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Barclays increases bonus pool by nearly 30% as calls grow for UK bank tax
Barclays has increased its banker bonus pool by nearly 30% to £1.3bn for the first half of the year, following a sharp rise in profits that has intensified calls for the government to impose higher taxes on UK banks. The bank’s strong results have been seized upon by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which argues…
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Reform UK reports Zack Polanski to police over guillotine T-shirt post
Reform UK has reported Green Party leader Zack Polanski to police after he shared, then removed, an Instagram image showing a man wearing a T-shirt bearing the message “We’re only making plans for Nigel” alongside a guillotine, in an apparent reference to Nigel Farage. Reform’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf accused Polanski of “inciting murder”,…
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Splatoon Raiders’ User Scores Are Off To A Splashing Start On Metacritic
Splatoon Raiders, Nintendo’s new Switch 2 exclusive, has launched to an unexpectedly strong reception from players, with user reviews pushing it into the top 10 highest-rated games of all time on Metacritic. This is notable because the title generated less pre-release hype than other major Nintendo releases and departs from the series’ traditional focus on…
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Police believed to be investigating alleged attack on Sheffield’s West Street
A report from The Star indicated that a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a man on West Street, a road in Sheffield city centre known for its nightlife, with police believed to be investigating the incident. The story matters as it concerns public safety in a busy nightlife district, though the account could not…
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We booked a Travelodge but were forced to move hotel after 1am
A Guardian reader booked and paid for a Travelodge in London’s King’s Cross six weeks in advance for herself and her husband, who has heart disease and dementia, having confirmed an 11pm arrival time with the hotel. On arrival, staff said the hotel had overbooked because of a football match and their room was no…
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Tom Holland delivers standout performance in grounded Spider-Man sequel
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” screened for critics ahead of its release, drawing enthusiastic early reactions that single out Tom Holland’s performance as the strongest of his run and praise director Destin Daniel Cretton for steering the franchise away from the multiverse-heavy storylines of recent instalments. Reviewers describe the film as a more grounded, character-driven return…
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Confronting gang members at the heart of Ecuador’s drug battle
The BBC’s Orla Guerin joined Ecuadorian police on patrol as they confront gang members amid a huge surge in drug-related crime sweeping the country. Ecuador has become a key transit hub for cocaine trafficking, with drugs flowing in from neighbouring Colombia and Peru, the world’s two largest cocaine producers, before being smuggled onward by powerful…
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Andy Burnham has made a bold start – but convincing people that change is possible will take much more | Frances Ryan
In a comment piece, Guardian columnist Frances Ryan assesses Andy Burnham’s first week as prime minister, arguing that his boldest move has been rejecting the “fatalism” that characterised Keir Starmer’s premiership. Rather than simply promising specific policies, Burnham has framed social problems such as rough sleeping and social care as solvable through political choice, a…
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From Kmart shelf stacker to Premier: Inisde the rise of Ben Carroll – as his personal life is laid bare after taking Jacinta Allan’s job
A profile piece examines the rise of Ben Carroll, who has become Premier of Victoria after taking over from Jacinta Allan, tracing his path from working as a shelf stacker at Kmart to reaching the top job in state politics. The article frames his ascent as a notable rags-to-politics story, while also noting that his…
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Kmart customers slammed over unacceptable mess: ‘Disgusting’
The article content provided does not contain the actual story about the Kmart mess incident referenced in the headline. Instead, the text supplied consists solely of Daily Mail website navigation, unrelated headline links and menu items, meaning no substantive details about the reported customer complaints, the specific Kmart store involved, or the nature of the…