UK News
View All 9Britain REFUSES Jamaica's £7.6bn slavery reparations demand as delegation descends on Buckingham Palace
Britain has refused Jamaica's £7.6billion reparations demand after a delegation descended on Buckingham Palace to pursue redress over the transatlantic slave trade.The Jamaican delegation formally submitted a petition on Monday calling on King Charles, who is the country's head of state, to refer a series of legal questions surrounding slavery and reparations to the Privy Council.The group described the move as the first time a Commonwealth nation had pursued the legal avenue "for the cause of reparatory justice".But Downing Street swiftly ruled out Britain paying reparations. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Our position on reparations is clear. The UK does not and will not pay reparations."The transatlantic slave trade was abhorrent, and of course it's right that we acknowledge the wrongs of the past. But we continue to face forward and work with other countries on current shared challenges."Jamaica has put the value of reparations it is seeking from Britain at £7.6billion.The petition asks the King to refer questions to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, including whether the enslavement of Africans in Jamaica was lawful under English law.It also asks whether slavery violated international law and whether Britain has a legal obligation to provide redress.Under the Judicial Committee Act 1833, the monarch can refer legal questions to the London-based body for an advisory opinion, although the King would act on the advice of the relevant authorities.Former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption dismissed Jamaica's assertion of a legal entitlement to reparations as "nonsense".He told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "I think that they see in the UK a country which has lost its pride in its past, which is riven by self-doubt and guilt, and which is no longer confident in itself, and so they see an opportunity to get some money. I think that it's as simple as that."LATEST DEVELOPMENTSReparations activists push British Museum to hand back Caribbean artefacts despite not being stolenBritain faces 'time of reckoning' as Caribbean envoys arrive in London to demand slavery reparationsBritain told to build statues of Africans, educate children on slavery and be nicer to migrantsJamaican Culture Minister Olivia Grange defended the reparations campaign by pointing to the compensation Britain paid slave owners following abolition.Britain allocated £20million to compensate slave owners following the abolition of slavery in 1833, equivalent to around 40 per cent of the Treasury's annual revenue at the time.Ms Grange said: "The question really should be: if in modern times we're still paying back the slave masters for the property that was our people, our ancestors, for property that was because of the abolition of slavery, then why shouldn't we be pursuing some remedy at this time?"The reparations campaign has received backing from Labour MPs including Diane Abbott and Bell Ribeiro-Addy.Ms Ribeiro-Addy last month described the slave trade as "the gravest crime in humanity".She said: "People think reparations is just about money it is not. Reparations means repair. It means healing, it means proper equality in our schools and hospitals. It means how our children get to live."She added: "We are not free until we are all free."The issue is expected to feature prominently at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in the Caribbean in November.Both King Charles and Prime Minister Andy Burnham are expected to attend the gathering.The Jamaican delegation also arranged separate talks with the British Museum over the potential return of cultural artefacts removed from the Caribbean. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Labour blames Tories for 'frustration' over migrant crisis after protests erupt in Dover and Portsmouth
Labour has blamed the Conservatives for the "frustration" over Britain's migrant crisis after protests erupted in Dover and Portsmouth over the weekend.Policing Minister Sarah Jones said anger in communities was a product of the "chaos and crisis" that preceded the 2024 general election, prompting a furious response from opposition MPs.Her comments came after hundreds of protesters descended on Portsmouth after a small boat containing asylum seekers landed in the coastal city for the first time. A day earlier, crowds of masked, black-clad men blocked road access to the Port of Dover. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Addressing MPs on Monday, Ms Jones said: "Let us never forget that the frustration we see in our communities today is a product of chaos and crisis in the years that preceded the general election of 2024."Since then, this Government has taken action to fix the broken system we inherited and bear down on the people smugglers."Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp hit back, saying: "If they’re serious about fixing this and ending public anger, they need to get serious about the measures - leave the ECHR and deport illegal immigrants as soon as they arrive."Then people won’t be so angry."Reform UK's Education spokeswoman, Suella Braverman, also rejected the suggestion that those angry about migration were extremists.Mrs Braverman said people in her Hampshire constituency "are terrified, they are furious and they are desperate - they are not far-right racists".She branded the Government's response to small boat arrivals "frankly pathetic", pointing to "leaflets to illegal migrants, asking them not to rape British girls and women".Ms Jones had earlier branded Patriot Platform, the group which claims to have organised the Dover demonstration, as "far-right racist".POLITICS - READ THE LATEST:Migrants 'being wrongly handed asylum' as damning UN probe exposes major Home Office failuresIsraeli minister sparks fresh Falklands row over Andy Burnham sanctions - 'It's time!'Andy Burnham to slap sanctions on Israel and spark row with Donald TrumpShe told the Commons that around 120 migrants arrived in a boat near the Isle of Wight on Sunday afternoon.More than 200 protesters subsequently attempted to stop three coaches due to take the arrivals for processing, according to the minister.Ms Jones warned that demonstrators who crossed the line "from peaceful protest into illegality will face the full force of the law".Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has launched an investigation into potential assaults and criminal damage, although no arrests have yet been made.Hampshire Police Federation chairman Spencer Wragg said officers "became the target for some of the protest", but none suffered serious injuries.He added: "Those scenes in that area of Portsmouth weren’t protests, they weren’t protests at all, it was clear that some people were intent on disorder and venting their frustrations."Patriot Platform founder Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, also confronted Reform UK's Home Affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf during the demonstration, warning that Nigel Farage needed to be "careful with his words".Questions have meanwhile been raised about the police response after Kent Police described Saturday's Dover demonstration as "spontaneous".Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
‘Happy and cheeky’ Rory given world-first treatment for rare skull condition
News | Health ‘Happy and cheeky’ Rory given world-first treatment for rare skull condition One-year-old Rory Potter was diagnosed with severe sagittal craniosynostosis. Rory Potter has become the first patient to receive a new type of treatment for a rare skull condition (Family handout/PA) Ella Pickover2 minutes ago A “happy and cheeky” baby boy has become the first in the world to be given a new type of treatment for a rare skull condition. One-year-old Rory Potter was diagnosed with severe sagittal craniosynostosis – a condition where the skull fuses before birth which leads to the skull to be long from front to back but narrow from side to side – shortly after he was born. Treatment usually involves skull reshaping surgery, which takes place within the first months of life. Over the last two decades this has involved the use of stainless steel springs to gradually widen the gap, giving space for the brain to develop and for new bone to grow. Rory has his surgery in September last year (family handout/PA) But now experts have developed new “super elastic” springs using a special metal called nitinol, a nickel and titanium alloy, with Rory the first patient to have them fitted. Each spring is custom-designed to the patient and their “super elastic properties” allow them to adapt more naturally to a child’s growing skull, experts at Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) said. The springs were developed (UCL). Nitinol springs that are used to gradually widen the gap, giving space for the Rory’s brain to develop and for new bone to grow (Gosh/PA) PA Media Using CT scans, the team create a detailed digital model of each child’s skull to predict how they will respond to surgery. They then design bespoke springs to deliver the right level of force. Once inserted the springs will remain in place for several weeks to months, gradually reshaping the skull before being removed. The new technology means children can avoid longer and more invasive operations and should see a reduction in blood transfusion rates, experts said. Rory was born in April 2025. Rory with his big brother Oscar (family handout/PA) His parents, Harry and Jo Potter, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, raised concerns about Rory’s head being longer than expected. With sagittal craniosynostosis suspected, Rory was referred to Gosh where his diagnosis was confirmed. Susan Sarandon says she has lost film roles due to support for Palestine Ian McKellen recalls ‘inglorious’ debut performance and marks 65 years of acting Art After Dark is back with an exciting calendar of cultural events Because his case was severe, medics thought he may benefit from the new nitinol springs instead of the traditional steel springs.
