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The prime minister has told Britons in Lebanon to “leave immediately” as around 700 UK troops are deployed to Cyprus in case an emergency evacuation is needed.

Sir Keir Starmer said “we are ramping up the contingency plans… in light of the escalation”, with fears growing of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah.

“It is important that we be really, really clear: now is the time to leave,” the PM said.

Defence Secretary John Healey – who chaired a meeting of the UK’s emergency COBRA committee earlier – also urged all Britons to leave Lebanon “now”.

Follow latest: Top Hezbollah commander ‘killed in Beirut’

Two British warships are already in the region and would be used if any evacuation operation is ordered. Royal Air Force planes and helicopters are also on standby.

A major UK military base in Cyprus – RAF Akrotiri – would be an important staging post.

The deployment of military personnel will happen in the coming hours. They will be supported by Border Force and Foreign Office officials.

The move marks a significant ramping up of UK efforts to prepare for a potential large-scale evacuation operation – a complex and dangerous move that has long been anticipated as a possibility given the volatility on the ground.

Ministry of Defence handout photo of the aircrew sits on the tailgate of the C-130 bound for Sudan as personnel of 40 Commando Brigade and the Joint Force Head Quarters deployed to Cyprus in support of the FCDO Non-combatant Evacuate Operation to remove personnel from Sudan receive early morning briefs, prepare and depart RAF Akrotiri on C-130 Hercules aircraft.
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RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus would be an important staging post for an evacuation. File pic

A government statement described it as “the first phase of its contingency plans following significant escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in recent days”.

Thousands of British nationals are in Lebanon.

Sir Keir said he was “worried about the situation” in Lebanon, adding: “I think we need to be clear we need de-escalation, we need a ceasefire, we need to pull back from the brink.”

In a sign of growing concern, Mr Healey left the Labour Party conference early to chair the COBRA meeting of ministers as well as intelligence chiefs and diplomats.

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Israel vows to continue attacks on Lebanon

“Events in the past hours and days have demonstrated how volatile this situation is, which is why our message is clear, British nationals should leave now,” the defence secretary said in a statement afterwards.

“We continue to urge all sides to step back from conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life. Our government is ensuring all preparations are in place to support British nationals should the situation deteriorate. I want to thank the British personnel who are deploying in the region for their commitment and professionalism.”

HMS Duncan, a Type 45 destroyer, and RFA Mounts Bay, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, are already in the eastern Mediterranean ready to mobilise.

It is not the first time this year that the military has scrambled to prepare for a potential evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon.

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Middle East: Latest from Sky News as conflict escalates

Just last month, more than 1,000 military personnel were on standby in Cyprus and the UK to mobilise as tensions soared. That level of readiness was subsequently eased but it is now being ramped back up, with the crisis far more grave.

In the past week, Israel has launched its biggest offensive against Hezbollah – which is backed by Iran – since the two sides went to war in 2006. Hezbollah’s military wing is considered a terrorist organisation by the UK government.

The operation began with the detonation of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by the group – though Israel has not confirmed it was behind this covert hybrid attack.

It quickly evolved into overt warfare, with Israeli jets launching punishing waves of airstrikes. The Israel Defence Forces said they targeted Hezbollah weapons sites and killed a number of senior commanders. However hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured, including women and children.

Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in southern Lebanon.

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‘Lebanon will pay a big price if war escalates’

The Israeli government says the aim of its operation is to stop Hezbollah from being able to fire into northern Israel – something the militant group has done since a day after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza.

The Hezbollah strikes have forced tens of thousands of Israeli citizens to flee their homes in the north of Israel. The government says it wants to enable them to return home – a goal that Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah – has vowed to thwart.

The Israeli operation – which has dealt a punishing blow to Hezbollah – raises the possibility of Hezbollah using its arsenal of longer rage missiles to hit targets deeper inside Israeli territory – such a move would almost certainly trigger an Israeli ground attack.

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UK

Bhim Kohli: Girl 13, and boy, 15, found guilty of manslaughter of 80-year-old dog walker

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Bhim Kohli: Girl 13, and boy, 15, found guilty of manslaughter of 80-year-old dog walker

A 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy have been found guilty of the manslaughter of an 80-year-old dog walker who was attacked in a Leicestershire park.

Bhim Kohli was found lying on the ground in Franklin Park in Braunstone Town, near Leicester, on 1 September last year and died the next evening of a spinal cord injury.

The grandfather, who was attacked just yards from his home, suffered a broken neck and rib fractures consistent with “something heavy striking the rib cage”, the trial heard.

