32-year-old suspect arrested in stabbing of multiple people on UK train: Police
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(LONDON) — A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder for allegedly attacking multiple people with a knife aboard a train headed to London on Saturday evening, according to police, a crime the prime minister called an “appalling incident.”
In a statement shortly after the attack, British Transport Police (BTP) said two people had been arrested. On Sunday afternoon, however, police said a 35-year-old London man initially taken into custody had been released after investigators determined he was not involved.
The victim who was most seriously injured in the attack is a member of the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) staff, who was stabbed when he intervened in an attempt to stop the attack.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy of the BTP praised the railway staff member on Sunday afternoon for protecting other passengers, saying security video aboard the train captured the employee’s courageous actions.
“Having viewed the CCTV from the train, the actions of the member of rail staff were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved people’s lives,” Cundy said.
The LNER staffer remained hospitalized on Sunday evening in “life-threatening condition,” according to the BTP. Five other people who were hospitalized with stabbing injuries have been treated and released, according to police.
BTP Superintendent John Loveless said a total of 10 people were taken to hospitals by ambulance, and that an eleventh alleged victim went to a hospital on their own later Sunday night. Initially, Loveless said nine people appeared to have life-threatening injuries when they were taken from the scene.
The BTP said in a statement that it began receiving reports at 7:42 p.m. on Sunday about the stabbings aboard the LNER train that was headed from the city of Doncaster to London’s King’s Cross station.
“Our investigation is moving at pace and we are confident we are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident,” Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy of the BTP said on Sunday afternoon.
Armed officers boarded the train when it made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon, roughly 70 miles north of London, and arrested the suspect, whose name was not immediately released, according to Cundy.
“A knife was recovered by officers at the scene,” the BTP statement said Sunday afternoon.
The suspect is from Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire, about 74 miles from London, according to Cundy, who also said investigators believe the suspect boarded the train at the Peterborough station.
“As would be expected, specialist detectives are looking into the background of the suspect we have in custody and the events that led up to the attack,” Cundy said.
“This was a horrific attack that has had a wide impact,” Cundy added. “My thoughts and those of everyone in the British Transport Police are with those injured and their families — especially the brave member of the rail staff whose family are being supported by specialist officers.”
The UK’s Counter Terrorism Policing is supporting the investigation to establish “the full circumstances and motivation for this incident,” the BTP said in a statement.
“At this stage, there is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident,” Loveless said. “At this early stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident.”
Speaking at the scene of the attack on Sunday morning, Loveless said the suspect was arrested within eight minutes of the first emergency call being received.
“The appalling incident on a train near Huntingdon is deeply concerning,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement on social media. “My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in a post on X that she was receiving “regular updates” on the investigation.
“Two suspects have been immediately arrested and taken into custody,” she wrote, adding, “I urge people to avoid comment and speculation at this early stage.”
King Charles III, meanwhile, said in a statement posted to the Royal Family’s official X account, “My wife and I were truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack that took place on board a train in Cambridgeshire last night.”
“Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with all those affected, and their loved ones,” the king said. “We are particularly grateful to the emergency services for their response to this awful incident.”
ABC News’ Rashid Haddou and Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.
The United Nations headquarters is seen in Manhattan on Sept. 9, 2025 as the annual U.N. General Assembly, the 80th, began with thousands of delegates and world leaders expected to attend over the next few weeks. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged attendees of this week’s United Nations General Assembly sessions in New York to use the meeting of world leaders to apply “strong political pressure” on Russia, as Moscow’s war on its neighbor wears on.
Zelenskyy posted to social media on Monday morning, following Russia’s latest overnight strike on Ukrainian cities across the country. Drones hit Donetsk, Dnipro, Sumy, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Zelenskyy said.
At least three people were killed in Zaporizhzhia, the president said. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 141 drones into the country, of which 132 were downed or suppressed.
“This is already the fourth time that Russia accompanies one of the highest annual global diplomatic events with killings,” Zelenskyy said in his post, referring to this week’s UNGA sessions.
“That is why it is so important for this diplomatic week to be productive,” he added. “We must act so that killings and war do not become routine.”
“There is a real need for strong pressure on Russia, new joint steps from everyone in the world who believes that international law must work again,” Zelenskyy said, calling specifically on “Europe, the USA, the G7 and G20 countries — all those who have real influence on Russia.”
“Strong sanctions, strong political pressure, Russia’s accountability for the war — all of this is necessary,” Zelenskyy wrote. “All of this will happen.”
U.S.-led peace talks have thus far failed to produce a ceasefire in Ukraine, where Russian forces remain on the offensive at multiple points along the front line three-and-a-half years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
Russian attacks on Ukraine have intensified since U.S. President Donald Trump met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August.
