The comments come a day after defence minister John Healey delivered a fresh blow to the prime minister’s already weakened leadership by quitting and accusing Starmer of being unable to commit the resources needed to keep the country safe
International News via Reuters:
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday rejected the idea that he had lost authority in his role, and said he would fight to keep his job, adding that anyone who wanted to replace him would have to deal with the same financial constraints.
The comments come a day after defence minister John Healey delivered a fresh blow to the prime minister’s already weakened leadership by quitting and accusing Starmer of being unable to commit the resources needed to keep the country safe, in a dig at the authority the PM has over his ministers.
“I’m not going to walk away,” Starmer told the BBC, making his first public comments since Healey’s shock resignation.
With rivals expected to launch a contest to replace him in the coming weeks or months, Starmer said he would fight any challenge to his role.
“Let me just be clear with you, that’s not about personal vanity, it’s not about stubbornness, it’s out of a very deep sense of duty. I was elected to serve this country, notwithstanding the difficult circumstances. That is what I am doing,” he said.
Starmer rejected Healey’s criticism, saying defence and security were his top priorities and would remain so every time the government had to make spending decisions in the future.
He said he had already made “hard-edged” choices to cut other departments’ budgets in order to put more money towards defence investment.
“Whoever is prime minister is going to face the same prevailing winds as I am facing. None of that is going to change,” Starmer said.
Reporting by William James; editing by Sarah Young
Bermudian harness driver Kiwon Waldron secured a hard-fought podium finish during a light morning of action at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Indiana.
With a packed summer schedule on the horizon, the talented island driver was down for just a single drive during the competitive qualifying session on the lightning-fast seven-eighths-mile dirt oval.
Stepping into the sulky for Race 2, Waldron competed in a stacked Trot class field behind the promising gelding Fiftydallarbill. Launching from a tricky mid-tier starting position, Waldron handled the traffic with characteristic poise, settling Fiftydallarbill beautifully into his stride after a high-tempo opening quarter.
As the field rounded the final turn and hit the homestretch, Waldron unleashed a late rally, guiding his charge across the line to take a solid third place. The duo stopped the clock in a sharp time of 1:57.4, finishing just over two lengths behind the eventual heat winner.
The clinical drive offers a positive foundation for Waldron as he continues to establish his presence against premier North American racing outfits throughout the 2026 campaign.
Middle-distance runner Nirobi Smith-Mills delivered a major statement of intent at the British Milers Club Grand Prix, clocking a superb season-best performance in Birmingham.
Competing in a stacked Men’s 800m field at the Birmingham University Athletics Track, the 23-year-old Nottingham Trent University student demonstrated his tactical progression against some of the UK’s finest metric-mile prospects.
Running out of the highly competitive ‘B’ race, Smith-Mills battled through a high-tempo opening lap before launching a gritty kick over the final 200 metres. He crossed the line in sixth place, stopping the clock in a sharp 1:49.52.
The performance shaves more than three seconds off his previous early-season benchmark of 1:52.80 set at the Loughborough International last month, signaling that his outdoor conditioning is peaking perfectly ahead of a heavy summer of international competition.
Up at the front of the heat, Blackburn’s David Holman secured a dramatic victory in 1:48.36, narrowly edging out Tobias Cheesbrough by a mere hundredth of a second.
For Smith-Mills, dipping back under the 1:50 barrier serves as a vital psychological boost as the former Carifta champion continues to edge closer to his lifetime personal best of 1:47.67.
The Winnipeg Goldeyes’ early-season momentum has suffered a significant setback following confirmation that versatile Bermudian utility man Adam Hall has been placed on the Injured List.
The roster move, officially announced by the American Association club, has been made retroactive to June 3rd.
The 26-year-old former Baltimore Orioles draft pick was forced off the field during the Goldeyes’ June 2nd clash against the Sioux Falls Canaries at Blue Cross Park. Hall appeared to sustain the injury mid-game and was immediately removed by manager Logan Watkins. Subsequent medical evaluations have now sidelined him for an extended period.
The timing is particularly cruel. Hall, who recently rejoined Winnipeg for the 2026 campaign following a stint in the Milwaukee Brewers’ minor league system, had enjoyed a blistering start to the month—turning in a clinical 2-for-4 performance at the plate just 24 hours prior to his injury.
