Matt Atherton

Divers from ProjectXplore have discovered the long-lost wreck of HMS Tiger off the Isle of Wight, 118 years after the Royal Navy destroyer sank following a collision with HMS Berwick. Fewer than half of its 57 crew survived. The discovery coincides with proposed Armed Forces Bill amendments that would automatically protect military wrecks, including sites older than 200 years, from disturbance or artifact removal while allowing respectful recreational diving. The project team and Royal Navy have welcomed the proposed protections as a way to preserve maritime heritage and honor those lost at sea.

A severe summer heatwave and drought have nearly dried out Scotsman’s Pit in Great Massingham, Norfolk, killing more than 100 carp descended from fish introduced by medieval monks. The parish council funded three days of silt-clearing work, but a larger machine is needed to complete the restoration. Residents and volunteers are seeking more than £15,000 through a fundraising appeal to protect the pond and help it recover when rainfall returns.

A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 111 people and leaving many others trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The epicentre was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, while Risaralda and Valle del Cauca recorded the highest reported death tolls. Pereira, Cali, Manizales and other cities suffered severe structural damage, including airport and cathedral damage, and several airports suspended flights. Rescue teams searched for survivors as authorities warned of aftershocks, with the Colombian government taking control of the emergency response. Ecuador and Panama felt the quake with limited damage, while the United States, neighbouring countries and the United Nations offered support.

Heba Abaid, a 26-year-old Palestinian graphic designer living with her family in a tent in Khan Yunis, hopes to study Design Management at Lancaster University. Her home was destroyed and her brother Ahmed was killed, while her father later died after being injured during an Israeli bombardment and left waiting for treatment. The family also endured repeated displacement, famine, illness and shortages of food and water. A fundraising campaign organized by Phoenix Space, with donations and auction items from celebrities including Gary Lineker, Brian Cox, Nicola Coughlan, Charlotte Church and Paloma Faith, aims to help Abaid meet the approximately £32,129 cost of moving to the UK and studying. She had raised just over £3,000 through GoFundMe and says the public support has renewed her hope of continuing her education.

A charity auction organized by Phoenix Space brings together 23 celebrities, including Gary Lineker, Nicola Coughlan, Brian Cox, Paloma Faith and Charlotte Church, to raise money for Palestinian students offered places at British universities but unable to fund tuition. Mohammed Hasanain, who has been offered a master's place at the University of Glasgow, describes trying to survive in Gaza while awaiting funding. The fundraiser comes as UNESCO reports that 95% of Gaza's higher-education campuses have been destroyed or damaged, highlighting the wider loss of educational infrastructure and the need for international support.

A woman in her 40s and a teenage girl died after members of a family got into difficulty in the water off West Mersea beach in Essex. A third person remained in serious condition and two others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Three teenagers from the nearby Seaview Beach Diner helped retrieve casualties, contacted emergency services and managed the crowd, reportedly stopping people from filming the incident. Essex Police, the RNLI and the coastguard attended the scene.

A woman in her 40s and a teenage girl died after a family got into difficulty in the water off West Mersea beach in Essex. A third person remained in serious condition and two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Three teenagers from the Seaview Beach Diner helped casualties, contacted emergency services, managed crowds and stopped bystanders from filming the incident while dealing with dangerous rip currents. Essex Police, the RNLI and the coastguard attended.

Shelina Rahman, 41, and her 15-year-old daughter Samiha died at West Mersea Beach in Essex after entering the water to help a seven-year-old relative who had got into difficulty. The boy remains in critical condition, while several others were rescued and taken to hospital. Teenagers from a nearby café, local residents, the RNLI, coastguard, police and ambulance crews helped with the response. Police are interviewing witnesses and believe the victims were caught by a rapidly rising tide and strong current. The tragedy has renewed warnings about the dangers of open-water swimming and prompted calls for stronger national water-safety measures.

Fans at Boxpark Wembley experienced a dramatic emotional shift as England’s early optimism in their World Cup semifinal against Argentina turned into heartbreak after a rapid Argentine comeback. Supporters described confidence in England’s progress, praising the team’s chemistry and recent performances, but Argentina’s late goals deflated the crowd. Despite the loss, many fans expressed pride in England’s deep tournament run and optimism for future success, particularly ahead of Euro 2028.

