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UK economy grew by 0.4% in second quarter as Iran war prompts slowdown
The UK economy expanded by 0.4% between April and June, slowing from 0.6% growth in the previous quarter amid the economic effects of the Iran war. Higher energy prices and weaker consumer confidence were cited as pressures, although the result was stronger than some expectations and suggested continued resilience. Services drove growth, with firms reporting…
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‘I’ll make it worth it’: Man, 24, is accused of ‘raping teenage girl after grooming her with Snapchat messages’
A 24-year-old man has been accused of raping a teenage girl after allegedly grooming her through messages on Snapchat. The allegations are being heard in court, and the case highlights concerns about the use of private messaging platforms to target young people. The defendant, named as Lachlan Young, is alleged to have made promises including…
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‘I’d never watched the Olympics’ – Evans on gymnastics fame
Ruby Evans has described how competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics unexpectedly brought rapid public attention, while reflecting on her growing status as one of British gymnastics’ rising stars. The 19-year-old says she manages negative social-media comments by refusing to engage with them, and her resilience was evident when she recovered from disappointment in the…
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UK GDP rises 0.4% as heatwave and World Cup lift spending
UK GDP grew by 0.4% in the second quarter of 2026, supported by hot weather and World Cup-related spending on hospitality, retail and advertising. Although this was slower than the 0.6% growth recorded in the first quarter, it indicated that the economy remained relatively resilient despite disruption from the Iran war and higher energy costs.…
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UK economic growth slows down as Iran war pushes up energy prices
UK economic growth slowed in the second quarter as disruption from the Iran war and persistently high energy prices began to weigh on the economy. The figures matter because they add pressure on the new chancellor, John Healey, to consider further household support ahead of winter and could complicate the Bank of England’s inflation response.…
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Hellcat review – woman imprisoned in camper van in nasty survival horror
Hellcat is a survival horror thriller in which Lena, played by Dakota Gorman, wakes injured in the back of a speeding camper van and must work out how to escape. The review finds its opening tense and effectively unpleasant, using the confined setting and a mysterious voice to create suspense, though it suggests the film…
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Miracle recovery for girl, 12, who doctors feared might never walk again after spinal injury as parents reveal they never told her crushing prognosis
Twelve-year-old Morgan Lopez has reportedly made a remarkable recovery after a spinal injury that led doctors to fear she might never walk again. Her case matters because it highlights both the uncertainty of severe spinal injuries and the emotional strain such prognoses place on children and families. Her parents said they chose not to tell…
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What’s it like to hear an unreleased album in a planetarium?
Armagh Planetarium has hosted an immersive early-listening event for Phoebe Bridgers’ forthcoming solo album, Lost Weekend, pairing its 16 tracks with night-sky imagery by National Geographic photographer Babak Tafreshi. The sold-out, phone-free screenings gave fans a preview before the album’s Friday release and highlighted Armagh as an unexpected venue for an international contemporary music event.…
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‘Far From the Trees’ Director Meritxell Colell on Turning Exile and Endangered Languages Into a ‘Body of Memory’
“Far From the Trees”, premiering in Locarno’s international competition, follows Adela, a 50-year-old Mexican sound artist recording endangered languages as she travels from the Peruvian jungle to the Andes. Her work continues that of her Catalan Republican grandfather, but news that her grandmother may be dying forces her to confront family silences, childhood memories and…
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‘The Back Seat of My Car’: the moment Paul McCartney knew he needed to move on
“We believe that we can’t be wrong…” The post ‘The Back Seat of My Car’: the moment Paul McCartney knew he needed to move on first appeared on Far Out Magazine.