Afternoon.

It’s Thursday 8th October: Britain and Germany are joining forces on security, a diplomatic row with Israel has taken an unusual turn and the BBC and Channel 4 could be getting rather cosy.

Kettle on.

📅 On this day: In 1967, revolutionary Che Guevara was captured by Bolivian soldiers while leading a guerrilla campaign against Bolivia's government. He was executed the following day, aged 39, and became one of the most recognisable political figures of the 20th century.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is in Berlin today to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with the two countries launching a new partnership to tackle cyberattacks, sabotage and other security threats.

The agreement will see Britain and Germany share more intelligence and work together to protect critical infrastructure, such as energy supplies, communications networks and transport systems. It's partly a response to growing concerns about Russian activity targeting European countries.

There's an economic side to the visit too. Burnham and Merz will bring together British and German business leaders to discuss investment, innovation and closer industrial cooperation.

The visit also marks the formal ratification of the Kensington Treaty, signed last year, which commits the two countries to closer cooperation on defence, technology, security and economic growth.

Germany is already one of Britain's biggest trading partners, so there's plenty at stake beyond keeping hackers out of the electricity grid.

Britain and Israel have reached an agreement to keep Britain's diplomatic mission in East Jerusalem open after Israel ordered it to close. The dispute followed Britain's decision to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Britain disputes Israel's authority to make that decision.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband says the building will remain open, but under a new name: UK Mission, Jerusalem. Britain has temporarily withdrawn some staff and their families over security concerns.

The consulate has operated for nearly 200 years and plays an important role in Britain's relations with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, which the UK considers occupied territory.

Israel, meanwhile, says the consulate has ceased functioning in its previous form and that British diplomatic activities will be restricted. So the building stays open, but the disagreement over its status and what British diplomats can do there is far from settled.

Voters in Holborn and St Pancras are heading to the polls today to choose a replacement for former prime minister Keir Starmer, who left Parliament earlier this year. Labour won the north London constituency with a majority of around 11,500 in 2024, but Green Party leader Zack Polanski is challenging Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali.

The result will offer an indication of Labour's support under Andy Burnham, and how much momentum the Greens have gained among voters who previously backed Labour. We should know tomorrow.

The BBC and Channel 4 are reportedly exploring closer cooperation between their commercial businesses as they try to compete with the likes of Netflix, YouTube and Amazon. The discussions could involve advertising, streaming services and channels including E4 and Film4. Both broadcasters are publicly owned, but they operate differently: the BBC is largely funded by the licence fee, while Channel 4 relies on advertising.

Nothing has been agreed, and this isn't a proposal to merge the two broadcasters outright. The idea is to find ways of cutting costs and generating more money as audiences increasingly move away from traditional television.

British doctors have performed a pioneering transplant that could eventually help boys undergoing cancer treatment have biological children later in life. A 19-year-old had tissue removed and frozen before undergoing chemotherapy for a serious blood disorder, as the treatment can damage fertility.

Surgeons have now transplanted that tissue back into his body, hoping it will begin producing sperm. It's the first procedure of its kind in Britain, although doctors don't yet know whether it will work. If successful, the technique could offer an option for children who are too young to produce sperm before cancer treatment.

Drivers can now compare petrol prices directly on Google Maps, using near-real-time information from the government's Fuel Finder scheme. The system covers stations accounting for 99% of fuel sold on UK roads. Simply search for petrol stations nearby and you should be able to see what they're charging before setting off.

The government estimates that greater price transparency could save car-owning households around £40 a year. Not life-changing, perhaps, but considerably more useful than discovering you've paid an extra 8p a litre just after filling up.

Tesco has raised its annual profit forecast after reporting a 6.5% rise in underlying profits to almost £1.8bn during the first half of its financial year. Online sales and its premium Finest range have been performing particularly well, despite continued pressure on household budgets. The supermarket now expects annual underlying profits of between £3.15bn and £3.3bn.

Tesco says shoppers are remaining relatively resilient, although that doesn't necessarily mean everyone is finding the weekly shop any easier.

The Bank of England has revealed the animals that will appear on Britain's next generation of banknotes.

Hedgehogs, barn owls, bumblebees and puffins have been chosen following a public consultation involving nearly half a million people. They'll replace historical figures including Winston Churchill and Jane Austen, although King Charles will remain on the front.

Each animal will appear on one of the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes, but the Bank hasn't decided which goes where. The designs will take several years to reach our wallets. A hedgehog on a fiver does seem rather appropriate, given how quickly they both disappear these days.

Have a great day.

See you tomorrow.

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