A powerful US Senator and top Trump ally has warned Andy Burnham not to implement sanctions against Israel.

Senator Rick Scott told the Prime Minister he needs to be a ‘Churchill, not another Chamberlain’ as expectations grow that the UK will punish goods, services and senior figures linked to planned illegal Israeli settlements.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband pledged yesterday to ‘reset’ Britain’s policy on Israel and called new Israeli expansion efforts ‘the crossing of a red line’.

However, officials will fear that Senator Scott’s public opposition to British sanctions reflects what the Trump administration thinks behind closed doors.

The US State Department has already warned they are ‘tracking [the plans] closely’, with Downing Street reportedly prepared for pushback from Washington.

Senator Scott, chairman of the Senate Republican Steering Committee, told Metro: ‘The U.K. needs a Churchill, not another Chamberlain. Prime Minister Burnham has a chance to either stand with the United States and Israel – or repeat history’s mistakes by appeasing evil regimes and actors.’

The row exploded last month when Israel issued tenders for the construction of some 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 area.

The plans have drawn widespread international condemnation because it would in effect divide the West Bank in two and isolate East Jerusalem.

Andy Burnham said yesterday the E1 extension ‘could imperil, if not end, the two-state solution’.

Miliband also told Parliament he would introduce a ‘comprehensive reset’ of policy on Israel ‘in the coming weeks’ and punish British companies involved in the settlements.

The government is reportedly also preparing to announce sanctions against goods and services involving West Bank settlements and target more senior Israeli figures.

A minister also confirmed yesterday they are ‘looking at measures to ban trade in goods with illegal settlements’.

‘Israel will act against Britain’

The mooted sanctions have sparked outrage from the Israeli government, who has threatened to retailiate.

The country’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told news website Ynet: ‘If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain.’

However concern is also growing that President Trump, a strong supporter of Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu, will be angered by any sanctions.

Senator Scott, described as Trump’s ‘fixer’ in the Senate, has fired the first warning shot over the UK’s plans.

Asked about his reaction to the possible sanctions, Scott told Metro: ”Burnham should do everything he can to strengthen Britain’s historic alliances with America and Israel and reject the disgusting anti-Israel and anti-Semitic radicalization growing across the UK.’

He added: ‘Israel is doing what it must to oppose terror and defend itself, and President Trump is working with them to bring peace to the Middle East through strength.

‘Burnham should do everything he can to strengthen Britain’s historic alliances with America and Israel and reject the disgusting anti-Israel and anti-Semitic radicalization growing across the UK.’

Scott’s intervention is significant because he is seen as closely tied to The White House.

Trump’s officials have reportedly described him as ‘our man in the Senate’ and have brokered meetings between officials and powerful Republicans.

Two of Britain’s largest Jewish organisations, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, have also urged Burnham not to go ahead with the sanctions.

Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, told Miliband on Friday that many British Jews would view the proposed measures with ‘deep dismay’.

However a group of former British diplomats said in May that the Israeli settlements were ‘designed to divide the West Bank in two and destroy Palestine’s viability’.

They warned that E1 was part of Israel’s ‘systemic West Bank annexation’.

All settlements are illegal under international law and Israel had previously held off for decades on plans to build in the area due to international pressure.

The UK has already joined a group of 20 other countries, including France, Germany and Italy, as well as the European Union, to issue a joint statement calling E1 ‘unacceptable’.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Meghan Markle‘s former best friend Jessica Mulroney has announced the launch of her own lifestyle brand – six years since the pair’s alleged ‘rift’ following a race row.

She first crossed paths with Meghan while the now duchess was filming Suits in Toronto, Canada, in 2011. 

And Jessica has now launched The Haus of Her – a private members club and community space designed for ‘women in the middle of a defining transition’.

Jessica is a Canadian fashion stylist and marketing consultant, known for her bridal stylist work and guest appearances as a clothing expert on North American morning talk shows. She was the host of reality show I Do, Redo which was cancelled following race row controversy. 

Founded by Jessica and businesswoman Val Bryden ‘in the middle of our own transition’, The Haus of Her club is now open for membership requests and is hosting a Make Your Own Scent event on September 15 at Toronto’s Orris Labs.

For 39 Canadian dollars (£20) per month, members can also enjoy a monthly subscription box which promises to be ‘something to invigorate, something to inspire, something to relax’. 

