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Police roadblocks and a cordon remained in place in the southwestern British village of Whelford on Tuesday morning, as the investigation continued into a possible terrorist plot near a key U.S. air base, with five men suspected of involvement arrested on Sunday but released on bail on Monday.

The men, who police said were all British nationals from London between the ages of 23 and 25, were arrested in the possession of three vans in the early hours of Sunday close to RAF Fairford, which has long been a key hub for U.S. Air Force operations in the Middle East — including in the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Police said the men were suspected of terrorism and explosives offenses, prompting speculation that the detainees were planning to target RAF Fairford, possibly on behalf of a foreign power.

The men were bailed on Monday. Laurence Taylor, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the U.K., said they were placed under “stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others.” The suspects, who have not been charged, “remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of enquiry,” Taylor said.

“I know there is significant interest in whether the current geopolitical context has a bearing on this incident,” Taylor said. “We are considering this from every possible angle. Including, that this may be activity committed by proxies, or individuals either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state.”

Sunday’s arrests, which came after a tip-off from a local farmer, were touted as a major policing and intelligence success. President Donald Trump was among those praising the operation, telling reporters on Sunday that it had been ongoing for a “long time.”

Trump told reporters that the suspects were “looking to do big damage” to U.S. forces present at RAF Fairford. “The arrest in the U.K. was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job,” Trump said.

After they were bailed, Trump suggested the men “might be” linked to Iran, though declined to elaborate further.

“I’m surprised that they released them,” Trump said on Monday during an Oval Office event. “I wouldn’t have done that. Look, they’ve been very good. They worked with us very closely. We know everything about them. We would not have released them.”

The Iranian embassy in London denied any connection to the incident in a statement issued on Monday. The mission condemned what it called “recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets.”

“The circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK,” the embassy said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also suggested on Monday that the incident near RAF Fairford was linked to “a foreign actor,” though said he had “to be careful” in what he shared publicly.

“There are some things I cannot say on the air for a lot of different reasons,” Rubio said during an interview with Fox News. “Suffice it to say that what happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the U.K. over the weekend is a very serious situation. It is one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor.”

“I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail,” he added, thanking British authorities for their work and cooperation.

“We are dealing with elements in the world, in the case of Iran for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally,” he continued. “We’re going to always take that very seriously, there will be repercussions for that if it ever were to happen or even attempted.”

“There’s a lot more news that will come out in the days to come, but there is only so much I can say right now at this point about it other than this is a very serious thing and will be responded to appropriately,” Rubio said.

ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart, Isabella Murray and Shannon K. Kingston contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) — A police cordon remained in place on Monday near a major air base hosting U.S. forces in the southwest of England, where British police arrested five men early on Sunday on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses.

The men were detained in possession of three vans close to RAF Fairford, which has long served as a key European hub for the U.S. Air Force and a vital staging point for long-range operations in the Middle East — including in the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Counter Terrorism Policing said on Monday that all five men arrested were from London, all were British nationals and all were aged between 23 and 25. They were detained “on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and preparation of a terrorist act contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act,” CTP said.

Police said they are still working to “establish the full circumstances of the activity of those arrested, their knowledge and any motivation behind this incident.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 on Monday morning, British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said he would not “comment in detail on operational security matters. Because, often, the more we might say the more insight we give to those who would wish us harm, and do us harm given the opportunity.”

Streeting said the investigation was “well under way” and thanked those involved in the arrests, the evacuation of the town and the investigation. Police said that at least 85 homes were evacuated during their response on Sunday.

Streeting thanked an anonymous farmer — who also spoke with the BBC — who said she called in the threat after coming across the “hooded and masked” men and vans in the early hours of Sunday morning in the village of Whelford, close to RAF Fairford.

Streeting thanked the tipster for calling in the threat, though said the caller only “had a partial picture” of the situation. “I won’t go beyond that, in terms of commenting on operational security matters,” Streeting added.

The farmer told the BBC she believed authorities had “dropped the ball” in allowing the suspected attackers to get so close to the base.

Public frustration at the incomplete picture, Streeting continued, is “a small price to pay” to protect operational security. Streeting also refused to comment on the identities, aims or motivations of the five detained men.

Streeting declined to give further details on what police and intelligence authorities may have known about the alleged plot, though welcomed President Donald Trump’s praise of an operation that he said had been ongoing for a “long time.”

Trump told reporters on Sunday that the suspects were “looking to do big damage” to U.S. forces present at RAF Fairford. “The arrest in the U.K. was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job,” Trump said.

The U.S. military has used RAF Fairford intensively amid the ongoing war with Iran — though so far no connection to Iran has been confirmed or established by authorities. The base has been used by American B-52 and B-1 heavy bombers operating in the Middle East.

