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Flow batteries that store energy in liquid could accelerate the green transition

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Flow batteries that store energy in liquid could accelerate the green transition

Harnessing renewable resources such as wind and solar energy is vital for the green transition. But these renewables are intermittent and unpredictable. It’s impossible to control when the wind blows and when the sun shines.

Currently, we don’t have to rely on the weather to boil a kettle. That’s largely thanks to our use of fossil fuels. To break our reliance on this finite and polluting source of power, we need to be able to store vast amounts of renewable energy cheaply and safely, but unfortunately, no technologies yet tick all the boxes.

Lithium-ion batteries are used in our phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. But lithium-ion technology depends on costly, geographically concentrated materials such as lithium and cobalt.

Cobalt mining can be a dangerous and polluting process. The organic lithium-ion-containing electrolyte (the liquid chemical between the positive and negative terminals inside a battery) is flammable. Because it poses a fire hazard, it’s risky to deploy these batteries at a large enough scale to power our homes, cities, and industries.

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But there is an alternative solution: flow batteries.

In a flow battery, energy is stored in liquid electrolytes which are held in large external tanks. To charge or discharge the liquid, it is pumped through a stack of cells where electrochemical reactions generate or consume electrons. This has several advantages.




À lire aussi :
What will batteries of the future be made of? Four scientists discuss the options – podcast


In most batteries, two properties (energy and power) are intrinsically linked. Energy refers to how much electricity is actually stored by the battery and therefore how long that supply can run at a given rate. Power is the rate at which the energy is delivered and how much can be supplied within a given time.

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Usually, it’s impossible to change one without changing the other. To store more, you add cells, and that adds power you may not need (and cost you don’t want).

However in flow batteries, this is not the case. Need to store more energy? Simply use larger tanks with more liquid. Need more power? Simply use a bigger cell stack. This ability to independently control power and energy makes the technology cheaper to scale up. Additionally, unlike lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries can’t catch fire (as they are mostly water) and are extremely durable. Some flow batteries have been in operation for more than 20 years.

Several large-scale flow battery systems have already been deployed. In China, the largest systems that connect to the grid reach gigawatt-hour scale (equivalent to powering 100,000 homes for a full day). In Switzerland, what will be the world’s largest flow battery, at 2.1 gigawatt-hours (equivalent to powering over 200,000 homes for a full day) is being constructed to power an AI data centre. Nevertheless, flow batteries are still an emerging technology, with several challenges still to solve.

Test cells

Worldwide, researchers like us are developing new electrolyte chemistries and materials to reduce the cost of flow battery systems and drive wider adoption. But getting started in flow battery research can be quite daunting. Test cells can often cost thousands of pounds and testing a new cell requires lots of ancillary equipment.

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Through our research, we have developed a low-cost 3D-printed test cell. This makes flow battery research much easier and has enabled our research group to test dozens of these cells. But our team struggled to get repeatable test results. It was also difficult to replicate results from previous flow battery studies by other groups in our own labs at Queen’s University Belfast. This resulted in several months of frustration as we scrutinised every aspect of our testing protocols.

Lab-scale development of all-iron flow battery electrolytes at Queen’s University Belfast.
Josh Bailey/Queen’s University Belfast, CC BY-NC-ND

As it turned out, our research group was not alone. At a conference in early 2024, we attended a talk by Fikile Brushett, a chemical engineering professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US. He described the lack of protocols in this field. Together, we have led a series of studies to investigate and work out how to tackle the issue of reliably replicating data from reported scientific studies.

In one study, published in April 2026, we sent our low-cost 3D-printed test cell to several leading research groups around the world. We were struck by the extent of performance variability between different groups all nominally testing the same battery. Since then, we have identified several potential causes for this variability and have suggested improvements to testing protocols.

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Our latest study has involved more than 30 research groups assessing our test cells. Our testing data is now publicly available online. We are using this to pin down why performance varies across the cohort. Our findings will help the community to develop testing protocols that all researchers can use.

Eventually, this work could make it easier for newcomers to make a start in flow battery research. It could also give established groups a reliable foundation to compare results and accelerate their work. This all helps chemical engineers innovate more quickly towards storing renewable energy cheaply, safely and at scale.

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Reforms Zia Yusuf Gets Community Note On X Over Clacton By Election

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Zia Yusuf Slammed For Calling Tory And Labour Politicians 'Traitors'

Zia Yusuf has been hit with a community note on X after Reform UK offered to cover the costs of the by-election triggered by Nigel Farage’s resignation.

The party’s home affairs spokesman said they would “pay in full” so that taxpayers are not left out of pocket for staging the poll.

“It’s how politics should be done,” Yusuf said in a post on X.

But users of the social media platform were quick to point out that it was impossible for Reform to pick up the tab for the by-election, which is expected to be around £250,000.

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A community note below his post said: “The costs of UK parliamentary by-elections are paid by the government from the Consolidated Fund and cannot be covered by political parties.”

