2 hours ago Labour must ‘stick to its guns’ on UK employment rights bill, says TUC chief

In new year message, Paul Nowak says ministers must resist pressure from business groups to water down plansKeir Starmer’s government has been urged to “stick to its guns” amid growing pressure from business leaders to water down its plans to improve workers’ rights as the UK economy grinds to a halt.The head of the Trades Union Congress said company bosses were demanding concessions as a “quid pro quo” for accepting tax increases in Rachel Reeves’ autumn budget as they sounded the alarm over Britain’s flatlining economy. Continue reading...

Politics

19 hours ago My family call it Old Lady Clubbing, but my giddy ‘nights out’ have lit up a dismal 2024 | Gaby Hinsliff

Dance till you drop, then home by 10pm – daytime events offer a glorious escape for those of us bogged down by responsibilityLast Saturday night, I went clubbing with friends. Once upon a time, this wouldn’t have been a remotely odd sentence to type, because it was what I did pretty much every weekend. But a lot has changed since then – let’s just say that in my peak raving years there was a Labour government in power, only it was actually popular – and like most people whose happy place was once on the dancefloor, inevitably with time comes the feeling that you no longer belong. Deep down, you still come to life when the bassline kicks in. But you morph from hardened raver to the kind of person who’s always up for dancing at parties and weddings, and then finally into the kind of person whose friends aren’t getting married any more and who spends their Saturday nights giving their children lifts to parties. So eventually you tell yourself sadly that those days are over now, and tha...

Society

71 minutes ago Claims Disclosure Scotland is in 'turmoil' as £100 million temp staff bill revealed

The SNP is being accused of ‘papering over the cracks’ at Disclosure Scotland.

Economics

11 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

7 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

71 minutes ago How to dress ‘smart casual’ for men? This independent London label offers a solution

Introducing Batch Ldn — the start-up brand offering a signature suit to solve ‘smart casual’ dressing dilemmas

Culture

12 hours ago Scots motorist 'can't get rid of stench' in car after sewage spill on M8

The westbound slip road on the M8 at junction 25A for Braehead was shut due to “contaminated water” on the route at around 8.30am on Friday.

Transport

3 hours 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

19 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

15 hours ago Got a new phone for Christmas? Casetify's holiday sale cuts price of iPhone and Samsung cases

If you've recently acquired a new smartphone, you'll be needing a case - and Casetify has a dizzying array of options on offer right now for a very attractive price

Economics

14 hours ago Gavin and Stacey's James Corden reveals fans played huge part in decision making for finale

Gavin and Stacey fans have themselves to thank as creator James Corden has revealed they offered a huge help to himself and Ruth Jones when it came to planning the finale

Sport

8 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

7 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

22 hours ago What happened to the Outnumbered cast? How the child stars turned their back on fame and weathered a string of scandals while on

Outnumbered made its long-awaited return to screens with a one-off special on Thursday, offering fans a glimpse at the famous Brockman family, 10 years after the original series ended.

Society

16 hours ago Andreas Pereira must force Fulham transfer as Marco Silva speaks out after £14m offer

Brazilian giants Palmeiras are eyeing a January deal for Fulham playmaker Andreas Pereira but Cottagers boss Marco Silva has little interest in losing the 28-year-old mid-season

Economics

11 hours ago Car rescued by fire service after getting stuck on supermarket bollards

South Wales Rescue and Fire Service were called to a incident outside a supermarket in Aberavon

Events

9 hours ago Maryland man disrupts two Christmas Eve masses, pouring whiskey in holy water and hurling tangerines

Thomas Campbell Bolling Von Goetz, 56, was arrested and charged with multiple offenses following a sacrilegious rampage on Tuesday

Politics

17 hours ago 'Perfect' Remington straightener on sale for £17 at Boots leaves hair 'soft and sleek'

The Remington Shea Soft Straightener is loved by shoppers who praised the 'perfect' hair tool, and it's currently on offer

