The destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system has placed reproductive health under unprecedented threat. Israel has decimated hospitals and healthcare infrastructure, and restricted access to reproductive and maternal care. This has left Palestinian women without the support they need to sustain life.

The war on reproductive health has been allowed to continue under the farcical “ceasefire” announced in October 2025. Meanwhile, women have nowhere to turn.

Reproductive violence

Pregnant women are moving between overcrowded shelters, sleeping in tents, or damaged buildings. Nothing is guaranteed, not even their next meal or when they may go into labour, and epidurals are largely unavailable. Ultimately, there is no safe pregnancy in Gaza.

The very few maternity wards that exist are overwhelmed; tackling dwindling fuel supplies and severe medicine shortages. Even basic items such as laboratory equipment and surgical tools are absent. These are withheld by the occupation whose punitive mindset dictates what enters the Gaza Strip.

The situation has become indescribably difficult for pregnant women. They are increasingly vulnerable in the face of circumstances far beyond their control. Women who should be receiving routine antenatal care are barely able to survive. In addition, they can barely access a maternity ward on foot or by vehicle. 

Describing the macabre situation, a new report, Pregnancy Under Siege, states:

the line between survivable and lethal has been erased by deprivation.

The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC)-commissioned report added that complications which are entirely treatable are now becoming fatal. This is because there is no possibility of treatment.

4,000 miscarriages in just six months

The first six months of 2026 witnessed 4,000 miscarriages and the destruction of 1,825 health facilities. Hospitals have been brought to their knees. Only 20 of 37 hospitals remain partially functional, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has reported.

Pregnancies are risky enough without a live-streamed genocide. Making matters worse, Israel has targeted roads leading to and from hospitals. Moreover, ambulances are repeatedly targeted despite their protected status under international law.

Travelling to hospitals has become a life-threatening risk under such violence, daily and unrelenting. Many women are going into labour without skilled medical assistance, and routine pregnancy monitoring has largely disappeared for expectant mothers.

Without early diagnosis, conditions that are normally manageable can claim both the mother and baby’s life.

Cesarean sections make up half of all deliveries

Almost half of all deliveries in Gaza are now by caesarean section. This is exceptionally high is compounded by the fact that women are arriving at hospital dangerously late. Often, they arrive in critical condition if at all.

The challenges rarely end with delivery. Women recovering from c-sections are often discharged within hours because hospitals urgently need beds, Amnesty International has found. Many return to overcrowded camps with no privacy, limited access to clean water or postnatal care. As a result, the risk of infection and other complications increases.

Newborns also face severe risks. Around 70 percent are born prematurely or underweight, placing enormous pressure on hospitals already struggling with shortages of incubators, oxygen supplies and specialist equipment. Persistent shortages of medicines and repeated disruptions to essential services further undermine their chances of survival.

The dangers are not only physical. The PRC report warns that the psychological toll of Israel’s actions in Gaza may have lifelong consequences for both mothers and their children.

Constant fear of air strikes, repeated displacement and the trauma of losing loved ones place extraordinary psychological strain on pregnant women. Research has consistently linked prolonged maternal stress with higher risks of miscarriage, premature birth and restricted foetal growth. These are outcomes that Gaza’s healthcare workers confront daily.

60 percent of Gaza’s pregnant women are anaemic

Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, intentionally manufactured by the Israeli occupation, has left pregnant women severely malnourished. Almost 60 percent have developed anaemia due to poor nutrition. This is further exacerbated by worsening health conditions and a lack of supplements.

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, Gaza remains at critical risk of famine, with around 25,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women expected to require urgent nutritional support.

Recent UN figures show that 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.1 million people are displaced and exposed to ongoing health and environmental risks. Up to 70 percent of the population cannot access even six litres of water a day. As part of its well-planned genocidal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza, the Israeli occupation has damaged or destroyed nearly 90 percent of water and sanitation infrastructure. This has left families reliant on small quantities of contaminated or untreated water.

