Starmer gives tech firms ultimatum to block explicit images on children’s phones

• Israel's military campaigns in Gaza have expanded into Lebanon, Iran, and the Gulf, fueled by significant financial and military support from the United States. • The escalation threatens to trigger a prolonged international disorder if diplomatic efforts fail to halt the current trajectory of regional conflict.

• President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned a "vile" drone strike that allegedly targeted a spent nuclear fuel facility near the Chernobyl site. • Zelensky stated that attacks on nuclear infrastructure are "completely unacceptable" and violate the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) "seven indispensable pillars" for nuclear safety during armed conflict.

All eyes on US Senate race as Graham Platner, embroiled in controversy, is set to advance as Democratic nomineeVoters in Maine head to the polls on Tuesday for one of the most closely watched primary elections in the country. The US Senate race has become a national fixation as Democrats try to unseat a longtime Republican with a political newcomer who has spent months under fire.Graham Platner, 41, is set to advance as the Democratic nominee for the Senate, after his primary rival – the state’s two-term governor, Janet Mills – suspended her campaign in April. The primary result will likely set up a months-long run-up between Platner, an oysterman and marine veteran with a groundswell of popularity and a mounting list of scandals, and Susan Collins, a 73-year-old Republican senator who has held the seat for nearly three decades. Continue reading...

Pennsylvania’s Bob Brooks one of a slew of working-class Democrats on the ballot – can he beat a Koch-backed rival?Bob Brooks has worked a lot of jobs, sometimes several at once to make ends meet.He was a paper boy at age 10, and then a dishwasher, prep cook, pizza deliverer, bartender and truck driver. Even after he became a firefighter in 2005, Brooks managed to start a snow-removal and lawn-care business and coach baseball. Continue reading...

Venerable but struggling UK firm backs deal with Chicago-based Ingredion which puts nearly 500 jobs worldwide at riskTate & Lyle has agreed to a £2.7bn takeover by its US rival Ingredion, in a deal that could put hundreds of jobs at risk and represents yet another loss for London’s struggling stock market.The FTSE 250 business, which makes artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, has agreed to a deal that values it at 615p per share, about 60% above its price before news of a possible takeover emerged. Continue reading...

African migrants say legal status offers little protection as rallies against illegal immigration gain momentumAfrican migrants in South Africa say they are living in fear after a series of marches calling for illegal immigrants to leave reignited long-held xenophobic sentiment in the country.March & March, a campaign group at the forefront of recent protests, has given people living illegally in the country until 30 June to leave, without specifying what will happen to those who do not. Continue reading...

Prime minister to give speech on the government’s technology policy this morning Good morning. Two weeks today, it seems more likely than not that Andy Burnham will be taking his seat as the new MP for Makerfield. A byelection win is not certain, but the campaign is definitely going his way. Keir Starmer has been saying he won’t just stand aside and let Burnham replace him as Labour leader, but these briefings are being received with a hefty dose of scepticism.The unnamed minister quoted in today’s Times splash gives a more realistic guide to what is happening. They say:Keir has entered his legacy era. The conversations are now all, ‘What is announceable in time before Makerfield?’No one doubts the huge potential of tech to change lives. But we have to decide who that change is for. This government’s choice is clear: the tech revolution must work for everyone, not just a privileged few.We’re backing British businesses to lead the way, driving growth and investment that turns into more jobs and stronger communities. And we’re using tech to bring opportunity to every corner of the country – helping people into work, tackling inequalities, boosting skills and building a fairer future.The tool will provide a 24/7 resource for people, offering guidance on topics such as career development, job searching and applications. The trial will last for around three months, to gather data and feedback on how people are using the service so that it can be adapted and improved as necessary. Continue reading...

Result strengthens PM Nikol Pashinyan’s drive for deeper integration with Europe despite warnings from MoscowArmenia’s ruling pro-Europe party has won parliamentary elections, confirming the country’s pivot towards Europe and away from its traditional ally, Russia.Final results in the small South Caucasus country showed the prime minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party securing a slim majority, while the Strong Armenia alliance, led by the Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, won 25% of the seats in parliament. Continue reading...

Record numbers linked to warming waters is mixed news for fishers, with shellfish catches down but octopus catches boomingRecord numbers of octopuses found off the south-west coast of England last year have now spread as far as Scotland and Wales and are transforming the fishing industry and the marine ecosystem, according to a study.The surge in sightings of one of the world’s most intelligent invertebrates was first recorded in 2025 off the south coast of Devon and Cornwall. Continue reading...

A year after government pledge to regulate sector, ECB criticises ‘lack of visible progress’ and ‘no clear plan’The UK government has been accused of dragging its feet over plans for the mandatory regulation of bailiffs amid concerns about harmful practices in an industry that collects more than £1bn a year from indebted Britons.A year on from an announcement by the Ministry of Justice that it would legislate to make independent regulation of bailiffs mandatory, the body that now oversees the industry, the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB), criticised the lack of “visible progress”. Continue reading...

Police and hunters in Utsunomiya, 100km north of the capital, resume their search for animal that is not usually seen so close to TokyoA city in Japan has closed all its 94 primary and secondary schools after a bear was spotted in the municipality for the first time.Officials in Utsunomiya, a city of half a million people about 100km (62 miles) north of Tokyo, took action after a medium-sized black bear – estimated to be about one-metre-long – was seen near a park in the city on Saturday. The bear was spotted again on CCTV running just in front of two startled young men in the city centre, in the early hours of Sunday. Continue reading...