2 hours ago Brits hate small talk as 60% find polite conversions 'difficult and annoying'

Women are marginally more likely to find small talk more annoying than men with 61% admitting they dislike taking part compared to 58% of men while people over 70 find it 'dull'

Politics

17 hours ago Scots children left waiting more than 1,000 days for specialist mental health treatment

The Lib Dems warned the Scottish Government had "repeatedly raided tens of millions from the mental health budget".

Society

2 hours ago Outcry over Labour's plans for free weight loss jabs on the NHS as majority of Brits believe people should pay for treatment privately

Health secretary Wes Streeting has backed the prescribing of the drugs to obese patients in the hope it can tackle the nation's bulging waistlines.

Economics

6 hours ago Gavin and Stacey fans all say the same thing over shock cameo in show finale

The final-ever episode of Gavin and Stacey became the most-watched show on Christmas Day and fans of the popular BBC sitcom were delighted with the last instalment

Sport

91 minutes ago Robert Brooks: Shocking footage reveals moment prison officers beat handcuffed man before his death

New York Governor ‘outraged and horrified’ by footage

Events

6 hours ago Sheffield’s museums show how art comes to life when it is connected to place | Rowan Moore

Institutions in and around the city combine great works with humdrum relics of local life, to fantastic effectI’ve been living partly in Sheffield for the past month or so, which has given me the chance to catch up on some of the great monuments of industry and power in and near the city – the model miners’ village and the fantastical Jacobean castle in Bolsover, the stately home of Wentworth Woodhouse with its battleship-length Palladian facade, the buildings of the subtle modernist Peter Womersley in Huddersfield.Also the Weston Park Museum in Sheffield and the Derby Museum and Art Gallery, both of which combine world-class art with humdrum relics of local life. In one, a large John Singer Sargent portrait of three young Yorkshire women shares the premises with the plastic car roof sign of a 1970s driving school. In the other, there is a gallery full of the illuminated tableaux of science and humanity by Joseph Wright of Derby and another room with a collection of stuffed animals,...

Culture

8 hours ago Sir Chris Hoy addresses 'unimaginable year' after terminal cancer diagnosis

Sir Chris Hoy has spoken about the year since being diagnosed with terminal cancer and how he is responding to treatment

Science

3 hours ago Allanah lost her son when she was 22 weeks pregnant. Now she’s helping others though the grief of stillbirth

Australia has protocols for stillbirths and neonatal deaths, but the quality of care varies widely across the countrySign up for the Rural Network email newsletterThe birth of Allanah Crameri and Braydon Newell’s son Lenny in September 2022 should have been filled with joy. But at just under 22 weeks, pregnancy complications led to a preterm labour and Lenny was born too early to survive.“I felt everything from sadness, despair, anger and shock,” Crameri says. Continue reading...

Politics

31 hours ago “It couldn’t have happened at a worse time”: Neighbours speak of shock Boxing Day blaze at Hyde family home

"It must have been horrifying"

Society

12 hours ago London's cheapest pubs revealed: Map shows where punters can still get a pint for less than £2 in the capital

Finding a cheap pint in London is becoming an almost impossible task. However, for anyone looking to enjoy a bev or two without breaking the bank, there are bargain boozers out there.

Economics

18 hours ago Man United ‘expected to see six new players signed in 2025’ due to ‘impossible’ issues

Micah Richards believes Manchester United will welcome a whole host of new signings to Old Trafford in 2025, while Alan Shearer has pinpointed an impossible task for Ruben Amorim's current players

Sport

2 hours ago French swimmers reveal shocking state of their Olympic bronze medals four months on from Paris 2024

Two French swimmers have become the latest Olympians to complain about the shocking state of their bronze medals - four months on from the close of the Paris Games. 

Events

34 hours ago Mission Impossible films 'get a HUGE update as Tom Cruise begins work on the next two movies in the iconic series'

The Hollywood legend, 62, could be on the hunt to find the perfect fit to play younger Ethan Hunt in the epic action franchise - in a bit to unveil more of the protagonists' past.

