Summer of 2026 was UK’s hottest on record, Met Office says

Summer of 2026 was UK’s hottest on record, Met Office says

The Guardian

Meteorologists say average mean temperature of 16.5C was made 130 times more likely by climate crisisThis year’s summer was the UK’s hottest on record, according to provisional Met Office data, with the season’s mean temperature made 130 times more likely as a result of the climate crisis.The summer saw record-breaking and back-to-back heatwaves scorch much of Europe. In England, temperatures peak...

Los Angeles villa that was hub for German exiles fleeing Nazis reopens after narrow wildfire escape

Los Angeles villa that was hub for German exiles fleeing Nazis reopens after narrow wildfire escape

The Guardian

Spectacular Villa Aurora, which was nearly destroyed in last year’s fires, leading the recovery as Pacific Palisades emerges from a dark chapterA hillside villa that served as a cultural hub for German writers and artists fleeing the Nazis and narrowly escaped destruction in last year’s Los Angeles wildfires reopened its doors to the public this weekend, marking the latest milestone in the city’s ...

Gaps in NHS end-of-life care ‘denying ill children chance to die at home’

Gaps in NHS end-of-life care ‘denying ill children chance to die at home’

The Guardian

Campaigners say some care boards in England flouting their legal duty, resulting in ‘cruel’ postcode lotterySeriously ill children are being denied the chance to die at home because the NHS in many parts of England is flouting its legal duty to provide the care needed to make that happen, critics say.The widespread failure to provide at-home end-of-life care is forcing children who want to die at ...

Starship could create more debris than an anti-satellite test if it explodes in orbit

Starship could create more debris than an anti-satellite test if it explodes in orbit

SCMP

As Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, gears up for an attempt to finally reach Earth’s orbit, experts say the risk of an in-flight catastrophe – and a cloud of debris – “needs to be of concern”. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is expected to launch the Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster for the launch system’s 14th test flight and first orbital test flight later this month. Accord...

Welfare groups seek clarity on breed classification amid third fighting dog case

Welfare groups seek clarity on breed classification amid third fighting dog case

SCMP

A Hong Kong man has surrendered his dog after authorities detained it and classified it as a fighting breed during a vaccination visit — the third known such case in a week, following a spate of attacks in the city. The case came as animal welfare groups called for clarity on the government’s breed-classification procedures and a transparent appeal mechanism. They warned that heightened anxiety co...

Tropical Storm Edouard strengthens as it bears down on Texas and Louisiana

Tropical Storm Edouard strengthens as it bears down on Texas and Louisiana

The Guardian

First big storm of season could reach hurricane force and is expected to bring potentially heavy rains and floodingTropical Storm Edouard headed toward the US Gulf coast early on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen significantly – possibly reaching hurricane force – before bringing potentially heavy rains and flooding into parts of Texas and Louisiana.The storm was upgraded on Monday night from...

Explosive devices damage power lines near German coal plant

Explosive devices damage power lines near German coal plant

SCMP

Improvised explosive devices were used on Tuesday to target power lines near a coal-fired power plant in Germany, with several electricity lines damaged and supply briefly interrupted, police and a grid operator said. Several makeshift bombs were found around 8am local time at the Preilack substation, which distributes power from the nearby Jaenschwalde plant that runs on lignite and also burns ru...

Explosive devices found near major power plant in Germany

Explosive devices found near major power plant in Germany

SCMP

Explosive devices have been found at an electrical substation in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, dpa has learned. Police said possible damage to a power line was discovered at around 8am local time on Tuesday at the facility in Turnow-Preilack, about 100km (62 miles) from Berlin. “Evidence is being secured,” a police spokeswoman said. “Bomb disposal experts are on site.” The objects found...

Philippine capital’s ‘acutely unhealthy’ air due to Indonesian haze spurs warnings

Philippine capital’s ‘acutely unhealthy’ air due to Indonesian haze spurs warnings

SCMP

Smoke from Indonesian wildfires blanketed Manila on Tuesday, turning fires nearly 2,000km (1,242 miles) away into a public-health warning for the Philippine capital and reviving concerns over Southeast Asia’s recurring transboundary haze problem. The haze, carried by southwesterly winds from fires in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo, prompted health experts to urge people to wear N95 mask...