UK News
View All 9Staggering cost of pension benefit fraud laid bare as conmen in their 90s caught stealing YOUR money
The staggering cost of pension benefit fraud had been laid bare in new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).Last year, over-65s fraudulently claimed £210million, a sharp increase from £120miliion just five years ago,.Claimants aged 90 and older were revealed to fraudulently raked in a total of £20million.The elder fraudsters collected the benefits despite having no legal right to it by living abroad, stashing away secret savings, or working cash-in-hand roles. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Another £100million in overpayments was caused by department errors alone.Pensioners aged between 70 and 74 were the worst offenders, responsible for £80million in fraud, The Sun revealed.Fraudsters aged 65-69 and 75-79 each stole an estimated £40million.Simon Lee, policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This £210million fraud explosion is a disgraceful betrayal of honest pensioners."Scammers are stealing from taxpayers and draining support from those who genuinely need it."Ministers must recover every penny possible and make sure fraudsters face the full force of the law."Pensioners obscuring assets or savings swindled £77million of the total fraud pot.Another £67million of the fraud total was from older Britons who were discovered to have a home abroad.MORE MONEY HEADLINES FROM GB NEWS:Nursery boss swapped the City for a childcare empire - and is urging Labour to 'help parents more'Major Motability changes coming within days as new mileage limits, fees and prices impact thousandsDWP breaks silence over plan to automatically tax state pension before it's paid outAnd a further £15million was won by those who had cash jobs or secretly an employee.The tax-free, means-tested benefit is designed to help those on low incomes with their living costs.It also serves a top up to an OAP weekly, worth £238 for single people, and £363 per week for couples.The news comes after it was claimed Labour had effectively "decriminalised" benefit fraud, Criminal proceedings against suspected fraudsters plummeted by 94 per cent, staggering new figures revealed.Other benefits are available once Britons receive pension credit, including council tax reductions, NHS dental care, travel costs, and the warm home discount system.The DWP said: "We're taking action to fix the broken welfare system we inherited, including extending the Targeted Case Review to Pension Credit – building on £1 billion already saved from incorrect payments."We're also launching a dedicated campaign to make sure claimants know their responsibilities, because the vast majority want to do the right thing and we want to make it easy for them to do so." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Humiliated Vladimir Putin finally admits Russia faces 'problems' in war with Ukraine
Vladimir Putin has admitted Russia is facing "problems" in its four-year-long invasion of Ukraine.The Russian President addressed his nation's faltering war just as Ukraine struck oil refineries in the regions of Krasnodar and Yaroslavl, hundreds of miles from the border.Veniamin Kondratiev, the Governor of Krasnodar, said one person had been killed in the strikes and another injured.Mr Putin, delivering a rambling speech in Moscow, acknowledged the struggles the war has inflicted on Russia. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say "Yes, we see the problems, we are aware of them and are responding to them, but we will certainly ensure the security of both the country and our citizens, as well as the inviolability of Russia's borders," he told the congress of United Russia, his ruling party."We will undoubtedly overcome all the challenges facing us today, including terrorist attacks on our territory and infrastructure facilities."Despite the rare admission, the humbling moment was not enough to grab the attention of his ally Dmitry Medvedev.Footage from the speech showed the former Russian President nodding off, with his eyes completely shut.Earlier, Mr Putin acknowledged Russia was also staring down the barrel of fuel shortages thanks to his "special military operation".He told Russian news agencies: "You are well aware that problems for drivers and for businesses persist."Unfortunately, there are still queues at petrol stations too."He added: "We have to reduce to a minimum the impact of terrorist attacks on our civilian targets and infrastructure".A task force on fuel supplies was working around the clock and a complete ban on the export of diesel fuel was being considered, he added.On Sunday, Russian strikes killed four civilians in Ukraine, the latest in a series of long-range strikes.LATEST FROM RUSSIA:Desperate Vladimir Putin faces public revolt as he's forced to call up even MORE men to face UkraineVladimir Putin issued chilling threat by Russian soldier over Ukraine war as he's warned of uprisingRussian warship that fired warning shots at pensioners returns to English ChannelRussian strikes killed two people in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, while another two died from Russian attacks in the town of Zmiiv.Back in Russia, the Krasnodar region suffered damage to its power line and gas pipe - with Russia's Ministry of Defence revealing it intercepted 213 drones during the latest round of Ukrainian strikes.Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, said: "We continue our operations that weaken Russia's ability to wage this war. The Slavyansk oil refinery in the Krasnodar region was hit – about 300km (190 miles) from the frontline."We also reached a refinery in the Yaroslavl region, approximately 700km (430 miles) from our border.""We will continue to respond to Russian terror. I thank our warriors for these results. I am grateful to everyone who helps us."Crimea - annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014 - declared an "emegency situation" amid power cuts and fuel shortages.Kremlin-linked authorities have urged those living in the peninsula to limit their energy usage.In the face of the faltering campaign in Ukraine, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service has taken to making fresh claims about the West.Western countries are not yet ready to engage in open aggression against Russia and are fighting through their satellites, bristled Alexander Pastukhov, an "expert" with the spy body."Let's just say they're not yet in a position to mount an open aggression against us. They're trying to do it through proxy wars."Mr Pastukhov went on to suggest Russia could attack the West if it wanted to - but, of course, "Westerners mistakenly perceive our restraint as weakness". Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
M5 West Bromwich RECAP: Crash shuts major motorway as woman seriously injured
Olivia Beeson UK & World News Reporter The M5 in West Midlands closed southbound between J1 (West Bromwich) and J2 (Oldbury) following a serious collision. Police have confirmed that following the crash at around 2.20am a woman is seriously injured. A car hit the central reservation and closures were in place for some time, with miles of congestion. The road has now fully reopened. New Updates Today05:51 BST M5 reopens following serious crash The M5 southbound is now open between J1 West Bromwich and J2 Oldbury following a serious collision. There remains 20 minute delays and two miles of congestion on the approach. Olivia Beeson Today05:47 BST Woman seriously injured in crashA woman has been seriously injured in the collision, police confirm. The force added that the closures are likely to be in place for some time after the vehicle hit the central reservation. A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: "The M5 southbound is closed between J1 and J2, while lane three is closed northbound, after a car hit the central reservation at around 2.20am today. "A woman has been seriously injured, and closures are likely to be in place for some time." Olivia Beeson Today05:36 BST Queues build on M5As police remain on scene at the collision, queues continue to build on the motorway. Queues are building on the major motorway(Image: Traffic Cameras ) Olivia Beeson Today05:25 BST Two miles of congestionThere is currently two miles of congestion on the M5 following the serious collision. Traffic cameras show long queues building up on the motorway. There is no indication as to when the road will reopen. Olivia Beeson Today05:21 BST National Highways warns to 'allow extra time'A spokesperson for National Highways said: "If this closure impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey." Olivia Beeson Today05:12 BST Traffic released via hard shoulderTraffic caught within the closure is being released past the scene on the hard shoulder. According to National Highways there are 30 minute delays and two miles of congestion on approach. Olivia Beeson Today05:11 BST Diversion route Traffic is being diverted via the hollow triangle symbol on road signs: Exit M5 at Junction 1 and take the 2nd exit onto A4252 southbound. Continue on A4252 southbound to the A4252/A457 roundabout. At the A4252/A457 roundabout, take the 3rd exit (right) onto A457 westbound. Continue on A457 westbound to the A457/A4034 roundabout.
