UK news
‘It makes me feel more British’: Muslims say religious diversity in the UK part of identity
March 20, 2026On Friday morning, little space remained in Baitul Futuh mosque as thousands of people poured in to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The south London mosque, one of the largest in Europe, offered a glimpse of the Eid al-Fitr festivities being celebrated by millions of Muslims across the UK. This […]
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Former Met special constable who groomed then raped girl and woman jailed for 24 years
March 20, 2026A Metropolitan police special constable who raped a girl and a woman after “systematically” grooming them both online has been jailed for 24 years. James Bubb, who now identifies as a woman named Gwyn Samuels, first sexually assaulted the girl when she was just 12 years old after befriending her online in 2018, the trial […]
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Two men charged over alleged spying on Jewish community in London for Iran
March 18, 2026Two men have been charged with spying for Iran over alleged surveillance of the Jewish community in London, police said. Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian and British national, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, have both been charged with engaging in contact likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 9 July and […]
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The Guardian view on SUVs: London’s mayor is right to push back on supersize cars | Editorial
March 16, 2026No one who walks, cycles or drives around London, or many of the world’s big cities, could fail to notice the vastly increased size of the typical car. A type of vehicle once associated with rural settings and outdoor lifestyles is now ubiquitous. Heavily marketed as sports utility vehicles (SUVs), supersize cars are among the key consumer trends […]
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‘The chef is a metre away from you’: the cosy allure of micro-restaurants
March 15, 2026It started with the portion sizes, as all-you-can-eat buffets were reduced to bite-size small plates. Then the menus started to decrease, with pages of dishes shrinking to an A5 sheet of paper. Now restaurants are undergoing another round of downsizing. Micro-restaurants, which usually seat fewer than 20 people, are gradually spreading across the UK. The […]
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Murder arrest after 18-day-old baby falls from central London property
March 14, 2026A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an 18-day-old baby girl fell from a property in central London. The Metropolitan police said officers attended Horseferry Road in Westminster after reports on Saturday morning that a baby had fallen from a residential property. The newborn was taken to hospital and was pronounced dead. […]
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‘It’s like a giant book club’: how schools are getting children excited about reading again
March 13, 2026Ajmal, 7, is an avid fan of the InvestiGators comic books. They feature two crime-busting alligator secret agents called Mango and Brash. “It’s really funny,” he says, then outlines the plot of his current favourite in exhaustive detail. Wren, 8, is making her way through Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. “I didn’t read lots when […]
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‘Massive boost of serotonin!’: How a dose of nature is treating mental illness
March 13, 2026“What you’ve got there from the sun on your face is a massive boost of serotonin!” says Alison Greenwood, founder of Dose of Nature, the charity successfully prescribing time outside as a treatment for mental health. Greenwood is striding round Pensford Field, a tiny patch of wildness tucked behind houses in south-west London. The bright […]
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Quentin Tarantino’s ‘swashbuckling epic’ The Popinjay Cavalier set for West End premiere
March 11, 2026Since Quentin Tarantino announced last year that he had written his first play, it has remained as mysterious as the contents of Marsellus Wallace’s briefcase in Pulp Fiction. But on Wednesday it was announced that the play, which Tarantino will also direct in London, is to be a “rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise” set […]
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Rare items of Charles Dickens’ clothing to go on display in London
March 9, 2026Rare surviving items of Charles Dickens’ clothing, including the linen shirt collar worn by the writer when he suffered his fatal stroke in 1870, are to go on display. Other items being exhibited include Dickens’ black silk stockings – part of his only surviving suit – as well as personal effects and items related to […]
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