Jessica’s new wellness venture comes after encouraging her 411,000 Instagram followers last December to sign up as subscribers to receive exclusive content from her, such as styling tips.

Meghan, meanwhile, is certainly no stranger to the wellness and lifestyle scene – having launched her As Ever brand in 2024, which offers products inspired by the duchess’s ‘long-lasting love of cooking, entertaining and hostess-ing with ease’. 

Meghan and Jessica’s lives were once remarkably intertwined – with Jessica widely understood as the Duchess’s staunchest defender, closest confidant and ‘keeper of secrets’ – including when she began secretly dating Prince Harry in 2016. 

But in 2020, Meghan distanced herself after Jessica became embroiled in a race row with blogger Sasha Exeter in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The stylist hasn’t featured in any of Meghan’s public work and the pair do not follow each other on social media. 

Ms Mulroney has released The Haus of Her – a private members club and community space ‘ designed for ‘women in the middle of a defining transition’

For 39 Canadian dollars per month, members can also enjoy a monthly subscription box at which promises to be ‘something to invigorate, something to inspire, something to relax’

Despite their once close relationship, insiders claimed the duchess permanently cut ties with Jessica in 2020 after she became embroiled in a ‘feud’ with influencer Sasha Exeter.

At the time, Jessica was said to have ‘taken offence’ to a ‘generic call to action’ post Sasha had shared about the Black Lives Matter movement.

In a follow-up video, Sasha said, ‘I’m by no means calling Jess a racist but what I will say is this: She is very well aware of her wealth, perceived power and privilege because of the colour of her skin and that, my friends, gave her the momentary confidence to come for my livelihood in writing. Textbook white privilege really, in my personal opinion.’

Following the blogger’s claims, Jessica issued three public apologies, however she still faced consequences and was dropped by numerous television networks.

Last month her husband Ben Mulroney told a podcast how he and his wife were cancelled in June 2020 after Sasha Exeter accused Jessica of white privilege.

In an extraordinary outburst on the No But Seriously Though podcast, Ben said: ‘A racial grifter decided to take advantage of the George Floyd moment and make up a complete fiction about my wife and the country decided to bend over backwards and say: “OK, well, here’s our hero and here’s our villain and everything was taken from my wife overnight”.’

Ben added: ‘What the DMs show is not that this woman was abused by my wife’s white privilege, but that this woman was antagonising my wife and so my wife said, “If you are going to threaten me, I’ll threaten you”.’

Sasha Exeter was previously approached for comment by the Daily Mail. 

It was a dramatic end to a once widely publicised friendship – with Meghan often gushing about Jessica online prior to meeting Harry.

Jessica’s twin sons John and Brian, then seven, even had the honour of carrying the train of Meghan’s dress down the aisle at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, while her daughter Ivy was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding alongside Princess Charlotte. 

Founded by Jessica, left, and businesswoman Val Bryden ‘in the middle of our own transition’, The Haus of Her club is now open for membership requests 

Jessica and her daughter Ivy at Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding with Kate and Princess Charlotte

Jessica’s new wellness venture comes after the former television star was seen encouraging her Instagram followers to sign up as subscribers

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In December 2015, the Duchess said that ‘the room stops’ whenever her friend ‘shows up at an event’.

Referencing the Eighties US sitcom Out of This World, Meghan compared Jessica to the show’s heroine Evie (played by Maureen Flannigan) – who has the ability to freeze time.

Gushing about the effect Jessica has on people, Meghan described her as ‘savvy and fashionable and tres cool, and also va va va voom pritaaaay’.

She continued: ‘And here’s the other thing – she also happens to be an incredible stylist, clothing the likes of Canada’s First Lady, Sophie Trudeau.’

In her 2022 Netflix documentary, Meghan shared footage of the night Prince Harry proposed in 2017 – where she FaceTimed her friend as she walked the grounds of Kensington Palace.

The day of the royal wedding Jessica shared snaps captioned: ‘Proud friend. Proud mom.’

While she was still living in Toronto, the duchess was regularly pictured at glamorous events with the Canadian mother-of-three.

Meghan was all over the stylist’s social media page years ago, and Jessica is even understood to have helped pick out the wedding dress for Rachel Zane – the Duchess’s character on Suits.

