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NewsBeat

Andy Burnham confirmed as Prime Minister after ‘kissing of hands’ ceremony with King

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Belfast Live

Andy Burnham has visited Buckingham Palace and received an invitation from the King to form a Government

Andy Burnham has formally become Prime Minister after meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace.

In the traditional “kissing of hands” audience, Mr Burnham received the monarch’s approval to form a government, a confirmation later issued in a statement by the Palace.

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The newly elected Labour leader, who returned to Westminster only recently after serving as Manchester mayor, has pledged to give people “breathing room” against the rising cost of living. He is expected to unveil his first Cabinet later this afternoon, having remained notably tight‑lipped about his choices.

Earlier, departing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer gave a farewell address outside Downing Street, saying that he ‘changed’ the Labour Party, making it ‘fit to lead’.

“I’m about to visit His Majesty The King and offer my resignation to close the book on my time as Prime Minister,” he began. “My work is done. In six and a half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019 – changed it, so it was fit to face the country, and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.

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“It has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as Prime Minister. And I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.”

Reports have suggested cost-of-living support offered by Burnham could include action on energy bills, including allowing more oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.

Environmental campaigners have urged him to stick to Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which promised not to issue new licences for North Sea drilling, arguing they would not reduce energy bills.

Mr Burnham could also face a decision on whether to temporarily nationalise Thames Water as the firm struggles with a £20 billion debt pile.

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Wales Airshow announces 2026 line-up – full list of aircrafts on display

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Wales Online

The Red Arrows won’t be in Swansea but in their place is a never seen before show

One of the standout events in Swansea’s yearly calendar is making its return to the city’s waterfront this weekend. The annual Wales Airshow is expected to draw over 200,000 locals and tourists from throughout Wales and beyond, offering them breath taking aerial demonstrations alongside ground-based attractions, including vendor stalls, refreshments, live musical acts, and entertainment suitable for the whole family.

This year it will take place on Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 2027 over the beach, and locals can expect to see some fantastic displays, live music and of course road closures across the city that will inevitably cause major congestion.

From the aircrafts taking part to why the Red Arrows aren’t taking the air. We’ve compiled a guide for the day with everything you need to know about the Wales Airshow 2026.

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When will the event take place?

This year’s Wales Airshow takes place on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26.

The site opens at 10am and closes at 6pm on both days.

Following the main event, organisers have promised an exciting new addition to the line-up. Afterburn, will showcase sunset air displays from 8.30pm – 9.45pm.

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Spectators will see dramatic pyrotechnic performances from the Otto Helicopter, thrilling aerial manoeuvres from the Firebirds complete with fireworks.

There will then be a grand finale featuring a choreographed 200-drone display and fireworks.

Which aircrafts will be on display?

Organisers are yet to release a timetable for the Air Show, but we will update this guide when it has been announced. However, they have revealed which aircrafts with be displaying over the weekend.

This includes:

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  • RAF Typhoon Display Team – Wales Airshow appearance supported by Bassetts Motor Group – both days
  • RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Spitfire, Hurricane and C47 Dakota – both days
  • RAF Tutor Display Team – both days
  • Strikemaster Pair – both days
  • Rolls‑Royce Spitfire – both days
  • Firebirds Display Team – both days
  • OTTO Schweizer 300C Helicopter – both days
  • Gazelle Squadron – both days
  • Fairey Swordfish – both days
  • Westland Wasp – both days
  • Aerosuperbatic Wingwalkers – both days
  • Wales Airshow Afterburn – Saturday only

Why aren’t the Red Arrows taking part?

The Red Arrows won’t be gracing Welsh skies this summer. The renowned aerobatic team’s schedule for the coming months revealed no planned displays across Wales.

The world-famous squadron regularly features at the Wales Airshow in Swansea, but this year the event is notably absent from the Red Arrows’ calendar.

The iconic scarlet aircraft will instead spend much of the summer across the Atlantic for displays commemorating 250 years of American independence. The Wales Airshow clashes with the Red Arrows’ American tour.

The display squadron will be stationed in America from late June through to late July, with performances scheduled for Maryland, New York, Wisconsin, Maine and Michigan.

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You can read more here.

How about ground displays?

The Wales Airshow isn’t just about the spectacular aerial displays, there’s plenty of entertainment on the ground too

From flight simulators and a funfair to static aircraft, armed forces vehicles and displays, children’s entertainers and much more, there’s no shortage of things to see and do.

The ground displays run from 10am – 6pm on both days, so organisers recommend arriving early to beat the traffic and take in the displays before the aerial action gets under way. Ground displays extend from the Civic Centre all the way down to Brynmill Lane.

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What else will be there?

