Leaves from the lush green tea estates covering the hills of central Sri Lanka end up in cups across the world. Tea is the island’s biggest export, normally bringing in more than $1bn a year, but the industry is being hard hit by the unprecedented economic crisis. Most of Sri Lanka’s tea is grown by smaller farmers, like Rohan Tilak Gurusinghe, who owns two acres of land close to the village of Kadugunnawa. But he’s still reeling from the impact of a sudden, poorly thought-out government decision to ban chemical fertiliser last year.

“I’m losing money,” he tells the BBC despondently. “Without fertiliser or fuel, I can’t even think about the future of my business.” The ban, ordered to try to protect the country’s dwindling foreign reserves, was one of a number of disastrous policy decisions implemented by the now-ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with agricultural output falling significantly. It was later reversed, but fertiliser has shot up in price and is still difficult to source, while the government is now unable to afford to import adequate supplies of petrol and diesel.(BBC)…[+]

Much of the UK is experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures expected to rise even further to hit up to 42C (107.6F). People have been advised to avoid non-essential travel and many have been working from home. Some schools have closed early, or chosen not to open at all, while the extreme heat is putting pressure on the health service. But countries where temperatures are usually higher have adapted their infrastructure and lifestyle to cope with the heat. Our correspondents explain how. There is no extreme temperature threshold that forces Australian schools to shut. For some students, this knowledge can really melt your icy pole [ice lolly]. Instead, schools aim to keep students as safe and comfortable as possible. Policies vary between states. Many classrooms have air conditioning but others rely on a patchwork of measures.(BBC)…[+]

Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, is in the US for a series of high-level meetings and an address to Congress. Her visit comes four months after her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, made a virtual speech to Congress, pressing for more military equipment. Ms Zelenska met Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday and is due to hold talks with her counterpart Jill Biden on Tuesday, the White House said. She is due to deliver remarks to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Tuesday’s encounter will be the second time the two first ladies have met, after Dr Biden made an unannounced visit to Ukraine in May.

Ms Zelenska has no official portfolio in the Ukrainian government. But after nearly five months of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Kyiv is keen to seek more military aid and political backing from the US. Congress has already approved nearly $40bn (£33bn) in aid to Ukraine that is due to be fully delivered by the end of September. On Monday, Ms Zelenska also met Samantha Power, head of the US Agency for International Development.(BBC)…[+]