Months after his death at the outset of Iran’s war with the United States and Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nation’s supreme leader, will be honoured with a multi-day funeral and burial ceremony.

The extensive mourning period will see his body transported through cities in both Iran and neighbouring Iraq, a spectacle likely to be heavily promoted by Iran’s theocracy to encourage public, governmental and paramilitary participation.

Khamenei, who governed Iran for nearly four decades, was killed on 28 February when the US and Israel jointly initiated the conflict. The ensuing war necessitated a delay in his funeral arrangements. This delayed ceremony now serves as a critical test for Iran’s embattled theocracy, assessing its capacity to mobilise widespread public support, particularly as it unfolds six months after security forces brutally suppressed nationwide protests against Khamenei’s rule.

A significant turnout, while desired by the regime, also carries the inherent risk of deadly stampedes. Such tragedies have marred past high-profile funerals, including that of Iran’s first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

An uneasy ceasefire, recently cemented by an interim agreement with the United States, is believed to have provided authorities with the confidence to proceed with the ceremony and ensure the public appearance of top officials. Throughout the war, Israel targeted and killed senior Iranian leaders, in at least one instance leveraging public appearances to track them.

However, it remains uncertain whether Khamenei’s son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has assumed the role of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, will make his inaugural public appearance during these ceremonies. The younger Khamenei, reportedly wounded in the attack that claimed his father’s life, has remained in hiding.

The funeral is scheduled to commence on Saturday in Tehran, Iran’s capital. Khamenei’s body will be displayed at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla over the weekend. On Monday, it will be paraded through the streets of Tehran before being moved to the Shiite seminary city of Qom, approximately 120 kilometres to the south, where further tributes will be paid on Tuesday.

Wednesday will see Khamenei’s body transported to Karbala, Iraq, home to the revered shrine of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and a long-standing symbol of resistance for Shiite faithful. This day also coincides with the anniversary of the protests against Khamenei’s rule, which resulted in thousands of deaths at the hands of security forces. The procession will culminate in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city.

Authorities have confirmed that Khamenei will be interred in Mashhad at the Imam Reza shrine. Imam Reza, the eighth imam of Shiite Islam, attracts millions of pilgrims annually. A hadith, or saying, promises relief from sorrow or sin to those who visit the shrine. Many prominent Shiite clerics, as well as Iran’s late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in 2024, are buried there.

The funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on 6 June 1989 saw millions of Iranians flood the streets, leading to chaos. Mourners surged towards the casket, causing the 86-year-old leader’s body to fall into the crowd. Initial reports indicated at least eight fatalities and approximately 11,000 injuries.

Similar concerns persist for Khamenei’s funeral, particularly if crowds reach millions. The burial of the late Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani in 2020 also resulted in a stampede, killing at least 56 people and injuring over 2,000.

This extensive funeral takes place as the interim deal to end the Iran war faces significant challenges. The agreement, reached in June, established a 60-day window for negotiating a final deal, encompassing Iran’s nuclear programme and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

Technical discussions began in Qatar this week but have been complicated by deep disagreements and several days of crossfire between the US and Iran concerning the strait’s future.

Thousands of pubs will remain closed for England’s World Cup match against Mexico despite the Government’s licensing U-turn, with only five Wetherspoon venues open.

Sir Keir Starmer has made a late decision to allow pubs across England and Wales to stay open until 5am on Monday for the last-16 match, which kicks off at 1am.

MPs had called for leeway beyond the 2am extended pub opening hours already in place for England matches during the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico.

The blanket extension announced yesterday means individual pubs do not need to apply for extended hours – but some owners have said issues with arranging staffing and being located in residential areas will mean they will remain closed.

Wetherspoon said only five of its 800 pubs across the UK will show the match – one of which already could under its existing licensing hours and another four which previously sought and received special permission from the licensing authorities.

Greene King, which has 2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the UK, said more than 600 venues across England – including its pubs and restaurant brands including Hungry Horse and Flaming Grill – would be staying open late to show the match.

Fuller’s said that 23 pubs were planning to stay open, while Stonegate Group said 610 Craft Union, 182 managed sites and hundreds of leased and tenanted pubs will do so.

