Author: WTX News Editor

Cliff Notes Sir Keir Starmer’s promise to tackle the surge in small boat crossings has not materialised, with over 21,000 migrants arriving this year, significantly exceeding previous years’ totals. A new UK-France scheme aims to exchange illegal migrants for asylum seekers, but initial numbers (around 50 per week) are negligible compared to the ongoing influx. The long-term deterrent effect of the proposed deal remains uncertain, as it constitutes a small fraction of overall migration figures,…

Cliff Notes – The police used unreasonable and aggressive force PC Lydia Ward suffered a broken nose during an altercation at Manchester Airport while attempting to arrest Mohammed Fahir Amaaz for an earlier assault. Video evidence presented in court showed Ward being punched and falling to the ground, leaving her “absolutely terrified” and unsure of her injuries. The defence claimed Amaaz acted in self-defence, suggesting he was a victim of police brutality and unusually aggressive…

Cliff Notes – Kemi Badenoch has lost the Tory party Tories who want to defect are welcome to join Farage – but you won’t be happy with his pint and cigar | UK Politics News Kemi Badenoch has told Tories who “want to jump ship” to Nigel Farage’s Reform they are “welcome to do so”. Following the defection of former Conservative chairman Sir Jake Berry on Wednesday, the Tory leader said anybody else who wants “more welfare…

Debunked – A threat from Iran on people living in UK has increased significantly The Intelligence and Security Committee reports a “significant” increase in Iran’s physical threat to UK residents, with 15 attempted murders or kidnappings recorded since 2022. Iran’s intelligence services are described as “willing and able” to carry out lethal operations in the UK, posing a persistent and unpredictable risk to national security. I sthe Uk running flase flag operations to justify the…

Cliff Notes –  It looks like a professional hit A 24-year-old man was fatally stabbed near a five-star hotel in Knightsbridge, London, shortly before 9.30pm on Wednesday, with reports indicating a possible watch robbery as the motive. No arrests have been made, and the Metropolitan Police continue to investigate the incident, maintaining a crime scene while providing support to the victim’s family. Local authorities are aware of community concerns and have increased police presence in…

Ursula von der Leyen has defied her critics by comfortably surviving a no-confidence vote, with an overwhelming number of European Union legislators rejecting a censure motion against her.

Gaza’s aid personnel are facing repeated mass-casualty events at food distribution sites, where desperate crowds have been crushed or struck by vehicles, leaving dozens injured and at least three killed in recent days.

Houthi rebels attacked the Liberian‑flagged, Greek‑operated bulk carrier Eternity C off Yemen’s Red Sea coast on 7 July, using drone boats, missile‑armed drones and RPGs.

Cliff Notes Four individuals, including a 20-year-old woman and two males aged 19 and 17, were arrested in connection with cyber attacks on M&S, Co-op, and Harrods. The arrests, part of a National Crime Agency operation, relate to offences including the Computer Misuse Act, blackmail, and money laundering. The suspects’ homes were searched, and their electronic devices were seized for forensic analysis following the attacks that disrupted services at the retailers. Woman and three teenagers…

During construction on a subterranean industrial tunnel in Wilmington, Los Angeles, a section collapsed roughly 400 feet underground, trapping 31 workers approximately 5–6 miles from the sole entrance.

President Trump has issued new tariff letters, announcing duties effective 1 August on exports from seven smaller nations, Brunei (25%), Moldova (25%), the Philippines (20%), Algeria (30%), Iraq (30%), Libya (30%), and Sri Lanka (30%), despite their relatively small trade volumes with the U.S.

In the early hours of Thursday, Russian forces unleashed a record-breaking aerial assault on Kyiv, involving around 400 Shahed drones and 18 cruise and ballistic missiles, the largest strike since the full-scale invasion began three years ago.

Cliff Notes Ulta Beauty, valued at over $21bn, is poised to acquire British beauty chain Space NK from its current owner, Manzanita Capital. The acquisition price is expected to exceed £300m, with Ulta having registered an acquisition vehicle in recent weeks. Space NK, established in 1993, has been under Manzanita’s ownership for over 20 years and specializes in high-end skincare and cosmetics. US-listed Ulta Beauty swoops on high street chain Space NK | Money News…

A Palestinian family of six, granted legal permission to join a British relative, has taken the UK government to court, seeking a judicial order to compel the Foreign Office to facilitate their exit from Gaza.

A new bilateral deal announced at the end of French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit pledges a pilot “one in, one out” returns scheme: the UK will return around 2,600 irregular Channel migrants per year to France, matched by accepting an equal number of asylum seekers with strong UK ties.

Thursday’s newspapers have a real mix of headlines this morning! Several newspapers led with Christian Horner’s removal as Red Bull’s F1 team principal after he faced accusations of inappropriate behaviour at work.

There is coverage of the Lionesses’ thrashing of the Dutch in last night’s Euro 2025, with the newspapers praising the performance of the entire team.

Coverage of Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the UK continues to find space on the front pages, with the press picking apart a plan to return migrants who have crossed the channel in small boats.

A handful of other standalone stories make up the rest of the front page coverage, with a doctor’s strike on the horizon and updates on the Southport killings.

During a White House meeting, Donald Trump expressed surprise and admiration for Liberian President Joseph Boakai’s English-speaking skills, commenting that he speaks “such good English” and querying where he learned it.

Thursday’s headlines report on Emmanuel Macron’s three-day state visit to the UK, as a migrant returns deal is set to be struck between France and the UK. Under the plans, for every migrant sent back, France would send an asylum seeker to the UK – possibly one with a family connection to Britain.

The English media assesses England’s Lionesses’ performance last night as they thrashed the Dutch to get their Euro campaign up and running, after a 2-1 loss to France in their opening game.

A five-day doctors’ strike has been confirmed, causing concern for a difficult summer ahead for the NHS. Tens of thousands of appointments are set to be cancelled as doctors demand a 29% pay rise to reverse real-terms pay cuts since 2008–09.

Resident doctors in England will launch a five-day strike from 25 July, after voting in favour through the British Medical Association (BMA).

England’s Lionesses bounced back in style at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, thrashing the Netherlands 4–0 in a must‑win group stage clash.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed on a new deal targeting small-boat Channel crossings during Macron’s state visit to the UK.

A senior Israeli official expressed doubts about the lasting impact of a potential 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, stating it may only occur within one to two weeks.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Taliban leaders, Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, for alleged persecution of girls and women in Afghanistan.

The death toll from Kenya’s anti-government protests on Monday has surged to 31, marking the highest single-day toll since demonstrations began earlier this year, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

The Greek government announced a three-month suspension of asylum applications for migrants arriving by sea from Libya due to a recent influx exceeding 2,000 individuals.