News 23/10/26

Donald Trump says he told Prime Minister Andy Burnham that the UK is set to become a very rich country following the decision to allow gas drilling in the North Sea.

The US President confirmed he spoke with the Prime Minister after Cabinet approved drilling in the Jackdaw field. Speaking in Washington, Mr Trump said opening up North Sea resources would generate significant wealth for Britain.

US First Lady Melania Trump has secured a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky.

The White House confirmed the truce in the front-line city, which has been left on the brink of disaster without food, medicine or clean water, will begin on the twenty-ninth of October to allow resident evacuations and aid deliveries. Both nations confirmed the agreement, with Moscow stating its forces will stop firing at two in the morning GMT on October twenty-seventh. Oleshky was seized by Russian troops during the initial days of their full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Three people linked to the Conservatives, including the party’s former director of campaigning, have received suspended sentences after admitting to cheating at gambling over the 2024 general election date.

Anthony Lee pleaded guilty alongside his wife Laura Saunders, who stood as a parliamentary candidate in Bristol North West. Lee was responsible for deploying Tory resources before then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the summer contest.

At least seven people have been killed and ten others injured after two gunmen opened fire inside a church during a funeral in central Jordan.

State media reports that the unidentified attackers arrived by car in the Karak governorate, shooting mourners inside before fleeing the scene. Security forces have been deployed as investigations continue into the incident, which occurred with dozens of people inside.

Actors Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor are reportedly taking part in final auditions to play the next James Bond.

Final screen tests featuring stunts, camera presence and dialogue are taking place in a bid to find Daniel Craig’s successor. Reports suggest between three and five finalists have reached the last stages of the casting process after earlier delays caused by scheduling conflicts.

The Duchess of Sussex has said she is deeply distressed by reports of allegations involving her father, Thomas Markle.

Meghan issued a statement after reports emerged that Mr Markle was under investigation following claims regarding child sexual abuse images. Mr Markle has denied possessing any such images, calling the accusations sick lies. In her statement, the Duchess expressed her distress at the news and extended her thoughts to any children who may have been harmed.

A man who had a secret sexual obsession with his stepdaughter before murdering her has been jailed for at least 35 years.

Thirty-four-year-old Nathan Owens killed Carla Georgescu at her student flat in Preston in February and staged the scene to look like suicide. Ms Georgescu was found dead the day before her twentieth birthday. Owens, who travelled from Hartlepool to commit the murder, chose not to give evidence during his trial at Preston Crown Court.

One person has been killed and at least four others injured in a Parisian suburb in what police are treating as a terrorist incident.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the events occurred in Trappes, to the west of Paris, adding that the suspect has been placed in police custody. The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the investigation into what it described as murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, with media reports suggesting a twelve-year-old child may be among the injured.

The Prime Minister has advised people to stock up on tinned food and bottled water to prepare for potential emergencies.

Amid recent storms and digital disruption, Andy Burnham noted that unexpected events are becoming increasingly common. The government recommendations suggest households store three days’ worth of supplies to handle crises such as natural disasters or cyber attacks, with Mr Burnham lightly adding that people might also include wine to help navigate difficult situations.

Israel has ordered its military to prepare for a complete closure of the West Bank following a recent attack.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed security forces were instructed to cordon off Hebron and prepare to shut down the Palestinian territory. The move follows reports from the Israeli army stating it killed two gunmen and thwarted a terror attack that left several people injured.

Britain’s electricity network operator says supplies will remain secure this winter, despite concerns previously raised by its engineers over supply stability.

The National Energy System Operator confirmed the grid is resilient, although it acknowledged there could be tight days ahead. The statement follows an independent report revealing high stress levels among engineers managing differences between renewable energy and traditional gas-fired power generation.

Military aircraft are to be equipped to help tackle wildfires following a summer of unrelenting blazes and sustained heat across the country.

Downing Street announced ahead of England’s first wildfire resilience summit that RAF Chinook helicopters and A400M transport planes will be fitted with firefighting gear. The measures create the first permanent UK-based military aerial firefighting capability to support crews reaching difficult terrain, as new research reveals record European heat killed more than fifty thousand people this year.

An amber weather warning is in force across South West England as Storm Austen brings severe winds and heavy rain.

The Met Office warned of potential danger to life, power outages, and widespread travel disruption, with gusts reaching up to eighty miles per hour in exposed coastal areas of Cornwall and Devon. Yellow weather warnings for strong winds and heavy rainfall also cover most of England, Wales, and parts of Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow.