UK News
View All 9Britons targeted ahead of massive anti-tourist protest set to strike Mallorca holiday resort
Britons have been targeted in a vandalism campaign ahead of a massive anti-tourist protest in Mallorca.The event will take place on August 8 in the town of Soller under the slogan "Soller at breaking point".Protests will be held before the solar eclipse on August 12 - with the Balearic Islands falling into the eclipse's path of totality, where the moon fully blocks the sun and the phenomenon can be observed by the naked eye.Grassroots campaign group Menys Turisme, Mes Vida, which translates to Less Tourism, More Life, and the Moviment Jove de Soller have organised the protest amid a wider wave of anti-tourism protests in Spain. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The first of the anti-tourism protests will be held on July 26, building momentum over the summer peak."We can't cope with more tourists," David Comas, a spokesman for Menys Turisme, Més Vida, told The Olive Press.Mr Comas said Mallorca had become a "theme park", adding it had become impossible for young people to live independently or secure decent housing.The August 8 protest in Soller will occur when visitor numbers in the town are at their peak.Locals believe their quality of life has declined as tourism continues to grow, protesters said.Organisers have said the protest highlights the growing impact of mass tourism on everyday life.Overcrowding, inadequate public transport and shortage of parking spaces caused by an increased number of hired cars have all been caused by tourism, protesters claimed.Traditional local businesses have also disappeared, with shops increasingly aimed at visitors, the organisers have also said.LATEST IN SPAIN:Anti-tourism protests leave British woman scared as dreamy purchase could lead to £68,000 lossBritish tourists among at least 60 holidaymakers hospitalised with gas poisoning at Spanish hotelBritish couple among 13 people killed in Spain wildfires as over 1,500 evacuatedTwo international estate agencies were graffitied ahead of the protests.La Posesion Mallorquina was tagged with messages which read "culpables" and "fuera especuladores" - Spanish for "guilty" and "speculators out" - on Thursday.The day before, the Calle Veri agency was sprayed with "26-J", the day of the march.Written on the pavement were "arruix", Catalan and Mallorquin for "get lost", and "todos a la calle", Spanish for "everyone to take the streets".The Balearic National and International Real Estate Association, ABINI, says the businesses are not to blame for regional housing shortages.A spokesman for the group said the spray-painting was "cowardly and justifiable"."These attacks falsely accuse the real estate sector of being responsible for the residential emergency being experienced in the Balearics," the association said.It insisted the "real estate agencies are not the problem, but part of the solution" to the property shortage.It also warned that it would not tolerate the "criminalisation" of small business owners and workers. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Smirking Tunisian migrant assaulted five women in 90 minutes in picturesque UK town
A "dangerous" Tunisian migrant has been found guilty of carrying out a frenzied sex attack rampage in Jersey.In the early hours of November 30 last year, Abdelkarim Arfaoui, 27, attacked five women in just 90 minutes on the Channel Island.The Tunisian national was charged with 10 offences, including attempted rape, five of sexual touching without consent, one of grave and criminal assault, two counts of common assault and one count of threatening or abusive behaviour.After four hours of deliberations, Arfaoui was found guilty of all charges by a jury in Jersey's Royal Court. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say At around 7am, Jersey Police started to receive 999 calls, with the first woman claiming she had been groped and punched in the face in St Helier. Just 20 minutes later, a second women phoned them to report that she had been sexually assaulted on her way to work. CCTV footage showed the Tunisian migrant lurking around the streets as he scouted out victims. The court was shown a video of Arfaoui pushing a woman up against a wall, telling her "I love you", before forcibly kissing her.The predator had been arrested just eight minutes after the second woman had alerted the police.Three more women later came forward to report that they had been attacked by Arfaoui.In police custody, the 27-year-old could been smirking and told officers that "nothing happened" and that he was "just going to work". The Tunisian national continued to deny carrying out the sex attacks throughout his trial, saying none of his victims were given his "sex attention" - even as jurors were shown video evidence of his actions. He falsely claimed to have been "really, really lost" as he was new to the Channel Island, and lied that he was propositioned for sex by some of the women because he was visibly drunk.In court, one of his victims said the attack left her feeling "disgusted, dirty and lost", adding that she now struggles to sleep at night.CRIME - READ THE LATEST:Madeleine McCann suspect 'attacks police outside German supermarket months after frenzied brawl'British woman sentenced to six years in Hong Kong prison for blackmailing banker she accused rapePolice Federation's warning ignored after attacker who broke officer's leg released after 82 daysAnother described how she is now fearful of leaving the house alone out of fear that she would be abused by him again.Arfaoui refused to apologise to any of the victims and showed no remorse throughout the eight-day trial. The 27-year-old was remanded into custody and placed on the offenders' register.Following the verdict, Jersey Police praised the bravery of the women in coming forward to report their abuse.Detective Constable Jack Maguire said: "Offending of this nature is rare and the States of Jersey Police, alongside our partner agencies, are committed to robustly investigating offenders and bringing them to justice."Today's verdict is a testament to the bravery and courage of the five women who came forward and supported this investigation."It is because of their evidence that a dangerous sexual predator has been convicted."Several key witnesses were identified following public appeals through the media and social media, and extensive house-to-house enquiries carried out in the days after the offences."Their assistance played an important role in helping us build the evidence presented before the court."Arfaoui will appear in court again on Friday for sentencing. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
How Lisburn candlemaker is paying tribute to the luxury of first-class life aboard the Titanic
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‘I just assumed my career would be over at 35’
Belfast actress Laura Donnelly looking forward to a longer career than she imagined after starring in ITV drama The Dark
World News
View All 10Mykhailo Drapatyi: Can new Ukraine army chief alter Russia war’s direction?
New commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Mykhailo Drapatyi looks on during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday, July 20, 2026 [Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP] 24 Jul 202624 Jul 2026 Kyiv, Ukraine — Ukrainian Colonel Mykhailo Drapatyi drove an armoured vehicle at breakneck speed through a barricade built by pro-Russian separatists who had just taken over the southeastern city of Mariupol.
Ukraine beheads its military as its performance begins to soar
Ukraine's then-Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov speaking to journalists during a joint news conference with his Swedish counterpart Pal Jonson in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 [Efrem Lukatsky/ AP Photo] Published On 24 Jul 202624 Jul 2026 Ukraine replaced its top military and political defence personnel in the past week even as its armed forces arguably achieved their best performance in three years.
Iran and the New Rules of Global Power
Navy aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Panama in Panama City, Panama, March 2026 Enea Lebrun / Reuters ROBERT A. PAPE is Professor of Political Science and Director of the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats. He is the author of Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War. Pape Share & Download Print unlock this feature or Sign in. Save Sign in and save to read later Copy This is a subscriber-only feature. or Sign in. Chicago MLA APSA APA Chicago Cite not available at the moment MLA Cite not available at the moment APSA Cite not available at the moment APA Cite not available at the moment Request reprint permissions here. Most wars disappear into history. A few divide history into before and after. For the post–Cold War world, the Gulf War was one of those moments. The conflict resulted in the liberation of Kuwait and then launched the age that followed, one commonly referred to as an era of U. S. unipolarity, when peerless American military power undergirded globalization, growing prosperity, and relative stability. But that age has now come to an end. The United States no longer enjoys the sort of military advantage it possessed in 1991. Thanks to globalization, the systems necessary to conduct precision warfare are no longer the preserve of a handful of great powers: they are accessible to a range of actors who are now able to stand up to much stronger states. Indeed, the Iran war exemplifies this turning of the wheel. Where the Gulf War demonstrated American dominance, today’s clashes around the Strait of Hormuz reveal American limitations. A new era beckons, one in which the assumptions of the post–Cold War period are turned on their heads. The United States is not capable of bending others to its will through the exercise of force at low cost. Far from guaranteeing stability and predictability, American power has become a source of volatility. Weaker powers have learned the virtues of defiance and disruption, and they possess the tools to impose huge costs on the United States and its allies and partners. The coming era will be one of more frequent crises, higher costs for protecting global commerce, and intensifying competition over the world’s strategic chokepoints. The rules of power that governed the post–Cold War era have withered away, and a more dangerous international order awaits. GREAT EXPECTATIONS Major military victories do not often create new international orders.
America Still Has the Upper Hand Over China
President Donald Trump shaking hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, May 2026 Evan Vucci / Reuters BEN A. VAGLE is a Knight-Hennessy scholar at Stanford University and a J. D. candidate at Stanford Law School. BROOKS is Professor of Government at Dartmouth College. They are the authors of Command of Commerce: America’s Enduring Economic Power Advantage Over China. Vagle More by Stephen G. Brooks Share & Download Print unlock this feature or Sign in. Save Sign in and save to read later Copy This is a subscriber-only feature. or Sign in. Chicago MLA APSA APA Chicago Cite not available at the moment MLA Cite not available at the moment APSA Cite not available at the moment APA Cite not available at the moment Request reprint permissions here. China also froze imports of U. S. soybeans, a major U. In 2024, more than half of U. S. soybean exports went to China; the sudden moratorium that China imposed from June to August 2025 imperiled nearly $13 billion of annual revenue and disproportionately affected politically sensitive agricultural states in the U. Soybeans are far and away the largest American product that relies primarily on Chinese buyers—the next largest, copper scrap, totaled only $2.8 billion in exports to China in 2024—and China has plenty of alternative suppliers of soybeans, such as Brazil, that are eager to trade. Rare earths and soybeans, however, are outliers in the overall picture of U. In both cases, China can easily inflict disproportionate harm on the United States. As the economic statecraft expert Edward Fishman described in Foreign Affairs, a chokepoint requires market dominance, few alternatives, and the ability to impose pain with minimal costs. China’s rare-earth production, in particular, is a clear example of a chokepoint. But although chokepoints can be extremely effective in the near term, they are likely to weaken once they are weaponized, especially if they do not involve extremely complex technology and can be overcome . S. policymakers have long known that China had the potential to weaponize the rare-earth chokepoint, but they did little to minimize this threat. Reducing dependencies requires time, money, and political capital, and Washington was unwilling to expend these resources in sufficient quantities before China restricted exports of rare earths in April 2025. Washington is now developing other suppliers, including -earth producers in the United States and partner countries. In 2025, the Pentagon invested $400 million in MP Materials, the owner of the primary rare-earth mining and processing site in North America.
