Although heavy showers are expected for many this week, the places across England and Wales most in need of significant rain may not see much of it in the coming days.
The dry spell at Wisley in Surrey, which had recorded 62 days without measurable rain, ended overnight.
Much of the UK will see a mixture of sunshine and showers on Wednesday.
Across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, the showers will be heavy, thundery and prolonged at times. Further south, the showers will be more scattered.
Advertisement
Thursday and Friday will see further showers, some heavy and thundery. England and Wales will see some prolonged and slow-moving downpours, with the potential for flash flooding.
However, a few days of rain will not be enough to alleviate the drought in two thirds of England and all of Wales and there are indications that further hot and dry spells could follow in autumn.
Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to lead to travel disruption and flash flooding in some places
The Met Office has issued a weather warning across Northern Ireland on Wednesday.
Advertisement
A yellow warning for thunderstorms will be in effect from 12noon on August 19 and last until 23:59 affecting all counties.
The forecaster said: “Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to lead to travel disruption and flash flooding in some places.”
The Met Office added: “A band of heavy showers is expected to spread across Northern Ireland from west to east late morning and early afternoon, with further slow-moving heavy showers or thunderstorms developing later.
“Within these showers, 15-20 mm of rain is likely in an hour or less, with a few places probably seeing 25-30 mm in a couple of hours. While rain will be the primary hazard, hail and lightning are also likely in places.”
Advertisement
As for what to expect during the yellow weather warning, the Met Office has issued some details.
They said:
There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus
Some flooding of a few homes and businesses likely, leading to some damage to buildings or structures
Probably some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes
Delays to train services are possible
Some short-term loss of power and other services is likely
A man was taken to hospital with stab wounds and remains in hospital. Officers arrested two men in connection with the incident.
A police spokesperson said: “Two men in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and remain in custody at this time.”
Advertisement
The East of England Ambulance Service were called to reports of an assault just after 9pm. An ambulance spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.05pm yesterday to reports of an assault on the junction of Tenison Road and Mill Road in Cambridge.
“An ambulance, ambulance officer vehicle and a rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene. An adult man was transported to hospital for further treatment.”
National Rail says passengers affected can travel on the next Northern service to their destination, where available.
Northern tickets may be used at no additional costs on-board the following Bee Network buses: 8, 36, 37, 38, 50, V1, V2, 471, 480, 507, 521, 524, 525, 527, 533, 534, 537 and 541.
Northern train ticket restrictions have been lifted in the affected areas, including Advance and Peak restrictions, during this disruption.
Advertisement
Restrictions will be reinstated once the disruption ends, National Rail says.
Man United are aware of interest in Bruno Fernandes, amid reports of a £43million bid from Galatasaray, and are said to be interested in Adam Wharton and Kim Min-jae. Liverpool, though, are set to pass up on the option to sign Ibrahim Mbaye but have taken another huge step towards bringing in his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Bradley Barcola.
The taxman has ramped up its crackdown on cryptocurrency investors suspected of tax evasion, This is Money can reveal.
Crypto traders thought to have underpaid taxes on their investments have been warned via a barrage of letters sent out by HM Revenue and Customs.
It has posted 81,000 warning letters to those suspected of underpaying tax in the past year – a 25 per cent increase on the 65,000 letters it sent in the previous year, according to a Freedom of Information request obtained by accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young.
Warnings may come in the form of a letter, text message or notification.
Advertisement
Tax authorities are expected to probe swathes of traders next year when it starts to receive telling transaction data from cryptocurrency exchanges.
But before these investigations are launched, the tax authority is sending the ‘nudge’ letters to urge crypto holders to declare unpaid tax.
More than 80,000 letters have been sent to investors urging them to cough up unpaid tax
Advertisement
The price of the most popular cryptocurrency, bitcoin, has softened recently, falling from around $117,000 a year ago to around $63,000 today.
But tax officials suspect there are large amounts of unpaid tax from the bull run crypto assets saw in the three years to October 2025.
Like any other asset, investors must pay capital gains tax on any profits they receive when they ‘dispose’ of their cryptocurrency.
This can be if you sell it, exchange it for a different type of crypto asset, use it to pay for goods or give it to another investor.
Advertisement
Everyone gets a £3,000 CGT-free allowance every tax year, but if your profit exceeds this then you must pay tax at 18 per cent for basic-rate taxpayers, and 24 per cent for everyone else.
Neela Chauhan, partner at UHY Hacker Young, says: ‘There is the expectation among tax authorities that cryptocurrency investment is rife with tax evasion.
‘A lot of the traders are young, have had little previous exposure to HMRC and often work under the assumption that HMRC has limited visibility over their activities.