His ability to slot seamlessly into both the infield dirt and the outfield grass provided Watkins with immense tactical flexibility.
While the Goldeyes’ front office has moved to restructure the active roster ahead of their homestand against the Cleburne Railroaders, replacing the Bermudian international’s dynamic all-round threat will prove a daunting task as Winnipeg looks to climb the West Division standings.
Hamilton, Bermuda — Bermuda’s young pickleball players will finally get their chance to shine this Saturday as the Pickleball Association of Bermuda hosts its rescheduled Junior Showcase at the W.E.R. Joell Tennis & Pickleball Stadium.
Originally planned as part of the Caribbean Pickleball Championships in March, the Showcase was postponed due to inclement weather. The event will now take place on Saturday, June 13, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Junior Showcase will bring together young athletes from across the island to compete in five age divisions: 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U.
“We were determined to ensure these young athletes still had the opportunity to participate,” said George Thomas, President of the Pickleball Association of Bermuda.
“The Junior Showcase was an important part of the legacy we hoped to create through the Caribbean Pickleball Championships. We’re excited to finally welcome these players to the court and celebrate the growth of youth pickleball in Bermuda.”
Designed to promote confidence, sportsmanship and healthy competition, the Showcase will provide young players with an opportunity to test their skills in a fun and supportive environment.
Parents, families and supporters are encouraged to attend and cheer on Bermuda’s next generation of pickleball players.
Tennis player Daniel Phillips has advanced to the quarter-finals of the doubles draw at the M15 Kayseri tournament in Turkey, producing a clinical straight-sets victory alongside partner Dinko Dinev.
Switching focus to the doubles court on the Turkish hard courts, the 21-year-old Bermudian teamed up with Bulgaria’s Dinev for a commanding opening-round display against the home pairing of Kemal Karakas and Aril Tuna.
The tandem wasted no time establishing their chemistry, breaking early in the first set to seize control of the net and take the opener 6-4.
The Turkish duo fought hard to stay in touch during a competitive second set, but Phillips’ heavy baseline hitting and Dinev’s sharp reflexes proved too potent. The international pair secured the definitive break of serve late on to mirror the opening scoreline, wrapping up a comprehensive 6-4, 6-4 triumph.
The straightforward victory provides Phillips with a welcome boost, seeing him safely into the last eight as he continues his competitive summer stretch on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
What began in the 1950s as a friendly dispute over whose Seagull engine was fastest, has become one of Bermuda’s most enduring boating traditions.
In this week’s Heart of Bermuda segment, Julie Matthews-Borchardt explores the history, humour and heart of the Round the Island Seagull Race — and discovers why this uniquely Bermudian tradition continues to thrive.
European stocks gained more than 1.5% following strong gains in Asia, while Wall Street futures pointed to gains of between 0.4% and 0.5%
International News via Reuters:
Global stocks gained and oil tumbled on Friday as fresh hopes of a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. fanned a rally, while investors awaited the hotly anticipated market debut of Elon Musk’s SpaceX once Wall Street opens.
European stocks gained more than 1.5% following strong gains in Asia, while Wall Street futures pointed to gains of between 0.4% and 0.5%.
Oil futures were down more than 3% after U.S. President Donald Trump said a peace deal could be signed as soon as this weekend, even as Tehran said it had not made a final decision on a pact. [O/R]
A memorandum between the United States and Iran to halt the war could be signed as soon as Sunday, a Western source told Reuters on Friday.
Trump has repeatedly said a deal with Iran to end the war was close since mid-March. This time, the indication that diplomacy was continuing productively was enough for the market to latch on to, Michael Nizard, head of multi-asset at Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management, said.
“The market remains very sensitive to the peace deal and the numerous and various declarations from Trump,” Nizard added. “Today, I think the (potential for) peace is well under-priced.”
The huge SpaceX IPO also has the potential to set the tone for global markets, given its significant allocation to everyday investors that can make more short-term decisions, Nizard said.
“This is a very important market event… the retail market is very important for gaining momentum.”