Sir Richard Branson's Virgin to 'explore' stopping trains to France at Stratford in east London
News | London Sir Richard Branson's Virgin to 'explore' stopping trains to France at Stratford in east London ‘It's a big and fast growing commercial opportunity,’ says East Ham MP Sir Stephen Timms pushing the case for a Stratford International stop Allow Exco Player content This content is provided . Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to load the content. Allow and Continue Nicholas Cecil, Chief Reporter @nicholascecil2 minutes ago COMMENTS Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin is to consider stopping planned new train services to and from France in east London. Senior London MP Sir Stephen Timms has been pushing for international rail services to the capital to stop at both Stratford International and St Pancras International. The MP for East Ham highlighted the “commercial opportunity” of such a move as east London becomes an increasingly thriving part of the city. He also stressed that continental services stopping at Stratford International would boost regeneration in east London. He spoke out after Virgin was given track access for new services between London and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam in 2030, in a step forward for its plans to rival Eurostar. Sir Richard Branson at St Pancras International station Virgin Trains/PA Wire Rail regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it had granted approval for Sir Richard’s company that will allow it to run up to 20 new daily return services through the Channel Tunnel. The agreement covers the period between October 1 2030 to December 31 2040 and relates to tracks owned and run . Sir Stephen, minister for social security and disability, told The Standard: “I welcome the prospect of new operators. “One of them, Gemini, has been very clear in it's commitment to stopping at Stratford. “I would urge Virgin to stop at Stratford too.” He added: “It's a big and fast growing commercial opportunity. “International services at Stratford will, in turn, promote regeneration in East London.” East Ham MP Sir Stephen Timms PA Media Responding to his comments, the Virgin Group stressed that its plans for a new London to continental Europe rail service were “moving at pace”. A spokeswoman said: “We have recently been awarded track access on London St Pancras Highspeed and will be bringing investment and new skilled jobs to the Temple Mills depot in East London.” She stressed further: “Virgin’s ambition extends beyond its initial launch plans and we’ve been actively engaging with stakeholders to explore future expansion. “Virgin is looking forward to exploring additional stops, including Stratford International.” The company will also consider whether its trains should stop at Ebbsfleet and Ashford in Kent.
World News
View All 10Trump threatens to block Canada's Bombardier planes from US market
https://p. dw. com/p/5M7Xk Bombardier said it supports tens of thousands of US jobs through its operations [FILE: May 1, 2024]Image: Carlos Osorio/REUTERS US President Donald Trump late on Monday threatened to block Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier from selling planes in the United States unless it manufactures them domestically, escalating a trade dispute with Ottawa as Canada's retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars in US products take effect on Tuesday. "NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES! Their products aren't good enough!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a 'piggybank',” he said. He did not specify how a ban would be enforced. Trump's post came amid an escalating trade dispute between Washington and Ottawa [FILE: August 23, 2026]Image: Daniel Torok/B66/Avalon/Photoshot/picture alliance What did Bombardier say? Bombardier responded to the US president's claims saying it supports tens of thousands of US jobs through its operations and a supply chain of about 2,800 American companies across 47 states. It also spends more than $2.5 billion (€2.15 billion) annually with US suppliers and said its aircraft use American-made engines, avionics and other components. Canada's retaliatory tariffs on US goods come into effect Trump's threat came just before Canada's retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on $20 billion worth of US imports took effect on Tuesday. The tariffs cover steel and aluminum products, as well as dairy goods such as cheese. Ottawa's move came weeks after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on a similar value of Canadian products after Prime Minister Mark Carney refused to match US tariffs on China. Why Canada rejected Trump's terms despite economic risks To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher Don't let the algorithm hide the news. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google "star" or "preferred" button, so you'll always see our verified news first.
Palestine weekly: Israeli ministers push for depopulation of Gaza
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (centre), who has proposed the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, waves as he visits the Mahaneh Yehudah Market in West Jerusalem, September 4, 2026 [File: Abir Sultan/EPA] 8 Sep 20268 Sep 2026 Far-right Israeli ministers began more forcefully advocating the wholesale removal of Palestinians in Gaza last week, offering timelines and government mechanisms to conduct illegal forced expulsions while displacement, demolitions and killings continued across Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Forest fires force evacuations near resorts in Antalya
Massive forest fires have broken out in Turkiye’s popular tourist province of Antalya. Hundreds of firefighters are battling the blazes which can be seen from as far away as 70 kilometres.
Canada Imposes New Tariffs on U.S. Goods, as Trade War Intensifies
The duties are a retaliation against President Trump’s recent tariffs, raising concerns about further escalation.
Politics
View All 10Kaja Kallas takes another hit
Listen on Spotify Apple Music Cast Box Pocket Casts The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, wanted a group of heavyweight former leaders to come up with fresh ideas to address Europe’s defense gaps. Instead, the initiative was killed before it even launched. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at why some capitals pushed back — and what the episode says about Kallas’ authority and the battle over who drives European defense policy. Then, European Council President Antonio Costa continues his tour of European capitals as negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget get more concrete. And finally: could Ukraine and Poland make a joint bid to host the football World Cup? Plus: We’re going live again on September 22. We’ll be recording the podcast in front of an audience as part of POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook Live event. You can register to attend here Question? Comment? Get in touch on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
Mobilité : l’Europe doit passer des objectifs aux conditions de leur réalisation
En 2025, 28 % des poids lourds neufs vendus en Chine étaient électriques. Dans l’Union européenne : 1,9 % (ICCT). Un rapport de près d’un à quinze, avec une technologie désormais disponible des deux côtés. Ce décalage n’est plus technologique. Il révèle un problème plus profond : nous avons fixé des trajectoires sans créer les […] The above column is sponsor-generated content. To learn more about our advertising solutions, click here. The above column is sponsor-generated content. To learn more about our advertising solutions, click here.
