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Burnham set to be next PM with strong support from all wings of the party as 322 Labour MPs back himGood morning. Even the BBC has (almost) given up describing Andy Burnham as the person who is likely, or almost certain, to become the next PM. As of last night, it is now, barring something so unexpected it would be in the act of God category, it is a done deal. Labour published the names of the MPs who have already nominated Burnham, and he has got 322 nominations. There are only 81 Labour MPs left who have not nominated. By coincidence (or not?), 81 is exactly the number of names a rival candidate would need to stand. But in Labour politics the outgoing leader does not nominate a successor, and so in practice Burnham has already cleared the threshold. It's done; he is the next leader and PM.Currently, Burnham has strong support from all wings of the party. Leftwingers and Blairites seem equally enthusiastic. Unfortunately for Burnham, that is unlikely to last.After Reform's Boris wave" rhetoric, we decided to fight on Reform's territory. Targeting a group of migrants that followed the rules, and applying this retrospectively, does not pass the fairness test for a compassionate but firm system. We do not recall being asked on the doorstep to make it harder for migrant workers to settle in the UK. Yet we are expending political capital, huge Home Office resource, and losing progressive voters on an indefinite leave to remain reform which few really understand or want. People in Makerfield talked about irregular migration, not making it harder for nurses and care workers to settle here. With a 10-20 year settlement period, the UK would be an international outlier - weakening our soft power and our appeal as a place to study, invest, build a life and form relationships.It would weaken our communities and undermine our own strategies on child poverty, violence against women and girls, and homelessness. And the proposals would cost the state billions. This kind of reactive policy making is anathema to who we are, what we stand for, and how we should do politics. Continue reading...

Conservationists fear more nests may have been destroyed during work on Jarrow houses by council-appointed contractorSwift chicks are feared to have been thrown into a skip during house renovations in South Tyneside, despite rules that should stop the destruction of nests.The Northern Swifts Group (NSG) was alerted to the destruction of at least one nest on Tuesday, in a street in Jarrow where houses were being renovated by South Tyneside council. Continue reading...

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Widdecombe was a prominent Eurosceptic and known for her socially conservative viewsThe former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe has died aged 78, her management has said.Widdecombe, who served as an MP and an MEP during a lengthy and often controversial political career, gained notoriety as a television personality in later life. Besides the Tories, she was also a member of the Brexit party and its successor, Reform UK. Continue reading...

Unesco report shows children lost out to servicing debt in 113 countries, with 18 spending five times more on loansMost developing countries spent less on education than they did repaying debt last year, according to the UN, at the same time as global aid to education is predicted to decline by up to 30%.More was spent on servicing foreign debt than on education in 113 developing countries in 2025, according to research by the UN's culture and education agency, Unesco. In sub-Saharan Africa, countries spent 3.6 times more on debt than education. Continue reading...

Airline's board minded to recommend deal - after accepting rival one from Castlelake earlier this week

Police say death of Layla Jeffery suspicious' after remains found in town of Donald in western Victoria

Edmund Rice Education Australia does not consent to being made a defendant, in case that has high court written all over it', Victorian judge hears

SK hynix, a supplier of advanced memory chips, has seen profits skyrocket thanks to the global race to build AI datacentresSouth Korean chip maker SK hynix set pricing for its mega US listing on Friday, aiming to raise $26.5bn as it takes advantage of the AI boom in what will be one of the world's biggest ever stock sales.The Asian semiconductor giant plans to issue the equivalent of about 18m shares on Wall Street's tech-heavy Nasdaq index later in the day. Continue reading...

Gigs by Gallagher brothers, Coldplay, Lana Del Rey and Beyonce gives 11bn boost to the economyBig name artists including Oasis with their highly anticipated reunion tour, Coldplay and Beyonce helped to attract a record number of fans to travel to watch live music last year, helped by a surge in overseas visitors at UK gigs.A report from the industry body UK Music estimated that 24.7 million music tourists" attended concerts and festivals last year, up 4.8% on 2024, leading to an unprecedented 11.2bn of spending across the UK economy. Continue reading...