Economics

12 hours ago Horror as woman knocked unconscious in violent Central Line bottle attack

The victim was knocked unconscious after woman smashed a glass bottle over her head on Central Line Tube

Events

11 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

18 hours ago Debenhams is selling Ariana Grande's perfume that 'smells expensive' for just £28

The Ariana Grande Cloud perfume is currently on offer at Debenhams. The fragrance has been a hit with shoppers who have left rave reviews about the scent

Economics

14 hours ago Breakthrough for IBS sufferers with personalised diet tailored to their genes

A pioneering study offers new hope to patients who have this challenging condition

Events

13 hours ago Up to 75% off bestsellers in Debenhams sale including suitcases, watches and airfryers

Debenhams is not holding back with its Boxing Day sale, offering up to 75% off selected lines and an extra 20% off more than 10,000 items

Politics

21 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

16 hours ago Channel Tunnel chaos as Eurostar is stuck for 2.5 hours between UK and France with passengers breaking down in tears as others face massive queues and delays

Travellers heading to Paris on the 6.01am on-time departure from London St Pancras got stuck in the Channel Tunnel about one hour into their journey because of a train fault.

Events

14 hours ago Destiny 2 Xur Exotics today: All items for sale and where to find him on December 27

Destiny 2's Exotic vendor, Xur, is back again this week – here's how to find him, what he's selling, and whether we recommend his offerings before he vanishes again

Politics

17 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

15 hours ago The bar half way around the world which had a team building day watching Gavin & Stacey finale

Members of staff at The Welsh Dragon Bar in New Zealand got together on Boxing Day together to watch the last ever episode of the beloved BBC show

Politics

17 hours ago Eurostar passengers trapped inside Channel Tunnel for 3 hours in Christmas chaos

Almost 800 people were left stranded in the tunnel today for hours.

Events

15 hours ago Watch moment relaxed M&S shoplifter casually stuffs his bag with goods before boldly shoving past outraged staff to make his escape

This is the shocking moment a shoplifter casually stuffs his bag with items before pushing his way past staff in a bid to flee. 

Politics

17 hours ago Eurostar passengers get stuck in Channel Tunnel for 2.5 hours as Christmas engineering works and 'a precarious tree' bring chaos to rail lines across UK

Travellers heading to Paris on the 6.01am on-time departure from London St Pancras got stuck in the Channel Tunnel about one hour into their journey because of a train fault.

Events

15 hours ago Across the west, the centre right is collapsing – and with it, any notion of what is ‘too extreme’ | Owen Jones

So-called moderates are mimicking populist demagogues, with potentially disastrous consequencesIt was once known as the “centre right”, and this was the year it definitively perished. It never had a coherent political philosophy, but it tended to blend deference to the perceived needs of large business interests, the championing of so-called traditional values that were actually longstanding prejudices, and admiration for established institutions. Above all else, it supposedly offered a cordon sanitaire, preventing anything further to the right from acquiring political legitimacy.That hasn’t quite worked to plan. Nigel Farage now claims his populist-right Reform party has a higher membership than the Tories: if true, it is the first time in British history that members of a rightwing rival have outnumbered the Conservative party’s. Nearly two decades ago, then Tory leader, David Cameron, dismissed Farage’s Ukip as “fruitcakes and loonies and closet racists mostly”; but today, Camero...

