Hydrolysis, also known as water cremation, has been dubbed “boil-in-the-bag” funerals by some and has been effectively banned in the UK until now

“Boil-in-the-bag” funerals are coming to the UK, it has been announced. Hydrolysis provides an eco-friendly option to conventional cremations or burials.

Formally called water cremation, the process has been labelled “boil-in-the-bag” funerals by some observers. Until now the method has been essentially prohibited in the UK, though it’s already established in Ireland, Canada and the United States.

Scotland has now become the first nation within the UK to adopt the technique following regulations introduced by the Scottish Government, which gained approval from the Scottish Parliament. In confirming the development, officials said it would provide choice for those seeking alternatives to burial or cremation for the first time in over a century.

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “The choices people make about their remains prior to death are deeply personal, shaped by individual values, beliefs and the wishes of their families. Hydrolysis offers a new, environmentally friendly alternative to burial or cremation, responding to significant public support for greater choice, and it will be the first new option available for over 120 years.

“The process will be subject to the same assurances and regulatory requirements as existing methods, giving bereaved families confidence that their loved ones are treated with care, dignity and respect.”, reports the Mirror.

Hydrolysis sees the body wrapped in a silk or woollen shroud, or alternative biodegradable fabric, before being positioned in a vessel containing heated water and chemical solutions, accelerating the decomposition process. The remains can be given back to relatives, much like ashes after traditional cremation.

According to cremation.green the advantages include eliminating fossil fuel usage, lowering carbon dioxide emissions and, when compared to conventional burial, it’s considerably quicker. The website states that traditional burial methods require up to 25 years for complete human decomposition, whilst water-based cremation can be completed in merely two to three hours.

Already operating across 30 American states, plus Canada and South Africa, Europe’s inaugural water cremation centre, or resomation facility, launched in early 2023 in Navan, Co Meath, Ireland. The initial procedures in Scotland are anticipated to commence this summer once all required permissions are secured.

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What’s the plan Mr President? The clamour for an explanation for what comes next is building. Anxious allies across the region are demanding the Trump team shows it has a strategy.

With Americans already killed in this war, with oil prices spiking, and with the toll on US allies and their economies around the Gulf mounting, so pressure is building on President Trump.

The publicly stated strategy is unconvincing. Donald Trump has urged the Iranian people to rise up and seize control, and Iranians with guns to hand them in.

So far, the opposite has happened – far from surrendering their weapons, Iran‘s security forces have used them to shoot more Iranians for daring to celebrate the death of their despised dictator.

Live updates on strikes

By the end of day two, unnamed sources within the US administration were insisting there is a more cunning plan. Not to topple the regime so much as to split it.

With supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dead, the hope is that more moderate elements will step forward, stabilise the country and negotiate more pragmatically.

That would be the Venezuela model. Decapitate and co-opt. There, the Trump administration seized the dictator and claimed to find more amenable elements in Nicolas Maduro’s regime.

It is too early to gauge the success of that strategy, but the Trump team may well hope to repeat something similar in Iran.

In his Truth Social post, President Trump hinted that it may already be working in Iran. Some members of Iran’s security forces, he said, are giving up the fight.

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How is Iran hitting back after strikes?

Iran, though, is not Venezuela. The regime is more coherent and much larger than Maduro’s. More than 200,000 armed men are thought to be on the payroll. They are in it together.

What is not known is what is happening on the ground. Israeli intelligence appears to have penetrated the country and almost certainly will be trying to compromise the integrity of that regime. There will be efforts, both diplomatic and covert to co-opt elements within its leadership.

Read more:
What we know so far about airstrikes
Which Iranian officials are dead?
Attacks close Middle East airports

We have no idea what efforts have been under way to seduce figures in Iran’s government in return for sparing their lives.

For now, it is far from clear what the plan is and if it is working. In the absence of one emerging, the future looks extremely uncertain for Iran and the region.

US President Donald Trump warned “there will likely be more” US casualties during operations in Iran in a statement posted on Truth Social. This comes as US Central Command (Centcom) said three US service members have been killed in action and five “seriously wounded”.

