46 m. ago Who is behind the great rock’n’roll ripoff? How Ticketmaster swallowed the live entertainment scene

From grassroots gigs to stadium shows, there’s no escaping the ticketing giant, making billions from hiking up prices (and whacking on fees)Even Donald Trump knows that the price of concert tickets is too damn high. Recently, flanked by the preposterously dressed Maga rocker Kid Rock, the president signed an executive order to protect fans from “crazy prices” by cracking down on scalpers and hidden fees. “Make America Fun Again,” Kid Rock declared.It will take more than an executive order to resolve the ticketing industry’s most intractable problems. Scalpers, anyway, are an easy target with few friends. The fact is that, with or without them, top-flight concert tickets have never been harder to acquire or afford. As customer experiences go, it’s the pits. Continue reading...

Politics

46 m. ago Meet Desislava Bozhilova: World Snooker Championship final referee who was told 'just chill' by Ronnie O'Sullivan

Bulgarian Bozhilova will become the first woman to take charge of all three Triple Crown finals

Sport

97 m. ago The best beaches to visit near Greater Manchester which AREN'T Formby

Drivers have been told to stay away from Formby Beach this summer, so here are some incredible beaches you can visit instead

Politics

2 h. ago New diesel engine technology could save drivers £18,000 at the petrol station

A technology company has broken the world record for the overall thermal efficiency of a diesel engine, which could save drivers and businesses a significant amount of money at fuel stations

Events

2 h. ago Mikel Arteta told decision on Arsenal star cost Gunners in Bournemouth defeat

Declan Rice gave Arsenal the lead in Saturday's clash with Bournemouth but he was off the pitch when the visitors completed their comeback late on and earned a 2-1 win

Politics

2 h. ago Sick paedophile blindfolded girl and raped her in 'campaign' of abuse

Perry McCarthy's brave victim told a court she remained 'haunted' by his abuse while there was applause in court as the paedophile was handed a lengthy jail term

Events

3 h. ago Doctor says having itchy ears could be sign of incurable condition

A GP explained that the common complaint could be a sign of a condition that your GP can treat

Politics

5 h. ago My GP told me that my stomach pains were just constipation. It turned out to be incurable ovarian cancer

It was during a dream solo three-month trip to the Bahamas in July 2022 that Louisa Lloyd realised something was seriously wrong.

Politics

5 h. ago Incredible UK village frozen in time with no TV satellites or road signs

Downham, often hailed as the most beautiful village in Lancashire, lies at the foot of Pendle Hill, close to the thriving market town of Clitheroe and boasts unrivalled views

Politics

6 h. ago Controversial Man Utd and Real Madrid £29m transfer plan labelled 'pure invention'

Manchester United can re-sign Alvaro Carreras for £17million rather than paying his £51m release clause which applies to other clubs, leading Real Madrid to come up with a workaround

Economics

7 h. ago Trade union advises staff at newly christened Reform UK councils to sign up after jubilant Nigel Farage promised Trump

Mr Farage warned council staff working on diversity or climate change initiatives to seek 'alternative careers' after his party took control of Durham council.

Politics

7 h. ago Now British drone troops destined to aid Ukraine's war effort face new enemy: Health and safety!

Troops have been told to stop flying drones that weigh more than 250g (9oz) - the weight of a cucumber - over their comrades while training on Salisbury Plain.

Events

8 h. ago Keir Starmer told to 'stop going further and faster' after Labour's local election battering

Labour figures are urging Sir Keir Starmer to change course after Reform UK made sweeping gains in local elections across the UK, as the Prime Minister has said he would go "further and faster" in response to his party's poor result

Politics

8 h. ago Urgent warning to take cyber attack threat 'very seriously' as Co

Cybersecurity experts warned retailers as criminals boasted of snatching the personal data of 20 million Co-op customers who signed up to the supermarket chain's membership card scheme

Events

8 h. ago Texas governor signs largest US school voucher law in win for conservatives

State becomes 16th to allow public funds to be used for private schools, which opponents say will benefit mostly wealthier childrenThe Texas governor Greg Abbott on Saturday signed a law making more than 5 million students eligible to use state funds for private schools, a watershed moment in the conservative campaign to remake public education in the US.Texas is allocating $1bn for the first two years of the program to offer parents vouchers to pay for school. It is the 16th state to make all students eligible to receive public funds for private education. Continue reading...

Politics

8 h. ago Coronation artwork commissioned by King seen for the first time

Charles followed a long-held tradition and commissioned artists to capture significant events from the coronation weekend.

Events

8 h. ago Mark Williams reveals what Judd Trump told him after reaching World Championship final as he creates Crucible history

The Welshman dumped the World No1 17-4 to set up to become world champion for a fourth time vs Zhao Xintong.

Politics

8 h. ago Paul O'Grady to share never before told stories and secrets from beyond the grave

More than 100 hours of personal audio recordings of beloved TV personality Paul O'Grady, who died in 2023, are due to be shared - and you can get your hands on the stories before Christmas

Politics

9 h. ago I fell in love with the hunky man of my dreams...but before I knew it I was single and broke

If you truly believe marriage is for life, do some serious future proofing. Before you commit to spending the rest of your life with someone, make sure your financial goals align.

Politics

10 h. ago Celtic told clear Gustav Isaksen transfer stance after Jota injury as wonderkid a 'safe bet' amid rocketing £11m payday

The Scottish champions could be forced into the market with their Portuguese star facing a lengthy layoff

Economics