One government source said: ‘We probably clocked this a little bit late in the day to be honest – getting anything done in half a day in government is basically impossible.’ 

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said earlier this year that the number of pubs in the UK had fallen from 46,829 in 2020 to 44,656 in 2025.

Tommy Higgs, co-owner of The Three Horseshoes pub in Witney, Oxfordshire, said they would not be opening for the England match to avoid annoying neighbours.

Speaking to LBC, Mr Higgs said: ‘We’re in a built-up community around here, and I think it’s just a little bit disrespectful for our locals to have that sort of noise at 5am.’

The publican added: ‘No one’s going to want to work until five in the morning.

‘We’re not a nightclub, we’re a local pub in a small town, and I am not allowed to annoy my neighbours because I’ll be into holy hell with that.

‘A lot of our staff have second jobs. We employ a couple of full-timers, but mainly part-time, and I would never expect that of them.’

Discussing the Government’s decision to loosen restrictions, Mr Higgs said: ‘For some, I think it’s a huge benefit, especially in your bigger built-up cities, where there are places that open later, but for here and where we are, it’s just not something that we will do.

‘There’s other things they can be doing to help the pub trade out – staying open until five o’clock in the morning on a Monday – for some is a benefit, but for others it’s just completely pointless, really.’

The Treacle Mine Pub in Grays, Essex, has also decided to stay closed for the game.

It said in a Facebook post: ‘Due to the 1am kick-off and out of respect for our neighbours, we will not be showing the England v Mexico World Cup match.

‘We understand many of our customers would have loved to watch the game with us, and we sincerely apologise for any disappointment this may cause. We appreciate your understanding and continued support.’

In an apparent attempt to avoid disorder, The Foxley Hotel at Milton in Stoke-on-Trent said it would show the match but ‘by invite only’, asking punters to get in touch if they wanted to be added to a list.

The Three Horseshoes in Witney, Oxfordshire, is among the pubs that will not opening for the England match. The pub’s owner said the closure was to avoid annoying local neighbours

The owners said in a Facebook post: ‘If your name’s not down, you will not be permitted entry to the pub – no exceptions. Entry for the football will be between 11pm and 11.30pm, via the side car park gate only, which will be locked promptly after this time.

‘The pub will be closed at 10.30pm Sunday night, in order to get ready for the match. You will not be able to remain in the pub if your name is not on the list.’

The Daily Mail understands the Home Office initially resisted calls from inside government to amend licensing hours on Sunday night over concerns about the impact on already struggling police forces.

But Sir Keir pushed the change through, and the Home Office will initiate an emergency law change this morning.

However, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has criticised the timing of the decision to let pubs stay open.

In a joint statement, Chief Constable Mark Roberts, NPCC lead for football policing, and Acting Chief Constable Scott Green, NPCC lead for alcohol licensing and harm reduction, said the ‘late announcement’ meant forces having to adapt plans and take officers away from communities.

They also asked England fans to be considerate to others and drink ‘sensibly’ during the game.

The statement said: ‘We recognise there will be significant public interest in England’s match on Monday morning and that many of the public will want to come together in pubs and licensed venues to enjoy the occasion.

‘We also know from previous tournaments the knock-out games sadly see an increase in violent incidents particularly in the night-time economy and an increase in domestic abuse. This is directly linked to alcohol consumption.

‘The likely route for England progression has been known for a considerable time yet this late announcement leaves policing having to adapt our plans seeing officers working extended shifts which in turn takes them away from communities.

The Treacle Mine Pub in Grays, Essex,said it will be closed ‘out of respect for our neighbours’

‘From a policing perspective, our priority is to support people to enjoy the match safely and responsibly. We therefore ask those watching the game to be considerate – drink within sensible limits, and behave in a way that keeps you, your friends, staff, officers and the wider public safe.

‘We will continue to work with partners and venues to support a safe and enjoyable evening for everyone.’

And a former boss at the UK’s biggest police force said officers are having to ‘gear up’ after the Government’s announcement.

Andy Trotter, a former deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the ‘late change’ will result in last-minute shift changes for officers.

‘My anxiety is with the late change the police are now going to have to gear up across the country on a night normally when into the early hours it’d be a bit quieter than usual,’ Mr Trotter said.

