Was Keir Starmer’s leaving party the boozy birth of a new Labour force?

• On July 22, 2026, Houthi forces attacked at least one Saudi vessel as part of an effort to enforce a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. • The incident was reported by the Institute for the Study of War's Conflict Tracking Project (ISW-CTP) in a special update on Iran.

• India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P. Harish, urged the UN Security Council to clearly distinguish between armed aggression and territorial disputes to better maintain international peace. • India called for reforms to the UN Charter, specifically arguing that Chapter VI interventions lack "perpetual validity" and require periodic reviews to align with current geopolitical realities.

• Israel is constructing new earthen barriers within the Gaza Strip, fundamentally altering the region's geography and restricting movement. • These barriers serve as critical infrastructure for security policy, impacting both military strategy and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

• The United States and Iran are entering a prolonged cycle of "grey zone" conflict characterized by calibrated confrontation rather than a definitive resolution. • Washington is currently employing a dual strategy of maintaining military pressure while simultaneously calling for renewed diplomatic negotiations.

• A critical analysis reveals that four primary claims made by President Donald Trump regarding the conflict with Iran have been proven inaccurate or misleading. • The report examines specific assertions made by the administration, contrasting official rhetoric with documented evidence and geopolitical realities.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed a UN Security Council debate on Thursday, July 24, emphasizing the critical role of diplomacy in resolving global crises. • Guterres acknowledged that while diplomatic efforts may have failed to prevent current military confrontations and border tensions, they remain the most effective tool for ending them.

• German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced on July 23, 2026, that Germany will suspend automatic temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens fleeing military conscription. • The policy shift specifies that evading enlistment in the Ukrainian military will no longer be considered valid grounds for receiving humanitarian asylum.

V&A event celebrates all shapes and sizes as wider fashion industry stalls on body diversityVisitors to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on Friday afternoon to watch Sinéad O’Dwyer’s Fashion in Motion show would have encountered something a little different. The cast of performers and models wore everything from underwear to skirt suits and sequins, and sometimes danced interpretively on the catwalk to a performance by the band Jeanie and The White Boys, but most notably came in all shapes and sizes.O’Dwyer’s work has pushed against fashion’s insistence on a thin body type since she appeared at London fashion week in 2021. If most brands make the samples for clothes shown on the catwalk based on a size 4-8, she uses a size 18. She has won awards for her work, as well as celebrity fans including Cardi B and Björk. Continue reading...

‘Daily routine of hit jobs and smears will not deter us from winning next general election,’ party briefing notes sayReform UK has instructed its councillors to describe a police investigation into donations from the mother of George Cottrell as an establishment stitch-up, as polling showed the party’s popularity plummeting.Internal briefing documents circulated to the party’s councillors included instructions to respond to questions about a Metropolitan police investigation into party donations with: “It is now clear that the establishment will try anything to stop us”, the Times revealed on Thursday. Continue reading...

Of the estimated 179 people aboard, 76 were rescued as efforts continue to salvage the ship and recover all bodiesThe confirmed death toll from the recent capsizing of a state ferry off Guyana’s coast has risen to 72, with more bodies recovered as a multinational team struggle to salvage the partially submerged vessel.Of the estimated 179 people aboard, 76 people were rescued. The government has estimated that 100 may have died in the accident, which would make it the worst marine tragedy on record for the South American nation. Continue reading...

The One Nation leader has allied herself with men’s rights activists for years, consistently suggesting women routinely make false allegations of violence Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFor a decade, Pauline Hanson has been beating the same drum.Her comments this week – suggesting domestic violence was a “two-way street” and questioning why women did not simply leave abusive relationships – have caused significant concern and been labelled “dangerous” by experts and other commentators. Continue reading...