Your Party reveals new name options after months of indecision

Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana have revealed the options under consideration for the new name of their political party, currently known as “Your Party”.

After months of indecision and confusion over the party’s name, its members will use this weekend’s inaugural conference in Liverpool to vote on several options.

These include four options: Your Party, Our Party, Popular Alliance, and For The Many.

It comes after the crisis-hit party earlier this week ruled out having co-leaders, following a series of public spats between Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana.

At this weekend’s conference, members will vote on a new leadership model for the party, with options including a “collective leadership model” or backing a single leader.

But in the longer term, Your Party could look to bring back the option of co-leaders, with a member-led review of leadership structures exploring options of deputy leadership, co-leadership and the relationship with the party’s leadership in Wales and Scotland once the party has been established in each nation.

It comes after a turbulent first few months for the party, marred by internal division, with a dispute between Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana resulting in a botched membership launch and threats of legal action.

Ms Sultana complained she had been subjected to a “sexist boys’ club” after supporters were invited to officially sign up and give the party financial backing.

But Mr Corbyn described this as an “unauthorised email” and just hours later warned people in a statement posted on social media not to sign up via the link.

To make matters worse for the party, two of the MPs who helped to set up the outfit have now quit.

Last week, Iqbal Mohamed said in a statement that he had decided to leave Your Party and continue to serve his Dewsbury and Batley constituency as an Independent MP.

It comes after MP Adnan Hussain said earlier this month he was withdrawing from the party’s “steering process”, citing concerns about factionalism and “veiled prejudice” against Muslims.

They had been among the six MPs helping to set up the party, alongside Mr Corbyn, Ms Sultana and independents Shockat Adam and Ayoub Khan.

Blackburn MP Mr Hussain said earlier this month that he had initially agreed to support the foundation of Your Party because he believed in “building a political home with mass appeal” and “a force capable of challenging the rise of far-right rhetoric”.

But in a statement published on X/Twitter, he said he had been disillusioned by “persistent infighting, factional competition, and a struggle for power, position and influence rather than a shared commitment to the common good”.

This week’s conference – which will include speeches from both Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana – will also include political debates around the party’s identity, including whether it should explicitly identify as socialist.

Imran Khan’s family demand proof former PM is alive as online rumours grow

The family of former Pakistan leader Imran Khan have demanded that jail authorities provide evidence that he is alive and well, after weeks of being denied visits and growing rumours about his death online.

Mr Khan’s son Kasim Khan issued a rare public appeal late on Thursday, saying his father had been held in “complete isolation” for weeks and denied all contact with relatives or his lawyers. Mr Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and a dominant political figure in the country, has been imprisoned since August 2023 over charges his party says are politically motivated.

In a post on X (Twitter), Kasim said his father had now spent 845 days in detention and had been confined to a “death cell” without phone access or family visits.

“For the past six weeks, he has been kept alone in a death cell in an environment of complete isolation. His sisters have been barred from every meeting, despite clear court orders. No phone calls, no meetings, and no news of his well-being. My brother and I have not been able to contact our father in any way,” he wrote.

He alleged that the conditions being imposed on his father were not linked to due process, describing them as a deliberate effort to obscure the former premier’s health situation.

“This complete darkness is not part of any security protocol,” he said, adding: “Let it be clear that the Pakistani government and its masters will bear full legal, moral, and international responsibility for my father’s safety and every consequence of this inhumane isolation.”

Kasim urged foreign governments and human rights organisations to intervene, calling for confirmation that his father is alive, access for relatives in line with court orders, an end to what he termed “inhumane isolation”, and the release of “Pakistan’s most popular political leader, who has been imprisoned solely for political reasons.”

Mr Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, said the family has spent months attempting to visit him at Adiala Jail, a high-security prison near Islamabad.

“For the last six to seven months, they have caused a lot of trouble; sometimes they let me meet him, sometimes they let one of my sisters meet him, sometimes they don’t let anyone meet him. Many times, we wait outside for hours,” she told Indian broadcaster NDTV.