A polling expert said Reform would actually be breaking the law if they paid for the by-election, which is set to take place next month.

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Lord Hayward, who is a Conservative peer, said: “The oddest aspect of this is that Reform/Nigel Farage have said that they will pay for the by-election.

“The whole principle of British electoral law is that you separate the administration of the election from the party contest.

“Therefore it would be illegal – and Reform will know this – it would be illegal for them to make a payment to cover the cost of the by-election.

“Just imagine what Nigel Farage would have said at Makerfield, if [former Labour MP] Josh Simons announced his resignation and Labour said ‘we’re going to pay for this by-election because it isn’t absolutely necessary’.

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“Nigel Farage would have gone berserk because in paying for the administration, you’re paying for the counters to count the ballot papers, you’re paying for the location of the polling stations, you’re paying for the election leaflets. There would be all sorts of accusations of interference.

“There is no way Reform can pay for that election.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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Emmerdale ‘confirms’ Doctor Todd’s killer with clue you may have missed | Soaps

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Emmerdale 'confirms' Doctor Todd's killer with clue you may have missed | Soaps
Her time is running out (Picture: ITV/YouTube)

Emmerdale has confirmed that Doctor Caitlin Todd (Caroline Harker) will be murdered in the future.

In an episode that was broadcasted a couple of days ago, a flashforward sequence aired that saw Doctor Todd lying in a pool of blood.

Prior to this happening, Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) was seen confronting Caitlin about raping Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins).

Doctor Todd said that if she was forced to go to court, the jury would believe her version of events over Charity’s because she’s a well-respected member of the NHS. Mack couldn’t handle being around Caitlin for any longer, and left after telling her that if she went near Charity again, he’d ‘bury her’.

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While the flashforward kept most of the details surrounding Doctor Todd’s death a mystery, it may not have been completely devoid of clues, as one small detail hidden in the scene may reveal exactly where she dies.

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The only real clue comes from the floor beneath Caitlin. She’s lying on light wooden floorboards that could belong to an unfamiliar location, but they also closely resemble the flooring in one of Emmerdale’s best-known cottages.

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In Jacobs Fold, where Charity lives with Mack, Noah Dingle (Jack Downham) and young Moses, the floorboards look exactly the same as those seen in the flashforward with Doctor Todd.

If Caitlin is killed in Charity’s house, it potentially makes the suspect list a lot shorter.

Mack, Sarah, Charity and Noah in Jacobs Fold in Emmerdale
The flooring is pratically the same (Picture: ITV)
Charity and Mack in Jacobs Fold in Emmerdale
If Doctor Todd is killed here, it may make the suspect list a lot shorter (Picture: ITV)

Mackenzie is a broken man after Charity confessed all of her secrets to him. He is trying to contain his anger whenever he sees Ross Barton (Michael Parr), Leyla’s dad, but things will come to a head in a few days time, as he ends up fighting with his former best friend in a barn.

Could this, along with the threats he made towards Doctor Todd, be foreshadowing? Will he end up killing Caitlin after being pushed over the edge?

It’s also possible that Charity will attempt to get violent revenge on Doctor Todd, given the police investigation into her is currently moving pretty slowly.

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Who is Doctor Todd’s killer?

While Mack and Charity are high on the list of suspects, there’s also Noah Dingle to think about.

The young man has a criminal record after stalking and harassing Chloe Harris a few years ago, and currently has no idea of the things Doctor Todd has put his mum through.

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Interestingly, spoilers for future episodes confirm that Noah is debating applying for jobs abroad. This could be a subtle way of hinting at him being Doctor Todd’s killer, as he may end up making a run for it and leaving the village to prevent spending time behind bars.

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Norway ridicule ‘sickness bug’ claim before England World Cup match | Football

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Norway ridicule 'sickness bug' claim before England World Cup match | Football

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In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

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What REALLY happens to your body when you stop drinking six coffees a day: I expected jitters and hideous withdrawal symptoms, says CLAUDIA CONNELL…

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Since splashing out £600 on a sleek barista-style machine that uses pods, Claudia Connell started drinking several cups of coffee a day. But will quitting make her healthier?

Every morning I follow the same routine. I take a liquid probiotic on an empty stomach that requires me to wait ten minutes before eating or drinking anything.

Desperate to have my first strong, flat white coffee of the day, I set a timer on my phone. When the time seems to drag, I check the timer is definitely running. Come on! Why is it taking so long?

By the time we’re at eight minutes, I start preparing the coffee with my fancy machine so my steaming mug is ready and waiting on the stroke of ten minutes. Bliss.

Safe to say, I love coffee. None of your mild and weak rubbish watered down with half a pint of milk, either – it has to be espresso, the highest intensity I can find, either with a dash of hot milk, or sometimes drunk as a double – black, straight down like a tequila shot.

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My first coffee is swiftly followed by another and I carry on drinking cups throughout the day, notching up five on average – though six or seven isn’t unheard of.

Coffee is now so popular in the UK that 98million cups of it are consumed daily. This means there are now more regular drinkers of coffee than tea, something that would have been unthinkable a generation ago.