Despite  Meghan and Jessica’s close relationship, insiders claimed that the Duchess had permanently cut ties with Jessica in 2020, after she became embroiled in a ‘feud’ with influencer Sasha Exeter

Jessica was also among several famous faces who organised Meghan’s baby shower in New York City, which is understood to have cost a whopping $500,000. 

In 2019, Jessica said her life is an ‘open book’ but when it comes to a certain few things – such as her friendship with Meghan – her lips are completely sealed.

‘This is my first interview that I’ve done since the wedding or anything,’ Jessica told Harper’s Bazaar.

‘Listen, every person has to have a bit of privacy in their life. There are certain things I hold very dear and secret… There are things I’ll never talk about for sure.

‘My life is an open book, but there’s always a few secret pages in the back that nobody will be able to read.’

Meanwhile, as the backlash against Jessica began mounting, Meghan remained quiet and distant on the matter and has not publicly spoken about her friend in years.

One source told Daily Mail their friendship is no longer ‘what it once was,’ adding that this was due to the pair having ‘just grown apart’ and not because of the fallout between Jessica and Sasha.

The insider added: ‘Of course, Meghan has been worried about Jess. She’ll always have love for her.’ Jessica has since tried to rebuild her brand – this time, without Meghan by her side. 

The Canadian mother-of-three has partnered up with Canadian high street label Aritzia and also secured deals with online retailers Revolve and Fwrd. In 2024, Jessica also teased a potential I Do, Redo comeback. 

She wrote on Instagram: ‘If anyone knows me or what I love to do, it involves surprising brides and grooms with the wedding of their dreams. Finally, I’m getting back into the game. Coming to a screen near you.’

The Mirror’s Assistant Political Editor Alexander Brown here….

Andy Burnham speaking at the Despatch Box as Prime Minister is a long time coming for the Makerfield MP.

The former Greater Manchester Mayor had ran twice for leader and lost, including coming second behind Jeremy Corbyn.

Today, much like his first address outside Downing Street, is one of the milestones he will have imagined for years.

Away from Westminster for so long, Mr Burnham’s allies believe his time outside parliament has made him a better politician, more natural, and more sensitive to the public mood.

His mammoth three hour session on Tuesday is a sign of this, with the leader impressing Labour MPs with both his performance and lack of notes.

The challenge for Mr Burnham at PMQs will be to remember he cannot do it alone. The debates are rarely about the actual policy, but more often theatre, with loud support from MPs crucial for how his argument is recieved.

Mr Burnham must manage to deliver answers that not only impress the public, which polling shows he has done, but also answers that generate a strong response from his MPs.

Kemi Badenoch is a strong Commons performer so this wil be no easy test, but Mr Burnham has had years to prepare for it.

The ambulance service has said that six people have been taken to hospital following the collision this morning.

A NIAS spokesperson said: “The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 08:57 on Wednesday, 2nd September, following reports of an RTC in the Newtownhamilton Road area, Armagh.

“NIAS tasked 5 Emergency Ambulances, 2 HART Teams, an Emergency Planning Officer, an Ambulance Doctor and the Charity Air Ambulance with nHEMS on board, to the incident.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, one patient was brought to Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast by Ambulance. 1 patient was taken to Royal Victoria Hospital by Air Ambulance. 4 patients were brought to Craigavon Area Hospital by Ambulance.”

Actor Chris Grahamson has hailed his recent stint in Coronation Street as Fraser

Actor Chris Grahamson has hailed his recent stint in Coronation Street after what he called a ‘dark few months’ as he teased a possible return.

Those who follow the ITV soap, which is filmed in Salford, recently saw him take on the role of Fraser. His arrival in Weatherfield came alongside Celeste Butterfield, who was looking at planning a funeral.

Having seen Celeste’s male company, Glenda Shuttleworth had a sparkle in her eye and suggested he should pop over to the Rovers while he waited for Celeste, who was revealed to be the aunt of Bernie Winter-Alahan, to finish her meeting with undertaker Todd Grimshaw.

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While alone with Todd, Celeste revealed that the funeral is for herself and that she has only six weeks to live. After planning a Dolly Parton-themed service, she collected Fraser from the pub, and Glenda was thrilled when he gave her his number and agreed to a date tomorrow.

