The home secretary will move to proscribe Palestine Action group in the coming weeks, effectively branding them as a terrorist organisation, the BBC understands.
Yvette Cooper is preparing a written statement before Parliament on Monday – which if passed will make becoming a member of the group illegal.
The decision comes as a security review begins at military bases across the UK, after pro-Palestinian activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the action as “disgraceful,” describing it as an “act of vandalism”.
South East counter terrorism police confirmed its specialist officers were investigating the incident alongside Thames Valley Police and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Counter-terrorism police added the incident happened in the early hours of Friday and that enquiries were “ongoing to establish the exact circumstances”.
Footage posted online by Palestine Action on Friday showed two people inside the Oxfordshire airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet engine.
After sharing the footage, a Palestine Action spokesperson said: “Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets.”
The group claimed its activists had evaded security and had put the air-to-air refuelling tankers “out of service”.
However RAF engineers have been assessing the damage, with a defence source earlier telling the BBC that they did not expect the incident would affect operations.
Thames Valley Police earlier said it had received a report about people gaining access to the base and causing criminal damage.
“Inquiries are ongoing to locate and arrest those responsible,” the force said.
It is understood this incident was not the first time the group has targeted military sites.
RAF Brize Norton serves as the hub for UK strategic air transport and refuelling, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The air force has conducted reconnaissance flights over Gaza out of the Cyprus base.
Despite a heavy downpour and slippery roads, supporters of presidential candidate Tidjane Thiam poured into Abidjan’s streets in the thousands on Saturday to march on the offices of the Ivory Coast electoral commission.
Decked in the white and green colours of Thiam’s main opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the demonstrators chanted his nickname – “Thithi president!” – in a show of support for a candidate now officially barred from the vote. Placards reading “There’s no Plan B!” flew high amid protest songs.
“We strongly denounce the arbitrary and unjustified removal of President Thiam, as well as other major opposition leaders,” PDCI’s executive secretary, Sylvestre Emmou, one of few people allowed through a large police barricade to submit a complaint to the commission, told his soaked compatriots. “This is unacceptable and dangerous for peace and democracy in our country,” he said.
The protests highlight rising tensions in West Africa’s second-biggest economy, ahead of the October general elections that many fear could lead to violence in a country with still-fresh memories of the 2011 election-related civil war.
At stake is Ivory Coast’s continued stability amid a regional security crisis, but a likely fourth-term bid by incumbent President Alassane Ouattara has concerned many voters and political rivals, alongside what critics say is the government’s targeted ban on opponents.
Ouattara’s strongest challenger, Thiam, was struck from a final list of candidates on June 4 after the electoral commission said he was ineligible to run because he’d automatically lost Ivorian citizenship when he took French citizenship in the 1980s.
Although Thiam gave up his French nationality to regain his Ivorian one in February, a court ruled in May that he was not technically Ivorian when he enrolled in the electoral register in 2022.
Thiam’s supporters accuse Ouattara, who has led since 2011, of clearing the way for a fourth term. The last elections in 2020 were boycotted by the opposition, which argued Ouattara had reached his term limits, handing him an easy victory. In the 2015 elections, Ouattara was a clear favourite.
Former President Laurent Gbagbo and his old right-hand man Charles Ble Goude have been struck off too for convictions related to the 2011 civil war. Ex-Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, who was convicted of fraud, was also removed.
Ouattara will suffer illegitimacy if he runs without those four, Sylvain N’Guessan, a politics professor at the University of Bondoukou, told Al Jazeera.
“He will be seen as a candidate who had to exclude all other serious candidates to impose himself. What relationship will such a president have with the other parties, with the voters?” he said.
Pedestrians walk past an image of Ivorian businessman and presidential hopeful Tidjane Thiam in Abidjan on April 16, 2025 [Issouf Sanogo/AFP]
A ‘new face’ in turbulent politics
Many Ivorians, particularly young voters, view businessman Thiam as a breath of fresh air and a departure from the divisive establishment politics that have seen power concentrated in the hands of a few.
At 62, he is two decades younger than Ouattara and is related to Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the first Ivorian prime minister. Thiam was the first Ivorian student to land a place at Paris’s prestigious Ecole Polytechnique in 1982, from where he was launched to top-flight firms like consulting giant McKinsey. In 1994, he returned home to take up a ministerial position that saw him launch several infrastructure projects. A military coup in 1999, however, cut short that career.
In 2015, he became the first African head of Swiss bank Credit Suisse but stepped down in 2019 after an espionage scandal: a colleague accused Thiam of spying on him, although a court later cleared him of wrongdoing. In 2022, Thiam returned to the Ivory Coast and the once-ruling PDCI party.