‘Now they have to change shifts, get more officers out.

‘And we all hope this is going to be a great night in all ways. We all hope it’s going to be calm and peaceful, but we know the combination of hot nights, alcohol and sporting events can lead to trouble.’

He added: ‘There could well be issues as people come out at 4 or 5 in the morning, bumping into the morning bleary-eyed commuters.

‘So the police have got to be ready for this, but my anxiety is the late notice for police forces means a lot of late shift changes, which is unfortunate.’

England will face Mexico in the last 16 after beating the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday.

Andrew Gallagher, brand and marketing director at Greene King, said: ‘We’re delighted to have been granted permission to stay open late as England progress through the tournament.

The Foxley Hotel at Milton in Stoke-on-Trent said it would show the England match but ‘by invite only’, asking punters to get in touch if they wanted to be added to a list

‘There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere in our pubs and it gives fans the chance to come together, soak up the occasion and hopefully celebrate. We know this will be a popular match, so urge guests to secure their spot as soon as possible.’

The Prime Minister said: ‘Football might be coming home but we’re making sure fans don’t have to.

‘Pubs staying open till the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together. The whole country will be backing the team. Come on England.’

Communities Secretary Steve Reed has written to council leaders informing them of the changes.

Before the announcement, he had earlier urged them to sign off on pubs extending their hours to allow fans to watch to the end of the match, after claiming there were ‘still some councils that are saying no to the pubs’.

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said: ‘This pragmatic approach allows venues to focus on what matters most – bringing communities together to support the national team.

‘Major sporting occasions like this deliver a significant boost to hospitality businesses while creating an atmosphere that unites the country.

‘As England heads into one of the biggest games of the tournament, let’s get behind the team, support our local venues, and give the country something positive to celebrate.

‘We hope this weekend marks not only a memorable occasion for England on the pitch, but also a much-needed boost for our hospitality sector and the communities it serves.’

Lawson Mountstevens, managing director of Heineken UK’s Star Pubs, said: ‘The extension to licensing hours granted by the Government is very welcome – watching a big game like this in the pub is second only to being at the match itself.

‘We anticipate a large majority of our managed operator pubs will stay open for the game on Monday morning, and we hope millions of people up and down the country will be enjoying an England victory in their local in the early hours.’

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: ‘Pubs and fans will be over the moon about this decision, because we all know the best place to watch the match is down the local.

‘This tournament is hugely important for our sector, so we’re delighted the Government listened to our concerns and acted so quickly.

Sir Keir Starmer said pubs across England and Wales will be able to stay open late for the match

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‘Now we can carry on being the home of live sport and welcoming fans through the door.’

Jared Sedgwick, director of operations at Marston’s, said: ‘More than 400 of our pubs were already set to open late for England v Mexico on Sunday night – and the Government’s decision to ease licensing restrictions means that number is only going one way.

‘When England are playing, a 1am kick-off is no barrier, and we’ll make sure fans have somewhere great to watch it together in the kind of big match atmosphere that’s hard to replicate at home.

‘If the last game was anything to go by, there’ll be plenty to keep people on the edge of their seats – and with spaces filling up fast, we’d encourage anyone planning to join us to book ahead to avoid disappointment. We also suspect there might be a little more ‘working from home’ come Monday morning.’

A spokesperson for Wetherspoons said ‘only five of the 800 Wetherspoon pubs will be open’ for the match.

These are: Bishops Mill, Durham; Cooper Rose, Sunderland; William Rufus, Carlisle; Penderel’s Oak, Holborn; and Solomon Cutler, Birmingham.

It is estimated that up to one million extra pints will be sold on Monday.

Labour’s Andrew Ranger, the Wrexham MP who saw through the legislation to relax national-level, licensing decisions, said: ‘I’m delighted to see that the Government has used the powers that my Bill gave them.

‘This is exactly what I intended when I introduced the legislation: allowing people to come together, support our brilliant local pubs, and giving the hospitality industry the flexibility it needs to benefit from major national occasions.

‘I fully support the decision to ensure that fans can watch Sunday’s game with a pint in hand in one of our many fantastic pubs. And, as a proud Welsh MP, I hope that one day I’ll be able to watch Wales in the same manner.’

Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick branded yesterday’s confusion ‘ridiculous’, demanding: ‘Just issue a decree that any pub in the land can stay open late on Monday.

‘It’s been done before. Stop being pettifogging killjoys and get behind England.’

And Conservative MP Louie French said the announcement was ‘the least’ Downing Street could do for pubs ‘after two years of hammering [them] with Labour’s tax rises’.

Meanwhile Downing Street told parents to ignore manager Thomas Tuchel’s advice that parents should ‘write an excuse for school and let them watch football’.

He said: ‘They have so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch… and we need the support of everyone and especially of the children.’

But Sir Keir’s spokesman said: ‘Kids should be at school on Monday.’ Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson added: ‘Children should be in school the next day.’

It comes as English businesses brace for a ‘mass sickie event’ on Monday morning as bleary-eyed workers sleep in.

James Hughes, 67, murdered Harold Turner, 68, over a noise dispute at their sheltered accommodation block in St Asaph, North Wales, on December 25, 2025

A retired jeweller from North Wales has been jailed for murdering his neighbour in a bitter noise dispute.

James Hughes, 67, repeatedly beat Harold Turner, 68, with his walking stick and sat on top of him during an incident at Old Palace Flats in St Asaph on December 25, 2025.

Hughes denied murder and manslaughter but was found guilty of murder by a jury last month. A key part of the prosecution case was audio from a dictaphone worn by Hughes, which he said he carried because he feared Mr Turner might attack him.

At Caernarfon Crown Court on Thursday, Hughes was jailed for life with a minimum term of 13 years. A total of 185 days spent on remand in custody will be deducted from his sentence. He refused to leave his cell while the sentence was passed, Wales Online reports.

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The court heard that Mr Turner and Hughes lived next door to each other in the sheltered accommodation block. There had been ongoing difficulties between them, with Mr Turner making complaints about noise attributed to Hughes, including banging on walls and railings and disturbances at night.

Sentencing, Judge Matthew Nicklin said Mr Turner was “angry” and “distressed” in the hours before the murder, telling Hughes in a voicemail on on Christmas morning: “I want you to f*** off, that’s what I want. I’m going to make you f*** off and I am going to get you. You’re mine, you’re f***** with the wrong person. Good night, sleep tight.”

The judge said there was further evidence of threatening behaviour by Mr Turner that morning. He said Hughes called North Wales Police twice that morning – first to report that Mr Turner had been banging on his door and shouting, and a second time to play them the voicemail.

The judge continued: “At 11.03am, Mr Turner left a voicemail on the community house manager’s phone saying he was at the end of his tether and at breaking point and he was going to hurt somebody. Later that morning, a physical altercation between the defendant and Mr Turner occurred outside the defendant’s flat.

“I proceed on the basis Mr Turner began that physical altercation, and that is significant. The defendant did not go looking for violence that day. The confrontation took place outside the defendant’s flat after he had called the police and after threats had been made by Mr Turner.

“By way of the jury’s verdict, either he did not believe the force he used was necessary or the force he used was not reasonable in the circumstances. The central piece of evidence was the dictaphone recording which captured Mr Turner saying: ‘Get off me, I can’t breathe.’

“The defendant refused to get off him and said: ‘What a f****** shame, do you want me to hurt you again? You can f****** die for all I care, I don’t give a f***.’”

The court heard that after the incident, Hughes returned to his flat, turned on the radio and made himself a hot drink. He later called his nephew while the dictaphone was still recording, telling him: “I think I may have killed someone.”

When Hughes eventually called an ambulance, he told call handlers he believed Mr Turner may have had a heart attack. He said: “I hit him with my stick and he fell and he banged himself against the window.”

A post-mortem examination found that Mr Turner died as a result of asphyxia and had suffered blunt force trauma to his face and head.

Gordon Cole KC, for Hughes, said his client had been the victim of serious crime in South Africa on multiple occasions and was in poor physical condition.

The barrister said Hughes had called police twice on Christmas morning asking for help.

Mr Cole said his client, who had no previous convictions, would “serve the remaining years of his life in prison” due to his health.

