The North Sea has increasingly become a topic for political debate.

In its 2024 general election manifesto, Labour said it would not issue new licences for drilling, but would honour existing ones.

But in recent months, as the Iran war pushed up global oil prices, calls have grown for more North Sea drilling to be approved, from the Conservatives, Reform UK and from President Trump, while also becoming a divisive issue within the Labour party.

Some Labour MPs have urged the government to take a more liberal approach, warning that the transition away from oil and gas must protect jobs and the cost of energy bills.

But others have backed the government’s existing approach, arguing that expanding renewable energy is key to improving energy security and reducing the impact on climate change.

As energy secretary in Sir Keir Starmer’s government, Ed Miliband was a staunch supporter of the manifesto position. Miliband is now the foreign secretary in Burnham’s government.

Burnham himself has seemingly left the door open to future drilling. He said he told President Trump this week: “There is a resource there. When people are struggling – you can’t ignore that.”

Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell previously told the BBC that Burnham would stick to the party’s manifesto commitments, but there would be a “change of emphasis” on North Sea oil and gas.

Oil and gas companies have also criticised the UK’s windfall tax, which they argue means the North Sea has lost some of its appeal in recent years.

GENEVA (AP) — Asia’s soccer body joined opposition to Gianni Infantino’s plan for private investors to buy stakes in the World Cup and said Friday FIFA must urgently review its management style.

The Asian Football Confederation said it “stands in solidarity” with European body UEFA and North America’s CONCACAF which on Thursday respectively threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions and rejected Infantino’s offer of one-off $20 million payments to each member federation.

“Football should never have been placed in such a position,” said the Asian soccer body, which counts 46 of FIFA’s 211 member federations that Infantino gave a Sept. 19 deadline to accept the $20 million offer.

Infantino has proposed spinning off FIFA’s commercial businesses — including World Cups and Club World Cups for men and women — into a $20 billion subsidiary with 20% owned by private investors.

The “anchor investor,” described by FIFA, is a New York-based investment firm created by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

“(T)he proposed (FIFA Forward Enterprise) cannot realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward” and must be reconsidered, the AFC said.

The statement did not name Infantino yet criticized FIFA for problems beyond the content of the private equity plan plus failing to consult about a secretive proposal that was revealed Tuesday in media reports.

“Rather, it has exposed fundamental weaknesses in FIFA’s consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed,” the AFC said. “Accordingly, the AFC calls upon FIFA to undertake an urgent review of its governance and decision-making framework.”

The statement came hours after FIFA blamed the media and doubled down on pursuing the project which now seems to have a majority of the 211 members in opposition.

“Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports,” FIFA said in a statement early Friday. “We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each (member) has the ability to express its vote based on facts.”

The next FIFA event that would be targeted by the threatened European boycott is within weeks — the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland from Sept. 5. The four British federations comprise FIFA’s only bidder to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup. That decision is due Nov. 23.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and AP World Cup coverage

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Human Rights Watch said Friday that Russian government-controlled Africa Corps aircraft killed eight civilians, including three children, in an airstrike on a village in central Mali last month.

The rights group said an attack aircraft identified as a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 dropped two munitions on Kyrnia village in the Mopti region on June 15. One strike hit near the home of the village chief, killing his wife and three children. The second hit a nearby cattle market, killing four men. No fighters from the Islamic militant group JNIM, which has controlled the village for six years, were reported among the casualties.

The Associated Press was not able to independently verify the claims by Human Rights Watch.

Mali has been plagued for over a decade by militants affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, including JNIM, as well as a Tuareg separatist rebellion in the north.

Violence escalated in recent months after an alliance of JNIM and Tuareg separatists carried out the largest coordinated attack in over a decade, targeting the airport of the country’s capital, Bamako, the nearby garrison town of Kati, and several northern and central cities.

April’s attacks exposed the weaknesses of Mali’s strategy to combat the rebellion, including relying on Russia, which has partnered with the military-led government after it distanced itself from former allies such as France.

Russian mercenaries have been present in Mali since late 2021 to help its military junta fight militants and separatists. Last year, Africa Corps, which reports to Russia’s Defense Ministry, replaced the private mercenary Wagner Group in the country.

