7 h. ago Trump’s DC takeover is a move of staggering hypocrisy | Rebecca Solnit

Donald Trump is concocting a drama in DC because he would like us to really stop talking about the Epstein filesThe most violent day in the history of Washington DC, leaving aside the War of 1812, was 6 January 2021, and the instigator was Donald J Trump, who this week has endeavored to seize control of the nation’s capital, after reports that a former employee of the “department of government efficiency” (Doge) was assaulted in the city.In a sense the new event echoes the old; both are illegitimate power grabs made on the basis of lies. In 2021 it was a lie about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election; in the summer of 2025 it’s lies about crime levels. Reliable sources – including the Biden Department of Justice in January – have noted that violent crime there is at a 30-year low. Five people died as a result of that 2021 attack on Congress, and dozens of law enforcement officers were injured, some gravely, by the mob Trump incited. On his first day in office in 2025 he par...

Politics

8 h. ago Bargain hunt: the best value signings in the Premier League this summer

Chelsea, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Brentford have spent some smart money in the transfer windowBy WhoScoredThe young English striker began his career at Derby before moving to Manchester City as a 16-year-old in 2019. After loan spells at Stoke, Preston and Hull, Liam Delap made a £20m move to Ipswich last summer and proceeded to make a name for himself in the Premier League. Continue reading...

Politics

12 h. ago Fruit purees to add class to homemade summer cocktails | Hannah Crosbie on drinks

A good cocktail takes skill, and one of those skills is preparing the right ingredients There are many reasons I’ve never had a bar cart. For one thing, there’s something sublimely Abigail’s Party about having an area solely dedicated to drinking. Plus a bar cart says: “I have my life together! Friends regularly visit my house and enjoy doing so!” (Both things I’m unable to verify.)My new home, however, comes complete with a drinks trolley, yet I’m scared to touch it. Why? Mainly because I just don’t think I’m capable of producing something I’ll actually like. Besides chucking some cold gin in a coupe and dropping in a poorly cut toenail of lemon, my mixologist skills begin and end at lumping a few liquids in a jug and calling it a “lazy girl cocktail” – although “cocktail” feels a rather grandiose term for creating what is, essentially, a domestic version of a Wetherspoon’s pitcher. Continue reading...

Politics

28 h. ago Lorna Raver dead at 81: Drag Me To Hell star passes away as tributes pour in

Raver passed on May 12, 2025, according to SAG-AFTRA's Summer 2025 magazine, which announced her death in their 'In Memoriam' section.

Events

29 h. ago Ryanair baggage rule change could see passengers hit with extra £70 charge

Ryanair has updated its cabin baggage rules for summer 2025 and there's one rule that could catch you out if you're unprepared

Economics

36 h. ago How to turn a glut of summer fruit into a delicious jam tart | Waste not

As our summer fruit crops race to offload an abundance of produce, a simple tart is often the best option for using up a seasonal glutWe’ve got a huge, beautiful, red-leafed cherry plum tree in our back garden, and right now it’s raining plums! Have you noticed the sheer abundance of fruit this year? The branches are heavy and the ground is scattered with fallen fruit. Last weekend, I harvested about 10kg plums from our tree, and my daughter suggested we make a jam tart. It turned out to be one of the best I’ve ever eaten, sweet yet sharp, sticky and rich. A simple, seasonal treat. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago Buy small plants – and consider a ‘bulb lasagne’: how to give your garden a late

From planting in odd numbers to painting fences and walls the same colour, here are some easy, effective ways to give your outdoor space a seasonal spruce-up“It is not always necessary to rip out everything and start again,” says Ella Malt, who runs the gardening company Soil and Soul Norfolk. “It is much more sustainable to work with what you have. You can make such a difference with a bit of cutting back, clearing up leaves, cutting an edge on a lawn. People notice edges: you could spend hours making a herbaceous border perfect but if the edge of that border isn’t crisp, it will automatically look untidy.” Continue reading...

Economics

3 d. ago How the style set fell for toe shoes: Revealing footwear is 2025's summer It buy

From Tabis to Vibram Five Finger Shoes and Havaianas, it’s never been more on trend to show off your digits

Politics

3 d. ago Summer 2025 has proved why London is the greatest city in the world, writes Sir Sadiq Khan

Summer 2025 has proved why London is the greatest city in the world, writes Sir Sadiq Khan  lbc.co.uk

Politics

3 d. ago F1 summer shutdown, when it ends and what it means for teams and drivers

For two weeks in ever summer break in the Formula 1 season, the FIA enforces a mandatory shutdown period

Events

4 d. ago Liverpool given reality check after summer transfers and tragedy | John Brewin

Despite goals from two new signings, Liverpool’s Community Shield defeat asks fresh questions of Arne SlotWembley was supposed to be a case of the men who weren’t there. It ended up posing questions of the team asked to defend the Premier League title.Alexander Isak may become a Liverpool player. That will be decided soon enough by the transfer market; a game of charades is being played before money eventually dictates its conclusion. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Rightwingers warn of another blaze of summer riots in Britain – but they’re the ones striking the match | John Harris

Grim predictions of ‘societal collapse’ and ‘civil war’ will hit home so long as Labour fails to address the country’s problemsA last stretch of this strange, uneasy summer remains. Between now and September, there could conceivably be further outbreaks of the kind of violence that rightwing politicians and their media allies have been frantically predicting. But for now, behold a fascinating spectacle: a country quietly refusing to chaotically combust, despite being endlessly encouraged to do so.One word in particular symbolises the gap between hyped-up rhetoric and everyday reality. “Tinderbox” was first used in the mid-16th century, to describe a crude instrument for starting fires: a container that carried a piece of either flint or steel, and a pocketful of the dry, flammable material that gave the device its name. With the invention of matches, the use of such implements fell away, and the word began its passage to how it is used today: as political shorthand for any situation...

