MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hundreds of people have been killed in the year since the U.S. military began bombing boats it accused of ferrying drugs off Latin America’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Now, the Trump administration says it is seeking to extend that lethal campaign to land, pursuing deals that would put U.S. forces on the ground in allied nations across the region.

President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced last week during a visit to Panama that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow the U.S. to carry out joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil, following Ecuador, which launched similar missions with the U.S. in March. Guatemala, however, has denied reaching such an agreement.

It will be “like you saw with the strikes on the drug boats,” Hegseth said during a military drill in the jungle in Panama. “Same effect on land. And so we’re working with Ecuador. We’re working with Colombia. We’re working with partners to bring the fight to the (designated terrorist organizations) on land.”

The expansion marks a new phase in the Trump administration’s campaign to pressure governments across Latin America to align with its security priorities and assert what it calls “American dominance over the Western Hemisphere.”

Voters across the region are increasingly embracing Trump-aligned leaders, giving Washington more willing partners. But critics warn that the widening U.S. military campaign risks civilian casualties and a backlash against the U.S. that could outlast the Republican administration.

“What’s going on is an attempt to legitimize the increased use of the U.S. military in the region,” said Michael Shifter, a Latin America expert at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank. “It projects power, demonstrates military superiority and enables Washington to impose its agenda. This is not cooperation, it’s obviously a very asymmetrical relationship.”

Escalating unilateral boat strikes to joint land operations

The U.S. military has operated in Latin America for generations, supplying allies with weapons, intelligence and training to fight drug trafficking, while leaving a fraught legacy of support for military coups and dictatorships.

But since Trump returned to office in January 2025, Washington has pursued its most interventionist approach to the region in decades.

His administration has designated 20 Latin American criminal groups as “foreign terrorist organizations,” sent U.S. forces into Venezuela to capture its president and involved CIA agents in drug lab busts in Mexico. It has killed more than 200 people in over 60 boat strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, offering little evidence that those targeted were “narco-terrorists” and drawing questions about the strikes’ legality.

But sustained U.S. combat operations alongside local forces would be “new and different,” said William LeoGrande, a Latin America specialist at American University, testing deep-rooted sensitivities over national sovereignty and the presence of U.S. troops.

Hegseth provided few details about what joint operations with Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras would look like. But in Colombia, where Trump-backed Abelardo de la Espriella took office this month, he raised the prospect of U.S. forces joining strikes against armed groups including the National Liberation Army, or ELN, Colombia’s last major guerrilla group. Hegseth said de la Espriella had requested greater U.S. military involvement.

Ecuador has emerged as the clearest case of direct U.S. military involvement, launching joint raids with Washington despite voters overwhelmingly rejecting foreign military bases in a November 2025 referendum. A New York Times investigation found that one strike on an alleged drug lab in March instead destroyed a cattle farm.

The push to extend such agreements has gained the most traction among Trump’s ideological allies in the region — conservative leaders elected on promises of aggressive crackdowns on crime in recent months.

Guatemala stands out as an exception. Its progressive government has worked closely with Washington on security despite political differences. But President Bernardo Arévalo has denied agreeing to joint anti-drug operations, saying they would be illegal without congressional approval.

Honduras, Colombia and Ecuador did not respond to requests for comment on Hegseth’s remarks.

A notable outlier from the new U.S. anti-trafficking alliance is Mexico, a major source and transit point for fentanyl and other drugs entering the U.S. Progressive President Claudia Sheinbaum has cooperated closely with Washington on security but resisted mounting pressure for a U.S. military role in fighting cartels on Mexican soil.

“Ultimately, the United States will have to define what ‘joint operations’ means in each of these countries. It may discover pretty quickly that this is something most governments — even governments on the right — are quite uncomfortable with,” said Adam Isacson, a defense analyst with the Washington Office on Latin America.

‘There is only so much sovereignty they can cede’

Observers question whether a more militarized approach would produce lasting security gains. Shifter said the campaign may serve partly as a show of force, building on the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as the Trump administration seeks to offset foreign policy setbacks elsewhere, including in the Middle East.

