Investigators specialising in rape and sex offences will be introduced to every police force in England and Wales by the end of 2027, the government has said. Ministers are speeding up the rollout of the scheme, previously announced by Sir Keir Starmer's government, by 18 months as part of efforts to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG). They are also offering more money for some forces to boost protection orders. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the previous plans were too slow and ministers should be laser focused on tackling such crimes. One charity has welcomed the measures, but says they represent only a small portion of what is needed for victims. The Home Office initially announced the plans last year and was due to have teams in place by summer 2029.

Image caption, The Sunday Times says British drones strike targets inside Russia, reporting that drones made by two UK companies have been supplied to Ukraine and used to attack the Russian mainland for the first time. Citing Ukrainian sources, it explains that Kyiv's deep-strike campaign involves targeting oil refineries, naval bases, logistics hubs and transport networks inside Russia. Image caption, The Sunday Telegraph leads with new plans backed by the government which could see water companies given the green light to increase bills at times of high demand. It explains that firms could impose surge pricing and factor water scarcity into bills, meaning they could charge more in droughts. A government spokesperson tells the paper that the new system could cut bills for more consumers, while it quotes water campaigners warning that it could see suppliers penalising consumers for their own failures.

Two people have died following a light aircraft crash in north Wales. The aircraft was found in a remote location close to Trawsfynydd, near Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, with the two people on board pronounced dead at the scene, North Wales Police said. The force received reports shortly after 12:00 BST that a light aircraft travelling from an airfield in England had not arrived at Caernarfon Airport as scheduled. Multi-agency air and ground searches were carried out until the aircraft was found. A team of investigators have since been deployed by the Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB).

Water companies have been given the green light to increase bills for customers by an extra £3.4bn in coming years to meet increased pressures on infrastructure and the environment. Nearly a third of the extra funding provisionally approved for 13 water companies in England and Wales is earmarked for making sure water services are maintained. The rest will be used to meet rising demand from housebuilding and data centres and to address pollutants known as forever chemicals. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the proposal was real money out of family budgets at a time when they are struggling with the cost of living, and an environmental group described the decision as an insult. The regulator, Ofwat, said the extra spending would enable the firms to support growth and better environmental outcomes, and ensure important upgrades were not delayed.

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'Like a bus seat back in the day' - new Wales kit leaves fans divided Wales football fans have been left divided over the country's new home kit, with some comparing the pattern on the red shirt to that seen on bus seats. The new shirt was revealed on Thursday by the Football Association of Wales (FAW), which said it was inspired by the rich tradition of Welsh double cloth weaving. It is the first Wales shirt produced by sportswear brand Sudu, after the FAW parted ways with Adidas after 13 years. FAW said the reaction to football kits was subjective, adding it remained incredibly proud of the creative process behind the new Cymru home kit. The association said the kit rejected reused designs, and that Sudu had worked with the association and fans to understand the DNA of the nation.

Satellite images have captured plumes of smoke and damage caused by a wildfire in north Wales. Data gathered by BBC Verify suggests an estimated 951 hectares (2,350 acres) of the Rhinogydd mountains in Gwynedd have been burned by a wildfire which broke out earlier this month. Nasa's satellite-based FIRMS monitoring system has also detected heat signatures from four areas of Wales where wildfires have broken out. Natural Resources Wales said a specialist firefighting helicopter will be deployed to Rhinogydd on Friday morning after calls for aerial support. On Wednesday the Welsh government activated crisis management arrangements to tackle the wildfires that have broken out across Wales.

'Nobody is falling for a toucan sighting in Siberia' This image is AI-generated, using ChatGPT. 'Nobody is falling for a toucan sighting in Siberia' This image is AI-generated, using ChatGPT. For many birdwatchers, recording a species outside its normal range is the holy grail. In the UK, the discoveries often make national headlinesThe western reef heron, for example, usually found in Africa and southern Europe, spotted in a seaside town in north Wales in June, which was widely celebrated on birding forums. But a new scourge is threatening to disrupt the fun: AI slop.

A celebration of life service and procession has been announced in Swansea following the death of Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. The Total Eclipse of the Heart singer died unexpectedly on 8 July, aged 75, at a Portugal hospital, as a result of the illness that she was being treated for, her family said in a statement released on the star's official website, external . At the time, tributes poured in from a host of friends and stars including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart. It has now been confirmed that her coffin will be brought to her Mumbles home on 15 August at 15:30 BST, with people invited to pay their respects by lining Newton Road at 15:15. Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins - also known for hits including Holding Out For A Hero and Here She Comes - is survived by her husband of more than 50 years, Robert Sullivan.

'Mind-blowing' ancient bones discovery sparked by family holiday To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A family holiday sparked a series of remarkable archaeological discoveries which one expert says could change what is currently known about Britain's prehistory. John Bolton, an archaeologist, was visiting the 11th Century Pembroke Castle in 2010 when he heard there was a cave beneath it. His interest grew when he discovered that the cave, known as Wogan Cavern, showed little signs of previous excavation - so he badgered Dr Rob Dinnis, from the University of Aberdeen, to take a look. Small digs have since uncovered extremely rare evidence of early humans and animals - including the bones of a hippopotamus which roamed Wales 120,000 years ago.