Widespread environmental contamination, the spread of disease and the lack of clean water are now major concerns. For those who are pregnant, dehydration and poor sanitation increase the risk of urinary tract infections, kidney complications and other serious illnesses.

So much for ‘special protections’ under international law

International humanitarian law affords special protection to pregnant women and infants during armed conflict. So why are the reproductive rights of Gaza’s female population being systematically disregarded? They aren’t treated humanely, and Israel actively deprives them of the care they need.

The impunity stinks. Hospitals have been destroyed, newborns have died from preventable causes, and pregnant women have been denied life saving care, with little meaningful accountability.

When hospitals are reduced to rubble, ambulances cannot reach women in labour, and food, water and medicine are withheld, it is not only Palestinians who are under attack—it is the principles of international law itself.

The evidence points to a war on reproductive health, one in which accountability remains painfully absent.

Featured image via the UNFP / Canary

By Charlie Jaay

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Greater Manchester Green mayoral candidate Geraldine Coggins has announced that she would join Green-led London councils in Lambeth and Lewisham in commissioning a review of policing in immigration raids.

Coggins announced the plans at a cost-of-living themed hustings organised by GM Coalition of Disabled People, Acorn Tenants Union, GM Living Income Campaign, and GM Immigration Aid Unit. As mayor, she would also be the Police and Crime Commissioner for the city-region. (Her full manifesto is here.)

Lewisham became the first council to pass a motion pledging not to use council resources or public money to assist with any raids “where legally possible” last Wednesday. This followed Lambeth’s announcement in June that it would commission a review of the council’s arrangements for sharing information and intelligence with immigration enforcement agencies. Both are now Green Party-run councils, as of May’s elections.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has previously called Labour’s immigration policy plans “performative cruelty.” Those plans, hardened under Starmer, appear to be continuing under new PM Andy Burnham.

Labour candidate Bev Craig did not attend the cost-of-living hustings. Green sources say it’s the third such community hustings in a row that she has missed. This has sparked accusations of evading scrutiny and reinforced the idea that Labour feels more comfortable working with developers than listening to local people.

Reform UK’s candidate, mega-landlord Sian Astley, likewise dodged the climate, LGBTQ+, cost-of-living, and Muslim organisations’ hustings. It seems neither Labour nor Reform are eager to show up.

Labour and Reform dodge Manchester mayoral election community hustings

Green Coggins stands by migrant workers

In her announcement, Green mayoral candidate Coggins made clear that Labour is in the wrong:

From speaking to people across Greater Manchester, I’ve heard growing fears about the direction of Andy Burnham and Shabana Mahmood’s callous approach to immigration.

As Mayor, I will use my Police and Crime Commissioner powers to commission an urgent review of Greater Manchester Police’s role in supporting Home Office immigration raids. Greater Manchester residents should know how often our police are being asked to support Home Office immigration raids, why they are attending and how much officer time is involved.

Immigration raids are often violent and intimidatory and often involve demanding entry without a warrant. This manifests across Greater Manchester as stopping delivery riders under the guise of checking their vehicle license, turning up to shops and demanding to see people’s right to work, or turning up at their door demanding access. Many people have died in immigration detention centres.

INQUEST reported earlier this year that at least 31 detained migrants have died since 2017 in immigration detention centres and prisons. Half of those were never convicted of anything criminal.

It’s not only anti-Labour political opponents who believe that Labour’s approach to immigration has turned unjustifiably vicious. Even Burnham ally Angela Rayner, now his housing minister, criticised Labour’s new hostile environment-style policies and far-right pandering. Back then, though, she was a backbencher.

@TheCanaryUK Greater Manchester Mayoral Elections Hustings 2026

At the ACORN / GM Living Income /Coalition of Disabled People cost-of-living and affordability hustings

Also involved are the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit

Labour + Reform nowhere to be seen

Suspicious! pic.twitter.com/mZ4qfUjYVq

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— C.J.Mc. Baillie (@cjmbaillie) July 28, 2026

Green candidate Coggins went on to discuss the broader global picture in her statement:

People want a fair immigration system, not Trump-style immigration raids that pull local police away from fighting crime and damage trust between communities and the police. Our police should be focused on tackling violent crime, modern slavery and organised criminal gangs, not drawn into Home Office-led immigration operations.

