75 m. ago Item of clothing can land you £100 fine while driving in heatwave

Fines could rise to £5,000 and nine penalty points in more serious cases

Economics

77 m. ago Keter Eden garden storage bench drops to under £100 for Prime Day

This clever Keter Eden bench keeps outdoor spaces neat — and it's just £96.99 in the Prime Day sale with 25% off, but only until Friday.

Politics

92 m. ago Kokoroko: Tuff Times Never Last review – ruminative jazz outfit get stuck in a relaxed rut

(Brownswood)The London collective have an easygoing, ruminative sound – briefly lifted here by moments of lively counterpoint – that can feel all too placidSince breaking out with their 2018 track Abusey Junction, London jazz collective Kokoroko have become known for a soothing brand of improvised instrumentals. Blending whispered melodies with muted horns, downtempo hand percussion and shades of highlife guitar, theirs is an easygoing, ruminative sound. Their 2022 debut album, Could We Be More, continued in the same vein, full of warm brass and gently layered vocal harmony.So does their latest effort, Tuff Times Never Last. Across its 11 tracks of , tempos rarely exceed 100bpm, wallowing in tranquil bass lines and languorous grooves. The group establish a confident and comforting tone, playing through the lullaby vocal harmonies of Never Lost, the slowed guitar of Closer to Me and Rhodes piano reverberations on My Father in Heaven. Continue reading...

Politics

1 hour ago FTSE 100 LIVE: London flat and Europe lower on renewed tariff threats for Canada and EU

FTSE 100 LIVE: London flat and Europe lower on renewed tariff threats for Canada and EU  Yahoo

Events

2 h. ago Phase Space: Degrees of Freedom review | Safi Bugel's experimental album of the month

(Phase Space)Switching wonky techno for spacious abstraction, Gwenan Spearing debuts a new alias on an EP of uncanny generative electronicsAfter establishing herself as a techno DJ in some of the wonkiest corners of underground dance music, Gwenan Spearing has spent the last few years settling into slower, more abstract territory. Alongside her club sets, she co-organises an ambient deep listening series in Berlin and spends her spare time experimenting with modular synthesis. Phase Space is the latest expression of this interest, a project rooted in generative electronics and real-time responses.Degrees of Freedom is Spearing’s first outing under this new alias: an EP of meandering ambient tracks that blur the lines between electronic and acoustic as instruments are sampled, warped and overdubbed through her synthesiser. On the subaquatic opening track Sync, cowbells are stretched and delayed beyond recognition against a pulsing analogue rhythm. Towards the end of Some Pluck, a den...

Politics

2 h. ago Business news live: Economy figures ‘disappointing’ says Rachel Reeves, more lenders join sub

Stock markets updates and business news from Friday

Economics

2 h. ago Rachel Reeves say GDP figures ‘are disappointing’ after UK economy shrinks for second month running – business live

UK GDP falls by 0.1% in May, following 0.3% fall in April.US will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letterFTSE 100 hit record high on ThursdayChancellor Rachel Reeves has described the latest GDP figures as “disappointing”.Following this morning’s news that the UK economy contracted by 0.1% in May, Reeves points to the government’s efforts to support households financially:“Getting more money in people’s pockets is my number one mission. While today’s figures are disappointing, I am determined to kickstart economic growth and deliver on that promise.“The choices we have made in our first year in government have seen us extend the £3 bus fare cap, fund Free School Meals for over half a million more children, press ahead with plans to deliver free breakfast clubs for every child in the country and increase the National Minimum and National Living Wage, giving a pay rise to 3 million workers.“Flatlining growth in May highlights the ongoing pressures facing the UK ec...