Native greater crested tern - a common coastal bird - tests positive for disease after being discovered at Robe on SA's Limestone Coast

National Audit Office says system needs to be upgraded before it is extended to ease strain on overcrowded prisonsThe rapid expansion of electronic tagging to reduce pressure on prisons will put public safety at risk without robust improvements to a system already under significant strain, the UK's public spending watchdog has warned.The number of people in England and Wales being electronically monitored has doubled to 28,700 over five years, and is estimated to rise to 22,000 tagged each year from 2027 under government plans to combat the prison capacity crisis by managing more offenders in the community. Continue reading...

Military intelligence officer admits witnessing killing of woman believed to have left explosive device outside oligarch's homeThe case of a suspected bomber accused of targeting a Ukrainian oligarch has taken another murky turn, after details of her subsequent murder were revealed in court with evidence suggesting the involvement of Kyiv's intelligence agencies.French police last week named Anastasia Berezovska as the person captured on CCTV leaving a rucksack outside a Monaco apartment block. It blew up, injuring the Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev as he emerged from the building with his partner and their 13-year-old child. Continue reading...

Media figure and former senator died overnight at home, with radio station 3AW leading tributes

Albanese has attended the Indigenous cultural festival every year since 2019 and committed to be here and engaged with you' each yeah he remains in office

Wildfire comes as Spain suffers a heatwave, with scorching temperatures triggering orange weather warningsTwelve people were reported killed in a wildfire in Almeria in southern Spain, as about 150 firefighters battled the blaze which broke out amid soaring temperatures.The number of people who died in the fire in Los Gallardos has risen to 12 after the confirmation of six more deaths," the regional government of Andalusia said in a statement. Continue reading...

Gillham claimed Melbourne concert in 2024 cancelled in attempt to silence him over stance on Israel attacks on Gaza

Hollywood actor signs recording deal with Decca after decades of composing pieces inspired by his Welsh childhoodAnthony Hopkins says he has achieved his first desire" of signing a record deal, with his debut single being released on Friday.The 88-year-old Hollywood actor's first album, Life Is a Dream, will be released next month by Decca Classics . It is a collection of pieces he has composed over six decades.Life Is a Dream will be released on 21 August Continue reading...

Ministers consider bringing e-cigarette laws in line with tobacco as data shows 20% of teenagers have tried vapingVapes could be sold in plain packaging as part of a range of proposals to stop them being marketed to children.The UK-wide plans also include limiting device colours to white, black or grey, and keeping vapes out of sight in shops, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. Continue reading...

Presenter, 77, says for now life goes on as normal and I continue to broadcast' as he shares diagnosis received in 2025The longtime radio and TV broadcaster Paul Gambaccini has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.The 77-year-old presenter, who has been a regular on the BBC since the 1970s and has one of the most recognisable voices on British radio, shared a statement revealing the diagnosis he received in 2025. Continue reading...

Iran responds by targeting US-allied Kuwait and Qatar and accusing US of striking near its sole nuclear power plantThe US has launched new airstrikes against Iran, hours after Donald Trump threatened to escalate the conflict unless Iran stopped attacking ships in the strait of Hormuz.Iran, which was burying its former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday, responded by targeting US-allied Kuwait and Qatar and accused the US of striking near its sole nuclear power plant. Continue reading...

Outgoing PM has not ruled out drawing up honours list when he stands down, despite previously opposing itKeir Starmer has signalled he could hand out resignation honours when he leaves Downing Street, despite pledging three years ago he would not do so when he eventually stood down.The prime minister twice declined to rule out drawing up a list of honours when he stands down in just over 10 days' time, to be succeeded by Andy Burnham. Continue reading...

George Cottrell's mother, Fiona, at centre of criminal inquiry over potential evasion of restrictions on donationsPolice are investigating donations worth 500,000 made to Reform UK by the mother of a convicted fraudster and ally of Nigel Farage.The investigation concerns two donations of 250,000 made by Fiona Cottrell, whose son George has often accompanied Farage to Reform events and media appearances. The May 2024 donations are under investigation over whether they were intended to conceal a donation by an impermissible donor. Continue reading...

