News 20/04/26

A woman has been charged with attempted murder after a car struck pedestrians near a central London nightclub in the early hours of Sunday.

Metropolitan Police say Gabrielle Carrington, aged twenty nine, from Broadfield Road in Manchester, is accused following the incident in Argyll Street near Oxford Circus and the London Palladium at around four thirty in the morning. Three people were hit. A woman in her thirties remains in a life threatening condition, while a man in his fifties suffered life changing injuries. A third woman was treated for minor injuries.

An anti Islam influencer has been banned from entering the UK ahead of a rally in London next month.

Valentina Gomez had been due to speak at the Unite the Kingdom event organised by Tommy Robinson. She had said her travel authorisation was approved, but following backlash from MPs and campaigners, the government decided her presence would not be conducive to the public good.

Zoologist, television presenter and author Desmond Morris has died at the age of 98.

He was known for presenting Granada’s Zoo Time, which explored animal behaviour from 1956 to 1977. He later worked with the BBC on programmes including Life In The Animal World. His book The Naked Ape, published in nineteen sixty seven, brought him global recognition.

Sir Keir Starmer says he did not mislead the House of Commons.

Responding to a question from Conservative MP John Lamont, the prime minister said information that should have been available to him and to Parliament had not been provided. However, he insisted he did not mislead the House and said he had now set out the account in full.

Around 22,000 university students who were told they must urgently repay maintenance loans and childcare grants issued in error have been given a reprieve.

The government says the loans will be repaid through the usual system, while grant repayments are paused until at least September after a dispute over eligibility.

Sir Keir Starmer has avoided directly addressing whether he misled Parliament after Downing Street earlier suggested he had done so inadvertently.

The prime minister instead focused on the timeline of events, giving a detailed defence of his actions. He outlined several occasions when he believes Foreign Office officials could have informed Number 10 that the vetting team had recommended Peter Mandelson should not be granted clearance.

The leader of Slough Borough Council has announced he will step down. Councillor Dexter Smith, who has led the authority since May 2023, says he will retire at the end of his current term.

The Conservative, who became party leader in January that year, has told colleagues he will not seek re-election as group leader and will not stand as a councillor at the next local elections in 2027.

Amy Winehouse’s father has lost a High Court claim against two of the singer’s friends over the sale of items she once owned.

Mitch Winehouse, acting for her estate, said stylist Naomi Parry and friend Catriona Gourlay sold items at auctions in the United States without informing him. Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at the age of 27.

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned images appearing to show an Israeli soldier damaging a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon.

The photograph shows a soldier using a sledgehammer on the icon in Debel, where Israeli forces have been operating following rocket fire towards Israel in support of Iran.

Police have arrested a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man over an arson attack on a synagogue in northwest London.

Tsunami warnings have been issued for parts of northeast Japan following an earthquake, with coastal areas told to stay alert.

Authorities say advisories are also in place, with different alert levels issued depending on risk. Tsunami warnings are the second highest level, while major tsunami warnings are the highest. A map released by Japan’s meteorological agency shows red zones indicating warnings and yellow areas indicating advisories.

The UK economy is expected to flirt with recession this year, with almost two hundred and fifty thousand people potentially losing their jobs due to the impact of higher oil prices linked to the Iran war.

The Item Club says its latest forecasts reflect further volatility in global markets, with Brent crude rising and the Strait of Hormuz closed again amid a fragile ceasefire.

Dozens of firefighters have been tackling a blaze at a derelict historic building in Ballycastle in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service says it received a call shortly after eight o’clock on Sunday evening. Forty two firefighters from stations in Ballycastle, Ballymoney and Portrush are in attendance. Residents nearby have been advised to keep windows and doors closed and to avoid the area while crews continue dealing with the fire.

The United States has intercepted an Iranian flagged cargo ship in the Gulf as part of its naval blockade, according to Donald Trump.

He said the vessel, named the Touska, was seized by the US Navy after failing to respond to a warning to stop. Iran has described the move as a violation of a ceasefire and warned it will retaliate. The White House says Vice President JD Vance will lead a delegation for further talks, but Iran has not confirmed it will take part.

Limits should be introduced on what has been described as unmanageable caseloads for health visitors in England, according to the Institute of Health Visiting.

Some are now responsible for more than one thousand families. The workforce has almost halved over the past decade. A Commons committee has warned the government will fail in its ambition to give every child the best start without urgent action. Ministers say they are committed to strengthening services.

Analysis suggests traders have been placing large bets shortly before major announcements by the US president.

The BBC says trading spikes were recorded hours or even minutes before statements were made public. Some analysts say the pattern resembles insider trading, while others argue traders may simply be anticipating developments.