The Bridgend hospital was forced to temporarily stop accepting emergency patients on Tuesday evening due to a water supply issue
A Welsh health board has issued an update after its A&E department was left unable to accept any patients due to a significant water outage. People were advised to attend other hospitals and all on-site visiting was cancelled at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend on May 19.
Advertisement
In an update issued at around 9pm on Tuesday evening, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said the water supply issue was resolving and said the emergency department was able to accept patients as normal.
The health board said further updates would be provided on Wednesday.
In their latest statement the health board wrote: “The temporary disruption to the water supply at Princess of Wales Hospital is now resolving.
“Our Emergency Department is now able to accept patients as normal.
Advertisement
“We would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding this evening as Welsh Water Dwr Cymru work to resolve this issue.
Earlier on Tuesday, the health board said the emergency department was struggling with a “significant” water supply problem and confirmed they were working closely with Welsh Water to restore services.
The water provider said the supply issues were not linked to them, but maintained that engineers were on site supporting the hospital with their outage.
Advertisement
A spokesperson from Welsh Water said: “We can confirm that following investigation, the water supply issues currently being experienced at the Princess of Wales hospital are not linked to Welsh Water.
“Our engineers are on site to support the hospital and we are sending tankers to supplement the supply of water to the site.”
Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
He allegedly told police outside the gates to 10 Downing Street that he had a bomb in his rucksack
Mathilde Grandjean, Press Association and Cait Findlay Content Editor
12:00, 19 May 2026
A man charged over an alleged bomb hoax outside the gates to 10 Downing Street has denied the offence in court.
Stephen Abbott, 59, allegedly told police he carried a bomb in his rucksack while he stood in Whitehall outside the gates to No 10 on October 15 last year, a court has heard.
Abbott pleaded not guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to a single charge of communicating to police information which he knew or believed to be false, with the intention of inducing in that person or any other person a false belief.
Advertisement
Prosecutor Rizwan Amin told the hearing: “The agreed facts are that Mr Abbott attended the gates at Downing Street, shouting, protesting. In short, he was alleged to make comments about Tony Blair and subsequently claimed to have a bomb in his rucksack.”
Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring told the hearing the case was “clearly not suitable for summary trial”. “It should go to the Bailey given its profile,” he added.
Abbott, of Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, is to appear at the Old Bailey on June 16. He was granted bail on condition that he does not go within 100 metres of Downing Street.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate advanced legislation Tuesday that seeks to force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, as a growing number of Republicans defied the president’s direction on a conflict that has spanned well over two months.
Since Trump ordered the attack on Iran at the end of February, Democrats have forced repeated votes on war powers resolutions that would require him either to gain congressional approval or withdraw U.S. troops. Republicans had been able to muster the votes to reject those proposals, but Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy — fresh off a primary election loss in which Trump endorsed his opponent — switched sides.
The 50-47 vote tally showed that a small but growing number of Republicans are willing to challenge Trump on the Iran war, even though the effort may not advance much further. Three Republicans were absent Tuesday and their votes would be enough to defeat the measure, if they maintain their stance on the war.
Still, the vote showed how Republicans are increasingly uneasy with a conflict that shows no signs of ending, is stuck in a fragile ceasefire and is causing rising gas prices in the U.S.
Advertisement
“Republicans are starting to crack, and momentum is building to check him,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement after the vote. “We are not letting up.”
Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska had all previously voted for similar war powers resolutions and did so again Tuesday. Cassidy supported the legislation for the first time, while Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was again the only Democrat to vote against it.
After his primary election loss last week, Cassidy returned to Washington defiant. He said he was proud of his work to uphold the Constitution and would carefully consider how he would vote on several priorities of the Trump administration going forward.
Trump’s grip on the Senate Republican Conference is potentially slipping after Cassidy’s primary loss, as well as the president’s decision Tuesday to endorse Republican Sen. John Cornyn’s primary opponent.
Advertisement
“While I support the administration’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury,” Cassidy said on social media.
“Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified.”
House will also vote on war powers
Across the Capitol, the House is expected to vote on a similar war powers resolution Wednesday, and Democrats are bullish about their chances of passing it. Another war powers resolution barely failed in the House last week, the vote ending in a tie.
