Two adults and a teenager have died following a serious crash on the M5 motorway in south Gloucestershire on Friday evening (30 May).
The incident occurred at around 9pm when a white BMW left the northbound carriageway between junction 14 and Michaelwood services in a single-vehicle collision. A second child, who was also in the car, sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
The motorway was closed in both directions between junctions 13 and 14 on Saturday to allow emergency services to carry out investigations and recovery work at the scene.
Inspector Mark Vicary from Avon and Somerset Police’s roads policing unit said: “Our thoughts first and foremost are with the child in hospital and loved ones who have received the most awful news overnight.”
He added: “Emergency services have worked throughout the night at what has proved to be a very complex scene. They have worked diligently and professionally to try to save life in the most tragic of circumstances.”
Police have not yet released further details about the victims. An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is under way.
A BAN on disposable vapes goes into effect across the UK on Sunday (1) in a bid to protect children's health and tackle a "throwaway" culture.
"For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine," junior environment minister Mary Creagh said.
She said the government was calling "time on these nasty devices" -- a type of e-cigarette which are very popular with young people -- and banning sales of single-use vapes or their supply in a crackdown on UK corner shops and supermarkets.
Those caught flouting the ban will face a £200 fine, while repeat offenders risk up to two years in prison.
Young people and children in particular have been attracted to cheap and colourful disposable vapes, which have snazzy flavours such as mint, chocolate, mango or watermelon, since they were introduced in the UK in 2021.
In 2024, nearly five million disposable vapes were thrown away each week, according to Material Focus, an independent UK-based non-profit.
More than 40 tonnes of lithium, a key metal used in the technology industry, was discarded each year along with single-use vapes -- enough to power 5,000 electrical vehicles, the NGO said.
Fire services have also warned about the risk of discarded vapes catching light among household rubbish.
"Every vape has potential to start a fire if incorrectly disposed of," said Justin Greenaway, commercial manager at electronic waste processing company SWEEEP Kuusakoski.
The new law, first proposed by the previous Tory government, also aims to stem a rise in vaping.
"This new law is a step towards reducing vaping among children, while ensuring products are available to support people to quit smoking," said Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive for health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
A recent ASH survey said 11 per cent of adults vape, or about 5.6 million people, and 18 per cent of 11 to 17 year olds -- about 980,000 under-18s. Among vapers, some 52 per cent of young adults aged between 18 to 24 preferred single-use vapes.
The long-term health risks of vaping remain unclear.
E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke. But they do still contain highly addictive nicotine.
The upcoming ban has already led to a fall in disposable vapes. According to ASH, the use of disposables by 18-24-year-old vapers fell from 52 percent in 2024 to 40 percent in 2025.
The UK ban follows similar European moves. Belgium and France became the first EU countries to ban sales of disposable vapes.
Ireland is also preparing to introduce new restrictions.
But critics have argued many users will simply switch to refillable or reusable vaping devices, which will limit the impact on nicotine consumption.
And industry experts say the ban could lead to more illegal products entering the UK market.
The bill "only makes it illegal to sell disposable vapes -- it does not prohibit their use," warned Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club, the UK's largest online vape retailer.
"We risk a surge of illegal and potentially dangerous items flooding the black market."
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An all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad in London (X/@rsprasad)
AN all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad has arrived in London to reiterate India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.
The multi-party delegation, including MPs Daggubati Purandeswari, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Ghulam Ali Khatana, Amar Singh, Samik Bhattacharya, M Thambidurai, former minister of state MJ Akbar and ambassador Pankaj Saran, is scheduled to meet community groups, think tanks, parliamentarians and diaspora leaders.
"The All Party Delegation of MPs led by Ravi Shankar Prasad arrived in London on Saturday evening and was received by High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami," the Indian High Commission in the UK said in a post on X.
During their three-day visit to the UK, the delegation will engage with House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, foreign office minister for Indo-Pacific Catherine West, parliamentarians, think tanks and Indian diaspora representatives, the High Commission said.
The Prasad-led delegation is touring six European countries as part of India's diplomatic outreach following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. The delegation arrived in London after concluding visits to France, Italy and Denmark over the past week.
In Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, the delegation interacted with Danish parliamentarians, foreign affairs officials and Indian diaspora groups.
"The delegation emphasised India's zero-tolerance towards terrorism and stance that any act of violence would be responded to appropriately. India's appreciation of Denmark's public stance condemning the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the expression of solidarity with India was conveyed to the Danish side during the meetings," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement earlier.
