UK News
View All 9UK rapper Yung Filly to face retrial on three rape charges in Australia
Rapper Yung Filly is set to be retried on three rape charges in Australia after jurors were unable to agree on a verdict during his first trial.The British rapper and online personality, 30, whose legal name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, faced an eight-day hearing at Perth's District Court of Western Australia.Prosecutors confirmed on Thursday that they intend to proceed with a fresh trial on the three counts of sexual penetration without consent.Barrientos has also been charged with cannabis possession following an alleged incident on May 20 while he was released on bail. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say During last month's trial, the jury cleared Barrientos of raping a woman in his hotel room.He was, however, convicted on two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm relating to bites on the woman's neck and breast.The jury also acquitted him of an assault charge linked to an alleged slap and a separate choking charge.A sentencing date for the assault convictions has not yet been fixed.His bail has been set at a personal undertaking of AU$100,000 (£52,000), according to Western Australia's courts.A hearing on an application to change his bail conditions is scheduled for August 27.The case centres on allegations that Barrientos assaulted a 20-year-old woman, who has legal anonymity, in his hotel room during a September 2024 tour of Australia.The pair had met at a nightclub following one of his performances, the court was told.LATEST CELEBRITY HEADLINES FROM GB NEWS:Jeremy Vine forced to step down from Carers UK Awards for highlighting Britain's benefits billTrevor Nelson shares 'very serious' brain tumour battle as he explains reason for Radio 2 absenceBBC Apprentice star sparks fury as she calls fast food customers 'gross' in 'judgmental' rantProsecutors argued the woman initially consented to sex but later withdrew that consent because she feared for her safety.Barrientos denied all charges against him at the original trial.The Colombian-born entertainer was apprehended in Brisbane, on Australia's east coast, several days after the alleged offence.His retrial is listed for mention at the District Court on September 25.His cannabis possession charge will be heard at Mandurah Magistrates' Court near Perth on September 1.Barrientos is known for his work with YouTube collective Beta Squad and has featured on a number of BBC programmes.He presented the series Hot Property and co-hosted Munya And Filly Get Chilly alongside comedian Munya Chawawa, a spin-off of Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof.He has also taken part in Soccer Aid for England and appeared on Channel 4's The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
'Focus on the day job!' Greens mocked for plan to grant Unesco heritage status to bread roll
The Scottish Greens have been panned after launching a campaign to grant Unesco heritage status to Scotland's morning roll. The push - spearheaded by Holly Bruce MSP - is urging the UN's cultural heritage agency to recognise "the act of ordering a morning roll" as living heritage. In Holyrood, Ms Bruce lodged a motion celebrating the bread roll's working-class roots, labelling it "part of Scotland's story".“Many of the best days begin with a morning roll, just as the best nights out end with one," she said. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say "It has been part of our breakfasts, our bakeries, our communities and our traditions for hundreds of years, and it has been around longer than France has had the baguette.“Scotland has given the world many great things, and the morning roll deserves its moment in the spotlight. "It is time we celebrated this great Scottish institution properly and gave it the recognition it deserves.”But the campaign has sparked backlash from across the political aisle, with critics slamming the move as a pointless endeavour.The push was blasted by Reform UK Scotland's deputy leader Thomas Kerr, who told the Greens to focus on more important matters.He said: “The Scottish Greens clearly have nothing better to do if they want to use valuable parliament time talking about bread.“Scotland would much prefer MSPs do what they are paid to do, work on the real issues that face this country, not ‘The Great Holyrood Bake Off’.”His sentiments were echoed by Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr, who questioned why the push is "suddenly a priority" for the Greens. SCOTLAND - READ THE LATEST:Police launch desperate manhunt after two men stabbed to death in GlasgowTetraplegic veteran set to take on 79-mile Scottish coast challenge to raise money for charityEdinburgh Fringe Festival venue admits discriminating against cancelled Jewish comedianWhile acknowledging that "generations of Scots have loved the morning roll", Mr Kerr said: “People are worried about rising bills and the state of the NHS, not whether a food product should enjoy similar status to the Taj Mahal or the Sydney Opera House.“This new Green MSP should be focusing on what truly impacts people’s lives every day if she is serious about representing her Glasgow Southside constituents.”Unesco heritage status does not just protect individual dishes themselves, but the cultural practices surrounding traditional food and drinks and their impact within identity and communities. Practices protected by the UN's cultural heritage agency include Belgian beer culture, Korean kimchi-making and Chinese tea processing. Scotland's love affair with the morning roll dates back centuries, with the earliest evidence of its consumption being found more than 400 years ago.The baked good appears in Edinburgh Burgh records dating back to 1601, where it is referred to as “read baps". The item is often stuffed with hearty fillings, with popular choices including bacon, square sausage, egg and black pudding. Hundreds of thousands of Scots enjoy the delicacy daily, with a fierce debate surrounding how they are best served - well fired, soft or crispy. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
Public order units to police funerals of five teenagers killed in M9 crash
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'Every day is difficult' says Ashley Dale's mum four years on
Ashley Dale was killed in a shooting in August 2022 The mother of a woman shot dead by a gunman who was targeting her boyfriend has told how "every day is difficult", four years on. Ashley Dale, 28, was murdered on when James Witham burst into her Liverpool home and began firing a Skorpion sub-machine in search of her partner, in a drugs feud. Her mum, Julie Dale, said: "August is a difficult time for us but I just think every day is difficult." She said it was tough to see her other two daughters reaching milestones such as leaving school and celebrating proms, adding: "You want to be happy but you're also really sad and the girls are sad their big sister's not here as well, to see their big milestones in their lives as well." Witham was ordered to serve a minimum term of 43 years following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court. His accomplices Niall Barry, 26, Sean Zeisz, 28, and Joseph Peers, 29, were ordered to serve prison sentences of at least 47, 42 and 41 years respectively. Julie Dale says it has been tough seeing her other children do life without their big sister Julie said for the past few years she had been working with Knowsley Council - where her daughter worked as an environmental health officer - on the Be the Change scheme. This involves going into schools to talk to young girls aged from 12 to 16 about the dangers of making poor relationship choices, "because we all know Ashley made a really bad choice of relationship, which ultimately ended her life". Dale said she also spoke to the girls about friendship choices too "because it is very, very important that choices you make now could shape your life for your whole future". She said getting justice for Ashley "massively helped us as a family… because that's a door that you can close and you can start to move away from that". Julie said that having the support of fellow parents who had also lost children to gun crime had really helped her, adding "we help each other loads". From left, Cheryl Korbel, Julie Dale and Joanne Rimmer and, back, Tim Edwards, are backing the Dear Merseyside educational resource, produced a series of tragic shootings in Merseyside, the bereaved families of Ashley Dale, Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Sam Rimmer and Elle Edwards are backing a free new educational resource to help prevent more young lives being lost to violence.
