42 m. ago Tiny underrated city 'just like Amsterdam' has pretty canals and no crowds

A picturesque underrated city rivals Amsterdam with its gorgeous canals and waterfront cafés but has the added bonus that you won't have to face the tourist crowds

Politics

56 m. ago Brit man 'beaten to death with rocks' pictured as girl and two boys charged with murder

The children, who cannot be named due to their age, have now been charged with the murder by joint venture of Alexander Cashford, 49, who was found on the beach with serious injuries

Events

71 m. ago Pictured: Man 'beaten to death with concrete slab' on the Isle of Sheppey as three teenagers are charged with murder

Alexander Cashford, 49, was found dead with multiple serious injuries in Leysdown-on-Sea on Sunday.

Events

1 hour ago The Trump administration has decided coal is female – here’s why | Arwa Mahdawi

What is really behind the US Department of Energy’s weird pronouncement on social media?Have you ever tossed and turned at night wondering what the correct pronouns are for a lump of coal? No, me neither. However, it seems someone at the US Department of Energy has devoted a few spare brain cells to this matter and decided that coal is a she/her.Co-opting a phrase adopted by the LGBTQ+ community, the official energy department X account tweeted on 31 July: “She’s an icon. She’s a legend. And she is the moment,” alongside a sparkling picture of coal. This comes as the Trump administration devotes considerable energy to making fossil fuels great again. The president has signed numerous executive orders aimed at “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry” and reversed Biden-era pollution regulations on coal-fired power plants. These plants, according to a 2023 report, killed at least 460,000 Americans over the past two decades. Deaths declined when the environmental regula...

Politics

1 hour ago European leaders lobby Donald Trump on Ukraine in phone call ahead of Putin meeting

There are growing concerns in Ukraine that the US President will attempt to force through a peace deal that sells their country out when he meets Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday

Politics

2 h. ago 250 locals to be hired as event delivery partner unveiled for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

“There is no better city than Glasgow to host this forward-thinking delivery model and change the future of how major multi-sport events are delivered” – Phil Batty

Politics

2 h. ago Premier League to test Ref Cams on first weekend with view to permanent rollout

Clubs, Sky Sports and TNT Sports support innovationCameras can provide near-instant replays of incidentsThe Premier League is planning to test Ref Cams in selected matches during their opening round of fixtures this weekend with a view to making the new technology a permanent feature of live TV games for the rest of the season.The Guardian has learned that the clubs have given their approval for the trial with the Premier League’s broadcast partners, Sky Sports and TNT Sports, also supporting the innovation. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Here's where to watch Manchester City and United play in the Premier League for 2025/26

Sky is upping its match count from 128 to 215 this Premier League season.

Politics

3 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

3 h. ago Major inheritance tax change talks as Sky News host grills minister on plan

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly exploring changes to inheritance tax - such as tightening the rules around gifting - as she battles to plug a hole in the public finances

Politics

4 h. ago Iraq’s marshes were considered an Eden. Now the oil industry is sucking them dry

Hawizeh’s wetlands once had abundant fishing and wildlife. In a land threatened by drought and desertification, oil drilling is draining the last of the waterAt dawn, a veil of mist clings to the canals of Hawizeh, where sky and water seem to blur into a mirror. In the stern of a narrow wooden boat, 23-year-old Mustafa Hashim scans the marshes’ shallows, cutting the motor and switching to a traditional pole to avoid snagging on invasive roots or thickening mud.It takes him about half an hour to push through the shrinking marshes to reach Um al-Nea’aj, once a vibrant lake teeming with boats and birdsong. Now, the water is about half a metre deep. Continue reading...

Politics

5 h. ago Putin calls North Korea’s Kim to promise ‘closer contact’ ahead of Trump summit

Russian president Vladimir Putin held a phone call with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to reaffirm their “friendship” ahead of his summit with Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.

Politics

5 h. ago ‘A tour de force!’: LensCulture Critics’ Choice awards – in pictures

From hazardous trips through the Kurdish mountains to a queer journey into the heart of Americana, these images all wowed the esteemed prize’s judges Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Micah Richards rules one team OUT of the title race before season even begins

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards is fearing the worst for his former side Manchester City, believing Rodri's absence could leave them too short in the race for the Premier League title

Politics

5 h. ago A moment that changed me: I resolved to reduce my screen time – and it was a big mistake

I was looking for liberation from the apps, but quitting them only made my life harder and turned me into a man obsessedI unlocked my iPhone screen at the precise moment that my weekly screen time notification appeared – accidentally dismissing it before I could take a screenshot – and promptly erupted into a rage. I had spent an excruciating week resolutely not looking at my phone, part of a month-long effort to whittle my daily screen time down from more than four hours a day to less than an hour, with the hope of improving my mental wellbeing (and possibly carving out a career as an inspirational speaker). But my efforts felt futile without being able to post evidence online about how offline I had become. I frantically Googled how to retrieve notifications (you cannot) and – briefly – considered re-creating my screen time report in Photoshop.Over the past decade or two, my efforts at self-improvement have taken various forms: the year where I read 105 books; the period during wh...

Politics

6 h. ago The six former Manchester United players still waiting for a transfer phone call

Man Utd released a clutch of players over the summer and some are still without clubs on the eve of the season.

Sport

11 h. ago My night of misery in A&E for a broken ankle left me in tears. I was treated with indifference verging on contempt. The NHS is broken: SARAH VINE

There is no question that violence against medical staff is totally unacceptable. Yesterday's report paints a worrying picture of assault in hospitals, with one worker attacked every two hours.

Politics

13 h. ago ‘It’s a horrible picture’: Gaza faces new threat from antibiotic

Fatal infections more likely due to malnutrition, injuries and lack of medical facilities under Israel’s blockadeGaza is facing a new threat as diseases resistant to antibiotics spread across the devastated territory, research has revealed.Medical supplies are desperately scarce and tens of thousands of people have been injured in the 22-month war, while many others have been weakened by malnutrition, so the high levels of drug-resistant bacteria will mean longer and more serious illnesses, a more rapid transmission of infectious diseases and more deaths, experts said. Continue reading...

Events

14 h. ago Gen Z given lessons on how to take phone calls to prepare for clearing

Teachers have role-played and carried out mock interviews and calls with teenagers

Politics

14 h. ago Ozark breakout teams with Marvel legend for thrilling crime drama already getting rave response

The first look at the new crime drama starring Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey has been released and fans are already hailing it as a must-watch thriller

Events