11 h. ago Why our broken food system remains a climate disaster: ‘broiling the planet to stuff our faces’

Author Michael Grunwald reckons with the challenge of food-based climate emissions in his new book We Are Eating the EarthRidding ourselves of fossil fuels has been a tortuously ponderous process and, in the current political era, one that can seem to be in full retreat. But we do have the tools to run our cities, vehicles and industries on clean energy and even through the murk of vested interest, the contours of a post-fossil world are becoming clearer.Our system of producing food, though, is in a relative stone age when it comes to the climate crisis. We continue to raze vast tracts of carbon-rich forests for crop and grazing land thereby creating, by some estimates, as much as a third of all global planet-heating emissions. Continue reading...

Society

14 h. ago NGOs call for end to Israel’s ‘weaponisation’ of aid – Middle East crisis live

More than 100 international NGOs sign letter saying more than 60 requests to bring in food, water and items for shelter were denied by authorities in July aloneThe UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has just issued a warning on X, saying that soaring temperatures in Gaza are now above 40°C, making an already dire humanitarian situation “far worse”.“With very limited water available, dehydration is increasing,” the agency said in a post on X. It added that bombardments and forced displacement continue, while limited electricity and fuel mean there is “no relief from the extreme heat”.Approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many steps we are taking on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan that we began implementing with the establishment of the government.After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best – bui...

Events

27 h. ago Boosting productivity will be main priority of my autumn budget, Reeves says

Exclusive: Chancellor says ‘investment and reform are our tools’ as she pushes back against mounting tax speculationRachel Reeves: Labour has fixed the foundations – now we must build a stronger economy for a renewed BritainRachel Reeves has promised to use her autumn budget to prioritise fixing Britain’s dismal record on productivity as she sought to downplay mounting tax speculation with a focus on economic growth.Setting out her priorities for the budget for the first time, the chancellor said tackling the efficiency of the economy through higher investment and a fresh assault on planning rules would form the backbone of her tax and spending plans. Continue reading...

Politics

27 h. ago Boosting productivity will be main priority of autumn budget, Reeves says

Exclusive: Chancellor focuses on investment and planning rules as she dismisses talk of tax rises as ‘speculation’Rachel Reeves: Labour has fixed the foundations – now we must build a stronger economy for a renewed BritainRachel Reeves has promised to use her autumn budget to prioritise fixing Britain’s dismal record on productivity as she sought to downplay mounting tax speculation with a focus on economic growth.Setting out her priorities for the budget for the first time, the chancellor said tackling the efficiency of the economy through higher investment and a fresh assault on planning rules would form the backbone of her tax and spending plans. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago Marcus Rashford claims Manchester United are stuck in ‘no man’s land’

Forward says club paying for lack of clear directionHe believes United need to ‘make a plan and stick to it’Marcus Rashford has offered a withering assessment of Manchester United’s predicament, saying a lack of consistent playing principles since Sir Alex Ferguson stood down has left the club in “no man’s land”.The forward, on loan for the season at Barcelona from United, believes that despite repeated talk of transition no transition has taken place and that the club will not be able to win the Premier League or achieve consistent success unless they make a plan and stick with it. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago Leaders in frantic phone diplomacy with Trump ahead of Putin summit on Ukraine – Europe live

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join calls with Trump and Vance in last chance to shape US position before Alaska meetingUkraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new warAs part of what promises to be a very busy day for diplomacy, we are also expecting to get press statements from Merz and Zelenskyy around 3pm BST (4pm CEST), after their call with Trump.So to help you plan your day, the rough timings appear to be: Continue reading...

Politics

53 h. ago Israel intensifies bombing of Gaza, killing 89 Palestinians in 24 hours

At least 15 people queueing for food among the deaths, and five people reported to have died from starvationIsrael has stepped up bombing Gaza, killing at least 89 Palestinians in 24 hours, including at least 15 people queueing for food, despite global outcry over the deaths of six journalists in the territory the previous day.Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City had intensified in the three days after Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved plans to expand the war in the territory. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Wind generator Ørsted’s shares sink as it makes $9bn cash call

Danish company blames Donald Trump for derailing its business model after market value drops by a thirdEurope’s largest wind power company has blamed Donald Trump for derailing its business model, after it unveiled a $9bn (£6.7bn) fundraising and its market value plunged by almost a third.The share price for Denmark’s Ørsted tumbled to an all-time low after it told investors on Monday that the “extraordinary situation” facing the industry meant it would need to tap shareholders to cover the costs of its plans. Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago Demonstrators seeking release of Gaza hostages to march in London as Middle East tensions grip UK

Police in London are bracing for more demonstrations on Sunday as the war in Gaza continues to inflame tensions across the U.K. Demonstrators plan to march to the prime minister’s residence, demanding the release of hostages in Gaza

Events

5 d. ago Human connection to nature has declined 60% in 200 years, study finds

Prof Miles Richardson says people risk ‘extinction of experience’ in the natural world without new policiesPeople’s connection to nature has declined by more than 60% since 1800, almost exactly mirroring the disappearance of nature words such as river, moss and blossom from books, according to a study.Computer modelling predicts that levels of nature connectedness will continue to decline unless there are far-reaching policy and societal changes – with introducing children to nature at a young age and radically greening urban environments the most effective interventions. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago ‘No excuses’: Manchester United admit new £50m training hub must spark success