In Israel, nine people have been killed after a missile strike in the city of Beit Shemesh, according to medical services.

Meanwhile Iranian officials say at least 153 people including children were killed after a reported strike hit a school on Saturday, according to Iranian officials. Iran has blamed the US and Israel. Centcom said it was looking into reports of the incident, while Israel’s military said it was “not aware” of any IDF operations in the area.

The UAE has said three people have been killed by Iranian attacks since Saturday, while in Kuwait, one person has reportedly been killed.

More on this story.

Video edited by Amy Walker.

Sajni Shah, a money expert at Compare the Market, said: “For many first-time buyers, help from the bank of mum and dad can be the difference between getting on the property ladder or missing out altogether – but these findings show that the support often comes with emotional and practical trade-offs.

A formal declaration of war has not been made but it looks and sounds like war in central Tehran.

Clouds of smoke and the crack of high explosives rupture the air as the Americans and the Israelis bring their operation to the heart of the capital city.

And if the elimination of the senior Iranian leaders was their chief objective, it seems they have achieved their goal.

Live updates on strikes

The death of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was acknowledged on state television at 4am on Sunday. The presenter recited a prayer for the dead – but he was barely able to finish it as he choked back the tears.

In stark contrast, the demise of the supreme leader has been met with a burst of exuberance and sheer joy in locations throughout the country.

“Congratulations on our freedom”, cried one in the back seat of a car.

“Am I dreaming? Hello to the new world!” shouted another in southern Iran, as he watched people tear down a monument to Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

In Tehran, many cheered from the windows and lit fireworks from their balconies. Khamenei ruled Iran with an iron fist – an autocratic leader prepared to repress and kill his own people to protect the regime.

But in a deeply polarised society, he was also a revered religious figure – a man invested with the authority of the divine.

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Protests after Khamenei’s death

Anger and shock among some Iranians

In Tehran’s Revolution Square, his supporters spoke of their anger and deep shock.

“We were saying to ourselves all night that his death must be a lie. Unfortunately, it was the truth,” said one woman, as her body shook heavily with emotion.

“We lost our dearest person, we lost our elder, we lost our master,” said another tear-stained man.

Read more:
Which Iranian officials are dead?
Attacks close Middle East airports

President Trump says he has given Iranians the opportunity to take back their country but it is clear that a significant number back the existing regime.

A regime this coalition of two is now trying to destroy.

We saw the remains of the police headquarters in Tehran and the bombed-out shell of the Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, where many political dissidents have been sentenced to death.

One massive blast claimed the detention facilities used the feared paramilitary police or ‘Basij’.

The regime certainly looks vulnerable as the Americans and the Israelis operate with what appears to be total air superiority.

Yet the clerics and their supporters remain and they control the streets.

Labour MPs are among a group of more than 60 parliamentarians to have made public their opposition to the planned Rosebank oil field – with one of Sir Keir Starmer’s backbenchers urging the Government to rule against the development and take a stand “against Trump, Reform and their fossil fuel paymasters”.

Clive Lewis is one of more than 50 MPs at Westminster who have signed a pledge from campaign group Uplift to “oppose the Rosebank oil field” and instead “advocate for a properly funded just transition for oil and gas workers and communities”.

Urging the Government to reject the development, Norwich South MP Mr Lewis said: “We must stand our ground against Trump, Reform and their fossil fuel paymasters.

“Approving an enormous new oil field would mean caving in to their anti-climate, anti-renewables agenda that runs completely counter to our values and our long-term interests.”

Scottish Labour MP Chris Murray, another of the Labour MPs to have signed the pledge, said the decision on Rosebank was “an opportunity for the Government to change course”.

It comes as the UK Government continues to consider whether the development of the oil field can go ahead – with Labour now under mounting pressure after the loss of the Gorton and Denton by-election to the Greens on Thursday.

Rosebank, which lies about 80 miles west of Shetland, is the UK’s largest untapped field, containing up to an estimated 300 million barrels of oil.