World News
View All 108 dead in charter plane crash at remote radar site in western Alaska
Juneau, Alaska — A charter aircraft carrying eight people crashed at a remote radar site in western Alaska on Thursday, killing all on board, the U. The crash happened at Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, approximately 450 miles west of Anchorage. "This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," U. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, said in a statement. The radar site is managed . It's part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft operating in Alaska's airspace and along its borders, the statement from Alaskan Command said. The statement did not provide details on the specific work the individuals were doing. It referred to the plane involved as a "civilian-contracted aircraft." Davis described those on board as "dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals." Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief, said earlier Thursday evening that two pilots and six passengers were on board. The plane had taken off from Anchorage and was believed to have crashed early Thursday afternoon on approach to Cape Newenham, Johnson said. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the Cessna 441 crashed at p. m. local time. It was operated by Anchorage-based air charter company Security Aviation, the FAA added, according to the Reuters news agency. The FAA said the NTSB would lead the investigation into the crash, with the FAA assisting. In: Plane Crash Alaska
Vance says war in "new phase" of economic pressure as Iran dismisses Trump threat
New Updates PM 6 European countries and Canada condemn Israel's planned West Bank settlement project Six European countries along with Canada condemned the in a contentious Israeli settlement project near Jerusalem that would effectively cut the occupied West Bank in two. Israel's Ministry of Construction and Housing issued a tender for constructing several compounds with more than 1,200 homes in total in an open tract of land east of Jerusalem. It's the latest step in a project under consideration for more than two decades, which critics say would prevent the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state in the territory. The joint statement from the leaders of the U. K., France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada said international law is clear the settlement is illegal and noted "unprecedented levels of violence ." "We urge the government of Israel to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Not only will they take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel's international standing," the countries wrote. Egypt and Jordan also condemned Israel's move. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded on Thursday by defending "the historic right of the Jewish people to reestablish their national home in the Land of Israel — including in the area in question." Saar criticized the U. K. government for "blaming only Israel while ignoring Palestinian extremism." PM USS Abraham Lincoln leaves Middle East, U. S. official says A U. S. official confirmed to CBS News that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is headed home after a nine-month deployment. We're going to keep that going because we think that's the best way to ultimately accomplish the final objective here." PM / August 20, 2026 U. S. increases sanctions on network smuggling millions in cash to Hezbollah Ten people smuggling millions of dollars in cash to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon have been sanctioned by the U. The network was previously led . Behnam Shahriyari, however, he was killed in an Israeli airstrike in western Iran in June. The same network is now being targeted with sanctions, including against the person who manages the network of couriers, Turkish businessman Yunus Alper Yilmaz, according to the Treasury Department. Yilmaz is accused of abusing Turkey-based exchange houses as fronts for business dealings with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. The other nine people included in the sanctions are the actual couriers who would collect the money from the exchange houses and deliver it to Hezbollah.
Morocco: Migrants caught between Ceuta dreams and reality
https://p. dw. com/p/5J8kL Mother-of-two Malika believes that if she can just get to Ceuta, she will find the support she is lacking at homeImage: Zhor Baki/DW There are only a few kilometers between the city of Fnideq in Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta — but the distance between those who dream of crossing that divide and those who chose to stay in Morocco is far greater than that. After July 30, when an estimated 72,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, there were further calls on social media for people to come to Fnideq for another mass crossing attempt in mid-August. That is despite the fact that around 100 people died in the July attempt and that most of those who crossed into Ceuta have since returned to Morocco. Numbers are unclear but somewhere between 2,000 and 8,000 of those who managed to get over to the Spanish enclave remain there. According to reports, they are now living in desperate circumstances. Many are sleeping on the beach while they wait for Spanish authorities to decide their fate. Homeless and desperate in Morocco Still, back in Morocco, some would-be migrants continue to hope for a chance to get to Ceuta. Malika came to Fnideq from the city of Casablanca in western Morocco with her two children after she heard that people had managed to get there on July 30; she did not want to give DW her full name for personal reasons. "My life is below zero," she said, with tears in her eyes. "I have no life." Most of the people who crossed into Ceuta have returned to Morocco Image: Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP Malika heard there might be a new opportunity to cross in August so she has stayed in Fnideq, together with her 3-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son. For the past few weeks, she says she has simply wandered the streets searching for ways to feed her children. The family has slept in the open. But rumors about an August crossing also reached both Spanish and Moroccan authorities. On August 15, eyewitnesses reported a heavy Moroccan security presence around Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish exclave to the east, with numerous checkpoints, patrol boats monitoring the coast and water cannons stationed at the border. Moroccan police said they arrested 111 people as they tried to enter Ceuta. There was no mass crossing on August 15 and Malika has remained in Fnideq. "I'm in a situation where I might do something to myself at any moment," she told DW. "My children are starving.
