BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Authorities in Hungary will begin taking steps to raise the level of the Danube River this week in order to ensure the country’s only nuclear power plant can continue operating, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Wednesday.

Persistent drought and successive extreme heat waves in recent months have deprived one of Europe’s largest rivers of water, bringing Danube levels to record lows and pushing the Paks nuclear power plant to the brink of shutting down for the first time in its 44-year history.

The Soviet-built plant, which uses water from the Danube to cool its four reactors, is currently operating at little more than 10% of its 2,000 megawatt capacity due to low water levels. It supplies Hungary with around a third of its electricity.

In a video posted to Facebook on Wednesday, Magyar said authorities would begin building a bed sill — a low concrete or stone structure built into the riverbed to slow the current and raise upstream water levels — on Thursday on a section of the Danube just upriver from the plant.

Delivery of some 145,000 cubic meters of rocks used in its construction would begin on Wednesday evening, Magyar said, adding that the intervention could raise the level of the Danube by up to a meter (3 feet).

Meanwhile, two 80-meter (262-foot) barges will be transported to the site near Paks and may be sunk in order to raise the Danube up to a further 20 centimeters (8 inches) at the plant’s cooling pumps. A decision on whether to sink them will be made on Friday, Magyar said.

“We can no longer consider this extraordinary situation as a one-time natural extreme,” he said, adding that the work must be carried out quickly to avoid a full Paks shutdown.

Magyar referred to the construction of the bed sill as a “long-term” solution which could ensure that water levels never fall below the threshold at which reactors at Paks must be powered down.

He said that after a recent temporary rise in water levels, they were expected to begin falling again in coming days which, without external intervention, could lead to the complete shutdown of the Paks plant.

“The Danube has given us days, not months,” he said.

Similar measures were taken in Romania last week when authorities sank four barges laden with rock into the Danube in an attempt to redirect water downstream toward the Cernavoda nuclear plant, which had already shut down one of its two reactors due to low water levels.

On Wednesday, Magyar said the Paks plant operating at its current output is costing Hungary’s economy up to 50 billion forints ($158 million) per month. By contrast, he said the planned interventions on the Danube will cost around 6 billion forints ($19 million).

Enforcement officers with the City of York Council had served the group who pitched up at Chesney Fields in Foxwood Lane a notice to leave on Monday (August 10).

The warning gave the community until lunchtime on Wednesday (August 12) to vacate the area but left early, Westfield ward councillor Andrew Waller confirmed.

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Shortly after 5.30pm on Tuesday, he said: “The Travellers have now all left the field.

“The waste from the site was bagged up.”

The group arrived at the popular playing fields over the weekend and were issued a notice to leave by the council (Image: Westfield Ward Liberal Democrats)

Cllr Waller had reported earlier that day that most of the group had left the fields, which are popular with local football teams and sit adjacent to a children’s play area.

One caravan and one van remained following the council warning, he said, with waste from the group left by the nearby litter bin.

A council spokesperson said they had met with the Traveller community at the site.

It is understood that officers from North Yorkshire Police also visited the fields.

Cllr Waller said the Travellers had used a gap in the low fencing made during a previous encampment in May to gain entry onto the field.

In a statement, he said: “I am awaiting a response from the council with regards to the repairs to existing fencing to the field and any proposals for improvements following the previous situation in May.”

In response, Ian Hoult, head of environmental services at City of York Council said: “Chesney Fields is a busy space, with the play area and field used every day by local residents.

“To improve the security of the site, sections of the existing fence line will be re-enforced with additional posts.

“These will strengthen the fence line without impacting trees or the wider look and feel of the area.”

In May, piles of rubbish left behind in the Traveller encampment were cleared by multiple council vans.

Cllr Waller said: “We had to do a lot of work to make the site safe for those who use it after broken glass was found across the football pitches.”

Westfield Labour said the same response was not required for this week’s encampment.

A statement read: “The field was left clean.

“City of York Council officers from the public realm team are attending to ensure the bagged waste is removed and to check the fields.

“We have also asked that the fence, gate and lego blocks and re-instated.”

Officers were called to Howard Place in Stockton at around 9pm on Tuesday, August 11, after receiving information that a group had entered an address armed with weapons.

