Wales have become the first nation to publicly withdraw backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid to continue his leadership of Fifa.
It follows the loss of confidence in the Fifa president following his scrapped plans to sell stakes in its competitions to private investment firms.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has confirmed “its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino for re-election as Fifa president for the 2027-2031 term”.
Infantino’s lucrative plan sparked a global outcry, with European football’s governing body Uefa threatening to boycott all Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.
Uefa and Concacaf – which oversees football in North, Central America and the Caribbean – both released statements on Saturday criticising the leadership of the world governing body following Infantino’s decision to withdraw the plan.
The FAW added: “The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.
“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”
Morris had heard her victories played out for GB with a different anthem but she looked to be overcome when celebrating this one with the Welsh national song.
No time to immediately reflect on what she had just achieved though.
There was a quick chance for a picture with the Welsh flag and then off it was to the next task.
The scratch race started just 10 minutes later where Morris lined up with Welsh team-mates Megan Barker and Carys Lloyd.
It looked like they had concocted an almost perfect plan, with Barker going off a few laps out and Morris driving through to finish second behind Australian winner Georgia Baker.
A gold and a silver all in one day. Or so we thought.
Morris had already done some interviews celebrating this fact before she was given the message in the media mixed zone about her demotion.
Morris had been relegated for entering the sprinter’s lane when her New Zealand opponent was already there, and Scottish cyclist Erin Boothman was promoted to bronze.
Morris returned to do a couple more interviews, ironically, while the scratch closing ceremony was going on.
Morris reflected on her golden moment.
“It was just a dream,” said Morris. “We get that opportunity once every four years, so for it to come together tonight was amazing.
“I have my family and friends in the crowd and the support team from Welsh Cycling were also there.
“I’m going to carry that with me forever, it’s amazing.”
Morris seemed unaware of her dominance in the race.
“It was only when I crossed the line I knew I’d won the race,” said Morris.
“I focused on my ride and tried to execute it well and really leave it all out on the track.”
It had been a day of mixed emotions and, when asked to sum up her feelings about the scratch race, Morris was whisked off so we will have to wait for that verdict.
So, disappointment to finish the day but that should not take away from her pursuit domination and golden moment.
Morris is a world champion for a reason and she proved why.
Wales cycling have two special world-class talents in Finucane and Morris.
Ospreys finished 11th in the URC last season and were knocked out in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.
Mark Jones’ side were impacted by uncertainty, with fans protesting against the WRU and Y11 at fixtures in Bridgend.
The unsettling situation was a factor in Wales captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan opting to join Gloucester for the coming season.
Signing the Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) with the governing body offers some level of security until 2028, but the latest development will provide more challenges for both Scarlets and Ospreys.
“Is it really a surprise? We just had a little bit of a break from the debacle,” said former Ospreys and Wales wing Shane Williams on Radio Wales Breakfast.
“The conversation has always been that everyone believes there will be a region cut, that players’ welfare and jobs will be put on the line again.
“It’s no real shock to me, we just have to start the conversation again and the uncertainty hits us again.”
There is the prospect of a tender process to be the western club, or the possibility of reviving the merger that almost happened in 2019.
“It’s easier said than done,” said Williams, who is from Carmarthenshire. “There is huge rivalry and the Ospreys are in the process of rebuilding St Helen’s and there is Parc y Scarlets, which is barely used by anyone else.
“For the fans, there has been a huge rivalry and it would take some job to get those two sets of supporters together to support one entity.”
Olympic champion cyclist Emma Finucane insists she has “nothing to prove” at the Commonwealth Games despite her ambitions of winning an elusive gold in Scotland.
Finucane, 23, collected two bronze medals in Birmingham four years ago but has since won 16 medals at the Olympics, World and European Championships.
The Welsh star says she is targeting “the top step” on the podium in Glasgow.
“I haven’t actually stood on the top step at the Commonwealth Games,” Finucane told BBC Sport Wales.
“That’s something I’d love to achieve this time round.
“I feel like I’m a different person four years on and I can’t wait to show what I can do on the track.”
The Carmarthenshire native credits the Birmingham 2022 Games as the “springboard” to where she is today.
“I would not be where I am today without the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
“The first time I was pretty young, pretty naive to the sport of sprint cycling.
“It was a very overwhelming experience, whereas this time round I feel like I’m more of an established rider.”
She added: “I was 19 [in Birmingham] and the year after I won my first world title, which was crazy for me.
“I think it gave me the confidence I needed as an athlete to develop in my career, and get to where I am so quickly.
“We became Olympic champions two years ago, and I actually don’t even know how that happened.”
He introduced Bowen to wheelchair racing, in which she immediately won medals, before she found a passion for throwing.
“I had just started shot put, discus and javelin when Covid happened. I went back after and was thrown into a competition and I won best performer,” she said.
“So I was like, ‘oh, I’m okay at it’ and then I just kept going and fell in love with it.”
It is hard to imagine there will be many spectators at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium more proud than Bowen’s parents who still regard themselves “lucky” to have her.
“We nearly lost her at 13 months old, but she’s here and doing amazing,” said her mother Anne.
“Growing up, she wanted to be like her siblings and would say, ‘they can ride a bike, why can’t I ride a bike?’ So she did.”
Bowen’s determination is only matched by the efforts of her parents to make sure their daughter can achieve her potential in the sport.
Her father Martin built a specially adapted bicycle so she could ride with her family, then moved onto bigger things when he built a campervan to ensure his daughter could to travel to athletics competitions.
“She has just come on so well. Nothing has ever been an obstacle for her,” said Martin.
“Whatever you put ahead of her, she’ll try and do it and if she can’t do it, she’ll get around it.”
Now Bowen hopes she can make her parents proud when they cheer her on in Glasgow.
“It’s the biggest competition I’ve ever done and I’m just happy to be there,” she said.
“It would mean the world to me to win a medal but just being there, I’m so thankful.”
With four fourth places in Birmingham in 2022, Richards was looking for his first Commonwealth medal to complete the set of Olympic, world and European podium positions.
Wales opted for an entirely different quartet in the pool in the final after Kieran Bird, Harry Milne, Medi Harris and Meghan Higgs had qualified fourth fastest in the heats.
Sutton and Taylor had qualified for their respective individual semi-finals in the 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke, but both pulled out with a full focus on the relay.
The policy paid off and Taylor, 17, brought Wales back from fifth to third with a brilliant final leg.
Earlier, Rose Williams finished fourth in the women’s S14 200m freestyle final.
The S14 category covers swimmers who have an intellectual impairment, which typically leads to the athletes having difficulties with regard to pattern recognition, sequencing, and memory, or having a slower reaction time, which impact on sport performance in general.
Tyler Melbourne-Smith finished sixth in the 400m freestyle final, while Lewis Fraser qualified for the 100m butterfly final to be staged on Sunday evening.
If we take it as read that the better the view, the worse the cooking, then by rights south Wales’s Gower peninsula should be a culinary desert. The first time I visited almost 15 years ago, I was unprepared for its loveliness – back in 1956, Gower (never the Gower, as locals were quick to correct me) was the first place in the UK to be designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, and though the peninsula abuts the country’s second city, Swansea, it still feels profoundly rural. Crisscrossed by narrow lanes flanked by towering hedges and ancient churches, it’s a great place to cycle, to drive, and above all to walk up an appetite.
Indeed, it’s been a long-held ambition of mine to hike the 43 miles of the Welsh Coast Path from Mumbles to Loughor. Sadly, it remains just that because on this latest trip I spent considerably more time chomping than yomping … though in fairness I was on a research mission for a walking trip with a friend here later in the summer, because as a food writer and semi-professional glutton, I never like to head anywhere unprepared.
With this in mind, and another friend on hand as a chauffeur, Wilf the dog and I began our investigations in Mumbles, where Swansea thins into a pretty seaside village of colourful Victorian villas culminating in a magnificent, privately owned pier. (A few years ago, a visiting Prince William observed to owner Bert Bollom, the third generation of his family to run it, that this was an unusual career choice. Bert shrugged that he’d inherited the job from his dad. “Tell me about it,” he recalls the prince sighing.)
Though the pier is undergoing restoration work, there’s a good view of the “crown of the Bristol Channel” from another Bollom enterprise, On the Rocks, a steak restaurant with a terrace jutting over the foreshore that’s no doubt a terrific place for a sundowner. But, I tell myself sternly, when you’re starting a walk you need to put one foot in front of the other, not sit around drinking, especially as the friend I plan to come back with later in the summer is happily, if rather inconveniently, pregnant.
Crab sandwich at the Gower Seafood Hut in Mumbles.
There’s thus not much point in returning to the Gower Brewery Taproom, despite the warm welcome and dog biscuits we receive on this occasion – I’ll probably suggest we stop instead at Joe’s, the local cult masquerading as an ice-cream parlour. (Vanilla, freshly churned in-house daily, is the only move here. Unless you’re under the age of 10, do not waste your time on other flavours.) Thankfully, the expectant one is past the nauseous stage, so I can also steer her in the direction of the crab sandwiches (local sourdough and deliciously salty Shirgar butter) at the Gower Seafood Hut with a clear conscience – depending on the time of day, it might also feel appropriate to fortify ourselves with a helping of fried whitebait or cockle popcorn before joining the coast path, particularly as Chris Price, who mans the stoves, has, according to co-owner Sarah Kift, already walked much of it himself.
That said, I reckon I’ve got the fuelling part of the route covered; for a start, there’s another ice-cream parlour, Fortes, just round the headland in Limeslade Bay. From the neat beach huts of Langland to the golden sands of Three Cliffs Bay, however, the sites are more prehistoric than edible (tasty as the Bacon Hole cave sounds, the nearest it gets to cured meat is its hoard of ancient narrow-nosed rhinoceros and straight-tusked elephant bones, now 200 miles away in the British Museum). Take a brief detour into the village of Southgate though, and you’ll happen upon a brilliant Greek cafe – I didn’t anticipate tucking into a sugar-dusted bougatsa custard pie and a punchy little coffee in The Gower Deli, but this place is full of surprises.
Sometimes they come too thick and fast even for my boundless appetite: just 20 minutes inland from Three Cliffs, if you follow the lazy meandering waters of the Pennard Pill past the ruins of a Norman castle, sits the Gower Heritage Centre. Clustered around a 12th-century water mill, it boasts a cider press, organic community agriculture project, sauerkraut producer, jewellery designer and bike shop plus – and the jewel in its crown as far as I’m concerned – the superb Little Valley bakery, whose traditional Gower loaf is produced using the mill’s barley flour. They also make ridiculously flaky pasties, focaccia sandwiches, huge cookies and excellent viennoiserie – in short, a rambler’s dream.