Drilling there was approved by the Conservative government in 2023 but was then subject to a legal challenge in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling which said the emissions created from burning fossil fuels should be considered when granting permission for new sites.

Now the decision on whether it can proceed lies with Labour ministers – with some 16 Labour MPs having made plain their opposition to the development.

The group includes Mr Lewis, Mr Murray, former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell and Scottish Labour’s Brian Leishman.

Former Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott have also signed the pledge, along with a number of Liberal Democrat and Green MPs, SNP MP Chris Law, Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts and Paul Maskey of Sinn Fein.

In Scotland a number of Labour MSPs have signed the pledge, along with Green MSPs – including the party’s Scottish co-leader Ross Greer – and former SNP health secretary Michael Matheson.

While previous Scottish first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf made plain their opposition to Rosebank, First Minister John Swinney has insisted the Scottish Government takes a “case-by-case approach” to new oil and gas developments, stressing these should only proceed if found to be compatible with climate change targets.

Mr Lewis said opposing Rosebank would “show that a Labour Government will stand by the promises we made to the country”.

He added: “There are only so many times we can afford to make mistakes and then change course.

“With Rosebank, we have an opportunity to get it right the first time.”

Mr Murray, the Labour MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, said many locals in his constituency were “deeply concerned about Rosebank and rightly so”.

He added: “Climate change is one of the reasons I came into politics, and opening new oil and gas fields is simply incompatible with our climate commitments.

“With the North Sea’s oil supply dwindling, Scotland’s energy sector must transition to clean energy, or workers risk being left behind.”

Scottish Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba, who has also signed the pledge, argued that “approving projects like Rosebank will lock us into a toxic dependence on volatile, conflict-ridden fossil fuels”.

This would create “another excuse to delay the urgent investment needed to create secure, well-paid jobs for Scotland’s workers”, she added.

Ms Villalba said: “In an increasingly uncertain world, where climate action is relegated in favour of fossil politics, the UK and Scotland must lead the way on the clean energy transition.”

Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, said people in her constituency and across the country “are already facing the consequences of an increasingly unstable climate”.

Highlighting the impact of flooding and “skyrocketing food prices”, she said that “climate impacts are now a daily reality”.

Ms Hobhouse said: “Extreme weather is damaging crops, putting pressure on farmers, and destroying our precious natural environment.

“We cannot ignore these warning signs.

“A massive new oil field like Rosebank would only make matters worse.

“The emissions would be enormous, locking us into decades more pollution when we should be cutting carbon and unlocking the benefits of cheap, renewable energy.”

Approving the Rosebank development would “make a mockery of Labour’s environmental promises”, she said.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “Our priority is to deliver a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea in line with our climate and legal obligations, which drives our clean energy future of energy security, lower bills, and good long-term jobs.”

The mother of a boy with a rare genetic disorder, known to affect around 200 people worldwide, has said doctors told her “nothing can be done” and he is “unlikely to survive past his teens”.

Amy Sheridan-Hill, 46, a former teacher living in Ware, Hertfordshire, said she was “shocked” for her son Frankie to be diagnosed with H-ABC, a rare genetic disorder which affects certain parts of the brain, in 2021, aged five.

Frankie, now 10, was born in 2015 after Amy said she had a normal pregnancy and planned C-section, noting “no issues from birth”.

As Frankie was her first child, Amy said she was “quite unaware of the proper development stages”, so when her son could not sit up like other children she saw around her, she initially thought it was “nothing to worry about”.

But by the age of two, Amy said Frankie was not walking independently, which most toddlers learn to do by 18 months, so she took him to a doctor who made a referral to a physiotherapist.

This is when Amy said she was told her son might have hypermobility, a condition of very flexible joints, but when Frankie still was not walking by four, a physiotherapist noticed “a certain way his foot went that made her think of cerebral palsy”, so he was referred to a neurologist.