Politics

18 hours ago Eurostar chaos: Travel disruption as hundreds left stranded after London

The first train of the day left St Pancras International on time at 6.01am but ground to a halt around 7am

Events

16 hours ago The best spa hotels in New York City for jet lag cures and treatments with a view

From bespoke treatments to tranquil escapes admist the urban buzz, these are our favourite hotels with spas that the Big Apple has to offer

Politics

18 hours ago Eurostar passengers trapped in Channel Tunnel during Christmas travel chaos

The Eurostar train reportedly suffered a breakdown this morning during a journey from London to Paris with hundreds of passengers having to be evacuated to Calais

Events

16 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

18 hours ago Eurostar chaos after hundreds of passengers trapped in Channel Tunnel for nearly 3 hours

The Eurostar train reportedly suffered a breakdown this morning during a journey from London to Paris with hundreds needing to be evacuated to Calais, in France

Events

17 hours ago ‘Why are my biceps so small?’ The boys and young men turning to steroids

A generation of young people are being raised on a vision of masculinity that glorifies muscular bodies. Performance and image enhancing drugs offer a quick – but potentially risky – way to achieve their goalOne month ago, Nick*, an 18-year-old university student living in the United States, got some devastating news: his little brother has cancer. It’s one of the worst times of Nick’s life, he says, but he’s “still positive”.“I wake up with a smile on my face,” he says. Not because of family support or a miracle cure, but because he has a potent combination of chemicals coursing through his veins: steroids.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Politics

19 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

17 hours ago Deserted beaches, wild rivers and seaside chill: four days walking in NSW’s largest coastal park

The Yuraygir coastal walk in northern NSW offers 65km of beachy bliss broken up by tiny towns with food and shelter – ideal for hardcore hikers and ragtag families alikeThe tiny town of Brooms Head in northern New South Wales is not much more than a headland, a row of Norfolk Island pines and a sprawling caravan park separating the main road from the beach. It’s the kind of place with one shop, where the bestsellers are bait, mixed lollies and icy poles.On a day trip there from nearby Angourie, our family lay sprawled on the beach, eating Cornettos in the sun, when four men walked past wearing packs – big, proper ones, adorned with damp swimmers. I gave chase. Continue reading...

Politics

20 hours ago What happened to the Outnumbered cast? Some turned their back on fame, others were hit by scandals

Outnumbered made its long-awaited return to screens with a one-off special on Thursday, offering fans a glimpse at the famous Brockman family, 10 years after the original series ended.

Events

21 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

17 hours ago Israeli troops burn north Gaza hospital after forcibly removing staff and patients, officials say

Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli troops have stormed one of the last hospitals operating in the northernmost part of the territory, forcing many of the staff and patients out of the facility

Politics

21 hours ago Burst pipe sees 50 homes evacuated in Basingstoke as emergency crews try to stem flood

Hampshire and Isle of Wight rescue services received multiple calls from Trinidad Close in Basingstoke, reporting water was in properties with 50 homes affected

Events

18 hours ago Eurostar passengers 'trapped for hours' in Channel Tunnel after train breaks down between London and Paris

Eurostar passengers 'trapped for hours' in Channel Tunnel after train breaks down between London and Paris  Sky News

Politics

22 hours ago Send more convicts to open prisons to ease overcrowding crisis in jails and reduce reoffending, urges Labour adviser

David Gauke, the ex-Tory justice secretary who is now leading Labour's sentencing review, claimed the current prisons crisis offered 'an opportunity' for change.

Events

18 hours ago UK seaside town named one of Britain's best is so charming people visit all year round

The stunning seaside town of Southwold, Suffolk, has been ranked one of the best in the UK. Here we explore why the town is such a popular destination and what it has to offer

Politics

29 hours ago Ukraine war briefing: Nato condemns possible sabotage of Baltic Sea cables

Nato chief Mark Rutte criticises all attacks on critical infrastructure; Putin says Slovakia has offered to be ‘platform’ for any peace talks. What we know on day 1,038See all our Ukraine war coverage Continue reading...

Events

18 hours ago Royal Family's Sandringham sleeping arrangements from 'fish finger beds to staff quarters'

The Royal Family traditionally gathers at Sandringham to celebrate Christmas with the King but the estate is one of the smallest and least grand so it's a tight squeeze for all.

Politics

19 hours ago Possible sale of Monet’s Water Lilies on Chinese social media causes disbelief

Painting apparently sold on Chinese Instagram equivalent Xiaohongshu

Politics