The U.S. military attacked Iranian rocket launchers positioned in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, marking its first offensive operation in a month, a U.S. official told The Associated Press.

Explosions were heard near Larak Island, which lies in the waterway, Iranian media outlets reported.

Iranian forces had been preparing to launch rockets carrying mines into the strait, the unnamed U.S. official said. The waterway, a vital trade route, has emerged as a major flash point in the war.

Tehran responded with missile strikes aimed at Jordan, a U.S. official told CNN.

The missiles have been intercepted so far, the official said.

Last week, the U.S. completed an operation to clear mines from strait’s shipping lanes. Following the operation, President Donald Trump warned Iran that “any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed.”

In response to the new offensive, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that the U.S. attack “will be answered by the sons of Iran and will result in the punishment of the aggressor,” Axios reported.

When reached for comment, a Pentagon spokesperson referred The Independent to U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East.

The war, which began in February when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, had largely settled into a stalemate in recent weeks with no clear end in sight.

Speaking with Fox News on Sunday, President Trump defended the Iran campaign, arguing the U.S. was winning the war, even if a final, durable peace deal had not been inked.

“I don’t need a signature on a piece of paper,” Trump said.

He argued that Democratic critics of the war were trying to sabotage the operation.

“They want our country to lose the war with Iran, which isn’t going to happen because we are absolutely winning easily,” Trump added.

The strait, which carried about 20 percent of the world’s oil before the conflict, has remained a central obstacle. The U.S. insists it must remain open to unrestricted shipping, while Iran says it has the right to manage traffic through the waterway.

Recently, the Trump administration signaled a shift toward imposing economic measures against Iran. Last week, the Treasury Department unveiled a multi-pronged campaign to “sever the economic lifelines that sustain the Iranian regime.”

“If we need to use kinetic strikes, we’ll use them,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday. “But economic pressure hurts them the most right now.”

In recent months, the Trump administration has maintained that Iran’s military and leadership have been severely weakened.

“We’ve wiped them out militarily,” Trump said in an interview earlier this month. “The navy’s gone, the air force is gone, the leadership is gone.” He said the killings of Iranian leaders, which have come at the hands of U.S. and Israeli attacks, have also complicated diplomacy because “nobody knows who’s leading.”

Thousands of U.S. strikes have been carried out across the country, sometimes continuing night after night. In Iran, 3,375 people have died and more than 30,000 have been injured, according to the World Health Organization.

The conflict has also taken a significant toll on the United States.

Eighteen U.S. service members have been killed and hundreds more wounded in the conflict, the Pentagon has said.

Last month, Hegseth told Congress that the cost of the war has surged to more than $37.5 billion. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has also driven up fuel prices.

“The oil is going to come down like a rocket going the opposite direction as soon as we win that war, complete the war,” Trump told Fox News on Sunday night.

“We have control of the Hormuz strait. … We’ve swept out all the mines. We don’t have mines there now,” the president claimed.

Multiple recent polls indicate the war is broadly unpopular in the U.S. In a Reuters survey last month, 69 percent of respondents said that Trump has not clearly explained the goals of the conflict.

By CAMERON CHARTERS

Published: 00:45 BST, 31 August 2026 | Updated: 03:13 BST, 31 August 2026

Police were called to the scene in the early hours of Sunday morning after a woman was attacked with a knife

A 31-year-old British woman has tragically died following a stabbing at a railway station in Rosenheim, Germany. Officers responded in the early hours of Sunday morning after receiving reports of a woman being assaulted with a blade and sustaining critical injuries.

The victim was transported to hospital, where she subsequently died, while the suspected attacker, a 27-year-old German man, was arrested at the scene.

Authorities remain uncertain about the circumstances and reasoning behind the assault, and have appealed for witnesses to assist with their investigation, reports the Express.

Police have requested that anyone who observed “an argument” or a “physical altercation” at the station just before 1am local time on Sunday get in touch with them.

The force refused to disclose whether the individuals were acquainted or if there was any link to the Rosenheim Autumn Festival, according to The Telegraph, which is similar Oktoberfest and attracts more than a million attendees throughout its 16-day duration.

Rosenheim, amongst the major cities in Upper Bavaria, serves as a significant transport junction for travellers heading to Austrian destinations, including Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck.

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Luke Charters, the Labour MP for York Outer, has been calling for tougher oversight of the industry and welcomed plans to introduce new regulations aimed at curbing misconduct.

He says the Government’s plans would now require all private bailiffs operating in England and Wales to be accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board or be employed by an accredited firm in order to obtain or renew their certification.

The plans also include the introduction of an independent complaints process for individuals facing enforcement action.

