Royal estates rent out homes that fail to meet legal energy efficiency standards 15. August 2026 (18:00) Exclusive: More than 100 homes on King Charles and Prince William’s inherited estates have EPC ratings of F or G• ‘It’s archaic’: the struggle to heat poorly insulated homes let by royal estatesMore than 100 homes on the inherited royal estates of King Charles and Prince William fail to meet the legal minimum energy standards for landlords, the Guardian can reveal.An analysis of a large sample of domestic lets on the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall and the Sandringham estate found that one in five have Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of F or G. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Alarmed by the alarm: people react to ‘severe alert’ on phones over UK wildfires 15. August 2026 (17:54) Many complained online that piercingly loud tone was ‘overreach’ while others lamented lack of action on decarbonisationOn Friday at 7pm, Thérèse Coffey was nine miles away from a nuclear power station when her phone made a loud, piercing and very worrying sound: it was a “severe” emergency alert. “Was expecting [a] much more specific alert, not a generic message on wildfires,” the former Conservative cabinet minister said on X.She wasn’t alone in being alarmed by the alarm sent to phones in England and Wales. In the aftermath, thousands of social media users expressed their shock at alert. Some shared funny memes and others lamented what they viewed as lack of government action on decarbonisation. Academic John Ritzema called it a “massive overreach” and said the alert system should be “be for ‘drop everything and prepare for something terrible’ situations”, something Coffey echoed, saying alerts should not become commonplace to avoid “Peter cries wolf situations”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Alaska candidate for US Senate seat rejects Kamala Harris’s unsolicited support 15. August 2026 (17:07) Former VP sent fundraising appeal for Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign – with half of donations going to Harris’s organizationAlaska US Senate candidate Mary Peltola has rejected the support of Kamala Harris, her fellow Democrat, after the 2024 presidential candidate sent out a seemingly unsolicited fundraising appeal on Peltola’s behalf.Harris, who lost Alaska – typically a Republican-voting state – by 13 points during her unsuccessful White House run, on Wednesday sent an email from her political organization to supporters of Peltola, a former US House member. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Heathrow airport roads reopen after flooding from burst water main 15. August 2026 (16:58) Heathrow says airport operating as normal after passengers told not to travel by road and use rail and tube insteadDisruptions caused by flooding from a burst water main on a ring road at Heathrow airport restricted access to Terminals 2 and 3 on Saturday morning. The leak has been contained and the affected areas are operating as normal.Water in the central terminal area prevented anyone trying to travel by road to or from Terminals 2 and 3. Passengers had to travel by rail and tube instead. Access to the carparks was also impeded, leaving people with parked cars unable to access them. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Thirty years after Tupac Shakur’s killing can a murder trial offer justice? 15. August 2026 (16:40) Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis faces trial on Monday over rap star’s death that marked notorious chapter in hip-hop’s historyIn September 1996, rap star Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas strip, succumbing days later to his injuries. His killing, which remained unsolved for decades, gave rise to fervent conspiracy theories and conjecture.Thirty years later, one man is facing trial for the ambush: Duane “Keffe D” Davis. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Naidoc awards honour ‘fearless, brilliant’ promoter of First Nations culture Rhoda Roberts 15. August 2026 (16:01) Proud Widjabul Wieybal woman of the Bundjalung nation recognised posthumously with the lifetime achievement awardGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne of Australia’s greatest cultural ambassadors has been recognised posthumously for dedicating her life to sharing, preserving and promoting First Nations culture through language, dance and ceremony.Proud Widjabul Wieybal woman of the Bundjalung nation Rhoda Roberts died in March aged 66. On Saturday night in Alice Springs, she was posthumously awarded the lifetime achievement award at the Naidoc awards. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Teenager pleas guilty to attacking California sea lion in viral video 15. August 2026 (15:54) Tyler Muehl, 18, could face a year in prison for kicking marine animal four times on La Jolla coastAn 18-year-old California man has admitted he kicked a sea lion in a video that went viral recently – while referring to himself by the name of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitor – and has pleaded guilty to a federal crime.Tyler Muehl, of San Diego’s La Jolla neighborhood, faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine after acknowledging in court on Thursday that he violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act’s prohibition on harassment of wildlife, federal prosecutors said in a statement. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Multiple people injured in shooting at Virginia State University 15. August 2026 (15:20) School said shooting involved ‘multiple suspects’ as campus was locked down and police responded to scene Multiple people were injured in a shooting at Virginia State University, police said on Saturday morning, with several suspects still at large.The campus, about 20 miles (32km) south of Richmond, was on lockdown when police released initial details about the shooting. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Missed out on tickets to see the Bayeux tapestry in London? A £1,000 hotel stay will get you in 15. August 2026 (15:00) British Museum’s £33 tickets sold out in a day but some slots have been reserved for guests at five-star One AldwychThose hoping to snare a glimpse of the Bayeux tapestry when it comes to the British Museum this September faced nine-hour online queues, with the £33 tickets sold out within a day.But the monied guests of a five-star hotel in Covent Garden have not had to go to such arduous lengths to get a view of the nearly 1,000-year-old depiction of William the Conqueror’s victory over King Harold II of England at Hastings in 1066. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Safety check calls after Irish teenager electrocuted taking shower in Greece 15. August 2026 (14:34) Alex McKee died when picking up showerhead in ‘outdoor and rudimentary’ bathroom on KimolosThe death of an Irish teenager, electrocuted while taking a shower in a holiday home in Greece, has led to calls for tighter checks on appliances at tourist accommodation.Alex McKee, 17, is said to have died instantly when picking up the showerhead in a bathroom described as “outdoor and rudimentary” on Kimolos. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
