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Fan Petition and Tennessee Lawmaker Call on Nashville To Give Dolly Parton One of Its Biggest Honors Yet
A fan-led petition is calling for Nashville International Airport to be renamed Dolly Parton International Airport, with support from a Nashville councillor and a Tennessee state representative. Supporters argue that the change would recognise Parton’s cultural influence, charitable work and role in promoting Nashville internationally. The petition, launched by Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion, had…
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CivilGrid raises $26m to map underground infrastructure
CivilGrid, founded by former PG&E engineer Josh Mackanic, has raised $26 million to map underground infrastructure such as utility pipes and cables. The company aims to reduce costly and dangerous “utility strikes” by giving engineers, governments and utilities better visibility of assets beneath construction sites, where information is often fragmented between different owners. The Series…
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Theatr Iolo brings Owl at Home warmly to Edinburgh
Theatr Iolo’s Edinburgh Fringe adaptation of Arnold Lobel’s Owl at Home is praised as a warm, inventive children’s show that preserves the book’s offbeat charm. Aimed at children aged five and above, it uses songs, physical comedy and imaginative stagecraft to explore solitude, curiosity and the value of engaging with the world around us. George…
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British woman describes horror when husband died after Singapore Airlines flight suffered extreme turbulence, leaving her with a fractured spine
British passenger Linda Kitchen has described the death of her husband Geoff and her own serious injuries after Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 encountered severe turbulence in May 2024. The incident highlights the potential danger of sudden in-flight turbulence and has led to legal action and calls for a full investigation into what happened. The Boeing…
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Jellyfish block filters, shutting Gravelines nuclear reactors
A large influx of jellyfish has forced the partial shutdown of the Gravelines nuclear power station in northern France after they blocked parts of its seawater filtration system. The disruption matters because Gravelines is one of France’s largest nuclear plants, and its cooling system depends on water drawn from a canal connected to the North…
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Five teenagers charged with arson after historic mansion designed by the architect of Buckingham Palace and Marble Arch is gutted by fire
Five teenagers have been charged with arson after a fire on 18 August largely destroyed Rheola House, a Grade II*-listed mansion near Neath in south Wales. The loss is significant because the early 19th-century building was designed by John Nash, known for major landmarks including Buckingham Palace and Marble Arch, and was due to be…
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Rockstar to reveal Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay trailer
Rockstar is set to premiere an extended look at Grand Theft Auto 6 on Netflix, which could provide the first official view of its gameplay. The presentation matters because Rockstar’s previous trailers focused on cinematic footage, while the game remains one of the industry’s most anticipated releases. The trailer is scheduled for 8pm BST and…
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House GOP subpoenas doctor behind ‘Have My Baby in Miami’ birth tourism business
House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer has subpoenaed Dr Wladimir Lorentz, founder and chief medical officer of the Florida-based business Have My Baby in Miami, as Republicans prepare to examine birth tourism at a hearing scheduled for 1 September. The inquiry reflects renewed Republican efforts to scrutinise services that help foreign nationals give birth in…
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Bots and bargains: Zara owner launches cut-price Lefties in UK to rival Primark
Zara owner Inditex has opened the first UK branch of its budget fashion chain Lefties in Liverpool, aiming to compete with Primark, Shein and supermarket clothing ranges. The launch matters because it introduces a rapidly expanding low-cost retailer with both physical shops and nationwide online delivery, while using automation to lower operating costs and speed…
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The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout audiobook review – brilliant portrait of an existential crisis
Elizabeth Strout’s Booker-longlisted novel The Things We Never Say follows Artie Dam, a popular history teacher in coastal Massachusetts whose personal loneliness and growing despair mirror the anxieties of his pupils and the wider political climate. The review argues that the novel compellingly links private grief, marital estrangement and fears about a divisive leader’s re-election,…