Thiam’s party promises a return to the economic development that flourished under Houphouet-Boigny, who is credited with the “Ivorian Miracle” or the rapid development that came after colonial rule.
Thiam has also promised to include everyone, regardless of ethnicity or religion.
“He presents as a new leader, a new face who could lead Cote d’Ivoire differently,” N’Guessan said, adding that young Ivorians were tired of faces like Ouattara’s and Gbagbo’s, who are associated with turbulent politics.
Critics say his international career means he’s out of touch locally, but Thiam claims he is nonetheless well-loved. In an interview with the BBC in April, he accused the government of specifically targeting him with a colonial-era law he said was rarely used. Thiam pointed to Ivorian-French footballers who hold dual nationalities and play for French clubs and the Ivorian national team.
“I don’t think anyone in Cote d’Ivoire believes that this is not a case of the government exploiting the legal system,” he said, referring to his removal based on nationality. “This government has been in power for 15 years. Does it deserve five more? For me, that’s what should be at the centre of the presidential campaign, not my passport,” Thiam said at the time.
Al Jazeera reached out to the Ivorian government for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Supporters of Alassane Ouattara take part in a campaign meeting ahead of the 2020 presidential election in Abidjan [Sia Kambou/AFP]
Away from identity politics
A day after Thiam’s supporters gathered in Abidjan, Ouattara’s ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) members also rallied in Yopougon, the most populous suburb of Abidjan.
Banners reading “In Yopougon, our champion is ADO”, a reference to the president’s nickname, were stretched across a stage where senior party members extolled Ouattara. The gathering set the stage for the party’s grand congress on June 21-22, where Ouattara is expected to officially announce his candidacy.
“There is only one road – the road of President Alassane Ouattara,” former prime minister Patrick Achi declared to the gathered crowd.
Ouattara, 83, is rumoured to be half-Burkinabe. He was the target of inflammatory identity politics for years, with his rivals questioning his “Ivoirite” and enforcing laws that disqualified him from running. When he finally won elections in 2011, Gbagbo refused to hand over power, resulting in a civil war that killed some 3,000 people.
Ouattara has since amended the Ivorian constitution to allow presidential candidates with at least one Ivorian parent in a 2016 referendum. He has nurtured the country back from the brink into a flourishing economy, evident in the 7 percent average yearly growth recorded in the past decade.
Then in 2020, Outtara ran in and won elections. Critics and boycotting opposition said his third-term bid was unconstitutional while Outtara argued his mandate was reset by the new constitution. Violence was reported in some areas.
N’Guessan said Ivorians don’t have the appetite for the immense suffering of 2011, and warned that reviving identity politics by preventing Thiam from running once again is “dangerous”.
“We should learn the lessons to address the issue of nationality with a little more perspective,” he said. “The same words produce the same effects, the same evils.”
What started as a subtle act of protest has become national news.
Three days after singer and social media personality Nezza performed a Spanish version of the national anthem at Dodger Stadium — despite being asked by a team employee to sing it in English — the performer further addressed the situation Tuesday in an interview with CNN.
“With everything that’s been happening, I just felt like I needed to stand with my people and show them that I’m with them,” Nezza (whose full name is Vanessa Hernández) said on CNN’s “The Lead.” “I wanted to represent them that day.”
Nezza’s performance of the Spanish anthem — a version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” commissioned by the U.S. State Department in 1945 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt — became a viral story after she posted a video on TikTok of an unidentified Dodgers employee telling her beforehand that “we are going to do the song in English today, so I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed.”
Nezza proceeded to sing the Spanish version anyway; doing so on the same day thousands gathered downtown to protest President Trump and recent ICE raids around Los Angeles in the last two weeks.
In email communications with the team leading up to her performance, Nezza said she asked if she could sing the anthem in both English and Spanish, but was told no because she would have only a 90-second window for her performance.
Still, she said she arrived at the stadium “fully thinking that I was welcome [to sing in Spanish], because nobody told me in that email thread, ‘No, you can’t.’”
“Had they told me you can’t have any Spanish in there,” she added, “I would have respectfully declined and not shown up on Saturday.”
Instead, Nezza performed the anthem in Spanish prior to the Dodgers-Giants game, before posting two videos on TikTok explaining the situation that quickly went viral.
On Sunday, a Dodgers official told The Times in a statement that she would be welcome back at the stadium.
In Tuesday’s CNN interview, Nezza said she was “very shocked” to learn she was welcome back at the ballpark, noting that “30 seconds after my performance, we actually received a call that said, ‘Don’t ever call us again. Don’t ever email us again. The rest of your clients are never welcome here again.’ So for me, that kind of feels like a ban.”
