International

Starmer Announces Resignation as UK Prime Minister Amid Leadership Crisis

Published

2 months ago

June 22, 2026

Charles Flames

136 Views

…… Rival Andy Burnham Sworn In as new PM

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he will resign as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party, bowing to intense internal pressure following a string of poor election results and a direct challenge from within his own party.

In a statement outside 10 Downing Street, Starmer said his decision was made with the national interest in mind. “Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first,” he told reporters, confirming he had informed King Charles III of his intention to step down.

The announcement comes on the same day that prominent Labour figure Andy Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester and a leading rival to Starmer, is being sworn in as the new Member of Parliament for Makerfield following a decisive victory in a recent by-election.

Burnham, often dubbed the “King of the North,” is widely viewed as the frontrunner to succeed Starmer. His entry into Parliament clears the path for a potential leadership contest, with expectations of a relatively smooth transition within the Labour Party. Senior government figures have indicated that Starmer is expected to outline a timetable for his departure.

The move marks another period of political instability in the UK, with Starmer becoming the latest in a string of prime ministers in recent years. His premiership, which began after Labour’s landslide victory in 2024, has faced mounting criticism over economic challenges, policy setbacks, and disappointing results in local and by-elections.

Labour insiders hope for a swift resolution to avoid prolonged uncertainty. Burnham has not yet formally declared his candidacy but is seen as a strong unifying figure with broad appeal, particularly in northern England.

Opposition parties have called for stability, while markets are expected to monitor developments closely for any impact on the pound and investor confidence.

Further details on the leadership transition process are anticipated in the coming days.

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International

Man jailed for keeping dead mother in freezer to claim £78,000 in benefits

Passing sentence, Judge Lloyd-Clarke said Phillips repeatedly deceived medical professionals to hide the fact that his mother had died.

Published

4 days ago

August 4, 2026

OCHEFA

50 Views

•Christopher Phillips

A 60-year-old man has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after keeping his late mother’s body in a chest freezer for nearly three years while fraudulently collecting more than £78,000 in her pension and benefits.

Christopher Phillips was jailed by Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court after admitting to preventing the lawful and decent burial of his 89-year-old mother, Silvia Phillips, and pleading guilty to two counts of fraud.

The court heard that Phillips concealed his mother’s death after she died on March 8, 2023, by storing her body in a chest freezer in the living room of their home in Porthcawl, Wales.

Prosecutors said he failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions and Bridgend County Borough Council of her death, allowing her pension and benefits to continue being paid into bank accounts he could access.

Passing sentence, Judge Lloyd-Clarke said Phillips repeatedly deceived medical professionals to hide the fact that his mother had died.

“You continued to collect her prescriptions and misled medical professionals about her whereabouts, lying when enquiries were made about your mother, repeatedly telling medical staff that she did not wish to attend appointments or undergo tests,” the judge said.

(Source: Tribune)

International

Russia Issues International Wanted on Telegram Founder Durov

Russian-born Durov — a serial tech founder who has lived outside Russia for years and holds French and United Arab Emirates passports — has frequently clashed with the Russian authorities as Moscow has tightened its grip on the internet.

Published

1 week ago

July 29, 2026

OCHEFA

80 Views

•Telegram founder Pavel Durov

Russia announced on Wednesday that it was seeking the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov over accusations of “complicity in terrorism”, alleging he had let the platform be used for recruitment by Ukraine’s security services.

His Telegram messenger is one of the country’s main communications platforms and officials have repeatedly tried to block access or thwart its success in a bid to pressure Durov to hand over user data or push Russians to use an unencrypted state-backed alternative.

The FSB security service said it had launched international search proceedings for Durov, who is also Telegram’s CEO.

“An international wanted notice has been issued… for the head of the Telegram administration, P. Durov,” it said in a statement.

International

Just In: People trapped in Japanese mall hit by earthquake, with others missing after factory chimney collapse

Reports in Japan say 20 to 30 shopping centre staff may be missing – but the figure has not been confirmed.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 28, 2026

OCHEFA

95 Views

Image credit : BBC

Many people are trapped inside a Japanese shopping centre after an earthquake, the fire service says.

One witness reported the second floor of the mall in Kumamoto collapsing – BBC Verify has looked at some of the images from the site.

Reports in Japan say 20 to 30 shopping centre staff may be missing – but the figure has not been confirmed

Elsewhere in the Kumamoto prefecture, people are reported missing at a paper factory after a chimney collapsed

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit inland on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT), causing power cuts, damaged roads, a collapsed castle wall, and a destroyed footbridge.