Cleveland Police were told three individuals fled the area by car.

An extensive search was launched and armed officers later stopped the car believed to be involved in Station Road, Billingham, which is near a train track.

No weapons were recovered at the time of the search. 

Two 16-year-old boys and a 19-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a firearm.

Cleveland Police have confirmed that all three remain in custody and that enquiries are ongoing.

Inspector Barnes, from Stockton CID, said: “Officers swiftly attended the scene and made three arrests.

“We are working as quickly as possible to establish the circumstances of what happened, however, at this time we do believe that this was a targeted incident.

“There will continue to be a police presence in the area so please speak to our officers if you have concerns.”

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting reference number 160132.

Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers.

Officers were called to the Burdon area of Sunderland just before 6.45am on Wednesday (August 12) after reports of a suspected burglary. 

A vehicle had reportedly been taken from a property and driven in the surrounding area before heading into the Durham force area.

When Durham Police officers were trying to locate the vehicle, it was spotted in the Cooperative Terrace area of Sunderland just after 8.30am. 

While an officer approached on foot and attempted to secure the suspected stolen vehicle, it was driven away and collided with an unconnected parked vehicle.

An officer was injured in the process and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Northumbria Police has confirmed that six boys, aged between 13 and 17, have been arrested in connection with the incident and are currently in police custody.

Enquiries are ongoing to locate anyone else believed to have been involved.

The road is currently closed to traffic, and officers are expected to remain on scene for a number of hours.

Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Fenney, of Northumbria Police, said: “Firstly, we’d like to extend our thoughts to the officer from our neighbouring police force who has been injured in this incident.

“Police officers attend work with the sole intention to help people – not to be hurt in the line of duty.

“We wish this officer a speedy recovery and we’d like to thank him and his colleagues for their assistance with the response to the initial report.

“Our investigation remains at an early stage, however we already have got six suspects in custody.

“We’re aware this incident will have caused concern and disruption in the local community.

“As this is a live investigation, we ask the public not to speculate on the circumstances or comment on social media.

“Officers will remain in the area, and we would ask anyone with further concerns, or information to report, including CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage, to get in touch with us.”

Assistant Chief Constable Richie Allen, from Durham Constabulary, said: “Our thoughts are with the officer who sustained injuries during the incident. Thankfully, he has since been discharged from hospital and we wish him a speedy recovery.

“We are working closely with our neighbours at Northumbria Police as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. 

“We would encourage anyone with any information that could assist their enquiries to get in touch with them as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information which could help should send Northumbria Police a direct message on social media, or use the live chat and report forms on the force’s website, or call 101 quoting reference number: 26000422478.

R and N, located on High Street in Eston, has been ordered to close for three months.

It comes after a joint investigation by Redcar and Cleveland Trading Standards and Cleveland Police to combat the sale of illegal tobacco products.ho

R & N has been closed for three months following investigations into the sale of illegal tobacco. (Image: Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council)

Councillor Ursula Earl, Redcar and Cleveland Council’s cabinet member, said: “The sale of illicit tobacco harms our communities, undermines legitimate local businesses and can make tobacco products more accessible to children and young people.

“This closure order demonstrates our commitment to working with partners to tackle illegal trading activity and hold those involved to account.

“We would encourage anyone with information about the sale of illicit tobacco to report it and help us protect residents and businesses across the borough.”

Authorities say the illicit tobacco trade is linked to organised criminal activity and can make the products more accessible to children and young people.

Lord Michael Bichard, chair of National Trading Standards, said: “The illicit tobacco trade is driven by organised criminal gangs and poses serious risks to local communities, especially young people.

“Since its launch in January 2021, Operation CeCe, a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC, has removed 102 million illegal cigarettes, 20,550kg of hand-rolling tobacco, and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale, helping to clamp down on this illicit trade and protect communities and honest businesses across the UK.”

Anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco is urged to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or report anonymously through the Keep It Out campaign website.

Britons are being warned not to swim in the sea and keep their headlights on during tonight’s eclipse.

Tonight’s solar eclipse will see the moon pass in front of the sun, blocking out as much as 96 per cent of our solar system‘s star for watchers in the UK.

The first contact between the moon and sun in the sky will take place at around 6.08pm in parts of Scotland, before spreading southwards within minutes.