Even if Congress eventually passes legislation to compel Trump to withdraw from the conflict, it’s not clear that he would comply. To circumvent requirements of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the White House has claimed that it has technically ceased “hostilities” with Iran because there is a ceasefire.
Advertisement
Trump this week said he ordered preparations for an attack on Iran on Tuesday, only to call it off to give allies in the Gulf more time to work out an agreement with Iran.
“Peace negotiations are stuck and so day after day after day grocery prices climb, gas prices climb,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said in a floor speech.
Lawmakers want more information on Iran war
On Capitol Hill, patience is clearly running out for a war that Trump launched without congressional approval.
Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he is supportive of Trump’s decision to go to war, but that more Republicans are growing concerned about a long-term plan. The administration may have to go into more detail about that, Rounds said.
Advertisement
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 “does provide an avenue for that discussion and debate to occur,” Rounds said.
He said he believes it’s not the right time to do that, and he would rather “stand strong with the president” at this point. “But I think a number of our members maybe just feel like it’s time to have the debate.”
Earlier this year, Republican senators voted to advance a war powers resolution on the conflict with Venezuela and compelled the Trump administration to make its case to Congress for the military campaign.
A handful of GOP senators forced a final vote on legislation to withdraw from the conflict. Two of the Republicans — Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri — ultimately flipped after Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed to a public hearing about the administration’s Venezuela strategy.
Advertisement
__
Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs after the Club admitted to multiple breaches of EFL Regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other Clubs’ training.
“In addition, the Club has received a four-point deduction that will be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table, alongside a reprimand in respect of all the charges.
Advertisement
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 Play-Offs and will proceed to the Play-Off Final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.
“Southampton was first charged on Friday 8 May, with further charges issued on Sunday 17 May in relation to additional breaches during the 2025/26 season. Those additional charges arose from matters identified after the initial proceedings involving Middlesbrough were initiated.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match. The admitted breaches concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026.
“Southampton has a right to appeal the Commission’s decision in accordance with EFL Regulations and the parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May. Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture.
Advertisement
“The EFL is now in discussion with all three Clubs regarding the implications of today’s decision and will make a further announcement in due course. The Commission’s full written reasons will also be published in due course.”
A new report by Public Health Wales has found that more than 135,000 children and young people in Wales are estimated to have a diagnosable mental health condition
A growing number of children and young people in Wales are struggling with their mental health, according to a new report by Public Health Wales. The largest increases have been seen in those struggling with anxiety, eating disorders and self-harming behaviour.
Advertisement
The report found that more than 135,000 children and young people in Wales are estimated to have a diagnosable mental health condition. Girls, non-binary young people, and those from the most deprived communities were all found to be disproportionately affected.
In the Health Needs Assessment: Mental Health of Babies, Children and Young People in Wales report, it estimates that one in six children aged eight to 10, one in five aged 11 to 16, and one in four aged 17 to 24, have a diagnosable mental health condition.
It also estimates that one in four girls and one in two trans or gender-questioning secondary school learners are experiencing low mental wellbeing. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here.
Some of the factors which the report highlights as driving these trends included child poverty, social inequality, academic pressure, parental mental health difficulties and digital technology.
Advertisement
They also stressed the importance of early relationships, community connection, physical activity and opportunities for creativity as protective factors.
The report also emphasises how important strengthening parent-infant relationships are and said investing in early years support is both cost-effective and delivers lasting benefits for children’s social, emotional and developmental outcomes.
The report said that around 25–30 per cent of parent-infant relationships are likely to benefit from support in the first 1,000 days, but two thirds are unlikely to receive that support before the age of two.
Emily van de Venter, Lead Consultant in Mental Wellbeing for Public Health Wales, said: “There are too many children and young people in Wales who are experiencing distress, low mental wellbeing and mental health conditions.
Advertisement
“These young people have faced huge challenges including the pandemic, financial insecurity and challenging digital environments.
“Mental wellbeing needs to be placed at the heart of social, economic and environmental policy and that starts from the very early years of life.”
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health problems were estimated to cost the Welsh economy £4.8 billion each year. This has risen since.
Simon Jones, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Mind Cymru, said: “What Public Health Wales’ findings show us is that the baseline level of need today is such that there must now be a relentless focus on, and investment in, tackling the barriers to accessing support children and young people continue to face, and we look forward to working with a range of partners to help achieve this.”