Human Rights Watch said it interviewed 19 people, analyzed satellite imagery, and reviewed a video the Africa Corps posted online describing the strike last month as targeting a “terrorist” gathering. Researchers said roughly 100 JNIM fighters were in the village at the time but were mostly gathered elsewhere, and that the strikes did not appear to target a clear military objective.

The rights group called on Mali’s government to investigate the strike and hold those responsible accountable, saying it could otherwise be complicit in war crimes.

Russia’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thousands of passengers jet off from the airport each day

Now that the summer holidays are well underway millions of people will be jetting off abroad to make the most of the school break.

This year Manchester Airport is expecting its busiest summer on record, with 5.7million passengers set to pass through the travel hub in the coming weeks. Those who fly from the airport will benefit from the changes made as part of the airport’s £1.5billion transformation programme, which is set to wrap up later this year.

Terminal 2 has been renovated and extended, with new additions including the Great Northern Market, a foodhall-style eating spot where diners can choose from a range of kitchens serving up pizza, Greek food and more. Meanwhile in the Boutique Mall area passengers can browse luxury retailers like Coach, Reiss, Jo Malone and Tom Ford.

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Passengers flying from Terminal 3, which now only serves Ryanair, can visit the new sports bar, Sporting Chance, which has more than 500 seats. Work is still underway to expand Terminal 3, using space from Terminal 1 which has closed.

Those flying in the next few days are urged to plan their journey to the airport carefully as Metrolink maintenance works are still underway, lasting until August 2. This means there are no trams running through the city centre, and no trams operating on the Altrincham, Eccles and Trafford Park lines, while the East Didsbury and Airport lines terminate at Firswood. Instead, passengers can use tram replacement buses. These will be operating between Exchange Square and Rochdale, between Bury and Piccadilly, and between Piccadilly and Ashton-under-Lyne.

If you’re due to fly today it’s important to monitor the status of your flight. Below are delayed flights (by more than 30 minutes) and cancelled flights from Manchester Airport on Friday July 31, according to Flight Radar 24, as of 9.30am.

Delayed flights

• 11.50am easyJet flight U22105 to Paris, estimated departure 12.40pm
• 3.20pm easyJet flight U22275 to Enfidha, estimated departure 4.03pm
• 7.10pm easyJet flight U22033 to Alicante, estimated departure 7.58pm

Cancelled flights

• There are no cancelled flights from Manchester Airport today so far.

For more of today’s top stories, click here.

Cambridge is one of the first cities to benefit from the new electric vehicles

Cambridge will be one of the first cities to benefit from Royal Mail’s new electric vehicles. Royal Mail has launched its first electric cargo cycles, known as the Pedal 4 cycles, with the first 20 to be deployed this month.

These will be delivered to cities including Cambridge, London and Brighton. Using e-cargo cycles will help the mail service to reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality and make delivery rounds more efficient.

Mark Riley, delivery design manager at Royal Mail, said: “Our new electric cargo cycles mark another important step towards reaching Net-Zero by 2040 and making our delivery network more efficient for the future.

“They will help reduce emissions and improve air quality in the communities we serve, while creating new opportunities for people to join Royal Mail without needing a driving licence.”

The e-buggies have been manufactured at Minimal’s microfactory in West London, amid Royal Mail’s efforts to try and achieve Net-Zero by 2040. The Pedal 4 cycles don’t require a licensed driver, which the company says will open up delivery opportunities to a wider range of people.

They can run on roads with speed limits of up to 30mph, in cycle lanes, cycle paths, and greenways.

Patrick Bion, chief executive officer at Minimal, said: “Royal Mail operates one of the most demanding delivery networks in the country. Their decision to scale Pedal 4 throughout the UK is the clearest possible signal that right-sized electric vehicles will be central to how we move goods through cities more efficiently.”

Royal Mail plans to deploy more vehicles to other locations in the future.

A café owner who served up free meals to hungry children after food vouchers were removed has been told he will be reported to police by a Reform council leader.

Barry Ashley, who runs the Grumpy Cook in Hastings, stepped up after East Sussex County Council decided not to issue school holiday meal vouchers to struggling families over the summer. He has criticised the move, which he branded “shameless”, accusing the council of turning its back of children in poverty.

He has since been told by Andy Woolley, who heads the authority, that he will be reported to police along with Labour MP Helena Dollimore. Mr Woolley claims to have been personally attacked online and accused the pair of inciting hate and potential violence by naming him in their criticism.