Funfair and amusements

Funfair and amusements will be based at the Civic Centre and on Oystermouth Road, including Red Arrow and Typhoon simulators, thrill seeker rides, children’s rides, games and amusements.

There will also be live music and the chance to meet the display teams on the ground.

Food and drink

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Organisers say that a full range of food will be available in the ground display area around the Cenotaph, and also around the Civic Centre.

The food range will include authentic Mediterranean, woodfired pizzas, BBC smokehouse, Asian fusion bowls, Indian street food, tacos, burgers, fish and chips and jacket potatoes. Ice-cream, doughnuts, sweets stalls will also be open. Tea, coffee and soft drinks and alcohol will be available for purchase.

Road closures

This year’s road closures will be as follows.

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12pm Friday, July 24 until 5am Monday, July 27.

  • Oystermouth Road / Mumbles Road will be closed in a westbound direction only (from the junction of West Way to Brynmill Lane).
  • In addition to this, there will be no access between the eastbound carriageway of Oystermouth Road and Bond Street, St Helens Road and Beach Street and Gorse Lane during these times.
  • 20mph speed restriction in force on the east bound carriageway.
  • Access to the Marina will be maintained via Dunvant Place.

8am Saturday, July 25 until 5am Monday, July 27.

  • Oystermouth Road / Mumbles Road will be closed in both directions. (from the junction of West Way to Sketty Lane).
  • Diversions will be in place.
  • Access to the Marina will be maintained via Dunvant Place.
  • Access to Argyle Street will be maintained using a short diversion via the Civic Centre.
  • Pantycelyn Road and Nicander Parade will be closed (between Dyfed Avenue and Townhill Road) between 8am and 7pm on both days.

6am Saturday, July 25 – 5am Monday, July 27.

  • Guildhall Road South closed from its junction with Francis Street to Oystermouth Road
  • Access to Swansea University and Brynmill Lane to be maintained via Sketty Lane

Parking restrictions and a tow-away zone will be in operation from 10am on Friday, July 24 until 5am on Monday, July 27 on:

  • Both sides of Oystermouth Road / Mumbles Road
  • Both sides of Bryn Road
  • Mansel Street westbound

Swansea Promenade, from the Civic Centre to Sketty Lane, will be prohibited to cyclists from 7am Thursday, July 3 until 11pm Tuesday, July 8. Emergency access will be maintained at all times.

Car parking

Available car parks are categorised into four tiers according to their proximity to the event.

Online booking is available until 5pm Friday, July 24 for Saturday, July 25, and until 5pm Saturday July 25 for Sunday July 26 parking. Pay on the gate will then be available on the day if there are sufficient spaces available.

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Tier one

Recreation Ground (blue).

Cost per vehicle: £25

Postcode: SA2 0AT

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Tier two

Swansea Civic Centre East (black).

Cost per vehicle: £22

Postcode: SA1 3SN

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Guildhall Rotunda (red).

Cost per vehicle: £22

Postcode: SA1 4PE

Paxton Street (white).

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Cost per vehicle: £22

Postcode: SA1 3SA

Tier three

King George V Playing Fields (purple).

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Cost per vehicle: £17

Postcode: SA2 9AU

Pay-on-the-day car parks.

Several car parks are also available for payment upon arrival during the event weekend.

Tier one

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Lacrosse Field

Cost per vehicle: £25

Postcode: SA2 0AX

Tier four

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Singleton Hospital (yellow).

Cost per vehicle: £10.

Postcode: SA2 8QG.

There are also plenty of other non-event city centre car parks available, which you can find information on these online here.

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Park and ride service

A fully accessible park and ride service is available from Fabian Way Park and Ride site. This will drop off and pick up at The Civic Centre.

Cost per vehicle: £10

Postcode: SA1 8LD

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Buses will run between 8.30am – 10.30pm Saturday and 8.30am – 8.00pm Sunday.

It is recommended that those using the Park and Ride carefully plan around the time it will take to get to the event due to high chances of congestion in the city.

Click here for further details and to book your place.

Accessibility

Two accessible viewing areas will be available at this year’s airshow, each equipped with a disabled access portable toilet, a steward, foldable chairs for companions if needed, and excellent views of both the air displays and the beach.

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These facilities will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

You can read more about the accessibility at this year’s Wales Airshow here.

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Three teens who stabbed boy, 16, to death after row broke out between rival groups on Ayrshire beach are jailed

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Jay Steward, 19, was jailed for a minimum of 16 years

Three teenage boys who stabbed a 16–year–old to death on a beach have been jailed.

Jay Steward, 19, Cole Turley, 18, and a 15–year–old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – were sentenced at Glasgow High Court this morning.

Turley and Stewart were both jailed for a minimum of 16 years while the third teenager was jailed for a minimum of 14 years. 