‘Crypto investors often forget that you may still have made a taxable gain even when you are swapping one cryptocurrency for another and might not be aware that the income you can earn by lending cryptocurrencies is taxable.’
Advertisement
The number of tax investigations into crypto investors is set to soar next year as the department will receive data on traders from swathes of online crypto marketplaces.
Officials can currently ask UK cryptocurrency businesses for information about taxpayers.
But by the end of May they will receive data on UK residents from cryptocurrency exchanges in 52 different jurisdictions, including the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands and Ireland, as well as the UK.
Information passed between officials will include an investor’s name, address, National Insurance number and full transaction records.
Advertisement
One year later, another 15 jurisdictions will start handing over information to HMRC.
Investors trying to dodge tax will then be probed by authorities, which will be armed with this data.
Ms Chauhan adds: ‘Once HMRC has this data then tax investigations into cryptocurrency investors will be like shooting fish in a barrel.’
DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS
AJ Bell
AJ Bell
Easy investing and ready-made portfolios
Hargreaves Lansdown
Hargreaves Lansdown
Free fund dealing and investment ideas
interactive investor
interactive investor
Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month
Freetrade
Freetrade
Investing Isa now free on basic plan
Trading 212
Trading 212
Free share dealing and no account fee
Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence.
Teenagers can access GCSE results online for the first time on the Education Record app
Laura Hill and Husna Anjum Senior Live News Reporter
09:47, 19 Aug 2026
Students can access GCSE results online for the first time in 2026 thanks to a new education app.
Students can still traditionally collect results from their school tomorrow morning, and timings may vary depending on the school. This year, students can access grades through the Education Record app, after a trial involving 95,000 students in Manchester and the West Midlands last summer.
Advertisement
The Mirror reports the app offers a digital record for future use when applying for further education or employment and will be updated on results day.
What time are GCSE results released in schools?
GCSE results will be available to students by schools from 8am on Thursday, however timings can depend on the school and what the teachers have decided. Individual schools set their own collection arrangements and will inform students what time they should arrive on site to pick up their envelopes.
Are GCSE results released online?
For the first time this year many GCSE students will be able to see their results online on the Education Record App. Results will update online on the Education Record app at 11am.
The Department of Education announced the £30m app in January. Schools using the app need to provide a QR code to students to link to their record.
Advertisement
What happens if you can’t collect your GCSE results on Thursday?
If students are ill, on holiday or unable to visit the school, they can typically arrange in advance to receive their results by email or post. Emails will generally arrive on results day but grades sent through post could take a bit longer.
The process will depend on the school. Students may also be able to nominate someone else to collect their results, just make the person brings a signed letter and photo ID.
Tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios tests positive for cocaine and will ‘step away from public life to get myself right’ as he faces controversial end to his career, aged 31
Nick Kyrgios has revealed that he has failed a drugs test after testing positive for cocaine.
The former Wimbledon finalist has endured a checkered few years after suffering persistent injury, and admitted that the toll they have taken on his career gave ‘some context’ to his failed test.
‘I wanted you to hear it from me first,’ Kyrgios began his lengthy statement on Instagram. ‘I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine.
‘I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it.
Advertisement
‘I am sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors, and everyone close to me. Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself.
‘I’m not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I’ve been. The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.
Nick Kyrgios has shared that he has failed a drugs test after testing positive for cocaine
Advertisement
‘I’ve always said I didn’t choose tennis – tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. At times I’ve felt helpless and alone.
‘None of that excuses what I did.
‘However, the good news is that this has given me a wake up call. For the next 28 days, I’ll be stepping away from social media and public life while I focus on getting myself right.
‘I’d ask that people respect my privacy during that time, and most importantly the privacy of my family.
Advertisement
‘I’m sorry. I’ll do the work and come back better. Nick’.
Kyrgios played in Mallorca at the ATP 250 event in late June, losing his singles match to fellow Australian Adam Walton in straight sets on June 22.
The 31-year-old later withdrew from the doubles, where he and partner John-Patrick Smith had been due to play Austin Krajicek and Nikola Mektic the following day.
Tennis’ integrity and anti-doping governing body the ITIA have since announced that Kyrgios has been handed a mandatory provisional suspension.
Advertisement
‘The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has provisionally suspended Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme,’ a statement shared by the organisation read.
’31-year-old Kyrgios provided a sample during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca, Spain, on 22 June 2026. On 17 July 2026, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
‘Cocaine is a stimulant and substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List and is banned in competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. If taken out of competition, reduced sanctions apply for substances of abuse.
‘Because of the nature of the substance, a provisional suspension is mandatory and has been in place since 4 August 2026.