The dispute follows the council’s decision not to continue offering the vouchers, which are a lifeline to families. An appalled Mr Ashley responded by announcing he would offer free meals to children who need feeding at his not-for-profit cafe.

A number of local businesses have donated to help, and Mr Ashley told The Mirror he has been providing more than 70 free meals a day. Ms Dollimore has launched a petition calling for the vouchers to be reinstated, branding the council’s actions “totally unacceptable” and accusing it of putting children at risk.

Mr Ashley said: “Hastings is one of the poorest towns in the country. And it is by every measure it’s a deprived town. One in three of the children are living in poverty.

“And the vouchers, just to take those away without considering what they should be putting in place, without doing any risk assessment, without doing any impact assessment, it’s beyond bizarre.”

Click here for the full story

By ANNA WRIGHT, US REPORTER

Published: 05:26 BST, 29 July 2026 | Updated: 10:07 BST, 31 July 2026

A 32-year-old nurse was impaled in a freak accident on Montana‘s tallest mountain before hiking 10 miles back down to get help. 

David Cifaldi was scaling Granite Peak with two friends on July 20 when he lost his footing on the rocky terrain and fell onto his trekking pole. 

‘It was just kind of a freak thing, something you’d more expect to roll your ankle versus having a catastrophic injury,’ Cifaldi told KTMF. 

‘As I rolled over, I noticed one of my trekking poles laying on the ground, and as I kind of sat up, I realized that the other one was stuck in my side,’ he added.

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The pole drove completely through Cifaldi’s side, piercing his lat and sticking out both ends, with roughly eight inches separating the two wounds, according to a GoFundMe created by his friend.

Cifaldi’s ER nurse training kicked in, as he self-assessed his wound and took a few quick breaths to see if the pole pierced his lung or chest.

David Cifaldi was scaling Granite Peak with two friends on July 20 when he lost his footing on the rocky terrain and fell onto his trekking pole

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Cifaldi chose to hike 10 miles back to the trailhead, navigating the rugged mountain with the help of his two pals while the pole remained lodged in his body

‘No bleeding, full feeling, no lightheadedness, nothing vital hit, and the pole was stable in place. 

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‘Given his condition, he made the call to self-rescue rather than wait for extraction — hiking 10 miles back to the trailhead with a trekking pole still through his body,’ his GoFundMe stated.

Cifaldi navigated the rugged mountain descent with the help of his two pals, while the pole remained lodged in his body. 

The nurse fashioned his running vest’s chest strap into a makeshift sling, while one friend stayed behind him to keep an eye on any bleeding.

As the grueling hike wore on, Cifaldi told Backpacker magazine the trio realized they were ‘gonna make it’ and broke the tension by ‘making kebab jokes.’ 

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Cifaldi posing in previous photo of him hiking, he is still recovering and may need more surgery

Cifaldi’s hiking buddy, Jesse Ross, wrote on the GoFundMe that the group ‘reached the trailhead entirely under his own power — never once complaining, staying in remarkably high spirits.’

‘Near Mystic Lake, he even asked one of us to hike ahead and warn other hikers, so no children would have to see the wound,’ Ross wrote.

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The three friends reached the trailhead after six-and-a-half hours, and Cifaldi was taken to a hospital before being transferred to Intermountain Health in Billings, KTMF reported.

Doctors later removed the trekking pole without complications. 

‘All told, [the pole] was in place for eight to nine hours from the fall to removal,’ the GoFundMe read.

Cifaldi is still recovering and may need more surgery. Reflecting on the harrowing accident, he told the outlet he feels ‘very lucky.’

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‘A couple inches the other way, and this would be a different story,’ the nurse said.

The GoFundMe was created to help Cifaldi with medical expenses. 

Towering 12,807 ft in Montana’s Beartooth Mountains, Granite Peak is the state’s highest summit and one of the nation’s most challenging state high points, known for its rugged terrain, technical climbing and unpredictable weather. 

Whether you’re a widow, widower or divorcee, the thought of online dating in later life can feel daunting. However, more and more people are turning to the internet to find romance. Roughly 16 per cent of UK adults are using online dating services to meet a partner, according to Statista. Among them, there are lots of singles over 50 using dating sites.

