Burnham to visit Ukraine with promise of boost for Kyiv’s long-range missiles 24. August 2026 (01:01) PM will use independence day trip to announce sharing of classified information about Storm Shadow componentsBritain will boost Ukraine’s capacity to make its own long-range missiles, Andy Burnham will announce on Monday, as he travels to Kyiv for the country’s independence day on his first foreign visit as prime minister.Burnham will arrive in the Ukrainian capital on Monday morning at a crucial time in the war, with Kyiv braced for another wave of Russian missile attacks and the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing his most direct domestic challenge. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK productivity growing faster than official figures suggest, thinktank finds 24. August 2026 (01:01) Resolution Foundation suggests economy may finally be emerging from shadow of 2008 financial crisisProductivity in the UK – a vital measure of economic health – is growing more strongly than official figures suggest, according to analysis from the Resolution Foundation.The thinktank suggests the chancellor, John Healey, may have inherited an economy finally starting to emerge from the long shadow of the 2008 global financial crisis. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Government vows to make business rate valuations for pubs and hotels fairer 24. August 2026 (01:01) Review will look at improving system for English and Welsh hospitality venues before next revaluation date in 2029 The government has promised that business rate valuations will be “made fairer” for pubs and hotels in England and Wales, as Andy Burnham faces growing calls to help the UK’s struggling hospitality sector.An independent review for England and Wales will look at improving the system for hospitality venues, which were hit by higher business rate bills this year after the end of pandemic-era relief and when new revaluations took effect. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Eight-year-old dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba in Louisiana 24. August 2026 (00:17) Lillian Smart of Ruston infected with fatal Naegleria fowleri, likely after swimming in Lake Claiborne, health officials sayAn eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne.Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Landslide at waste mound in Guinea capital kills 30, government says 24. August 2026 (00:16) Dump site in Conakry, which minister had just promised to move, collapsed after heavy rain in west African stateA landslide at a huge waste dump in Guinea’s capital has killed 30 people, the government said on Sunday, after heavy rains overnight prompted it to collapse, engulfing nearby tents and shacks.The incident occurred less than a week after the government announced plans to close the site and relocate the waste because of the threat it posed, especially during the rainy season, which causes landslides and fatal flash floods each year in crowded, underdeveloped cities across parts of West Africa. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia news live: shark attack victim thanks donors after ‘incredibly difficult’ recovery; second fur seal dies of suspected bird flu 23. August 2026 (23:55) Leah Stewart lost her arm in a great white shark attack at Sydney’s Coogee beach. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNightly ‘penguin parade’ undergoes vaccinations for bird fluThe nightly parade of penguins on Phillip Island is a tourist favourite, but has recently taken on a more serious tone, AAP reports.We started on some of the quieter penguin pathways to fine-tune the whole process and and get it working as quickly as we can, so we can process as many penguins as we can each night.We’ve now moved to the western end of the penguin parade, where the larger numbers are, and it’s working really well. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Reform says it would put foreign-born UK citizens lower on social housing list 23. August 2026 (23:00) UK-born married couples under 35 with children would get priority under proposals to be outlined by Farage’s partyBritish citizens who were born abroad would be made to wait longer for social housing under proposals to be announced by Reform UK on Monday.Nigel Farage’s party will announce the policy at a press conference in London. Under the policy, people born in the UK and young married couples with children would be given priority for social housing. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fast-moving wildfire in Reno, Nevada, forces thousands to evacuate homes 23. August 2026 (20:22) Hawk fire has covered more than 13,000 acres as blaze approaches University of Nevada campus in RenoA fast-moving Nevada wildfire exploded to more than 13,000 acres (5,200 hectares) early on Sunday, pushing from the Sierra foothills toward the center of Reno and forcing nearly 42,000 residents to evacuate as flames threatened neighborhoods and reached the edge of the University of Nevada campus.The Hawk fire’s “GO NOW” evacuation zone had expanded to the edge of the university campus as strong, gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation fueled the blaze, according to Truckee Meadows fire and Rescue in Reno. An additional 45,000 people were in the evacuation warning zone, and encouraged to leave now and be prepared to stay away for several days to clear the roads for first-responders. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Democrats incredulous over Hakeem Jeffries and Jared Kushner meeting 23. August 2026 (19:55) Critics include Senator Chris van Hollen, ex-aide to Obama Tommy Vietor and ex-Republican congressman Adam KinzingerDemocrats and other Donald Trump critics reacted incredulously to a New York Times report on Sunday that House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Jared Kushner, the president’s influential son-in-law, to discuss possible areas of collaboration.The reported meeting comes months ahead of the November midterm elections in which Democrats are favored to retake the US House, a development that would make Jeffries speaker. If they are in the majority, Democrats are expected to use their oversight power to aggressively investigate the Trump administration, including self-enrichment by the president and his family. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The lesson from Canada’s collapsed trade talks with the US: negotiation may be futile 23. August 2026 (19:24) Breakdown shows Washington now prioritises its own interests over any semblance of shared economic ground‘No more!!!’: Trump lashes out after US-Canada talks devolve into trade warThe calamitous collapse of trade negotiations between Canada and the United States is a warning to nations worldwide that pursuing any kind of dialogue with the current US administration is doomed at the outset, according to observers who say this recent episode indicates seeking a fair deal is futile.Andrea Lawlor, an associate professor of political science at McMaster University in Ontario, said: “No matter the closeness of the historical relationship, the American administration has signalled that it now prioritises its interests above those of some sort of global economic coordination or harmony. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
