Data Dump

Posted by David Tindall (earlier) and Matt Cooper (now)

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/us-open-2026-golf-updates-on-day-two-live

️ Updates from the second round at Shinnecock Hills
️ Day one report | Follow us on Instagram | Mail David

Matt Fitzpatrick has to hole a 27-footer to save par at 3. It keeps him at -3 and in a tie for third. Great work. But not so good for playing partner DeChambeau, who misses the fairway, comes up short with his approach and looks utterly baffled as his par putt from 30 feet drifts five feet past. He completes an error-strewn hole by missing that one so it’s an ugly double bogey and Bryson tumbles down to +2.

The average score in round one was 73.280 which isn’t too exteme for a US Open. Here’s how it compares to the last five years.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/us-open-2026-golf-updates-on-day-two-live

Posted by James Wallace at the Oval (earlier) and Rob Smyth (later)

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/england-v-new-zealand-second-mens-test-day-three-live

Henry Nicholls led the way with his 11th Test century as a ruthless New Zealand batted England out of the second Test

61st over: England 227-6 (Cox 27, Archer 0) Shot! Cox flicks his wrists on a half volley from Matt Henry and the ball traces away for four across the baking square. Lovely timing on that.

60th over: England 223-6 (Cox 23, Archer 0) It will be intriguing to see how Cox plays this morning, I have a feeling we might see some dashing strokeplay if he can hang around for a few overs and get settled. Jamieson is back of a length, Cox lets one pass by and then defends with a straight bat to mid off. The Oval is thrumming with excitement and plenty of folk can be spied applying a thick layer of sun cream, there isn’t a lot of shade here at the moment. A cheer greets Cox and England’s first run of the day, a guide to point for single off the final delivery.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/england-v-new-zealand-second-mens-test-day-three-live

Posted by Donna Ferguson

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/19/pelicans-hatch-st-james-park-london

Birds have been in the park since the Russian ambassador gave King Charles II two in 1664 – but none ever bred there

They arrived in the royal park shortly before the Great Fire of London, when the Russian ambassador presented a pair to King Charles II as a gift.

But although pelicans have been living in St James’s Park since 1664, none ever learned the art of courtship until now – when the first time in more than 360 years, chicks have been born.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/19/pelicans-hatch-st-james-park-london

Posted by Tanya Aldred at Chester-le-Street

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/ben-stokes-plays-for-durham-sussex-v-hampshire-and-more-county-cricket-live

• All the latest from around the grounds

• Mail Tanya or comment below with your thoughts

And now from the Finchale end, Ben Stokes… the first ball is a dot, the second flies down to fine leg off the thigh pad of Vasconcelos for four. Ball three: nothing. Ball four – ooops, a drop by Ben McKinney at leg slip. In and out, midnight sweats. Ball five: four through the covers in front of the watching groundsmen sitting on plastic chairs. Ball six – off the ankles to long leg for a couple. Ten from the over.

The Grace Road groundstaff have gone for a weird striped pitch today – beige ends and a grassy middle. It has been largely successful – Luxton and Whiteman both out, Yorkshire 40-2.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/ben-stokes-plays-for-durham-sussex-v-hampshire-and-more-county-cricket-live

Posted by Julia Langdon

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/19/lady-ramsay-of-cartvale-obituary

MI6 spy on the ‘Moscow watch’ who was involved in the audacious escape of the double agent Oleg Gordievsky

Meta Ramsay described herself in her latter years as an “international affairs consultant”, while her former career was summarily defined in Who’s Who as having been a member of HM Diplomatic Service. In reality, Ramsay, who has died aged 89, was the spy who perhaps should have been appointed the first woman “C”, the head of the Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6.

On retirement from MI6, as required at the age of 55 in 1991, she was the most high-ranking woman in the service, yet it would still be more than three decades until the first female “C”, with Blaise Metreweli securing that distinction only last year. Ramsay went on to play an active part in Labour politics when her old friend John Smith was leader, and subsequently in the House of Lords during Tony Blair’s government.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/19/lady-ramsay-of-cartvale-obituary

Posted by Editorial

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/19/the-guardian-view-on-labour-after-makerfield-change-must-mean-more-than-a-new-leader

Andy Burnham has shown Labour can beat Reform. He must show that his promise of change is a programme, not another slogan for power

Andy Burnham’s triumph in the Makerfield byelection leaves the prime minister with only two options: fight openly for the Labour leadership, or leave office cleanly. The former Greater Manchester mayor easily saw off Reform UK’s candidate – winning 55% of the vote to his rightwing rival’s 35%. He won largely because he changed the political meaning of voting Labour in Makerfield. With Mr Burnham, the party went from being the unpopular incumbent to being the vehicle for change.

