Author: WTX News Editor

Good morning – let’s grab a coffee and catch up on what’s making headlines in the UK and beyond today.

There’s some relief on the way for households as energy bills are set to fall for the first time in a year. Ofgem has confirmed a 7% cut to the energy price cap from July, which means the average household in England, Scotland and Wales will see their annual bill drop by around £129.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has signed a significant agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. As part of the deal, the UK will lease back the vital military base on Diego Garcia for £101 million a year, securing its use for an initial 99-year period.

In England, public sector workers are seeing a boost in their pay packets. Teachers and doctors will receive a 4% pay rise following recommendations from official pay review bodies. While education unions have largely welcomed the decision, they’ve warned that schools could face budget shortfalls without additional funding. Meanwhile, health unions have criticised a smaller 3.6% increase for NHS staff such as nurses and midwives.

On the global stage, tensions are rising after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a scathing attack on Keir Starmer and the leaders of France and Canada. Netanyahu accused them of siding with Hamas, following recent international criticism of Israel’s military actions. The comments came after two people were shot dead at the Israeli embassy in Washington, which has further strained diplomatic relations.

In the United States, the Trump administration has taken dramatic action against Harvard University, revoking its ability to enrol international students. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Harvard had failed to comply with immigration laws, while the university has called the move “unlawful” and a direct threat to academic freedom.

And finally, a suspect has been charged with the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC. US prosecutors are treating the shooting as a hate crime and an act of terror, and have confirmed it’s a death penalty-eligible case. More charges are expected as the investigation continues.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a fierce attack on Sir Keir Starmer, along with the leaders of France and Canada, accusing them of effectively siding with Hamas by criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signed a major agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the strategic military base on Diego Garcia for £101 million a year.

Doctors and teachers in England have been given a 4% pay rise after the government accepted recommendations from public sector pay review bodies.

A 135m long cargo ship crashed into Johan Helber’s garden in Trondheim, Norway, narrowly missing his home while he slept.

A new study has identified biological markers in blood and urine that can indicate the intake of ultra-processed foods, which constitute nearly 60% of the American diet.

Morales recounts Diddy’s control over Cassie’s appearance, requiring photos to be reported back to him.

Cliff Notes – Kid Cudi testifies about ‘WTF’ car fire, break-in and ‘super villain’ meeting Diddy trial day nine – as it happened: Kid Cudi testifies about ‘WTF’ car fire, break-in and ‘super villain’ meeting Asked what role Diddy played in how Cassie looked, Morales says: “She had to look perfect and you had to report back to him with pictures of Cassie on a phone.” She goes on to describe Grammy Weekend in 2010,…

Irish rap group Kneecap performed a surprise show in London despite member Liam O’Hanna facing a charge related to a flag supporting Hezbollah.

Asked what role Diddy played in how Cassie looked, Morales says: “She had to look perfect and you had to report back to him with pictures of Cassie on a phone.”

Wannie Scribante, a South African farmer, expressed elation at President Trump’s questioning of President Ramaphosa regarding targeted killings of white farmers, despite not believing claims of “white genocide.”

The Princess of Wales named the new Royal Navy warship HMS Glasgow by smashing a bottle of whisky against its hull, a traditional ship-naming ceremony believed to ensure good luck.

Doctors and teachers will receive a 4% pay rise after government approval, surpassing initial budget predictions by 2.8%.

A small plane has crashed in a San Diego neighbourhood, directly impacting multiple homes and igniting fires, prompting evacuations in the area.

Net migration in the UK has halved from 860,000 to 431,000, marking the largest recorded drop for a 12-month period since the pandemic’s early stages.