Gas prices reach Labor Day high amid Iran war
The average price of gas going into this Labor Day weekend reached a record holiday high compared to past years at $4.14 a gallon, according to a national tracking average from AAA. The previous record for Labor Day was $3.82 in 2012. The high price for fuel comes as diesel hit its highest price ever on Friday,…
Worker injured during White House construction rescued by emergency crew
An emergency crew rescued a construction worker from high up in scaffolding on the White House North Portico on Monday afternoon, responding to a dispatch saying that a worker had been injured. The worker was put into a stretcher and ambulance, which then went to the hospital, according to the Washington Post. The White House did…
Business
View All 10China’s export surge sets stage for record annual surplus
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Cholesterol drug setback casts doubt over multibillion-dollar race
Livestream Menu Novartis’ pelacarsen failed to reduce cardiovascular events despite lowering the harmful cholesterol Lp(a). The setback raises uncertainty for rival experimental Lp(a) drugs from Amgen and Eli Lilly. Analysts say the failure weakens, but does not disprove, the case for targeting the harmful type of cholesterol. NVS IONS AMGN Blood sample for a lipoprotein(a) test. Md Babul Hosen | Istock | Novartis' failure in a closely watched cardiovascular trial has raised questions about one of the pharmaceutical industry's biggest drug races and rival treatments from U. S. heavyweights Amgen and Eli Lilly. The pelacarsen drug, developed jointly with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, reduced a particularly harmful form of cholesterol in a late-stage clinical trial, but failed to significantly improve cardiovascular outcomes, Novartis said after the bell on Friday. The stock fell 3% on Monday. It is the first major clinical setback in the race to develop treatments that lower Lp(a), which elevates cardiovascular risks that are estimated to affect roughly one in five people worldwide and for which there is currently no approved targeted treatment. Novartis stock Although Amgen and Lilly are testing different technologies that have been shown to produce deeper reductions in the cholesterol called Lp(a), analysts say pelacarsen's failure raises the risk around a market that market watchers expect to be worth billions of dollars. "The Lp(a) hypothesis is weakened, but not disproven," Citi analysts said in a research note, noting that details remain scarce beyond the topline miss, including the magnitude (a) levels. More data is needed to determine whether the miss reflects pelacarsen's mechanism, trial design, or a challenge to the whole hypothesis that lowering Lp(a) can reduce heart attacks and strokes, they added. Novartis said full results would be presented at an upcoming medical congress. The company's chief medical officer, Shreeram Aradhye, said they "provide important evidence that advances scientific understanding of the relationship between Lp(a) lowering and cardiovascular outcomes and may help inform future approaches to cardiovascular risk management." Lp(a), short for lipoprotein(a), was discovered in 1963 and can contribute to the buildup of plaque in arteries and blood clotting. Nearly 50 years after its discovery, researchers found that people with elevated Lp(a) levels faced more than twice the risk of a heart attack. A person's Lp(a) levels are determined almost entirely , unlike LDL cholesterol, are largely unaffected . Novartis emphasized that the more than 8,000 patients in the trial were already on optimized care, while Jefferies analysts said in a Sunday note that improving standards of care are reducing cardiovascular events, potentially making it harder and more costly for experimental drugs to prove an added benefit in clinical trials.
Offshore borrowing in renminbi hits record high of nearly $150bn
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FirstFT: Top credit rating sought for Anthropic and OpenAI
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Technology
View All 10We have a year to fix security everywhere
Table of contents GLM Flash Frontier This Is Bad What do we do? Governments and regulatory agencies Companies and open source foundations Summary GLM 5.3-flash released last week, and that means Project Glasswing and Daybreak are running out of time. Cheap models capable of dangerous hacking are now available to anyone, without the normal safeguards for refusing malicious actions. We need to fix vulnerabilities across the industry so that we aren't caught unawares. And for one of the first times in computing history, we have the ability to! We can use frontier LLMs that move faster than a human to find and fix these issues in the time we have left. The hard remaining part is deploying the fixes. This probably sounds like nonsense words or hysterical overreacting to most people, so here's what that means: "GLM" is a kind of LLM (AI). The GLM family is open-weight, which means anyone can download and run the models. "flash" means that it is cheap and fast to run, compared to most "frontier" models. "cheap" is relative, but think around 5-15k USD in hardware to run it locally. "frontier" here means that the LLM is "close to the frontier of what AI is currently able to achieve". Project Glasswing and Daybreak are initiatives to use LLMs to fix security issues across the tech industry. "malicious actions" includes things like hacking infrastructure and telling people how to build pipe bombs. The rest of this post is about what makes me so sure this is an imminent threat, and what we can do in response. GLM GLM 5.3-flash can be downloaded and modified . The GLM ("General Language Model") family is developed by Z. ai Co. (formerly Zhipu AI), which is a Chinese AI lab. When the model is hosted by Z. ai, it comes with restrictions required by law: Z. ai releases its models publicly on the internet ("open-weight" models). Once it does so, organizations such as DeAlignAI release "abliterated" models with their task refusals surgically removed. DealignAI says the abliterated model scores 0% on Harmbench-320, which tests whether models refuse to complete tasks about disinformation, cybercrime, biological weapons, and other illegal acts such as building a pipe bomb. In other words, this model is willing to do basically anything. Flash GLM 5.3-flash is possible to run locally on stock consumer hardware. "Flash" is mostly an advertising term—it's relative to other models, not a specific technical approach.
Eric Wu’s newest company, out of stealth since May, is going after construction’s labor crunch
Eric Wu built and ran Opendoor, one of the more ambitious real estate startups of the last decade, before stepping away in 2022 after fast-rising interest rates abruptly slowed down home sales. He spent a year resetting — he’d been running the company for eight years at that point — and could have easily jumped into investing when he felt done with his hiatus. But like a lot of founders, he’s so convinced that AI will be the defining tech platform of his lifetime that he more recently decided instead to dive back into company building. As he told me during a call earlier this summer, “I knew if I looked back in 10 years and didn’t do something related to it, I’d probably regret that.” The opportunity Wu is chasing — building AI copilots for construction workers and other field laborers, something he describes as a hands-free expert coach for the people physically building things — isn’t exactly a secret. The construction industry is short workers by a wide margin. The trade group Associated Builders and Contractors has said roughly 349,000 additional workers would be needed this year just to keep pace with construction demand, a challenge that looks to worsen with workers getting older, workers getting shipped out of the United States owing to more aggressive U. S. immigration enforcement, and also the growing number of major projects being planned, specifically data centers. We’ve all heard now — from the entire AI industry — about the giant server farms that the AI boom demands. Those projects have grown enormous, and staffing demand has grown with them. Where a large data center campus once needed something like 750 workers at its peak, the biggest projects now require far more. Meta’s Hyperion campus in Richland Parish, Louisiana, for example, will reportedly require roughly 5,000 construction workers, and OpenAI’s Stargate site in Abilene, Texas has reported involved 6,400 workers. Kelly, the global staffing company, has said that 90% of data center operators now name staffing shortages as a critical constraint on their ability to build or expand. Wu’s new company, called NavigateAI, meant to address that people layer, officially launched in late May with $25 million in seed funding at a $225 million post-money valuation led , with participation from Khosla Ventures, Fifth Wall, real estate giant Lennar, Tishman Speyer, electrical contractor Helix Electric, and a roster of angels including Tony Xu of DoorDash, Apoorva Mehta of Instacart, and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.
