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.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Türkiye on Wednesday as part of a large delegation for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan....
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly backed a measure on Wednesday (11 February) disapproving President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, a rare...
Russia has attempted to "fully block" Meta Platforms-owned WhatsApp in the country, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday, as Moscow promot...
The suspect in a deadly school shooting in western Canada was an 18-year-old woman who allegedly killed her mother and stepbrother before attacking he...
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Pressure is mounting on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid resignations and a row over Peter Mandelson, a powerful figure in the ruling Labour Party. The episode has raised doubts about Starmer’s authority and how firmly his own party continues to back him.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, saying that “the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.”
The UK has pledged to step up engagement with Beijing after Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the case resurfacing as a key issue following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent trip to Beijing.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
“Peace is not just about signing treaties - it’s about communication, interaction and integration,” Sultan Zahidov, leading adviser at the AIR Center, told AnewZ, suggesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the South Caucasus could advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, marking the start of high-level talks between the two NATO allies.
Europe heads into the Munich Security Conference, 13 February, amid deepening unease over U.S. policy, as President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on defence, trade and territory fuels doubts about Washington’s long-term commitment to transatlantic security.
The European Union is preparing a further expansion of its sanctions against Russia, with Central Asia emerging for the first time as a distinct point of focus.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly backed a measure on Wednesday (11 February) disapproving President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, a rare rebuke of the president and leaders of his party in the Republican-majority House.
Russia has attempted to "fully block" Meta Platforms-owned WhatsApp in the country, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday, as Moscow promotes home-grown platforms and seeks greater control over its internet space.
The suspect in a deadly school shooting in western Canada was an 18-year-old woman who allegedly killed her mother and stepbrother before attacking her former school. Investigators have not provided a motive for what is being described as one of the worst mass killings in Canada.
Bangladesh, South Asia’s second-largest economy, stands at a decisive crossroads. As voters head to the polls in a watershed election, the country faces a defining question: can it move from revolutionary upheaval to a stable, sustainable democracy?
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