Special

Broadcaster says it is focussing on series’ long-term future after departure of showrunner and producerThe BBC has cancelled the special Christmas episode of Doctor Who amid speculation about the future of the series after Ncuti Gatwa ended his run as the Time Lord.The broadcaster also said the long-running sci-fi series, which launched in 1963, would be put out to “competitive tender” this year as part of its Royal Charter agreement after the departure of the showrunner Russell T Davies and producer Bad Wolf. Continue reading...

• Specialist Risk Group (SRG) has appointed Zong Wen Lee as the head of its principal, credit and political risk division in Asia. • The appointment became effective on 6 July, bringing Lee's extensive market expertise and a professional track record from previous roles at JLT, Markel, and WTW. • This strategic hire allows SRG to strengthen its leadership and specialized brokerage capabilities within the Asian credit and political risk markets.

• The Supreme Court has upheld the Election Commission of India's (ECI) authority to conduct special intensive voter revisions to verify citizenship and eligibility. • The ruling specifies that the ECI may remove ineligible names to maintain accurate electoral rolls, but must re-include individuals once their citizenship is confirmed. • This decision is significant for residents of Bihar, as those whose names were erroneously deleted due to absence or routine applications maintain the right to seek judicial review.

• The Council of Europe is urging for increased political support to establish a special tribunal dedicated to prosecuting Russian crimes of aggression in Ukraine. • Officials state that preparations for the tribunal are progressing rapidly, though there remains significant uncertainty regarding the level of support from the United States. • The initiative is critical because current international legal frameworks often lack the jurisdiction to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

There will be ‘no cherrypicking’ of policies, EU says, after Starmer says he hopes to negotiate single market for goodsEurope live – latest updatesThe UK will get no special treatment in its future economic relationship with the EU, European ministers have said, in a further blow to Keir Starmer’s hopes of negotiating a single market for goods.The EU’s ministers for Europe, who met on Tuesday, said they wanted deeper cooperation with the UK, but this had to be in line with fundamental principles, including no cherrypicking of EU policies, according to three diplomatic sources, who spoke about the private discussions. Continue reading...

• The BBC's upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special is reportedly "hanging in the balance" and may not air as scheduled. • The production crisis follows the sudden exit of lead actor Ncuti Gatwa, leaving the network without a primary star for the festive episode. • This development is significant as the Christmas special is a cornerstone of the series' annual tradition and a major viewership driver for the BBC.

• The Eurovision Song Contest has released a special tribute film to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the competition. • Directed by Vincenzo Vicari, the video features a singer performing on stage at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland. • The project serves as a creative milestone to celebrate seven decades of the international music event's history and cultural impact.

Nurses’ union criticises ‘catastrophic system-wide failure’ in NHS as more under-18s getting stuck in emergency wardsChildren and young people in England having a mental health crisis are spending up to three days in an A&E unit before they get a bed in a specialist unit, NHS figures reveal.One children’s nurse who works in an emergency department said such long waits for under-18s who were in acute distress were “frankly barbaric” but “becoming far more normal”. Continue reading...

Brian Kemp’s move makes Georgia latest southern state to initiate map-making after dismantling of Voting Rights ActThe Republican governor of Georgia called a special session for next month to redraw electoral maps, the latest southern state to initiate a new map-making after the US supreme court’s dismantling of the Voting Rights Act.Brian Kemp announced the special session, which will start on 17 June, on Wednesday. It will focus on “enacting, revising, repealing, or amending” district lines for the state legislature and congressional district, in light of the supreme court’s decision in Louisiana v Callais. Continue reading...

However, Tate Reeves said he expects to redraw state’s four congressional districts before the 2027 electionsOn Wednesday morning, Mississippi’s governor, Tate Reeves, said that he is canceling a special legislative session that was scheduled to redraw the state’s supreme court districts next week. However, Reeves, a Republican, noted that he does expect the state to redraw its four congressional districts at some point in the near future.Reeves, in an appearance on SuperTalk radio, a conservative talk radio network, also said that it would be difficult for the state to redraw the congressional districts in the Republicans favor in time for the upcoming midterm elections, slated for November. Doing so might also hurt Republicans in congressional races. Continue reading...