The Beach House restaurant in Oxwich on the Gower.
From Three Cliffs, it’s about another five miles along the coast to Oxwich. If you make one reservation for your Gower trip, make it at the Beach House there. Admittedly, given its Michelin star, one might not want to wander in directly from the path in quick-dry hiking sandals, but our welcome couldn’t be warmer, despite Wilf’s rather over-effusive manner (the terrace is dog-friendly, as is one table inside, which you can bet your boots I will be booking well in advance).
A Michelin-star dish at the Beach House restaurant in Oxwich.
From our seats, we can see the two boats that supply the restaurant with lobster. “They belong to Paul and Jim,” says chef Hywel Griffith. “Every morning, I text them what we need that day.” The lamb is from the North Gower salt marsh; the seaweed in the laverbread rolls (a clever play on the traditional puree) from Selwyn’s in Pen-clawdd; and the dessert, a malted mousse with wood sorrel and fermented pine syrup, is the single most delicious thing I’ve eaten since Sarah Kift’s crab sandwich.
Five more miles brings us to Port Eynon, whose chief attraction on this visit is the tiny, genuinely artisan Gower Gin Company – having enjoyed one solo guided tasting with my designated driver and the teetotal terrier, I’ll pass on another with a reluctant abstainer. It’s six more miles to Rhossili, once, somewhat absurdly, declared the “ninth best beach in the world” by TripAdvisor. What’s not up for debate is that it’s 3 miles long and stunning.
Sunrise over Mumbles lighthouse and privately owned pier. Photograph: leighcol/Getty Images
Thanks to the National Trust, it’s also untouched by the grubby hand of commercialism, so should you be peckish, pause at the aptly named View cafe before you descend the cliff. Offering colourful vegan “power bowls” (popular with the surfing crowd apparently) and homemade falafel alongside the rarebit and bara brith, the only packaged food in sight is a bag of locally produced dog treats I’m bullied into buying for my elderly companion who, despite a brisk trot down to the Worms Head Coastwatch station beforehand, is in no mood to obey the house rule that “shouting is not permitted”.
Turn the corner on to the north coast, and you’re faced with Whiteford Sands, yet another broad expanse of golden gorgeousness with great cooking attached in the form of the Britannia Inn in Llanmadoc, where the salt marsh lamb croquettes at the bar drive the tiny diner under the table to distraction.
Fortunately, I don’t have to test Wilf’s restraint on the living, bleating thing on this occasion, as the remaining seven miles of the route – through the marshes to Pen-clawdd, – will have to wait till next month. When we finally get there, however, I will insist on stopping at the Gower Brewery to toast our achievement. I’ve even road-tested their Zero beer in preparation. As I said, I like to plan ahead.
London, United Kingdom — On his fourth day as prime minister, Andy Burnham did not stay at Downing Street in London. Nor did he go to Manchester, the home of Number 10 North. He went to Glasgow.
Hours before King Charles and Queen Camilla opened the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Burnham held his first in-person meetings with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth. The talks were meant to demonstrate, in Burnham’s own words, that growth is needed “in every postcode across the whole of the UK”. A meeting with Northern Ireland’s First and Deputy First Ministers, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, is pencilled in for a wider UK tour in August.
Notably absent from the agenda, at Burnham’s insistence, was any discussion of a second Scottish independence referendum.
Just days after being appointed prime minister, Burnham is testing a proposition that will define his premiership. He’s selling a vision that the office itself can be partly relocated out of London to Manchester, the city he governed as mayor from 2017 until his return to UK Parliament in the Makerfield by-election last month.
What Number 10 North actually is
Stripped of rhetoric, Number 10 North is a written ministerial statement. On July 21, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal, confirmed on the government’s behalf that devolution and local growth policy functions are moving out of the housing ministry and the Treasury and into a new Manchester-based operation. There, civil servants will work inside a restructured Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, led by Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo.
Number 10 North will be based at Manchester’s Heron House in the interim and the government “Digital Campus” once it’s completed in 2032, as the new government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham seeks to establish No 10 North as “the dominant driver of the UK’s economy” [Christopher Furlong/Getty Images]
The interim headquarters is Heron House, in the New Islington area of Manchester, chosen partly for its proximity to a planned Manchester Digital Campus.
Caroline Simpson, the outgoing chief executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has been named Burnham’s deputy chief of staff, and will be in charge of day-to-day office operations. Downing Street says Burnham himself expects to work from Manchester “at least one day a week”, though officials caution his diary may change, and insists the arrangement carries no additional cost to taxpayers.
Burnham calls it “the nerve centre of a rewired Britain” and rejects suggestions it is symbolic. “Not a gimmick,” he told his first Cabinet meeting about Number 10 North.
Plumbing, but no water
Number 10 North “establishes the plumbing, but the water isn’t flowing yet”, said Mirte Boot of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) North. The institutional architecture is firming up, but fiscal devolution – ie, the transfer of money and tax-raising power – that would make such a policy meaningful doesn’t yet exist, she added.
Still, she calls it “a step in the right direction” after what she describes as “too much power condensed into one postcode”. Leaving Westminster isn’t enough; Number 10 North will need “strong political leadership aside from the prime minister”, she added.
The verdict that Number 10 North contains vision and ambition but currently lacks a detailed plan and delivery mechanism is a recurring response from independent voices.