The trio were convicted of murdering Kayden Moy on Irvine Beach on the coast of Ayrshire in Scotland on May 17, last year.

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Turley admitted the killing, while Stewart and the 15–year–old were found guilty last month following a trial at the High Court.

Sentencing the three at the court today, judge Lord Scott told them they had gone to the beach that day with the intention of carrying out an attack.

He told them: ‘Two of you took weapons including, in the case of Cole Turley, the knife with which Kayden Moy was stabbed.’

He added: ‘You didn’t care whether Kayden lived or died.’

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Cole Turley, 18, was jailed for a minimum of 16 years

Cole Turley, 18, and Jay Stewart, 19, (both pictured, L–R) and a 15–year–old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – were sentenced at Glasgow High Court this morning

The trio were convicted of murdering Kayden Moy (pictured) on Irvine Beach on May 17, last year

The trio were convicted of murdering Kayden Moy (pictured) on Irvine Beach on May 17, last year

The attack happened as part of gang violence between teenagers who had travelled to Irvine Beach (pictured)

The attack happened as part of gang violence between teenagers who had travelled to Irvine Beach (pictured)

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Lord Scott also referred to a victim impact statement from Kayden’s family, in which they said they are ‘devastated beyond words’ by his death.

The statement added: ‘He was loved beyond measure, and he will be missed for the rest of our lives.’

A jury previously heard that Turley, Stewart and the 15–year–old were members of the Murray Boys gang in East Kilbride.

Kayden and friends were part of the rival Himshie gang.

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There had been friction between the two groups in the run up to the attack.

The court heard Turley, Stewart and the 15–year–old were throwing rocks at Kayden and his friends on the beach.

Kayden and two friends – who were unarmed – went on to confront the three.

Turley then whipped out a large lockback knife while Stewart held a police–style extendable baton.

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Kaydon Moy's parents Paul and Ashley Moy were greeted by supporters outside the High Court in Glasgow

Kaydon Moy’s parents Paul and Ashley Moy were greeted by supporters outside the High Court in Glasgow

A witness told the court: ‘Kayden kind of slipped and Cole Turley jumped on him.’

Turley plunged the blade into the teenager twice – on the body and thigh – before he fled.

Members of Kayden’s family left the public gallery when horror CCTV and mobile phone footage of the stabbing was played to the court.

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Stricken Kayden hobbled down from the sand dune where the stabbing took place to the beach below.

His friend recalled: ‘I remember blood going down Kayden’s leg and Kayden going really white and his eyes started to close.’

The young victim was given first aid by a woman and taken to hospital by ambulance.

He suffered a second cardiac arrest and passed away at 11.33pm. The cause of death was ‘stab wound to the trunk’.

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After running from the scene, Turley stuck the knife into the grass and was overheard boasting that he ‘just done him’.

Turley also shouted ‘One–nil.’

CCTV showed the trio running down a road near to the beach – stopping momentarily to embrace each other.

Stewart and Turley shook hands while the 15–year–old cuddled the knife attacker.

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The trio took a taxi to the flat of Turley’s 19–year–old friend Fraser Wallace’s house in East Kilbride.

On being told that Kayden was still alive, the witness told jurors that the teenagers made up a rap song about their victim.

Following their conviction, Kayden’s parents, Paul and Ashley said: ‘Kayden was an amazing, caring boy who lit up every room he walked into. He brought happiness to everyone around him.

‘Every morning we wake up and are faced again with the reality that he is gone. We will never hear his laugh again, never see his smile, never watch him achieve the goals he worked so hard for.

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‘We have an empty chair at family gatherings, an empty bedroom in our home, and an emptiness in our hearts that can never be filled. We do not simply miss Kayden on special occasions; we miss him every minute of every day.

‘All the milestones and memories that should have been part of his future have been taken away forever. He was loved beyond measure and will forever be missed.’

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Swansea City ‘win race for international winger’ as star to jet to Austria for medical

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Wales Online

Swansea City have reportedly agreed a deal for Ghana winger Joseph Opoku, with the Belgian Pro League star now set to travel to Austria for a medical

Swansea City have reportedly won the race to sign highly-rated Ghana winger Joseph Opoku, with the 20-year-old now set to fly to Austria to undergo a medical with the Championship club.

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According to Flashscore, the Swans have agreed a deal with Belgian side Zulte Waregem for the exciting attacker, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in the Belgian top flight last season.

Opoku is expected to join Vitor Matos’ squad at their pre-season training camp in Austria in the coming days, where it is said he will complete his medical before finalising the move.

The deal would make him Swansea’s fourth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Stephen Welsh, Moussa Yeo and Leo Walta, while also adding to what has been an increasingly ambitious recruitment drive ahead of the new Championship season.

