The Welsh Government says it is ‘acting ‘decisively’ to make sure young people are offered ‘additional protection’
Young people across Wales will be offered the meningococcal B (Men B) vaccine for the first time during autumn 2026 as part of a time-limited programme.
The initiative is being launched as a precautionary step following the unprecedented Men B outbreak that primarily affected University of Kent students in March 2026, along with other recent unseasonal clusters across the UK.
Men B is the most common cause of invasive meningococcal disease in the UK and can result in meningitis and sepsis – both potentially fatal conditions.
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Research demonstrates young people are at elevated risk of contracting Men B with particularly heightened dangers in higher education environments due to extensive close social interaction. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter.
The vaccination programme will operate from July through December 2026 and will be accessible to all those currently aged 17-18 years (born between September 1, 2007, and August 31, 2008) as well as anyone aged 18-25 who will be starting higher education or residential further education for the first time in autumn 2026 including international students.
The vaccine will be administered in a two-dose schedule. Those aged 17-18 will receive an invitation letter from their health board from July 6 with details on how to obtain their vaccine.
Those aged 18-25 who will be commencing higher education or residential further education for the first time this autumn, including international students, will need to contact their health board after July 20 for further information.
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Deputy minister for public and preventative health Nerys Evans said: “Meningococcal B is a rare but extremely serious disease that can progress quickly and devastate young lives.
“Following recent outbreaks across the UK the Welsh Government has acted decisively to ensure that young people in Wales will be offered this additional protection and I urge everyone who is eligible to take up their vaccination offer.”
Wales’ chief medical officer, Professor Isabel Oliver, said: “This is a safe and effective vaccine that will offer important protection to those who receive it.
“With the new academic year approaching it is vital that eligible young people come forward for both doses as soon as the programme opens.
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“I encourage all those who qualify to act promptly.”
Dr Christopher Johnson, head of vaccine-preventable disease programme at Public Health Wales, said: “Young people heading to university for the first time are at an elevated risk of meningitis B as they mix with new groups of people while enjoying their new environment.
“Having two doses of this vaccination, ideally before they depart for university, will give them the best protection against this infection, which can cause such serious illness.”
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When trying to make more sustainable clothing choices, many consumers follow a simple rule: choose natural fibres over synthetic ones. Cotton instead of polyester. Wool instead of acrylic. Linen instead of nylon.
The logic seems straightforward. Natural fibres originate from plants or animals, while synthetic fibres are largely derived from fossil fuels. If a fibre comes from nature, it must surely be the more environmentally friendly option.
But our new review of research examining textile chemistry, fibre type and environmental consequences suggests the reality is far more complicated.
What matters is not simply where a fibre comes from, but what happens to it throughout its journey from the raw material to a finished garment. Many consumers imagine a cotton T-shirt as little more than processed plant material. Yet cotton is a water-intensive crop and, in many parts of the world, relies heavily on pesticides and fertilisers. Even after harvesting, the story doesn’t end. Before reaching the shop floor, textiles often undergo extensive chemical processing.
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Fibres may be bleached, dyed, softened, strengthened or waterproofed. Some are treated to make them flame retardant or resistant to creasing, staining and microbial growth. These treatments help create the products consumers have come to expect, improving appearance, durability and performance. But they also influence how textiles behave throughout their life cycle. This affects how they degrade, what they release into the environment and how easily they can be recycled.
Certifications for sustainable textiles often focus on the environmental consequences of sourcing the raw fibre itself. Cotton requires land and water. Polyester relies on fossil resources. Wool raises questions about livestock emissions and land use. These are important considerations, but they tell only part of the story.
In collaboration with colleagues at the sustainable textiles and apparel research group at the University of Manchester, we have published a systematic review that highlights how a garment’s environmental cost depends not only on the fibre itself – but also on the chemicals used throughout production and the ways in which those materials behave during use, reuse and disposal.
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Our latest research shows that chemicals introduced during cultivation, fibre production, dyeing, finishing and performance enhancement can affect how textiles behave in the environment, including how they degrade, what they release and how easily they can be recycled.
For example, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (Pfas), often referred to as “forever chemicals”, are used to give textiles water- and stain-resistant properties but are highly persistent in the environment. Formaldehyde-based finishes improve crease resistance.
Other chemicals, including some phthalates (used to make some coatings and plastics more flexible), bisphenols (used in some plastic and textile coating manufacture), heavy metals and dye compounds, have also been associated with environmental or human health concerns depending on how they are used and managed throughout a product’s life cycle.
Colour dyes and other synthetic chemicals are often used in the production of cotton textiles. laksena/Shutterstock
This complexity is often invisible to consumers. Two garments made from the same fibre may have very different environmental footprints depending on how they were processed and finished.
Public and policy discussions about textile pollution have largely focused on synthetic microplastics. Yet our review of the evidence suggests the picture is more complex. Natural fibres such as cotton and wool, together with regenerated cellulose fibres such as viscose and lyocell (derived from wood pulp), have also been widely detected in rivers, oceans and rain or cloud particles.
This does not mean natural fibres are necessarily more harmful than synthetic alternatives. Rather, it highlights that pollution cannot be understood simply by looking at fibre origin.
