“When officers came back to their car, someone was in the driver’s seat and drove the car directly at an officer who fired his weapon at him”

An officer fired his weapon at a man who was driving a stolen police car toward him moments before he was hit by the vehicle, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable has said.

Police have launched an attempted murder investigation following the incident which took place at around 4.45am on Sunday, May 31, in the Model Farm estate in Downpatrick.

It is reported that a vehicle failed to stop for officers in Fountain Street and was then located in the Ballymote Walk area where a man was seen running away towards Colmcille Road and chased by police. When officers came back to their car, they say someone was in the driver’s seat and drove the car directly at an officer who fired his weapon at him. The officer was then hit by the vehicle and suffered serious injuries.

The police car was later abandoned with a 27-year-old being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody at this time.

Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said: “At approximately 4.45am this morning, Sunday 31st May, a vehicle failed to stop for police in the Fountain Street area – it was later located in the Ballymote Walk area.

“Officers observed a man running from the vehicle and a foot pursuit ensued towards the Colmcille Road. As officers returned to their police car, someone was in the driver’s seat – driving erratically and directly towards an officer. The officer discharged one round from his firearm.

“The officer was struck by the vehicle – causing serious injuries. The vehicle was subsequently abandoned a short time later. The suspect made off from the scene.

“Urgent medical treatment was provided at the scene by police colleagues, who were also supported by members of the local community. The officer was taken to hospital by colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for treatment to his injuries believed to be serious, but thankfully not life-threatening at this time.

“As part of our enquiries, a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody at this time.”

The police vehicle, officer’s weapon and ammunition have all been recovered and removed for forensic examination.

Assistant Chief Constable Jones continued: “As is standard procedure when a police firearm is drawn, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has been informed – and their enquiries are ongoing.

“Officers put themselves on the front line to help keep people safe – they do not deserve to be assaulted for simply doing their job, and today’s incident is a stark reminder of the dangers they face.

“Our thoughts are with the officer as he receives ongoing medical treatment today for his injuries in hospital. And we will continue to support him and his family.

“This would have been a terrifying experience for the officer and also his colleagues – with the clear potential to cause life-changing or even fatal injuries. Actions were taken this morning in defence of life to protect himself and fellow officers.

“Detectives from our Serious Crime branch have now launched an attempted murder investigation – with their enquiries continuing at pace.

“We would ask anyone who has information, or who has CCTV, dash-cam or other footage of what happened to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 317 31/05/26. A report can also be made online via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport.

“Alternatively, information can be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”

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

“Our thoughts are with the police officer who has been injured during the incident in Downpatrick and their colleague who was present”

The Police Ombudsman has issued a statement after an officer fired a weapon during an incident in Downpatrick where he was also hit by a stolen police car.

The PSNI notified the Ombudsman about the discharge of a firearm by an officer during the incident which took place at around 4.45am on Sunday, May 31. It was reported that the officer fired one round after someone had stolen a police car and driven it towards him.

Director of Investigations, Nikki Davis, said: “Our thoughts are with the police officer who has been injured during the incident in Downpatrick and their colleague who was present.

“In line with standard procedures, the Police Ombudsman’s Office was notified by the PSNI about the discharge of a firearm and our investigators attended the scene. We have been gathering relevant information, including any available video evidence, to assess the circumstances.”

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A 27-year-old man was since been arrested with police launching an attempted murder investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said: “At approximately 4.45am this morning, Sunday 31st May, a vehicle failed to stop for police in the Fountain Street area – it was later located in the Ballymote Walk area. Officers observed a man running from the vehicle and a foot pursuit ensued towards the Colmcille Road.

“As officers returned to their police car, someone was in the driver’s seat – driving erratically and directly towards an officer. The officer discharged one round from his firearm. The officer was struck by the vehicle – causing serious injuries. The vehicle was subsequently abandoned a short time later. The suspect made off from the scene.

“Urgent medical treatment was provided at the scene by police colleagues, who were also supported by members of the local community.

“The officer was taken to hospital by colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for treatment to his injuries believed to be serious, but thankfully not life-threatening at this time. As part of our enquiries, a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody at this time.”

The police vehicle, officer’s weapon and ammunition have all been recovered and removed for forensic examination.

Assistant Chief Constable Jones continued: “As is standard procedure when a police firearm is drawn, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has been informed – and their enquiries are ongoing. Officers put themselves on the front line to help keep people safe – they do not deserve to be assaulted for simply doing their job, and today’s incident is a stark reminder of the dangers they face.

“Our thoughts are with the officer as he receives ongoing medical treatment today for his injuries in hospital. And we will continue to support him and his family.