However, Celeste revealed at the Undertakers that her neighbour, Fraser, who she called her ‘PA’, thought the Rovers barmaid’s interest in him was only as an LGBTQ+ ally. Cunduring up a plan, Celeste left their latest meeting unimpressed, and Todd ended up back in the pub and it wasn’t long before Glenda caught Fraser coming down the stairs of her home with a partially-dressed Todd.

But Corrie viewers realised at the time that Chris had appeared on the cobbles between 2010 and 2011, where he played a church pastor in Sophie Webster’s coming out storyline, having been a part of his choir.

Now, he’s spoken out on his latest stint on the cobbles, and alongside pictures from his time at the Salford-based set, Chris candidly shared on Instagram: “Working on these two episodes of Corrie was a professional highlight for me and a bright light in what’s been, at times, a dark few months. I felt comfortable and adept in what I was doing and I think the character came across well. I’m pleased and proud of myself for that.

“Blessed to be surrounded by wonderful actors, I’m grateful that it all came off pretty nicely. I’m lucky to have done a couple of gigs on here over the years, and every single time, I’ve felt warmly welcomed by cast, crew and studio staff. It’s a nerve-jangling experience to turn up to any new gig, no matter how many times we do it, and it’s especially so when you’re turning up to a well-oiled institution such as this.

“On Corrie, those nerves are soon displaced by the brilliance and kind hearted spirit of the people you meet there. Huge thanks to @garpierce, #jodieprenger and @francesbarber for being both iconic and normal all at once. @amylouiserobbins_ for lovely chats and #patticlare for plumping a pillow whilst telling me to come, sit down on the sofa and make yourself at home in the Grimshaw’s living room.

“Huge thanks to @seanhealy.jnr for reaching out before filming so that I wasn’t coming in cold and so that my ideas were heard before we even got on set. Again, making me feel very welcomed. Thanks to everyone! You made it special for me. Oh, and @keddiescottassociatesltd for coming through again – super agents extraordinaire – and #GennieRadcliffe @itv for seeing me.”

He continued: “What really sticks in the memory is that I got to work alongside the kind of characters that coronation street was built on – smart, strong, funny, brazen, brilliant women. Jodie and the legendary Frances Barber, namely. They make everyone around them look good, whilst standing as glamorous beacons. The street revolves around them like the great women that have resided on the street before them.”

He then added: “I hope you liked Fraser and let’s see if he pops up again someday – who knows? #actor.” Gareth Pierce, who plays Todd, was quick to show support, as he commented on the post: “An absolute pleasure, my mate. You did brill, and we all loved working with you.” Natalie Anderson, who recently played Danielle Silverton on the cobbles, joined calls for a return, as she said: “Absolutely love this!!! Def think Fraser could be a good catch for Todd @garpierce. The loveliest gang.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln has docked at a Thailand resort town following an extended deployment of more than 250 days in which they faced grueling conditions.

The US Navy aircraft carrier stopped in the resort city of Pattaya on Wednesday, where the 5,000 sailors and Marines on board will have the chance to unwind before heading back to the United States, the Navy announced.

‘Our arrival in Laem Chabang provides a well-deserved opportunity for our Sailors and Marines to rest and recharge,’ Rear Admiral Robert Loughran, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3, said in a statement.

‘It also underscores the strong and enduring partnership and alliance between the United States and Thailand.’ 

Officials in the city are now hoping it will become an ‘important vacation spot’ for US service members in the future, Newsweek reports. 

‘We welcome more visits of the troops in the future, whether for a drill or a vacation, before they go back to the US,’ Mayor Poramet Ngampichet is said to have told American military officials. 

The trip marks a much-needed break for the American servicemembers, who had been at sea since November 21 amid the war in Iran.

Its deployment included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days. 

But city officials have also implemented a series of rules for the sailors after speaking with American military officials. 

Pattaya had started off as a fishing village, but became a tourism center during the Vietnam War, when US servicemembers were stationed nearby

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Pattaya started off as a fishing village but became a tourism center during the Vietnam War, when US servicemembers were stationed nearby.

It has since developed a reputation for sex tourism but, ahead of the ship’s arrival on Wednesday, authorities in the city launched a crackdown on prostitution. 

Police raids over the weekend saw 40 to 50 people detained with additional patrols in place for the main beachfront and nightlife district, The Independent reports. 

The mayor has denied the crackdown on sex work was related to the arrival of US servicemembers.