A Plane Almost Crashing Into a Bunch of Cybercabs Is a Reminder That They’re ‘Piling Up’ Unused
Transportation A Plane Almost Crashing Into a Bunch of Cybercabs Is a Reminder That They’re ‘Piling Up’ Unused Elon Musk called the near-miss “Weird.” 7, 2026, pm ET Reading time 3 minutes © Photo / Read Later Read Later Comments (6) In an event Elon Musk has called “Weird,” the Amazon cargo plane involved in a tragic crash on Sunday in Miami very nearly wiped out a parking lot full of Tesla Cybercabs. Last week, Tesla announced that Cybercabs, its gold-colored autonomous vehicles with no steering wheels or pedals, were now available to provide rides as part of the company’s app-based ride-hailing service, but only in a very limited coverage area in Austin, Texas. On Sunday, an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane at Miami International Airport experienced some kind of malfunction in the air just before touchdown, and ended up overshooting its runway. In a horrifying turn of events, it crashed into a cargo van carrying an airport cleaning crew, as well as an SUV just outside the airport. The plane skidded to a stop just shy of a parking lot where, for reasons unknown, Tesla Cybercabs were parked. 🔴 La FAA annonce la fermeture jusqu’à nouvel ordre de l’aéroport de Miami suite à la violente sortie de piste du Boeing 767 de Prime Air. Les services d'urgence de l’aéroport signalent plusieurs victimes après l’accident. pic. twitter. com/bQrNaNw97l — air plus news (@airplusnews) September 6, 2026 According to a map of the crash site, which relies on data from FlightRadar24 and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the final position of the wrecked plane corresponds to a parking lot for truck trailers that can be rented . The day before the crash, EV influencer Sawyer Merritt shared someone’s video of that very lot with 35 Cybercabs parked in it. As noted , there is Tesla Robotaxi service in Miami, but there is not Tesla Cybercab Robotaxi service. That is to say, all the current Robotaxis in the Tesla autonomous fleet in Miami are Model Y vehicles with pedals and steering wheels. Until late last month, Tesla rides not only relied on vehicles with steering wheels and pedals, but also human safety monitors in the driver’s seat. But they appear to have gone fully unsupervised in Austin ahead of the limited Cybercab rollout. The full Tesla fleet of Model Y vehicles in Miami is purportedly unsupervised, though at launch in early July it comprised just two vehicles, and then three two days later.
I've factored the RSA keys of a Certificate Authority from the 90s
C=CA, O=E-Certify, OU=RSA Gold Server, CN=E-Certify RSA 512 Gold Server -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- MIIByjCCAXSgAwIBAgIBATANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQQFADBjMQswCQYDVQQGEwJDQTES MBAGA1UEChMJRS1DZXJ0aWZ5MRgwFgYDVQQLEw9SU0EgR29sZCBTZXJ2ZXIxJjAk BgNVBAMTHUUtQ2VydGlmeSBSU0EgNTEyIEdvbGQgU2VydmVyMB4XDTk4MTAxNjEz Mzc1M1oXDTAzMTAxNjEzMzc1M1owYzELMAkGA1UEBhMCQ0ExEjAQBgNVBAoTCUUt Q2VydGlmeTEYMBYGA1UECxMPUlNBIEdvbGQgU2VydmVyMSYwJAYDVQQDEx1FLUNl cnRpZnkgUlNBIDUxMiBHb2xkIFNlcnZlcjBcMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA0sAMEgC QQDNVQ93Ev7zgNaJAR1Z7gCydU6mky1e/B4EbY1NsdtfsitU9cELqg5uRJDPA40n CDPeOyil1lJ5N8hekcqJAkkXAgMBAAGjEzARMA8GA1UdEwEB/wQFMAMBAf8wDQYJ KoZIhvcNAQEEBQADQQB09SV6OeeDEP8Je3DOLNZ24U98NHqIBTDyB4sRpDmNdHum +3rm4AYtznBxG5hEShO89bcWi3yJtBITGuTRDnMq -----END CERTIFICATE----- -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- MIIBOgIBAAJBAM1VD3cS/vOA1okBHVnuALJ1TqaTLV78HgRtjU2x21+yK1T1wQuq Dm5EkM8DjScIM947KKXWUnk3yF6RyokCSRcCAwEAAQJAWZ2FOWf+A9K4T2VAJS69 +SU/pW3YwHrysuYJZN56K0Iz+Hqd1hBhCeJ3/T+/cvXq+ctD0x3uOxU1rDSeCoMO KQIhAPdbc1wTm3twWDYi1iXmRBXz97MYxRFld/KFr8x5+tK9AiEA1IG09a+oVg6j NMDj6GD7spaD4q9t1wk/Nyq/MTLPkmMCIEzzYjvuzZvlI0wUIlLAA8Zgk1pgBk6X Jm2IMVyHRgRxAiEAjZKgCTHuVu7HgiSjcTPzW0X1NTckWSc66zjaSR+Ns/sCICxT yXoTXWQCWL6BMpf2no7IlvoEnBIrED2Frq3PxlEA -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- C=CA, O=E-Certify, OU=RSA Gold Client, CN=E-Certify RSA 512 Gold Client -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- MIIByjCCAXSgAwIBAgIBAjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQQFADBjMQswCQYDVQQGEwJDQTES MBAGA1UEChMJRS1DZXJ0aWZ5MRgwFgYDVQQLEw9SU0EgR29sZCBDbGllbnQxJjAk BgNVBAMTHUUtQ2VydGlmeSBSU0EgNTEyIEdvbGQgQ2xpZW50MB4XDTk4MTAxNjEz MzQwOFoXDTAzMTAxNjEzMzQwOFowYzELMAkGA1UEBhMCQ0ExEjAQBgNVBAoTCUUt Q2VydGlmeTEYMBYGA1UECxMPUlNBIEdvbGQgQ2xpZW50MSYwJAYDVQQDEx1FLUNl cnRpZnkgUlNBIDUxMiBHb2xkIENsaWVudDBcMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA0sAMEgC QQBwCcT1iYlNyKPywB/kffD8esiCzGYJxSnTXQjU6ej/XxnA+9yqjzAMPtqFd094 wM89Vsmz9YOWSO6Qn6wOAs45AgMBAAGjEzARMA8GA1UdEwEB/wQFMAMBAf8wDQYJ KoZIhvcNAQEEBQADQQAdktdM5AzW+0o96eHCHwD3UfzxPvjKxPEjiI/QTn+njHt/ BEJb9yZatONRckglVc9v8P8Dy8HZGQD0+Pn0uxhW -----END CERTIFICATE----- -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- MIIBOQIBAAJAcAnE9YmJTcij8sAf5H3w/HrIgsxmCcUp010I1Ono/18ZwPvcqo8w DD7ahXdPeMDPPVbJs/WDlkjukJ+sDgLOOQIDAQABAkASXZeaxFPsm0I8zb+snfR9 /saVolnrqhVEH5EODdXy3nSm6fpdrsDwQDDg52biXjIUizQYdd3OourOn0/PyyiB AiEAyW4gFFgM0dJ+Y//vrIyQutLeH/5c/Vq3Lbcxv7R908kCIQCOZAAv8OCG/2oH yKaYj/EoxcFZ9csVh/kjicO/JIX+8QIhAMEzAkvhBDLALYAmvDCJBkxa8rhHFdPf jbCodGwGZ2WZAiB//XmBnlZkYl/PoVfGmNRgHun+0AZ9UxzqCeJvBQiBMQIgHWlr 0Sh1a8K2pQP2ktgmL3RH5+1Qd2wLx/hhGWtwPvU= -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- As a bonus, Internet Explorer 3.02 shipped a code signing CA called OU=Test VeriSign Commercial Software Publisher CA. I’m not sure what that’s for, but it’s just as easily factored. There are a few other test-looking 512-bit RSA keys in the ancient roots repo, so you should try factoring some more of them, or seeing what they could be used for! L=Internet, O=VeriSign, Inc., OU=Test VeriSign Commercial Software Publisher CA -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- MIIByDCCAXKgAwIBAgIQIsTi2AgEp+1OkpqVLROnazANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQQFADBl MREwDwYDVQQHEwhJbnRlcm5ldDEXMBUGA1UEChMOVmVyaVNpZ24sIEluYy4xNzA1 BgNVBAsTLlRlc3QgVmVyaVNpZ24gQ29tbWVyY2lhbCBTb2Z0d2FyZSBQdWJsaXNo ZXIgQ0EwHhcNOTYwNTAyMTcwMTUyWhcNOTcwNTAyMTcwMTUyWjBlMREwDwYDVQQH EwhJbnRlcm5ldDEXMBUGA1UEChMOVmVyaVNpZ24sIEluYy4xNzA1BgNVBAsTLlRl