Imagine a perfect summer weekend day: a cloudless blue sky with a gentle breeze. Solar panels are at full capacity, wind turbines are turning offshore – and many people are out and about, in gardens or parks. Electricity supply is high, but demand is low.

Electricity systems must balance supply and demand in real time. In the above scenario, when renewables are producing lots of electricity but there isn’t much demand, energy companies may need to curtail output – disconnecting their turbines or panels from the grid, and essentially wasting clean energy that could have been generated. Hours later, when demand rises, that energy is no longer available.

In the UK, wind farms are already being paid to switch off on days when supply outstrips demand. Similar curtailment of renewable generation already happens regularly in places with lots of solar power such as California, Spain or Australia. As renewable energy continues to grow – and in the UK’s case, as cheap plug-in solar panels become available – this could happen a lot more often.

For example, April 22 2026 was a sunny day in the UK, with moderate wind. Solar generation reduced the demand for gas-generated electricity to almost zero. Had the wind speed been any higher, there could have been more electricity generation than demand.

The limits of supply and storage

One option would be to control the supply to try and match demand. When electricity mostly came from fossil fuels, this was easy enough – power plants would just burn less coal or gas. But you can’t control the weather, and you certainly can’t keep sunlight in a pile of fuel to use later. The electricity it generates is either used, stored or lost.

Another option would be to simply store that excess electricity until it’s needed. There are lots of approaches available, ranging from huge battery banks to pumped-storage hydro schemes that store energy by pumping water uphill before generating electricity when needed. Millions of electric car batteries could even become part of the grid.

But all these technologies remain expensive and limited in capacity. Not all surplus power can be saved for later.

Without other solutions, this mismatch can increase reliance on fossil fuels at times of high demand. The UK’s National Energy System Operator (Neso) recently warned it will need to use “more tools, more often” to keep the grid stable.

A simpler solution

A third option is to shift when people use electricity.

The use of renewable energy has made balancing the grid depend not just on supply – weather conditions – but on user behaviour. If people consume electricity when renewable energy is available, there would be less need for other sources of energy or for big investments in energy storage. That’s why shifting electricity demand is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to balance the grid.

Smart meters are already able to vary electricity prices throughout the day. In our summer weekend scenario, when electricity is cheap and plentiful but demand is minimal, a smart meter might advise you that prices have gone right down – or even turned negative – creating an incentive to heat water, wash clothes or charge electric cars. In effect, households would be paid to absorb excess renewable energy.

This would encourage people to install smart meters and change when they use electricity. It should be particularly useful for low-income households. And at the national level such payments can be cheaper overall than investments in energy storage or curtailing wind or solar farms and unleashing them later.

Paying people to use electricity may sound odd, but it represents the cost of keeping the system balanced.

Why trust me

An Australian woman has given birth to identical quadruplet girls after a pregnancy doctors described as incredibly rare.

Jenitar Sau Na’amoana, who is 34 years old and already had four children, delivered the babies last week at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Queensland state.

“We are very excited to be able to care for this amazing little family, a big family now,” Dr. Alexa Bendall, a maternal fetal medicine specialist who cared for Na’amoana, said in an interview released by the hospital.

The babies were conceived naturally and came from one fertilized egg that split into four, “which was incredible,” Bendall said.

“We think the figures are probably around 1 in 15 million for a case like this to be spontaneously conceived,” she said. “We don’t think it’s ever happened in Australia.”

Overall, experts say, the chance of conceiving quadruplets naturally is only 1 in 700,000; most are conceived with the assistance of medical technology.

Hospital officials said Na’amoana and her husband, Jortham, hadn’t planned to have more children and were quite surprised when she became pregnant with the quadruplets.

Na’amoana faced a high risk of complications, especially given the fetuses shared one placenta. In general, being pregnant with any multiple fetuses puts a mom at increased risk for problems such as preterm birth, miscarriage and birth defects, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Na’amoana was monitored by a large medical team at the hospital since 10 weeks gestation and was admitted as an inpatient at 25 weeks so she could be monitored, hospital officials said. She delivered the babies by cesarean section on July 14.