PM feels the heat as he U-turns on winter fuel aid cut The Independent says the prime minister was “forced” to announce the reveal to “see off the threat of a revolt” by the Labour backbenchers. More pensioners will now be eligible for the payment. Trump and the South African President are pictured on the front after the US president “ambushes” Cyril with claims of a white genocide in South Africa. “Israel pounds Gaza,” says…

Justice Secretary vows – Paedos to be castrated Paedophiles and rapists could face chemical castration, according to The Sun – with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood looking at plans to make it mandatory. Spurs beat Man United 1-0 in Spain to win the Europa League – and bringing an end to a 17-year wait for silverware. TV celebrity gossip also features on the front – with reports of a TV war in the sidebar.

Israel’s leadership has condemned recent antisemitic shootings in Washington DC, linking them to global protests and media narratives that incite hatred against Jews.

Labour’s winter fuel u-turn: Keir: WE GET IT The Daily Mirror says the prime minister has finally U-turned on the unpopular policy having finally “got it”  – amid the widespread backlash. The paper also notes that pensioners must wait until October to find out if they qualify under the new rules. Spurs winning the Europa League also makes the front page – the first silverware for the club in 17 years!

Pensioners to wait year after winter fuel U-turn The Times says pensioners will face waiting more than a year to have the winter fuel payments reinstated after “one of the biggest” walk-backs of Starmer’s premiership so far. The paper suggests the backlash has “rattled” the prime minister, who had previously been firm in his refusal to back down.  The front page reports Donald Trump ‘ambushed’ the South African president during a meeting in which he claimed…

Starmer announces U-turn over winter fuel after fierce backlash The Guardian says the U-turn comes after a “backlash against one of the most unpopular policies of the Labour government.” No 10 was unable to confirm when the change will come into effect or even if it’ll be changed by this winter – or how many of the 10 million pensioners who lost out would have it restored.  Donald Trump’s ambush of the South African president is…

Starmer in fuel U-turn: Labour rebels force climbdown The Metro leads with the news the prime minister has U-turned on the controversial winter fuel payment cut policy that Labour introduced early into their reign. The paper says more pensioners will have access to the payment once again – but Starmer failed to tell the public when it will come into effect or how many of the roughly 10 million pensioners affected will be eligible to…

Most of Thursday’s UK newspaper front pages lead with the U-turn on the winter fuel payment cuts. Last year the government announced changes to the benefit which saw more than nine million pensioners lose out on payments worth up to £300 – after the eligibility threshold was tightened.

Good morning! Grab your coffee and let’s take a brisk scroll through today’s headlines…

In politics, Sir Keir Starmer has bowed to pressure and announced a U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts. The scheme, which had been scaled back to save £1.4 billion, left over 10 million pensioners without support. Starmer now says more pensioners will qualify again, with changes expected in the autumn Budget – though the exact numbers and timing are still under wraps. It comes after Labour lost big to Reform UK during recent local elections.

Meanwhile, a government-commissioned review has suggested that prisoners should serve only a third of their sentences in custody, rather than the current half. There are proposals to chemically castrate sex offenders in order to release them earlier in a bid to free up spaces in prisons.

In economic news, the UK government’s borrowing reached £20.2 billion in April, surpassing expectations and placing additional pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

After lots of glorious sunshine, the UK is set to experience a shift in weather just in time for the bank holiday weekend. The Met Office forecasts unsettled conditions, with many areas expecting rain or showers and more unpredictable weather patterns continuing into the half-term week.

Elsewhere, the UK government has been temporarily blocked from finalising a landmark deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following a late-night injunction granted by the High Court.

In sport, underdogs are stealing the spotlight. Crystal Palace shocked football fans by beating Manchester City 1–0 to lift the FA Cup – their first major trophy. Not to be outdone, Spurs ended their 17-year silverware drought with a scrappy 1–0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final, with Brennan Johnson the unlikely hero.

On the international front, there has been a shooting in the US with two Israeli embassy staffers shot dead near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

The WHO has said Gaza’s health service is ‘stretched beyond breaking point’ and Donald Trump held a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa – in which the US president ambushed his counterpart with unfounded claims of genocide against white South Africans.

A High Court injunction has temporarily blocked the UK government from finalising a deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, initiated by legal action from Chagossian woman Bertrice Pompe.