United Kingdom

    A crackdown on illegal immigrants in the UK has seen almost 27,000 drivers have their licences revoked since 2014. The figures also found a 22% rise in voided licences in 2016, compared to the year before. Some people caught had entered the UK illegally, but most obtained a licence while on a legitimate visa and had then illegally overstayed. However, critics say the "small" number of licences that actually go on to be surrendered undermines the system. The Home Office gave the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) the powers to revoke licences in July 2014. That month more than 3,500 licences were revoked. In 2015 it was 9,700 and in 2016 that number rose to 11,900, the figures released under the Freedom of Information Act to BBC South East show. The driving licence ...

    The creepy history of Donald Trump and Princess Diana When you hear the words Princess Diana and White House, you might think of Lady Di dancing with John Travolta at then-President Reagan's White House gala in 1985. Dressed in black velvet and diamonds, the iconic royal reportedly asked First Lady Nancy Reagan to arrange the dance, and in pictures, the result is pretty dazzling: the princess spins out on the arm of the movie star, and he beams at her as a photographer captures her gown mid-twirl. Basically, it's all your wildest actual-royalty-meets-American-political-royalty-meets-Hollywood-royalty dreams come true. What's less well-known is that the late Diana also had connections to a different White House administration: Donald Trump's. Back in the mid-1990s, long bef...

    Theresa may sits with year six pupils during a visit to Captain Shaw's Primary School, Bootle. While Theresa May managed to successfully steer clear of awkward questions surrounding the nuclear industry and healthcare in a flying visit to Copeland on Wednesday, a photo opportunity didn’t quite go to plan. As part of the Conservatives charm offensive in the region ahead of the crucial by-election next week, aides to the Prime Minister found space in Ms May’s diary for leisure time with year six pupils at Captain Shaw’s Primary School in Bootle. The result: a series of images of the Prime Minister grimacing at small children as they excitedly showed her their Lego creations. Theresa May (R) and Conservative Party candidate for the upcoming by-election, Trudy Harrison (L) sit...

    The 64-year-old twice-married robber had planned to pop the question today after ordering a ring be delivered to lover Paula Williamson’s house. He had then hoped to serenade her in a romantic telephone call from inside jail. But he decided to bring forward his proposal forward because he wanted to go down on one knee when Paula visited HMP Wakefield. Ex-Corrie actress Paula, 36, said before the meeting: We are so in love. I’ve had relationships with both men and women in the past but none of them come close to my love for Charlie. He’s so eccentric, but so am I. It’s a perfect match. Armed robber Bronson has been behind bars for 41 years, and all but four of them in solitary confinement, after repeatedly having his sentence increased for attacking prison staff and taking ...

    You might want to rummage through your pockets as your change could be worth a small fortune. The London Olympic 50p coin changes hands for £3,000 now while a 1983 ‘New Pence’ 2p coin would get you £650 (enough for 32,500 standard 2p pieces). They are among a host of coins, of which hundreds of thousands are in circulation, which have a value that belies the price on it. Elsewhere, a special 50p piece featuring Kew Gardens is now changing hands for more than £50. Experts estimated one in 300 people currently have a Kew Gardens 50p. However, they are expected to disappear quickly into private collections now the Royal Mint has declared the coin as the rarest in general circulation. Here’s a run down of the loose change which could bolster your pocket... Dateless 20p piece -...

    Two fraudsters netted £1.3 million after ordering huge quantities of wholesale goods using false identities. Malik, 31, and Ahmed, 24, were both jailed at Manchester Crown Court on Friday after admitting the crimes. Safi Ullah Malik and Mirzar Israr Ahmed hijacked the identities of businesses and ordered alcohol, food, soft drinks and other items from suppliers across the UK. Taking advantage of the credit system used by businesses, the pair charged the goods to the company accounts of legitimate businesses. They then arranged for hauliers to collect the goods and deliver them to various locations across Greater Manchester. The items were then sold on to pre-arranged buyers. Malik, of Pytha Fold Road, Withington, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representatio...

    Police forces across the UK are ramping up intelligence gathering and putting protection in place for vulnerable communities ahead of a projected spike in hate crime when Theresa May triggers Article 50 next month. The move follows a dramatic rise in the number of racially and religiously-motivated crimes reported to police following the June referendum result in favour of Brexit, including assaults and arson. Community groups representing EU nationals in the UK have warned about the potential for an undercurrent of xenophobia to spread after the talks with Brussels get underway. The head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Rebecca Hilsenrath, has also said he is hugely concerned about a backlash against European citizens once the Government’s EU withdrawal negoti...

    Debenhams is set to become the first major UK department store to sell hijabs as part of a new range of Muslim clothing. The chain store will introduce the new line in its flagship Oxford Street branch, before being rolled out to its Birmingham’s Bullring, Westfield in Shepherd’s Bush, Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Leicester’s Highcross Shopping Centre outlets. The selection will offer tops, dresses, jumpsuits, kimono wraps, caps, hijab pins and headscarves. An outlet of clothing brand Aab, which specialises in conservative clothing, it describes itself as selling ‘contemporary modest wear’ for women. The Aab roll-out with coincide with the launch of the clothing rage at Debenham’s international stores in Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Indonesia and Malaysi...

    The Speaker of the House of Commons has become involved in a fresh row about political bias after he admitted voting to stay in the European Union and said immigration into Britain was a good thing. John Bercow is already facing a vote of no confidence from MPs next week after he angered the Government by vetoing the idea of an address by President Donald Trump to both Houses of Parliament during his state visit later this year. Now it has emerged Mr Bercow told a group of students he voted Remain at last year’s EU referendum, adding he hoped EU rules on parental leave, working time regulations and equality laws would continue after Brexit. His fresh comments appear to breach the convention that Speakers of the House of Commons do not allow themselves to be drawn into poli...

    Fourteen sailors have been rescued by the crew of a Royal Navy warship after their racing yacht was stranded for two days in the Atlantic Ocean. The 60ft Clyde Challenger yacht lost its mast in the turbulent waters as it was returning from the Azores, in the mid-Atlantic, to the UK and the crew waited 20 hours for HMS Dragon to reach them. The Type 45 destroyer was diverted 500 miles from a routine deployment to rescue the crew, travelling at 30 knots to arrive at the yacht's position - some 610 miles south west of Land's End - at around 2.30pm on Saturday. The operation concluded at around 5pm and all crew members were said to be alive and well. They were treated for minor injuries and given hot food and the chance to call their families once on board the vessel. The Chal...