Author: BBC

16 hours agoBy Alix Hattenstone, Miguel Roca-Terry and Jonathan Fagg, BBC England Data UnitDelia-Ioana/BBC NewsDelia-Ioana said she can’t imagine being able to afford a mortgageThe average cost of renting privately in England has risen by nearly a quarter since the last general election.In December 2019 rent cost £1,064 a month on average according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). By May 2024 this had risen by 22% to £1,301 for new and existing tenancies.Renters have told the BBC they have settled for mouldy properties, sofa-surfed or moved back in with relatives.The National Residential Landlords Association blamed a “chronic shortage” of private…

A drone show has been held at Glastonbury Festival to mark the start of the event.Drone art show company, Celestial, created an immersive light display in the sky depicting the Tor, some of the festival’s most iconic artwork, and the Glastonbury sign in its signature font.John Hopkins, CEO, said the show was “a celebration of art and culture”, and strived to “unite people through a shared sense of wonder”. The display which includes 576 drones spreading around 150m (492ft) at 100m (328ft) elevation. They are programmed to follow designated GPS paths and adjust their colour and brightness to tell a…

At least five people have been killed after an international express train collided with a bus on a level crossing in southern Slovakia, emergency workers say. The accident happened near the town of Nove Zamky, about 80km east of the capital Bratislava, according to an emergency services Facebook post.News agencies are reporting that at least five others were injured in the incident, which happened at around 17:00 local time (16:00 BST). Media reports say the bus was sliced in two by the impact, and photos show the locomotive on fire and passengers walking to safety along the tracks.”I am afraid…

14 hours agoBy Kevin Keane, BBC Scotland environment correspondentPA MediaSurfers in Aberdeen stage a protest on the beach calling for an end to new oil and gas licensing”Do you support new oil and gas licences, yes or no?”That’s the binary question which has been at the centre of the political debate in Scotland since parties began preparing to fight the general election.Political leaders have been hurling accusations that 100,000 jobs in Scotland will be at risk if no more licences are issued.But that figure is 40,000 more than the total number of people in Scotland whose roles currently rely directly or indirectly…

An urgent warning has been issued to people seeking cosmetic procedures including Brazilian butt lifts and breast augmentation – amid fears unregulated surgery is taking place in local hotel rooms.Manchester Council issued the warning on Wednesday, saying procedures “may be taking place this week in Manchester in non-clinical settings”. Medical experts have cited the risk of infection in non-clinical settings, where it can be difficult to prevent contamination.A statement urged people who are only notified of their surgery’s location shortly before treatment to contact the environmental health department at the council.“The council has been made aware that certain cosmetic procedures…

A Welsh artist has unveiled a new series of pieces including a depiction of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as historical royals. Dan Llywelyn Hall has produced 10 new portraits inspired by royalty throughout history for the Society of Antiquaries as part of an new exhibition in London. Prince Harry is depicted as Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, while Meghan is portrayed as Dame Elizabeth Grey, Queen of England by marriage. Mr Llywelyn Hall said he sees the “subject of royalty utterly irresistible and rich succour for art”.He added: “In Harry’s case, I have entered the…

South Africa’s main coalition partners are at loggerheads just weeks after agreeing to share power, as President Cyril Ramaphosa accuses Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen of trying to create a “parallel government” in breach of the constitution.He is said to have made the explosive allegation in a letter to Mr Steenhuisen on 25 June, which has been seen by local media.Markets have slumped with the news of the deepening rift, at a time when Mr Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) and the DA are supposed to be divvying up cabinet posts and settling into office.When the ANC failed to…

England’s European Championship games may not have been exciting viewing so far, but the boss of Currys hopes the Three Lions stay in the tournament to continue a boost in sales of big TVs.The electricals chain said UK sales were up by more than 30% in the past month, with boss Alex Baldock adding so-called “supersize” screens – 85 inches and above – were proving popular.”Long may England and Denmark stay in the Euros – that’s doing well for us,” Mr Baldock said.As well as strong UK sales in the run-up to the tournament, which also featured Scotland, the retail…

2 hours agoBy Karl Mercer, Political correspondent, BBC London BBCStreatham GP Lucy Goodeve-Docker said the situation had been “incredibly tricky”Doctors’ surgeries in London have continued to struggle with the impact of a cyber attack that knocked out pathology services across the area.Synnovis, an agency which manages labs for NHS trusts and GPs in south-east London, was the victim of a hack on 3 June.It has led to the cancellation of thousands of operations and appointments.Blood testing remains at a fraction of its former capacity, with only urgent and critical cases being processed.Lucy Goodeve-Docker, a GP in Streatham, said the situation had been…

The second day of Glastonbury saw people doing workouts, dressing like lobsters and tying the knot.Joe Wicks led a workout session from the stage at Glastonbury, while performers took part in a parade to celebrate the Stag Beetle.Sian Barklem, 25 and Johnjo Smith, 24, got engaged at Glastonbury last year and held a handtying ceremony at this year’s festival, which they said is their “favourite place on Earth”. Michael Eavis, co-creator of the festival, took to the stage to speak to the crowd. Source link