Judge Nicklin said the incident was not a planned murder, but that Hughes had ignored Mr Turner’s pleas to get off him. The judge said Hughes’ response had instead been “angry, callous and cruel”.

Following the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Eleri Thomas said: “This was a senseless murder which was borne out of a dispute between two retired neighbours.

“Through his persistent, antagonistic actions, James Hughes drove Mr Turner to a confrontation at the door of his flat, and despite Mr Turner’s pleas that he couldn’t breathe, Hughes continued to sit on his chest and proceeded to strike his head with his walking stick.

“His recording of the attack and subsequent conversations afterwards were damning as to his guilt, and whilst Mr Turner’s family may never be able fully comprehend why this tragic incident happened, I hope we have provided them with some form of justice and closure today.”

The LINK spacecraft, which Lee’s team came up with, is a three-armed robot, about the size of a fridge, bristling with cameras and guidance systems and driven by small thrusters.

Launched on Friday, the spacecraft will spend the next few weeks waking up its systems one-by-one: power, navigation, the cameras and sensors it will rely on, and check that each one survived the ride.

Although the Pegasus XL rocket on which it rode has flung LINK close to Swift’s orbit, there is still much work for the three-armed robot to do to get close to Swift – the observatory’s altitude is shifting week-by-week.

The rescue spacecraft, itself moving, has to home in on a moving target. But about three to four weeks after launch it should finally draw alongside.

Using its cameras and sensors, LINK will slide in close and circle the telescope, photographing it from every angle. Engineers have guessed at where to grab hold, but Swift must have been altered by twenty years in orbit, according to Barber.

“The Swift telescope was never designed to be caught in space and have its orbit changed. So, the rescue craft is going to approach it very slowly and attach itself to the telescope.”

Then comes the nail-biting moment: the catch, when LINK’s three arms reach out.

If all goes to plan, LINK will take hold of Swift and take it back to where it can continue its vital work.

“LINK will fire its engines to slowly raise the orbit of the telescope again to an altitude where it becomes stable for a long period of time,” said Barber.

“It will be a very slow, graceful lift, not a sudden boost to a higher orbit.”

Over the following two to three months, LINK will fire its small thrusters and gently haul the pair back uphill, from around 220 miles (360 km) towards Swift’s old home 373 miles (600 km) above the Earth.

The mission is ambitious and has never been carried out before. A lot will have to go right if it is to succeed. If it does, attention will turn to whether the next rescue mission could be to save the even more famous Hubble Space Telescope.

Stay tuned.

Freeview is the UK’s free-to-air digital television platform, providing more than 100 live TV channels and digital radio stations without any monthly subscription.

It is built into most modern televisions and requires only a working rooftop or indoor aerial to use, meaning it is available in millions of homes across the UK.

However, Freeview viewers across parts of the country could face signal issues this weekend.

Freeview users in some parts of the UK could see signal disruption this weekend (Image: Getty Images/Freeview)

Freeview users could see TV signal disruption this weekend

Freeview has said that viewers across parts of the UK could see some disruption to their TV reception.

The warning is in place from Thursday (July 2) to Sunday (July 5).

It is due to high-pressure weather conditions, which “could disrupt the TV signals which Freeview uses”.

Freeview advises viewers not to retune their TVs during this time, with reception restored once the high pressure passes.

Those with internet-connected Freeview Play TV, or one that has channel players available, will still be able to watch live and on-demand content from the likes of BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 or 5.

You can also watch Freeview via the free mobile app.

More information on how to watch Freeview online can be found on its website.

Channel changes in the new Freeview update

Freeview has made some changes to its channels in its latest update, including name changes and a channel closing down.

The channel changes being made as part of the latest Freeview update are:

Channel name change

• Wedotv Big Stories to Wedotv (channel 275)

Channel moves

• Ketchup TV – channel 209 to 208
• Ketchup Too – channel 210 to 209
• Cartoon Classics – channel 214 to 210

Channel closure

Recommended reading:

Freeview added: “Channels are constantly evolving on Freeview with individual channels making the decision to move, add or remove channels.

“Freeview continues to ensure that audiences can enjoy a rich and varied content.”

Do you watch Freeview? Let us know in the comments.

John Gillies, 63, from Kirkintilloch, vanished in the US nearly six years ago.