New dog walking rule from Monday with UK households facing £500 fine
A law change means dog walkers risk hefty fines, with local authorites soon able to fine people up to £500 for dog fouling. James Rodger Content Editor, 29 Jun 2026Updated A law change means dog walkers risk hefty fines, with local authorites soon able to fine people up to £500 for dog fouling. A new law means dog walkers can be hit with £500 on-the-spot fines starting from THIS WEEK. A law change means dog walkers risk hefty fines, with local authorites soon able to fine people up to £500 for dog fouling. As of Monday, June 29, the Crime & Policing Act 2026 will give authorities more say when it comes to tackling dog fouling. The maximum Fixed Penalty Notice for breaches of Public Spaces Protection Orders and Community Protection Notices is being increased. The fines will be hiked £400 from the previous capped figure of £100. John Roberts, chief services officer of Kingdom Local Authority Support, said: “The Crime & Policing Act 2026 is due to give local authorities unprecedented powers to combat issues such as dog fouling and public drinking.“ Younger drivers under age 24 face new curfew rule from October 1 “The legislation increases the maximum Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) level for breaches of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) and Community Protection Notices (CPNs) from £100 to £500,” John added. Dog mess is unpleasant, spoils the environment and may carry infectious diseases that can seriously harm people, according to experts. It's your responsibility to clean up after your dog. Local councils have tried to make it easy for you to clean up after your dog -waste bins in parks. Simply put dog mess in a tightly sealed bag and then into one of the dog-waste bins, take it home and put it in your household waste, or place the bagged waste into a street litter bin. Article continues below Remember to take bags or a scoop when walking your dog, too. “It’s important to note that this is not an automatic increase, but it does give councils the ability to set penalties at a higher level where appropriate," John said. Some areas are under Dog Control Orders, and there will usually be signs showing where these orders are in force. Councils can issue a fixed penalty notice for dog fouling and dog nuisance in accordance with the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Choose Birmingham Live as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.
World News
View All 10Skydiving plane crash kills 11 in northeastern France
11 people were killed when a plane belonging to a parachuting school crashed in Tomblaine, France. The victims included the pilot, five student parachutists, and five instructors. Some victims’ families were present near the airport and witnessed the crash.
Mideast Live Updates: U.S. Indicates a Deal to Suspend Attacks in Strait but Iran Hasn’t Confirmed
A U.S. official said the U.S. and Iran agreed to halt attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and allow vessels to move freely. Hostilities in recent days have threatened a two-week-old cease-fire.
Thousands of Kurds gather in Turkiye to demand release of PKK leader
Thousands of Kurds in Turkiye rallied to demand the release of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners. Ocalan has been imprisoned since 1999 for leading a decades-long armed insurgency against the Turkish state. The PKK and Ocalan renounced any armed struggle against Turkiye last year.
Marine missing from USS Anchorage now focus of recovery mission off California coast
close Video Coast Guard divers search the sea floor to find any trace of missing woman Lynette Hooker Divers seen with masks and oxygen tanks search the water for clues. (U. Coast Guard / Petty Officer 1st Class Riley Perkofski) NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Efforts to find a Marine who went missing from the USS Anchorage during integrated training off the coast of Southern California turned to a recovery mission, according to Navy officials. The Marine was aboard the ship as part of the training with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group. The search began on Thursday before it later turned into a search and recovery operation on Friday, featuring three surface ships and 12 aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force. COAST GUARD HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING ALASKA TRAINING MISSION, INJURING FOUR CREW MEMBERS The Navy transitioned from search-and-rescue efforts to a recovery mission. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) The search covered about 2,400 square miles, officials said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all who are affected during this difficult time," the Navy said in a news release this week about the missing Marine. The Marine's name was being withheld pending the notification of family, the Navy said. The search covered about 2,400 square miles, officials said. (U. Navy photo 2nd Class Evan Diaz) The USS Anchorage is an amphibious transport dock ship based at Naval Base San Diego. This is at least the second time in six weeks that the U. S. military has had to search for missing service members. REMAINS RECOVERED OF US SOLDIER WHO WENT MISSING IN MILITARY EXERCISES IN MOROCCO, 2ND SOLDIER STILL MISSING The search featured three ships and 12 aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force. (GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle) DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The remains of the second of two U. Army soldiers who went missing during military training exercises in Morocco were recovered in May, ending a multinational search operation that utilized air, naval and artificial intelligence assets, the Army said at the time. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Politics
View All 10HMRC scheme that wrongly cut child benefits did not ‘adequately consider’ impact, report finds