“The fact that we’ve got four beautiful, healthy babies born at 28 weeks and four days is incredible,” Bendall said. “Mum did lose a little bit of blood but not an excessive amount for having quads, and she’s doing well.”

The babies are doing well in the neonatal intensive care unit. Their names are Emily, Harriet, Catherine and Alexa, in honor of Bendall. The doctor called the name a “beautiful tribute,” and said she feels privileged to have helped bring these children into the world.

“From an academic perspective, it’s really interesting,” she said. “But also from a human perspective, to be able to be part of the family’s journey and come out with four beautiful babies and a healthy mum is very precious.”

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The 49-year-old drove at speeds of 70mph in 30mph zones

A man who forced pedestrians and cyclists to dive out of the way as a result of his dangerous driving has been jailed. Sean Kimber, 49, was driving a car linked to burglaries when he was spotted by police on Milton Road, Cambridge, on May 5.

Officers signalled for him to pull over, but he made off at speed. Kimber led officers on a pursuit around residential streets, reaching speeds of more than 70mph in 30mph zones.

This forced pedestrians and cyclists to dive out of the way. He travelled to Histon and smashed through a wooden gate, speeding over private land and was then stopped by officers.

Kimber was arrested at the scene and later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, criminal damage and using fraudulent registration plates.

Kimber, of Manor Close, Little Wilbraham, was sentenced to one year and three months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday (July 17).

Detective Constable Lisa Bacon, who investigated, said: “Kimber’s actions that day were nothing short of appalling. He drove dangerously and clearly with no thought about the danger he was putting other people in.

“He narrowly missed numerous collisions as pedestrians were forced to take evasive action. Thankfully, the pursuit ended and he was arrested before anyone was hurt.”

Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Alger, whose team led the investigation, said: “Durkan’s offending represented a serious and sustained course of predatory behaviour, deliberately targeting women who were entirely unaware they were being filmed, without their consent and in the privacy of their own homes.

Cher Lloyd announced she had split from her hairdresser husband of 13 years, Craig Monk by posting a ring-free hand to her 2.6million Instagram followers on Monday. 

Telling a fan she had put her ring in the bin, a source close to her husband later told the Daily Mail that Cher should ‘stop airing her dirty laundry in public’.

The former X Factor singer, 32, had responded to a comment which asked: ‘I have many questions, where is your wedding ring? What are we supposed to understand from your photos?’ with Cher replying: ‘It’s in the bin’.

A friend responded: ‘Realising the timing of me sending you my save the date….whooooops my bad. Onto greater things eh lass, love ya x’ 

A source close to Craig, 35, has since urged the singer to ‘have an adult conversation with her husband’ instead of posting about the state of their marriage online.

The singer, 32, had shared a photo of her ring-free hand with her 2.6 million Instagram followers on Monday, saying her ring was ‘in the bin’

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They said Craig found Cher’s comments ‘disrespectful’ adding: ‘She’s obviously spent the last few days photographing her hand. It seems to be for attention. 

‘To say that she’s thrown her wedding ring in the bin is extremely disrespectful. Once something like that goes online, it’s always online.

‘I think it’s quite obvious that she’s not acting in a very mature manner. Maybe have an adult conversation instead of going straight onto Instagram.’

Cher married Craig in November 2013 and the couple share two daughters, Delilah-Rae, who was born in May 2018, and Eliza Violet, born in September 2023. 

The source added: ‘Craig’s okay. He’s getting on with life and prioritising his two girls and that is literally all that is at the forefront of his mind. They are the only ones who matter in all of this.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Cher’s representative for comment. 

On Tuesday, Cher alluded to moving ‘onto greater things’ amid the surprise split. 

Moreover, she ‘liked’ a number of posts referencing, her gut and intution, crying for hours and lost love. 

