The Sportsmans Inn, located on North Bondgate and a short walk from the Market Place, is on the market for £295,000.
The inn was purchased by its current owners in 2001 and has been leased out to different tenants ever since.
(Image: Sidney Phillips Limited)
This famous venue, formerly known as ‘The Merry Monk’, is renowned for being Bishop Auckland’s go-to late-night venue for local residents.
It is home to a big open bar, with space for 90 people, plus a first-floor apartment with two double bedrooms.
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The establishment is currently owned by a landlord who is open to granting a new lease, with possible terms ranging from seven to fifteen years, with annual rent set at £25,000.
(Image: Sidney Phillips Limited)
The bar was recently vacated by tenants who rented it for £30,000 per annum.
The first-floor flat was partially refurbished to function as an Airbnb-style accommodation before its tenants’ departure.
It also carries a staff room with kitchen facilities, a basement cellar, and an outdoor patio area with stairs leading down to Wear Chare Road.
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Due to its prime location and proximity to numerous ongoing regeneration projects, the inn is poised for potentially increased trade.
(Image: Sidney Phillips Limited)
Situated near the local market square, it overlooks the town centre and lies directly opposite the newest project led by The Auckland Project – a 59-bedroom hotel.
Bishop Auckland is currently in the middle of a massive remodelling spree, encompassing projects like a £26.6 million leisure centre, new STACK leisure and social hub, plus modern upgrades to its surrounding cultural sites.
The Auckland Project, a local regeneration charity, is behind most of these projects, which are expected to buoy local tourism.
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(Image: Sidney Phillips Limited)
The establishment carries an active premises licence, authorising it to sell alcohol from 9am-1am on Mondays to Wednesdays, extending to 2am on Thursdays, and until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sunday hours run from 12pm until 2am.
The building is not listed but falls within a conservation zone on the meeting point of North Bondgate, Market Place, and Wear Chare.
Despite the premise historically being tenant-run, the current owners have not directly managed the business and, as such, no trade is sold or warranted.
It’s also likely to rain in Derry/Londonderry and Newry, weather maps show.
“A band of thicker cloud will continue to sink south on Thursday, introducing fresher conditions for all. However, outbreaks of rain, locally heavy at times, will affect northern Scotland,” forecasters said on Wednesday evening.
While rain is also forecast to hit north-east and south-west England, and Scotland, some will bask in a heatwave. South-east England will enjoy a high-20-degree heatwave, with London at 26C and Rochester, Kent, reaching 28C.
That is likely to to worsen the drought which was declared for millions of people in England. On Wednesday, the government said half of England is now living in a drought.
Helen Wakeham, Director of Water at the Environment Agency and Chair of the National Drought Group, said: “The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it.
“A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife, and the economy.
“We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated during the hot weather but every drop we can save is a drop more for nature and agriculture.”
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The seven drought regions include East Anglia, Hertfordshire and the whole of London, Thames Valley, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, West Midlands, and Wessex (covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire).
Drought is not expected to come to Northern Ireland this summer, as it is not categorised in ‘prolong dry weather’ by the Environment Agency. That is the phase required before drought can be declared.
David Miliband was offered the post of Education Secretary in Andy Burnham‘s reshuffle, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The brother of Ed Miliband was widely tipped to return to British politics once Mr Burnham entered No 10.
In the run-up to the new PM’s reshuffle last week, he was touted as a potential Foreign Secretary, having previously served in the role under Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010.
The job ended up being given to his brother – and arch political rival – Ed, a major promotion from his previous position as Energy and Net Zero Secretary.
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A Labour source has now told the Daily Mail that David was offered the more junior job of Education Secretary, before it was given to Labour and Greater Manchester MP Lucy Powell – a close ally of Mr Burnham.
It is claimed that Mr Miliband declined the job because it was more junior to the role offered to his brother and because he is friends with the then-incumbent Bridget Phillipson and did not want to humiliate her.
Mr Miliband, who has served as president of the International Rescue Committee since 2013 on a salary of more than £1 million a year, appeared in a number of photos and videos backing Ms Phillipson during the 2019 general election.
While he failed to make a return to British politics last week, it is now rumoured he is eyeing up Sir Keir Starmer’s London constituency should the ousted prime minister quit Parliament and spark a by-election.