Advertisement
The new report uses the newest data and evidence to set out the scale of mental health need across all life stages and makes recommendations for coordinated action across health, education, and wider public services.
Baye Bireme Fall, 16, was stabbed to death in April
Sam Russell, Press Association and Katie Green Senior multimedia reporter
12:42, 19 May 2026Updated 12:47, 19 May 2026
An 18-year-old man accused of the murder of a 16-year-old boy will stand trial later this year. Baye Bireme Fall was attacked near the Orton Centre shopping centre in Peterborough on April 12.
A post-mortem confirmed that he died of a single stab wound. Emidas Krutkevicius, 18, of Peterborough, and a 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were charged with Baye’s murder.
Krutkevicius appeared at Huntingdon Crown Court on Tuesday (May 19) and pleaded not guilty to murder. The 15-year-old was not asked to enter a plea.
Advertisement
Both defendants, who have been remanded, are due to stand trial at the same court on October 12.
A councillor said current issues include illegal parking and speeding
Darren Calpin, Local Democracy Reporter
13:00, 19 May 2026
The death of a 46-year-old delivery driver killed in May after a crash has sparked calls for more to be done to tackle dangerous driving conditions. The driver was subsequently arrested on suspicion of careless/inconsiderate driving after the crash on Oundle Road, Peterborough.
Green Party Councillor Ed Murphy, who was recently elected to represent Fletton & Woodston ward, said: “Issues on Oundle Road need to be addressed.” Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) Cllr Murphy highlighted illegal parking, unlicensed vehicles, and accident blackspots as some of the most pressing issues which need to be tackled.
Advertisement
“In London or Cambridge it would be a really vibrant place,” he said, “and it is – but the traffic isn’t managed.”
He also said that the character of the road – and the way that motorists and pedestrians use it – also needs to be considered. “During the day, Oundle Road is quite busy and the traffic sort of slows itself down,” he explained. “In the evening, the traffic gets faster and faster.”
The councillor believes the implementation of traffic calming measures and stricter speed limits would help to address the issues. “I think that traffic cushions and traffic calming on Oundle Road is a good idea,” he said. “It may be an A-road but I’m wondering whether 20 miles per hour is plenty in an urban area like that.”
He also suggested that greater collaboration between the police, DVLA, and other authorities would help to enforce parking restrictions that are currently flouted, causing potential blindspots for motorists and pedestrians alike.
Advertisement
“I know there have been some initiatives where the police enforcement [and] DVLA have worked together in adjacent streets,” he said. He felt “confident” he would be able to get the city council to help him tackle Oundle Road’s traffic issues.
“I hope for the sake of the residents and the community-led involvement that something is done,” he said. “Otherwise I’ll be asking for structures at the city council to be changed.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Shouting over the banging and clanging sounds from heavy construction equipment, President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave a group of reporters a closer look at the construction for the White House ballroom he’s building on the site of the former East Wing to mount a defense for the project that has hit a speed bump in Congress.
The administration has asked for $1 billion from taxpayers for security additions on the White House campus, including for the ballroom. But the Senate parliamentarian ruled the proposal could not be included in a bill to fund immigrant enforcement agencies for three years, and several Republican lawmakers have balked at the price tag in an election year where voters are grappling with gasoline, grocery and other prices spurred to new heights by the Iran war and the disruption in oil supplies.
So Trump, ever the pitchman, surprised White House reporters by bringing them to a platform overlooking the construction site on a hot and breezy morning as workers in hard hats and fluorescent yellow vests milled about below.
Easels were set up to display renderings of the ballroom building and at least one of them blew off in the wind. “Give that to me, I’ll hold it,” Trump told an assistant.
Advertisement
“There will never be another building like this built, that I can tell you,” Trump told reporters.
He highlighted the security aspects of the building, notably its “dead flat” roof made of “very strong steel” and said it is “drone-proof” because “if a drone hits it, it bounces off, it won’t have any impact — but it’s also meant as a drone port, so it protects all of Washington, the roof of the building.”
He said the military will “stay on it” to keep watch over the city.
Advertisement
There’s no air conditioning or other equipment on the roof for safety reasons, Trump said, explaining that all duct work and equipment like it was hidden within the walls of the complex, which will serve as a “shield” for a military hospital, research facilities, offices for the first lady and her staff, and a full-service kitchen — in addition to a ballroom big enough for 1,000 people.