She then liked a funny video showing somebody dancing in a video to Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie, with the caption: ‘Me after crying for two hours’.

Another shot showed words layered over an image of Jessica Alba reading: ‘Source? My gut feeling. My intuition. Super symbolic dream. The vibe I got’. 

One of the more poignant videos shared by Cher, was a video with a voiceover saying: ‘I’ll buy you whatever you want’, with the response: ‘No you can’t’. 

Cher and Monk share two children: daughters Delilah-Rae, seven, and Eliza Violet, two 

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When a fan asked Cher where her wedding ring was, she replied that it was ‘in the bin’

Cher re-posted a video about crying and acting ‘like nothing happened’ 

Another shot showed words layered over an image of Jessica Alba reading: ‘Source? My gut feeling. My intuition. Super symbolic dream. The vibe I got’

She liked and reposted a video about the loss of ‘old school love’

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Another post reshared by the star showed a picture of a bird in a tree with the caption: ‘Imagine hating me and I’m just having a full conversation with a bird hoping my dad can hear me from heaven’ 

An accompanying caption read: ‘What happened to old-school love? When trust came naturally, loyalty meant something, and people weren’t afraid to genuinely care for each other.’

Cher and Craig got engaged less than a year after meeting, following her rise to stardom on The X Factor, where Cheryl Tweedy was her mentor.

During a guest appearance on ITV chat show Loose Women in October 2018, Cher said: ‘You know when you grow up and dream of that fairy tale of course we’ve had our ups and downs, but honestly it is like a fairy tale with me and him.’

The speculation of a marriage split comes just three months after Cher announced the devastating news that her father had died.

In an emotional statement posted onto her social media, she wrote: ‘Life will never be the same again. I’ve never felt pain like this. My Dad, I love you. Goodnight. 10.03.73 – 11.04.26.’

Cher also shared an image of a text message conversation with her dad Darren, in which she had said ‘I love you dad. More than you’ll ever know’, to which he replied: ‘I know you do. And I love you more and more each day see you tomorrow.’

Cher’s father struggled throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and was rushed to hospital three times in 2020 as he battled against the deadly bug.

At the time – due to the strict restrictions – Cher was unable to visit her dad.

An Israeli-American businessman has died after falling from the 28th floor of a Miami luxury building.

Yakir Levi, 45, was identified by family members as the man who fell from the Acqualina Resort and Residences On The Beach in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, on Monday.

Police and members of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) were dispatched to reports of an adult male who fell from the building shortly after 9.30pm.

‘Upon arrival, they confirmed an adult male had fallen, and MDFR determined he was deceased on the scene,’ a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told the Daily Mail.

Detectives are in the process of identifying the decedent and making the next-of-kin notifications, and were unable to confirm Levi’s identity. 

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Homicide Bureau has taken over the investigation, which has been deemed an unclassified death investigation.

‘The manner and cause of death will be determined by the autopsy results conducted by the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner,’ the spokesperson added.

A woman who is listed as Levi’s sister on Facebook posted a tribute, writing, ‘My dear precious brother. I entrust his soul to the Creator. May someone wake me up from this crazy nightmare.’

Police responded to reports of a man who had fallen from a balcony at the Acqualina Resort and Residences On The Beach in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, on Monday

A representative from Acqualina told the Daily Mail the residence building is cooperating with investigators. 

‘We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and our thoughts are with the family and friends during this difficult time,’ the spokesperson said.

‘In cooperation with the ongoing investigation by local authorities, we are unable to share further details.

‘The safety and wellbeing of our guests and team members remains our highest priority.’

Levi, who served as an IDF soldier before moving to the United States, founded the Los Angeles-based water damage and restoration company 770 Water Damage Restoration, according to Los Angeles Magazine.

His social media pages show that he once had a career as a musician, and he started on an Israeli reality TV show that aired on Israeli broadcasting company Reshet.