Politics
View All 10The rapid rise of English councils funding private online school places
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Kagan says Supreme Court is not a ‘rubber stamp’ for Trump
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan said Thursday that while the nation’s highest court has a conservative majority, it is not a “rubber stamp” for President Trump despite multiple rulings in his favor in major cases. Speaking at a judicial conference hosted by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Kagan said the court has maintained…
Federal judges allow Tennessee congressional map dividing majority-Black Memphis district
A federal judicial panel on Thursday allowed Tennessee to use a new congressional map that divides a majority-Black district in Memphis, rejecting an effort to block the plan ahead of the state’s primary elections in August. A three-judge panel declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the new map, clearing the way for the new…
UK ready to shoot down Iranian missiles after Tehran threatens RAF base
Britain's armed forces are ready to protect the country from any attack from Iranian missiles, the government said on Thursday. It follows a warning from Iran's Revolutionary Guards over the UK allowing US bombers to fly from its bases. "Our Armed Forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it's on our soil or from abroad. The UK stands ready 24/7 to defend itself," a government spokesperson said. "This includes through operating a layered approach to air and missile defence, provided , British Army and Royal Air Force assets equipped with a range of advanced capabilities, working closely with our NATO allies," they added. Tehran warned on Thursday that RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is a “legitimate target” for strikes after the US Air Force used it to launch a bombing raid. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) singled out the “British monarchy” as “the main cause of the misfortunes of the people of our region”. In response to Iran's warning, the spokesperson said Britain's approach remained unchanged and that it was committed to defending its people, interests and allies in accordance with international law while avoiding being drawn into a wider conflict. Military equipment targeted at an unknown location, during what U. Central Command (CENTCOM) says are strikes on Iran, in this screengrab taken from a handout video released on July 20, 2026 (U. Central Command) In March, Iran launched two ballistic missiles towards the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, with one missile failing and the other intercepted by a US warship. An Iranian Shahed one-way attack drone hit also RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in March, with two other missiles intercepted. The Ministry of Defence claims it has made “air and missile defence a priority” in the new defence investment plan and has dedicated £790m towards this goal. Iran's warning came after new prime minister Andy Burnham was notified last week of Britain re-committing to an existing agreement allowing the US to use British bases in what it described as the collective self-defence of the region. The UK government said on Wednesday that the arrangement covered US defensive operations to degrade missile sites and capabilities used in attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. It signalled a fresh start in the transatlantic partnership after relations with Sir Keir Starmer grew increasingly fractious over the Iran war. The UK withdrew remaining diplomatic staff from Iran as the conflict with the US continued to escalate with a 12th night of airstrikes.
Business
View All 10Tanker Exits Red Sea Dark as Another China Ship Heads to Strait
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Trump's new global tariff draws rebukes from trade partners over forced-labor justification
S. trading partners rejected the forced-labor rationale behind President Donald Trump's new global tariffs. The investigation is less about labor standards than about pressuring other countries to adopt Washington's ban on Chinese forced-labor goods, and about rebuilding the tariff regime the Supreme Court struck down, analysts say. US President Donald Trump speaks at Wheeler High School, in Marietta, Georgia, on July 22, 2026. S. trading partners from Canberra to Brasília have rejected the forced-labor rationale behind President Donald Trump's new global tariffs, while most signaled they would keep negotiating rather than retaliate. The Office of the U. Trade Representative on Thursday took action under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, imposing tariffs on 60 economies for what Washington called their failure to impose and enforce bans on goods made with forced labor. The duties — 10% for partners that have adopted or committed to import prohibitions, 12.5% for those that haven't — cover the top 60 US trade partners and 99.4% of American imports. The measure replaces a temporary 10% global tariff imposed under Section 122 of the trade act, which expires July 24, a stopgap put in place after the Supreme Court ruled Trump's emergency-powers tariffs unlawful in February. The forced-labor probes give the administration a more durable legal foundation for a baseline tariff that the courts had challenged. "These tariffs are unjustified, inconsistent with our free trade agreement, and should be removed," Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell said in a statement. "Australia's measures to combat forced labor and modern slavery are among the strongest in the world, and we are recognized globally, including in the U. S., for our leadership." The U. S. imposed a 12.5% tariff on imports from Australia, China (including Hong Kong), Singapore and South Korea, alleging the countries failed to prevent goods made with forced labor from entering the American market. Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and India, meanwhile, continue to face 10% additional tariffs. The impact on major Asian economies is likely to be limited, Tianchen Xu, senior economist at Economist Intelligence Unit, told CNBC on Friday. "Asia will continue to benefit from tariff carve-outs, which include most types of electronics from consumer devices to chips," said Xu, adding that "these goods have consistently been exempt under U. S. tariffs under the second Trump administration." Brazil, which was hit with a 12.5% tariff, called the tariffs "arbitrary" and "unjustified." President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he remained open to negotiations but that Brazil would seek other markets if it couldn't sell into the U.