Others warn the strategy risks civilian casualties, particularly in Colombia, where armed groups operate among civilian populations and often function as de facto authorities in areas beyond the state’s reach. Rather than beating back those groups, military strikes are more likely to force them to adapt, said Jeremy McDermott, co-director of the Colombia-based investigative organization InSight Crime.

“The U.S. bombs an ELN camp in Colombia or in Venezuela, what is the first thing the ELN are going to do? They’re going to dismantle all their camps and move into the villages and towns,” he said.

In the long term, experts say, deeper U.S. military involvement could test how far voters are willing to go in putting security over sovereignty, potentially constraining even Trump’s closest allies.

“All of these presidents, no matter how far right they are, face pressure to do something about security and to make a show of pursuing the ‘bad guys’ who are making people feel unsafe. There is broad agreement on that,” Isacson said. “But they also know there is only so much sovereignty they can cede before public opinion begins turning against them.”

___

DeBre reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Associated Press journalists Sonia Pérez D. in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Marlon González in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and Astrid Suárez in Bogotá, Colombia, contributed to this report.

Ariana Grande reunited with her former Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo to perform two duets during her concert at The O2 Arena in London, England on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Florida-born pop diva and the British 39-year-old first surprised the sold-out crowd by singing Wicked anthem For Good, which happens to be tattooed on both of the palms of their hands.

Grande (born Butera) and Erivo then sat down on the stage and recreated Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand‘s iconic medley of Get Happy and Happy Days Are Here Again from 1963.

The happy harmony was captured by countless fans as well as the former Nickelodeon star’s hairstylist Alyx Liu and the Dracula thespian’s longtime ‘bestie’ Capri Hakeem.

Erivo, who’s only an Oscar away from EGOT status, wore an embellished Erdem bra and panties over a white blouse, black kinky boots and a white trench coat selected by stylist Jason Bolden.

Grande opted for a cap-sleeved baby-doll dress featuring a voluminous skirt selected by ‘image architect’ Law Roach.

The 33-year-old Florida-born pop diva and the British 39-year-old first surprised the sold-out crowd by singing Wicked anthem For Good, which happens to be tattooed on both of the palms of their hands

The two-time Grammy winner, who boasts 363 million Instagram followers, reposted a clip tagging the TCS London Marathoner and captioned it with heart and infinity emojis via Instagram story.

It marked Grande and Erivo’s first public performance since singing together for NBC concert special Wicked: One Wonderful Night, which aired on November 6.

The soprano duo spent much of 2022-2025 together filming Jon M. Chu’s two-part adaptation of the 2003 Broadway musical, which amassed $1.3 billion at the box office, as well as the much-mocked, emotional press tour.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Grande and Erivo’s reps for comment but did not immediately hear back.

‘London, night two,’ the R.E.M. Beauty founder wrote via Instagram story Sunday.

‘I love you so and thank you. Grateful and emotional.’

Grande ‘will be taking a step back from visibility’ after concluding her sold-out, 41-date Eternal Sunshine Tour and 10-night stand at the O2 on September 1.

‘She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,’ her team told People on August 2.

Grande’s eighth studio album Petal just debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart and two of the singles, Petal and Hate That I Made You Love Me, are in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Oscar-nominated actress already shot her role as Harry Focker’s (Skyler Gisondo) strong-willed fiancée – former FBI hostage negotiator Olivia Jones – in John Hamburg’s comedy Focker-in-Law, which hits US/UK theaters November 25.

Grande (born Butera) and Erivo then sat down on the stage and recreated Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand’s iconic medley of Get Happy and Happy Days Are Here Again from 1963

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The happy harmony was captured by countless fans as well as the former Nickelodeon star’s hairstylist Alyx Liu and the Dracula thespian’s longtime ‘bestie’ Capri Hakeem

Erivo – who’s only an Oscar away from EGOT status – wore an embellished Erdem bra and panties over a white blouse, black kinky boots and a white trench coat selected by stylist Jason Bolden

Grande opted for a cap-sleeved baby-doll dress featuring a voluminous skirt selected by ‘image architect’ Law Roach (pictured June 26)

The two-time Grammy winner – who boasts 363 million Instagram followers – reposted a clip tagging the TCS London Marathoner and captioned it with heart and infinity emojis via Instagram story

