Andrew Jameson

Millions of mobile users in England and Wales received a government emergency alert warning them not to light barbecues, campfires or fireworks because of very high wildfire risk. The alert followed major fires, including one in Stourbridge that destroyed 19 homes, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged people to follow fire-safety guidance. Many recipients initially feared a nuclear attack, while social-media users responded with jokes. Critics argued that the unexpected alert caused panic and dangerous driving reactions on roads.

Jeff Bezos has joined 1892 Holdings as its lead investor in a consortium acquiring a reported 30% stake in Liverpool F.C. for £1.65 billion. The group, led by former QPR owner Amit Bhatia and also involving Eduardo Saverin and other investors, will work with Fenway Sports Group, which retains majority ownership and operational control. Bhatia is expected to become Liverpool’s vice-chair, with the investment aimed at supporting the club’s long-term growth.

The Monster Raving Loony Party has indicated it could potentially collaborate with Count Binface in the Clacton by-election, although leader Howling Laud Hope said no coalition plans currently exist. Laud Hope defended the party against claims that the contest mocks politics, arguing that its satirical approach makes politics more sensible. The by-election includes 34 candidates, including Laud Hope, Count Binface, Nigel Farage of Reform UK and Laurence Fox, with polling closing at 10pm and results expected overnight. The article also outlines the party’s history and highlights several former policies that later became law, including pet passports and extended pub opening hours.

Meg Avon, who symbolically married the River Avon in 2023 to raise awareness of water pollution, is celebrating Bath and North East Somerset Council’s unanimous endorsement of a charter recognizing the river’s rights to exist, flow sustainably, maintain biodiversity and receive representation. The We Are Avon campaign is urging councils along the river’s 83-mile length to adopt similar protections. Avon has also helped recruit 120 volunteer river guardians and is working with the University of the West of England Bristol on the charter’s development.

New research identifies the dinosaur-killing Chicxulub impactor as an exceptionally rare carbonaceous chondrite, likely from the Ornans class. The roughly six-mile-wide meteorite struck the Yucatán Peninsula 66 million years ago at about 40,000 mph, contributing to the extinction of around 75% of Earth’s species. Nickel isotope analysis suggests that fine debris thrown into the atmosphere, rather than sulphur from the meteorite, was the primary driver of the global catastrophe. Researchers say the meteorite’s rarity and potentially distant origin underscore how unfortunate the dinosaurs were, while its precise source remains uncertain.

Police in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, are investigating the death of Stifanie Ribeiro Firmino Silva after her decomposing body was found beneath blankets in her apartment. Friends became concerned when suspicious messages were sent from her phone, while neighbours reported a strong smell and alerted authorities. A man she had recently introduced as her boyfriend was reportedly seen leaving the apartment with suitcases after allegedly remaining there for several days; a neighbour also described an argument between the couple shortly before her death.

The Haunted Objects Museum in Rotherham has acquired a World War II military-hospital wheelchair previously featured on ITV’s This Morning, where viewers thought Phillip Schofield’s leg appeared to disappear. Paranormal investigators Lee Steer and Sarah Carter claim the chair is haunted by a former patient called William and a nurse spirit. They report physical sensations, sickness, cold readings, REM pod activity, footsteps and muffled voices during investigations, leaving Sarah afraid to walk near the chair alone. The alleged findings remain unverified and Schofield previously attributed the television incident to a camera glitch.

Paul Gascoigne urges England’s players to give maximum effort in their World Cup semi-final against Argentina to avoid the heartbreak he experienced in 1990. In a video message, he encourages the team to act as “11 captains” and work hard, referencing both his emotional moment in Turin and the longstanding football rivalry, including Maradona’s Hand of God goal. He expresses hope that the players end the match smiling rather than in tears, offering support and motivation ahead of the high-stakes encounter.