International News
Labour Party Wins Selby And Ainsty Byelections In UK
A 25-year-old was elected to parliament after the Labour party defeated the Conservatives in Selby and Ainsty, overcoming a 20,000-vote Conservative majority.
However, Keir Starmer’s party fell short in Boris Johnson’s former constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
The only silver lining in Rishi Sunak’s otherwise gloomy night was the Conservatives’ 495-vote victory in the outer London seat.
Following David Warburton’s resignation due to a controversy, the Liberal Democrats easily won in Somerton and Frome.
Sarah Dyke, the South Somerset district council’s cabinet member for the environment, defeated the Conservatives with a margin of 11,008 votes.
The Green party came a distant third in all three byelections.
Greg Hands, the Conservative chair, said the party was disappointed by the Selby result, arguing this was “driven largely by Conservative voters – previous Conservative voters – staying home”.
While the overall byelection results spell bad news for the Tories – polling expert ProfSir John Curtice said the party was “deep electoral trouble” – Labour’s delight was tempered by its failure to take Uxbridge.
Labour figures blamed the decision of the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, to extend the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) pollution scheme to outer areas of the city, including Uxbridge, the key Tory campaign in the area.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, hinted that the party thought Khan should rethink the policy.
She to BBC Breakfast: “I think one of the things we have to reflect on today is not only the mood against the Tories, but also the decision in Uxbridge was related to Ulez.
“The Uxbridge result shows that when you don’t listen to the voters, you don’t win elections.”
Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the party’s win in Somerton and Frome showed it was “firmly back in the West Country”.
Selby’s new MP is 25-year-old Keir Mather, a former researcher for the shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, who was named after the first leader of the Labour party, Keir Hardie. Mather won by 4,161 votes.
Mather will become the “baby of the house” as the youngest MP in the Commons. In his victory speech, he said that “thousands of votes were in Labour’s box for the first time” and declared: “In this campaign we have rewritten the rules on where Labour can win.”
Starmer said: “This is a historic result that shows that people are looking at Labour and seeing a changed party that is focused entirely on the priorities of working people with an ambitious, practical plan to deliver.
“Keir Mather will be a fantastic MP who will deliver the fresh start Selby and Ainsty deserves.”
Labour had been expected to comfortably win Uxbridge, where Johnson’s majority had dwindled to 7,210 in the 2019 general election – his first as prime minister.
There was sufficient disbelief in the Labour camp that they had not in fact won the byelection that party officials demanded a recount. The second round delivered the same result: a slim Conservative victory.
Former postman Steve Tuckwell, the local Conservative councillor who will take Johnson’s place in Westminster, had said the vote was a “referendum” on Ulez.
In his victory speech, Tuckwell referenced the mayor of London’s decision to expand the zone, where people have to pay a £12.50 daily fee to drive if their car does not meet emission standards. “Sadiq Khan has lost Labour this election,” said Tuckwell.
Labour has gained two seats in byelections since the 2019 general election, after its 2022 win in Wakefield.
Labour’s win in Selby exceeds both the national 12-point swing the party needs for an overall majority at the next general election and the 16-point swing suggested by recent polls.
According to Dr. Hannah Bunting and Prof. Will Jennings, election analysts for Sky, Gaining Selby establishes a record for the magnitude of majority overturned by Labour during a byelection.
In Mid Staffordshire more than 30 years ago, the party defeated the biggest majority at a byelection by 14,654 votes.
The three byelections saw the largest turnout in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, where 46.11% of voters participated. In Selby, it was 44.77%, and in Somerset, it was 44.12%.
A devastating fire has swept through a girls’ boarding school in central Kenya, leaving at least 16 students dead and dozens more injured in one of the country’s worst school tragedies in recent years.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls Academy, located in Nakuru County, roughly 120 kilometres north of Nairobi. Authorities said the fire broke out around 1:00 a.m. while about 220 students were asleep inside the dormitory.
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Emergency responders, including the Kenyan Red Cross and local security agencies, rushed to the scene and evacuated survivors.
At least 73 students have been hospitalised with varying degrees of burns and smoke inhalation, while rescue operations and search efforts continued into the morning.
Police sources said the cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations have been launched to determine what triggered the deadly blaze.
The affected dormitory has since been cordoned off as forensic teams examine the scene.
Parents gathered anxiously outside the school as authorities worked to account for all students. Officials have urged calm, assuring that full details will be released once investigations are completed.
The tragedy adds to a troubling history of school dormitory fires in Kenya, where boarding schools remain common.
In previous years, similar incidents have raised serious concerns about safety standards and emergency preparedness in educational institutions.
Government officials are expected to revisit school safety regulations following the latest disaster.
Global oil prices climbed sharply on Thursday following reports of a new United States military strike on Iran, raising fresh concerns over stability in the Middle East and possible disruptions to global energy supplies.
Brent crude rose significantly in early trading, while West Texas Intermediate also recorded gains as investors reacted to renewed hostilities and uncertainty around the fragile ceasefire in the region.
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According to reports, the latest US action included targeted strikes on Iranian positions following a series of drone and maritime incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military described its operations as “measured and defensive,” aimed at preventing further escalation and protecting strategic interests in the region.
The developments triggered immediate reactions across global financial markets, with Asian stocks mostly declining amid fears that prolonged conflict could disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical route for nearly a fifth of global crude supply.
Market analysts warn that sustained instability could push energy prices even higher, fueling inflationary pressures worldwide and potentially forcing central banks to maintain tighter monetary policies.
In Asia, major indices recorded losses, while tech-driven gains in select markets were overshadowed by broader investor caution. Safe-haven assets strengthened slightly as traders moved away from riskier positions.
Economists say the situation remains highly volatile, with conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran adding to uncertainty.
Any further escalation, they caution, could send oil prices even higher and deepen global economic pressure.
For now, investors are closely watching diplomatic developments and military activity in the region, as the world braces for possible further shocks to energy markets.
The United States has issued its strongest travel advisory against Uganda, warning citizens to completely avoid travel to the country due to an ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease.
In the updated alert, the United States Department of State upgraded Uganda’s travel status to Level 4, the highest risk classification, which is widely understood as a “Do Not Travel” warning.
The decision was based on serious health threats and the rapid spread of the virus in affected areas.
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Authorities also warned of the risk of cross-border transmission, noting that continued movement across neighbouring countries could worsen the situation despite ongoing containment efforts.
Previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had placed Uganda under a lower-level health advisory, advising travellers to take standard precautions.
However, a surge in infections and deteriorating conditions led to the tightening of restrictions.
Meanwhile, Ugandan authorities have stepped up emergency response measures, including stricter border surveillance, movement restrictions in affected zones, and reductions in public transportation and market activities in high-risk areas.
Health agencies remain on high alert as the outbreak continues to raise concern over possible regional spread across East Africa.
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