Water companies in England and Wales explore ‘surge pricing’ during drought
Posted on Sunday August 16, 2026

Suppliers could factor water scarcity into charges as part of Ofwat proposal to reduce consumption

Water companies could be allowed to raise bills for customers during periods of drought under proposals being considered by the sector’s regulator for England and Wales.

Suppliers would be permitted to factor “water scarcity” into bills as part of efforts to reduce consumption under Ofwat’s plans, which are being likened to surge pricing – the practice where private hire firms raise taxi fares at times of higher demand.

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Burnham urged to crack down on gig economy firms to protect 4m workers
Posted on Sunday August 16, 2026

Exclusive: Campaigners say millions are missing out on key rights including sick pay and protection against unfair dismissal

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.

As the prime minister fleshes out his agenda, the Fabian Society and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have warned that millions of workers are missing out on key statutory rights including parental leave, redundancy pay and protection against unfair dismissal.

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Turbocharge special needs internships to help tackle UK youth jobs crisis, says Milburn
Posted on Sunday August 16, 2026

Exclusive: Government review led by former minister to recommend huge expansion of onsite schemes for those who need support

Specialist internships designed to secure work for young people with special educational needs should be put on “turbocharge” to help tackle the growing youth jobs crisis, a government review is to propose.

Alan Milburn who is leading a review of young people and work, said supported internships should be scaled up to combat “devastating” joblessness rates for young people with a learning disability, autism or mental illness.

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From tourism to power generation and productivity, Europe feels economic cost of heatwaves
Posted on Sunday August 16, 2026

Low river levels have stalled German freight traffic and forced closure of nuclear plants in France

Across Europe this scorching summer, workers have struggled in the heat as wildfires raged and critical infrastructure was shut down.

Here we look at the impact of the heatwaves on several major economies across mainland Europe – with the help of analysis from economists at the Dutch bank Triodos, who estimate a total of €180bn could be wiped off EU GDP by the heatwaves. In the UK, the green thinktank Verdant said this week that the heat had already cost the economy £4.4bn by the end of July.

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Unemployed young people to join AI boot camps to get job-ready
Posted on Thursday August 13, 2026

Pilot scheme will provide three weeks of training as part of UK government’s latest attempt to address Neets crisis

Young people out of work or at risk of unemployment in the UK are to join “AI boot camps” where they harness the technology to get a foothold in the workplace.

The government’s latest attempt to address the crisis in Neets – young people not in work or education – involves turning to a technology that many view as a potential threat to employment.

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‘We detected unusual activity’: the scam that uses AI to exploit your holiday photos
Posted on Sunday August 16, 2026

Fraudsters use pictures posted on Instagram or Facebook to create emails seeking bank account details

You are on a short break in Porto and post some pictures of your family on Instagram or Facebook. With a small section of the Douro river in the background, you think it could have been taken anywhere.

A few days later, you get a text saying that your card was compromised. “We detected unusual activity while you were travelling in Porto – please verify immediately,” says the message.

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Birmingham 2026: European athletics championships day seven – live
Posted on Sunday August 16, 2026

• Hunt, Duplantis and Hunter Bell in action in final session

• Security scare at Alexander Stadium | Email Billy

“Why is Mondo Duplantis so good at what he does?” asks Kurt via email – which is surely the question all his competitors have been asking for the past decade.

Aside from all the hard work, dedication and sacrifice, I would say being the son of a pole vaulter and a heptathlete has something to do with it. Duplantis grew up in the United States – he was pole-vaulting aged four and had broken the under-12 world record by the age of 10.

It’s a championships that I’ll obviously never forget for winning gold but also never forget the roars, the cheers, the support. I’ve never experienced anything like that before.

Seeing so many kids as well out there that are screaming for autographs and photos … it kind of makes you realise the effect that you have on the country by, I don’t know, running, jumping, throwing, doing all those events as well as you can.

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Calafiori’s fast start inspires Arsenal to big Community Shield win over Manchester City
Posted on Sunday August 16, 2026

For Enzo Maresca, a miserable first meaningful game in charge of Manchester City that began with Arsenal seizing the lead after 24 seconds ended with Mikel Arteta’s side ­lifting the Community Shield. Arsenal eviscerated City, Riccardo Calafiori’s smart early opener after Myles Lewis-­Skelly’s brilliant pass ­seemingly leaving their opponents with irrecoverable damage. Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s lead on 28 ­minutes and Martin Ødegaard in effect sealed the win three minutes into the ­second half, taking great ­pleasure in ­fooling ­Gianluigi ­Donnarumma in the City goal before finishing. On this evidence, the post-Pep ­Guardiola era could be trickier than widely envisaged.

Christos Tzolis shone on the left, playing the whole game in Cardiff. He was involved in all three goals, assisting two. No Arsenal player played more passes into the final third. It was Tzolis’s cross to switch play to Noni Madueke, one of 10 passes before Calafiori rippled the City net. Between Lewis-Skelly rolling the ball to Martin Ødegaard at kick-off and Calafiori peeling off Abdukodir Khusanov to finish, City had a single touch of the ball; Elliot Anderson intercepted Calafiori’s pass aimed at Ødegaard in the City 18-yard box. But then Madueke cushioned a header for Ben White, who tucked into midfield, and Lewis-Skelly rolled Phil Foden before releasing Calafiori goal-side of Rúben Dias with a sumptuous reverse ball.

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