But under an agreement with the US, service members docked at Pattaya are barred from engaging in certain recreational activities such as parasailing and cannabis use, which was legalized in Thailand in 2022, according to the Guardian. 

And while famed nightlife area Walking Street will be opened to sailors, they must leave by 2am. 

Any US service member found violating Thai law will be prosecuted accordingly, City Police Chief Anek Srathongyoo vowed.

Officials in the city are now hoping it will become an ‘important vacation spot’ for US service members in the future

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Business owners in Pattaya eagerly awaited the arrival of the US sailors

Unlike in the United States, vapes and e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand, and anyone caught possessing one can face up to five years in prison. 

The country also has strict laws against insulting the country’s monarchy – which could see violators sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

In preparation for the deluge of US servicemembers, authorities in Pattaya have stepped up security, adding more police officers in popular areas along the beach and in the bustling downtown area. 

Meanwhile, business owners across the city eagerly awaited the arrival of the sailors, with some businesses displaying banners reading: ‘Welcome all US military personnel. Thank you for your service’ and ‘All Welcome’ next to a silhouette of the aircraft carrier.

The ship’s arrival in Thailand comes just weeks after the USS George Washington was forced to abandon its post in the Pacific Ocean to relieve the strained sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The sailors onboard the Lincoln had reportedly experienced horrific conditions that led some service members to experience suicidal ideation due to dwindling morale.

The wife of one of the sailors even described the ship as a ‘floating metal prison’ with appalling conditions as she slammed President Donald Trump for downplaying family members’ concerns.

The unidentified woman said her husband described the experience aboard the aircraft carrier stationed in the Middle East as ‘the worst deployment he’s ever been on.’

‘This is not his first deployment. This is not his first time being out there, and he is saying that it is the worst deployment that he’s ever been on. And he also says that his shipmates say the same,’ she told CNN‘s Jake Tapper.

Sailors have complained about the meager portions they were receiving onboard the ship

Since the beginning of the war in Iran, reports have surfaced of food shortages and rationing aboard the Lincoln, accompanied by photographs of sailors’ meals.

‘It’s not just the quality; it’s the quantity,’ the sailor’s wife told the outlet. ‘It’s the rationing. The portions are awful, so it’s really not good.’ 

Remaining anonymous out of fear of retaliation against her husband, the woman added her spouse, who she said is typically unaffected by work stressors, ‘feels himself being angrier and more frustrated.’

‘You’re stuck in a floating metal prison essentially, in the middle of the water, eating prison-like food with the same people in the same bunk beds in the same small quarters for 200 days, 250 days, you start to go a little insane working 12 hours, getting four or five hours of sleep,’ she continued.

Sailors aboard the Lincoln are said to have endured moldy showers, broken toilets, laundry outages, food shortages and long stretches without hot water. 

Some sailors even reportedly tried to jump ship amid the extended deployment, with one 19-year-old father-of-two now facing non-judicial punishment from the Trump administration for hurling himself overboard in an apparent attempt to drown.

Navy documents accuse the servicemember of ‘intentionally faking an illness or hurting themselves to avoid work, duty or service,’ while a separate charge claims he failed to report to his required place of duty during the mental-health crisis. 

‘I think they’re insane for doing this to people who need mental help,’ the sailor’s wife told MS NOW. ‘Instead of giving them help, this is just another huge stressor.’

Crew members are pictured standing on the flight deck as the USS Abraham Lincoln approached Thailand on Wednesday

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The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is pictured in April carrying out blockade operations in the Arabian Sea

His wife said he repeatedly requested paternity leave to meet his newborn daughter for the first time but was denied each time. His fate will be decided at a ‘captain’s mast,’ where his commanding officer could dock as much as half his pay, according to the charging documents.

The sailor was rescued after going overboard on August 3 and medically evacuated before returning to San Diego ten days later, according to his wife.

He then spent five days at Naval Medical Center San Diego, known locally as Balboa, where staff monitored his vital signs but never had him evaluated by a psychiatrist or therapist, she said.

He was ordered back to work immediately after his release and did not receive his first therapy session until this Wednesday, nearly two weeks after arriving home.

The Navy is pursuing the case through non-judicial punishment, an internal disciplinary process generally used for lower-level misconduct that avoids a formal court-martial and criminal conviction.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers has demanded greater oversight and transparency over living conditions aboard the carrier. 

