51 minutes ago Farage: Badenoch must apologise for ‘crazy conspiracy theory’ on Reform numbers

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has accused Reform UK of ‘fakery’ over its membership data.

Politics

14 hours ago As a student in London I yearned for home, until I found paradise: a vast old villa with perfect housemates | Andrew Martin

We cooked ragu and listened to records while lying on chaises longues. Then the M11 link road was built – and everything changedIn our end of year series, writers and public figures remember the place or time when they felt most at homeIn the mid-1980s, I was in my early 20s and was reading for the Bar in London. I was living in a mouldy Balham bedsit and returning regularly to the comfort zone of my native York, when a friend told me a room was going in a shared house in Leytonstone.I wasn’t expecting much of E11. I wasn’t expecting trees, for example, but my walk from the attractive art deco tube station took me along roads better described as avenues. The house itself seemed almost the last one in London, an illusion created by the proximity of Wanstead Flats. It was a rangy, detached 1920s house, white with a red roof, and it had a name, but I’ll just call it the villa.Andrew Martin is an English novelist; his latest book is The Night in Venice Continue reading...

Society

9 hours ago Teenager who was sacked after wearing trainers to work wins £30,000 payout for 'victimisation'

Teenage employment adviser Elizabeth Benassi successfully sued her former employer Maximus UK Services after she was 'treated like a child' for wearing trainers into work.

Economics

12 hours ago How BBC's Gavin and Stacey finale teaches streaming services a valuable lesson

On-demand TV may be all the rage but, sometimes, forcing us to wait for a show makes the experience all the more exciting

Sport

62 minutes ago Death in Paradise's Kris Marshall addresses show cancellation as he admits 'was a first'

Kris Marshall, who is best known for his role as DI Humphrey Goodman in BBC's Death in Paradise, has opened up about his experience of working on ITV's Sanditon

Events

7 hours ago The top 25 holiday destinations of 2025, picked by experts: These are the festivals, events and secret relaxing hotspots you should book NOW to get an amazing bargain

In its annual report on travel trends, hospitality giant Hilton declared 2025 the 'Year of the Travel Maximizer' - industry jargon for the idea that we all want more experiences.

Culture

4 hours ago Christmas chocolates replaced with unlikely item on Boxing Day in supermarket

Shoppers have been left fuming after they spotted an unexpected item lining supermarket shelves just a day after Christmas – and have taken to social media to share their thoughts

Politics

36 hours ago In a Japanese restaurant in west London, this Chinese woman felt truly at home | Xinran

In my younger years I travelled all over China. But on a culinary tour of Bayswater with my son, I tasted belongingIn our end of year series, writers and public figures remember the place or time when they felt most at homeIn 2006, during his gap year before starting university, my son Pan set out to discover a “world beyond books”. After spending four months backpacking through Australia and New Zealand, he shared with me his most profound realisation from his travels: the meaning of home.He told me: “Some people live in luxurious mansions but rarely share dinners or weekends with their families. Others, in crowded cottages, are enveloped daily by the sounds of children playing and the aroma of home-cooked meals. Some reside deep in the mountains, knowing every blade of grass, bird and rabbit, while others traverse busy city districts yet remain strangers to their own neighbours.” His words made me think about the places I have called home.Xinran is founder of the Mothers’ Bridge o...

Society

9 hours ago Teenage employment adviser who was sacked after wearing trainers to work wins £30,000 payout for victimisation

Teenage employment adviser Elizabeth Benassi successfully sued her former employer Maximus UK Services after she was 'treated like a child' for wearing trainers into work.

Economics

2 hours ago A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says

A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans

Events

4 hours ago Are YOU destined to be alone? Scientists reveal the 3 key personality traits of lifelong singletons

If you were asked to imagine a lifelong singleton, a 'crazy cat lady' might spring to mind. But a new study suggests that there are actually three key personality traits to look out for.

Politics

10 hours ago Teenage employment adviser sacked after wearing trainers to work wins £30,000 payout for victimisation

Teenage employment adviser Elizabeth Benassi successfully sued her former employer Maximus UK Services after she was 'treated like a child' for wearing trainers into work.

Economics

2 hours ago Why Luke Littler missed FA Cup Final but not Sir Alex Ferguson meeting as he reveals crash course driving plan

The teenager still can't drive but has shared his quickfire plan for getting on the road himself

Events

5 hours ago Space Marine 2 Hell’s Teeth Chainsword – how to unlock the free cosmetic in the Decimation event

The world of Warhammer 40K just got bigger in Space Marine 2 as it offers players the chance to earn a brand new Chainsword.

