(Alamy)

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Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the cabinet minister tasked with leading the rollout of digital ID, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, said that the planned scheme could save “tens and tens of billions every year”.

The government has said that the consultation, which is expected to last for eight weeks, will go further than those before it. It will include engaging with a ‘People’s Panel’, which Jones himself today admitted was “a gamble”.

The Keir Starmer administration is trying to rebuild public support for the policy after the initial announcement last year had a rocky landing.

Legislation implementing digital ID is expected to be put to Parliament later this year, with work on the app to begin in 2027.

Will digital ID be compulsory?

In January, PoliticsHome revealed that the government was scrapping plans to make the new digital ID scheme mandatory amid warnings, including from many Labour MPs, that going ahead with the compulsory element would be strongly opposed by the public.

While the public will still be required to carry out some digital right-to-work checks, they will be able to do so using other documents, like a passport of eVisa.

The consultation being launched today will ask the public how the government can ensure that everyone who wants to use the scheme can do so after concerns were raised about accessibility. 

Jones today told the House of Commons that it “must be for everyone” and the government “will help those who are less confident with technology or don’t have other forms of ID like a passport”.

Ministers are consulting on at what age someone should be able to obtain a digital ID.

What will a digital ID look like?

The digital ID will be held in an app on a smartphone or tablet, with the government today publishing a working prototype of the digital ID system, pictured below.

Jones also said on Tuesday that the NHS app “will be separate” from the government’s digital ID, as the NHS app is “already pretty well developed”.

Ministers are also consulting the public on what information digital ID should contain, which will go a long way to determining how it will appear on a user’s screen.

Digital ID will make processes “fairer”

While the government initially focused on digital ID as a way of tackling illegal migration, since then, the emphasis has shifted to making aspects of everyday life easier, with ministers using examples like filing a tax return and managing free childcare.

“The status quo is a legacy system of call centres, paperwork, and the need to tell your story, multiple times, to the different parts of government, with hours on hold and not knowing where you are in the process,” Jones said today.

“The whole point with this is that it should be easy, simple, and accessible to everybody.”

Jones claimed that digital public services could also be cheaper to run and more efficient. 

“We cannot continue on this two-track process where services in the private sector, in banking and shopping, and all the other things that we do in our day-to-day lives are fast, easy, and digital, and then when you come to the public sector, they’re slow, clunky, and disjointed.”

What will the scheme cost?

It is still unclear how much the digital ID system will cost to develop, with today’s consultation claiming it was “not yet possible to quantify or assess the full impacts of the system”.

The government has previously pushed back against the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast that the policy would cost £1.8bn over the next three years, arguing that the design of the scheme is yet to be decided on.

Today, Jones said the government had already carried out estimates showing that digitising customer services could save “tens and tens of billions of pounds every year” that is currently being spent on “very unproductive call centres, lots of paper shuffling, slow processes”.

Jones claimed that a digital ID could “free up taxpayers’ money” to go on frontline services like the NHS or “give back to taxpayers in the years ahead”.

‘People’s Panel’ to “help debate difficult questions”

Jones also confirmed that the government will go beyond a typical consultation, announcing the creation of a ‘People’s Panel’ on digital ID, with 100-120 people to be randomly selected, bringing together people across the country from different backgrounds.

Jones told reporters that the panel was a “gamble” as it would mean the government “kind of giving up control of it around the process”.

He said the panel would “help us debate the difficult questions, find ways forward and help us build a system that will win the trust and support of the public at large”.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Institute for Government think tank (IFG) in January,  Jones said he believed the policy would grow in popularity over the next 12 months as people realised how it would positively impact their day-to-day lives.

The Minas Gerais State Championship football final in Brazil turned into a historic scene of on-field violence after a mass brawl erupted between players from Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro in the final moments of the match, resulting in 23 players being sent off at once after the final whistle.

These events occurred after Cruzeiro defeated their rivals Atlético Mineiro 1-0 in the match held in Belo Horizonte, securing their first championship title since 2019.

Football match erupts

The chaos didn’t end with the final whistle. The celebrations turned to an uproar after the match, when a violent confrontation broke out in stoppage time. Cruzeiro player Cristian rushed towards Atlético goalkeeper Iverson while chasing a rebound inside the penalty area. His legs collided with the goalkeeper, who fell to the ground. Iverson retaliated by pushing Cristian and placing his knee on Cristian’s chest, which sparked a full-blown brawl involving the entire Cruzeiro team.

Tensions escalated dramatically when Cruzeiro’s Matheus Pereira attempted to capitalise on a weak ball inside the penalty area, colliding with goalkeeper Iverson. Veteran player Hulk (39 years old) then joined the fray, being struck by Atlético defender Lucas Villalabá. He retaliated with a powerful blow to midfielder Lucas Romero, amidst chaos that lasted for several minutes despite the intervention of security personnel and military police to separate the players.