Jonathan Carr-West of the Local Government Information Unit calls Burnham’s devolution agenda “the most ambitious statement … from a senior politician in a generation”, while warning that English councils are so financially hollowed out that the vision “requires a vehicle” it does not yet have.
Malcolm Morgan, a transport researcher at the University of Leeds, puts it more bluntly: genuine devolution means spending, taxation and regulatory power, not just relocated functions, and “devolution does not create more funding”.
That funding question sits unresolved alongside the national one. The 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act expanded mayors’ control over transport, planning and housing, but left fiscal devolution to a separate Treasury “roadmap” due alongside the autumn budget. According to Centre for Cities, a UK urban policy think tank, the UK remains the most fiscally centralised country in the G7: some 95 percent of tax revenue flows straight to Whitehall.
Devolution, or recentralisation?
For Scotland’s SNP government, the Number 10 North framing is beside the point. First Minister Swinney responded that “rhetoric alone will not cut it” and argued that four consecutive Holyrood elections have handed his party a mandate for Scottish self-determination, something Westminster keeps ignoring, he said. In Glasgow, Burnham declined to engage with that argument directly.
Meanwhile, Wales’ Ap Iorwerth struck a more cooperative note but still said he expected “that Number 10 North would not become Whitehall with a different postcode”.
He also used the meeting with Burnham to press for a new Wales Bill granting policing and justice powers, and a replacement for the Barnett Formula funding mechanism, which Westminster uses to calculate annual changes to the block grants allocated to the UK’s devolved governments, so Wales would have funding parity with Scotland.
Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, from the opposite political direction, warned that a Number 10 in the south and one in the north would simply “fight against each other”.
What it means in Manchester
In Bury, Greater Manchester, Scottish-born Debe Conway sells children’s books at markets and has lived in the area for 56 years, but remains unconvinced about the new prime minister.
Her biggest concern is immigration, which she called Burnham weak on. And as for Number 10 North, she wants to know how it’s being paid for, and asks how long it will last, considering that the UK has had seven prime ministers in the last 10 years.
Rich Carver, who has run pizza restaurants in Manchester for 15 years and is currently “soaking up the energy in the city”, says he cares more about what will happen in the next 10 years.
He’s also tired of the succession of governments and wants this one to last. He likes Burnham and is optimistic enough about the city’s trajectory that he is opening a new restaurant in the coming weeks, something he would not have done five years ago.
“We are all one country,” he says, hoping the rest of the UK (and the media) give the new prime minister time and the chance to implement his vision. Whether that time produces growth, or just relocated offices, is the question Number 10 North still has to answer.
A UK beach is drawing crowds as people think it’s so gorgeous. In fact, many say it’s just as pretty as “being in Greece”, and they have shared just how stunning they think it is
10:18, 24 Jul 2026Updated 10:25, 24 Jul 2026
The UK beach draws in crowds (stock image)(Image: WLDavies via Getty Images)
Footage of the stunning area in Pembrokeshire, Wales, has taken the internet by storm, enchanting countless viewers with its spectacular scenery. It’s been hailed as so picturesque – with its crystal-clear waters and jaw-dropping views – that many reckon it’s “just like being in Greece” and the location has since gone viral.
On TikTok, Wander Wales posted: “When you realise this isn’t Greece… it’s Wales.” The clip, shared alongside the caption, showed off the incredible surroundings in all their glory.
What is it like?
The view from Barafundle Bay features gleaming sands, turquoise waters and utterly breathtaking scenery. On a glorious day, it’s hard to imagine anywhere more spectacular to spend your time.
Since being uploaded, the video has racked up thousands of views, with dozens of enthusiastic comments flooding in. Many viewers were quick to agree that the location is truly magical.
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One wrote: “Sat there now. Best beach I’ve ever been to.”
Another added: “So enjoyed my visit to Barafundle last year.”
A third replied: “Stunning. Proud to be Welsh when we have beaches, sceneries and views like this.”
Meanwhile, a fourth remarked: “Yes! Gorgeous place. I live in Wales and there’s something stunning around every corner!”
Another also noted: “My favourite beach for a swim after a walk around the lily ponds and a walk to the café. A perfect day out.”
Where is it?
If you’ve never been before, Barafundle Bay is extremely well-visited. Indeed, it’s regularly cited as one of the finest beaches in Britain and across the globe for its golden sands and crystal-clear waters.
You’ll find it at Stackpole Estate, within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. There are just a few things worth knowing before you head there.
The beach can only be reached via a picturesque 0.5-mile (20 to 25-minute) walk from the closest car park at Stackpole Quay. The brief journey includes steep steps and clifftop paths.
Nevertheless, it’s an absolutely breathtaking spot to visit. If you’re on the lookout for somewhere fresh to discover this summer, it could feel every bit as good as jetting off abroad.
Wales finished a first season under Tandy with a record of three wins, against Japan, Italy and Fiji, from 12 Tests.
They are 11th in the world rankings – bizarrely moving up a place courtesy of the Azzurri’s heavy loss in Australia – as they count down to next year’s World Cup, when they face England, Tonga and Zimbabwe in the group stages.
“The squad has developed, particularly with our performances against Scotland and Ireland during the Six Nations, and then the win over Italy,” said Morgan.
“We were pleased with the victory over Fiji at the start of the summer as well because we know how difficult they are to beat.
“We just have to keep developing and we’ve been doing that as a squad. There are still plenty of lessons to learn, but the more we play together, the more experience we gain and the more we can improve.”