Since splashing out £600 on a sleek barista-style machine that uses pods (the expense felt justified since a flat white takeaway is now just shy of £5 in many coffee shops), I rarely drink tea. But the question is: do I drink too much coffee? And even though I seem to experience no ill effects, will quitting make me healthier? Is it – God forbid – ageing?

The messages are mixed.

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Since splashing out £600 on a sleek barista-style machine that uses pods, Claudia Connell started drinking several cups of coffee a day. But will quitting make her healthier?

It’s well established that caffeine can increase anxiety, disrupt sleep and induce temporary spikes in your heart rate and blood pressure. Some studies suggest it can raise cholesterol, too.

Yet, just last week, a report based on a large-scale analysis of UK health trends found drinking four to five coffees a day can significantly improve liver health – reducing the risk of liver cancer, for example, by 47 per cent – while it also contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory qualities.

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Having recently turned 60, I’m firmly in what’s referred to as ‘sniper’s alley’ when it comes to health. It’s an age when people can suddenly be taken out by things such as high blood pressure, heart disease and raised cholesterol.

So, to see once and for all whether being a coffee addict is either good for me or keeping me from optimum health, I decide to quit for six weeks.

Coffee never gives me palpitations, but the thought of giving it up does. I honestly think I’d find it easier to give up food than coffee. It’s one of my few vices.

To ensure fair and accurate results, I take a series of health tests while still drinking my usual amount, with a plan to repeat them when I’m coffee-free.

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Health firm Medichecks offers a series of home assessments and recommends I take its £119 Advance Diet and Lifestyle Blood Test, which will measure 27 biomarkers, including liver and kidney function, cholesterol level and key vitamins and minerals.

A nurse draws the blood and the results are sent off to a lab to be analysed and studied by a doctor.

In the meantime, I visit my GP to have my blood pressure checked – it’s a healthy 117/78 (anything under 120/80 is considered good). I then purchase an at-home monitor, to make further, regular checks. Sure enough, I get the same reading as the GP, so I know it’s reliable equipment.

While the blood tests will measure my cortisol levels at the time of taking, I also want to investigate them throughout the day to see if caffeine causes any big spikes. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and when levels become consistently too high it can lead to other problems – such as weight gain, mood swings and brain fog.

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Regenerus Labs offers a £133 cortisol analysis saliva test based on four samples gathered throughout the course of one day.

Since the most commonly experienced side-effects of caffeine are a racing heart and poor sleep, I need to track those, too. For that I use an Oura Ring (from £399). Fitted with sensors, it analyses 30 biometrics (including sleep patterns, stress and heart rate), uploading the data to a linked smartphone app.

Blood pressure is typically a little higher first thing in the morning and when I take mine, before any coffee, it’s 119/80 – still in the healthy range but slightly elevated. A few minutes after, I’m one flat white down (with an extra shot for good measure) and I take some more readings. My blood pressure is now 121/81 and my resting heart rate goes from 65 to 68bpm. However, just five minutes later things have settled to their pre-coffee levels.

Caffeine can induce temporary spikes in your heart rate and blood pressure, disrupt sleep and increase anxiety

Caffeine can induce temporary spikes in your heart rate and blood pressure, disrupt sleep and increase anxiety 

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So coffee does spike blood pressure and heart rate, but I don’t feel it and I don’t really care. I once wore a heart monitor to see how stressed I got reverse parking a car – it was much worse. During my coffee phase, I drink a minimum of five cups a day, including into the afternoon.

I know some people swear they can’t have caffeine after a certain time, but it never seems to interfere with my sleep. I’ve even been known to take a book and a coffee to bed with me.

I’m on HRT, which has undoubtedly saved me from menopausal insomnia. Consequently, I’ve always slept like a log.

My Oura Ring requires at least two weeks of wearing before it can start accurately reporting my stress levels and ‘readiness’ – this is a daily score calculated after analysing nine key metrics including sleep, heart rate, body temperature and activity.

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I’m not a ‘stressy’ person – I tend to take everything in my stride – and feel confident my stress readings won’t be dramatic.

But it does get to work immediately on analysing my sleep. Have I been kidding myself all this time about the way coffee affects it?

I check the data the morning after drinking five coffees – the last one at 6pm before going to bed at 11pm – and it shows that I have a sleep score of 78 (out of 100) and a ‘readiness’ score of 83, rated as very good.

Over the following month of coffee-drinking, I average seven hours, 40 minutes of sleep per night, achieving good levels of both REM and deep sleep – the most restorative stages.

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I know most would think this very odd, but the only part of my data that surprises me is that it seems to take me around 40 minutes to drop off – it always feels much faster than that to me.

Claudia wears an Oura ring ¿ a device that analyses sleep, heart rate, body temperature and activity ¿ which helped her to track the effects of going caffeine-free

Claudia wears an Oura ring – a device that analyses sleep, heart rate, body temperature and activity – which helped her to track the effects of going caffeine-free

On my last full week of caffeine, a bit nervous about what lies ahead, I ramp things up a bit and drink six cups a day – a bit like an alcoholic before they go to rehab.

