British Labour MP and minister
Pouria Zeraati, a presenter for Iran International, has recovered after a 2024 stabbing in Wimbledon. Two Romanians were jailed for wounding with intent, with prosecutors saying the attack was carried out on behalf of Iran. British authorities warn of Iranian proxies targeting media and minority communities.
The UK has designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR) and Russia’s GRU Volunteer Corps as national security threats. Ministers have said the measures will criminalise support, broaden policing powers and enable prosecutions; Parliament must approve the regulations this week.
Lenders to Thames Water have revised their rescue proposal, incorporating a “golden share” and greater local oversight as Andy Burnham’s government signals plans for stronger public control of essential services. Regulators are being consulted while the government weighs temporary nationalisation as a pathway to stabilising the troubled utility serving 16 million people.
Southern Water executives and three others are accused of conspiring to defraud the Environment Agency and Ofwat by creating artificial no-flow events at wastewater plants to dodge environmental checks. The case, tied to operator self-monitoring, has included court challenges and a push to end self-monitoring. The matter will proceed at Medway Magistrates’ Court.
Public access to rivers remains severely limited across large parts of England and Wales, despite calls for a right of responsible access. New data shows vast riverbanks lack access within 100m of water, while authorities warn that drought conditions and heatwave risk intensifying shortages. Scotland also tightens water-use rules as abstractions face temporary limits.
UK debate accelerates over how to curb the country’s largest water company as MPs mull a public-control option and protesters demand stronger action on sewage discharges. New data shows extensive use of storm overflows near bathing waters since May, prompting calls for warnings at beaches and tougher enforcement.