Every phone in the UK is going to get an emergency alert warning very soon
Millions of phones will blare with the sound of a 10-second siren this year as part of a drill to prepare the UK for potential danger.
The announcement about this year's test alert comes as the government issued a warning about the UK needing to 'actively prepare' for the possibility of the country coming under 'direct threat'.
It also comes after the world has been watching the Middle East amid fears of a wider conflict igniting after tensions between Iran and Israel boiled over.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is designed to warn the public if there is a danger to life nearby.
When it was last tested, the message that appeared on phones said: 'This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK Government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
'Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.'
After this year's alert (the exact date will be announced in the future), the system will be tested once every two years.
The practice test of the system comes as the government's National Security Strategy stressed the importance of Brits being prepared for any emergency – weather, war, and more.
Earlier this year, the European Union went as far as warning the nearly 450,000,000 people who live within its borders to stockpile emergency supplies to last 72 hours in case of war or natural disaster.
The advice, issued to nearly half a billion people across 27 countries, includes telling people to buy bottled water, energy bars, a torch, and waterproof pouches for IDs.
And EU households could get a handbook to help them prepare for 'various crises, from potential conflict to climate disasters, pandemics and cyber threats.'
The EU's announcement came after France decided to issue 20-page survival manuals, with 63 measures on how the French can protect themselves from armed conflict, natural disasters, industrial accidents and nuclear leaks.
It also included the essentials needed in these scenarios, like six litres of water, canned food, batteries, a torch, paracetamol and bandages. More Trending
But the French government insisted it was not released because of the looming threat of Vladimir Putin.
Instead, it said the manual has been in the works since 2022, after the COVID-19 pandemic, to prepare the country for a similar type of scenario.
Many countries in the EU are already well prepared for natural disasters, including Finland, where Metro toured one of the underground bunkers which will serve as a refuge for Finns in case of war or emergency.
The nation has an astounding 50,500 bomb shelters in case of emergency or conflict – a stark contrast to those available and operational in the United Kingdom.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Fraudster made £500,000 by conning luxury brands into buying fake 'Scottish tea'
MORE: Glasgow city council hit by cyber attack that 'may have stolen residents' data
MORE: I stayed in the 'rundown dump' named the UK's worst city to visit — it stole my heart
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Putin unleashes huge onslaught of 500 missiles & drones in night of hell for Ukraine as Nato warplanes scrambled
The Russian forces went on a terrifying rampage as they struck several major cities in Ukraine RAINING HELL Putin unleashes huge onslaught of 500 missiles & drones in night of hell for Ukraine as Nato warplanes scrambled VLADIMIR Putin has unleashed another night of hell over Ukraine with a 500 missile and drone onslaught. Nato was forced to scramble its warplanes after the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk was hit in an apocalyptic blast which turned the skies a crimson red overnight. Advertisement 2 Explosions in Kremenchuk as missiles and drones strike the city Credit: East2West 2 A huge blast was seen from the oil refinery Credit: East2West The city was attacked by Putin's forces with cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, and Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones simultaneously. Four Kinzhal and seven Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were also fired at Ukraine. Putin ordered his Tu-95 strategic bombers and MiG aircraft to carry out the heinous air assaults. It was the most powerful blitz on the city since the start of the war back in 2022. Advertisement Ukraine claimed to have downed 475 out of 537 aerial targets. Poland's operational command quickly announced that Nato fighter jets were scrambled because of the intensity of the Russian onslaught. They said in a statement: "Due to the attack by the Russian Federation carrying out strikes on objects located in the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation has begun operating in our airspace. "The Operational Commander of the [armed forces] has activated all available forces and resources at his disposal. Advertisement "The on-duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness. "The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the areas bordering the threatened areas." Putin also mounted attacks across much of Ukraine in what is reported to be one of the heaviest bombardments of the three year conflict so far. A missile strike on Zaporizhzhia left an industrial facility on fire. Advertisement Mykolaiv and Donetsk region were also both badly hit. The Russians targeted Lviv in western Ukraine as well. Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said Russian forces attempted to strike critical infrastructure, but no civilians or residential buildings were damaged.