According to the BBC, referee Matheus Delgado Candansan did not issue any red cards during the match itself, despite the tense atmosphere and nine yellow cards. However, the intensity of the brawl led the referee to later record 23 official dismissals in his report, a record number in the history of the domestic leagues. These included 12 Cruzeiro players, among them Caio Jorge, and 11 Atlético Mineiro players, most notably Hulk.

Between the joy of Cruzeiro’s historic victory and the players falling in the middle of the brawl, the final turned into an event that will be recorded in the annals of Brazilian football as one of the most controversial matches, highlighting the impact of emotion and collective violence on the reputation of the game even during times of great celebration.

Featured image via the Canary

Jamaican club Mount Pleasant suffered a major blow ahead of their highly anticipated match against Los Angeles Galaxy in the The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions Cup. The United States refused to issue visas to ten of their players, preventing them from participating in the first leg of the Round of 16 match against LA Galaxy on Wednesday.

The Jamaican team traveled to Los Angeles on Sunday with a squad of only 18 players, including five from the academy, to compensate for the absences caused by the visa crisis.

CONCACAF throws up inevitable problem

This incident highlights the restrictions imposed on citizens of certain countries entering the racist regime of the United States. Mount Pleasant has seven players who hold Haitian citizenship, and Haiti was among the 19 countries targeted by US President Donald Trump’s executive order as part of his campaign to tighten immigration procedures.

Last June, Trump issued an executive order suspending entry to the United States for Haitian citizens, casting a shadow over the participation of some of the team’s players in the continental tournament.

While athletes participating in major sporting events like the 2026 World Cup or the Olympics usually receive exemptions from such restrictions, the United States refused these exemptions, highlighting the depth of their commitment to racist border policies.

Visa obstacles.

The club’s sporting director, Paul Christie, said the visa obstacles put his team at a disadvantage before facing the 2024 MLS champions.

He told the Jamaica Observer:

We don’t want to participate just for the sake of it; we want to be able to compete, but we haven’t been given the opportunity to be at our best.

Featured image via the Canary

Striking Queen’s Hospital workers will demonstrate outside the office of their constituency MP Wes Streeting on Wednesday 11 March.

When: 9.30am, Wednesday 11 March 2026
Where: 12a Highview Parade, Woodford Avenue, Ilford, IG4 5EP

The workers initially took three days of strike action over a range of issues in February. Fresh strikes began on Monday 9 March and will end on Friday 13 March.

They are demanding that health secretary Streeting takes a more active role in ensuring Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust puts forward an acceptable offer to bring the dispute to end.

The strikes are causing disruption to blood tests and other laboratory services carried out by the pathology workers for the trust and GP services. The maintenance and management of medical technology carried out by the engineering workers is also being disrupted.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

These workers are dedicated to serving the NHS but have been left with no alternative but to continue striking.

As both health secretary and the local MP, Wes Streeting must intervene to ensure the trust ends a damaging dispute it is solely responsible for causing by putting forward an acceptable offer.

Unite regional officer Sujata Virdee said:

While there has been some movement from the trust it has not been far enough to bring this dispute to an end.

Featured image via Unite

The Football Association which administers football in Iraq has requested FIFA postpone the national men’s team’s World Cup 2026 playoff match, scheduled for March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico.

The request for postponement stems from the security situation in the Middle East and the inability of the team to travel from Baghdad, according to a source cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The source explained that the Iraqi FA’s request was a result of the airspace closures and the current security risks in the region, which are preventing the team from leaving the capital.

Iraq coach Graham Arnold said:

About 60% of my players play in Iraq, all my backroom staff live in Iraq, all my medical staff live in Qatar and we’re having trouble getting Mexican visas at this moment.

Iraq: a team stranded

Meanwhile, Arnold himself remains stranded in Dubai, unable to travel to Baghdad to finalise the squad and begin preparations for the crucial match.

The Iraqi national team was scheduled to travel to Houston, Texas, for a training camp ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifier against the winner of the Bolivia-Suriname match. However, these plans were canceled due to the current travel restrictions.

In an interview with CNN, Arnold suggested postponing the match, saying:

Let Bolivia play Suriname this month, and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the United States. The winner of that match qualifies.

The coach concluded by emphasising the need for FIFA to make a swift decision on the matter, arguing that the current circumstances make the situation unfair to the Iraqi national team.

The intercontinental play-off is scheduled to determine the final two teams to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams, at a time of escalating tensions in the Middle East since late February following the US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.

Featured image via the Canary

Arsenal topped Opta’s list of favorites to win the UEFA Champions League title ahead of the Round of 16, a surprising result considering the London club has never lifted the continental trophy.

