69 h. ago Heatwaves have caused 10,000 excess deaths in England in past four years, says Miliband – UK politics live

Energy secretary addresses MPs, telling them the UK is getting hotter and wetter with three times the number of days above 30 degreesAs Rowena Mason revealed recently, No 10 has issued guidance that in effect bans civil servants from any level of speaking at events where journalists are present.Today the Times has published a letter signed by almost 30 experts – including former senior officials, thinktank leaders, academics and union leader – saying this policy is a mistake because it is having “a chilling effect on public discussion” and that it should be withdrawn. They say:The government’s new guidance that prevents public officials from participating properly in public or stakeholder events is a mistake. Effective government relies on public servants, whose salaries are paid by the taxpayer, hearing directly from businesses, charities, academics and citizens to help them make better policy. They should be able to explain government activity to those same groups. Continue readin...

Politics

2 d. ago Extreme heatwaves across Spain caused more than 1,000 deaths

Spain has been hit by extreme heat in recent weeks with temperatures often topping 40 degrees Celsius

Events

2 d. ago Gaza death toll nears 60,000 as Israelis demand Netanyahu strikes Hamas hostage deal

Hopes for an imminent Gaza ceasefire fade as deaths of Palestinians pass 58,000 and Israeli military launches devastating assault on the north of the Strip, forcing locals to flee further south

Events

3 d. ago Extreme weather 'becoming the norm' as minister warns UK's way of life 'under threat'

The Met Office says country’s climate is ‘notably different’ from just a few decades ago in new report

Events

3 d. ago Israeli airstrike kills at least 10, including six children, at Gaza water station, say health officials

Nine killed in separate bombing of a home on Sunday and 31 others shot dead near aid distribution site on SaturdayMiddle East crisis – live updatesAn Israeli airstrike has killed at least 10 people, including six children, who were waiting to collect water in Gaza, Palestinian health officials have said.A separate airstrike on Sunday hit a home, killing nine people, and 31 others were shot dead near an aid distribution site on Saturday, marking another bloody weekend as the conflict’s death toll exceeded 58,000. Continue reading...

Society

4 d. ago Severe floods sweep cars away as European country battered by 42C 'heat dome'

While Brits are continuing to soak up the sun at home, Spain has been left reeling after a deluge of rain has caused roads to turn to rivers, prompting warnings from authorities

Events

4 d. ago Texas leads nation in flood deaths due to geography, size and population

A study puts the spotlight on Texas as the leading U.S. state by far for flood-related deaths, with more than 1,000 of them from 1959 to 2019

Events

6 d. ago ‘Extreme’ wildfire warning in place for much of Scotland as heatwave hits

Health authorities and emergency services have urged Scots to stay safe in the sun.

Events

6 d. ago Should you run in a heatwave? Expert reveals dos and don'ts of running in extreme heat

As the third heatwave of the year sets in, runners are once again confronted with a tough choice: brave the sweltering temperatures or take a break and stay indoors.

Politics

6 d. ago Heatwaves could cause 34,000 deaths per YEAR in the UK by 2070, scientists predict

The annual number of heat-related deaths in England and Wales is set to rise up to fiftyfold because of climate change, experts have warned.

Events

6 d. ago Extreme heat could lead to 30,000 deaths a year in England and Wales by 2070s, say scientists

Worst-case scenario of 4.3C of warming could result in fiftyfold rise in heat-related deaths, researchers sayMore than 30,000 people a year in England and Wales could die from heat-related causes by the 2070s, scientists have warned.A new study calculates that heat mortality could rise more than fiftyfold in 50 years because of climate heating. Researchers at UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine compared different potential scenarios, looking at levels of warming, measures to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, regional climatic differences and potential power outages. They also modelled the ageing population. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Brits told to 'take extra care' in UK heatwave as common medicines raise 'extreme sunburn risk'

The Met Office has warned of high UV levels as temperatures top 30C across the UK

Events

7 d. ago 'Extreme risk' of wildfire issued for Scotland amid sizzling heatwave

Fire chiefs say the risk will remain in place between Friday and Monday as temperatures are expected to reach as high as 29C.

Events

7 d. ago 'Extreme' wildfire warning issued for Dumfries and Galloway ahead of weekend heatwave

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is urging people in rural areas to take extra care over the next few days.

Events

7 d. ago Get ready for the WORST summer of airline delays ever! EU's warning for Brits looking to go on holiday in Europe this summer

Eurocontrol warns that a lack of air traffic control capacity is expected to cause 'high delays' in nine countries, including France, Spain, Germany and Greece.

Events

8 d. ago 'Apocalyptic' wildfire closes in on Marseille, tornadoes form in the Med and Greece shuts Acropolis amid 42C heatwave while SNOW falls in Switzerland as Europe's extreme weather continues

Europe is being battered by extreme weather, with 'apocalyptic' wildfires being seen in Marseille and tornadoes forming on the Mediterranean Sea. 

Society

8 d. ago 'Apocalyptic' wildfire closes in on Marseilles, tornadoes form in the Med and Greece shuts Acropolis amid 42C heatwave while SNOW falls in Switzerland as Europe's extreme weather continues

Europe is being battered by extreme weather, as 'apocalyptic' wildfires in France forced an airport to close and tornadoes formed in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Society

9 d. ago Netanyahu nominates Trump for Nobel peace prize at White House meeting expected to focus on Gaza

The prime minister made the announcement at a dinner with the president, with the US expected to push Israel to agree a Gaza ceasefireBenjamin Netanyahu told Donald Trump that he would nominate him for the Nobel peace prize on Monday, as the two leaders met for the first time since the US launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear program as part of a short-lived war between Israel and Iran.Trump was expected to press Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire in Israel’s 21-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza amid an outcry over the humanitarian cost of an offensive that has led to nearly 60,000 deaths, most of them Palestinian. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago ‘Like working in a volcano’: stories from six countries in Europe on a day of extreme heat

How chefs, street performers and cheesemongers struggled to get their jobs done in record-busting temperaturesHundreds of millions of people across Europe suffered an extreme heatwave this week, with temperatures smashing records as the continent sweltered.With the human-caused climate emergency pushing the mercury ever higher, early in the summer Europe is experiencing troubling temperatures. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Elderly couple turned heating up to 1,000 degrees and 'boil to death'

Joan Littlejohn, 84, and Glennwood Fowler, 82, were found dead in their home in Spartanburg, South Carolina

Events