He said the ballroom building goes down six stories underground and is really “complex” because “everything is intertwined.”
Advertisement
“The roof goes with the ground floor, the ground floor goes with the roof. The roof also goes down into the basement,” the president said. “This is one well-knit building. One thing doesn’t work without the other.”
Trump says the ballroom is a ‘gift’ to the country
He repeated that the $400 million ballroom cost will be covered by donors, including him, and that the work is being done “in strict coordination” with the military and U.S. Secret Service.
“This is not going to be paid for by the taxpayer,” Trump said. “This is a gift to the United States of America.”
But it’s somewhat of an unwanted present as polling shows most Americans oppose the ballroom, which is embroiled in litigation in federal court. A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted in April found that a majority, 56%, of U.S. adults oppose Trump’s decision to tear down the East Wing to make way for the ballroom, while only 28% are in support.
Trump insisted he will have “very little” time to use the ballroom. He recently announced that it will be ready in September 2028, less than six months before his term ends.
“This is really for other presidents,” he said.
Trump sidestepped a question about whether he’ll kick in any more of his own money if Congress rejects the $1 billion funding request.
Advertisement
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump’s tour was not in response to the difficulties brewing in Congress. “President Trump is the most transparent president of all time and was excited to showcase to the press and American people the amazing gift he is giving to the White House and generations of future presidents to come,” Ingle said.
Trump also touched on some of the other beautification projects he’s undertaking across the city, such as restarting dormant park fountains. He claimed to be spending much less to clean up the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool than did his immediate predecessors — both Democrats.
Advertisement
“I’m doing a job on the Reflecting Lake for a fraction of what they paid,” Trump said. He’s having the surface coated in a shade of blue and wants to reopen it by July 4. A separate nonprofit group, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, has sued to halt this project.
The star of 24 is promoting his new album Grey with a series of intimate dates where he will play a short acoustic set and sign copies of the new album.
Kiefer Sutherland is currently midway through the UK and European leg of his Love Will Bring You Home headline tour, which included a date in Manchester at the weekend.
As well as playing Jack Bauer in the series 24, he has starred in the political drama Designated Survivor.
Kiefer Sutherland (Image: Beth Elliott)
His movie career ranges from The Lost Boys to A Few Good Men.
Advertisement
He has recently concentrated more on his music career and Grey will be his fourth album.
He is the latest high profile artist to perform at the Bury record store following the likes of Melanie C and Blue.
For details of the in-store performance on Thursday, May 28, visit www.waxandbeans.co.uk
Met Office weather forecasters suggest high 20s on Friday – which looks likely to be the hottest day of the year – but even warmer conditions may follow
Ethan Blackshaw Deputy Publishing Lead (Mirror), Eliana Nunes and Annette Belcher
22:38, 19 May 2026Updated 22:50, 19 May 2026
The hottest day of the year is set to hit this on Friday, with temperatures expected to climb to very high 20s in parts of Northern Ireland.
The warmest conditions is predicted to come in the south-east, although the north-west and parts of Yorkshire could also rise to 30C. Parts of southern Scotland could reach 27C, with 26C coming in Wales and 25C in Northern Ireland, according to the maps.
Advertisement
The Met Office says the warm spell will arrive just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend following cooler weather and an unsettled start to the week. The current record for this year was set on April 8 when Kew Gardens hit 26.6C – but that could soon be beaten, with the Met Office forecasting London will reach 27C on Friday and possibly 30C over the weekend, reports The Mirror.
Other parts of England and Wales are also expected to feel the heat. Manchester could see highs of 29C by Sunday while Bristol and Swansea could reach 28C and 27C respectively.
Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson was slightly more cautious about the mercury hitting the 30s this weekend. She said there is a “small chance” that temperatures could reach 30C in some areas – something she noted is “quite rare for May”.
However, if the mercury doesn’t reach the 30C mark this weekend, we shouldn’t have to wait too long before it does. The GFS weather model suggests temperatures could surge as high as 32C on June 3.
Temperature anomaly maps show the whole country covered in areas of deep red and orange for June 3. This indicates where temperatures are expected to rise well above the seasonal average.
In its outlook for Thursday to Saturday this week, the Met Office says: “Turning drier, brighter and warmer through Thursday. Very warm on Friday and Saturday, although some rain or thundery showers are possible at times.”