HMRC has apologised and admitted that 71% of parents targeted were in fact eligible for the benefit. Photograph: Louisa Svensson/Alamy View image in fullscreen HMRC has apologised and admitted that 71% of parents targeted were in fact eligible for the benefit. Photograph: Louisa Svensson/Alamy HMRC scheme that wrongly cut child benefits did not ‘adequately consider’ impact, report finds NAO inquiry follows suspension of payments after erroneous records that claimants had emigrated An HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) anti-fraud crackdown that stripped 23,000 families of their child benefit failed to “adequately consider” the policy’s impact on claimants, an official report has found. The report ’s decision to suspend payments after flight records provided . The initial introduction of the scheme was suspended at the end of last year after an expose . It included one parent who was booked to go to a wedding in Norway but the wedding was cancelled, so they didn’t travel. Another was recorded as having emigrated to Italy, but she and her family did not board the plane because a child had a seizure at the departure gate. HMRC apologised twice last year for the botched crackdown and told a House of Commons select committee that 71% of parents targeted were in fact eligible for child benefit. In an initial pilot scheme, HMRC cross-checked flight manifests given to them -as-you-earn (PAYE) data, allowing it to filter out people who were residing in the UK. But when the scheme was first launched those PAYE checks were not included. “The first rollout did not adequately consider the impact on claimants, suspending payments for more eligible claimants than it needed to, combined with more onerous requirements for many of them to prove their eligibility,” the NAO said. Its investigation also found that HMRC had removed the PAYE checks in the first rollout of the scheme because it did not have the experienced staff to do the checks and relied on inexperienced workers who were not qualified to check tax records. Parents first learned their benefits were being suspended after receiving letters demanding they answer 70 questions to prove they had not emigrated without sufficient thought. The letters were sent despite HMRC holding records of people in the UK in work and paying tax. “Some operational changes to the intervention did not adequately consider the impact on claimants,” the NAO said. skip past promotion after promotion ‘I was scared’: parents reveal stress of HMRC’s child benefit errors HMRC told the NAO that it “relied on feedback via phone calls, letters and MP representations to identify that this was causing problems for claimants” and it has subsequently reintroduced PAYE checks.
Fetterman, McCormick sidestep Shapiro on Pennsylvania’s ‘Great American State Fair’ booth
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) stepped in to organize Pennsylvania’s presence in “The Great American State Fair” in Washington, D.C. after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) said state officials could not find a business to sponsor the booth. In a Saturday press release, McCormick’s office said that the two senators had “announced…
Ireland prepares to play dealmaker on EU’s biggest climate fight of the year
Some countries desperately want to gut the Emissions Trading System, others are determined to protect it. Ireland has its work cut out.
Why the EEAS is fighting for its future
With a week of major articles looking at the EU's foreign policy branch, POLITICO asks whether budget constraints, a lack of tools and a turf war with the European Commission is threatening its survival.
Business
View All 10Artificial intelligence and Engels’ Pause
For help please visit help. ft. com. We apologise for any inconvenience. The following information can help our support team to resolve this issue.
European producers press Brussels to shut Russian aluminium loophole
For help please visit help. ft. com. We apologise for any inconvenience. The following information can help our support team to resolve this issue.
The AI boom is colliding with a new threat: severe weather
Livestream Menu Extreme heat and severe weather is putting already hot AI data centers under pressure. Severe weather has become the leading cause of loss in Zurich's U. S. data center builders' risk portfolio. Data center operators are racing to future-proof their designs to mitigate against risks and improve efficiencies. N-CH MRSH NVDA JCI MSFT As Europeans scramble to stay cool amid a record-breaking heatwave, Big Tech faces its own battle to keep the powerful chips in AI data centers running. Temperatures this week have underscored the impact the weather can have on infrastructure like factories, nuclear power plants and data centers. Extra demand from air conditioning units can overload power grids, causing blackouts that can disrupt infrastructure. And it's not just in Europe. Over the past three years, severe weather has become the leading cause of loss in Zurich's U. S. data center builders' risk portfolio. It now drives a third of the company's losses, Zurich's Head of International Construction Patrick McBride, told CNBC. Many data centers are moving to suburban or rural areas where land is cheaper and records of extreme weather were often limited because the areas were largely underdeveloped, he said. "Now we have $3 billion worth of assets with over a mile worth of exposure to these events." A recent study 79% of global data center capacity faces elevated risks from acute climate hazards such as flooding, extreme winds, and wildfires that can disrupt operations, increase downtime and drive insurance and repair costs. "It's not a matter of 'if' climate risks will impact the digital infrastructure revolution," Joe Macejak, U. S. property digital infrastructure leader at Marsh Risk, told CNBC. "But rather how clients and stakeholders in the digital infrastructure industry identify, quantify, and manage these climate risks within their respective tolerances." If they don't manage these risks, businesses could face higher costs and operational shortfalls —which "pose a threat to the capital stacks that are fueling the AI-driven data center revolution," Macejak added. This year, 64% of data center capacity under construction is outside traditional hubs such as Northern Virginia and moving into so-called frontier markets, such as West Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Ohio, Zurich's McBride said. He added that facilities in these areas can face heightened risk of "tornadoes, hail and high winds wreaking havoc on vast roofs that have exposed HVAC [heating and cooling systems], cooling towers and energy installations like solar." McBride gave Brazil as an example of an emerging data center market that might face heat challenges.