The prime minister’s implicit claim that it was Starmerism that beat Reform is not credible. The polling by Persuasion UK in Makerfield shows that Labour won because of Mr Burnham’s personal brand, anti-Starmer signalling and leftwing economic message. Significantly, Mr Burnham’s victory rally speech on Friday connects with the data. He was offering, in rhetoric, economic security through a visible state. This is not just redistribution, but the state as buyer, planner and manager. That would be a welcome shift, but how would he deliver cheaper essentials, more public control, fiscal expansion, industrial renewal and fairer rules on housing, work and migration? Mr Burnham’s programme needs to be more than slogans.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/19/the-guardian-view-on-labour-after-makerfield-change-must-mean-more-than-a-new-leader

Posted by Jessica Elgot and Rowena Mason

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/keir-starmer-pressure-andy-burnham-wes-streeting-allies-not-fight-leadership-challenge

Ministers say PM faces being forced out by party if he does not act, with one calling his departure inevitable

• How quickly could Burnham become PM?

Cabinet ministers loyal to Keir Starmer have told him he faces being forced out of office by his party if he does not set a timetable for his departure by the end of the weekend.

Andy Burnham, who won a compelling majority in the Makerfield byelection overnight, is expected to travel to London on Monday to meet MPs in the expectation of becoming prime minister within weeks. One cabinet minister – who has not previously told the prime minister to go – said his departure was now inevitable.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/keir-starmer-pressure-andy-burnham-wes-streeting-allies-not-fight-leadership-challenge

Posted by Tanya Aldred at Chester-le-Street

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/ben-stokes-plays-for-durham-sussex-v-hampshire-and-more-county-cricket-live

• All the latest from around the grounds

• Mail Tanya or comment below with your thoughts

And now from the Finchale end, Ben Stokes… the first ball is a dot, the second flies down to fine leg off the thigh pad of Vasconcelos for four. Ball three: nothing. Ball four – ooops, a drop by Ben McKinney at leg slip. In and out, midnight sweats. Ball five: four through the covers in front of the watching groundsmen sitting on plastic chairs. Ball six – off the ankles to long leg for a couple. Ten from the over.

The Grace Road groundstaff have gone for a weird striped pitch today – beige ends and a grassy middle. It has been largely successful – Luxton and Whiteman both out, Yorkshire 40-2.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/19/ben-stokes-plays-for-durham-sussex-v-hampshire-and-more-county-cricket-live

Posted by Luke McLaughlin (now), Dominic Booth, Martin Belam and Will Unwin (earlier)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/19/world-cup-2026-news-kone-injury-canada-rout-scotland-big-challenge-morocco-usa-australia-buildup-live

⚽ All the latest news from day eight of the tournament
⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail us

Let’s begin our look at what will happen later today.

First up is USA v Australia in Seattle at 8pm BST/12pm local time.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/19/world-cup-2026-news-kone-injury-canada-rout-scotland-big-challenge-morocco-usa-australia-buildup-live

Posted by Daniel Boffey, Josh Halliday, Hannah Al-Othman and Jessica Elgot

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/andy-burnham-avoids-press-queries-staff-no-doubts-makerfield

Newly-elected Makerfield MP praises team as he joins them at campaign HQ, celebrating victory ‘beyond our wildest dreams’

There was plenty of the hopey, changey stuff from Andy Burnham at his victory rally on the morning after the night before – but it ended with the new MP for Makerfield doing a runner. “Are you going to become the new prime minister?” shouted Sky’s political editor, Beth Rigby, at the retreating Burnham. “Keir Starmer says he is not going to give way – what’s your message for Keir Starmer?”

Hemmed in by cameras, chairs, tables, and a whole load of the giggling supporters who had been assembled around him on the turf at Ashton Town FC’s grounds, Burnham picked up the pace.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/andy-burnham-avoids-press-queries-staff-no-doubts-makerfield