The Dodgers, however, reaffirmed to CNN that there were “no hard feelings” resulting from the situation. And a team spokesperson confirmed to The Times this week that, “She is certainly welcome back at the stadium. She is not banned from the stadium.”
Budget airline Ryanair is known for its cheap flights across Europe, but some holidaymakers may not be aware of its ban on a certain item that could be in your hand luggage
This common item is banned from Ryanair flights(Image: Getty Images)
Ever jetted off on holiday with Ryanair? As bargain-hunting globetrotters will be aware, the airline is a go-to for snagging smashing flight deals throughout Europe. Yet, there’s a lesser-known fact about the low-cost carrier that could catch you off-guard when packing your carry-on.
We’ve all experienced that worrying moment at airport security, mentally checking if every lotion and potion is snug in their transparent bag or recalling if we ditched that water bottle from our backpack. But it turns out there’s a particular item that Ryanair frowns upon, and naturally, we’re all obliged to abide by the established baggage rules, reports the Express.
Travel advise from the Government has highlighted the advisories on carrying lighters aboard. The guidance from GOV.UK states: “You should put it inside a resealable plastic bag (like the ones used for liquids), which you must keep on you throughout the flight.”
Yet, despite such counsel, placing the lighter in your carry-on post-security is a no-go. Turning to Ryanair’s own digital domain for further clarity, one finds the item clearly listed under forbidden articles.
Their directive specifies: “You must not carry any of the following items in checked-in luggage or carry-on baggage, or go through security with them on you (for example in your pockets).”
The Electoral Commission head has said no revision of the electoral register will take place before the poll.
Four prominent opposition figures in the Ivory Coast have been excluded from the final electoral list, according to the Electoral Commission, leaving them ineligible to contest pivotal October presidential elections in a nation with not-too-distant memories of civil war and coup attempts.
“My elimination from the electoral list by the Independent Electoral Commission [CEI] is a sad but eloquent example of Ivory Coast’s drift towards a total absence of democracy,” Tidjane Thiam, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), said in a statement on Wednesday.
Thiam’s statement came two days after CEI head Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly announced that no revision of the electoral register would take place before the vote.
Thiam, who was widely seen as the main challenger to President Alassane Ouattara, was struck from the voter roll in April after a court ruled that he was not eligible to run for president because of his dual Ivorian-French nationality. Thiam, who was born in Ivory Coast, received French nationality in 1987 but renounced it in March.
Other major Ivorian candidates excluded from the vote include former President Laurent Gbagbo and his close ally Charles Ble Goude, who was charged with crimes against humanity related to the civil war.
The former prime minister and rebel leader Guillaume Soro is also barred. He was sentenced in absentia to life in prison for organising a coup.
None of the four will be able to run in the October 25 presidential race or vote.
Ouattara, who has been in power since 2011, is included on the electoral register but has yet to announce if he will seek a fourth term.
In 2015 and 2020, Ouattara won with more than 80 percent of the vote.
Thiam has appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee, his party said.
His lawyer Mathias Chichportich said in a statement sent to the AFP news agency that depriving the opposition leader of “his political rights” was “a serious violation of Ivory Coast’s international commitments”.
Gbagbo’s African Peoples’ Party-Ivory Coast (PPA-CI) complained that the authorities “did not choose to listen to the advice, the calls for discussion, for reason”, its Secretary-General Jean-Gervais Tcheide told AFP.
“It’s a shame they chose to force their way through,” he said, adding: “We’re not going to let them do it.”
Other opposition figures who announced their plans to run for the presidency are featured on the final electoral list.
They include former First Lady Simone Ehivet Gbagbo, who, speaking on behalf of an opposition coalition, said that the conditions were not met for a “peaceful, calm election”.
During the 2020 presidential election, a revision of the electoral list took place in June ahead of the October polling day.
The final electoral register for this year’s ballot includes the names of 8.7 million voters, in a country with a high immigrant population and where nearly half of the 30 million inhabitants are under the age of 18.
Authorities deny any political interference in the electoral process, insisting that they respect decisions made by an independent judiciary.
The water off the shore of Playa Dorada in the resort town of Playa Blanca was judged to be too contaminated for people to swim, with officials forbidding people from entering the water
Swimming off the beach is now forbidden(Image: Getty Images)
A beach in Lanzarote has been closed to swimmers over fears they could fall ill.
Official carried out tests on the water quality off the shore of Playa Dorada in the resort town of Playa Blanca. They discovered that the water had microbiological contamination, leading the public health body to make a health alert and shut the beach on Tuesday.
Water samples taken on Monday showed signs of pollution, prompting Yaiza Town Council to impose a temporary ban on bathing, Canarian Weekly reported. Further investigations will now be carried out in a bid to work out the cause of the contamination.