I will meet with the Chief Constable in my very first week as Mayor to ensure that policing resources are focused on keeping our communities safe while maintaining public confidence.

I will also work with council leaders and community organisations to explore every lawful option to protect vulnerable people, strengthen trust in policing and ensure victims of modern slavery and trafficking are identified and supported. And on a national level, I will call on the Government to end the routine use of local police in Home Office immigration raids as a matter of urgency.

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Greater Manchester is a proudly diverse and welcoming city-region. We will always stand up for safe communities, effective policing and treating people with dignity.

Spain offers Burnham an alternative to Labour’s Danish-style immigration crackdown

Featured image via the Canary / Cameron Baillie

By Cameron Baillie

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Northumbria Police have charged Reform councillor Glenn Gibbins. Gibbins attracted attention over his comments relating to Nigerian people, with this controversy having now led to the police’s involvement:

BREAKING: A Reform UK councillor in Sunderland has been charged with posting a grossly offensive comment after writing in 2024 that Nigerians should be melted down to fill in potholes pic.twitter.com/hNcf8QUIQk

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 29, 2026

Reform’s Glenn Gibbins

Gibbins successfully ran to become a Reform councillor in May this year. Reform subsequently suspended Gibbins while they investigated the controversial comments, reinstating him in June. Now, Northumbria Police have released the following statement:

A man has been charged with posting a grossly offensive comment on social media.

Glenn Gibbins, a councillor for Sunderland City Council, has been charged with the offence under the Communications Act 2003.

The charge is in relation to a post from 2024 which referenced the Nigerian community.

We received a report in relation to the post in May this year and carried out an investigation. The Force submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service, who subsequently authorised the charge.

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The 66-year-old, from the Sunderland area, is due to appear before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court next month.

We are aware there has already been significant interest in relation to this individual and the social media post and we’d urge people not to speculate both online and in the community in relation to this case.

A Reform UK spokesperson has since said:

The party is aware of the situation involving Cllr Gibbins. We will monitor the verdict closely

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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The UK’s new fund for investing in AI ventures does zero due diligence on whether companies receiving cash use copyrighted work without permission. The revelation comes after a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests by Ed Newton-Rex. Rex is chief executive of ‘Fairly Trained‘, which checks and certifies AI companies’ use of data for training their models.

UK ‘Sovereign AI fund’

In fact, Newton-Rex had to use three FOI requests to praise the admission out of the government. Disgraced former PM Keir Starmer handed the reins of the half-billion pound fund to the daughter-in-law of his idol Tony Blair.

Newton-Rex notes that, at first, the fund claimed it “considered” copyright compliance. However, when he then FOI’d the documents relating to the process, the fund had to admit that it had no such process. Instead, it claimed this is done by the government’s British Business Bank:

I asked what their criteria were when selecting companies to back, particularly regarding copyright. They said “copyright compliance is considered as part of legal execution, including as part of a typical representations, warranties and disclosure process.”

So I asked for the docs they used as part of that “representations, warranties and disclosure process”, so that I could see what they said about copyright. They said they had no such documents, and that the British Business Bank actually carried out the the representations, disclosures and warranties process on their behalf.

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But when he asked the Bank for the documentation it uses in that process, it denied doing anything of the sort:

So I asked the British Business Bank for the docs they use in that process. But they replied saying they do no such thing, not for Sov AI or anyone – they let the commercial lead investor sort the reps and warranties.

What does this mean? It means the Sov AI fund is allocating taxpayer money to AI companies without checking whether they train on copyrighted work without permission.

As Newton-Rex pointed out, investing in banks that use copyrighted materials without permission is illegal under UK law:

Why does this matter? Two reasons:

1. I can’t believe the government would actively want to invest in companies that use the copyrighted work of British creatives without permission. Doing so is (i) illegal in the UK, (ii) possibly illegal elsewhere, and (iii) clearly antithetical to protecting its citizens and treating them fairly.

