Burnham’s funding gap: what state are UK finances in for the PM-in-waiting? 03. July 2026 (08:00) Given pressures on the public purse, the Makerfield MP may have to look at autumn tax rises to fund his ‘new direction’An economy rattled by a global energy shock, jittery bond markets and rising spending demands. As Andy Burnham prepares for government, the pressures on the public finances are in focus.The prospective prime minister pledged a new direction for Britain this week within two constraints: sticking to Labour’s current fiscal rules, and consistency with its 2024 manifesto. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ali Khamenei’s six-day funeral expected to draw millions in Iran 03. July 2026 (07:43) Huge scale of funeral for supreme leader across five cities is intended to relay message of resistance to rest of the worldIn the small hours of Friday the police roadblocks, stalls, posters and army vans were starting to appear across Tehran as millions of Iranians prepared to attend the long-delayed six-day funeral ceremony for Ali Khamenei’s, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 turbulent years.Killed in the opening salvo of the US-Israeli attack on the country in February, the funeral is intended to be an epic display of personal mourning, national power, resilience and social cohesion. Small groups of mourners carrying flags were gathering along the roads festooned with the red fist, the symbol of the funeral alongside the slogan “We must rise”. At a ceremony dedicated to the families of martyrs, Khamenei’s coffin was displayed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jacinta Allan admits criminals infiltrated Big Build but rejects calls for royal commission 03. July 2026 (07:33) Premier apologised over organised crime in some of Victoria’s largest construction projects, in op-ed that claimed a royal commission would not solve the issueFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJacinta Allan has admitted that criminals have infiltrated some of Victoria’s largest construction projects – but has again rejected growing calls for a royal commission into alleged corruption involving unions and labour hire companies.In an opinion piece published in the Age on Thursday night, the premier wrote that “we now know that criminals operated on some of Victoria’s construction sites” during projects dubbed by the Labor government as the Big Build. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Ridiculous’ for US to maintain current Nato support, Trump warns ahead of alliance summit 03. July 2026 (07:19) President says Washington’s relationship with Nato is ‘not reciprocal’ and ‘they were not there for us’ in Iran warDonald Trump has said it is “ridiculous” for the US to continue its “one sided” relationship with Nato, less than a week before a summit of the military alliance in Ankara.Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that “They were not there for us!!!” and Washington’s relationship with Nato “is not reciprocal”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Spyware used against MEP investigating Pegasus abuses, report finds 03. July 2026 (07:00) Researchers say Stelios Kouloglou’s device was compromised after he joined European parliamentary committeeNSO Group’s hacking software was repeatedly used against a member of the European parliament while he was conducting an investigation of spyware abuses in Europe, according to a new report.Researchers at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto said they could not attribute the attacks against Stelios Kouloglou to any particular government operator of Pegasus spyware. But their investigation found the attack against the Greek now-former MEP bore the hallmarks of a previous hacking campaign against exiled Russian and Belarusian journalists in Europe. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Bigger than football’: Norway fans’ Viking row makes waves at World Cup 03. July 2026 (07:00) From Times Square to the Norwegian parliament and even in fighter jet cockpits, the choreographed row is everywhereThe fans have done it, in their thousands, in the stadiums. The players have done it on the pitch. Pretty much anyone who was there did it in New York’s Times Square. Norwegian MPs did it in parliament.Prince Sverre Magnus, third in line to the Norwegian throne, rowed in an Oslo subway carriage. Care home residents in their 90s rowed in rural Norway and Norwegian Royal Air Force pilots rowed in their F-35 fighter jets. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump hijacks America at 250 celebrations – podcast 03. July 2026 (06:00) This weekend marks 250 years since the signing of the declaration of independence, but Donald Trump is making the celebration all about himself. As the anniversary approaches, Jonathan Freedland talks to the Atlantic’s Yoni Appelbaum about why so many Americans are feeling less patriotic these daysArchive: AP, Reuters Continue reading...(The Guardian)
