35 minutes ago Senior royal’s touching link to Princess Diana revealed ahead of huge life milestone

The Duchess of Edinburgh has travelled to some of world's most war-torn and traumatised areas to raise awareness of important causes, much like the late Princess Diana

Politics

14 hours ago Airdrie Action Partnership's Christmas appeal receives £2k donation from XACT/Airdrie & Coatbridge 41 Club

Appeal supports local children and families during the festive period.

Society

16 hours ago French chateau money pit: Couple who bought mansion for £900k says spiraling heating bills have turned fairytale into a Christmas nightmare

Lionel, 64, and Claire Cherruault, 42 paid £900,000 for the property, that comes with three acres of land, eight bedrooms and its very own chapel, back in 2021.

Economics

10 hours ago 'I left Arsenal and ended up at Chelsea feeling disgusted and lying to club medical staff'

Emmanuel Petit spent just one season at Barcelona after leaving Arsenal for the Nou Camp in 2000, before moving to Chelsea, and he has admitted he regrets the decision

Sport

45 minutes ago English wildlife ‘could be disappearing in the dark’ due to lack of scrutiny

Conservationists issue warning as figures show three-quarters of SSSI sites have had no recent assessments Conservationists have said wildlife could be “disappearing in the dark” after figures showed that three-quarters of England’s most precious habitats, wildlife and natural features have had no recent assessment of their condition.The warning follows the publication of figures covering assessments of protected natural sites known as sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) in the last five years. SSSIs are legally protected because they contain special features such as threatened habitats or rare species, and together they cover more than 1.1m hectares (2.7m acres), about 8% of England’s land area. Continue reading...

Events

29 hours ago Exact date new rare Royal Mint coins celebrating Red Arrows will be released

The Royal Mint's 2025 annual set includes commemorative coins celebrating the Red Arrows, Queen Mum, WWII, modern railways, and the Royal Observatory - they will be available from January 2nd 2025

Culture

35 minutes ago Royal's emotive bond with Princess Diana's work revealed ahead of big milestone

EXCLUSIVE: The Duchess of Edinburgh is known for her tireless work supporting women in war-torn countries - a cause that has seen her draw similarities to the late Princess Diana

Politics

17 hours ago King Charles' has 'secret weapon' in Royal Family – and nobody is expecting it

EXCLUSIVE: The Duchess of Edinburgh has become one of the most respected members of the Royal Family, and is set to become an even more central figure in the years to come

Society

19 hours ago Nearly £1 in every £4 raised in council tax is spent on 'unjustifiably generous' staff pensions

An analysis showed that councils contributed nearly £7billion to their employees' pensions over the past year.

Economics

5 hours ago UK's jails record 74 assaults every day as Tories accused of failing staff and victims

Alarming figures show there were 26,912 assaults in UK prisons in 2023 - up 28% from the year before, with the Lib Dems accusing the Tories of leaving a system that fails staff and victims

Events

45 minutes ago How I beat overwhelm: I deleted my email app – and my sleep suddenly improved

Checking my emails at every possible opportunity had become distracting and draining. So I set myself new boundariesAs a freelance writer, the structure of my work day can often vary wildly. Sometimes, it feels as if I have too much to do – other days, too little.Yet no matter the shape of my 9 to 5, one thing remains constant: emails. I receive about 100 a day, ranging from the inane (Tesco Clubcard updates) to the infuriating (the PR who keeps sending me the fluctuating numbers of Taylor Swift’s Instagram following) and the important (editors, often wondering when the piece they have asked me to write might materialise). Continue reading...

Politics

17 hours ago Sweet moment teacher, who travelled from France to meet royal family, tells Kate her work in early years 'means everything to him'

Kate, 42, joined King Charles , Queen Camilla , the Prince of Wales, and other senior members of The Firm for the royal walkabout on their Norfolk estate after the Christmas Day church service.

Society

21 hours ago Dunelm shoppers nab 'expensive looking' double bedding set for less than £14 using deal

Dunelm customers are raving about the retailer's 'gorgeous' bedding set that 'washes like a dream' - and you can get it for a fraction of the price using a TopCashback deal

Economics

6 hours ago ‘Shocking’ bodycam footage captures prison staff beating inmate shortly before his death

In the video, shown by New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday, officers can be seen surrounding Robert Brooks who is restrained

Events

45 minutes ago Revisited: actor Jeff Goldblum, eccentric as ever at 71; and America’s top pronatalists on having ‘tons of kids’ to save the world – podcast

Fast-talking, finger-jabbing Jeff Goldblum on vanity, mortality and becoming a father in his 60s. Elon Musk (father of 11) supports their cause, thousands follow their ideology: to make it easier for everyone to have multiple children. Enter the unsettling world of Malcolm and Simone Collins, America’s premier pronatalists Continue reading...

Politics

17 hours ago We're stuck in Britain's downsizing gridlock: As the price of bungalows soars, the retirees struggling to buy a smaller home with the proceeds of selling their larger family house

Anne Savory (pictured) and her husband Ted want to sell their three-bedroom bungalow in West Suffolk and move closer to their children.

