78 m. ago Ministry of Defence to offer gap year–style scheme to young people

Pilot programme for under-25s will offer paid placements aimed at introducing participants to military lifeYoung people in Britain will be offered a gap year-style scheme by the Ministry of Defence, in an effort to introduce citizens to military life early as part of a new “whole of society” approach to defence.After initially announcing plans to implement the scheme earlier this year, the government has now confirmed that about 150 under-25s will be recruited for the pilot programme, which is due to start in March 2026. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Teenagers to be offered paid armed forces gap years under new defence scheme

Around 150 young people will be recruited for placements of up to two years, with the scheme expanding to more than 1,000 per year

Events

11 h. ago Teens to be ‘offered paid gap years with military’ as UK follows Europe with ‘whole of society’ defence amid WW3 fears

Teenagers are reportedly set to be offered paid gap years with the armed forces in a step towards a new "whole of society" approach to defence. Around 150 young people will be recruited for placements of up to two years, with the scheme expanding to more than 1,000 per year. The scheme is due to...

Events

4 d. ago Prosecutions for strangulation in England and Wales increase sixfold in three years

CPS says new law marked ‘significant shift in recognising serious nature’ of offence, often linked to domestic abuse and sexual assault The number of suspects charged for strangulation and suffocation in England and Wales has increased almost sixfold in the three years since the offence was first introduced, Crown Prosecution Service data has revealed.Brought in under the Domestic Abuse Act, which came into force in 2022, the legislation closed a gap in the existing law, giving courts much greater sentencing powers. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago People line streets to mourn British soldier killed in Ukraine

Members of the public, the armed forces and the police paid their respects as the body of Lance Corporal George Hooley was returned to the UK.

Events

2 w. ago Children left in tears and 'thousands' of revellers turned away after tech giant 'hijacked' festive event for private party

Arm Holdings, a software design company worth more than £100billion, reportedly paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to hire out Cambridge Christmas market for its staff on Saturday.

Society

2 w. ago Children left in tears and 'thousands' of revellers turned away after tech giant 'hijacked' festive event for  private party

Arm Holdings, a software design company worth more than £100billion, reportedly paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to hire out Cambridge Christmas market for its staff on Saturday.

Society

3 w. ago Town's £2.6m flood defence scheme awaits final Welsh Government approval

A culvert scheme was identified in 2020 following devastating floods in 2018

Events

4 w. ago Talks for UK to join EU defence fund collapse in blow to Starmer’s bid to reset relations

UK had been pushing to join €150bn Safe fund, a loan scheme that is part of bloc’s drive to rearm EuropeKeir Starmer’s attempt to reset relations with the EU have suffered a major blow, after negotiations for the UK to join the EU’s flagship €150bn (£131bn) defence fund collapsed.The UK had been pushing to join the EU’s Security Action for Europe (Safe) fund, a low-interest loan scheme that is part of the EU’s drive to boost defence spending by €800bn and rearm the continent, in response to the growing threat from Russia and cooling relations between Donald Trump’s US and the EU. Continue reading...

Politics