Connect with us

Published

on

An amber heat-health alert has been issued for most of England, warning of “significant impacts” on the NHS.

With temperatures expected to climb to 32C (89.6F) on Wednesday and Thursday, the UK Health Security Agency had initially issued a yellow heat-health alert for all of England, apart from the North East.

However, this has now been increased to amber from midday today until 9pm on Sunday. The North East now also faces a yellow heat-health alert.

The UKHSA says increased mortality across the population is likely, especially among those aged 65 or above and those with health conditions.

It also said temperatures in care settings may exceed the recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment.

An amber alert represents a situation where impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service and potentially other sectors, with the whole population potentially at risk, according to the Met Office.

This compares to a yellow alert, which covers just those who are particularly vulnerable.

More on Uk Weather

Areas of the UK currently under yellow and amber heat-health alerts. Pic: UKHSA
Image:
Areas of the UK currently under yellow and amber heat-health alerts. Pic: UKHSA

Temperatures are expected to be 4C higher than the Spanish holiday island Ibiza and warmer than Ayia Napa in Cyprus – 30C (86F) – as well as Athens in Greece, where it may be 27C (80.6F) on Thursday, according to the Met Office.

It could potentially beat the UK’s highest temperature of the year so far of 32.2C, recorded on 10 and 25 June, despite autumn technically beginning last Friday.

See the weather forecast in your area

Ibiza. File pic
Image:
Ibiza. File pic

This Friday could hit 31C (87.8F) in the UK, but the warm conditions may change over the weekend with “no indication at the moment of another strong heatwave after this”, the weather agency said.

Such warnings are issued by the UK Health Security Agency during periods of heat where some Britons could struggle to cope.

Met Office spokesperson Oli Claydon said there will be “good sunny conditions through the week with cloudless skies” – and by Wednesday and Thursday “we could see 31, maybe 32 degrees”.

He said the warmer weather is “widely spread across the UK”, with the highest “probably somewhere in southeastern England spreading out to central parts of England”.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

Read more:
What is a ‘heat dome’ – and how long will Britain’s hot spell last?
How do heat-health alerts work?

It is expected to be a “tropical” night overnight on Wednesday when temperatures may not drop below 20C.

This will be most likely in the southern part of the UK and more in urban areas, he said.

“Then as we move through to Thursday, another hot day with highs of 31 to 32. And again, another warm night with potential for a tropical night on Thursday,” Mr Claydon added.

Also, Saharan dust is likely to extend across parts of the UK this week, and when combined with mostly clear skies, could bring picturesque sunsets.

Sunny weather in St James's Park, central London
Image:
St James’s Park

The summery conditions can be traced to a jet stream over the Atlantic, which until recently has been bringing mostly unsettled spells of weather to the UK.

It is continuing to move north, allowing higher pressure to build widely across the country.

There is also the influence of former tropical cyclone Franklin in the Atlantic which is amplifying the build-up of high pressure.

Continue Reading

UK

Sentebale war of words continues as charity calls for clarity on commission’s probe into Prince Harry claims

Published

on

By

Sentebale war of words continues as charity calls for clarity on commission's probe into Prince Harry claims

The war of words over Sentebale is continuing, with the charity calling on the Charity Commission to provide clarity that its recent report did not specifically investigate claims of racism and misogyny against Prince Harry. 

Sources close to the Duke of Sussex claim they are “rehashing unsubstantiated allegations of bullying, misogyny and more”, describing their latest move as not “just provocative, it’s pitiful”.

A source at Sentebale has told Sky News: “We have written to The Charity Commission stating that the onus is on the commission to restate for the record that individual allegations of bullying have not been investigated or addressed in the commission’s report.”

It comes after the Charity Commission report stated that “based on the evidence provided and reviewed by the commission, it found no evidence of: widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity”.

However, the commission added that it “acknowledged the strong perception of ill treatment felt by a number of parties to the dispute and the impact this may have had on them personally”.

But sources at Sentebale believe the reporting around this statement – that Prince Harry has been cleared of bullying – has been inaccurate, as the charity watchdog did not specifically look at allegations made by the chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, including during an exclusive interview on Sky News.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

From March 2025: Charity chair’s bullying claims on Sky News

A source close to Prince Harry and the former board of trustees has hit back, and said: “It’s remarkable, just yesterday Ms Chanduaka was applauding the Charity Commission’s findings, yet today, after a flurry of unflattering headlines, she’s back on the warpath.

“Issuing yet another media statement only reinforces the commission’s criticism about using the press to air internal disputes.

