Johnny Goldsmith

A British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums photography competition has recognized images of wildlife from zoos, aquariums and reserves across the UK. The winning photograph, taken by Thomas Harris, shows an elephant named Opal enjoying a mud bath at Colchester Zoological Society. Other winners and runners-up feature bonobos, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, fungi, deer and zoo staff, with the competition emphasizing animal welfare, conservation and the diversity of species under professional care.

Winning images from the sixth annual DarkSky photography competition showcase star trails, auroras, Milky Way vistas, nocturnal wildlife and the effects of light pollution. Paul Wilson won the Nightscape category with a panorama over South Australia's Flinders Ranges, while other winners captured auroras in Greenland and Washington, dark-sky landscapes in New Zealand and the United States, and a Starlink satellite group over China's Inner Mongolia. The competition received more than 2,288 submissions from 30 countries and aims to draw attention to the loss of dark skies caused by increasing light pollution.

A 7,500-tonne illegal waste dump has been discovered on a 50-metre strip of land near Valley Parade in Manningham, Bradford. Residents reported a strong smell of rotten food and waste during a heatwave, while images showed household and commercial rubbish, bin bags, containers and a lorry. The Environment Agency is investigating and attempting to identify those responsible; local councillors have condemned the dumping as unacceptable and harmful to the community and environment.

LEGO has unveiled a 1,794-piece SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom building set to mark the franchise’s 25th anniversary and the first SpongeBob Day. The set includes SpongeBob’s pineapple home, Squidward’s house, Patrick’s rock, Jellyfish Fields and figures including Gary the snail, with additional references such as the boatmobile and Squidward’s clarinet. It is available to pre-order and is scheduled for release on 1 September 2026.

The Goodyear Blimp has returned to UK skies for a flight over London, capturing aerial images of landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, The Shard and Canary Wharf. The airship is marking its 101st anniversary and will remain in the area until July 14. Its UK history includes appearances over major events such as the 1981 royal wedding, the 1980 FA Cup Final and Live Aid. Enthusiasts can track its journey on FlightRadar24 using registration D-LZFN.

A 26-image gallery captures the colourful fashions, elaborate hats, royal guests and racing action on the opening day of Royal Ascot 2026 at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire. King Charles, Queen Camilla, Zara and Mike Tindall, Kelly Osbourne and Mary Berry are among those pictured, while Great Barrier Reef wins the Coventry Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes headlines the day’s racing.

Photographs document the aftermath and clean-up operation following a night of violence in Belfast linked to anti-immigration protests. Homes and cars were burned or damaged on Lendrick and Glenside streets, while a Glider bus on Newtownards Road was destroyed. The unrest followed the charging of Sudanese national Hadi Alodid with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for calm.

Images show the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows practising their new display routine over Greece during Exercise Springhawk. The team relocated from RAF Waddington to take advantage of more settled weather while pilots and ground crew refined the annual show. The 2026 schedule includes events marking the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, followed by appearances at the English Riviera Airshow and Midlands Air Festival.

A photo gallery captures the 2026 UK local elections, highlighting dogs accompanying voters, unusual polling locations such as a caravan, golf club and Portakabin, and political leaders casting their ballots. Elections are being held across England, Scotland and Wales, with 5,013 councillors to be elected across 134 of the country’s 317 councils.

An 18-image gallery documents the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment’s daily routines, including early-morning training, stable work, horse care and preparations for ceremonial duties. Norwegian photographer Glenn Røkeberg spent nearly two years with the regiment, focusing on the trust and discipline connecting soldiers with their horses. The images feature members of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals in training, on parade and on horseback, and accompany the release of Røkeberg’s book, Trusted Guardians: Inside the Mounted Regiment.

Ten-week-old Golden Retriever Kian met Harley Owners Group members in Kidderminster as part of a Guide Dogs initiative to socialise puppies around motorbikes. Research found that 57% of UK dogs find motorbikes stressful, which can create a safety risk when guide dogs assist people with sight loss. Guide Dogs says it needs around 100 puppy raisers each month and is asking volunteers and bikers to help prepare puppies for real-world environments.

Nearly 500 alleged MS-13 members, including gang leaders, have appeared together by video link in a mass trial in El Salvador. Prosecutors accuse them of responsibility for 47,000 crimes, including nearly 29,000 murders committed between 2012 and 2022, and of attempting to operate a parallel state. The defendants are being held at the Counter-Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca.

