Browsing: UK News

Iran has launched missile attacks on a US military base in Qatar and claims it was a “successful response” to recent US strikes on its nuclear sites.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met King Charles at Windsor Castle prior to discussions with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer regarding defence strategies against Russia.

The EU has been focused on NATO’s defence spending, with members agreeing to up spending to 5% of GDP (except Spain). European leaders are preparing to deal with Donald Trump again at the NATO summit, after several EU members called for retaliatory tariffs on the USA.

The war in the Middle East and Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine have also made up a lot of this week’s European headlines. Kyiv has suffered another heavy bombing, and there have been reports that the EU is considering suspending its partnership with Israel over its genocide in Gaza.

The EU and Canada have strengthened their ties with a new partnership and talks of digital trade and deeper cooperation on AI. The EU-Canada summit comes just before NATO.

Recent flight tracking data indicates a significant increase in US military aircraft movement towards the Middle East, with 52 planes detected over the eastern Mediterranean in just a few days.

The week so far has been dominated by the Middle East crisis as news of an Israel-Iran ceasefire broke early on Tuesday, only to come to an end a few hours later. It’s unclear if Iran ever agreed to the short-lived ceasefire, and now the world waits anxiously to see what happens next.

Away from the Middle East, there has been a handful of domestic news stories worth taking a glance at. GPs in England can start prescribing weight loss drugs on the NHS, Palestine Action is to be prescribed as a terrorist organisation after two members vandalised two RAF planes – a move dubbed extreme by many and has seen significant backlash for the Labour government. It has not been an easy week for the prime minister or his government so far, with a major rebellion on the way over Labour’s welfare bill cuts. It could end up doing permanent damage to the PM and his government. With the Nato summit around the corner, the prime minister will be focusing on international affairs, but what’s happening at home may cost him come election time.

The head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, emphasised that armed attacks on nuclear facilities pose severe risks of radioactive releases and must not occur.

Monday’s front pages report on the United entering Israel’s war in Iran. Donald Trump claims the US bomb strike on Iran has wiped out 3 nuclear facilities and suggests a regime change is coming in Iran. The Iranians have vowed revenge against the United States, and is seeking talks with Russia.

Monday’s front pages lead with the US entering Israel’s war on Iran, as Trump declares victory, having bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming it was a total success. Iran has vowed a response. The UN has said it cannot verify the exact degree of damage the US strikes have caused, but that hasn’t stopped the US and Israel from congratulating each other. Last night, Israel continued its heavy bombing of Iran’s military infrastructure, and by this morning, Iran is returning fire. 

There will be little surprise that Monday’s UK headlines are dominated by the latest from the Middle East after Donald Trump took everyone by surprise over the weekend and bombed Iran. It comes after Trump signalled he would give Iran two weeks to discuss ending their nuclear weapons programme. The decision to take the USA into Israel’s war is proving unpopular in the US, even amongst his supporters. There’s little support for the move this side of the pond as well, with many looking at how Prime Minister Keir Starmer will react to the bombing and whether the UK could be dragged into the war.

A 22-year-old British man has been arrested at Disneyland Paris after allegedly organising a staged wedding ceremony involving a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support today for the US airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, seen as a coordinated effort with Israel to halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, but simultaneously warned of the high risk of broader Middle East escalation.

GPs begin prescribing weight-loss jabs on the NHS in England. GPs can now prescribe Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to combat obesity for the first time via the NHS.

The UK Met Office has issued yellow thunderstorm warnings for parts of northern England, northeast Wales, and the Scottish Borders, with a forecast of up to 40mm of rain within two hours, frequent lightning, hail, and gusty winds.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley expressed shock and frustration over a planned protest supporting Palestine Action, which the government aims to ban under anti-terror laws.

NATO ambassadors from all 32 member states approved a new spending pledge to increase defence budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035, amid concerns over threats from Russia and China.

The threat to the UK from Iran is already at a “significant level” and could increase following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, a cabinet minister has told Sky News.

The UK experienced cooler temperatures on Sunday following thunderstorms, with a yellow thunderstorm warning impacting northern England and southeast Scotland.

Cliff Notes The Isle of Wight Festival, featuring headliners such as Justin Timberlake and Sting, is set against a backdrop of increasing political expression at…

A 59-year-old grandmother from Barnsley has died from rabies after being scratched by a puppy while on holiday in Morocco, highlighting the virus’s severity and risks for travellers.

British PM talks about the Stability in Middle East is priority, says Starmer – as he calls on Iran to ‘return to negotiating table’, but this is not a guarantee that will stop anymore attacks from the United States or Israel.

A yellow warning has been issued for “potentially intense” thunderstorms across parts of northern England, northeast Wales, and the Scottish Borders, with up to 40mm of rainfall expected in two hours.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper plans to ban Palestine Action following an incident where the group vandalised RAF Brize Norton, seeking to classify it as a terrorist organisation.

Cliff Notes The UK plans to implement whole-genome sequencing for every newborn, aiming to screen for numerous diseases and shift towards preventative healthcare. The initiative…

Cliff Notes Thousands gathered at Stonehenge for the summer solstice sunrise, coinciding with rising temperatures in England and Wales, marking the onset of a heatwave.…

Cliff Notes – One million Welsh speakers by 2050 Wales’s government aims to achieve one million Welsh speakers by 2050, despite a recent decline, with…