GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Guyana’s government on Sunday appointed a group of international experts to investigate the recent sinking of a state ferry that killed dozens of passengers in the country’s worst maritime disaster on record.
The 87-year-old MV Barima capsized in Atlantic waters on June 18 after it departed the capital, Georgetown, en route to Port Kaituma, an Indigenous community near Venezuela.
Authorities have said they believe 179 passengers were aboard, but divers so far have found only 73 bodies, with another 76 people rescued. International teams are still trying to recover the vessel so experts can inspect it.
President Irfaan Ali said in a state address Sunday that the investigative team has been given widespread powers and is expected to operate independently.
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Belize’s former attorney general, Phillip Godfrey Smith, was appointed chairman of the five-person team tasked with the investigation, including whether professional negligence is to blame. Other members include an attorney, a naval architect and maritime experts from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Local authorities have so far arrested three people, including the rescued captain, who was accused of testing positive for marijuana, along with another crew member.
Ali said the team will be asked to scrutinize the “passenger management including embarkation, manifest preparation, the possible overcrowding of the vessel, the storage of cargo, the availability and use of life saving equipment and adherence to passenger safety requirements.”
Dozens of people rescued after clinging to debris for hours have claimed that the ferry was overloaded with passengers and cargo including vehicles and large pallets. They also asserted that the MV Barima was taking in water but that crews had dismissed this as “normal.”
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Ali said his administration wants the commission to determine whether there were “any acts of negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty and other failures by any individual, entity or institution contributed to or caused the disaster, including neglect of its condition, maintenance history, sea tides, functioning navigation and communication equipment and other operational factors.”
Ali said authorities hope the commission will recommend institutional and operational reforms as well as any other measures necessary to strengthen maritime safety, “improve emergency preparedness and response and reduce the likelihood of similar tragedies occurring in the future.”
Here’s what the stars have in store for your day (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
Despite it being a Monday, the Moon in Capricorn gives an easy and relaxed feel to the day ahead. Don’t be tempted to remain rigid in a routine.
Gemini, Taurus and Aries, you’re rejuvinated with a new sense of play and energy today. Your social circle sparkles brightly.
Don’t take the day before you too seriously. Stay malleable and great things will happen.
Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Monday July 27, 2026.
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
You could find yourself with lots of social options this week. Very often, Mondays see us lock back into routines, but such is the flexible nature of life these days, if your schedule can be more elastic, do make time to have fun, and yes, even be jolly. The Sun’s sparkling link to Uranus encourages switching things up and looking to bring a spark to all you do, Aries.
The Moon in Capricorn gives you a desire to feel freer. One of the ways you can do this is to gain fresh perspectives on home, family, or finances, and this can help you to feel more secure. Small changes now can have lasting benefits. The part of you that can be wary of change is challenged, but the chances are you’re ready for some different approaches, Taurus.
Late April saw the electric vibe of Uranus enter your sign for the next seven years. The chances are life has not been dull. Whether you have been flexing quickly out of stale or stagnant situations or embracing new beginnings, it has fed your natural need to be mentally stimulated. You get an extra shot of vibrant energy into the mix today. Look to use it quickly!
Many of us have interests over time that make way when other demands beckon. Think back over yours. Is there is an old hobby or talent that can be brought back into the open, dusted down, and reapplied in a fresh and imaginative way? You don’t have to trumpet this to others, so gently test out how you could reapply it in a way which suits your current circumstances.
Being ruled by the Sun, his yearly passage through your sign revives your vitality, strengthens your will, and adds to your drive. Today, as he links to maverick planet Uranus, someone could quickly and unexpectedly be drawn to you. This could be the start of a really upbeat friendship or an idea that sparks a new venture or interest in a uniquely brilliant way.
The Moon in Capricorn may be the most cautious part of her journey, but for you it’s a good chance to express your enjoyment of life or connect well with loved ones. It can also arouse your creative qualities, and with the Sun and Uranus linking boldly today, a germ of an idea that has been in the back of your mind can jump to the forefront and really enthuse you.
Cosmic messages for Cosmic messages for Virgo today
Libra
September 24 to October 23
With the Moon in a more cautious area, you might be happiest at home and connecting with familiar places and faces. And yet, the gregarious link between the Sun and Uranus is a whole lot more outgoing. Perhaps you can find a way to link the two areas. Spending time with someone you know well, perhaps trying out a local activity, could be just the way to do so.
