City, county town and economic hub of Leicestershire
A roundup of recent entertainment coverage from The Scotsman and BBC Business notes the latest line-ups and betting on Big Brother and Strictly Come Dancing, with changes in presenters and contestants; BBC Business details the Australia-bound I’m A Celebrity lineup and Rooney’s participation, while The Scotsman tracks evolving favourites and twists in both shows.
The Independent reports that an encounter at the Apostolic Palace shows a close, informal exchange between Pope Leo and a prominent, non-Catholic music figure, underscoring a mood of openness following the pope’s death and a resurgence of cultural diplomacy.
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
GlasGLOW returns to Glasgow with the new Zombie Zoo experience at the Botanic Gardens. Visitors will meet rare zoo residents from a safe distance in a 60-minute outdoor event featuring decontamination tunnels, observation labs, live feeding demos and a first‑of‑its‑kind zombie-themed experience. Twilight and relaxed sessions are available, with behind-the-scenes access and dedicated accessibility options.
CrossCountry’s Birmingham power outage has crippled rail services nationwide, with near-normal operations only for Peterborough–Cambridge–Stansted. Tickets remain valid across operators, and rail replacement buses are in place as major routes face ongoing cancellations and delays.
World number one Luke Littler is chasing a first-ever calendar sweep of major darts titles in 2026. After setbacks in Leicester, he now confronts a remaining seven Players Championship events with the Minehead cutoff looming and a clear path via the UK events.
A band of thunderstorms and heavy rain has prompted yellow weather warnings across much of England and Wales. The Met Office warns of disruption to transport and potential flooding, with 81 areas under warning and multiple flood alerts. Homeowners in Perry Barr have already seen flooding, as forecasters anticipate further downpours over the bank holiday weekend.
Sophia Dunkley scores a sparkling 119 to spark England to 291 all out; Ireland are bowled out for 177 as England claim a 114-run victory and seal a 3-0 series win. Bouchier hits 104 in a key 1st-wicket stand, Grewcock and Capsey contribute, while Cara Murray finishes with four wickets for Ireland.
Climate warming has intensified rock falls in the Alps as permafrost thaws, threatening trails, towns and mountaineers. Studies show Alpine glaciers are shrinking rapidly, increasing rockfall and terrain instability. New measurements indicate higher summer temperatures and retreating ice across Mont Blanc and Lombardy, prompting calls for urgent safety planning.
The parole board in South Australia has upheld the release of James Vlassakis, the former witness-turned-convicted murderer, after his parole decision was challenged. The case, tied to the Snowtown bodies-in-barrels murders, has drawn opposition from victims’ families and sparked debate over parole reforms.
Nusrat Osman has been rescued in a police operation in Blantyre after being abducted last week. Four suspects were killed in the clash, and a senior officer was wounded. Osman has been reunited with her family and is undergoing medical checks.
Prime Minister has signalled a potential trial to allow fans to drink in view of the pitch at football grounds in England and Wales, a move critics describe as outdated. Officials say a full consultation is likely before any changes are made, with supporters and clubs weighing the implications for safety and revenue.
Saracens' director of rugby Brendan Venter has resumed a central role amid questions over his day-to-day responsibilities and media commitments after a recent sanction tied to a pre-season media absence.
SpaceX has achieved an orbital Starship flight, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites and signaling a new era of high-frequency, reusable launches. The mission faced an early engine issue but proceeded to orbit with a Pacific splashdown and a rapid return-to-flight plan taking shape for future missions.
England has delivered a clinical display in Leicester, extending the aggregate lead over Greece to 8-1 as Alessia Russo, Georgia Stanway and Lauren James star. England control the tie ahead of the second leg, with Russo netting a third goal and Stanway adding more ruthlessness in front of goal.
Regulators have warned South West Water over leaking levels 18.5% above forecast amid a severe drought. The firm is deploying acoustic loggers, drones and leak-detection dogs while urging customers to conserve water to protect supplies.
A new Children’s Commissioner report has identified a national postcode lottery in children’s services, placing Middlesbrough at the top of the hardest places to grow up. The findings call for a national standard and targeted funding to address inequities in health, education and youth services.
The Childhood Lottery analysis has identified Middlesbrough as the hardest place to grow up in England and Cheshire East as the least challenging. It shows wide disparities in education, health, safety, and funding, prompting calls for minimum standards and a national fund for improvement, with mayors and local authorities urged to take stronger roles.
Edinburgh maintains top of the URC after a weather-delayed win, while Glasgow overhauls the Lions with late scores. Patterson shines for Edinburgh; Glasgow’s late surge seals a bonus-point win as their European hopes remain bright.
Northampton Saints overturn a 14-point deficit to beat Gloucester 28-14, with tries from Pearson, Langdon, Hendy and Hutchinson. Gloucester led through Llewellyn and Joseph, but Saints claimed the win before the four-week Prem break. Alex Mitchell exited early with an injury.
News on how cost-of-living pressures are driving Christmas charity appeals across the UK, including Barnardo’s warnings, local hampers and shoebox drives, and the experiences of families during the festive season.