Astonishingly my sleep score marginally improves, while my resting heart rate when asleep goes down to 62bpm.

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My blood results from Medichecks fall well within normal ranges and my cortisol analysis from Regenerus shows my levels are on the lower side first thing in the morning. They then fall back to a normal range throughout the day. Coffee definitely doesn’t seem to be spiking them.

What’s more, my first stress report from my Oura Ring confirms I experience lower than average stress. I’m beginning to feel really quite super-human, especially as throughout the six weeks of sustained coffee-drinking my blood pressure remains good and steady. I’m very much dreading having to quit. But perhaps doing so will tip me into super-healthy status, delivering the sleep quality, stress levels and blood pressure of a baby?

I decide to go cold turkey and brace myself for hideous withdrawal symptoms: headaches, fatigue, not to mention my irritability at missing my favourite drink. I’ve known people to be physically sick from caffeine withdrawal, with terrible aches and pains after giving it up.

And what will I drink instead? I don’t want to risk decaf coffee, just in case the beans get mixed up. (I have to confess that during my waitressing days, when a customer ordered decaf I didn’t exactly take care to make sure I picked up the right jug). I do like matcha tea but it contains caffeine, so I settle on peppermint instead. It’s light and refreshing but nowhere near as satisfying as coffee.

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Nearly every morning I reach for coffee on auto-pilot and stop myself in the nick of time. In the end, I dismantle the machine and hide it at the back of a cupboard.

When I travel to London on the train, I usually make a cafetiere’s worth of coffee and fill a travel mug. Twice I do this without thinking, but thankfully realise before taking a sip.

But the physical side still seems bizarrely fine. I wait for the headache to kick in… and it doesn’t. No shakes, no irritability and my head is perfectly clear.

To be honest, I’m baffled – why am I so unaffected? A nutritionist friend suggests my extraordinary tolerance of caffeine may be genetic and suggests a DNA test.

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After taking a saliva swab, I send my sample off to DNApal, which will produce a report (prices starting from £239.99) analysing my unique genetic data. This includes my ‘stimulant genotype’ – or how my body reacts to and metabolises stimulants such as caffeine.

Caffeine is not considered addictive in the same way as nicotine or alcohol, but it can still lead to physical dependence. For many, coffee becomes ingrained into a daily routine

Caffeine is not considered addictive in the same way as nicotine or alcohol, but it can still lead to physical dependence. For many, coffee becomes ingrained into a daily routine

My response gets odder still. Rather than improving my sleep, quitting coffee seems to be doing the complete opposite. My first night of caffeine-free sleep is terrible according to my Oura Ring, earning me a score of just 54. The next day is the same.

I put it down to my anxiety about giving up coffee. The only improvement is that it now takes me an average of 30 minutes to fall asleep instead of 40. As for my daily stress levels, they stay the same, as does my blood pressure when I check it.

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Dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine (nicsnutrition.com) says: ‘Genetics play an important role in how we metabolise caffeine, including variations in the CYP1A2 gene, which influences how quickly caffeine is broken down by the liver.

‘Fast metabolisers often tolerate coffee well and may be less likely to experience sleep disruption or jitters. Age, body size, medications, smoking status and habitual caffeine intake can also influence how someone responds.’

Sure enough, my results from DNApal come back and show that I have an AA variant on the CYP1A2 gene. This gene is responsible for detoxifying multiple substances including caffeine, meaning it moves faster through my system than it does for those without the variant.

As a result, I have a high tolerance and am able to drink it without getting the jitters or feeling anxious. It’s also unlikely to increase my risk of hypertension.

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My results also show that when it comes to the ADORA2A gene – which is related to caffeine-linked insomnia – I have something called a TC variant. That means there’s an increased chance coffee could lead to sleep disturbances, but in my case the variant doesn’t appear to be expressed.

When I discuss this with Vicky Godfrey, DNApal co-founder and a registered nutritional therapist, she tells me the fact I metabolise coffee so quickly is the pertinent factor here. And suddenly it all makes sense. It’s why I can order a double espresso at the end of a restaurant meal at 11pm and sleep perfectly well, while my friends sip their chamomile tea and look on in horror.

As I’m getting towards the end of my coffee-free time, I repeat my blood and saliva cortisol tests.

My blood tests show that, off coffee, my cholesterol has risen the tiniest amount, my iron levels dropped fractionally, and my vitamin B12 rose. The cortisol monitoring shows my levels have fallen, but only by the smallest amount.

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Had the results shown caffeine made me more stressed and wrecked my sleep, I would have been prepared to quit. But thanks to my genetics, I can knock it back like there’s no tomorrow, so that’s what I will do.

After the six coffee-free weeks are up, I devour my first mug of the day – and then four to follow. For the first time ever, I stop and consider: do I feel wired? Hyper? Shaky? No, I really don’t. I know this is very lucky.