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It marked Grande and Erivo’s first public performance since singing together for NBC concert special Wicked: One Wonderful Night, which aired on November 6

The soprano duo spent much of 2022-2025 together filming Jon M. Chu’s two-part adaptation of the 2003 Broadway musical – which amassed $1.3 billion at the box office – as well as the much-mocked, emotional press tour

‘London, night two,’ Grande wrote via Instagram story Sunday. ‘I love you so and thank you. Grateful and emotional’

The R.E.M. Beauty founder ‘will be taking a step back from visibility’ after concluding her sold-out, 41-date Eternal Sunshine Tour and 10-night stand at the O2 on September 1 (pictured June 26)

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Grande’s eighth studio album Petal just debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart and two of the singles – Petal and Hate That I Made You Love Me – are in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart

The Oscar-nominated actress already shot her role as Harry Focker’s (Skyler Gisondo) strong-willed fiancée – former FBI hostage negotiator Olivia Jones – in John Hamburg’s comedy Focker-in-Law, which hits US/UK theaters November 25

Meanwhile, Erivo is next scheduled to perform this Friday with the Boston Pops Orchestra at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Massachusetts (pictured November 6)

The Simply More author produced and starred as an ambitious barrister Tessa Ensler in Susanna White’s legal drama Prima Facie, which premieres September 13 at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada

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The fourth installment of the Fockers franchise will also star Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner and Beanie Feldstein.

Meanwhile, Erivo is next scheduled to perform this Friday with the Boston Pops Orchestra at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Massachusetts.

The Simply More author produced and starred as an ambitious barrister Tessa Ensler in Susanna White’s legal drama Prima Facie, which premieres September 13 at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada.

Harry Treadaway, Daniel Ings, Elizabeth Dulau and Simon Russell Beale also star in the big-screen adaptation of Suzie Miller’s 2019 one-woman show about sexual assault.

Next January, audiences can catch Erivo in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s fantasy adventure Children of Blood and Bone and Takashi Doscher’s action thriller Karoshi.

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Ruben Amorim insists his emotional attachment to Manchester United has gone after his AC Milan side got the better of the Premier League team in pre-season

Ruben Amorim insists he “feels nothing for Manchester United” after getting the better of his former club in a pre-season clash at the weekend.

The Portuguese coach was axed by the Red Devils in January but hired by AC Milan this summer – and the pre-season schedule saw the two sides meet in Poland at the weekend. Milan would secure a 4-2 win as Amorim got one over on his former team.

The Italians had struggled in pre-season, losing 3-0 to Chelsea recently as Amorim found it difficult to have the impact he’d hoped for, but he landed a much needed win against the Premier League giants.

Despite the build-up Amorim insists there was no added emotion when it came to facing United, where his tenure ended with him winning just 24 of his 63 matches, as the ex-Sporting Lisbon boss insists he feels nothing for them despite his previous connection.

Amorim told Sky Sport Italia: “No. For me, it was just a normal match. Since I signed with Milan, I’ve felt nothing about Manchester United. I’m just proud to have been at Man United and I still love the club, but after signing with Milan, I [feel] nothing bad about anything because I’m very happy, because I’m in the place where I want to be. I just want to continue here.

“Of course, it was special to play against them again, but I wanted to win a game this preseason to present ourselves well in our league, to give a good image to our fans, so they can support us in our first match.”

Amorim was appointed in November 2024 and would go on to preside over the club’s worst ever Premier League finish, ending in 15th during a season that saw them win just 11 times. He would also lose in the Europa League final before his dismissal the following year.

Despite his Manchester struggles Amorim still landed the top job at one of Europe’s most decorated sides and apologised to United upon his unveiling.

“It is hard to explain the mistakes as I would have to explain all the context of the last adventure,” he said. “The only thing I can say is that I learn a lot and I did some mistakes.

“I didn’t have [the] opportunity – and I am sorry for that – to say something to the Manchester United fans at the moment [but] I am really proud to have been their coach for a year.”

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President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to scale back its planned joint military exercises with South Korea. 

The commander-in-chief posted the policy change to his Truth Social page on Sunday, just hours before the joint military exercises were scheduled to begin.

