Andy Burnham signals a wealth tax is off the agenda for now 15. July 2026 (20:09) Incoming prime minister says he doesn’t want to ‘create new divisions’ as Mahmood is tipped to be chancellorAndy Burnham has signalled that he will not increase wealth taxes immediately after becoming prime minister, easing concerns among the business community but limiting his economic room for manoeuvre.He said on Wednesday he did not want to “create new divisions” with his tax policy, in comments that allies said were a sign that he did not intend to raise money by taxing wealth. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump rails against New York’s statewide datacenter moratorium 15. July 2026 (20:05) AI-friendly president shared a post saying governor Kathy Hochul should scrap the one-year policy ‘IMMEDIATELY’Donald Trump railed against the New York governor, Kathy Hochul, for pausing the construction of large new datacenters, the resource-intensive facilities that power artificial intelligence.New York became the first US state to enact a moratorium on new datacenters on Tuesday, when Hochul signed an executive order mandating a one-year statewide pause on so-called “hyperscale” datacenters. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Extreme temperature warnings in place as ‘heat dome’ bakes US 15. July 2026 (20:04) Warnings about dangerous, unhealthy air also extended from Minnesota to New York as wildfires rage in TorontoExtreme heat warnings are in place for large swaths of the United States this week, as an unusual weather pattern eclipses record temperature highs.In Billings, Montana, residents experienced a sweltering 111F (43.9C) on Sunday, the hottest day in its history. Salt Lake City in Utah also hit an all-time record high on Sunday at 109F. Boston has seen more 90F days than average, according to NPR station WBUR-FM. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Venezuelan man becomes 22nd person to die in ICE custody this year 15. July 2026 (19:50) Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva, 45, found ‘unresponsive’ while being transferred between detention facilities in GeorgiaAnother person has died in federal immigration custody this week in Georgia, officials announced on Wednesday, His is the 22nd death in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody this year.Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva, a 45-year-old Venezuelan man, died on Monday morning while being transferred between detention facilities in Georgia. In a press release, ICE said Arenas-Silva was arrested last Thursday and had been detained at the Irwin county detention center, a privately run facility in Georgia. He was being transferred to another ICE facility, the Folkston ICE processing center, when he was found “unresponsive” in a transport bus. ICE said the “suspected” cause of death was cardiac arrest. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Florence Welch’s mother says cuts to arts and humanities ‘absolutely tragic’ 15. July 2026 (19:49) Exclusive: Prof Evelyn Welch, vice-chancellor of Bristol University, believes her daughter’s success shows value of arts educationOne of Britain’s leading university vice-chancellors has described sweeping cuts to arts and humanities across the sector as “absolutely tragic”, citing her famous daughter as an example of the value of a creative arts education.Prof Evelyn Welch, the vice-chancellor of Bristol University and incoming chair of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, is the mother of Florence Welch, the singer-songwriter from Florence + the Machine. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Save the Children clashes with Labour after accusing Starmer of ‘complicity’ in Gaza deaths 15. July 2026 (19:49) Government – which provides significant portion of charity’s funding – is understood to have demanded an explanationThe charity Save the Children has angered the government with a social media post marking Keir Starmer’s impending exit from Downing Street.The organisation suggested on X that the outgoing prime minister was complicit in the deaths of thousands of civilians in the Israel-Gaza war. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Chaos and confusion bring US no closer to resolution on strait of Hormuz 15. July 2026 (19:32) Five months of U-turns and false boasts leave Donald Trump in worse position than when he startedDonald Trump has taken the war with Iran into a new, murkier phase as the two sides move further and further from the vague memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on 17 June.And as during the opening phase of the conflict, the US leader’s objectives and methods are clouded in confusion, daily U-turns and boasts that within hours are revealed to be false. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wildfires in Ontario make Toronto air quality worst in world 15. July 2026 (18:08) Environment Canada has issued health warnings after sky over city turns yellowSmoke from more than 100 active wildfires in northern Ontario have made Toronto’s air quality the current worst in the world and caused yellow, smoky air in cities across the north-east US.Environment Canada issued health warnings on Wednesday after the sky over country’s largest city turned a sickly yellow and was ranked the worst in the world according to IQAir, the Swiss technology company that racks global air quality. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man arrested on suspicion of posting social media threat to shoot Nigel Farage 15. July 2026 (17:58) Met police detain man in his 20s after post on X was reported to them by parliamentary authorities in MayA man has been arrested on suspicion of publishing a message on social media in which he threatened to shoot Nigel Farage.The Metropolitan police arrested a man in his 20s on Tuesday after the post was reported to them by the parliamentary authorities in May. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nationwide customer vows to fight on after failed attempt to join board 15. July 2026 (17:55) 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...(The Guardian)