Bhim Sen Kohli
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Bhim Kohli

The boy, who was 14 at the time of the attack, and the girl, who was 12, cannot be named because of their ages.

During a six-week trial at Leicester Crown Court, jurors heard that Mr Kohli was racially abused before the incident.

The girl had also taken a photograph of Mr Kohli in Franklin Park a week before, the court heard.

The jury deliberated for almost seven hours before reaching unanimous verdicts on the pair, who will be sentenced next month.

Mr Kohli was shoved to the ground and slapped in the face with a shoe by a boy wearing a balaclava, the trial heard.

Police community support officers at the scene in Franklin Park last September. Pic: PA
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Police at the scene in Franklin Park last September. Pic: PA

A police report into the incident included a statement from a witness who described “seeing the boy forcefully pushing the old man on to his back”.

The jury heard the witness described the old man as “ending up on the floor screaming”.

A statement from PC Rachelle Pereira said: “Mr Kohli was repeatedly screaming out in pain, shouting out ‘My neck’.”

Her statement said the witness told the police officer she saw a young white boy wearing a black balaclava “shove the old man to the floor and sprint”.

The boy, who denied inflicting the fatal injuries, told a friend he would go “on the run” to Hinckley, in Leicestershire, the day after the attack but was arrested by police minutes later while hiding in a bush, the court heard.

In a letter written two months after the attack, the court heard the boy said “I did it and I accept I’m doing time” and “I kinda just needed anger etc releasing”.

Read more:
Bhim Kohli’s family pay tribute

Mr Justice Turner remanded the boy in custody and granted the girl bail, but told her his decision “should not be taken as any indication as to the sentence when the time comes”.

The boy had also been charged with murder, but was found not guilty by the jury on that count.

The defendants, who sat in the dock for the first time since their trial began, appeared upset as the verdicts were given.

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UK

Trump tariffs could disrupt medicine supplies to UK, warns health secretary

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Trump tariffs could disrupt medicine supplies to UK, warns health secretary

Donald Trump’s tariffs could disrupt the supply of medicines into the UK, the health secretary has warned.

Wes Streeting said the government was “constantly watching and acting on this situation” after the US president refused to back down from the punitive policy, despite turmoil in the markets.

So far Mr Trump has imposed a series of tariffs of varying severity on countries across the world, including a 10% baseline tax on imports from all nations and a 25% levy on all cars imported to the US.

Politics latest: PM prepares to face questions from senior MPs

His actions have sparked fears of a global trade war, with the UK’s benchmark stock market index, the FTSE 100, only just witnessing a slight rise this morning after three days of steep losses.

While the reciprocal tariffs have not yet included pharmaceutical products, there are concerns this could change in the near future.

Speaking to Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast, the health secretary said that even before the US president’s tariff agenda – which has seen him impose a 10% baseline tax on imports from all nations – there had been “issues with medicines production and supply internationally”.

“We are constantly watching and acting on this situation to try and get medicines into the country, to make sure we’ve got availability, to show some flexibility in terms of how medicines are dispensed, to deal with shortages,” he said.

“But whether it’s medicines, whether it’s parts for manufacturing, whether it’s… the ability of businesses in this country to turn a profit, this is an extremely turbulent situation.”

Mr Streeting, who was speaking following the announcement that the government has recruited more than 1,500 new GPs since 1 October, said the steps taken by Mr Trump were “unprecedented in terms of global trade”.

“As ever in terms of medicines, there’s a number of factors at play,” he said.

“There have been challenges in terms of manufacturing, challenges in terms of distribution, and if we start to see tariffs kicking in, that’s another layer of challenge, but we watch this situation extremely closely.

“We work on a daily basis to make sure that we have the medicine supply this country needs.”

Read more:
Trump’s tariffs could herald painful episode
China vows to ‘fight to the end’ over Trump’s new tariff threat

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Trump’s tariffs: What you need to know

Sir Keir Starmer had been seeking to secure an exemption for the UK from Mr Trump’s punitive tariffs.

But last week, the UK was hit with both the 10% baseline tariff on all imports and the 25% tariff on all cars imported to the US.

The latter tariff could prove particularly damaging for the UK, owing to the fact that the US is the car sector’s largest single market by country – accounting for £6.4bn worth of car exports in 2023.

On Monday, the prime minister announced he would relax rules around electric vehicles in order to mitigate the worst effects of the US tariffs.