As textiles are worn, washed and eventually discarded, both fibres and the chemicals applied to them can be released into the environment. They may enter rivers and oceans through wastewater, accumulate in soils through the application of sewage sludge, or become airborne as dust and fibre fragments. Understanding how fibres and the chemicals they carry move through the environment is now an active area of research for scientists around the world and one that is reshaping how we think about the true environmental footprint of our clothes.
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The challenge for recycling
Chemical complexity makes it harder to create a more circular textile system – one that aims to design out waste by keeping materials in use through reuse, repair and recycling. Complex mixtures of fibres, dyes and chemical finishes make it more difficult to sort, recycle and recover textiles into high-quality new products.
As governments and industry invest in more circular textile systems, understanding the chemical history of textiles is becoming increasingly important. A recycled cotton fibre, for example, may still carry dyes, finishes or performance treatments that affect how it can be safely reused or recycled. Yet this information is often incomplete or unavailable, making it difficult for recyclers, manufacturers and retailers to know exactly what materials they are handling.
This is one reason why policymakers are introducing measures such as digital product passports. Although textile specifc requirements are still being developed, these passports will store information about a product’s materials, repairability and environmental characteristics throughout its life cycle. Alongside greater transparency about the chemicals used in textile production, initiatives that enable greater transparency can support safer recycling, reduce waste and help create a more circular textile industry.
Our findings do not suggest that consumers should avoid natural fibres. Nor do they suggest that synthetic fibres are the answer.
There is no perfect fibre.
Researchers in Finland have argued the need to move beyond simplistic sustainability narratives. Consumers can make more informed choices by buying fewer, higher-quality garments. They can use products for a longer time, repair and reuse clothing where possible, and support brands that are transparent about the materials and chemicals they use.
Certification schemes such as Oeko-Tex (which means the fabric has been tested for harmful substances and found to be below specific levels) or bluesign (which means the textile has been manufactured using responsible chemical management and environmental practices) can also provide useful reassurance.
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The most sustainable textile is not necessarily the one made from a natural fibre. It is the one designed, manufactured, used and managed responsibly throughout its entire life cycle.
To build a genuinely sustainable textile industry, we need to stop asking whether a fibre is natural or synthetic and start asking what has happened to it along the way … and where it will end up.
Ten international climbers led by a renowned Nepal-born mountaineer were missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains in northern Pakistan.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan received initial reports that the avalanche struck the team led by Nirmal Purja and the climbers have been out of communication since then, club vice president Karrar Haidri said in a statement late Thursday.
The expedition includes five Nepalese climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi of Hunza, Omani climber Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and another foreign climber, Mr Haidri said.
The club’s president, Maj Gen Irfan Arshad, and its senior leaders were in contact with government officials to facilitate an immediate search-and-rescue operation.
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(AFP/Getty)
The club said every effort was being made to mobilise helicopters and other rescue resources quickly, subject to weather and operational conditions.
Nirmal Purja, whom the club identified by a second name, Nims Dai, is a Nepal-born British citizen who scaled the world’s 14 highest peaks in 189 days in 2019, holding a record for the fastest climb until a Norwegian woman and her Nepali Sherpa guide set a new record in 2023. Purja’s climbs were made into a popular Netflix documentary, “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.”
The 8,047-metre (26,401ft) Broad Peak in the Karakoram range is the world’s 12th highest mountain. Pakistan is home to several top mountain peaks and climbers flock from all over the world to attempt to scale the summits.
“The Alpine Club of Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all concerned stakeholders,” the statement said. It added that the club stands in solidarity with the climbers’ families and the international mountaineering community.
Dr Zohaib Arshad has reported the alleged racist attack on Grahams Road in Falkirk to police.
A respected Falkirk vet has told of the terrifying moment he was left covered in blood after a racist assault in broad daylight as terrified children looked on.
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Businessman Dr Zohaib Arshad, 39, suffered a deep head wound after he was assaulted on Grahams Road in Falkirk on the evening of July 20. The father-of-two said what began as a routine visit to his takeaway quickly descended into a terrifying ordeal after three men targeted him with racist abuse before launching a violent attack.
The veterinary surgeon said they asked when he was going to “go back” to his country before moments later, grabbing him and repeatedly smashing his head against a wall. Dr Arshad recalled blood pouring down his face until he could barely see, while he was punched several times and threatened with a knife.
The attack is said to have unfolded in front of around 30 witnesses, including young children. Speaking about the ordeal, the former Alba party candidate told the Record about how scared he was.
He said: “Blood was everywhere, it was all over the wall. I couldn’t see because there was that much dripping into my eyes.
“One was threatening to kill me and stab me with a knife. He kept saying, ‘Do you want me to take the knife out?’
“There were young girls aged about six around as I was being beaten. I was so scared. I have young kids myself and I couldn’t imagine them witnessing that.”
The assault left him requiring five stitches above his eye. A photograph taken afterwards shows his face drenched in blood with a large cut above his eyebrow.
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Dr Arshad claims police were called immediately but did not arrive for around 45 minutes. He said one of the alleged attackers remained nearby for around half an hour.
Dr Arshad said: “If the police turned up sooner, they could have caught these racists.”
The businessman had travelled to central France the following day to visit his children, who have been spending the summer with their grandparents, but says he has remained there because he was too frightened to return as quickly as planned.
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He said: “I didn’t feel safe going back home straight away. I have never been in such a rough situation like that before.
“I was so scared when he threatened to take out a knife. I have young kids and I didn’t want them growing up without a father.”
