T

The Independent

May 2026

NHS patient record change will slash A&E visits by 20,000, government says

The NHS Modernisation Bill, set to have its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday, will see fragmented health records joined up across the country for the first time

Alec Price-Forbesdr
For too long, patient information has been held in silos, leading to patients having to repeat their stories, and creating workarounds, potential duplication or gaps in understanding for clinicians.
David Wrigleydr
It remains unclear what form the single patient record will take and if it will build on existing technologies, such as GP Connect, which already opens up the GP record to NHS organisations offering direct care, or if it will require a wholesale duplication of existing health records with control of this copy given to government.”
I know how much effort it can be to keep different parts of the health service joined up, and how distressing it is for some patients to repeat their medical history over and over. That’s why our single patient record is so important

Great-grandmother with ‘inoperable’ tumour receives UK-first cancer treatment

Tze Min Wahprofessor
This treatment allowed us to offer an option where there would otherwise have been none.
We are all happy that something could be done that might prolong my life and which was not painful or debilitating in any way,
Introducing robotic guidance really helped with this particular case, the needles provided more accurate placement and made the treatment times shorter — she is the UK first for the robotic guidance to insert the electrode chemotherapy needles into the tumour for treatment.... She is doing well and she is very grateful that she has had this treatment because otherwise she did not have any other options.”

Woman dead and man in critical condition after trying to rescue their dog from sea

Emergency services treated the two people, both in their sixties, after they were recovered from the water by HM Coastguard

Enquiries to identify her next of kin are ongoing."
At this time, we understand that a man and a woman had got into difficulty in the water after entering to rescue their dog who had become stuck.”

Mike Pence says Trump’s $1.8B ‘slush fund’ for allies, including J6-ers who shouted to hang him, is ‘deeply offensive’

Todd Blanche defends Trump's $1.8B ‘slush fund'

Mike Penceformer Vice President
It's deeply offensive to me that you could have a fund that could even possibly compensate people who assaulted police officers or vandalised the Capitol on January 6,
Mike Penceformer Vice President
I’ll never minimize what happened on January 6, and I’ll always believe, by God’s grace, we did our duty that day to see to the peaceful transfer of power under the Constitution,
Mike Flood (politician)united States Representative from Nebraska since 2022
I want to be very clear, I do not think we should be creating any fund for people who commit physical violence against law enforcement,
Mike Penceformer Vice President
People that assaulted police officers on January 6 and vandalized our Capitol should not get one dime of taxpayer money from that fund or anywhere else,
Mike Penceformer Vice President
I mean, it’s deeply offensive to me,

United Airlines flight to Spain diverted back Newark over Bluetooth device name

The Boeing 767, carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members, had departed around 6 p.m. for Palma de Mallorca

Fugitive suspect in Virginia police murder seen on wildlife camera in North Carolina forest

Puckett fled the scene and was not seen again until Sunday morning, when he was spotted on a wildlife game camera in Surry County, North Carolina, WSLS reported

Trump says judge who blocked his ballroom will be responsible for ‘Death and Destruction’ if there is an attack on DC

Trump on $400m White House ballroom: 'This is my gift to the US'

Donald Trumppresident
The DronePort at the White House Ballroom will be, perhaps, the most sophisticated anywhere in the World!"
Donald Trumppresident
If anything happens, he will be held responsible for the Death and Destruction caused to our Country,
With the advent of highly sophisticated, and powerful, modern day weaponry, we can no longer defend Washington, D.C., with rifles and pistols, alone. This ridiculous lawsuit must be dismissed, IMMEDIATELY

Trump cabinet member struggles to explain funding and purpose of president’s own 250th US anniversary project

Interior secretary fights back against Freedom 250’s ‘partisan’ reputation as it operates out of Trump’s White House

Doug Burgumsecretary of the Interior
It’s not about the transparency of the donors,
Well, it is, but that’s something I think we all can certainly understand.”
Doug Burgumsecretary of the Interior
The Freedom 250 organization is run out of the White House,
It is inherently nonpolitical. It is a celebration of our country...I don’t think there’s anything partisan about America being around for 250 years.”
Dana Bashanchor
There are questions, from Democrats, about where this private funding is coming from, and it’s not transparent. Do you think that should be opened up to the public?”

