UK weather: Yellow warnings issued as heavy rain could cause travel disruption amid train strike
Heavy rain could cause travel chaos across the weekend as it coincides with a strike by train drivers on Saturday.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for southern England and southern Wales and Saturday and Sunday. Parts of Scotland are under a yellow weather warning on Saturday.
It said downpours would likely cause flooding on roads and make journey times longer, with flooding of homes and businesses also possible.
Four flood warnings and 56 flood alerts have been issued in England.
Check the weather in your area
The weather warnings on Saturday coincide with train drivers from 11 companies belonging to the Aslef union striking in a long-running dispute over pay.
Passengers have been urged to plan ahead and check before they travel throughout the whole weekend.
Trains that are running will start later on Saturday morning and finish much earlier than usual, with services typically running between 7.30am and 6.30pm on the day of the strike.
Rain, which is expected to be heavy at times, is set to hit parts of south Wales and southwest England between 2pm on Saturday and 3am on Sunday.
A Met Office map of yellow weather warnings for the next 24 hours
In Wales Cardiff, Swansea and Carmarthen are among the areas that could be affected, while in England Plymouth, Southampton and St Austell could be affected.
The Met Office said: “Rain is expected to develop across south Wales and south-west England during Saturday afternoon, moving slowly east to clear most areas early on Sunday morning.
“Although the most persistent rain is expected over hills, periods of heavy rain are expected almost anywhere. 15 to 25 mm is expected quite widely, with some places seeing 40 to 60 mm of rain, particularly over hills in south Wales and south-west England.
“Strong winds will accompany the rain, with gusts of 45 to 55 mph over hills and around coasts.”
Parts of Scotland, including Perth and Sterling, could also get heavy rain from noon to midnight on Saturday.
The Met Office warned “heavy rain may lead to some flooding and disruption to travel” during this period.
“Rain will turn persistent and heavy at times across the warning area through Saturday afternoon and evening,” it added.
“Accumulations of 20 to 30 mm are expected with 45 mm possible on high ground.
“Given existing saturated ground there is a risk of some localised flooding.”
From Sunday to Tuesday, the Met Office weather outlook states: “Rain across England and Wales will slowly clear Sunday, with blustery showers following to the north.
“Showers in the north die out Monday, with many areas dry Tuesday.
“Fog later.”
King Charles will return to official public duties later for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer.
The monarch, who is the patron of Macmillan Cancer Support, will visit a cancer treatment centre to meet medical specialists and other patients, along with the Queen.
He decided to announce he had cancer at the beginning of February.
Since then, cancer charities have praised his openness and the impact it’s had on raising public awareness, along with the Princess of Wales also talking about her diagnosis.
The aim of today’s visit, where he will meet larger numbers of people for the first time, is to draw attention to the importance of early diagnosis and highlight innovative research, supported by Cancer Research UK, taking place at the hospital.
Queen Camilla, pictured here on Monday, is also due to attend the event. Pic: PA
On Friday, the palace announced that the King was “greatly encouraged” to be given the green light by doctors to return to some public-facing duties.
Sources have stressed that despite the welcome news, the King still has cancer and will continue to be treated for the undisclosed form of the disease.
The Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “His Majesty’s treatment programme will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that the King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties.”
They added: “Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimise any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery.”
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The King has continued to carry on with his constitutional work behind the scenes and held small meetings inside the palace, including with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
At Easter, he made a point of greeting crowds who had turned out to see him attend the church service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, which was seen as a hint that more public-facing engagements could soon follow.
Palace officials continue to plan for a busy summer and autumn of events but will work around the caveat that plans may need to change depending on the King’s health and doctors’ advice.
The King pictured during his first in-person audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in February. Pic: PA
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The summer months are always a busy period for the Royal Family with events like Trooping the Colour, Garter Day, and Royal Ascot.
There is also the prospect of overseas travel towards the end of the year, as Samoa is hosting the biennial meeting of Commonwealth leaders.
The next leader of the SNP could be “crowned… with no contest”, the Scottish Conservatives have claimed, after Humza Yousaf stepped down from the role on Monday.
Mr Yousaf – who has been leader and first minister of Scotland for just over a year – announced his resignation after his decision last week to cut power-sharing ties with the Scottish Green Party saw his leadership collapse.
Now the focus is moving onto who will replace him with nominations now open until midday on Monday 6 June.
Former deputy of the party John Swinney appears to be leading the pack.
Politics live: Next Scottish FM tipped to be ‘crowned with no contest’
Mr Swinney – was was Nicola Sturgeon’s number two between 2014 and 2023 – has yet to confirm he is running for the leadership, telling Sky News he was “giving very careful consideration” to the decision.
But senior figures have already given him their backing, with the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn telling Sky News: “Serious times demand serious politics and serious people, and the best person to take that forward now for the Scottish Nationalist Party is John Swinney.”
