United Kingdom

Weird weather across the UK has been blamed on an anticyclonic gloom: fog, low clouds and spots of drizzle caused Odiham, a small town in Hampshire where some 4.400 people live, to record just 12 minutes of sunshine in the past 11 days

The new budget bill, the first of the new Labour government, includes a large tax increase, totalling £40 billion revenues, with the specific aim of funding more investment

There will not be an apology over Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade, when King Charles and Sir Keir Starmer visit the Commonwealth summit in Samoa 25-26 October, and a Downing Street spokesperson already ruled out financial reparations

At least 40 more women have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, former owner of Harrods department store and father of Dodi, who died in a car accident with Princess Diana Spencer in 1997, of rape and sexual abuse

The country's last coal power station, at Ratcliffe-on-Soar, finished operations after running since 1967; it is thus one week since the UK has stopped producing any electricity from burning coal, ending its 142-year reliance on the fossil fuel

The report on the National Health Service commissioned by the Labour government in early July shows that public health is worse off than in comparable countries in terms of economy and population, amidst long waiting lists and inadequate investment

Ormiston academies trust, a 35.000-pupil academy chain that runs 44 state schools, will be the first in England to ditch phones, with eight secondary schools adopting new policies this term and others to follow

The Blood Donor Service of England has warned that blood stocks continue to be in short supply and has issued a new appeal to donors, as the number of people booking appointments to donate in the coming months is also decreasing

The Scottish Parliament will debate the new Assisted Dying Bill for the terminally ill and mentally competent adults; if passed, Scotland would be the first nation in the UK to allow terminally ill people access to assisted dying

To improve protection against sexual harassment, the Office for Students will introduce certain benchmarks to be achieved regarding reporting systems, disciplinary processes and staff training

A plan to release thousands of inmates early under certain conditions to prevent prison overcrowding in England and Wales is one of the first significant steps taken by the Keir Starmer-led government

Sir Keir Starmer has been appointed prime minister by King Charles; Labour Party won general elections after 14 years of Conservative governments and Starmer begins his first week of term with one of the biggest parliamentary majorities in British history