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Amy said Frankie had an MRI and then genetic testing to get his diagnosis of H-ABC – a very rare form of leukodystrophy, which is a group of genetic disorders that affect the white matter of the brain – at five years old, which came as a “massive shock” and turned their world “upside down completely”.

According to H-ABC Foundation UK, as of 2019, fewer than 200 documented cases of H-ABC have been identified, the majority of which are children, but that number is on the rise as patients have access to better clinical diagnoses.

“When you go to a doctor, you expect to be told what can be done,” Amy told PA Real Life.

“So I think to be told ‘nothing can be done’ is quite a shock.

“You’re told they’re going to die essentially. I think there’s still some PTSD from the diagnosis and I think a lot of parents say that it’s quite big to be given this information and sent on your way.

“When you google leukodystrophy, it just gives you the worst-case scenario. With some types of leukodystrophy, kids die within two years, so it is not a word you want to google if you’ve just been given that diagnosis.”

By this stage, Amy said he was behind his peers developmentally, especially with his walking ability, but also his speech and reading level.

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In the aftermath of Frankie’s diagnosis, Amy said she was “googling everything” and came across a Facebook group for H-ABC that had “less than 100 worldwide members”, so she joined it.

Shortly after, Michelle Teng, a fellow mum from the group based in Oxford, got in touch and told Amy about another Cotswolds-based mum named Ali Candy-Waters, so they all jumped on a Zoom call together and eventually decided to set up a charity called H-ABC Foundation UK to raise awareness for the condition.

“I think having mums who are going through what you’re going through is just really helpful,” Amy said.

“We don’t see each other that often, but we text constantly.

“I was talking to Ali this morning about the mum guilt of when you don’t put your child in his stander every day – because he should and it’s good for him – but actually getting him in the stander is really difficult.

“We’ve all got brilliant friends and families, but people that are going through it, they know (what it’s like) when you’re having a meltdown, so you can phone one of them.”

Through fundraising initiatives such as marathons and school bake sales, Amy said the charity has helped fund research into the disease and supported in buying other families affected by the condition wheelchairs or iPads, which can help children without speech to communicate.

Alongside this, Michelle is the co-founder of an Oxford-based company called SynaptixBio, which has recently chosen its candidate drug to take forward into clinical trials to treat H-ABC.

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Amy said the timeline for these trials could be within the next year or two and it would not completely cure Frankie, but it could potentially “hold the disease to stop children losing any more skills”.

Currently, there is no known cure for the condition, but treatments such as physical therapy and certain medication may alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.

In the meantime, Amy said her family’s goal is to keep Frankie “as strong as possible” so that there is a “better starting point” if he is selected for the trial.

To do this, Amy said Frankie regularly has physio and occupational therapy and Botox to relax the muscles in his legs.

He uses leg splints, Lycra shorts, a stander and a walker, and will need to have X-rays and surgeries in the future because his spine will start curving.

If Frankie is not eligible for the trial, Amy said it might be a few more years before he can get access to what could be a drug that completely changes her son’s life.

For now, Amy said Frankie loves playing with his “protective” and “kind” younger brother Rory, eight, and he “loves” being in a mainstream school, where she commended his “amazing teachers” and the whole class who “just really look after him”.

“It’s really sweet to see,” Amy said.

“When they do assemblies, they make Frankie the centre of things and they always make sure he’s really involved in everything.

“They specialise the curriculum for him because he is delayed, so he’ll do his own work, but he just loves being part of the class.”

She added: “Frankie is a very happy child. He can read, he loves to play PlayStation, and he can use his iPad.

“If we could keep the disease static and he doesn’t decline, he’d have a great life.

“If we could get some form of treatment in the next two or three years, I think Frankie’s path would be quite different.

“We hope that other families don’t go through what we’ve been through.”

Ultimately, Amy said she wants to raise awareness of the disease because “there’s probably more cases out there”.

She said people need to know that there are charities like H-ABC Foundation UK “that have been set up to support families and there are doctors and scientists working on treatments”.