Michael Jackson's son Prince and siblings La Toya, Jermaine, Marlon and Jackie attended the Los Angeles premiere of the biopic Michael. Jaafar Jackson, Michael's nephew, stars as the King of Pop and appeared with his fiancée Maddie Simpson, while Prince attended with fiancée Molly Schirmang. Paris and Blanket Jackson were not present, and the gallery documents the wider family's red-carpet appearances alongside other celebrity guests.

A commemorative Spitfire completed the final flight of a nine-day tour marking the aircraft’s 90th anniversary, travelling from Exeter to Southampton. Astronaut Tim Peake watched from a WWII-era C-47 Dakota. The flights celebrated the Spitfire’s role in British history and raised more than £100,000 for RAF charities supporting personnel, veterans and their families, while also helping provide aviation opportunities for disabled people.

A photo gallery documents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first day of a four-day visit to Australia. In Melbourne, they visited the Royal Children's Hospital, met young patients and their families, and interacted with cheering crowds. They also joined a model-making activity at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum and helped with lunch and a therapy session at McAuley Community Services for Women. Their itinerary is set to continue in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

Rare images from inside the Chernobyl nuclear power plant show the abandoned control rooms and protective systems nearly 40 years after the 1986 disaster. Greenpeace warns that a potential collapse of the internal radiation shell could increase the risk of radioactive material escaping into the environment, amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Engineers, radiation protection staff and visitors are shown inside the plant and the New Safe Confinement structure covering the destroyed fourth reactor.

A photo gallery captures Grand National Ladies Day at Aintree, where around 50,000 racegoers are expected. Zara Tindall, attending with Mike and Mia, is highlighted among the best-dressed guests, alongside spectators in elaborate hats, fascinators and suits. The gallery also shows racing action, including Wellington Arch’s William Hill Handicap Hurdle victory, and notes the tragic death of Gold Dancer after its win.

Rory McIlroy attended the Masters par-three contest with his wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy, who appeared in family photographs and supported him around the course. Tommy Fleetwood also attended with his wife Clare and son Franklin, while Shane Lowry’s daughter Iris joined the group. The coverage notes McIlroy and Stoll’s past divorce filing and reconciliation, and identifies Scottie Scheffler as the tournament favorite.

Aintree’s three-day Grand National Festival opens with large crowds, stylish racegoers, champagne and lively celebrations despite wet and windy weather. The opening day features several races, including the Aintree Hurdle, while Koktail Divin wins the William Hill Manifesto Novices’ Chase. Princess Anne and Sir Alex Ferguson are among the notable attendees, with Ladies Day and the Grand National still to come.

An HGV carrying fertiliser crashed into parked cars, stone walls, a house and a shed on Sheffield Road in Oxspring, Barnsley, at about 5:50 a.m. on March 24, 2026. The lorry came to rest in residents’ gardens after colliding with five cars and other structures. The driver was taken to hospital as a precaution, but no serious injuries were reported; the crash caused extensive property damage, including damage to an unoccupied property and a shed containing a family boat.

A gallery showcases photographs from the Royal Navy’s annual Peregrine awards, documenting operations, training and ceremonial activities around the world. Featured scenes include Royal Marines conducting Arctic raids and winter exercises in Norway, commandos training with allied forces in Australia, naval aviation aboard HMS Prince of Wales, and submarine operations with the UK Carrier Strike Group. Petty Officer Alexandra “Alex” Ceolin was named the Navy’s photographer of the year for her work covering the UK Commando Forces.

A real Australian brushtail possum was discovered hiding among plush native-animal toys in the departure-terminal gift shop at Hobart Airport in Tasmania. A passenger noticed the animal, prompting airport staff to remove it carefully; the possum was unharmed.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, visited Mons Barracks in Aldershot on St Patrick’s Day in her role as Colonel of the Irish Guards. She distributed shamrocks to officers, guardsmen and the regiment’s Irish Wolfhound mascot, Seamus, spoke with junior cadets from Northern Ireland, and presented long-service and good-conduct medals. The gallery features photographs from the ceremonial visit.

Prince William surprised BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James during the fifth day of James's 1,000-kilometre tandem-bike challenge for Comic Relief. The pair cycled together through South Yorkshire, while Olympic champion Geraint Thomas also joined James for part of the route. James's eight-day journey from Weymouth to Edinburgh drew large crowds of supporters and was intended to raise money for Red Nose Day.