UK to be hit by more thunderstorms as yellow weather warnings continue

Millions more people have been warned to expect heavy rain and thunderstorms through the weekend and into next week as the Met Office issues fresh yellow weather warnings.

The forecaster issued two yellow rain alerts for Scotland and south-west England on Sunday as a thunderstorm warning was put in place for much of the UK on Monday.

The rain warning covering Scotland is set to be in place until noon on Sunday, while the warning for the South West will last until 9pm that day.

On Monday, the UK is braced for further thunderstorms as the Met Office issued a further yellow warning between 11am and 9pm.

The Met Office said people in these areas should prepare for the slight chance of power cuts and that homes and businesses could be flooded.

These thunderstorms could bring 15 to 20mm of rain within an hour in places, with perhaps as much 30mm in a few hours, according to the Met Office.

Chief meteorologist Andy Page said: “Intense rainfall will impact parts of the UK as thunderstorms move in from France.

“This weekend is expected to be busy on the roads as more schools in England and Wales break up for the summer holidays, so it’s important people keep up to date with the very latest forecast.

“There will be spells of more pleasant weather in parts of the UK through the weekend, with some sunny spells in between systems as they move through.”

Earlier on Saturday, an amber alert came into force for London, parts of the South and south-east England from 4am to 11am. Downpours were seen across the capital in what was the first amber warning issued for London since January 2024.

Sunday:

Remaining unsettled on Sunday with showers or longer spells of rain, some heavy and thundery in places. Fresher than recent days but still warm, particularly in any sunny spells.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:

Low pressure lingers into early next week, keeping conditions unsettled with sunny spells and heavy showers. Showers will gradually ease by Wednesday, with temperatures staying close to the seasonal average.

Usyk and Dubois in seismic rematch for undisputed titles at Wembley

Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois will clash again tonight, in an undisputed heavyweight-title fight at Wembley Stadium.

Two years ago, Usyk stopped Dubois in Poland to retain the unified titles, before going on to become undisputed champion with a decision win over Tyson Fury in May 2024. That result only boosted the Ukrainian’s tremendous legacy, adding to the unbeaten southpaw’s Olympic gold-medal triumph from London 2012 and his reign as undisputed cruiserweight champion.

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But Usyk, 38, gave up the IBF belt before his rematch with Fury, meaning interim champion Dubois was elevated to regular champion. Dubois, 27, then knocked out fellow Briton Anthony Joshua in September – at Wembley, no less – to retain that belt, before Usyk outpointed Fury in December to keep the other straps.

Now, Usyk and Dubois square off again, with the latter believing he was denied a rightful victory in their first bout. On that night, in August 2023, Usyk climbed off the canvas to stop Dubois after suffering a controversial low blow, which Dubois’s team still insist was a legal body shot.

Although Usyk eventually stopped Dubois, fans will hope for a more decisive ending tonight, with no controversy in London. Follow live updates and results from Usyk vs Dubois 2 and the undercard, below. Purchase the fight on DAZN pay-per-view here.

Dozens dead after Vietnam tourist boat capsizes

Dozens of people have been killed after a tourist boat capsized in a sudden thunderstorm in Vietnam.

At least 34 people died after the sightseeing vessel was turned upside down by strong winds during a tour of Ha Long Bay on Saturday, state media reported.

The Wonder Sea boat was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members. Authorities earlier reported that 12 people had been rescued, but revised the figure to 11. Another eight people remain missing.

A 14-year-old boy was among the survivors and said he was rescued four hours after being trapped in the overturned hull.

“I took a deep breath, dived, then swam up. I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat,” the boy, who had been travelling with his parents, told VietnamNet.

The newspaper said that most of the passengers were tourists, including about 20 children, from the country’s capital, Hanoi.

A witness told AFP news agency that the sky darkened around 2pm local time on Saturday (7am BST). He said there were “hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning”.

A picture showed two people sitting on top of the capsized vessel in choppy water as rescue workers arrived to help them.

