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An independent inquiry led by Donna Ockenden has detailed failings across Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, with families and staff contributing to a high-profile review. The probe follows a 2020 exposé and ongoing police investigations into maternity care at NUH, including a corporate manslaughter case and investigations into two mortuary practices.
As temperatures push toward 40C in parts of England and Wales, schools are closing early or altering hours to protect students. Local authorities warn families to plan around red health warnings and heat-avoidance measures while unions call for longer-term ventilation and cooling investments.
The National Energy System Operator has issued an electricity margin notice amid extreme heat and low wind, signaling that extra capacity may be required to keep lights on this evening. Officials stress the grid is not at risk, but demand is surging as temperatures rise and cooling use increases.
The Mirror reports that Donald Trump has accused Sir Keir Starmer of failing on immigration and energy, urging his resignation and calling for North Sea oil expansion. The coverage traces fraying UK-US ties amid Starmer’s leadership and defence funding rows, with Trump signaling potential pressure on the UK government.
David Lammy has told US vice-president JD Vance that his commentary blaming the Henry Nowak killing on mass migration is wrong. Vance’s post sparked protests and a police review; Lammy says the case is about a British teen and not migration. A court has jailed Digwa for life with a minimum 21 years.
The final NIST report has found the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, Florida, to have started from structurally narrow margins. Two garage-to-pool-deck connections began failing in early June, and decades of alterations left the deck unable to withstand added loads, triggering a slow-motion collapse that killed 98 people in 2021. Reinforcing steel corrosion and post-construction changes worsened the risk.
Polls show a nuanced view of the United States’ 250th anniversary. A plurality express pride or excitement about the milestone, yet a strong majority believe the nation’s founders would be disappointed with today’s state of affairs. Generational and partisan divides shape views of national identity, the economy, and democracy. Citizens plan gatherings, media consumption, and local events as celebrations loom.
Taiwan is conducting a five-day immediate combat readiness exercise focusing on rapid peacetime-to-wartime deployment. The drills come as China’s navy conducts carrier operations near Taiwan, with Chinese officials warning against separatism even as Tokyo and Washington monitor the situation.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure to resign, with several ministers and allies urging a clear timetable. Andy Burnham has secured a Makerfield by-election win, prompting talks of leadership transition and a potential September handover. Developments emerge as the PM weighs staying vs. stepping down amid calls for a coronation of Burnham.
The Taong Putik festival, honoring St. John the Baptist, has grown in participation since the 1800s, with thousands of devotees smeared in mud and wrapped in banana leaves before dawn processions to the church.