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The Environment Agency (EA) could get "police-style" powers as part of a government crackdown on waste crime.The newly-announced measure, which is part of its yet-to-be published Waste Crime Action Plan targeting issues such as fly-tipping and large illegal sites, could allow enforcement officers to arrest suspected criminals without a warrant. Officials could also seize assets and search premises without a warrant, the government said, adding it was adopting a "zero-tolerance" policy to illegal sites cropping up across the country.Expanding their…

Police have released identifying details of a man who was found dead in a wheelie bin on Friday.The man, thought to be aged 40 to 50, had a tattoo of a cross with a snake wrapped around it on his back and the words "Little Stardust", and a tattoo on his right arm saying "nan" with a clover and the colours of the Irish flag, police said. A member of the public found his body in a Coventry City Council…

Targeted support for the poorest households who rely on heating oil is coming, we understand, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves set to make an announcement as soon as Monday.It follows calls from rural Labour MPs who have warned of constituents living in fuel poverty, unable to heat their homes, restock their supply, or afford the soaring price. "It might be a small proportion for the country overall, but where there are big clusters of people using heating oil, this is a…

The Prince of Wales has posted a photo of Diana from the family's private collection to mark Mother's Day.The picture shows William, aged two, with his mother in a field of blooming flowers, including poppies, at the family's main home at Highgrove, Gloucestershire, in 1984. He posted the image, which is believed to have not been shared publicly before, on X with the caption: "Remembering my mother, today and every day."Thinking of all those who are remembering someone they love…

NHS hospitals are being urged by a group of doctors, human rights groups and campaigners to reconsider using a major data platform built by US tech giant Palantir, whose owners include Peter Thiel, a close ally of US President Donald Trump.The NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) is a system designed to bring together information from across the health service so hospitals can analyse it more easily and improve how care is delivered. Supporters say the technology is already helping the…

Prostate cancer screening is just as good as the routine checks women have for breast cancer, according to a new study.Researchers say the findings show it no longer makes sense to reject prostate cancer screening on the one hand while endorsing screening for breast cancer on the other. Dr Sigrid Carlsson, who led the study at the German Cancer Research Centre, said: "If prostate cancer screening were extended to the wider population, then the outcomes are likely to be very…

London's Burning actor John Alford has died in prison two months after he was jailed for sexual assault.In January the actor was given an eight-and-a-half year sentence, having been found guilty of sexually assaulting two teenage girls in 2022. Alford, real name John Shannon, rose to fame in the BBC's Grange Hill, before starring as Billy Ray in ITV's firefighter drama London's Burning in the 1990s.A prison service spokesperson said: "John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026. As…

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a baby died when it fell from a height in central London.The child, 18 days old, suffered serious injuries in the fall from a residential property in Westminster on Saturday morning and was pronounced dead in hospital, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. A 43-year-old woman at the scene was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into police custody, where she remains.Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell, who is…

A 15-year-old girl was killed when the motorbike she was riding on was involved in a crash with two other vehicles.Thames Valley Police said a collision occurred between a white Toyota Yaris, a grey Toyota Hilux and a motorbike on the A355 in Buckinghamshire at roughly 9.20pm on Friday. The driver of the motorbike, a 16-year-old boy, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.A 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl from High Wycombe, who were travelling…

Prince Harry's spokesperson has criticised a new book claiming his wife Meghan "brainwashed" him, calling it a "deranged conspiracy".The claims about the couple, who are estranged from the Royal Family, were made in extracts from a biography by author Tom Bower which were published in The Times. According to Bower, who has written various biographies about the royals, Queen Camilla told a friend: "Meghan's brainwashed ‌Harry."The author also wrote that the Duke of Sussex's elder brother, Prince William, and his…