Flashscore reports that Swansea have beaten a host of clubs from across Europe to Opoku’s signature.

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Championship rivals Hull City, Serie A side Genoa, Turkish outfit Trabzonspor, Russian club Krasnodar and Spanish giants Real Sociedad are all said to have shown concrete interest in the winger after his impressive performances in Belgium.

Opoku only joined Zulte Waregem in 2024 from Ghanaian club Great Corinthians but quickly established himself as one of the club’s key players, helping them win promotion before enjoying an outstanding first season in the Belgian Pro League.

The youngster finished the 2025/26 campaign with an eye-catching return of 10 goals and 16 assists, earning the league’s Player of the Month award for April.

The report adds that Matos is a particular admirer of the winger’s profile, with the Swansea boss keen to recruit direct, technically gifted wide players capable of thriving in his high-intensity, possession-based system.

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Primarily a left winger despite being naturally right-footed, Opoku is also a Ghana international, having made his senior debut earlier this year. He was included in Ghana’s preliminary World Cup squad before missing out on a place in the final 26-man party for the tournament in North America.

The latest development comes less than 24 hours after reports emerged that Swansea were closing in on another winger.

As reported on Monday, the Swans are also close to completing a move for New Zealand international Elijah Just after Motherwell agreed what has been described as a club-record transfer fee.

Should both deals be completed, it would represent a real statement of intent from Swansea as Matos continues reshaping his squad ahead of the new Championship campaign.

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The Swans begin the new season away at Stoke City on August 15, with the club strengthening while their pre-season preparations continue in Austria.

*Follow all of our social channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Swans news. Sign up to our daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here. Our Swansea City correspondent Tom Coleman is also on social media. He can be found on his X account here, on Instagram, on TikTok and on Facebook.

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New 20mph zones in Dales villages set to be agreed

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New 20mph zones in Dales villages set to be agreed

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways is being recommended to back the introduction of 20mph zones on various roads in Embsay and Eastby, near Skipton, when the proposal is considered this week.

The scheme was developed following concerns raised by residents, Embsay with Eastby Parish Council and the local councillor over road safety, particularly because Embsay Church of England Primary School is located in the village.

Speed surveys, collision data and local engagement were carried out before officers concluded that a 20mph zone, supported by traffic calming measures, would be the most appropriate solution.

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Council figures show there have been nine personal injury collisions in the area over the past 15 years, including two serious collisions.

The proposals were formally advertised last summer and attracted 12 responses, including 11 objections.

Several objectors questioned whether reducing the speed limit was necessary and raised concerns about its location.

However, highways officers have dismissed those concerns, saying the roads are suitable for a lower limit and that the changes are expected to be largely self-enforcing.

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In a report to councillors, officers say they do not believe the scheme will significantly alter the speeds of most drivers but will help reduce higher speeds, better reflect the changing road layout and increase motorists’ awareness of potential hazards.

The report adds that lower speed limits can improve quality of life for residents.

It highlights Department for Transport guidance suggesting that maintaining a steady speed, even at a lower limit, can result in shorter and more reliable journey times

Officers also reject suggestions that the proposals would harm the local economy or create significant delays.

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The council says the scheme has the support of North Yorkshire Police, which would be responsible for enforcing the new limit, as well as the parish council and local member.

If approved, the new 20mph zones will cost an estimated £30,000, funded from the council’s existing road safety capital budget.

Officers are recommending that the Traffic Regulation Order is made and sealed, allowing the new limits to come into force despite the objections received.

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London hosepipe ban to hit millions in the capital: Everything you need to know

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London hosepipe ban to hit millions in the capital: Everything you need to know

The ban was revealed in a statement on Thames Water’s website on Tuesday morning.

It read: “A temporary hosepipe ban has been announced for customers who receive their water supply from Thames Water.

“The hosepipe ban does not apply to customers who only receive wastewater services from Thames Water. However, your water supplier may have its own restrictions in place.”

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Iran-US war latest: Trump wants Tehran to ‘pay the price’ for killing US soldiers after 10-day ceasefire proposal

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Iran-US war latest: Trump wants Tehran to ‘pay the price’ for killing US soldiers after 10-day ceasefire proposal

In pictures: Lebanese army deploys in southern Lebanon after Israeli withdrawal

Lebanese army troops deploy at the entrance of the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in line with a U.S.-brokered plan, Lebanon, July 21, 2026. (Reuters)
Lebanese army troops deploy at the entrance of the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in line with a U.S.-brokered plan, Lebanon, July 21, 2026.
Lebanese army troops deploy at the entrance of the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in line with a U.S.-brokered plan, Lebanon, July 21, 2026. (Reuters)
A Lebanese army armored vehicle enters the southern Lebanese village of Zawtar on July 21, 2026. The Lebanese army announced on July 21 that it had begun deploying to an area in the south, one of three
A Lebanese army armored vehicle enters the southern Lebanese village of Zawtar on July 21, 2026. The Lebanese army announced on July 21 that it had begun deploying to an area in the south, one of three “pilot zones” outlined in a deal with Israel to disarm Hezbollah. (AFP/Getty)

Maira Butt21 July 2026 11:15

Lebanese army deploys in southern town after Israeli withdrawal, official says

Lebanese army troops began deploying in the southern Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh on Tuesday after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, a senior Lebanese security official said, in line with a US-brokered plan.

