A Blue Islands aircraft travelling from Birmingham to Jersey was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after take-off on Sunday due to technical issues with one of its two engines.
The aircraft, which has a capacity of 70 passengers, departed at 15:00 BST. Despite strong winds, the flight landed safely and no injuries were reported.
Passenger, crew and aircraft safety remains the airline’s top priority, a spokesperson confirmed. They added that the crew followed standard procedures throughout the flight and that the affected engine remained under control during the incident.
Passengers were provided with accommodation and meals on the night of the disruption.
Leanne Rowe, a passenger travelling with her family, described the experience as “pretty scary”.
The pilot, who managed the situation calmly and efficiently, received praise from those on board.
Birmingham Airport confirmed that the aircraft was diverted without causing any runway disruption. Fire engines were on standby as a precaution.
Following a detailed review, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) concluded that no further formal investigation into the incident is required.
A FORMER Green Party health spokesperson has accused the party of shifting away from its core values and trying to silence members with gender-critical views.
Dr Pallavi Devulapalli, a general practitioner and local councillor in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, was expelled from the Green Party this month. She claimed her removal was linked to her views on transgender rights, not to a rule violation as stated by the party. “They didn’t come out and say it was about gender. So they expelled me on a technicality,” she was quoted as saying.
Dr Devulapalli had been suspended since September after disagreeing with the party’s policy supporting gender self-identification during a public debate. She was later expelled for attending what she believed was a casual gathering but was ruled to be an official party event, which she was barred from attending due to her suspension, the Guardian reported.
“It feels like a purge,” she said. “The party is no longer about open debate or green politics. It’s becoming a leftwing authoritarian space. Say the wrong thing and you're out. That’s worrying.”
She is now part of a group calling themselves “Greens in Exile” – former members who say they were pushed out for holding gender-critical beliefs. Devulapalli argued the party’s stance on trans rights ignores biological facts and alienates everyday voters. She added, “Trans women are not women – this is about science and reality.”
Her removal has sparked debate within the party, especially as a new leadership election approaches. She believes if leadership hopeful Zack Polanski wins, more members will leave. “People are trying to bring back the Greens’ commitment to science and free speech,” she said.
Devulapalli says she has received strong support from within the party, including from former Green leaders and health spokespeople who have urged dialogue over division.
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LONDON mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed that Oxford Street will be pedestrianised “as quickly as possible” following strong backing in a public consultation. The move comes as part of wider efforts to revive the West End’s shopping appeal.
The consultation, which gathered over 6,600 responses from businesses, residents and organisations, showed two-thirds support for the mayor’s proposal to ban most traffic from a 0.7-mile stretch of Oxford Street, the Guardian reported. The plan includes space for outdoor cafés, events and improved public areas.
“Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation’s high street a new lease of life,” Khan was quoted as saying. “It’s clear that the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans.”
The Labour government has agreed to back the creation of a mayoral development corporation (MDC) to drive the project forward. This comes after earlier efforts to pedestrianise the street were blocked by Westminster city council, which is now Labour-led but still cautious about the move.
Council leader Adam Hug said that while the mayor’s decision was not their preferred choice, they would now work together to help shape Oxford Street’s future. “Since 2022 the street has roared back to life after the pandemic,” he added.
Not everyone welcomed the plan. Black cab drivers warned of increased congestion on nearby streets. “Putting this traffic down surrounding streets will cause chaos,” said Steve McNamara of the LTDA.
Detailed plans for rerouting buses and banning traffic will be released later this year.
Retailers including Ikea and Selfridges expressed strong support. Ikea’s UK boss said the change would make the area more welcoming, while Selfridges described the project as “hugely energising”.
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Conference at Westminster Highlights Religious Persecution in Bangladesh and Baluchistan
A high-profile conference on religious freedom in Bangladesh and Baluchistan was held at Portcullis House, Westminster, organised by the Dharmic Ideas & Policy Foundation (DIPF), hosted by Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East), and supported by APPG leaders on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), including Richard James Shannon MP and Julie Jones on 9 June 2025.
Chairing the conference, Mr Blackman condemned the ongoing persecution of minorities in both regions, describing the situation as dire and deteriorating.
The keynote speaker, Mr Tathagata Roy—former Governor of Meghalaya and Tripura and author of My People Uprooted—outlined the historical roots of the crisis, tracing anti-Hindu violence from the 1943 Bengal famine and Noakhali riots through the genocides of 1950, 1962, and 1971. He highlighted the dramatic decline of Bangladesh’s Hindu population from 29% in 1947 to just 8% today, labelling the ongoing violence and displacement a "Hindu Holocaust".
Testimonies from Bangladeshi minorities Samir Das and his daughter Sudipta Das, as well as a lawyer recently arrived from Bangladesh, provided first-hand accounts of abductions, rape, and intimidation. All speakers pointed to the worsening conditions since the 2024 regime change.
Conference at Westminster Highlights Religious Persecution in Bangladesh and Baluchistan
Investigative journalist Francesca Marino, author of Baluchistan: Bruised, Battered and Bloodied, detailed Pakistan’s systemic oppression of the Baluchi people, including enforced disappearances, torture, and the use of rape as a weapon of control.
Dr Gautam Sen, formerly of the London School of Economics, concluded the session by underlining the civilisational assault on traditional cultures in both regions and the gendered violence used to dismantle them.
The conference closed with urgent policy recommendations:
UK and allied democracies to apply diplomatic pressure and sanctions on Pakistan and Bangladesh for human rights violations.
Support for Baluchi self-determination.
Economic and hydrological leverage by India, and implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to aid displaced minorities.
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Protesters hold up placards during a march through central London on June 17, 2023, to call for decriminalisation of abortion. (Photo: Getty Images)
MPs are expected to vote on Tuesday on a proposed change to abortion laws in England and Wales that would prevent women from being prosecuted for ending their own pregnancies.
