Burnham issues open-water swimming warning after ‘terrible family tragedy’ in Sussex
The Guardian •

Burnham issues open-water swimming warning after ‘terrible family tragedy’ in Sussex

Parents and daughter died in incident in Shoreham-by-Sea, with girl from same family in critical conditionAndy Burnham has warned of the dangers of open-water swimming as he called the deaths of a mother, father and their teenage daughter who got into difficulty in water off Sussex “a terrible family tragedy”.The prime minister expressed his sympathies to their loved ones as a young girl from the ...

Andy Burnham warns of dangers of open-water swimming after ‘terrible family tragedy’ in Sussex
The Guardian •

Andy Burnham warns of dangers of open-water swimming after ‘terrible family tragedy’ in Sussex

A mother, father and their teenage daughter died after getting into difficulty in water off Shoreham-by-Sea, and a younger girl remains in hospitalAndy Burnham has warned of the dangers of open-water swimming as he called the deaths of a mother, father and their teenage daughter who got into difficulty in water off Sussex “a terrible family tragedy”.The prime minister expressed his sympathies to t...

At 14, Sheri Lynch got a grey hippo; 40 years later, she had 1,086 items
Times of India •

At 14, Sheri Lynch got a grey hippo; 40 years later, she had 1,086 items

Sheri Lynch has achieved Guinness World Records fame for her extraordinary hippo collection, which began with a single plush toy gifted to her in her teenage years. Over the span of more than forty years, she has gathered more than a thousand hippo-themed treasures from various corners of the globe.

ICC decries latest US sanctions as ‘flagrant attack’ on court’s independence

ICC decries latest US sanctions as ‘flagrant attack’ on court’s independence

The Guardian •

Trump administration put sanctions on the international criminal court’s president and a senior trial lawyerThe international criminal court on Wednesday condemned the latest US sanctions targeting senior ICC staff, including its president, as a “flagrant attack” on the global tribunal’s independence and vowed to continue seeking justice for atrocities around the world.The state department announc...

Bought in 2016, Indiana bishop’s former home with chapel is now listed at $1.28 million

Bought in 2016, Indiana bishop’s former home with chapel is now listed at $1.28 million

Times of India •

After nine years of dedication, an Indiana family has lovingly restored a historic home that once served as a Catholic bishop's residence, complete with a private chapel. Purchased at auction in 2016, they meticulously preserved its original features and completed extensive renovations. Now listed for $1.284 million, the family is ready to embark on new adventures and explore the world.

Evergrande liquidators challenge watchdog’s HK$1 billion settlement with auditor PwC

Evergrande liquidators challenge watchdog’s HK$1 billion settlement with auditor PwC

SCMP •

Hong Kong’s securities market regulator has defended a HK$1 billion (US$128 million) settlement with an accounting firm at the centre of an auditing scandal involving developer China Evergrande Group, saying it has unfettered powers to enforce discipline and a duty to protect the interests of independent investors. In a judicial review hearing on Wednesday, lawyers for the Securities and Futures C...

Pakistan’s government challenges court order on Imran Khan hospital move

Pakistan’s government challenges court order on Imran Khan hospital move

SCMP •

The Pakistani government challenged on Wednesday a Supreme Court order to move jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to a private hospital, a petition filed with the court showed. The move could dash the hopes ‌of Khan’s party and family, who have been calling for him to be given access to healthcare and visitation rights, and also spark public discontent over the treatment of the hugely popular...

Ukraine’s ousted minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for wartime elections

Ukraine’s ousted minister Mykhailo Fedorov calls for wartime elections

France 24 •

In a bombshell address posted on YouTube, Ukraine’s ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for elections to be held even as the war against Russia continues, saying the country was gripped by a crisis of governance.  Ukrainian law prohibits elections while the country is under martial law, which was imposed on February 24, 2022, the day that the Russian invasion began. "This is complex,...

European wild boars escaped a North Carolina hunting ranch in 1912; a century later...

European wild boars escaped a North Carolina hunting ranch in 1912; a century later...

Times of India •

Invasive European wild boars, originally introduced to the area in 1912, are wreaking havoc within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To mitigate damage to delicate ecosystems, park management annually removes around 275 of these feral hogs. The boars breed with domestic pigs, creating hybrid species that further disrupt native wildlife. Efforts to control their population involve trapping, shoo...

Forecast energy price cap rise in Britain could push UK fuel bills up 4% this winter

Forecast energy price cap rise in Britain could push UK fuel bills up 4% this winter

The Guardian •

Expected quarterly rise highest in three years and likely to wipe out Burnham’s VAT cut on electricity billsHousehold energy bills across Great Britain are expected to climb to a three-year high this winter as the impact of the Middle East war wipes out Andy Burnham’s tax cut on electricity bills.The government’s cap on energy prices is on track to rise by 4% from this October to the equivalent of...

Iran executed at least 900 people since January, rights group says

Euronews •

The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center documented 901 executions in the first seven months of 2026, including 56 on political or national security charges and 98 members of ethnic minorities — a further rise in death penalties in the Islamic Republic in recent years.

Government rough sleeping funding may not ‘be enough’ to tackle problem, says Burnham – UK politics live

Government rough sleeping funding may not ‘be enough’ to tackle problem, says Burnham – UK politics live

The Guardian •

PM pledges to get rough sleepers off streets for Christmas but issues ‘rallying call’ for community and voluntary organisations to help with plan Andy Burnham has admitted government funding “may not fully be enough” to achieve his aim of offering a place to stay to every rough sleeper by Christmas, as he made a “rallying call” for communities to get behind his plan.Speaking on a visit to the nort...

From spectacle to scale: why China’s robotics firms face a ‘critical juncture’

From spectacle to scale: why China’s robotics firms face a ‘critical juncture’

SCMP •

At China’s annual World Robot Conference (WRC) that kicked off on Wednesday, the hall was filled with humanoid robots wowing visitors with feats of dexterity: from playing table tennis to performing drum solos. These eye-catching displays have helped China’s robotics industry win global attention – and raise huge amounts of capital – over the past couple of years. But at this year’s summit, the ov...

Taiwan-made satellite launcher fails first test, triggers missile panic

Taiwan-made satellite launcher fails first test, triggers missile panic

SCMP •

Taiwan’s first test of a locally developed satellite launch vehicle failed on Wednesday after the rocket veered off course, terrifying nearby villagers who mistook it for an incoming missile. The rocket was launched at around 6am local time from the Jiupeng missile testing base in southern Pingtung county. The base is operated by the government-backed National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and T...

A British duke sent six Himalayan tahr to New Zealand in 1904; five survived the voyage, and...

A British duke sent six Himalayan tahr to New Zealand in 1904; five survived the voyage, and...

Times of India •

Himalayan tahr were introduced to New Zealand's South Island by British aristocrats in pursuit of sport hunting back in 1904. Quickly multiplying, these creatures turned into an invasive species, wreaking havoc on native alpine ecosystems. Control measures, including government-led aerial shooting, have not proven entirely effective, creating a challenging situation for conservationists and hunter...