Dr Arshad, who previously stood as an Alba candidate in the 2022 Falkirk Council elections and the 2024 General Election, said he never imagined he would be “attacked because of the colour of his skin”. He noted that his family are now living in fear.
He said: “My kids are terrified. They see me bruised and ask if they are going to be attacked when they return to Scotland for school. I have to reassure them that they are safe.”
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Dr Arshad has spoken out of the attack following a far-right protest held at Glasgow Green on Saturday, July 25. Ugly scenes broke out at the demonstration attended by around 1700 people organised by the Unite the Clans group at 11am on Saturday after protestors clashed with a counter-demo arranged by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) and Women Against The Far Right.
Police Scotland have so far arrested 15 people with incidents of disorder. Dr Arshad says he was invited to speak at the counter-demonstration but was unable to attend due to being in France.
The scenes follow months of anti-immigration demos in Falkirk. Protests have repeatedly been held outside the Hotel Cladhan on Kemper Avenue, which is being used to house asylum seekers.
In June, Daily Record reported how mum-of-seven Sarah McCabe was left terrified after balaclava-clad anti-immigrant protesters surrounded her car in Falkirk town centre, banged on the vehicle and shouted abuse as she tried to drive home. Another driver, Cherise Williamson, said masked protesters blocked the road before surrounding her vehicle and accusing her of supporting rapists.
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The demonstrations followed the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie in Belfast and formed part of a wave of anti-immigration protests that spread across Scotland.
Dr Arshad has spoken on how he believes rising anti-immigration tensions are fuelling attacks on minority ethnic communities.
He said: “The growing mobs of racists is really worrying. It doesn’t feel safe for people of colour walking around in certain places in Falkirk.”
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He said he now plans to meet with local mosques to reassure worried members of the Muslim community and has sought support from politicians. SNP MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow Martyn Day condemned the alleged attack.
He told the Record: “This was a shocking and cowardly racist assault, and I utterly condemn it. Sadly, this is not the first racist attack in the Falkirk district that has been brought to my attention.
“The rising number of racist incidents is no longer an isolated local concern but a serious national problem across Scotland. We must stand firm that racism, intimidation and violence have no place in our communities.
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“Scotland’s migrant and minority ethnic communities make an immense contribution to our economy, public services and civic life, and they deserve to live and work here in safety.”
Mr Day raised Dr Arshad’s case in a motion before the Scottish Parliament on July 28. The motion highlighted that 3,990 charges relating to race crime were reported in Scotland during 2025-26, an increase of 17 per cent on the previous year and the highest figure recorded since 2013-14.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.10pm on Monday, 20 July, 2026 police received a report of a disturbance and a man having been assaulted in the Grahams Road area of Falkirk.
“The victim did not require hospital treatment and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
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Get ready for a new month (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
August is a powerful cosmic month introducing eclipse season which asks you to expect the unexpected and trust that whatever unfolds is moving you towards where you’re meant to be.
Venus enters Libra on August 6, helping relationships, friendships and partnerships flourish through compromise, honesty and mutual support.
The New Moon Solar Eclipse in Leo on August 12 encourages bold beginnings. Leo reminds us to stop playing small and start expressing who we really are.
This is further boosted by Mars entering Cancer on August 10, reminding us that true strength comes from protecting what matters most and building a secure foundation for the future based on our authentic selfhood and desire.
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Virgo season begins on August 22, with Mercury joining Virgo a few days later, helping us turn inspiration into action. Practical plans replace big ideas, making this an excellent time to organise your life, improve your wellbeing and focus on the details that make long-term success possible.
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Finally, the Lunar Eclipse in Pisces at the end of the month asks us to let go of something that’s quietly run its course. Release the past with gratitude, trust your intuition, and make space for the next exciting chapter. So much to look forward to this August – let’s get to it.
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Get networking, Aries (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Tarot cards for Aries for August: King of Swords, The Star, The Hierophant
Meaning: With the right guidance, you could navigate your way into the place, role, relationship or niche you’re dying to enter. As Mars moves into Cancer on August 10, consider the alliances, mentors, potential coaches or advocates in your realm who can advise, steer and support you getting where you want to go. Think: soft power, influence, persuasion. Most good things come via who, vs what, you know. You are seeking your own literal Hierophant, and that is why that card has emerged.
The King of Swords advises you to be strategic, clever, and worldly shrewd this August, Plan ahead, play the long game, think in terms of chess moves vs your usual more spontaneous and firefighting approach.
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The Star is a promise that, if you play the game well, you can achieve your heart’s desire, you can reach those stars. The higher you aim the better the outcome. Surround yourself with folk you believe in you and will encourage you… and make your power moves. You are going to win.
Some relationships aren’t worth saving (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Taurus for August:Three of Swords, Eight of Cups, Three of Coins
Meaning: Someone you expected better of has let you down in the last year. The relationship is not what you thought it was, and that blindsided you a little, as you feel you’ve held up your end and you don’t understand why things soured.
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The Three of Swords reminds us that not everyone has our back (unless it’s to backstab us) and we can’t expect truth, transparency or closure from such people. You have to pull out the thorn and move on, make your own narrative, and cut them loose. The Eight of Cups reminds us that there’s always better options out there, the best is yet to come, we can rewrite the story and start afresh. And you are!