La Voz reported that the contaminant was Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, and streptococcus bacteria. E. coli bacteria are most commonly present in the intestines of animals and humans, while streptococcus can cause various infections in humans.
Yaiza recommends residents and tourists enjoy other beaches, such as those located in the Los Ajaches Natural Monument, known as Papagayo Beach; Playa Flamingo; or even the small beach in Playa Blanca.
The beach will only reopen once tests confirm the water is safe for swimming.
Dead rats were seen bobbing around in the sea(Image: SOLARPIX.COM)
Playa Dorada is far from the only beach in Spain that has had issues with water contamination in recent weeks.
Last month, sunseekers were left horrified when dozens of dead rats ended up floating in the sea. Following a heavy downpour, the bloated rodents began to bob off a beach in Spain’s Costa Blanca. The overburdened local sewage system has been blamed for the disgusting scenes facing beachgoers near Alicante’s Coco and Urbanova beaches.
Rats were pictured lying dead on the sand at Urbanova beach, three miles south of Alicante City Centre. Others were filmed floating lifeless in the water. Dead rats were also spotted near the sailing school at Alicante’s Real Club de Regatas.
The ugly scenes provoked the anger of an opposition councillor for the popular holiday resort, who worries that mixing tourists and dead rats is not a good idea. Trini Amoros, deputy spokesperson for Alicante City Council’s socialist group, said: “Alicante cannot allow rats floating off our beaches.”
A week later, the sea off a popular Costa del Sol holiday resort turned an alarming brown colour, leaving tourists aghast.
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Council officials quickly raised a yellow flag as a warning to sunbathers as the large brown blotch spread across the water. The bizarre incident occurred around midday at a stretch of beach in Benalmadena, near two hotels – the Globales Los Patos Park Hotel and Hotel Spa Benalmadena Palace.
Council chiefs said that the yellow warning flags had been raised when the sea started turning brown, attributing the discolouration to a broken water pipe and assuring the public that there was no danger to public health.
On long-haul flights, there is a tiny, and normally completely secret room that passengers are banned from entering, but one flight attendant has pulled back the curtain – literally
06:00, 24 May 2025Updated 10:22, 24 May 2025
On long haul aircraft the cabin crew have a rest area, but where is this secret space?(Image: Getty Images)
The next time you’re about to take a snooze on a long-haul flight, you are going to want to remember this secret area exists on the plane – as passengers are totally banned from entering it.
It isn’t just the passengers who need to get some rest while they fly across the world – the cabin crew also need to make sure they get some sleep as they work their seriously long shifts making sure all their customers are well watered, fed, and safely enjoying their trip.
But to the uninitiated, you might wonder where on earth the flight attendants manage to get any rest – as they are seemingly always working hard.
One air hostess revealed on her TikTok account that there is actually an entire secret area tucked away on long-haul flights for exactly this purpose, lifting the lid on the aviation industry’s best-kept secret.
In a viral TikTok video that has racked up over 1.3 million views, flight attendant Kaytee ( @gh.inthesky ) gives passengers a rare glimpse into the secret areas of the plane where cabin crew can catch some much-needed shut-eye. The clip shows Kaytee climbing into a compact, dimly lit space above the main cabin, entirely out of sight from passengers.
“This is where we sleep on long-haul flights,” she explains, showing off her allocated bunk. The bed is fully equipped with a thin mattress, bedding, and, of course, a safety belt to keep the crew secure in case of turbulence. Despite its confined dimensions, Kaytee describes the pod as surprisingly comfortable. “The turbulence actually rocks you to sleep, it’s like being in a cradle,” she says.
These hidden crew rest compartments are often compared to ‘coffin-like’ spaces due to their incredibly snug design but are a vital feature on long-haul aircraft.
They are typically located either above the main cabin, near the cockpit, or in compartments underneath the passenger seating area. Each bunk is also fitted with a privacy curtain, a pillow, and dim lighting to ensure the crew can get some well-deserved sleep during extended journeys.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Reactions to Kaytee’s tour have been mixed, with some TikTok users fascinated by the behind-the-scenes look at airline operations. Others feel uneasy at the sight of such a compact space.
One commenter wrote: “What in the coffin is this?” while another jokingly added, “I’d need an escape plan before even getting in there!” Despite their claustrophobic appearance, these rest areas are essential for flight attendants who are working long shifts, which can often span 10 hours or more.
All airlines are required to provide designated sleeping quarters for crew members on long-haul flights to ensure they remain alert and refreshed throughout the journey.
