Keir Starmer says move is good news for homeowners' in TikTok video announcing changeGround rents are to be capped at 250 a year for leaseholders in England and Wales, Keir Starmer has announced, as his government unveiled proposals to ban leaseholds for new flats.New leasehold flats will be banned and existing leaseholders will get the right to switch to commonhold in an attempt to give homeowners greater control over their properties, under proposals to be put out to consultation. Continue reading...
Wayne Birkett warns nothing's changed' after watchdog found failings in killer Valdo Calocane's mental health careA survivor of the 2023 Nottingham attacks has said a similar incident could happen again without improvements to mental health services in the region.Wayne Birkett criticised the lack of changes at the Nottinghamshire healthcare NHS foundation trust, which was responsible for Valdo Calocane's mental health care between May 2020 and September 2022, and called on the health secretary, Wes Streeting, to directly intervene. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: By putting out one fire, Labour might have ignited several othersGood morning. The King of the North" will not be marching south - at least not for now.Andy Burnham has been barred from standing as an MP in the forthcoming Gorton and Denton byelection, after a 10-strong officers' group" of Labour's ruling body, which includes the prime minister, voted overwhelmingly to reject his request to stand. It has left the party, once again, in turmoil.US news | Donald Trump's efforts to deploy militarised immigration agents in US cities may finally be reaching a reckoning as he faces widespread opposition across the US, dissenting lawmakers in his own party, and impending court rulings after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.UK news | Former home secretary Suella Braverman has defected to Reform UK, making her the third sitting Conservative MP to join Nigel Farage's party in little more than a week.Europe | As many as 380 people may have drowned attempting to cross the Mediterranean last week during Cyclone Harry, as a shipwreck that killed 50 is confirmed by Maltese authorities.Saudi Arabia | A judge has ordered Saudi Arabia to pay more than 3m in damages to London-based dissident Ghanem al-Masarir, whose phones were targeted with Pegasus spyware.Ukraine | A US security agreement for Ukraine is 100% ready" to be signed, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, after two days of talks involving representatives from Ukraine, the US and Russia. Continue reading...
by Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on (#7349S)
Project employs technology that can be used to store and release renewable energy using even gentle slopesA hillside battery" outside Plymouth in Devon has begun generating electricity using a first of a kind hydropower system embedded underground.The pioneering technology means one of the oldest forms of energy storage, hydropower, can be used to store and release renewable energy using even gentle slopes rather than the steep dam walls and mountains that are usually required. Continue reading...
by Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondent on (#73491)
Lineup for 2026 includes a Moliere adaptation and a mash-up of Sophocles and Ingmar BergmanCate Blanchett, Sandra Oh and Letitia Wright will form part of the National Theatre's starry, female-led lineup for its 2026 season that its artistic director promises will theatrically explode".Oh, the Killing Eve and Grey's Anatomy star, makes her National Theatre debut in an adaptation of Moliere's social satire The Misanthrope, which is directed by the theatre's director and joint chief executive, Indhu Rubasingham. Continue reading...
by Presented by Helen Pidd with Peter Walker; produce on (#73487)
The prime minister may have seen off the challenge for the moment - but what will be the cost to his leadership? Peter Walker reportsEver since Andy Burnham abandoned Westminster to become Greater Manchester's first ever mayor in 2017, he has been dogged with questions about returning to parliament for the top job. He never hid his ambition to become prime minister one day - he couldn't, really, given that he tried and failed twice to become Labour party leader. But he insisted time and again that he was perfectly happy back in his beloved north, and had no plans to get back to London.Then on Saturday night, he finally cracked. He wrote to Labour's ruling body to ask for permission to stand in Gorton and Denton, promising a hopeful and unifying campaign", in what he admitted was a risky move. Winning the byelection was not a given and he would have to give up being the mayor if he succeeded. But instead he was blocked by the committee, including Keir Starmer, from standing at all. Continue reading...