Last week, around 10 people went missing after a boat capsized off Indonesia;s Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra province due to bad weather.

Eight others were rescued after the boat sank on Monday around 11am local time, Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency said.

The boat had departed Sikakap, a small town in the Mentawai Islands, and was heading to another small town, Tuapejat. At least 10 government officials were among the 18 people on board the boat, according to reports.

Authorities deployed two boats and dozens of rescuers on Tuesday to find the missing people.

Woman dies at Tomorrowland days after devastating blaze on main stage

A Canadian woman has died at Tomorrowland festival just days after the festival opened despite a huge fire destroying the main stage.

Authorities in Antwerp are investigating the 35-year-old’s death after she became unwell at the festival grounds on Friday night.

A statement said emergency services resuscitated the woman, but that she later died in hospital.

The public prosecutor’s office in Antwerp said in a statement: “The prosecutor’s office immediately launched an investigation. Initial findings indicate strong evidence of a drug-related death. An autopsy and a thorough toxicology examination will provide definitive answers.”

It is the second tragedy that has struck the festival in recent days, after its main stage was destroyed in a fire earlier in the week.

Images shared on local news sites and social media showed flames and plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday. Fireworks seemingly ready for performances were also seen exploding into the air as nearby residents were urged to close all windows and doors until the fire was contained.

No members of the public were present at the time of the blaze, but 1,000 employees were on site.

Dozens of emergency teams were seen rushing through the festival grounds just after 6pm on the day of the blaze in an attempt to extinguish the flames and evacuate those inside the grounds. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.

Some of the world’s most popular DJs are due to appear on the stage over the weekend, including Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Fisher, Swedish House Mafia and Steve Aoki.

Organisers raced to build an alternative main stage, with the festival opening two hours later than planned on Friday.

The Independent has contacted Tomorrowland for comment regarding the death of the woman.

Festival spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told Brussels Morning: “She received first aid and was then transferred to the University Hospital of Antwerp.

“We were informed she passed away there. Our condolences go out to her family and friends. The Antwerp prosecutor’s office is investigating the cause of death and will update further on this matter.”

McIlroy overcomes the bizarre to conjure thrilling charge at The Open

“Oh god,” Rory McIlroy gasped as his ball fizzed a little higher than he anticipated. But then he burst into laughter, “I was on the golf ball!”

The most remarkable golf shot in one of the most remarkable rounds of golf, as a legion of McIlroy supporters weaved their way around the links on a baking day at Royal Portrush. McIlroy’s audacious charge towards the imposing presence of Scottie Scheffler at the top of the leaderboard may well fall short on Sunday, but his presence, as the Masters champion, back home in Northern Ireland, conjured a unique moment.

It epitomised how McIlroy remains one of the most engrossing athletes to watch in sport, all while Scheffler quietly dismantled both the course and field. There wasn’t a blemish in the world No 1’s round of 67, with his putter salvaging any minor wobbles. And while it secures a four-shot lead at -14 over Haotong Li at The Open 2025, the day belonged to McIlroy.

The 38-year-old stirred early on, putting together three birdies in his first four holes before that bizarre and glorious combined for a five-under-par round of 66 to position him tied for fourth at -8.

And after the baffling moment on 11, which prompted an untimely bogey, McIlroy soared on 12 with an eagle. A 56-footer, dribbling downhill and gathering pace all the time, the commotion in the stands could be heard as the ball gripped the correct line and dropped in the hole. McIlroy held his fist aloft. The putt could be heard from several holes away and instilled fresh belief among the thousands shuffling four or five deep along the ropes.

“This could be one of the coolest moments I’ve ever had on the golf course,” McIlroy remarked when recalling his eagle. “The roar when this ball was in was insane. It was insane all day, but the noise after that putt went in was incredible.”

And the freakish incident on 11: “It is the most weird, ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny. It came out so strange, like I thought I was going to get a flier, and I looked up at my ball, and I could see it spinning up against the wind. Just really weird – I had obviously no idea there was a ball anywhere close to my ball. It was so strange.”

