Greater

Bev Craig, the city council leader, succeeds Andy Burnham as mayor, reversing Reform gains in May local electionsLabour has stormed to a decisive victory in the Greater Manchester mayoral byelection, seizing back areas that recently fell to Reform UK and the Greens.Labour’s Bev Craig, the Manchester city council leader, will now succeed Andy Burnham and hold one of the most powerful political positions outside Westminster. 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...

While new study challenges assumptions about how far they travel, witnessing them in action still takes your breath away, scientists sayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThey may look like a fluffy flying carpet, but greater gliders are not as great at gliding as previously thought, Australian researchers have discovered.The first study to measure the aerial ability of Australia’s largest gliding marsupial has found they soar across an average distance of 19 metres – far shorter than the 100 metres suggested in an 85-year-old study. Continue reading...

Shania Care-Slede, 20, arrested over incident at Dovestone reservoir on Saturday in which fireworks were launchedA woman has been charged with arson in connection with a major moorland wildfire, as large parts of Manchester were covered with smoke.Shania Care-Slede, 20, from Hyde, was arrested on Monday by Greater Manchester police in Oldham. She has been charged with aggravated arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and dangerous driving. Firefighters have declared a major incident near Dovestone reservoir, Greenfield, where fireworks were launched before a large moorland fire broke out on Saturday evening. Continue reading...

Plans to build a NZ$3.5bn datacentre in Makarewa in the country’s south has drawn concern about electricity and water use, and potential noise pollutionPeople living near the site of New Zealand’s first planned AI datacentre are calling for more transparency about the project, especially about how the centre’s huge electricity and water use and potential noise pollution could affect them.Singapore-based company Datagrid has secured approval to build a NZ$3.5bn (US$2bn) AI datacentre on a 49-hectare site in Makarewa, just north of New Zealand’s southern-most city, Invercargill. Construction is due to begin this year, with the centre becoming operational by 2028. Continue reading...

Police ‘exploring evidence’ of more than £1m in fraudulent activity involving 60 transactions and more than 1m emailsThree people have been arrested as part of an investigation into financial crimes involving the University of Greater Manchester, including allegations of fraud, bribery and money laundering.The Greater Manchester police (GMP) said it was “exploring evidence” of more than £1m in fraudulent activity involving 60 transactions and more than a million emails, alongside the Crown Prosecution Service’s serious economic crime unit. Continue reading...

• The "Greater Israel" strategic architecture is reportedly expanding its influence across West Asia, encompassing territories in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and parts of Iran. • The analysis suggests that Gulf States, including the UAE, misjudged the nature of Western and U.S. support while focusing on their own internal developmental successes. • This shift follows the Islamabad Agreement signed in Switzerland, signaling a transition toward a new strategic framework in the region.