My my, August us full of new relationship potential — from family ties to work alliances, from deep friendship to romance. The Three of Coins shows how loved you are. Venus in Libra season, starting on August 6, is set to bring you all the love you desire and deserve. Get ready to receive!
Your imagination is playing tricks on you (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Gemini for August:Three of Swords, Judgement, The Sun
Meaning: All Gemini folk are overthinkers, it’s part of your factory settings (I speak as a Gemini myself). One of the most damaging things you do is imagine other folk are thinking negatively of you, and you kind of absorb that projection as fact and tell yourself it’s true.
The Three of Swords and Judgement show that you’ve been doing this again, creating friction or conflict or distance where there is really no issue. Recognise it. See your assumptions. Step back from fuelling them. The only person you really hurt is yourself.
The Sun is a reminder that, actually, you’re one of the most loved folk around! Always kind and upbeat and interesting and helpful. You light up rooms, heal wounds, solve problems, and bring great intel. Folk are always pleased to see you. Go where you feel welcome and remind yourself. Check in with those you’ve assumed stuff about in a neutral way and I bet you’ll be well received. Other people love you. Remember this and come out to play again, please.
Make sure you leave time for rest (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Cancer for August:Four of Swords, The Wheel of Fortune, Eight of Wands
Meaning: Eclipse season, running most intensely from August 12 to 28, stirs things up and has you feeling pulled in lots of different directions. The Wheel of Fortune plays into this energy and tells you that things are going to change faster than you think. What once looked like a forever or limbo situation will swiftly move ahead in a surprising direction.
The Eight of Wands asks you to keep hold of the wheel and stay in the game, keep talking to folk and being visible. Don’t retreat into the shell! The world is bringing a phase of chaos but much of it will be good, or can be turned into good. Use your network and allies to encourage and help you and you can make more progress in this four weeks than the whole year so far!
Then… chill. By month-end and that Full Moon in Pisces you’ll be ready for a rest, and you should definitely have a time out, a pause in proceedings, a moment to reflect and catch up emotionally with all that’s unfolded. A big month ahead!
Where will you go? (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Leo for August:Nine of Cups, Queen of Coins, The Chariot
Meaning: Your New Moon in Leo, a solar eclipse, in the middle of August, is a peak moment in 2026. It lets you unfurl your wings to their full stretch and soar into the sky, ready to ascend to new heights and levels. The Nine of Cups grants you a wish in this moment, so prepare to pursue a heartfelt desire and manifest it. Anything is possible.
The Chariot and Queen of Coins indicate money, wealth, work, home and potential moves, literally physically and in terms of your ambitions. If you wish to move roles, companies, homes or location then this is the time to put that wish out into the Universe and make your moves.
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Put true purpose into your weekly plans, make your actions intentional, know why you’re doing what you’re doing, and if you’re unsure then simply don’t do it. Leave room for new ideas to emerge that do make sense and inspire you to action. A new era is beginning. Right here, right now.
Set your new intention and watch it unfold (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Virgo for August:Ace of Coins, The Sun, Queen of Coins
Meaning: Your star sign’s birthday season begins on August 22 — many happy returns to you, Virgo — and it seems like the Universe is bringing you abundant gifts and rewards for all of your efforts and good deeds so far in 2026.
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The Sun blesses the whole month with joy, success, love, friendship, travel and new opportunity. The only ask of you is to believe in yourself and be confident in your actions. You desire and deserve the best, so go for it.
The Ace and Queen of Coins form an alliance in your realm, inviting you to activate a new ambition around either your health, wealth, work or home. Putting down a new foundation that will carry you into a better future outcome, even if it takes a long time. The rewards will start the minute you activate this goal, to keep you on track and motivated. Good things come to those who put the work in, and you’re ready to do it! You’ll look back on this August as being a very important time of transition.
Lemons are about to become lemonade for you (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Libra for August:The Tower, Eight of Coins, The Star
Meaning: When one door closes, another opens. Don’t fear anything which goes wrong, blows up, collapses or turns into something unworkable in your realm. Deal with it head-on, probably by removing it from your realm altogether (it had its chance). Deep down, you feel relief because you knew something wasn’t right. The Tower is like ripping off a plaster — its hurts for a second and then the healing begins.
The Eight of Coins reminds you to keep your head. Stay on course, keep working hard, keep being amazing… because there is, probably around the mid month New Moon in Leo, a rewarding and much appreciated breakthrough coming your way, partly accessed by letting go of what was rotten or false. After all, new life needs fresh ground to root down into.
The Star is your reward. A dream come true, a wish pass, a wonderful opening that represents what you always wanted anyway. It’s likely you were pursuing this outcome via the route that collapsed (hence why you pushed down your misgivings and carried on), and it comes in an unexpected way. Life is full of twists! Get ready for yours.
Time to rise (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Scorpio for August:Queen of Swords, Eight of Cups, Strength
Meaning: Reinvention, rebirth, the phoenix from the flames… these are your sign’s mythology and inner core power. You are unstoppable. You are the ultimate comeback story. And this August proves this once again. The Eight of Cups shows you’ve endured a blow, a hard truth, a setback, a failure. And you have taken it well, not wasted energy denying it, but not dwelt on it either.
The Universe applauds this resilience. And the Queen of Swords sees you starting your transition and phoenix process. Solo and proud, independent and forceful. You are crafting a new story, objective, goal, opportunity. It comes from within, from your imagination, and it’s now being forged and shaped in reality to become a tangible presence in your realm.