Society

29 hours ago I have been left in a lifetime of debt after fighting the council to get my son in school... we had to remortgage our home

EXCLUSIVE: Suzanne Hollinshead, 53, from Flitwick, Bedfordshire, had to remortgage her home to help pay off a 'lifetime of debt' from the fight with Central Bedfordshire Council.

Economics

9 hours ago Orchestra that allowed youths to film performances on their phones lets grime rappers Lady Leshurr and Big Dog Yogo into its ranks to boost classical music audiences

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has arranged a concert with two grime artists as part of its continued project to try to appeal to a younger audience.

Events

45 minutes ago King Charles takes very unusual item everywhere with him as he's 'fussy'

King Charles has campaigned for the use of organic produce for decades and has very specific tastes when it comes to what he likes to eat on his frequent travels

Politics

18 hours ago Hobbit home boom in New Zealand: Nation embraces tiny house living amid affordable housing crisis where average home price is $1m

Tiny houses - small, functional dwellings with floor spaces of up to 60 square metres - are becoming increasing popular among families and single occupiers.

Society

9 hours ago US saw dramatic rise in homelessness at start of 2024, housing agency says

US Department of Housing and Urban Development reports largest increase among families with childrenThe US saw a dramatic rise in homelessness at the start of 2024, counting 18% more unhoused people during its annual tally in January than the year before, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (Hud) reported on Friday.Cities reported counting a total of 771,480 unhoused people in January, a number that is larger than the population of Seattle. Representing 23 out of every 10,000 Americans, the number is the highest ever recorded during the tally. Still, experts consider the number an undercount, since it reflects one point in time and misses many people staying with friends or family. Continue reading...

Events

45 minutes ago Royal left with 'tears dripping off her chin' over heartbreaking comment

EXCLUSIVE: Sophie, Countess of Wessex has made history by visiting some of the most dangerous places on Earth - and has been left in tears by the devastating things she has seen

Politics

23 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

11 hours ago Psychic reveals Harry and Meghan predictions for 2025 as 'no storm lasts forever’

EXCLUSIVE: Royal family feuding could come to an end in 2025, with one astrologer predicting a big but 'brief' and 'awkward' reunion could see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle return to the UK

Events

1 hour ago The tiny strip of water where people try to catch the elusive fish ‘as big as a seven

The so-called Queen of the Wharf was more than 47lbs when last weighed – the equivalent of five bowling balls or a seven-year-old child

Politics

13 hours ago Princess Charlotte could get Princess Anne's prestigious title after 'royal crash course'

Princess Charlotte has reportedly been given a "royal crash course" by her great-aunt Princess Anne and could be set for a key title when she's older

Events

3 hours ago Donald Trump to make history with second state visit to the UK hosted by the Royal Family

Donald Trump is to become the first elected politician in modern history to be hosted for two state visits by the Royal Family, it was reported last night.

Politics

14 hours ago Luka Dončić injury update: Mavs star out at least one month with calf strain

Mavericks star out at least a month, sources sayDončić injured calf during Christmas Day gameDallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić will be re-evaluated in a month due to a left calf strain, ESPN reported late Thursday night.The five-time All-Star sustained the injury during a 105-99 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. After straining the calf on a seemingly harmless play in the second quarter, Dončić headed to the locker room and missed the entire second half. Continue reading...

Events

5 hours ago 'Duties of Kier Starmer are unremitting – but we hope Prime Minister finds time to mourn brother'

Losing a loved one is always a time of grief and reflection but to lose someone over Christmas, when families traditionally come together, makes it all the more painful

Politics

14 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

6 hours ago Last major health facility in north Gaza ‘out of service’ after Israeli attack

Staff arrested, injured and killed as Israeli forces burn and destroy key Kamal Adwan hospital departments, says WHOThe last major health facility in northern Gaza has been put out of service, the World Health Organization has said, after an Israeli military operation targeting sites near the Kamal Adwan hospital.“Initial reports indicate that some key departments were severely burnt and destroyed during the raid,” the WHO said in a statement on X. Continue reading...

Politics

14 hours ago Sudan: first aid convoy reaches besieged Khartoum area since start of civil war

The deliveries of vital food and medical supplies will help 200,000 families, according to aid groups and local volunteersAn aid convoy has reached a besieged area of Khartoum for the first time since Sudan’s civil war broke out in April 2023, bringing food and medicines in a country where half of the people are at risk of starvation.The 28 trucks arrived in southern Khartoum on 25 December, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), which provided 22 trucks loaded with 750 tonnes of food. Continue reading...

Events

7 hours ago Princess Diana’s ghost found me my husband, says ex royal butler Paul Burrell

Former royal butler Paul Burrel believes the People's Princess made sure he bumped into his husband despite never disclosing his sexuality to Lady Diana - 'she sent him'

Politics

15 hours ago Sky's controversial Lockerbie drama with Colin Firth receives mixed reviews from critics after families of the victims expressed their anger over TV recreation of deadly 1988 bombing

In 1988, Pan Am flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie in south-western Scotland, killing all 259 on board. Another 11 people died when wreckage hit their homes.

