News 27/08/25

An asylum seeker has denied trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl, telling a court: “I’m not a wild animal.”

On the second day of his trial, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu gave the response through an interpreter after being asked directly about the allegation. The 38-year-old insisted he “can’t do these kind of things,” adding, “these are children, new generation.” The court also heard he had told the teenager he wanted her to return with him to the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, where he was staying.

All members of the United Nations Security Council, except the United States, have said the famine in Gaza is a “manmade crisis.”

In a joint statement, the 14 countries warned that starvation as a weapon of war is prohibited under international law. They demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and for Israel to lift restrictions on aid. Gaza City and nearby areas are officially in famine, and experts warn it will likely spread without urgent intervention.

Manchester United have crashed out of the Carabao Cup in stunning fashion, losing a marathon penalty shootout to League Two side Grimsby.

After a dreadful first half, United fought back from two goals down to force extra time. But the shootout ended 12-11 in favour of the Mariners, after Bryan Mbeumo struck the bar with his second penalty. Jubilant home fans invaded the pitch as Grimsby celebrated one of the biggest upsets in their history.

The suspect in today’s mass shooting has been named as Robin Westman, according to senior US law enforcement officials.

A fifth-grade pupil at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis has described how his friend was shot while shielding him during morning Mass. Weston Halsne said bullets came through the stained-glass windows, forcing children to hide under pews. He added that while they regularly practised lockdown drills in classrooms, they had never rehearsed an active shooter situation inside the church.

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson will not face charges over an alleged assault at St Pancras station last month.

The Crown Prosecution Service ruled there was no realistic prospect of conviction after the alleged victim declined to give a statement. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was arrested at Luton Airport earlier this month following the incident, which was captured on social media.

Ukraine says more than 100,000 homes have been left without electricity after a wave of Russian drone strikes overnight.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported almost 100 drones targeted energy facilities, as well as a school in Kharkiv and a high-rise in Kherson. The Poltava, Sumy and Chernihiv regions were worst hit. Kyiv’s energy ministry accused Moscow of deliberately trying to cripple civilian infrastructure ahead of winter, repeating the pattern seen last year. In recent months, Ukrainian forces have also struck Russian refineries and oil depots.

A US Justice Department official says two people have been killed in the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

The gunman is also dead, and at least twenty others have been injured. It happened during the first week of the new school term, and officials say counselling is being offered to students and staff. Minnesota’s governor has called the attack horrific and said his thoughts are with families affected.

A shooting has been reported at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the gunfire as “horrific” and confirmed he had been briefed on the situation. There is no immediate word on injuries, but the governor said he was praying for pupils and teachers whose first week of term has been shattered by violence.

A suspect who fatally shot two police officers in Australia has been named as 56-year-old Dezi Freeman.

A third officer was seriously injured during the incident at Freeman’s property in Victoria state. Police say Freeman is heavily armed and skilled in surviving in the wilderness, warning residents to stay indoors as the manhunt continues. The officers killed were Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, aged 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, aged 35.

Freeman’s wife and two children, whose whereabouts were initially unknown, have since spoken with officers at a police station.

Nigel Farage has suggested skilled migration could be acceptable if the numbers are controlled.

The Reform UK leader, fresh from outlining plans to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants, was asked about migration levels in light of falling birth rates. He admitted it was a fair point, though argued that artificial intelligence may reduce workforce demand. Farage said that if people come to Britain with skills, integrate, and contribute, few would object.

He also attacked the Conservatives for their record on immigration when in government.

Labour has dropped to its lowest approval rating of this parliament, according to a new YouGov poll for Sky News.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party is now on 20 percent of the vote, just three points ahead of the Conservatives on 17. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has taken the lead with 28 percent after outlining plans to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants if it wins the next election.

Responding to the figures, EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said the government had been forced to take very difficult decisions to stabilise the public finances early in this parliament.

The Kremlin says US efforts to broker peace in Ukraine are “very important” and could help resolve the long-running conflict.

But spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned Moscow viewed European proposals for security guarantees for Ukraine negatively, and repeated Russia’s position that no NATO troops should be stationed there.

He added that high-level talks with Kyiv would only work if they were carefully prepared.

Residents in Slough say a pile of rubbish behind a block of flats has become a nightmare.

People living at Salt Hill Mansions on Bath Road have complained of rats, foxes and a strong smell in the hot weather. The block is privately owned, and Slough Borough Council says it is not its responsibility to clear the waste.

One resident described the situation as an eyesore and a health hazard.

A California couple is suing OpenAI over the death of their teenage son, alleging its chatbot ChatGPT encouraged him to take his own life.

The lawsuit was filed by Matt and Maria Raine in the Superior Court of California. Their 16-year-old son Adam died in April. The family claims chat logs show Adam confiding suicidal thoughts to the system, and that it validated his “most harmful and self-destructive thoughts”.

It is the first wrongful death claim brought against the company. OpenAI says it is reviewing the case.

A councillor has said women should not be fearful after a rape investigation was launched in Burnham Park in Slough.

Labour councillor Christine Hulme described the reports as shocking after police revealed they are investigating an attack late on Sunday night into the early hours of Monday.

Officers are appealing for witnesses, and say the victim is being supported by specially trained staff. No arrests have yet been made.

Two German air force Eurofighter jets were scrambled yesterday to intercept a Russian reconnaissance plane overthe Baltic Sea.

NATO’s air command ordered the interception after the aircraft was detected flying in international airspace without a flight plan and with its transponders switched off.

Moscow is suspected of using such flights to monitor NATO military activity along the Baltic coast, including in Poland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

The average annual household energy bill will rise by more than expected in October.

Regulator Ofgem says the price cap will increase by 2 percent, taking it to £1,755 a year.

Forecasters had predicted a smaller rise of 1 percent, but the new figure means bills will go up by about £35 from the current level.

The cap sets the maximum most households pay for gas and electricity by direct debit.

More than six million new cancer cases could be diagnosed in England between now and 2040, according to leading charities.

That would mean a new case every two minutes, compared with one every four minutes in the 1970s.

A coalition of more than 60 cancer charities, known as One Cancer Voice, is calling on the government to take urgent action to improve cancer care, including faster diagnosis and stronger prevention policies.

Their analysis, based mainly on pre-pandemic data, predicts a 14 percent rise in cases over the next 15 years, with some of the most common cancers reaching record highs.

The Financial Conduct Authority says thousands of consumers have been targeted by fraudsters posing as the regulator.

More than 4,400 reports of the scam were received in the first half of the year, with around 480 people tricked into sending money.

Criminals have been contacting people to try and steal sensitive details such as PINs and passwords, often claiming the FCA has recovered funds from a crypto wallet illegally opened in their name.

The regulator is warning people to be on their guard.

The family of a British man killed in the Air India crash say their lives have been destroyed by the tragedy.

32-year-old Girish, from Wembley, had travelled with his wife, their three-year-old son and baby daughter to visit his sick mother in India.

They were among those on board the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, which crashed just 32 seconds after take-off on June 12.

His sister Nehal told the BBC her family’s “world has fallen apart” and says they want justice.

SpaceX has launched its biggest ever rocket, named Starship, from Texas.

The spacecraft, designed for future missions to the Moon and Mars, took off just after 6.30pm local time on Tuesday.

It reached orbit, released eight dummy satellites, and then splashed down in the Indian Ocean as planned.

The test was used to trial the rocket’s new heat shield and satellite deployment system, among hundreds of other upgrades.

Energy regulator Ofgem will announce its latest price cap later, setting gas and electricity charges for around 21 million households this autumn and winter.

Analysts expect a slight rise in bills for October to December, reversing earlier forecasts of a fall.

The increase is expected to be around one percent a year, meaning campaigners fear households could face another winter of high costs.

Ofgem’s cap limits the price suppliers can charge for each unit of energy used in England, Scotland and Wales.