News 10/08/26

Firefighters are continuing to work through the night to tackle a large blaze affecting one square kilometre of the New Forest national park in Hampshire.

The fire broke out on Sunday when a van caught fire on the A31 near Bratley Wood, forcing motorists to abandon more than twenty vehicles. National Highways says the dual carriageway through the national park will remain closed in both directions until further notice.

US President Donald Trump has signed an order calling for fewer childhood vaccines and recommending splitting the mumps, measles and rubella shots.

Speaking on Monday, President Trump claimed children received far fewer vaccines decades ago when people were healthier. The order recommends reducing recommended childhood vaccines from eighteen to eleven, despite multiple studies finding no connection between MMR shots and autism.

Three decades after the fatal drive-by shooting of rap superstar Tupac Shakur, former gang boss Duane “Keffe D” Davis is due to stand trial in Las Vegas.

The 63 year-old was unexpectedly charged in 2023 with murder using a deadly weapon to assist a criminal gang following the 1996 attack. Davis has pleaded not guilty, but faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

Amy Hunt has claimed Great Britain’s first gold medal at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham by winning the 100 metres title.

The twenty-four-year-old sprinter, who previously won world 200m silver in Tokyo and Commonwealth silver two weeks ago, secured her first senior international title on home soil at the Alexander Stadium. Hunt said she was fed up with silver medals and ready for gold.

Andy Burnham has told his justice secretary to find a way to keep the killers of PC Andrew Harper in prison when the early release scheme comes into effect in October.

A spokesperson said the PM has asked Alex Norris to work through options to keep serious offenders in prison, including Harper’s killers. It follows comments that it is not possible to exempt Harper’s killers. The men, convicted of manslaughter, are due for release.

The death of Treasury worker Chloe Moffat, who took her life after a meeting with her managers, was contributed to by her employers, an inquest has heard.

Moffat, 26, a personal assistant to a director, died on 20 May last year after being told of allegations she had shared confidential information about colleagues, which she denied. Surrey Coroner’s Court heard the Treasury did not apply its policy. It said that, if proven, the penalty was a written warning, not dismissal. The Treasury said it was considering the findings.

An internet predator has been jailed for forcing more than 100 teenage girls to self-harm and perform sex acts online.

Justin Swaddle groomed girls aged 13 to 17 on Discord, Telegram and Snapchat. Now 20, he was found with pictures of victims showing self-harm injuries, including his aliases carved into their skin. He was sentenced to two years.

A Royal Navy ship that sank 118 years ago, with more than half its crew lost, has been found off the Isle of Wight.

HMS Tiger was sliced in two after straying into the vessel’s path during a training exercise in 1908. The torpedo boat destroyer had no time to avoid HMS Berwick. ProjectXplore found it after five years searching.

The UK is Europe’s nation to approve a pill for weight loss and diabetes.

Orforglipron, called Foundayo, is licensed for people with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 to 30 with a related condition. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared. Foundayo can also improve blood sugars in poorly controlled diabetes.

Almost three-quarters of England is now in drought, with many areas set for a fifth summer heatwave tomorrow.

The National Drought Group says over seventy-one per cent of the nation is experiencing a flash drought, affecting forty-five million people. The Environment Agency previously declared half the country in drought, with the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Kent, Sussex and the South Downs moved into drought status today.

A major earthquake has struck western Colombia and neighbouring Ecuador. Residents evacuated homes after the tremor hit shortly after half past seven local time.

A provincial governor reported injuries and significant building damage following the quake. The epicentre was located in San Jose Del Palmar, around two hundred and fifty miles west of the Colombian capital, Bogota.

Radio Caroline has been found in breach of broadcasting regulations after accidentally announcing the death of King Charles III.

Three pre-recorded messages aired falsely claiming the death had been confirmed, followed by the national anthem and sixteen minutes of silence on DAB. Media watchdog Ofcom noted the staff member responsible panicked and left the premises after realising the mistake.