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Police clash with anti-government protesters in Serbia as thousands rally against president
Dozens of protesters were detained during clashes with riot police in Serbia on Saturday, as thousands demanded early parliamentary elections in a rally against populist President Aleksandar Vucic. The protest was held after nearly eight months of dissent led by Serbia's university students and has been fuelled by allegations of corruption and negligence. As they filled the capital's central Slavija Square, the crowd chanted "we want elections!". Tensions were high before and during the gathering, with riot police deployed around government buildings and close to a camp of Vucic's loyalists in central Belgrade. Police said dozens of 'hooligans' were detained but did not provide the exact number. 'Elections are a clear way out of the social crisis caused by the deeds of the government, which is undoubtedly against the interests of their own people,' one of the students, who didn't give her name, said to the crowd. 'Today, on June 28, 2025, we declare the current authorities illegitimate.' At the end of the official part of the rally, students told the crowd to 'take freedom into your own hands.' University students have been a key force behind nationwide anti-corruption demonstrations that started after a renovated rail station canopy collapsed, killing 16 people in November. Many blamed the concrete roof crash on rampant government corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects, leading to recurring mass protests. 'We are here today because we cannot take it anymore,' student Darko Kovacevic said. 'This has been going on for too long. We are mired in corruption." Vucic and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have repeatedly refused the demand for an early vote and accused protesters of planning to spur violence on orders from abroad, which they didn't specify or provide evidence of. Vucic's authorities have launched a crackdown on Serbia's striking universities and other opponents, while increasing pressure on independent media as they tried to curb the demonstrations. While numbers have shrunk in recent weeks, the massive showing for Saturday's anti-Vucic rally suggested that the resolve persists, despite relentless pressure and after nearly eight months of almost daily protests. Serbian police, which is firmly controlled by Vucic's government, said that 36,000 people were present at the start of the protest on Saturday. Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said participants in the protest attacked the police, and that police used their powers to restore public order. Saturday marked St. Vitus Day, a religious holiday and the date when Serbs mark a 14th-century battle against Ottoman Turks in Kosovo that was the start of hundreds of years of Turkish rule, holding symbolic importance. Vucic, a former extreme nationalist, has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power more than a decade ago. Though he formally says he wants Serbia to join the European Union, critics say Vucic has stifled democratic freedoms as he strengthened ties with Russia and China. Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections are due in 2027.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
NATO scrambles warplanes as Russia shoots down West's F-16 fighter jet
NATO has scrambled its warplanes after Russia used 500 missiles to down an F-16 fighter jet. A Ukrainian F-16 supersonic fighter supplied by the West was shot down with the loss of a 'hero' pilot amid a desperate operation to counter 500-plus strikes by Vladimir Putin's forces. Pilot Lt-Col Maksym Ustimenko, born in 1993, shot down seven air targets using all his weapons before he was hit. Poland's operational command announced that NATO fighters were scrambled because of the intensity of Russian onslaught on Ukraine. 'Due to the attack by the Russian Federation carrying out strikes on objects located in the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation has begun operating in our airspace,' said a statement. 'The Operational Commander of the [armed forces] has activated all available forces and resources at his disposal. 'The on-duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness. 'The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the areas bordering the threatened areas.' the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk was hit as apocalyptic footage showed a former oil refinery up in flames. The city was attacked simultaneously by Putin's forces with cruise missiles, Kinzhal - which translates as "Our Dagger" - hypersonic missiles, and Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones. It was the most powerful onslaught against the city since the start of the war. The attacks were across the country and amounted to one of the heaviest bombardments of the three year conflict. A missile strike on Zaporizhzhia left an industrial facility on fire. 'A production facility of one of the enterprises was damaged,' said Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration. Mykolaiv and Donetsk region were also hit. The NATO defence moves comes after the Russians targeted Lviv in western Ukraine. Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said Russian forces attempted to strike critical infrastructure, but no civilians or residential buildings were affected. The Ukrainian air force said Russia had unleashed 537 missiles and drones including 477 Hashed drones. Four Kinzhal and seven Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were fired at Ukraine. The blitzkrieg also included 41 Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles.