From the UK, the delegation will head for discussions and meetings with a cross-section of parliamentarians, political leaders and diaspora groups in the European Union (EU) and Germany.
The delegation is one of seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community to stress Pakistan's links to terrorism.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir in the early hours of May 7.
Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.
The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding to stop military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.
(PTI)
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Arooj Shah and Kamran Ghafoor during the council leadership challenge at Oldham Town Hall last Wednesday (21)
OLDHAM council leader Arooj Shah said the borough faces a ‘serious challenge around identity politics’ – with ‘every issue becoming a divisive issue’ – following a no-confidence vote mounted against her.
The town hall boss fended off the challenge at a full council meeting last Wednesday (21).
Oldham Group councillor Kamran Ghafoor made a bid for the role, claiming ‘residents have lost trust in the current administration’.
He tried to create a ‘rainbow alliance’ across political groups, but the attempt failed after four independents stood by Labour leaders.
Labour councillors called the challenge ‘a political stunt’ and accused Ghafoor of ‘unsavoury tactics’ to convince the independents supporting the administration to jump ship. Ghafoor denied the allegations.
At a full council meeting last Wednesday (21), Ghafoor said: “This Labour administration doesn’t listen. Not to this chamber. Not to the residents. Not to the people they claim to serve. We are better suited to deal with the real issues facing Oldham than this tired, out-of-touch Labour administration.”
Deputy Elaine Taylor said: “In reality, you have no pathway to govern and no plan to lead. This is just a political stunt. We’ve already heard about some of the unsavoury tactics. You have no policy suggestions, other than anti-Arooj. We have no idea what you stand for.”
Shah has been reinstated as council leader for 2025-2026. The leadership challenge echoed a similar bid made by a ‘rainbow alliance’ of independents, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats exactly a year ago.
At a Greater Manchester Civic Leadership Programme in Manchester for underrepresented identities last Thursday (May 22), Shah claimed the no-confidence vote was ‘personal’.
She later added: “This is about some people not accepting who I am, what my upbringing is, what my heritage is, what my faith is. They can never attack me on delivery, because I have delivered for this borough.”
Shah highlighted the council’s improved financial position; the recent Ofsted upgrade to a ‘good’ rating for children’s services; and much-improved high school attendence rates.
“We have a serious challenge in Oldham around identity politics,” Shah added. “Every issue becomes a divisive issue. If we fix a pothole in one area, we’re told ‘you only fix roads in white areas’. We fix a pothole in a predominantly Asian area, I’m told I ‘only look after my own’.
“I’m the leader of a council. My job is to bring people together, not divide them.”
Ghafoor said: “We remain committed to equality, fairness, and mutual respect. Criticism of councillor Shah’s leadership has never been about her gender. “It has always been about accountability, transparency, and the quality of her leadership. Reducing it to identity politics is a disservice to the many women – and men – who believe in genuine, inclusive representation.”
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester: “People should put place first rather than party first and pull together for Oldham. That’s what we try to do. It’s what the leader tries to do.
“It’s best to get in a position where the place is at the forefront. Oldham have got some really exciting plans around Oldham Athletic, which we will support.”
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
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MBDA director of Mechanical Engineering Matt Beaumont shows defence secretary John Healey a Storm Shadow missile on an assembly line at the MBDA Storm Shadow factory on May 31, 2025 in Stevenage, England. Dan Kitwood/Pool via REUTERS
BRITAIN will invest £1.5 billion ($2bn) in new weapons factories to ramp up defence production capacity, the government said, ahead of a major review of its armed forces and military strategy.
The Strategic Defence Review, due to be published on Monday (2), will assess the threats facing the UK amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and pressure from US president Donald Trump for NATO allies to bolster their own defences.
The Labour leader also aimed to hike spending to three per cent by the next parliament, due around 2029.
The review will recommend "creating an 'always on' munitions production capacity in the UK" which would allow weapons production to be "scaled up at speed if needed".
It also urges the government to "lay the industrial foundations for an uplift in munitions stockpiles to meet the demand of high-tempo warfare", the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The government has said it would procure 7,000 domestically built long-rang weapons and build "at least six munitions and energetics factories".
This investment -- which will see £6bn spent on munitions this Parliamentary term -- will also create and support 1,800 jobs, the ministry said.