The Press reported on the member of parliament securing a Westminster Hall debate with the parliamentary under-secretary at the Ministry of Justice in February 2025.

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And later that year Mr Charters called on the Government to “get a grip on rogue bailiffs” after one of his constituents was threatened with the removal of disability equipment.

The York Outer MP called for stronger oversight of the industry by introducing his Regulation of Bailiffs (Assessment and Report) Bill in May 2025.

Luke Charters said: “I’m chuffed that, after two years of campaigning, the Government is taking action to change the law and make proper oversight of bailiffs compulsory.

“The people who shared their experiences with me have helped make this happen.”

The MP said he has worked closely with StepChange Debt Charity throughout his campaign, visiting its Leeds office and meeting individuals who have experienced mistreatment by bailiffs.

York Outer MP Luke Charters visited StepChange Debt charity in Leeds (Image: Supplied)

Mr Charters said: “Some of the people I’ve met had lost their job or become seriously ill.

“They were doing their best to get through an already difficult time, only to be left frightened in their own homes.”

The MP said he invited two men – Michael and Adam – who had shared their stories with him to Parliament.

He said: “Michael told me he was worried that bailiffs could take his little girl’s cot.

“As a dad, that really stayed with me.

“I brought him and Adam to Parliament because I wanted their experiences to be heard, and because nobody should have to go through what they did.

“Being in debt does not mean you stop deserving kindness and respect.

“Your protection should never depend on whether a bailiff chooses to accept independent scrutiny.”

The York Outer MP thanked those who shared their stories and the Government for taking action.

Mr Charters said: “To StepChange and everyone who has trusted me with their story, thank you.

“I know it isn’t easy to talk about some of the hardest moments of your life.

“Those conversations are why I took this up, and I’ll keep pushing to get these protections in place.

“You deserved better.

“I want to thank Ministers for listening and for hearing the voice of the voiceless.

“The people I’ve met deserved to be taken seriously.

“I’m grateful that this Labour Government has heard them and is doing something about it.”

Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo is opening up about the vitriol he faced after coming out as gay this past May.

Speaking on The Break Down with Nath & Johnny podcast, he said he was he was subjected to ‘homophobia’ earlier this year, after revealing his sexual orientation and later divorcing his wife of 14 years.

‘I had already decided, like, I’m not gonna water myself down at all. I’m going to just do what I wanna do. I’m gonna wear what I wanna wear. I’m gonna sing how I wanna sing,’ Caleb, 33, recalled.

He emphasized, ‘I’m gonna look how I wanna look and just enjoy being an artist that’s allowed to do that, and that has the freedom to do that.’ However, he added, ‘That was met with a lot of opposition and a lot of… I mean, really, just a lot of homophobia, and a lot of people who really were not okay with me presenting that way at all, with what I was doing, any of it.’

The rock musician took to Instagram earlier this year and opened up about his sexuality amid ‘a lot of speculation surrounding [his] personal life’ – revealing he is a ‘proudly gay man.’

In July, he and wife Fleur Shomo (née Terry) jointly filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court. The exes, who married in 2012, do not share any children. 

In July, he and wife Fleur Shomo (née Terry) jointly filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court 

Shortly after Caleb came out, Fleur expressed support for him while also acknowledging the ‘disorientating and hurtful’ split.

Amid the adverse reaction to his sexuality, the singer said he was ‘going through so much’ and subsequently chose to ‘get off the internet for a while.’

While his band performed on Bad Omen’s Do You Feel Love? tour, he noted that he needed to be on point during each performance, but it was ‘tough.’

‘I mean, a lot of the day I’d be spent in a really, really bad place and just trying to find enough energy and enough will to get myself warmed up and get on that stage and do my f**king job,’ he shared.

Caleb said he is still met with homophobia.

‘It didn’t really change as we kept releasing more songs, and the very vocal opposition continued and still continues to,’ he told listeners. 

‘And, yeah, me coming out didn’t help that. And just being honest with people about who I am and what’s been going on.’

The music artist said that as he prepares his next project, there is ‘a lot that I need to say’ and ‘work through.’

Caleb and Fleur were married 14 years before filing for divorce two months after he came out as gay

Caleb is the lead vocalist of Beartooth, which he founded in 2012; pictured in July 2014 from left to right: bassist Oshie Bichar, drummer Brandon Mullins, guitarist Taylor Lumley, Caleb, guitarist Kamron Bradbury

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Caleb penned a lengthy message to his 213,000 Instagram followers in the spring, addressing ‘something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now.’

‘I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further,’ he wrote. ‘I am a proudly gay man.’

