Gloucestershire County Council is set to receive £112.2m from the government to cover 90% of its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) deficit, which currently stands at £125m. While the funding has been welcomed, local charities and officials emphasize that further systemic reforms and investments are necessary to ensure long-term sustainability and better support for families.
Summary headline: Gloucestershire to receive over £100m from government to cover SEND deficit
A man in his 50s is in a critical condition in hospital after his car left the road in Allerton Bywater on Wednesday night following what police believe was a medical episode.
Summary headline: Driver in critical condition following Allerton Bywater crash
Abusali Rahman, a 37-year-old former supply teacher from Salford, has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to 21 offences, including taking indecent photographs of children, distributing obscene material, and upskirting. Operating across Greater Manchester secondary schools, Rahman secretly photographed pupils using a concealed phone and used artificial intelligence to create sexualised fake images from their social media profiles, which he shared online. He was caught after a parent discovered an image of her daughter on X. In addition to his custodial sentence, Rahman was placed on the sex offenders register and subjected to a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Summary headline: Teacher Abusali Rahman jailed for six years for upskirting and AI image offences against pupils
A senior police officer appointed to scrutinise the Omagh bombing investigation has told an inquiry that proper adherence to procedures and linking previous attacks could have given a 'fair chance' of preventing the 1998 bombing. Merseyside DCC Michael Tonge QPM highlighted significant issues with untrained staff, data system misuse, and failure to connect a pattern of dissident republican attacks. Additionally, former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan gave evidence regarding a previously unseen warning note and past police responses.
Summary headline: Omagh bombing inquiry told there was a fair chance the attack could have been prevented
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has contacted the Green Party of England and Wales to request further information regarding a controversial 'Zionism is racism' motion passed at its conference. The watchdog received complaints alleging potential breaches of the Equality Act 2010 and concerns that Jewish people could face discrimination. In response, the Green Party stated it will not discriminate against those holding Zionist views and remains committed to tackling antisemitism.
Summary headline: Equality watchdog writes to Green Party over 'Zionism is racism' motion
New uniform rules in Azerbaijan enforcing secularism in education have led to rare protests after female pupils wearing hijabs were turned away from state schools. The ban has resulted in dozens of detentions, social media restrictions, and a diplomatic row with Turkey, whose officials criticized the restrictions, prompting a sharp rebuke from Baku. Additionally, tensions were highlighted when various delegations walked out during a speech by Israel's President at a regional security summit in Baku.
The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA) is seeking a new chief executive with a salary of up to £170,000 to replace interim boss Alan Menzies. The successful candidate will act as the principal strategic adviser to Reform UK's elected mayor, Luke Campbell, and the executive board, managing public transport, job creation, and business development.
Summary headline: Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority advertises for new chief executive with £170,000 salary
Robin Holmes, a 70-year-old man from Grimsby, has been sentenced to eight years in prison at Grimsby Crown Court after pleading guilty to offences including sexual communication with a child and causing a child to watch a sexual act. Holmes used Snapchat to target someone he believed to be a 12-year-old boy. The offences occurred shortly after his release from prison in December 2025 for breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
Summary headline: Grimsby man jailed for eight years over sexual messages to child decoy
Wychavon District Council has dismissed social media misinformation regarding the future of the derelict Riverside shopping centre in Evesham, insisting that no final decisions have been made on the redevelopment mix. The centre, built in 1988 and largely deserted, is scheduled for demolition starting in spring, taking up to 18 months. The council plans to redevelop the site with retail, leisure, and housing, and has promised that residents will have the opportunity to shape detailed proposals when they are ready.
Summary headline: Council quashes online rumours regarding Evesham's Riverside shopping centre redevelopment
A domestic abuse charity in Wallasey has expressed support for a new specialist women's court in Merseyside, designed to offer a supportive alternative to prison and help break the cycle of offending by addressing underlying issues such as heavy drinking and mental health difficulties.
Summary headline: Wirral domestic abuse charity supports new specialist women's court in Merseyside
A jack-knifed lorry has caused the closure of the southbound A38 in Derbyshire between Little Eaton and Palm Court. Derbyshire Police stated that the route will remain closed for some time and advised motorists to avoid the area and seek alternative routes.