He was married to his wife, Meital Gershoni Levi, and they shared three children.

An Instagram page called the Bukharian Community, which is described as the largest online community for Bukharian Jews, posted a tribute to Levi.

He was married to his wife, Meital Gershoni Levi, and they shared three children. Levi served as an IDF soldier before moving to the US and founded the Los Angeles-based water damage and restoration company 770 Water Damage Restoration

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The night before he died, Levi was tagged in a group photo on Instagram that was caption, ‘Nights we won’t remember with people we won’t forget’

‘The Israeli community is mourning the tragic passing of Yakir Levi, a Los Angeles resident, who died last night at the age of 45,’ the page said.

‘Levi is survived by his wife and their three children. May his memory be a blessing, and may his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.’

The night before he died, Levi was tagged in a group photo on Instagram that was caption, ‘Nights we won’t remember with people we won’t forget.’

The Daily Mail contacted the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department, 770 Water Damage Restoration and Reshet 13 Media Group for comment.

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Ryanair flight FR6597 was supposed to leave Barcelona Airport at 4.50pm local time on Monday but passengers were only allowed to board at around 6pm, with temperatures inside the plane allegedly topping 40C

A traveller aboard a delayed Ryanair service from Spain to Manchester has recounted how passengers were left ‘trapped’ inside the aircraft for over two hours while temperatures climbed into the 40s.

Ryanair flight FR6597 had been scheduled to depart Barcelona Airport at 4.50pm local time on Monday, yet passengers weren’t permitted to board until approximately 6pm. Rather than taking off, those on board were left drenched in perspiration as the Boeing 737 sat stationary on the tarmac for two hours.

Footage captured inside the aircraft showed perspiring travellers attempting to cool themselves while enduring the lengthy wait for take-off. Those expecting complimentary water were reportedly dismayed to learn they’d have to purchase it.

While the temperature outside Barcelona Airport peaked at 31C, conditions inside the cabin allegedly exceeded 40C.

Rachel, a 34-year-old teacher and mum to six-year-old twins, filmed the ordeal and subsequently told the Manchester Evening News that sweltering passengers were ‘trapped’ aboard and forced to pay three euro and 50 cents for bottled water.

She explained: “Everything seemed to be fine at first although it was very hot outside, 32 or 33C. We got a message to sit down as quickly as possible as there would be no air conditioning until the engines were on and we were moving.

“It was getting hotter and hotter and we were sitting there and we weren’t moving. Then they gave out water and we thought it was free of charge but then they came though the cabin asking for whoever had taken the water with their payment machines and taking money. After the first 45 minutes people were dripping in sweat and we just weren’t getting any information.

“The staff were telling us to sit down or we’d miss our slot and everyone sat down and we thought we were leaving but again nothing happened. Another 20 minutes went by and we were still sitting there and still waiting. Then we were told there would be a further delay.

“At that point it was so hot people were asking to be let off the plane. It got really bad. It was scary at that point because there was no cool air at all. Everyone was pouring with sweat. It was like being locked inside a sauna. It felt exactly like that.

“There were children crying. There was a woman with a heart condition seated behind me who fainted. She was slumped over. The temperature must have been in the high 40s. I was looking at my own children and their faces were all puffy because of the heat. It was actually shocking how they treated us. They wouldn’t do that to animals”.

“They were telling us if anyone wanted to get off they wouldn’t be allowed back onto the plane. A few people fainted. My husband nearly fainted. There was a school trip of about 30 children aged 15 or 16.”

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At approximately 8.20pm, with departure still nowhere in sight, every passenger was instructed to leave the aircraft. Once inside the terminal building, several male travellers attempted to remove their soaking garments but were promptly ordered by local authorities to put them back on, Rachel recounted.

“I felt for the crew to be honest. I don’t really blame them. They were just doing their jobs and they were as hot as we were. I don’t think they really knew what was going on,” Rachel explained.