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David Miliband (pictured on May 20, 2020) was offered the post of Education Secretary in Andy Burnham’s reshuffle
Ed Miliband’s brother was touted as a potential Foreign Secretary in the run-up of Burnham’s (pictured on July 29, 2026) reshuffle last week
Ms Phillipson was demoted by Mr Burnham to Equalities Secretary, though she was given the additional job of Labour Party chair following outrage among Labour MPs at her reduced role.
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It is understood that Ms Powell is furious at Mr Burnham over her new role as Education Secretary, as she was publicly snubbed when he denied her the title of Deputy Prime Minister, as had been expected ahead of the reshuffle.
Ms Powell fought hard to secure Mr Burnham’s return to Parliament and bring about the eventual coup against Sir Keir. Yesterday, a source close to Ms Powell said she was ‘hurt and angry’ after the new Prime Minister declined to give her the title.
Allies of Ms Powell revealed ‘she thought she was getting Deputy Prime Minister until she walked in the [No 10] door’, adding that Mr Burnham’s team had been ‘briefing it all weekend’.
Instead, Mr Burnham has declined to use the Deputy Prime Minister position at all, with the responsibilities landing with Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Louise Haigh, who received the added title of First Secretary of State.
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Sources claimed Ms Powell lost out in an internal power battle with the new Chief Whip Anneliese Midgley, who ‘hates’ her.
A party source branded Ms Haigh and Ms Midgley ‘political thugs’ who had behaved like ‘factional Mafioso’ with a ‘punishment beating’ reshuffle.
Downing Street and David Miliband were approached for comment.
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David Miliband said no when asked to be Education Secretary… and Lucy Powell’s angry at Deputy PM snub
Up to 32mm of rain – more than an inch – could fall in one remote part of the country
05:46, 30 Jul 2026Updated 05:57, 30 Jul 2026
Scotland will be soaked by heavy rain on Thursday while parts of the UK enjoy a high-20 degree heatwave.
The Met Office has forecast some red rain cells, which could bring 16-32mm of rain in an hour, to hit the Orkney Islands in the mid-afternoon.
Mainland Scotland will also see heavy rain, as orange cells, bringing 8-16mm of rain in an hour, are forecast to deluge the Highlands near Loch Glascarnoch around the same time. It will also pour down in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Fort William later in the afternoon.
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Eastern Scotland will have the better weather, with Edinburgh and Dundee looking likely to stay dry. Top temperatures will be in the mid-to-high teens, at 17C in Edinburgh, 18C in Dundee, 19C in Aberdeen, and 16C in Glasgow
“A band of thicker cloud will continue to sink south on Thursday, introducing fresher conditions for all. However, outbreaks of rain, locally heavy at times, will affect northern Scotland,” forecasters said on Wednesday evening.
While rain is also forecast to hit north-east and south-west England, and Northern Ireland, Scots are predicted to see the heaviest rain in the UK.
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The forecast comes a day after millions of Brits were told they are now living in a drought, as the Environment Agency declared half of England is in drought.
The seven drought regions include East Anglia, Hertfordshire and the whole of London, Thames Valley, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, West Midlands, and Wessex (covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire).
Drought will continue in those areas on Thursday, as south-east England will enjoy a high-20-degree heatwave, with London at 26C and Rochester, Kent, reaching 28C.
The former international forward was sorely disappointed that his permanent move to Liverpool failed to materialise
Former Liverpool frontman Nicolas Anelka previously revealed he was promised a permanent transfer to the Reds from PSG before then-manager Gerard Houllier changed his mind on sanctioning the move. Liverpool are currently embroiled in yet another transfer battle with the French giants over winger Bradley Barcola, with the European champions reportedly demanding £145million for the World Cup star.
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While Barcola’s future at Liverpool remains unclear, Anelka is adamant that his failed move to Anfield will haunt him forever. The ex-Arsenal forward made an unexpected loan switch from PSG to Anfield back in December 2001, netting five goals in 22 outings.
Yet Liverpool’s top brass chose not to make the Frenchman’s arrangement permanent the following summer. Instead, they opted for El Hadji Diouf, who had just caught the eye representing Senegal at the 2002 World Cup.
In hindsight, Liverpool’s choice of Diouf over Anelka has gone down as one of the most costly mistakes in the club’s recent memory.
While Diouf struggled, managing just six goals across two seasons and finding himself mired in a string of controversies, Anelka thrived at Manchester City, netting 45 goals over three seasons.
