Heatwaves putting hydrangeas at risk in south of England, RHS warns

• India faces significant energy import vulnerabilities, highlighted by the 2026 oil price surge and critical chokepoints at the Strait of Hormuz. • The nation has the potential to meet up to 25% of its domestic energy demand growth through internal resources by 2047.

• Former President Trump's decision to pause attacks on Iran highlights the limitations of U.S. military power in asymmetric conflicts. • Despite aerial campaigns, Tehran has not been bombed into submission, as Iran leverages its mountainous geography and drone/missile capabilities to maintain strategic leverage.

• The Trump administration is scaling back funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in South Africa. • This reduction in support for life-saving HIV programs weakens a primary instrument of U.S. soft power and health diplomacy.

Richard Tice referred to parliament’s standards watchdog over undeclared sum from Farage aide George CottrellRichard Tice has been referred to parliament’s standards watchdog over an undeclared loan of nearly £80,000 from Nigel Farage’s aide, George Cottrell.The development opens up the prospect of another inquiry into a Reform UK MP by the watchdog, which was investigating Farage after the Guardian’s revelation that he received an undeclared £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. Continue reading...

Musa Ahmed was being treated in intensive care in London hospital after being pulled from West Mersea seaA seven-year-old boy has died a week after an incident off the Essex coast in which his teenage cousin and her mother died as they tried to rescue him.Musa Ahmed was being treated for life-threatening injuries after being pulled from the sea near West Mersea beach on 22 July. Continue reading...

Environment Agency names seven regions affected by unusually hot and dry weather and shortage of waterHalf of England is officially in drought, with July set to be the driest on record after winter floods, the Environment Agency has said.The “flash drought” developed quickly because of unusually low rainfall and high temperatures. Continue reading...

Layoffs will come in admin and development divisions in Germany, with production operations unaffectedBMW is planning to cut as many as 8,000 jobs in Germany, according to reports, in the latest sign of Europe’s largest carmakers reducing costs under pressure from Chinese rivals.The Munich-headquartered company has started a voluntary redundancy programme agreed with employee representatives, a BMW spokesperson said on Wednesday. Continue reading...

French authorities investigate death of musician who performed at Paris Olympics, but say ‘no suspicious elements’ at playThe French electronic musician Kavinsky, known for the song Nightcall which achieved iconic status after its inclusion in the Ryan Gosling film Drive, has died aged 50.A police source speaking to French newspaper Le Figaro indicated that the suspected cause of death was a stroke. Kavinsky, real name Vincent Belorgey, had reportedly been complaining of headaches in recent days, and he was discovered at home after a concerned neighbour alerted emergency services. Continue reading...

Districts are reducing routes and exploring new ways to get students to class as transportation costs climbEducation officials across the United States are increasingly facing a fundamental challenge: how do they ensure that school students can actually get to their classrooms?The bright yellow school bus might be a visual icon of US education famous around the world, but in reality it is becoming harder for districts to steer. Continue reading...

Veteran medical adviser likely to face questions over disputed ‘lab leak’ theory in investigation seen by scientists as ‘vilification and harassment’ of 85-year-oldSign up for US Breaking News emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Senators are expected to question Anthony Fauci, the former veteran director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Niaid), about whether the Covid-19 virus began as a “lab leak” in a high-profile hearing later today. Continue reading...

US military says it intercepted all Iranian missiles, as fighting threatens to resume. Plus, how Armenians seek to breathe more easily by heading undergroundGood morning. The US military has claimed it knocked down an Iranian missile barrage and worked with Saudi forces to strike sites in Iraq that Tehran-backed militias have used to launch attacks in recent days. In what Washington cast ⁠as “an attempted surprise ⁠attack” by Tehran, Iran had launched multiple ballistic missiles at US forces in the Middle East, shattering a brief pause in fighting. US Central Command (Centcom) said all Iranian missiles launched on Tuesday were intercepted.Iran’s attack came as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, visited Washington. Netanyahu said he had an “excellent” meeting with Donald Trump. The closed-door meeting lasted nearly an hour and a half and was “positive and productive,” the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.Why is the US-Iran war a threat to biodiversity? The closure of the strait of Hormuz has created conditions for an extreme global biodiversity threat, with scientists warning that thousands of stranded ships could spread invasive marine species across the world’s oceans once they begin sailing again.Who else did Trump meet yesterday? Trump hosted back-to-back White House meetings with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Netanyahu on Tuesday. The Ukrainian leader was seeking more firepower for his air defenses and said: “We also spoke about diplomacy – it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.” Continue reading...