Another sister, Noreen Niazi, speaking to Indian news agency ANI, said relatives have again been refused visits for the past four weeks. “We don’t know anything. They are not telling us anything, nor are they letting anybody meet him,” she said, adding that even PTI leaders with scheduled appointments had been turned away.

Ms Niazi recalled that the former premier – who was once an iconic leader of Pakistan’s national cricket team before entering politics – was kept in isolation for nearly three weeks last year without electricity or reading material. She said the treatment violated Pakistan’s prison rules, which limit solitary confinement to four days.

“He is going through a tough time alone. He is in isolation … This is the pinnacle of oppression,” she said.

She also accused police of using excessive force against Mr Khan’s supporters. “The police have been ordered to stop us and, I believe, also permitted to do to us whatever they want … This is the first time in Pakistan that these people have been allowed to beat up people like there won’t be any consequences,” she claimed.

Mr Khan’s senior aide Zulfi Bukhari told The Independent that while the party did not give credence to the rumours of the former prime minister’s death, they had gained strength online because “Imran Khan has been kept for nearly a month in isolation without meeting anybody”.

“We should just be allowed to meet him. That would put an end to all social media speculations and actual worries about his health, the decay of his health, his living conditions,” he said.

He questioned the timing of the move to curtail legal and family access, saying it comes as the government seeks to pass sweeping amendments giving additional powers to the army’s chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Under the amendments, Mr Munir will retain his rank even after completing his term and enjoy legal immunity from prosecution for life.

Mr Bukhari said the authorities were keeping Mr Khan “caged” so he cannot speak out against the changes.

“They’ve just cut all access to the outside world at a very crucial time when crazy amendments are being passed in parliament, when tenures of army chiefs are being extended. So not getting a statement out of Imran Khan is ideal [for the government] because when you have access to him, he gives statements that then get put onto his Twitter and get passed on to the media. To avoid all of that, [that] is why he’s been isolated in these crucial days.”

Adiala Jail authorities have strongly denied all accusations, insisting that the 73-year-old politician remains inside the facility and is in good physical condition.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership has been informed regarding Imran Khan’s health. All necessary care is being provided to the PTI chief,” the administration said in a statement. It dismissed reports of his secret transfer to another facility as “entirely baseless”, adding: “Imran Khan is in Adiala Jail and is healthy. The social media rumours about his transfer are unfounded.”

Earlier, an adviser to current prime minister Shehbaz Sharif – an opponent of Mr Khan – also dismissed the rumours. “This is absolutely wrong. His health is fine and taken care of. There is a team of doctors that checks him on a weekly and daily basis [and looks after his] medicine, diet, facilities [and] exercises,” Rana Sanaullah Khan told Ary News.

Mr Khan, who became prime minister in 2018 before being ousted in a parliamentary vote of no confidence four years later, has claimed that dozens of criminal cases against him are aimed at blocking his return to politics.

He and his wife were sentenced in January to 14 and seven years’ imprisonment, respectively, in a corruption case he says is fabricated. PTI officials have also repeatedly alleged that he is being held in inhumane conditions and subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, allegations the authorities have denied.

Death toll in Hong Kong fire rises to 128 as construction firm accused of ‘gross negligence’

At least 128 people have now been confirmed dead and dozens more are injured in the massive fire that tore through a Hong Kong apartment complex on Wednesday, with hundreds still listed as missing.

Seven of the eight residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district caught fire in the Chinese city’s deadliest blaze in almost 80 years, forcing nearly 900 of the 4,800 residents to stay in temporary shelters overnight.

Hong Kong’s security chief Chris Tang told a press conference on Friday afternoon that the operation to search for survivors had ended and the toll now stood at 128.

A unit of the complex burst into flames again at around 5am local time with fire tongues visible through windows, accompanied by heavy smoke, The Standard reported, though that has now also been brought under control.

Mr Tang said the injured included 12 firefighters, and that more than 1,000 police officers had been pressed into action as part of the emergency response.