BNP Paribas shows there is life beyond Mars
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Air taxis are nearing route to economic viability
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Technology
View All 10Google is expanding access to its Gemini Spark agentic AI assistant
News AI Google is expanding access to its Gemini Spark agentic AI assistant More Google AI Pro and Ultra users will now have access to Spark. By Mariella Moon July 24, 2026 am EST Google is making Gemini Spark, the agentic AI assistant it announced at this year's I/O developer conference, available to more people. Unfortunately, they still don't include free users. In the US, Spark is rolling out to everyone paying $20 a month for Google AI Pro. It's also rolling out globally to Google AI Ultra users, who are paying between $100 to $200 a month for their subscription... unless they're in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the UK and Nigeria. Those who can now access Spark with this expansion may want to check if it also comes with local language support. Spark is powered by Gemini 3.5 and is deeply integrated into Google's Workspace apps. Users can assign tasks to it , either via the sidebar on a computer or . From there, they can type in the tasks they want Spark to do. They can tell Spark, for instance, to check their emails and calendar schedules every morning and then let them know what to prioritize. Spark can also automatically create draft responses for when emails from a particular person hit the user's inbox, or summarize lengthy email threads. Users can use Spark to create detailed reports in Google Docs from meeting notes and emails, as well. As these are only a few possible tasks for Spark, users can check out Google's support pages for more information. Recommended
An FDA Panel Just Endorsed These Unproven Peptides
CommentSave StorySave this story CommentSave StorySave this story In an at-times emotionally charged meeting that lasted more than 11 hours, members of an FDA advisory committee heard data presentations from FDA staff on four unapproved peptides—BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, and MOTs-C—as well as testimony from health care practitioners, patients, pharmacies, and clinics. Members voted eight to six, with one abstention, to add three of the four peptides to the agency’s bulks list, meaning compounding pharmacies can use them to create custom medications for patients. (The fourth peptide—MOTs-C—received a seven-to-five vote in favor, with two abstentions.) The advisory panel, which includes several members tied to peptide-related businesses and telehealth clinics, will consider three more peptides on Friday. Peptide therapies have been growing in popularity thanks to the endorsement of podcasters, wellness influencers, and Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has said he’s a “big fan.” Essentially smaller versions of proteins, peptides are being touted for everything from skin rejuvenation and hair growth to gut health and injury recovery despite a lack of scientific evidence to back up these claims. Many peptides currently exist in an unregulated gray market after the Biden administration banned compounding pharmacies from producing 20 peptides out of safety concerns in 2023. They can be legally sold online for “research use only” and “not for human consumption,” yet their marketing heavily implies otherwise. China and India are major suppliers of peptides, with some crypto-funded fentanyl labs switching gears to produce them. During the meeting, the FDA’s own scientists recommended against allowing compounding pharmacies to produce any of the seven peptides being considered due to a lack of evidence showing they are safe and effective. Peptide proponents meanwhile testified that US compounding pharmacies should be able to produce them so that patients can access safer, regulated options with a prescription. “I'm not going to tell you that the evidence for BPC-157 is strong. It isn't, and I won't overclaim it," said Anant Vinjamoori, chief medical officer of telehealth provider Hims & Hers. “What I'd ask is that you not read thin as non-existent.” The company is actively preparing to launch peptide treatments in anticipation of the FDA greenlighting some peptides. Among the peptides approved, two are particularly popular with podcasters and influencers. BPC-157 and TB-500 are paired as part of a so-called “Wolverine stack” to help improve recovery after injuries. Committee members were asked to evaluate BPC-157, which is thought to promote tissue repair, for ulcerative colitis.
Scientists develop handheld device for measuring when your body is burning fat
Tomorrow Science Scientists develop handheld device for measuring when your body is burning fat The breathalyzer identifies the amount of acetone in your breath to determine if your body is in ketosis. By Ian Carlos Campbell July 23, 2026 pm EST Smart scales and smartwatches often rely on bioelectrical impedance to calculate body fat percentage, a quick, though not necessarily accurate, way to get a sense of the amount of lean mass in your body without having to take multiple measurements. Accurately measuring when your body is burning fat is a whole other ball game, though, which makes new research into a handheld fat burning measurement device all the more intriguing. In a study for the scientific journal Device spotted , researchers supervised by Andreas Güntner created a handheld breathalyzer that can detect when your body is burning fat . The study measured when the bodies of 12 participants burned fat across a variety of diet and exercise scenarios, and found the breathalyzer closely matched traditional lab results. Hersberger et al. / Device Scientists identify ketosis, the term for when your body is burning fat for energy, — both are byproducts of fat being turned into fuel. As New Scientist notes, acetone tests are usually most accurate in a laboratory setting where things like humidity and breathing patterns can be controlled. The researchers in this study got around those limitations by creating a breathalyzer that can filter out excess moisture and contaminants, and using a companion app that can guide the user through the breathing process. The app was not only able to identify when users were applying too much or too little pressure, but also help adjust when the breathalyzer collected its sample to make sure the measurement was as close as possible to what would be observed with a blood-based test. Nutrion, now the commercial name of the device the researchers used, is similar in concept to an older device called Lumen that aimed to spot fat burning using carbon dioxide rather than acetone. In either case, frequent metabolic measurements could be useful in a variety of health settings, from determining whether GLP-1 therapies are effective, to enabling athletes to fine-tune their metabolism.