According to details published on The Analyst website, the network gave Arsenal a clear advantage of 26.7% to win the title, ahead of their rivals, before the anticipated match in the next round. This reflects the high level of confidence in the work being done by Spanish coach Mikel Arteta this season.

The supercomputer’s predictions were not much different from Opta’s, also predicting Arsenal to win the tournament with a 27.4% chance in the final to be held in Budapest, Hungary. Bayern Munich came in second with 14.28%, while Liverpool finished third with 12.83%.

Champions League: PSG in trouble

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain’s task of retaining their title appears more complicated this season. French radio network RMC reported that the team is well aware that retaining the continental trophy is much harder than winning it, especially given their inconsistent results recently.

The Parisian team ranked only seventh among the favorites to win the title, with a 4.3% chance, after delivering inconsistent performances in the group stage, before struggling to overcome Monaco in the play-offs.

Furthermore, Luis Enrique’s team suffered several setbacks domestically, with two heavy defeats against Rennes and Monaco (both by a score of 3-1), which has negatively impacted their chances in the European competition.

Bayern Munich and Liverpool trail the leaders.

According to Opta’s predictions, the top contenders to win the Champions League title are:

• Arsenal — 26.7%

• Bayern Munich — 16.4% (facing Atalanta)

• Liverpool — 11.4% (facing Galatasaray)

• Manchester City — 11.1%

• Barcelona — 9.7%

• Chelsea — 6.4%

• Paris Saint-Germain — 4.3%

Featured image via the Canary

From 7am on Tuesday 10 March, two activists from the People Against Genocide group scaled the front canopy above the front doors of Chubb Insurance’s Manchester office in Booth Street.

After climbing onto the platform, they covered the area in symbolic blood-red paint. Police removed and arrested the two action takers at 1.30pm. Firefighters had earlier refused to assist the police in removing the protesters.

Multiple actions against Chubb

This is the third action that People Against Genocide has undertaken against Chubb. The company provides insurance for UAV Engines, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons company. Chubb took over this role after Aviva, UAV Engines’ previous insurer, dropped the company following a sustained direct action campaign.

At its site at Shenstone in Staffordshire, UAV produces engines for Israel’s huge killer drone fleet, of which Elbit Systems produces more than 85%. They include the R902(W) Wankel engine for Elbit’s Hermes 450 drone. This is the same model Israel used to kill seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen, including three British nationals.

Without the mandatory Employer Liability Insurance provided by Chubb, UAV Engines could not operate in the UK.

Last month, on 18 February, three activists from People Against Genocide targeted the London headquarters of Chubb Insurance. They sprayed blood-red paint all over the front of the building, and locked-on to shut it down.

A week later, on 25 February, the group targeted Chubb’s Birmingham offices, again using symbolic blood-red paint.

In addition to targeting Chubb, People Against Genocide has also recently targeted Aspen Insurance. Aspen took over providing cover for Elbit Systems UK, after its previous insurer, Allianz, also succumbed to pressure from pro-Palestine activists.

A spokesperson for People Against Genocide said:

While the Gaza Genocide continues, and civilians are killed by Israel on the Palestinian West Bank, Lebanon, and Iran, Elbit Systems are cashing in.

Elbit and UAV Engines can only manufacture deadly weapons in Britain because they are provided with Employer Liability Insurance by Chubb and Aspen.

Our action today, in Manchester, is aimed at disrupting the operations of Chubb Insurance, and exposing their role in profiting from war-crimes.

We will continue to target these greedy, amoral companies until they drop the Israeli weapons makers they are facilitating.

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Israel has used white phosphorus, an illegal chemical weapon, over homes in Yohmor al Beqaa, Lebanon.

NEW: The Israeli military unlawfully used white phosphorus over homes on March 3, 2026, in the Lebanese town of Yohmor.

The use of white phosphorus over residential areas is extremely alarming and will have dire consequences for civilians.

Read more: https://t.co/ulrNyd9Ceh pic.twitter.com/DlUTViKwo7

— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) March 9, 2026

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Israel using chemical weapons again

Human Rights Watch verified and geolocated eight images, which show:

airburst white phosphorus munitions being deployed over a residential part of the town and civil defense workers responding to fires in at least two homes and one car in that area.

As the Canary previously reported, white phosphorus is a chemical substance which ignites instantly upon contact with oxygen. It’s incredibly hard to extinguish and sticks to surfaces like clothes and skin. White phosphorus is extremely harmful to people, no matter the route of exposure. It causes deep and severe burns – often down to the bone, breathing problems, and burning of the eyes and respiratory tract.

The human body can absorb the chemical, causing dysfunction in multiple organs, including the liver, kidneys and heart.

