News 09/09/26

The Transport Secretary has said a major failure of the UK’s air traffic control system was not unavoidable, as flight chaos continues for a second day.

Heidi Alexander told the Commons she has ordered an independent investigation by the aviation watchdog into the four-hour outage at operator Nats, which has caused over two thousand flight cancellations. Following a meeting with Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe, Ms Alexander confirmed a cyberattack had been ruled out.

Apple has unveiled the first major redesign of the iPhone in almost twenty years at its annual product launch event.

In his second week as chief executive following Tim Cook’s departure, John Ternus showcased the Duo, a book-style folding device inspired by the iPad. The new handset is the company’s largest and most expensive iPhone to date, with prices ranging from fourteen hundred and seventy-five pounds up to thirty-two hundred dollars.

Andrew and Tristan Tate have been denied bail by a federal judge in Miami as they fight extradition to the UK on charges of rape and human trafficking.

The judge ruled the dual US-UK citizens pose a flight risk due to their substantial wealth and frequent travel. The brothers have been held in American custody since July following new charges unveiled by the Crown Prosecution Service, which has until mid-September to submit a formal request.

A thirty-one-year-old man has been charged under the National Security Act over alleged contact with Russia’s military intelligence agency.

Joshua Cammidge was arrested by counter-terrorism officers in Swindon on Friday before being further detained under security laws. The Metropolitan Police confirmed he is accused of contacting a representative of the GRU Volunteer Corps, a group controlled by Russian intelligence, with searches carried out at two addresses in Wiltshire.

The Metropolitan Police have expanded their criminal investigation into Reform UK following claims two senior aides arranged for an American firm to fund polling worth thirty-two thousand five hundred pounds.

The force confirmed it received several reports after a Channel Four News broadcast on September third. Detectives assessed the material and identified potential offences. Officers from the Special Enquiry Team will now investigate these allegations as part of an existing enquiry into donations made to the party.

Airlines have written to the Transport Secretary expressing serious concern and frustration over yesterday’s air traffic control outage.

Industry body Airlines UK demanded government action following the third major system failure in three years. In a letter strongly criticising operator NATS, the trade association stated that more than three hundred and thirty thousand passengers were affected by the widespread travel disruption.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has rejected warnings from Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis that British Jews face greater risk following UK sanctions on illegal West Bank settlements.

Sir Ephraim called the measures a dark day that would bolster extremism. However, Mr Miliband said that as a proud British Jew, he believes the UK can tackle rising antisemitism while upholding its values.

Actor Noel Clarke has been charged with six sexual offences relating to alleged incidents between 2007 and 2016.

The 50 year-old faces two counts of sexual assault, three counts of voyeurism, and one count of exposure. Prosecutors confirmed that Clarke is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on the twenty-first of October to face the charges.

A man has been shot by police in Luton after a woman was stabbed in Cardigan Street on Wednesday afternoon.

Armed officers responded to reports of a man threatening a woman with a knife. The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed a Bedfordshire Police officer fired four shots while another discharged a baton round, striking the suspect in the arm and leg. He was taken to hospital with life-changing injuries.

The funeral of one of two police officers killed in a wrong-way crash is taking place today.

PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough died when a car collided with their armed response vehicle on the A66 near Middlesbrough on the twenty-second of August, alongside five young men. Road closures are in place in Hartlepool for the full ceremonial service for PC Blades, whose family described life as unbearably quiet without him.

Heathrow Airport continues to face flight cancellations to several major European destinations following a widespread air traffic control system failure.

Services to Paris, Milan, Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, and Athens are affected until midday. According to tracking website Flightradar24, more than two hundred and fifty flights to and from UK airports have been cancelled this morning, after technical issues impacted air traffic control operations across fifteen national airports.

Learner drivers face average waiting times of twenty weeks to book a practical driving test, according to new figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

The August data shows only a marginal improvement from twenty point two weeks in July, while the average gap between booking and taking a test remains unchanged at eleven point one weeks. It comes after the Transport Secretary pushed back target reduction dates to summer.

A twenty-two-year-old man has been charged following the deaths of two cyclists in Kent.

Aaron Turner, of Higham, faces two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and drug possession after a car struck three cyclists in Gravesend on Sunday morning. Kent Police confirmed a man in his sixties and a woman in her fifties died at the scene.

Flight delays are expected to continue today following major air traffic control disruption that saw up to one thousand UK flights cancelled.

Tens of thousands of passengers were affected by the technical issue at provider Nats. Chief executive Martin Rolfe has apologised and promised a full investigation after admitting the resolution took longer than hoped. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has summoned Mr Rolfe to a meeting today to answer questions regarding the response.

US forces have struck five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island, sinking one vessel.

US Central Command said the action responded to Tehran twice targeting an American warship. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a US base in Jordan and claiming attacks on eight tankers and two American vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes mark a significant escalation, six months after initial US and Israeli military actions against Iran.

The Children’s Commissioner has warned that tens of thousands more teenagers could be missing out on education or employment than official figures indicate.

A report by Dame Rachel de Souza revealed around forty-two thousand sixteen and seventeen-year-olds classed as college students miss at least half their classes. She cautioned these young people are slipping under the radar without support. The Department for Education plans to help colleges monitor attendance and collect central data.

Drinking very hot tea or coffee could significantly increase the risk of developing oesophageal cancer, according to new UK research.

A study examining nearly one million people found those consuming very hot beverages faced triple the risk compared to those drinking warm liquids. However, experts emphasize that overall individual risk remains low. Researchers explain that steaming hot liquids can damage the delicate cell lining of the food pipe as they are swallowed.