Guatemala says it received nearly 2,300 US-deported Mexicans
https://p. dw. com/p/5JB3z Immigration experts say that , the US wants to make it more difficult for them to cross back into its territory [FILE: Jan 23, 2025]Image: Christian Torres/Anadolu/picture alliance The United States has deported and sent some 2,300 Mexicans to Guatemala this year in a shifting Trump administration practice that Mexico opposes. Mexican deportees from the US, until recently, were largely sent directly back to their country, with only a few arriving in other countries. On Wednesday, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo confirmed that 2,284 Mexicans deported from the US have arrived in his Central American country so far this year. "They are arriving in planes of Guatemalan returnees," Arevalo said in a televised interview. He said the deported Mexicans are arriving in a "transit stopover" before being taken to Mexico as part of an "arrangement" with Mexico's government. Arevalo said the Mexican deportees were transferred to their home country within 24 hours, with Mexico or the US covering the transportation costs. What has Mexico said about the US deportations? On Thursday, Mexico's Foreign Ministry voiced its objection to the US practice and said that it was coordinating with the countries involved to ensure the safe repatriation of its nationals. "The Mexican government has expressed its opposition to this practice to US authorities and has reiterated that every Mexican citizen has the right to enter the country," it asserted. The ministry did not give any details on the number of cases or costs. What is the US' third country deportation policy under Trump? As per international accords, migrants may be sent to third countries if their home country rejects them or if it is unsafe for them to be sent back. Otherwise, they should be directly deported back to their country of citizenship. The Trump administration has however been using third-country deportations to send back migrants, striking bilateral agreements with several countries, including Mexico, to receive migrants from other countries. Immigration experts say that , thereby moving them farther from the US-Mexico border, the US wants to make it more difficult for them to cross back into its territory. Mexicans sent back via Honduras: reports According to reports, some Mexicans deported . The Associated Press cited official documents from Honduras as showing that 82 Mexican deportees from the US arrived in the city of San Pedro Sula aboard two flights last week, with an additional 35 who were due to arrive Thursday.
Politics
View All 10Vance: Bessent has ‘very discreet plan’ to shrink $40 trillion national debt
Vice President Vance said Thursday night that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has a “very discreet plan” to shrink the nation’s debt. “He [Bessent] has had a very discreet plan, of course, supported by the president of the United States, to get the United States to a point where our economy is growing faster than our…
Canberra’s AI blindspot opens up
Congratulations! You made it to the end of the first week of Canberra Playbook! OK, we’re projecting a little, but we’re also extremely pleased to have received all your positive feedback, tips and requests. — Ryan, Finn and Miriam ESSENTIALS DRIVING THE DAY EPIZOOTIC, aka BIRD MASSACRES: That’s a word we might all be learning soon. […]
Markey, Moulton lock horns ahead of Massachusetts Senate primary: 3 takeaways from last debate
Rep. Seth Moulton and Sen. Ed Markey exchanged blows from the onset of the final Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary debate as the 47-year-old House lawmaker mounts a longshot bid to oust his 80-year-old progressive opponent. Moulton and Markey appeared for their last televised debate on Thursday, which was hosted by WCVB-TV, WBUR-FM and The Boston…
Week Ender archives: Is China the ‘abusive’ partner the EU just can’t quit?
Listen on Spotify Apple Music Cast Box Pocket Casts The Brussels Playbook Week Ender podcast is still away on holiday — but don’t worry, we will be back next week. In the meantime, here’s an episode from earlier this year about Europe’s attempts to protect its industry from Chinese products flooding the continent. In this conversation, which was first released in May, host Sarah Wheaton is joined , Grzegorz Stec from the Mercator Institute for China Studies and POLITICO’s Jordyn Dahl to discuss the European Commission’s attempts to forge a common stance on China. The Brussels Playbook Podcast will be back to its regular schedule on Aug. 24. Questions? Comments? Send us a message to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
Business
View All 10Sfakianakis: Iran Misjudges US Willingness for Long War
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Paschi Offers to Buy BPM, Banca Generali for €34 Billion
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Technology
View All 10Tesla, Uber, and Waymo all get the OK to operate thousands of robotaxis in Nevada
Nevada, get ready for the robotaxis. The Nevada Transportation Authority unanimously approved three permits Thursday that will allow Tesla, Uber, and Waymo to operate commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, home to Las Vegas. Together, these permits would deploy up to 8,000 robotaxis across the county over the next 12 months. Tesla’s permit allows it to deploy up to 5,000 robotaxis, while Waymo is allowed operate up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles over the next year. Uber was also approved for 1,000 robotaxis, which it will operate through partnerships with Hyundai subsidiary Motional and Zoox. Zoox already holds an autonomous vehicle network company permit that allows it to operate 100 robotaxis. Whether these companies will be able to launch that many robotaxis is an unanswered question. That kind of fast, large-scale robotaxi deployment is poised to change the city — and specifically its workforce. Depending on who you ask, these companies will either deliver a whole new category of jobs designed to maintain, charge, and clean these vehicles or will wipe out an entire category of workers: human taxi and gig drivers. Representatives from the Livery Operators Association and local taxi companies opposed the permits, arguing the approvals move too far, too fast. “These applications raise two grave concerns,” said Kimberly Maxson-Rushton, a lawyer representing the Livery Operators Association, at the hearing. “One deals with the oversaturation of the commercial transportation industry as a whole in Nevada,” she said. “And the second one deals with the overcrowding of the roadways, and specifically the Golden Triangle.” The Golden Triangle, an area between the airport and Las Vegas Boulevard and the surrounding area, is where most of the AV testing has occurred to date. Motional is also testing in the downtown area and in a shopping district known as Town Square. Uber has tried to position itself as the Goldilocks option in this fight, advocating for a hybrid approach in which ride-hailing networks are made up of humans and robotaxis. The company has even lobbied for a system that would require robotaxis to operate on a ride-hailing network that also uses human drivers, a stance that puts it at odds with Waymo and doubles as a hedge against its own autonomous ambitions falling short of Tesla’s or Waymo’s. Uber made a similar pitch during the NTA meeting, noting that a hybrid approach would allow cities to gradually integrate vehicles to meet peak demand rather than flooding the market all at once.
