35 m. ago Reading festivalgoers spared erection blushes as Columbia offers to put up tents

Nothing puts more of a dampener on the festival vibe than being unable to get your tent up - so Columbia has launched a free tent-erection service for Reading Festival this weekend

Culture

54 m. ago Gaza war latest: Israel launches first stage of Gaza City invasion as Palestinians flee new assault

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the city are expected to be ordered to evacuate

Events

62 m. ago Trump needs to understand what the war in Ukraine is really about | Kenneth Roth

It’s not about Nato or the Soviet Union. It’s about democracyIt may be difficult for a real-estate mogul like Donald Trump to recognize, but Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is not about slices of war-torn land in eastern Ukraine. It is about Ukraine’s democracy. Putin fears that the Russian people will see that democracy as an enticing alternative to his stultifying autocratic rule. Trump is unlikely to secure a peace deal unless he acts on that reality and changes the cost-benefit analysis behind Putin’s continuing war.Much of the public analysis of the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin, and the Washington collection of European leaders protecting the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, from the temperamental Trump, has been replete with red-herring issues. For example, Putin did not invade Ukraine because of feared Nato expansion. The unanimous consent of all Nato members required to admit Ukraine is nowhere on the horizon, especially since article 5 of the Nato tre...

Politics

62 m. ago Trump steps back from Russia and Ukraine peace talks for now, sources say

US president told top advisers trilateral meeting would take place after leaders of the two countries have met firstDonald Trump intends to leave Russia and Ukraine to organize a meeting between their leaders without directly playing a role for now, according to administration officials familiar with the situation, taking a step back from the negotiations to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The next stage in Trump’s eyes to end the war in Ukraine remains a bilateral meeting between Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, the officials said. Continue reading...

Politics

71 m. ago Reading Festival fans offered cheeky 'morning erection' service – but it's not what you think

Fans at Reading Festival this weekend are told they "don't need to worry about getting it up", but please get your mind out of the gutter as we're clearly talking about tents

Politics

72 m. ago Councillors respond to planned demolition of Hamilton's Vogue cinema

The historic building is set to be demolished after independent surveys declared it unsafe

Politics

82 m. ago Livingston village will see regular bus service restored next month

The agreement follows discussions with West Lothian Council’s public transport staff and a robust campaign and petition raised by villagers which started earlier this year.

Politics

84 m. ago Brits warned as stretch of Costa Blanca coast shut after deadly sea creature invasion

The killer blue dragons sea slug, also known as Glaucus atlanticus, feeds on the deadly Portuguese man o’ war and other venomous aquatic beasts and is known for its dazzling appearance

Events

95 m. ago World's oldest living person celebrates her 116th birthday in UK care home

Ethel Caterham was born five years before the start of the First World War

Politics

1 hour ago US will only offer minimal security guarantees for Ukraine, says defence adviser – Ukraine war live

Elbridge Colby, US undersecretary of defence for policy, tells European allies that the bulk of responsibility will fall on Europe, say reportsIf you followed the blog yesterday, you know we looked at an incident with an allegedly Russian drone that crossed into Poland and exploded in a cornfield, some 100 km from Polish-Belarusian border.A regional prosecutor issued an update today, saying that “there is a very high probability that the object probably came from Belarus.” Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Everyone need to watch masterpiece war film now streaming at least once

Kate Winslet's film Lee is streaming now and tells the remarkable true story of a woman who abandoned a career as a model to become one of the most important war correspondents of the 20th century

Events

2 h. ago Vance says it’s up to Europe to provide Ukraine security guarantees with Pentagon confirming U.S. involvement will be ‘minimal’

Vice President says it will up to neighbor states to provide ‘lion’s share’ of peacekeeping support to Kyiv if peace deal with Russia can be agreed

Events

2 h. ago Celtic hopes for Champions League reprieve dashed as Kairat yellow card confusion cleared up

The Kazakh outfit held Hoops to a goalless draw at Parkhead in the first leg of their play-off showdown

Sport

2 h. ago Professional services firm launches AI division to help clients drive efficiency and revenue

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used across a wide spectrum of business sectors to help organisations become more efficient and to free-up individual’s time so they can focus on activities and opportunities that add value.

Politics

2 h. ago Strathaven Balloon Festival is set to attract 30,000 spectators

This will be the 25th anniversary of the free yearly event.

Politics

2 h. ago Pensioner taken to hospital after car ends up on roof in three

Motorists were asked to avoid the area while the emergency services dealt with the incident.

Politics

2 h. ago Russian missiles target Ukrainian cities in largest attack for weeks

Zelenskyy says Moscow struck US civilian factory and shows no sign of wanting end to war

Events

2 h. ago Mikel Arteta can give Eberechi Eze dream start to life at Arsenal with one simple gesture

Arsenal look set to secure the services of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, after beating bitter rivals Tottenham to his signature, and boss Mikel Arteta has the perfect shirt number for the England star

Politics

3 h. ago Vladimir Putin launches hypersonic attack in worst raid since Alaska summit

Russia hit Ukraine with one of its heaviest missile and drone of the war so far, forcing NATO to scramble fighter jets just days after Vladimir Putin travelled to meet Donald Trump in Alaska

Politics

3 h. ago Linda May Han Oh: Strange Heavens review | John Fordham's jazz album of the month

(Biophilia Records)Ambrose Akinmusire and Tyshawn Sorey join the bassist-composer on originals featuring top-end squeals, bass flurries and a guilelessly delicate highlightThe power of three has had a great press for a long time, embedded as it’s been in the tenets of Christians, witches, Buddhists, or just the beginnings, middles and ends of fireside stories. And in the thrifty music-making years after the second world war, the economical appeal of the jazz trio – often led by piano virtuosi such as Bill Evans or Ahmad Jamal, occasionally by such sax giants as Sonny Rollins – also revealed just how much spontaneous creativity could fly from minimal gatherings.Linda May Han Oh, the Malaysia-born, New York-based Australian bassist and composer whose star employers have included Vijay Iyer and Pat Metheny, leads this standout example, composing everything except for covers of Geri Allen and Melba Liston tunes. Her trio partners are those stellar inventors of contemporary jazz, Ambrose...

Politics