Losses

Reform runaway winners in north-east, likely pushing Labour into opposition in Hartlepool, with other losses for Starmer in Chorley, Wigan, Redditch and TamworthElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesThe scale of the electoral challenge facing Labour was laid bare overnight as the party haemorrhaged councillors at the local elections and Reform made significant gains.Keir Starmer’s party went into Thursday’s local elections expected to lose up to 1,850 councillors, with senior figures describing the contest as “tough”. Continue reading...

• Hangeng Trade Company has ceased operations at Pakistan's Gwadar port, citing an 'unfit business environment,' operational hurdles, financial losses, and stuck shipments despite government contact. • The closure reflects escalating security challenges in Balochistan, where the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has launched multiple attacks on Chinese nationals and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects since 2021. • The development raises concerns for China's $62 billion CPEC investment in Pakistan and threatens the viability of Gwadar as a strategic hub for Beijing's Arabian Sea access, potentially impacting regional connectivity and investment flows.

Deputy leader plays down leadership talk and says party must focus on long-term challenges rather than personnelLabour’s deputy leader has warned there will be “no magic bullet” to solve Labour’s problems – or major challenges facing the country – as its MPs grapple with how to navigate the fallout out from the local elections.Lucy Powell told the Guardian she understood there was “huge anger and despondency” from Labour MPs in the aftermath of the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal, but said the prime minister would not make a similar mistake again. Continue reading...

Staff warned news operations face 15% cut, above BBC-wide 10% target, as corporation pushes through £600m savings planThe BBC’s news operation is to cut costs by a steeper-than-expected 15%, with staff told to expect heavy redundancies.The division, home to about a quarter of all BBC staff, is being saddled with one of the highest cost-cutting targets as the corporation attempts to cut as many as 2,000 jobs in the biggest downsizing of the public service broadcaster in 15 years. Continue reading...

Sources say staff have been asked to pack up final stock and equipment after waves of closuresJewellery chain Claire’s is closing its final UK stores on Tuesday, cutting about 1,000 jobs months after falling into administration.Sources said staff at Claire’s, which collapsed in January, had been asked to pack up the final stock and equipment with the final outlets to formally close on Tuesday after successive waves of closures in recent weeks. Continue reading...

All signs point to a record-low performance for Labour in May in what will be a moment of high jeopardy for Keir StarmerLabour is on track for its worst local election performance, data analysed by the Guardian shows, in a blow that will pile further pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership.Barring a drastic change in fortunes, Labour’s vote-share could fall to historic lows across elections for councils in England and devolved parliaments in Wales and Scotland on 7 May, with big gains for Reform, the Greens and nationalist parties, according to recent polling. Continue reading...

• Fraud incidents continue climbing at US banks even with substantial spending on advanced detection tools and analytics. • The gap highlights limitations in current tech defenses against evolving fraudster tactics. • This trend matters as it pressures financial institutions to innovate faster, amid rising economic impacts from cyber fraud.