Events

4 d. ago Climate change is killing fireflies – threatening a US summer ritual

Scientists say lightning bugs are having a revival this year – but they’re concerned about the insects’ long-term viabilityMax Vogel, a 29-year-old public defense attorney, was picnicking with friends in early August at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, when he noticed flashes of light appear in the air around him.They were fireflies, bioluminescent insects that the Washington DC native had not seen while living in Oregon, where there are few, if any. For many Americans who live where fireflies do, their flashing lights at dusk are a tangible rite of summer – though one that may now be under threat. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago I thought we’d entered the age of body positivity. Then came ‘shrinking girl summer’ – is everyone getting smaller except me?

It’s been the year of weight-loss drugs, with celebrities seemingly disappearing before our eyes. For those of us left behind, it’s both a torment and a temptation. Spoiler alert: I tried the jabs, tooIt is a balmy evening in early July. I have finally managed to get both of my small children to sleep and I am engaging in what has become a new and unhealthy ritual: scrolling through Instagram and trying to work out which of the people behind accounts I once followed for their body positivity content are now taking weight-loss drugs. I take a break from scrolling to pinch layers of fat between my thumb and middle finger, willing them – as I have since I was a child – to disappear. My fingertips trace the folds of skin that have appeared between my hips and ribs since my youngest son was born last summer, then over the raised red zigzags that have emerged all over my tummy since I first began growing children in 2021.By the time my partner has made his way up to our room, I am sobbing...

Politics

4 d. ago Amazon's 'impressive' tower fan shoppers love now reduced by a huge 80% in time for heatwave

The summer of 2025 will surely be remembered as one with multiple mini heatwaves sweeping across the country and people feeling like they are over-heating and even having difficulty sleeping as the weather reaches higher temperatures.

Politics

4 d. ago ‘Your nether regions will know if you’ve skimped’: 16 summer cycling essentials

Saddling up for summer? Here’s the kit to keep you cool, comfortable and chafe-free• Hit the road with the best bike panniers and handlebar bagsCycling is one of the most rewarding activities around. It’s good for your physical and mental health, offers a carbon-free way of getting from A to B, and can often be the quickest and most cost-effective form of transport – particularly if you live in a city.Once you’re hooked, there are a few bits of kit that will improve your experience immeasurably, whether that’s comfortable clothing to curtail chaffing, or a water bottle to help you hydrate without stopping. In summer, the longer days and generally favourable conditions mean you can forgo additional accessories such as bike lights, mudguards and head-to-toe waterproofs – although they can’t be avoided forever if you become a year-round, all-weather rider. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago The best transfer announcements of the summer window (and the worst)

From a Saturday Night Fever-inspired video to a bizarre Lionel Richie-theme, it has been a creative time for signingsSometimes it’s best not to overcomplicate things. The former Atalanta playmaker Alejandro “Papu” Gómez loves a dance (his hit single Dance Like the Papu went viral in 2017) and Padua is an absolutely gorgeous city in northern Italy, so this Saturday Night Fever-inspired transfer announcement video for the Argentinian that showcases both works a charm. In what feels like a high-quality production, the 2022 World Cup winner struts around the city in 1970s clobber: a leather jacket, an enormously lappelled shirt and a vintage pair of Copa Mundials, all to the sound of the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive. The context of this transfer to the Serie B side is that Gómez is finishing a two-year doping ban after taking a banned substance, which the now 37-year-old claimed came from his son’s cough medicine. Gómez, fifth on the all-time list of Serie A assists, continues to train indep...

Politics

5 d. ago Lionesses hero Lucy Bronze snapped with Euro 2025 rival as pair soak up summer sun

Lionesses hero Lucy Bronze has been snapped enjoying the Spanish sun with her Euro 2025 rival Ona Batlle, who she is rumoured to be dating

Politics

5 d. ago Provocative? Polarising? Or just plain weird? Welcome to ugly shoe summer

Vibram’s toe-spreading styles are the ubiquitous side of a trend that can be traced back to 15th-century JapanWhen it comes to summer style muses, Jane Birkin in a pair of woven sandals or plimsoll sneakers strolling around Provence was once the perennial reference. But change is afoot. This summer’s biggest footwear muses include kayakers and barefoot running enthusiasts.The most surprising yet desired shoes in fashion right now include rubber flip-flops, neoprene slip-on water shoes and Vibram’s FiveFingers, a glove-like fitness shoe that punctuates each individual toe. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Italians turn away from private beaches amid debate over rising prices

Figures suggest shift from country’s traditional summer culture, with lounger and parasol rentals up to €90 a dayItalians appear to be snubbing beaches this summer, amid claims they are rebelling against the high prices charged by the owners of private beach concessions.Going to the beach and renting cabins, loungers and parasols – usually at the same location – has long been an ingrained habit of Italian summer holiday culture. Continue reading...

Economics