Author: BBC

A man has been charged in connection with the theft of flowers left as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham, police have said.Osbourne, 76, died on 22 July from a reported heart attack, and thousands of floral tributes, as well as cards and other items, were left at or around a bench in the city centre commemorating the formation of heavy metal band Black Sabbath, for which Osbourne was the frontman.West Midlands Police said Parviz Jafari, 45, has been charged with theft, and would appear before magistrates on 3 September.The force said he was arrested on 2 August after…

Adam Hancock & Jennifer MeierhansBusiness reportersGetty ImagesCrocs’ share price plunged after the rubber clog-maker revealed a fall in US sales as shoppers chose to spend on trainers ahead of the World Cup and the Olympics. The footwear became a stay-at-home staple during the Covid pandemic and has remained relevant as celebrities embraced the “ugly” shoe aesthetic.However, North American consumers are buying into a “clear athletic trend” ahead of next year’s football World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, said Crocs’ boss Andrew Rees.He also warned that US customers were being “super cautious” due…

Adam HancockBusiness reporterReutersA life-size humanoid replica of Albert Einstein at the storeA new robot shop has opened in Beijing selling everything from mechanical butlers to human-like replicas of Albert Einstein.More than 100 types of products will be on sale at Robot Mall, which launched in the Chinese capital on Friday. The store is one of the first in the country to sell humanoid and consumer-oriented robots.The outlet has been compared to a car dealership as it offers services including sales, spare parts and maintenance.China has invested heavily in the robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) as it looks to overcome challenges…

Clara Bullock & Nicky PriceBBC News, GloucestershireManpreet PinderManpreet Pinder volunteers as a breastfeeding peer supporter Two mums who struggled to breastfed their babies have said they would have struggled without the help of a peer support group.Manpreet Pinder, who has since trained as a volunteer breastfeeding peer supporter, and her sister, Suki, said without the group they would not have learned how to breastfeed.Ms Pinder, who had her son in 2020, said she found it difficult to breastfeed at first. “Though I loved him from the moment he came into this world, it was really tough,” she said.Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Support…

A brand-new one-off documentary about Ozzy Osbourne will show his fans “the final chapter” of his life, including his journey to performing at Black Sabbath’s farewell show in Birmingham in July.Filmed over three years, Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home tells the story of the singer and wife Sharon’s lives as they try to complete their long-held dream of moving back to the UK.It will also show audiences the Sabbath frontman’s battles to get fit enough to perform, and the consequences of his ill-health. As daughter Kelly Osbourne says in the film: “Iron man wasn’t really made of iron.”The one-hour film will…

Gordon Brown has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to hike gambling taxes so she can lift benefit restrictions at her autumn Budget.The former Labour prime minister and chancellor told the BBC Britain was facing a “social crisis” with a growing need to take children out of poverty.Hiking taxes on the “undertaxed” gambling industry was “by far the most cost-effective way” for the chancellor to do this, he argued.The Betting and Gaming Council, which represents gambling companies, warned the “economically reckless” plan would push gamblers into the black market.Reeves is widely expected to raise taxes at this autumn’s Budget, after poor…

Watch: Tim Cook presents Trump with glass statue after $100bn investment announcementApple plans to boost investment in the US by another $100bn (£75bn) as the tech giant comes under pressure from President Donald Trump.The White House said the money would be used to encourage firms to make more Apple parts in the US and would add to the company’s previous pledge to spend $500bn in the US over four years. It comes after Trump singled out Apple by name earlier this year, threatening to raise tariffs on its products if it did not move iPhone manufacturing to the US.Apple chief…

Hoarding is often misunderstood – and it can be a symptom of deep trauma. One woman shares how hoarding impacted her life – and her road to recovery.

A lightsaber used by Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films has gone on display in London ahead of an auction where it is expected to sell for millions.The lightsaber featured in the climactic battles in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return Of The Jedi (1983) and could fetch up to £2.2m.The item is being sold as part of an auction comprised of more than 1,000 lots of film props and costumes that carry an estimated total value of £7.5m.The piece of film history went on display as part of a private exhibit at the Dorchester in London…

Taxes must rise in the autumn if Chancellor Rachel Reeves is to meet her self-imposed borrowing rules, according to an economic think tank.The government was on track to miss the target it has set itself by £41.2bn, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr).It recommended “a moderate but sustained increase in taxes” including reform of the council tax system to make up the shortfall.The government said “the best way to strengthen public finances is by growing the economy”, but the Conservatives said Labour “always reaches for the tax rise lever”.The think tank, which is not affiliated…