Strength shows that the Universe will gift you every ounce of courage, determination, confidence and boldness needed to make this shift. You are living, learning, and growing. This is a month of great transformation and personal power. Own it!
Your relationships are centre stage this month (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Sagittarius for August:Knight of Wands, Knight of Swords, King of Swords
Meaning: Leo season always boosts your confidence, so up until August 21 you are in strident form! Use this personal charisma and forcefulness to repair, recalibrate and renew any faltering or fractured relationships (that matter to you) in your realm. Three Court cards for your August reading suggests that other people are going to be important influences this month, so pay attention to the dynamics and act accordingly. Don’t let things slide, don’t fall prey to old patterns, don’t keep silent when you yearn to speak up.
The Knight and King of Swords bring great ideas and a real sense of purpose this August. You are making moves, creating a strategy. This is not like your usual spontaneous, slightly chaotic, approach but it feels right for what you’ve got going on. Bring your intellect to the foreground and use your sharp mind to craft cunning plans and schemes.
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The Knight of Wands is your ever-present good humour, sense of adventure and optimism. You light up rooms, you bring the party, you make magic happen. Even when working with difficult people or forging your strategies, let the fun and joy flow. It’s what you’re known for and what draws folk to you.
This change is a welcome one (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Capricorn for August:Eight of Cups, Queen of Coins, Four of Wands
Meaning: Eclipse season can flip things on their head, turning things upside-down, and you will definitely feel that energy flowing through your realm this August — in a good way. The Eight of Cups leading into Four of Wands shows the frown being turned upside-down into a smile!
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From disappointment comes success. What you once hankered for, and never got, comes back around again for you, and not only doyou know how to make it land, make it work this time, you’re actually glad you didn’t get this first time around. Good things come to those who wait, right?
The Queen of Coins instils a sense of control, destiny, and practical ambition in you, which means you’re turning every possibility into real opportunity. Nothing gets past you or away from you. No stone is left unturned and you reap more results and rewards in this month than the rest of 2026 put together! Be busy. Be good. Live well. Life is happening for you.
Look out for signs of what’s to come (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Aquarius for August:Seven of Cups, King of Coins, The Moon
Meaning: What a wild card August will be for you, Aquarius! Feels like everything is building towards the Full Moon lunar eclipse in Pisces at month end, and at that point you will undergo a spiritual awakening, an epiphany, a powerful creative surge of imaginative ideation and artistry that will define your coming months and years.
The Seven of Cups and The Moon show the build-up to this point will feel charged, psychic, mysterious, full of visions and omens and signs. Write everything down, you can join the dots later, you can make sense of it as the magic unfolds in its own time.
The King of Coins hints this is about your career, life path, and purpose. How you make a living. How you run your life and where you invest your greatest strengths and energy. You are always questioning this. Something life-changing will emerge this August, around the Full Moon, that makes you realise exactly what you’ve got to do next and why. A game changer month.
Luck is on your side this month (Picture: Kerry King/@inlovewithcameras)
Tarot cards for Pisces for August:Six of Wands, Justice, Page of Wands
Meaning: It’s your Full Moon this month, which grants you wishes, requests, and ideal visions of your life as you wish it were. Pisceans often live half in a daydream, subterranean realm; one foot in reality, one foot in the clouds. But this August, you can draw both realms together, and create a new reality.
The Six of Wands blesses the next six weeks with luck, good fortune and karma. You will get lucky with all the bold hands you play, so start playing to win! The Page of Wands asks you to be bold, brave, and experimental. Don’t overthink anything, just do what feels good and gets you closer to a reality you wish to experience. Somehow things will turn out right.
Justice shows, along the way, something that has hampered or upset you in the last year will also be put right. Maybe an apology, a vindication, a just result, an overturning of a verdict. Whatever it is, accept it graciously and move on with your head high. Things are moving your way, this is just the beginning.
Kerry King has been reading, teaching and creating tarot for 30 years. Join her magical, exclusive Tarot Club for forecasts, predictions, lessons and readings straight to your inbox. Enjoy one month free for all Metro readers (no lock-in or commitment) over on Patreon.
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Agra is known as the home of the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world and a bucket-list destination. Visitors marvel at its beauty, but few realise that another Agra exists in its shadow: the Agra of its artisans. These communities hold the essence of the city’s cultural legacy yet remain invisible to many of the people who seek beauty here.
Agra’s story is usually told through the gleaming marble of the Taj Mahal, not through the eyes of those who live and work nearby. The artisans, many from marginalised Dalit and Muslim communities, have practised their crafts for generations. These include marble inlay, Zardozi embroidery, perfumery, rafia, shoemaking, leatherwork and the weaving of Agra’s famous carpets.
As part of my ongoing research, I have conducted field surveys in this region. I discovered communities that are culturally ostracised yet resilient. There is also a strong historical continuity and a craft ecosystem that has been eroded.
Once respected and secure, these livelihoods have been damaged by neglect in education, housing and market access. This slow but steady exclusion has left many artisans struggling to survive, even as their crafts remain admired and monetised across the globe.
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The divide in Agra between the haves and have-nots is stark. Within walking distance of the Taj Mahal are neighbourhoods like Taj Ganj and Kachhpura, where artisans live in cramped settlements and slums. In some places, five-star hotels share a wall with these communities.
