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UK’s new PM Andy Burnham cuts electricity ta…

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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on Tuesday that his government would remove value-added tax from domestic electricity bills from October 1, cutting around £45 from the average annual bill of approximately £1,862 that households pay. The move, announced on his second day in office, is part of a series of early measures aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures and signaling his intent to deliver change after years of political instability.

Burnham said the tax cut would be funded by savings from the cancellation of a £1.8 billion digital ID programme, which was announced on Sunday. “We’re taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people’s pockets and bring back hope,” he said in a statement, having pledged to give people more money to spend.

The 56-year-old former Greater Manchester mayor wants to move quickly to show people he is “serious about helping them out.” He said on Monday that his early policies might not “take all of the pressure off” people struggling with rising prices, and that a longer-term plan would be set out later in the year. However, his calls for the governing Labour Party to get behind his agenda may have fallen on deaf ears. An ally of former prime minister Keir Starmer, Darren Jones, questioned whether the new leader had the money to cover his policy move on energy bills, saying the digital ID scheme was unfunded.

Burnham, dubbed the “King of the North” for his dogged defence of Greater Manchester, is currently the most popular leader of Britain’s main political parties. But Britain’s revolving door of prime ministers over the past decade has underlined how quickly parties can move against leaders who are not seen as delivering for voters. In his first speech as prime minister on Monday, Burnham said his ambition was to end rough sleeping in Britain. He is also expected to consider caps on bus fares, something he implemented in Manchester, and other measures to back up his assertion that “I will put the care of people at the heart of everything I do.”

The tax cut has drawn criticism from some quarters, with Ruth Curtice, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, saying the move could benefit higher income families because the cuts were not targeted. “With bills still set to rise over £150 this October, this money would have been better spent on more targeted support,” she said. Despite the criticism, Burnham has said he will unveil more early policies, telling reporters he wanted his new government “to do some things that people will feel and feel quite quickly,” especially those on the lowest incomes. As he navigates the challenges ahead, Burnham’s early moves will be closely watched as a test of his ability to deliver on his promises and restore public confidence in the UK’s political system.

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    Angelina Jolie is opening up about the emotional heart of her upcoming directorial film Without Blood, describing the drama as a story centered on trauma, healing, memory and human connection. The Oscar-winning actress directed and produced the film, which is adapted from Italian author Alessandro Baricco’s novel of the same name. Without Blood is scheduled to arrive in U.S. theaters on September 18, 2026, following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. (FilmNation⁠) A story about healing Jolie has emphasized that Without Blood is ultimately about what happens after people experience profound trauma. Rather than focusing only on conflict, the film explores the emotional consequences that remain long after violence has ended. The story takes place in the aftermath of an unnamed conflict and examines how memory can shape people’s lives. Jolie said the project explores universal truths surrounding trauma, memory and healing, giving the film a deeply human focus. (FilmNation⁠) For Jolie, the subject matter also presented an opportunity to explore difficult emotions through a more intimate cinematic approach. The film is interested in the conversations people have after painful experiences and the possibility of understanding one another despite the past. Salma Hayek leads the cast Without Blood stars Salma Hayek Pinault, Demián Bichir and Juan Minujín. Jolie has praised the cast for bringing emotional openness to the production, particularly highlighting the performances of Hayek and Bichir. Jolie described the atmosphere on set as collaborative and emotionally intimate. She hopes the performances will encourage audiences to think about the film’s themes and engage in meaningful conversations about trauma and healing. (People.com⁠) The film also reunites Jolie with Hayek, following their work together on Eternals. Their collaboration in Without Blood marks a very different kind of dramatic project, built around complex emotions and human connection. Jolie returns behind the camera The project continues Jolie’s work as a filmmaker, following previous directing efforts including First They Killed My Father and Unbroken. She co-wrote the screenplay for Without Blood with Baricco while also serving as producer and director. (Brainstorm Media⁠) With its September release approaching, Without Blood is shaping up as a thoughtful drama about the long shadow of conflict and the difficult journey toward healing. Jolie’s latest comments make clear that she wants audiences to look beyond violence and focus on the human stories that remain afterward.

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    Trump vows heavy strikes on Iran’s Pickaxe M…

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  • Rs7.1bn Parliament lodges project faces forensic a…

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