Morgan, who is now officially a Gloucester player after his summer move from Ospreys, missed eight Tests after suffering a shoulder injury against Argentina in Tandy’s first game.
The British and Irish Lions flanker says that Wales are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to close the gap as quickly as possible.
“We’re a very close group and everyone wants to get better,” said Morgan, who was captain for Tandy’s first game.
“I’m proud of the effort they’ve put in, not just over these last three weeks but throughout the whole season.
“It’s clear that everyone wants to learn, improve and continue developing together as a squad.”
Wales play four Nations Championship fixtures in November against Japan, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff before facing another southern hemisphere opponent at finals weekend in Twickenham.
South Africa: Fassi; Williams, Kriel, de Allende, Arendse; Moyo, Reinach; Steenekamp, Marx, Sadie, C Wiese, van Heerden, de Villiers, PS du Toit (capt), J Wiese
Replacements: Venter, Wessels, Louw, Dixon, van Staden, Jantjies, Libbok, Willemse.
Wales: Murray; Rees-Zammit, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Mee; Edwards, Tomos Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), D Lewis, Teddy Williams, Beard, Mann, J Morgan, Wainwright
Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Warren, F Thomas, Reffell, Botham, Morgan-Williams, Hawkins.
Yellow card: Warren 65
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (FFR) & James Doleman (NZRFU)
Elias is likely to make his Test start since the opening round of the 2024 Six Nations against Scotland.
Cardiff’s Evan Lloyd is the other hooker in the squad and could make his first international appearance for more than a year, with Dee’s anticipated arrival in South Africa providing extra cover and experience.
Morgan is the obvious choice as captain against the world champions unless Tandy opts to rest the open-side flanker.
Wales slipped to 12th in the world rankings with their loss to Argentina and suffered a record 73-0 loss to the Springboks in their last meeting in November.
Exceptionally hot weather in May and June was responsible for the heat-related deaths of at least 2,700 people in England and Wales, according to British research out Monday. File photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA-EFE
July 13 (UPI) — Exceptionally hot weather in May and June was responsible for the heat-related deaths of at least 2,700 people in England and Wales, according to British research out Monday that found that human-caused climate change was a significant factor.
Temperature records for both months fell during heat waves May 21-29 and June 18-28, with the bulk of the fatalities — 2,200 — in June when the temperature rose to as high as 99.9 degrees Fahrenheit compared with average daytime highs of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the Met Office said in a news release.
Researchers from Imperial College London, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Met Office modeled excess deaths — those over and above normal levels — during both heat waves using historical mortality records and established peer-reviewed methods.
Notably, almost 6 in 10 of fatalities during the May heat wave were attributed to additional heat contributed by human-caused climate change, compared with a little less than 4 in 10 during the heat wave in June, which was hotter and lasted longer.
The scientists said daytime maximum temperatures approximately 7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than they would have been without human-induced climate change had fueled temperatures that would have otherwise been far less likely to occur — making the heat waves far more hazardous to human health.
“We all love the sun, but people need to be aware that we are now seeing dangerous climate-change-fueled heat that is claiming lives, disrupting schools and hospitals and shutting down transport and infrastructure,” said Dr. Clair Barnes, Research Associate in Extreme Weather and Climate Change at Imperial College London.
“It’s time we woke up to the fact that we now live in a country with dangerously hot summers. To protect people during future extremes, we must urgently adapt to the reality of the climate we now have, and double down on global efforts to reach net zero emissions to stop this from getting worse,” she said.
Dr. Malcolm Mistry, Assistant Professor in Climate and Geo-spatial Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, expressed concern that only a few weeks into summer England and Wales had already experienced two record-breaking heat waves.
He warned that with spikes of extreme hot weather more frequent and more intense due to human activity, summer heat waves were “rapidly evolving into a major health risk for people in the United Kingdom.”
Mistry said it was critical that changes to homes, workplaces and critical infrastructure to cope with extreme heat kept ahead of rising health risks in order to protect the elderly, children, babies and other vulnerable groups.
The Met Office said 2026 has been exceptional with the two heat waves topping records that had stood since May 1944 and June 1976.
“For the time of year these events were extreme, even in our warmer climate,” said Climate Attribution Manager, Dr. Mark McCarthy.
The climate division of the U.K. Health Security Agency said that with periods of heat likely to become more intense, longer and more frequent as the world continued to warm, the study showed the “scale of risk associated with extreme heat and the growing threat climate change poses to our wellbeing.”
Continental Europe has also been in the grip of a more or less continuous heat wave since May that has placed health systems under huge pressure, triggered deadly wildfires that have burned through tens of thousands of hectares of woodland and scrubland, crippled power grids and forced schools to close.
The World Health Organization said Sunday that 1,300 excess deaths reported across Europe since June 21 were linked to the high temperatures.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Europe was warming twice as fast as the rest of the world with 150 million people suffering the negative impacts of the extreme heat.
France’s Health Ministry said Sunday that there were 1,000 extra deaths between Wednesday and Saturday alone, compared with previous months.
Beard will complete a long season after the final two Wales matches against Argentina and South Africa in Durban next weekend.
The former Ospreys lock had only just linked up with the Wales squad a couple of days before the Fiji game, following a mammoth first season with French club Montpellier, which included a Challenge Cup success and losing the Top 14 final to Toulouse.
“I have personally loved it and it was probably the best decision I’ve made rugby wise so far for myself and my family,” said Beard.
