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Crackdown on vape shops and bookies as Burnham gives councils power to choose what is on their high streets
Andy Burnham has announced plans to give councils greater powers to block new betting shops and vape stores as part of a government drive to revive Britain’s declining high streets. The changes will scrap the “aim to permit” rule, introduced under Tony Blair’s gambling law reforms in 2005, which currently restricts town halls’ ability to…
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Crackdown on vape shops and bookies as Burnham gives councils power to choose what is on their high streets
The government is set to give English councils greater powers to reject licences for betting shops, vape stores and venues with round-the-clock slot machines, as part of a drive to revive Britain’s “hollowed-out” high streets. Deputy Prime Minister Andy Burnham will scrap the “aim to permit” rule, introduced under Tony Blair’s 2005 gambling liberalisation, which…
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Great Britain win mixed 4x400m relay silver
Great Britain claimed the mixed 4x400m relay silver medal at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, marking the team’s first medal of the tournament. The team finished second behind Norway in the final, giving the host nation an early boost on day one of the competition. The mixed relay is typically one of the…
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Now Britain’s largest teaching union distances itself from ‘Prof plagiarism’ solidarity letter as it calls for ‘fair and transparent investigation’
Britain’s largest teaching union has distanced itself from a solidarity letter that had defended a professor accused of plagiarism, instead calling for a “fair and transparent investigation” into the allegations. The move signals the union stepping back from an earlier show of support, reflecting sensitivity around how academic misconduct claims are handled and a wish…
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Fires linked to solar panels have more than doubled in the past three years to reach 212 in 2025, new research shows, with most taking place in houses and cables the leading cause
Fires linked to solar panels have more than doubled over the past three years, reaching 212 incidents in 2025, according to new research. The rise comes amid a boom in rooftop solar installations across Britain, raising questions about fire safety standards as more households and businesses adopt the technology. The vast majority of these fires…
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Oasis: The story of a very British phenomenon in 12 songs
This feature revisits Oasis’s career and cultural impact by tracing it through 12 key songs, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the band’s landmark Knebworth concerts. It reflects on how, despite Liam and Noel Gallagher’s well-documented feuding, both brothers always agreed on the enduring power of the band’s music, which the piece argues…
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Cluster drone strike kills at least 13 in Russia as Thames Water pays £1m signing bonus
A Ukrainian drone attack struck Nizhnekamsk, an industrial city in Russia’s Tatarstan region about 1,200km from the Ukrainian border, on 10 August. Russian regional authorities said 13 people were killed and 78 injured; nine of those who died were in a hostel hit during the attack, and a child was among the victims. Ukraine’s military…
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‘Unbelievable!’ – Great Britain win double gold in European relays
Great Britain claimed a double gold at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris, winning both the men’s and women’s 4x200m freestyle relay finals. The result marks a strong showing for the British swimming team on the continental stage. The men’s team set a new championship record of 7:01.52 en route to victory, underlining the strength…
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Sheffield Wednesday host Leeds United in Carabao Cup second round
Sheffield Wednesday will host Leeds United in the second round of the Carabao Cup, setting up a Yorkshire derby at Hillsborough. The tie gives Wednesday an early-season local rivalry fixture and the chance to eliminate a Premier League side from the competition, adding extra interest to what would otherwise be a routine early-round cup match.…
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Labour ‘bonfire of patient safety’ rips up key NHS safeguards and removes protections for whistleblowers, Lib Dems warn
The Liberal Democrats have accused the Labour government of presiding over a “bonfire of patient safety” by dismantling key NHS safeguards, including protections for whistleblowers. The party warns that scrapping these measures could leave staff less able to raise concerns about poor care and patients more exposed to risk, reigniting long-standing debates about how well…