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2. There are already signs that companies Sov AI has backed may be planning to do exactly this – e.g. Cosine, which has publicly said it plans to train on datasets that are known to contain copyrighted work.

If Sov AI is going to continue investing UK taxpayers’ money in AI companies, it is imperative that it introduces simple due diligence into whether companies exploit creatives’ work without permission. This would involve virtually no additional overhead, and would help ensure their investments align with the interests of the British public.

Lawless AI

The revelations come as the AI industry has been exposed as buying up huge numbers of irreplaceable rare books, then destroying them after scanning in order to monopolise their information. It comes as the UK government continues to massively expand AI-driven facial recognition around the country with no mandate to do so. And as the US and Israel use AI to drive the mass slaughter of Palestinian civilians.

It also comes as experts warn that AI-triggered economic collapse is inevitable if AI companies continue behaving as they have been. There is no sign of change — and no sign that the UK government is even interested in trying to rein in their excesses and abuses.

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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US President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Brad Parscale is overseeing an Israeli influence operation. Drop Site News reported that the operation is training bots to embellish fake claims that Palestinian journalists are linked to terrorism. The story has sparked debate about israel’s approach to using new technologies in information warfare.

The campaign has even tried to muddy the waters around the Israeli military’s murder of Palestinian child Hind Rajab. The operation aims to shape the views not of humans, but of the AI chatbots that people increasingly turn to for ‘corroborating’ information.

Drop Site reported on 28 July:

The key intended audience of these sites is not concerned Americans, it’s not even humans—most of the sites average a few hundred unique visitors each month.

Instead, Parscale and his firm, Clock Tower X, created them as part of a $46.5 million contract with the Israeli government to try and influence artificial intelligence-powered chatbots, tools like Claude or ChatGPT.

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The process is known as Large Language Model (LLM) Poisoning. Drop Site reported:

In his initial agreement with Israel, Parscale said that he would deploy “websites and content to deliver GPT framing results on GPT conversations” as part of the contract.

Adding:

More recently, his team even told Axios they are “seeing success” at getting popular AI systems to incorporate information from their sites, though they declined to provide data.

Even more chillingly, the outlet said, the multi-million dollar scam “is working”.

Disinformation experts reviewed:

a Drop Site analysis of chatbot queries and training data.

They found:

tens of millions of Americans who use chatbots are increasingly likely to receive answers manipulated by Parscale on behalf of the Israeli government.

Drop Site asked Parscale-run search engines about things like whether US backing of Israel benefited America. The answer was invariably yes.

The outlet said:

All of Parscale’s websites contain a statement at the bottom which states “this material is distributed by Clock Tower X LLC on behalf of the State of Israel.” This statement is a mandatory disclosure requirement under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

The US-based website added:

Despite this, when Drop Site asked prominent chatbots about the latest news from Paxpoint.org, Perplexity and Copilot did not flag that the site was created as part of an Israeli influence operation. Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini did flag the caveat.

Disinformation expert Alice Lee told Drop Site the Israeli networks compared to Russian disinformation in interesting ways:

While Russia’s Pravda network overall is far larger, Parscale’s sites have a far higher rate of successfully being archived.

As the Canary reported on January:

half of all political accounts linked to Israel social media are bots. This includes many of the accounts boosting posts by Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his terrorist government.

Parscale is also linked to a firm which will be familiar to UK readers. Drop Site said:

Parscale, who gained national attention as Trump’s campaign manager for hiring the controversial microtargetting firm Cambridge Analytica, is the largest recipient of Israel’s massive influence investment.

Cambridge Analytica was the US and UK dark money-backed influence operation which shaped narratives around, for example, the 2016 Brexit referendum.

There was a time when Trump and his allies endlessly talked about ‘fake news’. To some degree they still do. But the truth is they are some of the most venomous purveyors of garbage information around, as well as major beneficiaries of the fact-free ‘mirror world’ they’ve created.

Featured image via the Canary

By Joe Glenton

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US diplomats staged a walkout of a UN meeting over French dignitaries’ criticisms of the Trump administration’s human rights record.