Tip Toe review — Alan Cumming is extraordinary in this terrifying, landmark queer drama

Channel 4’s new five-part drama, from ‘It’s a Sin’ and ‘Queer as Folk’ creator Russell T Davies, looks at the resurgence of homophobia in the UK

‘You know who you are’: Rosamund Pike calls out audience member for texting during show

The actor, who plays a court judge in the show, returned to the stage at the end of the production at Wyndham’s Theatre in London on Saturday to give a lecture on theatre etiquette

Come on, it’s theatre — let’s preserve it!”
We are all in this room, we are telling you a story, you’re listening — clap or don’t clap, but don’t just stick your phone in our face. I find it insulting,
We absolutely stand behind every word said here at the bows, calling out an audience member texting in what must be the most emotional scene for the actors to portray!”
Somebody, just as Harry was confessing and was on the floor, was texting in this part,
I just wanted to say for anyone going to the theatre, it’s a huge thing that we’re trying to give you. I am trying to tell you a story, and I’m feeling you, and I hope you’re feeling me too,
Rosamund Pike calling out an audience member in the stalls section who texted during a very important/intense moment during curtain call was quite cool.”

Palace protected Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor over trade envoy emails, claims Epstein survivor

Since there is an ongoing police enquiry concerning Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, it is not possible to provide any comment on these matters.”
This is what institutions do. They protect powerful men and leave the people they harmed to carry it,
I’m glad the UK is finally investigating.... A little

Liverpool to open talks with Andoni Iraola and hope to make swift appointment

Liverpool are looking to open formal talks with Andoni Iraola this week as they step up their interest in appointing the Spaniard as the successor to the sacked Arne Slot

Jill Biden admits that Joe was ‘slowing down’ towards the end of his presidency

I said, ‘I asked you about it [in 2021]’ and you said there’s nothing to it,
I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never,
Rita Braveran American retired television news correspondent, who worked with CBS News, and who is best known for her investigative journalism of White House scandals such as the Iran-Contra affair
People were saying he wasn’t the same Joe Biden.”
Jill Bidenfirst Lady
Oh, he was definitely aging; I mean, we were all aging,
Jill Bidenfirst Lady
Well, you know the doctors said that, according to the American Urological Association, that men over 70 don’t need a PSA, a blood test, any more because it’s a slow-growing cancer…”
I do feel like we had amazing care in the White House, but somehow that was missed.”

Newark mayor orders curfew around ICE facility after clashes between protesters and police

Mayor Ras Baraka announced the curfew for the area surrounding Delaney Hall, which will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily until further notice

Virat Kohli leads Bengaluru to 5-wicket win over Gujarat in Indian Premier League final

Bengaluru reached 161-5 in 18 overs after winning the toss and restricting Gujarat to 155-8 in its 20 overs

Euphoria star Alexa Demie shuts down retirement rumors: ‘I like my life like this’

If I didn’t have that experience, I’d be hiding up there like Enya,
It’s like, did you ever think that I don’t want it?”
There are goals, and things that I want, but I’m choosing to keep that private,
I was sick of going into those rooms, and this was during that time when you’re young and every few months you’re just like, ‘I’m quitting, I’m quitting,’

Osaka and Townsend's dinner for Black players at French Open caused 'bit of a stir' on social media

Growing up, there weren’t a lot of tennis players I could look up to that looked like me,
Taylor TownsenduS American tennis player
We share a lot of the same values and principles and morals of how we go about life and how we want to treat people and what type of mothers that we want to be for our children,
Taylor TownsenduS American tennis player
Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice; I say the darker the flesh, then the deeper the roots.”
Taylor TownsenduS American tennis player
I didn’t know why she invited me,
Taylor TownsenduS American tennis player
It caused a bit of a stir, which I thought was pretty funny because for so long we have been the ones that (are) the minority in a sport where we kind of stick out,
Coco Gaufffrench open champion
Taylor and I playing on Philippe-Chatrier is a direct product of Althea Gibson,
Katrina AdamsuS tennis player
In our era in the 80’s/90’s, we hosted ‘Soul Food’ Sunday on the middle Sunday of Wimbledon, when there was no play,
I felt like everyone in that room was a part of my family,
Taylor TownsenduS American tennis player
When are the white, Latino, and Asian parties?”

Double vision: Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan faces a challenge from a familiar-sounding rival — Dan Sullivan

The National Republican Senatorial Committee accused Democrats of planting a candidate with the same name to throw off voters

Mary Peltola and Chuck Schumer know they can’t beat Senator Sullivan on his record, so they’re resorting to deceitful political maneuvers that attempt to trick Alaskans and buy a seat,
Dan Sullivan (U.S. senator)senator
For too long, Senator Sullivan has failed to put Alaska first,
It doesn’t matter who else is on the ballot. Mary is going to win by building a broad coalition of Alaskans ready to take on the rigged system and put Alaska first.”

Rescuers say a blast at a building storing explosives in Myanmar has killed more than 45 people

The area, located about 3 kilometers (2 miles) south of the Chinese border, is under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, an ethnic armed group which has engaged in sporadic fighting against Myanmar’s central government