Firefighters had mostly contained the fire by Thursday afternoon, allowing rescue workers to begin scouring the complex’s smouldering remains for survivors.

“Hope they can find more survivors. I think they have tried their best. The firefighters have done a lot,” resident Jacky Kwok said. “It’s a terrible disaster that no one wanted to happen.”

Rescuers battled intense heat, thick smoke and collapsing scaffolding and debris as they fought to reach residents feared trapped on the upper floors of the complex.

The blaze was expected to be fully extinguished by Friday evening, fire services deputy director Derek Armstrong Chan said, adding that firefighters had located multiple survivors in the destroyed buildings.

Most of the victims were found in two towers of the complex, the deputy director said.

As many as 279 people were listed as missing on Thursday and that figure was yet to be updated.

Mr Chan said 25 calls for help to the fire services remained unresolved, including three in recent hours, which would be prioritised.

A distraught woman carrying her daughter’s graduation photograph searched for her child outside a shelter, one of eight that authorities said were housing the nearly 900 displaced residents.

“She and her father are still not out,” said the woman, who gave only her surname, Ng, as she sobbed. “They didn’t have water to save our building.”

The fire has put a spotlight on the use of bamboo scaffolding in the city, a decades-long practice, after bamboo lattices came crashing down in flames.

Police said that “the building’s exterior walls had protective nets, membranes, waterproof tarpaulins, and plastic sheets suspected of not meeting fire safety standards”.

The blaze started on the external scaffolding of a 31-storey tower, engulfed its bamboo scaffolding and construction netting, moved inside the building, and eventually leapt to nearby highrises, likely aided by windy conditions.

In the wake of the fire, police arrested two directors and an engineering consultant of Prestige Construction, which was contracted to perform maintenance on the building, on suspicion of manslaughter.

Authorities accused the “grossly negligent” firm of using unsafe building material.

Police superintendent Eileen Chung said authorities had “reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent” in their use of materials that allowed the fire to spread uncontrollably.

Authorities also raided the company’s office and seized bidding documents, a list of its employees, 14 computers and three mobile phones.

Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said that his development bureau had met with construction industry representatives to discuss replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal alternatives.

Meanwhile, the displaced residents hunkered down in temporary shelters, including in a nearby school where they were provided bottled water, food and other necessities overnight, with volunteers bringing further supplies.

The Hong Kong government said it would provide 1,000 units of youth hostels or hotel rooms for residents to stay in for up to two weeks.

Among the dead was hero firefighter Ho Wai Ho, 37, who died while rescuing residents from one of the buildings.

He was found collapsed at the scene of the fire and immediately taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital, the fire department said. Despite efforts, he succumbed to his injuries at 4.41pm local time, according to the city administration.

Ho served with the department for nine years. Authorities and his friends paid tribute to his “gallantry and selfless devotion to duty”.

Fire services director Andy Yeung called Ho’s performance “valiant”. “I am profoundly grieved at the loss of this dedicated and gallant fireman,” he said.

“All of our colleagues are deeply saddened by the loss of such a devoted comrade. On behalf of all our colleagues, I have offered the deepest condolences to his family.”

An identification centre was set up at Kwong Fuk Estate Community Hall to allow family members to identify their missing relatives.

The city administration would hold a memorial service for the dead and cancel all government-organised celebration events, Mr Lee said.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping extended sympathies to relatives of the victims, CCTV said.

Russian president Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Mr Xi over the fire, state news agency TASS reported on Thursday.

Hamilton gives crushing six-word interview after latest F1 nightmare

Lewis Hamilton could not hide his deflation after only qualifying 18th for the sprint race in Qatar on Friday night.

The 40-year-old British driver, who has endured a torrid debut campaign for Ferrari, qualified dead-last in 20th at the last race in Las Vegas for the first time, on pure pace, in his 19-year F1 career.

