It was on a family holiday to Mexico that Sarah Koseki’s eye issues first began.
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The news last week that men aged over 50 will no longer have the right to a free prostate cancer test if they have no symptoms has caused a storm of protest.
Frantic Friday is expected to bring long delays and heavy traffic across major roads in Wales
Record breaking traffic could be on its way this weekend (Image: John Myers)
Drivers have been warned that they could face long delays along the M4 this bank holiday weekend as it is expected to be the busiest on the roads in 11 years. Heavy traffic is likely as an estimated 20m trips are made over the long weekend from Friday, August 29 to Monday August 31, according to RAC predictions.
Over the four days the UK’s motorways and major roads could see the highest volume of traffic since the RAC’s records began in 2015.
Friday, named as ‘frantic Friday’ is expected to be the busiest in Wales with the longest delays expected on the M4 west from junction 38 near Port Talbot to junction 46, near Llangyfelach Felindre, Swansea, which is expected to bring delays of around 40 mins at around 3.30pm.
Further traffic is expected on the M4 on Friday as the M4 east from junction 29 for Cardiff to junction 24 for Newport could also be affected, with delays of around 20 minutes at 3.30pm.
Looking at the M4 stretch from the Severn Crossing to Bridgend, the RAC could see delays of around an hour at 8am with traffic being affected in both directions.
Monday isn’t looking as bad traffic wise, with the M4 from Bridgend to the Severn Crossing potentially experiencing delays of around 20 minutes at noon.
Due to the conflict in the Middle East, a tank of petrol now costs £89 compared to £74 a year ago, while a tank of diesel costs £100 compared to £79 a year ago. Fuel prices are said to have an effect on the amount of people taking to the roads this bank holiday as 13% have decided to “scrap their weekend as a result of prices at the pumps.”
RAC breakdown spokesperson Harriet Hernando has given advice on how to avoid the traffic: “With record numbers making a getaway over the bank holiday, it looks like Brits are buoyed by the persistent warm and dry weather and are more confident in making plans for the late summer bank holiday weekend – which is quite often a washout.
“Drivers should be ready for ‘frantic Friday’ and think about setting off before 10am if they can. If the warm weather continues, people should be prepared in case they get caught in a traffic jam, by carrying plenty of water.
“Drivers should do everything they can to avoid their cars letting them down; checking oil and coolant when the engine is cold are two simple things that can cut the chances of a serious breakdown, as is ensuring tyres have plenty of grip and are inflated to the correct pressures.”
Have we become a nation of depressives? It appears so, according to shocking figures released today showing that as many as one in seven in England are taking antidepressants.
Women who go through the menopause early are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s at a younger age, new research suggests.
Motorists reported witnessing a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction along the dual carriageway before police intervened and brought the vehicle to a stop
The incident took place on the A55 – the image is a generic Google Maps image and is not of the incident(Image: Google maps)
A taxi company has released a statement following the arrest of a man caught driving the wrong way along the A55 on Monday evening.
Motorists reported witnessing a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction along the dual carriageway before North Wales Police intervened and brought the vehicle to a stop.
Officers arrested a man in connection with the incident which is understood to have followed a collision on London Road in Holyhead, where a cyclist sustained injuries.
It had been believed that the vehicle involved belonged to Tacsi Zoe, an Anglesey-based taxi firm. The company has since confirmed that one of their vehicles was stolen on Monday and that none of its drivers had any involvement in the A55 incident.
Their statement read: “I was personally caught up in this and, like many others, found the whole situation extremely scary and traumatic.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that this was not myself or any of my drivers. A huge thank you to all the police officers involved for their quick response and for bringing the situation to a safe conclusion.
“The police are asking anyone who may have CCTV, dashcam footage or photographs of damaged vehicles connected to the incident to contact 101 and obtain a crime reference number so that the information and damage can be properly recorded and dealt with.”
A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: “One man has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in police custody while enquiries continue. The A55 was temporarily closed while officers dealt with the incident and ensured the road was safe to reopen.
“Prior to the vehicle entering the A55 a person was knocked off a bicycle on London Road in Holyhead, sustaining none life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital. A number of parked vehicles were also damaged.
“We can confirm that there were no collisions as a result of the vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on the A55. Enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.
“North Wales Police acknowledges in light of the recent events that have taken place involving Cleveland police the feelings that this incident may attract. We would like to offer our condolences to all those affected by those tragic events.”
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Ahead of winter, some homeowners could be making an important decision
British Gas has issued advice for households weighing up whether to swap a gas boiler for a heat pump. In a new video shared on Facebook, the company said it understands many people feel overwhelmed when choosing a new heating system and acknowledged it is a ‘big decision’.
Keen to help, a team member explained the differences to consider. He told viewers: “A gas boiler burns gas to create heat, which warms up water and sends it around your home.
“A heat pump works differently. It runs on electricity, takes heat from the air outside and boosts it and brings it into your home. Because of that, a heat pumps are lower carbon, more efficient, and designed to last longer than a typical boiler.
“They’re also built to run steadily in the background, keeping your home a comfortable, consistent temperature. But there are a few key differences. Boilers are usually cheaper up front, quicker to install, and heat your home up faster.
“Heat pumps cost more to install, but they’re lower carbon, more efficient, and can last 20 years or more. If you’ve got a heat button, you can also take advantage of tariffs, like the British Gas heat power tariff.”