Tony Wisson, deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, said many parts of the country will enjoy “warm, fine and settled weather” that will continue through to Sunday and Monday.
Advertisement
He added: “There is also the chance of thundery rain in places. Nonetheless, temperatures should remain warm or very warm through Saturday and into Sunday.”
The third in a series of military AI summits was held in La Coruña, Spain in February 2026. The aim of the meeting was to convert previously agreed principles on the military use of AI into action. The summit was attended by government officials, military personnel, representatives from industry and researchers from thinktanks.
The goal of many experts and policymakers in this area is to usher countries towards a regulatory framework on using machine intelligence in warfare. To this end, the latest Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) summit presented a non-binding commitment for countries to sign.
The REAIM agreement affirmed the need for human oversight of military AI systems, called for countries to carry out risk assessments and robust testing, and committed to transparency on how decisions are made when using AI in conflicts.
The reasoning behind such recommendations is sound. However, translating such a framework from plan to action faces multiple hurdles. Ultimately, less than half of the countries represented at this year’s REAIM summit signed the non-binding commitment.
Advertisement
To understand why, it’s instructive to look at what happened at the 80th UN General Assembly held in New York in December 2025. At the meeting, members of the assembly’s first committee voted overwhelmingly to approve two resolutions calling for greater international scrutiny of the risks from military uses of AI. However, the US and Russia notably opposed the resolutions.
The US had been a signatory to earlier REAIM summit commitments. But this year, the US and China both declined to sign it. There seems little doubt that this helped fuel the hesitancy of other countries.
The Netherlands’ defence minister Ruben Brekelmans put it succinctly when he said that governments face a “prisoner’s dilemma”. This is a concept in game theory where two rational individuals face competing incentives to cooperate with or betray one other.
Countries are effectively having to implement responsible restrictions on military AI without subjecting their armed forces to limitations that could be exploited by a less conscientious enemy.
Advertisement
Battlefield robots are being used in Ukraine, but they remain firmly under human control. Devdroid, CC BY-SA
An important sticking point is the deployment of autonomous AI systems in warfare. The idea of autonomous weapons systems, which make decisions without input from a human, remains a grave concern for many interested parties on this issue.
There continues to be a consensus against using such weapons. But countries can’t reach a common position over how to define them, particularly so-called lethal autonomous weapons systems – or Laws for short. These are often characterised as “killer robots”, though a more detailed description remains elusive.
A uniform definition for such systems could be an important first step towards a discussion on regulation. But, despite efforts by academic experts to draft and amend flexible definitions, countries remain too far apart on the characteristics they ascribe to these weapons.
The impasse is informed by a fear that accepting a definition could restrict countries’ militaries on the battlefield – threatening national security.
Advertisement
Testing grounds for tech
Existing legal mechanisms, such as international humanitarian laws, already prohibit the irresponsible and unethical use of military AI – in theory, at least. But how these laws would function in practice when applied to real world scenarios is uncertain.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the war in Gaza and the more recent escalation in Iran are being used by militaries as testing grounds for such technology.
The Lavender intelligence gathering and targeting software, used by Israel in Gaza, and Anthropic’s AI Model Claude, used by the US in Iran, demonstrate the rapid pace of advancement in AI-powered data gathering and analysis. This can help military planners make quicker decisions.
Drone warfare – AI assisted, autonomous and semi-autonomous – has grown at an equally rapid rate. This emerging technology is evolving significantly faster than the potential rules that could govern its use.
There’s a recurring argument that humans in the loop can operate as effective safeguards against the misuse of military AI systems. But as human overseers become familiar with the AI systems they use, their engagement may slip, causing them to become detached from the process.
As this happens, they may start to view real people as mere objects on a screen. This effect is known as automation bias. In such instances, human oversight could cease to be meaningful and instead lead to the simple rubber stamping of recommendations made by AI.
Additionally, the downsides of AI technology, such as bias, misinformation and disinformation generated by the systems themselves, and the erosion of human judgement resulting from overreliance on these systems, are not easy to solve after they enter use. This is why the REAIM summit commitment recommended risk assessments and robust testing before AI systems are adopted by militaries.
Without regulation, the risk of harm caused by AI systems remains significant. The severity of such risks balloons in magnitude when they are applied to military contexts. Miscalculations can lead to unintended escalation, as well as civilian deaths.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login