Gayathri Kallukaran is a Junior Journalist with Eastern Eye. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Paul’s College, Bengaluru, and brings over five years of experience in content creation, including two years in digital journalism. She covers stories across culture, lifestyle, travel, health, and technology, with a creative yet fact-driven approach to reporting. Known for her sensitivity towards human interest narratives, Gayathri’s storytelling often aims to inform, inspire, and empower. Her journey began as a layout designer and reporter for her college’s daily newsletter, where she also contributed short films and editorial features. Since then, she has worked with platforms like FWD Media, Pepper Content, and Petrons.com, where several of her interviews and features have gained spotlight recognition. Fluent in English, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi, she writes in English and Malayalam, continuing to explore inclusive, people-focused storytelling in the digital space.
Second heatwave of June 2025 will see temperatures exceed 30°C
Hottest day of the year so far may be recorded on Monday
Wimbledon and Glastonbury could break event-specific temperature records
Cooler conditions possible by Tuesday, but some areas may remain hot
Health and infrastructure alerts issued due to extreme heat
UK set for another burst of extreme summer heat
A second heatwave this June is forecast to push UK temperatures above 30°C over the weekend, with the hottest conditions likely early next week. The surge in heat could rival or even surpass the current high of 33.2°C, recorded on 21 June in Charlwood, Surrey.
The unusually hot spell is linked to a warm airmass crossing from North America and is likely to affect much of England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, will experience milder conditions.
Fresh Thursday, then rising heat from Friday
Thursday will bring rain and showers across parts of the country, offering temporary relief. However, from Friday, humidity levels are expected to rise as a result of a warm airmass that originated from the recent extreme heatwave in the United States.
While rain may continue in north-western areas, eastern England will see increasing sunshine, with temperatures climbing into the high 20s.
Heatwave conditions across large parts of England
By Saturday, a ridge of high pressure over Europe will intensify the heat across southern and central regions. Areas such as south-east England, East Anglia, the Midlands, and Central Southern England are expected to hit between 27°C and 30°C.
On Sunday, the heat will expand into parts of east Wales and the north of England. East Anglia and the south-east are likely to experience the highest temperatures, potentially reaching 32°C.
Monday may see highest temperature of the year
Forecasters predict Monday could mark the peak of the heatwave. Temperatures in parts of East Anglia and the south-east may reach 33°C to 34°C. If this is achieved, it would surpass the current 2025 high of 33.2°C.
The all-time UK June record of 35.6°C, set in Southampton during the summer of 1976, is unlikely to be broken, but the forecasted figures are not far off.
Cooler air could arrive from Tuesday
There is uncertainty in the forecast from Tuesday onwards. Many weather models indicate a shift towards cooler, fresher conditions from the west. However, some areas, particularly in the east, may retain higher temperatures for another day or two.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are not expected to reach heatwave criteria, with temperatures generally remaining in the low 20s. Rain, possibly heavy at times, could return on Monday.
Events, travel and health advice amid high temperatures
Major summer events such as Wimbledon and Glastonbury could be impacted. Wimbledon may start hotter than ever before, potentially surpassing the 29.3°C recorded at Kew in 2001. Glastonbury might approach its 2017 record of 31.2°C from Rodney Stoke.
Extreme heat poses risks to infrastructure. Train services may be disrupted due to the possibility of tracks expanding or buckling. Public health is also a concern, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing conditions.
The government and NHS continue to issue heat-health alerts, advising people to stay hydrated, avoid peak sun hours, and look out for vulnerable individuals.
AAKASH ODEDRA has been appointed a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist, the organisation has announced.
Born in Birmingham and based in Leicester, Odedra is known for combining classical and contemporary dance to reflect British Asian experiences.
He recently won Best Male Dancer and Outstanding Male Classical Performance at the National Dance Awards.
Odedra founded his company in 2011 and has performed over 300 full-length shows in 40 countries. His new work Songs of the Bulbul, which blends kathak dance with Sufi poetry, will be staged at Sadler’s Wells East from 17 to 19 July 2025.
His previous productions at Sadler’s Wells include Mehek in 2024, a duet with Aditi Mangaldas, and Samsara in 2022, presented with the Bagri Foundation.
Aakash Odedra said: “To become an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells feels like the golden gates of dance heaven have opened. It is, in the truest sense, an honour, and I am deeply humbled.”
Sir Alistair Spalding said: “As Aakash goes from strength to strength both as a performer and as a choreographic artist it is a pleasure to bring him to the family of Sadler’s Wells Associate Artists.”