Knesset approves plan for livestreamed trials in military court, which has drawn comparisons to Eichmann trialIsraeli lawmakers have approved setting up a livestreamed special tribunal with the power to sentence to death Palestinians convicted of taking part in the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza.The measure was passed by 93 votes to none in the 120-seat Knesset, Israel’s parliament, reflecting widespread support among Israel’s Jewish majority for punishing those found responsible for the deadliest single attack in Israel’s history. The remaining 27 lawmakers were absent or abstained from voting. Continue reading...

Chedrick Greene will have to defend his new perch in midterms, as Republican challenger vows to run againUS politics live – latest updatesChedrick Greene, a Democratic firefighter and marine veteran, won a special election in Michigan on Tuesday, allowing Democrats to retain control of state senate for the remainder of the year.In the race for Michigan’s 35th senate district, a constituency that former vice-president Kamala Harris won by only a single percentage point in 2024, Greene beat Republican Jason Tunney – clinching more than 58% of the vote, compared with Tunney’s 39%, according to local results. The district includes parts of Bay and Saginaw counties, purple areas of the state. Continue reading...

Team of 100 extra officers is aimed at providing ‘more consistent model of protection’ for Jewish communitiesPolitics live – latest updatesThe number of antisemitic hate crimes recorded in April in London was the highest in two years, data has revealed, as the Metropolitan police commit to deploying 100 extra officers to protect Jewish communities.The force says a “community protection team” will be set up, combining neighbourhood policing with counter-terrorism capabilities, as British Jews face “some of the highest levels of hate crime alongside significant terrorist and hostile state threats”. Continue reading...

• Anthropic released 10 new AI agents on Tuesday designed for banks and insurers to automate tasks like building pitchbooks, auditing statements, and drafting credit memos with limited human intervention. • The agents integrate with Claude Code and Cowork products, can be customized to firm policies, and access expanded data sources for financial work, adopted by Goldman Sachs, Visa, Citi, and AIG. • This marks Anthropic's rapid expansion into finance less than a year after announcing ambitions, with executives noting a 'dramatic change' in capabilities over the past six months.

Exclusive: Sev.en Global Investments could turn state-owned businesses into Britain’s biggest steelmakerBusiness live – latest updatesThe owner of the UK’s largest electric steelworks has said the government should find a single buyer for British Steel and Speciality Steel UK (SSUK), a move that would create the country’s biggest steelmaker.Sev.en Global Investments, owned by the Czech billionaire Pavel Tykač, said it not only plans to invest £100m in the UK – mainly in the electric arc steelworks in Cardiff it bought last year – but also has the ability to invest “hundreds of millions of pounds” more in Britain under its 7 Steel brand. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump and King Charles delivered joint remarks on the historic 'special relationship' between the US and UK. • The discussion occurred amid preparations for the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations. • King's address to US Congress included politically charged messages, prompting analysis on their implications for Trump.

Charity says starting specialised care after first miscarriage instead of third reduces risk of future lossesGiving women access to specialised care after their first miscarriage could prevent about 10,000 pregnancy losses a year across the UK, according to a study.Currently, women in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible for specialist care on the NHS for early baby losses after they have had a minimum of three miscarriages. Continue reading...

US president says Americans ‘have had no closer friends than the British’ amid recent tensions between both nationsDonald Trump has praised the “special relationship” between the US and the UK, as he hosted a ceremonial military welcome for Charles and Camilla at the White House.Against a backdrop of recent tensions between London and Washington, the US president, speaking on the second day of King Charles’s state visit, said: “In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British.” Continue reading...

