A grassroots campaign called 'Operation Raise the Colours' has seen activists in over a dozen English towns hoisting hundreds of Union and St George’s Cross flags on lampposts. Organisers claim the movement aims to restore national pride and community spirit, with some £13,000 raised to buy flags. However, its credibility has been damaged by links to far-right groups. Britain First donated 250 flags, and organiser Andy Saxon has publicly supported its leader Paul Golding and activist Tommy Robinson. Britain First, with roots in the BNP, is notorious for promoting 'remigration' and anti-Muslim rhetoric; its leader has criminal convictions for religiously aggravated harassment. Critics warn that what is presented as patriotism risks being hijacked by extremist groups. Councils in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets have removed flags, citing safety and political concerns, while twelve Reform UK-controlled councils have pledged not to take them down, calling removals 'shameful’. The controversy highlights how national symbols can be co-opted into culture wars, deepening division rather than fostering unity.

On 21 August pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland received GCSE, BTec and other Level 2 results. The GCSE pass rate is similar to last year, which saw a third consecutive decline after the Covid pandemic. With more 16-year-olds in the population and rising demand for sixth form places, competition is fierce. Some colleges have expanded capacity, but others warn they will have to turn students away. Concerns over possible VAT on private school fees may also drive more families toward state provision. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson praised pupils’ resilience but condemned entrenched inequalities, noting that only 19% of white British working-class children achieved strong passes in maths and English in 2024 - virtually unchanged from 2017. About 170,000 students have received BTec results and 110,000 Cambridge Nationals, while in Scotland exam pass rates have risen. For many students who began secondary school during lockdown, these results mark the culmination of years of disrupted learning, testing both their determination and the system’s ability to provide equal opportunity.

Reports suggest Chancellor Rachel Reeves may extend capital gains tax (CGT) to primary residences above a set threshold, sparking debate over a potential 'mansion tax’. Currently, homeowners pay no CGT when selling their main residence, but proposals would remove this exemption for higher-value properties. The Times estimates a £1.5m threshold could affect around 120,000 households, with bills reaching hundreds of thousands for long-term owners. Critics say it punishes older homeowners downsizing, discourages market mobility, and risks pushing wealth abroad. Many argue it unfairly double-taxes families already burdened by stamp duty. Property experts warn it could freeze the housing market, reducing sales and Treasury income. Supporters say it could help fill the £51bn fiscal shortfall while targeting wealthier households. Reeves has already cut CGT allowances in recent budgets and raised rates on shares and property. An announcement could come in the autumn Budget. Opponents argue re-banding council tax would be more effective and less disruptive.

The Government has signed a new agreement with Iraq to accelerate the return of migrants who have no legal right to remain. Home office minister Dan Jarvis finalised the deal with Iraq’s deputy foreign minister, expanding cooperation on security, migration, and tackling smuggling networks - many run by Iraqi Kurds. While small-boat crossings overall remain at record highs, Iraqi arrivals have declined to 1,900 in the year to March 2025, down from 2,600 the previous year. The government argues this drop demonstrates the effectiveness of earlier cooperation. However, critics, including Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp, dismissed the new deal as 'measly’, pointing out that most small-boat arrivals are now from other nations. Not all Iraqis will be returned; about 26% have successfully claimed asylum on grounds of persecution. The agreement follows similar deals with Albania and Vietnam and a recent UK-France accord. Ministers insist such measures strengthen border security, while critics argue that crossings remain unacceptably high.

Chris Brain, a former CofE priest and founder of the Nine O’Clock Service (NOS), has been convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women. The NOS, active between 1986 and 1995, blended rave culture with worship but was later exposed as a manipulative, closed environment in which Brain exploited his authority. Prosecutors told the court that some victims, recruited to a 'homebase team' to care for Brain and his family, were pressured into sexual favours and treated as servants. The group referred to some of these women as 'Lycra lovelies' or 'Lycra nuns’. Several assaults occurred during massages, which Brain admitted but insisted were consensual, describing them as 'no big deal’. The court heard, however, that Brain abused his influence, creating a controlling culture that enabled systematic exploitation. Now 68, he was removed from ministry in 1995. Jurors continue to deliberate on four further indecent assault charges and one rape charge. Brain denies wrongdoing on all counts.

Donald Trump has stirred controversy by suggesting Ukraine is to blame for confronting a nation ‘ten times’ its size, despite Russia being the aggressor in the ongoing war. He downplayed Russia’s responsibility for the invasion, instead criticising former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama for their handling of the conflict. He argued that Biden ‘started’ the war and accused Obama of ‘giving away’ Crimea in 2014. He also asserted that Ukraine had only been able to resist due to American weapons and aid. His comments followed the White House meeting on 18 August with Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and NATO officials, at which he pledged US support for Ukraine’s future security. Trump also touted his ‘good relationship’ with Vladimir Putin, saying that he had spoken to him about arranging a trilateral meeting with Zelensky. While he presented this as an early step toward peace, the question now is how Putin will respond.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that Europe is entering a ‘new normal’ of longer and more intense mosquito-borne disease transmission. Rising temperatures, extended summers, milder winters, and shifting rainfall patterns have created conditions for mosquitoes to spread viruses more effectively. The chikungunya-carrying mosquito is now established in 16 European countries and 369 regions, compared to just 114 a decade ago. This year, Europe has recorded 27 chikungunya outbreaks, the highest on record, including a case in Alsace, France - an unusual event for such a northern latitude. Meanwhile, West Nile virus has infected 335 people across eight countries, causing 19 deaths, with Italy hardest hit. Officials caution that more Europeans will face risk in the coming years. The ECDC has urged stronger public health coordination and personal prevention measures, including insect repellent, protective clothing, window screens, and bed nets to reduce exposure.

The village of Bishnoi in northern Pakistan has been devastated by a sudden flash flood, leaving entire homes buried beneath rocks and debris. On 15 August, torrential rains triggered a surge of water that swept through the village, destroying nearly every house. Locals described the scene as catastrophic, with families trapped under stones and crops flattened across the valley. Rescue operations continue with limited equipment, as survivors search desperately for missing loved ones. The area has suffered over 300 deaths, making it the hardest-hit region in Pakistan’s monsoon season, which has claimed more than 500 lives nationwide; there have also been many deaths in India and Nepal. Climate experts warn that melting glaciers, accelerated by global warming, are worsening the impact of heavy rains and landslides. Amid tragedy, there were moments of heroism, such as a school principal in the Swat valley who ordered the evacuation of 900 children only minutes before floods destroyed the building. In Bishnoi, families mourn as relief and recovery efforts continue.

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