These 3 Fire TV Sticks are on sale at Best Buy - here's the one I recommend (and why)
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 These 3 Fire TV Sticks are on sale at Best Buy - here's the one I recommend (and why) Written , Staff WriterStaff Writer July 23, 2026 at a. m. PT Maria Diaz/ZDNET $25 at Best Buy Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Best Buy has some legitimately great deals on Amazon devices right now, including three Fire TV Sticks priced as low as they were during Prime Day. For a limited time, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is now $35 (save $25), the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is $25 (save $25), and the Fire TV Stick HD is only $20 (save $15). Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Moto Razr Ultra: I've spent time with both, here's what I prefer I bought the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus at $25 during Prime Day last month, and it was (and still is) the lowest price we've ever seen this streaming device hit. Amazon Prime Day is a yearly shopping event where Amazon discounts many products, including its own devices, so seeing the same price from last Prime Day at Best Buy just bolsters the legitimacy of this deal. $25 at Best Buy As its name suggests, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus supports 4K-resolution TVs, so you can stream 4K content on compatible TVs without issues.
Science
View All 10'Evidence lacking' for mental health monitoring tech
An inquiry into the deaths of 2,000 people in Essex is expected to continue into 2027 There is no "strong independent evidence" that a monitoring system used widely in mental health wards has improved patient safety, an inquiry has heard. The Lampard Inquiry is examining the deaths of more than 2,000 mental health patients in Essex over a 24-year period. The inquiry had previously heard "grave concerns" expressed about the widespread use of Oxevision technology, which monitors patients in their rooms using infrared sensors and cameras. LIO Health, which runs Oxevision, recently said: "Technology has a vital role to play in supporting safer inpatient mental health care, an area without any medical device technology until Oxevision." It added its impact had been "significant". "In one trust alone, the technology has helped staff in responding to 1,453 safety incidents over a four-year period," LIO Health said. On Thursday, the inquiry heard from two experts from the University of Oxford. They had reviewed 45 studies that were used to justify introducing Oxevision across the NHS. The academics found some of the studies involved employees of Oxevision or were not extensive enough. They concluded the studies did "not provide strong independent evidence of improved patient safety, acceptability or cost effectiveness". Oxevision tracks patients' pulse and breathing rates, and is used by 40% of NHS mental health trusts However, one of the experts acknowledged that conducting the ideal study in a mental health ward setting would be challenging. Fiona Scolding KC, speaking on behalf of Oxevision, questioned whether it was more difficult to introduce randomised controlled trials in mental health units. Law firm Hodge Jones & Allen is representing more than 120 bereaved families at the inquiry. Partner Nina Ali said: "What we have heard from the experts today shows that there is no clear or meaningful evidence to show that Oxevision improves patient safety or patient care." Hat Porter is from Stop Oxevision, which has been campaigning for three years The campaign group Stop Oxevision has been campaigning to halt its use in the NHS. Spokesperson Hat Porter said the findings raised concerns "not only regarding this particular technology, but more broadly as well". They said a "lack of regulation means that a technology without any kind of robust independent evidence base can just be rolled out" widely. Prof Christl Donnelly and Dr Maria Christodoulou of Oxford University said "further independent, randomised, and adequately controlled research" would need to be undertaken before any stronger conclusions could be drawn about Oxevision.
Heatwave anxiety can make you feel 'incredibly helpless' - here's how to manage it
To her surprise, it got more than 18,000 likes and 1,700 reposts. In the video Tavia, a stay-at-home mum living in Cheltenham, says the heat "feels like the world is literally ending", she's "terrified for [her] children's lives", and that she "wants to scream at the people not taking this seriously". A 2022 study from the University of Bath estimates that about 4.6% of people in the UK have climate anxiety, which is recognised as a form of mental distress . Young people and women are among the groups most at risk, according to a study published in 2025. "Anticipatory anxiety", related to heatwaves in particular, has become more common, say psychologists Dr Caroline Hickman from the University of Bath and Dr Emma Lawrance from the University of Oxford. "Once people have been through a traumatic event like a flood or a heatwave, they anticipate the next one," Hickman, who offers therapy to individuals experiencing climate anxiety, told the BBC. In the UK, "now we're getting the repeat, repeat, repeat [heatwaves]. It triggers that sense that 'I can't be safe in the world, and the world can't be trusted'," she added. In June's heatwave, Hickman said she "had people saying they're going to kill themselves, I've had people saying they're going to terminate pregnancies, I've had people saying that they want to sell their houses and move somewhere cooler". Watts said that her video "clearly struck a chord with people" - including therapists posting comments about coping mechanisms - and that she wanted to help others deal with climate anxiety. "It can go one of two ways. You can either just fall into doomism and think, 'What is the point?'" she said. "Or you can try to do something. I sign petitions during a heatwave; I organise climate community events; I run a free children's clothes swap shop. During the last heatwave, I finally became vegetarian, because then I can tell my kids at least I tried." Lizzie Ellen was "terrified" when she first learned about climate change in school, but at the time felt like it was "quite far off". Now, the scorching temperatures of recent weeks have left the 38-year-old from west London "obsessively" reading about the heatwave and constantly checking her weather app. Ecologist Dr Francis Windram told the BBC that he had moved from Ascot, near London, to Lancaster in the north-west of England, specifically because of the cooler climate. He still bought a portable air conditioning unit in spring as a precaution, and is concerned about his grandparents and his father living further south in Hertfordshire. "We're looking at 35C-plus heat in houses that were not designed for it, with people who are not as able to regulate their temperature, and can't necessarily afford to just fit an AC," Windram said.
