Poppy Jacobs

Several people died and others were seriously injured when a car traveling in the wrong direction on the northbound M9 in County Kildare collided head-on with another vehicle around 3 a.m. A child and three adults in the second car were hospitalized, with two adults in critical condition and the others seriously injured. The motorway remains closed between junctions 3 and 4 while Gardaí conduct a forensic examination and appeal for witnesses. Fiosrù is independently investigating because the incident involved Gardaí and resulted in deaths and serious injuries.

Ukraine launched one of its largest aerial attacks of the war against Russia, with more than 800 drones reportedly directed at targets including oil refineries, naval bases, logistics hubs and industrial sites. The strikes killed at least six people in Russia, including five in Rostov region and one in the Moscow region, while damaging warehouses and other facilities. British-made drones supplied by two UK companies have reportedly enabled Ukrainian deep strikes on mainland Russia, although their use in the specific August 16 attack was not confirmed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian attacks had killed at least three people in Ukraine and involved more than 1,550 drones, nearly 1,560 guided bombs and 62 missiles. Russia’s Defence Ministry said it destroyed 822 Ukrainian drones.

The Metropolitan Police apologised after accidentally exposing the email addresses of 143 people who allege they were sexually assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed. The breach occurred across five emails sent to victims receiving monthly investigation updates, and the Met said it resulted from human error. The force referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office, contacted those affected, and is reviewing its procedures. The update also disclosed that three additional suspects had been interviewed under caution, bringing the total to seven. Al Fayed, who died in 2023, has been accused of abusing around 400 women and girls, many of whom worked at his businesses, including Harrods.

Iran has not decided whether to resume negotiations with the United States, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi citing alleged ceasefire violations and the need for a new path out of the conflict. Qatar and Pakistan are exchanging messages with Tehran, but Iran says this does not constitute negotiations. Iran is working with Oman on temporary and potentially permanent alternative shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, although Araghchi said traffic will depend on the US meeting additional conditions. The dispute intensified after Donald Trump said he would declare the strait US territory after defeating Iran, prompting Iranian official Kazem Gharibabadi to reaffirm Iran’s claim to sovereignty.

Builders renovating a property in Dendermonde, Belgium, discovered gold bars, coins and a nugget hidden in cellar walls, reportedly worth €9 million (£7.6 million). They alerted police, who moved the stash to a secure location and began investigating its ownership and possible links to criminal activity. Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to claim it; otherwise, provided no crime is involved, the treasure may be divided between the builders and CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, the charity that owns the property. The charity’s director hopes any eventual proceeds will support its welfare services.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell has pledged a major expansion of technical and vocational education to address the NEETs crisis, as nearly 58,000 18-year-olds in England are expected to receive no exam results after leaving education or training. She said vocational routes must be given greater status without creating a two-tier system or discouraging university attendance. The government’s plans include making technical subjects available to 14-year-olds from 2028, while Alan Milburn reviews the causes of rising youth disengagement. Universities UK supports broader options but warns that negative rhetoric about degrees could particularly deter students from families without university experience.

The United States has pledged $1 billion in security assistance to Colombia shortly after Abelardo de la Espriella took office as president. The State Department said the package would support shared efforts against organized crime and illegal immigration. De la Espriella, an admirer of Donald Trump, has promised an “all-out war” on drug cartels and a forceful campaign against armed groups, marking a sharp break with Gustavo Petro’s negotiation-based “total peace” strategy. Colombia is also expected to join Trump’s Shield of the Americas security partnership.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is reportedly considering legislation to prevent prisoners convicted of killing emergency workers from benefiting from an early-release scheme due to begin in October. The proposal follows an 800,000-signature petition and criticism from Lissie Harper, whose husband PC Andrew Harper was killed in 2019. Two convicted manslaughter offenders, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, could otherwise qualify for release after serving half their sentences, while Henry Long would remain subject to Parole Board review. Extending the exclusions to manslaughter could disqualify around 1,000 prisoners, complicating the government's efforts to relieve overcrowding by releasing about 5,000 people early.

Greggs is trialling solar-powered anti-crime pods at stores in London and other UK locations to combat rising shoplifting. Manufactured by Safer Group, the Safe POD S1/X1 devices use CCTV monitored by remote security guards, high-intensity alarms and flashing lights, and can be controlled by store managers through an app. The initiative follows the conversion of some heavily affected branches into “fortress stores” with locked fridges and no self-service checkouts. Related CCTV-sharing technology used by retailers has reportedly helped police reduce evidence-processing times and increase convictions.

Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine is investigating the death of a young girl after an experimental gene-editing trial at its affiliated Xinhua Hospital. The girl's parents reportedly paid $860,000 for the treatment without being warned that it could be fatal, while the hospital's ethics board concluded that the death was definitely treatment-related. Details were allegedly withheld even as related research appeared in Nature, prompting concerns about accountability in China's biomedical sector. University of Kent expert Joy Zhang described the case as more troubling than He Jiankui's 2018 gene-edited-babies scandal because it involved established scientists at a prestigious institution.

Donald Trump is facing corruption accusations after Truth Social announced Truth API, a subscription service offering businesses and trading firms real-time access to his posts before they reach ordinary users. The service reportedly costs up to $100,000 a month and could give subscribers an advantage when posts affect stocks, bonds, interest rates or national-security issues. Legal expert Kathleen Clark called the arrangement “brazen corruption,” arguing that Trump is selling privileged access to information about presidential decisions. Although U.S. conflict-of-interest rules exclude the president and vice-president, Trump has also declined practices followed by previous presidents, such as placing assets in a blind trust. Critics say the service could enable insider trading and market manipulation while financially benefiting Trump, the largest shareholder in Truth Social’s publicly traded parent company.

A pilot landing at Gatwick Airport reported that a disc-shaped object, suspected to be a drone, passed within roughly 100 to 300 feet of the aircraft’s wing. The UK Airprox Board said the object was very close but required no evasive action because the Airbus A319 was already turning, and classified the incident as reducing aviation safety. A separate Heathrow incident in April reportedly involved a drone close enough for crew to see its markings and propellers. The report follows another UK Airprox Board disclosure involving RAF pilots who observed a possible radar-invisible UFO over the North Sea.

Josh Kerr won the men's mile at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, crossing the line in 3:54.12 and defeating Australian silver medallist Cameron Myers and Kenyan bronze medallist Timothy Cheruiyot. Fellow Scot Jake Wightman finished fifth. Kerr described the victory as the championship race he had prioritized all season, particularly because it took place before his home crowd. The mile returned to the Commonwealth Games programme for the first time in 60 years. The article also reports Jazmin Sawyers' women's long-jump victory and several results from relay and para-athletics events.

Chancellor John Healey says the government will monitor petrol stations and supermarkets for evidence of price gouging as the war in Iran drives up costs. Although he acknowledged that the government cannot fully shield families and businesses from a global economic shock, he said regulators could intervene against unfair price rises. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced measures including a temporary VAT cut on energy bills, a £2 bus-fare cap for 2027, lower business rates for pubs and expanded technical training, while also considering action on rail fares and utility bills. Healey said his October 28 budget would maintain fiscal discipline, with departments expected to redirect existing funds rather than receive additional money.

Democratic Representative Yassamin Ansari has asked House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer to investigate whether back-channel communications involving Andrew and Tristan Tate, presidential advisers and members of the Trump family influenced the brothers' legal treatment. She also wants Barron Trump to testify and has requested communications from the Justice and State departments concerning U.S., British and Romanian officials. The Tates were arrested in Miami on July 18 after Britain announced plans to seek their extradition on 59 charges, including rape, sexual assault, sex trafficking and child and extreme pornography offenses. Barron Trump has reportedly spoken with Andrew Tate but has not been accused of wrongdoing, while the White House says it will not intervene in the extradition process.

Prosecutors presented text messages indicating that Celeste Rivas Hernandez became pregnant and had an abortion while she was allegedly in a sexual relationship with singer David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd. The messages and nearly 50 photographs recovered from Burke's iPhone were shown at a Los Angeles hearing to determine whether he should stand trial. Burke, who has pleaded not guilty, is accused of sexually abusing Hernandez, killing her in his Hollywood Hills home, dismembering her and concealing parts of her body in a Tesla. Police linked blood found at the property to Hernandez, while defence lawyers challenged the prosecution's case by questioning the uncertain time of death.

Former Royal Navy lieutenant-commander John Cursiter was sentenced to 33 months in prison after a court martial convicted him of sexually assaulting a junior colleague, falsely imprisoning him and possessing cocaine. The court heard that Cursiter supplied the victim with alcohol and cocaine, led him to his cabin while he was extremely intoxicated, and assaulted him. Judge Advocate Edward Legard called the conduct planned, predatory and an abuse of rank that tarnished the officer corps. The victim said the assault destroyed his life and led him to leave the Navy, while Cursiter was dismissed in disgrace after resigning following his arrest.