There is a paradox about you. On one hand, you can have a strong appreciation of what you know well and are familiar with, but you have another side which can see you switched on to gizmos and tech. Today, your openness to embracing novel approaches, and having the confidence to front them up, can shine through like a beacon and also bolster your reputation.
You have an appreciation of spontaneity that few can match. With your ruler Jupiter, which loves new experiences, your fiery passion, and your mutable, flexible nature, you have all the attributes to swiftly flex and flow. Sometimes life’s demands can constrain all this, but an electric link between the Sun and Uranus today is the perfect planetary union to set you free.
The Moon is in your sign for the first time since the Capricorn Full Moon at the end of June and can give you an edge, pushing you to go with what feels right for you personally. From this, positive changes around shared resources, investments, or emotional bonds are possible. Most of all, trust can deepen through honest, direct, and authentic communication.
Although the Moon is in a more reflective area, which can see you quieter to begin with, a stunning alliance between your modern planetary guide, Uranus, and the mighty Sun can see some exciting connections shape up. This could be with someone new who has entered your orbit of late, or it could be by bringing a lighter and brighter vibe to an existing relationship.
Uranus has been pushing you to freshen things up on the home front. Be it decluttering, simplifying, or using your abode as your workspace, this is a strong vibe. With the Sun linking back to him, the chances are you can find some more refinements which help to improve things further. These don’t have to be a big leap; small adjustments can soon add up.
Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.
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A heavily pregnant mother-to-be was kidnapped, stabbed to death and had her baby torn from her womb, days after she revealed she was going to have a girl.
María Camila Potosí, 21, was eight months pregnant when she disappeared after leaving her home in Cali, Colombia, on July 16 for a routine antenatal check.
The young woman was found on Monday wrapped in sheets and underneath her blanket four miles from her home.
Police in the city found she had been stabbed multiple times and that her unborn child had been cut from her womb and was missing.
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CCTV footage showed her climbing onto the back of a motorcycle ridden by a woman she met two months earlier through a local support scheme for pregnant women.
The rider has reportedly changed her story to investigators and is still a central focus of the probe into Potosí’s tragic death.
Cops are also still looking for the missing child.
Potosí’s mother, Alba Gomez, has urged her daughter’s killers to return her granddaughter, who she named Alahia.
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María Camila Potosí, 21, (pictured) was eight months pregnant when she disappeared after leaving her home in Cali, Colombia
Before she disappeared, she shared videos of a happy gender reveal party for her unborn daughter
She said in an interview with local media: ‘The only thing I ask with this appeal and with the hopeful faith I hold that my baby is alive – is for her to be found.
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‘I ask that the people who have her search their hearts and return her to me.’
Just hours before she was kidnapped, Potosí had helped care for a sick relative at her sister-in-law’s home in Meléndez before her appointment.
She then told her mother about a last-minute medical errand. Her husband raised the alarm when she failed to return home.
Before she disappeared, she shared videos of a happy gender reveal party for her unborn daughter.
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She was seen smiling next to her husband, just a few weeks before she was due to give birth.
The case is being investigated as a potential femicide, though no arrests have been made yet.
Cali human rights ombudsman Gerardo Mendoza demanded a ‘swift, exhaustive investigation with a gender focus’.
CCTV footage showed her climbing onto the back of a motorcycle ridden by a woman she met two months earlier through a local support scheme for pregnant women
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Her husband (pictured) raised the alarm after Potosí failed to return home
He added that the ‘extreme gravity’ of the crime ‘cannot go unpunished’.
Meanwhile, senator-elect Jennifer Pedraza said about the case: ‘They kidnapped, tortured and murdered a 21-year-old pregnant woman.
‘In this country, nothing happens. We demand justice.’
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Former presidential candidate Sondra Macollins said: ‘What impotence this causes. We trust that the Public Prosecutor’s Office and police will deliver rigorous answers.’
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Heavily pregnant mother-to-be, 21, is kidnapped, killed and has her unborn baby ripped from her
The crash took place on Market Street at around 3.40pm.
Pictures from the scene show the damage caused to the two cars. One was damaged on the driver’s side and the other from the front.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) were in attendance and were at the scene for approximately 30 minutes.
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Paramedics were also in attendance and dealt with two casualties.
A spokesperson for GMFRS said: “Shortly after 3.40pm on Sunday 26 July, two fire engines from Farnworth and Hindley fire stations, and the Enhanced Rescue Unit from Leigh Community Fire Station, were called to attend a road traffic collision involving two cars on Market Street.
