Portsmouth's lifeboat station remains temporarily out of service following anti-migrant protests. Protesters blocked roads in the city on 6 September after about 120 people arrived at the Eastney Landing ferry port area following a Channel small boat crossing. The RNLI helped bring them ashore. The RNLI also said it helped to ensure the safety of anti-migrant demonstrators who went into the sea. Following the protest, the charity's chief executive said staff had faced unacceptable online and physical abuse .

Thousands of Barclays staff are demanding concessions from the bank after it said it wants employees to work from the office more often. Staff who have been expected to work in the office for two days per week should be in the office for at least three days a week from next month, according to the bank. Unite, which represents about 36,000 Barclays staff, is calling for the bank to reverse its decision. The union is also pressing for exemptions and a one-off payment for employees to offset increased travel and childcare costs. Barclays said many employees already work in the office for three or more days, depending on business need.

Schools and hospitals run by state governments will be left to set their own rules over the technology. Schools and hospitals run by state governments will be left to set their own rules over the technology. Albanese government considers'world-leading' ban on smart glasses in public offices and buildings Minister for public service says the devices pose'legitimate privacy and security concerns' in commonwealth-run workplaces The Albanese government is considering a "world-leading" The government has avoided a sweeping ban on the import of the camera-equipped technology and encouraged individual workplaces to set their own rules. The public service minister, Katy Gallagher, said on Thursday she had asked the Australian public service for advice on whether the glasses should be prohibited. "We need clear and consistent guidance for public servants," Gallagher said.

What's happening to UK interest rates and what does it mean for mortgages? The Bank of England has kept UK interest rates unchanged at 3.75% for a sixth time in a row, keeping them at the lowest level since February 2023. Before the US-Israeli war with Iran, rates had been expected to fall in 2026, but the economic fallout from the conflict has pushed up inflation across the globe, making cuts unlikely and rises a possibility. Interest rates affect mortgage, credit card and savings rates for millions of people. What are interest rates and why do they change?

Image caption, In a statement, RTÉ said it feels Ireland's participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza Irish broadcaster RTÉ will not broadcast or participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. It is the second year in a row that the broadcaster has not participated in the competition. In 2026, RTÉ withdrew from the 2026 contest in Vienna, after the European Broadcasting Union confirmed that Israeli public broadcaster KAN would be allowed to take part. In a statement they said: RTÉ feels that Ireland's participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk. Last year Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia boycotted the Eurovision Song Contest, after it was decided Israel could compete. RTÉ added that they also remain deeply concerned by the continued denial of independent access to international journalists to the territory.

Why is London's mobile phone reception getting worse? Mobile users across London say their mobile service is becoming increasingly unreliable, with reports of slow data speeds, failed connections and calls not getting through. Mobile UK, the trade association representing the UK's major mobile networks, said London's mobile phone connectivity continues to lag frustratingly behind other international hubs. Data commissioned by the BBC England Data Unit found some of the worst areas were Liverpool Street and Covent Garden, where service proved to be extremely slow and unreliable during rush hour but worked normally during quieter periods. So what impact does this lack of connectivity have on Londoners and their ability to earn a living, and what are the reasons behind it?

Is the war entering a new phase? Ukrainian officials say at least 19 people have been injured in Russian missile and drone strikes targeting Kyiv and surrounding areas. Ukraine's Air Force said on Thursday that it destroyed or suppressed 131 Russian aerial targets during the overnight attacks, adding that the main areas targeted were the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces hit metallurgical and electronics plants, factories of the military-industrial complex, energy and transport facilities in the three regions. Three bulk carriers and a ferry used to carry supplies for the Ukrainian military were hit in the port of Chornomorsk, added the ministry.

The EU plans to ban chatbots from simulating emotions or interpersonal relationships in interactions with anyone under the age of 18 as the bloc tries to stop children from developing emotional dependencies on the technology. The rules will be part of the EU Kids Act, proposed on Thursday, which includes similar restrictions on minors' access to social media and video-sharing platforms. Children under 13 will be banned from accessing chatbots without their guardians' supervision, and digital platforms will have to build child-safety protections into their products or face fines of up to 6% of total worldwide turnover, according to a draft of the legislation seen by WIRED. Chatbots operating in the EU will also not be allowed to retain memory of interactions between separate conversations under the new rules, since the Commission worries this could lead to systems accumulating sensitive data of minors over time and potentially reinforcing harmful interaction patterns. Providers of online social networking sites, video-sharing platforms, and games should not automatically activate or encourage the use of AI chatbots on their services, the proposed law will also stipulate.

Russia's attacks on Europe are getting more brazen and more dangerous Firefighters extinguish a fire inside a train carriage that was damaged by a drone strike near Ukraine's border with Poland on Saturday. Over the course of the summer, Russian attacks have been pushing ever deeper into European territory. On Aug. 11, military divers destroyed two drones floating off the coast of Romania near a €4 billion ($4.7 billion) energy project. Nine days later, Bucharest scrambled two F-16s to take out a maritime drone near the same Black Sea gas platform with hundreds of workers on board. Earlier that month, German police detected an armed UAV at Leipzig airport, while this week NATO jets downed another unmanned aircraft that entered Lithuanian airspace from neighboring Belarus, an ally of Moscow.

The EU has announced plans to restrict social media access for under-15s across its member states, in a bid to increase wellbeing and tackle online safety. Under the plans, there would be a gradual approach to children using social media which would include banning under 13s from accessing platforms. Those aged 13 to 15 would only be able to access platforms for an hour per day via mini accounts set up through their parent or guardian's social media account. The European Commission said social media companies would need to prove their platforms were safe by design, while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the move would put parents back in the driving seat. She added the legislation - called the EU Kids Act - would give parents the tools to help their children navigate a safer world.