What makes the new female head of MI6’s in-tray so dangerous
Blaise Metreweli takes over at a dangerous time when Britain’s allies are among its biggest problems, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley
UK
The five big questions that will dominate the G7
The Independent looks at the five big questions that will dominate the agenda at the summit
IAF Confirms Emergency Landing of British Navy’s F-35B Fighter Jet at Thiruvananthapuram Airport
On the night of June 14, 2025, a British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala. The Indian Air Force (IAF) officially confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft was operating from the UK aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and was engaged in routine flying operations outside India’s Air Defence Identification Zone (
SIPRI Warns of New Nuclear Arms Race As China’s Arsenal Surges To 600 Warheads, Global Stockpiles Modernise
The world is entering a perilous new phase of nuclear competition, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2025, which reveals that China has rapidly expanded its nuclear arsenal to at least 600 warheads—an increase of 100 warheads in both 2023 and 2024. This acceleration marks China as the fastest-growing nuclear power, outpacing all other nuclear-armed
Air India Plane Crash: Teams In UK, Ahmedabad Working Around The Clock, Says High Commissioner Cameron
The Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, has been confirmed as one of the most devastating aviation disasters in India in recent decades, resulting in the loss of at least 241 passengers and crew members, with only one survivor reported from the aircraft and additional fatalities on the ground.The incident involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI171, which was en
Britain appoints first woman to lead spy agency MI6 in historic move
Britain has appointed Blaise Metreweli, 47, as the first female head of the Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6. Currently the agency’s head of technology, or “Q”, Metreweli joined in 1999 and has held key operational roles across the Middle Eas…
Why it is Groundhog Day for Starmer with Trump at the G7
With escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, world leaders will have much to discuss, but Starmer also has issues closer to home on his mind, as political editor David Maddox writes
British man stranded in Israel considers desert escape after Iranian missile strikes
James Eden considering ‘risky’ journey through the desert to Egypt after outbound flights from Israel were suspended
Starmer resists recognising Palestinian state as unions’ demand deepens Labour split
Exclusive: The Independent has seen a communique between the TUC and the French and Canadian union umbrella bodies demanding their governments recognise Palestine as a state immediately, with Labour on the brink of a civil war over the issue
Britain ‘not at war’ despite sending more RAF jets to the Middle East, Reeves says
Rachel Reeves said Britain may play a military role in helping Israel as the conflict intensifies