though ministers have yet to decide whether to proceed

Microsoft’s cloud outage exposes the cost of Britain’s dependence

A cascading cloud failure can disable unrelated services together. Backups offer little protection if they share the same dependencies.

A $100bn founder does not fall simply because he broke an HR rule

A ban on affairs with direct reports may be strict. Enforcing it against an industry-defining boss is a different calculation.

Just when you think these can't get any better, someone drops Jensen: Gangnam Style

British businesses face rising export costs and supply chain pressures, ONS finds

The ONS Business Insights and Conditions Survey finds a significant proportion of trading businesses facing higher export costs and supply chain difficulties amid persistent international logistics disruption and changing trade barriers.

Five universities launch UK Quantum SuperConnector to bring research to market

The UK Quantum SuperConnector brings together five leading British universities to help domestic quantum research move towards commercial use and market readiness.

Betfred will not renew sponsorship of all five British Classics, citing tax rises

The bookmaker says successive Treasury increases in remote gaming and betting duties have put financial pressure on its title sponsorship of the 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks and St Leger.

HMS Prince of Wales arrives in Oslo for security talks after strike drone milestone

The Royal Navy flagship’s visit for talks on northern European defence and security follows a fortnight of operations that included the first launch of strike drones from a British aircraft carrier at sea.

Bank of England raises Bank Rate to 4% as energy prices increase

The Monetary Policy Committee voted for a quarter-point increase, citing a further substantial rise in international energy prices driven by the Middle East conflict, with consumer price inflation projected to approach 5% by the middle of next year.

High Court orders greater disclosure on government AI contracts

Departments must provide greater transparency about suppliers and disclose algorithmic impact assessments for public-sector artificial intelligence contracts.

Home Office expands digital border checks and electronic travel authorisation

Digital pre-clearance and biometric checks have been introduced at all major British international airports and ferry ports to strengthen immigration tracking and border security.

ONS reports modest retail growth and stable consumer confidence ahead of winter

October retail volumes remained resilient across the UK, supported by steady household spending and a slight easing in food price inflation, Office for National Statistics indicators show.

Welsh Government launches funding programme to upgrade South Wales rail links

Transport ministers in Cardiff announced a significant capital funding package intended to shorten commuter journeys and support industrial regeneration through better connections between Swansea, Cardiff and Newport.

Home Office extends electronic travel authorisations for visitors to the UK

The latest phase of the UK's digital border programme extends mandatory authorisation requirements to all arrivals who do not need a visa, with the aim of strengthening immigration enforcement and security screening at major airports.

Scottish Government announces emergency housing investment to tackle urban homelessness

First Minister John Swinney announced capital funding to accelerate social housing construction and refurbish vacant properties in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee as Scottish councils face severe homelessness pressures.

Northern Ireland Executive reaches cross-party agreement on public sector pay and budgets

Stormont leaders finalised a comprehensive fiscal agreement in Belfast, settling longstanding pay disputes and restoring normal budgetary operations across Northern Ireland's health, education and transport departments.

Carmakers commit fresh investment to West Midlands electric vehicle supply chain

Major global carmakers confirmed capital commitments to retool factories in Birmingham and Coventry, securing thousands of skilled engineering jobs and expanding battery cell production across the English Midlands.

Ed Miliband approves major North Sea wind farm off Aberdeen

The development forms part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's clean energy strategy, which aims to power millions of British homes and accelerate the decarbonisation of national infrastructure.