The French forward told the Liverpool ECHO in 2020: “This is my biggest regret as well because I knew it was the perfect match. Everything was perfect! I loved everything about the club. I had an amazing relationship with the fans. I loved them and I think it was reciprocal.
“Looking back, I am proud to have worn the jersey of this legendary club and to have known this stadium and these amazing fans.”
The 47-year-old represented 12 different sides throughout his senior career. While his spell at Liverpool was the briefest, his fondness remains evident and he revealed why the transfer fell through.
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“It’s simple: it didn’t happen because Gerard Houllier wanted to pay a lower salary,” he said. “It’s acceptable but you have to say it. I wanted to sign from the first minute. Of course a permanent move was discussed from the first day I joined the club.
“If you look at the first time they introduced me in the press conference, I said if I could sign now, I would, but Gerard Houllier wanted a loan because he was not sure. In the middle of March, we were in negotiations to sign.
“PSG shareholder Alain Cayzac said to me Gerard told him that Liverpool would sign me. Later on, Gerard told me face-to-face he’d sign me permanently.
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“In the middle of April we reached an agreement about the salary, which had stalled things a little, but I was expecting to sign my contract when the league was over but there was no news from PSG and no news from Liverpool.
“I heard on the news that Gerard Houllier was after another player so that’s how I knew they were not going to sign me!”
Former Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson, who was serving as interim manager during Anelka’s proposed move to the club while Houllier recovered from a heart operation, claimed the club opted against signing the Frenchman after his representatives allegedly attempted to engineer a return to Arsenal.
“I heard about this Arsenal story,” Anelka said. “If it was true, why didn’t I sign for Arsenal when Liverpool announced in the press they weren’t going to sign me?”
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“And even if it was true, it’s a normal situation. It’s like I’m saying I don’t wanna sign for a club because they are speaking with another striker. It makes no sense. The reality is at the time it was very easy to point the finger at me with my reputation.”
Anelka added: “I loved my time with Phil Thompson, more so than Gerard Houllier. Phil Thompson was a typical Scouser. Direct and straight. He’ll tell you what he likes and when he doesn’t like it, you would know. This is exactly what I want and what I like from people.
“I know if Phil was the manager I would have signed and stayed many years but fate chose otherwise and I had to take another path to find a big club.”
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Anelka went on to represent Chelsea, Bolton and West Brom on home soil, as well as the likes of Fenerbahce and Juventus on the continent. During his spell at Chelsea, he claimed the Premier League, two FA Cups and featured in the Champions League final defeat to Manchester United in 2008.
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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
If you’ve ever struggled to say no to a glass of wine or an extra slice of pie, then a simple one-minute breathing technique might be a way to regain control.
Researchers in Australia analyzed data from 20 studies that tracked how breathing influenced cravings for alcohol and other substances.
Six breathing techniques were included in the research, including breathing only six times in one minute and participants pacing their breathing to match their heart rate.
Overall, scientists found the techniques significantly reduced cravings among the participants.
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Dr Ariel Dart Roxburgh, lead study author and addiction researcher at Monash University, said: ‘Our review suggests that breathing interventions can be an effective and low-cost [intervention].
‘With more than three quarters of the world’s population owning a mobile phone, the potential benefits of low-cost smartphone-assisted breathing interventions are substantial.’
Millions of Americans struggle with cravings, an intense, urgent desire or longing for something, every day, estimates suggest.
About one in eight over 50 years old have a food addiction, estimates suggest, while a quarter are thought to deal with a craving at least twice a day.
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Should simple breathing techniques be taught to help people manage cravings and addictions?
Deep breathing techniques may reduce alcohol and drug cravings, a study from Monash University in Australia suggests
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It was not clear why breathing techniques may help to ease cravings, but the researchers said they could work because they help to divert attention.
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Experts also say the practice can help to ease the fight-or-flight response in the nervous system, which may diminish a desire.
The study builds on previous research, including a 2024 paper involving 40 obese adults from India which found those that timed their breathing with their heart rate said they had reduced food cravings compared to those who did not.
In the study, published in the journal Addiction, researchers analyzed data on 1,200 people on how breathing techniques could ease cravings for alcohol and drugs.
Many of the participants had used heart-rate variability biofeedback breathing, where someone watches a heart rate monitor and times their breathing to their heart rate, or resonant breathing, where breathing is slowed to six breaths a minute.
