Dinghy carrying 157 people capsizes in Channel after engine catches fire 04. August 2026 (13:33) All passengers thought to have been taken to Boulogne after major air and sea rescue operation by France and UKA dinghy carrying 157 people has capsized after its engine caught fire as it attempted to cross the Channel from France.The people onboard were rescued from the water after a major air and sea operation was launched using UK border security and French vessels along with an RNLI boat. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Prisoner early release scheme gives Burnham his first taste of unpopularity 04. August 2026 (13:23) After a blitz of small wins, PM is finding that like Keir Starmer there is only so much he can control on the big calls UK politics live – latest updatesIf Andy Burnham wanted to demonstrate he was the anti-Keir Starmer, the first fortnight could not have gone better. Instead of painting a gloomy picture of tough times and an economic black hole that would only improve with sacrifices such as cutting winter fuel allowance, Burnham’s first week was a blitz of small wins including cutting bus fares.But the new prime minister can only control so much. And like Starmer, within his first days in office he found himself facing immediate decisions where every call will make you unpopular. And – like Starmer – blaming your predecessor counts for nothing with an angry public. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Michigan votes in key Senate primary as Democrats battle over party’s future 04. August 2026 (12:00) Progressive Abdul El-Sayed leads in polls against centrist Haley Stevens as party looks to regain control of US SenateThe Democratic party faces a crucial test of its direction today as voters in the midwestern swing state of Michigan decide whether to nominate for US Senate a progressive candidate advocating for universal healthcare or an-establishment-backed moderate.The state’s Democratic primary is the latest high-profile battle over the party’s future, as it seeks to chart a course back to power in Washington following Donald Trump’s victory in 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
White elephant in the room: Colombia swears in costumed anti-corruption activist as senator 04. August 2026 (12:00) Luis Carlos Rúa revealed himself to be Elefante blanco just three days before election for ‘his own safety’. Now he is tackling graft from senate floorWhen 102 senators were sworn in for Colombia’s latest parliamentary session, they included 32 women, 69 men – and one cartoon elephant.He had some difficulty making his way down the narrow central aisle of Congress’s ceremonial chamber, weaving past fellow senators in sharply tailored suits and dresses, before taking the oath in his pot-bellied white plush costume. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hungary comes ‘within millimetres’ of shutting down nuclear power plant amid drought crisis – Europe live 04. August 2026 (11:32) PM Péter Magyar says country nearly forced into decision as extreme heat and low water levels in Danube pose challenges in regionBack to discussions on Ceuta, now under way in Brussels (10:08), a senior Moroccan official claimed that Morocco had warned Spain that a recent Spanish court ruling that migrants arriving by sea would not face immediate removal was going to create “a problem,” AFP reported.Spain’s Supreme Court ruled on 8 July that migrants arriving by sea should not be returned as quickly as others and Madrid has blamed criminal gangs for spreading misinformation about the ruling. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Calls for UK bank tax to fund cost of living help as HSBC profits hit £7.5bn 04. August 2026 (11:10) Levy could raise £19bn to help pay for Andy Burnham’s support for those struggling with bills, say campaignersBusiness live – latest updatesCampaigners have renewed calls for a windfall tax on UK banks that could raise £19bn towards Andy Burnham’s cost of living agenda, after HSBC raked in $10.1bn (£7.5bn) worth of profits in the second quarter of the year.Bosses at HSBC reported on Tuesday that profits rose 60% year on year in the three months to the end of June, helped by fees from wealth management and insurance business, as well as higher interest rates, which allow the bank to charge more for loans and mortgages. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK plastic ‘waste colonialism’ found to be polluting Turkey’s farming heartland 04. August 2026 (11:00) A Guardian investigation finds irrigation canals polluted with microplastics in Turkey, a major destination for UK waste• ‘Nobody cares’: Turkish farmers bear the burden of UK’s plastic waste problemHigh levels of microplastics and other plastic contamination have been discovered in a waterway close to a major recycling hub in Turkey supplied with plastic waste by British companies.The polluted waterway, which floods into agricultural fields after heavy rain, feeds into a larger canal used for irrigating crops on the Çukurova plain, in the city of Adana, in the south of the country. It is one of the largest and most fertile agricultural basins in Turkey. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump accuses oil companies of ‘making too much money’ from his war on Iran 04. August 2026 (10:54) US president hits out at ExxonMobil and Chevron, saying they should ‘give some of that back to the public’Business live – latest updatesDonald Trump has criticised oil companies for “making too much money” from the global energy market disruption caused by his war on Iran.Brent crude had been trading at about $70 (£52) a barrel before the first US-Israeli strikes at the end of February, but by the end of April it had soared as high as $126 and is now trading at about $85 a barrel. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
About 1,000 fewer prisoners to get early release as Burnham tightens rules 04. August 2026 (10:16) Justice secretary says ministers would have liked to block more but doing so would cause prison system to ‘break’UK politics live – latest updatesAbout 1,000 fewer prisoners will be released early after Andy Burnham’s intervention to exclude those convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences and grooming from the scheme.The justice secretary, Alex Norris, said 5,000 prisoners would be released over 10 months from October in England and Wales, down from the government’s original plan for 6,000 from September. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump wants ‘fair treatment’ in fight over Labor’s levy on tech giants to pay for news, US trade group warns 04. August 2026 (09:06) National Foreign Trade Council ‘disappointed’ at move to expand News Bargaining Incentive but Australian experts say government is not going far enoughFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA major US trade body has rubbished the Albanese government’s plan to make more big tech platforms pay for Australian journalism, issuing a veiled warning about how Donald Trump may respond to the “deteriorating trend”.The National Foreign Trade Council said it was “disappointed” at the Australian government’s move to expand its News Bargaining Incentive (NBI) to take in Microsoft’s LinkedIn, amid trade tensions between Washington and Canberra including newly increased tariffs on Australian goods. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