He may not have a straight path to victory, however, with sources close to Kate Forbes – who lost out to Mr Yousaf during last year’s leadership contest – saying the MSP was also “actively considering” another run for the top job.
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Swinney ‘considering’ SNP leadership bid
Speaking to the Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, leader of the Scottish Conservatives Douglas Ross said he didn’t think there would be a contest though.
“My reading of the situation now is John Swinney will be crowned as SNP leader with no contest, and I think as soon as next week there will be a vote in the Scottish Parliament to elect him as the first minister,” he said.
“You’ve seen countless senior politicians both here at Westminster and in Edinburgh back John Swinney. Of course, it’s the same John Swinney that last year ruled himself out and said it’s time for fresh talent to come through.”
He added: “That’s not really going to be a change, it’ll be more of the same, that’s focusing on independence at the expense of the real priorities that people across Scotland have.”
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Meanwhile, former first minister and now leader of rival party Alba Alex Salmond has been expressing sympathy for Mr Yousaf, telling Sophy Ridge it was “a great wrench” to leave the role.
But he questioned whether those around the outgoing leader were “acting in his best interests”, hinting at a plot to oust him in favour of Mr Swinney.
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Yousaf: ‘I’m sad my time is ending’
Asked whether the contest would be a “stitch up” by “the boys club” at the top of the SNP – as party MP Joanna Cherry suggested earlier – the current deputy leader, Keith Brown, said no.
He told Sophy Ridge: “The majority of the cabinet are female and of course we had a very lengthy period with a female leader, so anybody can come forward for this contest.”
However, Mr Brown gave his support to Mr Swinney, saying he was “somebody who is experienced and somebody who will bring unity hopefully to the parliament but also to the party”.
UK
Duchess of Edinburgh: Sophie becomes first member of Royal Family to visit Ukraine since Russia’s invasion
The Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Sophie’s trip was to “demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war”, said Buckingham Palace.
The palace also said it was a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.
The duchess, 59, met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the first lady Olena Zelenska.
The Duchess of Edinburgh visited a memorial for victims of the Bucha massacre
The duchess met an Orthodox priest in Bucha
Sophie, who is a full-time working member of the Royal Family, also delivered a private message to them in a letter from the King.
The royal visited the site of a mass grave in Bucha where victims of the Russian occupation were buried.
The duchess laid flowers at a memorial that contains the names of the victims.
Early on in the war after Russian forces left the town, a number of dead bodies were found with their hands tied behind their backs – seemingly shot at close range. President Vladimir Putin’s troops are accused of war crimes there, including executions and rapes.
During her visit, the duchess also met survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and survivors of torture, said the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Sophie met children of families affected by the war
And she met children who have now been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and taken by Russia.
She also met female volunteers who have helped their communities cope with the aftermath of attacks with mental healthcare activities for children.
In a speech during her visit, Sophie said: “It’s true that women and girls pay the highest price in terms of human cost when it comes to the way that they are affected, the way that they can be used as weapons of war.
“Rape is used to demean, to degrade and to destroy, and we have to get better at trying to prevent that from happening.”
She added: “I’ve been meeting with survivors of sexual violence and the conflict. I thank them for that honesty in telling me what happened to them. Their stories are sad… but I appreciate their time and their openness.”
The royal visited the Romanivska Bridge in the town of Irpin. Pic: AP
As part of her trip, Sophie visited the “Road to Life” in Irpin, also known as the Romanivska Bridge, that was blown up to stop Mr Putin’s troops proceeding to Kyiv, and later became a key route for people fleeing to safety from the Russian occupation.
The royal also visited the Saint Sophia Cathedral with the first lady in the capital Kyiv.
The Duchess of Edinburgh with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska at the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Pic: PA
The Ukraine trip was at the request of the FCDO.
In the two years since the war began on 24 February 2022, at least 10,582 civilians have been killed and 19,875 injured in conflict-related violence in the country, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).
Those killed include 5,017 men, 3,093 women, 311 boys and 248 girls.
Sophie signs the guest book at the cathedral. Pic: PA
Pic: PA
The King, when he was Prince of Wales, visited Ukraine in 1996. As monarch, he sent a message of support to the people of Ukraine on the second anniversary of the war.
He wrote: “Despite the tremendous hardship and pain inflicted upon them, Ukrainians continue to show the heroism with which the world associates them so closely. Theirs is true valour, in the face of indescribable aggression.”
In March 2023, Prince William visited Poland to thank British and Polish troops involved in providing support to Ukraine, before meeting refugees who have fled the conflict with Russia to hear of their experiences.
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Sophie announced her commitment to champion the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) and the United Nations’ Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) on International Women’s Day in 2019.
Over the years, the duchess has visited a number of countries to highlight the impact of historical and ongoing conflict.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
They include Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia.
And she has heard first-hand testimonies from survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.
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