So here’s how to navigate your senior dating online, with expert advice from psychologist and dating coach Dr Pam Spurr, and sex and relationship coach Angela Vossen.

How do I know if I’m ready to date again as a senior?

Coming out of any relationship is hard. If you’re hoping to date after a divorce, bereavement or break up, it can take a long time to feel ready to date again. Dr Spurr advises taking your time.

“Many people feel bruised, even traumatised, after coming out of a long-term relationship or having been bereaved,” she explains. “Your feelings naturally vary from day to day about whether you’re ready to get back out to look for love – or even for fun. A crucial factor is if you’ve come to the point where you have more good days compared to bad days”.

Dr Spurr explains that good days are the days on which you feel more optimistic about life generally, and you find your thoughts turning to meeting someone new. “That’s an important sign that you are healing,” she says. “However, if you’re still feeling deeply insecure or are riddled with self-doubt about your worthiness, take your time. When you feel worthy, you will find someone worthy of you”. 

Feeling heartbroken? Learn how to get over a break up

How to start senior dating online

If you’re new to online dating, it can feel intimidating at first. The secret is taking things step by step so that you do things at your own pace. The first step, however, should be choosing a senior dating site that will help match you with like-minded people. This will narrow your search and ensure your dating experience is more successful.

Step 1: Create an online profile

Once you’ve decided on a dating site or app and signed up, you’ll be asked to write a dating profile. This should reflect who you are along with your passions, values and what you seek in a partner.

Try to be authentic rather than creating a fantasy version of yourself. If you exaggerate your accomplishments, your date will only feel deceived once they get to know you. Likewise, don’t be tempted to use a photo of yourself from 10 years ago. 

Step 2: Spark meaningful chats with potential dates

Once you have signed up to a senior dating site and created a profile, you will be free to start looking at other people’s profiles and sending messages to anyone that catches your attention. But how can you initiate a conversation after an introduction? 

“When messaging people on dating sites, ask open-ended questions to spark meaningful chats,” says Angela. A good example would be, ‘I can see you enjoy travel. What place have you always wanted to visit but haven’t yet?’ or “tell me more about your love of tennis? Did you watch the US Open?” If things go really well and the chat seems to flow naturally, you may decide to organise a phone chat or ask them out on a date. An initial chat over the phone can help gauge how well you get on and how easily the conversation flows. If this goes well, meeting in person may feel less nerve wracking and a little less ‘blind’. 

Step 3: Prioritise your safety

“While most people are well intentioned online, it’s important to protect your safety,” advises Ms Vossen. “Keep personal details private (like where you live or your social media profiles) until you’ve met in person and built trust”. You should also arrange first dates in public places, share your plans with a friend, and trust your instincts if something feels off. 

If the first date or two doesn’t quite hit the mark, try not to be too disappointed and remember that you can say no to another date. Ms Vossen says: “Be patient – online dating takes time, but with practice, you’ll gain confidence and enjoy the journey”.

Traditional ways to meet senior singles

Of course, couples continue to meet in a manner that predates online dating sites. If you’re keen to join the older dating scene but find the online world overwhelming, there are plenty of ways to meet people in real life.

1. Holidays and group trips

We are often our best selves on holiday, so it’s the ideal place to find a single senior woman or to meet men if the opportunity presents itself. Why not organise a trip on which you meet new people while doing what you love, whether that’s cycling, walking, sightseeing or just travelling around a new part of the world. There are many escorted tours that cater to specific age groups and interests. They also take away the stress of organising a trip yourself.

“An organised holiday or trip can be a great place to meet someone new and there are many organisations offering these for the over 50s,” says Dr Spur.  “A word of caution though, you can spend a lot of money and there’s no guarantee that you will meet that special person. However, if it’s a place you’ve wanted to travel to then go with the mindset that you’re going to have a great trip. If you meet someone, that’s an added bonus”. 

2. Activities and social groups 

People living near the car park said they were afraid to go near the park and ride

Councils will crack down on ‘dangerous and disruptive’ driving at a park and ride after complaints from locals. People living near Babraham Road Park and Ride have reported issues including loud music and dangers to pedestrians.

Locals said issues included organised vehicle gatherings, cars and motorbikes speeding, revving engines, racing, stunts, loud music, burnouts, car horns, creating a danger to pedestrians, and noise nuisance to residents.