Given coffee doesn’t affect me, does that mean I’m free to drink even more or is there a danger of becoming dependent?

Ludlam-Raine says: ‘Even if someone metabolises caffeine quickly, as you appear to, the general recommendation of up to 400mg per day (roughly three to four barista-style coffees) still applies. It doesn’t mean higher intakes are beneficial or risk-free.

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‘Caffeine isn’t considered addictive in the same way as nicotine or alcohol, but it can lead to physical dependence.

‘There’s a psychological component, with many people associating coffee with routines, comfort, productivity or social occasions. For many coffee drinkers, cravings are likely to be a combination of dependence and habit rather than addiction.’

Remarkably, my first night back on the caffeine is the best sleep I’ve had in ages – eight hours and 32 minutes – and earns me a sleep score of 94.

Maybe the relief of returning to my favourite beverage has relaxed me? Either way, I’ll be caning the coffee from now on.

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Manhunt continues in deaths of Great Denham mum and children

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Swingers

A manhunt is continuing for a murder suspect believed to have killed a mother and her two children before fleeing the UK.

Bedfordshire Police forced entry into a house on Carnoustie Drive, Great Denham, near Bedford, on Monday after receiving reports the family had not been seen for several days.

Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy said: “We have identified a suspect who was known to all three victims, and who we believe has since left the country.”

Tributes have been paid to the victims, with one woman tearfully laying flowers at the scene saying: “We’re really sorry to lose her. She’s was such a gracious mother.”

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Heatwave leaves the UK in grip of a ‘mass sleep deprivation event’

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Broadstairs beach's idyllic-looking golden sands today as temperatures began to build

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As Britain endures its third heatwave of the summer, up to two thirds of people say they are struggling to sleep during sweltering ‘tropical’ nights.

The latest spell of hot weather could bring highs of up to 35C (95F) by the end of the week and today’s temperatures are set to climb above 30C (86F) in southern England.

Amber heat health alerts apply between tomorrow morning and Saturday evening covering all of southern England, East Anglia and the Midlands.

Now a poll by environmental group Greenpeace suggests the country is not only struggling to cope by day but also suffering ‘mass sleep deprivation’ from extremely warm nights.

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According to forecasters, tomorrow and Thursday nights could count as ‘tropical nights’, when temperatures in the warmest areas could remain in the 20s Celsius (low 70s Fahrenheit) – more usual for a fine summer’s day.

The YouGov poll of 2,135 people for Greenpeace found two in three people struggled to sleep during June’s heatwave, with almost half of people saying they lost at least three hours’ of sleep a night.

Other findings included 86pc of people saying their homes had been too hot while a quarter said they or a household member had felt physically unwell.

About one in five said they had cancelled plans because of the heat.

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Broadstairs beach’s idyllic-looking golden sands today as temperatures began to build

Met Office forecasts show how daytime temperatures are due to climb during the week

Met Office forecasts show how daytime temperatures are due to climb during the week

More than half said their homes needed retrofit upgrades such as air conditioning to cope with future heatwaves, but 78pc said they would struggle to afford them.

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Almost half of people said they would support a levy on highly polluting companies to fund improvements.

Some 60pc of people said their workplaces were too hot and 1:10 felt working conditions were unsafe.

Mel Evans, the head of climate at Greenpeace UK, said: ‘The poll exposes the brutal reality of dragging our feet on climate action, such as mass sleep deprivation.

Soaring temperatures by day mean very warm nights, leaving people struggling to sleep

Soaring temperatures by day mean very warm nights, leaving people struggling to sleep

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‘Heatwaves are now a creeping health, housing, and economic emergency that is costing families money they don’t have.’

Dr Laurence Wainwright, of the University of Oxford said: ‘Sleep is greatly impacted during heatwaves.

‘The implications are significant: a drop in work performance, an increase in accidents, lower school test scores [and] a decline in mental health.’

Britain’s warmest June temperature of 37.7C (99.86F) was recorded on June 27 at Lingwood, Norfolk, and there were also record-breaking overnight minimums of 23.5C (74.3F) in Wales and 23.2C (73.8F) in England.

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It followed the UK’s hottest ever May temperature, with 35.1C (95.2F) recorded at Kew Gardens, London, on May 25.

That month, the government’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) advisory group warned Britain was ‘built for a climate that no longer exists’ and needed urgent changes.

The heatwave is set to last into the weekend, when it could break down with thunderstorms, according to the Meteorological Office.

Deputy Chief Forecaster Steven Keates said: ‘Unlike the May and June heatwaves, we are not expecting this heatwave to be record-breaking.

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‘There is a chance that a tropical night (where temperatures do not fall below 20°C) may be recorded in a few places.

‘Much of England and Wales will be hot, and the heat will extend to parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland too.’

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Less Than A Quarter Of Brits Support Farage By-Election Move

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Less Than A Quarter Of Brits Support Farage By-Election Move

Less than quarter of Brits support Nigel Farage’s decision to trigger a by-election in Clacton, according to a poll.

