News 19/07/25

The chief executive of tech firm Astronomer has stepped down after a video showing two senior staff members embracing at a Coldplay concert went viral.

Andy Byron tendered his resignation, which the board has now accepted. In a statement, the company said it remains committed to the values and culture it was founded on. It added that its leaders are expected to uphold standards of conduct and accountability — and that, in this instance, those standards were not met.

At least 34 people are dead after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam.

The Wonder Sea vessel was carrying 53 people, including five crew, when it overturned in strong winds in Ha Long Bay. It happened just after 2pm local time on Saturday. Rescuers have pulled 11 survivors from the water and recovered 34 bodies so far, eight of them children. Authorities are still working to confirm the identities and nationalities of the tourists on board as the search continues.

A man in his twenties has been stabbed on Slough High Street in what police believe was a targeted attack.

It happened around 9pm on Tuesday near the Queensmere Shopping Centre. The victim was taken to hospital with wounds to his upper back and eyebrow. He’s since received treatment. Witnesses say he was wearing a dark blue Hoodrich tracksuit with a white logo and a black balaclava, and was seen riding an e-scooter both before and after the incident. Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Up to five people are critically injured after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd in Los Angeles.

The incident happened on Santa Monica Boulevard near Hollywood, leaving at least 20 people hurt. The fire department says between four and five are in critical condition, with as many as 10 others seriously injured. The rest are described as being in fair condition. Emergency crews remain on scene.

A leading expert in financial regulation could soon be heading up English football’s new independent watchdog.

Richard Monks, a partner at accountancy giant EY, is in advanced talks to become the first chief executive of the Independent Football Regulator. The body will be formally created once the Football Governance Bill gets Royal Assent, expected later this month. Monks spent nearly two decades at the Financial Conduct Authority and previously chaired a major global consumer protection taskforce.

Donald Trump is suing Rupert Murdoch, two Wall Street Journal reporters and News Corp in a defamation case seeking at least ten billion dollars.

Filed in Miami, the lawsuit claims the individuals acted with malicious intent, causing the US President financial and reputational damage. Trump described it as a “historic legal action” on his Truth Social platform, saying it’s for himself and all Americans who will no longer accept what he called “abusive wrongdoings” by the “Fake News Media”.

Former detective superintendent David Swindle says convicted serial killer Peter Tobin got sadistic sexual pleasure from murder.

Tobin died in 2022 while serving life sentences for killing Angelika Kluk, Vicky Hamilton and Dinah McNicol. Swindle, who helped expose him, believes there could be more victims. He described Tobin as pure evil and dismissed debate over what made him that way. Police are still reviewing unsolved cases that may be linked to Tobin’s movements.

An amber weather warning is in force as torrential rain and thunderstorms threaten to bring dangerous flash flooding to parts of the UK this weekend.

The Met Office says some areas could see over a month’s worth of rain in just a few hours. Deep, fast-flowing floodwaters are possible, with risks of travel disruption and power cuts. After a third heatwave and widespread hosepipe bans, the dry ground is expected to worsen the flooding as it struggles to absorb the rainfall.

Ten new one-bedroom flats are set to be created in the upper floors of the former NatWest building on Slough High Street.

Slough Borough Council has now approved the change of use after a previous application was refused due to concerns over floor space. The revised plans passed on July 16, allowing the development of flats on the second, third and fourth floors.

A US tech boss has been placed on leave after a viral moment at a Coldplay gig.

A clip at Gillette Stadium showed a man and woman embracing before quickly ducking as their faces appeared on the big screen. The pair are rumoured to be senior staff at data company Astronomer. After speculation of an affair spread online, the company confirmed CEO Andy Byron had been suspended.