Evening Briefing: Thursday 13 August 2026
- Heat and water: Britain recorded its hottest day of the year at 38.1C, with wildfires and drought still biting, though rain is forecast to break the spell. Hosepipe bans and pressure on food prices are set to linger.
- Mortgages: US inflation stayed soft again, easing global borrowing costs and nudging UK gilt yields a little lower — modest relief for mortgage rates, though weak UK growth clouds the outlook.
- Food and petrol: Ukraine’s strike on a major Russian grain port could push up global wheat prices, while oil eased back below $88 a barrel, taking some pressure off the pumps.
Ukraine Strikes Russian Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk
Ukraine launched a large coordinated strike on the Russian Black Sea port and naval base of Novorossiysk, halting operations at two grain export terminals and, Kyiv said, damaging several Russian warships. Al Jazeera reported three people…
Colombia Quake Search Enters Final Phase, Toll Near 265
The search for survivors of the earthquake in western Colombia has entered what officials call its final phase, with the confirmed death toll at around 265 and rescuers reporting it may be approaching 300. The number of people still missin…
Congo Ebola Toll Passes 2,100 as Outbreak Spreads
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 2,100 people and spread to a sixth province, with the World Health Organization warning it is on track to become the deadliest on record. The agency says the virus…
Doubts Grow Over Iran Plot That Moved Trump's Plane
Questions have emerged over the alleged Iranian plot that led the Secret Service to move President Trump off Air Force One during a visit to Turkey. Reports say the CIA held low confidence in the threat even as Mr Trump was switched to ano…
UN Warns Yemen at Highest Conflict Risk Since 2022 Truce
The United Nations warned that Yemen faces its highest risk of conflict since a 2022 truce, days after a deadly Houthi “double-tap” strike killed six people on a cargo ship in the Red Sea. The US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz dra…
Britain Records Hottest Day of the Year at 38.1C
Temperatures reached 38.1C this afternoon, the highest of the year and the peak of the summer’s fifth heatwave, the Met Office said. It falls short of the UK record of 40.3C set in July 2022, but comes with wildfires at their highest level…
Economy Grew 0.4% but Treasury Warns Iran War Threatens Growth
The confirmed 0.4 per cent growth in the second quarter was overshadowed today by Treasury warnings that the conflict with Iran could slow the economy to as little as 0.3 per cent next year. Officials cautioned that momentum was already fa…
Voters Go to the Polls in Clacton By-Election
Voters in the Essex seat of Clacton went to the polls today in a closely watched by-election, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage fighting to hold the constituency against a field of 34 candidates, among them the satirist Count Binface. Pol…
UK Defends Seizure of Russian Tanker as Putin Cries "Piracy"
The government defended its seizure of a Russian shadow-fleet oil tanker in the Channel, part of efforts to enforce sanctions on Moscow’s covert oil trade. President Putin condemned the move as “piracy” and threatened to seize British vess…
Burnham Urges Retailers to Stop Selling Disposable Barbecues
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has urged retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues, blaming them for igniting wildfires during the heatwave. The call follows this week’s emergency Cobra meeting on the fires and drought gripping England.…