Culture

27 hours ago Expert predicts women will be having more sex with robots than men next year

Women might overtaken men in the adoption of sex robots by 2025 - in part, because they already have a technological head start, according to futurist Dr Ian Pearson.

Science

3 hours ago Allanah lost her son when she was 22 weeks pregnant. Now she’s helping others through the grief of stillbirth

Australia has protocols for stillbirths and neonatal deaths, but the quality of care varies widely across the countrySign up for the Rural Network email newsletterThe birth of Allanah Crameri and Braydon Newell’s son Lenny in September 2022 should have been filled with joy. But at just under 22 weeks, pregnancy complications led to a preterm labour and Lenny was born too early to survive.“I felt everything from sadness, despair, anger and shock,” Crameri says. Continue reading...

Politics

14 hours ago ‘The impact has been out of this world’: the stranger who gave away a £100,000 inheritance to his neighbours

When David Clarke’s mother died, it took him 10 years to work out what to do with the money she left him. This year, a panel of locals in Liverpool made the decision for himIt was a quiet act of generosity that briefly captured the news agenda: David Clarke, a researcher in Liverpool, made the extraordinary decision to give away the £100,000 he had inherited from his late mother a decade ago. But instead of donating it to one cause, Clarke did something radical. He wrote to 600 addresses in the L8 postcode, where he lives, inviting people to nominate where the money should go.Clarke lost his mother in a cycling accident. “Her death was a devastating shock to me,” he says. “She had a huge social conscience and was interested in the world and how it worked – a lot of my moral framework comes from her. I don’t believe in holding on to inherited wealth, so I spent a long time thinking about what to do with the money.” Clarke wanted to do something that would speak to his mother’s values...

Economics

29 hours ago Gavin and Stacey fans in disbelief after spotting massive blunder in Christmas finale

Gavin and Stacey fans expressed their shock after discovering Smithy's full name during the 2024 Christmas special, with one joking they "watch the show too much"

Sport

3 hours ago 'It's a very normal street': Neighbours in shock as gunman opens fire on quiet cul

'It's worrying'

Events

31 hours ago The worrying health problem that 'lots of people' are asking about and the symptoms to look out for

A British GP on TikTok shared the symptoms and treatment for a condition few people are aware of

Science

4 hours ago Coronation Street confirms how long Rob Donovan is really back for as actor issues four

Fans have been left both shocked and delighted to learn that actor Marc Baylis will be reprising his role in the ITV soap

Politics

33 hours ago Family buying hotdogs at Christmas market mortified after seller's £618 mistake

Laura Brumpton, 34, and her husband Alan, 37, were enjoying a festive outing to a Christmas market when they decided to treat their children to two hotdogs – but they got a shock when they checked their bank balance

Economics

3 hours ago Police in Christmas cake 'poisoning' probe find mysterious white liquid in bottle

Police in Torres, Brazil, continue to investigate the deaths of three women from the Terezinha Silva dos Anjos family; Maida, Neuza and Tatiana who'd all eaten a Christmas cake

Events

4 hours ago EastEnders legend Adam Woodyatt finally gets A List treatment but its taken 40 years

EXCLUSIVE: The actor has been playing Ian Beale on the soap for almost four decades and bosses are now rewarding his hard work by giving him one of the top dressing rooms

Politics

33 hours ago DWP confirms progress in State Pension underpayment corrections for millions of women

The DWP has issued an update on the progress of the State Pension Underpayments

Economics

3 hours ago Sailor's shock as large bubble seen floating in middle of the sea has boy, 8 inside

The young boy was found inside the leaking ball by a sailor who was on a boat trip with his children off Lazaro Beach in Ubatuba, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Christmas Eve

Events

5 hours ago 'AI blind Baba Vanga' makes shock 2025 predictions and it's bad news for Trump and Putin

The AI recreation of the dead Bulgarian mystic Baba Vanga, has predicted a rocky year ahead, with global leaders suffering health scares, earthquakes and the rise of a new media mogul

Politics

5 hours ago Cat Deeley's future on This Morning sealed as star makes shock admission about her time on ITV show

Cat Deeley's future on This Morning has been confirmed just nine months after she made her debut.