Brandan Koschel was denied bail after appearing virtually before the court on Tuesday on charges of publicly inciting hatred on the grounds of racePolice have alleged in court today that there is information online that suggests the man who was charged under hate speech laws after an alleged antisemitic comment during a speech at an anti-immigration rally yesterday has links to or may have been a member of a now disbanded neo-Nazi group.Brandan Koschel was refused bail and remanded in custody after he appeared before the NSW Bail Division court on Tuesday from custody before magistrate Daniel Convington. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#7345K)
Pilot comes at same time as pledge to offer all smokers and ex-smokers lung cancer screening by 2030NHS England is to trial a combination of AI and robot-assisted care to speed up the detection and diagnosis of lung cancer, the UK's most lethal form of the disease.The trial comes at the same time as the health service pledges to offer all smokers and ex-smokers the chance to be screened for lung cancer by 2030. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#7345J)
Author says pace of change in GCSE English literature texts is too slow and tide is turning against inclusionThe Booker prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo has called for renewed efforts to diversify the school curriculum in England, warning that young people are growing up in a society where doors are closing" and the tide is turning against inclusion.There has been progress in the diversity of texts on offer in the GCSE English literature curriculum, but uptake in schools is still low with just 1.9% of GCSE pupils in England studying books by authors of colour, up from 0.7% five years ago, according to a report. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#7343E)
UN health body says Britain is one of six countries in Europe and central Asia where disease has become re-establishedThe UK has lost its status as a measles-free country after a rise in deaths from the disease and fall in the proportion of children having the MMR jab in recent years.The World Health Organization said it no longer classified Britain as having eliminated measles because the disease had become re-established. Continue reading...
by Pippa Crerar, Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker on (#7340Z)
Greater Manchester mayor's hopes of imminent return as MP appear remote as relationship with Starmer at low ebbAndy Burnham has not given up hopes of returning to Westminster and will try again, allies say, but would need to be convinced that Keir Starmer would not try to block him again before running.The Greater Manchester mayor's hopes of an imminent return to parliament appeared remote, however, as No 10 sources suggested that relations between the two men were at a low ebb and played down chances of a rapprochement. Continue reading...
by Ben Quinn, Priya Bharadia and Peter Walker on (#73410)
Statement, since withdrawn, followed ex-minister becoming third Conservative MP to join Farage's party in just over a weekThe Conservatives are facing a backlash after claiming that Suella Braverman defected to Reform UK after mental health" issues, as the former home secretary finally joined Nigel Farage's party after months of denials.Braverman, who was sacked from the cabinet by both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, became the third sitting Conservative MP to defect in little over a week. She immediately went on the attack against her former party. Continue reading...
Four arrested during seizure which was part of largest shipment ever found on such a vessel bound for EuropePortuguese police have made a record seizure of almost nine tonnes of cocaine after intercepting a narco-sub" off the Azores carrying what is thought to be the largest shipment of the drug ever found on one of the Europe-bound, semi-submersible vessel.The Portuguese Judicial Police (PJ) said its officers had confiscated the haul in a recent joint operation with the country's navy and air force that had been conducted in coordination with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the UK National Crime Agency. Continue reading...
Only one ticket sold for premiere of film about US first lady at Vue's flagship London branch as insiders question launch strategyAs film exhibitor strategies go, counter-programming is one of the most reliable. It worked for The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia!, released in the US on the same day in 2008, as well as for Dunkirk and Girls Trip in 2017. In 2023, Barbie and Oppenheimer leveraged the tactic to the tune of $2.5bn in combined box office takings.This week we could see another example as Amazon releases its authorised documentary about Melania Trump in more than 100 UK cinemas. There it will compete against an already-eclectic slate of releases including the Jason Statham action film Shelter, the ape horror Primate, Bradley Cooper's comedy-drama Is This Thing On? and Richard Linklater's Jean-Luc Godard fictionalisation Nouvelle Vague. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#73413)
Home secretary to regain authority to sack chief constables and set crime- fighting targets in England and WalesLabour has announced wholesale changes to policing with a pledge to increase crime fighting, but faces warnings that at the plan's heart is an unprecedented centralisation of powers.Shabana Mahmood said policing in England and Wales was the last public service to have survived unreformed for 50 years, despite being too costly and failing in parts. Continue reading...