Scientists find building blocks of birdsong's 'spectacular diversity'
The songs of birds like this European wren are shaped . A team analysed the songs of more than 100,000 songbirds and revealed that the world's birdsongs are composed of eight fundamental types of sound that the researchers call "motifs". Birdsong all around the world, they say, is made up of combinations of these motifs - three types of trill, three types of whistle, chaotic notes and harmonies. Birdsong is one of the natural world's most sophisticated forms of sound-based communication. Its variety and complexity has fascinated biologists, but with so many different songs, it has been difficult to study on a global scale. Lead researcher and University of Saint-Etienne PhD student Quentin Bacquelé explained: "The diversity is huge. And if you go to Asia, Africa, Amazonia, you will hear totally different songs." In their new study, he and his colleagues used a global database of birdsong - recordings uploaded . This meant they could analyse about 116,000 songs from more than 3,000 birdsong species. They studied patterns in the songs - how each song shifted and changed through time. And with the help of AI, they could then compare the thousands of songs to each other - to find what connected them. The scientists said this unveiled "a simplicity underlying the spectacular diversity of birdsongs". The tropical Javan green magpie is critically endangered A key finding was that the environment the birds evolved in - from tropical forest to temperate landscape - shaped how they "composed" their songs. So birds adapted for tropical forests use different acoustic building blocks, or motifs, to those from temperate regions. Simpler motifs, like flat whistles, Bacquelé explained, are often found in tropical environments, apparently because they help the birds make themselves heard through the busy, biodiverse soundscape and dense vegetation. More complex compositions - with ultrafast trills and combinations that contain lots of information - are more common in temperate forests, where birds tend to communicate at closer range. It's a kind of evolutionary trade-off: A very complex song provides a lot of information, but it is difficult to transmit that information over long distances in complex environments. A nuthatch perches in a tree in northern England
Vulcan Centaur swapped out again: NASA goes with SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for launch of space weather mission
The six satellites of NASA's Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission are poised to launch to Earth orbit soon, to serve as an early warning system for incoming solar storms. They were originally slated to lift off on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket but have now been assigned a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, according to a NASA mission update. SunRISE will fly to space as part of a rideshare mission sponsored by the U. Space Force's (USSF's) Space Systems Command (SSC). Though it's not stated specifically in the NASA release, that may be a hint as to why the mission's rocket was changed. On its most recent launch, USSF-87, Vulcan experienced an anomaly in one of its solid rocket boosters — the second such incident to occur during the rocket's four launches to date. Vulcan succeeded in delivering the USSF-87 payload to its designated orbit on that launch, but the recurrence of the booster issue during ascent prompted the Space Force to pause national security launches on Vulcan until it could be addressed. Which mission SunRISE will be manifested on has not yet been released, but SSC has already shifted other launches between Vulcan and SpaceX's Falcon 9, so NASA's change in rockets for SunRISE could indicate either that the mission has been remanifested on a different SSC rideshare, or that another SSC mission has been shifted from Vulcan entirely. SunRISE is a heliophysics study under the NASA Science Mission Directorate's "missions of opportunity" umbrella and is part of the Explorers Program run , Maryland. It consists of six small satellites, each about the size of a mailbox. The mini-constellation's mission is led 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The half-dozen smallsats will be delivered to an orbit about 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) above Earth — just above a geostationary parking altitude — and fly in a giant 10-mile (16-km) "X" formation, each extending its roughly 10-foot (2.5-meter) antenna booms to act as a single large radio telescope to track solar radio bursts. These kinds of bursts travel faster than the energetic particles from a solar storm, and precede their arrival when shot towards Earth. Powerful solar storms, like the one that hit Earth in January, are capable of disrupting or disabling satellites , sensitive instruments and communications systems. If a storm is severe enough, it can pose a radiation threat to astronauts in orbit and even airborne passengers flying near Earth's poles, where the planet's magnetic field is weaker.
Environment
View All 10Thousands flee wildfires in France and Spain as temperatures reach extreme levels in southern Europe
Firefighters battle the blaze using a water truck near the village of Le Porge in south-western France. Photograph: Romain Perrocheau/AFP/Getty View image in fullscreen Firefighters battle the blaze using a water truck near the village of Le Porge in south-western France. Photograph: Romain Perrocheau/AFP/Getty Thousands flee wildfires in France and Spain as temperatures reach extreme levels in southern Europe France asks EU for help while Spain declares national emergency around Madrid, as marine heatwave sees parts of Mediterranean Sea 5C hotter than normal Brutal heat torching southern Europe has forced about 30,000 people to flee wildfires in France and Spain as a marine heatwave scalds the Mediterranean and researchers warn that “Dantesque” scenarios cannot be ruled out as infernos worsen. France has requested assistance from the European Union to help it deal with a major wildfire near the country’s Atlantic coast, while Spain has declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and in the province of Avila, because of several wildfires burning out of control. President Emmanuel Macron on Friday wrote on X that the situation remained “extremely tense” with the fires particularly bad in Gironde in southwestern France. “France has requested the activation of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. We will soon be able to count on reinforcements from two Croatian Canadair aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor planes, as well as two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia,” he said. The fire on France’s Atlantic coast prompted the evacuation of more than 18,800 people, including thousands of tourists from campsites and holiday homes, as firefighters struggled to control the blaze. Thousands evacuated in south of France as wildfire rages across pine forest – video Spain late Thursday declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and in the province of Avila, near the capital, in the wake of several wildfires burning out of control. Around the Madrid region, the fires have forced the evacuation of 10,000 people, placing the response to the crisis in the hands of a military emergency unit. “The government has deployed every available resource to stop the terrible fires currently affecting numerous areas: Avila, Leon, Toledo, Madrid and other parts of Spain,” prime minister Pedro Sánchez said earlier on X, urging the public to exercise “great caution” and heed instructions from authorities. Almost 125,000 hectares have already burnt in Spain this year compared with 393,000 for the whole of last year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.