Human bones found in a remote American woodland have been confirmed as the remains of a missing Scottish camper. The discovery was made near Sweetwater Gap in Wyoming by forest workers in September last year.

After DNA was collected from Scotland, detectives were able to confirm the remains belonged to missing John Gillies, who is from Kirkintilloch. The 63-year-old was reported missing after camping at the spot around six years ago.

During grim excavations, investigators located personal belongings at the scene, including Mr Gillies’ identification card. A spokesperson for the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office said: “In September 2025, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of human remains located near Sweetwater Gap.

“Following an approximately 10-month investigation, the SCSO has positively identified the remains as John Gillies. The investigation spanned two countries and included the assistance of Interpol, Scotland Law Enforcement and the Wyoming State Crime Laboratory.

“Due to the condition and the location of the remains, a coordinated secondary search was conducted on Sept. 10, involving members of the SCSO, Sublette County Search and Rescue and the U.S. Forest Service. On June 30th, 2026, investigators received confirmation from the Wyoming State Crime Laboratory that the remains were biologically related to both family reference samples collected in Scotland, positively identifying the decedent as John Gillies.

“Later that same day, investigators contacted Mr Gillies’ family to notify them that their loved one had been positively identified after nearly a year of investigation. In one message to investigators, Mr Gillies’ ex-wife wrote, ‘I wanted you to know he was more than bones’.

“Her compassion and willingness to assist provided invaluable insight during the investigation and served as a powerful reminder that every unidentified person is someone’s loved one. At the family’s request, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office and the Sublette County Coroner’s Office are now working with Interpol to coordinate the return of Mr Gillies’ remains to Scotland so he may finally be laid to rest at home.”

Mr Gillies’ identity was confirmed following work from several forces, including Police Scotland, the Interpol and Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement International Bureau. Arrangements were made to obtain DNA reference samples from Mr Gillies’ relatives.

It’s currently unknown if Mr Gillies was reported missing by his family or how his remains came to be in the remote wilderness. Sublette County Sheriff K.C. Lehr added: “This case is a testament to the dedication of everyone involved and the strength of partnerships that extend well beyond our county and even our nation’s borders.

“What began as the discovery of unidentified remains in a remote area of Wyoming ultimately brought together local, state, federal, and international partners with one shared goal—to give a family answers. We are grateful to everyone who played a role in helping bring John home.”

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The drink driver took his father’s car without permission

A drink driver took his father’s car without permission, crashed the car into a kerb “narrowly missing pedestrians”, according to Cambridgeshire Police. Haygen Norman, 20, was more than three times the legal limit when he took the Volkswagen Touran from his family home on Thursday, April 16.

He took the car from his family home in Harvey Goodwin Avenue, Cambridge, at about 9.30pm. Norman’s father contacted police and officers found him in King Hedges Road, where he had crashed into a kerb, narrowly avoiding pedestrians. The force of the collision had caused a tyre to come off one of the car’s front wheels.

PC Doug McColm, who investigated, said: “Norman not only took his father’s car without permission, but drove it while heavily under the influence of alcohol and it was only luck that he did not seriously injure a pedestrian or worse.”

Norman was arrested and failed a roadside breath test with a reading of more than three times the legal limit. The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to drink driving, driving whilst disqualified, without insurance and aggravated vehicle taking at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Monday, June 19.

Norman was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and disqualified from driving for 36 months. The police force is urging people to think before they get behind the wheel this summer.

When a student can’t submit their essay because the household’s only device is being used by three siblings for school, or because their mobile data ran out mid-lecture, they are experiencing digital poverty.

Digital poverty describes a cluster of overlapping disadvantages: lack of access to devices, unreliable or unaffordable internet connectivity, and insufficient digital skills to make meaningful use of online resources even when access exists.

According to a 2023 report, between 13 and 19 million people over the age of 16 in the UK are experiencing this in some form.

Researchers describe digital poverty as operating across three levels. These are poor access to digital technologies, poor digital literacy and skills, and a reduced ability to convert digital access into real-world benefits, such as securing a job, managing finances or navigating health systems. Each level compounds the next.