The plan sees Lebanese army troops confiscating Hezbollah’s weapons in parts of southern Lebanon and phased withdrawals of Israeli troops. The Israeli military said on Monday that the plan, dubbed the pilot zone programme, has begun. It had no immediate comment on Tuesday.

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Lebanese army troops deploy at the entrance of the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in line with a U.S.-brokered plan, Lebanon, July 21, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone.
Lebanese army troops deploy at the entrance of the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in line with a U.S.-brokered plan, Lebanon, July 21, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. (Reuters)

Maira Butt21 July 2026 10:45

Yemen’s Houthis declare naval blockade against Saudi Arabia amid Strait of Hormuz fighting

In a statement, the Iran-aligned armed group said that they were declaring “a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately”.

They said the decision was in response to what they described as “an unjust and oppressive siege” imposed on Yemen by the Saudis.

Maira Butt21 July 2026 10:15

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US strikes unlikely to change Iranian position, say intelligence reports

New US intelligence reports suggest that a new round of US strikes on facilities is unlikely to influence Iran’s position, both current and former US officials told The Washington Post.

The spy agencies have concluded that Tehran and Washington are stuck in a limbo between war and peace.

The findings have been briefed to President Donald Trump’s administration, according to the reports.

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Maira Butt21 July 2026 09:45

Reza Pahlavi says he received DMs from IRGC members wanting to ‘break away’

In an interview with DRM News, Reza Pahlavi has said that he receives social media messages from members of the Iranian establishment that are hoping to break away from it.

“I began receiving some DMs in my social media by elements that say, you know, ‘I’m a basij in Mashhad,’ or ‘I’m a member of the IRGC in such and such country. We hate this regime. We’re not with them. We’re looking for an opportunity to break away’,” he said.

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“It’s not that I’m in fact talking to the IRGC command — not at all. But there were elements of the Sepah, of course the military as well, that would communicate with me discreetly.”

Son of Iran's last shah, opposition figure Prince Reza Pahlavi speaks to the press as he takes part in a roundtable discussion regarding the situation in Iran at the Dutch parliament in The Hague on July 6, 2026.
Son of Iran’s last shah, opposition figure Prince Reza Pahlavi speaks to the press as he takes part in a roundtable discussion regarding the situation in Iran at the Dutch parliament in The Hague on July 6, 2026. (AFP/Getty)

Maira Butt21 July 2026 09:15

Pentagon withheld information on dozens of US military injuries in Iran war: report

They were identified on Monday as 25-year-old 1st Lt Tyler James Feehan from Ewa Beach, Hawaii and 19-year-old Pvt. Isabella Gonzales from Carrolton, Texas.

But in the week leading up to the incident, Iran carried out three other attacks against the US in Jordan that injured dozens of service members and damaged several helicopters, US officials told the New York Times.

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The Pentagon did not disclose the attacks nor release details of the casualties and damage inflicted.

Maira Butt21 July 2026 08:45

Oil prices remain close to one-month high as Yemen announces Red Sea blockade

Oil prices held close to a one-month high on Tuesday despite efforts to broker a truce between the US and Iran as the widening conflict and a new threat to Red Sea shipping kept supply fears alive.

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Brent crude, the international benchmark, slipped 0.4 per cent to $88.87 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate held steady at $82.47. Both remained near the highs reached the day before, when Brent broke above $90 for the first time in more than a month.

The slight retreat came after reports of a mediation effort to pause the fighting between US and Iran. Tehran had received a proposal from mediators for a 10-day ceasefire, an effort to salvage an interim deal signed on 17 June to end the US-Israeli war on Iran that started on 28 February, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.

Maira Butt21 July 2026 08:13

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Iran’s Guard target Amazon infrastructure in Bahrain

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard have claimed to have targeted US retail giant Amazon’s infrastructure in Bahrain.

The Guard have also launched attacks on US bases in Jordan and Kuwait.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar21 July 2026 07:06

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Iran claims strikes on US bases in Jordan

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard this morning claimed it launched an attack on US military bases in Jordan.