The surreal circumstances and the noise also provided an unwelcome test for Jordan Smith, playing alongside McIlroy and only summon his best in a one-over-par 72 to drop back to -2 overall in a tie for 34th.

A candid Smith admitted he was taken aback by the “insane” crowds. But he soon settled into the round, in part due to McIlroy’s willingness to chat, something not afforded at the Masters to Bryson DeChambeau. The pair shared holiday plans for next week, with both booked for trips to the Greek islands. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many people in my life,” Smith added.

Sporting a top in a shade of red, it was easy to conjure images of Tiger Woods summoning thousands around 18 holes. And McIlroy’s impact here was similar. The deafening cheers only stopped briefly for each shot, with Smith’s shots greeted by more “Come on Rory!” shouts than applause for his own excellence at times.

Perhaps a little sheepish at the relentless support, McIlroy routinely showed his appreciation. A wave, a waggle of the putter, a second wave, then a third on the 15th green, gazing at the ocean in the background.

Even the mistakes were greeted with some glee from the supporters, who hurried into formation around his ball, eager for a closer inspection than possible when McIlroy graces the fairways. The sprawling horseshoe surrounding his recovery shot from the rough on 17 soon dispersed as McIlroy’s chip crashed onto the green. A tidy two-putt salvaged par before one last chance on 18.

A grimace spread across his face as the magic fizzled out, but even six shots behind, a gap bridged previously to win the TOUR Championship in 2022, McIlroy is still hopeful.

“I’ve got more than half a chance. I’ve got a chance. I need to get off to a great start like I did today, and if I can do that, anything can happen,” McIlroy concluded, before praising Scheffler.

“He’s inevitable. Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff. He’s improved so much with his putter. Yeah, it’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does. But if I can get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he tails out a couple groups behind me, and you never know.”

Scheffler’s greatness has always been understated and his pre-round routine hinted at more of the same. As Matt Fitzpatrick, who could only muster an even-par round of 71, to sit five shots back in third at -9, finalised plans on the putting green with Phil Kenyon, talk spread about Scheffler’s absence. He belatedly appeared from the bridge, just seven minutes before his tee time, without a coach or caddy. Just one ball and a few putts before checking his phone, and Scheffler was gone.

And after a stress-free third round to stretch his lead at the top, a fourth major on Sunday appears a formality.

“ I like being out here competing,” Scheffler remarked, adding that a win on Sunday would be “fun.”

“This is why we work so hard is to have opportunities like this, and I’m excited for the challenge of tomorrow. Winning major championships is not an easy task, and I’ve put myself in a good position.”

When my friends were facing cancer, a community of people stepped up

When I was younger, I used to worry incessantly about my parents getting cancer. I’d lay awake at night, ruminating on what would happen to my brother and I if they did. Who would support us? Thankfully, both are still cancer-free, well into their seventies.

However, now that I’m a parent myself, I worry about my children. Many people believe that cancer only really happens to people in old age, but that’s just not true. One beloved friend’s daughter died of leukaemia in 2020, aged just five; an unthinkable horror that changed the lives of everyone who knew her and her family.

And with Macmillan Cancer Support reporting that almost 3.5 million people in the UK are living with cancer, I also worry about my friends – parents themselves, their lives touched by cancer. One friend sat me down in our favourite local café, our toddlers playing at our feet, to break the news that she was about to undergo a double mastectomy. We cried together.

Another friend, Sarah, a single parent to two teenage girls, was diagnosed with breast cancer the day before we heard that King Charles had cancer, and a month before the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, announced her own diagnosis in March last year. It seemed like cancer was everywhere.

As a result, Sarah put 2024 on hold – she missed her daughter’s last sports day and last concert at primary school and had to find a whole new way of co-ordinating family life.

“I’m lucky in some ways that my children are teenagers, so they are able to look after themselves to some degree – but I’m also a single parent, so there are some things that they can’t do, or struggle with, due to their age,” she tells me.

