News 12/08/26

The UK and Europe have enjoyed their most dramatic solar eclipse for nearly 30 years, with millions thought to have witnessed the once-in-a-generation event.

Those watching from the UK saw a partial eclipse peaking shortly after 19:00 BST, with over 90% of the Sun covered. Parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain experienced total darkness, prompting gasps and cheers from crowds.

Donald Trump’s press secretary will be departing her White House role, the US president has announced.

Praising Karoline Leavitt as one of his most trusted aides, Mr Trump said she will leave at the end of the month to spend time with her young children and family. Writing on Truth Social, he added she will remain a top outside advisor after doing a phenomenal job since 2018.

Hundreds of thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive A-level, T-level and BTec results on Thursday morning, with a record number expected to secure their first-choice university place.

Amid pressure to reform student loan repayments and a renewed focus on technical education under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Universities UK has urged students not to let politicians make decisions for them.

On his childhood track in Birmingham, Matthew Hudson-Smith delivered Great Britain’s latest gold at Alexander Stadium.

Over two decades after first stepping inside the venue aged nine, the 31-year-old won his third European 400m title in front of a stand named in his honour. The victory makes him the joint-most decorated man of all time at the European Championships.

A massive Ukrainian drone and missile strike on Russia’s port of Novorossiysk has damaged two major grain export terminals and hit the last big naval base on the Black Sea.

Three people, including a child, were killed and 24 injured. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv launched rockets and drones in a unique operation, while Ukraine’s military reported four Russian warships were hit.

About 100 family, friends and colleagues have attended the funeral of former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe.

Mourners gathered at Buckfast Abbey in Devon for a requiem mass for the former MP and Reform UK spokeswoman, who died on 8 July aged 78. Widdecombe was found with serious head injuries at home. She regularly worshipped at the abbey, calling it her safe haven.

A chocolate bar has been made using entirely British ingredients for the first time in nearly a century, featuring cocoa grown in Berkshire.

Created at the University of Reading to mark its 100th anniversary, the Reading 100 Chocolate Bar is the first bar since 1932. Food security student Maha Khan produced the bar by harvesting, fermenting and processing the Berkshire-grown cocoa.

For those experiencing a total solar eclipse, the darkened sky offers a short window to see the peaking Perseid meteor shower tonight.

Astronomer Dr Becky Smethurst called it the perfect cosmic coincidence. The Perseids are the annual show of shooting stars caused by debris left behind from the Swift-Tuttle comet burning through our atmosphere. With totality lasting only minutes, Dr Smethurst noted observers must be extremely lucky to spot one.

Eurovision Song Contest organisers have updated event rules following an annual review by the European Broadcasting Union.

Winning broadcasters will be barred from hosting if involved in armed conflict or sensitive geopolitical situations affecting safety. Host duties traditionally fall to the previous winner, with Bulgaria scheduled to host in 2027 following singer Dara’s victory for the country in May.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has urged retailers big and small to stop selling disposable barbecues amid heightened wildfire risks from summer droughts.

Speaking after potential bans were discussed at a Cobra emergency meeting, Mr Burnham asked shops to follow voluntary guidance to suspend sales during extreme heat. He added that the government will look at banning single-use grills during summer months long term.

The solar eclipse is being viewed around the world, with images capturing the event from Spain and Bermondsey in London.

Although the eclipse is a once-in-a-generation spectacle, people are urged never to look directly at the sun. The peak in Slough is expected between ten past and quarter past seven this evening, reaching around ninety-five per cent coverage.

A fire next to railway tracks on Brunel Way in Slough has caused cancellations and disruption to Wednesday afternoon train services.

Emergency calls were received shortly after four o’clock, prompting Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue crews from Slough, Langley, Maidenhead, and Windsor to respond alongside firefighters from Buckinghamshire.

A bus driver shot dead outside a south London pub has been named as twenty-five-year-old Auguste-Marie Bile-aka Amoa.

Metropolitan Police officers were called to reports of gunfire on Willington Road in Clapham at roughly ten o’clock on Monday night. Despite the efforts of emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has warned that extreme hot weather could remain for weeks yet, following a meeting of the government’s emergency COBRA committee.

Noting a significant number of excess heat deaths this summer, he urged the public to follow health advice and check in on elderly friends and relatives who may require support.

A semi-professional footballer filmed driving at 191mph on a motorway has been jailed.