Economics

3 h. ago UK economy shrinks for second month running in May – business live

UK GDP falls by 0.1% in May, following 0.3% fall in April.US will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letterFTSE 100 hit record high on ThursdayThe pound has dropped against the US dollar, as investors react to this morning’s worse-than-expected GDP report.Sterling has lost a third of a cent to $1.354, a drop of 0.2%.“The economy contracted slightly in May with notable falls in production and construction, only partially offset by growth in services. However, across the latest three months as a whole, the economy still grew. This reflected strength earlier in the year that resulted, in part, from some activity being brought forward to February and March.“May’s fall in production was driven by oil and gas extraction, car manufacturing and the often-erratic pharmaceutical industry. Continue reading...

Economics

3 h. ago Readers' Letters: Swinney grandstands on Gaza while Scottish patients wait

John Swinney should stop trying to prove himself a world leader, says reader

Science

4 h. ago 'Support for survivors and the families of the Manchester Arena bombing was too slow and fragmented'

Calls were made in the Commons for improved support for terror attack victims and their loved ones

Events

8 h. ago Huge blow to UK seaside town as major attraction to shut after 100 years

Brits worry a popular seaside town will meet its demise following the announcement that its biggest attraction is slated to be bulldozed down due to a new council development

Politics

8 h. ago Rubio in bind as he seeks to reassure Asia, even as region faces punishing Trump tariffs

Questions over US commitment to the region coupled with Trump’s tariff polices could be a boon to ChinaEven as they face among the most punitive tariffs globally, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has sought to reassure southeast Asian nations of Washington’s commitment to the region, saying countries there may get “better” trade deals than the rest of the world.In his first official visit to Asia, Rubio met foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Malaysia on Thursday, telling his counterparts the US has “no intention of abandoning” the region. His visit came days after president Donald Trump renewed his threat to impose severe tariffs across many southeast Asian countries if they did not strike deals by 1 August. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago Summer strikes to hit Glasgow Airport as around 100 workers to take industrial action

Workers set to strike include airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers and managers.

Events

11 h. ago Where in the world is the FEMA head? Agency leader hasn’t been seen in over a week sparking concern

David Richardson has made no public appearances or statements following his appointment on May 8

Politics

11 h. ago Three sites for 200m high wind turbines powering 350,000 homes revealed by Welsh Government

The plan is to generate enough renewable electricity to meet 70% of what’s used in Wales by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035

Politics

11 h. ago Locations of three huge new Welsh wind farms revealed that will dominate skylines and power 350,000 homes

The plan is to generate enough renewable electricity to meet 70% of what’s used in Wales by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035

Society

11 h. ago A Texas family clung to life on their roof, capturing the terrifying flooding in photos and video

A retired nurse, her son and a family friend say they were lucky to survive last week's flash floods in Texas that killed more than 100 people, including many summer campers

Events

12 h. ago Firefighters rescue dozens from burning high rise in Santiago

Firefighters in Chile’s capital have rescued over 100 people from a high-rise fire

Events

14 h. ago Photos show the trail of destruction in the aftermath of flooding in Kerr County, Texas

Days after flash floods killed over 100 people during the July Fourth weekend, search-and-rescue teams are using heavy equipment to untangle and peel away layers of trees, unearth large rocks in riverbanks and move massive piles of debris that stretch for miles in the search for the missing people.

Events

15 h. ago Joe Root unbeaten on 99 as England dig in against India but Stokes injury a concern

Third Test, day one: England 251-4Root unbeaten on 99 while captain picks up knockEngland opted not to train on Tuesday but Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum still made a beeline for Lord’s. Two days out from the third Test – a pivotal match with the series locked at one-apiece – they were keen to speak to the groundstaff to express their hopes for a pitch with pace, bounce and a bit of sideways movement.It was too late to be making demands and, like the disappointed customers of Mr Tourette, signwriter extraordinaire from the Modern Toss cartoons, England’s captain and head coach had to settle for a slow, occasionally two-paced surface. Throw in a sluggish outfield — plus an Indian attack buoyed by their win at Edgbaston and now augmented by Jasprit Bumrah — and run-scoring was anything but straightforward. Continue reading...

Events