“Crews arrived quickly, made the area safe and assisted North West Ambulance Service in assessing two casualties at the scene.
“Firefighters were in attendance for approximately 30 minutes.”
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Greater Manchester Police were also contacted for comment.
A Cambridgeshire vineyard has created its first-ever wine, made from its own vineyard. The family-run Waresley Park Estate in Cambridge is celebrating the release of its first wine, made from Bacchus grapes grown on the estate.
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The first 100 bottles of wine, which have been produced using traditional methods, will be available only to members of the estate’s new wine club from this month.
Ben Griggs, managing director of Waresley Park said: “English wine has earned a growing reputation for its quality and character, and we are incredibly proud to be releasing our first vintage at Waresley.
“This wine has been years in the making and reflects both the care that has gone into the vineyard and the unique qualities of the landscape. It is fresh, elegant and unmistakably shaped by this corner of Cambridgeshire.
“To celebrate the occasion, we will certainly be raising a glass. There is nothing that will give us greater pleasure than seeing others raise their own glass too.”
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Following last year’s harvest, there were enough grapes to produce 203 bottles of wine, which feature peach and garden mint flavours. The vineyard was first planted by Ben in 2023.
It was produced as part of the estate’s wider commitment to produce seasonal, locally rooted food and drink. The estate also produces its own gin, inspired by its walled gardens.
The Prime Minister said the “unbreakable bond” with Ukraine will continue under his government
22:33, 26 Jul 2026Updated 22:35, 26 Jul 2026
Andy Burnham has vowed to stand ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Ukraine as he welcomes President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the UK on Monday.
The Ukrainian leader will be the Prime Minister’s first international visitor since taking office last week.
Mr Burnham will offer the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine, both through the war and beyond.
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The leaders are expected to meet at a naval base before hearing first-hand from Ukrainian and British personnel how the training which Ukraine’s armed forces are receiving in the UK is making a real difference on the front line.
The visit comes as the UK announce the sharing of intellectual property with Ukraine for a new British capability dubbed Stone Cloak. The electronic jammers are the size of a tablet computer and hinder Russian air defence systems from tracking and targeting the drones they’re fitted to.
It follows Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sunday morning, with falling debris causing fires in at least three districts. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
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Mr Burnham said: “Britain stands with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering. Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve, and we will not backdown until we achieve long lasting and just peace for Ukraine.
“Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline, and it will be vital to protecting our security in both our countries.”
Following the roll out in Ukraine, it is expected Stone Cloak will be built into the next generation of UK deep-strike capabilities, boosting national security and providing vital enhancements to UK capability.
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By sharing the intellectual property, Ukraine can now mass produce Stone Cloak themselves, strengthening front line defences and European defence.
Thousands of these electronic jammers have already been gifted to Ukraine by the Ministry of Defence, helping its armed forces maintain drone operations and knocking Russia a step back in their illegal invasion on Ukraine.
During the visit, Mr Burnham and President Zelenskyy will meet more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel and sailors who have been in the UK for the past three weeks to take part in Exercise Sea Breeze, a maritime security and counter-mine exercise to prepare for future missions in the Black Sea.
The exercise builds on the full spectrum of support the UK provides Ukraine, including £3 billion a year to Ukraine.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, the UK’s total support for Ukraine has reached £25 billion, including £16 billion in military assistance and £5.6 billion in non-military support.
The new prime minister insisted he would not shy away from criticising the US president if it was in Britain’s national interest to do so.
He said the two men enjoyed a “warm” phone conversation last Monday after he entered No.10 for the first time.
But asked by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg if he thinks he can trust Trump, Burnham would not give a direct answer.
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He said: “I’ve had one phone call, and I always treat people as I find them.
“It was a good exchange and it was a warm exchange. I am that kind of politician, I will always seek to judge people as I find them.
“I’ve lived my whole life like that, and I found him to be warm on Monday, and we will continue to build a relationship.”
When Kuenssberg asked a second time if he trusted the president, Burnham said: “It’s a changing world, isn’t it, and you have to call things as they develop.
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“I can’t at any point say that I won’t take a different opinion from him, that I will need to voice a different opinion that is right for Britain, and I will do that.
“My strength always is in remaining close to people, close to the public, that will not change because I’m prime minister.”
The PM said he would not be afraid to call out Trump if he thought it was the right thing to do.
