Evening Briefing: Saturday 11 July 2026
- A New Prime Minister in Nine Days: Andy Burnham is set to be declared Labour leader on 17 July and become Prime Minister around 20 July — a change of government without an election, with the welfare, tax and NHS choices ahead set to shape household budgets.
- Petrol & Energy: Oil held near $76 with markets shut for the weekend, as Iran’s revenge rhetoric was offset by talks continuing in Oman. The war premium stays embedded, so don’t expect pump prices to fall soon.
- Heat, Fire & Water: Record heat peaks with wildfires and an “extreme” fire risk, an amber alert to Sunday, and Thames Water now urging 15 million people to stop using hosepipes. Avoid open water, ditch disposable barbecues, and save water.
Iran’s New Supreme Leader Breaks His Silence to Vow Revenge
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei — unseen since his father was killed in the opening strike of the war in February — has issued his first message since the funeral, vowing that revenge against the United States and Israel is “in…
Iran’s Foreign Minister Talks in Oman as Diplomacy Clings On
Even as the rhetoric hardened, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, flew to Muscat on Saturday and met his Omani counterpart to work on a mechanism guaranteeing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz — evidence that the back-channel…
Russia Pounds Kyiv and Odesa as Ukraine Hits Russian Tankers
Russia struck Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv overnight with ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 120 drones, killing at least two people and wounding around a dozen, as President Zelensky said his defenders had downed most of the barrage b…
Moldova’s President Names Pro-EU Investor as Prime Minister
Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, has nominated Vasile Tofan, a 44-year-old investment-fund partner educated at Harvard, as prime minister, after the previous premier resigned this month amid friction with the governing pro-European party.…
France Bakes Under Red Alert as Paris Landmarks Shut
France’s weather service placed Paris and two dozen departments across the north-west under its top red heat alert on Saturday, affecting more than 22 million people, as temperatures climbed towards 39C in the country’s third heatwave sinc…
Heatwave Peaks as Wildfires Rage and Fire Risk Turns “Extreme”
The summer’s third heatwave reached its peak this weekend, and with it came fire: crews from Derbyshire and Greater Manchester fought a significant blaze across Tintwistle Moor, closing the A628 Woodhead Pass in both directions, as fire se…
Thames Water Urges 15 Million to Stop Using Hosepipes
Thames Water has urged its 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley to stop using hosepipes, after demand jumped by around half in the heat — an advisory that stops short of a formal ban but signals how close the system is…
Reform Finance Inquiry Widens as More Transactions Reach Crime Agency
The scrutiny of Reform UK’s finances widened on Saturday, with further transactions worth millions reported to the National Crime Agency through banks’ suspicious-activity reports. The referrals are said to involve the party’s chairman, Ri…
Burnham Set for Coronation as Nomination Window Closes
Andy Burnham moved closer to Downing Street this weekend as the window for Labour MPs to nominate a leader neared its close, with no rival to the Greater Manchester mayor in the field. Backed by around four-fifths of Labour MPs and endorse…
NHS Under Sustained Strain as the Heat Bites
The health service is under sustained pressure as the heatwave peaks, with ambulance services reporting high demand and hospitals warning that extreme temperatures are testing both staff and equipment. The public has been urged to reserve…