“It was a tough decision at first, leaving the Ospreys after being there since I was 14.
“But it was probably something, if I didn’t join Montpellier, I might have regretted at the end of my career.”
While playing in France is a tough challenge, it is also a rewarding one said Beard.
“It’s a physical league and you’ve got to play 30 games a season,” he added.
“But just the support and passion, everything they do out in the Top 14 is a different level to what I’ve experienced before.
“So it’s been an amazing move for myself and my family.”
THE Prince and Princess Of Wales have paid tribute to singer Bonnie Tyler, describing her as a “proud Welsh icon” following her death aged 75.
Bonnie died on Wednesday night, months after being treated in intensive care and being placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery.
Bonnie Tyler was given an MBE by the Prince of Wales at Windsor CastleCredit: PAThe singer died on Wednesday night aged 75Credit: PA
A post on William and Kate’s joint Kensington Palace account said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bonnie Tyler.
“A proud Welsh icon, her extraordinary voice and unforgettable music touched millions around the world and will continue to inspire generations to come.
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“Our thoughts are with her husband, family, friends and all who loved her. Diolch am y gerddoriaeth (thank you for the music).”
Bonnie was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Prince Of Wales in 2023 for services to music.
It comes after Chicago star Catherine Zeta-Jones said her “heart is broken” after the Total Eclipse Of The Heart singer’s death.
Catherine, 56, said Bonnie was a big part of her life after marrying her cousin Robert Sullivan and paid a heartfelt tribute to the Welsh singer, real name Gaynor Hopkins.
The actress shared a photograph of the pair together on Instagram which was taken the night before her wedding.
She said: “An extraordinary woman with vocals to match. A one of kind artist, who so easily could have been a comedian because she was one of the funniest people I ever met.
“Thank you Bonnie for the joy you brought so many. Sleep tight beautiful lady. We shall forever ‘Keep A Welcome In The Hillsides’ of Wales for you. Sending my love to Robert and the family.”
A statement on the singer’s official website said her family and team were “heartbroken” after she “unexpectedly passed away” on Wednesday night in a hospital in Portugal where she was being treated near her home in Faro.
Catherine was among the stars who paid tribute to the singer including Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Rod Stewart and rockstar Bryan Adams.
Sir Cliff, who sang a duet with Tyler on the 2019 song Taking Control, said she was a “wonderful friend gone too soon” in a post shared on Facebook.
He added: “Bonnie’s infectious zest for life entertained so many around the world, and to be a good friend to all, including me.
“It is shocking news to wake up to this morning and I send my love to her family at this very sad time.”
Bonnie was due to perform at the Sunshine Festival in Worcester this summer, along with a number of European dates, and was also booked to perform at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena on December 17.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also paid tribute to the singer, who he described as “one of Britain’s greatest recording artists”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “An iconic figure, she leaves behind a catalogue of music – from Total Eclipse Of The Heart to Holding Out For A Hero – which continues to touch lives, flood dance floors and fill karaoke booths.”
He added: “The Prime Minister’s thoughts are very much with her friends and family.”
The singer achieved international fame in the 1980s with the release of Total Eclipse Of The Heart, which shot to the top of the charts in the UK and the US.
Faster Than The Speed of Night, the album which featured the smash-hit track, was also a chart-topping success and landed the singer her only UK number one album.
Recognisable for her husky voice, Bonnie released many other hit songs over the years including Holding Out For A Hero, It’s A Heartache and If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man).
Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth led tributes on Thursday and said Wales had “lost a true icon”.
He posted: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bonnie Tyler.
“Wales has lost a true icon, whose music brought joy to so many.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and fans across the world.”
She represented the UK in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, with the song Believe In Me finishing in 19th place.
Welsh broadcaster Carol Vorderman also paid tribute, writing: “I’m so very sorry to hear this. As a Welsh woman Bonnie and her music represented so much to us, it was about fighting and power and living life without apology.
“May you rest in Musical Glory Bonnie.”
The star, who was born in Neath in South Wales, continued to make music and perform until her death, having released her 18th studio album The Best Is Yet To Come in 2021.
Despite being a widely acclaimed and globally-renowned star, Bonnie never received a Grammy Award during her decades-long career but did receive three nominations.
Bonnie’s official website appears to have crashed since the news of her death was announced.
Travel experts at Time Out have ranked the best seaside towns to visit in the UK in 2026, and a town in Wales has taken the top spot
It’s often overlooked for its famous neighbour (Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Wales is fast becoming one of the most sought-after staycation destinations for Brits this summer, with its long-overlooked coastal treasures finally getting the recognition they deserve.
As holidaymakers hunt for wallet-friendly breaks, the newly opened King Charles III Coastal Path has thrown open the entire UK shoreline to those keen to explore it on foot. With it comes a wave of enthusiastic walkers on the lookout for their next adventure, and it appears this Pembrokeshire town could be just the ticket.
Travel experts at Time Out have ranked what they believe, after scouring the length and breadth of the country, to be the finest UK seaside towns to visit in 2026. Topping the list is an underrated Welsh treasure, Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire.
Pipping some of Britain’s most beloved coastal hotspots to the post — including Brighton, St Ives, and Folkestone — this charming seaside retreat is well and truly having its moment in the sun.
Nestled between the popular towns of Tenby and Amroth, Saundersfoot is loved for its sweeping beach and bustling harbour. Many visitors choose to tackle part of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, which winds through these spots, and a straightforward 3.3-mile route with breathtaking views will bring you directly from Tenby.
