London

    Since coming into effect in April 2019, London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) has seen more than 2.1 million drivers pay the daily charge. However, around 224,000 entries into the zone have gone unpaid, incurring penalty charge notices. A Freedom of Information request to Transport for London by Motorway.co.uk uncovered the figures. A total of 223,952 penalties were sent out between May 11 and August 31. And nearly 32,000 drivers have received more than one fine for lack of ULEZ payment. One driver has racked up a scarcely believable 81 penalties, amounting to £13,000. Overall, TfL has made £10.6 million in fines, and £30.7 million in paid ULEZ charges. If that course is maintained, the ULEZ combined could earn TfL more than £120 million in its first year. The ...

    Meghan Markle was without husband Prince Harry as she attended the official opening of the 2019 One Young World summit at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday night. The 38-year-old Duchess of Sussex stunned in a midi purple dress and navy heels, while she wore her brunette hair down in glossy and bouncy waves. Meghan beamed as she walked through the audience at the event, which is described as a 'global forum for young leaders' and brought together 2,000 people from more than 190 countries. Meghan’s appearance at the event had been confirmed hours before by Meghan and Harry’s Instagram account, Sussex Royal. Alongside pictures of Meghan, a statement read: “The Duchess of Sussex will attend @OneYoungWorld opening ceremony this evening to continue her support...

    This is the moment a couple appear to get married on Westminster Bridge during a huge Extinction Rebellion demonstration. The pair, who are believed to have been protesting, were snapped in an embrace on an action site demonstrators dubbed The Beacon, one of 12 places around key government locations targeted today. While Westminster Bridge doesn't hold licences to host weddings, witnesses said they couple hitched there after parts of the capital came to a standstill. The couple, who have not been named, were cheered on by other protesters and some threw what appeared to be pink flowers. Others enjoyed an impromptu cricket game outside the Supreme Court as the streets rang with drumming, whistles and chanting. Dozens of tents were erected on the roads and yoga clas...

    The parents of a severely disabled girl have won a High Court life-support fight to take her to Italy for treatment. Tafida Raqeeb was a healthy four-year-old girl until a blood vessel in her brain burst on February 9 this year, leading doctors to give her only 24 hours to live. Despite defying their prognosis and making some signs of improvement on a ventilator over the last seven months, doctors at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel said the damage was permanent. Tafida's parents' Shelina Begum and father Mohammed Raqeeb argued that she should be flown out to Gaslini hospital in Italy. Specialists at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel had said the damage is permanent and that there is no chance of recovery. Tafida's parents, from Newham in East London, had ...

    London’s economy performed better than expected during the third quarter but a squeezed labour market troubled businesses trying to recruit staff, new figures show. Sales and orders reached their highest levels for at least a year during the period, according to a survey by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). Businesses in the capital increased investment in both training and plant and equipment (by 17 per cent and 15 per cent respectively), while 24 per cent of firms reported increased cash flow. The figures represent the biggest rise in these indicators since the start of 2016. “For the second consecutive quarter the London economy has returned results that are better than some would expect, given the ongoing political turmoil and uncertainty of B...

    Hundreds of cyclists took part in a staged funeral procession in central London on Saturday before performing a “die-in” near Whitehall to call for greater investment in walking and cycling. The protest, organised by the campaign groups Extinction Rebellion and Stop Killing Cyclists, drew attention to statistics showing that more than 100 cyclists were killed and 3,400 seriously injured in 2016, the most recent year for which figures were available. Three horse-drawn hearses carrying coffins led the procession from Lincoln’s Inn Fields along the Strand, as signs saying “Asthma”, “Crashes”, “Obesity” and “Climate” highlighted the impact of car travel. A small child’s coffin commemorated the children and adults who have died prematurely from diseases related to air p...

    Commuters travelling in east London have faced chaos after a Central Line failure left “babies and elderly people stuck” underground for up to an hour. Tube users took to social media to claim they were stuck on trains underground between Mile End and Stratford on Thursday evening after the busy line suffered delays. The Central Line had no service between Liverpool Street and Leytonstone and was operating with severe delays just after rush-hour at 7pm. Transport for London has apologised to customers who faced delays and said the issue was due to a broken down train. One commuter told the Standard: “The train prior to us had a failure or some sort, which had a domino effect and we were stuck in the tunnel.” The 20-year-old said there was “no light, no air, nothi...

    Princess Haya, a wife of the ruler of Dubai, is believed to have fled the UAE for London after discovering disturbing facts about the mysterious return of one of his daughters who tried to escape. Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein, the British-educated and Jordanian-born sixth wife of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, initially travelled to Germany to seek asylum but is now understood to be staying in her £85m townhouse in Kensington Palace Gardens. Until now it was not known why she fled, with the only clue a poem posted by billionaire Sheikh Mohammed, 69, on Instagram accusing an unidentified woman of treachery and betrayal. However, Princess Haya, is thought to have become aware of worrying details involving her step-daughter Princess Latifa, according to the B...

    Crimes reported in parliament have soared by nearly 50% in the last two years, with offences including assault, robbery, blackmail and drug possession, Sky News can reveal. A total of 578 crimes were reported on the parliamentary estate in Westminster between 2016 and 2018, according to figures released by the Metropolitan Police under the Freedom of Information Act. They included a sharp rise in threatening letters being received amid fears MPs are being increasingly targeted due to their beliefs on Brexit. There were 101 reports of letters being sent with the intent to cause distress in 2018 more than double the figure for 2016 (39) and up from 72 reports in 2017. In total, 236 crimes were reported on the parliamentary estate in 2018, a 32% rise on 2017 (179 rep...

A property management company has been fined £3,000 after failing to join a Government-approved redress scheme for tenants, leaseholders and landlords, after an intervention by Tower Hamlets Council's trading standards team. Following a hearing at the Upper Tribunal, G Crawford Management Ltd of Westferry Road on the Isle of Dogs was found to be in breach of legal requirements concerning its management of the Lockesfield Place Estate. John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets said: "It's good to see our officers working proactively to ensure property managers fulfil their duties. This decision sends a clear message to other companies considering flouting the rules. "We have established a Private Renters' Charter to support tenants and landlords by setting out the standards that everyone involv...