James Street railway station is in the heart of Liverpool – just a few minutes’ walk from the famous docks in one direction, and The Beatles Museum in another.
More than 3.1 million passengers passed through its gates in 2024-25. But the area around it remains underdeveloped as a place for people to live.
Directly opposite the station entrance, a prime corner plot of land has been vacant since 2010 – despite efforts to build a block of luxury apartments.
us politics
US army secretary Driscoll quits amid Hegseth tension
US army secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after a year and a half in the top job.
He joins a growing list of high-ranking officials who have departed under the watch of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
What you need to know
- The Army Secretary is reportedly resigning due to behind-the-scenes tension with Hegseth.
- He had overseen the US operation in Venezuela, the ongoing war with Iran and talks between Russia and Ukraine.
- In a statement to CBS News, a White House spokesperson said Driscoll “has been highly effective in advancing President [Donald] Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again”.
Who is Dan Driscoll?
The Iraq War veteran, 41, is a friend of US Vice President JD Vance. The pair met at Yale Law School and Driscoll was formerly one of Vance’s advisors.
He was dubbed Trump’s “drone guy”, focusing on rolling out more unmanned systems and improve US war readiness.
General Randy George, ousted by Hegseth in April, is reportedly a close friend too.
Ongoing friction with Hegseth
Driscoll is one of many senior figures who have now left the armed forces, with many having been fired by Hegseth.
According to CBS, one source said Driscoll had brought concerns to the Trump administration around Hegseth pushing out some army generals from the department.
3 min read
Summer 2026 confirmed as UK’s hottest ever
The Met Office has provisionally announced this summer was the UK’s warmest on record.
It follows months of recurring heatwaves and endless weeks without a drop of rain for some of the worst-hit areas.
The facts and figures
The mean temperatures spiked to 16.5°C, beating last year’s record-breaking average.
The highest temperature recorded this summer was 38.1°C at Kew Gardens in London on 13 August.
This means the UK’s five hottest summers on record are: 2026, 2025, 2018, 2006 and 2003.
3 min read
Effects of climate change
The Met Office analysis found the scorching summer of 2026 is now 130 times more likely because of climate change.
Head of Climate Attribution at the weather agency, Dr Mark McCarthy, said “because of the effect of burning of fossil fuels, we should now expect this to be roughly a one in nine year event”.
In a natural climate, a summer like this would occur roughly once in every 1,000 years.
3 min read
4 min read
The heatwave in pictures
Children among 20 missing after Cyprus ferry sinking
A specialist team equipped to search deep waters was due to arrive from Turkey on Tuesday as emergency crews pressed on with efforts to find 20 people missing after a ferry capsized off northern Cyprus.
What happened?
- A ferry carrying 267 people capsized and sank off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday.
- The Filo Jet left the town of Kyrenia and soon started to take on water.
- Survivors reported the ferry moving erratically, with its last hard impact with the water’s surface breaking the bow of the vessel.
Everything we know so far
There are still 20 people unaccounted for, including an unknown number of children.
Passengers interviewed in local media claim they begged the captain to turn around, then were left scrambling for life jackets.
Captain Mustafa Oz, 66, and seven crew members have been arrested over the incident.
2 min read
Search efforts continue
Visiting Kyrenia on Monday, Tufan Erhürman, president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is not recognised by the UK, said the search would “continue with the same intensity, with no interruption, through the day and night”.
A mother, Ayten Bicer, felt her 12-year-old daughter slip from her hands and disappear as the ferry capsized. Her daughter and son, six, are among the missing.
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
4 min read
A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
2 min read
It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
2 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
5 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
Crown House, a 1950s office building next door to James Street station, has also been empty for more than 20 years, despite numerous attempts to convert it into flats.
The station is a prime example of an inner-city area that experts believe Andy Burnham can target to deliver on his pledge to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament.
A new report from the Centre for Cities, a think-tank close to Burnham, suggests at least 1.2 million homes alone could be built near train stations in Britain’s largest cities.
‘Significant dent in housing shortage’
Anthony Breach, the think-tank’s director of policy and research, said “going big on homes around stations will make a significant dent in the housing shortage”.
It is also “one of the most effective ways to boost city economies. In a low-growth economy like Britain, it is one of the most glaringly obvious problems to fix.”
Britain has generally been poor at building homes around public transport networks – with dense housing next to stations far more common in countries such as France and Japan, the think-tank says.
The area adjacent to James Street station could accommodate at least 3,000 more homes, the study found. The same number of new houses could be built in at least eight of the Metrolink stations in Manchester city centre and at Salford’s Central rail station.
In London alone, the think-tank estimates half a million “missing” homes around London stations, with a further 183,000 in Glasgow and 134,000 in Manchester.
In some cities, such as Sheffield and Liverpool, the density of homes is actually lower near stations than further away from them.
Network Rail ‘too slow to hand over land’
Burnham has announced national planning rule changes forcing councils to give a default “yes” to new homes proposed within 800 metres of train, tram and underground stations, even if they are on green belt land.
But Centre for Cities says the Government’s ambitions are likely to get stuck in red tape and delay without further reform.
The group wants mayors to have more power to take control of land around stations from Network Rail. The government body is estimated to own at least 52,000 hectares of land across the country.
In Liverpool, the mayoral authority signed a memorandum of understanding to take control of stations in 2023 – but three years later the first stations are still being transferred.
Experts say this is partly because authorities are required to demonstrate to regulators that they can run stations safely.
One solution from the Centre for Cities is a “fast track” process so that mayors can enter “partnerships” with Network Rail more quickly.
Mayors: ‘Give us greater control’
The think-tank said Burnham’s Government could also make more use of Mayoral Development Corporations (MDCs), which give areas greater powers to assemble land through compulsory purchase and approve planning applications directly.
The i Paper reported earlier this week how Burnham sees Stockport – where an MDC has led major regeneration efforts – as the blueprint for the revival of Britain’s towns.
Breach said the Government must “be clear-eyed that without speedy planning reforms and rail devolution – good intentions will get stuck in the swamp of delay, red tape and inter-agency bureaucracy”.
Steve Rotheram, Labour’s Mayor of Liverpool City Region and a close ally of the Prime Minister, said while progress has been made, there is “much more we could be doing around our rail network”.
“Giving us greater control over stations and the land around them would open up more sites for development and help us build the homes our residents need, where the transport links already exist.”