appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Agence France-Presse

British police have arrested 12 people after a car pursued by police crashed while driving the wrong way on a major road, killing five youths and two officers.
The deaths on Saturday came as officials warned of a trend for young people to carry out dangerous driving stunts to post on social media. However, police on Monday denied the collision was linked to filming for the TikTok online platform.
Police in the Cleveland area of northeast England said there was “no evidence to indicate that filming of the activities on Friday night and Saturday morning has taken place for the purposes of TikTok”.
The force revealed that officers were chasing two cars with cloned plates when the deadly accident occurred. It added that 12 had since been arrested on suspicion of taking part in an organised crime group and weapon possession.
The crash came days after five teenagers were killed in Ireland while their car drove the wrong way on a motorway.
Irish police chief Justin Kelly said that “what makes this reckless behaviour even more appalling is that in some cases it is being done for social media”.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday – while visiting Kyiv – that “anybody who glorifies dangerous driving is doing something that’s truly reprehensible and unacceptable”.
The government had “raised the issue of this appalling content with social media companies”, including TikTok, Downing Street said.
Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom last month launched an investigation into whether TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is doing enough under UK law to protect children from harmful content, focusing on its age checks.
According to TikTok, it strictly prohibits content that could cause significant physical harm including dangerous driving and proactively removes such content.
Ofcom said in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse on Monday that under the Online Safety Act, “platforms must minimise children’s exposure to violent material and content promoting dangerous challenges”.
The watchdog said it had shown it would “take action if evidence suggests companies are falling short”.
National Highways for England said there were 947 reports of wrong-way driving in the year ending May 2026, slightly down on the previous year.
Irish police said there had been 62 such incidents so far this year with no marked recent increase.


China airports climb global-connectivity ranking as international routes rise: OAG report

King Charles responds to criticism from Princess Diana’s brother in rare move

Saudis seek allies’ help as missile defences run low in fight with Houthis

As EU cosies up to Canada, Burnham’s Brexit Britain feels sidelined

Britain

UK police arrest 12 after deadly wrong-way crash that killed 7

Police officers at the scene of a fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, England, UK on Saturday. Photo: PA via AP

A police officer leaves flowers at the Cleveland Police HQ Memorial Garden in Middlesbrough on Monday, after two officers were killed when a car pursued by police crashed while driving the wrong way on a major road. Photo: dpa

7 dead in UK after vehicle travelling in wrong direction hits police car

UK PM Andy Burnham shifts focus to TikTok and podcasts in social media push

Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a visit to the Met Office, a weather and climate service in the UK, on Friday. Photo: AFP

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been praised for his fluent, natural style on camera, in contrast to his predecessor, Keir Starmer. Photo: AP

British PM Burnham is choosing a more deft digital strategy, shifting focus to social media platforms such as TikTok as well as podcasts. Photo: AFP

Burnham’s digital-first style is expected to cause a backlash from traditional media, who have been sidelined. Photo: AP

Homes crack as London heatwaves trigger record subsidence claims

People walk across the parched parklands at Primrose Hill in London, Britain, in August. The UK has experienced five successive heatwaves this summer, causing record subsidence claims. Photo: EPA

Pedestrians shelter from the sun while walking across Westminster Bridge in London, Britain, in July. The UK has experienced one of its longest-lasting heatwaves for fifty years. Photo: EPA

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has warned the city may need to turn to private investors to help deal with the effect of rising temperatures. Photo: Reuters

A man cools off in a water fountain during a heatwave, at Trafalgar Square in London, Britain, in July. Photo: Reuters

UK PM Burnham launches bid to help homeless, donating 15% of his wages

Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks with staff and residents as he pays a visit to the homelessness charity Changing Lives in Newcastle on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham (right) speaks with a service user during a visit to the homelessness charity Changing Lives in Newcastle on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham (centre) and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner (right) visit homelessness charity Changing Lives in Newcastle on Wednesday. Photo: PA Wire via dpa

News

World

Europe

Police have denied the collision on Saturday was linked to filming for the TikTok online platform


Police have denied the collision on Saturday was linked to filming for the TikTok online platform.


UK police arrest 12 after deadly wrong-way crash that killed 7

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Police have denied the collision on Saturday was linked to filming for the TikTok online platform

Police have denied the collision on Saturday was linked to filming for the TikTok online platform