When asked of potential Iranian involvement in the suspected plot, Streeting said he was not “drawing a connection with Iran,” before adding, “We know that Iran and their proxies wish to do us harm.”

The Iranian embassy in London denied any involvement in the incident, posting to X to condemn what it called “recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets.”

“The circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK,” the embassy said.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives,” it added.

ABC News’ Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) — British police announced on Sunday morning that five people were arrested “on suspicion of offenses under the explosives act” close to a major air base hosting U.S. forces in the southwest of England.

“A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident,” Gloucestershire Police said in a statement. “It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offenses under the explosives act.”

The village of Whelford is located around 2 miles from RAF Fairford, which hosts the U.S. Air Force and has since February been serving as a key hub for American operations against Iran — including for heavy bombers like the B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress.

“The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are currently examining a number of vehicles,” the police statement said.

President Donald Trump said that the suspects in the RAF Fairford counter-terrorism investigation had been under surveillance for a “long time,” telling reporters on Sunday that they were “looking to do big damage” to the U.S. Air Force base there.

“The arrest in the U.K. was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job,” Trump told reporters on the tarmac in Illinois while on his way to the Presidents Cup golf tournament in Chicago.

“We had them under investigation,” Trump said. “They were looking to do big damage to our fort.”

The president did not address any potential motive behind the alleged plot.

The U.S. military has used RAF Fairford amid the ongoing war with Iran — though so far no connection to Iran has been confirmed or established by authorities. 

“We had them under view for a long time, and we got them,” Trump added.

The White House did not respond to additional questions about the investigation.

Local residents were evacuated to a nearby recreation center, with a cordon put in place. “We believe this incident is contained,” police said. “We are working closely with our partners and are enacting the well-rehearsed plans we have in place.”

The U.S. Embassy in the U.K. issued a statement Sunday urging American citizens to “exercise caution and be mindful of personal security” in the country following Sunday’s arrests.

“We remind U.S. citizens that U.K. authorities rate the threat of terrorism in the U.K. as severe. U.S.-associated facilities, gatherings, and organizations may be at heightened risk,” the statement added. 

During a press conference later on Sunday, Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said that police acted after receiving a call about three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the base at 12:45 a.m.

Officers arrested five men, who remain in custody, on suspicion of explosive offenses, Ocone said. Local police, he added, are working closely with counter-terror police on the investigation.

Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed that the five detained men were also arrested “on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act.”

Police said that a 400m cordon was put in place around the suspect’s vehicles while armed forces explosives experts examine them. Around 85 households were also evacuated as a “precaution,” police said.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham posted to social media on Sunday urging people not to speculate about the incident.

“I know today’s incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country,” Burnham said.

The prime minister said he was grateful to residents asked to leave their homes while precautionary checks were carried out.

“The safety and security of the public is our first priority, and I want people to know that we will always take every step necessary to protect our communities and keep our country safe,” Burnham said. “The investigation remains ongoing, and I would urge people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”

British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said in a post to X, “We can be reassured that this is being dealt with, and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also posted to X thanking the emergency services “for their swift response to the major incident in Gloucestershire this morning and their reassurance that they believe the incident is contained.”

A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force 501st Combat Support Wing, based at RAF Fairford, told ABC News that the unit “appreciates the swift response and continued support of our local law enforcement partners.”

“The safety and security of our airmen, families, and surrounding communities remains our highest priority,” the spokesperson added. “We remain in close coordination with our U.K. partners to help ensure the safety and security of both our military and local communities.”

Amid reports that U.S. air bases in the U.K. had raised their threat levels, the 48th Fighter Wing — an American unit based at RAF Lakenheath in eastern England — told ABC News in a statement that it was “unable to discuss specific force protection measures” citing “operational security reasons.”

“We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures are implemented or modified. Please be assured that the Tri-Base area (RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, and RAF Feltwell) remains vigilant and will take appropriate action to ensure the safety and security of U.S. service members, U.S. and U.K. civilians, contractors, and their families,” the statement said.

ABC News’ Rashid Haddou-Riffi, Guy Davies, Lama Hasan, Kevin Shalvey and Jamie Dorrington contributed to this report.

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(PARIS) — Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to France on Friday, meeting with President Emmanuel Macron and cautioning against allowing technological developments to come at the expense of human life.

Leo, who is making the first official papal visit to France in nearly two decades, spoke at the Élysée Palace before nearly 500 guests. He identified artificial intelligence as one of the major challenges facing humanity and reiterated the Catholic Church’s opposition to assisted dying and surrogacy.

“When science and technology are not guided by consciousness, it can offer immediate solutions that seem to alleviate human suffering, but it can lead them astray,” said Leo.

Macron added, “In the face of the power of digital technology, human beings must retain their rightful place. Artificial intelligence must be a servant, not a master. The digital revolution must liberate, not enslave.”