Politics

27 hours ago Ayr International Air Show toilet spend increases from £16,000 to £87,000

The huge increase was given as an example of the reason why a £250k overspend on 2024 International Ayr Show event is expected.

Economics

2 hours ago Social media craze for teenage skincare has reached a 'crisis point', dermatologist warns as she reveals she's treated children as young as 8 for using bad products

Dr Tess McPherson, from the British Association of Dermatologists, told Sky News that the Gen Alpha fixation on anti-ageing creams and retinols could cause irreversible damage that is 'life long'.

Events

6 hours ago Democratic strategist calls for ‘new generation of leaders’ as party plots response to Trump’s victory

Strategist who aided resurgence after Reagan urges focus on ‘fundamentals’ – but cautions against leftward driftRepublicans jubilant after winning the White House with a candidate who promised to “make America great again”. Democrats lost in the political wilderness, apparently out of touch with working people. America, apparently, shifting inexorably to the right. Not 2024 but 1984, when Ronald Reagan won the presidency in a landslide.Al From remembers it well. The political strategist responded by launching the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) with a mission to rebuild the party and make it electable again. He succeeded in 1992 when Bill Clinton led the “New Democrats” back into power – and four decades on he has advice for how the party can rise from the ashes of another election defeat. Continue reading...

Politics

31 hours ago Poker player turned £40 into £31million – then lost it all and got banned from casino

Archie Karas passed away in September at the age of 73 - and he will be remembered for his incredibly wild poker career in which he turned £39 into £31million before losing his fortunes

Economics

3 hours ago Azerbaijan Airlines says there was ‘external interference’ before crash

Carrier suspends flights to five Russian airports after early findings of investigation into crash on Christmas Day The aircraft that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38 people, experienced “external physical and technical interference”, according to preliminary results of an investigation, Azerbaijan Airlines said on Friday.The early findings led the carrier to suspend flights to five Russian airports, citing “potential risks to flight safety”, adding to the two routes that were suspended immediately after the crash. Continue reading...

Events

7 hours ago Prince William's hilarious jibe about Prince Louis delights royal well

The Prince of Wales, 42, officially stepped into father mode as he greeted friendly well wishers following Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Norfolk estate.

Politics

4 hours ago Azerbaijan Airlines says there was ‘external interference’ before plane crashed

Carrier suspends flights to five Russian airports after early findings of investigation into crash on Christmas Day The aircraft involved in the Christmas Day plane crash in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people experienced “external physical and technical interference,” according to preliminary results of the investigation, Azerbaijan Airlines said on Friday.The early findings led the carrier to suspend flights to five Russian airports, citing “potential risks to flight safety,” adding to the two routes that were suspended immediately after the crash. Continue reading...

Events

8 hours ago ‘There is magic in the world. There’s something bigger’: the ecstatic visions of musician Clarissa Connelly

Recalling Kate Bush and Perfume Genius, the Copenhagen-via-Scotland artist blends the ancient and avant garde – and finds revelation in loss and deathFrom Fife/CopenhagenRecommended if you like Kate Bush, Astrid Sonne, Julia HolterUp next Performing at the ICA, London, 19 February; album three in the worksEvery Christmas, Clarissa Connelly rewatches Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander, waiting for the scene in which Ismael shows Alexander a mummy and their faces turn in unison. “It gives me an experience like there is magic in the world, that there’s something bigger,” says the Scotland-born, Denmark-raised musician, 31. “It opens up the top of my head. Then my small, messy world becomes smaller and easier to comprehend and be a bit more careless about.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 hours ago Handré Pollard back at Twickenham and still enjoying pressure of big occasions

Leicester fly-half returns to scene of South Africa’s autumn triumph, where his opposite number is also a familiar face There will be those at a sold-out Twickenham on Saturday who will be sick of the sight of Handré Pollard. The 30-year-old fly-half returns to the stadium with Leicester six weeks after his accuracy from the tee kept the Springboks out of reach against England, his goalkicking once more a dagger to the heart of Steve Borthwick. That his opposite number will be Harlequins’ Marcus Smith only heightens the sense that England’s bete noire is back.As was the case in the 2023 World Cup semi-final, Pollard began November’s victory over England on the bench, only to come on and turn the screw from the tee. He is the elder statesman of South Africa’s pool of No 10s but is at home playing the role of safe hand on the tiller, just when Rassie Erasmus needs it. For the Springboks it has been a year of experimentation, all the while maintaining their place at the top of the worl...