Amy said: “Now we can tell them where we are and that gives them hope, whereas when Frankie was diagnosed, there wasn’t that hope. So we’ve had to create that hope and now we can share it with other families.”

To find out more about H-ABC Foundation UK, visit its website: www.h-abcfoundation.org.

Rat infestations in UK properties have surged over the past year, a phenomenon experts attribute to a record-breaking hot summer followed by recent heavy rainfall. Rentokil Pest Control reported a 10 per cent year-on-year rise in confirmed rodent sightings, with notable increases observed across Northern Ireland and northern England.

Northern Ireland recorded the largest increase of 26%, followed by Yorkshire (20%) and north-west England (19%).

Several other regions, including the West Midlands (16%) and Scotland (14%), also had double-digit rises.

Rentokil said longer-term climate patterns could be contributing to the increase, including 2025 being the UK’s warmest year on record.

It said milder weather could increase rat reproduction by extending their breeding season and leading to larger populations.

Rentokil warned that the record-breaking wet start to 2026 across the UK could also lead to higher levels of rat activity.

Sustained heavy rain can flood burrow systems and drainage networks, displacing rats and increasing the likelihood of infestations as they seek higher, drier shelter, it said.

Paul Blackhurst, from Rentokil, said: “Rats are highly capable swimmers. They can navigate strong currents, enter exposed pipes and sewers, and swim considerable distances in open water.

“However, what they cannot tolerate is prolonged submersion. When burrow systems and sewer networks flood, rats are forced to seek higher, drier ground, increasing the risk of infestations in properties.

“With northern regions already reporting notable increases in reported activity, continued wet weather may push more rats into properties. Early prevention and professional support are key.

“Simple steps such as proofing entry points, managing waste effectively and responding quickly to early signs of activity can make a significant difference. If a problem does become unmanageable, professional pest control experts are always on hand to provide safe and effective solutions.”

After periods of heavy rain, storms and flooding, property owners are advised to take proactive steps to reduce the risk of rodent activity, including:

– Clearing debris promptly by removing fallen branches, leaves and other items that may have accumulated around the property, as these create ideal hiding and nesting spots for rats.

– Sealing potential entry points.

– Inspecting the walls and foundations of the property for gaps, as rats can squeeze through “surprisingly small” openings.

– Removing sources of food by ensuring outdoor bins are sturdy, fitted with tight lids and positioned away from building walls where possible.

MPs debate concerns as state pension age rises to 67 between April 2026 and 2028

MPs have been debating changes to state pension rules and how people could face varying retirement ages. The state pension age is set to rise from April 2026.

Currently, you can claim your state pension upon reaching 66, but the access age is increasing to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028. With this major shift approaching, the Work and Pensions Committee has been discussing with policy specialists the potential consequences.

A significant concern is that workers may reach a point where they’re physically unable to continue working, particularly in demanding manual roles. Yet they still face years of waiting before accessing their state pension.

The committee heard from policy advocates about the challenges confronting older employees and what additional measures could be introduced to assist them. The committee asked the panel about the suggestion the Government should offer better workplace support to sectors it can “influence most directly”, such as health, social care, and education.

Jon Richards, assistant general secretary at public service union UNISON, highlighted how the rules can vary for different workers. He said: “If you compare ambulance workers to fire and police workers, they have different retirement ages. It’s very difficult for ambulance workers, even though they are manually handling all the time, all the day, more so than police and fire workers, yet they are not able to retire as early.”

Mr Richards stated that the union carried out a survey among ambulance workers to determine what would persuade them to stay in their roles, reports the Mirror. The most frequent response was a reduction in their retirement age.

Numerous NHS staff, including ambulance crews, have their retirement age linked to the state pension age, which is due to rise beyond 67, reaching 68 between April 2044 and 2046. Some workers can choose to access reduced benefits from the age of 55, which is also the age at which private pensions can be accessed.

However, this threshold is set to increase to 57 in April 2028. Research carried out by the GMB Union in 2024 revealed that 75 per cent of ambulance workers who retired in 2023 did so before the age of 60.