AI data startup Micro1 reaches $500M gross run rate amid AI training boom
The near-bottomless demand for unique AI training data from top labs and corporations is driving a massive boom for a cohort of data-labeling startups. One of these fast-growing businesses is Micro1, a four-year-old startup that expanded its gross annual run rate from $100 million to $500 million over the past eight months, according to a person familiar with the company. Like its peers that hire domain experts such as doctors, lawyers, and scientists on a contract basis, Micro1 retains roughly 60% to 70% of that figure, putting its net annual run rate between $150 million and $200 million. While Micro1 still lags competitors like Mercor (which hit $2 billion in gross annualized revenue this summer) and Handshake (which reached $1 billion earlier this year), the startup’s revenue growth shows that there is more than enough demand to support multiple players supplying AI training data. The rapid growth is bound to continue, with some researchers hypothesizing that future AI spending on data could rival spending on compute. That outlook bodes well for Micro1, which is seeing its contract sizes grow at an accelerated pace and expects its margins to expand over time. The startup is increasingly generating synthetic data without human involvement, such as . Additionally, some of the data it generates can be sold to multiple customers, driving gross margins for this “off-the-shelf” data as high as 80% to 90%, a person familiar with the startup’s finances told TechCrunch. Selling the same datasets to multiple clients has sparked recent controversy, with critics arguing that distributing off-the-shelf data to Chinese AI developers helps make their models as powerful as top U. Micro1’s founder, Ali Ansari, said last month on X that unlike some of its competitors, the startup doesn’t sell its data to Chinese model makers. “Some human data companies work with foreign adversaries. [A]nd the results show today in Kimi K3. We believe it’s shameful to claim American AI dominance desires while selling millions worth of data to countries that we are in adversarial competition with.” Like Mercor, Micro1 began as an AI recruiting startup. But after noticing that data-labeling clients were using his AI platform to vet and recruit engineers for annotation, Ansari decided to pivot and enter the data-labeling business, too. Ansari previously told TechCrunch that in addition to having its experts evaluate model outputs — a concept known as reinforcement learning gyms — the company is building a robotics pre-training dataset . Micro1 raised its Series A at a $500 million valuation last September, and TechCrunch understands that the startup may have recently raised another round at a significantly higher valuation.
After one week wearing the Pixel Watch 5, here's what I want most
Tech 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. Close After one week wearing the Pixel Watch 5, here's what I want most Written , Editor, Wearables & Health TechEditor, Wearables & Health Tech Aug. 20, 2026 at p. m. PT Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways I'm already impressed 5's feature set. However, it's still a clunky device to wear. You'll have to wait to try out some of the best new features, like weight training or Health Guardian. Today marks the first day you can buy the Pixel Watch 5, Google's newest smartwatch. It comes in some swanky new colors with some intelligent upgrades under the hood that make it a faster and more useful device. I haven't gotten to put every new feature through the wringer, so keep an eye out for my full review in the coming weeks, where I test the heart rate sensor's accuracy, that new GPS upgrade, and get an update on my blood pressure and insulin resistance status through the new Health Guardian tab. For now, here are a few first impressions of the Watch 5 after a week of wear. Nina Raemont/ZDNETThe most exciting feature isn't available yet I'm a big strength trainer, so when I learned that Google was rolling out a special experience in the Google Health app that guides you through a weight-training circuit, I was jazzed to try it out. The feature creates a training circuit for you, and then walks you through each rep, set, and rest time.
Apple's smart home springs a leak - here's everything we expect to see in September
Home & Office Apple's smart home springs a leak - here's everything we expect to see in September Written , Staff WriterStaff Writer Aug. 20, 2026 at a. m. PT June Wan/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Ten devices, including a new HomePod mini and security camera, were accidentally leaked. An Apple smart home display, rumored for years, also appears in the leak. We expect Apple's product launch event to take place within the next four weeks. A recent leak included references to unreleased Apple hardware, confirming that the company has been working on multiple smart home upgrades rumored for release over the next year. The information came via a software build for MacOS and included references to both smart home devices and consumer electronics, including the widely expected foldable iPhone. Also: Can you guess Apple's next move? Last chance to win big in ZDNET's Big Guessing Game Many of the products are ones we expected and were already pretty certain would launch during Apple's September iPhone event. These include the iPhone 18 lineup, a foldable iPhone, and upcoming iPads and Macs, likely to be released in early 2027. However, it also included multiple smart home devices, camera-equipped AirPods, and a future Vision headset. Which Apple devices were leaked? Here's a full list of the unreleased products included in the software build: J490/J491 Home Hub: Appears to be Apple's upcoming smart-home hub with a screen (often referred to as the "HomePad" ). B525 HomePod mini: Distinguishable from the current HomePod mini that boasts the code name B520. J229 Smart home accessory: Likely an Apple Home security camera. V62, V63, V64, V67, and V68 iPhone 18 lineup: List of unreleased iPhones, including the expected foldable model. B790 AirPods with camera: Camera-equipped AirPods are presumably to work alongside Visual Intelligence. N109: A future Vision headset. There were also additional identifiers associated with upcoming iPads and Macs. What we expect from the Apple smart home On the smart home side, we see references to a smart home hub, a new HomePod mini, and an Apple Home device that appears to be a security camera. A smart home device also references its availability in Space Gray, Silver, Starlight, and Rose Pink finishes. We've been reporting on a new smart home display from Apple for years now, and a recent accidental product leak suggests it's closer than many believe. The addition of the new Siri, powered , will elevate the Apple smart home experience to compete with the most popular assistants from Amazon and Google.
Science
View All 10'I've caught one fish all season' - how a polluted river could end 300 years of coracle fishing
Andrew Davies and Keith Elias worry that the tradition of coracle fishing could be coming to an end It is a centuries-old tradition in Wales, but coracle fishers on a major river have said pollution has meant there are "no fish" left. Testing , agricultural and human waste pollution, with fishers saying they often see dead fish bobbing up and down in the water. One fifth-generation coracle fisherman described the situation in Carmarthenshire as "dire" after only catching one fish in the three-month season between May and July. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said it took all reports of pollution seriously and had "a number of ongoing enforcement and compliance investigations within the Tywi catchment". Keith's great-grandfather, William Elias - pictured here with Keith's cousin Malcolm - would make coracles The tradition of coracle fishing has been part of life on the Tywi for centuries. Typically done at night, fishermen use small rounded boats with nets cast among them to catch salmon and sewin [sea trout]. It was once an important livelihood in west Wales, but today it is mostly a heritage tradition, rather than a full-time source of income. US President Jimmy Carter even loved fishing in these rivers, but according to fishermen, recent pollution has made it impossible. Chairman of Carmarthen Coracle and Netsman Association, Andrew Davies, said he thought the four coracle men on the Tywi had caught 12 fish among them in the whole of the 2026 season when, a few years ago, "you'd catch that many in a night". Keith's uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather were all coracle fishermen on the Tywi Keith Elias's family have been fishing on the river for 300 years - he said he had only caught one fish this season. "It's been in my family for so long, I love carrying the tradition on, but it's getting to the point where you get to the end of the season and you're not hitting fish. "You just don't want to go." Last year, the nearby River Teifi had been noted as one of the UK's most polluted rivers, with 2,232 spills lasting more than 22,000 hours recorded in 2024. It has been reported that some incidents of pollution were made . The company said it would invest £889m on storm overflows between 2025 and 2030, including six projects to reduce their impact on the Tywi. It added: "We are determined to play our part to improve river water quality on the Tywi, but this isn't just an issue for water companies, collaboration is needed across sectors, including industry and agriculture, to ensure improvements." Local people have also shared videos online of discharge across the river, which they claim appear to be from a nearby electronics recycling company Mekatek.