He noted that his decision was in part to do with his ‘very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,’ the leader of North Korea.

And Trump also made sure to mention how South Korea responded when the US asked the country to help him with his war against Iran.

According to the president, South Korea simply said ‘no thanks!’ to helping denuclearize the Middle Eastern country.  

Trump wrote on Sunday night: ‘Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.’

‘These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile to a Country that, as long as Donald J Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful. 

‘Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!’ 

He noted in his Truth Social post that the South Korean president declined to help the United States in its war in Iran

The president added that he recently asked South Korea’s president to join the US in its efforts to denuclearize Iran, ‘and they said, “No thanks!”‘

Prior to the announcement, the US military had been set to begin 11 days of exercises with 18,000 South Korean soldiers in an effort to beef up the country’s readiness against North Korean threats. 

Those exercises then began as planned on Monday despite the president’s last-minute announcement, the South Korean Defense Ministry has confirmed. 

The president’s decision to scale back the efforts was sharply criticized by Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot.

‘North and South Korea are still technically at war,’ he noted. ‘Our ability to help defend our ally against the North Koreans is because our forces are well-trained and able to coordinate with the South Koreans.

‘Hollowing out these joint exercises is shortsighted and a mistake’ he wrote in a social media post just hours after the president’s own post.

Senator Andy Kim, who became the first ever Korean-American senator when he won his election in 2024, also criticized the move.

‘Our alliance with the Republic of Korea is critical for US security and prosperity – and I am concerned that President Trump’s post today suggests a disregard for this relationship.’

He then went on to argue that ‘Decisions about joint exercises need to be made jointly – and not announced unilaterally by social media.

‘I will continue to press this administration to strengthen our security, economic, trade and technology ties – which all benefit the American people and the broader Indo-Pacific region,’ wrote Kim, a Democrat.

‘South Korea is an essential partner in peace and security in a part of the world filled with risk,’ he then noted. ‘We should treat them that way instead of venting frustration on social media.’ 

Prior to the announcement, the US military had been set to begin 11 days of exercises with 18,000 South Korean soldiers

Colonel Ryan Donald, director of public affairs for Combined Forces Command, United Nations Command and US Forces Korea, told reporters that the exercises this year would simulate combat against North Korean troops. He is pictured with Colonel Jang Do-young public affairs director of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff

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Pentagon officials were also said to be taken aback by Trump’s announcement, according to The New York Times. 

The US and South Korean militaries have held joint exercises for more than 70 years, since 1955. The US now even maintains its largest military installation overseas, Camp Humphreys, in South Korea, which is home to thousands of American service members, their families and Korean nationals. 

Just last week, an official with the US and South Korean Combined Forces Command told reporters that the exercises this year would simulate combat against North Korean troops, who have gained crucial experience as they fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Colonel Ryan Donald, director of public affairs for Combined Forces Command, United Nations Command and US Forces Korea, said in a news conference with members of the South Korean military last Monday that the exercises reflect the changing character of war, including the increased use of drones, electronic warfare and cyber operations.

‘DPRK soldiers have deployed and fought in Ukraine and they’ve taken those lessons they’ve learned there and brought them back to North Korea,’ he said, using an acronym for North Korea’s official name – the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

‘That changes the DPRK capability and our training accounts for that threat.’   

The US and South Korean forces were expected to practice joint operations in complex scenarios, including a live-fire exercise to test joint precision targeting and maneuver, a wet gap crossing, and distribution of prepositioned military equipment.

Joint US-South Korean military exercises were scheduled to begin on Monday. Tourists sitting on a Seoul city tour bus were seen looking at anti-war protesters attending a rally to call for a halt to the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, in front of the US Embassy in Seoul on Monday

Anti-war protesters prepare for a rally, calling for a halt to the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States

In an apparent response to the scheduled drills, North Korea has launched short-range ballistic missiles, which landed in the waters off North Korea´s east coast.

Kim on Friday also threatened unspecified stern steps against the US and South Korea, describing the drills as a ‘a rehearsal for an aggressive war’ that are triggering greater instability in the region.

The warning was typical of the harsh rhetoric that North Korea often deploys ahead of major US-South Korean military exercises. Experts say North Korea has often used its rivals’ drills as a pretext to ramp up testing activities to expand its weapons arsenals and promote public support for the reclusive North Korean leader. 

