News 26/03/26

The International Olympic Committee has announced it is banning transgender women from competing in all female events.

The restriction applies to eligibility for any female category at the Olympic Games and other IOC competitions, including both individual and team sports. The policy is not retroactive and does not apply to grassroots or recreational programmes. The IOC says the decision is intended to protect fairness, safety and integrity within female sport.

Britain faces a bigger economic downgrade due to war in the Persian Gulf than any other major country, according to a new assessment by the OECD.

It has cut its 2026 growth forecast for UK output by half a percentage point. The prediction now stands at a rise of zero point seven percent, placing the UK among the weakest performers in the developed world, with only limited comparisons elsewhere.

A paraplegic woman who was the victim of gang rape says she will wear her prettiest dress and hopes to finally rest when she is euthanised.

Noelia Castillo Ramos, aged twenty five, says she was raped twice in 2022, which marked a turning point. She later jumped from a fifth floor window in an attempt to end her life, leaving her paralysed and in severe chronic pain with no prospect of improvement.

The number of children missing more than half their time in school has reached a record high in England, according to Department for Education data.

While overall attendance improved during the last academic year, severe absence rose again, mainly due to more pupils with special educational needs missing school. The government says progress has been made but accepts more must be done.

Singer Duffy is set to give her first in depth interview about the assault and kidnapping that led her to step away from public life.

She rose to fame in 2008 with her debut album and won multiple awards. She later revealed she had been held captive and raped. A new documentary will feature her only major interview in fifteen years.

Three men have been charged with historical child sex offences following an extensive and complex Thames Valley Police investigation linked to incidents in Slough and Oxfordshire dating back to 2005.

Zulfikar Shamim, aged 51, of Mildenhall Road in Slough, is charged with rape of a 15 year old girl and possession of indecent images. Tommy Ocean, aged 41, of Weston Super Mare, faces two rape charges, trafficking and perverting justice, while Vaseem Manzoor, aged 49, of Oxford, faces rape and trafficking charges.

Two men arrested over an arson attack on ambulances serving the Jewish community in north London have been released on bail.

Four Hatzola vehicles were set alight in Golders Green in the early hours of Monday in what police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime. The suspects, aged 47 and 45, have been bailed until April with strict conditions.

Donald Trump has defended the war with Iran despite its impact on energy prices, saying the United States had no choice.

Speaking at a Republican fundraiser in Washington, he described Iran with nuclear capability as a cancer and said action was necessary. He said he expected energy and oil prices to rise further and the stock market to fall, but added the short term impact did not matter. He said the priority was removing the threat posed by Iran developing nuclear weapons.

British forces are preparing to board and detain ships linked to Russia’s so called shadow fleet after approval for military action.

Russia is accused of using vessels without valid national flags to bypass sanctions on oil exports and fund its war in Ukraine. Ministers identified a legal basis in January allowing action in UK waters, and the first operation is expected soon. Sir Keir Starmer said the move would cut off profits funding what he described as a barbaric campaign.

Senior politicians are calling for an urgent investigation into alleged child sexual exploitation linked to high streets in the West Midlands.

The government said it was extremely concerned after reports that children as young as eleven were at risk at mini marts and vape shops. Leaders across parties described the claims as harrowing and sickening. West Midlands Police said it had reviewed the information and believes it has been handled appropriately.

The House of Lords has again backed a proposal to ban under sixteens from social media platforms.

Peers voted in favour of an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, marking a second defeat for the government on the issue. The proposal would give ministers twelve months to decide which platforms should be restricted. A minister said the focus is on how to act, as the government continues its consultation.

Some airports in the United States may have to close as long security queues continue after thousands of staff went unpaid.

The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration described the situation as dire. Hundreds of employees have quit, and absence rates have risen sharply as staff struggle to afford to work.