55 h. ago More than 150 Palestinians were held on a plane for around 12 hours in South Africa

South African authorities face heavy criticism for holding over 150 Palestinians on a plane for about 12 hours due to travel document issues

Politics

6 d. ago Crisp Pizza, London’s social media sensation, heads to Mayfair

Crisp Pizza, London’s social media sensation, heads to Mayfair  Financial Times

Politics

9 d. ago Vital services at risk in Wales with social care facing huge black hole, councils say

The financial black hole in social services equates to more than one third of councils' total overspend in this financial year, according to a local government body

Events

1 week ago Outrage in Paris as Shein prepares to open its first permanent store

Fast-fashion retailer faces political anger, fury from workers and warnings it will damage city’s progressive imageThe online fast-fashion retailer Shein will open its first permanent bricks-and-mortar store in the world in Paris this week amid political outrage, fury from workers and warnings from city hall that it will damage the French capital’s progressive image.The Singapore-based clothing company, which was founded in China, has built a massive online business despite criticism over its factory working conditions and the environmental impact of low-cost, throwaway fashion. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Young Once: A Life Less Heavy Nigel Planer: The real life of Neil the hippy

The comedian's fabulous memoir reveals the life behind the lanky hair

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Finfluencers’ and how to spot bad financial advice on social media

Anything suggesting guaranteed returns, someone without qualifications or calls to act now are all red flags

Politics

2 w. ago Paint me cool: scientists reveal roof coating that can reduce surface temperatures up to 6C on hot days

Sydney researchers commercialising a product they say can cool indoor spaces and will cost little more than standard premium paintsSign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter hereAustralian scientists have developed roof coatings that can passively cool surfaces up to 6C below ambient temperature, as well as extract water from the atmosphere, which they say could reduce indoor temperatures during extreme heat events.Heatwaves are becoming more intense, more frequent and more deadly due to human-caused global heating. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago When trains are pricier than planes, there’s a heavy social, financial and environmental cost

In this week’s newsletter: Whether it’s a holiday or work trip, railway travellers find themselves burdened by astronomical prices – and the environment is left footing the bill• Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereIf I want to get from Barcelona to London, I face what should be a simple choice: either I take the plane, and pump out about 280kg of pollution that heats the planet, or the train, and spew just 8kg.That is not the calculation travellers are presented with, nor is it the one they care about most. Because while the plane ticket would cost €15, an analysis from Greenpeace found this summer, the train ticket would cost a galling €389.Climate disasters in first half of 2025 costliest ever on record, research showsGlobal use of coal hit record high in 2024Overconsumption and ruin: before and after images visualise how tech could harm our planet Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago Climate disasters in first half of 2025 costliest ever on record, research shows

LA wildfires and storms this year cost $101bn, new study by non-profit resurrecting work axed by Trump saysThe first half of 2025 was the costliest on record for major disasters in the US, driven by huge wildfires in Los Angeles and storms that battered much of the rest of the country, according to a climate non-profit that has resurrected work axed by Donald Trump’s administration that tracked the biggest disasters.In the first six months of this year, 14 separate weather-related disasters that each caused at least $1bn in damage hit the US, the Climate Central group has calculated. In total, these events cost $101bn in damages – lost homes, businesses, highways and other infrastructure – a toll higher than any other first half of a year since records on this began in 1980. Continue reading...

Events

last month Broken promises and political crises: how Emmanuel Macron fell from French favour

The president is seen to have accelerated the financial crisis, social inequalities and the rise of the far rightEurope live – latest updatesThree French governments have collapsed in less than a year, and the political crisis looks likely to continue, overshadowing Emmanuel Macron’s last 18 months in power and his domestic legacy.This week, the latest minority government narrowly survived its first vote of no confidence. But it remains the weakest cabinet in decades and could be toppled at any moment if opposition parties join together to oust it. France faces a brutal two-month battle in parliament to achieve what once seemed the most basic element of governance: passing a budget. Continue reading...

Politics