By JOSHUA HAINING, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 13:01 BST, 16 August 2026 | Updated: 13:28 BST, 16 August 2026

Twelve people have been killed after a Polish tourist bus crashed and flipped over off a road in Hungary. 

The bus was travelling on the M3 motorway, around 90 miles from the nation’s capital of Budapest, at 1.00am on Sunday when the vehicle overturned.

It was likely that the driver fell asleep at the wheel and has since been taken into custody, police said.

Ten people among the 57 passengers and two drivers onboard were also injured in the crash. 

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Polish President Karol Nawrocki expressed his ‘deep sorrow’ after the accident.

He wrote on X: “I join the families and loved ones of the victims in prayer and deep sympathy.” 

Pictures of the badly-damaged bus show it lying at the bottom of a grass verge on the side of the motorway.

Suitcases and belongings can be seen strewn across the ditch next to the bus wreckage.

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A Polish tourist bus went off the side of a motorway and crashed killing 12 people in Hungary this morning

The bus flipped and crashed at the bottom of a dry grass verge trapping passengers underneath 

Two cranes pictured lifting the bus from the ditch along the M3 motorway about 90 miles from Budapest

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Several of the passengers were trapped under the vehicle when it flipped as it crashed, Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management said in a statement.

All of the passengers on the bus were Polish citizens, Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór confirmed.

The bus travelled from Poland’s southeastern Podkarpackie region and passengers were returning from a pilgrimage in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar offered his condolences to the families of the victims and thanked rescue workers who responded to the crash.

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A police officer who killed his lover after she exposed their affair will be freed early under Labour’s release scheme, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

In a scandalous move, Timothy Brehmer, who was jailed for strangling Claire Parry to death in 2020, could be free to walk the streets by this time next year after serving just over half his sentence.

It adds to growing anger over plans to release two of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.

The news comes despite the fact that Brehmer, a constable with Dorset Police, had three years added to his sentence by the Court of Appeal as it was found to be ‘unduly lenient’.

Brehmer, then 41, killed mother-of-two Mrs Parry in a pub car park after she told his wife of their ten-year affair. He initially lied about the crime, claiming the nurse practitioner had died accidentally during a ‘kerfuffle’.

He was controversially cleared of murder, and was jailed for ten-and-a-half years for manslaughter.

But the sentence was increased to 13-and-a-half years when Brehmer applied to the Court of Appeal for leniency. A judge found ‘too little weight’ had been given to ‘aggravating factors’ such as his ‘lies’ and ‘conduct’ in the aftermath of the attack.

It meant he would have stayed behind bars until at least 2029.

But now, Brehmer could be among thousands of other killers and violent offenders due to be released under the Government’s early release scheme as early as June 2027.

Brehmer, then 41, killed mother-of-two Mrs Parry (pictured) in a pub car park after she told his wife of their ten-year affair

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Tory home affairs spokesman Chris Philp said last night: ‘This vile criminal killed an innocent young woman. Releasing him early is an insult to her memory and sends a signal that this Labour Government doesn’t take domestic killings and domestic abuse seriously.’

Mr Philp added: ‘The Government must urgently cancel their early release Act and introduce emergency legislation to ensure dangerous and serious criminals stay in prison.’

It adds to fury over Labour’s early release scheme, which is designed to relieve prison overcrowding but which will see eligible prisoners released after serving as little as a third of their sentences.

Around 5,000 inmates were set to be freed in September, but this has been paused until at least October amid mounting anger. Andy Burnham says it will now be subject to an ‘urgent review’.

PC Harper, 28, was killed in 2019 when he was dragged by a car down a country road in Berkshire as three teenagers fled the scene of a quad bike theft. Two of the passengers in the car, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, were sentenced to 13 years but could be released next year.

Brehmer’s trial heard that Mrs Parry had become suspicious that he was also involved with other women and had asked him to meet her outside a pub in West Parley, Dorset, on May 9, 2020.

During the meeting in his car, she took his phone and texted his wife, saying: ‘I am cheating on you.’

Brehmer said he then strangled Mrs Parry by accident in his car, and claimed that his arm ‘must have slipped in all the melee’.

He later attempted to cover up the crime by using a knife to wound himself, claiming he had been stabbed by Mrs Parry, a statement he later retracted. She died the day after the attack, at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Brehmer, of Hordle, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, before a jury at Salisbury Crown Court cleared him of murder.

Mrs Parry’s husband, Andrew, said he was ‘incredibly disappointed’ in the verdict.

In a statement at the time, Mr Parry, who was also a Dorset Police officer, said: ‘He’s the worst kind of thief. He’s stolen a mother, a wife and daughter.’

