Exposure to air pollution is linked to an increased risk of hospital admission for mental illness, according to the most comprehensive study of its kind. The research, involving more than 200,000 people in Scotland, found an increase in exposure to nitrogen dioxide in particular was associated with a higher number of people being admitted to hospital for behaviour disorders and mental illnesses.more

The government and regulators have broken the law by being too lenient on water companies that spill sewage, the UK's environment watchdog has found. The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) said sewage releases should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances, such as during unusually heavy rainfall, but that "this has not always been the case".more

British media are reporting that one of US President-elect Donald Trump's closest associates and also one of the world's richest people Elon Musk is to financially support Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. The alleged donation is reported in the ‘Financial Times’ and the ‘Daily Telegraph’, among others.more

The average price of a UK property coming to the market is down 1.7% this month, or the equivalent of £6,395, with data showing that the typical cost of a home has fallen to £360,197.more

A UK ticket-holder has become the third biggest National Lottery winner of all time after receiving a £177m jackpot. The single ticket-holder, who has chosen to remain anonymous, came forward to claim the EuroMillions jackpot after the draw on Tuesday 26 November.more

The Duke of York will not join the rest of the Royal Family for the traditional Christmas gathering in Sandringham, royal sources have told the BBC. It is expected that Prince Andrew will "honourably withdraw" from Royal Family events at Christmas to avoid being a distraction.more

Kentish Town Tube station is due to reopen on 23 December - before closing early the next day for Christmas. Originally due to reopen in June 2024 following repairs to what Transport for London (TfL) labelled "the most unreliable" escalators on the network, the date was pushed back twice due to degrading concrete in the ceiling and floor.more

The European Commission is taking the British government to court over alleged violations of the rights of EU citizens in the UK, a decision that ​casts a cloud over Keir Starmer’s attempted post-Brexit reset.more

December is flying by in a flash with Christmas Day now just around the corner. Those of us who cannot get enough of the festive feeling could well be dreaming of snow at Christmas, but just how likely is it and what is the definition of a white Christmas?more

A London court today sentenced to 33 and 40 years in prison the father and stepmother of slain 2023. 10-year-old Sarah Sharif. Last week, a jury ruled that the couple were guilty of murdering and cruelly treating the girl from the man's first marriage.more

The UK today imposed sanctions on 20 oil tankers that were illegally carrying Russian petroleum products, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced. He added that his government would provide £35 million (US$44 million) to Ukraine to repair its energy infrastructure, which has been targeted by Russian attacks.more

Pubs and bars across the UK have begun running out of Guinness as demand for the alcoholic beverage continues to soar. Diageo is an alcohol company in charge of big name brands including Baileys, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Guinness.more

UK King Charles III will visit Poland in January, British media reported yesterday. The monarch is to take part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Red Army's entry into the former German concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.more

A British court yesterday handed down a guilty verdict against a woman who doused the leader of the right-wing populist Reform UK party Nigel Farage with a milkshake during the election campaign. The sentence includes a 13-week suspended prison sentence, community service and payment of £150 in compensation.more

Thirteen vapes are thrown away every second in the UK – more than a million a day – leading to an “environmental nightmare”, according to research.more

When something is used as heavily and frequently as the Tube, people aren’t going to be shy about their opinions and, in this instance, will form a heavy, unshakeable alliance with their favourite line. Some of us with more spare time might have even spent time crafting the perfect argument on why our chosen train route beats out any of the others.more

Drivers are being urged not to travel on major routes for six hours on Friday and Saturday, with record levels of Christmas holiday traffic expected to cause long queues on Britain’s roads.more

The sale of Royal Mail's parent company to a Czech billionaire has been cleared by the government. The £3.6bn takeover by Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group has been given the go-ahead after agreeing "legally binding" undertakings.more

One in four babies born in NHS hospitals in England last year were delivered by caesarean section, official figures show. The gradual increase in the number of caesarean births over the past decade is due to a growing number of complex pregnancies and births, caused by factors including rising obesity rates and women waiting until they are older to have children.more

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has defended plans to strengthen economic ties with China despite recent revelations that a Chinese national accused of espionage has infiltrated Britain's political and business elite.more

UK high street retailers have been accused of recruiting young workers as store assistants without basic employment rights over the busy Christmas period.more

The Royal Navy's last Trafalgar-Class attack submarine has completed its final voyage from Scotland to be decommissioned. HMS Triumph sailed from HM Naval Base Clyde, at Faslane in Argyll, to HMNB Devonport in Plymouth to retire after more than 20 years in service.more

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said the British government has had "diplomatic contact" with the Syrian rebel group that toppled the Assad regime. Lammy said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) remains a proscribed terrorist organisation, but the UK "can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact, as you would expect".more

Croydon has been named the fifth most miserable place to live in the UK, according to a new study by property website Rightmove. The survey, now in its 13th year, asked over 35,000 people across Britain about their satisfaction with where they live, and Croydon found itself near the top of the unhappy list.more

Office Christmas parties are firmly back on the agenda for London workers, with 75 per cent due to attend an office bash this year, a new survey has revealed.more