Flight attendants are primarily responsible for passenger safety and comfort, so good sleep is vital!(Image: Getty Images)
For many passengers, the idea of crew members vanishing mid-flight has always been an unsolved mystery. But now, thanks to social media, we have an exclusive look into the secret world behind the curtain (literally and figuratively)!
Taking to Instagram on Friday night, Neville said: “I was contacted by Sky Sports earlier on in the week and told that I would be commentating at the City Ground on Sunday for the Nottingham Forest v Chelsea match.
“I was informed yesterday by Sky Sports that Nottingham Forest would not give me an accreditation or access to the stadium as a co-commentator. I’ve had no choice but to withdraw from the coverage.
“I’ve dished out my fair share of criticism and praise in the last 14 years of doing this job and have never come close to this unprecedented action.”
He continued: “Personally, I think it’s disappointing that a great club like Nottingham Forest have been reduced to making such a decision.
“Whilst they have every right to choose who they let into their own stadium, it’s symptomatic of things that have happened over the last 12 months with the club.
“I wish the coaching staff, players and fans of the club all the best in their quest to achieve Champions League football.”
Sky chiefs are furious and are standing with Neville following Forest’s decision, and have totally revised their coverage plans for the final game of the season.
Awoniyi collided with a post late in the draw with Leicester and was later placed in an induced coma.
Forest later addressed the incident in a statement, writing on X: “Today is a day for celebration, because after 30 years Nottingham Forest is now guaranteed to be competing on the European stage once again – a promise I made to our supporters when we achieved promotion.
“With two more games to go in the Premier League, we must keep believing and keep dreaming, right to the final kick in the final game.
“We are extremely proud and close to Nuno and the team, and we must all celebrate the historic achievements of this season.
“Everybody – coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself – we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff’s misjudgement on Taiwo’s ability to continue the game.
“This is natural, this is a demonstration of the passion we feel for our club. Let’s all be grateful, passionate and keep on dreaming.”
A HUGE pleasure lake an hour from London features stunning art-deco diving boards – but they are not actually allowed to be used as swimming is banned.
Coate Water Country Park, in Swindon, features a diving platform that towers into the sky.
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The diving platform was added to the lake in 1935Credit: Alamy
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It then received a listed status in 2013Credit: Alamy
Originally built in 1935, the structure now stands in the unused lake.
The park dates back to the 1820s, when it was first created as a feeder reservoir for the Wilts and Berks Canal.
However it didn’t take long before members of the local community saw it as a potential leisure retreat where they could enjoy fishing, boating and ice skating in the winter.
In the 1930s, the Borough Council transformed the park, adding new facilities including an art-deco style swimmingpool and the diving platform.
But by 1958, swimming at Coate Water was deemed unsafe due to health and safety concerns and the diving platform was abandoned.
Over the decades the landmark fell into disrepair and the steps were blocked off to deter vandals and thrill-seekers.
Then in 2013, the platform received a Grade II status as one of only four surviving interwar concrete diving platforms in the UK, and the only one in a lake.
Elsewhere in the park there is some opportunity for water play though, thanks to a large splash park.
It that has recently undergone a £475,000 upgrade and is expected to reopen on May 23, with a sign at the site stating “get your bathing suits ready”.
The splash park has a sloped design to also accommodate wheelchair users.
A SERIAL thief has been barred from every Greggs in England and Wales after repeatedly targeting the same bakery in a shameless crime spree.
Patrick Verry, 33, is now forbidden from entering any of the high street baker’s hundreds of branches following a court order brought by the Met Police.
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Greggs in Palmers Green North London where a member of staff has been hailed a hero after scaring off shopliftersCredit: Simon Jones
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One thief caught in the act at Greggs on Shields Road, BykerCredit: North News
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Another thief caught in the act — fwrite ilmed during a broad daylight raid on 8 May 2025Credit: North News
He was caught in the act last week by officers inside a Greggs shop in Wood Green, North London, after striking the location seven times.
Verry was arrested on the spot and brought before Highbury Magistrates’ Court the following day, where he admitted to six counts of theft from the same Greggs store.
Police described him as one of the capital’s “most prolific shoplifters” — and now he’s banned from every Greggs outlet across the country in a move to protect staff and customers.
The order comes as part of a new Met Police blitz on retail crime amid soaring shoplifting rates nationwide.
Chief Inspector Rav Pathania, the Met’s retail crime lead, said: “The Met is focused on tackling the most prolific shoplifters like Verry.
“They cause fear to retail workers and their offending has a negative impact on communities.”
He continued: “We continue to work with local business owners to investigate reports of shoplifting, understand concerns and use different tactics to crackdown, including targeted operations and regular patrols.”