The SpaceX IPO raised a record $75 billion, valuing the rocket and spacecraft manufacturer at $1.77 trillion and making Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
INFLATION FEARS
The Middle East peace deal, if confirmed, would be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough yet to end the three-month-old war, which sent global energy prices sharply higher. The European Central Bank had to raise interest rates for the first time in nearly three years on Thursday to nip war-driven inflation in the bud.
Final inflation data from several European countries including France and Spain showed inflation accelerated in May, while official data showed Britain’s economy contracted by 0.1% in April — its first monthly drop since August.
Oil prices slumped on expectations of an impending agreement. Brent crude futures dropped 3.4% at $87.35 per barrel.
Treasuries held onto gains as hopes of a peace deal in the Gulf led markets to trim bets of a rate hike from the Federal Reserve this year.
Two-year Treasury yields were last at 4.062% on Friday, while benchmark 10-year Treasury yields were at 4.839%.
The dollar was broadly flat after overnight losses. It rose 0.1% to 160.15 yen, after retreating 0.4% in the prior session. Traders are still on high alert for intervention from Japanese authorities as the yen stays close to the 160 level that many see as a line in the sand.
Precious metals retreated on Friday. Spot gold slipped 0.2% to $4,206 an ounce, following a 3.5% jump overnight.
Reporting by Stella Qiu; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Kevin Buckland and Andrew Heavens
The Wales international was born in Watford and joined the club – where his father Frank Jackett had also played – at the age of 12, spending his entire playing career there and making 428 appearances
International News via Reuters:
Lifelong Watford player Kenny Jackett, a midfielder and defender who played in the club’s only appearance in the FA Cup final to date and later managed the club, has died at the age of 64, the club said on Friday.
The Wales international was born in Watford and joined the club – where his father Frank Jackett had also played – at the age of 12, spending his entire playing career there and making 428 appearances. He was part of the squad that finished second in the First Division in 1982-83, the club’s highest-ever finish, and played in the 1984 FA Cup final that the side lost to Everton.
His managerial career began at Watford as well, and he went on to coach clubs including Swansea City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portsmouth.
“Kenny holds legend status here following his remarkable achievements as a player, a coach and a manager, and the club has truly lost one of its own,” said Watford chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury.
“On behalf of everyone at Watford FC, I send my sincere condolences to his wife Samantha and sons David and Ryan, the latter of whom is working with us today, building on the legacy his father left.”
Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson
The EU-wide agreement introduces stricter border controls, faster case processing, expanded digital tools to track asylum applications and increased deportations
International News via Reuters:
An overhaul of immigration and asylum policy enters into force across the European Union on Friday, a decade in the making, as EU countries have come under pressure from far-right nationalist parties.
The EU-wide agreement introduces stricter border controls, faster case processing, expanded digital tools to track asylum applications and increased deportations. It was adopted in 2024 with a two-year implementation period.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the pact as “fair and firm”, and said it would deliver “more secure external borders, solidarity between member States and more efficient procedures for asylum and return”.
It is the EU’s primary collective response to demands for change that have grown in the decade since 2015, when more than a million people arrived in Europe to seek asylum, mostly Syrians fleeing civil war and trekking across the continent on foot.
But levels of readiness for the changes vary across the 27 EU member states, which has cast some doubt over how quickly the overhaul will take effect and how effective it will be.
“We have to realize that nearly no member state is ready to 100 percent. And that’s even more disappointing because it’s not that we started at zero,” said Birgit Sippel, a centre‑left German EU lawmaker.
Member states are still struggling to put the complex new rules in place, even as a tough stance on migration is likely to be a key element of election campaigns in France, Greece, Italy, Poland and Spain next year.
“The political centre of gravity has already shifted significantly rightward over the past decade,” said Roberto Forin of the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), a research centre collecting data along migration routes.
“Each election cycle risks normalising positions that would have been considered extreme not long ago.”
FALSE DICHOTOMY
Some critics argue the reforms rely too heavily on deterrence and overlook the root causes of migration, including conflict, poverty and political repression.
Forin noted a survey his group conducted last year of more than 4,000 migrants along Mediterranean routes, which found 64% were undeterred by EU and national policies, and fewer than 1% said they had abandoned plans as a result of policy action.
“The debate has been trapped in a false dichotomy … as if the only way to demonstrate control is to restrict and deter,” he said.