Which is, you know, completely accurate considering the kidnap of president Maduro, strikes against civilian vessels, and unlawful imprisonment (and murder) under ICE, to name but a few.

‘Forced labour’ tariffs

The ridiculous walkout stunt, which took place during a security council meeting on 27 July, was part of an ongoing feud between the two countries’ delegations.

Several days beforehand, on 23 July, the Trump administration announced massive tariffs on more than 80 countries. In effect, these reinstated the previous tariffs struck down by the US Supreme Court.

Seemingly in place of a rationale, US trade representative Jamieson Greer accused the countries, including the UK and the whole EU, of using forced labour. Greer praised US efforts in policing its forced-labour ban, and stated that:

It’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.

International Twitter beef

The very next day, the Trump administration set its sights on the UN’s human rights record. In particular, the US criticised the reinstatement of human rights chief Volker Türk for a second term.

.@AmbUNReform: The UN human rights system has been losing credibility for decades.

Volker Türk led it to its deathbed.

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Today’s vote kicked the bucket. pic.twitter.com/9yBB516mAp

— U.S. Mission to the UN (@USUN) July 24, 2026

Of course, the US delegation’s dislike for Türk is unsurprising — he’s been a vocal critic of America’s recent human rights record. This included a March statement to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva:

We have enjoyed bipartisan support from the U.S. on human rights over many decades … I am now deeply worried by the fundamental shift in direction that is taking place domestically and internationally.

Policies intended to protect people from discrimination are now labelled as discriminatory…Divisive rhetoric is being used to distort, deceive and polarize. This is generating fear and anxiety among many,

The UN’s legitimacy deficit

In response to the US criticism of the UN’s rights record and its chief, the French Geneva Mission took to social media. On 25 July, it posted:

The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it.#AmericaAlone https://t.co/GLNMsYEH9n pic.twitter.com/UTVvljTMeO

— France ONU Genève (@FranceONUGeneve) July 25, 2026

That reference to “North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia” named four of the nine countries which joined the US in voting against Türk’s re-appointment. Meanwhile, 144 countries voted in favour, with 13 abstentions.

Continuing the Twitter feud, Mike Waltz — the US ambassador to the UN — posted:

It is disappointing – though not surprising – that this is how France deflects on its shameful vote to coddle some of the worst human rights abusers.

France voted for someone who has been lecturing, free, sovereign democracies like the United States, the UK, and Israel, while… https://t.co/m6zxE95d5l

— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) July 26, 2026

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Professionalism? Never heard of her

Then, during Monday’s security council meeting, ostensibly to discuss Russia’s war on Ukraine, the US wasted time by choosing to criticise France in person. US deputy ambassador Dan Negrea called his country a “beacon of liberty for the world”, adding:

As such, we will not be affording them the benefit of listening to their politicized drivel until they renounce their condescending and disrespectful rhetoric and behave in a manner commensurate with their seat on this council.

Because bringing your Twitter beef to an unrelated UN meeting and then storming out just screams ‘fitting behaviour for a security council seat’.

But then, that really is typical of the Trump administration all over, isn’t it? These overgrown children have become used to being able to bribe, bully and threaten anyone in the US so that they get their own way.

Then, as soon as they’re confronted with a modicum of pushback outside of their safe American bubble, they simply have no comeback but to splutter and bolt for the exit.

This entire debacle would almost be laughable, were it not that these same pampered, snivelling wastes of space control one of the most powerful militaries on Earth.

Featured image via the Canary 

By Grace

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The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League has been pushed into the spotlight. This happened after a Division Two match between Saltburn Cricket Club and Norton Cricket Club produced one of the strangest amateur cricket controversies of the summer.

A fielder is accused of clicking his fingers at slip to mimic the sound of an edge, allegedly influencing umpires into giving batters out. The incident, captured on video and shared widely across social media, has triggered a formal investigation. It has also raised questions about conduct, gamesmanship and the boundaries of fair play at grassroots level.