Thousands evacuated in south of France as wildfire rages across pine forest – video
Local people and tourists were evacuated from the Arcachon Bay area overnight into Thursday after a huge fire engulfed more than 3,400 hectares (8,400 acres) of forest. Pushed , with flames reaching 10 metres high, the fire is still spreading towards the Cap Ferret peninsula. On Tuesday, two firefighters died battling another nearby fire close to Bordeaux airport Thousands flee wildfires in France as temperatures reach extreme levels in southern Europe Explore more on these topicsFrance Wildfires Climate crisis Most viewed Most viewed
Can you be fined for using a hosepipe?
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Can you be fined for using a hosepipe? Close Is there a hosepipe ban in your area? Subsection Published close panel Share page Copy link About sharing DroughtFollow Drought close panel You are now following Drought Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage. Severe weatherFollow Severe weather close panel You are now following Severe weather Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage. UK heatwavesFollow UK heatwaves close panel You are now following UK heatwaves Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage. HeatwavesFollow Heatwaves close panel You are now following Heatwaves Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage. GardeningFollow Gardening close panel You are now following Gardening Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.
Hosepipe ban in force as drought threatens - is your area affected?
A drought has been declared in North Wales and the Upper Severn river basin as successive heatwaves have left water supplies under strain. Without significant rainfall in the coming days, Wales is set to record the driest July since records began 190 years ago, according to Natural Resources Wales. The hot, dry summer is depleting water supplies and driving high demand across the UK, with more than 20 million people in England and Wales currently under a hosepipe ban. This means hosepipes cannot be used for watering gardens, washing vehicles and windows and filling pools. But while spring and early summer have seen temperatures regularly exceed 30C, winter was much wetter than usual. It has raised questions about how effectively water resources are being managed, and whether the UK is prepared for drier summers expected with climate change. So how is your area doing and how close are you to a drought? There is no single definition of drought, but it often begins with a period of low rainfall. As the ground dries out, crops and vegetation can begin to struggle. If dry conditions persist, rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels can also fall, putting pressure on water supplies. Environmental bodies in each UK nation decide whether to declare drought or water scarcity . Both drought and water scarcity can lead to hosepipe bans. While drought is driven , water scarcity occurs when demand for water outstrips the available supply. This summer, restrictions have been introduced in some areas to help manage high demand. So far, eight UK water companies have announced hosepipe bans - seven are spread across southern and eastern parts of England, and one is in Wales. North Wales and Upper Severn are the only regions in drought, with the rest of Wales in "prolonged dry weather" - the next category down. In England, the Environment Agency has declared prolonged dry weather across large parts of the country, including East Anglia, the West Midlands, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and London, Wessex, Thames, and Solent and the South Downs. The remaining parts of England, mostly in the north, remain in "normal" status. Meanwhile, there are no official droughts currently in Northern Ireland. Scotland does not declare droughts but monitors "water scarcity". Several areas in eastern Scotland are in "moderate scarcity" but none are in the most extreme category of "significant scarcity". Our three main sources of water are rivers, reservoirs and from deep underground.