England supporters gathered in pubs and fan zones across the country and abroad for the 2026 World Cup semi-final against Argentina. They celebrated Anthony Gordon’s opening goal, but Argentina equalised through Enzo Fernández and won 2–1 with a late goal from Lautaro Martínez, extending England’s wait since its 1966 World Cup triumph. Fans were left heartbroken, while Prince William and Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the team’s effort. The match was also expected to generate around six million additional pub pints.

The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Wimbledon men's final with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, where Catherine presented Jannik Sinner with the championship trophy after his victory over Alexander Zverev. The children spoke with Sinner and British semi-finalist Arthur Fery, while William and Catherine met tournament staff and spectators. The live coverage also followed Prince Harry and Meghan's private reunion with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove, emphasizing that the meeting was presented as a family visit rather than a formal reconciliation or restoration of Harry's royal role. Harry's charitable engagements in the UK, including visits linked to the Invictus Games Foundation, were also covered.

Thames Valley Police detectives are reportedly planning to travel to the United States to interview Virginia Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law as part of their investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The inquiry concerns potential misconduct in public office, an offence that can encompass financial misconduct, abuse of duty, corruption and sexual misconduct. Andrew was arrested in February, questioned under caution and released under investigation; searches were also conducted at former residences. He denies wrongdoing over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, while he previously paid Giuffre millions of pounds to settle a US civil case.

An extended marine heatwave is raising sea temperatures around the UK by up to 5C, prompting experts to warn of increased risks at British beaches. Warmer waters may attract species such as great white sharks, hammerheads, and box jellyfish, while also encouraging poisonous algal blooms and worsening sewage issues. Oceanographer Jim Dale predicts declining cold-water species like cod and rising numbers of warm-water species, creating new hazards for beachgoers. The Met Office notes that extreme marine heatwave conditions could occur as high temperatures persist across the UK, with continued warm weather and potential thunderstorms expected into next week.

FIFA moved England’s World Cup Round of 16 kickoff against Mexico forward by six hours due to forecast thunderstorms in Mexico City, a decision expected to slightly ease the team’s exposure to high-altitude effects. Human performance specialist Steve Magness noted that spending less time at altitude may offer minor physiological benefits during the critical 24–48 hour adjustment window, though the conditions will remain challenging. England manager Thomas Tuchel and players Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers acknowledged the altitude disadvantage but expressed readiness to adapt as they prepare for a difficult match amid intense atmosphere and potential weather-related disruptions.

An Israeli drone strike on a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah killed an eight-year-old boy, his grandfather, and another man, with several others wounded. Israeli forces said they were targeting a militant but did not identify him. Additional strikes across Gaza killed four more people, including a 13-year-old girl, while overall Palestinian deaths since the war began now exceed 73,000, according to Gaza health officials. Israeli raids in the West Bank resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy and injuries to others amid ongoing military operations across the territory.

Robbie Lammas, a former Conservative councillor and former deputy leader of Reform UK on Medway Council, has resigned from Reform after eight months and will serve as an independent. He called joining Nigel Farage's party the biggest mistake of his life, accusing it of toxic infighting and describing it as unserious, unprepared and unfit to govern. Lammas apologized to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and said he hopes eventually to return to the Conservatives. Reform UK rejected his criticism, citing a previous formal warning following an investigation into his conduct and emphasizing the party's gains in recent local elections.

Violent disturbances broke out across France after Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal in the Champions League final. One 23-year-old fan died in a road collision, while a 17-year-old was critically injured in an apparent stabbing. Authorities detained about 780 people, including 480 in the Paris region, and 57 police officers were injured. Fires, vandalism, assaults and an attempted police-station breach were reported in Paris and around 15 other cities. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the situation was largely under control, while planned PSG celebrations and the squad's meeting with President Emmanuel Macron were set to proceed under a heightened police presence.

Donald Trump said his perfect 30-out-of-30 score on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment demonstrated “extreme intelligence” and claimed he had achieved the same result four times. The MoCA’s developer, Ziad Nasreddine, explained that the assessment is designed to detect subtle cognitive impairment, not measure IQ or intellectual ability; scores above 26 are generally considered normal. Trump’s physician reported that he performed within normal limits, while attributing bruising on his hands to minor irritation from frequent handshaking combined with aspirin use.

The Royal Navy’s RFA Lyme Bay is on standby in Gibraltar for a possible UK- and France-led operation to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz after a potential US-Iran peace agreement. The mission would use autonomous sonar-equipped drones and remotely operated vehicles to establish safe shipping lanes, initially allowing about 700 vessels to leave the strait and later enabling ships to enter. More than 6,000 vessels have reportedly been blocked since the conflict began, driving energy costs and disrupting global trade. The presence of mines has not been confirmed, and deployment depends on a ceasefire and finalisation of the proposed agreement, while officials warn that clearing the entire strait could take months or years.