Four family members died after being pulled from the sea off the Sussex coast, an inquest has heard.

Hussam El-Khawas, 55, his wife Zeina Alayan, 37, older daughter Sara El-Khawas, 14, and youngest daughter Saja El-Khawas, six, died after members of the public reported them ‘getting into trouble in the sea’.

Saja was rescued from the water at Shoreham-by-Sea and resuscitated, but died on August 21 in hospital after showing signs of a brain injury throughout treatment.

An inquest into the deaths of all four family members opened at Horsham on Tuesday.

The hearing heard that the RNLI was called after reports of ‘members of the public getting into trouble in the sea’.

Mr El-Khawas, Ms Alayan and Sara were brought ashore by lifeboat crews at Kingston Beach before being pronounced dead at the RNLI lifeboat station.

Saja was taken to the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton in a critical condition before being transferred to Evelina London Children’s Hospital at St Thomas’ Hospital.

Coroner’s officer Kelly Truss told the hearing that Saja showed signs of a brain injury throughout her time in hospital.

‘All clinical signs throughout her admission showed evidence of a hypoxic brain injury,’ she said.

Saja was pronounced dead on August 21, with a provisional cause of death given as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and drowning.

The cause of death for the other three family members has not yet been established.

Michael, spent most of his life in care. However, after he returned home from university his relationship broke down with his foster parents – forcing him into sofa surfing and eventually on to the streets.

After a few months, he got in contact with Centrepoint, who were able to place him into accommodation and help him find a job. It was here that Michael started working at The Co-operative Bank, through it’s Brick by Brick scheme, and he hasn’t looked back since.

He said: “Over two years I applied for 400 jobs. It was demoralising because I really wanted to work but couldn’t as employers would either say I was too experienced or not experienced enough.

“Thankfully, Centrepoint and The Co-operative Bank were able to support me into this job now and I love it. Everyone’s friendly and supportive and it’s given me a purpose, as opposed to just existing.”

Brick by Brick, launched earlier this year, is a pioneering early careers programme, designed to support young people into sustainable work and move on from homelessness for good.

It provides a steady, structured journey starting with employability workshops, and then progressing to the Get Set Go Programme which provides six days classroom learning, mock interviews, professional behaviour guidance, and an introduction to the Bank’s values.

After this, a young person will then complete work experience at the Bank which, if successful, is followed by an employment offer, removing the pressure of formal interviews. The program ends with an optional apprenticeship and keep in touch days, designed to improve preparedness between a job offer and start date.

The initiative has had 35 young people participating in various steps so far with several securing permanent employment in the Bank’s Contact Centre.

Michael is one of these, and discussing the skills it has given him, he said: “Communication, multitasking, timekeeping, but most importantly, confidence.

“I’ve gone from thinking ‘Why would a company want me’ to now thinking ‘Why wouldn’t they’.”

With over one million young people currently not in education or employment, Brick by Brick is reshaping conversations about homelessness by refusing to define young people by their experiences, instead investing in their potential and honouring their needs.

“By meeting young people where they’re at, we can close the opportunity gap that holds too many back from reaching their potential,” said Anna Cuskin, the Bank’s Social Impact Lead. “Everyone deserves the chance to succeed. With the right support, young people can gain confidence, find meaningful employment and build a future beyond homelessness.”

HMO has given me ‘sense of purpose’ says man at risk of homelessness

A man who was at risk of homelessness has told us how a new home gave him a ‘sense of purpose.’

Kai, 22, was living with his dad before overcrowding at home forced him to find somewhere else to live, he said: “It was a really worrying time. I didn’t know where to go or who to turn to.”

Fortunately, Kai was able to get in contact with Centrepoint where through the Rent Deposits Scheme, funded by Nationwide Building Society, he was able to find a place in a House In Multiple Occupation (HMO). 

“It’s given me the stability to rebuild my life and slowly I’m getting back on track.

“One day I’d like to live in a house of my own, by a river, on my own plot of land, and do what I want with it.

“That’s my dream and I feel like if I keep sticking at it, I’ll be able to eventually achieve it.”

However, young people in Kai’s situation may not be so fortunate – research by Centrepoint has found there has been a 10% fall in HMOs since 2019, with 458,000 in 24/25 compared to 510, 776 in 19/20.