by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondent on (#733YA)
Experts suggest Xi Jinping is asserting his authority by sidelining an officer who has significantly betrayed his trustStanding inches from Xi Jinping at a military ceremony in late December, China's highest-ranking general, Zhang Youxia, may have had little inkling about the fate that was to befall him just a few weeks later when he was put under investigation.The 75-year-old's physical proximity to China's leader, who stands to his right, reflects the position he holds in China's hierarchy. As vice-chair of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the ruling body of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), he is the second-most powerful person in China's military, after Xi, the commander-in-chief. Continue reading...
Roy Morton was 80 when he was stunned, restrained and arrested in bungled raid at his home in 2021Scotland Yard has settled out of court with a retired ballet dancer who sued the force after he was shot with a Taser weapon in his own home in a bungled dawn raid.Roy Morton, who has a pacemaker and lives alone, was stunned, restrained and arrested by firearms officers who forced entry into his home in Cricklewood, north-west London on 28 December 2021. Continue reading...
Aircraft carrier strike group assets aided by Israeli aircraft could have enough firepower to bring down regimeThe Iranian government is bracing itself for a fresh US and Israeli missile assault after it was announced that the US Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group has now deployed key assets to the region, observers have said.It is thought that Washington has the firepower in conjunction with Israeli aircraft to mount an attack designed to topple the government accused of brutally suppressing protests and killing thousands of Iranians. Continue reading...
Party see prevention of Greater Manchester mayor from running as an opportunity but a high Greens vote could allow Reform UK to win the seatThe Greens are set to stage an all-out fight to win the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection, with officials in the party arguing they have a real chance of victory after Andy Burnham was barred from applying to be the Labour candidate.The Greens came third in the seat in the general election, nearly 14,000 votes behind Andrew Gwynne, the sitting MP who stepped down last week. But they plan to flood the constituency with activists in the hope of persuading locals they are the party more likely to defeat Reform UK. Continue reading...
Azruddin Mohamed's election comes six months after he formed political party that became country's second largestA Guyanese businessman facing extradition to the US on gold-smuggling and money-laundering charges has been elected as the country's opposition leader, six months after he formed a political party that quickly became the second largest in the South American country.Azruddin Mohamed, 38, was confirmed as Guyana's opposition leader after 16 lawmakers from the We Invest in Nationhood party (Win) and another from a single-seat outfit voted in his favor. The tally made Win the second-largest party in parliament, securing Mohamed's election even as a magistrate's court hears state arguments for his extradition to the US. Continue reading...
Her defection means there are now eight Reform MPs in the CommonsKeir Starmer was being interview by Beth Rigby from Sky News this morning when he defended the decision not to let Andy Burnham be a byelection candidate.After Starmer delivered his first answer (see 10.15am), Rigby asked him to what he would say to Labour MPs who think he is being cowardly" and just blocking Burnham to avoid the risk of a leadership contest.Millions of people will be better off if we have the continuation of a Labour government in Wales, and if we're able to win the government in Scotland and retain and win councils across England.When I came into politics in 2015, the first thing I did was support Andy Burnham's leadership campaign. The first team I worked in was for Andy Burnham. And in the job he's doing now, he and I work closely together ..So there's no question of me and Andy not working very well together. He's doing an excellent job.The battle of our times is the battle between patriotic, Labour party, Labour government, and the division of Reform. There's no doubt about that ... In that battle, we are all fighting this.I think everybody in the Labour party, everybody who's a Labour MP, wants to be in that fight, wants to fight alongside all their colleagues in a fight that matters hugely to the future of our country. Continue reading...