He then admitted it has been ‘difficult’ for him ‘to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.’ 

In his statement, he explained that he ‘always’ put ‘the deepest part of my soul’ in his art and music. 

Then, he reflected on four ‘very self-deprecating [Beartooth] albums’ that he created before coming out. 

Caleb noted his past music explored ‘his religious upbringing, depression, self hatred, self loathing, and hopelessness.’ 

He said he ‘will express [himself] whole heartedly and fully’ in the music from his upcoming album.

Located in North Yorkshire, Skipton is the perfect day out for anyone who enjoys delving into the local history wherever they go. 

The town’s main attraction, the medieval castle, dates back to around 1069 with a Tudor wing that was added in the 1500s. It was built by the Normans to strengthen their control over the area and defend from invading Scots. 

It’s somewhere you could easily spend an afternoon exploring. There are several parts of the site to check out, including the watch tower, dungeons, chapel terrace and ancient woodland, which is adjacent to the castle and managed by the Woodland Trust. 

Skipton is just a 90-minute drive away from Oldham (Image: Supplied)

While it was the castle that first drew me to Skipton as a child, it’s the retail offerings, cafes and pubs that keep me coming back as an adult. 

It’s always a good idea to time your visit with the market days, which are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. While many other towns have seen their markets dwindle in the last decade, Skipton is one place where the tradition is still very much alive.

From pick-and-mix sweets to outdoor wear, from garden furniture to artisan cheese, there are a wide variety of traders, it doesn’t matter if you’re looking for something specific or just browsing, it’s hard to come away empty handed. 

There are plenty of other independent shops and boutiques to visit. Customer service always tends to be top-notch in these shops, with staff that seem to be always more than happy to have a chat. 

After all that shopping, it is essential that you stop off at one of the many pubs or cafes. One of my favourites is the Narrow Boat, which is located in a quiet spot off the main High Street where the market is.

If you want to stop and watch the boats go by on the canal – or take a trip on one – the Boat House Bar is the place to be. And if it’s real ale you’re after, the CAMRA award-winning Beer Engine is the place to go.

Skipton is also a great place for foodies – it even has a Michelin-starred restaurant, The Angel at Hetton. However, my go-to in Skipton is Bizzie Lizzie’s fish and chip restaurant, which is good enough to compete with the exceptionally high standards of Oldham’s own Levers.

Fans were so keen to snap up a piece of pottery history shops sold out in hours – bringing 217 years of history to a sad close as the company stops production

A British business icon founded before Queen Victoria took the throne closed its last store forever on Saturday after plunging into administration.

Denby was founded in 1809 and produced top-quality pottery from the ‘same site’ in Derbyshire for 217 years. However, it called in the administrators on Christmas Eve last year, and was formally placed in administration at the end of March.

Companies House documents show the company owed more than £34 million to creditors. Sweeping redundancies hit the business, with a firesale of stock aimed at bringing in as much cash as possible.

Denby’s shops are now closed forever, bringing to an end more than two centuries of history. A statement from the company, released last week, said: “It is with great sadness that, following Denby entering administration, all our stores will be closed by the end of this week (week ending 30th August).

“We would like to thank all our customers who have visited our stores and website over the years, and especially all our great colleagues in the factory, warehouse and stores over the years who have made Denby what it has been.”

Initially, stores were set to open until Sunday, but pottery flew off the shelves so quickly it closed at 12 noon on Saturday (August 29).

A source from administrators FRP said response to news of the closure was “phenomenal”, with higher than expected footfall at its closing down sale over the past few days.

Although Denby is set to cease production, the brand is set to live on, according to Tony Wright from FRP. He said: “It’s undoubtedly a sad moment to see the Pottery Village close after so many years as the home of this much-loved British brand.

“We wanted to give shoppers and Denby enthusiasts the chance to visit one final time and take home a piece of its heritage.

“While the stores are closing, the Denby brand itself will continue under new ownership, ensuring its legacy lives on.”

International Denby subsidiaries are unaffected by the UK company’s administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Instead of adding new roses, President Donald Trump’s White House Rose Garden is growing statues.

Trump put statues of some of America’s founders in the garden just off the Oval Office after he replaced its plush lawn with a white stone patio, turning the historic outdoor space into a look-alike of the one at his Mar-a-Lago home and private club in Palm Beach, Florida.

At least one statue was a gift. Others are on loan from people who wish to remain anonymous.

The statues are part of Trump’s sweeping series of White House renovations, from his gilded makeover of the Oval Office to the ballroom and helipad that the Republican president is having built on the south grounds. These projects fit into Trump’s broader plan to leave his mark on downtown Washington through other construction projects, including a statue garden on federal land near the National Mall.