In Taj Ganj, just south of the Taj Mahal, women artisans specialise in Zardozi embroidery, which involves gold and silver threads, pearls and beads, as well as carpet weaving. Many are not employed as full-time staff but as “allied” workers taking on stitching, cleaning or polishing carpets for middlemen.
Girls as young as 12 or 13 help by attaching laces and buttons, earning just 1 rupee (less than 1p) per piece, while the finished item sells for 200-500 rupees in domestic markets.
Trinkets made in this community are often exported to the UK and Europe; artisans receive around 50 rupees per piece. By the time these products appear in European boutiques, they can fetch £10-£25 each. The price difference reflects not increased craftsmanship, but the layers of profit in the supply chain. Artisans see almost none of this.
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Zardozi embroidery is a highly skilled craft. PI/Shutterstock
Even moments of national pride bring no recognition. For the coronation of King Charles, Zardozi pieces from Taj Ganj were commissioned to commemorate the ceremony. Yet the women who created them remained anonymous. It was a lost opportunity to showcase their heritage to the world.
The buyers of artisan products in Agra range from individual artists and export houses to ecommerce entrepreneurs. Yet the supply chain remains opaque and even today, many artisans have no idea what their official daily wage should be.
For them, costing is a matter of simple arithmetic: materials plus labour, with a modest profit margin of 50–100 rupees (less than £1). This calculation, shaped by generations who were isolated from formal business practices, means they consistently undervalue their work.
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The result is a supply chain where the well-connected middlemen and entrepreneurs capture the lion’s share of profits. Meanwhile, the true creators are left with a fraction of what their craft is worth.
Leather craft in the shadows
In the Kachhpura community, families make handcrafted leather footwear that is sold to local suppliers. As members of the Dalit community (a marginalised caste in India), they face discrimination that limits their business opportunities.
Even within Agra, their products are undervalued and their small businesses struggle to flourish. Community members express deep frustration: they feel that they are visited by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international agencies only when there’s a story to be told. They told me they felt their poverty was photographed, their words quoted and their struggles turned into media coverage – but with no tangible change in return.
These are not isolated cases. Across both communities, artisans face unfair wages and opaque supply chains. A lack of education leaves them struggling to gain access to markets and without intellectual property protection. This means their designs can be appropriated by global brands.
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In a case involving Prada sandals, the luxury goods giant was inspired by the Kohlapuri chappal – the traditional handcrafted shoes of the Dalit community – but did not initially credit the artisans or collaborate with them. The company later acknowledged that this is where its inspiration had come from. But it is part of a broader pattern: heritage crafts from India are celebrated abroad while their custodians live in poverty.
The solution is not charity, but empowerment. Skills hubs would allow artisans to access design, marketing and business training. And direct-to-customer platforms would let them tell their own stories and set their own prices.
Heritage hubs could position these communities as living heritage sites as in Venice or Florence, where craft and culture are inseparable from place. Until these changes happen, Agra will remain a city of two worlds.
Agra’s artisan communities stand at a crossroads. On one side is a legacy passed down through generations, a living heritage that shapes the city’s identity and fuels its global image. On the other is a reality marked by low wages, educational neglect and exclusion from the markets that profit from their craft.
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The disparity between the luxury price tags their work commands and the earnings they take home represents a gap in recognition, dignity and opportunity.
The popular theme park attraction will take visitors for a last spin next year as developments are expected to come to the theme park that have been opened since 1966
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A popular theme park its set to close one of its busiest attractions.
The Silver Dollar City theme park in the Ozark Mountains of southwestern Missouri has announced that the Thunderation roller coaster will close in January 2027.
The theme park first opened to visitors in 1966, between the towns of Branson and Branson West.
Since then the amusement park has expanded to more than 40 rides and seven roller coasters.
The Thunderation roller coaster was added to the park in 1993, taking visitors through what looks like a mine from the 1880s.
It reached a huge 80 feet and travels at 48 miles per hour.
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It has become one of the most popular rides at the theme park.
The last day to take a ride on the coaster will be January 2, 2027.
Silver Dollar City are teasing new attractions as part of the development however there has not been a formal announcement explaining the reasonings behind the ride closing.
As the ride is set to shut a range of commemorative memorabilia including T-shirts, hats, and mugs have been made available for those who want to remember the roller coaster.
The news comes as other popular theme parks in the US are closing.
Fun Spot America in Atlanta, Georgia, originally opened as Dixieland Fun Park in 1990 and will open its gates for the final time on August 2.
Andy Burnham’s first cabinet includes four ministers from visible ethnic minority backgrounds: home secretary Shabana Mahmood, energy security secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, AI minister Kanishka Narayan, and Lisa Nandy as culture secretary. A decade ago, this team alone would probably have generated headlines. Now, it has barely registered.
This silence on the makeup of the cabinet tells us something important about ethnic diversity in British politics. We have entered what might be called the “post-first” era of minority representation. For the past 40 years, the politics of representation revolved around one question: could ethnic minorities reach the highest levels of political office?
The election of Diane Abbott, Bernie Grant, Paul Boateng and Keith Vaz in 1987 transformed British politics because it challenged assumptions about who belonged in parliament. Later came a succession of symbolic milestones: Britain’s first Muslim MP (Mohammad Sarwar), first Black cabinet minister (Paul Boateng), first British Asian home secretary (Sajid Javid) and first British Asian and Hindu prime minister (Rishi Sunak).