And a thirty-five-year-old Mars Bar found during a house clearance in Scunthorpe has gone viral, highlighting the impact of shrinkflation.

Cleaner Victoria Gordon posted a photo online comparing the 1991 bar, which weighs sixty-two-and-a-half grams, with today’s forty-gram version. She noted the vintage chocolate bar was nearly the size of her hand.

A murder investigation has been launched after a twenty-three-year-old woman was found dead at an address in north London.

Emergency services were called to a residential property on Bollinder Place in Islington shortly after nine-thirty on Thursday morning. The woman was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene. Metropolitan Police officers are currently working to trace her next of kin.

A total of two hundred and thirty people arrived in the UK on a single small boat in the early hours of Monday morning, Sky News understands.

It is the largest number to successfully cross the Channel on one vessel ever recorded, surpassing the previous record of one hundred and sixty-five set last month. It brings the total to fifteen thousand and forty-nine people on two hundred and twenty-four small boats so far this year.

Number Ten has confirmed it is not possible to exempt just the killers of PC Andrew Harper from its early release scheme.

The men, convicted of manslaughter after dragging the Thames Valley Police officer to his death in 2019, are set to be eligible as part of efforts to ease prison overcrowding. Andy Burnham’s spokesperson confirmed exempting the pair would require exempting all manslaughter offenders.

A predatory refugee who sexually assaulted two women has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Twenty-three-year-old Muhammad Sheikhi targeted his victims in Falkirk during the early hours of November 30th last year while staying at the town’s Hotel Cladhan. He preyed on the first woman at a railway bridge on Kerse Lane, where he repeatedly kissed her and placed his hands under her skirt.

A consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is closing in on a deal to buy a one-third stake in Liverpool Football Club.

Controlling shareholder Fenway Sports Group is preparing to make an announcement as soon as this week. The transaction will see Mr Bezos join Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin in an investor syndicate led by former Queens Park Rangers shareholder Amit Bhatia

Rare red weather warnings could be issued by the Met Office this week, as highs of 36C are forecast with many areas set for a fifth summer heatwave.

It comes after the UK saw a record number of days with temperatures above 30C across the country this year. Sunday reached 30.6C, bringing the total to 35 days and surpassing the previous record.

Ukraine has launched a deadly drone attack on a major Russian oil refinery more than 600 miles from its border.

Regional authorities confirmed a number of people were killed when industrial and civilian sites were targeted in Nizhnekamsk in Russia’s Tatarstan region. A day of mourning has been declared following the massive strike, enabled by recent advancements in Ukrainian drone technology.

Thames Water risks igniting a fresh storm over executive pay after handing a one-million-pound signing-on fee to its finance chief while teetering on the brink of collapse.

Sky News understands Britain’s biggest water supplier made the delayed seven-figure payment to Steve Buck at the end of last month. The money was drawn from an emergency borrowing facility provided by lenders currently attempting to persuade the government to back a solvent rescue plan.

ounts and subscription traps as part of a series of everyday fixes.

Fresh from a holiday, the PM vows to help with the cost of living by ending phoney bargains and ensuring items advertised as half price actually are. Burnham added that leaving subscriptions will become as simple as joining, marking the start of new measures.

Sir Sadiq Khan has told Westminster City Council to rethink proposed curbs on nightlife in London’s West End.

In a letter to town hall chiefs, London’s mayor warned the proposed licensing policy treats nightlife as a luxury and undermines support for pubs. Sir Sadiq said crucial decisions are currently skewed towards vocal residents, ignoring wider economic and cultural impacts.

Households are being urged to check their energy bills to ensure they receive a £150 winter discount scheme.

Suppliers will use customer records on Sunday, August 23rd, to determine eligibility for the Warm Home Discount. The government initiative knocks £150 off bills for people receiving means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit, before winter price rises take effect.