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Other techniques included were yogic breathing, where someone pauses on each stage of inhalation, holding and exhalation, rhemercise, breathing inbetween smiling or saying something positive, and mimicking smoking, where controlled breaths are used to mimic the action of smoking.
While breathing helped to ease cravings, the scientists said there was less consistent evidence that it also helped to ease dependency and withdrawal.
Roxburgh added: ‘What we need next is larger, pre-registered trials with standardized measures and longer follow-up, so we can improve our understanding of how these interventions work.’
The new review adds to increasing evidence suggesting breathing techniques may reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol. In one 2020 study, researchers found just six minutes of breath counting reduced alcohol cravings after stressful events.
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Another study in the Industrial Psychiatry Journal followed people with alcohol dependence for six months after a bout of Sudarshan Kriya, which is a technique focused on slow, deep breathing with light constriction in the throat, creating an ocean-like sound.
Among the group that did the breathing technique, 47.5 percent of people reported drinking zero or one day a week compared to just 15 percent of those in the control group.
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Simple science-backed technique that can squash alcohol cravings… and it only takes one minute
The Streets are set to perform a headline show at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Saturday, August 1 when Mike Skinner will perform A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full, marking the first time the landmark 2004 record has been played live in its entirety.
The Streets to perform classic album in full in Scarborough on August 1. Pictured, frontman Mike Skinner. (Image: Cuffe & Taylor)
Released in 2004, the album debuted at No.1 in the UK charts, went multi-platinum, and produced defining singles including Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It, and Blinded By The Lights.
It established The Streets and frontman Mike Skinner as one of the most distinctive voices in British music, blending humour, heartbreak, and sharp observations of everyday life.
The Scarborough date forms part of a wider tour built around the album’s story, taking audiences on a journey through love, loss, and redemption as it was originally conceived.
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Skinner said: “A Grand Don’t Come For Free was a moment in time – for me, and for everyone who grew up with it.
“I wrote it as a story from beginning to end, even studying screenwriting to shape it and without the faintest idea how people would react.
“We’ve been looking for something bold to do with the live show, and we landed here: some tracks have never been played live, others haven’t surfaced in years.
“It’s a new challenge to bring the whole journey to life on stage, but I have an incredible band and we always give everything every night.”
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The show is part of a busy summer season at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, which has already welcomed a string of major names to the North Yorkshire venue.
Hopes of new ceasefire fade as Saudis join Trump’s war
A furious Donald Trump has threatened to punish Iran following a “surprise” attack on US military targets in the Middle East.
The offensive took place days after the US president suspended air strikes over the region.
In an expletive-ridden outburst, he told Fox News: “We’re going to beat the f****** sh** out of them. We’ll be hitting them hard. They’re going to get a beating.”
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In a day of escalation in the region, Saudi Arabia also joined the US in striking several Iran-backed groups.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 05:30
Oil prices slip below $90 a barrel
Oil prices gave up some of their gains today as oil tankers continued to make their way out of the Middle East even as tensions there escalated, with the US-Iran war spreading beyond its main fronts.
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Brent futures fell $1.29, or 1.42 per cent, to $89.45 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 56 cents, or 0.66 per cent, to $83.90 a barrel.
Brent settled up 7.91 per cent in the previous session and WTI up 6.56 per cent in one of the sharpest spikes of the Iran war, reversing a 5 per cent plunge on Tuesday after a pause in hostilities in the five-month conflict.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 05:15
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QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker exits Hormuz
A QatarEnergy-controlled liquefied natural gas tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the first such vessel visible on ship-tracking data to leave the waterway since 11 July, data from analytics firms showed.
The Al Areesh tanker, which loaded a cargo at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal around 4-6 July, sailed out of the strait overnight on 29 July, according to Kpler and LSEG data.LSEG data shows it is currently heading to Port Qasim, Pakistan, with an estimated arrival date of 31 July.
Its departure marks the first time a QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz since the Al Rekayyat was struck in early July.
The previous LNG tanker to exit was the Al Hamra, which left on 11 July carrying a cargo loaded at the United Arab Emirates’ Das Island, according to Kpler data.
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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 05:00
US says it completed latest round of strikes on Iran
The US military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, which lasted two hours and hit dozens of targets, with Washington casting the strikes as a “powerful response” to Iranian missiles launched towards US forces in the Middle East a day earlier.