The clip, filmed during Saturday’s fixture, shows a Saltburn fielder positioned at slip as the ball passes the bat. As it travels through to the wicketkeeper, the fielder appears to click his fingers at the exact moment the ball goes by.

Saltburn’s wicket keeper then completes a routine catch behind the stumps. The team appeals, and the umpire gives the batter out. Within days, the footage had gone viral, approaching five million views by Tuesday lunchtime and drawing global attention to a league more accustomed to quiet weekends and local rivalries.

Cricket league responds

The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League confirmed it had received a formal complaint regarding the alleged incidents. In a short statement, the league said a full investigation had been initiated. Furthermore, no further comment would be made until the process was complete.

It is standard protocol for the league to withhold detailed comment during active investigations, but the speed of the response reflects the seriousness with which the matter is being treated.

Saltburn Cricket Club has been contacted for comment by Sky Sports News. As of the time of publication, no public statement has been issued by the club. The league’s involvement means the matter will now move through established disciplinary channels. This will include evidence review, witness statements and potential hearings if required.

Saltburn’s season in context

Saltburn currently sit top of the Division Two table, having won 10 of their 15 matches. Their wicketkeeper has been a standout performer, leading the league in fielding dismissals with 34—31 of those catches behind the stumps. Earlier in July, he took eight catches in a 22‑run win over Shildon Railway Cricket Club. This performance underlined his importance to Saltburn’s campaign.

The team’s strong season adds another layer to the controversy. Success often brings scrutiny, and the viral clip has prompted questions about whether the alleged finger‑clicking was an isolated moment or part of a pattern. The league’s investigation will aim to establish exactly that.

Allegations of previous incidents

After the video gained traction online, Middlesbrough second XI captain Rory Cotterill alleged that similar incidents occurred during his side’s match against Saltburn in June. Cotterill’s comments, made publicly after the clip surfaced, suggest that concerns about the behaviour may have existed before the viral moment. His claims are now part of the wider conversation surrounding the investigation, though they remain allegations until formally assessed by the league.

The suggestion of multiple incidents increases the significance of the inquiry. If the league determines that finger‑clicking was used deliberately to imitate edges, it would represent a clear breach of the spirit of cricket. It could also breach the laws of the game. The investigation will need to determine intent, frequency and impact.

How the clip spread

The video’s rapid spread across social media reflects the modern reality of amateur sport — every match, every moment, every appeal can be captured, shared and scrutinised. What might once have been a minor dispute between teams has become a global talking point. The clip’s near‑five‑million views by Tuesday lunchtime show how quickly unusual sporting moments can gain traction. This is especially true when they involve questions of fairness.

The footage itself is brief but striking. The timing of the finger-clicking appears deliberate, though only the investigation can determine intent. The wicketkeeper’s catch is clean, the appeal is immediate, and the umpire’s decision is swift. Without audio clarity, the clip relies on visual cues, but those cues have been enough to prompt widespread debate.

Implications for grassroots cricket

Grassroots cricket relies heavily on trust, sportsmanship and respect for the game’s traditions. Umpires at amateur level often operate without technology, without neutral appointments and without the support systems seen in professional cricket. They depend on honesty from players and clarity of sound and sight. Any attempt to manipulate those senses undermines the foundation of the sport.

The alleged finger‑clicking raises questions about how leagues can protect umpires and ensure fair play. While professional cricket has DRS, ball‑tracking and ultra‑edge, amateur cricket has none of those tools. It relies on players acting in good faith. If the investigation confirms wrongdoing, leagues may need to consider guidance or sanctions to deter similar behaviour.

Saltburn’s position

Saltburn’s league‑leading form means the investigation arrives at a delicate moment. The club has enjoyed a strong season, built on consistent performances and standout contributions from key players. The wicketkeeper’s exceptional catching record is a major part of that success. The club’s silence so far is understandable given the ongoing process, but the eventual findings could have implications for both individuals and the team.

The league’s statement emphasised that no further comment would be made until the investigation is complete. That suggests a thorough review is underway, likely involving video analysis, match reports and interviews with umpires and players from both teams.