And in recent weeks, repeated Russian drone and aircraft violations of NATO airspace in Poland, Romania and Estonia have further raised tensions between Moscow and its Western adversaries.
At Tallinn’s request, the United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian fighter aircraft on Sept. 12.
Trump — who is expected to meet with Zelenskyy in New York this week — has repeatedly expressed his frustration with Putin over the failure of peace efforts and Moscow’s continued long-range strikes. While in the U.K. last week, Trump said Putin had “let me down.”
Nonetheless, Trump has refused to impose on Russia the full raft of additional sanctions and tariffs that he has threatened. The White House did introduce additional 25% tariffs on all Indian imports in response to New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil and military goods.
Trump said last week that he would not introduce further measures until European nations — who have broadly been more full-throated than the White House in their continued military and political backing for Kyiv — impose steep tariffs on India and China.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and chair of the body’s foreign affairs committee, told ABC News that the planned Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in New York this week is positive.
“It’s always good and gives a chance to make him more receptive to our needs,” he said. “At the same time, I don’t have high expectations. Trump seems reluctant to employ serious sanctions against Russia and its allies.”
Kyiv will be watching closely to see how many states back a planned resolution expressing support for Ukraine. “It’s indicative of our support in the world, including in the Global South,” Merezhko said.
Russian officials, meanwhile, have signaled no imminent willingness to agree to a ceasefire or to a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, an idea proposed by Trump after his Alaska summit with the Russian president.
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Trump’s disappointment with the pace of the negotiations with Russia can be “partly explained by the fact that he wants quick solutions.”
ABC News’ Anna Sergeeva and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.
(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with European leaders in Copenhagen on Thursday, according to a press release from the Danish prime minister’s office, with the allied response to Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion set to top the agenda.
“Russia’s war in Ukraine sets the tone for the meeting, and the road to a strong and secure Europe is top of the agenda,” the press release from Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s office said.
Zelenskyy will be “one of the keynote speakers” addressing the European Political Community summit, a gathering of more than 50 European heads of state or government as well as representatives from the European Union and international organizations.
The Ukrainian president will also hold a press conference with Frederiksen following the closing session, according to the press release.
“We have one task ahead of us. We have to make Europe as strong as possible,” Mette said in a statement included in the press release.
“That calls for unity. Rearmament. Political determination to find solutions across our continent. And a joint understanding of support to Ukraine as an investment in the defense of Europe,” she added.
“Russia’s war in Ukraine was never only about Ukraine,” Frederiksen said. “That has become increasingly evident over the last few weeks.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, the prime minister said, “will not stop his brutal attacks unless he is forced to.”
Zelenskyy said in a post to Telegram that “Russia is escalating,” citing “recent violations of the airspace of Denmark, Poland, Romania, Norway and Estonia.”
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to work with European partners on a “joint, integrated air defense system,” with “Ukrainian specialists and Ukrainian technologies” ready to contribute to the European Union’s proposed “drone wall” defensive system along the bloc’s eastern flank intended to repel Russian unmanned aircraft.
Ukrainian military personnel are already in Denmark to assist Copenhagen, Zelenskyy said. The president also thanked Denmark for its latest military aid package for Ukraine, which Zelenskyy said was worth more than $423 million.
Speaking to reporters Thursday morning ahead of the Copenhagen summit, Zelenskyy said he had discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump the possibility of Ukraine using “long-range weapons systems” to strike Russia.
“We talked with the U.S. We thank Trump very much for this dialogue,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “Last time we had a really productive, very fruitful dialogue. We talked about long-range weapons systems. We’ll see. Everything will depend on his decision. This is important.”
(DOHA, Qatar) — Five members of Hamas and a member of Qatar’s Internal Security Force were killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike on Doha, Qatar, targeting senior Hamas leadership in the country for ceasefire talks, according to statements from officials on each side.
Among the Hamas members killed were the son of a senior Hamas leader Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya — the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza and the head of the negotiating team for Hamas in the ongoing negotiations with Israel — and an aide to the leader. Al-Hayya himself, an apparent target of the strike, survived, according to Hamas.
“This crime represents an attack on the sovereignty of the sister State of Qatar, which, alongside sister Egypt, plays an important and responsible role in sponsoring mediation and efforts aimed at halting the aggression and reaching a ceasefire and prisoner-exchange agreement,” Hamas said in a statement Tuesday.
“It once again exposes the criminal nature of the occupation and its intent to undermine any chances of reaching an agreement. We affirm that the enemy has failed to assassinate the brothers in the negotiating delegation,” Hamas said.
There were “a number of injuries” among Qatari security personnel from the strike, Qatar’s Ministry of the Interior said.
“The competent authorities continue to survey and secure the targeted area using the explosives unit of the Internal Security Force,” the Ministry of the Interior said.
