News 17/05/26

Four military crew members have been safely ejected after two navy aircraft crashed during an air show in the United States.

The two jets crashed two miles from Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho on Sunday. The base was locked down following the incident during the Gunfighter Skies event, with emergency crews deployed to the scene. Visitors were asked to remain in the flightline area to allow first responders to carry out their work while officials established an exit plan.

Nine asymptomatic hantavirus contacts from St Helena and Ascension Island are expected to arrive in the United Kingdom this evening.

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed the group will be transferred to Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral, Merseyside, where they will be closely monitored. Officials are working alongside the Foreign Office to oversee their care during a period of self-isolation.

The London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has criticised government plans for a possible north of England bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the 2040s.

Sir Sadiq described excluding the capital as a missed opportunity. It follows an assessment commissioned by the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to examine potential costs, socio-economic benefits, and the chances of success.

President Donald Trump has warned Iran that time is of the essence and that they must act quickly or there will be nothing left of them.

Writing on Truth Social, the United States President warned that the clock is ticking and they had better get moving fast. It follows an earlier image posted by the President with a caption describing it as the calm before the storm. Reports suggest that both the United States and Israel are currently undergoing their most intense preparations for renewed attacks against Iran since a ceasefire was agreed last month.

The Scottish rugby legend Scott Hastings has died at the age of 69.

During an eleven year international career, Hastings won 65 caps for Scotland, which was a national record at the time. He also represented the British and Irish Lions on twelve occasions across two separate tours and played thirteen games for the Barbarians. A proud Watsonian who wore the Edinburgh jersey with distinction, he remains the most-capped Scotland male centre of all time.

Lisa Nandy has insisted that Sir Keir Starmer will still be the prime minister when the summer holidays begin, despite what she described as feverish speculation about a leadership challenge.

Speaking to Sky News, the Culture Secretary said that Sir Keir was very clear with the cabinet that if people want to challenge his position, a clear process exists to do so. She stated that no one has triggered a contest yet, dismissing reports about potential leadership bids from other senior figures as froth and nonsense.

The government has commissioned UK Sport to look into a potential bid for the north of England to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the 2040s.

The assessment will examine the potential costs, socio-economic benefits, and the likelihood of any bid being successful. If the bid is successful, it would see the Olympics return to Britain for the first time since 2012. While London has hosted the global event three times, no other part of the country has ever held the Games.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that forty-three arrests were made during a four point five million pound operation to keep demonstrators at two rival London protests apart.

More than four thousand officers were deployed to manage a sterile zone between a pro-Palestinian demonstration and a rally organised by Tommy Robinson. Central London landmarks were locked down, with barriers surrounding Nelson’s Column and police vehicles lining the route from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace.

The World Health Organisation has declared an Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern.

Eighty suspected deaths have been reported in the DRC’s remote Ituri province.

Thousands of Celtic football fans have thrown bottles and other missiles at police officers during street celebrations in Glasgow.

Around three thousand supporters gathered in the Trongate area after the club secured its fifth successive Scottish Premiership title. The celebrations followed a three-one victory at Parkhead stadium, which ended the hopes of Heart of Midlothian winning their first top-flight league trophy in sixty-six years. Police Scotland confirmed that officers faced significant levels of disorder and sustained injuries, while lines of police were seen holding riot shields.

Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.

Needing at least 140 points to secure victory, the country was awarded a massive 312 from the public audience vote. This gave Bulgaria an overall winning total of 516 points, placing them comfortably ahead of second-placed Israel, who finished on 343. Meanwhile, there was disappointment for the United Kingdom entrant Sam Battle, performing as Look Mum No Computer. He received zero points from the public vote, leaving the UK with just a single point from the international jury.