Events

8 hours ago ‘Everyone is crazy about tennis’: Sinner’s success inspires Italy to pick up rackets

Italians are taking to the court with factors including the pandemic and broadcasting also said to be fuelling enthusiasmAt the age of 47, diehard AC Milan fan Ninni Licata has hung up his football boots in exchange for a tennis racket.Like thousands of Italians in recent years, Licata has been unable to resist the lure of a game that for years had been relegated to the sidelines of the country’s national sports, overshadowed by football and Formula One. Continue reading...

Politics

5 hours ago Drill rapper 'Young Dizz' releases music video goading Keir Starmer after being released from jail early for kidnapping and torturing teenage boy

Isaac Donkoh, a gang member from Newham in East London , was jailed in April 2019 for seizing the schoolboy a year earlier before posting footage of his ordeal on Snapchat .

Events

8 hours ago Duo in their 40s suspected of raping teenage man near Brighton Harry Ramsden's

Sussex Police has confirmed the arrest of two men aged 40 and 42 in connection to the rape of a 19-year-old near a Brighton fish and chip shop last Saturday, December 21

Politics

5 hours ago Disgusting ingredient in American chocolate that explains why foreigners hate our sweets

American-made chocolate is often criticized by Europeans for being poor quality. Food scientists suggest there are several factors, beyond just butyric acid, contributing to these taste differences.

Events

10 hours ago Emmerdale spoilers tease what happened to April after she vanished on Christmas Day

Emmerdale has confirmed the fate of April Windsor after she disappeared over Christmas, with new spoilers teasing what's happened to the teenager and her family

Politics

7 hours ago ITV Emmerdale fans call out 'strange' plot hole in missing April storyline

Fans are left with more questions after April gets into an unknown person's car

Events

10 hours ago 'I played The Unknown in the Willy Wonka Experience as a teenager sitting my GCSEs – I made a lot of money from it'

Felicia Dawkins, 17, went viral as The Unknown from the ill-fated Willy's Chocolate Experience in Glasgow that became a viral sensation

Politics

8 hours ago Weather tracker: storm brings well over a metre of snow to peaks in Alps

Several days of snow brought avalanche risk at Christmas, as wintry weather also caused four deaths in IndiaA snowstorm developed across the Alps on Saturday 21 December due to a low-pressure system situated over the Adriatic Sea. This depression allowed relatively warm and moist air to push into the Alps, condensing and falling as snow as it met the much colder alpine air mass. Snowfall continued for several days, allowing some of the peaks to see well over 1 metre of snow, with significant snowfall also seen across many ski villages. Consequently, there was a significant avalanche risk over the Christmas period.Ski resorts in Bulgaria also experienced significant snow starting on Christmas Day, which caused disruption in the mountainous west, where ski resorts had to temporarily shut down due to road closures. Towns such as Troyan, Samokov and Teteven were particularly badly affected with snowdrifts and power failures. Continue reading...

Events

11 hours ago Arsenal must get creative to find Bukayo Saka solution as Mikel Arteta steps into the unknown

All of the Gunners’ attacking players must shoulder the burden without their injured talisman

Politics

8 hours ago Weather tracker: Storm brings well over a metre of snow to peaks in Alps

Several days of snow brought avalanche risk at Christmas, as wintry weather also caused four deaths in IndiaA snowstorm developed across the Alps on Saturday 21 December due to a low-pressure system situated over the Adriatic Sea. This depression allowed relatively warm and moist air to push into the Alps, condensing and falling as snow as it met the much colder alpine air mass. Snowfall continued for several days, with well over 1 metre of snow on some peaks and significant snowfall across many ski villages. Consequently, there was a significant avalanche risk over the Christmas period.Ski resorts in Bulgaria also experienced significant snow starting on Christmas Day, which caused disruption in the mountainous west, where ski resorts had to temporarily shut down due to road closures. Towns such as Troyan, Samokov and Teteven were particularly badly affected with snowdrifts and power failures. Continue reading...