Audias Flores, known as ‘El Jardinero’, of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, captured in western state of NayaritMexican special forces have arrested one of the top commanders of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the western state of Nayarit.Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, is a regional commander in control of swathes of CJNG territory along Mexico’s Pacific coast. He was considered a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera, alias “El Mencho”, who ran the cartel and was killed in a security operation in February. Continue reading...

Experts report more young people with conditions such as bunions after wearing shoes that are too small or narrowParents should care for their children’s feet in the same way as their eyes and teeth, according to footwear specialists who say they are seeing more young people with painful conditions such as bunions.Bunions are bony lumps on the side of the foot. People can be genetically pre-disposed but ill-fitting shoes are seen as an aggravating factor. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Report finds Natural England has created no new SSSIs, which protect areas from development, since 2023The government’s wildlife watchdog for England is failing to save nature because it has stopped giving protection to rare wildlife and habitats, according to a new report.No new sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) have been designated by Natural England since 2023. SSSIs are nationally or internationally important places for rare wildlife and habitats. Without the designation, endangered species can be at risk of being lost to development. Continue reading...

Victory means Democrats hold on to the 11th district seat in the House, where Republicans hold a thin majorityDemocrat Analilia Mejia won a New Jersey special election for the US House on Thursday, defeating Republican Joe Hathaway on a message of standing up to Donald Trump.Mejia, a former head of the Working Families Alliance who had support from the senator Bernie Sanders, will fill the seat previously held by the Democratic governor Mikie Sherrill and serve until January. Continue reading...

Carney’s Liberals will now be able to pass legislation without the support of opposition parties – and govern until 2029The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has secured a parliamentary majority for his Liberal government, CBC News reported. The victory will help him push through a legislative agenda he says is needed for an increasingly divided geopolitical world.Three special elections were held on Monday in Ontario and Quebec, with two in districts – known as ridings – that have long voted Liberal. Continue reading...

Rebels put forward amendments to courts bill in attempt to stop government plans to cut back on jury trialsLabour MPs are hoping to hijack plans to cut back on jury trials in England and Wales by proposing specialist courts for sexual offences with fixed dates for trial.While those behind the amendment want to block the wider plan to stop thousands of cases being potentially eligible for jury trials, a measure ministers insist is needed to cut court backlogs, they say the specialist courts alone could still solve much of the problem. Continue reading...

• Republican Clay Fuller defeated Shan Harris in the Georgia 14th Congressional District special election runoff on Tuesday, securing 55.9% of the vote to 44.1%. • Fuller thanked President Trump for his support and plans to relaunch his campaign for a full two-year term in November. • The victory was expected in the heavily Republican district but was watched closely amid Trump's sagging approval ratings, rising gas prices, and concerns over the Iran war.

New legislation comes amid push from big oil, as critics warn polluters’ profits prioritized over Americans’ healthUtah has made it nearly impossible for residents to hold fossil fuel companies legally accountable for climate damages in a move one advocacy group described as putting “profits for the biggest polluters over communities”, with other states expected to follow suit.The new state legislation comes as part of a push from big oil and its political allies – including groups tied to rightwing impresario Leonard Leo – for legal immunity in red statehouses and Congress, with a goal of winning state and federal legal immunity similar to the liability waiver granted to the firearms industry in 2005. Continue reading...

Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic features interviews with cast members and will air on 5 AprilHBO has more Harry Potter magic up its sleeve – today, the company announced a standalone, behind-the-scenes special to accompany its upcoming TV adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic will offer “an in-depth look at the making of the first season”, including plenty of production footage and details on the lengthy, UK-wide casting process for Harry, Ron and Hermione, played by Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton. Continue reading...

National Education Union poll finds 89% feel class sizes in England are too big to be ‘properly inclusive’Oversized classes and inadequate staffing levels are hindering teachers’ capacity to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), according to a large survey of state school teachers in England.Nine out of 10 (89%) of the 10,000 teachers who took part in the poll by the National Education Union (NEU), before its annual conference in Brighton which starts on Monday, said class sizes were too big to be “properly inclusive”. Continue reading...