Monday morning news briefing: UK heatwave meltdown

In Europe, a heatwave is said to have already killed more than 300 people. Firefighters are battling to manage enormous wildfires in Spain, Greece and France. 

Temperatures hit 45.7C levels in Spain, with firefighters supported by the armed forces seeking to stamp out more than 30 fires blazing in forests. See the most recent photographs and online video.

Our verdicts on Tory management debate

The Tory management race is coming into its remaining levels, with a few knockout rounds this 7 days. 

Contenders will be whittled down to four today as MPs cast their votes in the third phase of the contest to find a successor to Boris Johnson. 

The remaining five candidates had a collection of terrible-tempered exchanges in the latest Television debate past evening, with Rishi Sunak accused of plunging Britain into a recession as his rivals turned on him one by one to assault his history as chancellor. 

He was singled out for criticism by Liz Truss, who is making an attempt to placement herself as the only a person who can successfully problem him on the financial state. 

Political editor Ben Riley-Smith examines how every of the candidates fared and 5 of our writers give their verdicts on who came out on leading. 

There will be another vote tomorrow and then yet again on Wednesday, from which point the remaining candidates will facial area a summer months campaign prior to Tory customers choose the upcoming prime minister. Observe the most current odds.

How to retain your head sharp in outdated age

The possibility of producing dementia in excess of the age of 80 is 1 in six. 

While age is inescapable, Dementia British isles states about a 3rd of circumstances can be averted, with every thing from good eating plan to being socially energetic playing a component in delaying or warding it off fully.

 The huge issue is: do puzzles or “brain instruction” video games basically do the job? Harry de Quetteville investigates the advantages of stretching our cognitive abilities.

Daily dose of Matt

In Matt‘s newest cartoon, he takes a lighter seem at soaring temperatures. For a weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at Matt’s work, sign up for his e-newsletter.

Also in the news: Today’s other headlines

Opera’s ‘racist’ blackface | An Italian opera theatre is embroiled in a blackface row just after an African-American soprano quit in protest above the “racist” practice. Angel Blue won a function in Verdi’s La Traviata, but said she had to leave the role immediately after learning a further creation displaying in the location forged a white Russian singer to enjoy the Ethiopian princess in Aida.

All over the globe: Zelensky sacks aides in excess of ‘collusion’

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, sacked the head of the country’s mystery support and its chief prosecutor over collaboration with the Russians alleged to have taken area in their departments. As Moscow stepped up shelling throughout Ukraine, Mr Zelensky fired Ivan Bakanov, the head of the highly effective domestic security company, and Iryna Venediktova, the prosecutor basic. James Kilner experiences on the circumstances of treason. It came as refreshing missile assaults were being claimed in Kharkiv.