What happens next

The investigation will determine whether disciplinary action is required. Possible outcomes range from no action to warnings, suspensions or points deductions, depending on the findings. The league has dealt with disciplinary matters before, but the viral nature of this incident means the spotlight is brighter than usual.

For now, the focus remains on establishing facts. The clip has sparked debate, but only the league’s formal process can deliver conclusions. Until then, speculation remains just that.

A small gesture, captured on a phone and shared online, has become a national talking point and triggered a formal investigation. Saltburn’s strong season, the wicketkeeper’s impressive record and the allegations of previous incidents all add layers to a story that will continue to unfold.

Grassroots cricket thrives on trust. The league’s investigation aims to protect that trust and ensure the game is played in the right spirit. Whatever the outcome, the incident has highlighted the importance of integrity at every level of the sport.

Featured image via the Canary

By Faz Ali

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Andy Burnham is planning to finally implement the much-needed National Care Service (NCS). While it’s undeniable that we need this service, the question is what the NCS will be: a privatised mess like the NHS of today or a nationalised treasure like the NHS of the past?

With the finer details yet to be decided, now is the time for people to make their opinions known.

Andy Burnham has promised to bring in a new system of social care. But the government needs to address the desperately important issue of who owns and runs it.

Privatisation has been a failed — we’re paying more for worse care while private equity sharks walk away with huge… pic.twitter.com/FRY6naDOM9

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— We Own It (@We_OwnIt) July 28, 2026

Burnham is keeping his promise so far

The Morning Star is among those calling for a fully nationalised care service, noting:

ANDY BURNHAM was urged today to prove to keep his vow to abandon 40 years of neoliberalism by legislating for a national care service before the end of this parliament.

Those calling for a fully public NCS also include Labour MP Clive Lewis, who said:

The extractive state vs the productive state:

The real litmus test for any essential public service is simple: who owns it?

Social care reform that ducks this question will repeat the mistakes of privatised water, haemorrhaging billions into management consultants, shareholder returns and financial extraction instead of frontline care.

The same story is playing out in children’s services. In just two years, care costs have risen by 37% to £3.7 billion. Private equity now dominates much of the sector. Firms buy up children’s homes, strip out costs, drive up prices and extract ever greater profits, while too many children’s needs go unmet.

That is the difference between an extractive state and a productive one. One channels public money into financial returns for the 1%. The other invests it in the 99% the service exists to support.

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The New Economic Foundation has commented on the issues with private companies:

Rather than being used to improve services, this money is extracted.

We found that private care companies in three English regions had taken more than £250m in profits in just three years. Company directors earn 60 times more than the average wage. 2/3https://t.co/xqBLUvJ8GW

— NEF (@NEF) July 29, 2026

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The Green Party is pushing for the full nationalisation of vital utilities and services, but Burnham has frozen them out of the cross-party discussions on care.

"Given our consistent engagement on the adult social care crisis and willingness to work together to solve it, it's deeply disappointing that the Greens weren't invited to today's cross-party talks.

We need all hands on deck to tackle this issue – the Greens remain ready to work… pic.twitter.com/5yICMR6whz

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— The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) July 29, 2026

The privatisation nightmare

Covering the problems that have arisen from NHS privatisation, We Own It has noted the following:

"The GP records of more than half the country sit on a system controlled by a firm whose business model is returns for investors, not care for patients, and the public found out after the fact."

And you thought Palantir's involvement in our healthcare was pretty dodgy…… pic.twitter.com/Rcg7O46nYx

— We Own It (@We_OwnIt) July 27, 2026

The new US-UK pharma deal could lead to 229,000 preventable deaths.

How? It will divert £45 billion from patient care to pharma corporation profits.

Can you help keep the pressure on Andy Burnham to rip it up?

Sign the petition: https://t.co/hIihU2FFwH pic.twitter.com/hHrn3rgUV7

— We Own It (@We_OwnIt) July 16, 2026

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We Own It has also spoken out about Burnham’s stance on nationalisation:

The man set to be our next Prime Minister has gone on record as saying he wants to bring key utilities like energy and water into ‘public control’. But Andy Burnham hasn’t yet clarified what he’s proposing.

