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Charli XCX was supposed to be taking a break.Her sixth album, Brat, was the sort of record you could genuinely call era-defining, without being accused of overstating its significance. Experimental but accessible songs like Guess, Apple and 360 propelled the star to new heights of fame. Her album was co-opted into Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, and Collins English Dictionary updated its definition of Brat, to acknowledge its use as an adjective characterising the music’s “confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude”. After a punishing year-long tour, the singer accepted a few acting roles, wrote the soundtrack to Emerald Fennel’s adaptation of…

Whether you’re on a staycation or jetting away, drawstring trousers and clever layering will keep you cool Continue reading…

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Praise be to Allah, who made His religion manifest among the worlds, made firm the hearts of His believing allies, and saved them from the plots of the wrongdoing people. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send His peace and many blessings upon him. To proceed: Dear brothers and sisters! Know that, the Noble Qur’an is the ultimate, unchanged word of Allah the Most High. It…

Burnham to hold first meeting in new No 10 North in ManchesterAndy Burnham will hold his first meeting in No 10 North in Manchester today, the new branch of Downing Street in the north-west that the prime minister has described as “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen”.He will chair the inaugural meeting of the national economic council [NEC], a cabinet committee first launched in 2008 by Gordon Brown in response to the financial crash. It will bring together senior ministers and regional mayors to shift economic decision-making away ‌from London.Writing for the Guardian, Burnham said: “It is…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Fintech myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Wise’s application for a US banking licence has been rejected by regulators because of “longstanding deficiencies” in the fintech’s anti-money laundering checks, as well as a lack of understanding of the banking law.The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said in a letter that Wise’s US business had not demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the money laundering rules or US banking law and responsibilities generally. “Wise US has no historical experience with fiduciary activities, and proposed management and directors failed to demonstrate…

Getting locked out of an account is no fun. Google has a few ways to help you regain access if you happen to forget your password or lose an authenticator, including recovery contacts and backup codes. Now, Google has a completely new option: your face. You can now give Google a video record of your face and sign into your account with a selfie, which sounds like something people are going to just love. You will have to set this feature up ahead of time if you want the option of regaining account access with a selfie later on. To…

One of Andy Burnham’s first policy measures as prime minister is a 20% reduction in business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues.The policy, announced on Thursday, is part of a broader agenda to support the high street and will cost £100m.So how does the policy measure up in the context of running a business and where does the money on your bar bill actually go? Also, can the rates reduction halt a trend in pub closures, running at about one a day?A pie and a pint, Red Lion, Hollington, DerbyshireYou pay: £20.50Pub profit: £2.97 Photograph: Andrew Fox/The GuardianThe…

Biological invasions pose serious threats to biodiversity, ecosystem function, economies, and human health (1). Live seafood trading is a major pathway for the introduction of non-native and invasive species (2–5). Although existing local and global frameworks align with international treaties, regulations are often outdated, weakly enforced, and inconsistent across countries (6–9). To address these gaps, a more robust and coordinated approach is needed to reinforce existing biosecurity protocols.

Katie said Ruairi had held a season ticket since birth and regularly attended home, away and European matches with his family.Supporting Man Utd was “all we do”, she said, adding that she met her husband at Old Trafford and had held her own season ticket for nearly 20 years, along with her late mother and siblings.”Since [Ruari] could walk, he’s had a ball at his feet,” she said. “He’s just football daft.”Katie said Ruairi had been a United mascot at Crystal Palace last season and had travelled to watch the team in Seville, Istanbul and Bilbao.A post on X, in…

Kannywood actor Uzee Usman has attributed the slow growth of the Hausa-language film industry to insufficient investment and sponsorship. Although the industry has produced hundreds of films and cultivated a loyal audience across northern Nigeria and parts of West Africa, it has yet to secure the corporate financial support that Nollywood enjoys. Speaking about the industry’s development on The Morayo Show this Wednesday, Usman acknowledged Kannywood’s progress, including its international recognition. However, he maintained that its expansion remains hindered by a lack of backing. “I’m one of the people who really pushed it out there to the global world with…