A week on, Hamilton fared no better over a single lap and was knocked out in SQ1 on Friday night at the Lusail International Circuit, as the seven-time world champion once again struggled to get to grips with his capricious Ferrari car.

Immediately after, a somewhat perplexed Hamilton said on team radio to race engineer Riccardo Adami: “Ah man, the car won’t go any faster.”

Asked about the session by Sky Sports F1 afterwards, Hamilton replied: “Same as always.” Queried further about whether he can look forward to anything positive on Saturday in the Gulf region, Hamilton simply said: “The weather’s nice.”

Hamilton is currently sixth in the championship standings and is facing his first season without a podium, ahead of the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. His replacement at Mercedes, teenager Kimi Antonelli, is only 15 points behind him in the leaderboard.

Hamilton labelled his year the “worst season ever” last weekend in Vegas and his mood did not improve after a day to forget in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri took pole position for the sprint race with McLaren teammate and championship leader Lando Norris only third; George Russell separates them in second.

As for Max Verstappen, he could only manage sixth on the grid. The Dutchman and Piastri trail Norris in the standings by 24 points but, for the first time in over a year, Verstappen qualified behind his teammate at Red Bull: Yuki Tsunoda will start a spot ahead in fifth.

Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc could only qualify ninth, in another desperately disappointing showing for the men in red, with pressure building on team principal Fred Vasseur.

Hamilton and Leclerc played down words from Ferrari chairman John Elkann three weeks ago, which encouraged the star driver pairing to “talk less and focus on driving.”

Star-studded lineup unveiled for Princess of Wales’ annual carol service

The Princess of Wales is set to host her fifth annual ‘Together at Christmas’ carol service at Westminster Abbey, featuring performances from singer-songwriter Katie Melua, Cornish folk group Fisherman’s Friends, and rising star Griff.

The event will gather 1,600 guests to celebrate love in its many forms, from family and friendships to community spirit and kindness among strangers.

A new element this year will see an illustrator capturing live snapshots of the Abbey’s atmosphere on 5 December.

Kate will be accompanied by her husband, Prince William, who is scheduled to give a reading.

Royal fans are also anticipating an appearance from their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, alongside other members of the royal family.

Melua, Fisherman’s Friends and Griff will perform on a roster also featuring actor Hannah Waddingham and Dan Smith from pop rock band Bastille.

The service will celebrate people from across the UK who may have dedicated or volunteered their time to be present with others, led initiatives that bring those in their community together, or offered a helping hand to those around them.

During the event, readings linked to the theme of love, compassion and connection will be delivered by Hollywood stars Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor, comic Babatunde Aleshe and rising actor Joe Locke, with the speakers accompanied by pianist Paul Gladstone Reid.

Guests will see candles lit by people who William and Kate have met in recent years.

The service will also showcase the stories of some of those invited, who are helping to create a more caring and connected society.

They will be greeted by a festive display created by horticulturist Jamie Butterworth based on the importance of nature in our lives, while the Royal Horticultural Society is set to donate wreaths made by their ambassadors, including Dame Mary Berry, and schoolchildren.

The congregation will be able to add their names to a “connection tree” symbolising the power of togetherness and the importance of moments of connection with one another.

The late Duchess of Kent’s charity Future Talent, which she co-founded to support musically gifted children from low-income backgrounds, will also feature during the service with a brass ensemble of eight teenagers playing as guests arrive.

Some 15 community carol services, held in places including the Coronation Street Visitor Centre, an arts centre in Newbury and a community farm in Gwent, are also set to take place across the UK with the same love and togetherness theme.

Armagh, Berkshire, Derbyshire, Dumfries, Dyfed, East Riding, Gwent, Greater Manchester, Isle of Wight, Lanarkshire, Nottinghamshire, Renfrewshire & Ayrshire, Suffolk, Wiltshire and Worcestershire are the locations for the community services which are to be hosted by lord-lieutenants and supported by The Royal Foundation.

The Westminster Abbey service is to air on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve and will be repeated on Christmas Day.

