Andy Burnham blames Tory legacy for leaving UK economy vulnerable

• Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) convened for a summit in Bishkek, where they condemned sanctions and attacks targeting Iran. • The group asserted their "inalienable right" to develop, produce, and utilize atomic energy for peaceful purposes, arguing that restrictive measures are contrary to international law.

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek, calling for global institutions to be reformed to reflect modern geopolitical realities. • Guterres urged for stronger multilateralism and specifically demanded that the ceasefire in Gaza be respected to protect civilians.

• A recent disaster in Nepal has highlighted the practical advantages of maintaining strong diplomatic and strategic ties between Nepal, India, and China. • The event underscores how regional cooperation can provide critical support and resources during humanitarian crises, transcending political tensions.

As a major new biography of the former prime minister goes on sale, he talks about meeting the Queen, Trump’s aims, and why his big vision will never fadeGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQueen Elizabeth II met Paul Keating “alone, to her credit” in what the prime minister was informed was her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria’s, favourite room at Balmoral Castle.“And I took some pleasure in explaining the furniture to her,” Keating recalls, an old elan breaking through. Continue reading...

The company says it prioritizes safety, but suits allege its ChatGPT bot induced shooter to carry out attack in CanadaOpenAI faces 30 new lawsuits filed on behalf of victims of the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting.The suits, filed on Wednesday, allege the company’s ChatGPT chatbot induced the shooter to carry out the attack in rural Canada in February, in which eight people were killed and dozens more wounded – most of them children. Continue reading...

Woman from Reno was swimming near Hidden beach when river otter attacked her, Tahoe’s second incident in a monthA swimmer at Lake Tahoe in Nevada was bitten by a river otter in an incident that left her needing to go to hospital and get 38 stitches for her wounds as well as rabies shots, local media have reported.Lynnette Bellin from Reno was swimming near Hidden beach on the Nevada side of the popular tourist attraction on Sunday when she was attacked by the creature. Continue reading...

Minister says Sweden has ‘fulfilled its commitments’ amid criticism of ‘unjust’ decisions such as case of Joyce ThomasThe Swedish government has doubled down on its position on removing and deporting British citizens on the grounds they were late to apply for permission to stay after Brexit.The migration minister, Johan Forssell, issued a robust defence of the Swedish migration agency’s implementation of the Brexit withdrawal agreement on Wednesday in response to a question from an MP about the case of Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old British widow who has been ordered to leave the country after 21 years. Continue reading...

Pay and shares deal nearly matches $58m award to John Ternus, his successor as CEO at the $4.7tn tech companyBusiness live – latest updatesTim Cook has received a $47m (£35m) pay deal as Apple’s executive chair, a remuneration package that nears the level set for his successor as chief executive.Cook, who handed over to John Ternus on Tuesday, will be paid a base salary of $2m and $45m worth of shares. Half of the share award will be based on performance targets being met, while the remaining half will be paid out over four years. Continue reading...

US energy department warns of potential for outages in PJM Interconnection, serving 67 million from DC to ChicagoThe risk ⁠of power outages ⁠is expected to ​escalate across a broad swath of the United States on Wednesday as intense heat will test the capacity of electricity supplies ⁠serving millions of homes and businesses from the midwest through the mid-Atlantic.The US Department of Energy warned of the potential for heightened blackout risks in ⁠the PJM Interconnection, the largest US electric grid, which serves 67 million people in ​a territory stretching from Washington DC to ‌Chicago. Continue reading...

Rapper’s supporters reflect on ‘astonishing’ events leading to Duane Davis being found guilty over 1996 fatal shootingA criminal conviction this week in the murder of Tupac Shakur, the first since the rapper was gunned down in 1996, sent shockwaves through his sea of fans who have waited three decades for answers.Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a former California gang leader, was found guilty of murder on Monday for the role he played in orchestrating the fatal shooting of Shakur. Continue reading...

Blast also injures 68 guests at the wedding in southern Iran, prompting fears of escalation in hostilitiesIran has accused the US of a “war crime” after a missile blast killed at least five people and injured 68 who were attending a wedding at a private home in a coastal city of southern Iran, as the fresh exchange of strikes prompted fears of a wider renewal of hostilities.Iranian media said that the wedding ceremony was being held in a home in the city of Kuhestak, Hormozgan province, late on Tuesday when a US missile struck, with shrapnel and debris from the strike killing and injuring people. Continue reading...