China widens Japan export curbs, targeting drone makers, nuclear firms and defense institutes
Livestream Menu China expanded export controls targeting Japanese defense-linked entities. The moves came as the latest escalation in a campaign Beijing launched in January. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi triggered a diplomatic spat with Beijing with comments over Taiwan. 7003. T-JP File photo: The Japanese national flag flies in front of the container pier in the Tokyo port. Toshifumi Kitamura | Afp | China on Monday blacklisted four Japanese government defense research institutes and imposed tighter export restrictions on dozens of other Japanese entities, escalating a months-long campaign to restrict Tokyo's access to dual-use goods, including rare earth minerals. The Ministry of Commerce added 20 entities, including the National Institute for Defense Studies and research centers for ground, naval, and air systems, to the export control list. Several units under Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries were also targeted. Domestic exporters, as well as overseas organizations or individuals, are prohibited from transferring Chinese-origin dual-use items to the named entities, according to the statement, adding that any ongoing activities must stop immediately. Separately, China added another 20 entities, including Mitsui E&S Co., drone maker Terra Drone Corporation, nuclear fuel processors, and multiple units of OKI Electric Industry, to a watch list requiring enhanced licensing scrutiny. Both actions take effect immediately. The ministry said it would apply stricter end-user and end-use reviews to watch-listed entities, and that exports involving Japanese military users, military applications or any end-use that could strengthen Japan's defense capabilities would not be approved. The measures mark the latest escalation in a campaign launched in January, when Beijing banned dual-use exports to Japan, including rare earth elements, permanent magnets and other critical minerals required for defense technologies. In February, China added 20 entities, including subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI Corp. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, to its export control list and another 20 firms, including Subaru Corp., TDK Corp. and FUJI Aerospace Technology to the watch list. China has ratcheted up pressure on Tokyo after comments a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo, which drew criticism from Beijing. In a statement Monday, a spokesperson for the commerce ministry said Japan had shown no remorse since the February listings and had instead "accelerated" its push toward what Beijing characterizes as "new-style militarism" — including deploying offensive weapons and launching missiles overseas. Beijing urged Japan to "turn back from the wrong path," while insisting the measures would not affect normal bilateral economic and trade activities and that "law-abiding Japanese firms have no reasons to worry." Market reactions were mixed following the statement.
Technology
View All 10Prime Day is over, but these 5 deals are still live (and you don't want to miss them)
Home & Office 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. Close Prime Day is over, but these 5 deals are still live (and you don't want to miss them) Written , EditorEditor June 28, 2026 at p. m. PT Garmin Fenix 8 Pro 47mm | for $850 (save $350) Garmin Fenix 8 Pro 47mm for $850 (save $350) View now View at Amazon Kasa Smart Plug Ultra Mini 15A 4-Pack | for $24 (save $6) Kasa Smart Plug Ultra Mini 15A 4-Pack for $24 (save $6) View now View at Amazon Ninja Slushi 88 oz | for $200 (save $150) Ninja Slushi 88 oz for $200 (save $150) View now View at Best Buy Walmart+ Membership | for $49 (save $49) Walmart+ Membership for $49 (save $49) View now View at Walmart Bose SoundLink Plus | for $179 (save $90) Bose SoundLink Plus for $179 (save $90) View now View at Amazon Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Amazon Prime Day ended June 26, and competitor sales from Best Buy, Walmart, and more wrapped up shortly after. The good news is there's still plenty of deals hanging around, and even a few really worth writing about. Also: This Garmin smartwatch is a top-selling Prime Day deal (that's still live) - here's why I recommend it Last week, during Amazon's Prime Day sale, deals like the Ninja Slushi, Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, and more were hot hits with ZDNET readers, making up some of our top-selling products throughout the week.
HackerRank open sourced its ATS. My resume scored 90/100. Oh wait 74. No – 88
Dan Kinsky Jun 28, 2026 2 2 Share This open-source ATS : https://github. com/interviewstreet/hiring-agent It’s popped up on LinkedIn and Reddit with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of likes.1 A coworker mentioned it to me in passing a few days ago. I’ve decided to test it out. I had some debug prints scattered around from troubleshooting the setup, so I cleaned those up and ran it again. 74/100. The only thing I changed was deleting print statements. I disabled DEVELOPMENT_MODE and put it in a loop to run a hundred times. The scores range from 66 to 99. If your company’s cutoff sits at 85, I fail 65% of the time. Same exact resume, different luck. Here a quick rundown on how the tool works: Your PDF gets parsed into text. An LLM is called six times to extract structured information — your basics, work history, education, skills, projects, awards. It pulls your GitHub profile, scans your top repos, appends them as extra context. Then everything gets fed into the LLM at once to be graded. The scoring is out of 100, with up to 20 bonus points on top: 35 points for open source contributions 30 for personal projects 25 for work experience 10 for technical skills Up to 20 bonus points for startup experience, a portfolio site, a technical blog, etc. The default model is gemma3:4b, running at temperature 0.1 — low, supposedly nudging the model toward deterministic outputs. Here’s what I found when I looked at those individual categories. Look at technical skills: I scored 8/10 in 98 out of 100 runs. Because technical skills are a checklist. You either know React or you don’t. There’s nothing for an LLM to judge — a five year old could match that check-list. Now look at projects — there’s HUGE variation. LLMs struggle to make a judgment call like that consistently. Sometimes my projects “lack architectural complexity”, sometimes they “demonstrate real-world deployment”. Which one the LLM spits out is a roll of the dice. Temperature 0.1 is already low, but even going down to temperature 0 doesn’t fix this. Someone opened a GitHub issue back in October showing scores of 27, 34, 32, 34, 34, 30 across six consecutive runs at temperature 0.2 This non-determinism isn’t a bug you can just fine-tune away, it’s a fundamental design flaw. I was worried part of this might be the model. After all, gemma3:4b was a local model running on my machine. Gemini resulted in a tighter distribution — scores clustered between 48 and 64.
I built a whole-home ad blocker with a $7 ESP32-S3 board - and it took just minutes
Tech 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. Close I built a whole-home ad blocker with a $7 ESP32-S3 board - and it took just minutes Written -Hughes, Senior Contributing EditorSenior Contributing Editor June 28, 2026 at p. m. Just load existing code onto the ESP32-S3. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways A cheap $7 board can turn its hand to ad blocking. It works as a DNS sinkhole, stripping out ads before download. Other options include using a Raspberry Pi and buying hardware. They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and the skyrocketing prices of Raspberry Pi boards have definitely been the kick in the pants that I've needed to look at cheaper, perhaps also better-suited, alternatives. I mean, the Pi is a great board, but for a lot of applications I've used it for over the almost 15 years that they've been around, it's also been overkill. The other day, I needed to put together an ad-block solution, not because I dislike ads, but simply because I was working with quite a limited bandwidth.