El Niño set to be 'strongest in living memory', says Met Office
Indonesia experienced widespread drought caused ño in 2015 The El Niño event that is developing over the Pacific Ocean is likely to be the strongest in living memory, the Met Office has warned. The powerful natural climate phenomenon pushes up global temperatures and can increase the risks of extreme weather. Added to the effects of human-induced climate change, the Met Office is warning that it is "very likely" to mean 2027 is the hottest year on record. There is growing evidence that weather patterns around the world are already being affected, with below-average monsoon rains in India and suppressed hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean. El Niño could put the UK at greater risk of a wet, stormy autumn. "We should be clear that this is an unprecedented event", said Prof Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the UK Met Office. "I have never seen an El Niño signal this intense in our forecasts." El Niño is a naturally occurring weather pattern, which happens about every two to seven years, lasting for around a year. Trade winds that typically blow from east to west across the Pacific Ocean can weaken or even reverse, allowing warm water to spread eastwards. Heat is released from the ocean into the atmosphere, lifting global temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns. Scientists declare an El Niño when sea surface temperatures in a key area of the Pacific are 0.5C or more above average. Current measurements show that they are well over 2C above normal. Latest forecasts from the Met Office suggest that these temperature anomalies could exceed 3C later this year as El Niño nears its peak. This would be unprecedented in records going back to 1950, and probably the strongest event since the 19th century. Very high temperatures in the deeper ocean - around 8C above normal at a depth of 100m (330ft) in some places - could help to supercharge this El Niño, essentially providing a reservoir of warm water fuel to reinforce the event. "We have many months to go while this event continues to develop and that's one of the reasons that we have increased confidence that this will be a record-setting event," said Dr Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at Berkeley Earth, a US research group. Some other climate groups have projected something even stronger than the Met Office's forecast, perhaps even 4C above average. If that came to pass, "It's not beyond the realm of possibility to say this might be the strongest El Niño event in 500 or even 1,000 years," Hausfather said, although it is impossible to say for sure that far back in time.
Will personalised mRNA vaccines transform cancer treatments?
Certain cancers could be treated via bespoke vaccines in the not-too-distant future Catherine Falls Commercial/ Every cancer is different. Because of that, researchers have for decades been working on personalised cancer vaccines designed to make the immune system recognise and attack cancers specific to each individual. The results have been mixed, but now a personalised cancer vaccine has produced positive results in a final-stage trial for the first time. Moderna announced on 19 August that people who had undergone surgery to remove severe skin cancers, called melanomas, survived longer without the cancer returning or spreading to other parts of the body if they were given a personalised mRNA cancer vaccine in conjunction with another immunotherapy, compared with receiving that immunotherapy alone. The hope is that this personalised vaccine will work for many other types of cancer. Trials are already underway for certain kinds of lung, kidney and bladder forms of the condition. The other big mRNA company, BioNTech, is also testing personalised cancer vaccines in human trials. What is a cancer vaccine? Mutations in proteins that protrude from the surface of cells also make cancer cells “look” a bit different to other cells. This allows our immune system to recognise and kill off many cancers without us ever knowing about it. But some cancers slip through the net – the idea of cancer vaccines is to teach the immune system to recognise them. How are these vaccines made? In the case of the Moderna vaccine, called intismeran autogene, a sample of a person’s cancer – a biopsy – is sequenced. It is then compared with their healthy blood cells to identify surface proteins on the cancerous cells that have distinctive mutations. Up to 34 are selected, and mRNAs coding for those proteins are made and put in the vaccine. The cancer vaccine is injected into muscles, just like with the covid-19 mRNA vaccine. Cells in the muscles then temporarily produce the cancer proteins, triggering an immune response to them. Why use mRNA vaccine technology? It is possible to use other kinds of vaccines, but mRNA has two huge advantages: speed and cost. Making protein-based vaccines requires using living cells, which is time-consuming and requires many safety checks. For people with cancer, the faster a vaccine can be created, the better. What immunotherapy was the vaccine combined with for the trial? It is a so-called anti-PD-1 therapy consisting of an antibody called pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Many cancers evolve to evade immune attack a “don’t attack me” sign.
Two emerging tick viruses that can be deadly are spreading in the US
The viruses are spread , named for the white, vaguely star-shaped spot on the female’s back Jason Ondreicka/Alamy Two tick-borne viruses – Heartland virus and Bourbon virus – have killed at least seven people in the US so far and appear to be spreading. Nebraska has just become the ninth state to detect one or both viruses in local ticks. New York also recently reported its first case of Bourbon virus in a person. “Are these viruses going to keep expanding in ticks? These are questions that a lot of my colleagues and I are wondering about,” says Joseph Fauver at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Heartland virus was first reported in 2012 and Bourbon virus in 2015 after they were discovered in people who had become severely unwell or died after being bitten by ticks. Since then, they have been found to be transmitted (Amblyomma americanum), named for the white, vaguely star-shaped spot on the female’s back. Historically, lone star ticks were only found in south-eastern states of the US, but they have been pushing further north and west due to factors like climate change and reforestation of previously cleared areas. Heartland virus or Bourbon virus, or both, have been found in lone star ticks in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. These ticks also recently became established in Nebraska, leading Fauver and his colleagues to investigate whether they have brought the viruses with them. The team analysed more than 7000 lone star ticks collected 2022 and 2026. Both viruses were detected in ticks from Sarpy County, and Heartland virus was found in ticks from Richardson County. These are in the south-east of Nebraska, suggesting lone star ticks migrated from neighbouring Missouri and Kansas. At this point, no one in Nebraska is known to have contracted these emerging viruses from tick bites. However, there is a “very real possibility” that human infections have occurred and gone undiagnosed, says Fauver. This is because the symptoms can be mistaken for those of other tick-borne illnesses or non-tick-related viruses, he says. Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, muscle or joint aches and nausea. Research suggests that only a small proportion of people who become infected with Heartland virus or Bourbon virus become severely unwell. Analysis of blood samples collected from hundreds of people in Missouri have found that almost 1 per cent have neutralising antibodies to Heartland virus and Bourbon virus, indicative of previous infections. “But it’s not like 1 per cent of people in Missouri have had these illnesses,” says Fauver.
