‘Work is good for you’: how UK scheme could help tackle youth mental health crisis
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

Paid employment can boost confidence and wellbeing, says Pat McFadden as jobs guarantee scheme gets under way

Work must be “part of the answer” to the mental health crisis among young people, the work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, has said as he met some of the first beneficiaries of Labour’s youth jobs guarantee scheme.

He was speaking on a visit to Boots’s headquarters in Nottingham on Wednesday, where several 18- to 21-year-olds were taken on under the job guarantee – with their wages paid by the taxpayer for six months.

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Plug-in balcony solar panels to go on sale in UK for first time
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

DIY system will be stocked by big retailers, starting with Argos, enabling more homes to lower bills by generating own electricity

Plug-in solar panels will go on sale in the UK for the first time from Thursday, allowing households unable to use rooftop panels to also generate their own cheap electricity.

Households across the country will be able to join the millions across mainland Europe who generate their own renewable electricity using “balcony solar panels”, which will be stocked by some of the UK’s biggest retailers.

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Meta agrees to major changes to Facebook and Instagram as it settles US trial over teen addiction for up to $18bn
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

US tech giant agrees to establish further protections for teens such as daily usage limits and blocks on night-time use

Meta agreed to significant changes to its Instagram and Facebook apps in a settlement that ended a landmark lawsuit on Wednesday. Dozens of US states had accused the tech giant of addicting and harming children with dangerous products.

The agreement curtails a major trial in California and will require the social media company to pay up to $18bn. Meta agreed to establish safeguards for teenage users, including daily usage limits and blocks on night-time use nationwide in the US.

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Britons face highest price cap in three years as energy bills rise 4% from October
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

A typical household in Great Britain will pay £1,723 a year, prompting calls for more support

• Nils Pratley: Labour’s energy bills crisis is getting worse

Millions of British households will face the highest energy charges in three years this winter after months of rising market prices pushed up the government’s price cap for the second time in three months.

Gas and electricity prices will rise by 4% from October under the new cap, after climbing 13% at the start of July to take account of global energy market price rises caused by the war on Iran.

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Meta agrees to major changes to Facebook and Instagram as it settles US trial over teen addiction for up to $18bn
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

US tech giant agrees to establish further protections for teens such as daily usage limits and blocks on night-time use

Meta agreed to significant changes to its Instagram and Facebook apps in a settlement that ended a landmark lawsuit on Wednesday. Dozens of US states had accused the tech giant of addicting and harming children with dangerous products.

The agreement curtails a major trial in California and will require the social media company to pay up to $18bn. Meta agreed to establish safeguards for teenage users, including daily usage limits and blocks on night-time use nationwide in the US.

Read more...

Bill Gates calls for ‘human-reserved’ jobs in face of AI takeover
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

In 6,000-word essay Microsoft co-founder also expresses concern governments not prepared for technology’s impact

• Business live – latest updates

Bill Gates has called for “human-reserved” jobs in certain sectors to prevent AI replacing them, and expressed concern that governments are not prepared for the impact the technology will have.

In a 6,000 word essay titled The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make are critical, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder likened the need to spare roles from digital encroachment to how nature reserves operate to protect the environment.

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Sávio savours debut goal as Spurs coast to emphatic Carabao Cup win over Charlton
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

A new season at the snazziest modern stadium in England and something extremely welcome for Tottenham. A home win over domestic opposition. There were only four of them last time out; three in the Premier League with the final one – over Everton on the last day – helping them to avoid relegation. Had they lost that, this Carabao Cup fixture against Charlton would also have been played in the Championship.

Spurs needed this tonic for another reason – to begin the clean-up operation after Saturday’s awful 3-0 defeat at Brentford.

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Derbyshire police investigating alleged assault in connection with Carse arrest
Posted on Wednesday August 26, 2026

• Durham bowler dropped from England squad

• Unclear whether Carse involved in alleged assault

Derbyshire police are investigating an alleged assault in connection with the arrest of Brydon Carse last weekend, which led to the Durham fast bowler being dropped from the England squad for the second Test against Pakistan.

Carse was filmed by a member of the public in handcuffs outside Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern in Derby in the early hours of Sunday morning with several other Durham players, including the former England captain Ben Stokes, also present.

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