It will peak just under an hour later, at 7.05pm in Glasgow and Edinburgh, 7.10pm in Manchester and Liverpool, 7.11pm in Birmingham, 7.12pm in London, Bristol and Cardiff, and at 7.16pm in Cornwall.

The last total solar eclipse visible from the UK was in 1999 – although it was only visible in Devon and Cornwall, with the rest of the country experiencing only a partial eclipse. The next total eclipse in Britain will not take place until 2090. 

While a once-in-decades event for British eclipse chasers, the near totality of tonight’s event comes with its fair share of risks with scientists warning everyone should be aware of.

As well as the usual warnings of not looking directly at the sun – which can cause permanent eye damage – drivers and swimmers are also being told to exercise caution. 

The RNLI has warned against swimming in the sea during this evening’s eclipse, saying it is dangerous.

The Greenwich Observatory sold out completely it eclipse glasses ahead of the event tonight

Camila Calero aged 7 from Greenwich poses with solar glasses ahead of tonight’s eclipse

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A man in central London sells eclipse glasses and is surrounded by a mob hoping to get their hands on the elusive spectacles

The warning from the charity’s Jersey lifeboat station said it will not be safe to swim off the Channel Island during the eclipse due to strong tides. But this also applies to all of Britain’s coastline.

Solar eclipses always coincide with a new moon, meaning tides are at their strongest.

This is due to tides being affected by the moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth – tides are highest furthest from the moon as it circles the Earth, as the planet mass is denser than water, and therefore gets pulled slightly in the moon’s direction.

Tides are particularly dangerous during a new moon because the gravitational pull of both the moon and the sun align, meaning a stronger force known as a ‘spring tide’.

This is seen in higher tides as well as a greater difference between low and high tides than the rest of the month.

Higher tides make swimming in the ocean much more dangerous as they can cause stronger currents – although the strongest currents do not generally occur at high tide itself. 

Brighton and Hove Council warns on its website: ‘Check the tide times and have awareness of spring tides, this is when tides are the strongest with the highest high tides and the lowest low tides. 

‘The currents are extremely strong on spring tides which will make for a harder swim.’

People are also being urged to stay safe and watch the eclipse from land. In London, anyone planning to swim in Hampstead Heath’s ponds during the eclipse will be told to leave the water.

The City of London Corporation said: ‘If you want to observe the eclipse, leave the water and use certified eclipse glasses.’

Long queues formed at shops across the UK selling eclipse glasses on Wednesday morning, with many selling out completely.

Anyone driving during the eclipse is also being told to take extra precautions and be prepared to turn on their headlights.

The RAC said the action might be necessary for vehicles which do not have automatic lights, to boost their visibility to other road users.

People queue around the block from 6am to buy eclipse glasses after Howleys Toymaster shop collected 10,000 pairs from the Midlands

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: ‘While total darkness is unlikely, those with vehicles that don’t have automatic headlights or daylight running lights may need to switch on their dipped beams to ensure they are easily visible to other road users.

‘The best advice to enjoy this rare event is to pull over somewhere safe and watch with specialist glasses.’

Mr Williams urged anyone driving in a westerly direction around the time of the eclipse to avoid being distracted.

He said: ‘Taking your eyes off the road even for a split second to try to catch a glimpse of the sun as it disappears behind the moon increases the risk of being involved in a collision, not to mention the potential for suffering long-term damage to your vision.’

The partial eclipse will likely result in light dimming and temperatures plunging temporarily.

Millions will pause to watch the natural phenomenon tonight but must ensure they are doing so safely.

Viewers should use special eclipse glasses bearing the ISO 12312-2 safety standard – and should be wary of purchasing them from non-reputable sources, as they could be fake.

Those unable to secure legitimate glasses can instead watch using a pinhole projector. These are easy to make at home and involve punching a small hole in a piece of cardboard and projecting the light through it onto another piece of card, or a surface such as the ground.

A colander can be used in the same way to view the eclipse.

There are also multiple livestreams, such as the one provided by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, which will show some of the best views around the country.

Children’s favourite Peppa Pig has travelled into outer space to commemorate a major solar eclipse in the UK.