Political scientists call this “descriptive representation” – the idea that elected institutions should broadly reflect the populations they govern. These “firsts” mattered because they widened ideas of belonging. And they demonstrated that public office was open to people who had previously been excluded.
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Beyond ethnicity
As more ethnic minority politicians entered parliament – and government – diversity became increasingly normalised. Cabinet appointments were no longer remarkable simply because of a minister’s ethnicity. Minority politicians became part of the establishment, occupying senior positions and taking on some of the most contentious policy areas.
One of the defining features of this period was that minority politicians increasingly fronted politically difficult agendas. Javid, Priti Patel and Suella Braverman became the face of tough immigration and asylum policies under Conservative governments. Under Labour, Mahmood also became associated with the government’s tougher approach to immigration, publicly defending aspects of the policy and becoming one of its most prominent advocates. This included overseeing a more restrictive approach to the rules governing entry to the UK.
Minority politicians were no longer valued solely for the symbolic message their appointments conveyed. They were increasingly entrusted with, and publicly identified with, some of the trickiest areas of government.
Today, Britain appears to have entered a new stage. The defining feature of the “post-first” era is that ethnicity has ceased to be a predictor of ideology.
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For many years, debates about representation often assumed that greater ethnic diversity would lead to more progressive politics. Yet today’s political landscape tells a very different story.
Minority politicians can be found across the ideological spectrum. Your Party MP Zarah Sultana represents an insurgent left politics. Mahmood sits firmly within Labour’s more socially conservative and fiscally cautious tradition. Kemi Badenoch is leading the right-of-centre Conservative Party. And Zia Yusuf has become one of the most prominent figures within the right-wing populist Reform UK.
Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf has argued for tighter controls on immigration. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Ethnicity tells us remarkably little about where politicians stand on immigration, taxation, foreign policy or the role of the state. They disagree with one another as profoundly as their white colleagues do.
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This reflects a broader transformation in British democracy. Minority politicians are increasingly judged as politicians first. Their careers rise or fall because of competence, ideology and electoral appeal, rather than the communities they come from.
The 2024 general election demonstrated this particularly clearly. In several constituencies with large Muslim electorates, Muslim Labour candidates lost support despite sharing the ethnic and religious backgrounds of many of their constituents. Instead, many voters backed independent candidates whose position on Gaza more closely aligned with their own.
The election illustrated that descriptive representation alone was no longer sufficient. Substantive representation had become the decisive consideration for many voters.
The question is not whether a Conservative or Reform government would reverse gains made for minority representation. That seems unlikely. Ethnic minority politicians now occupy senior positions across every major political party. The era in which ethnic minority representation was itself the story has largely passed. The more important issue now is the politics those representatives pursue.
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A more significant challenge is what minority representation will mean in the future. A diverse cabinet can still pursue policies that many minority communities oppose. Inclusion at the top no longer guarantees substantive representation below.
That is the defining political challenge of Britain’s “post-first” era. The politics of representation have moved beyond celebrating symbolic milestones. The politics of the “first” have given way to the politics of governing. The central question is no longer who gets into the room, but what they do once they are there.
York Maze will host the edible spectacle on Saturday, August 1, as part of its annual Yorkshire Day celebrations.
The event will feature the county’s hero YorkshireMan, who will walk a narrow beam above what’s billed as the world’s biggest Lancashire hotpot before diving into a giant, gravy-filled Yorkshire pudding.
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Speaking about this, Yorkshireman said: “In recent years I’ve celebrated Yorkshire Day at York Maze by diving into the world’s biggest mug of Yorkshire tea.
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“I’ve plunged into a giant Yorkshire pudding filled with gravy, and this year I’m risking it all by attempting to walk a narrow beam above a steaming bowl of Lancashire hotpot.
“As everyone knows, Lancashire hotpot is poisonous to Yorkshireman, so I have a giant Yorkshire pudding filled with gravy to dive into as the antidote in case I do come into contact with the Lancashire hotpot.”
Yorkshireman before the big dive in 2025 (Image: York Maze)
The Yorkshire pudding measures more than six feet across and holds 2,000 litres of gravy, while the hotpot is of similar size and topped with giant potato slices.
The fun begins at 1pm with a Yorkshire pudding tossing competition.
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The child and adult with the biggest throws will be crowned the winners.
The main event with Yorkshireman will take place from 2.45pm.
God’s own Yorkshireman (Image: York Maze)
York Maze staff will also don flat caps, and visitors who wear one on the day will be treated to a complimentary mug of Yorkshire Tea.
Entertainment will be provided by the New York Brass Band, and a face painter will be on hand to decorate visitors’ cheeks with the Yorkshire Rose.
It comes as health bosses said that the number of attendances at Scarborough Hospital this week “far outstripped anything that has ever been seen before” at this time of year.
Clare Smith, chief executive of the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The numbers that were seen on Monday far outstripped anything that we’d ever seen before at Scarborough Hospital, which placed it under significant pressure.”
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“Of course, it’s the time of year where we have a lot more visitors to Scarborough and to Bridlington and those types of areas,” she added at a meeting of the trust’s board of directors on Wednesday, July 29.
She added: “There have been significant challenges across our sites over the last few weeks, with really, really high levels of attendance.”
