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Qing dynasty dish linked to Cixi found beneath Barnet family’s sofa
A large Qing dynasty porcelain dish made for Beijing’s Forbidden City has been found beneath a family’s sofa in Barnet and is expected to sell for £20,000 to £30,000 at auction. Its discovery matters because its imperial seal links it to the palace and the court of Empress Dowager Cixi. The 2ft-wide, 30lb dish was…
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Tories axe Environment Agency; realtor arrested in Taiwan spy scandal
The Conservatives plan to scrap the Environment Agency and Natural England as part of a deregulation drive. A California agent has been arrested at LAX accused of spying on Taiwan’s president’s son for Chinese handlers.
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Lidl overtakes Morrisons as sales top £13bn amid price cuts
Lidl GB’s sales have jumped 10% to more than £13 billion in the year ended February 2026, pushing it past Morrisons to become the fifth largest grocer in Great Britain. The German supermarket’s rapid growth reflects continued consumer demand for value amid persistent food inflation, with the retailer investing £315 million in price cuts and…
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Windows 11 reaches 71.5% share as Windows 10 security costs double
Windows 11’s market share has risen to 71.5% as the first year of Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 comes to an end, according to Statcounter data. Microsoft is doubling the cost of these security updates from $61 to $122 per device for commercial users in the second year, making it increasingly expensive to remain…
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Griffith rules out immediate inheritance tax cut if Tories return to power
The Conservative Party’s shadow chancellor, Andrew Griffith, has admitted his party will not immediately reduce inheritance tax if it returns to power. Griffith said any tax cuts or spending pledges would only be implemented once he could demonstrate how they would be funded, effectively tempering expectations set by party leader Kemi Badenoch, who has signalled…
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Businessman ordered to tear down his huge ‘football director’s box’ extension fails in bid to stop demolition as planning bosses dismiss his appeal
Mani Singh must demolish or alter a large extension built without planning permission at his home in Sutton Coldfield after a planning inspector dismissed his appeal. The decision matters to nearby residents, who objected to the structure’s appearance and its effect on their gardens and the character of the street. The extension includes a loft…
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UK weighs Chinese car import duties to join EU manufacturing protections
The UK is considering tariffs on Chinese car imports as it seeks inclusion in planned EU rules to protect European manufacturing. Brussels is reported to see matching its duties on Chinese vehicles as necessary for Britain to qualify, given the importance of the EU market to UK carmakers. The EU has imposed tariffs of up…
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The UK’s G20 presidency will push Andy Burnham to the centre of the global stage. What will he use it for? | Michael Jacobs
The article argues that the UK’s G20 presidency next year will give Prime Minister Andy Burnham an opportunity to show that major powers can still work together on shared challenges. The author says the forum often produces only broad statements, but believes a focused British agenda could deliver practical cooperation and demonstrate how international action…
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Zack Polanski allies desperately try to save him as he faces Holborn by-election defeat and coup after Greens’ ‘anti-Semitic’ conference meltdown
Green Party members have passed a controversial motion declaring Zionism equivalent to racism at their annual conference, sparking a major anti-Semitism row. Party leader Zack Polanski is facing intense scrutiny and potential leadership challenges, with allies scrambling to defend him amid calls for resignation. The move has drawn sharp condemnation from Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim…
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‘Each artist on their own terms’: why Lee Krasner was every bit the equal to husband Jackson Pollock
Lee Krasner, the wife of Jackson Pollock, is finally receiving recognition as an equally significant artist through a landmark dual exhibition at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. For decades, Krasner has remained overshadowed by her husband despite being an accomplished artist in her own right, having received a solo retrospective at MoMA and seeing…