Summary headline: Jack-knifed lorry closes stretch of A38 in Derbyshire
Deepak Sandhu, a 24-year-old university dropout and thief, has been found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering 39-year-old Xiaoqing Ke in a brutal revenge attack at an Airbnb in Old Brompton Road, Earl's Court. The relationship deteriorated after Ke discovered Sandhu had stolen £500 from her, demanded her money back, and rejected him. Sandhu purchased knives, travelled to her flat on 10 December, and killed her before attempting to flee the country. He was arrested on a coach heading for Birmingham airport and remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.
Summary headline: Man found guilty of murdering woman in Earl's Court flat after she discovered he stole from her
Two men have been arrested by Surrey Police following ram-raids on Cobham High Street, where a car was driven into businesses and a till was stolen. Officers intercepted the suspects' vehicle on Wednesday night, and the police investigation remains ongoing.
Summary headline: Two men arrested following ram-raids on Cobham High Street in Surrey
A university student, Zack Coughlan, is on trial at Bristol Crown Court accused of murdering his housemate, Jamie Collins, by stabbing him 30 times in a planned ambush. The court heard that Coughlan searched terms including 'what does corpse look like' on his phone, admitted responsibility for the attack while claiming he feared for his life, and carried on with normal activities such as playing video games before calling the police hours later.
Summary headline: Bristol student on trial searched 'what does corpse look like' after fatal stabbing
Scotland's prison watchdog has warned that recent water supply disruptions at HMP Barlinnie are a symptom of an ageing and inadequate estate. Inmates at the country's largest jail have experienced issues with flushing toilets and intermittent access to hot water for seven days, exacerbated by severe overcrowding. The Scottish Prison Service stated that repair work is ongoing and contingency measures, such as bottled water and mobile water tanks, have been implemented.
Summary headline: Water supply issues at HMP Barlinnie highlight ageing prison estate problems
Der Bundestag hat neue Regelungen für Pässe und Ausweise beschlossen, wodurch ab Januar 2027 der Personalausweis digital in der App "d-you" auf dem Smartphone hinterlegt werden kann. Zudem sollen ältere Menschen ab 70 Jahren ihren Ausweis nach Ablauf nicht mehr erneuern müssen, und bei Umzügen entfällt künftig die Ummeldung des Wohnortes im Reisepass.
Summary headline: Bundestag beschließt gesetzliche Grundlage für Personalausweis auf dem Smartphone
US-Präsident Donald Trump hat die geplante Liveübertragung der Hinrichtung des verurteilten Attentäters Nidal Hasan nach massivem öffentlichen Druck abgesagt. Die zuvor von Verteidigungsminister Pete Hegseth angekündigte Übertragung hatte weltweit für Empörung und Kritik gesorgt. Hasan soll nun am 3. Dezember wie vorgesehen durch ein Erschießungskommando hingerichtet werden, jedoch ohne öffentliche Übertragung.
Summary headline: Trump sagt Livestream zu geplanter Hinrichtung ab
A severe drought has been declared for the first time in parts of southern England following months of dry weather, affecting roughly 30 million people who are currently under hosepipe bans. Most of England and all of Wales are experiencing drought conditions after record-hot summers, impacting rivers, crops, and reservoir levels which currently average just over half full.
Summary headline: Severe drought and hosepipe bans implemented across parts of England and Wales
Cleveland Police have arrested 50 people as part of an organised crime investigation following a fatal head-on crash on the A66 on Teesside that killed seven people, including two police officers. Weapons, drugs worth £60,000, and over £30,000 in cash have been seized, and 15 people have been charged with various offences.
Summary headline: Fifty arrests made in organised crime probe following fatal A66 crash
Sussex Police are investigating a reported hate crime after an actor from Chichester Festival Theatre was subjected to homophobic abuse and physically pursued through Chichester. The incident led to the cancellation of Tuesday's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Summary headline: Police investigate homophobic abuse after Chichester Festival Theatre show cancelled