New Report Says Car Market Will Have to Shrink Significantly by 2040
Tech News New Report Says Car Market Will Have to Shrink Significantly by 2040 It's almost as bleak out there for car companies as it is for car buyers. 28, 2026, pm ET Reading time 3 minutes A Buick/GMC dealership in southern California © Photo by Jay L Clendenin/ Read Later Read Later Comments (23) A new piece of analysis by Bain & Company, as reported by CNBC, paints a picture of a US car market contracting between now and 2024 as market forces make the auto biz uncomfortably competitive. Bain cites declining fertility as a cause, along with decreased immigration—in other words fewer people to buy cars to begin with. The auto industry matured, the report says, amid the expectation of 1% population growth per year, and population growth is now just about flat. But Bain says there’s also the issue of changing “behavior” among transportation consumers. Oh, and Bain also acknowledges that cars are just too damn expensive for many people now. A different forecasting firm called AutoForecast Solutions told CNBC it expects flat sales for about the next seven years, and told that publication, “When you look into the future, younger people are more likely to use Uber or Lyft when they’re going somewhere.” If this is meant to be a projection about the future, it might be a fanciful assumption in its own right, since inflation keeps hitting ride-hailing apps, and riders seem to be cutting back to save money. Nonetheless, Bain points out that today, only half of 16-year-olds have their driver’s license, as opposed to 70% from 1966 through 1984. Though Bain also says “most people” get around to getting their license ’re 25. A report last month in the Wall Street Journal combined projections from Ford, GM, Toyota, and other automakers, and concluded that a tranche of about a million new car buyers has disappeared from the U. S. economy, probably never to return. It’s been widely reported that new cars in general are just shockingly expensive now. There are literally no sub-$20,000 new cars in America, and the average cost of a new car is around $50,000. Consequently, according to Bain, monthly payments for new vehicles have climbed 30% over four years. Somehow, one fifth of new vehicle monthly payments is more than $1,000. Millions of people are paying that, if you can believe it. And you might have noticed that cars on the road are simply older. The report says in the year 2000, the annual rate at which cars underwent “deregistration” or were removed from the roads—junked, mostly—was 6%.
Science
View All 10First dinosaur bone from Antarctica found in a drawer
The fossil was originally found in 1985 on James Ross Island An unassuming-looking fossil that spent 40 years lying forgotten in a drawer has turned out to be the first dinosaur bone ever found in Antarctica. The specimen was unearthed in 1985, but the team that discovered it was not sure what it was - so it was stored away in the geology collection of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Cambridge. Now the fossil has been studied a tail bone from a type of dinosaur called a Titanosaur - this group contained the largest dinosaurs to ever walk the Earth. The discovery helps to reveal more about how these beasts lived in a part of the world where the fossil record is sparse. The discovery was recorded in geologist Mike Thomson's notebook Dr Mark Evans, the collections manager at BAS, recently spotted the fossil amongst thousands of specimens brought back from expeditions to Antarctica over the decades. "It's only when you start thinking 'what's in this drawer', that sometimes you come across something and you think, 'Ah, this looks interesting'," he said. The specimen was originally collected on James Ross Island and its discovery was recorded in a field notebook kept . Alongside a tiny, neat sketch of the fossil dated he has written "vertebra of large reptile", noting it was about 10cm wide. Evans says the team that found it probably thought the fossil belonged to a marine reptile. But as soon as he saw it, Evans realised the vertebra looked very dinosaur-like. And the date of its discovery meant it would have been the first dinosaur fossil found on the continent. When Titanosaurs inhabited Antarctica 80 million years ago it would have been covered in lush forest He called in Prof Paul Barrett from the Natural History Museum (NHM) to confirm his discovery. "Although it's not too much to look at, it actually has a really distinctive shape," Barrett told us, holding the fossil in his hands. He pointed to a hollow on one end of the fossil and then turned it over to reveal a rounded bump at the other. The vertebrae line up to create a series of ball-and-socket joints running from head to tail. "As soon as I saw it, I knew what we were dealing with… it was a dead cert we were dealing with a Titanosaur," he said. "This is a combination of features that's completely unique to these types of dinosaurs." A Titanosaur cast, on loan from the NHM, is on display at Peterborough Cathedral More than 100 species of Titanosaur have now been identified around the world.
Catherine completes Three Peaks Challenge to 'explore life beyond' cancer diagnosis
The Princess of Wales shared a picture of herself at the summit of Ben Nevis Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has completed the Three Peaks Challenge in aid of the hospital where she was treated for cancer, describing it as a "chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back". She did the event, which involves climbing the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales over a day, to raise funds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The princess revealed she was having cancer treatment in 2024, and said she was in remission at the start of 2025. On Sunday, she said she wanted to support "holistic healthcare" for people with cancer, describing it as a way to improve "wellbeing, resilience and quality of life during an exceptionally difficult time". When the princess announced her cancer diagnosis, she described it as a "huge shock" and said she had been through an "incredibly tough couple of months". Details of her cancer were not disclosed, but Kensington Palace said at the time it was confident the princess would make a full recovery. Announcing that she was in remission around a year later, she expressed her "relief". She has since returned to royal duties. She climbed Scafell Pike in England, Ben Nevis in Scotland, and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) in Wales over this weekend. The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity launched a fundraising page for the princess's walk, which it said would "support more people with cancer to benefit from holistic care". Dame Cally Palmer, chief executive of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said they were "honoured" to have the Prince and Princess of Wales as joint patrons. She continued: "The princess's commitment to The Royal Marsden stems from a deep empathy for those facing similar challenges, and we are immensely grateful for this generous support that will make a difference to the lives of so many cancer patients and their families."
