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Liverpool has secured Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan from Barcelona, with an option to buy. The Uruguay international will reinforce a thin defensive line amid injuries, while Liverpool balances immediate needs with long-term plans.
Celtic has secured a four-year deal with Haissem Hassan, a 24-year-old winger from Oviedo, with an option for a fifth year and add-ons totalling around £9m. The signing follows late-season interest and signals a broader transfer push as Mika Baur negotiations continue. Liverpool and Barca-linked moves also shape the summer, with new options for squads across the Premier League and La Liga.
UK fans will not paywall the Champions League final for the first time since 1992 as TNT Sports charges a monthly HBO Max subscription of £4.99 for access to the final and two other UEFA finals. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pressed TNT to reconsider, citing fans’ access and affordability.
As temperatures surge across the UK and Europe, schools face red heat warnings. Authorities urge adaptive measures from headteachers, including flexible timings, ventilation, hydration, and possible early closures. The debate over whether to close schools or keep them open intensifies as unions demand better climate-ready infrastructure.
New prime minister Andy Burnham has unveiled early measures aimed at easing living costs, including a VAT cut on energy bills, a 2 cap on bus fares, and targeted business rates relief for small venues. He is also expanding power through No 10 North and assembling a Cabinet as critics question the plan’s funding and ambition.
The BBC’s annual salaries list shows Scott Mills as the highest-paid on-air star for 2025–26, following his sacking in March amid a police probe into historical offences. Several long-time earners have departed, while others remain and new leadership roles at radio and TV are highlighted.
The Open at Royal Birkdale has issued Bryson DeChambeau a two-stroke penalty for inadvertently improving the area of his backswing by trampling long grass. The decision is described as clear-cut by R&A officials. McIlroy condemns the late-night delay to tee-times as a poor look; Lucas Herbert leads, with Ryan Fox rising. DeChambeau says the ruling fires him up for the weekend.
The Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne has been reappointed as housing secretary after a tax dispute and severance payout. HMRC has cleared her of wrongdoing, and Conservatives are pressing for the money to be repaid. In a BBC Radio 5 Live interview, she confirms the payment was made when she left office and says she intends to deliver in government again.
The No 10 North operation in Manchester is expanding to bring devolution and local growth decisions closer to postcodes across the country. Burnham chairs the NEC from Manchester, with regional mayors and business leaders involved as scrutiny grows over costs and reach.
McLaren's Lando Norris has claimed pole position at the Hungarian GP ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen spins on final lap; Hamilton faces potential penalty for impeding Piastri. Aston Martin show progress with upgrades but Alonso starts 16th. Malaysia race to feature this October, with possible Imola finale in doubt.
Lando Norris wins the Hungarian Grand Prix for McLaren, ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli. Oscar Piastri retires with gearbox trouble after leading for a stretch. Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth following a pit-lane speed penalty, while the championship gap widens to 50 points.
BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast will see Katty Munchetty move from BBC Breakfast to host the flagship show from January, while Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards are stepping down this December. Munchetty has praised the move and the programme’s live-news format, and the network confirms a new co-host will be announced later this year.
Labour has signalled a review of Plan 2 student loans, including the earnings threshold and the interest rate, as debate grows over how much graduates repay.
The Independent and BBC sources report that long‑running BBC Breakfast presenters are stepping down, with replacements announced for 2026. Burden and Edwards will leave in December or January, while Munchetty will move to BBC Radio 5 Live’s breakfast slot; the moves reflect broader shifts in scheduling and budgets.
A large wildfire on Dunwich Heath and Minsmere has devastated 150 hectares of heathland, threatening rare birds and invertebrates. Firefighters are stabilising the blaze, while authorities warn of long-term ecological and tourism impacts. A fundraising drive has been launched to support recovery as authorities assess the damage.