EUROPE

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Elusive street artist Banksy has once again captured global attention after confirming that a mysterious statue which appeared in central London is his latest work. The sculpture surfaced on a plinth in Waterloo Place early on Wednesday morning, sparking curiosity, speculation, and eventually crowds of admirers eager to witness the installation firsthand.

The statue depicts a suited man stepping forward off a plinth while holding a flag that completely covers his face. The imagery is both simple and provocative, a hallmark of Banksy’s style. Positioned in Waterloo Place in St James’s, an area historically designed to celebrate imperial power and military dominance in the 1800s, the artwork gains additional symbolic weight. It sits among monuments dedicated to figures such as Edward VII and Florence Nightingale, as well as memorials linked to the Crimean War, making its presence feel deliberate and sharply contextual.

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Asia Carrera has passed the Texas bar exam, marking a major career shift as she moves closer to becoming a licensed lawyer.

Carrera, born Jessica Steinhauser, announced the achievement on Facebook after sitting the notoriously challenging exam in February. Records confirm she has been listed under her birth name with State Bar of Texas among those admitted.

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British broadcaster, author, and public figure Stephen Fry has taken legal action following a serious accident that occurred at a major technology event in London. The incident happened in September 2023 at the CogX Festival, held at the O2 Arena, where Fry had just delivered a keynote speech on artificial intelligence.

According to details presented in court filings, Fry sustained multiple injuries after accidentally walking off the edge of the stage. He fell approximately two metres onto a concrete surface while exiting the stage area. The fall resulted in significant physical harm, including fractures to his leg, hip, pelvis, and several ribs. Despite the severity of the injuries, Fry later expressed relief that he had not suffered damage to his spine or skull, which could have led to even more serious consequences.

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The BBC has announced plans to cut between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs—nearly 10% of its workforce—to address "significant financial pressures." The broadcaster aims to achieve £500 million in savings over the next two years. Interim Director General Rhodri Talfan Davies stated that while the news is "really difficult" for staff, the corporation will work to implement these changes without compromising critical radio, television, and online services.

He said the corporation would give more details later this year about how its services would be affected.

The BBC currently has about 21,500 full time equivalent employees.

In an email to staff on Wednesday, Talfan Davies said: "As you know, the BBC is facing significant financial pressures, which we need to respond to with pace.

"Put simply, the gap between our costs and our income is growing. This is being driven by a number of factors: production inflation remains very high; our licence fee and commercial income is under pressure; and the global economy remains turbulent."

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The UK Parliament has passed the "landmark" Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which implements a lifelong ban on cigarette sales for anyone born after 2008. Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have approved the final draft, making it illegal for retailers to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The legislation is designed to ensure that children currently aged 17 or younger never legally reach the age where they can purchase tobacco.

When it gets royal assent, ministers will also have new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including their flavours and packaging.

It is part of a series of measures aimed at tackling the health effects of smoking, one of the UK's leading causes of preventable death, disability and ill health.

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced that Italy will not renew its five-year defense agreement with Israel. Meloni stated the decision was made "in view of the current situation," though she did not provide specific details. The move follows a sharp decline in relations between Rome and Tel Aviv, exacerbated last week when Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon faced warning shots from Israeli forces, prompting Italy to summon the Israeli ambassador.

On Monday, Israel in turn summoned Italy's ambassador to protest comments by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who had condemned Israel's "unacceptable attacks" on civilians in Lebanon.

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British police have arrested two teenagers in connection with a weekend arson attack on a synagogue in northwest London, as Jewish leaders express concern about a wave of incidents targeting their community.

Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes of London’s Metropolitan Police Service on Monday said officers arrested two young men, aged 19 and 17, overnight in relation to the attack on the Kenton United Synagogue in the borough of Harrow. The department has made 15 arrests related to six attacks on Jewish targets and a Persian-language media organization critical of Iran’s government that occurred over the past few weeks, he said in an interview with the BBC.

One “serious line of inquiry” is that Iran is hiring local criminals to carry out these attacks amid tensions in the Middle East, including the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic, Jukes said.

“We’ve seen a pattern with other actors of thugs for hire, people taking cash that looks like quick and easy money,” Jukes said. “This is part of the modern hybrid war fought by proxies.”

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The government of Spain has approved a significant plan to grant legal status to around 500000 undocumented migrants, marking one of the country’s most notable immigration decisions in recent years. The initiative, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, aims to formally integrate hundreds of thousands of people who are already living and working within Spanish society.

According to Sánchez, the move is both a practical necessity and a matter of fairness. In a public message addressed to citizens, he explained that the policy recognizes the reality that many undocumented migrants are already part of everyday life in Spain. He described the decision as an act of justice, emphasizing that these individuals contribute to the nation’s economy and social fabric.