Weather
View All 8Today: Sunny Intervals, Minimum Temperature: 13°C (55°F) Maximum Temperature: 21°C (71°F)
This video can not be played This morning will begin dry with patchy cloud and sunny spells. The afternoon will see plenty of sunshine developing as cloud clears. Remaining mostly dry tonight with patchy cloud and clear spells, though the odd spot of drizzle cannot be ruled out during the early hours. Patchy cloud and sunny spells to start tomorrow morning, but the afternoon will see it become breezier with frequent showers moving in from the north-west. Some of these may be locally heavy. Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday Sunday will see a mixture of variable cloud, sunny spells, and some patches of light rain. Largely dry with some sunshine to start on Monday, but clouding over through the day, with the odd spot of rain possible. Breezy on Tuesday with spells of light rain through the daytime, though some brighter breaks are possible in the afternoon. Average wind speed 5 Miles per hour, Westerly5Average wind speed 9 Kilometres per hour, Westerly9 Humidity: Humidity: 82%,82% Visibility: Visibility, not available,-- Pressure: Pressure: 1021 millibars, Steady,1021mb, Steady Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° North, 2.283° West)Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° N, 2.283° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Rochdale, Rochdale jol1yReported by jol1y Report for Standish, Wigan Northern Rambler Reported , Wigan OutnaboutReported , Tameside Razzamataz Reported by Razzamataz
Saturday: Light Rain, Minimum Temperature: 14°C (57°F) Maximum Temperature: 20°C (67°F)
This video can not be played This morning will begin dry with patchy cloud and sunny spells. The afternoon will see plenty of sunshine developing as cloud clears. Remaining mostly dry tonight with patchy cloud and clear spells, though the odd spot of drizzle cannot be ruled out during the early hours. Patchy cloud and sunny spells to start tomorrow morning, but the afternoon will see it become breezier with frequent showers moving in from the north-west. Some of these may be locally heavy. Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday Sunday will see a mixture of variable cloud, sunny spells, and some patches of light rain. Largely dry with some sunshine to start on Monday, but clouding over through the day, with the odd spot of rain possible. Breezy on Tuesday with spells of light rain through the daytime, though some brighter breaks are possible in the afternoon. Average wind speed 5 Miles per hour, Westerly5Average wind speed 9 Kilometres per hour, Westerly9 Humidity: Humidity: 82%,82% Visibility: Visibility, not available,-- Pressure: Pressure: 1021 millibars, Steady,1021mb, Steady Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° North, 2.283° West)Observation station: Manchester Airport (53.350° N, 2.283° W) Our favourite Weather Watchers photos nearby Report for Rochdale, Rochdale jol1yReported by jol1y Report for Standish, Wigan Northern Rambler Reported , Wigan OutnaboutReported , Tameside Razzamataz Reported by Razzamataz
Extreme Heat Watches issued for Utah, Montana, and northern Wyoming, temperatures up to 43°C (110°F) forecast through July 27
Credit: Brent Pace A widespread period of dangerous heat is forecast to develop across parts of Utah, Montana, and northern Wyoming beginning Friday, July 24, and continuing through Sunday, July 26, into early next week for some areas. Afternoon temperatures are forecast to range from 35 to 43°C (mid-90s to 110°F). In northern Utah, overnight temperatures are also expected to remain exceptionally warm, providing little relief from the daytime heating. The watches issued , Glasgow, Billings, and Great Falls cover large portions of the Wasatch Front, Cache Valley, northeast and central Montana, and parts of north-central Wyoming. Forecasters note that confidence is increasing in widespread dangerous heat over the weekend, with the most intense conditions expected Friday and Saturday across much of Montana. Utah Wasatch Front, Utah (NWS Salt Lake City) The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has maintained an Extreme Heat Watch from Saturday afternoon through Monday evening for the Wasatch Front, including the Salt Lake Valley, Utah Valley, Northern Wasatch Front, and eastern Box Elder County. Communities under the watch include Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, Lehi, Sandy, West Jordan, Bountiful, Brigham City, Payson, and Snowville. Afternoon temperatures are forecast to reach 39°C (102°F), creating dangerous conditions capable of significantly increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses during prolonged outdoor exposure. Cache Valley, Utah (NWS Salt Lake City) A separate Extreme Heat Watch is in effect from Saturday afternoon through Monday evening for the Utah portion of Cache Valley, including Logan and Smithfield. Daytime temperatures are forecast to range from 36 to 38°C (97 to 101°F), while overnight temperatures are unlikely to fall below 21°C (70°F), limiting overnight cooling and increasing cumulative heat stress over several consecutive days. The NWS notes that confidence is increasing for HeatRisk to reach Major levels through the weekend and into early next week, with the combination of persistent daytime heat and warm nights expected to drive sustained impacts. Montana Northeast Montana (NWS Glasgow) The National Weather Service in Glasgow has maintained an Extreme Heat Watch from Friday morning through Sunday evening for most of northeast Montana. The watch encompasses central and southeast Phillips County, central and southern Valley County, western and eastern Roosevelt County, Petroleum, Garfield, McCone, Richland, Dawson, Prairie, Wibaux, northern Phillips County, southwest Phillips County, and northern Valley County. Communities included under the watch are Glasgow, Sidney, Malta, Wolf Point, Poplar, Glendive, Circle, Terry, Jordan, Wibaux, Fairview, Hinsdale, Culbertson, Opheim, Fort Peck, Frazer, Whitewater, Richey, Saco, Winnett, and Zortman.
The Guardian view on Britain’s uninhabitable homes: as temperatures rise, a new approach is needed | Editorial
Sadiq Khan’s heat-ready plan for London is a sensible strategy for adaptation that should provide a roadmap for other cities“Our ability to trust that our homes will keep us safe from the outside is under threat,” the geographer Sam Johnson-Schlee writes in Hot House, his recent book on how heat has transformed domestic life. This summer, high temperatures have become inescapable. People have coped with makeshift solutions: keeping curtains drawn, placing foil over windows or – for those who can afford one – plugging in an air-conditioning unit. Planning experts warn that, with only about half of councils requiring new buildings to include cooling strategies, many homes will become “death traps” as temperatures rise.Britain’s homes weren’t built to cope with this. The country’s historically mild climate allowed developers to build houses without insulation, while industrialisation supplied plentiful coal to burn when temperatures dropped. Many homes are consequently drafty in winter and sweltering in summer. Unlike those in Mediterranean climates, British homes lack shutters and shaded communal spaces. While Ildefons Cerdà, Barcelona’s masterplanner, was designing housing blocks with cool courtyards and chamfered edges to allow breezes to flow, Britain’s Victorian builders were throwing up rows of terrace houses – many without cross-ventilation – and giving little thought to the movement of the sun.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. Continue reading...
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