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Jul 16, 2026 - World

Outgoing PM moves to cements his legacy before his replacement by Andy Burnham as party leader tomorrowGood morning. Conventional wisdom has it that, once a PM announces they are going to stand down, all their power vanishes faster than water down a clear plughole. Broadly that’s correct. But in the last week or so Keir Starmer seems to have been acting with a decisiveness that eluded him for most of his time in office: finalising the defence investment plan; delivering the long-awaited apology to victims of forced adoption; over-ruling the security services to deliver the concession that got the Hillsborough law bill over the line; and finally securing a conditional pardon for Ruth Ellis.This is not happening because being on the way out makes a PM more powerful. But it does help them focus, and forces them to give up on faffing around.British Steel is part of the fabric of our nation and a cornerstone of Britain’s industrial strength.Today’s decision secures the future of steelmaking in the UK, protects skilled jobs and safeguards a vital national capability. Continue reading...

Jul 16, 2026 - World

Iran reports explosions in several cities including capital while US military says it also hit and disabled tanker in strait of Hormuz US attacks oil tanker in strait of Hormuz as strikes reported in TehranIran has warned it would retaliate if its infrastructure is attacked, after Trump threatened that the US military could target Iranian bridges.In a statement carried by state media, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Iranian military’s Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters, said “all infrastructure in the region will be crushed”. Continue reading...

Jul 16, 2026 - World

IRGC has claimed it has intercepted and destroyed an "enemy" MQ-9 drone over the southwestern city of Andimeshk

Jul 16, 2026 - World

Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMichelle Rowland says mandatory minimum standards for datacentres don’t apply to existing developmentsThe attorney general, Michelle Rowland, told ABC News that mandatory minimum standards for datacentres would apply to new developments, not existing ones.The scope and the timing of those is something that I think will be properly determined by national cabinet.This is an issue that not only state governments but local councils have been dealing with as well.It goes from being this hunched-over ball of fluff at the top of a tree looking down at you, to suddenly spreading out its limbs and flying over your head like a magical flying carpet, or this weird stingray-UFO thing in the sky. Continue reading...

Jul 16, 2026 - World

Rise in GDP follows a 0.1% decline in April, figures from the Office for National Statistics showThe UK economy returned to growth in May, despite the impact of the Iran war on energy costs, official figures show.The Office for National Statistics said GDP rose 0.1% in May, in line with economists’ forecasts, after a 0.1% decline in April. Continue reading...