“I have even set up multiple alarms on our Alexa reminding them to put their packed lunches in their bags or leave for school, just in case I can’t get up.”

Sarah says she thought she knew quite a lot about cancer prior to her diagnosis, but now admits she “really didn’t”. She explains: “There are so many terms and procedures to understand – stages and grades, not to mention over 100 different chemotherapy drugs.”

Sarah tells me about the exhausting cumulative effect of chemotherapy, which she endured every three weeks during her cancer treatment: “After the very first lot, I slept for a few hours and felt much better pretty quickly. For my last rounds, I slept for 48 hours solid and even days later, I needed to have a nap in the middle of the day and was in bed by 8pm.”

Sarah’s now finished chemotherapy and, a year on from her diagnosis, is turning 50. She’s throwing a huge party to celebrate not only the birthday milestone, but getting over this “annus horriblis” – a year she couldn’t have gotten through without the people around her.

“People can do so much for us when we are unwell – and I am forever grateful,” she says. “I’ve been really overwhelmed by the support that my friends have given me; from ferrying around my children to and from after-school events and sleepovers when things get bad, to my 75-year-old neighbour mowing the lawn. One friend popped round with a huge pot of pasta sauce and I even had a gift box from a recruiter at work.”

What talking to my strong, resilient friends about their cancer journeys has made me realise most, is the power of community: for when we receive the worst news imaginable, what we need is people around us to see us through. A community of other women: friends, school mums, neighbours.

They had people willing to make them food, pick up their children, go shopping for them or to just sit with them and listen. They had support when they decided to raise money for cancer support charities, when they did fundraisers such as hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning.

It takes a village to raise a child – and that village will be with you every step of the way when you need them most.

Find out how you can help raise vital funds by hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning. Sign up now on the Macmillan website

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.

Zelensky offers Putin fresh peace talks after weeks of Moscow’s missile strikes

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has offered Vladimir Putin fresh peace talks after weeks of relentless Russian missile attacks.

Mr Zelensky offered Moscow another round of ceasefire negotiations for next week, saying he wanted to speed up ending the conflict.

It comes after weeks of relentless Russian strikes on Ukraine, including over 300 drones and 30 missiles launched on Friday night.

“Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire,” Mr Zelensky said in his evening address to the nation. “The Russian side should stop hiding from decisions.”

Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul over the past five months. They have agreed to swap prisoners but made no breakthroughs in ending almost three and a half years of conflict that started with Russia‘s 2022 invasion.

Mr Zelensky said Rustem Umerov, who headed the Ukrainian delegation at both talks in Istanbul, had sent the Russian side the offer to hold the meeting next week, but gave no more details.

US president Donald Trump, who has sharpened his tone against Russia in recent weeks amid worsening air strikes on Ukrainian cities, threatened harsher sanctions on Russia earlier this month if a peace deal was not reached within 50 days.

Chaotic quarter-final between France and Germany goes to extra time

France are facing Germany in the last quarter-final of Euro 2025 looking to set up a semi-final with world champions Spain.

But Germany are down to 10 players ater defender Kathrin Hendrich was sent off for pulling the hair of France captain Griedge Mbock. The incident also resulted in a penalty as it took place in the box, and it left Germany a goal and a player down after just 15 minutes as Grace Geyoro successfully converted from the spot.

France came into the match as favourites but Germany have history on their side. The record eight-time European champions have never lost to France at a major tournament, in five attempts, and defeated Les Bleues in the Euro 2022 semi-finals three years ago.

But France have won their last 11 games in a row and were impressive in the group stages with victories over England, the Netherlands and Wales. They also beat Germany in last year’s Nations League semi-finals.

France have a real opportunity to win a major tournament for the first time and defeating Germany, who looked shaky during the group stage and lost 4-1 to Sweden to finish runners-up, will be a major test of their credentials.

Follow updates from France v Germany in our live blog below