The ban on Verry comes as The Sun lifts the lid on the true scale of the shoplifting crisis crippling British high streets.
Our undercover investigation found Greggs shops across the country being stripped of stock in broad daylight, with some stores experiencing a theft every 20 minutes.
At one busy location in South London, a thief was seen stuffing doughnuts and drinks into his pockets before barging past staff and walking out unfazed.
In another shocking clip filmed in Tooting, a brave female Greggs manager tried to stop a thief who was carrying several bottles of Coca-Cola.
She shouted: “You’re not having all of that,” as the crook tried to leave.
He coolly replied: “Yeah I’m walking out with them, watch me.”
Customers looked on in silence, too scared to step in. A witness said: “There were two grown men just stood by the tills.
“Everyone was just silent.
“No one said a word. People are just afraid now.”
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Local officers worked with retailers in Greenwich to identify and arrest Winston Wright who stole more than £2,500 worth of goods from stores in the area over four monthsCredit: Metropolitan Police
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Our undercover investigation found Greggs shops across the country being stripped of stock in broad daylightCredit: Metropolitan Police
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The ban on Verry comes as The Sun lifts the lid on the true scale of the shoplifting crisis crippling British high streetsCredit: Metropolitan Police
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In many cases, Greggs staff are told not to intervene directly with thieves for safety reasonsCredit: Metropolitan Police
The Met later confirmed it was not alerted to the Tooting incident, which happened in August, highlighting just how many shoplifting cases go unreported.
Our reporters saw similar scenes play out in branches from Newcastle to Brighton, with thieves helping themselves to hot food, drinks and sandwiches without even trying to hide it.
In Stockwell, South London, one man was caught on camera filling his coat with products before grabbing two boxes of jam doughnuts worth £3 each and fleeing during the lunchtime rush.
A cookie grab, then fist bump
THEFTS we saw in just two days at Greggs bakery in Stockwell South London.
Wednesday, 11.45am: Man strolls in, picks up a box of doughnuts and walks out.
1.30pm: A man lines his pockets with doughnuts and products from the fridge.
A shop worker pleads with him to pay. The thug threatens him and barges out.
3.45pm: Two men raid the fridges, with one pinching Lucozade bottles, while the other scoffs chicken bites.
4pm: A pair of teenage schoolchildren take a Lucozade drink and hot food.
Thursday, 11.10am: Two men walk in and start grabbing hot food and drinks. They appear to queue before also taking doughnut and walking out without paying.
11.30am: An OAP pretends to be on the phone before snatching hot food.
1.30pm: A man grabs three bottles of Lucozade, hot food and cookies. Challenged, he gives back the food and drink, gives the worker a fist bump and strolls out eating a cookie
2pm: A man steals two baguettes and a bottle of Coca-Cola. As he leaves, a public address states: “Shoplifting will not be tolerated.”
In Worthing, West Sussex, two men repeatedly walked in and out of Greggs helping themselves to hot food from the display cabinets.
On Brighton’s Queen’s Road, one crook walked off with two trays of wedges in front of a stunned staff member. “Average day,” the employee said when asked about it.
Minutes later, another thief ran out with two trays of wedges and a sandwich, while yet another masked man sprinted off carrying food as helpless staff shouted after him.
In Southampton, a man entered just after midday, grabbed four hot food items and said: “Sorry guys, I’m homeless, I need to eat,” before walking straight out the door.
In many cases, Greggs staff are told not to intervene directly with thieves for safety reasons.
One insider told us: “They’ve been told not to chase anyone, not to engage. It’s heartbreaking for the team.”
Astonishingly, just 350 people have been prosecuted for stealing from Greggs in the last six months.
Of those, only 111 received immediate or suspended jail time — and most had long criminal records.
Greggs has started introducing extra security measures in stores hit hardest by crime.
That includes removing self-serve fridges, placing chilled food behind the till, and trialling bouncers in some branches.
55k thefts every day across UK
By Julia Atherley
BRITAIN is facing a shop- lifting epidemic with a record 55,000 incidents a day.
In 2024, it cost retailers £2.2billion, up from £1.8billion in 2023, figures show.
Offences reported by police in England and Wales have jumped 23 per cent to more than 492,000 in the past 12 months, says the Office for National Statistics.
The scourge is being driven by the perception that offenders are rarely caught or punished.
Graham Wynn, of the British Retail Consortium, described shoplifting as a “major trigger for violence and abuse against staff”.
Mr Wynn said: “The rise in organised crime is a significant concern, with gangs hitting stores one after another.
“Sadly, such theft is not a victimless crime; it pushes up the cost for honest shoppers and damages the customer experience.”
Labour has promised to make assaulting a retail worker an offence and treat more seriously thefts of goods worth less than £200.