YouGov found just 24% of 7,744 respondents support the Reform UK leader’s attempt to call a “people versus the establishment” contest.

Meanwhile, 43% oppose Farage for standing down as Clacton MP and then standing for re-election.

The findings are a blow to the Reform leader, who is already facing humiliation after the only other candidate who said they would take part in the by-election is Count Binface.

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Farage has been under intense scrutiny since it emerged in April that he received a £5 million gift from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne before he ran to be an MP in 2024.

He is now facing a sleaze probe into whether that huge lump sum should have been declared to parliament.

If found guilty he could be suspended from the Commons – potentially triggering a second by-election later in the year.

Parliamentary commissioner for standards Daniel Greenberg has been encouraged to launch a second probe into the financial support Farage accepted from convicted criminal George Cottrell before he joined parliament.

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New MPs must register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities, according to parliamentary rules.

Farage has denied any wrongdoing and claimed he is the victim of “an establishment hit job”.

YouGov also found 60% of Brits think Farage has not been honest about his finances while just 12% think he has.

Among Reform’s 2024 voters, 40% said they think he has been honest while 22% think he has not been.

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It currently looks like Farage will only be fighting against comedy candidate Count Binface after Labour, the Tories, the Green Party, Restore Britain and the Lib Dems have all chosen not to field their own representatives.

PM Keir Starmer dismissed the contest as a “circus” while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called it a “fake” by-election and a distraction.

The Lib Dems’ Ed Davey called on all parties to “refuse to give oxygen to Farage’s vanity project”.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “This is a desperate stunt from a desperate politician whose lifetime of grifting is finally catching up with him. Greens will play no part in his political circus.”

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Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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Reality star attacked by XL Bully shares details of bone-crunching injuries

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Reality star attacked by XL Bully shares details of bone-crunching injuries
Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace has opened up about the backlash she’s received since sharing that she’d been attacked by a dog (Picture: Getty Images)

Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace has spoken out after being left with lifelong scars in a horrifying dog attack, revealing she has been subjected to a wave of abuse online instead of sympathy.

The former Big Brother star, 47, was rushed to hospital after being bitten by what she says was a Standard Bully during a friend’s baby shower, suffering deep wounds to her shoulder that came dangerously close to her neck.

The media personality — who has an extensive history in reality television and has featured on Loose Women and Good Morning Britain — says the physical injuries have been compounded by relentless victim-blaming from strangers on social media, something she believes has been almost as traumatic as the attack itself.

‘The amount of victim-blaming has been diabolical,’ she told The Sun. ’People were saying the dog should have bitten me closer to the neck or that if they were the dog they would have done the same thing.

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‘Even if I had been drunk – which I wasn’t – your dog still shouldn’t bite somebody.’

The TV personality admitted reading the comments left her dreading picking up her phone each morning.

Aisleyne Horgan Wallace has been rushed to hospital after being attacked by an XL Bully. The brave star said the horror incident has left her in agony, and ?scarred for life?. Taken from the Sun without permission. Pls legal before using
Aisleyne posted about the incident on Instagram right after it happened (Picture: Instagram)
She said at the time that she was ‘scared for my life now’ (Picture: Instagram)

‘I was waking up feeling awful, wondering what people were going to say next,’ she explained. ‘Then my boyfriend reminded me: “You’re the victim here.” That completely changed my mindset.’

The terrifying incident unfolded at what should have been a joyful celebration.

Aisleyne says she had met the large dog before and remembered it as friendly, but immediately felt uneasy when she arrived and noticed it had been tethered to a sofa inside a hot room while guests enjoyed the party outside.

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‘I just felt sorry for him,’ she recalled. ‘I thought, “That dog must be getting frustrated.”’

Before leaving the party, Aisleyne decided to say goodbye to the animal. She says she deliberately approached calmly, sitting on the floor beside the dog rather than leaning over it because she understands how dogs can perceive body language.

Everything appeared fine until she turned to leave.

‘Out of nowhere, he just bit me,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t even looking at him.’

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The bite landed high on her shoulder, close to her collarbone.

‘I heard my bone crunch. I’ll never forget that sound.’

Despite the severity of the injury, Aisleyne says her first instinct was to avoid ruining the celebration.

‘I was trying to style it out because I didn’t want to upset my friend.’

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She shared a warning to other dog owners after the attack (Picture: Instagram)

That quickly became impossible as blood poured down her arm.

‘Everyone started screaming because there was blood everywhere. I was just begging someone to get me a towel.’

She was driven to hospital by a friend, where doctors decided not to stitch the wounds immediately because of the high risk of infection from a dog bite.

Instead, she spent several days with what she describes as ‘two gaping holes’ in her shoulder while receiving antibiotics, a tetanus injection and later stitches.

The attack has also left lasting emotional scars.

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XL Bully UK ban

As of February 2024, it is a criminal offence to own or possess an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless you have a valid Certificate of Exemption. The rules came into force later in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The ban was enforced under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 following a series of attacks, which police said had put a ‘huge burden’ on forces.