Father Ted co-creator detained by armed officers at Heathrow airport last year over gender-critical posts on XThe Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has been paid 25,000 in compensation by the Metropolitan police and received an apology after his arrest over his gender-critical social media posts.Linehan, 57, was detained by armed officers at Heathrow airport last September after a 10-hour flight from Arizona. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Source close to co-claimant Prince Harry says he is protective of social campaigner and will not see her out of pocket'Doreen Lawrence, the social justice campaigner, will not foot any of a multimillion-pound bill for the failed attempt to sue the publisher of the Daily Mail, the Guardian understands.Lawrence, the mother of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, whose case was the subject of a long-running Daily Mail campaign from the late 1990s, was one of seven claimants defeated in court over claims the Mail titles used unlawful methods to source stories. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Call for ministers to tighten bill amid Nigel Farage funding controversiesLabour MPs are to rebel next week over the government's reforms to political funding, pushing ministers to introduce tougher measures including a ban on cryptocurrency donations and much lower spending limits.MPs on the all-party anti-corruption group are canvassing support for four amendments to the representation of the people bill that would significantly tighten the government's plans. Continue reading...

Reporting suggests FBI involved in seizure of Ismael El Mayo' Zambada Garcia from Mexican territory in 2024Mexico has launched an investigation into whether the US lied about its involvement in the capture and secretive transfer of a top Sinaloa cartel member in 2024, in what would be a potential violation of the country's sovereignty.The US has long denied it played any role in the operation to detain the drug lord Ismael El Mayo" Zambada Garcia, a founder of the Sinaloa cartel, inside Mexico. Recent reporting by the local media outlet Pie de Nota, however, suggested that the FBI was involved in his capture. Continue reading...

Cross-party group backs call from science and technology committee to look at alternative options, citing serious mistrust'A second parliamentary committee has urged Labour to scrap Palantir's 330m contract with the NHS, increasing pressure on the next prime minister over government deals with the US tech company.MPs on the health and social care select committee want the NHS to cut ties with Palantir and find a replacement for its system, which is supposed to unify and analyse huge amounts of often highly sensitive NHS health data. Continue reading...

Businessman stands trial over death of Maltese journalist killed by bomb in her car after she reported on corruptionMoments before the explosion that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia, the journalist screamed in panic, a witness has told the trial of the man accused of ordering her murder.Caruana Galizia was killed in 2017 by a remotely detonated bomb placed under the driver's seat of her car, after writing a series of reports on political and financial corruption in Malta. The government's handling of the investigation led to mass protests and ultimately to the resignation of the Maltese prime minister, Joseph Muscat. Continue reading...

The local truckers association has said it may suspend operations, after several eyewitnesses decried the murder of Ahmad EsleemA Palestinian driver bringing food aid from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) into Gaza has been killed by an Israeli soldier, according to eyewitnesses and the local truckers association, which said it may suspend operations in protest.Ahmad Esleem was shot in the head on Wednesday when an aid convoy stopped because of a breakdown to one truck soon after entering Gaza, according to three accounts. Israeli soldiers ordered the drivers to dismount and one of them shot Esleem in the head when his hands were raised. Continue reading...

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Britain expands heat alerts while estimates suggest June's death toll could surpass 20,000 across continentThe UK is sweltering through the peak of its third heatwave of the year as countries around Europe struggle to recover from an early onslaught of baking summer heat.Punishing temperatures pushed higher by fossil fuel pollution have broken records across the continent in recent weeks. Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, scientists confirmed on Thursday, accompanied by high global ocean temperatures that could cause mass-mortality events" for some species. Continue reading...

Reform UK leader also tells the Daily Mail he did not anticipate main parties would not stand candidates in Clacton byelection

Recep Tayyip Erdoan presented engraved revolvers - with bullets - to his guests in Ankara, causing security concernsWhat does a world leader do with a gun and six bullets? That was the conundrum Nato leaders faced after the Turkish president offered them each a revolver after the Ankara summit.Keir Starmer was the first to mention the highly unusual gift presented by Recep Tayyip Erdoan to his guests. On the flight back from Ankara, where Nato leaders had gathered for two days, the British prime minister said he and others had received a revolver engraved with their names. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Questions grow over George Cottrell's role as party says he has never held an official position

President ordered investigation after fictitious federal body allocated funding and office space, triggering renewed scrutiny of corruptionA fictitious federal entity that was allocated 1.3 billion naira (705,248) in Nigeria's 2026 budget has precipitated a political storm in Africa's largest democracy in the run-up to January's general election.The fake agency came to light last October when Femi Gbajabiamila, the president's chief of staff, wrote to the police alleging that his signature, along with official seals and reference numbers, had been forged by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who was claiming to have been appointed by the presidency to head the presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC). Continue reading...

