August 08
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Police officers are being forced to cover for other services – including responding to ambulance calls – as the NHS buckles under surging demand.
The chief inspector of the UK’s forces warned that up to a third of time was being spent on non-police work, hampering efforts to tackle crime.
Armed police have even been called out to patients suffering heart attacks because of a shortage of available paramedics. Andy Cooke, HM chief inspector of constabulary, told The Independent that this was the result of an NHS crisis and cuts to mental health provision and social services.
He warned that it was pulling police away from tackling crime at a time when recorded offences are at a record high in England and Wales. |
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August 09
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FBI agents have executed a search warrant at former president Donald Trump’s Florida home. Mr Trump said his Mar-a-Lago residence was “currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents” in a statement on Monday evening.
He also said they “broke into” his safe. “These are dark times for our Nation,” Mr Trump said. “Nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the United States before. After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate.”
According to The New York Times, the raid on Mr Trump’s part-time home was carried out as part of an ongoing investigation into the former president’s alleged theft of classified materials during the presidential transition.
In February, then-Archivist of the United States David Ferriero told the House Oversight Committee that the National Archives and Records Administration (Nara) had “identified items marked as classified national security information” within 15 boxes retrieved from Mar-a-Lago nearly a year after Mr Trump’s term as president expired. > Read more about this: The greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history according to Donald Trump |
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What is the NHS dentist shortage and why is it happening? |
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People are turning to “DIY dentistry” because they can’t get appointments, with nine in 10 NHS dental practices across the UK not accepting new adult patients.
No dentists are taking on adult patients for treatment in a third of the UK’s more than 200 council areas, an investigation has found.
The survey of around 7,000 NHS practices also revelaed that eight out of 10 were not taking on children. |
August 10
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More than half of Britons (55 per cent) believe an organised campaign of non-payment of energy bills is justified if prices rocket upwards as forecast this winter, according to a new poll.
And almost half (44 per cent) fear that there will be riots if consumers are given no further help with bills expected to top £3,500 from October and £4,000 by the spring.
The findings by pollster Savanta came as former chancellor Rishi Sunak promised “hundreds of pounds more” to the most vulnerable households if he becomes prime minister.
His rival for the Conservative leadership Liz Truss refused to commit to direct payments to those most in need. |
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August 11
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Firefighters have warned they will not be able to attend all call-outs as the second deadly heatwave in weeks stretches services already at “crisis point”.
Senior staff from crews around the country told The Independent that unprecedented demand and a lack of resources meant crews are not properly equipped to respond to the scale of heat-related incidents caused by the climate crisis.
They also raised concerns that drought conditions could hamper their abilities to tackle wildfires if lakes and ponds can no longer be used to access water.
A four-day extreme heat warning has been issued by the Met Office, as well as an “exceptional” warning for how severe fires could become if started.
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Could we really see more swarms of wasps because of hot and dry weather? |
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It has been a hot and dry summer for the UK so far, with scorching conditions expected to continue in August.
Record-breaking temperatures and months of sparse rainfall have resulted in dramatic changes to the natural world, with fields parched from a lack of water and burnt by wildfires. Reports have suggested there could be another change as a result of the heat and lack of rain: a surge in the number of wasps. But leading experts tell The Independent this is by no means a given – and the dry weather could even threaten their population. |
August 12
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Water companies have failed to meet their own targets for cutting household leaks and domestic use as parts of the country brace for a drought to be declared.
Of the 17 largest companies in England and Wales regulated by Ofwat, only South West Water met its goal to reduce water consumption to 142 litres per day per person in 2021-22, through the rollout of smart meters, fixing leaks and advising customers how to save water.
The missed targets combined with companies’ failure to fix faulty main pipes, estimated to spew out about 3 billion litres a day, have led to calls for action to reduce demand and bolster dwindling stocks amid the second major heatwave in weeks.
The National Drought Group will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to decide whether to declare a drought in parts of England, which would prompt further restrictions on water use. |
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