Freddie Mercury’s ‘splendid things’ to go on display at V&A

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Eight costumes spanning Queen frontman’s career will feature in a free trail developed with his former fiancee

Eight famous costumes worn by Freddie Mercury, including the outfit featured on the cover of Queen’s debut album and the catsuit from the video for Bohemian Rhapsody, are to go on display at the V&A in London this autumn to mark what would have been the singer’s 80th birthday.

Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things, a free trail developed with Mercury’s former fiancee and close friend Mary Austin, will run from 24 October 2026 to 17 January 2027. Austin is lending seven of the looks, which span Mercury’s career from the 1970s to his final years.

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NHS England to offer women ‘gamechanging’ free home testing kits for cervical cancer

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NHS has target of eliminating the cancer by 2040, but up to 4 million eligible women are not up to date with screening

Millions of women in England who have missed cervical screening appointments will be offered free home testing kits on the NHS.

The move comes amid concerns that only two-thirds of women attend in-person cervical screening appointments when asked to do so, leaving as many as 4 million women not up to date.

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Europe’s heatwaves threaten insurers’ earnings, rating agency S&P says

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Rise in claims linked to heat-related deaths and illness, especially among older people, could drive up premiums

Europe’s intense heatwaves could hit insurers’ earnings as companies face a rise in claims linked to heat-related deaths and worsening health conditions, the rating agency S&P has said.

While a long summer of extreme heat will have increased drought and wildfire-related claims, the rating agency said there would also be fallout for life and health insurers, and for the reinsurers who provide financial protection to insurance companies.

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At least 35,000 excess deaths recorded in Europe’s back-to-back heatwaves

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True figure likely to be much higher as it only covers about half of continent and does not include August totals

At least 35,000 more people died during Europe’s four record-breaking, back-to-back heatwaves this summer than would normally be expected, according to incomplete figures from barely half the continent.

Excess mortality in three of the EU’s larger countries – Germany, France and Spain – alone has already exceeded 25,000, according to the provisional national figures, and experts say the toll will rise significantly once August totals are consolidated.

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Liberals criticise ‘unimpressive and underwhelming’ rail loop plan as Victorian premier pushes ahead after hinting at pause

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A day after suggesting other projects were more important to Victorians, Ben Carroll says train line will go ahead but at a slightly reduced cost

The Victorian opposition has described Ben Carroll’s plan to scale back new train stations along the Suburban Rail Loop to shave just over 5% off its total cost as “incredibly unimpressive and underwhelming”.

The premier on Tuesday announced changes to the scope of the first stage of the state’s largest-ever infrastructure project, known as SRL East – a 26km stretch of tunnels between Cheltenham and Box Hill – estimated to save $1bn. He also ordered an “independent, technical review” to identify a further $1bn in savings.

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Saudi Arabia, France agree on $7bn ‘Dragon Ball Z’ theme park project near Paris – Nikkei Asia

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  1. Saudi Arabia, France agree on $7bn 'Dragon Ball Z' theme park project near Paris  Nikkei Asia
  2. France, Saudi Arabia agree on €6 billion Dragon Ball Z theme park project near Paris  Reuters
  3. New Saudi-backed manga-themed amusement park set to open near Paris  France 24
  4. Saudi Arabia to invest €6B in massive French theme park site  politico.eu
  5. Macron hosts Saudi's crown prince for contested visit  Le Monde.fr
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Israel’s Netanyahu claims Iran tried to kill one of his sons – Al Jazeera

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  1. Israel’s Netanyahu claims Iran tried to kill one of his sons  Al Jazeera
  2. Netanyahu says Iran ‘tried to murder one of my sons,’ doesn’t give further details  The Times of Israel
  3. Iran tried to assassinate one of Netanyahu's sons, prime minister says  Fox News
  4. 'Iran tried to assassinate one of my sons,' Netanyahu reveals  The Jerusalem Post
  5. Israel's Netanyahu says Iran tried to kill one of his sons  Reuters
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China is the biggest buyer of Iran’s oil. Could US sanctions threaten those ties? – The Guardian

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  1. China is the biggest buyer of Iran’s oil. Could US sanctions threaten those ties?  The Guardian
  2. The US says it’ll crack down on countries doing business with Iran. Who’s buying Iranian oil?  CNN
  3. Why China Thinks It Can Resist Trump’s Economic Threats on Iran  The New York Times
  4. Iran Oil Cargoes Dry Up Even Before US Acts on Tehran Threats  Bloomberg.com
  5. Looming US sanctions on Iran put China oil buying in spotlight  Reuters
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Trump administration plans to revoke 200,000 visas of asylum seekers

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The state department will revoke B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026, whose holders have sought or are now seeking asylum

Donald Trump’s administration said on Monday it planned to revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the US, marking its latest step in a sweeping immigration crackdown.

A state department spokesperson said it was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security “to identify and revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently”.

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Major Russian oil refinery reportedly struck in Ukrainian attack – The Kyiv Independent

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  1. Major Russian oil refinery reportedly struck in Ukrainian attack  The Kyiv Independent
  2. Drone Strike Sparks Fire at Oil Refinery in Southern Russia  Bloomberg.com
  3. On Ukraine’s strategy of hitting Russian oil infrastructure  Asia Times
  4. Reuters: Ukrainian drones knocked out a major Russian oil refinery in Perm for the second time this year  Meduza
  5. Fire breaks out at Afipsky oil refinery in Russia following drone attack  Ukrinform
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Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella announces immigration crackdown – The Guardian

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  1. Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella announces immigration crackdown  The Guardian
  2. Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status  AP News
  3. New Colombian president orders immigration raids as part of crackdown  Euronews.com
  4. Abelardo de la Espriella orders immediate deportation of irregular immigrants from Colombia: ‘It’s a political decision’  EL PAÍS English
  5. Colombia Migration  Bluefield Daily Telegraph
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Japan enlists 1,800 people to drag a 360-tonne castle keep using ropes and rollers

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After repairs to Hirosaki Castle in Aomori prefecture, officials employed a technique known as hikiya to move the structure more than two metres

To chants of “so-re, so-re”, about 1,800 people came together in northern Japan over the weekend to pull a 360-tonne castle keep a little more than two metres closer to its original resting place as part of ongoing renovations.

The keep – a fortified tower within a castle – had to be moved to repair a wall that was damaged in a major earthquake.

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