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• Prospective prime minister Andy Burnham has pledged to lead the UK in a "new direction" to rescue a country he describes as being "stuck in a rut." • In his first major speech following Sir Keir Starmer's announcement to leave Downing Street, the Makerfield MP vowed to end "politics as usual." • Burnham aims to build the "broadest possible coalition" to revive national hope and unify the public.

• Andy Burnham, identified as a likely future leader of Britain, intends to unveil a strategic plan to shift political and administrative power away from London. • The initiative aims to decentralize authority, though the report notes that the actual scope for making radical spending changes remains limited. • This move matters as it represents a significant attempt to address regional inequality and redistribute governance across the UK.

• Andy Burnham, described as the UK's prime minister-in-waiting, has pledged to "rewire" the British state to combat excessive centralisation. • The proposal focuses on shifting power away from the central government to local authorities to better address regional disparities. • Burnham aims to provide direct support to voters struggling with the rising cost of living through localized initiatives.

• Andy Burnham has announced plans to establish a "No 10 North" in Manchester to shift political power away from London. • During a major policy speech, the Makerfield MP stated his goal is to achieve the most significant rebalancing of power in UK history. • As part of his vision for regional growth, Burnham advocated for an increase in higher-density residential developments within towns.

• Andy Burnham has unveiled a radical strategic plan to "rewire Britain," positioning himself as a candidate for Prime Minister for a ten-year term. • The proposal focuses on a significant "rebalancing of power," aiming to shift authority and resources away from the center to different regions. • This move represents a bold political bid to restructure national governance and address long-standing regional inequalities.

UK’s likely next PM says Westminster system is ‘broken’ and he will oversee a devolution of power and resourcesUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham will set up No 10 North as the “nerve centre of a rewired Britain” to oversee a devolution of power and resources across the UK that he said would deliver the change the country desperately needed.The prime minister-in-waiting said the Westminster system was “broken” and that a “more of the same” approach would neither improve living standards or restore people’s faith in how politics worked for them. Continue reading...

• Neymar has officially returned to action, appearing as a substitute in a match against Scotland during the World Cup cycle. • Despite Neymar's return, several high-profile players including Mohamed Salah, Reece James, Lamine Yamal, and Christian Pulisic remain on the injury tracker. • These injuries are critical as teams navigate the 2026 World Cup preparations, potentially impacting the tactical setups and competitiveness of major national squads.

Makerfield MP and hopeful prime minister to pledge ‘growth in every postcode’ Good morning. When Keir Starmer became PM, he had published his missions and his first steps, Labour was awash with policy, but some people still felt it was hard to know what his driving motivation was, what was the single big goal he wanted to achieve in politics. Andy Burnham is set to become PM three weeks today and in his case it is easy to answer this question is because he published a book about it in early 2024 with Steve Rotheram, the Liverpool city region mayor, called Head North. They argue that the north of England has lost out because power in the UK is hoarded in the south and they propose a huge rebalancing, achieved by the devolution of decision making and spending away from London, building on some of the work they had been able to achieve as metro mayors.Anyone curious as to what Burnham will do in Downing Street has to start here. The book even includes a 10 point plan, some elements of which will almost certainly be dropped but some of which will be at the core of the Burnham project. Continue reading...

• Andy Burnham has unveiled a long-term growth strategy for the UK centered on regional devolution, reindustrialisation, and the improvement of national living standards. • The plan emphasizes shifting power away from central government to empower regions to drive their own economic recovery and growth. • Senior Labour figures, including Housing Secretary Steve Reed and Deputy Leader Lucy Powell, have rejected calls for a general election to establish democratic legitimacy for these shifts.

• Senior Labour figures, including Housing Secretary Steve Reed, have expressed party unity and support for Andy Burnham following his election as MP for Makerfield. • During a program hosted by Victoria Derbyshire, Reed acknowledged the party's debt to Keir Starmer while noting that leadership changes are a natural part of political "rough and tumble." • Other party members, such as Powell, highlighted shared frustrations regarding "lost opportunities" for the Labour Party.

• Andy Burnham plans to move tens of thousands of jobs out of London to replace the current "centralised, top-down model" of governance with locally-driven economic growth. • The initiative is described as the "biggest devolution of power in modern times," aiming to shift political and economic influence away from the capital. • This move comes as trust in mainstream politics declines, with voters increasingly turning toward Reform UK and the Green Party over Labour and the Conservatives.

• Andy Burnham has announced his intention to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister, marking his first major public address since confirming his bid for the UK premiership. • In his upcoming speech, Burnham will pledge the most significant devolution of power in modern English history to shift authority from central government to local regions. • This move signals a strategic shift in Labour leadership, focusing on regional empowerment to challenge the current centralized governance model.

• In 1947, a young Bedouin goatherd named Muhammad edh-Dhib accidentally discovered ancient jars containing the Dead Sea Scrolls while searching for stray livestock in a cave near Qumran in the Judean Desert. • This chance encounter triggered a decade of intensive cave exploration and manuscript recovery, uncovering some of the most significant archaeological texts in history. • The discovery is critical because it fundamentally altered the modern understanding of ancient religious history and the evolution of sacred texts.

• India concluded its campaign at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships in Panaji, securing a total of four medals. • In the Matchpoint Finals, gold medals were awarded to pairs from Chinese Taipei (Men's and Seniors), Australia (Women's), and Hong Kong China (Mixed). • The event showcased world-class bridge competition across Asia, culminating in an official Awards Night to honor the champions.