One staff member said: “It’s like we’re on the front line. You’re trying to sell sausage rolls but you’re looking over your shoulder constantly.”
Greggs boss Roisin Currie confirmed the company is now using facial recognition technology to catch thieves and pass images to police.
“We’ve now got a system where we can take photos of people committing theft on the shop floor and that then instantly goes to the police,” she told The Sun.
The bakery chain is also investing in body cameras for workers and running trials with a 24-hour shoplifting helpline.
A Greggs spokeswoman said: “Shoplifting is an industry-wide issue and we take it extremely seriously.
The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our absolute priority.”
Politicians have backed The Sun’s investigation.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “This is an important and timely investigation from The Sun, exposing just how bad the shoplifting epidemic has become.
“There has to be consequences for this appalling criminality.”
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson added: “Retail workers should never feel unsafe at work. That is why we’re taking robust action to tackle shop theft and protect workers.”
She confirmed new laws are coming under the government’s Crime and Policing Bill, which will create a specific offence for assaulting shop staff and scrap the £200 threshold that previously gave low-level shoplifters “effective immunity.”
Meanwhile, the Met has released dramatic new footage showing suspects sprinting from stores clutching bottles, sandwiches and snacks as part of a wider crackdown on repeat retail offenders.
And police chiefs say they’re not stopping with Verry, more bans could be coming for other prolific shoplifters as efforts ramp up to restore order on Britain’s battered high streets.
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Astonishingly, just 350 people have been prosecuted for stealing from Greggs in the last six monthsCredit: PA
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Greggs boss Roisin Currie confirmed the company is now using facial recognition technology to catch thieves and pass images to policeCredit: Solent
Eurovision fever is upon us as a host of countries battle it out once again in the semi-final stages of the contest to reach Saturday’s epic final in Basel, Switzerland
Music fans across Europe are set to be in their element once again as the iconic Eurovision Song Contest returns. This year’s semi-final stages are underway, and fans are eagerly waiting to see if their favourite acts will progress to the next stage.
This year sees Basel hosting events following last year’s impressive victory by Switzerland’s Nemo in Sweden. Their song titled The Code gave their reflection on their non-binary identity.
With the rumour mill in full flow about how Switzerland will put on the spectacle – a Celine Dion performance has been touted – one thing is certain: the countries that are battling it out for the coveted award.
This year’s UK entry sees Remember Monday take to the stage in the hope of avoiding the dreaded nil points announcement. The Country trio landed the plum gig after being selected by the BBC’s team of experts. Fans may recognise the group from their efforts on The Voice, where they reached the quarter finals.
Ini total, 37 countries are challenging on the big stage, with the the top 10 from each semi-final making it through to join the ‘big five’. But who else will be competing – and who is banned from doing so?
Remember Monday are this year’s UK entry for Eurovision(Image: INSTAGRAM)
Who are the Eurovision Song Contest ‘big five’
The UK, Spain, Germany, France and Italy make up the annual event’s ‘big five’. This means these countries receive automatic qualification for the final, which will be held on Saturday, May 17.
Their route straight to the final comes as these are the countries that make the biggest financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organisation that owns and operates Eurovision.
The rule came into play in 2000, giving the five countries direct entry into the final – along with the host country.
Eurovision 2025 semi-final lineups
This year’s Eurovision will take place in Basel(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Those outside of the ‘big five’ hoping to make it to the big showcase have to battle it out in two semi-finals. This year sees the first semi-final take place tonight (Tuesday, May 13). It will feature Iceland, Poland, Slovenia and Estonia to begin with.
The running order continues: Spain, Ukraine, Sweden, Portugal, Norway, Belgium, Italy, Azerbaijan, San Marino, Albania, Netherlands, Croatia, Switzerland and Cyprus.
As Italy, Spain and Switzerland automatically qualify for the Grand Final of the spectacle, their viewers will be able to vote for their favourites.
The second semi will take place on Thursday, May 15. This time 16 countries will fight it out. They will be: Australia, Montenegro, Ireland, Latvia, Armenia, Austria, Greece, Lithuania, Malta, Georgia, Denmark, Czechia, Luxembourg, Israel, Serbia and Finland.
UK, France and Germany entries will also perform despite already being through. Their audiences will be able to vote still for their favourite songs.
Countries that are banned from Eurovision
While Israel’s entry is fully expecting a frosty reception, and protests are expected to be carried out, they are still taking part in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Over 70 participants of previous contests have come together to call for the exclusion of the country due to its continued bombing of Gaza.
However, some countries have been banned.