Customers can visit the British Gas website for more information. It explains that installation typically takes longer than a standard boiler upgrade. “Every home is different – and so is each installation project.
“Most of our heat pump installations take five days, but this will depend on your property. Some customers just need a little bit of work to make the change from boiler to heat pump, but others need things like bigger radiators, new pipework, or better insulation.”
However, the good news is that British Gas says the level of disruption isn’t the same as with typical building projects and planning permission is not usually required. “Unless you live in a listed building or in a conservation area, you won’t need planning permission for a heat pump. They’re classified as a permitted development,” the experts said.
Customers interested in a heat pump can book a free home survey to receive a fixed-price quote. British Gas added: “We’ll take a couple of hours to look at your home and your current heating system, then recommend the perfect heat pump set-up for you.
“And if we don’t think a heat pump is the right heating solution – because your home isn’t well insulated enough, for example – we’ll talk you through the alternatives we can offer, like the latest energy-efficient boilers.”
From today, DIY smear tests will be sent out to four million women across England who have failed to turn up to their in-person appointment.
The news is very often about the bad things (especially if you’re on the Guardian’s environment desk). Wildfires, floods, tipping points, billionaires making huge profits and buying themselves island refuges for the apocalypse … And yet, ticking along beside that is the steady pulse of what the rest of humanity is doing in response to the climate crisis. From housing developments with no cars to buildings made out of hemp, all over the planet people are ploughing ahead and changing their neighbourhoods and cities and the world.
But as news stories typically need to be about new developments or things people didn’t previously know about, it can be hard to cover all those brilliant initiatives being undertaken in the background – no matter how cheering they are. Which is why, back in 2023, we decided to ignore the usual rules about what constitutes “news” and start writing about them anyway. Readers, we knew, would like to hear about them.
And so was born the Alternatives, a weekly news column where we cover these different projects. We’re constantly amazed by some of the things we learn. Norway has heat pumps in two-thirds of its homes. China’s sponge cities are targeting 70% rainwater reuse. Paris is building a gigantic cooling machine using river water. It feels as if the series is a vast chronicle of the transformations that are taking place everywhere, far faster than we sometimes realise.
This year, as part of the Guardian’s annual climate support campaign, we are highlighting all of the work that our environment team does to bring readers positive ideas such as those above, providing hope that a better world is possible if we start acting on it.
So, we asked our environment reporters around the world to share one big idea from their journalism – funded by you – that has helped drive or inspire some kind of positive change for the planet. Their answers are below.
Climate and environment reporter, Guardian Australia
Many objections to wind turbines cite the impact on wildlife, such as birds and bats. But there are simple fixes and innovations that demonstrate there doesn’t need to be a trade-off between clean energy and safeguarding biodiversity. One such approach I reported – which involves raising the “cut in” speed at which turbines start spinning – has the potential to save tens of thousands of native bats every year, with minimal impact on energy output.
European environment correspondent
Sausage-hungry and schnitzel-loving Germany is not a likely place for plant-based food to boom, but it’s a case study in how individual green choices have a surprisingly powerful ripple effect. I reported on the hospitals winning patients over as they change menus to enable healthier diets with more plants and less meat.
Environment editor
When everything seems wrapped in gloom, we need fresh thinking and some can-do attitude. That’s why I loved interviewing Mariana Mazzucato, one of the world’s leading economic and social thinkers, about her stimulating ideas of re-basing politics on the global common good. She shows that we can change the world for the better, including fixing the climate crisis, and though she advises global leaders , she also believes the joy we can bring to our daily lives – like carnivals and communal eating – can be just as powerful.
Environment editor
When I reported in 2020 that microplastic pollution had been discovered at the top of Mount Everest, it showed that humanity’s litter had polluted the entire planet. But it also inspired a young researcher to set up an award-winning project that is now recycling plastic in Nepal into much-needed insulation for homes and stopping the waste contaminating the high mountain nation.
Global environment writer
I covered a new report by Thomas Piketty and co at the World Inequality Lab, which shows us that a just and equitable world is possible. I also highlighted how new energy is bringing a new world order, with China dominating the energy transition with astonishing results, while fossil fuel fascists in the US try to turn back the clock.
Senior climate reporter, Guardian US
A barley farm in the US Pacific Northwest had been quietly leeching pollutants into the nearby watershed. It has long been an issue along the southern Oregon coast, where 95% of the sprawling networks of wetlands were drained, diverted, or dried, and replaced by cattle ranges and crops. But when Karl Wenner acquired the land in 2021, he wanted to try something new. By restoring a wetland on just 28 of the farm’s 162 hectares, he created a welcome sanctuary for migrating and native birds that are disappearing from the area, endangered native fish who can be spotted swimming near rows of sprouting barley, and the plants that quickly soaked up the phosphorus, stopping run-off. The remarkable transformation was not only beneficial to the environment – it was a boon to business. The story showcased a symbiotic solution to one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems.
This year’s Guardian climate support campaign highlights our unrivalled coverage of the climate emergency, including our reporting on the ideas and initiatives that can help tackle it. Please consider supporting it today.
A broken down vehicle has caused delays on a busy road in Cardiff.
There’s queueing traffic and one lane closed due to the issue on A4232 southbound from M4 junction 33 (Cardiff west and services, Capel Llanilltern) to A48 Cowbridge Road (Culver House Cross, Twyn-Yr-Odyn).
Traffic Wales cameras show a significant build-up of traffic in the area.
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