As the largest kind of American Bully dog, the XL Bully is described as having ‘a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power’. Their coat is glossy and smooth, and adults are around 19-20 inches in height.

Between 2023 and 2024, NHS England recorded almost 11,000 hospital admissions for dog bites in England. In Wales, there were 600 hospitalisations from dog bites and over 1,100 in Scotland.

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The government declared that the dog breed had been ‘disproportionately involved’ in deaths recorded since 2021.

And since the ban was brought in, fatalities involving the dogs have fallen – there were 10 in the UK in 2024, and four in 2025, yet attacks still happen.

Several cases have seen owners and children killed.

Police now have the authority to seize unregistered prohibited dogs, and owners face up to six months in jail and/or an unlimited fine.

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The public response to the ban has been mixed, though, with celebrities like Tom Hardy previously branding it ‘extreme’.

‘I can already feel the PTSD,’ she admitted. ‘I used to be completely comfortable around dogs of any size. Now I’m frightened.’

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Although Aisleyne says she never publicly identified the dog’s owner and even offered to contribute towards professional behavioural training for the animal, she claims the situation escalated after she began receiving abuse online.

She says police later became involved after the incident came to their attention.

Rather than blaming the dog itself, Aisleyne believes irresponsible ownership is the real issue and wants tougher regulations for powerful breeds.

XL Bullies Being Walked On Private Land After Ban
As of February 2024, it is a criminal offence to own or possess an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless you have a valid Certificate of Exemption (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

‘These dogs are incredibly powerful,’ she said. ‘People should have to complete training before they’re allowed to own one.

‘They’re being bought as status symbols by some people who don’t understand how to care for them properly.’

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She also believes the dog’s welfare played a role in what happened. ‘That poor dog was tied up in a boiling hot room. Something clearly wasn’t right.

‘I’m a dog mum myself. If my dog bit someone, my first thought wouldn’t be to attack the victim. I’d want to understand why it happened and get the dog the help it needed.’

For Aisleyne, speaking publicly now is about correcting what she says has been a false narrative.

‘I never named the owner or tried to shame anyone,’ she said. ‘But so many lies have been spread online that I felt I had to finally tell people what really happened.’

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XL Bully Protest London
Animal rights activists holding signs protest outside New Scotland Yard (Picture: Getty Images)

When the incident first happened back in June, the star posted on her Instagram stories about the attack, revealing that she is now ‘in agony’ and sharing a photo of her injury covered by bandages.

‘I’ve been bitten by an XL BULLY!!!!!’, she stated, adding that ‘you can see [her] bone’.

In a second post, she posed next to the dog in a photo taken a few minutes before he attacked her.

‘Everyone knows I’m a dog mummy. I love dogs. This dog loved me, then for a split second for no reason he didn’t…,’ she wrote.

‘Please please please understand how to raise and how these babies can switch.’

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In a later post, she said she’s ‘thankful’ the bite wasn’t on her face or neck and ‘glad’ the victim wasn’t a child.

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock (14437164aj) Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace 'Good Morning Britain' TV show, London, UK - 16 Apr 2024
Aisleyne often appears on shows such as Loose Women (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘Sad I’m scarred for life,’ she added. ‘Glad it wasn’t a child and it was me… So conflicted.

‘Dogs are pack animals they need you to be their leader. It makes them feel safe to know you are in control.

‘If you let them do mad behaviour they will eventually execute that.

‘Big dogs are so powerful… protect your kids it ain’t a joke [sic]’.

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Upon returning home to her own dogs, Aisleyne thanked her 900,000+ followers for their supportive messages, replying to one who shared that their friend’s daughter was killed in a dog attack, leaving the BB housemate feeling ‘lucky in this instance’.

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Novak Djokovic’s children ignored his Wimbledon request as he says ‘let’s keep it short’

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Wales Online

Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in dramatic fashion with his children attendance after they rejected his request

Novak Djokovic triumphed in the longest quarter-final in Wimbledon history, before confessing he needed to keep his post-match interview short as he had “no energy left”.

The tennis icon, 39, defied his years to overcome third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(10) 3-6 6-3 6-7 7-6(4) in a breathtaking five-hour and 15-minute encounter that concluded just moments before the 11pm curfew.

Djokovic’s two children, Stefan, 11, and Tara, eight, were present in his box throughout the entire match. The No.7 seed revealed he had urged them to go to bed partway through proceedings, though his instructions fell on deaf ears.

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The seven-time former champion strode to the centre of the court and raised his arms aloft after sealing victory beneath the lights and roof of Centre Court. He savoured the applause before making his way to the microphone to speak with Rishi Persad.

When asked how he had managed to prevail in such a rollercoaster contest, Djokovic replied: “With racket and a lot of heart. You know, a lot of… I guess, management of the nerves and the extreme tension that you feel in this kind of matches.