Mark Rutte said Europe would need to spend billions and billions of euros' on defenceThe European Commission got also asked about the regular US criticism that it is targeting" US big tech companies and that, in doing so, it undermines free speech.Digital spokesperson Regnier replied:Again, we don't target any company ... based of its origin.Now on your censorship point: I think if anyone dares to compare freedom of expression with child sexual abuse material or freedom of expression with undressing women digitally without their consent, then they are not fully aligned with Europe or absolutely not aligned with Europe. We don't even live on the same planet.No comments to be made on this US internal matter. But, of course, we deplore any loss of innocent lives."I have said innocent lives, but it's not for us to judge, innocent or not innocent. Any life lost, we deplore it, in general, and it is, of course, for the justice system in the US to establish the facts." Continue reading...
Inquiry into enlistment medical examinations has been expanded from army to also include navy and RAFMore than 500 people have contacted police investigating sexual abuse that allegedly took place during armed services medical examinations over almost 50 years.The investigation was launched after reports about the abuse of some recruits at army enlistment medical examinations but its scope has been expanded to include the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Continue reading...
Britain among 10 countries to build 100GW grid in North Sea linking countries through subsea cablesThe German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has said he wants the North Sea to become the largest reservoir of clean energy worldwide", as he announced plans to accelerate efforts to link up offshore wind power projects with Europe.The UK and nine other European countries have agreed to accelerate the rollout of offshore windfarms in the 2030s and build a power grid in the North Sea, in a landmark pact to turn the ageing oil basin into a clean energy reservoir". Continue reading...
More than 100 people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in South Africa, Mozambique and ZimbabweDevastating floods have killed more than 100 people in southern Africa since the beginning of the year and displaced hundreds of thousands, as authorities and aid workers warn of hunger, cholera and attacks by crocodiles that have spread with the waters.More than 70 people have died in Zimbabwe and 30 in South Africa, where hundreds of people were evacuated from Kruger national park earlier this month after a deluge of rain. Continue reading...
Elijah Wood joined protest in Utah's Park City in memory of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, while Natalie Portman said what is happening is absolutely horrific'The Sundance film festival, which is currently under way in Park City, Utah, saw a mass protest against the two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Sunday, along with high-profile interventions from major film industry figures.Actor Natasha Lyonne was among those spreading social media posts about the protest, called Sundancers Melt ICE", which was called for Sunday afternoon. The organisers asked for a 10-minute respectful" event at sunset on Park City's Main Street to memorialise Renee Good, who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on 7 January, and Alex Pretti, who was killed on Saturday by an agent of the Department of Homeland Security. Continue reading...
by Presented by Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey, produc on (#733Q9)
The Labour party has once again been plunged into turmoil after the NEC blocked Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton byelection. Will the row quickly fade, or does it risk piling further pressure on the prime minister? Meanwhile, Pippa Crerar will be joining Keir Starmer on his trip to China - but can he focus on diplomacy abroad, or will the Westminster psychodrama continue to overshadow the visit? Continue reading...
by James Michelin and Ollie Lewis for the MetDesk on (#733KD)
Warnings issued across 26 US states, while Portugal braces for heavy rain as Storm Joseph rolls inThe US is enduring another bout of severe winter weather, as a succession of powerful weather systems brings heavy snow, freezing rain and extreme cold temperatures across much of the country.Twenty-six states, from Texas to Massachusetts, were under storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service over the weekend, with many alerts remaining in place this week. Continue reading...
Aisha Chughtai, who represents the district where Alex Pretti was fatally shot, vows to fight through despair' caused by federal immigration enforcement
Trump and team seem to prioritize vilifying victims of their immigration operations, regardless of conflicting evidenceIn the moments after federal officers shot Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti dead, Trump administration figures almost immediately made public statements in press conferences, televised interviews and social media posts that were at best indifferent to the evidence available at the time and at worst completely fabricated.A pattern is emerging, in which the Trump administration prioritizes the vilification of the dead victim as to blame for the incident over preserving the neutrality of any investigative process. Continue reading...