New centre includes F1 simulation room and padel courtDalot: ‘Now there’s going to be no excuses’ on pitchDiogo Dalot says there will be “no excuses” if Manchester United do not succeed after the opening of a new £50m training facility.The minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe cut the ribbon on the building for the men’s team at Carrington after Sir Alex Ferguson unveiled a plaque to the long-serving club receptionist Kath Phipps, who died last year. Ratcliffe said the renovations were befitting of a club with ambitions to be one of the best in Europe, as he continues his plan to return United to previous heights. Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago Beam me up, jellyfish: experts unveil spaceships to take us to the stars

Winner of Project Hyperion design contest envisions polyamorous people thriving onboard cigar-shaped craftSpaceships modelled on jellyfish, 3D-printed homes, polyamorous relationships and vegetarian diets are among the ways in which experts have envisaged making interstellar travel feasible.The ideas from scientists, engineers, architects and social theorists came in response to a global competition to develop plans for “generation ships”, self-sustaining crafts capable of supporting up to 1,500 people on a 250-year journey to a habitable planet. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Chelsea step up efforts to sign Garnacho and Simons in attacking reshuffle

Newcastle eyeing Nicolas Jackson after Sesko blowChelsea keen to off-load Sterling and ChilwellChelsea are to step up attempts to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig and could sell Nicolas Jackson as they continue to reshape their attacking options.The club have brought in Liam Delap, João Pedro and Jamie Gittens and moves for Garnacho and Simons are understood to be their priority. Garnacho has played no part in United’s pre-season and is thought to be available for about £50m, although Chelsea are understood to be reluctant to pay that. The Argentina forward is believed to be keen to move to Stamford Bridge after Ruben Amorim made clear the 21-year-old is not part of his plans at Old Trafford. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Rachel Reeves needs to put up taxes to cover £40bn deficit, thinktank says

NIESR suggests a rise of 5p in the pound on basic and higher rate of income tax would fill the budget gap Rachel Reeves will need to raise taxes to close a government spending gap that is on course to reach more than £40bn after a slowdown in economic growth and higher-than-expected inflation, according to a leading thinktank.In a blow to Labour’s hopes of balancing the books without breaking manifesto commitments ruling out personal tax rises, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said a number of factors would knock off course the chancellor’s plans to stay within Whitehall spending limits. Continue reading...

Economics

9 d. ago British spy planes 'are still flying over Gaza to help Israel find missing hostages'

The RAF is continuing to fly spy planes over Gaza to help Israel's government find the still-missing hostages taken by Hamas. 

Events

9 d. ago Prison bosses make room for possible influx before planned protests across England

Exclusive: possible arrests at protests against Palestine Action ban and asylum hotels likely to stretch prisonsPrison bosses will make room for a possible influx of arrested demonstrators this weekend amid concerns that some jails are close to full, the head of the national governors’ body has revealed.Police have threatened to make hundreds of arrests if a planned protest in London this weekend over the proscription of Palestine Action goes ahead. There are also at least eight planned demonstrations outside hotels housing asylum seekers. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Houseplant clinic: why is my mistletoe cactus turning brown?

Don’t be overly cautious when watering Rhipsalis – to thrive it needs regular hydration and good drainage What’s the problem? My mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis) thrived for more than five years, but recently started to brown, with strands falling off. I repotted it into a slightly larger pot with no drainage holes and a layer of gravel at the bottom, but it continues to decline despite weekly watering. How can I save my plant?Diagnosis Your mistletoe cactus probably isn’t getting sufficient hydration. Cautious watering can lead to soil that is superficially damp but remains dry at a deeper level. This often manifests as browning stems, shrivelling and segments dropping off as the plant becomes stressed due to a lack of moisture at the roots. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago UN plastic pollution talks must result in ambitious treaty, leading expert says

Professor Richard Thompson, a marine litter expert, says delegates must act decisively to ‘look next generation in the eye’Delegates at the UN plastic pollution treaty talks in Geneva must secure an ambitious global agreement so they can look future generations in the eye, one of the world’s leading marine litter experts has said.Prof Richard Thompson, who was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people this year for his groundbreaking work on plastic pollution, said decisive action was needed to protect human health and the planet. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Bloody Awful in Different Ways by Andrev Walden review – darkly funny Swedish autofiction

In this bleak, bestselling coming-of-age debut, the author evokes life with the seven dads he had in seven yearsFor Mum (NB: not in a passive aggressive way)” reads the dedication at the beginning of this distinctive debut. It gives us a promising flavour of the voice with whom we’ll be spending the next 340 pages.The story begins with deceptive simplicity: “Once upon a time, I had seven dads in seven years. This is the story of those years.” The narrative has a section for each “dad”, charting Andrev’s tumultuous childhood and teens as his mother’s boyfriends come and go, all of them disappointing and disruptive, and several of them violent. The dads are named for their dominant trait in young Andrev’s eyes: so we get the Plant Magician, the Thief, the Murderer, the Artist, among others. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago A new start after 60: I became a dancer at 68 – and will perform my first solo show at 82

Christine Thynne was nervous about going to her first dance class. But at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe she will be on stage alone, doing all the ‘things I shouldn’t be doing’At 82, Christine Thynne is an emerging artist. “Risk! There’s a colossal amount of risk,” Thynne says. She is about to perform her show, These Mechanisms, over three weeks at the Edinburgh fringe. While “emerging” isn’t a word often applied to artists in their 80s, Thynne says the description is appropriate. “I wasn’t there before,” she says. “I wasn’t a solo performer.”Thynne’s show melds aspects of her life – she trained as a physiotherapist in the 1960s – along with other passions. Among her props are planks, stepladders and water. “Things I shouldn’t be doing,” she says. “Moving scaffolding planks. Changing the shape of stepladders. Carrying water.” Continue reading...

Culture