Is a September heatwave around the corner?

The UK is currently in a much-needed cooler period after the heatwaves of July and early August, but the Met Office has suggested that we could see high temperatures return going into September.

The Met Office has predicted there is a “chance that late-season hot spells or heatwaves develop, especially in the South” in the first 12 days of September.

Niamh Murray, an operational meteorologist at the Met Office, said a September heatwave “can’t be ruled out” but that it was too soon to say “with any real confidence” if it will happen, as temperatures will naturally drop as we head towards autumn.

A dry autumn

Despite showers expected throughout the rest of August, the Met Office’s long-range forecast indicates that autumn is likely to be drier than average.

This means there is little chance that the drought situation will be alleviated, with the Environment Agency suggesting that “weeks of above-average rainfall” will be needed.

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What UK can learn from Europe about using water bills to fight drought

Some water companies across England are trialling tiered billing systems which leave heavy water users facing higher prices for every drop – all in a bid to protect supplies from dwindling.

Everything you need to know about the US midterms

On 3 November, voters from all over the United States will cast their ballots in the midterm elections, which could reshape Congress and make it harder for Donald Trump to pass policy.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress, and around a third of the 100 seats in the Senate (the upper house). Trump’s Republican Party currently holds a slim majority in both.

To take control of the House, the Democrats, who are favoured to win here, will need to win three seats, whereas in the Senate, it will be more difficult, with them needing to net four seats.

Why do they matter?

While Trump’s name will not be on the ballot, the midterms are viewed by many as a referendum on the US President, who will be a major influence on how many voters approach this year’s midterms.

Perhaps more importantly, if the balance of power in Congress shifts to the Democrats, Trump would become a “lame-duck” President and struggle to push through legislation.

History does not favour Trump

The incumbent party is usually predicted to lose the midterms, with the president’s party only gaining congressional seats four times since 1902.

The trend is unlikely to change for Trump, who has become an especially divisive President with a current approval rating of -23 per cent.

Many commentators have predicted Trump will lose the midterms, but this is not a typical President, and these elections may set off a new threat to American democracy.

• Trump’s rhetoric and actions have drawn widespread concerns about how he might seek to overrule the will of voters and challenge results he doesn’t like.

Trainline and Virgin Atlantic investigated for ‘drip pricing’

Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving school are all under investigation for “drip pricing” – where mandatory charges are added on separately from the headline price, or added later in the buying process.

A wider crackdown

The investigations come as part of a wider crackdown by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over concerns that customers were not being shown the total price upfront.

“Drip pricing” leaves customers facing unexpected costs and can affect competition between businesses, as a firm can falsely present cheaper prices than a competitor to attract more customers.

If the CMA finds there has been a breaking of the law, it can force businesses to pay compensation to affected customers and fine them up to 10 per cent of their global turnover.

The firms being investigated

• Trainline is being investigated over booking fees for coach and train tickets imposed at checkout.
• Virgin Atlantic is being investigated over whether mandatory resort fees and local taxes are included in the upfront prices of their package holidays.
• Red Driving School is being investigated for how a mandatory booking fee and “digital” fee have been charged to customers booking driving lessons.

“We are taking proactive steps to enhance how certain fees are presented to our customers.”

“We are reviewing the points raised by the CMA carefully and will co-operate fully with its investigation.”

“[We] always values both transparency and consumer satisfaction in all of our interactions with our customers.”

What has happened so far in Meta’s trial over ‘harm to children’

The first hearing day of the lawsuit against Meta over alleged child harm ended yesterday.

A coalition of 29 US states initially brought the action against Meta Platforms in 2023 in California, accusing the company of deliberately designing its platforms to be addictive to young people.

California’s deputy attorney general Megan O’Neill alleged that Meta hid the truth about the risks its platforms posed to children, chose profit over safety and actively intervened in its own mental health research.

Meta’s lawyer Paul Schmidt argued the company always took safety into account, has a track record of sharing information about social media harms and that enforcing content and age limit policies is complicated.

A whistleblower’s testimony

Meta whistleblower Arturo Béjar said in his testimony that Meta knew its platforms were harming young people, and underplayed the amount of harm among users in its public reports.

During the trial, protestors gathered outside the courthouse.

What happens next?

California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, said the hearing will resume with the continuation of Béjar’s testimony. The trial is expected to last 5-7 weeks.

Whether CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg will testify is still “TBD”, according to Bonta.

How Ulez is improving children’s health in London

A study has revealed that children’s lungs grew bigger and stronger after the introduction of the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez), which restricted the most polluting vehicles from entering London.

The researchers described it as a vindication of the policy, which has been criticised as a burden on motorists.

What you need to know

Previous research showed that by the age of eight or nine, children living in London’s most polluted areas had lung capacity that was 5–10 per cent lower than that of children living elsewhere.

This increased their risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and premature death later in life.

The study

• Researchers from Queen Mary University of London recruited 1,664 children aged six to nine in London and 1,750 in Luton.
• They then measured the children’s lung health and size annually to assess how air quality changes after the introduction of Ulez affected their lung development.
• The children in London initially had much smaller lungs than those in Luton, but after Ulez, their lungs’ health improved until they were comparable with those in Luton.

For years, politicians and pundits opposed to the Ulez have cynically sought to turn questions of public health into a crude culture war. Today, though, it’s clear that we’re winning the battle against toxic air in the capital – and it’s London’s children who are reaping the rewards.

Sadiq khan, mayor of london

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The organ in your chest that could be key to living longer

If you ever muse about which parts of your body are most impacted by getting older, your heart, brain or perhaps your muscles may come to mind. One that you probably wouldn’t think of is the thymus.

Erin Patterson challenges convictions over mushroom murders

Erin Patterson was jailed for life last September for murdering three relatives and trying to kill another after giving them a poisonous mushroom meal.

But now, Patterson is returning to court in an attempt to overturn her conviction.

Patterson’s lawyers say there are pieces of evidence the jurors saw which were not relevant and prejudicial, causing a substantial miscarriage of justice.

They include mobile tracking data indicating that she had been to places where death cap mushrooms had recently been seen, and online messages to Facebook friends in which she ranted about her in-laws and estranged husband.

A closer look at the detail

Patterson’s lawyers also claimed that other evidence had been wrongly excluded.

They pointed to photos relating to her hobby as a long-time mushroom forager that would have supported their argument that the deaths were a tragic accident.

Issues with prosecution

• Her lawyers argued that the prosecution had been inconsistent over the motive, initially telling the court they would not put forward a specific motive, but later suggesting that one did exist.
• They criticised the five days Patterson was cross-examined by barrister Nanette Rogers.
• Patterson said it was “unfair and oppressive”.
• Because of the global scrutiny on the case, steps were taken to ensure the jury were insulated from outside influences.

• However, Patterson’s lawyers argued a “fundamental irregularity” occurred which “fatally undermined” the integrity of the verdicts.
• This is because the jury shared a hotel with members of the prosecution among others.
• The judge at the time said there was no evidence the jury interacted with anyone linked to the case.

The result of the appeal will not be announced immediately after these hearings, as reaching a decision could take months.

If the three judges overturn her convictions, there are two options – a retrial or acquittal.

If the prosecution’s appeal is successful, Patterson may see her parole period extended, or could face life without parole.