Black Friday cruise deals – enjoy luxe all-inclusive trips for less

Already dreaming about your next unforgettable escape? Picture this: gazing at a postcard-perfect horizon, margarita in hand, before tucking into delicious, made-to-order dining amid superyacht inspired luxury…

Well, it’s time to make waves, Sailor: Virgin Voyages’ Black Friday offers are here, running from 21 November – 4th December, with epic savings to be made across 2025, 2026, and their newly-launched 2027 sailings. What’s more, you can get 80 per cent off a second ‘Sailor’ and up to $500 in free drinks – find out more at Virgin Voyages.

And these aren’t just any cruises; these are award-winning, exclusively adult cruises, providing a playground at sea for discerning grownups, with no buffets, and certainly no beige (they favour red, instead). There’s over $1,000/£750 in value built right in, from WiFi and group fitness classes to essential drinks and award-winning dining – all with no hidden extras. Prices are all-in, and stay that way, leaving you to focus on pure, effortless indulgence.

Exemplifying the modern luxury and romance of sailing, there are no  lacklustre, elbows-at-the-ready meals to be queued for here: instead you’ll enjoy freshly prepared food from over 20 unique eateries, guaranteeing culinary flair with distinct, delicious flavours. And prepare to have dinner with a view – every single restaurant on board has panoramas out to the ocean.

When you’re not eating (or sipping), explore the ship’s sleek, design-led spaces. Think nautically cool cabins with roomy rain showers and heavenly hammocks made for lazy afternoons. Hit The Manor, Virgin’s sexy, disco-glam nightclub reached through a mirrored corridor straight out of a K-pop video. Or lose yourself in The Red Room, where cutting-edge shows and dance parties keep the energy high till sunrise. Then there’s The Groupie – your private karaoke den for those ‘we’re definitely forming a band’ moments (crafted cocktails highly encouraged).

Need inspo for which cruise to choose? How about this one: 2026 sees the introduction of one of Virgin Voyages’ most highly anticipated routes – the debut of its sailing to Alaska, running from May to September aboard Brilliant Lady.

The ship will take 16 memorable journeys roundtrip from Seattle (with some from Vancouver), lasting from between seven to 12 nights. You’ll experience the region’s wild beauty and authentic ports which most cruise lines skip, from the dramatic fjords of Tracy Arm to hidden gems like Haines (the Bald Eagle capital of the world) Icy Strait Point, an indigenous-owned destination perfect for whale watching and adventure, and Sitka – where you’ll find a blend of Russian and Native heritage – taking you deeper into America’s Last Frontier.

You can also immerse yourself on-land via Virgin Voyages ‘Shore Thing’ experiences, with over 250 excursions crafted for adults, including bear spotting, dog sledding, glacier hikes, and indigenous-led cultural immersions, designed for adults – not busloads. And with longer port times, you’ll be able to explore exciting destinations like Alaska’s capital, Juneau, without feeling rushed; there are no early departures here, so you can spend a generous eight unhurried hours marvelling at the epic panoramas from the Mount Roberts Tramway, watching whales in Auke Bay, or visiting epic natural wonders like the Mendenhall Glacier.

And it’s never too late to think even further ahead; Virgin Voyages has also just launched its new 2027 itineraries, expanding to a range of fresh destinations. Feeling hot, hot, hot? A few of them depart from Miami and take in the Caribbean, such as the St Thomas, US Virgin Islands cruise – a brand new port which also stops at Tortola, Antigua and St Kitts and Nevis – and the shorter Cayman Isles and Bimini Beach cruise, where you can swim with stingrays, bask in the sun, and savour authentic Caribbean cuisine.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, there’s the Greenland & Transatlantic cruise, where you’ll sail from  Iceland’s hip capital, Reykjavik to Greenland’s colourful villages, Qaqortoq and Nuuk, before making your way towards New York City. And the best part? If you take advantage of Virgin Voyages’ Black Friday offers, from 21 November – 4th December 2025, you’ll make significant savings plus get up to $500 in free drinks. Which leaves all the more money to spend on Christmas presents….