Among them is Belarus. The country has been banned from competing since 2021. In that year, the country’s entry song,Ya Nauchu Tebya (I’ll Teach You), was deemed to have had lyrics included which were politically motivated and potentially harmful.
Russia have also been banned. The country’s participation was suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Some critics of Israel’s entry have claimed the EBU lacks consistency due to this ban.
Jonathan Arthur, 34, and wife Xun Sun, 35, were flying from Shanghai Pudong Airport to London Heathrow for a family wedding when they were told they couldn’t board their British Airways flight
Amy Reast and Milo Boyd Digital Travel Editor and Commercial Content Lead
11:46, 13 May 2025
The family ended up missing the £3,000 flight(Image: Jonathan Arthur / SWNS)
A family was barred from their flight due to suspicions over insect bites on their toddler’s leg.
Jonathan Arthur, 34, and his wife Xun Sun, 35, were travelling from Shanghai Pudong Airport to London Heathrow for a family wedding when they noticed some insect bites on their one-year-old son Joseph.
Upon clocking the bites, they asked British Airways staff at the desk where they could purchase some allergy medication as a precaution.
The couple alleges that the check-in desk assistant called a medical advice hotline who advised them not to board the flight, fearing that the rash around the bites might be a reaction to Joseph’s mild peanut allergy which could worsen during the flight.
The airline staff insisted that the child needed a ‘fit to fly’ letter from a doctor and escorted the family away from the boarding gate, making them feel like criminals.
Joe had bites on his leg(Image: Jonathan Arthur / SWNS)
A member of staff questioned if he had a peanut allergy(Image: Jonathan Arthur / SWNS)
After being turned away, they spent the entire day at the airport before re-booking flights with another airline, which didn’t require a letter, for that evening.
The bites, no larger than 1cm in diameter, vanished within 10-15 minutes of applying a bite cream and caused no further discomfort to the child, the parents claimed.
Jonathan, a marketing and sales professional from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, currently working in Hangzhou, said: “It was nothing more than swollen bites.”
He added: “At the desk they asked loads of questions after they saw the bites and so we told them about his mild peanut allergy.
“The medical staff at the airport said to apply some ointment and wait 10 minutes – which we were happy to do. But the BA staff said we needed to call their medical advice line.
“They thought his peanut allergy was the cause – so they didn’t want to take the risk. His bites were actually going down by this point, and my son was completely fine. But as we were speaking, staff were already unloading our suitcases. We were treated like we had done something wrong.”
The dual-nationality family had booked return flights at a cost of £3,000 two weeks prior, with the intention to fly back on May 1 for a family wedding on May 3.
Upon discovering four itchy welts surrounded by a pinkish rash and slight swelling on their son’s legs, back and arms during their holiday, parents sought online medical advice.
An e-doctor confirmed that the marks were indeed bites and suggested purchasing antihistamines to reduce the inflammation.
Before heading to the departure gate, the couple queried if they could purchase these medications at an airport pharmacy.
However, the sight of the marks and the mention of medicine linked to allergies prompted the boarding gate staff to summon the airport’s medical personnel and to consult BA’s medical hotline.
Jonathan explained: “The bites just came out red because of the heat, and because he had a nappy on rubbing against them.”
The family hypothesised that their son’s reaction might have been caused by bedbugs or mosquito bites at their accommodation and simply planned to acquire some allergy relief as a precaution.
Jonathan revealed that the airport’s on-site medical team, who were not BA employees, asked if they had any bite cream in their luggage – which they did – and instructed them to use it.
He stated that they informed him that if the bites began to subside within ten minutes, they would be cleared for flight – however, he alleges that a BA medical adviser over the phone vetoed this.
Despite arguing that the bites and rashes were unrelated to his mild peanut allergy, Jonathan and Xun were informed they could not board without a fit-to-fly certificate.
Jonathan said: “BA simply told us we couldn’t fly, gave us a case number and someone to contact about a fit-to-fly letter. We knew the rash had nothing to do with the peanut allergy – the bite was already subsiding after we applied the bite cream.”
They are now liaising with BA and their third-party booking agency to seek a refund. Jonathan expressed: “We felt like criminals – as if we had done something wrong.
“I find it odd that someone else in a different country can speak to an airport staff member who isn’t a medical professional, diagnose and refuse boarding, without seeing the rash.
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“When you pay for a service you expect to be treated like a customer, not like a nuisance.It felt like they thought ‘they’re not flying, just get rid of them’.”
A spokesperson for BA commented: “We take the safety and well-being of our customers very seriously and do everything we can to support them when issues like this arise.
“This includes accessing specialist medical advice to assess an individual’s suitability to travel, which is what happened in this case. Whilst we appreciate our customer was disappointed with this decision, we never compromise passenger safety.”