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It comes as the number of 12-hour trolley waits increased in both May and June across the trust’s emergency departments, after figures had fallen between February and April.
Commenting on Facebook, one resident said: “Honestly, I feel for the doctors and nurses – they all look so stressed. I’ve been there over the past four days with a family member who has been unwell, and the staff are doing an amazing job with how they treat the patients.
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“But there are so many people who go up to hospital, who could’ve gone to the GP if there was a chance to actually get an appointment.”
They added: “GP surgeries need to be fixed up because the hospital is taking on the strain of multiple services failing people.”
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Rachel said: “I work in A&E, and all I can do is apologise to everyone who has had a negative experience; we are so overwhelmed, as you can see.
“We are all working tirelessly to do our clinical jobs that have to be prioritised. If we don’t get back to you it’s definitely not intentional; we are just so so busy.
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“But the staff that are on, I promise you, are doing their very best to get to you.”
Scarborough Hospital. Courtesy Numminen/Ldrs
Commenting on social media, a Whitby resident said: “We live in Whitby, but our minor unit shuts at 8pm, so then it’s a trip to Scarborough. Most of the time it’s a minimum of a four-hour wait, but I have often been there until the following morning.”
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Mel said: “I don’t know why there isn’t an urgent medical centre in town where people with problems they would usually take to their GP but cannot get appointments can go to.
“It would take so much pressure off the hospital emergency department.”
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Last month, Scarborough’s new community diagnostics centre opened in Eastfield, giving people access to faster access to vital tests and scans.
The purpose-built facility provides a range of non-acute diagnostic services closer to home, helping to reduce waiting times, support earlier diagnosis and improve access to care.
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Scarborough CDC. York And Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Also commenting on Facebook, Glenn said: “I’ve been to Scarborough Hospital many times for myself and my family, and despite the pressure the staff are under, they still manage to have a smile on their faces and do their jobs exceptionally well.”
He added: “If people went when it is absolutely necessary and not just something that can be fixed at the chemist, it would really help.”
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The NHS website states: “NHS 111 can help if you think you need medical help right now. 111 can direct you to the best place to get help if you cannot contact your GP during the day, or when your GP is closed (out-of-hours).”
The incident was reported to Dublin’s emergency services at 4:30am on Wednesday.
Hansard, who won a Best Original Song Academy Award for Once’s Falling Slowly in 2008, is survived by his wife, poet Maire Saaritsa, and their three-year-old.
Since Wednesday, tributes have poured in from the likes of Bono, Ireland’s Taoiseach (similar to the UK’s Prime Minister) Micheál Martin, Rachel Zegler, and Bruce Springsteen, among many others.
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Ireland’s president, Catherine Connolly, said: “Glen Hansard will be remembered as one of Ireland’s great singer-songwriters… Glen and his band the Frames stood out as one of the leaders of the thriving wave of Irish bands who emerged in the 1990s and were the source of so much inspiration to a generation of young people and musicians.”
Glen’s The Frames bandmate Colm Mac Con Iomaire shared a picture of the group on Instagram with the caption “Fadó fadó ar maidin…” (“long, long ago this morning”).
Micheál Martin shared on X, “Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Glen Hansard. A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland’s cultural landscape over many years. My sincere sympathies to his family, friends, and fans. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam [God rest his soul].”
Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Glen Hansard.
A talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland’s cultural landscape over many years.
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My sincere sympathies to his family, friends, and fans.
Musician Damien Dempsey wrote on Instagram, “Your power was unfathomable, otherworldly… a monumental power and a monumental loss.”
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Comedian and actor Chris O’Dowd said, “Can’t believe Glen has left the world so terribly early. I recently encountered a Basquiat quote… ‘Art is how we decorate [space, and music] is how we decorate time’. Glen was an incredible decorator of our time.”
U2 star Bono shared on Instagram, “Sometimes I would wonder if Glen Hansard really existed… Seriously, he was such an angelic presence… this most musical and mischievous archangel of Ballymun… no airs, plenty of graces.
“He could never walk by a person living rough without checking they were OK… and more than that, he worked very hard so that less people had to live on the streets in the first place.”
Singer-songwriter Cat Power said: “In bonds of affection, you are tethered to our hearts forever. I ache for your beautiful family, Ed, Mike, & Oli.”
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On BlueSky, folk band The Mountain Goats wrote: “His love of music was palpable, infectious, radiant.”
Waterboys singer Mike Scott posted on X, “Just heard that Glen Hansard has died. Travel on well, Buddy. You made your dreams come true. I’m so sorry that he leaves his wife and 3-year-old child.”
Just heard that Glen Hansard has died. Travel on well, Buddy. You made your dreams come true. I’m so sorry that he leaves his wife and 3-year-old child.
Musician Courtney Marie Andrews, who toured with Glen earlier this year, said: “am shocked and heartbroken to learn of @glenhansard passing… Our time together reminded me what it’s all about, the love of music. Glen embodied what it means to be a lifelong musician. He made a great impact on us all.”
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Rachel Zegler, who performed a rendition of Once’s Falling Slowly alongside Glen in New York, posted pictures of herself alongside the musician with the caption: “oh i will love you forever. rest now, my friend.”
And Bruce Springsteen shared, “We met in Ireland many years ago and he was always nothing but a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man. Always positive, smiling and ready to sing. God bless him and his loved ones.”
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