Author: BBC

11 minutes agoBy Mark Savage, Music CorrespondentBBCMusician CMAT was among several artists who pulled out of LatitudeBarclays has suspended its sponsorship of all music festivals staged by promoter Live Nation in 2024, including Download, Latitude and the Isle of Wight.The move comes after several acts pulled out of the events in protest at the bank’s investment links to arms companies that trade with Israel.Artists including country singer CMAT, metal band Ithaca and comedian Joanne McNally all withdrew from planned slots this summer.A spokesperson for Live Nation said: “Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from…

The US Supreme Court has lifted a ban bump stocks, the rapid-fire gun accessory used in America’s deadliest mass shooting.In a decision on Friday, the court said the government did not have the right to ban the accessories.The Trump administration banned bump stocks after they were used to kill almost 60 people at a concert in Las Vegas in 2017.But a Texas gun shop owner who challenged the ban said the government went too far in defining the accessories as machine guns, which are illegal under federal law, and took his fight all the way to America’s highest court.The court…

1 day agoBy Dave Harvey, Business and environment correspondent, BBC Points WestBBCSharon Cove wants action to help young people to get on the housing ladderHousing and rental prices are key issues for voters at the general election – and one that several have got in contact with us about.Bristol, for example, is the most expensive place to rent outside of London and the problem is leading to more people having to find alternative accommodation.Sharon Cove is among the many people who got in touch with the BBC via Your Voice, Your Vote and told us about her son’s situation.“I just feel so…

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2 hours agoBy Philippa Roxby, Health reporterGetty ImagesPeople are using the drugs to lose a few pounds to get ready for the beach this summer, Prof Powis saidNHS England’s medical director says he is alarmed by reports that people are using weight-loss drugs as “a quick fix” to lose a few pounds and get “beach-body ready” this summer.Professor Stephen Powis said the side-effects of the drugs could be dangerous, and they needed to be used under medical supervision.Interest in Wegovy, for treating obesity, surged after studies suggested users could lose over 10% of their body weight.Drug treatments are now seen as an…

Informal concerns raised about Russell Brand while he hosted Big Brother spin-off programmes were “not properly escalated or adequately addressed”, according to the findings of an investigation.The comedian and actor fronted shows including Big Brother’s Big Mouth and Big Brother’s Celebrity Hijack on Channel 4 between 2004 and 2008.An investigation by production company Banijay UK has said managers were alerted to allegations that he asked staff to get audience members’ phone numbers, and that his behaviour made female crew members feel uncomfortable or intimidated.However, no formal complaints were made and the concerns were not escalated, it said.Banijay said: “We are…

An Indian Air Force flight has brought back the bodies of 45 workers who were killed in a fire in Kuwait.The fire broke out on Wednesday at a residential building in Mangaf city where 176 Indian workers lived.Kuwaiti authorities said 50 people were killed in the fire, including 45 from India and three from the Philippines. Two bodies are yet to be identified.Dozens of workers, most of them Indian, have also been injured in the fire.Two-thirds of the Kuwaiti population is made up of foreign workers and the country is highly dependent on migrant labour, especially in the construction and…

13 hours agoBy Theo Leggett, Business correspondent, BBC NewsJLRThe price of a Range Rover starts at £104,000Jaguar Land Rover says it plans to invest more than £1m to help the police fight vehicle crime in the UK.The money will be used to support police operations in theft hotspots, as well as to fund intelligence gathering.Earlier this year, the company’s boss angrily denied reports that Range Rovers were particularly vulnerable to theft.However, owners have complained that insurers have been hiking their premiums dramatically, or even refusing cover.Among them is Meryl Cabellos, a 41-year-old Frenchman who has lived in the UK for seven years,…

28 minutes agoBy Zoe Kleinman, Technology editorGetty ImagesElon Musk might, once again, get his own way.His Tesla pay deal – worth up to $56bn (£44bn) depending on the firm’s share price – which has now been backed by shareholders is 75% of the entire spending for schools in England in 2024-5 (£60bn) and around a quarter of the budget for the NHS (£192bn).To his many admirers, Mr Musk is worth every single cent which comes his way.His businesses include Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), Starlink, Neuralink and X.ai, his latest AI project.You could argue Tesla opened up the US market for electric…

18 hours agoBy Rumeana Jahangir, BBC News@kate_rackhamKate Rackham shared updates about her treatment on social mediaTributes have been paid after the death of a teacher who raised awareness of incurable secondary breast cancer.Kate Rackham was diagnosed with oestrogen-receptive breast cancer at the age of 39.The Manchester-based teacher, who shared updates on her life with her 17,000 followers on the X platform, helped set up the Fighting to be Heard charity to raise awareness of the condition and provide support for those with the condition.A post on the 46-year-old’s account on Thursday read: “If you’re reading this, it means I have died. But…