‘Short hair is dying out’: 30% rise in cost of UK haircuts, not fashion, is driving the change

Skin fades and sculpted bobs are out. Messy tops and longer locks are in. For fashion hawks, the move towards lengthier hair is hardly news, but it may not be fashion alone that is driving the shift. Rising costs and tightened belts are among the reasons some believe are behind the trend for longer hair.The average cost of a haircut for men and women in the UK has soared by more than 30% since 2020, according to government data

Could AI be accelerating slowdown in the UK job market?

Ask ChatGPT whether artificial intelligence is contributing to Britain’s cooling jobs market and the chatbot acknowledges its own role – but adds a caveat: “Yes, AI is contributing to job losses in the UK, but its impact is nuanced and varies by industry, skill level, and job function.”There are concerns that AI could be one culprit behind the slowdown, as the ascendant technology destroys workers’ jobs.The telecoms company BT has said advances in AI could lead it to cut more jobs, having already outlined plans to shed up to 55,000 workers two years ago – including as a result of investment in digital automation. Amazon has warned white-collar staff that their jobs could be replaced, Ocado has cut hundreds of roles to reduce costs while using AI instead, and Microsoft is shedding 9,000 jobs worldwide.Despite these high-profile changes and mounting anecdotal evidence, most economists reckon that, so far, Britain’s slowing labour market has little to do with accelerating investment in AI

Ofcom head says age checks are ‘really big moment’ for children’s online safety

The UK’s chief media regulator has promised age verification checks will prove a “really big moment” in the battle to keep children safe online, even as campaigners warn she needs to take tougher action against big technology companies.Melanie Dawes, the head of Ofcom, said on Sunday that the new checks, which have to be in place later this month, would prove a turning point in regulating the behaviour of the world’s biggest online platforms.But she is coming under pressure from campaigners – many of them bereaved parents who say social media played a role in their children’s deaths – who say the new rules will still allow young people to access harmful material.Dawes told the BBC on Sunday: “It is a really big moment, because finally, the laws are coming into force.“What happens at the end of this month is that we see the wider protections for children come online

Teach First job applicants will get in-person interviews after more apply using AI

One of the UK’s biggest recruiters is accelerating a plan to switch towards more frequent face-to-face assessments as university graduates become increasingly reliant on using artificial intelligence to apply for jobs.Teach First, a charity which fast-tracks graduates into teaching jobs, said it planned to bring forward a move away from predominantly written assignments – where AI could give applicants hidden help – to setting more assessments where candidates carry out tasks such as giving “micro lessons” to assessors.The move comes as the number of people using AI for job applications has risen from 38% last year, to 50% this year, according to a study by the graduate employment specialist Bright Network.Patrick Dempsey, the executive director for programme talent at Teach First, said there had been a near-30% increase in applications so far this year on the same period last year, with AI playing a significant role.Dempsey said the surge in demand for jobs was partly due to a softening in the labour market, but the use of automation for applications was allowing graduates to more easily apply for multiple jobs simultaneously

England v India: third men’s cricket Test, day four – live

24th over: England 91-4 (Root 16, Stokes 0) Hands on heads from India as Stokes edges Akash Deep but the ball lands just short of the cordon! Swing and a miss from Stokes! A pull across the line but the ball is too full, it beats Stokes and Jurel and runs away for four byes. England will take ‘em. They need ‘em.There will be one last over from Bumrah before lunch. Buckle up

Tour de France 2025: stage nine from Chinon to Châteauroux – live

148km to go: Van der Poel is first over the line at the intermediate sprint, taking 20 green jersey points, and Rickaert bags 17 points. They’re not sitting up! The duo have continued. They have almost 4mins on the peloton but there is such a long way to go.151km to go: Sean Kelly on TNT Sports thinks Van der Poel and Rickaert might keep going after the intermediate sprint. It’ll be interesting to see if they do