‘What we have is unique’: the Indian craftsmanship behind global luxury fashion 22. September 2026 (08:30) Generations of artisans from Mumbai to Lucknow have shaped the world’s most coveted designs. Plus, the gen Z memes giving classic Bollywood a new lifeThe zardozi embroidery on a Dior dress, the T-strap leather sandals at a Prada show, the mirror-work technique used on a Fendi bag – for decades, the skill of Indian artisans has been an invisible force behind some of the world’s most coveted fashion.Now, that work is beginning to claim its own place in the spotlight, and the Mumbai-based textile and embroidery atelier Chanakya International is at the forefront. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK borrows £18bn in August, putting pressure on Healey before budget 22. September 2026 (08:25) Higher-than-expected figure will make chancellor’s aim of calming jittery bond markets more difficultBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government borrowed a higher-than-expected £18.3bn last month, increasing the pressure on John Healey as he attempts to calm jittery bond markets before next month’s budget.Official figures released by Office for National Statistics on Tuesday said public sector net borrowing – the difference between government spending and income – was £2.9bn higher last month than in August 2025. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s bizarre social media blitz leaves world guessing ahead of UN address 22. September 2026 (08:00) President has been posting on Washington arch, AI and his ‘25 top achievements’ – the chances of an uplifting speech appear slimThe annual gathering of the United Nations general assembly has historically been a platform for US presidents to display their most serious face and a positive vision to the world.From Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower to John F Kennedy and Barack Obama, over eight decades US leaders have used the setting to expound on grand themes before a global audience at pivotal moments in international affairs. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nearly 4m records of enslaved people in 20 former British colonies now searchable online 22. September 2026 (07:00) Exclusive: Collection’s 300,000 pages record lives of enslaved people in countries including the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Mauritius, South Africa and TrinidadNearly 4m records documenting the lives of enslaved people across 20 former British colonies have been made searchable online for the first time.The records have been digitised and indexed by the genealogy company Ancestry, which has partnered with the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery at University College London. Continue reading...(The Guardian)