Four people have sustained minor to moderate injuries in a bear attack at Fukushima Steel Works in Japan.

Police and fire department officials rushed to a residential area in the Sasakino district of the city after receiving an emergency call from the steel works, saying multiple employees had been attacked by a bear.

Security camera footage shows a black bear chasing an employee near the entrance to the compound, knocking them to the ground, before running towards a building.

As of Tuesday evening, the bear had still not been caught by authorities, and was thought to be hiding inside a building somewhere on the premises.

Two types of bear are found in Japan – Asian black bears, and bigger brown bears which are found on the island of Hokkaido.

In 2025, the number of people killed by bears in the country reached a record high.

Kane said: “I can’t wait for young fans to pose next to figure-version of me in London, and I hope seeing this will inspire children to keep working hard, believing in themselves and enjoying every moment of the journey.”The figure will feature in Madame Tussauds London’s Culture Capital zone alongside a line-up of sporting stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Mo Salah, Mary Earps, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Anthony Joshua, Kylian Mbappe, and arriving later in summer 2026, Lando Norris.

Some residents feel the plans could have a ‘damaging impact’ on the area

Plans have been submitted to build nearly 50 affordable homes – but some residents feel the development could have a “damaging impact” on the area. Steindale Properties Ltd has proposed to build the 46 new homes on land east of 47 to 69 Lawn Lane in Little Downham.

If approved, all of the homes will be affordable. These will be made up of 27 one-bed, two-bed, three-bed and four-bed homes with affordable rent.

The rest will be 19 shared ownership homes, made up of a mix of two-bed and three-bed homes. The applicant said the affordable homes will contribute “positively to meeting identified local housing needs”.

The applicant added: “The development represents a high-quality and inclusive design that is accessible, environmentally responsive, and provides a coherent, attractive place for future residents.”

Two new junctions could also be created on Lawn Lane if the plans are given the go-ahead. Where the homes could be built has previously been used as agricultural land and a paddock.

The plans have so far received nine objections. One resident in Beald House believes the plans will lead to an “unacceptable overdevelopment”. They added it could have a “damaging impact on neighbouring residents, local infrastructure, highway safety, biodiversity and the rural character of Little Downham”.

They added: “The proposal seeks to place 46 dwellings within a relatively small area, resulting in an excessively dense and cramped form of development that is wholly out of character with the surrounding environment. The scale and intensity of the scheme appear driven by maximising housing numbers rather than delivering an appropriate and sustainable development.”

Another person in Cannon Street was also concerned about the size of the development. They said it would be “too large for the existing village infrastructure” and it would place “additional pressure” on local services. The resident added: “An increase in traffic from 46 additional homes would worsen these issues and create further risks for pedestrians and residents.”

Another resident in Columbine Road in Ely said the homes would “replace open green space with a dense housing estate”. They also said: “The development would negatively impact neighbouring residents through increased noise, disturbance, overlooking and loss of privacy, reducing the peaceful enjoyment of nearby homes.”

What: Sublime sunsets, views over sparkling shores and a focus on gastronomy

Where: Eastern Rhodes, south of medieval Rhodes Town, and on Corfu’s pristine western shore

Don’t miss: A pre-packed beach bag, ready for you on arrival

Highlight: Gourmet menus designed by Michelin-starred chefs

Sony has unveiled their new God Of War game during the latest State Of Play but they insist it’s a mainline entry, despite Kratos not being the main character.

The idea that there’s going to be a God Of War spin-off starring Kratos’ second wife has been rumoured for quite a while, and now Sony has confirmed it’s real, giving it the name God Of War Laufey. Although Kratos’ wife has previously been referred to as Faye, Laufey is one of the names given to Loki’s mother in traditional Norse mythology.

This game seems to be straying pretty far from any previously established stories though, as it’s set in the afterlife of the gods, called Everywhen. This seems to be the realm Odin was trying to get a look at in God Of War Ragnarök, as there’s also a lot of talk, from the game’s villains, about there being other ‘masks’

It’s clear from the footage shown in Tuesday night’s State of Play that the most recent rumours were accurate (you don’t get lucky predicting a talking gelatinous cube), so we’d caution going back to that article, as it may feature important story spoilers that the gameplay footage did not get into.