Demonstrations at 18 sites set up as radical transformation plan put to board of Europe's biggest carmakerVolkswagen's proposal to slash up to 100,000 jobs and close factories faces a major test on Thursday as it is formally put to its supervisory board, with protests planned at all plants in Germany.IG Metall organised demonstrations involving shop stewards and union council members at 18 sites at Europe's biggest carmaker, including at its headquarters. The influential staff union told the chief executive, Oliver Blume, that he could not pass the buck for failures of recent years on to the workforce". Continue reading...

Exclusive: PM-in-waiting says party must do better' in approach to Middle East and he will put more pressure on Israel

Highly unprecedented anomaly' meant 135 people given incorrect scores and wrongly informed of promotionsThe air force has canceled the promotions of dozens of service members after discovering what it said was a grading error in a test of their security knowledge.The isolated and highly unprecedented anomaly" was announced in a press release on Tuesday, which said 135 airmen and women had been awarded incorrect scores on the security forces specialty knowledge test (SKT) and been wrongly informed they had earned promotion. Continue reading...

Some stations in Spain recorded temperatures of up to 44C after western Europe experienced the warmest June on recordA high temperature warning has also been issued for a dozen counties in the Republic of Ireland, PA reported.Irish national forecaster Met Eireann said temperatures could exceed 27C during the day with overnight temperatures staying above 15C. The agency warned of water safety issues, heat stress, and uncomfortable sleeping conditions as a result. Continue reading...

Questions swirl about origins of gifts, loans and donations as even party supporters wonder if it can weather the storm

Measures would make it easier for victims to seek compensation, with companies such as Bolt and Lime held responsible for damageVictims hit by rental e-scooters on German streets will have an easier time gaining compensation from their operators under legislation due to pass parliament that would put the vehicles on a similar legal footing to cars.The draft law by the right-left coalition government, which has been welcomed by consumer rights advocates, says that given the rapid rise in the use of e-scooters in recent years coupled with high accident rates, rental operators such as Lime and Bolt should be held liable. Continue reading...

As Trump's immigration crackdown continues, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's death marks another high-profile killing by ICE officersEarly on Tuesday morning, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo took his coffee and a meal his wife had prepared for him, said goodbye to his dog, and left the house he built. He drove his white van, picked up three co-workers, and headed towards a construction site to work on some houses.But Salgado never made it to work. During a targeted enforcement operation", officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot and killed Salgado and arrested the three other men. Continue reading...

The advocacy group's Where We Are In Film study finds a decrease in queer people of color and zero trans characters in 2025 filmsLGBTQ+ characters are slowly disappearing from film in a trend that disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ characters of color, according to a report published today.An annual study of films by Glaad (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has found that just 46 of 225 films released in 2025 contained LGBTQ+ characters, making only 20.4% of last year's movies inclusive of the queer community. Continue reading...

Versatile Essex-born hitmaker known for Rhinestone Cowboy, It Only Takes a Minute and many more had been living with Alzheimer's diseaseBrian Potter, one of the most versatile and successful British producers and songwriters of his generation, has died aged 87. He had been living with Alzheimer's disease in recent years, his daughter told Billboard.Working with American songwriting partner Dennis Lambert, the Essex-born Potter was behind an astounding array of 1970s hits spanning pop, soul, soft rock, country and beyond. The best-known include Glen Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy, a US No 1 in 1975; It Only Takes a Minute, a barnstorming disco hit for Tavares and later Take That; Player's super-smooth Baby Come Back, another US No 1; and Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got), one of the biggest hits for soul-poppers the Four Tops. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Party hoped to mount serious challenge in mayoral race but attention has been diverted to Essex

Indian prime minister wows crowd of 25,000 at Marvel Stadium as he praises role of diaspora in the India-Australia success story

Experts say rise in social media attacks on players such as Kylian Mbappe need to be viewed in wider political context

Premier Jeremy Rockliff says the traffic cones and street signs of Tasmania can breathe a small sigh of relief'