Environment
View All 10Factcheck: 10 flaws in the Conservative report on ‘cheap power’
The idea is that cheap power would encourage people to use more electric vehicles (EVs) and heat pumps, leading to higher electrification of the economy and lower emissions. This is at the heart of a Conservative push to abandon the UK’s net-zero by 2050 target and various climate policies, which the party says are “bankrupting” the country. Now, the party is using a report by centre-right thinktank Onward to advance this argument, claiming that the UK could save “over £320bn” -zero policies. In the report foreword, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho says this approach would make electrification “more attractive”, ensuring both “prosperity and a better environment”. However, the report fails on these terms, as its alternative scenario ends up with less electrification of heat and transport and an extra 524m tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtCO2) emissions by 2050. Moreover, the report relies on a series of questionable assumptions to claim that gas and nuclear will be cheaper than renewables – including the idea that gas prices will be low and stable. Experts tell Carbon Brief that with credible assumptions, the report’s conclusions would be flipped on their head, such that renewables – not gas and nuclear – would bring the “lowest total costs”. Iain Staffell, an associate professor of sustainable energy at Imperial College London, tells Carbon Brief that while the report “tells a good story”, the modelling underpinning it “has more holes than a Swiss cheese”. In this factcheck, Carbon Brief speaks to experts and identifies flaws in the report, explaining why they undermine the anti-net-zero rhetoric of the Conservatives and their supporters. The plan would increase UK emissions The plan would slow electrification Gas prices are unlikely to remain low and stable The plan assumes gas plants are cheap to build Nuclear faces high costs and delivery challenges The report’s high network cost estimates do not ‘add up’ The system integration costs are ‘far out of line with mainstream thinking’ The proposed changes could undermine investor confidence Carbon market ‘savings’ are ‘just rearranging things on a spreadsheet’ The report ‘grossly simplifies’ long-duration energy storage The plan would increase UK emissions The report , which compares two pathways out to 2050. One is a “business-as-usual” scenario based on current “net-zero” policies. (Nevertheless, this only achieves a clean power system by 2045 – far short of the 2030 Labour target.) The other is an “alternative policy pathway” (APP), developed by Onward, which assumes the UK’s 2050 economy-wide net-zero target is abandoned after the next election in 2029.
As marine heat breaks records, countries seek ocean roadmap at COP31
Share: X (Twitter) Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Print With record-breaking ocean temperatures weakening the world's largest carbon sink, a group of countries is pushing for the UN COP31 summit to deliver meaningful commitments to protect marine ecosystems. Yet this effort could be hobbled by a shrinking pool of climate finance, experts warn. While discussions on oceans at UN climate talks have so far been limited to annual informal dialogues on the sidelines, African countries, the European Union, some Latin American nations and small island states have launched a bid for COP31 to incorporate ocean protection measures into "negotiated decisions". COP31 co-presidents Türkiye and Australia have responded to this call and are working with interested countries on a voluntary ocean roadmap, described as a "concise action plan" and expected to include regional and international steps to integrate measures to safeguard the planet's ocean and climate. At a meeting in Türkiye in September, which plans to convene more than 25 ministers from Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and Latin America, governments will consider how to incorporate the recommendations of the informal UN ocean dialogues into global climate policy, according to the Turkish co-presidency. Whitney Berry, associate director of climate policy at the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy, said that even an informal "multi-year" plan, instead of a negotiated roadmap, could help guide the ocean dialogues series in the UN climate process towards more concrete results. Log in here → Continue reading with free access For 15 years, Climate Home News has rigorously reported on the decisions shaping our climate. Join the community of readers who make this work possible. Join free and keep reading → It takes less than a minute. With record-breaking ocean temperatures weakening the world's largest carbon sink, a group of countries is pushing for the UN COP31 summit to deliver meaningful commitments to protect marine ecosystems. Yet this effort could be hobbled by a shrinking pool of climate finance, experts warn. While discussions on oceans at UN climate talks have so far been limited to annual informal dialogues on the sidelines, African countries, the European Union, some Latin American nations and small island states have launched a bid for COP31 to incorporate ocean protection measures into "negotiated decisions". COP31 co-presidents Türkiye and Australia have responded to this call and are working with interested countries on a voluntary ocean roadmap, described as a "concise action plan" and expected to include regional and international steps to integrate measures to safeguard the planet's ocean and climate.
The winner of the Guardian's Invertebrate of the year 2026 revealed
The winner of the Guardian's Invertebrate of the year 2026 revealed In a much closer contest than previous years – when the tardigrade and the common earthworm won with popular landslides – the winner of the 2026 Guardian Invertebrate of the year has been decided. The competition was launched three years ago to celebrate overlooked and often derided invertebrates, which number at least 1.7m species – about 97% of all animals – with probably millions more still to be discovered and described. Watch presenter and naturalist Chris Packham run down the top three to reveal the winner.