Anchors away! To set sail in style, book now at virginvoyages.com

First contestant voted off I’m a Celebrity 2025

The first contestant has been eliminated from I’m a Celebrity 2025, with former Lioness Alex Scott sent home after a viewer vote.

On Friday (28 November), hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly arrived in camp to inform the contestants that football pundit Scott and former model Kelly Brook were in the bottom two – an announcement that appeared to surprise their campmates.

It was then revealed that Scott would be the first celebrity to leave the jungle, after facing the vote opposite Brook, Jack Osbourne, Ruby Wax, Martin Kemp, rapper Aitch and YouTuber Angryginge.

Scott said she felt “free” to be out of the jungle and that she’d found the experience “incredible.

“I’m so glad I got to do this series with such a great bunch of campmates,” she added.

The footballer said she gravitated to EastEnders star Shona McGarty in the jungle as they were quiet personalities – and reveals she “struggled with such big personalities” as it takes her a while to come out of her comfort zone.

Scott said while she wants Aitch and Angryginge in the final, she would like McGarty to win the show as it would give her the confidence “to take on life”.

During her time on the show, Scott got caught up in a controversy after smuggling in salt as contraband – and in her exit interview, she unveiled another packet that had gone undetected to the shock of Ant and Dec.

She added that she grabbed the salt packets in a panic after spotting them shortly before leaving her hotel to enter the jungle.

The first elimination arrived after a live Bushtucker trial saw contestants tasked with downing cocktails made of two gruesome ingredients.

The remaining celebrities are expected to be voted out nightly until the reality show’s finale on Sunday 7 December.

Current favourites to win the show include Aitch, Angryginge and Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson, who was a late entrant on this year’s series with Irish podcast host Vogue Williams.

New episodes of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! air on ITV1 and ITVX every night at 9pm.

Bird flu could be ‘resistant’ to body’s defences, scientists warn

Bird flu may be particularly severe in humans because it is resistant to one of the body’s most important defence systems, a new study has suggested.

When the human body responds to an infection its temperature will climb and generate a fever. This is one of the ways our bodies know to try and stop a virus from replicating and keep us from getting more seriously ill.

But new research has found bird flu may be resistant to this mechanism. The study by a team at the University of Cambridge and University of Glasgow found the infection continues to thrive even in higher temperatures, where human flu would usually suffer.

They said this could be because the virus originated in birds, who have a higher resting temperature than humans, meaning the virus is used to thriving in those conditions.

Human flu tends to stay in the upper respiratory tract, where temperatures are around 33. But bird flu viruses prefer to linger in the lower respiratory tract, where temperatures are around 40 to 42C.

In the findings published in the journal Science, researchers said their research showed flu viruses containing an avian origin PB1 subunit – a component of the enzyme that forms part of the virus – did continue to replicate even at higher temperatures.

Researchers added their findings could help explain why could help explain why viruses that originally affect birds could be more severe in humans.

Dr. Matt Turnbull, the study’s first author from the Medical Research Council Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow, told Science Daily: “The ability of viruses to swap genes is a continued source of threat for emerging flu viruses. We’ve seen it happen before during previous pandemics, such as in 1957 and 1968, where a human virus swapped its PB1 gene with that from an avian strain. This may help explain why these pandemics caused serious illness in people.

“It’s crucial that we monitor bird flu strains to help us prepare for potential outbreaks. Testing potential spillover viruses for how resistant they are likely to be to fever may help us identify more virulent strains.”

It comes after the first human death caused by an H5N5 avian influenzavirus this month in the US. According to a statement from the Washington State Department of Health, the man, from Grays Harbor County, approximately 125 kilometres southwest of Seattle, kept a backyard flock of domestic poultry.

Health officials suspect these birds had been exposed to wild birds, leading to the infection.

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement about the infection that said no information would suggest “the risk to public health has increased as a result of this case.”