UKHSA LAUNCHES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR WASTEWATER MONITORING TECHNIQUES WHICH COULD CATCH PANDEMIC THREATS EARLY

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: A new programme to evaluate how wastewater monitoring could be used to detect a wider range of dangerous pathogens has been launched today by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Over the coming months, UKHSA laboratories, using £1.3 million of investment from the UK Integrated Security Fund (ISF), will assess the use of cutting-edge technologies to improve the UK's ability to detect and identify the gene...


TELFORD MAN FINED £1,000 FOR FAILING TO CLEAR ILLEGAL WASTE SITE

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Environment Agency investigation leads to prosecution * Defendant stored waste without necessary environmental permit * Sentencing hearing at Telford Magistrates Court on Monday 11 August 2025 At Telford Magistrates Court on 11 August 2025, Brian Woods, 70, of Limekiln Bank, St Georges, Telford, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a court order to clear waste from a site on Granville Road, Donnington Wood...


'HONOUR'-BASED ABUSE CRACKDOWN IN RAFT OF NEW MEASURES

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Victims and survivors of 'honour'-based abuse will be kept safer and more perpetrators brought to justice in a raft of new measures, as part of the government's pledge to halve violence against women and girls and the Plan for Change. New statutory guidance and a legal definition of 'honour'-based abuse will be brought in to help the police, social workers and others better support victims and make clear that fr...


CIVIL NEWS: EXPLORE LEGAL AID OPPORTUNITIES IN LANCASTER

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: We are inviting organisations to register for an online market engagement event. More information on Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS) provision and an area guide (specific information) can be found here:Housing Loss Prevention Advice Services 2025 - GOV.UK Who can attend the event? The event is open to organisations with an interest in providing HLPAS in Lancaster. We are also inviting representat...


GOVERNMENT EXPORT CREDIT BACKING HELPS SOMERSET CIVIL DEFENCE TECH FIRM SECURE MAJOR MARINE SURVEILLANCE CONTRACTS IN INDONESIA AND KUWAIT

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Government backed multi-million-pound deal supports further growth, including up to 50 new high-tech UK jobs at SRT Marine Systems * Export contracts to strengthen maritime security, navigation safety and environmental sustainability in critical marine areas in South East Asia and the Middle East. UK Export Finance (UKEF), the government's export credit agency, has provided crucial support to SRT Marine S...


RAPISTS GIVEN MORE JAIL TIME AFTER SOLICITOR GENERAL INTERVENES

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Under the ULS scheme, anyone can ask the Law Officers to review a sentence where they believe the sentence imposed by the court is unduly lenient. The latest quarterly data shows that between April and June 2025, 32 sentences were increased under the ULS scheme following the Solicitor General's referral, and 13 of these were for rape offences. The largest sentence increase was for Adrian Revill, who had his thr...


TURNING THE TIDE: GOVERNMENT CLEARS PATH FOR ALMOST 100,000 HOMES

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * First year of operation sees expert team removing blockages and speeding up the building of almost 100,000 homes across England * The North West, London, Somerset and the South East next to benefit as six new priority large sites added to flagship New Homes Accelerator initiative, unlocking and accelerating delivery on another 12,000 homes * Over the Parliament, the Accelerator is expected to make a significant...


NEAR MISS INVOLVING A MEMBER OF STAFF ON THE BLUEBELL RAILWAY

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: At around 15:00 on 9 August 2025, a steam locomotive moved unexpectedly while it was being coupled to a second steam locomotive in platform 1 at Sheffield Park station. This caused both locomotives to travel together for approximately 4 metres, at slow speed. Sheffield Park station is located on the Bluebell Railway, a heritage railway in Sussex. At the time the movement took place, a volunteer member of staff, ...


STREAMLINED REGULATION TO POWER GROWTH AND BOOST BRITISH INDUSTRY

LONDON, Aug. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Britain's industrial and energy sectors are set to benefit from a new, modernised environmental permitting regime - with greater flexibility, faster timelines and less red tape poised to boost innovation and drive economic growth. Asset out in the landmark Corry Review, current environmental regulation can be risk-averse, inefficient, and difficult to navigate, holding back innovation and growth. An eight-week ...


G7 CHAIR'S STATEMENT ON THE INDEPENDENCE DAY OF UKRAINE

LONDON, Aug. 25 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: "On the Independence Day of Ukraine, G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, met virtually with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Sybiha. "Participants welcomed ongoing diplomatic efforts by the United States, under the leadership of President Trump, which create an opportunity for a peaceful a...