Beach and harbour
As with any seaside town worth its salt, it’s the spectacular beaches that first lure people in — and everything else on offer that keeps them coming back. Saundersfoot is no different, boasting a standout stretch of shoreline that draws visitors from far and wide.
Saundersfoot Beach is the main expanse of sand, providing a level surface for families to relax and watersports enthusiasts to enjoy. TimeOut described it as “one of the most gorgeous beaches of any British seaside resort”, and its prime position near the town centre makes it even more appealing.
Its blue flag accreditation ensures a safe seaside experience for those bringing young children, and many visitors can be spotted walking their dogs along the water’s edge.
Describing Saundersfoot beach, one TripAdvisor user noted: “Lovely beach to walk on, very clean and close to the town with shops and cafes literally just a street over. It’s also very close to the harbour, so it’s nice to see the boats.”
Adding to the area’s charm is its historic harbour, originally constructed in 1829 to enable coal exports from local mines. It has since evolved into an ideal fusion of heritage and modernity with excellent amenities and activities, serving as the town’s focal point.
One review said: “On the way from Swansea to Tenby we made a short stopover at Saundersfoot Harbour. The small port is quite beautiful and worth seeing.”
Part of the harbour area features an array of eateries and drinking establishments where visitors can sit back and admire views of the peaceful coastline. Here, you can begin your morning at The Breakfast Clwb or enjoy lunch at Catch Beach Club, treat yourself to ice cream at Odley’s Gelato and sample traditional pasties at Pembrokeshire Pasty and Pie Co. From the harbour, visitors can book a variety of boat trips to explore the surrounding area, as well as hire equipment to go crabbing along the waterfront.
For those who prefer to stay put in Saundersfoot, the Welcome Centre and Coal Museum offer a fascinating insight into the town’s origins.
Free to visit, the centre shines a light on the lives of local mining families, the hardships they endured and the gruelling conditions that shaped miners’ working days. Along the way, you’ll uncover the pivotal role the harbour once played in the area’s rich coal mining history.
Cardiff loose-head prop Rhys Barratt and Dragons back-row forwards Harri Keddie and Ryan Woodman all made their international debuts in Twickenham, but miss out on the squad for the three Tests.
Wings Gabriel Hamer-Webb and Tom Rogers, centres Bryn Bradley and Joe Roberts, fly-half Jarrod Evans, scrum-half Ellis Bevan, lock or flanker Freddie Thomas and back-row forward Olly Cracknell also miss out.
Leicester open-side flanker Tommy Reffell makes the cut after being overlooked by Tandy for the autumn internationals and Six Nations.
“We have selected a squad of 33 players for the Nations Championship to mirror what will be required for the World Cup in 2027,” said the head coach, who cut 11 players and lost Jenkins.
“We are building a lot of competition among our group of players, which is what we want to have, and there were some tough calls to make.
“We have an exciting opportunity over the next three weeks in a brand-new competition and can’t wait to get our campaign started against Fiji on Saturday.”
Louis Rees-Zammit, Max Llewellyn, Tomos Williams, Rhys Carre, Nicky Smith, James and Reffell could not face the Baa-Baas because they play for English clubs, but all return for the Nations Championship fixtures.
The loss of Jenkins means that Tandy is down to three specialist locks – Ben Carter, Teddy Williams and Adam Beard, who is included fresh from playing for Montpellier in their Top 14 final defeat by Toulouse on Saturday.
The former Ospreys second-row forward, who lost his starting spot to Carter during the Six Nations, came on in the final quarter in Paris.
“He has been with us for two campaigns, is battle-hardened and is really experienced,” said Tandy about Beard.
Wales had already lost centre Louie Hennessey, tight-head prop Keiron Assiratti and hooker Liam Belcher to injury before cutting down their squad.
GOING on holiday is something we all look forward to, but with rising prices across the board, wouldn’t it be great if you could go somewhere in the UK that looks abroad?
Think white sands and crystal clear waters – the UK is home to some great destinations that will make you feel as if you have jetted off somewhere.
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Is this in the UK or in Spain?Credit: AlamyBoth countries have jungle-like destinationsCredit: Alamy
So, let’s put it to the test – can you guess which of the following destinations are abroad and which are in the UK?
One image above shows Tresco Abbey Gardens on Tresco, in the Isles of Scilly and is noted to look more like a thriving tropical jungle than the UK.
The gardens – which first opened in the 1830s – are home to more than 20,000 plants, from 80 countries, sprawling across 17 acres.
Nestled in between the plants, you’ll also find hand-carved figures made from the wood of shipwrecked boats.
The forests are much-loved by tourists that are keen hikers, with multiple trails through them.
More specifically, Los Tilos Forest is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the island and is one of the largest laurel forests in the Canary Islands.
Answer: The first image shows Tresco Abbey Gardens on Tresco, in the Isles of Scilly and the second image shows La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain.
There is a spot in the UK and one in Germany that boast timber framed housesCredit: AlamySo which of these is which?Credit: Alamy
One image shows Dartmouth in Devon, littered with Tudor-style houses that make it look as if it has been plucked from the Netherlands or a quaint German village.
The Dutch port-style harbour is home to The Butterwalk, which is a row of overhanging half-timbered Tudor buildings dating back to the 1630s – mimicking the buildings commonly seen in the Netherlands.