It’s certainly true that he hasn’t clarified what he has planned, but it seems almost certain it won’t be full re-nationalisation. Here’s what he said in June (emphasis added):

On utilities, we will ensure all parts of the UK are able to take greater public control of essential services like water, housing, energy and transport, learning from the model that has transformed our bus networks here in Greater Manchester.

The eagle-eyed among you will have spotted that ‘greater’ public control is not the same as ‘full’ public control; it’s privatisation with more oversight. As privatisation and regulatory oversight have repeatedly failed, we’re not optimistic that more of the thing which doesn’t work will solve anything.

Useless Burnham has sacked off renationalisation

We Own It continued:

Here’s the truth about public control that not enough people know about:

1) Public control is not public ownership. When it comes to water and energy, the ’public control’ that Burnham is promising already exists. It’s another word for regulation which has been failing households since water was privatised in 1989.

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2) Privatisation is a waste of your money. Burnham can afford to deliver public ownership. How? He can force the companies – water, energy, Royal Mail – to deliver massive investment out of their own pockets or go bust. When they fail there is legislation he can use – the special administration regime – to protect the public interest and take them back without compensating shareholders. The truth is that bringing public services and assets into public ownership will save money and deliver a better deal.

Nationalisation is also massively popular with the public, as a YouGov poll showed.

‘Real control’

We Own It concluded:

Why should your household be a revenue stream for shareholders around the world? Andy Burnham’s popularity won’t last long unless he’s crystal clear that he will end the scam and deliver permanent public ownership for all our key public services and assets, including the NHS and care as well as our key utilities and infrastructure.

We deserve to own our public assets whether at the local, regional or national level, because owning is better than renting; ownership is the only way to get real control of our essential services.

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Andy Burnham must pick a side and he can’t bring down your bills and improve your services unless he does.

The National Care Service is badly needed, sure, but so is full ownership of our sovereign assets. If Andy Burnham founds the NCS and it turns out to be yet another extractive nightmare, people won’t remember him as fondly as he hopes they will. And that’s the choice he has: becoming the new Clement Attlee or the new Margaret Thatcher.

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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Campaigners from Fossil Free London dressed as firefighters during a protest outside Shell HQ on 29 July. Meanwhile others poured a black liquid resembling oil over their heads.

Behind them placards read: “Shell Fuels Wildfires,” “Oil Fuels Wildfires,” and “Stop Pouring Oil on the Flames”.

The protest comes as Shell is announcing its quarterly profits on Thursday 30 July.

Meanwhile, more than 300,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as wildfires rage across Spain and France. Record-breaking heatwaves across Europe this summer are fuelling the fires.

A recent study found that the climate crisis enabled 55 out of the 213 global heatwaves that would have otherwise been impossible to occur between 2000 and 2023. Fossil fuels made all of these more likely and more intense.

They also found that just pollution from Shell alone made almost a quarter of these heatwaves 10,000 times more likely, and 51 of these heatwaves possible.

Robin Wells, spokesperson for Fossil Free London, said:

Fire needs fuel. And as we witness fires rage across Scotland, France and Spain, we all know those red and yellow flames are turbocharged by Shell’s oil.

For decades Shell covered up the science and continued to drill for the oil that makes wildfires more intense, last longer, and burn further. However the first ember hit the undergrowth in each place, it is Shell, and corporations like it, who set the tinder in place.

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And as we witness one of the biggest evacuation efforts on the continent since World War Two, the heavy weight in our heart is the knowledge there’s so much more to come.

Stop pouring Shell’s oil onto this house, torn down by fire. People need to stop the harm and rebuild.

Andy Burnham and Miatta Fahnbulleh [Energy Security and Net Zero secretary] need to make clear now that protecting people from wildfires, drought, crop failures and heatwaves means stopping new oil. It means they must stop Rosebank.

Featured image via Fossil Free London

By The Canary

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