“This would have been a terrifying experience for the officer and also his colleagues – with the clear potential to cause life-changing or even fatal injuries.

“Actions were taken this morning in defence of life to protect himself and fellow officers. Detectives from our Serious Crime branch have now launched an attempted murder investigation – with their enquiries continuing at pace.

“We would ask anyone who has information, or who has CCTV, dash-cam or other footage of what happened to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 317 31/05/26. A report can also be made online via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport.

“Alternatively, information can be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”

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

Last year, American world number five Jessica Pegula said she felt like she was “hitting her head against the wall” over the subject, while two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur questioned whether the people making the decision “have daughters”.

Since 2023, questions have been raised about whether the French Open should do more to showcase the women’s game.

The lack of action prompted recently appointed WTA chief executive Valerie Camillo to seek answers from French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo – a former women’s world number one – when they met at Roland Garros this week.

In what the WTA describes as an open and productive conversation, Camillo underlined her belief that women’s players have delivered some of the “most exciting and dynamic competition in global sport” over recent months and years.

Mauresmo has consistently argued that the danger of women’s matches going “really fast” is the justification behind the choices.

Tickets for night session matches during the 2026 tournament range from €60 to €280 (£50 to £240).

Mauresmo has insisted the night sessions will not be extended to two matches – like the Australian Open and US Open – in fear of creating late finishes.

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All the build up, live updates and reaction to Soccer Aid 2026 from the London Stadium as England XI look to claim victory for only the second time in eight years

The series, which will be broadcast on BBC One, will tell the story of Sarah Everard’s abduction and murder and examine the wider issues of misogyny and police failings that the case exposed.

Ms Everard, 33, grew up in York and was a student at Fulford School before moving to London where she worked as a marketing executive.

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She was abducted, raped and murdered by former armed Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens in south London in March 2021. He tricked her into thinking he could arrest her for breaking lockdown rules as she walked home.

The two-part series will look at how Couzens was able to become a Metropolitan Police officer, as well as how his offending was dismissed and evidence against him was not collected.

Jeff Pope, the drama’s writer and executive producer, said: “Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer, but opportunities to deny him that privilege were missed.

“That he was still a serving officer on the night of March 3, 2021, after committing numerous sexual offences over a long period of time, was a tragedy waiting to happen, and the key question asked by this drama.”

BBC executives said the drama will be handled with “sensitivity and respect.”

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said: “Drama has a unique ability to sensitively and respectfully tackle real-life subjects and this series will explore the impact of this horrific crime, the misogyny and failings from within the Met Police and what lessons can be learnt.

“Award-winning writer Jeff Pope will treat this with the utmost care, helping to ensure that the issues that led to Sarah Everard’s murder remain in the public consciousness for years to come, whilst continuing to hold the police to account.”

The drama will be split into two hour-long parts, produced by Etta Pictures, with a release date yet to be announced.

Just over the Litani river line, the IDF has confirmed it has captured one of the key strategic prizes in the area – Beaufort Castle. It was built as a fortress commanding views from high on the cliffs above the Litani river by the Crusaders some 900 years ago, and has been fought over many times since.

Officers received reports of a stabbing on Great Ducie Street at around 11.30pm.

They arrived at the scene within seven minutes and found a man in his 30s with stab wounds in his back.

Police searched the area and found the 20-year-old suspect on Barker Street.

They were arrested at around 11.50 on suspicion of a section 18 assault and remain in custody for questioning.

Chief Inspector Peter Crowe from the City of Manchester said: “This swift response emphasises that Greater Manchester Police have no tolerance for knife crime, and we will work proactively to prosecute those who choose to carry knives.

“This was an extremely violent attack, and we are working to support the victim and is family at this terrifying time.

“Detectives are working hard to understand the motive behind this attack. However, we do not believe there to be a wider threat to the community.

“A scene will remain in place while our investigation continues, and we urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us.

“We understand how worrying this will be, and there will be an increased police presence in the area. I would encourage anyone with concerns to talk to us.”

When one of the world’s worst ever energy crises began in the Strait of Hormuz in February, few believed that their internet access – rather than their gas bill – would be the worst-affected aspect of daily life.

But lurking many thousands of metres beneath the oil ships being attacked by the Iranian navy lie a series of undersea cables that play a vital role in the global economy, helping to power our internet and keep the world connected.

Earlier this month, Tehran floated plans to impose tariffs on Strait of Hormuz submarine cables, warning that they were a vulnerable chokepoint for the region’s digital economy.

The Middle East is not the only region facing these concerns. In April, three Russian submarines conducted a covert operation over cables in waters north of the UK, although none were damaged. On Friday, the UK announced it is introducing stringent new laws to punish any saboteurs who deliberately damage undersea internet cables with a possible prison sentence.

