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Elianne Andam live updates as jury expected to return verdict in Hassan Sentamu murder trial

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A jury is expected to return a verdict in the trial of a teenager accused of murdering 15-year-old Elianne Andam after a row over a teddy bear. Hassan Sentamu, 18, is accused of stabbing Elianne in the neck outside the Whitgift Centre in Croydon town centre on September 27 2023. The defendant, who declined to give evidence, claimed his autism spectrum disorder caused him to lose control during the meeting to exchange belongings with his ex-girlfriend, who was Elianne’s friend. The prosecution said he flew into a rage of 'white hot anger' and had no lawful excuse for having a kitchen knife, having picked it up at home after being 'humiliated' by a group of girls the night before. The defence said Sentamu's autism meant he was unable to regulate his emotions when Elianne grabbed a Tesco bag from him containing handwritten love-letters to his former girlfriend. Two 'equally eminent' forensic psychiatrists, with opposing diagnoses and views on the relevance...

The 2 London Underground stops right next to each other that really should have new names by now

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Two Tube stops on the London Underground map are causing a bit of a headache for commuters and tourists alike, as they share the same name but are actually different stations. West London locals will be all too familiar with the baffling situation at Edgware Road, where one station serves the Bakerloo line and another caters to the Circle, District and Hammersmith and City lines. It's a right old pickle for unsuspecting tourists who pop out from the Bakerloo line only to find they're at the wrong station for their Circle line change. A five-minute stroll around the corner is needed to reach the correct station - a simple renaming could save a lot of confusion. There are 2 Edgware Road stations, a 5-minute walk apart (Image: SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty Images) If you fancy travelling between them via the Tube, you'd need to hop on a train to Paddington and change there - another station that's technically two separate ones. To add to the confusion, t...

Passport rankings 2025, how strong the UK's is and visa-free holiday spots

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Brexit has left those with an EU passport envied and revered among their peers. So you might be surprised to hear that the UK still ranks pretty highly in the global passport rankings. Singapore took number one spot in the Henley Passport Index for 2025. Anyone with a Singaporean passport can visit 195 destinations without needing a visa. A Japanese passport was the second most valuable. It unlocked the door to 193 different countries without requiring a visa. Third place was split amongst several countries - Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain. Anyone with one of these passports can visit 192 different countries visa-free. A British passport unlocks 190 destinations visa-free (Image: belterz/E+/Getty) The UK wasn’t too far down on the list, coming in at fifth place alongside Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland. All of these passports have access to a respectable 190 countries around the world without needing a visa. At the bot...

Skilled social workers and supported kids: How London borough transformed failing children's services

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An East London borough's Children's Services has received the highest possible rating by Ofsted, seven years after getting the worst grade. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets received an overall 'Outstanding' rating following an inspection which took place from November 11 to November 15, 2024. In a report published on Monday (January 13), inspectors praised the service for providing 'high-quality support' for young people leaving care and said children and their families are supported by a committed, stable, skilled and permanent workforce. The rating means the service is amongst the top 20per cent across local authorities in the country. Tower Hamlets Mayor, Lutfur Rahman, said: "We are absolutely thrilled with this Outstanding Ofsted result for our services to children and families. This achievement is a testament to the compassion and hard work of our staff, who go above and beyond every day to support children and families in our community....

Old London Underground photos show the Tube in the 1980s with commuters smoking

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London's Tube is a dramatically different service to what it was in the 1980s. Not only has it spread to new stations and seen old stations close, but we've also got contactless payments and a smoking ban in place, these days. It was also the decade that saw the introduction of the Heathrow loop on the Piccadilly line, as we as zoning as a ticket pricing method. And since the end of the 80s, we've had the Hammersmith and City line established in the 90s, and even TfL being formalised in 2000. That's all without mentioning the additions of the DLR in 1987, London Overground in 2010, and the Elizabeth line just 3 years ago to London's transport network. When you look back at the pictures now though, there is one line that still looks surprisingly familiar, the Bakerloo line. This is because even in 2025 the trains running on the line date back to 1972, the oldest running commercially in the UK. Get updates on London's trains, Tube and buses sent straight to your...

Silvertown Tunnel and Blackwall Tunnel charge will be cancelled for some drivers - full list

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The new Silvertown Tunnel will open in April this year, with hopes of reducing traffic and cleaning London’s air. The new 1.4km road tunnel boasts bus lanes and was first proposed in 2012 with plans being green-lighted in 2018. But it has not escaped controversy with some slamming London Mayor Sadiq Khan for pricing them out of using it. Some road users will have to fork out a tenner each time they drive through it. Reaction from locals has varied with a petition opposing the "Kent tax" already gaining over 42,000 signatures . Organiser, Liam Davis, has described the "financial burden" the tolls could place on residents as "very concerning". Costing £2.2billion, Mayor Khan funded the infrastructure project with a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) against future earnings. He said the debt would be payed off by tolls. How much will it cost motorists? Vehicle type Auto Pay off-peak charges Applies at all other times between 06:00-22:00, inclu...

Community Sauna to open two more London sites in North and South London

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The super popular Community Sauna is opening two more sites in London. People all over the city have been jumping to try their affordable sauna sessions and now even more will be available. Community Sauna was born in Hackney Wick in 2021. The not-for-profit aims to bring local, affordable and authentic sauna bathing to the UK. There are already four different saunas open in London. These are located in Hackney Wick, Stratford, Bermondsey and Peckham. But now Community Sauna is opening two new sites. These will be opening in Camberwell and Walthamstow this Spring. Community Sauna already have sites at Stratford, Peckham, Hackney Wick and Bermondsey (Image: Amelia Stout) The Walthamstow Site will be located on Sutherland Road. It will consist of three communal saunas, with a 50 person capacity. The site will also have a wheelchair accessible sauna. There will also be a community garden open to the general public at the back of the site. The Camberwell site wi...