He has been pushing hard to enlarge its nuclear and missile arsenals since Kim´s high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. Experts say Kim likely believes a bigger weapons arsenal would increase his chances for wresting more concessions from the US in future negotiations. 

The US president had previously scaled back military operations in South Korea during his first term.

He told reporters in 2018 that the US ‘will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should.’

Then, in March 2019, after a Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi failed to reach a nuclear agreement – the US and South Korea announced that the annual large-scale exercises would be re-configured into smaller exercises.

Since returning to office, Trump has expressed interest in continuing the nuclear discussions. 

In an apparent response to the scheduled drills, North Korea has launched short-range ballistic missiles. – A man walks past a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a train station in Seoul on October

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The move on Sunday to once again decrease the size of the military exercises is now the latest example of the president appearing to side against an ally in favor of a leader that previous administrations have cast as an adversary. 

Trump and others in his administration have also railed against NATO allies over perceived lack of support for his war against Iran, even as they seek to confront an increasingly aggressive Russia in the Baltic region.

It is also a sharp turnaround from how his administration has viewed South Korea, an ally of the United States for more than 70 years.

In May, Hegseth praised the long-time ally for its ‘commitment to increase defense spending’ and its ‘leadership in assuming primary responsibility for the security of the Korean Peninsula’ during a meeting at the Pentagon.

‘It demonstrates alliance burden-sharing that all of America´s partners would do well to follow,’ the defense secretary added.

But on Saturday, just one day before Trump announced the plan to scale back the exercises, he posted a photo of himself standing next to Kim, writing that the two leaders get along great ‘despite the unfriendly look on this particular picture.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Pentagon and the South Korean Consulate for comment.

As a mark of respect, a planned fireworks display to mark the final day of the festival was cancelled

A long-running music festival turned tragic over the weekend after a teenager drowned at the event.

The teenager has been named locally as Alan Creamer, 19, from Rooskeynamona, Mohil, Co Leitrim.

It is believed Mr Creamer fell into the nearby canal while attending the Ballinamore Family Festival in Co Leitrim on Saturday night, August 15. It is understood that the incident is being treated as a tragic accident.

As a mark of respect, the planned fireworks display to mark the final day of the Ballinamore Family Festival has been cancelled, the Irish Mirror reports.

Alan is survived by his mother Carmel, father John, sister Chloe and extended family. In a tribute posted on RIP.ie his family said: “It is with heavy hearts, we share the sudden, tragic loss of our beloved Alan.

“Alan left us far too soon. His bright smile and kind heart will stay with us forever”. No funeral arrangements have been announced as yet.

The Ballinamore Festival has run in Co Leitrim for over 60 years and normally runs between August 9 and 16. The festival contains free open‐air concerts and is famous for nightly concerts on the Main Street platform, featuring top Irish acts such as Mike Denver, Derek Ryan, Sean Magee and Johnny Brady.

In a statement on the tragedy festival organisers said “the Ballinamore Family Festival committee is deeply saddened by the tragic events in Ballinamore on Saturday night August 15. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those affected and with everyone who is hurting at this very difficult time. Thank you for your understanding, compassion and respect at this time.”

The tragedy is the second drowning in the area in recent days. James Fanthorpe McHugh lost his life on Tuesday August 11, when he fell into the water at Annalee River in nearby Ballyhaise, Co Cavan.

It is believed Mr McHugh was fishing when he fell in and got into difficulty in the water. His Requiem Mass took place Saturday, 15 August, in St. Anne’s Church, Bailieborough followed by interment in St. Anne’s Cemetery.

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Ever feel that the arrival of summer sun makes you feel a bit dopey? You wouldn’t be the only one. Soaring temperatures are known for their ability to slow our thought processes, making even everyday tasks seem like a baffling ordeal.

But what is actually happening inside our heads when the heat is on? The explanation appears to lie in the extra work our brain and body have to do to keep us cool.

The brain and body are in constant conversation. When outdoor temperatures change, thermoreceptors which sit near the surface of the skin send signals to the hypothalamus – the brain’s temperature regulation centre.