When asked if he had any advice for young people going through something similar, Kai said: “Don’t give up. It might be hard, but right now, your best bet is to keep pushing forward and look for any form of help where you possibly can. Just keep going.”

PM’s pledge to end rough sleeping gets early boost

(Image: Centrepoint)

The Prime Minister’s pledge to end rough sleeping has been given an early boost after the number of young people sleeping rough in London dropped by almost half.

Between April and June 2026, 202 18–25-year-olds in London were recorded as sleeping rough. This was a 45% decrease from the same quarter last year when 368 young people were reported.

The youth homelessness charity Centrepoint said this was cause for celebration and called the number proof that the Prime Minister’s pledge could be achieved.

Lisa Doyle, the charity’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, said: “London is providing the blueprint for what can be achieved when political leaders has the vision and intent to end street homelessness.

“These figures are a real cause for celebration, but the job is not done. The Mayor of London and the Government must continue these efforts until rough sleeping is reduced to as close to zero as possible, and anyone forced onto the streets is helped off them quickly.

However, the charity warned that ending street sleeping alone is not enough. “We must also remember that homelessness does not begin and end with rough sleeping.” Lisa said, “For every person on the streets, many thousands more are living in insecure or unsafe situations. To avoid reversing this positive trend, the Government must now also address the causes and consequences of those experiences too, and step up efforts to prevent homelessness.”

Months of heat ‘life threatening’ for homeless people says charity

A charity has warned that homeless people’s lives are ‘at risk’ due to the past few months of high temperatures.

It comes after August saw another flurry of heatwaves – regularly rising over 30 degrees across the country. The UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, Centrepoint, believes council should do more to protect those sleeping rough when it’s this hot.

Lisa Doyle, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, said: “This weather is life threatening for those forced to sleep on the streets.

“And while many councils do activate protocols to protect those sleeping rough, there is no legal requirement for local authorities to provide shelter for everyone during severe weather. This must change.”

“Ultimately, street homelessness is just the tip of the iceberg – the best way to keep people safe is to reduce homelessness however it is experienced.”

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed more than 3,000 people out of over 6,100 confirmed cases, the latest government data showed Wednesday, as the disease is spreading at an unprecedented speed, faster than efforts to track and slow it.

Data from Congo’s Ministry of Health showed the outbreak has recorded 6,186 confirmed cases, including 3,007 deaths since it was declared in mid-May. It remains the fastest-growing outbreak of Ebola ever.

The disease has continued to spread rapidly for several reasons, including conflict in the eastern region of the country where the outbreak is concentrated, attacks on health workers, miners constantly on the move, and inadequate health infrastructure.

The resumption of school in the middle of the outbreak has also raised concerns about transmission in classrooms.

The World Health Organization said the outbreak is on track to exceed the deadliest on record, West Africa’s regional outbreak between 2014 and 2016, which killed 11,000 people.

There is no vaccine or approved treatment for the rare Bundibugyo virus that has sparked the current outbreak. The government is distributing the Ervebo vaccine, which has helped combat previous Ebola disease outbreaks and which the WHO said could offer some protection. The virus has spread to six provinces.

Court records show Khan was prosecuted by the DVLA after the annual tax on the blue Nissan Micra, which was first registered in 2002, ran out in September last year.

The DVLA said the vehicle was spotted untaxed on 24 January and told the court that his name and date of birth appeared against the car on official records held by the government.

The agency said a letter asking for confirmation of the identity of the car owner, which was sent to the wrong address, went unanswered in January, leading to a criminal prosecution on 18 August after no plea was entered to the charge.

The court also sent a record of conviction to the Gordon Ramsay restaurant, ordering Khan to pay the £340.84 court bill within 28 days or face the prospect of increased fines, bailiffs, or even “a warrant for your arrest to bring you to court”.

The DVLA said it was reviewing the case and investigating the circumstances of the prosecution.

Defendants who believe they have been wrongly convicted of a crime in their absence can apply for the case to be reopened, typically by appearing in person in front of a judge to make a statutory declaration.

Khan could argue that he did not know about the criminal case because the letters were addressed to the wrong building.

Once reopened, he could petition the DVLA to withdraw the prosecution if it can be shown that he was wrongly accused, or enter a not guilty plea.

Alternatively, the DVLA could apply to the court for the case to be reopened.

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