It burns at more than 800 degrees Celsius (nearly 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit). That is high enough to melt metal.

Importantly though:

The incendiary effects of white phosphorous can cause death or cruel injuries that result in lifelong suffering.

The use of chemical weapons in civilian areas is a war crime for exactly this reason. Generations of Lebanese people will now suffer the consequences of Israel’s indiscriminate and illegal attacks.

According to the World Health Organisation:

The use of white phosphorus may violate Protocol III (on the use of incendiary weapons) of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCCW) in one specific instance: if it is used, on purpose, as an incendiary weapon directly against humans in a civilian setting.

War crimes

There is plenty of evidence of Israel’s unlawful use of white phosphorus. Since October 7, Israel has carried out over 1,000 illegal white phosphorus strikes in Gaza.

According to the Euro-Med Monitor, in 40 minutes alone, the IDF launched 300 white phosphorus strikes on a packed residential square in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia.

That same evening, reports of multiple white phosphorus shells were recorded in a crowded area of Gaza City. Israel launched similar attacks in the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza, and the Jabalia town and camp in the Strip’s north.

But it’s not just Palestine. Amnesty International reported that the Israeli army fired artillery shells containing white phosphorus along Lebanon’s southern border in October 2023. 

Human Rights Watch also verified Israel’s use of white phosphorus on two locations along the Israel-Lebanon border and over Gaza City’s port.

US origins

As the Canary previously investigated, the US Army supplies Israel with white phosphorus-filled projectiles.

The chemical agent can be deployed through artillery shells, bombs, rockets or grenades.

The white phosphorus itself comes from Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL), which has a chemical manufacturing plant in St. Louis.

The US government contracted ICL to produce white phosphorus for the US Army, for:

a 5-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contract at $3,342,150.

ICL has 10 illegal quarries in the occupied West Bank, according to a report by the Israeli Ministry of Interior. Notably, ICL is also operating in the occupied Syrian Golan.

Of course, it is no surprise that a country with a history steeped in colonialism is supplying chemical weapons to a genocidal terrorist state.

Israel’s entire existence is based on colonialism, war crimes, and the displacement of indigenous populations.

So now Israel is once again using illegal chemical weapons to further its terrorist agenda at the expense of indigenous communities – we are not surprised. But Israel knows it can and will get away with it, which is why it’s even more important that international communities take a stand.

Featured image via FRANCE 24 English/ YouTube screenshot

The stars of Heated Rivalry are calling out their own fans for the sheer amount of horrific abuse being levelled at them

Hudson Williams and Francois Arnaud both posted on their respective Instagram stories:

Don’t call yourself a fan if you share racist/ homophobic/ biphobic/ misogynist/ ageist/ ableist/ parasocial/ bigoted comments of any kind

None of us need your hateful ‘love.’

They continued

We all respect and support and love each other and are on the same side.

If you can’t accept that gtfoh [get the fuck outta here]

Heated Rivalry cast have to deal with parasocial weirdos

Though they don’t clarify, this is appears to be aimed at so-called fans who have been subjecting Arnaud to homophobic and biphobic abuse. Since he was pictured with co-star Connor Storrie, Arnaud has been subject to the sort of queerphobic rhetoric you’d usually get from right-wingers. Not so called fans.

It’s also seemingly aimed at the racism Williams has received, especially after his Letterboxd reviews were bizarrely analysed. He’s also been accused of queerbaiting, purely because he’s in a queer show and is close to his male co-stars while being in a relationship with a woman.

Apart from Arnaud, who is bi, none of the cast has disclosed their sexuality. And nor should they be expected to.  But as we’ve seen with other fandoms, this toxic obsession can push celebs to come out before they’re ready. This happened with Heartstopper’s Kit Connor, who was forced to come out as bi at just 18 in the same circumstances.

You’d think such a bold statement would stop many in their tracks, but they still found a reason to attack Arnaud, because Williams posted it slightly before him seemingly.

One “fan” posted on Threads claiming none of the team would defend Williams without him posting a statement.

To this, Williams replied:

It was Francois’ idea and I helped write it! I don’t scroll comments so I did not see the hate. I was vibing watching figure skating highlights.

On Instagram, Arnaud also responded to a fan who accused him of posting the statement but not crediting Williams and “acting like you drafted it’

Arnaud sarcastically replied:

I did draft this message and Hudson and I tweaked it together and wanted to make a joint statement. We thank you for your concern.

Fans need to remember this is a queer hockey show ffs

Heated Rivalry came out at the end of last year, and its success spawned a huge fandom in a very short amount of time. With that came a huge amount of parasocial and inappropriate fans who don’t like it when their ‘faves’ don’t act exactly as they want.

But really, these fans need to remember the true message of the show and grow up.

Featured image via the Canary