26 h. ago Edinburgh Fringe 2025: The biggest gigs to see at the festival in August, including Pete Doherty

With acts including Pete Doherty, The Boomtown Rats and Ezra Collective all set to perform, here are our picks for gigs at the 2025 Fringe.

Politics

27 h. ago Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Hot Tickets: 31 stars of Live at the Apollo with shows this August

There are no shortage of familiar faces from the BBC’s flagship standup comedy show in Edinburgh this year.

Sport

27 h. ago Voices: For crying out loud: are you ready for the ‘politics of pain’ about to hit us?

I once accused the PM and his chancellor of being too gloomy, writes John Rentoul. Turns out they were not gloomy enough – and they’ll have to lead the nation through another vale of tears

Politics

29 h. ago As the Women’s Euros kick off, Edinburgh Fringe serves up sport, sweat, and scandal on stage

With the Women’s Euros just around the corner, excitement for women’s football is reaching fever pitch across the UK and beyond. The Euros aren’t just bringing the world’s best players to the pitch — they’re shining a spotlight on the battles, the breakthroughs, and the stories behind the game. And this summer, Edinburgh Fringe is perfectly timed to dive headfirst into that energy with a stunning lineup of sport-themed theatre and musicals that capture the grit, glamour, and grind of sport both on and off the field.

Sport

30 h. ago Starmer defends Reeves but refuses to rule out tax rises as he announces 10

PM says only possible to transform the NHS due to decisions taken by chancellor, and denies the pressure is too much for herStreeting says he has to go to the Commons to make a statement to MPs.But first he introduces Rachel Reeves, saying that she has put an extra £29bn into the NHS.It is thanks to her leadership that we’ve seen interest rates in our country fall four times. It’s thanks to her leadership that we see wages finally rising faster than the cost of living. And it’s thanks to her leadership we have the fastest growing economy in the G7.If Australia can effectively serve communities living in the remote outback, we can meet the needs of people living in rural England.If community health teams can go door to door to prevent ill health in Brazil, we can do the same in Bradford. Continue reading...

Politics

33 h. ago ‘You’re stealing my identity!’: the movie voiceover artists going to war with AI

As new tech imperils the £3bn dubbing artists industry, Germany’s voice of Julia Roberts, India’s Ryan Reynolds and France’s Sly Stallone explain why audiences should listen to their fearsWhen Julia Roberts gets in Richard Gere’s Lotus Esprit as it stutters along Hollywood Boulevard in the 1990 film Pretty Woman, Germans heard Daniela Hoffmann, not Roberts, exclaim: “Man, this baby must corner like it’s on rails!” In Spain, Mercè Montalà voiced the line, while French audiences heard it from Céline Monsarrat. In the years that followed, Hollywood’s sweetheart would sound different in cinemas around the world but to native audiences she would sound the same.The voice actors would gain some notoriety in their home countries, but today, their jobs are being threatened by artificial intelligence. The use of AI was a major point of dispute during the Hollywood actors’ strike in 2023, when both writers and actors expressed concern that it could undermine their roles, and fought for federal...

Events

43 h. ago Starmer backs tearful Reeves – but refuses to rule out tax rises after welfare debacle

Chaotic PMQs sees chancellor upset – reportedly after clash with speaker – as PM fields questions over black hole left by U-turn

Economics

47 h. ago Starmer fails to back tearful Reeves – or rule out tax rises – after welfare debacle

Chaotic PMQs sees chancellor upset – reportedly after clash with speaker – as PM fields questions over black hole left by U-turn

Economics

48 h. ago Brenda Blethyn's 'gripping' new thriller confirms UK screening and its not far away

Vera star Brenda Blethyn stars alongside Andrea Riseborough and Jason Watkins in new film Dragonfly which will be first screened in the UK at Edinburgh International Film Festival

Politics

50 h. ago ‘AI doesn’t know what an orgasm sounds like’: audiobook actors grapple with the rise of robot narrators

As demand for audio content grows, companies are looking for faster – and cheaper – ways to make itGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailWhen we think about what makes an audiobook memorable, it’s always the most human moments: a catch in the throat when tears are near, or words spoken through a real smile.A Melbourne actor and audiobook narrator, Annabelle Tudor, says it’s the instinct we have as storytellers that makes narration such a primal, and precious, skill. “The voice betrays how we’re feeling really easily,” she says. Continue reading...

Culture

51 h. ago New insider guide to booking university rooms for the Edinburgh Festival launches online

The world-famous Edinburgh Festival and Fringe returns on 1 August but organisers have warned that soaring accommodation costs and holiday let restrictions could mean the event is facing ‘grim’ obstacles. The good news is that a new online guide has just launched revealing how festival-goers and performers can easily book bargain university rooms for August.

Culture

52 h. ago Orange Is The New Black star looks unrecognisable in new role

Orange is the New Black star Julie Lake is set to premiere her new musical play Forget-Me-Not at the Edinburgh Fringe this August, alongside writer-performer Annie Macleod

Politics

54 h. ago Keir Starmer refuses to rule out tax rises after Labour MPs force U

The Prime Minister refused to be drawn on whether he would increase tax later this year.

Politics

54 h. ago PMQs latest: Starmer fails to rule out tax rises in autumn after welfare U

Watering down of legislation represents most significant knock to prime minister’s leadership since coming into power a year ago

Economics

56 h. ago With a £5bn hole to fill, the true battle on Keir Starmer’s hands is only just beginning

Sir Keir Starmer’s capitulation on welfare cuts has dented his authority and raised questions about his judgment

Economics

56 h. ago With a £5bn hole to fill, the true battle on Keir Starmer’s hands may only just be beginning

Sir Keir Starmer’s capitulation on welfare cuts has dented his authority and raised questions about his judgment

Economics

56 h. ago Edinburgh fringe 2025: the best theatre and comedy we’ve already reviewed

The festival has plenty of returning heroes, from Nina Conti to Nick Mohammed. Here are 10 shows our critics praisedIn cult clown duo Xhloe and Natasha’s two-hander, we are swiftly in the US of LBJ, Beatlemania and Tom Sawyer-style outdoor adventuring. The pair portray muddy-kneed boy scouts who, against a backdrop of chirping insects and with the sole prop of a tyre, recount their hijinks with an emotional impact that sneaks up on you. Read the review. Chris WiegandtheSpace @ Niddry St, 2-23 August Continue reading...

Culture

57 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises loom within months after Starmer's 'shambolic' benefit reforms 'saved nothing'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a £5 billion hole in her tax and spending plans

Economics

58 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises loom within months after Keir Starmer's 'shambolic' welfare cuts climbdown

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a fiscal headache as a forecast £4.8billion in welfare savings have been whittled away to nothing

Economics

60 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises 'are more likely' after Keir Starmer's 'shambolic' welfare cuts climbdown

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a fiscal headache as a forecast £4.8billion in welfare savings have been whittled away to nothing

Economics