Rebecca Robinson

A partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK on Wednesday, with London expected to experience roughly 90% coverage between about 6:17pm and 8:06pm. Experts warn that looking directly at the Sun, even during an eclipse, can cause painless and potentially permanent retinal damage. Safe options include certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses, indirect projection through a homemade pinhole projector, or viewing projected images through a colander or tea strainer; a solar telescope or an organised astronomy-society event is also recommended.

More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from France’s Gironde region as a wildfire spreads toward the Cap Ferret and Arcachon Bay tourist areas. Over 400 people left Cap Ferret by boat, while others were directed toward Bordeaux. The blaze has burned about 8,700 hectares, killed two firefighters and remains difficult to predict because of high temperatures and shifting winds. President Emmanuel Macron has requested European Union assistance, with aircraft from several European countries expected to support firefighting efforts.

A woman known as the Black Widow, Pamela Gwinnett, defrauded 89-year-old Joan Green of nearly £300,000 after gaining power of attorney and isolating her from family before fleeing to Tenerife while awaiting trial. Convicted in absentia and sentenced to six years in prison, she has now been detained in the Canary Islands after cooperation between Greater Manchester Police, the National Crime Agency and Spanish authorities, and will face extradition to serve her sentence.

A Boeing 737 cargo aircraft operated by K2 Airways disappeared over the Arabian Sea after reporting navigation issues and rapidly descending during a flight from Sharjah to Karachi. Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the loss of radar and radio contact following a sharp altitude drop and directional change, prompting an active search‑and‑rescue operation. The aircraft carried five people, and the cause of the incident remains unknown.