On Wednesday, the moon is set to obscure more than 90 per cent of the Sun between 6.17pm and 8.06pm.

To celebrate the celestial event, the character embarked on a high-altitude mission, rising beyond 100,000 feet to drift just above the Earth’s atmosphere.

Captured in full 4K resolution, footage of the flight was presented at the NEC Birmingham’s Lakeside Cinema, the location of the interactive, walk-through Peppa Pig Space Adventure experience.

Produced as a bespoke addition to the attraction, the animation depicts her trip into space, tracking her ascent to the upper reaches of the planet’s atmosphere after launch.

From her vantage point aloft, Peppa caught sight of the NEC, alongside well-known landmarks throughout Birmingham and the surrounding region.

After soaring through space, Peppa returned safely to Earth as families watched her mission come to fruition from the ground.

NEC deputy chief executive officer Sarah Harvey said: “We’re thrilled to have helped Peppa Pig complete her world-first journey into space to launch a summer of adventure at Peppa Pig Space Adventure at the NEC!

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“It’s important for us to continue to inspire curiosity and creativity in the younger generation and this was a fantastic way of proving to young explorers that no dream is too big to achieve.

“We can’t wait to welcome more families to experience Peppa Pig Space Adventure this summer.”

Peppa Pig Space Adventure is a hands-on walk-through experience at the NEC, which encourages children to use their imaginations to blast off into space and land on the surface of the moon.

A competition is also now being held where young artists are being asked to design a rocket for Peppa.

Entries can be submitted online via peppapigspaceadventure.co.uk/competition before Tuesday, 1 September.

First launching in 2004, Peppa Pig is an animated children’s series that follows the titular character, an anthropomorphic piglet, and her family and friends.

It has since aired more than 450 episodes and spawned films, books, video games and theme parks.

Expert explains date – and said it showed why it’s important to get a good look at today’s – as there’s a catch

The Met Office has confirmed the date of the next major solar eclipse – and added that part of the UK is likely to see 100 per cent coverage. Today’s eclipse (August 12, 2026) was observable throughout the entire UK with the SW seeing as much as 96 per cent coverage.

And Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern explained why today’s is so amazing – because the next best one’s not until 2081 – but if you’re still around by then it will be impressive – with one location especially good. There is an eclipse in 2027 – but the Uk will only see a maximum of 45 per cent of the sun covered.

He said: “The next best partial solar eclipse after this Wednesday, you have to wait until 2081 [Sept 3]. It goes very close to the far southwest of the UK. The Scilly Isles may just get a total solar eclipse, and then it moves through central Europe.

“So that’s 2081, if you can hang around for that. And if you want to know when the next total solar eclipse for the UK is, well, that’s September 2090, and you can see it happens actually quite late in the day for the UK, and it’s southern parts of England, South Wales, where there will be a total solar eclipse towards the end of the day. So, really good opportunity for seeing one of the best partial solar eclipses this century, and takes place this Wednesday evening. “

In today’s eclipse drivers have been told they may need to turn on their headlights during the solar eclipse. The RAC said the action might be necessary for vehicles which do not have automatic lights, to boost their visibility to other road users. More than 90% of the sun will be obscured by the moon between 6.17pm and 8.06pm on Wednesday.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “While total darkness is unlikely, those with vehicles that don’t have automatic headlights or daylight running lights may need to switch on their dipped beams to ensure they are easily visible to other road users.

“The best advice to enjoy this rare event is to pull over somewhere safe and watch with specialist glasses.”

Mr Williams urged anyone driving in a westerly direction around the time of the eclipse to avoid being distracted.

He said: “Taking your eyes off the road even for a split second to try to catch a glimpse of the sun as it disappears behind the moon increases the risk of being involved in a collision, not to mention the potential for suffering long-term damage to your vision.”