The Guard claimed it destroyed a missile defence radar system and an F-15 aircraft inside a shelter during the attack.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar21 July 2026 06:40

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Pentagon chief says 100 US troopers injured in attack

The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson said nearly 100 US service members have been injured since the US restarted strikes on 7 July, and 96 per cent of them have returned to duty.

“The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions,” Sean Parnell posted on X in response to a New York Times report that the Pentagon has withheld information about troop injuries from Iranian strikes. He denied that the Pentagon was hiding data about injuries.

However, the Defense Casualty Analysis System, the military’s clearinghouse for reporting deaths and injuries in conflict, has not been updated as of last night with the latest attacks.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar21 July 2026 06:26

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When a teenager makes the ‘stupid choice’, their brain is working exactly as designed

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When a teenager makes the ‘stupid choice’, their brain is working exactly as designed

When an adult refuses to let an injustice pass – stands up to a bully, or asserts their rights – we call it principle. When a fifteen-year-old retaliates to an insult thrown in a school corridor, risking detention, we call it a failure to think ahead. It’s easy to ascribe this to a not-yet-developed teenage brain: a convenient shorthand for assuming they simply cannot weigh consequences properly.

But this misunderstands the teenage brain. It works in a way that has been shaped by evolution for a unique and uniquely challenging time of life.

Humans repay kindness with kindness, bristle when they are cheated, and want rule-breakers to be made to pay. Infants of eight months already prefer those who behave well towards others, and the willingness to punish someone who breaks a rule grows stronger as children get older. Getting your own back registers in the brain’s reward system as genuinely pleasurable.

This is the argument at the heart of my research in evolutionary criminology. Punishment is one of the mechanisms that allowed cooperation to evolve. A group where cheating goes unanswered is a group that eventually stops cooperating. The teenager who hits back in the corridor is running on an ancient programme.

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Adolescence turns the volume on these impulses up, and there are good reasons for that.

Why fifteen is different

The brain’s reward system, and the ventral striatum in particular, becomes far more responsive during the teenage years, peaking in mid-adolescence. The prefrontal cortex, which allows a person to inhibit an impulse rather than act on it, continues to develop into the third decade of life.

Adolescence is when a young person has to step away from their family and find a footing among peers. A brain that feels rewards keenly, that explores, that cares enormously what other people think and that defends its standing is well suited to that job.

The presence of friends alone is enough to raise risk-taking and to activate reward circuitry in ways that do not happen when teenagers are alone. Sensitivity to peer judgment and exclusion runs higher in adolescence than at any other point in life.

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The price of the sensible choice

Teenagers do weigh up what they are doing. The costs that weigh most heavily on them are social, and adults consistently underestimate how heavy they are. Walking away in front of an audience can cost a young person their standing, and standing is the thing they most need at that age.

How they are perceived by their peers is incredibly important to teenagers.
Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock

A brain this sensitive to its surroundings will take its shape from whatever those surroundings contain. Exposure to high-risk environments and offending peers accounts for a very large share of whether young people break rules at all.

This sensitivity is also why researchers increasingly describe adolescence as a window of opportunity. A calm environment that prioritises fair outcomes and in which people are treated with respect will shape how teenagers behave.

Knowledge into practice

If a young person trusts the system to deliver a just outcome, their brain’s urgent need for retribution is dialled down, allowing the prefrontal cortex to catch up. At school, this might mean an approach where a trained staff member mediates a conversation between conflicting students, ensuring both are heard and a mutually acceptable resolution is reached, rather than relying on punishment.

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At home, it could be as simple as a parent consistently and calmly intervening in a sibling dispute to reach a fair outcome, rather than letting children “sort it out themselves” and risk the more powerful one imposing their will.

Teachers and parents can also try to create an environment where the rewarding thing to do and the sensible thing to do point in the same direction. For instance, a school could create a peer-to-peer tutoring program where helping a classmate is also recognised with privileges or public acknowledgement – making it the “sensible” choice for social standing.

At home, this could involve framing chores not as a burdensome duty, but as a contribution to the family team, with the reward being more family leisure time together. This aligns the immediate payoff with the long-term benefit.

Another important strategy is to leave young people a way to back down without losing face. In a school, a teacher witnessing a brewing conflict might privately offer both students a “cooling-off” pass to a designated safe space, framing it as a chance to deescalate rather than as a punishment for fighting.

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At home, a parent might say, “I can see you’re really angry right now. I need you to choose how you want to handle this: we can talk it through now, or you can take 20 minutes to cool off and we’ll come back to it. Your call.” This allows the teenager to disengage from a confrontation without appearing weak in front of peers or siblings.