While the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars remains in place, regulations around manufacturing targets on electric cars and vans will be altered to help firms during the transition.

Luxury supercar firms such as Aston Martin and McLaren will still be allowed to keep producing petrol cars beyond the 2030 date, while petrol and diesel vans will also be allowed to be sold until 2035, along with hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars.

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Prince Harry’s security case back in court – all you need to know

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Prince Harry's security case back in court - all you need to know

Prince Harry has arrived at court for the start of a two-day hearing about his security arrangements.

The Duke of Sussex is appealing a ruling dismissing his challenge to the level of police protection he receives in the UK, and his case will be heard in front of three judges across Tuesday and Wednesday.

The prince’s dispute goes all the way back to 2020, and is one of several high-profile legal battles he has brought to the High Court in recent years.

So what is the case about, what has happened in the courts so far and what’s happening now?

What is the dispute over?

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Harry’s legal battle over security

Harry received full, publicly funded security protection until he stepped back from royal duties and moved to America with wife Meghan in March 2020.

Once he moved away, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) – which has delegated responsibility from the Home Office for royal security – decided he would not receive the same level of protection.

But Harry has argued that his private protection team in the US does not have access to UK intelligence information which is needed to keep his wife and children safe.

He therefore wants access to his previous level of security when in the country, but wants to fund the security himself, rather than ask taxpayers to foot the bill after he stepped down as a senior member of the Royal Family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Hillcrest Recreation Centre during the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada. Picture date: Monday February 10, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story ROYAL Invictus. Photo credit should read: Aaron Chown/PA Wire
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Canada in February. Pic: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

The duke’s legal representative said in a previous statement: “The UK will always be Prince Harry’s home and a country he wants his wife and children to be safe in.

“With the lack of police protection comes too great a personal risk.

“In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home.”

The legal representative added: “Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life. He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats.

“While his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the Royal Family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.”

What’s happened in court so far?

He filed a claim for a judicial review of the Home Office’s decision shortly after it was made, with the first hearing in the High Court coming in February 2022.

At the start of that hearing, Robert Palmer QC, for the Home Office, told the court the duke’s offer of private funding was “irrelevant”, despite his safety concerns.

In written submissions, he said: “Personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis, and Ravec does not make decisions on the provision of such security on the basis that any financial contribution could be sought or obtained to pay for it.”

He added Ravec had attributed to the duke “a form of exceptional status” where he is considered for personal protective security by the police, “with the precise arrangements being dependent on the reason for his presence in Great Britain and by reference to the functions he carries out when present”.

The barrister added: “A case-by-case approach rationally and appropriately allows Ravec to implement a responsive approach to reflect the applicable circumstances.”

The case didn’t conclude until 28 February 2024, when retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled against Prince Harry.

The Duke leaving a service at St Paul's Cathedral in London in May 2024. Pic: AP
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The Duke leaving a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London in May 2024. Pic: AP

He ruled the decision to change his security status was not unlawful or “irrational”, and that there had been no “procedural unfairness”.

The judge added: “Even if such procedural unfairness occurred, the court would in any event be prevented from granting the claimant [Prince Harry] relief.

“This is because, leaving aside any such unlawfulness, it is highly likely that the outcome for the claimant would not have been substantially different.”

Following the ruling, a Home Office spokesperson said: “We are pleased that the court has found in favour of the government’s position in this case and we are carefully considering our next steps.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further.”

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After the ruling, a legal spokesperson for Harry said he intended to appeal, adding: “The duke is not asking for preferential treatment, but for a fair and lawful application of Ravec’s own rules, ensuring that he receives the same consideration as others in accordance with Ravec’s own written policy.

“In February 2020, Ravec failed to apply its written policy to the Duke of Sussex and excluded him from a particular risk analysis.

“The duke’s case is that the so-called ‘bespoke process’ that applies to him is no substitute for that risk analysis.

“The Duke of Sussex hopes he will obtain justice from the Court of Appeal, and makes no further comment while the case is ongoing.”

Prince eventually gets green light to appeal against High Court ruling

In April 2024, Harry was refused permission to challenge the ruling by the High Court, but was told he could apply to challenge it again directly to the Court of Appeal.

He did so, and in June 2024 the Court of Appeal said it would hear the duke’s challenge following a direct application from his lawyers.

Granting the appeal, Judge David Bean said he was persuaded “not without hesitation” that Harry’s challenge has a real prospect of success.

The two-day Court of Appeal hearing is set to begin at around 10.30am on Tuesday.

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