Without action wildfires in Europe will increase 39% even in best-case climate scenario, study finds
Belgian firefighters in a forest affected by a wildfire in Waimes, in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes) region. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters View image in fullscreen Belgian firefighters in a forest affected by a wildfire in Waimes, in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes) region. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters Without action wildfires in Europe will increase 39% even in best-case climate scenario, study finds Improvements in fire management however could mitigate increases 70%, study shows Wildfires are projected to burn 39% more of Europe -case scenario for stopping the planet from heating, a study has found, unless action is taken to manage them better. The increase in hot, dry and windy weather that leads to small fires turning into raging infernos is to engulf more of Europe as carbon pollution pushes temperatures higher. In the worst-case scenario the researchers modelled, which would see global heating reach 3.6C above preindustrial levels, the burnt area would almost triple. Improvements in fire management could moderate those increases 70%, the study found, but not eradicate them entirely. “Investments into fire management could help to a certain limit, but if we go on a path of high emissions … we still see strong increases in burnt area,” said Maik Billing, an ecosystem researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and lead author of the study. “Fire management cannot replace climate mitigation.” View image in fullscreen A firefighter in Vilarinho da Castanheira, Portugal. Photograph: Pedro Sarmento Costa/EPAThe research comes as wildfires continue to ravage Europe, with large blazes hitting northern European countries such as the UK, Belgium and Germany after weeks in which France, Spain, Italy, Croatia and Greece battled monster infernos. Across the EU, this fire season is set to become the third-worst on record, behind 2025 and 2022, according to data published . More than 600,000 hectares have burned so far, with records broken for this time of year in Belgium, France and Slovakia. ‘Extremely scary findings’ show climate crisis is supercharging Europe’s wildfire weather The researchers, who compared the projected annual burnt area in 2070-2100 with modelled results for the period 2000-2030, found the increase in fire weather was the biggest driver of change. In the optimistic scenario, in which global heating is capped at 1.8C, a little above the current level of 1.4C, some regions showed moderate increases in fire weather while others experienced little change. In the pessimistic scenario, however, with 3.6C of heating , the researchers found consistent worsening of fire weather across “virtually all of Europe”.
Weather
View All 7Today: Light Rain Showers, Minimum Temperature: 8°C (47°F) Maximum Temperature: 18°C (65°F)
Search for a location Search Manchester - Weather warnings issued 14-day forecast Red Met Office Weather WarningsAmber Met Office Weather WarningsYellow Met Office Weather Warnings Forecast - Manchester Day Today , Light rain showers and light winds Light Rain Showers Light Rain Showers , High18° 65° Low8° 47° , Wind speed5 mph8 km/h N5 mph8 km/hnortherly Light rain showers and light winds Saturday 22nd AugustSat 22nd , Sunny intervals and light winds Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High19° 67° Low8° 46° , Wind speed6 mph10 km/h NW6 mph10 km/hnorth-westerly Sunny intervals and light winds Sunday 23rd AugustSun 23rd , Sunny intervals and light winds Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High20° 69° Low9° 48° , Wind speed4 mph6 km/h NW4 mph6 km/hnorth-westerly Sunny intervals and light winds Monday 24th AugustMon 24th , Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High23° 73° Low13° 55° , Wind speed8 mph13 km/h E8 mph13 km/heasterly Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Tuesday 25th AugustTue 25th , Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High22° 72° Low14° 58° , Wind speed12 mph19 km/h E12 mph19 km/heasterly Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Wednesday 26th AugustWed 26th , Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High23° 74° Low15° 59° , Wind speed9 mph14 km/h SE9 mph14 km/hsouth-easterly Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Thursday 27th AugustThu 27th , Thundery showers and light winds Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High21° 70° Low13° 55° , Wind speed7 mph12 km/h S7 mph12 km/hsoutherly Thundery showers and light winds Friday 28th AugustFri 28th , Light rain and a gentle breeze Light Rain Light Rain , High19° 67° Low12° 54° , Wind speed10 mph16 km/h SW10 mph16 km/hsouth-westerly Light rain and a gentle breeze Saturday 29th AugustSat 29th , Light rain showers and a gentle breeze Light Rain Showers Light Rain Showers , High19° 67° Low12° 53° , Wind speed10 mph16 km/h W10 mph16 km/hwesterly Light rain showers and a gentle breeze Sunday 30th AugustSun 30th , Thundery showers and light winds Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High19° 67° Low12° 54° , Wind speed7 mph12 km/h SW7 mph12 km/hsouth-westerly Thundery showers and light winds Monday 31st AugustMon 31st , Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High19° 66° Low11° 53° , Wind speed9 mph14 km/h W9 mph14 km/hwesterly Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Tuesday 1st SeptemberTue 1st , Light rain and a gentle breeze Light Rain Light Rain , High19° 66° Low11° 52° , Wind speed9 mph14 km/h W9 mph14 km/hwesterly Light rain and a gentle breeze Wednesday 2nd SeptemberWed 2nd
Saturday: Sunny Intervals, Minimum Temperature: 8°C (46°F) Maximum Temperature: 19°C (67°F)
Search for a location Search Manchester - Weather warnings issued 14-day forecast Red Met Office Weather WarningsAmber Met Office Weather WarningsYellow Met Office Weather Warnings Forecast - Manchester Day Today , Light rain showers and light winds Light Rain Showers Light Rain Showers , High18° 65° Low8° 47° , Wind speed5 mph8 km/h N5 mph8 km/hnortherly Light rain showers and light winds Saturday 22nd AugustSat 22nd , Sunny intervals and light winds Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High19° 67° Low8° 46° , Wind speed6 mph10 km/h NW6 mph10 km/hnorth-westerly Sunny intervals and light winds Sunday 23rd AugustSun 23rd , Sunny intervals and light winds Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High20° 69° Low9° 48° , Wind speed4 mph6 km/h NW4 mph6 km/hnorth-westerly Sunny intervals and light winds Monday 24th AugustMon 24th , Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High23° 73° Low13° 55° , Wind speed8 mph13 km/h E8 mph13 km/heasterly Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Tuesday 25th AugustTue 25th , Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Sunny Intervals Sunny Intervals , High22° 72° Low14° 58° , Wind speed12 mph19 km/h E12 mph19 km/heasterly Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze Wednesday 26th AugustWed 26th , Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High23° 74° Low15° 59° , Wind speed9 mph14 km/h SE9 mph14 