France to relax cheese production rules after drought takes toll on grazing land

• Russia has issued a formal warning to the United Kingdom regarding its ongoing production of drones. • Diplomatic efforts are reportedly making progress concerning the Strait of Hormuz, though the practical impact remains unclear.

• Ten European countries have restored border checks, signaling a potential decline in European solidarity and the viability of the Schengen common area. • The tension escalated on August 26, 2026, after Italy imposed restrictions on travelers from Spain, prompting an immediate retaliatory response from Madrid.

• President Trump stated that the U.S. is "achieving a very big victory" in the ongoing war with Iran, asserting that military operations will continue for as long as necessary. • As the conflict approaches the six-month mark, Trump confirmed there is currently no specific timetable for resuming peace talks with the Iranian government.

• Media narratives and expert analyses are increasingly focusing on a projected 2026 war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. • Current discourse largely portrays Iran as the primary antagonist in the lead-up to this potential conflict.

Findings from research into illnesses associated with bathing in lakes and rivers come amid boom in hobbyWild swimming has been linked to a higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes, according to the largest ever controlled study of illnesses associated with bathing in rivers and lakes.The research found that swimmers at locations in Hungary were more than twice as likely to develop skin problems, while the risk of contracting a stomach bug rose significantly in water with higher concentrations of E coli and other bacteria linked to faecal pollution. Continue reading...

Exclusive: utility company wants to draw off tens of millions of litres of water a day from Thames and replace it with treated effluentLevels of a toxic “forever chemical” rose to 13 times the legal limit during Thames Water pilots for a controversial multimillion pound water recycling scheme that will pump millions of litres of treated sewage into the River Thames during drought.The data from the pilots is in stark contrast to public comments from Thames Water that their water recycling project in south-west London will not harm the riverine environment. Continue reading...

Horticulturalists begin moving and propagating plants before the rusty and warped Palm House begins renovation – but some are too tall to saveIt will be a gut-wrenching moment for the horticulturalists at Kew Gardens when some of the magnificent trees in the Palm House have to be felled.“There are some sad moments ahead,” said Palm House manager, Will Spoelstra, who knows all the plants inside the cathedral-like greenhouse. Continue reading...

Allegations Nathan Cofnas was unqualified for Ghent role and would cause ‘negative impact’ made to senior leaders months agoNathan Cofnas, the academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism, has been accused of having “very limited expertise” for his academic role by professors also working at Ghent University, who say he has a “far-right agenda”.Cofnas secured a postdoctoral research role “on the future of liberalism” at Belgium’s Ghent University in March. Weeks later, Ghent’s department of philosophy and moral sciences handed a 19-page statement to university officials, setting out why it believed it was “improbable” that Cofnas was the best candidate. Continue reading...

Parliamentary committee welcomes fact most of 472 missing have been found but ‘extremely concerned’ for restForty children who went missing from hotels housing asylum seekers in the UK have still not been found, according to a parliamentary report.Ministers are facing calls from MPs and peers to explain what they are doing to locate the group, two of whom are believed to still be under 18. The figure emerged in a report on Thursday by the joint committee on human rights on how the social care system is failing young adults. Continue reading...

The 80-seat venue at Edinburgh fringe combines sauna rituals with theatre, music, storytelling … and sweatTucked away behind the Summerhall arts centre is the hottest new venue at the Edinburgh fringe … quite literally. The Sauna theatre has proved popular among theatregoers at the world’s largest performing arts festival, with shows inside its purpose-built, 80-seat sauna drawing sweaty, swimwear-clad crowds.Visitors may be forgiven for thinking the sauna is a gimmick, especially at the fringe where absurd, experimental and ludicrous performances are not uncommon. This year they include a man drinking his own urine, someone singing the same song over and over, physical feats of exertion and several fully naked shows. Continue reading...

Entire populated areas swept away with early death toll standing at 165 and nationals from India, US, UK, Australia and Canada known to be missingFollow latest updates liveTell us: have you been affected by the flash floods?A glacial collapse triggered the catastrophic flash flood in Nepal and Tibet that roared down valleys, wiping out entire villages and leaving a preliminary death toll of at least 165 people, the US Geological Survey said. Rescuers on Thursday raced to locate the hundreds missing, including nationals from India, the US, UK, Australia and Canada.Terrifying videos from the event on Wednesday showed a massive wall of water crashing down on the border as people attempted to flee. Trucks were upended and houses, roads ⁠and power projects swept away in Nepal, while ​officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties” after a mudslide hit a border land crossing. Continue reading...