Makers of TV series to work with Sam Mendes' production company on theatre show to open in London in 2027There's the wildly popular TV series, a two-hour immersive experience, a board game, a card game and, perhaps only for the superfans, the opportunity to buy branded full-length hooded cloaks.Now The Traitors is to be adapted for the stage in what producers say will be a bold and surprising" theatrical experience. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#7332V)
Allies of Greater Manchester mayor say No 10 has chosen factionalism' as decision leads to a furious backlashThe Labour party faced the prospect of civil war on Sunday night after Keir Starmer and his allies blocked Andy Burnham's return to parliament to stave off a potential leadership challenge.There was widespread anger among Labour MPs and union backers after the 10-strong officers' group" of the party's ruling body, including the prime minister himself, voted overwhelmingly to reject Burnham's request to seek selection for the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#733F6)
Preventing the mayor from returning to Westminster deprives the party of its most potent candidate in Gorton and DentonWhen Labour dignitaries gathered at the Titanic hotel in Liverpool on Friday night, one question loomed above all others: to change captain or not?For many, that question has become even more pressing after Keir Starmer's allies brutally stopped Andy Burnham's return to Westminster before it had even begun. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Outgoing director general indicates support for update to licence-fee model as part of wider changesThe BBC will face profound jeopardy" over its future unless it embraces significant changes to its funding, its outgoing director general has said, as he signalled his support for an overhaul of the licence fee.Speaking to the Guardian, Tim Davie called for supporters of the corporation to stand up and fight" for it, amid increased hostility from its commercial and political critics. Continue reading...
Ministers plan to license content from institutions such as National History Museum and National Library of ScotlandMet Office data and legal documents from the National Archives could be used by artificial intelligence systems as the UK government pushes ahead with plans to employ nationally owned material in AI tools.The government is providing funds for researchers to test how Met Office content could be used by the technology, such as in helping agencies and councils know when to buy more road grit. Another project will explore whether legal data from the National Archives - the UK's repository for official documents - could help medium- and small-sized businesses with legal support. Continue reading...
Authorities unveil giant billboard with direct threat to US as warships head to regionIranian authorities unveiled a new mural on a giant billboard in a central Tehran square on Sunday with a direct warning to the United States to not attempt a military strike on the country, as US warships head to the region.The image shows a bird's-eye view of an aircraft carrier with damaged and exploding fighter planes on its flight deck. The deck is strewn with bodies and streaked with blood that trails into the water behind the ship to form a pattern reminiscent of the stripes of the US flag. A slogan is emblazoned across one corner: If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind." Continue reading...
by Presented by Annie Kelly with Kate Connolly; produ on (#733D2)
Are the German people on board with the government's massive militarisation programme? Kate Connolly reportsNot so long ago, to be a German soldier dressed in German uniform was quite a difficult role to embody. I mean, you could be going down the street and you could be spat on, or you could have names called at you.I've recently seen people get into conversation with soldiers, which I hadn't seen in the past, [and] more recently, somebody going up to a soldier and actually getting him into conversation about his role, and at the end of the conversation, thanking him." Continue reading...
Rescuers save at least 300 people after inter-island ferry sank early on Monday en route from the port city of Zamboanga to southern Jolo islandAt least 15 people have died after a ferry with more than 350 people sunk early on Monday near an island in the southern Philippines, according to local officials, with the coast guard warning that 28 people remained missing.The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, an inter-island cargo and passenger ferry, was sailing to southern Jolo island in Sulu province from the port city of Zamboanga with 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it apparently encountered technical problems and sank after midnight, coast guard officials said. Continue reading...
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