News Headlines

The coronavirus R number in the UK has fallen sharply since last week, suggesting the lockdown is slowing the spread of coronavirus.

More than 5,000,000 people in the UK have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to latest government figures.

The main members of a people smuggling gang have been given long jail sentences after 39 Vietnamese illegal immigrants suffocated in the back of their lorry.

A teenager killed in a street attack in Birmingham has been named as 15-year-old Keon Lincoln.

Hundreds of vaccination centres are being set up across the UK in a bid to give every adult - with an appointment - a COVID jab by autumn.

The percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 in England has decreased slightly but remains high, according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

There are "no plans" to give everyone who tests positive for coronavirus a one-off payment of £500, Downing Street has said.

A wedding party with 400 guests held at a north London school was broken up by police.

A woman who illegally rented out her council flat has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 by a court.

The grounds of Himley Hall and Park are now fully open to the public after a temporary coronavirus testing centre left the park.

A road in Dudley town centre will be one-way from next week as works continue at pace on the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension.

The West Midlands Combined Authority is calling on the government to award £11 million to support the vital work of grassroots groups who have been praised for their work throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

Police in Dudley have arrested a number of suspects after Dudley High Street was closed off following a number of 999 calls this afternoon.

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Bosses at Dudley Zoo and Castle have said they're thrilled to announce the birth of a critically endangered Colombian black spider monkey, which was captured on camera by one of its delighted primate keepers.

The 2020 Operation Santa Appeal in Dudley Borough was able to support more children and families in crisis than ever before, due to the immense kindness of business and communities from across the area.

A collaboration has been struck between the West Midlands Combined Authority and five of the region’s leading housing associations to accelerate and increase the number of affordable homes for local people. 

On 16 January 2018, more than five months after the man who murdered and dismembered journalist Kim Wall's body was arrested, authorities were finally able to charge him.

The new James Bond film No Time To Die has been delayed for the third time due to the coronavirus pandemic.

David and Victoria Beckham have paid themselves £21m in dividends from their businesses over the last two years.

Businessman and former star of The Only Way Is Essex Mick Norcross has been found dead at the age of 57.

A prankster pretending to be Piers Morgan managed to fool Donald Trump into thinking he was speaking to the real TV presenter.

James Anderson made an immediate impact with three wickets on his return to the England side before Sri Lanka hit back with Angelo Mathews' century on a hard-fought first day of the second Test.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for the coronavirus, the La Liga club said in a statement on Friday.

Andy Murray will not be able to compete at this year's Australian Open after failing to find a "workable quarantine" after he recovered from coronavirus.

Jamie Vardy will have surgery on his persistent hip problem and will be out for "a few weeks", says Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers.

Retail sales in 2020 saw the largest annual fall since records began in 1996, as retailers continued to suffer from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The government is working to persuade Vauxhall's parent company to commit to future production at its Ellesmere Port plant, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said.

Public sector net borrowing reached £34.1bn in December - the third-highest monthly figure since records began in 1993.

A US-based investment firm is in advanced talks to buy Notonthehighstreet, the British-based online personalised gifts retailer.

Rolls-Royce Holdings has hired headhunters to help identify its next chairman as the most famous name in British engineering battles the aviation industry turbulence caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The full closure of the UK's borders has been "considered" by the government amid concerns about new COVID variants being imported from abroad, a minister has revealed.

There are "no plans" to give everyone who tests positive for coronavirus a one-off payment of £500, Downing Street has said.

Public sector net borrowing reached £34.1bn in December - the third-highest monthly figure since records began in 1993.

Downing Street has declined to criticise US President Joe Biden for removing a bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office - despite Boris Johnson having previously criticised "part-Kenyan" Barack Obama for not displaying it.

Almost two-thirds of elderly care home residents have had a COVID-19 vaccine - with vaccinations among all groups occurring at 200 jabs per minute, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told MPs.

Joe Biden has warned that the fight to bring coronavirus under control in the US is a "wartime undertaking" - devoting much of his first full day in office to tackling the pandemic.

Japanese officials have denied claims the Tokyo Olympic Games are being cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Canada's governor general - the Queen's representative - has resigned amid allegations she presided over a toxic work environment in which staff were bullied to tears.

The impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump will be triggered next week, US Democrats have said.

The main members of a people smuggling gang have been given long jail sentences after 39 Vietnamese illegal immigrants suffocated in the back of their lorry.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been suspended from Twitter after he appeared to post a call for an attack on Donald Trump.

Rescuers trying to track down an Australian man, who went missing while snorkelling, believe he may have been taken by a shark after they found pieces of diving equipment.

Britons hoping to escape to Spain could have their holiday plans cancelled following reports the Spanish prime minister said the country would not welcome international tourists until the "end of summer".

Rescuers trying to free a group of miners trapped hundreds of metres underground have said it may take another 15 days to drill and clear a route wide enough to reach them.

On 16 January 2018, more than five months after the man who murdered and dismembered journalist Kim Wall's body was arrested, authorities were finally able to charge him.

A prankster pretending to be Piers Morgan managed to fool Donald Trump into thinking he was speaking to the real TV presenter.

In honour of Burns Night, a packet of haggis has been launched to the edge of space for the first time.

Snow has fallen in the Sahara desert after temperatures dropped to -3C (27F).

A 54-year-old man has been taken to hospital after being bitten in the face by a camel.

A 36-year-old man lived undetected in a secure section of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport for three months because he was "too scared" to go home due to COVID-19, US prosecutors say.

A racing pigeon that survived an 8,000-mile (13,000km) journey across the Pacific Ocean from the US to Australia, is to be put to death over fears it may be carrying disease.

A driver travelling from the UK had his ham sandwiches confiscated by Dutch border guards, who said they were now prohibited under post-Brexit rules.