Adolescence takes its shape from whatever we surround it with, which makes it the most promising few years we have to positively shape a life. It’s a window of opportunity where the right support, fair systems and understanding environments can have a greater impact than at almost any other stage of development.

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Kaliyah Coa, 11, died in River Thames while trying to rescue friend’s shoe

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Kaliyah Coa, 11, died in River Thames while trying to rescue friend’s shoe
Kaliyah Coa was with friends when she went into the water in east London last March (Picture: SWNS)

An 11-year-old girl drowned in east London after going into the river Thames to get a friend’s shoe, an inquest has heard.

Kaliyah Coa was with friends at Barge House Causeway on an inset day on March 31, 2025, when she went into the water.

Nathan Guy who lives near the jetty said he saw five children playing near the jetty when he heard one say ‘you made me throw it’.

He saw Kliyah using a scooter to get to the shoe but one of the other children said it was too expensive.

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Concerned for their welfare he told police: ‘I saw the girl by the river. I called 999 and went back to the door and saw the girls struggling in the water. I turned away then I saw her head under the water.’

Emergency crews were called including the Coastguard, but Kaliyah’s body was not recovered until two weeks later on April 13.

Shortly after she went missing, her aunt Jade-Leanne Coa started a fundraiser which has since raised more than £10,000.

She wrote: ‘Kaliyah was the light of our lives — full of warmth, laughter, and so much love. The pain of her absence is indescribable, but the love she inspired in others, including so many of you, is something we will always hold close.’

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Pathologist professor Alan Bates said Kaliyah was an otherwise healthy child, concluding her cause of death was immersion after water was found in her airways and lungs.

Her parents, grandmother, uncle and aunts attended an inquest where coroner Graeme Irvine recorded an accidental death finding that she had died from immersion in the River Thames.

The court heard she had been to a birthday party the day before then asked her dad if she could stay for a sleepover.

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15992887 Grab from PA video of Barge House Causeway, near London City Airport, near to where an 11-year-old girl went missing after she entered the River Thames on Monday, she has been named by the Metropolitan Police as Kaliyah Coa. Image date: Tuesday April 1, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Thames. Photo credit should read: Pol Allingham/PA Wire
She had been playing with friends near Barge House Causeway when she went into the water (Picture: PA)

He was initially against the sleepover, but after speaking to her friend’s dad, he agreed.

The following morning, the children made themselves breakfast before going to a nearby park and then to the causeway.

She contacted her dad and asked if she could ‘dip her toes’ in the water. He said in his statement that he first thought it was a joke but then ‘reminded her that where she was was not a beach’.

Kaliyah replied: ‘Pops, I know about the currents.’

He later added: ‘I was now angry that no adult from the house didn’t tell me they were outside.’

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In his summary, coroner Mr Irvine said that there was no evidence of ‘dark intent’ or anything suspicious.

He said: ‘These were children who were friends. It is a testament of Kaliyah as a confident and helpful and kind child that she tried to help her friend.’

He added that entering the Thames would have been dangerous due to the currents and conditions.

Mr Irvine said the other children should not be criticised for not entering the water to rescue Kaliyah, as there is ‘no Good Samaritan law’ in England and Wales.

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He said: ‘This is a case that has haunted me from the moment I received it in April 2025. I see this as a tragic accident.

‘The circumstances of Kaliyah’s death were completely unexpected. The shock that the family must have felt must have seriously impacted their grief.

‘I want to offer my sincere condolences to all of Kaliyah’s family and friends. Please accept my condolences.’

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Who is in Andy Burnham’s cabinet after the reshuffle?

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Who is in Andy Burnham's cabinet after the reshuffle?

The former Mayor of Greater Manchester took office on Monday (July 20) following Sir Keir Starmer’s official resignation.

Burnham pledged to deliver a “circuit breaker for Britain” and return stability to government in his first speech outside No 10.

He promised a new political and economic model after becoming the UK’s seventh Prime Minister since 2016.

Burnham said: “I am acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last 10 years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution.

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“It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge.

“Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again.”

He also repeated his commitment to “take power out of Westminster” and give the public more control over “life’s essentials,” vowing to set out a 10-year plan later this year.

Who is in Andy Burnham’s cabinet after the reshuffle?

The cabinet has seen a significant reshuffle reflecting both continuity and change.

