Axel Rudabakana, a 17-year-old, has been charged with the murder of three young girls during a dance class in Southport. Bebe King (6), Elsie Stancombe (7), and Alice Aguiar (9) were fatally stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed event on 29 July. Axel, who appeared in court on 1 August, also faces ten counts of attempted murder. Responding officers found multiple victims suffering from severe injuries. Two adults were critically injured while protecting the children. Families of the victims expressed their grief, with Bebe’s family stating their devastation and Alice’s family paying tribute to their 'Princess’. In the wake of the attack, violence has erupted in Southport and in four cities,, causing many police injuries and leading to many arrests: see

The Bank of England has cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point to 5%, marking the first reduction in over four years. This decision ends the joint-longest period of stable rates since the Bank gained independence in 1997. The nine-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted five to four in favour of the cut. Lower interest rates will impact many savings accounts and floating rate mortgages immediately, though fixed rate mortgages had already anticipated this change. The rate cut follows a drop in the consumer price index rate of inflation to 2%, the MPC’s target. However, the Bank's updated forecasts indicate that inflation will rise to around 2.75% by the year's end. Governor Andrew Bailey cautioned that while inflationary pressures have eased, rates should not be cut too quickly to maintain stable inflation and support economic growth. The forecasts will be reviewed after the new chancellor’s budget announcement in October.

Sajid Ali, 56, from Hall Green, Birmingham, has been convicted of leading a criminal gang in a £11 million drug smuggling operation. With four accomplices, he orchestrated a plan to import Class A drugs concealed in a shipment of bananas from Ecuador. The cocaine was hidden inside the roof of a shipping container, which was to be moved from London to an industrial estate in Coventry for extraction and distribution. The National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested the men in April 2022, and seized a total of 139 kilograms of cocaine, valued at up to £11,120,000. Ali was considered too senior to handle the drugs directly and fled to Türkiye when he couldn't reach his associates. He was later arrested at Heathrow Airport when attempting to return to the UK. He denied involvement, but evidence, including burner phone communications, proved otherwise. A successful collaboration between the CPS and the NCA brought him to justice. Proceedings to confiscate the gang's illegal profits have now commenced.

Problematic smartphone use is linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and insomnia among teenagers, according to recent research. Teens exhibiting problematic use were twice as likely to report anxiety, with 44% of 13 to 16-year-olds and 56% of 16 to 18-year-olds affected, compared to their peers. While problematic use resembles addiction, it impacts a minority of teens. The study distinguished between screen time and problematic use, noting screen time itself was not directly linked to anxiety or depression but was associated with insomnia. The research, conducted between 2020 and 2022, involved over 700 teenagers. Many teens expressed a desire to reduce phone use, with nearly 90% of younger teens and two-thirds of older teens attempting strategies like silencing notifications. Effective strategies include turning off notifications, using 'do not disturb' mode, and keeping phones out of the bedroom at night.