c3QgVmVyaVNpZ24gQ29tbWVyY2lhbCBTb2Z0d2FyZSBQdWJsaXNoZXIgQ0EwXDAN BgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAANLADBIAkEA1XqTpg1hQWq6IKvBXLor12GBTH6y4BHyOJjy MJISn0ZWBqkbZiEfoWgaWXhEwrvxMWonLA2vYFHijofFG4YIjwIDAQABMA0GCSqG SIb3DQEBBAUAA0EAKxuR/KPJPDNJgw0ORqqM7SlvIeqnVP71OEFytqPaZw/3TPEi 9oK6PzBvPdLBZlnjRd/hf58FW2+/PXxsFl78Mg== -----END CERTIFICATE----- -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- MIIBOwIBAAJBANV6k6YNYUFquiCrwVy6K9dhgUx+suAR8jiY8jCSEp9GVgapG2Yh H6FoGll4RMK78TFqJywNr2BR4o6HxRuGCI8CAwEAAQJAYM8tlegLarcToS1CiuKC bzHwiNgMFkENL01sx0n21/MhmA6pBiSwVn3Pu6yvx6EMB1zbCsaBHs/VTyofMbRW QQIhAOqdAX3bVZwAlZ5FDWyfGwgE0FXEIQ85kjcihrFeDs49AiEA6PBfC0YuNMSa M135mH+MEY1GEmQe9xHcXpiYAPazCrsCIQDDtuw6oJEfDYHCwRn8xhGXs+RT18Q4 Xi9yXRP9vFgfhQIhAIYUTfD0XYZcIBIvJosj56D2u328iaJXcow0s1Hirp4fAiAG bza0Qcc27d/0OzKOqep3JrDl/L5HidTj2XEqEXmnXw== -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- And finally, SSL Labs thinks my test site is great.
Science
View All 10'The Last Starship' is 2026's most slept-on space game — you need to check out this 'FTL'-like shipbuilding strategy gem
You won’t ever see me at a Costco lugging around 48-count packs of toilet paper, hernia-inducing apple bags, or ginormous 5-pound boxes of Goldfish Crackers. But after tinkering around with "The Last Starship" for a while, I think I could be converted into a doomsday prepper; someone who loads up on necessary supplies and has a keen sense of the proper protocol for acquiring stockpiles of food, water, ammo, and —if I were stuck out in deep space — oxygen. After being available in early access for nearly three years, "The Last Starship" 1.0 was finally released on Feb. 6, 2026, for PC from Introversion Software, the same inventive creators of "Prison Architect". It's hardly a new release at this point, but I've been absorbed , and it's definitely one that space game fans should check out. Latest Videos FromSpace View more Watch full video here: This engaging indie sci-fi video game teaches single-player gamers how to strategically operate an interstellar shipping and trading conglomerate. Oh, and watch out for space pirates! Watch On Introversion's "The Last Starship" is officially classified as a 2D space construction and simulation game, where you design, build, and upgrade your very own working starship. Once it’s in operational order, you strike out into the starfields to investigate colorful solar systems, discover rare resources, and even stumble upon arcane secrets. There's a dreamy, meditative element to "The Last Starship" that can’t be denied, even in this middle-aged gamer’s attitude of flying . You get a sense of genuine pride in accomplishing goals, fine-tuning your interstellar trading operations, and seeing them flourish before you. More space game articles 'Star Wars: Zero Company' recaptures the magic of your favorite Star Wars films Best space flight simulation games Best space strategy games Just as in real life, your specific choices will dictate your personal odyssey, whether you’re a brave soul itching to become a pirate hunter, a working joe looking to get into salvaging, mining, or transport delivery, or a visionary scientist like the Stargate engineer. First, choose an appropriate spaceship hull, then boost its propulsion system with engines, add critical life support systems, external sensors, thrusters. Then, supply your crew with tasty chow, and some bristling lasers and autocannons to test your might on the battlefield against space buccaneers. Rescue crews and civilians in peril, or go into business for yourself organizing an asteroid mining camp for profit.
Gaps in evidence on vaccinating badgers against TB, researchers say
The Welsh government is "renewing" its approach to eradicating bovine TB There are "significant gaps" in knowledge and evidence about the effect of vaccinating badgers in Wales against bovine tuberculosis (TB), according to researchers. A team from the British Ecological Society's Wales policy group, along with staff from Cardiff and Aberystwyth universities, argue the gaps reduce the effectiveness of this method of trying to deal with the disease. Vaccination is part of a programme to eradicate bovine TB in Wales, but it is a controversial topic. The Welsh government said it was "renewing" its approach to eradicating bovine TB. There have been calls for alternative methods to vaccination for controlling the infection among cattle, such as badger culling, as they can carry the disease and transmit it to cattle. Cattle are regularly tested for the presence of the infection and are slaughtered if they are found to be carriers. Cattle are slaughtered if they are found to be carriers of bovine TB The call for more monitoring comes in a new policy briefing by researchers. They are calling for increased monitoring of the vaccination's impact, a review of the evidence, and collaboration with farmers "to ensure the greatest possible impact" from the programmes. In their policy briefing, they say "major questions remain about how many badgers are being vaccinated, what impact vaccinating badgers is having on disease levels in cattle, and how confidence in vaccination can be improved among farmers and veterinary professionals". Researchers say bovine TB remains "one of the biggest animal health challenges" A spokesperson for the Welsh government said: "We are renewing our approach to eradicating bovine TB in Wales, focusing on three main elements: cattle, people, and wildlife. "This work will be evidence-based and science-led, taking into account advice from the programme board and the technical advisory group, while ensuring that value for money remains a core consideration in decision-making." Last month, Llyr Gruffydd, the minister responsible for agriculture, said there was a need to "look at a range of solutions". He said the "picture varies from farm to farm" and that a "wide range of options" were being considered. His comments came as the Welsh government announced the extension of two projects aiming to eradicate bovine TB. The project began as a pilot scheme introduced in two areas - Pembrokeshire, where there is a very high number of TB cases, and parts of north Wales - but there was no intention to expand this to other areas.