When things become too hot or cold, the hypothalamus co-ordinates a series of responses to bring body temperature back towards normal (around 37°C). Keeping the core temperature at this level is critical for metabolism, activity of enzymes and many other essential body functions.

Being commander-in-chief of temperature regulation means that the brain becomes rather occupied when having to consistently regulate your temperature.

In hot weather, this means cooling the body down by switching on mechanisms that allow heat to radiate from the surface. This includes diverting blood to the skin, flattening skin hairs and sweating.

These responses are governed by nervous pathways that link the brain to blood vessels and sweat glands. This allows it to fine-tune the amount of heat the body sheds.

But the additional demand that keeping cool places on the brain may therefore leave less capacity for it to perform cognitive tasks which require sustained thought and attention.

This becomes particularly noticeable if you’re also exercising or exerting yourself at the same time. This is because working muscles and metabolism generate heat, which places additional strain on the body and brain’s cooling mechanisms.

Our neurons (nerve cells) may also start to function differently with rising heat. Neurons rely on the flow of electrical currents and the release of chemical neurotransmitters to function. These processes depend upon enzymes, proteins and the movement of charged ions in and out of the neuron – all of which are sensitive to temperature.

Although the brain is normally able to compensate and keep up with these demands, past a certain point the finely controlled balance becomes disrupted. This alters the way neurons fire and communicate with each other, which can affect processes such as memory, decision-making and concentration.

Another potential complication to consider is dehydration, which commonly occurs in hot weather as we lose more fluid in sweat. Failing to replace fluid losses adequately means additional strain is placed on the cardiovascular system as it tries to supply the skin and organs – including the brain – with blood.

Like many other organs, the brain is over 70% water. Even modest dehydration can result in impairment to attention, reaction times and short-term memory.

This is because dehydration can affect the brain in several ways. It can reduce cerebral blood flow, alter the way that neurons function and even affect the delicate balance of electrolytes needed for normal activity – all of which impact how well our brain works.

Another important consideration is not just how brain and body respond to heat in the moment, but also in the aftermath when they rest and recuperate – namely, through sleep. In hotter weather, it can become increasingly difficult to sleep. And, if you do manage to doze off, the time spent in deeper, restorative sleep may also be short-lived.

In disrupting sleep, hot weather adds another contribution to brain fog: inadequate sleep impairs attention, memory and thinking – furthering the effects of heat on cognitive performance.

Keeping cool

The degree to which the heat affects our thinking will probably vary between people. Some may cope well, whereas others may find difficulty in doing complex cognitive tasks or simple, everyday activities. This will be due in part to individual differences in physiology and heat tolerance.

Perception matters, too. Even a relatively small dip in attention or processing speed can feel much more dramatic when we notice ourselves struggling with something that would usually come easily.

Try not to be hard on yourself if this happens. Take a moment to chill, rehydrate and reclaim your thoughts.

You can fend off some of this summer brain fog by keeping yourself cool as best as you can. Simple measures such as cool clothing, bedding and taking regular breaks from heat exposure do work wonders. Good fluid intake is also paramount to making sure both body and brain stay hydrated.

While it’s frustrating when our brains just don’t feel like they’re firing on all cylinders on hot days, just remember that it’s only a temporary blip. And one that should start to ease off as we cool down.

A statement from National Highways reads: “The M6 in Staffordshire is closed in both directions between J15 Hanchurch Interchange (Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme A500) and J16 Barthomley Interchange (Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Nantwich, Chester A500).

“This is due to a serious collision which occurred at approximately 04:10 on the morning of Monday 17th August involving 3 heavy goods vehicles and a car on the northbound carriageway.

“Staffordshire Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Staffordshire Fire & Rescue and National Highways units attended the incident promptly and confirmed this is a very serious collision and the closure will be protracted.”

PATNA, India (AP) — A deadly stampede broke out at a Hindu temple in eastern India’s Bihar state Monday, hours after a fire swept through a hotel housing pilgrims in West Bengal state.

Seven people were killed and more than a dozen injured in the stampede, while the blaze left at least seven people dead and several others critically injured, police said.