“You have to defend your own national interest before anything else,” he said. “That’s what you’re required to do if you’re to do this job properly. I will always put Britain’s interests first.”
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Keir Starmer initially got off to a positive start in his relations with Trump, and invited him to the UK for an unprecedented second state visit.
However, the pair’s relationship had largely broken down before the last PM left office.
Trump was critical of Starmer’s decision not to let US jets carry out attacks on Iran from RAF bases, while the two men were also at odds over the president’s threat to invade Greenland and his criticism of Nato.
Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Kemi Badenoch has urged Andy Burnham to rule out tax rises or increased borrowing to pay for social care reform.
In a challenge to the Prime Minister ahead of an expected intervention this week, the Tory leader said her party was willing to work with the Government but only if two “core principles” were met.
Mr Burnham is expected to make a speech on adult social care in the coming days as he aims to “run towards problems that have been neglected”, according to a No 10 source. He believes the issue of how adult social care works and is funded in England has been “neglected” by previous administrations.
In a letter to the new PM, she wrote: “First, any solution to the issues around social care must also be fair to those who have made provisions and saved up over the course of their lives.
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“Second, the money must be found by reducing current spending. You must rule out any tax rises, or increased borrowing that will ultimately fall on the next generation to pay for.”
Continuing: “The tax burden has risen to a record high under Labour, and there is already speculation that you will increase taxes further at the budget this autumn in order to pay for all the things you have announced in your first week, plus the outstanding gaps in funding for the defence investment plan.
“On borrowing, over the course of this Parliament the Labour government is currently planning to borrow over a quarter of a trillion pounds more than the plans you inherited, and debt is forecast to rise every single year.
“With businesses closing or relocating, youth unemployment higher than in the eurozone, and the cost of living already causing real hardship for many people, the last thing Britain needs is further tax increases to pay for social care.”
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) (PA Media)
Unlike NHS care, social care is not free at the point of use and high costs sometimes mean people are forced to sell their homes to pay for what they need.
People with savings worth more than £23,250 are not entitled to help with the cost of care from their local council.
Mr Burnham has already pledged to “use some of my political capital” on overhauling the system, which prior governments have promised and failed to do.
Mr Burnham previously set out plans to overhaul social care for the elderly with the creation of a national care service for England when he was health secretary in Gordon Brown’s administration in 2010, but the plans were scuppered by the Tories’ claim Labour would levy a “death tax” to pay for it.
In her letter Mrs Badenoch said she hoped they could “find common ground” on a “hugely important issue for so many people and one that matters a lot to me”.
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And she cautioned that “previous efforts to form a durable consensus around social care has not been at all simple”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi called Zelensky a freeloader (Picture: REUTERS)
Ukraine launched a strike on an Iranian tanker in an attack that threatens to ‘drag Europe’ into the Middle East conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed strikes against sanctioned ships transporting military cargo between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea on Saturday.
Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi hit back: ‘Zelensky has attacked an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a sailor.
‘A blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel’s behest to drag Europe into its war.
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‘In calls with EU High Rep Kallas and FM Lavrov, made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.’
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Tehran and Kyiv are just 1,200 miles apart, well within range of ballistic missiles which both countries own, sparking fears of the wars merging effectively creating the conditions for WWIII.
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Zelensky also accused Russia of giving Iran satellite images of US targets to attack.
‘Since the beginning of July, we have recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and US military facilities located there,’ Zelensky said on X.
A strike on a vessel in the Middle East
‘These images subsequently appear in Iran. At the same time, there is a clear correlation between Russia’s satellite imagery of these sites and Iranian strikes — both before the attacks, in preparation for them, and afterward, to assess the damage inflicted.’
Iran’s Foreign Ministry reported an explosion aboard the commercial vessel on Saturday morning that also wounded another sailor before adding Tehran has remained neutral in Russia’s invasion.
Iranian deputy parliament speaker Ali Nikzad added: ‘Iran will always exercise its legal right to defend its territorial integrity.
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‘Any location used as a launching point for aggression against our country and territory will undoubtedly be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces, and the Ukrainian government’s reckless action will not go unanswered.’
He also warned Ukraine, Britain and Bulgaria against supporting US military actions, saying any location used to launch attacks on Iran would be considered a ‘legitimate target’.
Donald Trump posted another surreal AI image of him taking an Iranian tanker and planting a US flag in a flurry of posts (Picture: Truth Social)
The conflict threatened to boil over even after President Donald Trump abruptly called off his two-week-old bombing campaign.
