News 26/10/25

Police are urgently searching for a man suspected of raping a woman in what officers are calling a racially motivated attack.

West Midlands Police say they were called to the Park Hall area of Walsall just after seven fifteen on Saturday evening after reports of a woman in distress. The victim, in her twenties, was found to have been raped and assaulted at a nearby property by a man she did not know.

The force says the attack is being treated as racially aggravated, and has released CCTV footage of the suspect — urging anyone who recognises him to contact police immediately.

Reform UK has defended one of its MPs after she was accused of racism for comments about diversity in television advertising.

Sarah Pochin was criticised after complaining about the number of black and Asian people in TV ads. The party’s head of policy, Zia Yusuf, described her as a “close friend and great MP”, admitting her remarks were “poorly phrased” but insisting they should be viewed in context.

He told Trevor Phillips on Sky News that it’s important people can discuss representation openly, adding that some groups are underrepresented while others are overrepresented in adverts.

A former Bank of England governor has criticised potential plans for a mansion tax, saying the government lacks a “coherent strategy” on the economy.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a levy on high-value properties in next month’s budget to help fill a multi-billion-pound hole in public finances.
Lord King said that he could not identify a clear economic plan from the government and warned that an additional wealth tax would not resolve the underlying issues.
He added that while reforming the tax system is possible, any measures must be part of a broader strategy to strengthen the economy.

The father of a schoolgirl sexually assaulted by Hadush Kebatu in Epping says his family feels “massively let down and infuriated” by the migrant’s accidental release from prison.

In a statement read by Epping Forest councillor Shane Yerrell, he called Kebatu’s release from HMP Chelmsford on Friday “unbelievably irresponsible.” He said his family — and the country — had been failed by the prison, the police, the justice system, and the Labour government.

Kebatu was recaptured by police in London on Sunday morning following a widespread manhunt.

International teams have been allowed to cross Israel’s military boundary in Gaza to search for the bodies of hostages, according to an Israeli government spokesperson.

It comes after Hamas said it had expanded efforts to recover remains, working with Egyptian experts and the Red Cross. Israel claims Hamas knows where the bodies are located and should be doing more to retrieve them. The recovery mission comes amid ongoing tensions over the fate of hostages still unaccounted for following last year’s conflict.

Russia has successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, according to Moscow’s top general.

Valery Gerasimov told President Putin that the missile flew for several hours, covering more than 14,000 kilometres — and said it could go even further. The weapon, announced in 2018, is designed to have an almost unlimited range and evade Western missile defences. However, analysts in the West remain sceptical, questioning both the safety and strategic value of such a system.

A Turkish charity boss accused of sexually abusing vulnerable women has been arrested after a BBC investigation.

Sadettin Karagoz is alleged to have exploited refugees, offering aid in exchange for sex — claims he denies. He founded the charity in Ankara in 2014 to help Syrian refugees, some of whom described him as “an angel” before the alleged abuse began.

A dogwalker in his forties has been seriously injured in a hit-and-run in Wraysbury.

It happened around ten past ten on Friday night at the junction of Welley Road and Welley Avenue. Police say the small black car involved failed to stop and was last seen heading south towards Wraysbury. Officers are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.

A migrant who was mistakenly released from prison has been recaptured following a major police manhunt.

Hadush Kebatu was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers in the Finsbury Park area of London at around eight-thirty on Sunday morning. Commander James Conway described it as a “diligent and fast-paced investigation,” praising the public for information that helped trace Kebatu.

He’s now been handed back into the custody of the Prison Service.

Two men have been arrested after a robbery at the Louvre museum in Paris, where thieves escaped with priceless jewels — including part of the French crown collection.

French public prosecutor Laure Beccuau criticised the premature leaking of the arrests, warning it could harm the investigation being carried out by more than a hundred officers.

She confirmed one of the suspects was detained while preparing to leave the country from Roissy Airport.

Former US Vice-President Kamala Harris says she regrets not urging Joe Biden to drop out of the race for the White House sooner.

Speaking to the BBC, she admitted she reflects on whether she should have advised him not to seek re-election. Biden withdrew in July 2024 after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, citing concerns over his age and health.

Harris later took over as the Democratic nominee but lost the election, revealing in her new book that she never raised her concerns directly with Biden.

Supermarket bosses have warned that food prices could climb further if new taxes are introduced on the sector.

In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the heads of Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and others said higher business rates would inevitably hit consumers. The Treasury insists tackling food inflation remains a priority and says smaller retailers will benefit from reduced rates.