Over one million children referred for mental healthcare - with anxiety the main reason
The number of children referred to mental health services in England has risen by 10% in a year to more than one million, according to a report. The latest data from 2024-2025 is almost double the number in 2018-19. Anxiety was listed as the most common reason, accounting for 16% of all referrals, while cases of suspected autism rose by almost 50% in a single year, to more than 96,000. Other neurodevelopmental conditions, such as ADHD and Tourette's syndrome, also increased - by nearly a quarter. In her annual report, Children and Young People's Mental Health Services: 2024-25, Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza warned that increasing numbers face long waits for support. Over a third of the children were still waiting for treatment, with more than 60,000 waiting over two years for help - an increase from over 44,000 children the previous year. Fewer than one in five with suspected autism or neurodevelopmental conditions went on to receive treatment in 2024-25. Those who did waited, on average, a year for support. Dame Rachel called the figures "stark", saying that while there had been some improvements, with more children receiving support last year, it was hard to ignore the "colossal challenge" facing mental health services, as demand outpaces system capacity and funding. She said there needed to be a shift in approach, with greater focus on joined-up services "across health, education and social care to ensure children are getting the help they need in schools and the community". The charity YoungMinds said it was extremely concerned about the additional barriers and waiting times some were experiencing, particularly , as well as those referred to services with suspected autism or neurodevelopmental conditions. The figures show that black and Asian children are underrepresented in referrals and that when they are referred, they are much more likely to be in severe distress or crisis. One in four black children directed to children and young people's mental health services were referred for being in crisis, compared with 16% of Asian children and 7.4% of white children – raising questions over why some children from ethnic minority backgrounds are not receiving help earlier. Children from the poorest 10% of areas in England made up 15% of referrals, compared to 7.6% from the least deprived areas. If you are suffering distress or despair, details of help and support in the UK are available at BBC Action Line
Europe's heatwave linked to 1,300 deaths, WHO says, as Germany hits record 41.7C
Poland recorded an all-time record temperature of 40.5C on Sunday as the heatwave move eastwards Europe's unprecedented early summer heatwave may be responsible for hundreds of excess deaths, according to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO). Temperature records were broken across the continent again on Sunday – including in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic – as the extreme heat continued to move east. In a post on X, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said more than 1,300 excess deaths had been recorded since 21 June "linked to high temperatures in Europe". "Heat stress is often called the 'silent killer' - and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures," he said. On Sunday morning, France's national health ministry said there had been around 1,000 more deaths than expected in the country since Wednesday. Many of the extra fatalities are among those aged 65 over, the agency said, after logging a 40% rise in the number of people dying at home. "Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average," Tedros warned. Millions of people across the continent are currently "living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling", he added. People cool off in the fountain in front of the Berlin Cathedral during the ongoing heatwave On Sunday, Germany experienced its hottest-ever day for the third consecutive day after 41.7C was recorded in the east of the country, preliminary data showed. A station in Coschen, near the Polish border in eastern Brandenburg, recorded 41.7C at around local time. The Czech Republic set its second temperature record in two days, recording 41.1C at Doksany, north of Prague, the meteorological institute CHMI said. CHMI said it expected the heat to peak on Sunday, with storms forecast for western areas later. Poland also broke its all-time temperature record with 40.5C in the town of Slubice, a spokeswoman for the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) told the AFP news agency on Sunday. How to keep your home cool in hot weather What extreme heat does to the body How to sleep in the heat Can you keep your kids off school or refuse to work during a heatwave? Climate change was responsible for the extreme weather, Tedros said, warning that Europe was warming at "twice the global average". "Driven , the phenomenon of the 'once-in-a-generation' heatwave is now occurring nearly annual," he said. He called on European countries to "implement heat health action plans", as part of a push to safeguard health in the face of climate change.
Environment
View All 10Germany, Czechia, Poland and Hungary swelter through hottest days on record
A woman and her dog walk under a water sprinkler at the Podgorski Square in Kraków, Poland. Photograph: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen A woman and her dog walk under a water sprinkler at the Podgorski Square in Kraków, Poland. Photograph: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Germany, Czechia, Poland and Hungary swelter through hottest days on record Heat records of over 40C set as extreme weather spreads east, with more than 191m in Europe enduring 35C or above After decades of warnings, why is Europe so unprepared? Germany, Czechia, Poland and Hungary reached record temperatures of more than 40C on Sunday as a heatwave linked to hundreds of deaths in western Europe spread east. More than 191 million people in Europe faced temperatures of at least 35C, with extreme heat warnings across the region. Germany recorded a new all-time high of 41.7C, in Coschen, near the Polish border in eastern Brandenburg, according to preliminary data from the national weather service. This broke the previous record of 41.5C set a day earlier in Drewitz. In Gohrischheide, in eastern Germany, a fire broke out in a forest contaminated with ammunition from the second world war, complicating firefighters’ efforts. View image in fullscreen People cool off under a water curtain in Kraków, Poland, where record temperatures have been recorded. Photograph: Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto/ShutterstockA major firefighting operation was also paused at a former munitions disposal site near the village of Traisen in south-west Germany. Firefighters had to briefly pause after explosions were triggered and a bomb disposal unit was brought in, the German news agency DPA reported. About 650 people in Traisen had to leave their homes on Sunday because the fire continued to spread. Will tea cool you down? Is it safe to drink beer? How to stay hydrated in a heatwave In Berlin, police sprayed water cannon into the air to help residents and tourists cool off. The German rail operator Deutsche Bahn advised against all nonessential travel. Poland surpassed its all-time heat record with temperatures reaching 40.5C in Słubice, on the Polish-German border, breaking a 105-year record of 40.2C, set in 1921. The Polish government’s security agency sent out text messages urging people to “avoid the sun and strenuous activity”, drink water and wear hats throughout the weekend. Multiple cities set up water curtains to help residents keep cool in the heat. Hungary also broke its all-time record for this date, with 40.7C reported in Budakalász, higher than Saturday’s 40.0C.