After 13 nights of intensifying US airstrikes on Iran, the Pentagon abruptly suspended the campaign late on Friday, with no attacks reported on either Saturday or Sunday.
The Iranian Health Ministry says 3,434 people have been killed since the war began, including 55 during the recent escalation. The latest strikes temporarily disrupted transportation and communications within Iran, and damaged water infrastructure used by thousands of people.
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Eighteen American service members are believed to have been killed since the start of the Iran war, including four US soldiers in recent days
BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open by three strokes Sunday in only his third start as a professional, holding off Scottie Scheffler with a closing 5-under 66 for a tournament-record 25-under 259 total.
Koivun played a safe and steady game on a 97-degree afternoon at the TPC Twin Cities, going bogey-free for the second straight day after a 61 on Saturday gave him a three-shot cushion.
The 21-year-old player who led Auburn to the NCAA championship last month confidently fended off the world’s top-ranked player in Scheffler, who surged into contention with a 63 while playing five groups ahead.
Scheffler had his fourth runner-up finish this season. His lone win this year came in his first start at The American Express in California.
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Hideki Matsuyama, Brian Harman, Chandler Phillips and Denny McCarthy tied for third at 20 under.
Koivun, who became the fourth rookie winner this season, missed the cut at the John Deere Classic in Illinois and tied for 10th at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky earlier this month. He made 10 starts as an amateur on tour events.
Earning $1,584,000 for his win in Minnesota, Koivun also jumped 124 spots in the FedEx Cup standings into 70th, the last place above the cut for the playoffs with two regular season events remaining on the schedule.
Lee Hodges held the previous 3M Open record, finishing at 24-under 260 in 2023.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty says getting back into Olympic medal contention is ‘the hardest climb I’ve ever faced’… after breaking down in tears at Commonwealth Games bronze
Adam Ramsay-Peaty claimed he faces the toughest challenge of his career to get back into medal contention for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The 31-year-old broke down in tears after finishing third in the men’s 100m breaststroke final, having held the world record since 2015.
Britain’s iconic swimmer will have another shot at gold over 50m on Monday night, having qualified second on his semi-final on Sunday evening, and he is desperate to prove that time has not caught up with him.
‘It’s been hard,’ said Ramsay-Peaty after the 100m final. ‘There have been a multitude of things at play over the last few years — burnout, breaking my foot, fighting against something that you love.
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‘Coming back to where I am now and making the decision to go for LA, I think this is going to be the hardest climb I’ve ever faced and the hardest test. It’s really hard to see the summit because it’s so hard. I don’t think anyone understands.’
Ramsay-Peaty’s wife, Holly – the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay – has been in Glasgow to watch the races. Fatherhood has shifted the breast-stroker’s priorities but he does not plan to retire before the next Olympics.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty has said getting back into Olympic medal contention is ‘the hardest climb I’ve ever faced’
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‘There are just a lot of personal and professional things that I need to pull together and work out what’s important, and what the long-term goal is for my happiness and for my immediate family’s happiness as well,’ he added.
‘When your world record is three seconds away, we’ve got to seriously ask what’s going wrong because that’s not me. We need to look at it, interrogate it, look at the data, and ask whether it was an issue with race pace, fitness, or something else.
‘I don’t think it was fitness, but there are a lot of components that make us swim, so we really have to analyse it. Of course I’m committed. I’ve got a big fight in me, and normally it only takes me 24 hours to turn things around.’
He struck a more positive note after breezing into the 50m breaststroke final on Sunday evening, finishing second in his semi-final behind South Africa’s Michael Houlie in a time of 26.82sec.
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‘I think the last 24 hours have been a bit of a whirlwind,’ said Ramsay-Peaty. ‘It’s not something I’m used to, to be honest. I guess this sport is not really about when you get beaten because it’s going to be inevitable. Essentially (what’s important is) how long it takes you to look at it and turn it around for tonight. And we’re really happy with that, we’re on a great trajectory for tomorrow.
‘Every time I race I am getting a little bit stronger – apart from yesterday – which is important, but I am getting more exposed to it. And people forget that I haven’t done this for two years, you know. Even I forget that. So I think that perspective is a good thing to handle tomorrow. Tell you what, I’ll just enjoy the crowd. It’s an amazing crowd.’
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Adam Ramsay-Peaty says getting back into Olympic medal contention is ‘the hardest climb I’ve ever faced’… after breaking down in tears at Commonwealth Games bronze
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