The Happy Valley actor is lined up as the lead in German director Thomas Ostermeier’s first Shakespearean play in EnglishJames Norton is to take on his first major Shakespearean stage role and play Hamlet in the West End next year.The King & Conqueror star said it was a “privilege” and “pretty terrifying” to be cast as the tragic prince in the acclaimed German director Thomas Ostermeier’s production next autumn. Norton was last on stage in 2023 in the harrowing A Little Life, based on Hanya Yanagihara’s novel, which the actor described as the hardest thing he has ever done. Continue reading...

Makerfield MP on course to be PM will argue for more decision-making in regions and communities as he sets out platform for governmentAndy Burnham will pledge to deliver “good growth in every postcode” by overseeing a significant transfer of power out of Whitehall to local communities as he sets out his case to become the UK’s next prime minister.In his first major speech since winning the Makerfield byelection, Burnham will argue for decision-making to be devolved to regions and communities to drive economic growth locally, replacing the current top-down national model. Continue reading...

• Senior Labour figures, including Lucy Powell and Steve Reed, have indicated that party MPs are supporting a "coronation" of Andy Burnham as leader rather than a contested election. • A Labour party spokesperson stated that the National Executive Committee has already established a clear timetable for the leadership election process. • The party emphasizes that the government remains focused on delivering promised changes and addressing the cost-of-living crisis while the process unfolds.

• Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, has sought to distinguish his political identity from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. • Burnham was sworn into Parliament on Monday shortly after Starmer announced his resignation, positioning himself as a potential successor for the premiership. • Despite his efforts to differentiate himself, Burnham may be constrained by the center-left Labour Party platform that ended 14 years of Conservative rule in 2024.

Adm Sir Tony Radakin says UK currenly ‘falls short’ of level required to keep Russian threats at bayThe former head of the armed forces has told Andy Burnham that plans for defence spending must meet a “Moscow test” to keep Russian threats at bay, warning the UK currently “falls short” of that level of commitment.Adm Sir Tony Radakin, who was the chief of the defence staff until last year, said that if the government’s defence investment plan (Dip), expected to be published this week, was “not enough” then the probable next prime minister would have to find more funding before the general election. Continue reading...

Labour deputy leader says she thinks energy secretary would be good in Treasury but ‘tittle-tattle’ over cabinet posts is ‘unedifying’Ed Miliband would make a “good” chancellor to Andy Burnham, Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has said, ahead of the likely next prime minister’s first major speech on the economy since he returned to Westminster.Powell, who served as Miliband’s chief of staff in opposition and is close to the former party leader, appeared to endorse him to run the Treasury – although some in Burnham’s camp acknowledge such a move could be politically risky. Continue reading...

• India advanced to the quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships after securing a dominant 2-0 victory over Kazakhstan. • The win followed a strong opening match against the Philippines, where India also won 2-0 with a combined score of 110-59. • This momentum is critical as the former bronze medalists aim to secure a top seed in their group before entering the knockout stages.

• WWE hosted its Night of Champions event, featuring high-stakes matches to determine the top contenders for the men's and women's singles championships. • The event focused on identifying which superstars would earn the right to challenge for the titles in upcoming bouts. • These matches are critical for the WWE landscape as they establish the hierarchy of challengers and set the stage for future championship storylines.

• Singapore faced Thailand in the final of the Asia Pacific Cricket Champions Trophy 2026. • Thailand was bowled out for 73 runs, with Manpreet Singh scoring 23 off 16 balls and Raheel Thakkar contributing 13 off 18. • Singapore reached 76/4 after 12 overs, successfully chasing the target to secure the championship title.

• The Indian Women’s “A” team has advanced to the semifinals of the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championship, currently taking place at the Taj Cidade de Goa in Panaji. • The squad, featuring players such as Varalakshmi Periasamy, Sumathi Iyer, and Ameeta Raythatha, secured third place in the overall rankings to earn their spot. • This achievement highlights India's competitive standing in the regional bridge circuit and keeps the team in contention for the championship title.

• India's 21-year-old Devika Sihag advanced to the women's singles semi-finals of the US Open 2026 after defeating third seed and former junior world champion Riko Gunji of Japan. • Sihag, currently ranked 35th, secured the victory at the Titan Gym in California on Friday with a composed 22-20, 21-19 win in the BWF Super 300 event. • This achievement marks Sihag's third semi-final of the season, following her previous titles at the Thailand Masters BWF Super 300 and the Azerbaijan International.

• Three Indian teams—India A (Men), India A (Women), and India B (Seniors)—have advanced to the semifinals of the 5th Bonus Asia Cup Bridge Championships. • The tournament is being hosted in Panaji, Goa, at the Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon with support from the Sports Authority of India and the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. • The teams qualified for the knockout stages following the completion of the round-robin rounds, positioning the men's sides to compete for gold medals.

• Indonesia defeated Uzbekistan in the 3rd Place Play-off of the Asia Pacific Cricket Champions Trophy 2026. • Indonesia posted a dominant total of 227/6 in 20 overs, powered by Syed Ahzamul Haq's 55 off 49 balls and Nikhil's 35 off 33 balls. • Uzbekistan struggled to keep pace, finishing their 20 overs with a score of 130/6, resulting in a significant victory for Indonesia.

• U.S. consumer sentiment has increased from a previous low of 44.8, according to recent data from the University of Michigan. • Mohamed A. El-Erian, president of Queens' College at the University of Cambridge, noted that while households are feeling more optimistic, sentiment remains below optimal levels. • This trend is significant as it indicates a gradual recovery in economic confidence among U.S. consumers despite starting from a very low base.