News 02/03/26

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, according to the country’s Revolutionary Guards force, which says the military will set any ship trying to pass on fire.

The strait is described as the world’s most vital oil export route and is controlled by Iran. Around a fifth of global oil travels through the waterway, which connects the biggest Gulf oil producers with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Donald Trump says the United States has the capability to go far longer before responding to claims that he wants to end it really quickly.

He said he does not get bored, adding there is nothing boring about the situation. The former president dismissed suggestions from some in the media that he would lose interest after a week or two, saying he never gets bored.

Police investigations into the Epstein files send the right message that no one is above the law, according to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

In a wide ranging interview marking five years since the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer, Sir Mark Rowley said it helps take the agenda forward because so much sexual offending is about power. He said it is clear that regardless of power or position, sexual offenders will be confronted. Nine UK forces, including the Met, have launched inquiries linked to documents released by the US Justice Department connected to Jeffrey Epstein.

A man has denied criminal damage after a statue of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill was defaced with graffiti in Parliament Square.

Words including Zionist war criminal, Stop the Genocide and Free Palestine were sprayed in red paint on the bronze sculpture in Westminster. Other slogans were also scrawled across the monument. Caspar San Giorgio, 38, of no fixed address, was arrested shortly after 4am on Friday, police said.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence says its forces have shot down two Russian-made SU24 aircraft from Iran.

It adds that seven ballistic missiles were intercepted through air defences, along with five drones targeted at several areas in the state today by the Qatar Emiri Air Force and Navy. The ministry says the threat was “addressed immediately,” with all missiles shot down before reaching their targets.

Keir Starmer has given an update in the House of Commons on the situation in Iran.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the UK was not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, calling the decision “deliberate” and in line with the government’s aim for a negotiated settlement. He defended the choice not to participate in bombing Iran, despite criticism from Donald Trump, and stressed the importance of pursuing diplomatic solutions.

At least three people, including the gunman, have been killed after a shooting at a bar in central Austin, Texas.

Police say the shooter used both a pistol and a rifle, and was shot dead at the scene. Fourteen others were wounded, with three in critical condition. Authorities are investigating a potential link to the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, as the attack came a day after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu carried out bombing operations.

Provisional figures from the Met Office show winter was the wettest on record for parts of the UK.

Cornwall, Leicestershire and the West Midlands experienced their highest rainfall since records began in 1836. Dorset and Warwickshire saw their second wettest winter, while southern England recorded its fourth wettest. Overall, the UK received 13% more rainfall than the long-term average.

Two people have been taken to hospital following an incident in Edinburgh involving a man with a knife.

Police firearms officers responded to reports in the Calders area at 08:25. The injured were taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and there is no wider risk to the public. The suspect is believed to be in an 11th-floor flat. Police Scotland says the incident is not being treated as terror-related.

Two people have been injured after reports of a man with a bladed weapon in the Calder area of Edinburgh this morning.

Police Scotland say the disturbance has been contained and there is not believed to be any wider risk to the public. Officers were called to Calder Gardens at around 8.25am. The incident is not being treated as terror related.

A second attack has been launched on a British military base in Cyprus, according to the Cypriot government.

Two unmanned drones heading towards RAF Akrotiri were successfully intercepted, a spokesman said. Air raid sirens sounded at the base about an hour ago. The site had already come under attack overnight by Iranian drones targeting the runway.

Donald Trump says he is very disappointed in Sir Keir Starmer for blocking him from using the Diego Garcia military base in the Chagos Islands to carry out strikes on Iran.

He told The Daily Telegraph the move was unlike anything that had happened between the countries before. Britain had initially denied the United States permission to launch strikes from the shared base in the Indian Ocean, citing international law. Sir Keir later relented after the US launched strikes on Iran, allowing access for specific and limited defensive purposes.

Scotland has become the first country in the UK where water cremations are legal.

The process, known as alkaline hydrolysis, offers families an alternative to burial or traditional cremation. Bodies are wrapped in a biodegradable shroud, such as silk or wool, and placed in a pressurised chamber with hot water and chemicals to speed up decomposition. The powdered remains are then returned to relatives in an urn.

The number of households living in temporary accommodation has risen by a fifth in Berkshire, according to government figures.

The biggest increase was in West Berkshire, where numbers rose from 100 to 163 last year. A charity in Newbury says it has seen a tremendous increase in people seeking help. The council says it faces increasing pressures but supporting residents at risk of homelessness remains a top priority.

Kuwait’s defence ministry says several US military aircraft crashed inside the country this morning.

It says the crews survived unscathed and are in stable conditions after being evacuated and taken to hospital. Investigations are continuing into the cause of the incident. Video shared online and verified by Sky News appears to show a jet spiralling in freefall.

More than 52,000 patients waited longer than 24 hours to be admitted to hospitals across north west England last year, according to a BBC investigation.

The practice, known as corridor care, sees patients lining up on trolleys or sitting on chairs in A and E because there are no beds available on wards. The Royal College of Nursing has described the situation as a national emergency and called on the government to end the practice. NHS England says the health service is experiencing its busiest winter on record, with rising demand for a number of years.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says the UK is doing its best to bring citizens in the region home safely and as swiftly as possible.

She estimates around 300,000 British nationals are in Gulf countries now targeted by Iran, including places where airspace has been closed. She says people should follow local advice, which in most areas is to shelter in place. Rapid deployment teams are being sent to work with the travel industry and local governments to ensure citizens receive support.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed RAF Akrotiri has been hit by a suspected drone strike amid the fresh Middle East conflict which began on Saturday.

There were no casualties at the base near Limassol in Cyprus. In response, non essential staff will be temporarily relocated. The government has not confirmed where the drone originated from.

Israel’s military says it has begun striking additional Hezbollah targets in Lebanon this morning.

It says weapon storage facilities and other infrastructure in several areas have been hit. Meanwhile, loud blasts have been heard in Doha and Dubai in recent moments, according to several reports.

A public consultation is being launched on whether to ban social media for under sixteens.

Young people, parents and guardians are being invited to comment before the government makes a decision. The debate has intensified following Australia’s move last year to ban children from platforms including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall says the consultation will help establish how young people can thrive in an age of rapid technological change. The government is also seeking views on less dramatic interventions than a full ban.

Arsenal have regained their five point lead at the top of the Premier League after beating ten man Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.

Manchester City had reduced the gap to two points with victory at Leeds on Saturday. After a cagey start, Arsenal scored from a corner in the 21st minute. Gabriel Magalhaes headed Bukayo Saka’s delivery across goal and William Saliba’s header struck Mamadou Sarr on the arm before going in.

From today, any asylum seeker granted refugee status in the UK will be offered temporary protection.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says cases will be reviewed every 30 months and people could be returned to their country of origin if it is considered safe. The changes will come into force without a parliamentary vote. There will be an exception for unaccompanied children.