By comparison, the retirement age for many police and fire service personnel is 60, although early pension access may be available in certain circumstances. Mr Richards also pointed out that initiatives to improve support within the education sector frequently overlook some vital members of staff.

He told the committee: “If you look at other sectors like education, the focus is always on teachers, professional workers, yet 50 percent of people in schools is support staff, cleaners, teaching assistants.”

He referenced a previous Department for Education study examining teachers’ mental health. Researchers believed the findings could also be applicable to teaching assistants and other school staff. Mr Richards explained that they were required to inform the department that workers such as teaching assistants function “in a completely different way” to teachers.

The policy advocate was keen to dispel a further misconception, saying: “You get this idea of public sector workers with their ‘gold-plated pensions’ and other things like that. I always say this, but the local Government pension scheme average pension is just over £5,000.”

State pensioners are set to receive a welcome boost this April thanks to the triple lock mechanism. This guarantee ensures payments increase in line with whichever is the highest of three figures: 2.5 per cent, wage growth, or inflation.

Earnings growth proved the highest measure last year, meaning pension payments will rise by 4.8 per cent from April. This will see the full new state pension climb from the current £230.25 weekly to £241.30 weekly, while the full basic state pension will increase from the present £176.45 weekly to £184.90 weekly.

After Chelsea suffered yet another red card in defeat to Arsenal, captain Reece James admitted the Blues have a discipline issue.

The Gunners went five points clear at the top of the Premier League again after a 2-1 victory over the Blues at the Emirates.

William Saliba and Jurrien Timber scored the goals for the home team, either side of a Piero Hincapie own goal just before half-time.

It was a tight game with all three goals coming from corners and not a great deal of creativity from open play on either side.

Chelsea were left disappointed to leave with nothing, but only have themselves to blame as they played the last 20 minutes with 10 men, thanks to Pedro Neto’s red card.

The winger lunged in on Gabriel Martinelli to earn himself a second yellow and pick up Chelsea’s seventh red card in the Premier League this season and ninth in all competitions.

It is a really poor disciplinary record and James admits it is a problem which the Blues must solve.

‘We’ve spoken about it, it’s come up a number of times, every time it’s someone different, not the same player,’ James told Sky Sports.

‘Internally we need to review and keep improving. It’s a problem, we are playing in the toughest league in the world, you play against top or bottom 11 v 11 it’s tough, 11 v 10 is even harder no matter who you are playing.

‘I have no doubt in the team and staff, it didn’t go our way today but we need to regroup and go again.’

Blues boss Liam Rosenior was frustrated and disappointed with the result, which was his third defeat to Arsenal since taking over at Stamford Bridge in January.

On Chelsea’s red card issues, the manager said: ‘It is a difficult things to put your finger on. We get paid to try and win games of football.

‘If you don’t think we have tried to address that it is crazy. We are trying to address it.

‘Sometimes you have to learn from consequence and the pain.

‘I felt the consequence of the pain of losing points against Leeds and Burnley when 2-0 up would switch us on against a very good set-play team.

‘It hasn’t and that has been the most frustrating thing about this afternoon. We come off the pitch with no points.

‘I don’t want to talk about all the good things we did in the game – of which there was a lot – when we haven’t got anything from the game. It is a really frustrating one today.’

He added: ‘In the end it is a bitterly disappointing day because we came here with a game plan we felt we could execute.

‘Again we haven’t because we haven’t had good discipline and we conceded two goals from set-plays.’

Chelsea are left sixth in the Premier League on a bad day for them as Manchester United climbed to third with a win over Crystal Palace.

The Blues are now three points behind Liverpool in fifth and six behind Aston Villa in fourth.

Arsenal, in contrast, are flying high at the top of the table, five points clear again, although second-placed Manchester City have a game in hand.

MORE: Ian Wright reveals ‘worry’ for Arsenal after win over Chelsea

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MORE: Liam Rosenior makes Arsenal claim after ‘really frustrating’ Chelsea defeat