One person said they were ‘afraid’ to go near the park and ride during car meets, while another said they avoided using the park and ride in the evening “as I’m concerned for my safety”.

Sharon Allen OBE is chief executive of Arthur Rank Hospice, which is next door to the Babraham Road Park and Ride. Ms Allen said: “When the anti-social behaviour happens, which is frequently, it causes disturbance to our patients and their visitors.

“Many of our patients are facing the end of their life, others are staying for pain and symptom control. They need a peaceful environment which is disturbed by this anti-social behaviour causing distress and anxiety for the patients and for their loved ones.

“It also impacts our colleagues not only because of the increased workload responding to distressed and concerned patients and visitors, but also because colleagues are nervous about walking to or through the Park and Ride at the start or end of their shifts.”

A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) has now been introduced at the park and ride, which South Cambridgeshire District Council said had seen ‘dangerous and disruptive driving’ in recent years. Anyone who breaches the PSPO can be fined.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and CCTV cameras will be used to enforce the new rules, allowing the councils to track vehicles and issue fines without needing staff on site. A similar PSPO was introduced at the Milton Park and Ride last year.

More than 160 people took part in a consultation to gauge interest in a PSPO at Babraham Road, with 88 per cent in favour of tougher measures to tackle driving issues.

Cllr Laurence Damary-Homan, lead cabinet member for environment at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “The levels of disruption we’ve seen at Babraham Park and Ride are completely unacceptable, and action is needed. Everyone deserves to feel safe and to enjoy peace and quiet – not to be subjected to reckless driving and intimidation.”

Cambridge City Council’s cabinet member for communities, Cllr Mike Todd-Jones, said: “Residents deserve to feel safe and respected in their own neighbourhoods. Reckless driving and anti-social behaviour put lives at risk and undermine the quality of life for so many.”

If you witness anti-social driving after 5.15pm, you can report it to Cambridge City Council via the out-of-hours phone line on 0300 303 8389, or online.

CEUTA, Spain (AP) — At least 18 migrants died trying to reach the Spanish territory of Ceuta after thousands of people breached the frontier with Morocco and poured into the tiny Spanish territory.

The border crisis boiled over Thursday and overnight. Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE broadcast images of burned cars on the Moroccan side of the border after reported clashes.

Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers called the situation a “serious humanitarian crisis,” saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks and sidewalks, while others roamed the streets aimlessly.

“People are still entering. The reinforcements that have arrived are only helping the injured and other humanitarian efforts,” he said. “It’s chaotic.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to join Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska in a visit to Ceuta on Friday morning.

Among the 18 who died, many drowned, Sbihi said, but some were also killed in a stampede to cross the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach, an urban beach near a border checkpoint with Morocco.

Video footage on Thursday showed throngs of people, mainly Moroccans, walking around the breakwaters onto local roads. While most appeared to be young men, there were also families with women and small children.

“Viva España!” some shouted to a freelance photographer working for The Associated Press. Late Thursday into Friday, the photographer saw people amassed on the Moroccan side of the border trying to cross into Ceuta but also people walking from Ceuta toward Morocco, trying to return.

Moroccan authorities have not publicly commented on the crossings, and Morocco’s Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

It was not immediately clear what prompted so many people to cross to Ceuta.

Spain is a main point of arrival into Europe for migrants seeking better economic opportunities or an escape from violence in their home countries.

To reach Ceuta, located on the northern African coast, migrants often swim from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, covering about 3 miles (5 kilometers) to reach Spanish territory. Others attempt the crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech, where the distance is shorter.

Arrivals had been increasing, but reasons are still unclear

The escalation at the frontier between Spain and Morocco comes after a surge in migrants attempting to reach the small exclave, mainly by swimming, on Wednesday.

The chaos had ripple effects in Italy, another key destination for migrants. Premier Giorgia Meloni threatened to suspend Italy’s open-border Schengen agreement with Spain “to defend our borders and ensure the safety of our citizens,” though Italy doesn’t share a border with Spain.

Ceuta, which is perched on a historical isthmus, has been a Spanish possession since 1580. Its mixed population of Christians and Muslims, Spanish and Moroccan residents and day workers, lives in relative harmony behind a border fence that many desperate migrants from across Africa attempt to cross for a better life in Europe.

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Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain. Naishadham reported from Madrid.