Events

5 hours ago Netflix just added film it's 'impossible not to love' with near perfect Rotten Tomatoes score

The Oscar-nominated film has just been added to Netflix and fans say it is not one to miss.

Politics

5 hours ago Baker's husband to be exhumed after poisoned Christmas cake kills three women

The husband of the baker of a Christmas cake that killed three women is to be exhumed as part of the investigation.

Events

7 hours ago The best slippers for men and women, from cosy sheepskin mules to chic ballet shoes

Whether you’re receiving guests, working from home or don’t like slippers at all, we’ve found the perfect pairs of slippers and bed socks for keeping every foot warmIf it’s true that you can judge a person by their shoes, then it is perhaps even more so when it comes to their slippers. What you choose to put on your feet in your own home is a window into what you value most. As such, buying the perfect pair for yourself is an act of self-nurture.If that all feels too hyperbolic, it feels safe to say that they’re at least a reflection of your favourite mode of relaxation and how high you like to turn up the heating. Continue reading...

Politics

5 hours ago Two people dead and baby injured in 'unimaginable tragedy' days after Christmas

Four others, including a baby, have been taken to hospital for treatment and one woman remains in a critical condition.

Events

7 hours ago Worried you're losing your hair after the menopause? These are the products top experts recommend for older women to restore strength and gloss to their locks

When her thick locks became stringy and lacklustre post-menopause, Marianne Jones decided it was time to consult the experts.

Politics

6 hours ago River Plate women’s players released from prison after arrest for alleged racism

Four players were detained after game in São PauloMatch was called off after apparent monkey gestureA Brazilian judge has ordered the release from prison of four players from River Plate’s women’s football team, all of whom were arrested over an alleged racial slur during a match against Grêmio.Judge Fernando Oliveira Camargo decided to free the Argentinian club’s quartet of Candela Díaz, Camila Duarte, Juana Cángaro and Milagros Díaz, on condition they remain in Brazil and show up at court in São Paulo every month until the case is concluded. Continue reading...

Events

7 hours ago Voices: Justin Baldoni has built a career on feminism – but does it all mean nothing?

When violence against women and girls is rife, we need male allies more than ever. But if solidarity comes in the form of performative feminism and virtue signalling, it is dangerous, warns Olivia Petter

Politics

6 hours ago Families in shock as 'mother and son' die in Christmas tragedy following incident at their home

A man in his 60s and a woman in her 80s, understood to be mother and son, have both died

Events

9 hours ago Abortions are up in the US. It's a complicated picture as women turn to pills, travel

Even with abortion bans in place in most Republican-controlled states, the number of people obtaining them has grown slightly

Politics

7 hours ago Yobs smash taxi windows as police issue update on 'significant disruption'

A 48-hour dispersal order has been imposed in parts of Wrexham county after a series of incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Events

10 hours ago Trump versus trade: the global economic outlook for 2025 in five charts

Unpredictable change will sweep through America, while old problems, from war to inflation, are likely to afflict other countriesThe global economy is entering the new year with rising geopolitical tensions looming over its prospects, as the world’s leading central banks attempt to cut interest rates after the worst inflation shock in decades.Donald Trump’s second term in the White House is expected to dominate the economic agenda. Global trade tensions are on the horizon as the president-elect threatens to impose sweeping tariffs on US imports. Continue reading...

