Britain reactivates "Operation Safeguard" to tackle prison overcrowding, temporarily holding inmates in police cells. With prisons at over 99% capacity, the move comes amid a surge in the prison population, outpacing major European nations in incarceration rates.
The emergency action, dubbed "Operation Safeguard", allows inmates to be held in police cells when prisons are full, and was previously used from February 2023 to October last year.
The prison population in England and Wales has doubled in the last 30 years, according to official data, leading to overcrowding as new places have failed to keep pace with demand. Justice systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland are run separately.
In a statement to parliament, Shabana Mahmood said the prison system was operating at more than 99% occupancy.
January saw the highest average monthly prison population growth in almost two years, as part of a rising trend in the last three months that "has only just begun to slow", she added.
"Given the recent increase in demand, it is necessary, and prudent, for me to temporarily reactivate Operation Safeguard to better manage the flow of offenders into the prison estate," Mahmood said.
According to the World Prison Brief database, imprisonment rates in England and Wales are higher than in other major European countries, with 141 detainees per 100,000 population, against 120 in France, 117 in Spain, 105 in Italy and 68 in Germany.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is nearing a defence deal with the EU to reset post-Brexit ties, even as his government courts a U.S. trade deal. Talks will culminate at a May summit, aiming to boost cooperation in defence, energy, and youth mobility.
Leaders from around the world, including the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, will come together today to address the global challenges and opportunities of speeding up the clean energy transition.
King Charles and Queen Camilla made a brief public appearance at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on Easter Sunday, marking the monarch’s first public outing since his cancer diagnosis. The royal couple joined other family members for the traditional service.
The British steel industry is grappling with its most significant crisis in decades, as the government has been forced to intervene in an emergency bid to save the country's last operational blast furnaces at British Steel.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting for Russia against Ukraine, according to South Korean lawmakers citing information from the country’s intelligence agency. The total number of North Korean troops deployed to fight alongside Russia is reported to be 15,000.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday that Russia and Belarus are planning to establish a joint aviation factory focused on producing drones and other aircraft. The announcement came during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the Russian city of Volgograd.
The Trump administration is reviewing possible changes to a Biden-era rule that restricts global access to advanced AI chips, including potentially scrapping the current system that divides countries into three tiers, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
China has renewed its call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and demanded that Israel cease its military operations in Lebanon and Syria, warning of escalating instability across the Middle East.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, even as missile strikes continue across the country.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 23rd, covering the latest developments you need to know.
For three generations, the Liebigs built railcars in Görlitz. Now, the factory that shaped their lives will produce parts for battle tanks.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting for Russia against Ukraine, according to South Korean lawmakers citing information from the country’s intelligence agency. The total number of North Korean troops deployed to fight alongside Russia is reported to be 15,000.
The Trump administration is reviewing possible changes to a Biden-era rule that restricts global access to advanced AI chips, including potentially scrapping the current system that divides countries into three tiers, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, even as missile strikes continue across the country.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday invited global scientists to make Europe their new home, amid rising pressure on U.S. universities under the Trump administration.
North Korea has conducted the first weapons test on its new “Choe Hyon-class” warship, firing cruise missiles, anti-air missiles, and artillery, state media reported on Wednesday.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting for Russia against Ukraine, according to South Korean lawmakers citing information from the country’s intelligence agency. The total number of North Korean troops deployed to fight alongside Russia is reported to be 15,000.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday that Russia and Belarus are planning to establish a joint aviation factory focused on producing drones and other aircraft. The announcement came during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the Russian city of Volgograd.
The Trump administration is reviewing possible changes to a Biden-era rule that restricts global access to advanced AI chips, including potentially scrapping the current system that divides countries into three tiers, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
China has renewed its call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and demanded that Israel cease its military operations in Lebanon and Syria, warning of escalating instability across the Middle East.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, even as missile strikes continue across the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment