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About 23 million people across country affected by water-saving measures with ‘prolonged dry weather’ in eight areasHow can I water my garden in a hosepipe ban and will there be drought this summer?Thames Water investors offer ‘golden share’ in bid to head off nationalisationTwenty three million people will be banned from using hosepipes by this weekend, as England and Wales moves closer to drought status.On Tuesday Thames Water became the latest water company to announce a hosepipe ban, covering the more than 10 million customers it supplies water to across London and the Thames valley. Continue reading...

• Israeli government ministers, including Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, joined thousands of settler activists in a march through a closed military zone toward the Gaza border. • Minister Ben Gvir condemned judicial interventions as "trampling the will of the people," vowing that a future right-wing government will dismantle the "deep state" and overhaul the judicial system. • Finance Minister Smotrich highlighted a pattern of judicial freezes, specifically citing injunctions against legislation regarding the arrest of draft dodgers.

Congressman to run for seat despite Donald Trump backing Graham’s sister Darline, should she choose to runRepublican representative Ralph Norman, ⁠of South Carolina, has announced he will join the race to succeed the late senator Lindsey Graham, despite Donald Trump backing Graham’s sister, Darline, should she choose to run.Announcing the launch of his bid on Saturday, Norman wrote on X: “I’m running to represent the people of South Carolina in the US Senate because we need a fighter who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy!” Continue reading...

James Sherwin-Smith says he will launch fresh campaign for change at the building society after losing vote at AGMA Nationwide customer has vowed to fight on after losing a historic attempt to join its board and is plotting a fresh campaign to boost democracy at the building society.James Sherwin-Smith secured about 12.5% of the vote, representing support from 75,939 Nationwide members, at the mutual’s annual general meeting on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: bill from Democratic lawmaker comes two days after Marco Rubio vowed to dismantle war crimes tribunalDemocratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar introduced a resolution Wednesday urging the United States to join the international criminal court (ICC), marking the first congressional pushback against the Trump administration’s pledge to “systematically disable” the war crimes tribunal through sanctions and diplomatic pressure.Omar’s bill came two days after Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, vowed to dismantle the court. Continue reading...

• The UK and European Union have implemented their first joint cyber sanctions package, targeting 24 Russian individuals and entities. • These sanctions address Russia's "reckless" efforts to sow division across Europe through malicious cyberattacks and the spread of deceptive anti-Ukraine narratives. • A key focus is the attribution of a failed attack on Poland's energy grid to the FSB's Centre 16, which potentially threatened electricity for 500,000 citizens during winter.

• UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has joined French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders from eight other nations, including Ukraine, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, to form an integrated air defence coalition. • The alliance focuses on establishing a comprehensive anti-ballistic missile architecture designed to deter and defeat future missile threats through collective technological and industrial cooperation. • This partnership matters as it signals a unified European effort to enhance regional security and strengthen the continent's defensive capabilities against sophisticated missile attacks.

US defense secretary says taskforce will ‘combat dangers’ of leaks in latest escalation of White House press crackdownThe US defense secretary, ⁠Pete Hegseth, ​announced on Monday that the Pentagon and the US Department of Justice have created a “joint taskforce ​to identify and ​prosecute” what he called the “unauthorized disclosure ​of sensitive” information to the press, marking the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s effort to crackdown on leaks.In a ⁠video ​posted on X, Hegseth said that “to combat the dangers that leaks pose, effectively immediately, I have ​delegated tasking authority ​to the war department’s ‌office ⁠of general counsel, empowering OGC to request and receive ​all ​information, ⁠records and support across the ​department concerning ​media ⁠leak investigations”. Continue reading...

Initiative run through local libraries aims to boost access to cultural experiences amid cost of living crisisWhen Kate, a 47-year-old contract worker came face to face with Charlotte Brontë’s handwriting while visiting Chatsworth House, the avid reader, who counts Jane Eyre as her favourite book, struggled to contain her excitement.“I had a little bit of a moment,” she said. “I just thought: ‘Wow, that was actually Charlotte Brontë’s writing there on that page.’ That was pretty special.” Continue reading...

• Justin Bieber will perform at the FIFA World Cup half-time show, joining a high-profile lineup that includes Madonna, Shakira, and BTS. • The event follows Bieber's recent return to the stage during his comeback performances at Coachella. • The musical spectacle coincides with a series of major matches, including Spain vs. Belgium in Los Angeles on Friday and Norway vs. England in Miami on Saturday.

• Microsoft is reducing its reliance on third-party AI models to cut spending, following a broader cost-cutting trend among Silicon Valley giants. • To lower costs, the company is shifting toward developing its own proprietary AI agents and internal infrastructure. • At its annual Build conference last month, Microsoft introduced seven new MAI models, featuring a text-to-image generator and an agentic coder.

• Prince Harry is traveling to the UK starting Tuesday to participate in a series of charity engagements. • The trip has generated significant media speculation regarding whether Meghan Markle and their children will accompany him. • British authorities have stated that Harry is not entitled to blanket security protection since he is no longer a working member of the royal family.

Ukraine’s president says defensive capabilities built up in war with Russia mean it would be wrong to exclude itEurope live – latest updatesVolodymyr Zelenskyy has argued for Ukraine to be allowed to join Nato at its annual summit – saying it would be wrong to exclude a country that had built up strong defences in its long struggle against the Russian invasion.The Ukrainian president said his country had developed almost all the weapons it needed, and now only required European help in developing an alternative to the US Patriots to protect against ballistic missile attack. Continue reading...

• Microsoft is cutting approximately 4,800 jobs, representing about 2.1% of its total workforce. • The layoffs are part of a broader trend across the tech industry as companies shift priorities and resources. • These cuts come as the company increases its financial investment and spending heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) development.

• Microsoft is cutting approximately 4,800 jobs, representing about 2.1% of its total workforce. • The layoffs are driven by a strategic shift to invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and improve operational efficiency. • This move follows a broader trend of tech industry layoffs as companies pivot their resources toward AI development.

• Microsoft has announced the layoff of 4,800 employees, joining a broader wave of job cuts across the technology sector driven by the shift toward artificial intelligence. • The move comes as Big Tech companies face immense financial pressure, with total AI investments projected to exceed $700 billion this year. • These cuts are intended to offset the rising costs of implementing AI across business operations and to satisfy investor demands for tangible returns on massive technology outlays.

• Alphabet officially joined the Dow Jones Industrial Average in late June, marking a significant milestone for the AI-focused company. • The stock has seen substantial growth, increasing by 300% since 2023 leading up to its inclusion in the index. • This move is critical because index inclusion typically triggers a price jump as funds tracking the Dow are forced to purchase shares.

Crowds grew as they moved through Tehran as mourners wore black and carried flags with the slogan ‘we will rise’A millions strong crowd assembled on Monday to take part in the funeral procession of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader.The scale, and depth of the march, however engineered, is an extraordinary turn around for a country that only seven months ago was gripped by street protests that saw thousands killed by government security forces. Many will say that the assembly was a monument to a misconceived war launched on Iran by Donald Trump in February. Continue reading...

• Prince Harry will travel to the UK alone, as Meghan Markle and their children will not be joining him on the trip. • The decision follows confirmation that the family would not be provided with taxpayer-funded security during their stay. • This move highlights the ongoing tension and security disputes between the Duke of Sussex and the British government.

• High-level delegations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey arrived in Tehran on July 3 to attend the funeral of the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. • Turkey notably served as the only NATO member nation present, signaling a shift in regional diplomatic dynamics despite long-standing Western sanctions on Iran. • The event is viewed as a significant geopolitical move, as key U.S. allies openly engaged with the Iranian leadership, challenging traditional Western diplomatic pressures.

Zoe Watts and Amanda Stanhope launched network after being repeatedly assaulted by partners while unconsciousTwo women who were drugged and raped by their partners while they were unconscious have said hundreds of people – including about 80 in the UK alone – have come forward to a support group for victims of the crime.Zoe Watts and Amanda Stanhope, who were both repeatedly assaulted by their partners while unconscious, are calling for tighter laws to stop men sharing images and videos of sexual assaults and rape online. Continue reading...

• Canada has officially announced that it will join the Eurovision Song Contest starting in 2027. • The move marks a significant expansion for the competition, allowing a non-European nation to compete in the eclectic music event. • This development is expected to spark widespread debate and excitement among fans regarding which Canadian artists should be selected to represent the country.

• Portugal has launched Amalia, its first open-source artificial intelligence model, developed by a consortium of national universities and research institutions. • The project was supported by the Portuguese government and funded with €5.5 million ($6.26 million) from EU recovery funds. • This initiative is part of a broader push for European AI sovereignty, aiming to reduce the continent's dependence on technology giants from the United States.

• Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and her Senate Democratic colleagues are demanding that the Trump administration halt the transfer of special education programs and civil rights enforcement out of the Department of Education. • The lawmakers argue that these proposed moves are illegal and undermine critical protections for students with disabilities and those facing discrimination. • This action matters as it represents a significant legislative push to preserve the federal government's role in safeguarding student rights and ensuring equitable access to education.

• Canada's public broadcaster has become a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) after a vote. • This membership allows Canada to participate in Eurovision, a European song contest. • The decision marks a significant expansion of the EBU's membership beyond European countries.