Public asked to have their say on proposed new renewable energy company
The Welsh government is looking at ramping up its involvement in renewable energy People across the country are being asked to have their say on proposals for a new renewable energy company owned . It would "develop and own" wind and solar plants, and support local communities to take an ownership stake. The Plaid Cymru-led Welsh government hope it can reduce the cost of bills in the long term, but the company would not directly set energy prices. It does not set out to replace the organisations that provide energy direct to customers, with the government inviting people for views on how it should operate. The plans were criticised , Labour and Reform. The Welsh government already owns a renewable onshore wind and solar developer - Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, external (TGC). Ministers in Cardiff are proposing to bring TGC together with other existing Welsh energy schemes, such as Ynni Cymru, which aims to expand locally-owned renewables and the government's energy service. Enterprise Minister Adam Price told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the government wanted an energy system that was "clean, cheap and owned by us". Plug-in solar panels are coming to a shop near you - here's what to know 'Secret' underground energy could heat every home in capital city The company would not "replace existing energy suppliers or directly set household electricity prices", it said in a consultation document. It added that its purpose would be to "help Wales reduce energy costs over time " and "supporting local and community ownership, investing in smart local energy systems". It would also "help more organisations use locally generated energy" and try to attract investment into Welsh energy infrastructure. The company would be separate from Great British Energy, which the UK government set up in 2024. TGC is working on a number of projects on land owned , including proposed wind farms at Carreg Wen near Aberdare and Glyn Cothi in Carmarthenshire. The consultation asks if TGC should form the basis of the new company and whether it should use its name or call itself Ynni Cymru, external. It also proposes that the company could take stakes in larger schemes - suggesting this could involve offshore wind, marine energy and nuclear. The consultation looks at establishing a Welsh Energy Wealth Fund to allow energy projects "to support the most vulnerable in Wales as well as those living in areas where projects are being delivered". Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Price said: "Our vision for the future of the energy system in Wales is one in which it's clean, it's cheap and it's owned by us." He said the organisation was bringing the different elements together "to create a single company that, if you like, has the range of expertise and the sort of critical mass of resources and knowledge to make a real difference".
Super El Niño set to cause ‘terribly dangerous’ drought in the Amazon
Droughts and deforestation have pushed the Amazon close to a tipping point CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via A super-sized El Niño weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean is set to cause a devastating drought in the Amazon, fuelling the risks of huge wildfires in a region already feared to be approaching a climate tipping point. El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific rise above normal, driven . El Niño tends to push up global temperatures and unleash extreme weather around the world. Scientists monitoring the current El Niño’s development say it is set to be the most intense in modern history by a large margin. Already, ocean temperatures in the Pacific are well above what would be expected for a normal El Niño and are still rising, prompting warnings of extreme impacts. Very strong El Niños like this tend to concentrate their heat close to the coast of South America, says Adam Scaife at the Met Office, the UK’s national weather service. That, in turn, leads to more intense impacts in the region, including drought in the Amazon, he says. The most up-to-date forecasts from the Met Office show a “terribly dangerous [rainfall] anomaly” developing over the Amazon by January, says Scaife. Hotter air temperatures are also expected in the region due to El Niño. The Amazon rainforest plays a key role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and is a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. But severe drought can have dire consequences for wildlife and the planet. An extreme Amazon drought during the 2015-16 El Niño event fuelled huge wildfires, destroying around 2.5 billion trees and plants, and emitted 495 million tonnes of CO2, according to research led . Scientists also warn that repeated and increasingly severe droughts mean the Amazon is approaching a climate tipping point, at which the rainforest ecosystem collapses and is replaced by savannah. Tim Li at the University of Hawaii thinks the Amazon is set to suffer the most extreme El Niño-induced drought on record. Rainfall over the Amazon during June, July and August was well below average, despite the El Niño phase still being in its infancy. “The rainfall anomaly in this year, 2026, in the summertime, is already much stronger than all other events [previous large El Niños]. In the Amazon you already see drought,” says Li.
Environment
View All 10Nepal says big polluters must ‘wake up’ as it calls for climate compensation over flood disaster
A woman looks on as heavy machinery works in the aftermath of deadly flash floods and a mudslide near the Nepal-Tibet border. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters View image in fullscreen A woman looks on as heavy machinery works in the aftermath of deadly flash floods and a mudslide near the Nepal-Tibet border. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters Nepal says big polluters must ‘wake up’ as it calls for climate compensation over flood disaster Foreign minister Shisir Khanal tells the Guardian the world’s biggest economies need to help Nepal, which contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions Nepal is demanding $20m in climate compensation for the recent devastating floods, as a senior minister called on the world’s most polluting countries to “wake up” and accept shared responsibility for a disaster that led to the death or disappearance of more than 6,000 people. Scientists believe the climate crisis had a role to play in the floods, which were triggered when a melting glacier partially collapsed and set off a deadly landslide and flash flooding through Chinese-controlled Tibet and Nepal in late August. So far, more than 1,300 are confirmed dead and more than 5,500 still missing, with hopes of their survival diminished after 12 days of rescue operations. A journey to the frontline of Nepal’s disastrous floods – podcast Speaking to the Guardian, Nepal’s foreign minister, Shisir Khanal, was forthright in his call for climate justice and said it was imperative the world’s biggest economies stepped up to help Nepal recover and rebuild after the catastrophic floods. Nepal contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while its neighbours India and China are among the world’s biggest emitters. The mountains of the Himalayas – which span across India, China, Nepal and Bhutan – have been warming at a rate nearly 50% faster than the global average. In 2023, the UN said Nepal’s mountains had lost close to a third of their ice in just over 30 years due to global heating. Khanal emphasised that the recent disaster was far more extreme than any flooding regularly seen during the monsoon season, and said the magnitude of damage was on par with the 2015 earthquake that left much of the country in ruins. View image in fullscreen An excavator repairs a damaged road in Nepal near the Trishuli River on Monday. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters“This felt like a tsunami that was coming from the Himalayas,” he said. “We experienced waves as high as 60, 70 feet, which were mixed with debris, mud, stones, rocks, and came at the speed of almost 180km per hour.
