Abdel El Habchi told Southwark Crown Court he was threatened over his children's safety.
City of London desk
Around 20 households in Charlton are unable to return to their properties following structural concerns.
Targeted reporting across London and its neighbourhoods
LondonThe London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee warned Sir Sadiq Khan that 75% of social housing is at high overheating risk, urging faster passive‑cooling retrofits.
Kensington & ChelseaThe West London event will run for three days, culminating in a main parade on Bank Holiday Monday.
WandsworthCllr Georgiani secures seat, maintaining current council balance
LondonRising mortgage rates have reduced Londoners' property buying power by nine per cent, new research indicates.
All LondonExpansion aims to improve response times and pursue offenders using similar vehicles.
SouthwarkLCE Property Ltd has applied to Southwark Council for a change of use for The Kentish Drovers.
LondonAssembly committee warns of risks to over one million children from rising temperatures.
London's main index recorded modest losses on Wednesday, with eyes on upcoming US tech earnings.
Three separate developments affect commuters, tenants and South London residents as regulatory, housing and funding issues unfold
HackneyEmergency services responded to the incident on 26 August 2026, leading to traffic diversions.
LondonTwo London boroughs feature in the top 10 UK hotspots for first-time buyers, according to new analysis.
BarnetBarnet Council shut Watling Avenue site for TfL step-free access works, with community group raising business and disabled access concerns.
Live metropolitan file
Council & Politics
· 3 min read
Westminster City Council has secured a Confiscation Order of £494,415.52 against former tenant Saeed Yasin Hosseini. He was found to have fraudulently obtained a council property in Pimlico and illegally sublet it before purchasing it under the Right to Buy scheme.
Local News
· 3 min read
A report presented to the London Assembly says more than one million children could suffer health problems as overheating homes become common. The Assembly warned the Mayor to accelerate passive‑cooling retrofits, noting that 75% of social housing is at high risk and 86% of residents report overheating.
Culture & Arts
· 3 min read
The Mayor of London has committed an additional £4.66 million to the 2026 Notting Hill Carnival. The three-day event celebrating Caribbean culture will take place from Saturday 29 August to Bank Holiday Monday, with its 60th anniversary expected to be a significant celebration.
Council & Politics
· 1 min read
A Labour councillor has won the Trinity ward by-election, securing 1,558 votes. The result means the political balance on Wandsworth Council remains unchanged following the May 2026 elections.
Property & Planning
· 3 min read
Londoners face a significant hit to their property buying power due to increased mortgage rates. Buyers in the capital now need an additional £35,500 for a deposit to afford the same home with identical monthly repayments.
The capital briefing
The decisions, institutions and neighbourhood stories shaping the city today.
More London reportingProperty & Planning
A planning application has been submitted to Southwark Council to transform The Kentish Drovers pub in Peckham into a bingo hall. The pub has been on the market since July last year, with its asking price reduced multiple times.
Local News
London's homes are not equipped for rising temperatures, with over a million children at risk from overheating. The London Assembly's planning and regeneration committee has called for faster retrofitting of properties to improve resilience against extreme heat.
Business
Local News
Crime & Safety
Property & Planning
Transport & TfL
Local News
Start with the boroughs, the morning edition and the reporting network behind it.
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News London reads borough, regional and national outlets without treating republished copy as independent confirmation.
Reporting rooted in individual London communities.
Crime & Safety
Influencer Abdel El Habchi, 30, denies robbing entrepreneur Catalin Botezatu of a designer watch worth over £137,000. He claims a co-defendant threatened to harm his children if he reported the incident to police. A third man has pleaded guilty to the robbery.
Transport & TfL
East Midlands Railway (EMR) has warned of severe disruption at London St Pancras Station over the Bank Holiday weekend. RMT members are striking due to safety concerns regarding the new Class 810 ‘Aurora’ trains, leading to a significantly reduced service.
Council & Politics
Sir James Cleverly has resigned from the Conservative shadow cabinet to pursue selection as the party's candidate for London Mayor in 2028. He stated the capital needs a champion prepared to fight for its future.
Council & Politics
On 20 August Sutton Council reported that 43.0 per cent of GCSE entries achieved grade 7 or above, ranking the borough third in England. The figure, up from 41.9 per cent in 2025, was hailed by councillors as evidence of strong schools and teachers.
Local News
Around 600 million litres of sewage-contaminated water enters the River Roding and its tributaries annually, according to a study by Thames21 and the River Roding Trust. Cran Brook is highlighted as a major source of the pollution.
Council & Politics
London's air quality has improved substantially over the last decade, with average nitrogen dioxide levels falling by nearly 38%. However, significant disparities remain, particularly in more deprived areas, and few neighbourhoods meet World Health Organization standards.
Property & Planning
A London court ordered property developer John Christodoulou to repay £263,555.69 to 47 Hackney tenants, but the money has not been paid after 18 months. Officials are debating how to use the Mayor’s rogue‑landlord database and whether a banning order can be imposed.
Property & Planning
Households in London can claim discounts of up to £2,500 towards the installation of air-to-air heat pumps, which offer both heating and cooling. However, the grant scheme, announced in November 2025, is not yet fully operational due to ongoing certification processes for installers.
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No-fault eviction ended on 1 May 2026. Most of the advice still online was written before that date and is now wrong.
The London cap fell by around £120,000 in November 2024. Most of what is published still quotes the old figure.
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News London is a free, independent local news site covering London, including Westminster, City of London, Camden, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets. It reads 49 named news sources, scores how well each story was reported, and publishes its own account with the original reporting linked. 764 stories have been published so far. Every article is free to read, with no paywall and no registration.
News London is a local news publication covering Greater London — all 32 boroughs and the City of London. It aggregates reporting from 49 named news outlets, assesses how well each story was reported, and publishes its own account with the original sources linked.
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