National News

Here are the latest stories from the team at Radio News Hub. The links will open in a new page and take you to their website.

• Celtic have won the Scottish Cup

  Martin O’Neill guided Celtic to the double as the Scottish champions beat Dunfermline 3-1 in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final.

• Huge problem of 70000 barriers in UK rivers mapped out

  More than 70,000 weirs, dams and other river barriers have been mapped across the UK, as conservationists warn they are a “huge problem” for wildlife and pollution.

• Dozens killed in Chinese coal mine explosion

  A gas explosion at a coal mine in China’s northern province of Shanxi has killed at least 90 people, state media reported, after dozens were said to be trapped underground.

• Shakira says she has no time for romance at peak of her career

  Shakira has said she has “no space or time for romance”, adding she feels that she is at the “peak of my career”.

• Scrolling in bedrooms after midnight a driver of youth joblessness

  Anxiety linked to social media is driving economic inactivity among young people, according to the former minister tasked with looking at why almost a million are neither working nor learning.

• Eva Longoria and Gillian Anderson among stars at Cannes Film Festival

  Eva Longoria, Gillian Anderson and Monica Bellucci were among the stars on the red carpet for the premiere of Histoires De La Nuit.

• Charles delights theatregoers as he takes seat at sold out show

  The King delighted theatregoers when he took his seat near members of the public to watch a sold-out performance of a Shakespeare play.

• Artist to create work from Sycamore Gap tree wood after contest winner announced

  The National Trust has announced the winner of its competition to turn the wood of the illegally-felled Sycamore Gap tree into an artwork.

• Temperatures in UK could be hotter than the Seychelles on Saturday

  Temperatures in parts of the UK could be higher than the Seychelles on Saturday, after Britons enjoyed the hottest day of the year so far on Friday.

• First weekend of Makerfield by election campaigns to get under way

  The first weekend of campaigning is set to get under way in Makerfield, in a by-election that Andy Burnham said could “change Labour”.

• Two French cities ranked cheapest short break destinations in western Europe

  Lille and Strasbourg have been named the best-value city-break destinations in western Europe.

• Children more likely than working age adults to live in private rented sector

  Children are more likely than working-age adults to live in Britain’s private rented sector, as young families who may find themselves priced out of homeownership rent for longer, according to a think-tank.

• Former Wish You Were Here presenter Judith Chalmers dies aged 90

  Television presenter Judith Chalmers, who hosted the travel show Wish You Were Here…?, has died aged 90, her family told ITV News.

• Morrisons to shut 100 lossmaking convenience shops

  Morrisons is planning to shut about 100 lossmaking convenience stores as the supermarket faces cost pressures it says have been worsened by “Government policy”.

• Ed Sheeran plans to fund new youth centre in Suffolk town where he was raised

  Ed Sheeran plans to fund a new youth centre in the town where he was raised, filling the gap after an existing one closes.

• Ferry passengers told to prepare for long queues and delays at Port of Dover

  Ferry passengers travelling through the Port of Dover during the bank holiday getaway have been warned to expect long queues and possible delays amid EU border checks.

• Pep Guardiola confirms he is leaving Manchester City this summer

  Pep Guardiola is to leave Manchester City at the end of the season, the club have announced.

• Michael Carrick confirmed as Manchester United head coach

  Manchester United have finally confirmed Michael Carrick is staying as head coach after agreeing a deal until 2028.

• UK set for record hot May day with parts of country hotter than Barbados

  The UK is forecast to see its hottest May day on record over the bank holiday weekend, with parts of the country set to be hotter than Barbados.

• England World Cup squad Foden Palmer and Alexander Arnold miss out

  Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold will have to watch the World Cup from home after Thomas Tuchel left the trio out of his 26-man England squad.

• Slight improvement in consumer confidence amid clear challenges ahead

  A fall in inflation led to a slight improvement in consumer confidence this month amid warnings of “clear challenges ahead”.

• Emmerdale hopes to challenge perceptions of homelessness with new storyline

  Emmerdale hopes to “challenge the perception of what homelessness looks like” in a new storyline, which will reveal one of its characters is sleeping rough.

• Kim Hellberg out to reward Middlesbrough owner Steve Gibson at Wembley

  Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg is desperate to reward chairman Steve Gibson for his backing by securing Premier League football for next season.

• Equalities watchdog chairwoman urges common sense policy on single sex spaces

  The head of Britain’s rights watchdog has called for a “common sense approach” to toilet provision as newly-published guidance confirmed single-sex services must be on the basis of biological sex.

• Keir Starmer says he will campaign for Andy Burnham in Makerfield by election

  Sir Keir Starmer has said he will be out campaigning for potential leadership challenger Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election.