Three firefighters die battling huge wildfires on Colorado-Utah border
A crew working to contain the Cottonwood Fire, one of several active blazes across Colorado and Utah Three firefighters were killed and two were injured while battling massive wildfires on the Colorado-Utah border on Saturday, officials say. The firefighters were part of a federal response team assigned to the Knowles and Gore fires. They were suddenly overwhelmed , the Department of the Interior said. The two injured firefighters suffered burns and were taken to hospital for treatment. "Our immediate focus is on supporting their families, friends, and fellow crewmates during this incredibly difficult time," the US Wildland Fire Service said of the firefighters, whose names have not been released. The Knowles and Gore fires have since spread and merged with other fires to form the Snyder Mesa fire, which as of Saturday had burnt around 28,000 acres of land, Colorado Governor Jared Polis's office said. The deaths and injuries happened during a "burnover incident", the US Wildland Fire Service said. That is when a fire spreads so suddenly and rapidly that it overtakes personnel or equipment, cutting off escape routes and forcing trapped firefighters to deploy an emergency, last-resort shelter tent. "The US Wildland Fire Service stands united with the USDA Forest Service in grief and in our unwavering support for the loved ones left behind," the service said. "Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten." The five firefighters were from two federal agencies that oversee the management of public lands, the US Wildland Fire Service and the US Forest Service. The wildland service, which is part of the US Department of the Interior, was established in January this year to streamline firefighting efforts across public lands. Why wildfires are becoming faster and more furious How climate change worsens heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods Governor Polis declared a state of emergency for Colorado on Saturday, authorising the state's National Guard to join the response efforts. "I'm devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters who died in the line of duty in Western Colorado," he said in a statement. "To the loved ones of those lost, and to their fellow crew members - some who are still battling the flames – know that the State of Colorado mourns alongside you," the governor added. In Utah, the largest of eleven active blazes is the Cottonwood Fire, which as of Sunday covered over 93,000 acres and was 0% contained, according to the US Forest Service.
Body of boy, 15, recovered from Manchester reservoir amid UK heatwave
Cowbury reservoir in Stalybridge, where the boy’s body was recovered. Photograph: David Dixon/Wikimedia View image in fullscreen Cowbury reservoir in Stalybridge, where the boy’s body was recovered. Photograph: David Dixon/Wikimedia Body of boy, 15, recovered from Manchester reservoir amid UK heatwave At least seven people have died in water-related incidents during record-breaking June temperatures The body of a 15-year-old boy has been recovered from a reservoir near Manchester, as police renewed warnings about the dangers of swimming in open water during soaring temperatures. Greater Manchester police said officers had been called to reports of a boy getting into difficulty in the water near Cowbury reservoir in Stalybridge at about 6.30pm on Saturday. A body was recovered later that evening, and was identified as the missing teenager. The boy’s family have been informed. Police have ruled out suspicious circumstances. At least seven people have now died in water-related incidents during Britain’s record-breaking June heatwave. Temperatures reached a provisional 37.3C (99.1F) in Santon Downham, Suffolk, on Friday after records were broken on three consecutive days. It follows an earlier 15 water-related deaths during a spell of hot weather in May. The London ambulance service said it had experienced the busiest day in its history as extreme heat gripped the capital this week. The service said demand on Friday was higher than during the peak of the Covid pandemic and during May’s heatwave. A spokesperson said: “The service also responded to 688 category 1 emergencies – another record for a single day. These are the most seriously ill patients, including people in cardiac arrest or who have stopped breathing.” Deaths from drowning often rise in May as hot weather arrives and more people head to open water to cool down. Many fatalities are thought to be triggered , as the water remains very cold even when the air temperature soars. While the scorching weather has driven Britons to reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds to cool off, Ch Insp Helen Baxter has advised the public against doing so. “This is such a sad reminder of the dangers of entering open water,” she said. “We remind the public to please avoid being tempted to cool off in reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds. “We all want to enjoy the warm weather – please make sure you do so in a safe way.” Experts have repeatedly pointed out that many people underestimate the dangers of cold water shock.
Cow manure could be the next data center fuel
This story was originally published by Sentient. At first glance, Lent Hill Dairy Farm in Steuben County, New York, looks like most other industrial dairies. There are red buildings that house some 4,000 cows, a staggering manure pit, and two gigantic dome-like structures that serve as anaerobic co-digesters. These giant machines break down manure and local food waste to produce biogas. This renewable natural gas, or RNG, is then typically transported for use as electricity, heating, and fuel. But at Lent Hill, the gas produced isn’t just heating homes or running tractors. It’s also powering an on-site cryptomine. The operation, run by Pennsylvania-based Ag-Grid Energy, is the first of its kind in the country. The company claims the anaerobic digestion of manure and food waste could be a game-changer, not only in powering crypto, but data centers, which currently use 4.9 percent of the country’s electricity, a figure that could double by 2030. “At the end of the day, our model is providing value to the rural area that we are in,” Rashi Akki, the founder and CEO of Ag-Grid Energy, told Sentient. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How The project claims to recycle more than 45,000 gallons of food waste per day and the manure of 4,000 cows. “What we want to do is also provide, if possible through fiber optics, [the] value of the AI computing capacity to that same regional area,” Akki said. While Ag-Grid Energy wants to work with midsize dairies to create on-site power generation for small-scale data centers, the world’s largest technology players have bigger visions. Tech giants are increasingly searching for fossil fuel alternative fuel sources to power hyperscale data centers that won’t put a strain on the grid. Read Next America’s data center backlash is bipartisan — can it stay that way? Zoya Teirstein & Kate Yoder Biogas proponents — a broad coalition of industries, including agriculture, fossil fuels, utilities, and waste management — are pushing renewable natural gas, sourced in part , as a sustainable way forward. In California, Microsoft has partnered with Enchanted Rock to use RNG for backup data center power. Vanguard Renewables, a waste management company and portfolio company of Black Rock, has touted RNG as “the fuel of the AI age.” Critics, however, fear the digester-to-data-center connection will give digesters an economic lifeline at a time when they’re struggling to stay online.