The MoJ said: ‘We inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse. We are fixing this by building 14,000 new prison places, expanding electronic tagging and investing in probation services.’

Daniel Smith, 40, of Topcliffe Street in Hartlepool, is set to appear in the dock at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Monday (August 17). 

It follows an incident on Grosvenor Street just before 4pm on Friday (August 14) when a man reportedly approached a child, who was on a bike, and attempted to grab them.

They were detained by a member of the public and police later arrested a British man.

Detectives have now charged Smith with attempted kidnap.

He has been remanded in custody ahead of the court appearance. 

Anyone who has information or footage relating to the incident and has not yet spoken to police can call 101 or visit our website quoting reference number 162346.

Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visiting their website.

Our reporter Charlotte has been out in Levenshulme speaking to people.

She said: “Residents in the area say they first saw police in a the park at around 7pm last night.

“One resident who lives near the park said they saw at least ten police cars last night after the incident and multiple ambulances.

“Three people were ‘working really hard’ and performing CPR on the victim before he sadly passed away.

“There were many rumours circulating about the incident over night that have been stopped by the police update, he added.

“The resident added that finding out a murder had taken place outside his house was ‘awful’.”

By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 19:45 BST, 15 August 2026 | Updated: 13:02 BST, 16 August 2026

Zara Tindall beamed and jumped for joy as she claimed her first major championship title in nearly 20 years.

The Princess Royal‘s daughter was pictured celebrating and kissing her horse after riding to victory at the Hartpury International Horse Trials and British Championships today.

Zara, 45, rode 17-year-old Class Affair to victory and took home a £5,000 prize.

But despite her triumph, the royal was forced to celebrate without her family, with no relatives spotted cheering her on from the sidelines.

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An onlooker told HELLO! that Zara was having a ‘whale of a time’ as she competed, even shouting ‘Whee’ as she cleared the jumps.

They said: ‘Zara was in a crazy mood, she seemed super happy, smiling as she jumped over the jumps, even going “Whee”, she was smiling and beaming, kissing the horse.’

Speaking about her achievement, the onlooker added: ‘She’s taken this horse, who is on the downward trend, and taken him to glory in the British Open championships.’

The victory marks Zara’s first major championship title since she helped Britain claim team gold at the European Eventing Championships in 2007. 

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Zara Tindall beamed and jumped for joy as she claimed her first major championship title in nearly 20 years

The Princess Royal’s daughter was pictured celebrating and kissing her horse after riding to victory at the Hartpury International Horse Trials and British Championships today

Zara Tindall competes on ‘Class Affair’ in the Hartpury International Horse Trials and the British Championships, at Hartpury College, Hartpury, Gloucestershire, UK, on the 15th August 2026

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Speaking about her achievement, an onlooker said: ‘She’s taken this horse, who is on the downward trend, and taken him to glory in the British Open championships’

Join the discussion

Should royal family members achieve sporting success on their own or with family support present?

Her last major individual title came a year earlier when she won gold at the 2006 World Equestrian Games aboard Toytown, the horse she also rode at the 2007 European Championships.

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Earlier this week, Zara, Queen Mary of Denmark and Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands joined a plethora of glamorous royals at a prestigious equestrian event in Germany.

The European royals were accompanied by the daughter of Princess Anne for the opening gala of the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen, two decades after Zara claimed a gold medal at the same venue in 2006.

More than 800 athletes and horses compete for world titles at the event which takes place every four years and covers six different categories: Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Para Dressage, Driving and Vaulting.

Taking a short break from the Royal Family’s annual summer holiday, Zara, 45, opted for a tux jumpsuit in the shade Noir from fashion brand Frame, which she paired with Finlay and Co’s Tavistock champagne sunglasses, which retail for £160.

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Catharina-Amalia, 22, meanwhile, exuded sophistication in a £214 striped dress from Spanish label Nina Blanc. Paired with Elie Saab’s Petit Wave Bag in Emerald, the princess tied the look together with a pair of Gianvito 105 Green Leaf Suede Pumps.

Eagle-eyed royal fans also noted that the Princess of Orange proudly displayed her arm scar that she obtained after undergoing surgery last year after she was thrown off her horse.

It drew comparisons to Princess Eugenie, who also has a long scar on her back from a procedure she had aged 12 to help treat her scoliosis – and was intentionally visible on her wedding day in 2018.

Catharina-Amalia had also proudly shown the mark as she officially opened the championships – a profound recognition of her marked love for the sport and confidence, in spite of the accident.