The papal visit comes after years of reported loss in public support for the church and recent challenges to its stance on ethical life issues like assisted death, which was recently legalized by the French parliament. 

Although the French government is completely secular, Catholicism is still the dominant religion in France. Under a third of the French population identifies as Catholic and religious disaffiliation has been on the rise over the past decade, according to the National Statistics Bureau of France. However, the country has seen a surge in adult baptisms in recent years, according to national statistics.

At the presidential palace, Leo said he was “concerned at times by those trends in society that risk turning science and technology into profit-driven ventures promoting genetic manipulation, surrogacy, the trade in human organs or the possibility of arranging one’s own death.”

Leo continued his visit with a speech at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization headquarters in Paris before holding a prayer service at the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Leo is the first pope to visit the cathedral since a 2019 fire engulfed the landmark. The cathedral reopened in September 2025 after years of restoration.

The pope will conclude his visit in the northeastern city of Metz where he will hold an interfaith dialogue and celebrate Mass before returning to Rome.

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(LONDON) — A technician working on a rope inside Rome’s Colosseum fell to their death on Tuesday night, officials said.

Italy’s Ministry of Culture named the technician as Andrea Moretti, describing them as “a skilled high-altitude rope access worker.”

Moretti died inside the ancient amphitheater following “a workplace accident,” officials said on social media on Wednesday morning.

ANSA, the semi-official newswire, said the 22-year-old had been installing a new lighting system when they fell about 10 meters, or about 32 feet.

The Colosseum was closed to the public on Wednesday, officials said.

“A tragic event that leaves us shocked and devastated,” Alessandro Giuli, the minister of culture, said in a statement. “The few words we can find are for Andrea, his family, and his loved ones: we offer our deepest, heartfelt condolences to all for the senseless death of a young man dedicated to his work.”

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(LONDON) — NATO military aircraft were deployed in Polish and Romanian airspace overnight and on Wednesday morning, in response to the latest wave of Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, officials in both allied nations said.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 161 drones — of which 82 were jet-powered — and an unspecified number of Banderol cruise missiles into the country overnight. Air defenses intercepted or suppressed 119 drones and three cruise missiles, the air force said, with impacts recorded across 18 locations.

Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command said in a post to X that Polish fighter jets were scrambled “to ensure safety” due to Russian “strikes using jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles on targets in western Ukraine.”

The alert concluded after approximately an hour. The command said that no violations of Polish airspace were recorded.

In Romania, which borders Ukraine to the country’s southwest, the Defense Ministry in Bucharest said that two Romanian F-16 fighter jets were scrambled on Tuesday night “to respond to an aerial target maneuvering in the northeast of the locality of Valkove, on Ukrainian territory, near the border with Romania.”

Around an hour later, the ministry said that the alert had concluded and that “no incursions into national airspace have been reported.”

The scrambling of NATO assets in response to Russian air attacks in Ukraine has become commonplace in recent years. On multiple occasions, Russian drones have entered NATO airspace and have even crashed on NATO territory, most commonly in Poland and in Romania. Fighter jets have also downed incurring Russian drones over both nations.

NATO leaders have framed the growing threat of Russian drone incursions as part of Moscow’s so-called “hybrid warfare” strategy against Ukraine’s NATO backers. The Kremlin, meanwhile, has consistently denied any responsibility for drone violations of allied airspace.

On Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry described its latest round of overnight strikes on Ukraine as having targeted military-industrial and energy targets sites in the Kyiv region and in the southern Odesa region, which borders Romania.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that one person was killed and seven people were injured by overnight attacks in the capital. 

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported that two people were injured by overnight Russian strikes in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia. Two more people were injured by attacks in the Zhytomyr region in northwestern Ukraine, the SES said, with eight people injured by Russian attacks in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

The SES also reported strikes in the central Poltava region and in Odesa, though said there were no casualties reported in either location.

In Russia, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said its forces downed 514 Ukrainian drones overnight. The craft, it said, were shot down over 17 Russian regions, plus over occupied Crimea, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

In the Belgorod region of western Russia, which borders Ukraine, local Governor Alexander Shuvaev said that eight people were injured by Ukrainian drone attacks.

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(WASHINGTON) — An American F-16 fighter jet crashed near a U.S. air base in western Germany on Tuesday, according to military officials.

The pilot “ejected safely” and is receiving medical care, U.S. Air Base Spangdahlem said in a statement.

“Emergency response personnel are on scene,” the statement said. “The cause of the incident is under investigation.”

The fighter jet, assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing, crashed at 2:30 p.m. local time. Smoke could be seen in video near the scene.

The news comes days after a separate Texas National Guard F-16 crash in Michigan last week.

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(NEW YORK) — Prince Harry is attending his first public engagement Thursday since moving back to the United Kingdom, the same day his father, King Charles III, and his brother, Prince William, also held engagements.

