-
Beck: ‘What does a devil’s haircut look like? Anything with a lot of architecture and wild flights of fancy’
Beck reflects on his long career, describing songwriting as a persistent process of digging for worthwhile material. He says his introspective, “lonesome” side is closest to his true self, while funkier work helps him avoid becoming too serious; he also explains that his unconventional style and disruptive performances were deliberate reactions to formulaic media and…
-
Thousands of Barclays staff revolt over return-to-office mandate
Thousands of Barclays employees have signed a Unite open letter opposing the bank’s plan to increase office attendance from October. The policy would require most staff to work in the office at least three days a week, while senior employees would be expected to attend four days, prompting calls for travel-cost payments and exemptions for…
-
The New Dark Ages by James Marriott review – a grandiose but superficial defence of reading
Times columnist James Marriott’s debut book, The New Dark Ages, argues that smartphones have devastated reading culture and threatens civilisation by making us vulnerable to autocracy and misinformation. The Guardian reviewer finds the book’s central message—scroll less, read more—presented with grandiose rhetoric but insufficient substance, undermined by vague claims about literature’s transformative power and unsubstantiated…
-
Man dies on Malaysia Airlines flight to Sydney before plane lands – as emergency crews rush to airport
A man in his seventies died aboard a Malaysia Airlines flight to Sydney on Wednesday after suffering an asthma attack during the journey. Flight MH141 departed from Kuala Lumpur and completed the eight-hour journey safely, landing at Sydney Airport at 7:40pm, where paramedics attended immediately upon arrival. NSW Police have confirmed they are not investigating…
-
Snap is launching a new Specs AI tool, and it’s coming to iOS and Mac
Snap is launching Specs Intelligence, an AI assistant designed to connect digital accounts and anticipate tasks involving work, travel and personal responsibilities. The service will debut alongside Snap’s Specs augmented-reality glasses, but is already available as an iOS preview, with wider Mac access planned through a waitlist. Specs Intelligence can connect services such as Gmail…
-
Sunderland open Europa League account with penalty win over AZ Alkmaar
Sunderland began their Europa League league-phase campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light, thanks to a second-half penalty from Enzo Le Fée. Régis Le Bris’s side dominated much of the match but were profligate in front of goal, hitting the post and missing several clear-cut chances before the…
-
Duct-taped passenger claims no memory of alleged mid-flight assault
An Arizona estate agent, Layne Lundeen, 67, has spoken for the first time after being duct-taped to his seat mid-flight following an alleged racist and homophobic outburst. The incident occurred on a flight from Dallas to Newark, forcing an emergency landing at Baltimore airport, where Lundeen was arrested; the case has drawn wide attention after…
-
SpaceX Starship to reach orbit with 26 Starlink satellites
SpaceX is targeting 22 September for the 14th test flight of its Starship rocket, aiming to reach orbit for the first time while carrying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. The mission marks a significant step for the programme, which is central to SpaceX’s plans to exceed the payload capacity of its Falcon 9 rocket and to…
-
Glory at 11,000ft: Cusco’s Cienciano aim to bring Peru continental success once again
Cienciano, the biggest football club in Cusco, Peru, are chasing continental success once again as they face Uruguay’s Montevideo City Torque in the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals, 23 years after becoming the first Peruvian club to win an international trophy. The match, played at altitude in a stadium named after chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, drew…
-
Flights should increase by hundreds of pounds to meet Net Zero by decreasing demand, Government advisors say
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the Government’s independent climate advisers, has said flight prices should rise by hundreds of pounds to curb demand for air travel as part of efforts to meet the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target. The committee argued that the aviation industry should bear the costs of reducing its emissions under a…