Advertisement
‘Kyrgios, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 13 in October 2016, has the right to appeal the provisional suspension, but has not done so to date.
‘As with all Tennis Anti-Doping Programme cases, ITIA support is available to Kyrgios.
‘While suspended, Kyrgios is not allowed to play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association.’
Before his suspension, Kyrgios’ appearances on the tour had been limited, with the combustible Australian star only taking part in a clutch of events due to his prohibitively high ranking of 919.
Advertisement
Offered wildcards to play events in both singles and doubles, the former world No13 has not won a singles match since last year’s Miami Open.
Share or comment on this article:
Tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios tests positive for cocaine and will ‘step away from public life to get myself right’ as he faces controversial end to his career, aged 31
Sort Your Life Out host Stacey has been given a major boost in her presenting career, with the update coming ahead of her new ITV role
Stacey Solomon has been given a major boost in her presenting career, with the update coming ahead of her new ITV role alongside Alan Carr being revealed.
Advertisement
As fans will recall, the singer-turned-presenter shot to fame on The X Factor, appearing on Simon Cowell’s ITV singing competition back in 2009, where she finished in third place behind runner-up Olly Murs and eventual winner Joe McElderry.
But after she appeared on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2010, and was crowned ‘Queen of the Jungle. ‘ Stacey’s career on the small screen took off, and she has since been a panellist on Loose Women and is now the host of her own BBC show, Sort Your Life Out.
And as a result of her TV work, the mum-of-five has been nominated for the TV presenter prize at the upcoming National Television Awards, which is set to take place on September 8, and air live on ITV and ITVX.
She will go up against beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who has been recognised for his nature documentary The Secret Garden, in the year of his 100th birthday, as well as This Morning host Alison Hammond, former Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman, who is the current face of The Traitors.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, TV presenting duo Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly are also in the running, after their 23-year winning streak was ended by former Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker at the 2025 ceremony.
Following the release of the nominations for this year’s NTAs, a post from Optomen, the production company behind Sort Your Life Out and Stacey & Joe, on Instagram read: “We are excited to announce @staceysolomon has been shortlisted for Best TV Presenter at the NTA Awards! Voting is now open – Head to the link in our bio to make your vote count! #NTAawards #VoteNow #StaceySolomon.”
As well as that, Stacey and her husband, Joe Swash, have also been nominated in a new category recognising the rise of fly-on-the-wall celebrity-led shows, for their BBC series, Stacey & Joe, which has been put up against At Home With The Furys, Clarkson’s Farm, Fletchers’ Family Farm, and Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.
Advertisement
But the news also came as it was revealed that Stacey will join the next series of The Masked Singer. The 36-year-old has said she’s “so excited” to be a celebrity guesser on the hit show, joining comedian and fellow presenter Alan Carr.
According to The Sun, Stacey said: “I’m so excited to be joining Alan Carr’s team on The Masked Singer. Me and my family are huge fans of the show. I can’t wait to start sleuthing and hopefully unmask a few more superstars.”
Three years ago, he left the station to join Greatest Hits Radio, taking a large proportion of his loyal listeners with him.
In a recent instalment of Good Morning Britain, Ken confessed he didn’t decide to leave for any dramatic impact, but knew he had time to do one more thing in his career, reports the Mirror.
Speaking to Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway, he praised the ‘fantastic’ years he at at the broadcaster before confessed he felt he was no longer felt like the ‘youngster’ he was used to being, having played alongside the likes of Terry Wogan and Jimmy Young.
Admitting he became a veteran ‘overnight’, Ken added that he didn’t want to ‘be the old bloke in the corner being made fun of’ as he shared that’s when he knew it was ‘time to go’.
During his final sign-off on BBC Radio 2, Ken played Golden Slumbers by The Beatles as he quoted the song, saying: “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make – and I have loved being here with you.”
He continued: “Thank you so much, and may we meet again somewhere. Thank you to everybody who has contributed in any small way to this programme, particularly the listeners.
“I really couldn’t do it without the listeners, who contribute and complete the dialogue. We talk to each other on a daily basis, and I hope sometime in the future we may be able to continue doing that.
“Thank you, particularly to the members of the Ken Bruce preservation society who sent in a lovely bottle of a certain Irish cream liquor, which I did think about drinking after song nine of the show today, but I thought I’d better just wait until now.
“That is very, very kind of you. Thanks to all who have sent any kind of message of congratulations or good riddance!”
Ken continued his sign off by thanking his production team, Phil McGarby and Jeanine Mayer-Smith, calling the duo a ‘fabulous pair’.