Under current law, women can face criminal charges for terminating a pregnancy beyond 24 weeks or without the approval of two doctors. The law still carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Recent court cases have drawn public attention to the issue. In one case, a woman was acquitted by a jury. In another, a woman was released from prison after an appeal.
Labour MP proposes amendment
Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi has put forward an amendment to change the law. Her proposal seeks to ensure that no woman would be committing a criminal offence by ending her own pregnancy at any stage.
"Women are currently being arrested from hospital bed to police cell and facing criminal investigations on suspicion of ending their own pregnancy," Antoniazzi told AFP.
"My amendment would put a stop to this," she said, calling it "the right amendment at the right time".
Current law and its limits
Abortion remains a criminal offence under the Offences Against the Person Act, a law dating back to 1861. The Abortion Act 1967 allows terminations under certain conditions, including up to 23 weeks and six days if done by an authorised provider.
Abortions beyond that limit are allowed only in limited situations, such as if the mother's life is at risk or the baby is likely to be born with a serious disability.
A temporary update during the Covid-19 pandemic allowed women to take abortion pills at home for up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy.
In May, Nicola Packer was acquitted after taking prescribed abortion medicine when she was around 26 weeks pregnant. Her case followed a four-year police investigation. Packer told jurors she did not realise how far along her pregnancy was.
"It was horrendous giving evidence, absolutely awful," she told The Guardian last month.
Opposition to the proposal
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children has criticised the amendment, calling it "the greatest threat to unborn babies in decades".
What the amendment would change
Antoniazzi's amendment does not seek to alter existing regulations around abortion services or time limits. It also does not change the law for anyone assisting a woman with an abortion outside legal provisions, such as medical practitioners, who would still face prosecution.
Around 50 organisations, including abortion providers, medical colleges and women's rights groups, have expressed support for the amendment.
They have pointed out that six women have appeared in court in England in the last three years, charged with ending or attempting to end their own pregnancies outside abortion law.
Carla Foster was jailed in 2023 after obtaining abortion tablets when she was 32 to 34 weeks pregnant. Her sentence was later suspended by the Court of Appeal.
Support from MPs across parties
Some 140 MPs in the 650-member parliament have publicly supported the proposed change.
It "has widespread support from MPs across the political spectrum and I am optimistic the Commons will support it," said Antoniazzi.
The vote will be a free vote, allowing MPs to vote based on personal views rather than party instructions.
Abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland in 2019. Scotland is currently reviewing its abortion laws.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The spike in temperature is due to a period of high pressure currently centred over the UK
Britons are set to enjoy a burst of summer sunshine as forecasters predict a heatwave over the weekend, with temperatures expected to rise higher than those in parts of southern Europe. The Met Office anticipates that the UK could experience its hottest days of the year so far, with the south-east likely to be the warmest region.
Temperatures to reach 32°C in parts of the UK
According to the latest weather forecast heatwave predictions, temperatures could peak at 32°C on Saturday, 21 June, and Sunday, 22 June in areas including London and Kent. These highs would surpass conditions in traditional holiday destinations such as Portugal and southern France.
Elsewhere, cities such as Manchester and Newcastle are expected to see temperatures in the high twenties, while Cardiff and Birmingham may also see weather reaching into the upper 20s. The spike in temperature is due to a period of high pressure currently centred over the UK, drawing in warm air from the south.
What qualifies as a heatwave in the UK?
The Met Office defines a heatwave as a period of at least three consecutive days where daily maximum temperatures meet or exceed a particular threshold. This threshold varies by region, ranging from 25°C in parts of the north and west to 28°C in London and the Home Counties.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson explained: “By the beginning of the weekend, we could very well be meeting heatwave thresholds in places. While the warmest temperatures are likely across London and the east of England, by Saturday heatwave thresholds could be reached across much of the Midlands, low-lying areas bordering the Peak District and even parts of east Wales.”
How long will the warm spell last?
The hot weather is expected to peak over the weekend before gradually easing next week. According to the Met Office, high pressure is forecast to shift away from the UK, resulting in slightly cooler conditions.
While some weather models suggest that temperatures could reach the mid-30s by Monday 23 June, this is currently seen as an unlikely scenario. However, it will still remain warm across most of the UK, with London forecast to stay in the mid-20s and Glasgow expected to reach around 22°C despite some potential showers.
Outlook for Glastonbury and late June
Looking ahead to Glastonbury Festival, which begins at Worthy Farm on Tuesday 24 June, temperatures are expected to stay above average. While generally dry conditions are forecast, there is a chance of light rain on Friday 25 June. Festival-goers are advised to check updates regularly as the weather forecast heatwave shifts.
Heatwave safety guidance and warnings
As temperatures rise, the Met Office is urging people to take precautions, especially during peak UV hours from 11 am to 3 pm. This includes staying hydrated, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and wearing protective clothing.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not issued any heat-health alerts so far. These alerts are typically released when high temperatures pose increased health risks, particularly to older adults, infants, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Meanwhile, the London Fire Brigade has issued a warning over the risk of wildfires, especially in areas with dried vegetation following one of the driest springs on record. Charlie Pugsley, deputy commissioner for operational policy, prevention and protection, warned: “Extended periods of hot and dry weather can greatly increase the risk of a grass fire. When that grass is tinder dry, the spread of fire can be rapid. We have seen examples of this in London, and more recently worldwide, such as in California and South Korea.”
What to expect next
Although the current weather forecast heatwave may subside slightly after the weekend, the summer outlook remains promising. Forecasters advise staying up to date with official bulletins from the Met Office and UKHSA, especially if travelling or attending outdoor events.