In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said airstrikes targeting Hamas leadership in Doha were “completely justified in light of the fact that this Hamas leadership was the one who initiated and organized the October 7 massacre, and has not stopped launching murderous actions against the State of Israel and its citizens since then, including taking responsibility for the murder of our citizens in yesterday’s attack in Jerusalem.”
President Donald Trump said in a statement read by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt that the U.S. “feels badly” about the location of the attack and adds that “unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
When asked when the administration learned about the attack, Leavitt said, “This morning, just before the attack.” Qatar said they heard from an American official about the attack as the explosions were taking place.
But, Trump said he “believes that this can serve as an opportunity for peace, and he’s still actively and aggressively pursuing it.”
Israel told the U.S. military it planned to strike Hamas in advance, but didn’t provide a location or other specifics in advance, a U.S. official told ABC News.
The vague notification left the military to discern on its own that explosions in Qatar were the result of Israeli action, the official said. The official declined to say when exactly the U.S. received the warning from Israel, noting only “it wasn’t sufficient enough to adequately warn regional partners.”
Netanyahu’s office said the action against top Hamas leadership was a “wholly independent Israeli operation.”
“Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Netanyahu said he “convened the heads of Israel’s security organizations” at noon Tuesday and “authorized a surgical precision strike” on Hamas leadership.
“For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
Trump also spoke to Netanyahu after the attack, the White House said.
“The prime minister told President Trump that he wants to make peace and quickly. President Trump believes this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace. The president also spoke to the emir and prime minister of Qatar and thanked them for their support and friendship to our country. He assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil,” Leavitt said.
When asked whether Trump is upset with Netanyahu for these strikes on U.S. soil, Leavitt said Trump made his opinions clear to Netanyahu.
“The State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the cowardly Israeli attack targeting the residential headquarters of several members of the Hamas Political Bureau in the Qatari capital, Doha. This criminal attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar,” a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X.
However, Qatar said it will continue to mediate the ceasefire talks.
Qatar said its agencies immediately responded to the incident.
“While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this attack, it affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior, its continued tampering with regional security, or any action targeting its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they become available,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Embassy in Doha has issued a shelter-in-place order for their facilities due to the missile strikes.
“U.S. citizens are advised to shelter-in-place and monitor USEmbassyDoha social media for updates,” the embassy said in a statement on X.
A U.S. defense official said, “We’re aware of these reports but do not have any additional information to provide.”
“U.S. forces did not participate in the strikes,” according to a U.S. official.
Qatar is home to the largest U.S. military base in the region. Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by Iran in June in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with Qatari forces helping the U.S. to intercept the missiles.
Hamas leadership and its primary negotiators have been based in Doha for years while trying to get a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
“Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence,” the IDF said.
World leaders condemned Israel’s attack on Doha, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“We are just learning about the Israeli attacks in Qatar, a country that has been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. I condemn this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar. All parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it,” Guterres said.
“The evidence is clear. Excessive military spending does not guarantee peace. It often undermines it, fueling arms race, deepening mistrust, and diverting resources from the very foundations of stability. A more secure world begins by investing at least as much in fighting poverty as we do in fighting wars,” he added.
The United Kingdom and France condemned Israel’s strikes in Doha in separate statements.
“Today’s Israeli air strikes in Qatar are unacceptable under any circumstances, whatever the justification,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement.
Egyptian officials called on the international community to “assume its legal and moral responsibilities regarding this flagrant Israeli violation, to take immediate action to halt the Israeli aggression, and to hold those responsible accountable, so that it does not add to Israel’s usual impunity.”
“The attack targeted a meeting of Palestinian leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha, to discuss ways to reach a ceasefire agreement. This attack is a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of respect for the sovereignty of states and the sanctity of their territories,” Egyptian officials said in a statement.
“Egypt affirms that this attack sets a dangerous precedent and an unacceptable development and constitutes a direct assault on the sovereignty of the sisterly State of Qatar, which plays a pivotal role in mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Egypt also believes that this escalation undermines international efforts aimed at calming the situation and threatens security and stability in the entire region,” the country added.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman condemned Israel’s attack targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, calling it a “criminal act” and a “flagrant violation of international laws,” in a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency.
The United Arab Emirates’ Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister foreign affairs, “called on the international community, particularly the Security Council, to take up its legal and moral responsibilities to deter Israel and halt these barbaric Israeli attacks.”
“Continuing such reckless attacks, in the absence of a deterrent and decisive international stance, will have extremely dangerous repercussions for regional and international security and peace, and will cement a reality that cannot be tolerated or accepted,” the UAE said in a statement.
Iran also condemned the attack, calling it a “continuation of the crimes” Israel “has committed by violating all norms and international rules,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement in Farsi.
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart, Anne Flaherty, Morgan Winsor, Shannon K. Kingston, Jordana Miller, Kirit Radia and Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.