The pact introduces a new “solidarity mechanism” requiring EU member states that receive fewer asylum applications either to accept relocations or provide financial contributions or operational support to countries where more arrive.
However, critics say it lacks strong enforcement, relying on political pressure that could fuel tensions between states.
Member states are keen to keep arrivals low despite easing immigration pressures. EU data show irregular arrivals fell 26% last year to their lowest level since 2021, with asylum applications also declining.
“I would expect member states to do everything they can to keep arrivals, and pressure on their asylum systems, low, to reduce the risk that the rules are put to the test too early,” said Alberto Horst Neidhardt, senior policy analyst at European Policy Centre.
European countries are keen on setting up centres outside the bloc where failed asylum seekers can be deported.
The European Commission says it is backing implementation with new funding, and has proposed a €6.34 billion ($6.8 billion) budget for migration, border management and internal security in the next seven-year budget to support the rollouts.
The pact lists safeguards aimed at protecting rights for vulnerable groups.
However, rights groups and analysts warn the new framework limits access to asylum and weakens protections. The expanded use of detention can keep asylum seekers held for several months and may restrict access to services and rights.
“Our fear is that bad law coupled with an unwillingness to enforce standards … leads to a continuation of this race to the bottom,” said Minos Mouzourakis, a lawyer at Greece-based non-profit Refugee Support Aegean.
Eurotunnel is owned by Paris-based transport and infrastructure operator Getlink, which also runs car and lorry train services through the tunnel between England and France
International News via Reuters:
The Channel Tunnel owner said on Friday it would challenge the British government using all available routes after its business rates tripled over the last three years, with the upshot that it was no longer willing to invest in the UK.
• Eurotunnel is owned by Paris-based transport and infrastructure operator Getlink, which also runs car and lorry train services through the tunnel between England and France.
• CEO Yann Leriche told the FT it is facing a rise in its rateable value from £40 million a year to £118 million a year.
• The company said in a statement that the near tripling over three years of its business rate, a tax levied on property, had come without any change to its infrastructure and with “no clear justification”.
• “We have no choice but to use every legal option at our disposal to challenge that,” Leriche told BBC Radio.
• “At this level of uncertainty, we are not willing to invest in the UK,” the company added.
• Leriche says that between business rates and corporate taxation, Getlink will now pay 69 pence on every new pound of revenue generated in the UK.
• Several business and employer groups have warned the government that the cost of doing business is reaching a tipping point, and said higher taxes are inflationary.
• “Business is not a cash tap that can be turned on without consequence,” Confederation of British Industry CEO Rain Newton-Smith said earlier in June.
• Britain’s tax office said its valuation methods were long established and reflected the specific facts of each property.
• “If ratepayers think their valuation is wrong, they have the right to challenge it and, if needed, appeal to the independent Valuation Tribunal,” a HMRC (tax office) spokesperson said.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 1.1% to 10,414.02 points by 1059 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 1.5%
International News via Reuters:
Britain’s shares edged higher on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said a peace agreement with Iran could be signed soon, while investors also assessed key economic data.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 1.1% to 10,414.02 points by 1059 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 1.5%. Both indexes were on track for weekly gains.
• The deal, if confirmed, could end the three-month-old war, which sent oil prices sharply higher after Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supply.
• Most sub-indexes were in the green, except energy, which fell 3.6% after oil prices slipped more than 4% following the news. [O/R]
• Homebuilders led gains; Vistry Group was up 6.6%, and Bellway and Persimmon 4% each.
• The travel and leisure sub-index, which includes oil price-sensitive airlines, also advanced 3.6%. British Airways owner IAG and budget carrier Wizz Air Holdings were among the top gainers.
• On the data front, Britain’s economy contracted 0.1% in April, its first monthly drop since August 2025, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
• ONS data showed the first clear signs of an impact from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran on the country’s economic growth.
• “April’s data hints at what is to come, a summer of sluggishness which could edge into a technical recession as global conflict collides with domestic political uncertainty,” said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell.
• Separately, the British public’s expectations for inflation in the long term rose to a record high last month, the Bank of England’s quarterly inflation attitudes survey showed on Friday.
Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed
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