Stampede may have been caused by snapped wire

The incident in Bihar occurred near Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai district, as thousands of devotees gathered to offer prayers on the third Monday of Shravan, one of the holiest months in the Hindu calendar. The period, which usually falls between July and August, is dedicated to the worship of Hindu god Lord Shiva and is marked by fasting, prayers and colorful monsoon festivals across India.

More than a dozen people were taken to a government hospital for treatment, said Shailendra Kumar, a civil official. Kumar said the cause of the stampede was still being investigated.

According to preliminary reports, an electric wire snapped outside the temple premises around 6:30 a.m., sparking panic as devotees rushed to escape what they feared was a risk of electrocution.

A section of the barricades collapsed under the weight of the surging crowd, leading to a crush in which people fell over one another, said Kumar, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

Many guests at hotel that caught fire were pilgrims

In Tarapith, a temple town in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, a fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. on the ground floor of a four-story hotel while most guests were asleep, the Press Trust of India reported.

Many of the guests were pilgrims visiting Tarapith to offer prayers where a major temple complex also includes a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Firefighters brought the blaze under control and the injured were taken to a hospital where some were being treated for burn injuries while others suffered from smoke inhalation and asphyxiation, the report said.

Hotel management told the news agency that the blaze may have originated near the reception area after an electrical component in the hotel’s power supply system caught fire. Authorities are investigating the incident and have not yet established the exact cause.

Crowd crushes are relatively common in India during religious festivals, as large crowds, sometimes in the millions, gather in confined areas with few safety or crowd control measures. Last year in January, at least 30 people were killed as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious gathering.

In 2013, pilgrims attending a Hindu festival at a temple in the central state of Madhya Pradesh panicked amid fears that a bridge would collapse. At least 115 people were crushed to death or drowned in the river below.

The vehicle in which five teenagers died this morning was being driven on the wrong side of the motorway twice in a matter of minutes, the Irish Mirror understands

The car in which five teenagers died in an early-morning horror smash was driven on the wrong side of the motorway twice in a matter of minutes, it has emerged.

Sources told the Irish Mirror gardai did not pursue the car on either occasion, but officers were aware of its movements on the M9 in rural Co Kildare in the run-up to the tragedy.

“Members disengaged the first time it went down the road the wrong way – and didn’t get a chance to engage the second time,” a source said this evening.

It’s also understood that the occupants of the high-powered BMW were all wearing balaclavas or masks when it ploughed head-on into an innocent family’s car in the crash on the M9 in Co Kildare early on Sunday morning.

And sources say the scene of the crash was so bad that gardai initially believed that only four teenagers had died in the collision as they were visible in the wreckage of the BMW.

It was only late in the afternoon that specialists moved the car from the scene that gardai discovered the fifth body under the vehicle.

Sources also told the paper that gardai are working on the theory that the car the teens were travelling in had been stolen in Athy, Co Kildare earlier in the morning.

Officers were alerted to a gang of teenagers trying to break into cars and houses in the town in the early hours of the morning – some time before the fatal crash.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly last night issued a strongly worded statement about the crash – as two separate investigations began into the tragedy.

One probe into the crash itself is being carried out by An Garda Siochana – while independent policing watchdog Fiosrù is also investigating.

That probe is in relation to any possible interactions gardai may have had with the vehicle in the run-up to crash, which happened near the exit for Moone and Athy on the motorway at around 3am.

The crash came a week after a similar incident on Dublin’s M50 when a stolen car ploughed into an innocent man’s vehicle in the early hours of the morning.

Like this weekend’s tragic crash, that car was again on the wrong side of the road.

Mr Kelly said the crashes showed just how irresponsible it was to drive on the wrong side of the road – something young criminals are increasingly doing as they know gardai will not follow them.

Mr Kelly said: “My thoughts are with those injured in this morning’s collision on the M9. These family members were travelling innocently when they were struck by a vehicle being driven the wrong way down the motorway.

“This horrific incident, following the recent collision on the M50, shows how irresponsible and dangerous driving on the wrong-side of the motorway is.

“That, of course, should be self-evident, but what makes this reckless behaviour even more appalling is that in some cases it is being done for social media likes regardless of the potentially devastating impact it might have on innocent people and themselves.

