News 06/08/25

Birmingham Airport’s runway has been closed after a small aircraft made an emergency landing this afternoon.

West Midlands Police say one person suffered minor injuries in the incident, which happened just before 1.40pm.

Emergency services, including officers from the airport’s dedicated police team, were quickly on the scene.

Birmingham is the UK’s seventh busiest airport, and disruption to flights is expected throughout the day.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says updates on possible new sanctions against Russia could come later today.

He’s spoken with special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has just returned from talks in Moscow with President Putin.

Rubio told reporters there may be announcements soon — “maybe positive, maybe not.”

It comes as the deadline set by Donald Trump for Russia to reach an agreement nears expiry.

Birmingham Airport’s runway has been temporarily closed following what’s being described as an “aircraft incident.”

A statement from the airport says passengers already at the terminal are being kept informed, while those travelling later today are urged to check flight information before heading out.

No further details about the incident or the aircraft involved have yet been released.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society says Israeli troops have targeted its headquarters in Khan Younis.

According to the aid group, an artillery shell struck the eighth floor of the building. It follows an earlier incident just three days ago when another reported strike killed one staff member and injured three others.

The Israeli Defence Forces have been approached for comment.

A man accused of sexually assaulting four women at Nirvana Spa has had his court appearance delayed.

Ibraham Ali, aged 36 from Percy Place in Datchet, was due at Reading Magistrates’ Court this morning. He’s charged with four counts of sexual assault by touching, but the hearing has now been pushed back to September.

No reason has been given for the adjournment.

A man who murdered a dog walker in a brutal and sustained attack has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years.

Roy Barclay, 56, of no fixed address, kicked, stamped and beat 57-year-old Anita Rose during an early morning assault in Brantham, Suffolk. The mother-of-six had left home to walk her springer spaniel, Bruce, when she was found with catastrophic head injuries by a passing cyclist.

Doctors said her injuries were similar to those seen in a high-speed car crash. She died four days later in hospital.

A three-year-old girl found dead in Leeds has been named as Hope McGrath.

Her mother, 47-year-old Pippa McGrath, has been charged with her murder. Police discovered Hope’s body on 30 July after concerns were raised about the safety of a child.

An investigation is ongoing.

Jewellery chain Claire’s is facing growing uncertainty over the future of its UK stores, as efforts to secure a buyer continue to falter.

The retailer, which filed for bankruptcy protection in the US this week, operates nearly 300 high street outlets across the UK. Insiders say a UK administration filing is becoming increasingly likely, potentially putting thousands of jobs at risk.

The company employs around 5,000 people across Europe, including a significant number in the UK.

Talks between the government and the British Medical Association are set to restart in a fresh attempt to end the ongoing junior doctors’ dispute.

It follows a five-day strike and a meeting between BMA leaders and Health Secretary Wes Streeting. The union says a “window for negotiations” has now been agreed, meaning further strike action is on hold while talks continue over the coming weeks.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves may need to find more than £40 billion in tax rises or spending cuts in the autumn budget to meet her own fiscal rules, according to a leading research institute.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research says the government is on course to miss its target by over £41 billion in the 2029-30 financial year. The rules require day-to-day spending to be fully covered by tax income.

In its latest UK economic outlook, the institute says the pressure is now on the chancellor to announce major tax increases if she wants to stay within those rules.

The worsening forecast is being blamed on sluggish economic growth, higher borrowing, and the decision to reverse welfare cuts worth over £6 billion.

Sean “Diddy” Combs has reportedly been in contact with Donald Trump about a possible pardon, according to a source close to the rapper’s legal team.

The White House has declined to confirm or deny whether a clemency request has been made.

Combs was denied bail on Tuesday, ahead of his sentencing in October. He faces up to 20 years in prison after being convicted of offences linked to prostitution.

However, it’s thought his actual sentence is likely to be much shorter.

Scaled-down plans for a major housing development by the Grand Union Canal in Slough have now been presented to councillors.

The Stoke Wharf project has faced repeated delays since it was first proposed in 2020.

Slough Borough Council bought the site for £1.8 million in 2017 and entered a joint venture with the Canal and River Trust and developer Morgan Sindall to build over 300 homes.

Planning permission was granted last year, but the council later pulled out of the scheme due to its worsening financial situation.