“Rehashing unsubstantiated allegations of bullying, misogyny and more, which the commission found no evidence of and dressing them up as veiled threats isn’t just provocative, it’s pitiful.

“If Ms Chanduaka has genuine concerns, she should spell them out plainly or, better yet, redirect her energy toward something truly worthwhile, like raising money for the children Sentebale exists to support.”

It’s understood Prince Harry and his supporters have also been left unsatisfied by the scope of the report, including their concerns about money spent on consultants that was authorised by Dr Chandauka.

Read more from Sky News:
Family waits three years for justice after cyclist killed
UK warned it risks exodus of ‘disillusioned’ doctors
What could a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine involve?

👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈

Responding to Sky News, the Charity Commission said: “We have issued the charity with an action plan which sets out steps the current trustees need to take to improve governance weaknesses and rectify findings of mismanagement.

“We now urge all involved to put their differences behind them and allow the charity to focus on its work and beneficiaries”.

Their report, released on Wednesday, was highly critical of all parties for allowing their disagreement to play out so publicly and allowing it to severely impact the charity’s reputation.

Continue Reading

UK

Bromley burglary: £500,000 worth of gold stolen from home

Published

on

By

Bromley burglary: £500,000 worth of gold stolen from home

Police have launched an appeal after £500,000 worth of jewellery was stolen from a house in southeast London.

The incident took place at a home in Bickley Road, Bromley, on 30 December last year.

Footage showed three men entering the property through a forced bathroom window.

The group, who entered the home at 5.40pm and left at 6.25pm, carried out the theft while the owners were home.

Pics: Met Police
Image:
Pics: Met Police

The Metropolitan Police have now shared images of the stolen jewellery in a new appeal for information.

No arrests have been made in connection with the burglary so far.

Read more from Sky News:
Charity criticises GHF aid sites in Gaza
Superman actor says he is joining ICE
Sentebale calls for clarity on commission’s probe

Pics: Met Police
Image:
Pics: Met Police

Detective Constable Jamie White, of the Met’s South Area Command Unit, said: “While the monetary value of this theft is enormous, the sentimental value is priceless – with many of the pieces being passed down through generations of the family.

“Helpfully, a number of the pieces stolen are unique, so we are hoping that releasing these photographs will jog someone’s memory.”

Continue Reading

UK

Three charged with showing support for Palestine Action

Published

on

By

Three charged with showing support for Palestine Action

Three people have been charged with showing support for Palestine Action after the group was banned as a terror organisation.

Two women and a man were arrested in Westminster following a protest in central London on 5 July, the Metropolitan Police said.

Jeremy Shippam, 71, of West Sussex, Judit Murray, also 71, of Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney in London, were charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation, under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The trio are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 16 September.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

What’s happening to Palestine Action?

The charges come ahead of a planned protest in support of the group on Saturday afternoon in Parliament Square in London, which organisers expect more than 500 people will attend.

Defend Our Juries, which is organising the demonstration, said protests will continue until a High Court challenge over Palestine Action’s ban in November.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “Anyone who displays public support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation, is committing an offence under the Terrorism Act and can expect to be arrested and, as these charges show, will be investigated to the full extent of the law.

“These charges relate to three people arrested in central London on 5 July.

“We are also planning to send case files to the Crown Prosecution Service for the other 26 people arrested on the same day.

“I would strongly advise anyone planning to come to London this weekend to show support for Palestine Action to think about the potential criminal consequences of their actions.”

Read more from Sky News:
GHF aid sites in Gaza are scenes of ‘orchestrated killing’, charity claims
If the IDF has nothing to hide, it should allow international journalists in

The latest charges bring the total number of people charged with offences under the Terrorism Act related to Palestine Action to 10 across England, Wales and Scotland, Counter Terrorism Policing said.

Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Prevent and Pursue at Counter Terrorism Policing, said: “Our role is to enforce the law where we suspect offences to have been committed and we will continue to do so, without fear or favour.

“At this time, it remains illegal to be a member of or encourage support for the group Palestine Action. This legislation is specific to that group and does not interfere with the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause.

“Operational plans are in place to ensure this right can be preserved over the coming days with protests expected in several major cities, including London.

“As well as robust plans to respond to activity in support of this proscribed group, resources are also in place to investigate offences that may be identified or reported following such events.”

More than 220 people have been arrested at protests across the UK in response to the proscription last month, as part of the campaign coordinated by Defend Our Juries, including on suspicion of membership of, inviting support for and showing support for Palestine Action.

The ban on the group came after two Voyager aircraft suffered around £7m worth of damage at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June.

Three days later, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action, calling the vandalism “disgraceful” and saying the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage”.

Continue Reading

Trending