20 m. ago Business news live: FTSE opens higher but retail sales fell sharply in May

Stock markets latest updates and business news on Friday

Economics

28 m. ago Meghan Markle shares a new photo as she launches new products from her As Ever brand today (and promises fans 'sweet things and delicious surprises')

Meghan Markle teased the launch with an Instagram post on her As Ever account at midnight Pacific Time (8am UK) today, with a photo of her smiling on a garden swing and the caption: 'No more sleeps'.

Politics

34 m. ago UK retail sales slump in May after ‘dismal’ month for supermarkets

The Office for National Statistics said the total volume of retail sales fell by 2.7% in May – the biggest drop since the end of 2023.

Economics

41 m. ago Supermarkets suffer 'dismal' May as Brits cut spending on food and booze amid economic gloom with retail sales diving by biggest rate in a year

The Office for National Statistics said the total volume of retail sales fell by 2.7 per cent in May.

Economics

42 m. ago Britain melts in the heatwave: Isle of Wight festivalgoers try to stay cool and Brits struggle to sleep amid five

The UK could break its record for the warmest day of the year for the second day in a row today, with temperatures up to 33C (91F) forecast after a 2025 high of 32.2C (90.0F) in London yesterday.

Politics

47 m. ago Cavin Yarbrough dead: Grammy nominated star dies as heartbroken wife pays tribute

A music legend from the 1980s has died at the age of 72 after complications from heart disease, his wife has confirmed in a heartbreaking tribute

Events

77 m. ago Grammy nominated music legend dies after health issues as wife pays sad tribute

Cavin Yarbrough, one half of the iconic R&B duo Yarbrough & Peoples, has died at the age of 72, his heartbroken wife and music partner Alisa Peoples has confirmed

Events

1 hour ago Shop assistant, 24, went on second Tinder date and was chopped into 14 pieces

Sydney Loofe fell prey to a twisted pair of killers who shared dark fantasies and believed they 'gained 'powers' from their sordid and torturous acts, that for Sydney, ended tragically

Politics

4 h. ago Victims of illegal puppy trader open up on heartbreak of desperate attempt to save dogs

New owners fell in love with defenceless pups and were immediately faced with a desperate fight for life - and huge vet bills.

Events

6 h. ago Ava White's schoolboy murderer unmasked as teenager who stabbed girl turns 18

As Harry Gilbertson turns 18 today, he can now be named as the vicious killer of Ava White, who was stabbed outside Primark in Liverpool city centre moments after the Christmas lights switch-on

Events

7 h. ago Bruce Willis' wife Emma celebrates birthday with his ex Demi Moore and their family amid actor's dementia battle

Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming rung in her 47th birthday during a lowkey celebration with her blended family this week.

Events

7 h. ago Lee Ryan's colourful love life: From celebrity engagements to explosive love triangles, a secret love child and even a threesome with bandmate Duncan James

He's just announced he is set to become a father for the sixth time, as he prepares to welcome his fourth child with his now wife Verity Paris. 

Society

8 h. ago Noel Edmonds, 76, reveals the weird and wacky secrets to his surprisingly ripped physique

The presenter, 76, looked incredible as he showcased his muscular torso in a pair of blue patterned swimming trunks after being named Torso Of The Week by Heat magazine.

Politics

8 h. ago Spain's crumbling island beloved by locals with nothing to do but 'sunbathe and swim'

Spain's smallest inhabited island is facing an infrastructure crisis as it's overwhelmed by locals escaping the crowds

Politics

8 h. ago Ava White's schoolboy killer unmasked: Murderer's identity is revealed on his 18th birthday after he stabbed 12

Harry Gilbertson was just 14 when he stabbed Ava White, 12, in the neck over a Snapchat video, in November 2021.

Events

9 h. ago Justin and Hailey Bieber's Father's Day 'ends in row as she brands him f***ing child'

Justin Bieber, who spent his Father's Day sharing wild rants, was reportedly branded a 'f***ing child' by wife Hailey amid concerns to their marriage

Politics

9 h. ago Boy rushed to hospital after being struck by lightning in Central Park duing freak storm

The teenage boy was conscious and alert when he was rushed to hospital following the incident, it is believed the electric current transferred to his metal chain after hitting a nearby tree

Events

9 h. ago Deputy headteacher, 51, who had sex with schoolgirl is married to former student and has children with her, court hears

John Harvey, 51, who was an English teacher and safeguarding lead at Penryn College in Cornwall, allegedly had sex with the teenager in his car and at her home while her father was away.

Society

10 h. ago Man arrested after showing up at Memphis mayor’s house with Taser, duct tape and rope in car, police say

The arrest in Tennessee comes just days after the murders of a state lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota and the wounding of another and his wife.

Events

11 h. ago Rod Stewart, 80, and his wife Penny Lancaster, 54, celebrate 18 years of marriage with a luxurious trip down memory lane

The legendary singer, 80, and the model, 54, began dating in 1999 before becoming engaged in Paris in 2005 and marrying in the medieval monastery La Cervara in Portofino in 2007.

Events