"The hard-fought lessons from Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them," defence secretary John Healey said.
"We are strengthening the UK's industrial base to better deter our adversaries and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad."
Healey also told The Times newspaper that Britain would spend three per cent of GDP on defence during the next parliament.
The government has said it would cut the UK’s overseas aid budget to help fund the spending.
The defence review, led by former NATO secretary general George Robertson, warns that Britain is entering "a new era of threat" as drones and artificial intelligence transform modern warfare, The Guardian newspaper reported.
The document will warn of the "immediate and pressing" danger posed by Russia, as well as focusing on China, Iran and North Korea.
Robertson has described the four countries as a "deadly quartet" which were "increasingly working together".
The government this week pledged over £1bn for improving battlefield technology by bolstering AI and cybersecurity.
In that announcement Healey warned that "ways of warfare are rapidly changing" and that the UK was "facing daily cyber-attacks on this new frontline".
(AFP)
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Disposable vapes are currently the most commonly used devices among underage users
Vapers in the UK have been warned not to stockpile single-use e-cigarettes ahead of a nationwide ban coming into effect this Sunday, as the devices pose a significant fire hazard if not stored correctly.
The Local Government Association (LGA) issued the warning in response to concerns that many consumers are hoarding disposable vapes before the ban begins. Under the new regulations, retailers will be prohibited from selling single-use vapes from Sunday, and businesses that fail to comply face penalties.
David Fothergill, chair of the LGA’s community wellbeing board, cautioned both consumers and retailers, stating: “We want to remind businesses to ensure all remaining stocks of disposable vapes are sold, and that they only purchase products complying with the new regulations.
“If businesses have any single-use vapes in their possession after Sunday, they will not be able to sell them to shoppers and must ensure they are stored and disposed of safely. We would also urge caution to anyone stockpiling disposable vapes. Failing to store disposable vapes correctly could cost lives, given the significant fire risk they pose.”
The disposable vapes ban has been introduced to address the sharp rise in youth vaping and the growing environmental issues linked to improper disposal. Many of the products contain lithium-ion batteries, which, if crushed or exposed to heat, can ignite and cause fires.
Research by online nicotine retailer Haypp revealed that 82% of disposable vape users are considering stockpiling their preferred products before the ban takes effect.
Environmental concerns have also been cited as a key factor behind the ban. According to Material Focus, a non-profit dedicated to improving electrical recycling in the UK, an estimated five million disposable vapes were being thrown away incorrectly each week in 2024. This figure is nearly four times higher than in 2023.
Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, highlighted the risks: “Thirteen vapes every second are being incorrectly disposed of, and that’s a huge environmental pollution problem. The liquid in many vape batteries is toxic and could run into waterways, as well as harm animals. It’s also a significant fire risk because lithium batteries are known to cause fires when crushed with general waste.”
He added: “Vapes are a huge environmental pollution problem, so we hope the ban goes some way to reducing waste.”
Disposable vapes are currently the most commonly used devices among underage users. According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), more than 20% of UK children have tried vaping. Campaigners say the sweet flavours and brightly coloured packaging of many disposable vapes appeal particularly to younger consumers.
Under the incoming regulations, only vapes that are rechargeable, refillable and fitted with replaceable coils will be permitted for sale in the UK.
Despite the government's move, experts have raised concerns that the vaping industry may already be preparing to sidestep the rules. There are fears that cheap imports, especially from China, may enter the UK market through unregulated channels, especially following new US tariffs on Chinese goods.
Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of ASH, commented: “There’s already a sizeable illegal market. Whether the disposable vapes ban makes that risk greater depends on how quickly legitimate retailers can provide products that meet users’ needs. People don’t necessarily want to go looking for illegal products if they can buy legal ones in their local shop or supermarket.”
Enforcement of the ban is expected to be a major challenge, particularly at UK borders. Kate Pike, lead officer for vaping at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said additional funding had been allocated for customs inspections, but called for stronger import controls to stop illegal vapes from entering the country.
“We have extra funding to do more at ports and borders,” she said. “From our point of view, it’s important, because obviously it makes a big difference if we can stop [illegal vapes entering the country].”
Retailers have been instructed to clear their stock of single-use e-cigarettes and dispose of unsold products safely in compliance with environmental and fire safety regulations. With the disposable vapes ban imminent, authorities are urging consumers not to hoard the soon-to-be-banned products, both for safety and to support the policy’s intended public health and environmental benefits.