The town is home to plenty of independent shops and cafes to explore and to venture around the estuary the town sits on, make sure to hop on a river cruise.
The other image shows the historic houses in Celle, Germany.
The town in northern Germany sits on the banks of the River Aller and is around 25 miles from Hanover.
The town is home to one of the largest and most densely packed collections of half-timbered houses in Europe dating from the 16th to 18th centuries.
Answer: The first image shows Celle in Germany while the second image shows Dartmouth in Devon.
Portmeirion and Portofino look similarCredit: AlamyCan you guess which destination is this image?Credit: Alamy
One image shows Portmeirion in Gwynedd in North Wales, which was built by architect Sir Clough William-Ellis to look like the Italian Riviera.
With pastel-coloured houses and a subtropical micro-climate, it really feels as if you could be in the Med.
The village has a central plaza and other European-style features include classical pillars and ornate domes.
Thanks to the micro-climate, you’ll also find exotic plants including palm trees.
Day tickets to Portmeirion cost around £20 per adult.
The other image shows the popular fishing village of Portofino on the Italian Riviera.
Known for its pastel-coloured houses, the village is cobbled throughout and boasts a number of designer stores and seafood restaurants.
To get to Portofino, jump on a ferry from Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Camogli or Genoa.
Answer: The first image shows Portmeirion in Gwynedd in North Wales, while the second image shows Portofino in Italy.
The UK is home to some beach bars that look like they could be somewhere else like GreeceCredit: AlamySo is this in Greece or in the UK?Credit: Instagram
One image shows Blackpool Sands, which is one of the UK’s most picturesque beaches and when there you’ll find a beach bar that transports you to the Med.
Complete with straw umbrellas, the cafe and bar features natural materials throughout including wood and stone.
If you prefer to be on the sand, then eat outside at one of the tables that sit directly on the golden beach.
The Greek island is known to be a haven for holidaymakers with tonnes of resorts to choose from.
Answer: The first image shows a beach bar in Crete, Greece, while the second image shows the beach bar at Blackpool Sands in Devon.
We all like white sand beachesCredit: AlamyAnd both the UK and abroad have themCredit: Alamy
One of these is Luskentyre Beach, which can be found on the Isle of Harris, in Scotland.
Well-known for its massive stretches of white sand and turquoise waters, it is easy to think that you are in the Caribbean instead.
The beach overlooks the island of Taransay and is a great spot to head off on walks.
There is a car park near the beach where you’ll also find toilets.
The other image shows Exuma Point Beach in The Bahamas.
Known for its shifting sandbars, the beach features white sand and crystal clear waters.
During low tide, you can even walk along a mile-long sandbar and spot starfish and conch shells.
If you are really lucky, you’ll spot baby nurse sharks and lemon sharks swimming in the shallow water.
Answer: The first image shows Exuma Point Beach in The Bahamas and the second image shows Luskentyre Beach in Scotland.
Other top spots have turquoise waters ideal for watersportsCredit: St Andrews LakesSo is this or the above the UK?Credit: Alamy
One of these images shows St Andrews Lakes in Halling, Kent, which is a huge outdoor attraction with bright turquoise waters found in a former quarry.
Looking like it is from elsewhere, visitors can head to the lakes for the day and enjoy an inland beach, floating lodges and a number of activities including Kent’s largest inflatable obstacle course.
If you really want to get into the holiday mode, there is a Nordic-inspired spa onsite with wood-fired saunas and hot tubs right by the lake.
When the family gets peckish, there is also an onsite pizzeria and cafe.
The other image is of Bercsenyi Beach in Balatonakarattya, Hungary.
The beach is one of the most popular and largest family-friendly beaches around Lake Balaton.
At the edge of the beach you’ll find lots of trees and when on the beach you can even have a go at sand volleyball.
For a bit more of adventure, you can also hire water bikes and kayaks.
Answer: the first image shows St Andrews Lakes in Halling, Kent and the second image shows Bercsenyi Beach in Balatonakarattya, Hungary.
Who doesn’t love a pool bar?Credit: Hotel Imperial MedYou don’t have to leave the UK to find a nice oneCredit: The Nici
One of these images is actually the newly-opened Nici hotel in Cornwall, which has a huge 20-metre indoor pool overlooking the coastline.
But for the true ‘abroad feeling’, head outside to the clifftop heated pool with views over the ocean and a vibrant poolside bar.
According to the hotel’s website, The Nici is “inspired by the sun-soaked glamour of the Amalfi Coast” and has the “indulgence of a Mediterranean escape”.
There’s even direct lift access from the hotel to the beach below.
Rooms at The Nici Newquay cost from £155 per night.
It was an uncapped warm-up game for the Nations Championship tournament which starts with the opening game against Fiji at the Cardiff City Stadium next Saturday before away trips against Argentina and South Africa.
Morgan took over the captaincy at half-time when Lake was taken off.
“I love being back,” said Morgan. “It’s always an honour to be able to put the jersey on and I was chuffed to be back in the field with the boys.
“It was a tough game against a good Barbarians side and it was great to be able to get that win.”
Morgan says he has seen improvements under Tandy since his return.
“It’s been great to be able to watch because you can see how Steve and the coaches want to implement the game,” said Morgan.
“You can see during the Six Nations we’re getting better every game. You could see the identity we were trying to bring through.
“You always want to be out in the field, but it was great to be able to watch the boys play and I thought they did a brilliant job.”
