49 m. ago Housebuilding slows in fresh blow to Labour's 1.5m new homes plan

Activity in the housebuilding sector slowed in August as the British construction sector suffers its longest downturn since the beginning of the pandemic.

Society

74 m. ago Blockbuster ‘Night at The Movies’ Bonfire Spectacular returns to Edinburgh this November

Following a sell-out first year, Scotland’s biggest bonfire night celebration, Fawkes Festival, is to make a blockbuster return to the Royal Highland Centre this November as it brings together thousands of families and friends for a one-day-only spectacular of live entertainment, dazzling performances, and a firework display like no-other. General ticket sales are now available.

Events

91 m. ago East Ayrshire Council planners rubber stamp 49 new homes for Cumnock

Livingston-based firm, Rosewood Homes and Properties Ltd, have been given the green light to build new homes at the site, along with the construction of roads, footpaths, car parking and drainage.

Politics

99 m. ago Man buys £2 item at car boot sale and is bowled over by its true worth

Chris is a reseller who likes to pick up bargains and then sell them to make a profit. He bought a £2 item at a car boot sale, and was left floored by how much it's worth

Economics

2 h. ago Construction sector suffers longest downturn for over five years – report

The latest S&P Global UK construction purchasing managers’ index showed another steep drop in output in August, although the rate of decline eased.

Politics

2 h. ago UK construction in longest downturn since early 2020; global bond sell

Construction activity in longest continuous slump in five years, as UK long-term borrowing costs dips backOuch! Britain’s construction sector is suffering its longest continuous downturn since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.Construction output slumped again in August, according to the latest poll of purchasing managers from data provider S&P Global.Business activity falls for eighth month in a row, but at slower pace than in JulySolid reductions in new work and employmentOptimism drops to its lowest since December 2022“Construction activity has decreased throughout the year-to-date, which is the longest continuous downturn since early-2020. August data signalled only a partial easing in the speed of decline after output fell at the fastest pace for over five years in July.Sharply reduced levels of housing and civil engineering activity were again the main reasons for a weak overall construction sector performance. Commercial work showed some resilience in August, with t...

Politics

3 h. ago FTSE 100 Live 04 September: Currys cheer lifts retailers, Jet2 caution fuels airline selling

Currys shares today jumped by a fifth after the electricals retailer boosted confidence with another robust trading update.

Society

3 h. ago Trump asks US supreme court to overturn trade tariffs ruling

Move follows federal appeals court decision that sweeping ‘liberation day’ levies on imports had overstepped presidential powersBusiness live – latest updatesDonald Trump has asked the US supreme court to overturn a lower court decision that most of his sweeping trade tariffs were illegal.The US president filed a petition late on Wednesday to ask for a review of last week’s federal appeals court ruling in Washington DC, which centred on his “liberation day” border taxes introduced on 2 April, which imposed levies of between 10% and 50% on most US imports, sending shock waves through global trade and markets. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago 'I founded Omaze and this is the reason some winners end up selling their home'

Omaze co-founder Matt Pohlson has spoken out after some winners of the luxury homes decided to sell up

Politics

4 h. ago FTSE 100 Live 04 September: Currys surges on strong trading, Jet2 shares slide

Currys shares today jumped by a fifth after the electricals retailer boosted confidence with another robust trading update.

Politics

4 h. ago Is Britain really the new North Korea? Let us consider the evidence | Martin Kettle

Yes, there were some serious problems for Labour this week, but overblown claims in the press undermine what remains of our political debateSign up for our new weekly newsletter Matters of Opinion, where our columnists and writers will reflect on what they’ve been debating, thinking about, reading and moreTell me, fellow Brits, how are you getting used to our island version of North Korea? How are you coping with life, now that we are a global pariah alongside Pyongyang? How do you feel about modern Britain having to vie with North Korea, Myanmar and Afghanistan for the wooden spoon on every international index of oppression?For that is the country Wednesday’s Daily Mail front page insists we have now become. It is tempting to laugh off a headline that asks “When did Britain become North Korea?” as just another here-today-gone-tomorrow piece of journalistic hyperbole. That’s even more the case when you read the cobbled-up pandemonium of provocations that form the contents of the hea...

Politics

4 h. ago 'I founded Omaze and this is why some winners decide to sell up'

Matt Pohlson founded Omaze in the US before bringing the company to the UK in 2020 where he began raffling multi-million pound homes around the counntry

Politics

7 h. ago FACT FOCUS: DeSantis' misleading claims about why Florida missed out on a congressional seat

Gov. Ron DeSantis claims the 2020 census numbers for Florida need fixing to grant the state another congressional seat

Politics

7 h. ago Bond investors count on Trump tariff revenues to rein in US debt

President’s levies now seen as a way to offset president’s tax cuts and keep a lid on government borrowing

Economics

9 h. ago Phil Spencer says one thing helps sell Scottish homes and it costs nothing

TV property guru Phil Spencer has shared his top tips for selling your home - and one of them is completely free

Politics

10 h. ago South Park's new episode 'Wok is Dead' to take fresh swipe at Donald Trump

South Park's new episode 'Wok is Dead' will take a fresh swipe at Donald Trump and his administration as the show continues to mock the US president and his policies - in particular his global tariffs

Politics

13 h. ago New details emerge as Army vet gets $1M bond in accused killing of boy, 11, as he ran away while playing ding

“I think that a very high bond is warranted if the allegations involve someone intentionally killing an 11-year-old for knocking on their door,” a Harris County Assistant District Attorney said

Events

14 h. ago ‘Slap on the wrist’: critics decry weak penalties on Google after landmark monopoly trial

Judge said tech giant had monopoly but let it keep Chrome and Android; critics cried foul while Wall Street cheeredA judge ruled on Tuesday that Google would not be forced to sell its Chrome browser or the Android operating system, saving the tech giant from the most severe penalties sought by the US government. The same judge had ruled in favor of US prosecutors nearly a year ago, finding that Google built and maintained an illegal monopoly with its namesake search engine.Groups critical of Google’s dominance in the internet search and online advertising industry are furious. They contend the judge missed an opportunity to enact meaningful change in an industry that has suffocated under the crushing weight of its heaviest player. Tech industry groups and investors, by contrast, are thrilled. Shares in Alphabet, Google’s parent company, have risen 9% since Tuesday afternoon. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago US ‘very troubled’ by Norway fund’s Caterpillar divestment over Israel

Move based on ‘illegitimate claims’ against construction equipment company and Israeli government, says state department

Politics

15 h. ago Liam and Noel Gallagher 'locked in escalating bitter feud' with fashion retailer Oasis over their plans to trademark the band's logo

Liam and Noel Gallagher reunited after 16 years as they officially brought an end to their long-running feud for their sell-out tour.

Culture