The News - Wednesday, 12 August 2026

BBC News

'Overwhelmed' probation officers warn of early prison release crime risk

England and Wales' probation services are already under "unprecedented pressure" - set to increase with the scheme, the chief inspector said.

Woman assaulted by double murderer says nightmare became 'real life' when police let him attack again

Serial sex offender Simon Levy went on to murder two women and rape a third after a series of disastrous decisions that left him free to roam the streets.

Military still risks failing victims, review finds

Leaked internal review warns of continued concerns about a new unit investigating the most serious crimes.

Trump says he switched planes after Nato summit because of possible threat

But the president says the jet he boarded instead was at "greater risk" than the decoy Air Force One.

UK to get best eclipse since 1999 as Moon blocks out Sun across Europe

Up to 96% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon in the UK, while parts of Spain, Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and Russia will see a total eclipse.

PM admits cost of living help is not enough and hints at further support

The PM has announced a rake of measures to help people since taking office three weeks ago.

Cristiano Ronaldo marries long-time partner Georgina Rodríguez

The Portuguese superstar has posted an image of two hands - presumed to be his on top of his wife's - both wearing wedding rings.

Police chiefs call for PM to prevent early release of PC Harper's killers

The intervention comes after Andy Burnham said he was "confident" the early release of PC Harper's killers could be prevented.

Children as young as nine hurt in growing number of e-scooter crashes

Three trauma centres - Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield - say they have treated nearly 500 casualties under the age of 16.

UK prosecutors argue Tate brothers a flight risk ahead of bail hearing

Andrew and Tristan Tate would attempt to evade prosecution if they are freed on bail, prosecutors argue.

Eclipse chasers scramble for glasses as stocks run low

Specialist glasses are all but sold out online ahead of the UK's most significant eclipse since 1999.

Trump's dramatic plane swap hints at personal stakes of Iran war

It marks another striking episode in the turbulent history of his relationship with Iran, writes the BBC's Anthony Zurcher.

Baby Shark Boy set to make K-pop debut

The boy from the most-watched YouTube video of all time is now 17 years old, and wants to be a K-pop star.

Anguish of Colombian brother at rubble of building being searched for earthquake survivors

BBC Mundo has gone to the site of Torres del Limonar, a collapsed building in Cali where rescue workers fight to free survivors.

How can Andy Burnham stop PC Harper's killers being released early?

None of the solutions proposed are quick or easy and some carry political risk, writes UK correspondent Daniel Sandford.

Sun-tanned cauliflowers and knobbly spuds - the heatwave veg that's good to eat

British shoppers should expect to see more wonky vegetables due to repeated heatwaves.

How affordable are Edinburgh's festivals?

The city is no stranger to complaints about soaring prices during August - but are costs on the rise?

The Papers: 'Andy U-turns on early release' and 'Hunt on for eclipse glasses'

The prime minister's plan to stop the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers is prominent across Wednesday's papers.

Wealthier areas must play their part in housing asylum seekers, Burnham suggests

The prime minister was asked about protests over plans to use a former military base to house asylum seekers.

British driver who broke sound barrier sets new speed record

Andy Green set the fastest time ever recorded in a hydrogen-powered car, reaching 406mph (654km/h).

Rescuers scramble for survivors with 180 dead in Colombia earthquake

Colombia experienced a number of aftershocks on Tuesday, as efforts continued to free survivors trapped in rubble and buildings.

Criticism as thousands of seats empty at Europeans Athletics Championships

Nearly 10,000 seats were empty at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium on Monday.

Russia releases former US Marine reported in poor health

Robert Gilman, who was arrested in 2022, was left in "life-threatening condition" after being subjected to "harsh and abusive treatment", his family says.

Luigi Mangione murder trial to have anonymous jury

The judge overseeing the state murder trial ruled the 12-person jury would remain anonymous because of the intense media spotlight on the case.

Bournemouth Echo

When a sporting god captivated Christchurch with a promise to return

when Australian cricket legend Shane Warne visited Christchurch following his Ashes triumph and pledged his return to Hampshire.

‘We don’t want them’: Residents angry over proposal for new EV charging bays

Plans to introduce electric vehicle charging bays have sparked anger from residents

‘It is not a victimless crime’: Why BCP is raising parking fines to £160

Drivers who park illegally along Bournemouth and Poole’s seafront face fines of up to £160 during a month-long trial aimed at improving road safety during the busy summer season locally.

'Andy Burnham should come to Bournemouth NOW'

Andy Burnham has announced he is going on the road.

Man had cannabis grow in Holdenhurst Road - In the Dock

The following case was heard at Poole Magistrates' Court:

118-year-old golf club shortens hole after neighbours complain of stray balls

A 118-year-old golf club has changed the layout of its final hole after neighbours complained about stray balls landing in their gardens.

Bournemouth woman, 23, charged with murder after alleged attack at block of flats

A 23-year-old woman has been charged with murder following the death of a man in Weston, Southampton.

LIVE - Air ambulance lands and road blocked after reported crash

An air ambulance landed and a road in Southbourne is currently blocked by police after a reported crash.

Man in his 80s fighting for life in hospital after crash

A MAN in his 80s is fighting for his life after a crash.

Fire service issues update on when A31 could reopen

THE A31 will be closed for at least the next 48 hours.

Windows Central

Atlus is interested in remaking the PlayStation One-era Persona games, something that, after waiting for many years, I hope finally happens on Xbox and PC

In a recent interview with GamerBrave, Atlus was asked if it had plans to remake the first two games in its world-renowned Persona franchise, and Atlus' answer gives me hope we may finally see the games that gave birth to this series no longer be neglected.

My on-the-go Steam Deck setup is now complete thanks to this nifty little Razer keyboard case with kickstand

The Razer Joro is my favorite travel keyboard already, and now there's a new case for it that helps turn a handheld PC into a portable workstation with ease.

Microsoft Edge’s new sign-in option is a quiet admission of defeat on mobile

You will soon be able to sign into Microsoft Edge with an Apple account. The feature lets iPhone users sync bookmarks and history without needing a Microsoft account.

Xbox cut thousands of jobs, but a bigger threat to game development may be happening lower down the ladder — Turkey's AI dilemma is a perfect example

Turkey's video game development scene was once booming, but AI has caused a major disruption in recent years. Junior roles are disappearing at the bottom, while at the same time, jobs at the top of the industry are also being axed. I take a look at what that means for the future.

Itsfoss

These Open Source Devs Are Reverse-Engineering Xbox Game Pass for Linux

They have already cracked Xbox game downloads, and macOS support is also being worked on.