In higher education, all three levels matter. There’s an assumption that young people are naturally tech-savvy because they grew up with Instagram and TikTok. But a student who owns a smartphone but has never used a university’s virtual learning environment, an online library database or a collaborative document platform is not digitally “ready” for modern degree study, regardless of how fluent they might be on social media.

Yet many universities continue to design their courses, and assess their students, as if reliable broadband and a personal laptop are simply a given. They are not.

Witnessing digital poverty

COVID-19 forced higher education online almost overnight. The effect on students without adequate digital access was stark. An Office for Students survey of 1,416 students during lockdown found that 52% said their learning had been affected by slow or unreliable internet, 71% reported lacking a quiet study space, and 18% were affected by not having access to a suitable device at all.

At the Open University, where many students come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and have non-standard entry qualifications, the picture was even more complex. Students sharing a single device with four household members. Adults studying on their children’s tablets. People trying to write assignments on smartphones. This might be practical for browsing, but not for sustained academic work.

The pandemic made these realities visible. But the inequalities that produced them had been building for years – rooted in income inequality, regional infrastructure gaps and a cost-of-living crisis that pushed broadband off the list of things people could afford.

Some students are hit harder than others

The evidence consistently shows that digital poverty does not affect everyone equally.

Research carried out in the UK found that Black, Asian and minority ethnic students were significantly more likely to face digital barriers than their white peers. Among Black, African and Caribbean students surveyed, 43% reported poor wifi as a problem during online learning, compared to 35% of white students. More than one-third struggled with mobile data costs. Nearly one in five had no safe, private space to work.

Digital exclusion doesn’t just make learning harder – it reduces engagement and accelerates dropout. Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, those classed as Neet (not in education, employment or training), and those enrolled in access-level qualifications such as foundation degrees are particularly vulnerable.

Data from Open University access modules shows that of students who visited the module website fewer than 20 times, only seven out of 289 submitted their final assessment. Of those who visited over 100 times, 342 out of 356 did. Digital engagement and academic success are deeply intertwined.

A human rights issue

There is a growing international consensus that internet access is not a luxury but a right. Mexico recognised it as a constitutional right in 2013. Finland enshrined it in law as far back as 2010. In 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Council called on all states to accelerate efforts to bridge digital divides. The UK is a signatory to that resolution.

Framing digital access as a human right matters because it changes what we think is required of institutions and governments. It is not enough to treat digital poverty as an unfortunate circumstance that universities might occasionally help students navigate. It needs to be understood as a structural injustice that demands a structural response.

Institutions are not powerless here. Lending laptops and wifi hotspots, offering hardship grants that cover broadband costs, integrating digital literacy training into curricula rather than bolting it on as an afterthought. These measures make a real difference to real students.

But universities also need to audit their own assumptions. Designing courses that require simultaneous video streaming, real-time collaboration tools and high-bandwidth content without considering students on capped mobile data plans is not neutral. It is, in effect, a design choice that advantages the already advantaged.

The most important shift, though, is cultural. Digital poverty needs to stop being treated as a personal failing or a logistical inconvenience and start being treated as what it is: a systemic barrier to equal participation in education. Until it is, the sector’s commitments to widening access will ring hollow for the students who need them most.

While promoting her new album, the Hung Up singer detailed that it “healed” her relationship with her daughter, who she shares with actor Carlos Leon.

“The song I wrote with my daughter, Lola [Lourdes]. She approached me about writing a song together as a way to heal our relationship,” she told Interview magazine.

“It’s hard for me to write a song about nothing. I have to tell a story. So I wrote about a lot of family trauma, and then we started making dance music.”

In a joint chat with Bob the Drag Queen, Lourdes explained it was her decision to get into the studio with her mother.

“I think that between a mother and a daughter and a relationship … there’s a lot of things that are unspoken,” she said. “There’s a lot of love that’s unspoken but also a lot of tension and emotions that are kind of difficult to put into words because it can be so emotional.

“A way that I thought would be easier for us to speak about these things would be through art, which is always something me and my mum have connected over that’s really brought us together.”

“It was very emotional and there were moments when I felt like crying, hugging her,” Madonna reflected. “Because as she says we don’t always agree on things but we love creativity and art has always connected us

“It was a very magical moment and we both had to be vulnerable.”