Rob Jones said: “He is an incredible artist who over the years has grown and developed and we’re looking forward to following him on this journey.”
Odedra joins a group of Associate Artists including Akram Khan, Crystal Pite, Hofesh Shechter, and others. The appointments were made by Sir Alistair Spalding and Rob Jones.
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Voters go to the polls as local elections are held in England on May 01, 2025 in Hull, England.
THE government said on Thursday (17) it planned to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all UK elections in a major overhaul of the country's democratic system.
The government said the proposed changes were part of an effort to boost public trust in democracy and would align voting rights across Britain, where younger voters already participate in devolved elections in Scotland and Wales.
"They're old enough to go out to work, they're old enough to pay taxes ... and I think if you pay in, you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go," prime minister Keir Starmer told ITV News.
The change will require parliamentary approval, but that is unlikely to present an obstacle because the policy was part of Starmer's election campaign last year which gave him a large majority.
Despite that win, Starmer's popularity has fallen sharply in government after a series of missteps set against a difficult economic backdrop. His party sits second in most opinion polls behind Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK Party.
A poll of 500 16 and 17 year-olds conducted by Merlin Strategy for ITV News showed 33 per cent said they would vote Labour, 20 per cent would vote Reform, 18 per cent would vote Green, 12 per cent Liberal Democrats and 10 per cent Conservative.
There are about 1.6 million 16 and 17 year-olds in the UK, according to official data. Just over 48 million people were eligible to vote at the last election, in which turnout fell to its lowest since 2001. The next election is due in 2029.
Research from other countries has shown lowering the voting age had no impact on election outcomes, but that 16-year-olds were more likely to vote than those first eligible at 18.
"Voting at 16 will also help more young people to cast that all-important, habit-forming vote at a point when they can be supported with civic education," said Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society.
The reforms would also expand acceptable voter ID to include UK-issued bank cards and digital formats of existing IDs, such as driving licences and Veteran Cards.
A more automated system will also be introduced to simplify the process of registering to vote.
To tackle foreign interference, the government plans to tighten rules on political donations, including checks on contributions over £500 from unincorporated associations and closing loopholes used by shell companies.
“By reinforcing safeguards against foreign interference, we will strengthen our democratic institutions and protect them for future generations,” democracy minister Rushanara Ali said in a statement.
(Reuters)
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Naga Munchetty attends 'An Audience With Kylie' at The Royal Albert Hall on December 01, 2023 in London. (Photo: Getty Images)
NAGA MUNCHETTY is reportedly preparing to leave BBC Breakfast, with her representatives in talks with LBC for potential new opportunities, according to reports.
The development comes a day after Munchetty was named the fourth highest-paid woman at the BBC. The broadcaster’s annual pay disclosure showed her salary in the £355,000 to £359,000 range, which includes her work on Radio 5, reported Express Online.
Reports suggest Munchetty is considering leaving following a bullying probe involving BBC Breakfast. While show director Richard Frediani was investigated for his “draconian” management style and alleged misconduct, the fallout also brought attention to Munchetty’s conduct.
A source told The Sun: “The fallout of Frediani’s investigation created a stark ‘him or her’ narrative on Breakfast with Naga flung to the front line. The fact is she loves the BBC and her job but there’s only so much external noise anyone is prepared to take.”
The source added that Munchetty’s team recently resumed discussions with LBC: “LBC would suit her well as the focus remains on news-led broadcasting... Her team last week renewed historic talks with the Global radio station.”
Frediani has returned to work following a period of leave. The BBC told Express.co.uk: “While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously.”
Munchetty currently co-hosts three days a week with Charlie, who is reportedly on £190,000, while Sally Nugent earns £200,000 and Jon Kay £240,000.
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Southport murder suspect Axel Rudakubana appears via video link at the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Britain, October 30, 2024, in this courtroom sketch. Courtesy of Julia Quenzler/Handout via REUTERS.
BRITAIN's counter-radicalisation scheme Prevent needs to rapidly adapt to avoid mistakes which saw two men who had been referred to the programme go on to commit deadly knife attacks, a review concluded on Wednesday (16).
Prevent has been a key strand of Britain’s security apparatus since the September 11 attacks on the US in 2001, with the aim of stopping radicalisation and preventing people from going on to commit acts of violence.
But since its inception it has faced criticism from some Muslims who argue it has been used to spy on their communities, while some referrals have gone on to commit acts of terrorism.
The government commissioned a report into the scheme after it emerged that teenager Axel Rudakubana, who murdered three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport last year, had previously been referred by his school, but concerns about his violent tendencies were not acted upon.