Events

12 hours ago Meet the Party Jean – the answer to your New Year’s Eve prayers | Jess Cartner

If you can’t be bothered with an LBD, opt for a classic that’s casual but shouts party pizzazzThere is a moment about halfway through Christmas dinner when the cracker hats have slipped askew, shoes been kicked off under the table and belts un-notched, that marks the official end of the season of Making An Effort. A frenzied month of putting on mascara in the work loos and shivering on the way home because you are wearing your fancy coat instead of your warm one is over, up in flames along with the Christmas pudding brandy. Time to breathe out, shift into a lower gear, adjust to the sacred interlude of cheese and telly, half-eaten chocolate reindeers and gap-toothed jigsaws that is Twixmas.So it can feel a little tricky, a few days later, to go full jazz-hands for New Year’s Eve. But that’s what we are doing. Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago Two men arrested after 'teenage boy raped' near Harry Ramsden's restaurant

The pair were arrested on Boxing Day, Thursday December 26, on suspicion of rape and remain in police custody.

Events

13 hours ago 'I starred in Squid Game – one aspect of filming was chilling for everyone'

Squid Game: The Challenge contestant Mikie Bowe has opened up about his experience on the game show, revealing it was 'serious' and 'intense' but dismissed accusations it was fixed

Politics

11 hours ago 'Vibrant' student, 20, dies of silent killer that can strike anyone regardless of health

Poppy Eagle, 20, died suddenly in August but her family is determined to have her legacy live on by setting up a charity to help prevent other families experience similar heartbreak

Events

13 hours ago Willy’s Chocolate Experience: The Unknown teenager remembers 'crazy' Wonka event

Felicia Dawkins captivated the internet as Willy Wonka’s masked rival

Politics

11 hours ago Urgent missing person appeal for teenage girl who vanished on Christmas Eve

Police forces on either side of London are urgently asking for information on the whereabouts of a 16-year-old girl who vanished from her home in Watford on Christmas Eve

Events

13 hours ago Coronation Street confirms teenage stabbing carnage with 'big consequences' for residents

One of the teens will be elft fighting for life in the ITV soap following a shocking attack

Politics

14 hours ago The Producers Hits It’s Mark Gloriously and Hilariously Well at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London

The Producers Hits It’s Mark Gloriously and Hilariously Well at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London  Times Square Chronicles

Events

14 hours ago Willy Wonka Experience teenager speaks of 'crazy' viral fame during exams

The Willy Wonka Experience has inspired a musical, club nights and an ice dance routine

Politics

17 hours ago Virat Kohli is caught up in ANOTHER shocking clash at the MCG after bullying Sam Konstas

About 24 hours after his ugly incident with the teenage debutant, Kohli was caught up in another concerning scene at the MCG as Australia looked to take the game away from India.

Events

15 hours ago ‘It’s full of things that didn’t happen – but it feels right!’ Inside the making of Bob Dylan film A Complete Unknown

Starring an Oscar-tipped Timothée Chalamet, James Mangold’s biopic retells Dylan’s electric early career, but it resonates with today’s toxic fame and politics. The creative team explain their process – and what Dylan makes of itBob Dylan is notoriously averse to others poking around in his past – he once suggested the legions of self-styled “Dylanologists” who examine his career in forensic detail should “get a life, please you’re wasting your life”. So when he summoned the director James Mangold to meet him and discuss the Dylan biopic Mangold was making, it had the potential to go badly.The film, A Complete Unknown, was already well under way. A script based on the folk musician and writer Elijah Wald’s acclaimed 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric! had been written by Jay Cocks, best known as the screenwriter of Gangs of New York. Timothée Chalamet was slated to star as Dylan: perfect for the role, Mangold suggests, because “he’s thin and wiry and mercurial and super smart and restles...

Politics

21 hours ago Mother who fought for justice in daughter's murder case involving Kennedy cousin has died

Dorthy Moxley, the mother who fought for decades to bring her teenage daughter’s killer to justice in a roller-coaster Connecticut murder case, has died

Events

18 hours ago Inside story of how it all went wrong at Cadbury's: It has skimmed, trimmed and many say ruined the taste of its chocolate, reveals JANE FRYER. And that's not the worst by a long shot...

John Cadbury - patriarch of Britain's most famous confectionery company and a doggedly good and relentlessly philanthropic example to us all - must be spinning in his grave in the village of Bournville.

Politics

22 hours ago Teenage boy, 17, fled home screaming 'he's stabbed me' after double murder in Christmas Day stabbing that also left a dog dead

Neighbours said the 17-year-old, who has not been named, suffered wounds to his head and chest in the attack in which the women, aged 38 and 24 also died.

Events

23 hours ago Victim of horror Christmas Day stabbing heard screaming 'I can't breathe'

Two women died at the scene, while a man and a teenage boy are in a stable condition in hospital. Shocked neighbours heard screams of "I can't breathe".

Events