Events

7 hours ago Donald Trump 'set to be first elected politician to be given two state visits' to UK

Downing Street is considering inviting Donald Trump for unprecedented second state visit, according to reports

Politics

15 hours ago Cruise line cancels stops at ‘violent’ Mexican port following do not travel warning

Crime and kidnapping concerns have seen ships swerve Manzanillo

Events

8 hours ago Donald Trump 'set to be first elected politician given two state visits' to UK

Downing Street are considering inviting Donald Trump for unprecedented second state visit, according to reports

Politics

15 hours ago Israeli forces raid Gaza hospital after staff reported killed in strike

Staff arrested, injured and killed as Israeli forces burn departments and attack buildings surrounding one of the area’s last remaining hospitals, says directorA fire has broken out at one of northern Gaza’s only functioning hospitals, while medics and patients have been forced to leave by Israeli forces, who raided the hospital on Friday morning, according to staff members.Kamal Adwan hospital and the surrounding area has been under increased attack this week, according to the hospital’s director, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who said five medical staff were killed in a strike on Thursday. Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago Family detention, raids and ‘no price tag’: Trump’s mass deportation plan comes into focus

Migrant families will be given impossible choices under Tom Homan’s agenda while Trump invokes wartime law and surges law enforcement across the country, Alex Woodward reports

Politics

15 hours ago In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families

Tennessee has nearly total abortion ban and a porous safety net for mothers and young children

Events

9 hours ago Former embassy worker is suing Spanish government after colleagues accused her of being a 'double agent' and repeatedly insulted British people

Lydia Lorenzo accused staff at the Spanish embassy on Belgravia Square of making 'disparaging' remarks about the UK government and Britons more generally.

Politics

17 hours ago King Charles has ‘secret weapon’ up his sleeve in plans for royal future and it’s not what people expect

The monarch has been clear that the down-to-earth Duchess of Edinburgh's steadfast support and loyalty is more appreciated than ever - as she rises up the ranks of the royal family

Events

10 hours ago 'Cockroaches crawl all over me at night – I can't sleep in bed or cook in kitchen'

Council tenant Karen Barrett, 65, from Birmingham, said that she now has nowhere to sleep because of insects and is also reliant on takeaway meals as she can't cook in her flat

Politics

18 hours ago Reasons why female prison officers have illicit encounters with inmates behind bars

Another female warder has been arrested in recent days after camera footage emerged of her allegedly bonking an inmate - and below we hear from prison experts about the epidemic of staff-lag flirtations

Events

12 hours ago 'Our Boxing Day walk was ruined after we made horrifying discovery in park'

As most families enjoyed a relaxing day in or trip to the sales on Boxing Day 2024, one couple who ventured out as part of an annual tradition were met with a horror discovery

Politics

19 hours ago New Year's Resolutions for your children: From eating more veg to learning skills

Setting yourself goals for the year ahead is one thing – but New Year’s resolutions for kids are a completely different kettle of fish

Events

13 hours ago Andrew 'determined to cling to power' as Christmas plans obliterated by royal expert

Prince Andrew spent Christmas away from the Royal Family's Sandringham gathering and a royal expert has slammed his "poor judgement" after ex-wife Sarah Ferguson reportedly stepped in

Politics

19 hours ago Netflix throws another log on the fire in festive TV virtual blaze craze

Crackling fireplace edges out new series of Squid Game as streaming service’s most watched Boxing Day show in UKIt pays the world’s biggest stars and utilises the most cutting-edge special effects to entice families away from terrestrial TV over the festive period.But Netflix viewers this year were instead drawn to one of humanity’s oldest sources of fascination: fire. Continue reading...

Events

13 hours ago In Pictures: Wales marks 25 years of Senedd and elects two first ministers

Visits by several members of the royal family and some television stars brought the crowds out across the country.

Politics

20 hours ago Houthis claim missile attack on Tel Aviv after Israel strikes Yemen airport – Middle East crisis live

Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the overnight firing of a missile at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airportThe Israeli military demanded that medical staff and patients leave the premises of Kamal Adwan hospital to make room for their forces to storm the facility, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported this morning.Gaza’s health ministry has said the three main hospitals in northern Gaza – of which Kamal Adwan is one – are barely functioning and have been under repeated attack since Israel sent tanks into Beit Lahiya and nearby Beit Hanoun and Jabalia in October.This morning, Israel pushed deeper into the area surrounding Kamal Adwan hospital. Israeli armoured tanks advanced deeper under heavy cover from quadcopter machineguns.Explosive devices had already been planted in the vicinity of the hospital. Four were set off near the northern gate, at the back entrance, causing damage to the compound and sparking fires in some of the buildings around it. Continue reading...

Events

13 hours ago Sleepmaxxing: Is the pursuit of the perfect night’s rest making us more anxious?

Following years of insomnia and struggling to reach deep sleep, Emilie Lavinia dives into the latest viral wellness trend and discovers it may actually be doing more harm than good

Politics

21 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