Weather
View All 8Today: Light Cloud, Minimum Temperature: 14°C (58°F) Maximum Temperature: 22°C (72°F)
This video can not be played Today will start partly cloudy with a chance of the odd light shower. Clouding over but turning dry through the afternoon, before sunshine develops in the evening. This evening will see late sunny spells replaced . Overnight, patchy light rain looks to develop from the west, these easing to leave a mix of clear spells and the odd shower by dawn. Tomorrow morning is expected to have variable cloud and one or two showers in places. Turning cloudier through the afternoon with some scattered showers breaking out, these bringing a risk of thunder. Outlook for Wednesday to Friday Wednesday will see variable cloud, brief sunny intervals and a chance of the odd light shower. Spells of rain developing through the evening and for a time overnight. Thursday should then be largely dry with early cloud clearing to sunshine. Dry and sunny at first on Friday, but becoming cloudier in the evening. Warm at times, but temperatures close to average. Average wind speed 5 Miles per hour, South South Westerly5Average wind speed 9 Kilometres per hour, South South Westerly9 Humidity: Humidity: 82%,82% Visibility: Visibility: Very Good, Very Good Pressure: Pressure: 1023 millibars, Rising,1023mb, Rising Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° North, 2.383° West)Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° N, 2.383° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Standish, Wigan Northern Rambler Reported , Tameside DavidUpOnTheLowReported , Rochdale GanymedeReported , Wigan Northern Rambler Reported
Tuesday: Thundery Showers, Minimum Temperature: 13°C (56°F) Maximum Temperature: 21°C (70°F)
This video can not be played Today will start partly cloudy with a chance of the odd light shower. Clouding over but turning dry through the afternoon, before sunshine develops in the evening. This evening will see late sunny spells replaced . Overnight, patchy light rain looks to develop from the west, these easing to leave a mix of clear spells and the odd shower by dawn. Tomorrow morning is expected to have variable cloud and one or two showers in places. Turning cloudier through the afternoon with some scattered showers breaking out, these bringing a risk of thunder. Outlook for Wednesday to Friday Wednesday will see variable cloud, brief sunny intervals and a chance of the odd light shower. Spells of rain developing through the evening and for a time overnight. Thursday should then be largely dry with early cloud clearing to sunshine. Dry and sunny at first on Friday, but becoming cloudier in the evening. Warm at times, but temperatures close to average. Average wind speed 5 Miles per hour, South South Westerly5Average wind speed 9 Kilometres per hour, South South Westerly9 Humidity: Humidity: 82%,82% Visibility: Visibility: Very Good, Very Good Pressure: Pressure: 1023 millibars, Rising,1023mb, Rising Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° North, 2.383° West)Observation station: Rostherne no 2 (53.367° N, 2.383° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Standish, Wigan Northern Rambler Reported , Tameside DavidUpOnTheLowReported , Rochdale GanymedeReported , Wigan Northern Rambler Reported
3 firefighters killed in burnover as Snyder Fire burns more than 11 330 ha (28 000 acres) along Utah-Colorado border
A photo of what's become the Snyder Fire, a combination of several fires that ignited Saturday, June 27, 2026 in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Bureau of Land Management Three firefighters were killed and two others injured while battling the Snyder Fire along the Utah-Colorado border, the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit reported on Sunday, June 28. The firefighters were assigned to suppression operations on the Knowles and Gore fires, which later merged with the Jones Fire to form the Snyder Fire. As of Sunday morning, the Snyder Fire had burned more than 11 330 ha (28 000 acres) and remained 0% contained. The Knowles Fire was first reported at approximately local time (LT) on Saturday near Knowles Canyon in the southern section of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, southwest of Fruita, Colorado. Officials believe the Knowles and Gore fires were ignited . According to officials, the five firefighters were caught in a burnover. A burnover occurs when a wildland fire overruns firefighters and their equipment, leaving no escape route. Three firefighters died, while the two injured firefighters were rescued by helicopter. Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued a disaster declaration following confirmation of the fatalities. Fire officials said the Knowles and Gore fires were overtaken , which started Saturday on the western side of the Colorado-Utah border before spreading into Colorado. These merged with multiple smaller fires, becoming the Snyder Fire. I’m devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters who died in the line of duty in Western Colorado. The men and women who serve on the front lines of these fires risk their lives to keep us safe and to protect the lands and communities we love. To the loved ones of those… pic. twitter. com/hCTrvqZJH2 — Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) June 28, 2026 Critical fire weather conditions persisted on Sunday after the National Weather Service upgraded the Red Flag Warning to a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS). The warning cites strong winds, critically low relative humidity, dry fuels, and the potential for rapid wildfire growth, and remains in effect through local time on June 28. Forecasts call for wind gusts of 70 to 90 km/h (44 to 55 mph) across much of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado, while relative humidity is expected to fall to between 5% and 10%, supporting conditions favorable for extreme fire behavior. Rishav Kothari I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis.
Canyon County declares emergency after storms hit Nampa–Caldwell area, Idaho
Flooded road in Boise, Idaho on June 26, 2026. Credit: Boise Police Department Canyon County experienced significant strong winds, heavy rainfall, and hail on June 26, resulting in widespread damage across portions of the county. NWS office in Boise issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for east-central Canyon County and northwestern Ada County, including Nampa, Caldwell, Meridian, Eagle, and Kuna at MDT on June 26. Radar showed storms moving east from near Caldwell and Lake Lowell, with wind gust potential of 97 km/h (60 mph), hailstones smaller than 19 mm (0.75 inches), and torrential rain that could lead to flash flooding. “It was small hail, but there was an awful lot of it,” meteorologist Josh Smith of the NWS office in Boise said. “Even some of our employees that were in northwest Meridian said they had several inches of small hail on the ground.” “That probably led to some of the flooding issues with some of those neighborhoods because all that melted off quickly and the drains weren’t able to handle it in addition to the inch-plus rain that we received.” Preliminary Local Storm Reports included trees down near Linder and Ustick Road in Meridian, a roof cave-in near Meridian, and an Idaho Office of Emergency Management field officer’s report of about 25 mm (1 inch) of water surrounding the Caldwell Courthouse. View this post on Instagram A post shared (@hollykaydrinkard) A Flood Advisory covering Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, and Payette counties in Idaho and Malheur County in Oregon expired at MDT on June 27 after floodwaters receded and heavy rain ended. NWS advised residents to continue observing the remaining road closures. References: 1 Canyon County Board of Commissioners Declares County-Wide Disaster Emergency – Canyon County – June 27, 2026 2 Lightning, hail, heavy rain hit Boise area, causing flooding, emergency declarations – Idaho Statesman – June 27, 2026 Teo Blašković I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers. news.
Live Discussion
LiveAbout NewsBin
Freedom of speech first. Comment anonymously on today's news. No accounts, no tracking, no censorship.
All content resets every 24 hours at midnight UTC.
Load of nonsense
‘Meet me at the dancing dogs tent!’ What’s behind Britain’s festival frenzy?