If war triggered a rare moment of solidarity in the divided country, many doubt it will be used for reform

If it seems insane that a man of Farage’s low calibre might lead the world’s fifth largest economy, it would be on trend for recent British leaders, who plumbed nadir (Johnson) after nadir (Truss).

Andy Burnham - who could replace the prime minister - will be in Westminster today to be sworn in as MP for Makerfield, after winning a by-election last week.

Rail services, schools and sports events hit, with deaths of three elderly people in France partly blamed on intense heat Western Europe is enduring a ferocious heatwave forecast to break temperature records, with half of France on red alert, rail services in Belgium disrupted and sports events in Spain and Germany cancelled or postponed. French authorities on Monday placed 49 of the country’s 96 mainland departments on a level 1 danger-to-life warning, urging 35 million people to exercise “absolute vigilance”, drink water often, avoid all strenuous exertion and avoid direct sun. Continue reading...

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says strikes on oil facilities part of ‘long-range sanctions’ intended to isolate the territory Ukraine has stepped up its strikes on Crimea as part of a strategy to isolate the occupied peninsula from mainland Russia and raise the cost of the occupation. On Sunday, Russian-installed authorities suspended civilian fuel sales until at least Wednesday, a move that underscored Ukraine’s growing ability to disrupt supply lines linking Crimea to Russia. Continue reading...

All three major averages are coming off their best week since November on hopes that the conflict will soon come to an end.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says ‘if you fight, we will fight’, reports state media, as US president also threatens to bomb Iran’s water treatment facilities * JD Vance and US delegation leave Pakistan after failing to reach deal with Iran * Planeloads of negotiators and too little time: US and Iran’s 21 hours of talks A post about an hour ago on the Israel Defense Forces Telegram channel claimed that overnight, the IDF “identified a rocket launcher positioned and ready to launch toward the State of Israel in the area of Jouaiyya in southern Lebanon”. Shortly after the identification, the launcher was struck and dismantled in a rapid closure cycle, thwarting the launch before it could be carried out. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Branch will be part of attempts to spread Hungarian leader’s populist philosophy across Europe

Rapper who has previously made antisemitic remarks responds to criticism over his booking at London festival The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has broken his silence and offered to “meet and listen” to members of the UK’s Jewish community after a fierce backlash over his booking at London’s Wireless festival. West, who is legally known as Ye, has been criticised for making antisemitic remarks including voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. Last year he released a song called Heil Hitler, a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website. Continue reading...

Palantir is not the right partner for the NHS, says Green Party leader Zack Polanski

Minister says change for plan 2 and 3 loans in England and Wales will ‘protect borrowers’ from impact of global conflict * UK politics live – latest updates The interest rate on plan 2 and plan 3 student loans will be capped at 6%, the Department for Education has announced. Graduates with plan 2 loans currently pay interest rates based on the retail price index (RPI) measure of inflation, plus up to 3% based on their earnings. Current students on plan 2 and plan 3 loans attract an interest rate of RPI +3% while they are studying. Continue reading...

US demands Iran reopen the strait of Hormuz while Tehran rejects 45-day ceasefire proposal and insists it wants permanent end to conflict * Talks to end Iran war appear to falter a day before Trump deadline Oil prices rose on Tuesday while equities were mixed as investors assessed Donald Trump’s latest deadline for Iran to reopen the strategic strait of Hormuz or be “decimated”. The US president warned Tehran that its civilian infrastructure would be destroyed if it did not let ships through the waterway, through which a fifth of global crude and gas passes. Tentative ceasefire optics [were] offering brief relief but never fully offsetting the lingering risk of escalation.” Continue reading...

Prosecutors did not watch video of the nonfatal shooting until weeks after charging the wounded man, an official said.

ALT: a woman in a blue shirt is making a funny face while pointing up .