News 26/07/25

Bob Geldof has accused the Israeli government of lying about the situation in Gaza, after officials denied responsibility for famine in the region.

Appearing on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the Live Aid founder rejected claims made by Israel’s spokesperson David Mencer, who had earlier told Sky News that Hamas was to blame for starvation. Mencer insisted there was “no famine caused by Israel”. But Geldof said the evidence of suffering was clear and that denying it serves only to deflect responsibility from what he called a humanitarian catastrophe.

Leah Williamson says the England squad are fully aware of what reaching another European final means for the nation.

The Lionesses face Spain in Sunday’s Women’s Euros showdown, having breezed through the knockout stages. Speaking to reporters, including Sky’s Rob Harris, Williamson said the team feel connected to the country back home, even while away. She called the opportunity to play in another major final “the best thing in football” and said the whole squad understands the scale of what’s at stake.

Police are offering a £20,000 reward for information following the fatal stabbing of a 20-year-old man in east London last summer.

Imran Maroof was found with stab wounds in Plashet Park in Newham on the evening of 27 July 2024. Despite emergency services’ efforts, he died at the scene. A 16-year-old was later charged with murder, but the case was discontinued. Detectives are now appealing to the public for help, saying someone knows what happened and urging anyone with information to come forward.

South Western Railway is introducing a temporary summer timetable, affecting off-peak trains between London and parts of the home counties.

Services from London Waterloo to destinations in Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire will be reduced between 28 July and 29 August. The operator says the changes reflect lower passenger numbers during the school holidays. Stations including Reading, Windsor & Eton Riverside and Alton will all see fewer trains. Passengers are being urged to check before they travel using journey planning tools.

Donald Trump has been seen playing golf at Turnberry in Scotland, as part of a heavily protected visit to the UK.

Roads around the course were closed, with police, military personnel, sniffer dogs, helicopters and even a naval patrol boat deployed. The US president is spending four days in Britain, with high-level meetings and stops at his family’s resorts.

The MP behind a cross-party push to recognise a Palestinian state says time is “literally running out”.

Sarah Champion, who chairs Parliament’s International Development Select Committee, is one of dozens of MPs backing formal recognition of Palestine. She told our presenter Leah Boleto that the UK must act now, alongside 144 other countries that have already recognised Palestinian statehood. Champion says Britain, with its long-standing role in the region, has a responsibility to lead by example – particularly as pressure grows to find a path toward lasting peace.

The UK government has condemned a fresh cash reward scheme by Hong Kong authorities targeting pro-democracy activists living in Britain.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the move as “another example of transnational repression”. Authorities in Hong Kong are offering rewards of up to 125,000 dollars for information leading to the arrest of 19 activists abroad. China has dismissed international criticism, calling it unwarranted interference. But British ministers insist the offers are an unacceptable threat to freedom and safety.

New age verification rules for adult websites have come under scrutiny just hours after they were introduced.

The strengthened regulations require platforms to block under-18s using highly effective checks such as AI facial recognition, ID scans or bank verification. But two ethical hackers have demonstrated how the systems can be bypassed in seconds. The government says the rules are designed to better protect young people from inappropriate content online, but critics argue that without better enforcement, they will fall short.

The tech firm at the centre of a viral kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert has responded with humour.

Astronomer released a spoof video starring Gwyneth Paltrow as its “temporary spokesperson.” The company hit headlines when its CEO and chief people officer were filmed embracing at a gig in Boston. Both later resigned. In the clip, Paltrow thanks the public for their interest and says Astronomer will be “just fine.”

A quarter of young children and pregnant women in Gaza are now malnourished, according to a warning from the charity Médecins Sans Frontières.

Sir Keir Starmer says the UK will evacuate children in need of urgent medical care. MSF claims Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war, with conditions it describes as “unconscionable.” At one of its clinics in Gaza City, rates of severe malnutrition among under-fives have tripled in two weeks. The charity also condemned deaths at aid distribution points, with a British surgeon alleging civilians were being shot by Israeli forces “almost like a game of target practice.”

Low-income households in Slough are set to benefit from a £1.5 million Government grant to improve energy efficiency.

The funding, part of the Warm Homes Local Grant Programme, is aimed at reducing bills and supporting vulnerable residents during the cost-of-living crisis. Slough Borough Council says the scheme will focus on families in fuel poverty and those at risk of respiratory illness. Councillor Robert Stedmond says the programme will make a real difference to those most in need this winter.

Ghislaine Maxwell has answered “every single question” put to her by the US Justice Department, according to her lawyer.

The imprisoned former partner of Jeffrey Epstein was questioned over one and a half days at a federal courthouse in Florida. Her attorney, David Oscar Markus, said she was asked about around 100 people and answered “honestly and truthfully” without invoking any legal privilege or refusing to respond. The questioning was led by deputy attorney general Todd Blanche.

A shop owner in Slough says his staff have been left frightened by a sharp rise in retail crime.

Jabar Farooq, who runs a mobile phone store in the town, says shoplifting now happens two to three times each week. It follows new figures showing customer theft surged across the UK to over 20 million cases in the year to last September, costing retailers more than £2 billion. Thames Valley Police say they remain committed to tackling shoplifting and retail crime.

Slough is to benefit from more than £900,000 to improve its bus services, as part of a wider £2.2 million investment.

The council was previously awarded £1.3 million by the Department for Transport and has now approved further capital spending. The upgrades aim to improve access to the town centre and provide better links to Wexham Park Hospital and Heathrow Airport. Councillors say the improvements will support safer, happier and more independent lives for local residents.