Here is exactly when to look and how much of the Sun will be covered across different parts of the UK on August 12

• South West England (Cornwall / Plymouth / Truro): This region gets some of the best views in mainland Britain. The eclipse begins at 6:18pm, hits a maximum coverage of 95% to 96% at 7:16pm, and ends at 8:10pm.
• Scotland (Edinburgh / Glasgow): The eclipse starts a little earlier here at 6:08pm. It reaches a peak coverage of 91% at 7:05pm and finishes up by 8:00pm.
• Wales (Cardiff / Swansea / Pembrokeshire): The eclipse starts at 6:16pm. It reaches peak coverage of 93% to 94% at 7:13pm and finishes around 8:07pm.
• Northern Ireland (Belfast): Skywatchers will see the eclipse begin at 6:10pm, reaching a deep peak coverage of 93% at 7:08pm, and wrapping up by 8:03pm.
• North West England & Midlands (Manchester / Liverpool / Birmingham): The partial eclipse begins at 6:13pm. It peaks with 91.5% coverage at 7:10pm (7:11pm for Birmingham) and ends around 8:04pm.
• London & South East England: The moon starts creeping over the Sun at 6:17pm. Maximum coverage will reach 91.4% at 7:13pm, with the event ending at 8:06pm.

The programme was a mystery thriller set in a town hit by a devastating flood, and starred the likes of Sophie Rundle, Lorraine Ashbourne and Philip Glenister.

The first season, which was released in 2024, followed a police investigation after a man was found dead in a lift in an underground car park.

While the police assume he became trapped as the waters rose, PC Joanna Marshall (Rundle) becomes obsessed with discovering what happened.

Darker secrets were inevitably found, the consequences of which carried over into the second season, which was released early in 2026.

After the conclusion of the second season, no news was shared by ITV regarding plans for a new season.

However, it has now been confirmed that it won’t be returning to our screens,

An ITV spokesperson shared: “We’re very proud of After The Flood and what the drama achieved across two series.

“Commissioning decisions involve many factors and while there are no plans for a third series, we’re very grateful to everyone who supported the drama.

“We’d like to extend our thanks to Mick Ford, Azhur Saleem, the actors and the team at Quay Street Productions for producing two brilliant series.”

The second series starred Nicholas Gleaves, Matthew McNulty and Roger Morlidge,

Series one was filmed in Greater Manchester and across the North West.

ITV confirms Name That Tune will return after 29 years

Although After The Flood will be coming to an end, ITV has shared that Name That Tune will be returning to our screens.

The show originated in the United States, with the British version first airing in 1976.

It was hosted by comedian Tom O’Connor until 1983, with Lionel Blair taking over until 1988.

The show last appeared on UK television in 1998, when it was briefly revived by Channel 5 and presented by Jools Holland.

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ITV’s new version will be hosted by Alison Hammond and will challenge contestants to identify famous songs in a series of high-energy rounds.

Name That Tune will air in the first quarter of 2027 and consist of nine episodes.

Are you sad to see After The Flood end? Let us know in the comments.

Tea with Judi Dench sees Dame Judi Dench welcome her great friend Sir Ian McKellen to her home for an hour-long conversation.

The pair will discuss their lives on and off stage and reflect on long careers that have led them from Shakespeare to the worldwide fame of the Lord of the Rings and James Bond movies.

Dame Judi Dench said last month: “I am absolutely delighted to be returning for a second film, and even more pleased to be sharing the experience with the wonderful Sir Ian McKellen.

“The response to the first film was deeply touching, and it’s a great privilege to continue these conversations and capture moments of great friendship.”

The premiere episode, which went on air last year, featured Sir Kenneth Branagh.

Dame Judi and Sir Ian are said to explore topics including fame, failure, and the importance of never taking either too seriously.

Phil Edgar-Jones OBE, executive director of unscripted originals at Sky, said: “Tea with Dame Judi is fast becoming one of our most treasured and delightful treats on Sky Arts.

“If you join Judi Dench as she reflects on life, art, culture, and all manner of topics with the peerless Sir Ian McKellen, you’re sure to be amused, moved and enlightened in equal measure.”

Nancy Strang, co-founder and creative director of producers Mindhouse, said: “I’m completely thrilled that Sky have commissioned us to make another Tea with Judi Dench.

“Judi has a unique combination of warmth, intelligence and mischievousness which appeals to audiences across generations.

“To be invited in to spend a day with her and the incomparable Ian McKellen at her home, sharing their memories of their lives, careers and lost loves is a complete privilege.

“I’m sure we’ll make another magical slice of television together.”

Tea with Judi Dench airs in August on Sky Arts, Freeview and streaming service NOW.