Thirty-two-year-old Connor Charlton, a centre forward for Nostell Miners Welfare, was also involved in a scam where drivers took penalty points for cash. Charlton was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court to four years in prison and given a driving ban. The Crown Prosecution Service released video showing him drifting a BMW at a roundabout, nearly hitting a van.

Actor Jasper Carrott has expressed his pride and love for daughter Lucy Davis following her announcement that she has incurable breast cancer.

Davis, best known for playing Dawn in BBC sitcom The Office, revealed her diagnosis on Tuesday. Carrott told BBC News it is a very difficult time for the whole family, adding they are supporting her in every way and remain hopeful for her future.

A large quantity of nitrous oxide canisters has been seized by police before it could be used at a gathering.

Details shared by officers praised an officer’s vigilance, suggesting the operation disrupted planned festivities. A spokesperson confirmed PC Wallace’s eagle eyes enabled the seizure of the illegal gas before it could be used.

Simon Levy has been jailed for murdering two women and raping a third.

The forty-year-old raped his first victim in a car park near his home in Tottenham, north London, in January last year. He went on to kill fifty-three-year-old Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo two months later. In August 2025, Levy killed thirty-nine-year-old Sheryl Wilkins.

Andy Burnham has said the government is certainly considering banning disposable barbecues to prevent fires.

Speaking on a visit to Stevenage, the prime minister warned of a significant wildfire problem in the south, citing great concern for the New Forest alongside northern areas and Suffolk. He warned that many blazes have been created by disposable barbecues.

Rod Stewart has cancelled the remainder of his US tour, including a Las Vegas residency, after undergoing heart surgery.

The 81-year-old star shared on social media that he is already feeling better following a successful routine coronary stent procedure. Doctors advised four weeks of recovery before returning to the stage, forcing him to miss shows in Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, and Nevada.

A woman has died following an incident that prompted a large emergency services response on the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire border.

Police and paramedics were called to Parlaunt Road in Langley, near Thames Road, at 9.20am on Tuesday. Witnesses reported seeing a significant emergency presence remaining at the scene for some time. Thames Valley Police confirmed that a woman in her 50s sadly died.

In a rare summertime plea, Britain’s electricity system operator has warned of tight supply tonight.

The National Energy System Operator, NESO, has called for extra supply or energy users to power down as extreme heat and an eclipse threaten solar power. Hot conditions boost demand through air conditioning and fan use, while generation is less effective. Gas generation is less efficient in heat, and nuclear plants face temporary shutdowns when cooling water is too hot.

The first locations where households living close to upgraded electricity pylons and substations receive a £250 annual bill discount have been revealed.

Customers living within 1,600ft or 500m of 43 transmission projects across Britain are eligible for up to 10 years under the “pounds for pylons” scheme. UK ministers say upgrading infrastructure is vital for renewable power, but critics argue discounts are meagre compensation for the impact on homes, neighbourhoods, and the environment.

Nearly five hundred children in England have been injured in e-scooter incidents since 2019, according to a new study.

Writing in the Emergency Medicine Journal, researchers found the average age of injured youngsters was twelve, with under two per cent wearing helmets. Warning of serious life-changing consequences for families and heavy demands on healthcare, experts called for better public health messaging and urgent reviews of legislation.

A further thirteen asylum hotels have been closed and returned to public use, the Home Office has confirmed.

Sites no longer housing asylum seekers include Blackpool’s Grand Metropole Hotel and the Gold Thorn Hotel in Wolverhampton, bringing the total number closed this year to forty-four. Around one hundred and sixty hotels across the country continue to be used for asylum accommodation.

Music streaming platform Spotify will introduce AI Persona badges from mid-September to identify virtual artists.

The company says the labels will signal when an artist profile does not represent a real human, addressing user concerns over transparency. Spotify stated that true connections between artists and fans can only be built on trust and authenticity.

Downing Street has announced the Prime Minister will chair a COBRA meeting this afternoon on the response to extreme heat, wildfires, and drought.

A spokesperson said the government understands how challenging this summer is proving for firefighters, farmers, and NHS staff, promising continued action to keep communities safe, protect water supplies, and safeguard the environment.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has admitted his announcements to tackle the cost of living are not enough on their own and hinted at further support.

Mr Burnham said he will deliver an accumulation of smaller measures to ease the pressure on household budgets. He highlighted plans for an overhaul of train fares alongside greater public control over energy, water, and housing, though he gave no details on implementation. Since taking office, his measures have included removing VAT from domestic energy bills and ending subscription traps early.