Forecast maps indicate heavy rain across parts of the UK on Sunday, May 31, particularly in Wales, north-west England, Scotland and the South East, with some areas potentially receiving up to 15mm. Rain is expected to continue into early June, while temperatures could fall sharply, reaching lows of 3C in central Scotland and around 10–12C in parts of England. The Met Office expects increasingly unsettled conditions nationwide as Atlantic weather systems bring further showers and longer spells of rain.

The United States and Iran are reportedly close to agreeing on a Pakistan-drafted memorandum intended to end their conflict, with a decision potentially within 48 hours. Mediation efforts by Pakistan, supported by Qatar, have helped narrow differences, while US officials cite progress and Iran seeks an end to hostilities, sanctions relief and guarantees concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Nuclear issues remain outside the current framework, with Tehran prioritising an end to the war. The conflict began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Iranian action affecting the Strait of Hormuz and a subsequent US blockade of Iranian ports. Both sides warn that renewed fighting could derail the fragile ceasefire, while Iran says it has restored its military capabilities and would respond more forcefully to further attacks.

An African plume is forecast to bring an unusually intense heatwave to the UK over the late-May bank holiday weekend, following an Arctic cold snap. London and several counties in southeast and central England could approach 35C on Monday, potentially challenging or exceeding the previous late-May temperature record, while northern England and parts of Scotland may reach 29C. The Met Office expects Monday to be the hottest day, and the UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber heat-health alert for the East of England because of risks to health and social-care services.】【。

A treatment tent for suspected and confirmed Ebola patients in Mongbwalu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, was set on fire for the second time in a week, allowing 18 suspected cases to escape into the community. The attacks reflect growing tensions over government-managed burials, which families oppose because Ebola victims’ remains are highly contagious. Authorities have banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people, while the World Health Organization has raised the outbreak risk for Congo from high to very high but says global spread remains unlikely. Confirmed infections have reached 82, with seven deaths, while suspected cases number 750 and suspected deaths 177. No vaccine currently exists for the Bundibugyo strain, and health agencies are urging authorities to build community trust as surveillance expands.

The UK was forecast to experience an unusually hot late-May bank holiday, with temperatures potentially reaching 35C in London and parts of eastern England on Monday. Meteorologist Jim Dale said the heatwave followed a sharp shift from an Arctic polar front to an African plume and could exceed the previous May record of 32.8C. The Met Office forecast temperatures around 33C in southern and central England, while northern England and parts of Scotland could reach 29C. The UK Health Security Agency issued an amber heat-health alert for the East of England because of risks to health and social care services, including excessive indoor temperatures in hospitals.

Keir Starmer used a major speech to acknowledge Labour's heavy local and devolved election losses while presenting himself as a combative leader ready to defend his premiership and fight Reform UK. Body-language expert Judi James interpreted his rolled-up sleeves, forceful gestures and shifts in tone as signs of a working-class warrior persona, resilience and anticipation of a confrontation with Nigel Farage. She also identified anxiety and self-calming gestures before the speech, suggesting that Starmer's confidence was partly driven by nerves. Starmer warned of a dangerous political path, criticized Farage as a grifter and chancer, and argued that Labour had made the major political decisions needed to move Britain forward.

Sixty-eight Ryanair passengers travelling from Lanzarote to Edinburgh reportedly missed their flight after passport-control delays linked to failures involving the EU’s new Entry/Exit System for non-EU nationals, including British travellers. The disruption reportedly affected several flights and was resolved by midday. Ryanair said passengers who reached the gate before departure were accommodated, while chief operations officer Neal McMahon urged European governments to suspend the system until after the peak summer travel season.

More than 2,000 holidaymakers have joined a personal injury claim led by Irwin Mitchell against TUI after allegedly suffering illnesses including E. coli, salmonella, shigella and cryptosporidiosis during Cape Verde package holidays. Solicitor Jatinder Paul says eight families are involved in cases concerning deaths allegedly linked to illness and warns that the litigation could expand. Claimants have reported raw food, flies and poor hygiene, while TUI denies liability and says customer health and safety is its highest priority. Lawyers say they will pursue the claims through trial if an amicable settlement cannot be reached.