He finished off with: “To the BBC I have been here for a long time and apart from the occasional vagary it is still the finest broadcasting organisation in the world.”
Although he left the broadcaster, Ken took his popular trivia quiz show PopMaster with him, having it air on Channel 4 in a new TV format.
Good Morning Britain is available to watch weekdays on ITV from 6am.
Maitham with dad Haider, mum Raghad and baby brother Mohammad-Jawad, who he saved from choking (Picture: Cover Media)
A 13-year-old boy has relived the moment he saved his newborn brother’s life after
Maitham Ali was in his bedroom at the family’s West London home when he heard a commotion downstairs.
The teenager rushed down to find his mum and grandmother in a state of abject panic.
His two-day-old brother Mohammad-Jawad had vomited and the baby’s airway had become blocked.
Advertisement
He was turning blue and opening his mouth as though trying to take a breath, but no sound was coming out.
As the family panicked, Maitham stayed calm and drew on the first aid training he had received as a St John Ambulance Cadet.
Maitham with little Mohammad-Jawad (Picture: Cover Media)
‘I went up to my mum and told her to rest him on her arm, belly first and supporting his head with her hand, and give him back blows. Not too hard, but hard enough to dislodge anything in the airway,’ Maitham said.
After two back blows, Mohammad-Jawad began to cry.
‘My mum was still worried, so I reassured her that because he was crying, it meant his airway was open,’ Maitham added.
Advertisement
The boys’ mum Raghad was understandably relieved. ‘The colour came back and my baby was breathing again. It’s all down to Maitham’s extensive knowledge which he learned with St John,’ she said.
‘I had had no first aid training, so I was sucking Mohammad-Jawad’s mouth and nose to remove the blockage, but the doctor told me later at the hospital that that wasn’t the right thing to do.
‘Maitham was so calm and steady. I couldn’t believe it was him talking. He was telling me what to do, making sure I stayed calm and making sure we got the ambulance called.’
Latest London news
To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro’sLondon news hub.
Advertisement
Maitham has had first aid training as a St John Ambulance Cadet (Picture: Cover Media)
New St John Ambulance research among 2,000 Britons found that 34% worry about their baby choking and not knowing what to do, while 23% have not learned any first aid.
According to the latest ONS data, 12 children under five died from choking in England between 2020 and 2024, including nine babies.
Mohammad-Jawad was checked by paramedics and made a full recovery. His family credit Maitham’s quick thinking and first aid skills with saving his life.
Advertisement
Raghad now plans to learn first aid herself.
‘It’s very important to know what to do in an emergency,’ she said.
Maitham is a member of the London Polish Cadets in Ealing and joined St John Ambulance as a Badger when he was nine.
His 19-year-old sister Judy was interested in a career in medicine and when Raghad discovered St John Ambulance, she decided to enrol them both.
Advertisement
Maitham with St John Ambulance unit leader Tom Canavan (Picture: Cover Media)
Maitham had previously planned to work in palaeontology or archaeology, but after his training, and his early lifesaving success, he is now considering a career in medicine.
A week after the incident in June, he successfully completed his Community First Aid course with St John Ambulance.
His unit leader, Tom Canavan, said: ‘While I was amazed by what Maitham had done, I can’t say I was entirely surprised.
‘When it comes to helping others, Maitham has always shown compassion, confidence and a willingness to step forward. Through his time as a St John Ambulance Cadet, he has developed strong first aid skills, but more importantly, he has developed the courage to use them when it really matters.
‘In an emergency, many people can freeze or doubt themselves, but Maitham remained calm, recognised that his mum, dad and baby Mohammad-Jawad needed help and put his training into action.
Advertisement
‘That takes maturity, bravery and self-belief beyond his years.’
Maitham is sharing his story as part of St John Ambulance’s new Save a Life September campaign, which aims to encourage people to learn first aid through free public demonstrations and online guidance.
A St John Ambulance volunteer demonstrating how to help a choking toddler (Picture: Cover Media)
Throughout September, St John Ambulance first aid volunteers will deliver free demonstrations in public spaces across the country. The campaign aims to give half a million people the confidence to respond when an adult, child or baby is choking, bleeding severely or in cardiac arrest.
Since relaunching Save a Life September in 2024, St John Ambulance has taught more than 800,000 people vital first aid skills.
This year, it aims to reach another 500,000 people through public demonstrations and online guidance, taking the overall total beyond one million.
Advertisement
Tom added: ‘You’re never too young to learn lifesaving skills. A few minutes spent learning how to help someone who is choking, or a few hours learning CPR, how to use an AED or how to respond to a medical emergency, could one day make the difference between life and death.’
You must be logged in to post a comment Login