Sky News has launched a free Money newsletter – bringing the kind of content you enjoy in the Money blog directly to your inbox. Each Friday, subscribers get exclusive money-saving tips and features from the team behind the award-winning Money blog, which is read by millions of Britons every month. Sign up today, and on Friday you’ll find the following in the newsletter: As Britons switch on their heating again, we look at whether it’s cheaper to leave it on all day or only when you feel a chill; Early access to our next weekend long read on how much…

Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, has claimed the UK played a “vital role” in helping negotiate the Gaza peace deal, smoothing over a potential diplomatic row between London and Washington. Witkoff took to X on Monday, ahead of meeting President Donald Trump in Israel, to praise the UK. “I would like to acknowledge the vital role of the United Kingdom in assisting and coordinating efforts that have led us to this historic day in Israel,” Witkoff wrote. “In particular, I want to recognise the incredible input and tireless efforts of National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell.”…

Kemi Badenoch has made a pilgrimage to Margaret Thatcher’s home town, Grantham, on the 100th anniversary of the former prime minister’s birth. The Tory leader visited Lady Thatcher’s old school, Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, where she met pupils and was shown the Roberts Hall, named in honour of the former PM, who was Margaret Roberts before she married. Later Mrs Badenoch is speaking at a dinner organised by the Conservative Party at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, while another dinner takes place at the Guildhall in the City of London with A-list celebrities and veteran Tory grandees. Ahead of a…

Two men have appeared in court charged with the murder of paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins. Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, both inmates at HMP Wakefield, were remanded in custody at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning. Dodsworth and Gedel were produced separately at court, with both only speaking to confirm their names and dates of birth during the brief hearings. District Judge Anthony Dunne remanded both men in custody until their next appearance at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday. Watkins, 48, was pronounced dead after an alleged assault at HMP Wakefield on Saturday morning. He was jailed…

Kemi Badenoch has accused the government of a “cover-up” over the collapse of a China spy trial. The Tory leader said there were a “lot of questions to answer” as to why the trial involving two men did not proceed. Politics latest: Starmer pledges support for Middle East peace plan It is expected that ministers will have to answer questions about the case today, as parliament returns from recess. In particular, there are questions around the role played by Jonathan Powell, the prime minister’s national security adviser, in the trial not going ahead. Ministers have repeatedly said Mr Powell played…

Tommy Robinson refused to hand over his phone pin when police stopped his Bentley on the way to Benidorm, a court has heard. He allegedly told officers “Not a chance, bruv” and said he was a journalist when they pulled him aside at the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone in July 2024. Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of “frustrating” counter-terrorism powers by refusing to give access to the phone. He denies the charge. The right-wing political activist was flanked by security guards as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court for the opening of the trial on Monday. The 42-year-old…

A man has been arrested on suspicion of the 1994 murder of 13-year-old Lindsay Rimer. Police said the man was arrested at an undisclosed prison where he is serving a sentence for other offences. The man, who is being interviewed today and tomorrow, is expected to be bailed and returned to prison while enquires continue. Officers are also interviewing a number of potential witnesses in the Hebden Bridge and wider Halifax area. Lindsay left her home to buy a box of corn flakes late during the evening of 7 November, 1994, but didn’t return home. Her body was then found…

The Scottish government will sponsor care home workers after Sir Keir Starmer changed the skilled worker visa this year, Scotland’s first minister has announced. John Swinney, giving his keynote speech at the Scottish National Party (SNP) conference, said the government will “step in” to sponsor “hundreds of dedicated workers” so they can “work, pay tax and help keep Scotland’s care homes running”. He said they will be able to “start work immediately”. Politics latest: Will rise of Reform benefit SNP? In July, the government halted new overseas applications for the social care worker visa, an arm of the skilled worker…

A woman accused of stalking the parents of Madeleine McCann allegedly left voicemails asking the mother of the missing girl for a DNA test, a court heard. Jurors heard voicemails left by Julia Wandelt, 24, from Lubin, Poland, in which she was audibly upset. She allegedly left the messages last year, over a period of months, and at one point asked: “What if I’m her?” Co-defendant Karen Spragg, 61, began crying today at Leicester Crown Court and had to leave the dock when the voicemails were played. Wandelt, whose head was down while jurors were listening, was heard saying: “I…

Tens of thousands of Vodafone users are reporting problems with their internet The outages began on Monday afternoon, according to the monitoring website DownDetector, which reported more than 130,000 issues with Vodafone connections. A spokeswoman for the company said: “We are aware of a major issue on our network currently affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services. “We appreciate our customers’ patience while we work to resolve this as soon as possible.” The company has more than 18 million UK customers, with nearly 700,000 of those using Vodafone’s home broadband connection. Vodafone users vented their frustration on social media. “It’s like…