Cities in Great Britain most vulnerable to extreme heat revealed
The City of London records the highest built-environment score and the least effective natural cooling of any city. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA View image in fullscreen The City of London records the highest built-environment score and the least effective natural cooling of any city. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA Cities in Great Britain most vulnerable to extreme heat revealed OS index examines which ‘urban heat islands’ suffer the most – and which cope the best with rising temperatures Portsmouth, Leicester, Exeter, Bristol and Nottingham will be among the cities that warm the most , according to research. Analysis from Ordnance Survey (OS) has created a heat vulnerability index for all cities in Great Britain. Portsmouth, which sits on the south coast of England and is home to 208,000 people, is the most vulnerable to extreme heat today and into the future, according to the research from the OS, the Met Office and the data analysis company 4 Earth Intelligence. Concrete, asphalt, buildings and hard surfaces in cities absorb solar radiation during the day and act like giant radiators, holding on to the heat rather than cooling down at night as in more rural areas. Cities can be up to 10C hotter than surrounding areas. Areas most at risk of extreme warming are those with the least tree cover, green space and waterways. View image in fullscreen Portsmouth is the most vulnerable to extreme heat today and into the future, according to the research. Photograph: Peter Titmuss/AlamyThis summer was provisionally the UK’s hottest on record, and the research reveals which cities are suffering now from intense urban heat and which will be among the warmest in future. The research analyses 71 cities granted , Scotland and Wales but excluding Northern Ireland. The OS heat vulnerability index suggests that by 2040 all 71 cities will reach high heat vulnerability. , almost two-thirds could reach the most severe level. Those facing the most severe impact , the City of Westminster, Plymouth, Leicester and Exeter, according to the analysis. Nick Bolton, the chief executive of Ordnance Survey, said: “Cities are where millions of people live, work and spend their everyday lives. “Extreme and sustained heat can affect people’s health and wellbeing, how comfortable our homes and workplaces are, and put additional pressure on transport, energy and emergency services. Understanding how and where this vulnerability is changing depends on an accurate view of how the country is built, based on trusted authoritative data, which is critical for planners, developers and local authorities preparing for a warmer future.” UK ‘built for climate that no longer exists’ and needs urgent changes to survive global heating, report warns Portsmouth is today the most heat-vulnerable city and will remain at the highest level for warming until the end of the century, according to the research.
London talks raise hopes for green shipping deal
Share: X (Twitter) Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Print A relatively ambitious deal to reduce the shipping industry's 3% of global emissions now looks more likely after four days of closed-door talks in London, observers say. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which oversees the negotiations, said there had been "constructive discussions" and "genuine willingness within the group to make concrete further progress". Em Fenton, senior director at the NGO Opportunity Green who attended the talks last week, said they "demonstrated a strong spirit of solidarity in the face of blatant attempts to undermine the credibility, ambition and equity of a hard-fought multilateral agreement". Log in here → Upgrade to keep reading For 15 years we’ve rigorously reported on the decisions shaping our climate. Upgrading to a paid subscription is how readers like you help keep this work going. £40/quarter → Or £130/year — best value. A relatively ambitious deal to reduce the shipping industry's 3% of global emissions now looks more likely after four days of closed-door talks in London, observers say. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which oversees the negotiations, said there had been "constructive discussions" and "genuine willingness within the group to make concrete further progress". Em Fenton, senior director at the NGO Opportunity Green who attended the talks last week, said they "demonstrated a strong spirit of solidarity in the face of blatant attempts to undermine the credibility, ambition and equity of a hard-fought multilateral agreement". After several years of debate, governments provisionally agreed in April 2025 on a "Net-Zero Framework" (NZF) - a series of emissions reduction targets for shipowners aimed at incentivising them to use cleaner fuels, backed up with financial rewards for meeting the targets and fees for missing them. But in October 2025, after a high-profile intervention , the US convinced a majority of voting nations to postpone the adoption of the NZF for a year. UCL analysis found that, of those who expressed a view at last week's talks, 38 were in favour of an NZF-style solution while only 17 were against. Those opposed are "consistently composed of strongly fossil fuel-aligned governments". An observer of the talks, who did not want to be named, said the countries opposed include the US, Russia, India, Thailand, Argentina, Ecuador and Uruguay, as well as eight oil-rich Gulf nations and shipowner-reliant Liberia and Panama. Governments that support an NZF-style deal include China, Brazil, Mexico, Türkiye, Canada, Australia, Chile, nine African nations, most European countries and small islands.
Heatwaves and wildfires are setting back air quality improvements, UN finds
A wildfire burning near the coast of Syracuse in Sicily, Italy, toward the end of last month. Photograph: Stéphane Mahé/Reuters View image in fullscreen A wildfire burning near the coast of Syracuse in Sicily, Italy, toward the end of last month. Photograph: Stéphane Mahé/Reuters Heatwaves and wildfires are setting back air quality improvements, UN finds WMO report details extreme weather events causing climatic feedback loop with serious health consequences Big increases in wildfires and heatwaves supercharged , UN experts have said. Regions that had recorded a fall in pollution emitted , according to a new report, while rising temperatures caused a surge in ground-level ozone. In turn, the pollution generated -linked events is itself contributing to climate breakdown, creating a feedback loop that risks dragging the world deeper into environmental catastrophe. “Air quality and climate cannot be treated as separate subjects; they are deeply intertwined and have to be treated together,” said Lorenzo Labrador, a scientific officer of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which issued the report. View image in fullscreen Thick haze from expanding wildfires engulfs Palembang in South Sumatra. Photograph: Mast Irham/EPAThe WMO publishes its air quality and climate bulletin annually, to coincide with the UN’s international day for clean air. Among its key findings was that extreme wildfires are increasing, leading to serious health consequences because of the toxicity of the smoke they are emitting. This trend, “driven by a feedback loop between climate change and fire-conducive weather conditions”, was leading to an “urgent and growing public health threat”. As well as carrying high concentrations of fine particulate matter, smoke from wildfires causes oxidative stress in people’s bodies. “Systematic reviews and experimental studies consistently link wildfire smoke exposure to increased asthma attacks, hospitalisations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), spiked respiratory medication use, as well as impacts on mental health and birth outcomes,” the report said. According to one study cited, a tripling of wildfires since the 1990s had contributed to almost 100,000 deaths a year between 2010 and 2018. The report also raises the alarm about ground-level ozone pollution, which is exacerbated . “Ozone is a very powerful oxidant,” Labradorsaid. “So once it gets to the lung, it essentially oxidises lung tissue and causes inflammation and circulatory problems, and eventually heart problems.” In heavily polluted regions, roughly one in five deaths from COPD is now attributed to long-term exposure to ozone, the report said. View image in fullscreen The Ross fire in Palo Pinto, Texas is yet to be fully extinguished after it started late last month.
Weather
View All 5Today: Thundery Showers, Minimum Temperature: 10°C (50°F) Maximum Temperature: 16°C (61°F)
This video can not be played This morning will have sunny spells. It will turn cloudier in the afternoon with scattered showers developing, these locally heavy. It will be a cool day and turns windy in the afternoon. Tonight will remain largely cloudy with a few showers. It will be a breezy night but winds will ease towards dawn. Tomorrow will have a few lingering showers in the morning. In the afternoon, it will be dry with partly cloudy skies and sunny spells. The best of any sunshine will be later in the afternoon. Outlook for Thursday to Saturday Thursday will have sunny spells early in the morning but it soon turn cloudier with a few showers possible. Longer spells of rain will move in later in the afternoon and evening. Friday will be a drier day with variable cloud and sunny spells. Saturday will have a dry and bright start, but it will turn cloudy in the afternoon with a band of rain moving in from the north-west. Average wind speed 5 Miles per hour, South South Westerly5Average wind speed 9 Kilometres per hour, South South Westerly9 Humidity: Humidity: 94%,94% Visibility: Visibility, not available,-- Pressure: Pressure: 1007 millibars, Falling,1007mb, Falling 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 Golborne, Wigan bob englandReported , Manchester Tony LyonsReported , Manchester TicklespoonReported , Oldham Wonky AlReported
Wednesday: Sunny Intervals, Minimum Temperature: 9°C (47°F) Maximum Temperature: 18°C (64°F)
This video can not be played This morning will have sunny spells. It will turn cloudier in the afternoon with scattered showers developing, these locally heavy. It will be a cool day and turns windy in the afternoon. Tonight will remain largely cloudy with a few showers. It will be a breezy night but winds will ease towards dawn. Tomorrow will have a few lingering showers in the morning. In the afternoon, it will be dry with partly cloudy skies and sunny spells. The best of any sunshine will be later in the afternoon. Outlook for Thursday to Saturday Thursday will have sunny spells early in the morning but it soon turn cloudier with a few showers possible. Longer spells of rain will move in later in the afternoon and evening. Friday will be a drier day with variable cloud and sunny spells. Saturday will have a dry and bright start, but it will turn cloudy in the afternoon with a band of rain moving in from the north-west. Average wind speed 5 Miles per hour, South South Westerly5Average wind speed 9 Kilometres per hour, South South Westerly9 Humidity: Humidity: 94%,94% Visibility: Visibility, not available,-- Pressure: Pressure: 1007 millibars, Falling,1007mb, Falling 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 Golborne, Wigan bob englandReported , Manchester Tony LyonsReported , Manchester TicklespoonReported , Oldham Wonky AlReported
A Major Pattern Flip Arrives: Severe Weather Outbreak and Sharply Colder Air to End Europe’s Late-Summer Heat
A dramatic summer-killer pattern is taking shape across Europe this week, bringing a sharp end to the prolonged early-September Heat Dome. A powerful upper-level trough that is emerging from the North Atlantic will drive a strong surface cold front across Western and Central Europe by mid-week, crashing directly into the extreme, record-warm air mass parked over the continent. This volatile clash will trigger a widespread severe weather outbreak from the Alps down into the Western Balkans, fueled a sheared environment, followed by a sharp drop in temperatures as unseasonably cold air surges in behind the frontal boundary. The transition begins Wednesday into Thursday as the high-amplitude ridge breaks down under intense upper-level forcing. As the front pushes east, extreme atmospheric instability, high moisture content from the historic Mediterranean marine heatwave, and strong vertical wind shear will combine to fuel severe thunderstorms across Eastern France, Switzerland, the Balearic Islands, Northern Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia. Primary convective threats include large to giant hail, severe damaging winds, torrential rainfall with flash flooding, and localized tornadic potential. On Monday night, the frontal boundary was analyzed as entering Western Europe, extending from the deep low over Scandinavia toward the Azores. Behind the frontal boundary, a polar-origin air mass will overspread Central Europe, bringing a drastic thermal collapse. Daytime highs that previously hovered near 35–40 °C will plummet by 15 to 20 °C in less than 24 hours. The rapid cooling will bring the first heavy snowfall to the higher elevations of the Alps, while cold continental winds lower snow lines across high-mountain passes and deliver a crisp, autumn-like atmosphere across Western and Central Europe heading into the weekend. Forecast model animations below illustrate the progression of the deep upper trough and the advancing surface cold front, highlighting the sharp temperature gradient and severe convective potential moving from the Alps into the Western Balkans. Let’s dig into the details of this significant pattern change that ended the historic early September heatwave mid-week. Synoptic Setup: Heat Dome Collapses as Deep Upper-Level Trough Enters West-Central Europe The general weather picture over the North Atlantic and European continent this week indicates that a strong upper-level ridge is finally collapsing the prolonged Heat Dome, ending the excessive heatwave. A large upper-level wave is emerging into Western Europe on Tuesday, spreading east on Wednesday and Thursday, centered over Northern Europe. A secondary wave cuts off into the Northern Mediterranean, producing a surface low that travels across Italy toward the Western Balkans and supports widespread severe weather activity.
Multiple CMEs forecast to impact Earth on September 8 and 9, G1 geomagnetic storm watch issued
C5.0 solar flare at UTC on September 6, 2026. Credit: NASA/SDO AIA 304, Helioviewer, The Watchers SPWC has issued a G1 – Minor Geomagnetic Storm Watch for September 8 as several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are forecast to reach Earth from early September 8 into 9. According to the center’s latest Forecast Discussion, issued at UTC on September 7, modeling of several CMEs observed over the previous 24–36 hours suggests a possible combined arrival during this period. Geomagnetic conditions are expected to become unsettled to active on September 8 and 9, with isolated G1 – Minor storm periods likely. There’s also a slight chance of reaching G2 – Moderate levels if the anticipated CMEs impact Earth as forecast. However, confidence remains low in both the timing and magnitude of the CME arrivals. Solar wind conditions were already enhanced on September 7 ahead of the expected CME sequence. SWPC reported that the interplanetary magnetic field strengthened to as much as 18 nT, while its north-south Bz component reached -14 nT and solar-wind speed peaked at 434 km/s. Forecasters attributed the conditions to a corotating interaction region transitioning into a coronal hole high speed stream, together with effects from a filament CME that left the Sun on September 2. Further solar wind enhancements are expected on September 8 into 9 as the anticipated CMEs arrive while the coronal hole high speed stream remains influential. The magnitude of any storm will depend not only on whether the CMEs arrive, but also on their magnetic structure when they reach Earth. Sustained southward Bz can increase coupling between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere and support stronger geomagnetic activity. /SWPC At G1 level, weak power-grid fluctuations and minor satellite effects are possible, while aurora may become visible farther from the poles. If G2 conditions develop, disturbances can become more pronounced. Regarding the energetic particle environment, SWPC reported that the >10 MeV proton flux declined toward background levels on September 7, adding that levels could increase again on September 8–9 if the anticipated CMEs arrive as forecast. A separate large and fast moving CME observed leaving the Sun’s east limb at approximately UTC on September 7 was determined to be a far side event and not expected to affect Earth. The main uncertainty over the next 24–48 hours is therefore the timing, interaction, and magnetic configuration of the incoming CME sequence. Solar activity is likely to be at low levels due to occasional C-class flare activity, with a slight chance for M-class flares through September 9.
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