David Anderson, the Interim Independent Prevent Commissioner, looked at the case of Ali Harbi Ali, who was inspired by the Daesh (Islamic State group) to stab to death veteran lawmaker David Amess in 2021.
Ali too had previously been referred to Prevent by his school, and Anderson said both cases involved a long string of mistakes and poor judgments.
He concluded that the scheme, while it worked sometimes, had to improve and adapt, applying to those who were simply obsessed with violence, such as Rudakubana. In the longer term, it should become part of a broader safeguarding and violence protection system, he said.
"More needs to be done," Anderson said. "Prevent needs to up its game in the online world, where most radicalisation now takes place."
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government would immediately act on his findings.
The most recent figures showed in the year to the end of March 2024, 6,922 people had been referred to Prevent, an increase of 1.5 per cent on the previous 12 months.
Of those, 36 per cent were related to vulnerable individuals with no clear ideology or counter terrorism risk, 19 per cent over extreme right-wing concerns, and 13 per cent regarding Islamist radicalisation.
Only two years ago, another independent review concluded that Prevent should refocus its efforts more on the threat posed by militant Islamism after becoming too concerned with extreme right-wing ideologies.
(Reuters)
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Singh did not possess a birth certificate, but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911. (Photo: Getty Images)
A CANADA-based man accused of fatally hitting 114-year-old marathoner Fauja Singh with an SUV in Punjab has been arrested and sent to judicial custody. Officials said the accused had returned to India just three weeks ago.
Jalandhar rural senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harvinder Singh told a press conference that 26-year-old Amritpal Singh Dhillon was arrested on Tuesday night and his vehicle was seized. He said police treated the case as a challenge and solved it within 30 hours.
Later, Dhillon was produced before a court in Jalandhar and remanded to judicial custody for two weeks.
Dhillon, a native of Kartarpur, had gone to Canada on a tourist visa and later received a work permit valid till 2027. He returned to India late last month and was arrested from his home in Kartarpur.
During preliminary questioning, Dhillon told police he was in a hurry and driving at high speed when the accident happened. “At that time, he was not aware of the identity of the man hit by the car. He told us that he got scared (after the accident) and that is why he did not stop his vehicle there,” the SSP said.
He added that Dhillon was headed towards Jalandhar but returned home through nearby villages after the accident. Dhillon also said he had one of the car’s tyres changed that same day.
The SSP said it was Dhillon’s responsibility to stop the vehicle and take Fauja Singh to a hospital.
Fauja Singh was walking down the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway in his native village Bias when he was hit while crossing the road. He succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening. Villagers said the impact threw Singh five to seven feet into the air.
His son Harvinder Singh told reporters in Jalandhar on Wednesday that Dhillon could have taken his father to hospital immediately. “Maybe that could have saved his life. Had he not fled, we were anyway not going to have taken any action against him (the erring driver),” he said.
The SSP said Dhillon had no previous criminal record. He added that it was possible Dhillon was not accustomed to Indian driving conditions. “It is possible that since in India there is left-hand drive (rule) while in Canada it is right-hand, one could not get a grip on the driving (conditions) here,” he said. Dhillon was alone in the car at the time of the incident.
The police said Dhillon is on a work permit in Canada and works as a labourer. His mother and three sisters also live in Canada.
The vehicle, a Punjab-registered Toyota Fortuner, was identified using CCTV footage, headlight fragments and other parts recovered from the spot. “In one of the CCTV footage, the registration number of the vehicle was readable, and we tracked that. The vehicle's owners changed more than once (due to resale),” SSP Singh said.
On the timeline of events, the SSP said Fauja Singh had gone out for a walk after lunch. “Around 3.08 pm, when he reached the main road, the vehicle hit him. Some passers-by and some of his family members took him to a hospital in Jalandhar, where he succumbed to injuries.”
Expressing grief over Singh’s death, the SSP said he should not have died in this manner. “Fauja Singh earned his name worldwide, and we all are very proud of it.”
Political leaders across parties expressed condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Singh was extraordinary for his unique persona and for inspiring Indian youth on fitness.
Fauja Singh began his marathon career at 89 and gained worldwide recognition for his endurance and achievements, earning the nickname 'Turbaned Tornado'. Born in 1911 into a farming family, he was the youngest of four siblings and became the first centenarian to complete a marathon. He ran in events in London, New York, and Hong Kong.
In 2011, at the age of 100, he took part in an invitational meet in Toronto named in his honour, where he broke several world records for his age group. Singh returned to India around three years ago after spending much of his running career in Britain. Last year, he joined Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria in a walkathon to raise awareness against drug abuse.