Artists can’t buy into these fantasy houses | Brief letters

I always regard the house prices in your fantasy house hunt feature with wry amusement. After all, it is supposed to be fantasy. However, last weekend’s selection made my blood boil (Homes for sale to inspire artists in England – in pictures, 23 January). In 2024, the Guardian reported that the median income of visual artists had dropped to £12,500, a fall of 40% since 2010. Even the most creative accounting is not going to convert this into a mortgage for one of the houses featured

Chinese car firm Chery to open European base in Liverpool

Chinese carmaker Chery is to open a research and development headquarters in Liverpool, in a move that could pave the way for a deal for the British manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover to build its cars.State-owned Chery’s commercial vehicle arm will base the headquarters for its European operations on Merseyside, including research, engineering, and commercial functions.Chery has already made a mark in the UK car market through its Omoda and Jaecoo brands, and it is launching its eponymous brand with an advertising campaign featuring former England footballer Peter Crouch.The UK government has been working on a plan for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the country’s biggest automotive manufacturing employer, to build Chery electric vehicles in Britain. The deal was expected to form part of talks during Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing, although no deal has been announced

Apple reports massive spike in iPhone revenue, particularly in China

Apple released its first quarter earnings on Thursday, exceeding Wall Street’s expectations and seeing its revenue skyrocket 16% from the same time last year.“Apple is proud to report a remarkable, record-breaking quarter, with revenue of $143.8bn,” Tim Cook, the company’s CEO, said in a statement. “iPhone had its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand, with all-time records across every geographic segment.”The tech titan’s reported revenue went far beyond analyst’s forecasts of $138

US regulators open inquiry into Waymo self-driving car that struck child in California

The US’s federal transportation regulator said Thursday it had opened an investigation after a Waymo self-driving vehicle struck a child near an elementary school in southern California last week, causing minor injuries.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the child in Santa Monica ran across the street on 23 January from behind a double parked SUV towards the school and was struck by the Waymo autonomous vehicle during normal school drop-off hours. The agency said there were other children, a crossing guard, and several double-parked vehicles in the vicinity.The federal agency is opening a preliminary evaluation to investigate whether the Waymo AV exercised appropriate caution given its proximity to the elementary school during drop-off hours, and the presence of young pedestrians and other potential vulnerable road users. The agency said it plans to examine the vehicle’s “intended behavior in school zones and neighboring areas, especially during normal school pick up/drop off times, including but not limited to its adherence to posted speed limits” and will “also investigate Waymo’s post-impact response”

Sri Lanka v England: Sam Curran takes hat-trick in first men’s T20 international – as it happened

Ah, I was hanging on for the post match presentations but it seems they have been pulled. Time for me to skedaddle then, thanks for your company. Taha’s match report will be along very soon and do join us on Sunday for match number two.The weekend has landed. Goodbye!Handshakes all round, a strange and drawn out match comes to a close

Sam Curran takes hat-trick before Salt eases England to DLS win over Sri Lanka in first T20

It was an England victory set up by the wily, age-old brilliance of Adil Rashid, the vital part of their hopes for a World Cup triumph in the coming weeks. The masterful leg-spinner took three for 19 as Sri Lanka’s batting lineup collapsed in the first of three Twenty20s, losing five wickets for 22 runs.Sam Curran celebrated a late hat-trick, too, as the visitors were set a target of 134 in a 17-overs-a-side contest after rain delayed the start. They were guided by Phil Salt’s 46, but Tom Banton’s 15-ball 29 provided the real thrust, easing the tension in the middle overs.England were just about stumbling over the line as Salt departed in the 15th over, but the rain returned with nine needed off 12, the crowd filtering out before the official decision, Harry Brook’s side lead the series after winning by 11 runs on DLS