The game is by series creator Santa Monica Studio, which reinforces the idea that this is a mainline entry, just not one starring Kratos – although he is featured more than once in the footage. Previous director Cory Barlog is still on board as Head of Creative, but the director this time will be Ariel Lawrence, who’s been a producer on multiple previous entries.

We’d strongly advise watching the footage yourself, but it starts with Kratos and Aretus/Loki burning Faye’s body (the PlayStation Blog continues to refer to her as Faye, so we assume the game will too), at which point she wakes up in the Everywhen – afterlife of the gods.

She seems to have a mask splinter in her palm, which has influenced her magic in some way, although what she’s capable of is unclear. Faye is repeatedly described as a giant in the previous God Of War games, despite always being shown as normal-sized.

You quickly run into Begtse, the Tibetan Buddhist god of war (and erstwhile god of the Mongols), and Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of medicine. What they’re up to isn’t clear, but they and their troops are seen rounding up various supernatural beings and putting them in cages, which is where you meet Phranque the gelatinous cube (played by Jack Quaid), who has a sword stuck in him. The ribbon on the sword talks (with a Kiwi accent) and is called Rue.

The clearest takeaway from the footage is that a) the graphics look fantastic and b) the action is a lot more dynamic and lively than the last two games. Santa Monica Studio talk about it being more influenced by the Greek era entries, but games such as Devil May Cry and Bayonetta seem a much more obvious comparison, especially as Faye is seen juggling enemies in the air and being a lot lighter on her feet than Kratos.

Her magic seems interesting too, as while she can shoot generic magic blasts, she can also pull the souls out of enemies and then beat them up, before pinging them back to explode against their mortal bodies.

You don’t get a much safer pair of hands than Santa Monica Studio, so the main question here isn’t so much whether it will be good as when it will be out. Although the State of Play was very useful for providing release dates for a range of other games, there was no indication of when God Of Wary Laufey will be out, not even a year.

Since Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet wasn’t mentioned at all that makes Sony’s future line-up very unclear, with only the newly announced Until Dawn 2 confirmed for 2027.

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A shift in the jet stream is expected to bring low pressure to parts of the UK, with heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast for eight regions on Wednesday

Substantial rainfall is forecast for millions across Britain tomorrow as a change in the jet stream approaches.

Temperatures have fallen to roughly typical levels for this period following a record-shattering May heatwave, when the thermometer climbed above 35C in certain regions – representing the warmest temperatures ever recorded for May.

Nevertheless, thunderstorms and precipitation have swept through numerous areas. And while the Met Office indicates some “dry and bright weather” can be anticipated early tomorrow, forecasters warn: “It is not going to last.”

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern explains that a fresh weather system “with a stronger-than-average and more south-shifted jet stream” will deliver low pressure to our coastline tomorrow.

“That means it swiftly turns wet across Northern Ireland, Wales and the South West first thing Wednesday morning, ” he said. “[It will be a] tricky rush hour as this rain moves north-eastwards, turning damp for central, eastern and northern England by the afternoon, as well as central and southern Scotland.”, reports the Mirror.

Mr McGivern noted that, despite skies clearing and brightening during the afternoon, there will remain “a lot of showers returning to Northern Ireland, the north and central England, as well as Wales in particular”.

UK regions facing heavy rain on Wednesday

• Northern Ireland
• Wales
• South West of England
• Central England
• Eastern England
• Northern England
• Southern Scotland
• Central Scotland

The Met Office previously indicated that temperatures could reach 21C in southern regions on Wednesday, while northern areas might see highs of 19C. Comparable conditions are anticipated throughout the remainder of the week.

BBC weather forecast for this week

The BBC weather outlook for the coming days states: “[Wednesday] will be cloudy and windy with outbreaks of rain pushing eastwards, these occasionally heavy with a risk of thunder in the north. Sunny spells developing in the south later in the afternoon.

