Cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England
The NHS has been forced to confront ongoing summer pressures as heatwaves drive higher A&E attendances, equipment failures, and drought-related health risks. Officials say planning for summer pressures is now essential, with public awareness campaigns and infrastructure upgrades in focus.
The prime minister has convened an emergency Cobra meeting today to coordinate the government response to a fifth heatwave this summer. He has warned people not to use disposable barbecues after officials linked single-use grills to recent wildfires, and some retailers have already stopped selling them. Ministers, agencies and the Environment Agency are attending.
The final phase of the regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir proceeds as protests flare and violence rises. Amnesty International reports dozens of civilian deaths and several security force casualties; two British nationals are detained amid ongoing clashes. The UK has updated travel advisories and ministers have engaged with Pakistani authorities.
A new photo book, Sex, Clubs, Dissent: Visualising Queer Nightlife, edited by Amelia Abraham, surveys decades of queer nightlife photography from the 1960s to today, highlighting its political and community roles and the diversity of scenes and identities.
Trevor Dunkley, 66, has been charged with the murder of Patricia Lashley, who vanished from Hall Street, Dudley, in September 1998. He is remanded into custody to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court as detectives appeal for information to help the Lashley family find closure after nearly 30 years.
Charli xcx has released Music, Fashion, Film, a 11-track project that blends electronic textures with guitar-driven moments. The artist has explained the release as a reflection on creativity, identity, and the pressures of fame, with responses to Brat and earlier projects.
A blaze at the former Debenhams on Princes Street has shut trams from Leith to Newhaven. Edinburgh Council is exploring a four-tram shuttle to re-open a link between Picardy Place and Newhaven, with overnight movements and enhanced security. Officials warn the disruption will extend into August and impact Festival travel.
In Australia, Pauline Hanson has faced swift criticism from domestic-violence experts and advocates after labelling domestic violence a “two-way street.” The comments are being challenged as harmful, with activists highlighting the dangers of victim-blaming and the gendered nature of abuse. The discourse expands across SBS, The Guardian and the BBC as politicians respond.
Mayors will keep a share of income tax and business rates from 2027-28, replacing central grants and empowering local areas to fund transport, housing and jobs. The reform is pitched as the biggest transfer of power in a generation, with details to be announced in the autumn budget as Burnham leads devolution push.