Water companies in England and Wales explore ‘surge pricing’ during drought
Suppliers could factor water scarcity into charges as part of Ofwat proposal to reduce consumption
Crime & Courts
Burnham urged to crack down on gig economy firms to protect 4m workers
Andy Burnham is being urged to protect 4 million gig economy workers by prosecuting companies that use widespread “bogus” self-employment practices to deny people their rights.
A positive new report raises the question: was Reeves undermined by dodgy data? | Heather Stewart
The keen new chancellor, John Healey, responded to last week’s better-than-expected economic news by claiming the government was “bringing hope back”. Growth did not plunge as feared after Donald Trump unleashed war on …
Interest rate dilemma for central banks as inflation rises but growth slows
Inflation rates have been falling across the industrialised world, but fears that the Middle East war will raise oil prices means central banks are sitting on their hands when they should be raising interest rates to su…
Angela Rayner moves to protect pubs from being turned into houses or offices
All pubs will get protection from being turned into housing or offices under a shake-up of planning laws in England to be presented by Angela Rayner this week.
University spinout to launch water quality app for UK and US waters
A UK university spinout behind a rapid bacterial water testing kit is planning to launch live water quality maps, as scores of beachgoers report falling ill after swimming.
From tourism to power generation and productivity, Europe feels economic cost of heatwaves
Across Europe this scorching summer, workers have struggled in the heat as wildfires raged and critical infrastructure was shut down.
New UK cost of living crisis looms with soaring energy bills forecast to lift inflation
British households are facing a renewed cost of living squeeze, with official figures expected to show this week that soaring energy bills drove up inflation in July to close to 3%.
Ukraine strikes Russian space centre linked to Rassvet satellite network
Unable to match Western and Chinese spacepower, Russia is pursuing a path of asymmetric orbital deterrence.
Met apologises for exposing 143 email addresses of Mohamed Al Fayed victims
The Metropolitan police have apologised for accidentally exposing the email addresses of more than 140 victims of Mohamed Al Fayed.
Missed out on tickets to see the Bayeux tapestry in London? A £1,000 hotel stay will get you in
British Museum’s £33 tickets sold out in a day but some slots have been reserved for guests at five-star One Aldwych
‘Strategic change and grasping nettles’: where now for John Lewis as boss exits?
“Going up?” After a tough week for department stores it feels as if that sales aspiration is as dated as the singsong phrase in the opening credits of Are You Being Served? Simpsons of Piccadilly, which inspired the fic…
‘I don’t even drink whisky’: Scotland reels in visitors as much of Europe swelters
For the tourist industry, 2026 has been a rocky year, with war, EU border delays, climate and economic woes gnawing away at holiday plans. But while much of Britain is feeling the loss of visitors from the Middle East a…
Donald Trump doesn’t just love billionaires, he loves multimillionaires too
After the House passed its version of Donald Trump ’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) last year – the one that paired a $5tn-plus tax cut with $1tn-plus of cuts from food stamps and Medicaid – the House speaker, Mike…
Heathrow passengers face disruption after flood restricts access
Airport advises passengers travelling from terminals 2 and 3 to use rail and tube as pipe leak closes road
Secondhand booksellers in UK and Ireland suspect AI firms behind ‘strange’ bulk orders
Secondhand booksellers in the UK and Ireland are reporting a flurry of bulk orders from mystery buyers, amid speculation AI companies are acquiring the tomes for their data.
‘A tax on being thin’: only high earners make overall savings on food bills from weight-loss drugs
The high cost of weight-loss medication is a “regressive tax on being thin” because the outlay outweighs any saving on food costs for all but the highest earners.
‘Watch your spending, use free perks’: an insider’s tips on student money
Over the past two years university student Erin has been giving Martin Lewis a run for his money when it comes to hunting down the best hacks, tips and tricks to save cash and earn money.
Burnham announces £65m for drought-hit farmers after Labour pressure
Farmers must not carry the risks of the climate crisis alone, Andy Burnham has said, as he announced £65m of funding to help them manage the devastating drought.
SEC Charges Boiler Room Operator and Three Entities with Defrauding Retail Investors in $74 Million Pre-IPO Investment Scam
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged New York resident Andrew Spaventa and three entities he owned and controlled with fraud and other violations in connection with unregistered securities offerings of p…
BP to develop offshore gasfield in Venezuela with firms linked to Trump administration
BP has answered Donald Trump’s call for oil companies to help rebuild Venezuela’s fossil fuel industry with new plans to develop a large offshore gasfield.
Train derails near Essex town of Wickford
A train has derailed in Essex, less than 24 hours after two people were seriously injured in a similar incident in East Sussex.
Thames Water plans to restart desalination plant – after drought has ended
Thames Water is preparing the UK’s only desalination plant to restart operations later this year – but it will not be ready until the winter, long after the current drought is likely to have passed.
Milk, wine, salad: how your food will be affected by the summer of heat
As parts of the UK swelter through a fifth successive climate crisis-driven heatwave and nearly three-quarters of England remains in drought, how are six homegrown products faring?