“Towards the end, really anybody’s game. I think the scoreline was pretty much even all the way through. I mean, that’s kind of a reality image or presentation of this kind of match today. I think it was really anybody’s game in the super tiebreak in the fifth.

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“What can I say? I mean, these are the kinds of moments that I still play tennis for, for sure. I wish it was finals, you know, so I don’t need to worry about how the body will feel tomorrow! But yeah, I’m happy. I’m happy that I won.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion’s wife and children applauded from his box, with Persad stating: “After a performance like that, at the stage of the career that you’re in, in front of your family, it must carry a little bit more significance to be able to do it like that.”

Djokovic smiled and replied: “It certainly does, it certainly does. I was telling the kids to go to sleep after the fourth but they didn’t want to listen, and I’m glad they stayed because it was honestly one of the best matches I was part of, on this court, in my career.”

Following another wave of applause, the 39-year-old lost his train of thought and requested to wrap up the interview swiftly. “What was your question? Sorry, I really have… Let’s keep it short, because I have no energy left, my friend,” he added.

The Serb was reminded of his remarkable statistics – 15 Wimbledon semi-finals, eight consecutive appearances at this stage, and a 55th Major semi-final.

Yet he dismissed them. “That’s great, but it’s just another semi-final for me,” Djokovic stated, aware of the challenge awaiting him in reigning champion Jannik Sinner.

“I’m going to look at all the numbers and things when I finish my career. Right now, it’s all business. I still have to recover, I’m still in the tournament, and I have the best player in the world in a few days’ time. Thank you.”

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TOPSHOT - Italy's Jannik Sinner kisses the winner's trophy as he poses for pictures following his victory against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz at the end of their men's singles final tennis match on the fourteenth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 13, 2025. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

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Greg James teases fans over Taylor Swift’s wedding as Radio 1 star posts pictures from New York trip

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The BBC Radio 1 star gave insight into his attendance at Taylor Swift’s recent star-studded wedding to Travis Kelce

Greg James has been seen teasing fans over his attendance at Taylor Swift’s recent star-studded wedding to Travis Kelce, having headed to New York for the big day.

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On Friday (July 3) night, the pop star and the NFL player, both 36, tied the knot at Madison Square Garden in a ceremony that was officiated over by Adam Sandler. A billboard outside the venue read “JUST&T MARRIED” after the ceremony took place.

The couple were reported to have invited around 1,000 guests, with celebrities including BBC Radio 1 star Greg, as well as Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper, Graham Norton, Ed Sheeran, Hugh Grant and Ethan Hawke.

Greg confirmed over the weekend that he had scored an invite to the wedding, posting a photo of a slice of pizza to his Instagram Story and writing: “I am currently experiencing the world’s greatest hangover and unable to reply to the hilarious number of messages I have received over the last 24 hours.

“But just to say: True to her word, of course the invitation arrived, and of course I couldn’t tell anyone. And oh my God, what an unbelievably brilliant night. I’m off for a nap.”

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Now, having headed back to the UK after enjoying the rest of his time across the pond by attending some of the World Cup matches, Greg has shared some photos on Instagram, including a beautiful snap of himself and partner, author and journalist Bella Mackie, ready for the showbiz world’s ‘royal wedding’.

Alongside the post, the DJ and author wrote: “I’ve changed my mind about destination weddings. Certainly a rush landing on the day of it. Certainly too hot for a velvet tux. Didn’t Bella look unreal btw. Really enjoyed watching the live stream of the queue…

“…while in the queue. The traffic was so bad that Bella had time to go for a p**s and then jump back in the car, which had moved 2 metres.” He continued giving a caption for each photo he shared, by writing: “The car wash! That was the last thing on my phone. The next thing was the most delicious life-saving hangover pizza, thanks to Ray’s.“A museum was suggested. I was unsure. Until we got there. If you go to NY, you MUST go to the Tenement Museum. The best. Even on a hangover. PLEASE GO. I can’t tell you how much I love a NY Fire Station. Look at this f**king beauty.

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“Oh yeah and because it was the maddest weekend of my life, a ticket to the World Cup was offered up. And I couldn’t get there quick enough. Slightly slower to get home again. Just me my 75,000 new sad friends. Just trying to process the last few days and just hours before the wedding, I was on stage with Alice Levine in Sheffield at our podcast festival, Crossed Wires, doing a live episode of our BAD CHAT podcast. We gunged an audience member called Laura. My brain is going to burst.“Had a lovely time messing with Sam and Danni on the Breakfast Show from the airport on Friday morning by the way. This is from my book. Again, it’s OK to change your mind. PLUS…the loophole is Travis and Taylor are FROM AMERICA so it’s different. Right? Back home and Barney is really enjoying all my wedding stories. I’ll be boring everyone to death with them on the radio tomorrow morning. Can’t wait to be back!”

And the post was quickly flooded with comments. Clara Amfo joked: “I can’t stand you [crying laughing emoji].” Melvin Odoom replied: “This is very cool.” Zoe Ball said: “waiting patiently by wireless for all the tea…”

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