km/hsouth-easterly Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Thursday 27th AugustThu 27th , Thundery showers and light winds Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High21° 70° Low13° 55° , Wind speed7 mph12 km/h S7 mph12 km/hsoutherly Thundery showers and light winds Friday 28th AugustFri 28th , Light rain and a gentle breeze Light Rain Light Rain , High19° 67° Low12° 54° , Wind speed10 mph16 km/h SW10 mph16 km/hsouth-westerly Light rain and a gentle breeze Saturday 29th AugustSat 29th , Light rain showers and a gentle breeze Light Rain Showers Light Rain Showers , High19° 67° Low12° 53° , Wind speed10 mph16 km/h W10 mph16 km/hwesterly Light rain showers and a gentle breeze Sunday 30th AugustSun 30th , Thundery showers and light winds Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High19° 67° Low12° 54° , Wind speed7 mph12 km/h SW7 mph12 km/hsouth-westerly Thundery showers and light winds Monday 31st AugustMon 31st , Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Thundery Showers Thundery Showers , High19° 66° Low11° 53° , Wind speed9 mph14 km/h W9 mph14 km/hwesterly Thundery showers and a gentle breeze Tuesday 1st SeptemberTue 1st , Light rain and a gentle breeze Light Rain Light Rain , High19° 66° Low11° 52° , Wind speed9 mph14 km/h W9 mph14 km/hwesterly Light rain and a gentle breeze Wednesday 2nd SeptemberWed 2nd
Discharge rises, significant gas pollution reported during Múlakvísl glacial outburst flood, Iceland
Satellite image of Kötlujökull, Iceland, on August 20, 2026. Credit: CopernicusEU/Sentinel-2, The Watchers The glacial outburst flood in Múlakvísl began on August 18. By August 19, electrical conductivity in the river rose to approximately 285 µS/cm, while overnight measurements from IMO’s gas monitor at Láguhvolar showed hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations above the health-protection limit. Conditions changed further during the evening of August 19, when conductivity rose fairly sharply. By August 20, it reached just over 500 µS/cm, a level IMO described as unusually high compared with recent glacial outburst floods in Múlakvísl. A similar value was last recorded during the July 2017 flood, when conductivity peaked at 580 µS/cm. River discharge also increased by August 20, with webcam observations showing Múlakvísl spreading across a wider area despite no significant rise in water level. The Láguhvolar monitor, approximately 2 km (1.2 miles) from the margin of Kötlujökull, recorded H2S concentrations above the health-protection limit overnight before the August 19 update, while IMO continued to report significant gas pollution on August 20. The agency advised people not to remain near Múlakvísl or close to where the river emerges at the glacier margin, adding that calm weather in recent days increased the risk of gas accumulating in depressions. Anyone experiencing irritation of the nose or eyes was advised to leave the area immediately. Electrical conductivity measurements in Múlakvísl at Route 1 from August 17-20, 2026. Credit: IMO Several geothermal areas are known beneath Mýrdalsjökull, where meltwater drains continuously. Depending on local topography, water can accumulate beneath the ice before draining, while both the volume stored and the rate of release can vary. Glacial outburst floods of the current magnitude are well known in Múlakvísl. This area is part of IMO’s flood-monitoring network south of Mýrdalsjökull, where instruments continuously measure water level, electrical conductivity and water temperature. The monitoring system is designed to detect floods originating from subglacial geothermal systems and other meltwater sources. Map showing the locations of the webcam and the electrical conductivity meters. Credit: IMO Mýrdalsjökull covers Katla, one of Iceland’s active volcanic systems. Geothermal activity beneath the ice regularly produces meltwater that drains into rivers including Múlakvísl. Although large Katla eruptions can generate major glacial outburst floods, the current IMO update describes the August 2026 event as a glacial outburst flood associated with geothermal meltwater.
Granada seismic sequence exceeds 620 earthquakes, around 600 residents evacuated, Spain
Earthquakes in Granada, Spain from August 13-20, 2026. Data source: IGN The sequence has been concentrated around Alhendín, Gójar and La Zubia, approximately 2–12 km (1.2–7.5 miles) south of Granada. Of the 621 earthquakes recorded between UTC on August 14 and UTC on August 19, most were below M2, 10 were M3 or greater, and 42 had been felt . IGN said the earthquakes were very shallow, at depths below 10 km (6.2 miles), increasing the intensity of shaking experienced near the epicentral area. The two strongest earthquakes both reached Mw4.8 and maximum observed intensity V–VI on the EMS-98 scale. The first occurred at LT on August 15 ( UTC on August 14), followed LT ( UTC) on August 18. Three of the strongest earthquakes following the August 18 Mw4.8 event occurred within about two hours — an Mw3.9 at UTC, Mw4.2 at UTC and Mw4.0 at UTC. They were located south of Churriana de la Vega, north of Alhendín and northeast of Gójar, respectively. Earthquakes in Granada, Spain from August 13-20, 2026. Data source: IGN Earthquakes in Granada, Spain from August 13-20, 2026. Data source: IGN The repeated shaking prompted extensive building inspections and evacuations. Around 600 residents were evacuated from six apartment blocks containing 371 dwellings in Las Gabias after damage was identified. By August 19, technical teams inspected 580 buildings and properties across the affected area. Of these, 459 were classified green with no damage, 105 yellow with minor damage and 14 red, requiring safety measures before they could be occupied normally. Emergency response reports recorded 14 medical attendances during the stronger August 18 activity, involving anxiety, dizziness and minor trauma. Three people sustained minor injuries, including a 13-year-old girl who was struck by a brick and taken to hospital before being discharged. The 1-1-2 Andalucía emergency coordination center received 5 562 calls related to the seismic episode by LT on August 19. Reported incidents included cracks and falling building material, people trapped in elevators, water leaks, broken pipes, assistance for people with reduced mobility, and anxiety-related episodes. The Granada Provincial Council evacuated and relocated all 77 residents of the Reina Sofía Psychopedagogical Center after damage was identified at the facility. The residents were transferred to other care facilities in the province while emergency repairs and further inspections were arranged. Earthquakes on August 18 disrupted public facilities, health services, cultural sites and transport. Public buildings and several facilities were temporarily closed, while the Alhambra activated its earthquake procedures, evacuated parts of the complex, and closed to visitors while specialists inspected the site. The Alhambra subsequently reopened and had largely returned to normal operation by August 20, although visitor routes through the Nasrid Palaces remained modified to facilitate rapid evacuation if necessary.
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