Rebecca Robinson

A partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK on Wednesday, with London expected to see about 90% of the Sun obscured and the event lasting just under two hours. Direct viewing without proper protection can cause painless, potentially permanent retinal damage. Safe options include ISO 12312-2-certified eclipse glasses, indirect projection with a pinhole projector, or household items such as colanders and tea strainers; a solar telescope or an astronomy-society viewing event is also recommended.

The Met Office forecasts temperatures reaching 31C in London on Monday, August 3, with highs of 29C in Manchester and 28C in Cardiff. The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber heat-health alerts for London, the East Midlands, the East of England and the South East from August 3 to August 5. Authorities warn that extreme heat could place additional pressure on health and social care services, increase risks for older people and those with underlying conditions, overheat indoor environments, and contribute to water-related incidents.

Morrisons is trialling Instacart’s AI-powered Caper smart trolleys at its Preston store, making it the first UK supermarket to test the technology. The trolleys automatically recognise items, weigh fresh produce, display a running total, apply More Card savings and enable checkout through a dedicated lane. The trial is intended to assess whether the system makes shopping faster, more convenient and more rewarding for customers in Preston and across Lancashire.

A 7.4‑magnitude earthquake near Puerto Madero on the Mexican coast triggered a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific region and prompted evacuations across Guatemala. Buildings were shaken in Guatemala City, with tremors also felt in El Salvador and Mexico’s Oaxaca state, where no major damage was reported. The US Geological Survey highlighted the vulnerability of local building types and warned of potential liquefaction risks.