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Here is the full list of Mr Burnham’s cabinet:

  • Chancellor – John Healy
  • Foreign Secretary – Ed Milliband
  • Home Secretary – Shabana Mahmood
  • Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and First Secretary of State  – Louise Haigh
  • Health Secretary – Yvette Cooper
  • Defence Secretary – Wes Streeting
  • Work and Pensions Secretary – Pat McFadden
  • Housing Secretary – Angela Rayner
  • Housing Minister – Matthew Pennycook
  • Business Secretary – Jonathan Reynolds
  • Education Secretary – Lucy Powell
  • Justice Secretary – Alex Norris
  • Transport Secretary – Heidi Alexander

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander arrives in Downing StreetHeidi Alexander was one of the few who kept their roles, remaining as Transport Secretary (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

  • Culture Secretary – Lisa Nandy
  • Environment Secretary – Dame Angela Eagle
  • Energy Secretary – Miatta Fahnbulleh
  • Minister of State – Hamish Falconer
  • Minister of State (AI) – Kanishka Narayan
  • Chief Whip – Anneliese Midgley
  • Chief Secretary to the Treasury – Emma Reynolds
  • Women and Equalities Minister – Bridget Phillipson
  • Attorney General – Ellie Reeves
  • Leader of the Commons – Alan Campbell
  • Leader of the Lords – Baroness Smith of Basildon
  • Northern Ireland Secretary – Sir Chris Bryant
  • Secretary of State for Scotland – Douglas Alexander
  • Wales Secretary – Stephen Kinnock

Andy Burnham outlines priorities as he becomes Prime Minister

Burnham outlined his priorities, which include building more council homes, reforming the education system to help young people into work, and creating a more “preventative state” to invest in people’s success.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, in a letter to Burnham, urged him to commit to spending cuts, rule out tax rises, and grant licences for the North Sea’s Rosebank and Jackdaw.

She also urged him to overturn the ban on new oil and gas licences.

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Green Party leader Zack Polanski urged the Prime Minister to impose rent controls, bring the water industry into public ownership, and introduce wealth taxes.

He enters No 10 after formally accepting the invitation to govern in a private audience with the King.

His predecessor Sir Keir resigned after just two years in office, stating that he was leaving the country “stronger and fairer.”

Following his speech, Burnham was greeted with applause and hugs from supporters, before entering No 10 with his wife Marie-France van Heel.

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They were welcomed by Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo and cheered in by Downing Street staff.

What do you think of Andy Burnham’s choices for his cabinet? Let us know in the comments.

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US launches fresh strikes on Iran, as Trump warns of retaliation for deaths of soldiers

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Beatles star Sir Paul McCartney smiles and waves from a car window while holding up a smartphone. Ringo Starr can be seen on the screen, wearing sunglasses. McCartney is dressed in a beige jumper with a light blue shirt collar underneath and several bracelets on his wrist.

The US military says it launched another round of strikes against Iran to “further degrade” its capabilities to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes – the 10th consecutive night of attacks – come after US President Donald Trump vowed to punish Iran for the deaths of US soldiers.

In response, Iran said it struck two oil tankers in the waterway, as well as US military assets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, state news agency IRNA reported.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was now fighting a “full-scale war” with the US. Trump earlier said Iran had been hit “very hard” the previous night “in honour” of three US soldiers killed recently – two in Jordan and one in Iraq.

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US Central Command (Centcom) said its latest strikes had hit Iranian “military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems”.

Explosions were reported near the north-western city of Tabriz, where state media said one person was killed and several wounded, as well at the Gulf ports of Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini and the south-eastern ports of Chabahar and Konarak.

Centcom also insisted that commercial vessels were continuing to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran meanwhile said its forces struck two oil tankers as they attempted to transit through what it called the strait’s “unsafe and hazardous southern route” and rescue teams were picking up their crews, according to state media.

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The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz had reported being struck by an unknown projectile, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel and board a lifeboat.

It was not clear whether the tanker reported by UKMTO was among those cited by Iran.

Six fuel tankers and cargo ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to preliminary data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler. Two of these vessels had previously been sanctioned by the US for links with Iran.

This is down from eight vessels crossing on 19 July, the data shows. All but one of the crossings made on 20 July were via the northern route near Iran.

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed to have targeted a data centre belonging to the US company Amazon in Bahrain, according to state media on Tuesday.

The IRGC “attacked and destroyed the central data infrastructure of the American company Amazon in Bahrain with several cruise missiles,” state news agency IRNA reported.

Jordan said on Tuesday that it had intercepted five drones after saying it had shot down three missiles late on Monday. Bahrain said drones launched by Iran had targeted its air navigation systems – but traffic remained unaffected. Kuwait’s armed forces also said they had intercepted Iranian drones.

At the same time, Tehran said diplomatic messages were still being exchanged by both sides through intermediaries, despite a collapse of a ceasefire.

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On Monday night the Department of Defense confirmed the identities of two of the US soldiers – Pte Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Texas, and Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Hawaii – who were killed in an Iranian strike on the Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan over the weekend.

Centcom said earlier a third service member also went missing in action after the attack, and unidentified remains were later found in the area.

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