Leicestershire: a rural-majority county centred on Leicester; dates back to historic shires, now a seven-district county with a mix of university towns and markets.
Britain will raise the starting point for domestic murders to 25 years, closing a long-standing gap with non-domestic killings. Justice Secretary David Lammy has announced the change after years of campaigning by bereaved mothers. The plan aims to ensure sentences reflect the harm caused by domestic homicide.
BBC and other outlets report that Twana Jamal, once dubbed the godfather of Calais camps, has been found living and working in Blaby, Leicestershire, under a false name. He allegedly earned large sums moving people across the Channel between 2012–2016 and is now subject to asylum claims. Authorities warn Brexit-era data checks hinder border enforcement.
Kian Bateman has been given a life sentence after fatally striking Shelley Davies and seriously injuring her partner outside a Cardiff club. He was high on nitrous oxide and did not see Davies in the road before accelerating towards Bratcher. The judge has ordered at least 17 years in prison and imposed driving bans.
Britain's homegrown tennis pipeline faces scrutiny as the Wimbledon dream for wildcard Arthur Fery collides with a wider crisis in British tennis. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner wins the men’s final and Jennifer Lopez draws attention with a controversial hat.
The High Court has quashed Enfield Council’s planning permission for Spurs’ women’s and girls’ football academy at Whitewebbs Park after determining councillors were materially misled by excluding an ecological report. The judge dismissed bias claims as weak. Enfield Council has withdrawn its defence and says it will move forward with community-focused plans.
The Category A-listed North Bridge has fully reopened to traffic and pedestrians after eight years of restoration. The project has delivered a restored facade, structural work, and new monitoring access, with final below-street works to follow this year. Officials say the bridge is returning to its role as a key transport link ahead of the festival peak.
Public mourners gathered at Buckfast Abbey for Ann Widdecombe’s private requiem, following her death on 8 July at 78 after a fatal assault. The service featured tributes from family, political figures and clergy. A public memorial is planned later this year, with donations split between Leprosy Mission and Abound India.
A series of court cases from multiple articles outlines fatal incidents and convictions across the UK and Africa. In Beaumont Leys Park, a 34-year-old man was jailed for manslaughter after a punch killed James McKeown; in Soho, Gabrielle Carrington faces murder charges after a car attack that killed Klaudia Zakrzewska; and in Gbarnga, Kamara is jailed for participating in a fatal mob beating.
Nathan Owen has been jailed for four years and three months after fabricating a car-acceleration emergency to avoid a finance agreement. Police pursued the Jaguar I-Pace across multiple motorways, but investigations showed the car was functioning and speeds reached up to 86mph before it was stopped.
A Piper PA-24 has crashed into Seldovia Slough after departing Anchorage, killing the pilot and three passengers. State troopers recovered four bodies after waiting for the tide to recede; the wreckage rested in about 15 feet of water. The NTSB and FAA have opened an investigation; officials have identified the pilot and passengers and sent remains to the state medical examiner.
A band of thunderstorms and heavy rain has prompted yellow weather warnings across much of England and Wales. The Met Office warns of disruption to transport and potential flooding, with 81 areas under warning and multiple flood alerts. Homeowners in Perry Barr have already seen flooding, as forecasters anticipate further downpours over the bank holiday weekend.
A Chinese national has died in ICE custody in Saipan after arrest on assault charges. Authorities say death is under investigation; the incident widens scrutiny of migrant detention in blue states and international responses.