“As this particular incident has been referred to Fiosrú, the Police Ombudsman, I am constrained in what I can say in detail about this incident, but I know that Gardaí do what they can to stop such vehicles while also taking into consideration all other road users.

“Gardaí are put in a really challenging situation dealing with such incidents. As always, An Garda Síochána will fully cooperate with the Police Ombudsman investigation which I hope is completed as expeditiously as possible.

“My thoughts are also with all members of An Garda Síochána and the emergency services who had to deal with this awful incident this morning. Such incidents show the difficult work we ask our Gardaí to undertake every day to keep our communities safe.”

The Irish Mirror has learned that the horror incident began around 30 minutes before the crash when gardai first became aware the BMW was acting suspiciously.

Gardai saw the vehicle and tried to stop it but it quickly drove onto the motorway, where it travelled against traffic – which meant the officers immediately disengaged.

It’s understood the car then did a U-turn – went back the M9, but this time in the proper direction.

It then went off the motorway at Junction 2A – a filling station and food area.

Gardai were preparing an operation to deploy a stinger on the motorway to take out the car’s tyres when the occupants saw one of the force’s vehicles – and sped off.

It drove the wrong way down the exit ramp – and sped along the motorway, again against traffic. Gardai did not pursue the car.

But within a few minutes the BMW slammed into a Hyundai car going the right way on the motorway with horrific consequences.

The five teenagers in the BMW all died instantly, while the four innocent occupants were all injured.

It’s understood they were an extended family from Carlow heading off to Dublin Airport for a break.

The family included a seven-year-old child, a woman in her 20s and two in their 30s. They were all injured.

“The female driver and front passenger, both aged in her 30s of the second car have been removed from the scene to Tallaght University Hospital and both remain in critical condition,” gardai said in a statement.

It added: “A female rear seat passenger, aged in her 20s was taken to St. Luke’s General Hospital and is in a serious condition. The third passenger, a child has been removed to Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin and is in a serious condition.”

It’s understood the child sustained a broken leg.

Gardai sealed off the area all day and began a full investigation. They have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

The force said: “Gardaí are appealing for any persons who may have witnessed this collision to come forward.

“Gardaí are appealing to road users who were travelling on the M9 northbound or southbound between 2:00am and 3:00am this morning Sunday 16th August, 2026 and who may have dashcam footage of the incident or surrounding area to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Athy Garda Station on 01 666 6000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.”

Meanwhile, Fiosrù also issued a statement in which it said it was carrying out its own investigation.

A spokesman said the matter had been referred to the organisation by gardai.

It said: “The referral was made following a Fatal Road Traffic Collision on the M9.

“One of Fiosrú’s on call team of investigators attended the scene and its independent investigation is ongoing.

“In line with its statutory remit, Fiosrú’s investigation relates to incidents involving contact with gardaí where a member of the public has died or been seriously injured.

“A referral does not necessarily mean a garda or gardaí have been accused of wrongdoing. Instead, it means that Fiosrú should independently investigate the incident to ascertain whether or not the act or omission of a garda or gardaí may have resulted in the death of, or serious harm to, a person.

“As the matter is now under investigation, pursuant to section 208(1)(b) of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, Fiosrú cannot make any further comment.”

Tributes have been paid to the victims throughout the day. Their names had not been released by gardai, but were being circulated on social media.

Most were from the Midlands, but one was from Limerick and was living in Dublin.

One tribute read: “A Mortal sin. The Nicest Boy you ever could have come across, so many memories we have together and I’ll make sure cherish every one. God help your poor mother and family get Best Bed In Heaven. You Will be truly missed.”

Another said: “Rest easy, bro. Always be in my heart and thoughts. Gonna miss u so much.”

Gardai confirmed this evening that five teenagers died in the crash.

The force said: “The bodies of 5 teenage males, all occupants of one vehicle, have now been removed from the scene and taken to Naas General Hospital where post mortems will take place.

“The occupants of the second vehicle, three women (two aged in their 30s, one in her 20s) and a male child all remain in hospital continuing to receive treatment for serious injuries.

“Forensic Collision Investigators have completed their examination of the scene. The road is expected to reopen shortly.

“Family Liaison Officers have been appointed to relatives of the occupants of both vehicles.”

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