The busy day marks a new reality for Britain’s royal family as they continue on with their official royal engagements, while Harry builds his own calendar as a non-working member of the royal family.

Harry is scheduled to attend an event in London for the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style competition for wounded veterans he founded over a decade ago.

The event is already making headlines because it will be Harry’s first public appearance since he and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, moved back to the U.K. with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. The family spent the past six years living in California after Harry and Meghan stepped away from their senior royal roles in 2020.

Earlier in the day Thursday, Harry’s father, King Charles III, delivered a speech on artificial intelligence at a conference in Scotland. The same day, also in Scotland, William stepped out with his wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, for a royal visit to the Isle of Bute.

Neither William nor Charles has commented publicly on Harry and Meghan’s return to the U.K.

Harry’s relations with some of his royal family members, particularly William, have been strained in the years since his departure from the U.K.

The only statement the royal family has given on the Sussexes’ return is a letter released on Sept. 8 under the direction of King Charles, advising that Harry and Meghan will remain “private citizens” and will not be working royals while living in the U.K.

Harry and Meghan were “surprised” by the letter, their spokesperson told ABC News at the time. The couple has not commented further.

When Harry and Meghan stepped away from their senior royal roles in 2020, it was agreed that they would no longer use their royal highness titles, would no longer represent the monarchy and would no longer receive public funds for royal duties, freeing them to earn money on their own.

In the years following, Harry and Meghan continued to attend public engagements on their own, though not in a royal capacity.

In addition to Thursday night’s Invictus event, Harry is expected to attend and speak next week at the WellChild Awards, an event in London for seriously ill children that both he and Meghan have attended on multiple occasions previously.

From there, Harry is scheduled to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting, set to be held Sept. 22-23 in New York.

It’s not publicly known where the Sussexes are living in the U.K. The family plans to stay for an “extended period of time” in the U.K., where Archie and Lilibet will attend school, according to a source familiar with the matter.

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LONDON — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday called for deeper transatlantic ties with the European Union amid an ongoing diplomatic and trade spat with President Donald Trump’s administration.

During an address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Carney told lawmakers, “Canada and Europe are each strong. Canada and Europe are stronger together.”

“Where our strengths differ, they complement. Where they overlap, they create scale. We should build on each other’s strengths — deliberately, systematically and rapidly,” Carney added.

Carney called for Canada and Europe to work together on securing “strategic autonomy” in areas including critical minerals, defense-industrial capacity, AI and computing, energy security and space.

The prime minister also called for a move towards “seamless, digital trade in non-agricultural goods and a wide range of services,” plus deeper “people-to-people ties” allowing young people to “work, study and live where they want on either side of the Atlantic.”

“I’m not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great power rival — only with better manners,” Carney said, to some laughter in the chamber. The prime minister did not explicitly mention the U.S. or Trump during his address.

“We do not seek power to dominate others,” he added. “On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so no one — no one — can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law.”

Carney’s visit to Europe this week came as the European Union offered to make Canada the bloc’s first-ever “associate member.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Strasbourg on Wednesday, “We want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible. We must urgently reimagine our partnerships. So, I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU.”

ABC News’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — Prince Harry and Meghan’s two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will move to a new school in the United Kingdom after leaving their previous school due to security concerns.

“The decision for the children to move school was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements,” a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said in a statement Monday.

“The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family,” the spokesperson continued. “This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.”

Harry and Meghan and their two children moved to the U.K. in late August after living in California for six years.

It is not known publicly where the Sussexes are living in the U.K. nor where Archie and Lilibet had been enrolled in school. Many schools in the U.K. began their fall semesters the week of Sept. 7.

While living in the U.K., Harry and Meghan are remaining as “private citizens” and are not working royals, according to a letter released last week under the direction of Harry’s father, King Charles III.

As non-working royals, the Sussexes do not receive the same automatic taxpayer-funded armed police protection as Harry’s royal family members, including his father, the king, and his brother, Prince William.

The Sussexes have relied on a privately funded security team for the past six years since moving to California.

Harry and Meghan have not commented publicly on their security setup while living in the U.K.

ABC News understands that RAVEC, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures — the independent body tasked with deciding who gets royal and VIP security in the U.K. — plans to review the security status for both Harry and Meghan as soon as possible.

RAVEC ruled in 2020 — when Harry and Meghan stepped away from their roles as senior working roles — that security for the Sussexes would be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Harry lost an appeal last year challenging the British government’s decision in 2020 to reduce his publicly funded security.

While Harry and Meghan have not commented publicly on their move back to the U.K., Meghan on Sunday shared a glimpse of the family’s new life there.

The duchess shared a video on Instagram showing herself walking hand-in-hand with Harry and other family moments, including Lilibet riding a bicycle with Archie running alongside her.

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