Exposing the horrific dark side of cosmetic surgery
Welcome to the ITV News digest bringing you the best of our original journalism, insight and analysis from across the nation and regions.
Every year, some 150,000 Britons travel to Turkey for cosmetic surgery. They’re lured by promises of a new start, a new “you”.
Tummy tucks, mummy MOTs, butt lifts at discount rates. But since 2019, 28 patients have died - and hundreds more have been left in agony after procedures went horribly wrong.
This week, ITV News has highlighted some of the truly shocking stories of vulnerable people who spent thousands on surgeries in Turkey but have endured multiple operations back home on the NHS to correct mistakes made in clinics abroad.
You can catch up on some of those stories on our website, socials and on ITVX:
The mum who died during surgery, leaving a family to fight for answers
Two women speak of life-long repercussions of botched weight-loss ops
I was scared to go to sleep because I actually thought I was going to die
Can Kamala turn momentum into votes?
Hello, I’m Jonathan Wald, the Washington News Editor for ITV News. I’m in Chicago where the Democratic National Convention has just wrapped up.
The Democratic Party faithful celebrated Kamala Harris as their nominee for President with four days of speeches and razzmatazz.
Joe Biden gave a speech he dreaded - a defence of his Presidency and how he had passed the torch onto Harris, rather than carry it himself. “Thank you Joe,” the crowd chanted - for his service and for stepping aside.
The great and good of the Democratic Party turned out to speak in Chicago. Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hilary Clinton and Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, a former American football coach who addressed the Convention as if it were a pep talk to his players.
Sprinkled between the politicians was star dust from Stevie Wonder, John Legend, the rapper Lil Jon, Pink and Oprah Winfrey.
Harris closed the Convention with the biggest speech of her life - delivered to her largest ever audience, expected to be well over 20 million across the United States. She presented herself as the candidate representing change, promising “a new way forward” while at the same time repeating the line from her rallies that “we’re not going back” to a Trump Presidency.
The Democrats leave this Convention with momentum, as tends to be the case after most Conventions, but the Presidential race remains neck and neck and we have seen - just a few weeks ago - how quickly a candidate’s fortunes can change.
With 75 days till the election, and only 26 until early voting begins - in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania - it’s unclear whether the next President of the United States will be Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.
You can keep across the latest on the run to the White House with our weekly podcast, Talking Politics USA.
‘Miracle’ of toddler rescued from sinking superyacht
A doctor who treated a one-year-old girl and her parents after they were rescued from a sunken yacht in Sicily has told ITV News it is a “miracle” the child was not injured.
Six people - including UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch - are confirmed dead after the Bayesian sunk just off the coast of Porticello in the early hours of Monday.
Dr Domenico Cipolla spoke to ITV News Correspondent Stacey Foster, who has travelled to the scene.
You can keep across the latest on the search on ITVX.
'They thought I was dead:' The cost of Scotland's drug crisis
The number of people who died in Scotland due to drug misuse has increased - and remains the highest death rate in Europe, according to the latest figures released by the National Records of Scotland.
The figures showed there were 1,172 people who died in drug-related deaths in 2023, an increase of 121 - or 12% - on the previous year.
ITV News Border journalist Barnaby Papadopulos spoke to one recovering user about his drug addiction that began aged 15.
'Little can prepare you': British doctor on mass casualties in Gaza
It’s less than a fortnight since Dr Javid Abdelmoneim returned from Nasser hospital in Khan Younis where he’s been working with Medicins Sans Frontieres.
Over the years he’s volunteered as a doctor in six other conflicts around the world – from Syria to Sudan, Tigray to Ukraine.
But, he told ITV News Correspondent Martha Fairlie, nothing compares to what he witnessed in Gaza.
See Martha’s interview with Javid on ITVX.
ITV News is one of Britain’s most trusted providers of news. You can access our expert analysis, correspondents and content on platforms beyond ITV1.
Our streaming platform ITVX has all our regional and national news programmes, plus original content and a regularly updated bulletin
Visit our website or download the news app on Apple or Android
We’re on social platforms: TikTok; Instagram; Facebook; X (Twitter); LinkedIn and YouTube
And we’ve a range of podcasts including Talking Politics and What You Need To Know
You can also follow the ITV News channel on WhatsApp for regular updates
All our journalists work to the Ofcom code
Charge for man accused of spreading disinformation about Southport
Police in Pakistan say money was the main motive of a man charged with cyberterrorism after he allegedly spread disinformation related to the Southport attack.
The suspect, named by police as 32-year-old Farhan Asif, was arrested in Lahore, Pakistan on Tuesday and was charged on Wednesday.
The arrest follows an ITV News investigation revealing Asif's links to a website called Channel3Now, which amplified disinformation about the teenager charged with killing three young girls and injuring 10 others in a knife attack in Southport last month.
The trail-blazing woman pilot you’ve likely never heard of
Richarda Morrow-Tait was just 25 when she set off on a trail-blazing trip around the globe - but few people have heard her story.
In 1948, ‘Dikki’ as she was known, became the first woman to fly around the world and arrived back in Cambridge to a crowd of photographers and reporters.
She also returned home pregnant by her navigator - a bit of an issue for a married mother of one…
ITV News Anglia’s Matthew Hudson tells her extraordinary story on ITVX.
How a serial romance fraudster was exposed
Cieran McNamara is a barrister. Or he could be a pilot. Maybe even a property developer. He’s also known as Christian, and Myles and Ciaran Griffin.
He’s also a convicted fraudster - a romance swindler who duped unsuspecting dates out of at least £300,000.
Earlier this year, McNamara was jailed for four years for conning four women out of money. But there could be dozens more victims.
ITV News Granada spoke to the detectives who tracked him down - and one of his victims. You can watch how his dark secret unravelled on ITVX.
What’s coming up…
Saturday August 25: Notting Hill Carnival weekend begins, London
Monday September 2: Parliament returns after the summer recess
Wednesday September 4: First round of voting in Tory leadership contest
Sunday September 8: Second anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II
Saturday September 14: Party conference season begins with the Liberal Democrats in Brighton
And finally… Street-sweeper Paul’s clean break
Britain's most famous street cleaner said he was thrilled to be on the trip of a lifetime in Portugal after getting a brilliant birthday surprise.
A holiday company gifted Paul Spiers the trip abroad after an online fundraiser by residents in Beckenham broke rules of his employment.
ITV News London caught up with Paul as he soaked up the sun…