The US military said on Tuesday it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran towards US forces in what Washington called “an attempted surprise attack” by Tehran. Iran confirmed it had fired on US bases in Jordan.
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President Donald Trump said after the missiles were intercepted that US forces would retaliate. “We’re going to hit them very hard,” he said
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 July 2026 04:38
Watch: Trump vows to ‘beat the f***ing s***’ out of Iran
Trump vows to ‘beat the f***ing s***’ out of Iran
Rachel Dobkin30 July 2026 04:02
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Iran to get Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems ‘in weeks’
Iran is reportedly expected to receive within weeks a first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers.
The purchase, valued at $60-70m, is one of Tehran’s largest-known efforts to strengthen its short-range air defences since the outbreak of its war with the US and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran’s ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure.
The contract covers the purchase of between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles, Reuters reported, citing sources.
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The deal was signed with Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment. Sources told Reuters the Hong Kong-based company was acting as an intermediary between the Iranian side and the Chinese supplier.
Alex Croft30 July 2026 03:00
US strikes Iran in ‘powerful response’ to attempted attacks on American forces
The US military has launched strikes against Iran in a “powerful response” to attempted attacks on American forces.
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“U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today. The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East”, US Central Command wrote on X.
Rachel Dobkin30 July 2026 02:20
In pictures: US-Saudi strikes on Iraq kill at least 20 members of pro-Iran militia
US-Saudi strikes on Iraq killed at least 20 members of a former paramilitary alliance that includes pro-Iran groups (AFP/Getty)
Six Iranian advisers were killed (AFP/Getty)
Alex Croft30 July 2026 02:00
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Iranian asylum seeker’s 15-year fight to stay in the UK: ‘My dreams for my life are all gone’
A man who fears persecution in Iran has spent 15 years in the UK battling a failed asylum claim, homeless and unable to lead a normal life, after repeated refusals by the Home Office to allow him to stay.
In the more than a decade he has been trapped in the asylum system, Mostafa Rahmani has not been allowed to work or been housed in Home Office accommodation – forced to depend on the kindness of friends to get by.
Mr Rahmani, now 41, he arrived in the UK from Iran in 2011 as a 26-year-old student looking to learn English. He came on a student visa, but claimed asylum a few days after arrival when he says Iranian security forces turned up at his family’s home in Tehran looking for him. He said that he had taken part in anti-government protests in 2011.
The Independent’s social affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft reports:
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Alex Croft30 July 2026 01:01
US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon suffers slow start
A US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw gradually from occupied areas of southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia has started slower than expected.
The “pilot zone program” is the centrepiece of the US’ June 26 framework deal intended to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah, and establish peaceful ties between Israel and Lebanon.
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Hezbollah still refuses to give up its weapons, while on the ground, the rollout of the first zone in the south Lebanese village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh last week offered a glimpse of a strained and complex process that will be no easier to repeat elsewhere.
A senior Lebanese military official, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, told the Reuters news agency it had taken weeks of US-brokered negotiations with Israel and days of military operations to establish the first zone in a single village.
The agreement links Israel’s progressive withdrawal to the “verified disarmament” of Hezbollah — which is not a party to the deal, has refused to give up its arsenal, and has raised the prospect of internal strife if the state tries to disarm it by force.
Andy Burnham has unveiled a three-point plan to improve the social care sector after years of neglect”in a major speech.
The prime minister promised to use any political capital he has to implement reforms and set up a system comparable to the NHS.
He said the inability to fix the sector has been a “major dereliction of public duty” from past governments.
Burnham also pointed to his own failures to set up a National Care Service as health secretary in 2010 under Gordon Brown.
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“I would never forgive myself if I left [power] without having tried [to fix it],” the prime minister said.
He added that it was “shameful” there had been no major changes to the system despite 22 reviews into fixing the sector over the last 27 years.
Burnham also claimed the UK social care system is “as unfair as American healthcare”.
His three-point plan includes asking Baroness Louise Casey to bring forward her independent review of the social care sector by a year, meaning it will now be published in 2027.
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“Ideally we want to do it even sooner but we have to be realistic,” he said. “I think we can rise to this challenge with the urgency it requires.”
Her review will look at how to integrate social care with the rest of the health system, while also being “person-centred”.