Travellers were ultimately instructed to re-board the aircraft, which finally took off just before 1am Spanish time today (Tuesday July 21, 2026), touching down in Manchester at 2am UK time to cheers from the exhausted passengers.

“It was an absolutely horrific experience,” Rachel stated, revealing that travellers received four euro vouchers which could only be redeemed within the terminal. Terminal shops were shut, she noted.

A Ryanair statement said: “This flight from Barcelona to Manchester (21 Jul) was delayed prior to departure due to thunderstorms at Barcelona Airport. Passengers were disembarked during the delay and reboarded once weather conditions improved.

“Passengers booked on this flight received communications via email and PUSH notifications and were issued with refreshment vouchers during the delay. Once weather conditions improved, this flight departed for Manchester at 00:29am local time.”

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The concerns come after a series of Freedom of Information requests submitted by Belfast Live.

Questions continue to be raised over how the homeless in Belfast will be supported during this summer’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann after Belfast City Council confirmed it has not commissioned any additional emergency accommodation for the event.

The issue has been highlighted by independent councillor Paul McCusker, who has called for assurances that vulnerable people will not be “disadvantaged or left without access to the assistance they need” when thousands of visitors descend on the city next month.

The concerns also come after a series of Freedom of Information requests submitted by Belfast Live.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive said it did not hold information relating to planning for homelessness during the Fleadh and advised that enquiries should instead be directed to Belfast City Council.

In response to a separate FOI request, Belfast City Council initially extended the deadline for responding, stating that it was considering whether to withhold information under commercial interests exemptions.

However, in its final response, the council instead relied on an exemption relating to information provided in confidence to withhold minutes from meetings discussing the event.

The council’s handling of the request was challenged through an internal review, arguing the change in exemptions was procedurally flawed and that the public interest favoured releasing the minutes, at least in a redacted form.

The review ultimately upheld the council’s decision to withhold the meeting records, with the City Solicitor concluding the information had been provided by partner organisations and concerned commercially sensitive planning for the Fleadh.

However, the council accepted that it should have provided further explanation in relation to other parts of the request.

It confirmed there will be no specific Fleadh strategy for Safer Neighbourhood Officers, saying officers will instead extend their working hours from 8 am until 10 pm throughout the festival while continuing their normal duties.

The council also said there are no specific standard operating procedures or strategy documents for its Complex Lives Team for the event. Instead, a meeting was held in May to inform homelessness and support services about road closures and access arrangements so they could plan accordingly.

On emergency accommodation, the council said: “There has been no funding applied for or additional bed space commissioned by Belfast City Council.”

It added that it had informed the Housing Executive about the Fleadh and its potential impact and would continue liaising with the organisation “to ensure we have safe, inclusive and compassionate Fleadh 2026”.

The council also said it held no correspondence or briefing notes regarding the “clearing” or relocation of rough sleepers from areas being used for performances or pedestrianised event spaces.

Independent councillor Paul McCusker, who works within the homelessness sector, has written to the chief executives of both Belfast City Council and the Housing Executive seeking further clarification.

He said: “The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Belfast, celebrate Irish culture and bring visitors into our city. However, it is vital that we also consider how the event will impact those who are vulnerable or experiencing homelessness.

“With restrictions and operational changes expected across the city centre, we need to ensure that people who depend on support services are not disadvantaged or left without access to the assistance they need.

“I have asked for clarification on whether additional emergency accommodation or bed spaces will be made available during the festival and what measures are being put in place to support vulnerable people throughout the event.

“As we welcome thousands of visitors to Belfast, we must also ensure that those who are most in need are treated with dignity and supported appropriately.”

Paul McCusker said that following a briefing on the event, there remained “no clarity” on how homelessness services would operate during the Fleadh or whether additional emergency accommodation would be available.

He added: “The lack of planning will displace our most vulnerable, and this is unacceptable.”

The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Belfast between 2nd and 9th August, making it one of the largest cultural events ever hosted by the city.

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