News 25/08/25

Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a woman reported being raped in Burnham Park, Slough.

The incident is believed to have happened between 11:45 on Sunday night and 12:30 on Monday morning. The victim is being supported by specialist officers. Superintendent Clare Knibbs says a thorough investigation is underway, with several lines of enquiry being followed, although no arrests have yet been made.

Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel deeply regrets what he called a “tragic mishap” at the Nasser hospital in Gaza.

The Israeli prime minister confirmed military authorities are carrying out a full investigation into what happened. He added that Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff and civilians, and that the incident is being treated with the utmost seriousness.

Three people have died following a helicopter crash on the Isle of Wight this morning.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed four people were on board the aircraft when it came down. One survivor is in hospital in a serious condition. Police say they are working to contact and support the families of those involved and have not yet released further details about the victims.

Wales and Northern Ireland have recorded their highest ever August bank holiday Monday temperatures.

In Flintshire, the mercury reached 29.1 degrees at Hawarden, while Gogerddan in Ceredigion hit 28.1, surpassing the previous Welsh record set in 1991. Northern Ireland saw 24.5 degrees in Magilligan, County Londonderry, beating the old record from 1983. No records were broken in England or Scotland.

Northumbria Helicopters has confirmed one of its aircraft was involved in the Isle of Wight crash this morning.

The G-OCLV model left Sandown Airport at around 9am with four passengers on board, including the pilot. The company says it was a flying lesson, and it is giving full cooperation to investigators.

The water industry regulator Ofwat is probing executive pay at several major suppliers after revelations about undisclosed fees to Yorkshire Water’s chief executive.

Nicola Shaw is reported to have received £660,000 in each of the last two years from Kelda Holdings, Yorkshire Water’s Jersey-based parent company. Ofwat, which is set to be abolished in the coming years, has written to other firms to check whether similar arrangements exist. Some of the biggest operators in the sector are understood to have been contacted.

Hospitality leaders say their industry has suffered more than half of the UK’s total job losses since the last budget.

Around 89,000 roles have gone in pubs, hotels, restaurants and bars since October, according to UKHospitality. The group blames higher taxes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which it says have slowed down investment and hiring. It is calling for urgent cuts to business rates and VAT. The Treasury insists it is backing the sector by extending business rates relief and cutting licensing costs.

The streets of west London are alive with colour and sound as the Notting Hill Carnival enters its second day.

Thousands lined the route for Sunday’s children’s parade, and today the main event takes over. The carnival, a celebration of Caribbean culture and heritage running for more than half a century, features dancers, steel bands and extravagant costumes. Seventy-four-year-old carnival-goer Jeff Sam described it as “something you have never dreamed in your life”, with performers from around the world taking part.

One person has been airlifted to hospital after a helicopter crash on the Isle of Wight.

Police were called to the scene near Ventnor just after nine this morning following reports of a light aircraft going down in a field off Shanklin Road. A critical care team, including a doctor and specialist paramedic, attended the scene alongside the air ambulance.

A patient was flown to University Hospital Southampton’s Major Trauma Centre. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance says its thoughts are with those affected.

Convicted serial sex offender John Worboys is being investigated over an alleged rape more than 25 years ago.

Worboys, now known as John Radford, was jailed indefinitely in 2009 for a string of attacks on women in his taxi, and later received a life sentence after admitting more offences. Police are now looking into claims of a sexual assault in Blackpool in the 1990s, when Worboys was working as a stripper.

The Metropolitan Police says its enquiries are ongoing.

Al Jazeera has confirmed one of its journalists is among those killed in Israeli strikes on the Nasser Hospital.

The broadcaster named its cameraman Mohammed Salama as among the dead. The organisation said at least three journalists were killed in the attack, while Palestinian health officials from the Hamas-run ministry reported that others working in the media were also among the victims.

Ten child protection charities have written an urgent letter to the Home Secretary, raising concerns about child sexual abuse being omitted from the government’s strategy on violence against women and girls.

Groups including the NSPCC, Barnardo’s and The Children’s Society argue that child sexual abuse and exploitation are deeply connected to the issue, and any meaningful strategy must address them. It follows a Sky News report revealing a draft Home Office document suggesting child sexual abuse was not explicitly in scope. Survivor Poppy Eyre, abused by her grandfather at the age of four, said leaving it out ignores the experiences of young girls.

Sir Keir Starmer is facing growing pressure over the small boats crisis after protests outside asylum hotels over the bank holiday.

A poll suggests voters believe the Prime Minister is failing to get a grip on the problem, despite government measures aimed at speeding up removals. Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer warned the far right has been emboldened by political rhetoric. More than 28,000 people have crossed the Channel so far this year, almost half as many again as in the same period last year.

New figures show hundreds of shoplifting cases go unsolved every day, with more than 289,000 closed by police without a suspect in the past year.

Analysis by the House of Commons library shows more than half of all cases were dropped without an offender identified, while fewer than one in five led to a charge. The total is up by over 40,000 on the previous year, highlighting growing concern over theft from shops.

A new plaque has been unveiled at Maidenhead railway station honouring Sir Nicholas Winton, who organised the rescue of 669 Jewish children before the Second World War.

The memorial sits alongside a statue of Sir Nicholas on platform three, unveiled in 2010 by Theresa May. His son, Nick Winton, said his father’s actions showed the lasting impact individuals can make.