“That’s what we’re asking Louise to give us, her report on how do we deliver a national care service in England that sits alongside the National Health Service?” the prime minister added.
Burnham also called for a focus on the social care workforce.
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He praised his predecessor Keir Starmer’s work on setting up a fair pay agreement, due to come into effect in 2028-29, which establishes a minimum salary for workers.
He described that deal as a “massive building block” but said his government would “look at how we turn the fair pay agreement to turn into a bigger reform”.
The PM said he would ask his ministers to consider potentially increasing the pay and working conditions of care workers in line with those working in the NHS, while strengthening the possibility of further career progression.
He claimed care workers should be the “best paid people in society, not the worst.”
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The prime minister also pointed to his decision to start cross-party talks now, after inviting the Tories and the Lib Dems to discuss care reforms.
“We’re all going to have to give and take,” he said, in order to make progress to set up a new “social consensus”.
“That process starts today, it will run alongside others teams of work we are doing,” Burnham said shortly before he was due to speak to the Conservatives and Lib Dems’ Ed Davey.
“I’m not going to be deflected by the point-scoring or the screaming headlines that come out of the point-scoring,” he said, alluding to Reform UK’s outrage at not being invited to the talks.
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He said the political and media cultures have shut down serious debates about progress in social care in the past.
Burnham insisted he would not be deterred by some of the headlines that will “inevitably appear” and efforts to create scare stories through what they’re seeing, either.
Asked if it’s feasible to create change without raising taxes, the prime minister insisted he would stick by Labour’s manifesto pledges.
He added: “So I think we owe it to the public before we talk about tax rises. And I know Louise [Casey] will help us with this.
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“You first have to look the public in the eye and say, are we doing everything we can do from within what we’ve got? And I don’t think we can say that because we’ve taken a different approach to funding local government than we have to the NHS.”
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.
Some have criticised Christopher Nolan’s new film, The Odyssey, for not having any Greek actors in it. Nonetheless, Greece’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, seems pretty happy with the film.
According to a press statement from the PM’s office, he thanked Nolan for “boosting global interest in ancient Greek civilisation”, adding, “such productions bridge Greece’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary creativity.”
Sales of The Odyssey’s text have skyrocketed since the release of the movie.
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Mitsotakis also commended the Tenet director’s use of Greek locations.
Parts of the movie were shot in the Peloponnese region of Greece, including Voidokilia Beach, the 13th-century Methoni Castle, the monolithic Acrocorinth overlooking the city of Corinth, Almyrolaka Beach, and Nestor’s Cave.
And the Prime Minister reportedly mentioned the movie’s “great box office success”, too.
The Odyssey is already the second-highest-grossing R-rated movie Universal has made since Nolan’s other huge hit, Oppenheimer. It‘s made $639.6 million (£480.5 million) since its release on 17 July globally.
Comparing the three-hour epic to “an elaborate Fourth of July fireworks display – and with about the same level of narrative and emotional depth,” she suggested the movie was “too underdeveloped to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas – although it is very good at conveying big bangs and big giants.”
Latest pictures show Kyiv residents taking shelter in metro stations
Residents in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, took shelter in metro stations as Russia launched missile and drone attacks.
Families stayed overnight in the crowded underground stations amid warnings of a large-scale Russian attack.
People take shelter at a metro station during Russian missile strike on Kyiv, (AFP/Getty)
People take shelter at a metro station during Russian missile strike on Kyiv (AFP/Getty)
People take shelter inside a metro station during a Russian missile and drone attack in Kyiv (Reuters)
A woman takes shelter with her dogs inside an overcrowded metro station during a Russian missile and drone strike (Reuters)
Shweta Sharma30 July 2026 05:00
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F-16 fight jet crashes after a malfunction
An F-16 fighter jet crashed on a frontline mission, the Ukrainian air force said on Wednesday.
Its pilot was safe after he ejected and was transported to a medical institution for treatment.
In a statement, the air force said the aircraft was carrying out a frontline assignment to intercept Russian airborne targets before it crashed.
Experts were examining the crash site.
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Ukraine has received multiple F-16s from NATO countries, including the Netherlands and Denmark.
Shweta Sharma30 July 2026 04:56
What’s happening in Ukraine after Zelensky’s warning of massive Russian attack
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine, firing ballistic missiles and drones at multiple regions.