“A mix of sunshine and heavy showers on Thursday. Risk of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Friday looks to see sunny spells interspersed with showers in the west and north. Drier elsewhere. Saturday will see mostly cloudy skies with a chance of light rain in western areas.”

“I’ve always loved dogs, so helping them while they wait to be adopted is a joy.”

Meet Ann Lamont who has earned a huge round of ‘appaws’ for dedicating 1,000 hours of her time volunteering to support homeless hounds.

Ann, who lives near Kells in Co Antrim, began volunteering at Dogs Trust Ballymena two years ago, regularly helping for 12 hours every week. Ann is a much-loved and well-known face at the rehoming centre, where she can be found every Monday and Wednesday, in the laundry room, also known as ‘Ann’s Office’.

Ann lost her beloved golden retriever Simon over 30 years ago when he was 15, but she never forgot the joy he brought to her life, so she always said that when she retired, she would volunteer for Dogs Trust to help the dogs.

Ann has certainly done that and is renowned for her dedication to the dogs, as epitomised by her favourite saying: “Every dog, no matter where they’ve come from, deserves a clean bed”. And a clean bed, they shall have, thanks to Ann.

Speaking about volunteering during National Volunteers’ Week (June 1-7), Ann said: “It brings a sense of achievement, helping the staff, and you get to know the dogs, and they get to know me. The dogs are brought into the laundry room every time they pass, so I can give them a treat.

“I feel part of the team, not just the volunteer team, but the wider Dogs Trust team, as people know my name, they know what I do, and they appreciate it.

“I’m an organised person, so I enjoy working in the laundry room. I make sure it is clean and tidy, ensure all the bedding and blankets are washed, the shelves are organised and that every dog has a nice, clean bed.

“I also upcycle any damaged blankets that can no longer be used into toys and snuffle mats, which proves popular with the dogs. I’ve always loved dogs, so helping them while they wait to be adopted is a joy.”

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Ann is one of 30 fabulous volunteers, who give more than 200 hours of their time to Dogs Trust Ballymena every month – helping with all manner of tasks, including walking four-legged friends, gardening, making sure the pooches have clean beds, and fundraising.

There really is no end to their dedication and talents in support of the daily work at the Ballymena rehoming centre.

Nationally, Dogs Trust has over 3,600 volunteers who play a vital role in helping the charity care for over 11,000 dogs every year. Volunteering with the UK’s largest dog welfare charity is one of the best ways to support rescue dogs, and there is every breed of opportunity to get involved to match all manner of interests and skillsets.

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Lisa Towers, Volunteer Coordinator at Dogs Trust Ballymena, said: “Our fabulous team of volunteers are the most amazing, kind, and dedicated people I have ever met. They go above and beyond for the dogs in our care, and it simply wouldn’t be possible to achieve everything we do without them.

“That is certainly the case with Ann, who is an absolute superstar. Ann has dedicated herself to our laundry rooms. She helps train other laundry volunteers, and she is so enthusiastic about a role that is often overlooked and yet is so essential in its importance for the smooth running of the centre.

“Ann has even created her own sustainability initiative within her role. Whilst she waits for the machines to run their cycle, she is sewing up salvageable teddies, so they don’t go to landfill and cutting up ripped bedding to reuse as snuffle mats and rope toys for the dogs, which she braids by hand.

“Reaching 1,000 hours of service as a volunteer is a fantastic achievement, and we can’t thank Ann enough for her wonderful support.”

To find out more about volunteering with Dogs Trust, visit: www.dogstrust.org.uk/support-us/volunteering.

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What: Bucket list attractions, colossal sporting events and an array of natural wonders to explore

Where: The state of California, which spans over 1,000 miles of the United States’ western coastline

Don’t miss: The mind-blowing attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles, or the stunning beaches of San Diego further south

Highlight: Heading north to Monterey to see the spectacular Big Sur coastline and the captivating kelp forest at Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the tallest aquarium exhibits in the world.

Getting there: Fly direct to California gateways with Virgin Atlantic, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco