Sophie Clark

Foreign ministers from Australia, Canada and Poland condemned Israel's decision not to pursue criminal charges or further criminal investigation over the 2024 Israeli strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza. The IDF said the strike followed the identification of a suspected gunman and found no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct, while World Central Kitchen rejected that account and accused the military of shifting blame. The decision has left the victims' families seeking further answers and accountability.

West Midlands Police have renewed their appeal for information about Sarjit Kaur Mann, who disappeared in Antibes, France, in September 1976 at age 20. Mann, a Birmingham resident and University of Birmingham student, had stayed behind during a family holiday to visit museums with friends she met on the beach. A woman calling herself Jane reportedly later told Mann’s family that she had drowned, but the caller was never identified and Mann’s remains have never been found. Police are asking anyone who knew Mann or her family at the time to provide information that could help clarify her disappearance.

The UK’s most significant solar eclipse in decades will occur on August 12, 2026, with more than 90% of the Sun obscured between 6:17pm and 8:06pm. Devon, Cornwall and western Pembrokeshire are expected to have the best UK views, with up to 96% coverage, while cities including Plymouth, Cardiff and Belfast will also see substantial obscuration. A total eclipse will require travel to Iceland or Spain. Astronomers stress that certified eclipse glasses or other safe viewing methods are essential, advise finding an unobstructed west-facing vantage point, and note that a comparable eclipse will not occur until 2081.

Bristol Airport reopened at 8am on Saturday after a runway-surface defect forced an overnight closure from Friday evening. The airport warned passengers to expect continued disruption, with substantial delays and several cancelled easyJet flights, while a Jet2 flight was also heavily delayed. Bristol Airport apologized, said the closure was a precaution to allow essential repairs, and advised passengers to contact their airlines. Some affected travelers reported rerouting problems and additional transport difficulties.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said London remains “very safe” after a woman allegedly stabbed four random passersby with scissors in Covent Garden. The victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and police believe the incident was isolated. Rowley cited falling knife crime, injury rates, homicide, theft and phone-snatching, including 97 murders recorded in 2025—the capital’s lowest rate since 1997. Mayor Sadiq Khan attributed the decline to the homicide reduction plan, early intervention, youth programs and policing investments such as facial-recognition cameras, drones and e-bikes.

Mike Pence urged Congress to honour the late Senator Lindsey Graham by passing the bipartisan Sanctioning Russia Act, advocating tougher measures against Russia more than four years after its invasion of Ukraine. The bill, co-led by Graham and Senator Richard Blumenthal, targets Russian goods, financial institutions and individuals linked to Vladimir Putin. Its passage is uncertain following Graham’s death. Graham had long influenced U.S. support for Ukraine and had secured White House backing for the bill shortly before his passing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Graham’s commitment, while Laura Loomer, a Trump adviser, recently shifted her stance to support Ukraine but holds no legislative power.