Kyiv came under heavy bombardment, with at least one person killed. Explosions were heard across the capital and several non-residential buildings caught fire after falling debris.
Lviv, near the Polish border, was also struck. Two apartment buildings were damaged and six people were injured, according to local officials.
At least six people, including children, have been killed and eight others injured in a Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian officials said.
Air raid alerts were issued across most of Ukraine as authorities warned of widespread missile and drone attacks.
Poland scrambled fighter jets and put its air defence systems on high alert to safeguard Nato airspace during the Russian strikes.
Shweta Sharma30 July 2026 04:20
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Six killed, including children, in Russian strike in central Ukraine
At least six people, including children, have been killed and eight others injured in a Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian officials said.
Emergency crews are responding as the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
File: The site of a household item shopping mall which was hit by a Russian drone strike (Reuters)
Shweta Sharma30 July 2026 04:13
Russia launches dozens of ballistic missiles amid massive attack warning
Russia launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, with damage reported in Kyiv and Lviv.
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Residential buildings in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv were damaged in Russian airstrikes, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said on Telegram, citing preliminary reports and urging residents to seek shelter.
At least one person was killed in the capital, Kyiv, the city’s military administration reported.
Fires also broke out at non-residential properties in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi and Obolon districts after falling debris struck buildings, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
People take shelter at a metro station during Russian missile strike on Kyiv, (AFP/Getty)
Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a “massive attack” by Russia overnight and called on allies to provide additional air defence missiles.
He said Ukraine’s air force had informed him that Russia had been preparing a large-scale attack for several days and that there was a “high probability” it would take place overnight.
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Shweta Sharma30 July 2026 04:01
In focus: How the wars in Iran and Ukraine are colliding on the world’s largest lake
Iran claimed one sailor was killed and another injured in the Ukrainian attack, as the ministry summoned Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran to protest against what it described as a “hostile and criminal” act.
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the reported strike on a commercial vessel “cannot go unanswered” in a call with the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
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Harriette Boucher30 July 2026 03:00
Telegram’s billionaire founder Pavel Durov has faced legal woes before — in Russia and France
Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, has repeatedly run into trouble with both the Kremlin and Western officials as he cast himself as a champion of free speech.
On Wednesday, Russia‘s Federal Security Service, or FSB, accused him of aiding what it called terrorist activities. It also said it was adding Durov’s name to international wanted lists.
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The Russian-born Durov, 41, responded to the charges by posting an image of himself raising a middle finger on Telegram’s official account on X. He has denounced previous Kremlin attempts to restrict Telegram as an attack on freedom of expression.
The case marks an escalation of the Kremlin’s efforts to tighten control over the internet and digital communications as it prepares for parliamentary elections in September amid rising public fatigue with the 4-year-old war in Ukraine and its growing economic fallout.
Harriette Boucher30 July 2026 02:00
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Pilot safe after F-16 aircraft crash
A pilot was forced to eject one of Ukraine’s F-16 fighter aircraft after a malfunction occurred, the air force said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the air force said the aircraft was carrying out a frontline assignment to intercept Russian airborne targets before it crashed.
The pilot was transported to a medical institution for treatment and experts examined the site of the crash.
Ukraine has received US-made F-16s from a number of Nato countries, including the Netherlands and Denmark.
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Harriette Boucher30 July 2026 01:00
Watch: Zelensky meets Lockheed Martin team to discuss ‘further development of cooperation’
Zelensky meets Lockheed Martin team to discuss ‘further development of cooperation’
Harriette Boucher30 July 2026 01:00
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Zelensky counting on ‘practical results’ from Trump meeting
Volodymyr Zelensky said he is counting on “practical results” after his meeting in Washington on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian president said he briefed Norway’s prime minister on his talks in Washington, which he said were “good” and resulted in diplomatic progress.
“We are very much counting on practical results, and protection against ballistic missiles is the first priority and an everyday need.
“Patriot missiles and our joint production efforts are what save people’s lives. It is important that we achieve this anti-ballistic progress with America.
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“We also discussed opportunities for pushing Russia toward diplomacy. And we addressed the risks – first and foremost, what could happen this winter.”
I spoke with the Prime Minister of Norway. Thank you, @jonasgahrstore, for your unwavering support and readiness to work together. I briefed the Prime Minister on how things went in Washington. We had good meetings, and there has been diplomatic progress. We are very much…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 29, 2026
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