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• An unnamed veteran 80s metal band has announced its first U.K. tour in over a decade as part of a final farewell run before officially disbanding. • Following the U.K. dates, the tour will expand across Europe starting March 21, with scheduled stops in 12 countries including Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. • This tour marks a significant milestone for fans, providing a last opportunity to see the metal icons perform live before their permanent retirement.

• India has condemned the recent elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), labeling the process a "complete farce" amid allegations of electoral manipulation. • The region has faced severe turmoil since June, driven by widespread protests against inflation and high electricity tariffs. • Indian officials report that Pakistani forces have killed 90 people in the region since June to suppress the unrest.

• India's Ministry of External Affairs dismissed recent local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a "complete farce" on Tuesday. • The Indian government claims the elections are a facade intended to mask Islamabad's brutal crackdown on citizens and widespread public protests. • Protests in PoK have escalated since last month, driven by rising living costs, political discrimination, and alleged atrocities against minority groups.

• India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has dismissed local elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a "farce," accusing Islamabad of using the polls to mask a violent crackdown on dissent. • The MEA alleges that Pakistani security forces have killed at least 90 civilians since June during clashes with protesters led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). • The unrest stems from accusations of political interference and electoral manipulation by Pakistan, while the Pakistani government denies targeting civilians and defends its security measures.

• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the recent local elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a "complete farce" during a biweekly press briefing in New Delhi. • Jaiswal asserted that the electoral process is a facade, claiming the actual situation on the ground is characterized by widespread public protests. • The MEA highlighted the severity of the crisis by alleging that Pakistani forces are engaging in "wanton killings" of civilians in the region.

Survey finds party members see health, the economy, cost of living and climate crisis among biggest challengesAndy Burnham has inherited a Labour membership that is sceptical about increased welfare spending, supportive of higher defence spending, and ranks the climate crisis as one of the country’s biggest challenges, according to new polling.The survey of 788 members between the end of June and the end of July shows them ranking health (43%), the economy (42%), cost of living (39%) and climate change (29%) as Britain’s most important issues, ahead of welfare benefits (7%) and immigration (6%). Continue reading...

Federal police say those who vandalised a defence manufacturer and torched nearby cars could face life imprisonmentGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnti-weapons protesters who vandalised a defence manufacturer and set nearby vehicles alight could face life imprisonment after police said the incident was being investigated as an act of terrorism by “far-left extremists”.The Australian federal police, their Victorian counterparts and spy agency Asio are examining whether the incident at Melbourne-based Lovitt Technologies on 5 July 2025 was potentially perpetrated by “far-left extremists, motivated by anarchist and revolutionary ideologies”, a joint statement said. Continue reading...

A Guardian investigation finds irrigation canals polluted with microplastics in Turkey, a major destination for UK waste• ‘Nobody cares’: Turkish farmers bear the burden of UK’s plastic waste problemHigh levels of microplastics and other plastic contamination have been discovered in a waterway close to a major recycling hub in Turkey supplied with plastic waste by British companies.The polluted waterway, which floods into agricultural fields after heavy rain, feeds into a larger canal used for irrigating crops on the Çukurova plain, in the city of Adana, in the south of the country. It is one of the largest and most fertile agricultural basins in Turkey. Continue reading...

• The Guardian editorial criticizes the "weaponization" of chaos and tragedy in Ceuta by far-right political figures to push anti-migration agendas. • Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is specifically highlighted for a "performative overreaction" in temporarily suspending Rome's Schengen agreement with Madrid. • The piece notes that Meloni's move was logically flawed, as Ceuta was never part of the Schengen area and Italy shares no border with Spain.

• DeepSeek has released a new AI model that a research firm identifies as the most cost-effective option among well-known models to operate. • The company is attempting to regain its market momentum after previously being overshadowed by domestic Chinese rivals such as Moonshot, MiniMax, and Z.AI. • This strategic move comes as DeepSeek faces intense competition from major Chinese tech giants, including Alibaba and ByteDance.

Briana Whatley sues Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback for unpaid scholarship from company he foundedA far-right Republican candidate in Florida’s governor’s race has been accused of stiffing a high school debate champion over the better part of $11,000 in scholarship money she won from a company he founded.Student Briana Whatley landed the awards as regional and national champion of Incubate Debate, a league-style competition set up by the candidate, James Fishback, to encourage youth to engage in political discourse. Continue reading...

Restore leader has countered charges he’s splitting the right while showing his party is a very real obstacle for ReformEven by the standards of their rivalry, the speed at which Rupert Lowe’s olive branch to Nigel Farage morphed into fresh recriminations between the two was swift.It began with a softly lit 12-minute video posted on Sunday by the Restore Britain leader, looking straight to camera and referring to “Nigel” as he suggested his party could be willing to cast aside its differences with Reform UK and work together. Continue reading...

• The article examines how far-right political movements are distorting the narrative surrounding Ceuta, drawing parallels to a 2021 crisis where Belarus imported Middle Eastern migrants to the Polish border. • It highlights allegations that Morocco similarly manipulated border controls in 2021 to pressure Spain by allowing migrants to cross into the Spanish enclave. • This pattern of "weaponizing migration" matters as it creates political instability and fuels nationalist rhetoric within European borders.

• Far-right politicians and activists have traveled to the Spanish exclave of Ceuta on the northern coast of Africa following a mass influx of thousands of migrants. • These leaders are leveraging the crisis to call for the immediate expulsion of migrants, portraying the event as a failure of current border policies. • The situation has intensified political tensions within Spain, turning a humanitarian border crisis into a focal point for nationalist rhetoric.

Nigel Farage has promised that Reform UK would call in the navy to tackle small boat Channel crossings. Will this familiar-sounding immigration policy distract from the party’s internal problems? Plus – as we learn more about Andy Burnham’s plans for devolution, is this the biggest rewiring of the UK state since the second world war?Read about Richard Tice being investigated by parliament’s standards watchdog hereYou can read Alexandra’s report on Andy Burnham’s trip to Dover here and about constitutional reform herePlease keep sending your comments and questions to [email protected] can watch Politics Weekly on our YouTube channel here Continue reading...

Admission may undermine Farage’s account of circumstances surrounding £5m gift from crypto billionaireUK politics live – latest updatesNigel Farage has admitted he held talks about the possibility of returning as Reform UK’s leader months before the 2024 general election, potentially undermining his own account of the circumstances in which he received a £5m gift from a crypto billionaire.It was reported at the weekend Farage had struck a deal with the party’s then leader, Richard Tice, and the convicted fraudster George Cottrell to return to frontline politics. Continue reading...

• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed he was "open to conversation" regarding a potential electoral deal, sparking speculation about a political pact. • Rupert Lowe, a prominent figure within the party, has publicly accused Farage of "outright lying," stating that no such talks have actually taken place. • This internal contradiction threatens to undermine the party's stability and could scupper potential alliances before formal negotiations even begin.

Lowe says the two should put ‘personalities and our past disagreements aside for good of the country’The leader of Restore Britain, Rupert Lowe, has extended an olive branch to Nigel Farage, saying the two should put “personalities and our past disagreements aside for the good of the country”.Lowe told the Reform UK leader that if he was “prepared to work together around serious policies, serious reform and serious government, then so are we”. Continue reading...

Wheat is half normal height, while England is seeing earliest ever harvest as farmers battle to salvage what they can of their cropsBritain could face shortages of certain foods after parts of England faced a punishing drought, the president of the National Farmers’ Union has warned.Farms across the country faced floods over the winter, making planting extremely difficult, and now they do not have access to water in many parts of England as irrigation is being restricted due to drought. Continue reading...

Labour chair accuses Reform of making ‘grubby pacts’ after contradictory reports emerge on timeline of eventsReform UK is operating under a “stench of sleaze” Labour have said, after reports that Nigel Farage struck a secret deal to return as leader of Reform UK months before the general election.Farage was in discussions about a return to the political frontline from as early as March 2024, despite claiming that he had no intention of returning to politics until June 2024, the Sunday Times reported. Continue reading...

• On July 31, 2026, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. • Jaishankar urged Iran to ensure that commercial shipping and seafarers are not targeted amid escalating tensions in West Asia. • This diplomatic outreach highlights India's commitment to maintaining maritime security and the stability of global trade routes.

Vast majority of farm workers say raids and deportations have affected their jobs and 61% report shopping lessSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Farm workers in the US are reeling from the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, including increased raids and deportations, according to a new survey conducted by the United Farm Workers Foundation released on Thursday.The survey features responses from 2,250 farm workers, many of whom are undocumented, about their experiences with immigration enforcement that has intensified under the second Trump administration. Continue reading...

UKHSA estimates 2,877 heat-associated deaths during heatwaves in May and June, almost twice the number in summer 2025The number of excess deaths caused by heatwaves has almost doubled so far this year in England compared with 2025, the UK Health Security Agency, has said.There were 2,877 heat-associated deaths during the heatwaves in May and June this year, a report has estimated, almost double the figure reported from the UK heatwaves in June to August last year. Continue reading...

Green party said it was ‘obvious from the start’ that Polanski had not committed an offence Good morning. Reform UK are holding a press conference this morning. It is going to feature Robert Jenrick, the party’s Treasury spokesperson, and he wants to talk about Andy Burnham’s speech yesterday about social care reform. But we already know what Jenrick thinks about that, and there are plenty of other stories that reporters might want to ask about.For a start, there is Anna Isaac’s latest Guardian scoop about George Cottrell. Continue reading...

Labour’s Bev Craig expected to win contest that lost column inches to Andy Burnham’s ascent and Reform UK leader’s self-imposed Clacton voteVoting has begun in the biggest byelection in British political history, with more than 2 million people eligible to choose Andy Burnham’s successor as Greater Manchester mayor.In normal times, such a large and politically significant byelection would have dominated the headlines for weeks, particularly as senior Labour figures only weeks ago feared losing the prize mayoralty to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Continue reading...

CAA says airport can recoup £320m through higher airline charges, which are usually passed on to travellersHeathrow passengers face decades of higher fares after the airport was given permission to recover early costs from developing its expansion plan.The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced it had permitted Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) to recoup £320m spent on its proposal to build a third runway since the start of last year. Continue reading...

Green party leader says it was ‘a mistake’ and if Farage wants to apologise for times he’s put people in danger he’ll be happy to say sorryThe Green party leader, Zack Polanski, has said he made an “inadvertent mistake” over a social media image but will not apologise to Nigel Farage.The image, which Polanski said he “shared inadvertently” on Instagram and then removed, featured a man wearing a black T-shirt with the message “We’re only making plans for Nigel” and an image of a guillotine. Continue reading...

• The Trump administration is scaling back funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in South Africa. • This reduction in support for life-saving HIV programs weakens a primary instrument of U.S. soft power and health diplomacy. • The move creates a strategic vacuum that China and Russia are expected to fill by expanding their own health partnerships.