Thomas Jefferson returns to the White House

Lundeen said he made the sculpture of Jefferson, the third U.S. president, decades ago and kept it at his ranch until he decided to spruce it up and send it to Trump for display at the White House in time for July Fourth celebrations of America’s 250th birthday. Steven Barber, his friend and collaborator, had reached out to contacts at the White House on Lundeen’s behalf.

“I thought it would just be a real nice thing on the 250th for people to look at Thomas Jefferson as he was writing the Declaration of Independence,” Lundeen said in a telephone interview.

But the statue did not get to the White House in time. Barber said it was stuck on a truck partly because of heavy security around the celebratory events. Trump was shown photos and liked the sculpture so much that he decided to put it in the Rose Garden.

When the president called Lundeen to thank him, he got voicemail. After the holiday, Lundeen’s office manager insisted he listen to one message in particular.

The statue of Washington, America’s first president, was lent by Harlan Crow, the White House said. Representatives for the Texas-based real estate tycoon and GOP megadonor, who made headlines in recent years for his friendship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, did not respond to email messages from the AP seeking comment.

A third statue, “Freedom’s Charge,” a 14-foot-tall (4.3-meter-tall) bronze sculpture of two Revolutionary War soldiers separated by a flag, was relocated from Dallas. Chas Fagan, the sculptor, did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

The Franklin and Hamilton statues are from anonymous donors, according to the White House.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle explained Trump’s fondness for statues by saying that no other president has done more to beautify the White House and its surroundings.

“From restoring our treasured landmarks, which had suffered years of abuse and vandalism, to cleaning our parks and the Reflecting Pool, President Trump’s bold vision ensured that America rang in its 250th birthday celebration with glory and pride,” Ingle said in an emailed statement that referenced Trump’s troubled effort to spruce up the pool near the Lincoln Memorial.

He said Trump continues to make “long-overdue and necessary” renovations to the White House.

“Thanks to the Builder-in-Chief, the White House will be properly glorified and remain in excellent condition for generations to come,” Ingle said.

Next door to the White House, Trump had a statue of Christopher Columbus installed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in March.

More recently, the National Park Service installed a series of sculptures of Revolutionary-era subjects and themes at a plaza near the White House.

Trump’s marquee statue plan involves building a National Garden of American Heroes near the National Mall that would feature sculptures of 250 Americans who have made significant cultural, political and other historical contributions to the United States. Several preservation and cultural heritage organization have sued to block the project, arguing that Congress must first authorize it.

Barber said he and Lundeen are “in the mix” to make statues for that garden, too.

At his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump has on display a 7-foot (2.1-meter) bronze sculpture depicting him with his fist raised after the 2024 assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. It was also made by Lundeen and was given to Trump by Anthony Constantino, a businessman and Republican congressional candidate from New York.

In Trump’s first term, first lady Melania Trump installed a piece by Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi near the Rose Garden, making him the first Asian American artist to be featured in the White House collection.

Before that, then-first lady Michelle Obama’s renovation of the Old Family Dining Room in 2015 included the addition of a painting by Alma Thomas, who was the first African American female artist to have her work added to the collection.

The 41-year-old, who was sadly pronounced dead at the scene, has been described as a “legend” and a “gentle giant”.

A man who died in a horror Land Rover crash in Perthshire has been named locally as Loren MacGillivray.

Emergency crews raced to the scene on the Auchterarder to Aberuthven Road, near to Damside, at around 2.40pm on Friday, August 28.

The 41-year-old, who was the driver of the Land Rover Freelander, died at the scene.

No one else was injured in the crash.

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Heartfelt tributes have been paid to Loren, known as LJ, who has been described as a “legend” and “gentle giant”.

Billy Vaughan said: This guy is and always will be a legend in Auchterarder and beyond. We saw Minions just two weeks ago. Loren, you will always be in my heart and thoughts.

“They say only the good die young. Words are too difficult to type. You were one in a billion. Until we meet again brother. Fly high.”

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Dale Robert Mcnally wrote: “RIP LJ such a great guy gone far too soon”.

Sara Spittal said: “Can’t believe it – absolutely heartbreaking. He was such a gentle giant. Sending condolences and thoughts to the whole family at this sad time.”

Jemma Connelly said: “Rest easy buddy will miss your infectious laugh”.

Charli Crawford wrote: “What a gentle giant. Rest easy, LJ”.

Dale Robert Mcnally added: “RIP LJ such a great guy gone far too soon”.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Stuart Walker, a friend of Loren’s mum, to help cover funeral costs.