A pizza delivery woman stabbed a pregnant customer over a $2 tip, authorities in the US say.

Brianna Alvelo, 22, is charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing the woman multiple times at a motel in Kissimmee, Florida.

The victim, her boyfriend and her five-year-old daughter were staying at the Riviera Motel to celebrate a birthday and ordered Marco’s pizza on Sunday, according to a court document reported by Sky News’ US sister outlet NBC News.

Alvelo delivered the pizza which cost around $33 (£26) and was asked to provide change for a $50 bill but did not have the change, the affidavit said.

The woman then searched for smaller bills and in the end gave Alvelo a $2 tip.

She told police that some time later she heard a loud knocking on the door. A man and a woman wearing masks and all black forced themselves into the room when she opened the door, she said.

The man brandished a silver revolver and demanded that the woman’s boyfriend go into the bathroom and the other person, believed to be Alvelo, pulled out a pocketknife, the document said.

As the woman turned to shield her child she felt a strike on her lower back, she said.

She then “threw her daughter onto the bed and attempted to pick up her phone”, the affidavit said, but Alvelo grabbed it and smashed it.

Alvelo then “began striking her multiple times with the knife”, according to the affidavit. The man who had the gun then yelled it was time to go, stopping the assault, it said.

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The woman received 14 stab wounds and discovered she was pregnant while being treated in hospital.

Alvelo is charged with attempted murder, home invasion with a firearm, kidnapping and aggravated assault, according to court records.

A man alleged to have accompanied Alvelo during the incident has not yet been identified.

A man has been charged with four counts of attempted murder after a car collided with a group of people in London’s West End on Christmas Day.

Anthony Gilheaney, 30, will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday and has also been charged with causing serious injury by driving whilst disqualified, driving a motor vehicle dangerously and possession of a bladed article in a public place, the Metropolitan Police said.

Four people were taken to hospital after the incident, with one in a life-threatening condition.

Metropolitan Police officers were called to reports of a crash and a car driving on the wrong side of the road at 12.45am.

The incident occurred outside the Sondheim Theatre, which is the London home of the musical Les Miserables.

Shaftesbury Avenue is at the heart of London‘s West End and the city’s theatre district.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said the suspect was arrested within minutes of the incident “in the early hours of Christmas Day”.

“Since then, investigators have worked tirelessly to build the case and have today charged Anthony Gilheaney with four counts of attempted murder.

“Our thoughts now are with the victims, one of which remains in critical condition in hospital.”

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A significant breakthrough in astrophysics has been achieved, with scientists confirming the presence of a gravitational wave background—a constant vibration in the fabric of the universe. This discovery, reported in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, highlights that the phenomenon could be louder than previously anticipated. The findings are attributed to the MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array, an innovative galactic-scale detector that has mapped gravitational waves with unprecedented precision, revealing a potential hot spot of activity in the Southern Hemisphere.

Understanding Gravitational Waves

According to the research, gravitational waves are ripples in space and time caused by massive cosmic events, such as black hole collisions. Supermassive black holes, located at the centres of galaxies, emit slow and powerful waves during galactic mergers. The MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array utilises the predictable signals from 83 pulsars—highly dense, rapidly spinning neutron stars—to detect distortions caused by these waves.

MeerKAT’s Role and Key Findings

MeerKAT, a radio telescope situated in South Africa, has been instrumental in observing pulsar signals over five years. Researchers have identified a gravitational wave background pattern, described as stronger than earlier experiments suggested. This unexpected strength indicates that supermassive black hole collisions may be more frequent than current theories predict, leading to further questions about the nature of these massive entities.

Mapping Cosmic Ripples

The detector’s sensitivity has allowed astronomers to generate detailed maps of the gravitational wave background, as stated in the study. The results support the hypothesis that this background stems from supermassive black hole activity, though alternative explanations, such as early universe events following the Big Bang, remain under investigation.

Next Steps in Research

Scientists are collaborating under the International Pulsar Timing Array to consolidate global data and confirm findings. According to the study, the mapping of this background is critical for understanding the universe’s structure and may unveil the origins of gravitational waves.