News 31/08/26

The death toll from last week’s severe flooding in Nepal has risen to 939, while the number of people reported missing has dropped to 3925.

Nepal’s disaster management authority confirmed that the missing total includes 592 foreign nationals. More than 11,000 people have been rescued so far, with 279 individuals injured.

The government is spending £110m to create additional prison cells across England and Wales to address severe overcrowding.

The Ministry of Justice said fast-tracked funds from existing budgets will convert unused spaces, including offices, laundries, and storage areas, into new cells. The move comes as the prison system nears full capacity amid mounting criticism over the government’s early release scheme.

A 67 year old man from Windsor has been arrested following an incident on the River Thames where a boat struck a rower near Maidenhead Rowing Club.

Police reported that a vessel was being steered dangerously on Sunday morning before colliding with the rower and verbally abusing another. The suspect was detained on suspicion of criminal damage, threats to kill, common assault, public order offences, and endangering individuals.

US President Donald Trump has asked technology giant Apple to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America on its Maps app.

The request follows an executive order renaming the Great Lake, which borders New York and Ontario. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum confirmed the direct approach to Apple. Google has already updated the name for users within the United States, although Canadian users still see the original title.

Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, calling it a decision that hurts deeply but insisting the time has come.

The thirty-nine-year-old captained his country to World Cup victory in 2022. He leaves as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer with one hundred and twenty-five goals from two hundred and seven appearances. In a statement, Messi said he has given everything to the national side and now has nothing left to give.

The Governor of the Bank of England has warned G20 finance ministers that artificial intelligence could cause a global economic downturn and pose major cyber security risks.

Andrew Bailey cautioned that any crash in the AI sector could trigger a worldwide market correction. In an open letter, he urged firms to prepare for security breaches that could cause simultaneous disruption across multiple organisations. His warning follows calls from tech leaders to strengthen cyber defences.

Notting Hill Carnival has celebrated its sixtieth anniversary with three days of festivities in west London.

Europe’s largest street party continued on Monday featuring colorful costumes, live bands, and dozens of static sound systems. First held in 1966, the event continues to celebrate Caribbean culture and history, bringing together communities from across the country.

Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet reshuffle is under way, with Andrew Griffith appointed as shadow chancellor, replacing Sir Mel Stride.

It had long been rumoured that Stride would leave the top team after serving for two years. Griffith, a former Sky executive, steps up from shadow business secretary. Stride becomes the fourth frontbencher to confirm his departure in recent days, joining Sir James Cleverly, Dame Priti Patel, and Stuart Andrew.

A Russian missile strike has destroyed a major printing plant near Kyiv which was producing over one million textbooks for the upcoming Ukrainian school year.

The attack forms part of a series targeting publishers. Local media report that the campaign has destroyed a third of all books printed in the country this year, with twelve million books lost alongside damage to several cultural sites.

An anxious wait for news continues in northern Cyprus where nearly twenty people remain missing after a ferry capsized off the coast of Kyrenia.

Eight people are confirmed to have died, with divers continuing to search deep waters for survivors. The vessel was carrying two hundred and sixty-seven people when it took on water and flipped over on Sunday, leaving survivors clinging to the overturned hull.

Google has updated its maps application to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users based in the United States.

The tech giant implemented the change following an order from US President Donald Trump amid an escalating trade dispute with Canada. The body of water borders the Canadian province of Ontario to its north and west, with New York state situated on its southern and eastern shores.

Iran and the United States have traded military strikes after American forces targeted two rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command described the action as limited and precise after observing preparations to deploy sea mines and rockets. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reported two people were killed, and subsequently launched retaliatory missile strikes against US military bases located in Jordan.

Former Conservative leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat is set to return to the front bench as shadow foreign secretary, replacing Dame Priti Patel.

The change comes ahead of a team reshuffle next month by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Dame Priti confirmed she is stepping down to strengthen international centre-right links, following the resignation of Sir James Cleverly, who left his shadow housing role to run for London mayor.

A Russian missile strike has destroyed a major printing plant near Kyiv which was producing more than one million textbooks for the upcoming Ukrainian school year.

The attack forms part of a series of strikes targeting publishers across the country. Local media reports indicate that a third of all books printed in Ukraine this year have now been destroyed, alongside significant damage to cultural sites.