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More than a pinch of salt to be taken with the form guide at this stage of the season, but here is how the two teams’ pre-seasons went:

Arsenal’s pre-season results

Girona 1-4 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-3 Real Betis

Arsenal 2-3 Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal 1-1 Como (Arsenal won 4-3 on penalties)

City’s pre-season results

Man City 1-1 Inter (Inter won 3-1 on penalties)

K-League All Stars 1-3 Man City

Man City 3-1 Atletico Madrid

Rangers welcome St Mirren to Ibrox this afternoon

Rangers return to Ibrox this afternoon with the pressure firmly on Derek McInnes as they face St Mirren in the second round of the Premier Sports Cup.

The Rangers boss is still searching for his first victory of the campaign after a difficult opening to his reign, while Thursday night’s Europa League exit to Jagiellonia Bialystok has only increased the scrutiny surrounding the team.

With silverware now the immediate target, Rangers cannot afford another disappointing afternoon in front of their own supporters.

St Mirren, meanwhile, arrive in Glasgow as the holders and will have plenty of confidence after making an impressive start to their domestic campaign. The Saints topped their League Cup group with victories over Dumbarton, Cove Rangers and East Kilbride before being handed a challenging last-16 tie at Ibrox.

Their manager Craig McLeish has insisted there is never a good time to face Rangers away from home, but his side will believe they have nothing to fear given the hosts’ recent struggles.

Here is everything you need to know.

Kick-off time

Rangers v St Mirren takes place on Sunday, August 16, at Ibrox, Glasgow.

Kick-off is at 4pm BST.

TV details

The match will be shown live in the UK on Premier Sports 1.

It is also available to stream through the Premier Sports Player. BBC Radio Scotland Extra is providing radio coverage.

Rangers team news

Rangers remain without Youssef Chermiti, who suffered an ACL injury and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Tuur Rommens is also out with his injury, leaving McInnes with a problem at left-back.

New signing James Penrice has joined on loan from AEK Athens and could make his debut against St Mirren. The former Hearts defender has arrived specifically to strengthen an area hit by Rommens’ absence.

McInnes is expected to make use of his squad after a demanding European schedule, but with Rangers needing a result, the manager has indicated the depth available to him could allow for changes without significantly weakening the team.

St Mirren team news

St Mirren head into the game in confident mood as they begin their defence of the Premier Sports Cup. They progressed from Group C with a perfect record, beating Dumbarton, Cove Rangers and East Kilbride.

One confirmed absence is Paul Nsio, who is unavailable because of his loan situation from Rangers. McLeish has otherwise spoken positively about the depth and balance of his squad and is likely to trust the group that has made such a strong start to the campaign.

The heritage status provides legal protection for buildings or sites

Three historic observatories on the island of Ireland are teaming up in a bid to gain Unesco World Heritage status.

The Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, the Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation in Co Offaly and Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (Dunsink Observatory) are collectively known as the Historic Astronomical Observatories of Ireland (HAOI).

Together, they have agreed a formal partnership to advance research, education and outreach, and astronomical heritage recognition.

Achieving Unesco World Heritage status provides legal protection for buildings or sites that are considered to have outstanding universal value so that their conservation is important.

Professor Michael Burton, director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, said the bid was a “landmark step”.

He said: “We are delighted to see our Unesco ambitions moving forward and look forward to this exciting bid progressing in the months ahead.

“Being designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site would truly put Armagh Observatory and Planetarium on the map and give it global recognition as a world-class site of outstanding scientific importance.

“We are proud to be the oldest scientific institution in Northern Ireland and the longest continuously operating astronomical research institute in the United Kingdom and Ireland.”

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Armagh, Birr and Dunsink contain a number of preserved historic observatories, their supporting domestic buildings and grounds, along with several original telescopes fixed within their domes or structures.

HAOI is seeking to appoint a project co-ordinator on a five-year term to take the proposal forward. The role will be to organise the activities required in the development of the nomination process.

World Heritage UK’s annual conference will be held in Portrush, Co Antrim, in October.

The Unesco nomination bid will feature the story of Romney Robinson, who was director of Armagh Observatory from 1823 until his death in 1882.

Mr Robinson, who invented the cup anemometer for measuring wind speed, was president of the Royal Irish Academy and won a Royal Medal in 1862.

The Leviathan Telescope at Birr will also play a central part in the Unesco bid.

Ireland’s EU presidency logo is inspired by Birr’s astronomical heritage.

The official logo is based on the spiral structure of the whirlpool nebula, first identified in the 1840s using the Great Telescope at Birr Castle.

Each individual arm of the spiral features 27 discs which symbolise the 27 EU member states.

The space at the centre forms a five-point star, a symbol from the EU flag, while the blue, green and orange colours symbolise both the Irish state and the European Union.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Dehumidifiers can help with damp, mould and condensation in homes – and we’ve found one with a discount

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With autumn and winter weather around the corner, many homes in the UK will suffer from damp, mould and condensation. A dehumidifier could help tackle mould growth, combat condensation and also help to dry your laundry.

And you’re in luck as we’ve found a deal on a ‘small but mighty’ dehumidifier on Yimbly, a marketplace owned by this publication’s parent company, Reach PLC.

The Air Pro Mini Dehumidifier Portable Electric Mould and Damp Remover 600ml comes in three colours – light blue, white and black. It is currently available for £29.99 on Yimbly – but we’ve found a way to get it even cheaper.

By using the discount code SUMMER10 at checkout, it will take a further 10 per cent off the price. This reduces the Air Pro Mini Dehumidifier to £27 before delivery.

The Yimbly discount deal makes it even cheaper than the current Amazon price. Available in black, blue and purple, Amazon is selling the Air Pro Mini Dehumidifier for £29.99.

Air Pro Mini Dehumidifier

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Use the discount code SUMMER10 to save 10 per cent off the price

Dehumidifiers can help to prevent condensation, speed up the drying of clothes, hinder mould growth, protect home furnishings and help to alleviate humidity-related respiratory problems. Yimbly has described the Air Pro Mini Dehumidifier as ‘whisper-quiet’ and states the device as a auto shut-off function to prevent it overflowing.

The device is said to consume minimal energy, ‘making it cost effective’ and ‘promoting environmental sustainability while maintaining optimal performance’.

Elsewhere, Dunelm sells the 1L Dehumidifier for £25. Dunelm says the device is ‘ideal for rooms up to 20 square metres’.

While, Amazon has the PureMate Dehumidifier 600ml for £26.99. Amazon states it ‘assists in the relief of allergies, breathing difficulties, congestion and itchy watery eyes by reduce mould spores’.

Back to the Air Pro Mini Dehumidifier Portable Electric Mould and Damp Remover 600ml, while there are no reviews on Yimbly, it does boast a 4.3 star rating on Amazon at the time of writing. Anthony said: “Quiet running and very efficient. Easy to empty the water reservoir and cuts off when full.”

Lara simply commented: “Small but mighty.” While Norrie posted: “Nice little dehumidifier and it works.”

However one shopper wrote: “Catches water slowly. Good to have as an extra dehumidifier, not powerful enough for as a main one.”

And Tina added: “This little dude is so good, I live in a small flat that is not very well insulated. I tested it by leaving it on every night for two weeks. Then left it off for a few nights. What a difference this makes. I will be ordering another one.”

Medal ceremonies at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham were postponed on Saturday evening and transport was suspended after a man was arrested on suspicion of fraud, leaving fans and athletes stranded at Alexander Stadium.

Athletes started queuing for official transport at 10.15pm but many did not arrive back at their hotels until 12.45am on Sunday, with some set to compete again on Sunday night.

Britain’s triple gold medallist Amy Hunt was among those caught up in the chaos, with her quest for a quartet of European titles continuing in the mixed 4x100m relay on the final day of the event.

Tournament organisers said transport operations had returned to normal in the early hours of Sunday.

A statement from Birmingham 2026 read: “Birmingham 2026 can confirm that transport operations have returned to normal following a police incident on Saturday evening.

“Championship transport was suspended until the necessary security measures had been carried out whilst West Midlands Police arrested a man in his thirties on suspicion of fraud.

“The safety and wellbeing of our spectators, athletes, workforce and the wider Championships’ family will always be our first priority.

“We recognise that the delays presented challenges for those affected and would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and cooperation throughout the evening.

“Further information will be issued on Sunday relating to the evening’s postponed medal ceremonies.”

A West Midlands Police spokesperson confirmed that a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of fraud and remained in custody for questioning.

The crowd at the Alexander Stadium appeared to be near its 23,000 capacity to watch Saturday’s evening session, which concluded with Great Britain winning a pair of gold medals in the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays.

At one point during the session, there was an announcement that the six medal ceremonies, scheduled to take place after the final event between 10pm and 11pm, were cancelled.

Outside, there was a visibly heavy police presence and huge static queues of people waiting for shuttle buses.

Alex Ridout wrote on X: “Crazy queues for the shuttle bus after tonight’s European Athletics Championships session.

“Definitely seems like something has gone on that has potentially caused blockages, with blue flashing lights seen on the main road outside Alexander Stadium.”

Susie Barnacle wrote on X that she had been “waiting for nearly two hours to leave” and described “armed police at the buses”, adding: “We were told precisely nothing!”

A statement on the event’s official account, posted on X at 11:03pm, read: “We apologise for the significant delays in leaving the Alexander Stadium venue this evening.

“Buses and coaches will start to arrive and departures will begin to gradually take place.

“We thank you for your patience with this matter. Please listen to the instructions from the safety personnel and marshals who are there to support you.”