China has also been accused by Taiwan of several attacks on undersea cables in the region. For the island, which relies on just 24 cables, this can pose a significant national security risk.

Undersea cables carry more than 99 per cent of all international digital data traffic, acting as an invisible backbone of the internet and facilitating emails, banking transactions, messaging and more.

But the so-called global network of undersea cables is more an assortment of “narrow corridors” through which the internet flows – including through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

The roughly 600 submarine cables are primarily owned and operated by some of the world’s largest private telecommunications companies, including Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon, and other consortia. Modern ones use fibre-optic technology, with the cable delivering the information no wider than a human hair, sheathed in several layers of insulation and protection.

Data analysis company TeleGeography believes there are more than 1.5 million kilometres of submarine cables globally, reaching up to 20,000km in length.

They are installed by huge, specialised cable-laying ships, which unspool the cables, burying them under the seabed in shallow waters and laying them on the floor in deep waters. This is only done after the topography of the ocean floor on the route in question has been carefully mapped.

“Everyone knows where they are,” explains Tony O’Sullivan, CEO of global network provider RETN, which operates between Europe and Asia.

“The Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman, parts of the East China Sea, and the Strait of Dover are good examples. Given the volume of traffic that runs along these routes, if they do get affected, it would affect not [just] the edge of the internet backbone but a major conduit.”

Serious damage to the cables can cause significant problems for consumers, particularly businesses. Although the belief that cables break and the internet goes down at once is not strictly true – traffic will typically find another route – the speed of the services can degrade sharply.

A heavy load on the alternative cable routes means they become unstable, leading to unprocessed payments, feeds that don’t update, and messages that take longer to send.

Vital services such as healthcare and banking may also suffer under an increasing load, potentially causing chaos for public services.

The Iran crisis has highlighted a wider problem in how the internet is run, Mr O’Sullivan says, with the routes too vulnerable to hostile actors seeking to wreak digital chaos.

“If a malicious actor should wish to try and take out maybe one fifth to one quarter of it, certainly a particular territory, and then you get an accident affecting another quarter of them, of course this is when things become really problematic.”

The greatest threat in the Middle East is not the cables running through the Strait of Hormuz; rather it is the possibility of the Iranian-aligned Houthis launching attacks on undersea cables in the Red Sea.

“If we think about the Red Sea, [this is] where all of the major data cables, which connect Europe to Asia by subsea, pass through,” Mr O’Sullivan explains. “The Iranians have been friends with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and that’s where they could potentially inflict a lot more damage.”

In 2024, four crucial Red Sea data cables were cut, affecting 25 per cent of data traffic flowing between Asia and Europe, when a Belize-flagged commercial ship dropped its anchor following a ballistic missile attack by Houthi militants.

The Rubymar, loaded with 41,000 tons of fertiliser, was evacuated by its crew after the attack before drifting for nearly two weeks with its anchor down, through an area densely populated with the vital cables.

Although it was not a direct attack by the Houthis on the cables, it was a clear demonstration of how vulnerable cables can be – not only to direct attacks by hostile actors but to accidental damage.

“This is the thing to remember,” Mr O’Sullivan adds. “There are lots of cable cuts every single year. These happen all the time, the vast majority related to either fishing nets or anchor drag.

“It’s very, very easy to damage a subsea cable accidentally – the Iranian concern is mainly in how they’ve actively threatened the cables rather than it just being an assumed thing.”

A new path for the internet?

Efforts to prevent damage to undersea cables are unlikely to ever build comprehensive resilience. Instead, experts say, there is a need for a combination of sea, land and space routes.

In 2024, months after the Red Sea incident, Nato funded a new project to make the internet less vulnerable to disruption due to undersea cables, by rerouting information into space through satellites.

The project aimed to “address the urgent need for a more resilient internet infrastructure worldwide”, Dr Eyup Turmus, who was overseeing the programme, said at the time.

“The situation in the Persian Gulf also makes clear that adding more and more cables along the same corridors doesn’t help to build resilience,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“The industry needs a real mix of submarine and terrestrial routes, diversified across geopolitical regions. We need to choose different routes, not a different cable in the same corridor.”

But experts agree that satellite systems are not a feasible long-term replacement, as they cannot handle the same volume of traffic ⁠and are more ​expensive.

“It’s not as though you could just switch to satellite. That’s not an alternative,” said Alan Mauldin, research ​director at telecom research firm TeleGeography, noting that ​satellites rely on connections to land-based networks and are better suited for things in motion, like airplanes and ships.

Low-Earth-orbit networks such as Starlink are “a boutique solution, which is not scalable to millions of users, at this time”, Kotkin added.

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