Politics

8 hours ago The year in patriarchy: coconut trees, ‘childless cat ladies’ and crimes against humanity | Arwa Mahdawi

It’s now time to ‘hold space’ for everything that happened in 2024 with a list – so here are 10 of the biggest stories from the year in patriarchy2024 was a very demure, very mindful, very dystopian sort of year. I started last year’s annual roundup by noting that it had been the hottest year on record and guess what? 2024 has now surpassed 2023 as the hottest year ever. Many of the same extreme themes from last year have also persisted: anti-abortion activists are still trying to roll back reproductive rights in the US and the horrific situation for women in Iran and Afghanistan has only got worse.Meanwhile Gaza is still being destroyed, and – despite the fact that an increasing number of experts are terming the bombardment a “genocide” – the US is continuing to enable the destruction and much of the world is still continuing to look away. The civil war in Sudan, which started last April, has also spread catastrophically, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the humanitarian c...

Events

11 hours ago Stacey Solomon supported as she says 'it looks like nothing' in Joe Swash message after 'different' Christmas

The Loose Women star has taken to social media to share a glimpse at how she enjoyed the festivities this year

Politics

9 hours ago The Chase star died in 'horrible circumstances' with shocked fans paying tribute

Fans of ITV's The Chase paid tribute to a contestant who tragically died in a house fire – just before his episode of the popular game show aired back in 2021

Events

14 hours ago Are modern sports stars still cut out for pantomime season? Oh yes they are | Emma John

Strictly Come Dancing has hit participation but the gymnast Louis Smith is still flying the flag for sporting heroes on stageMerry Betwixtmas, everybody! I’ve a great fondness for this final stretch of December, the weird dead time when Boxing Day obligations to extended family have been fulfilled, and the new year’s party still seems impossibly far in the future. It’s a truly philosophical period, raising questions of mortality, renewal and resolution, and of how long trifle can be left open before it goes off. It’s good for a couple more days, right?You don’t want to go back to work, but you’re also not exactly sure what to do with yourself. Which is, doubtless, why panto exists. This is no slight on the genre, for which I have great respect – the best money my sister ever earned from her acting career was in Aladdin, singing A Whole New World while desperately clinging to a shonky hand-operated flying carpet. Still, there must be a reason people don’t pay to shout “He’s behind yo...

Politics

9 hours ago Hearts striker target named as Hibs eye shock Tynecastle raid for Scotland international

Hearts and Hibs transfer news as January window looms

Events

17 hours 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

10 hours ago The trendy 'healthy' alternative to cow's milk that may be RAISING your heart attack risk

The news may come as a shock to the quarter of the UK population who admit to drinking it regularly - no doubt in part motivated by previous claims that it was healthier than dairy.

Events

17 hours ago Man Utd ‘poised for six signings in 2025’ as Ruben Amorim has learned what’s ‘impossible’

Manchester United have struggled in the 2024/25 Premier League season, and Ruben Amorim's Red Devils may look to bolster their squad in next year's summer transfer window as a result

Politics

11 hours ago Man faces court on double murder charge after two women die on Christmas Day

Jazwell Brown appeared in court on Saturday

Events

22 hours ago Gavin and Stacey star reveals how Sonia was 'kept a secret from the cast' as crew went to extreme lengths to keep plot details hidden

Gavin's almost bride-to-be Sonia, played by Laura Aikman, left viewers shocked when she 'came back to ruin Christmas' during this year's special.

Politics

12 hours ago Sir Alex Ferguson's three words sent shockwaves through devastated Man Utd dressing room

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson didn't go easy on his players after their devastating Premier League title defeat to Manchester City in 2012

Events

25 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

12 hours ago Three women die after eating Christmas cake at family gathering in Brazil

Six of the seven family members present at the gathering fell ill, all of whom had eaten the cake

Events

27 hours ago UK's first surrogate interrogated during labour and forced to 'abandon' child

The UK's first surrogate mother became one of the most controversial women in Britain in the 1980s.

Politics

14 hours ago Three women die after eating poisonous Christmas cake at family gathering in Brazil

Blood tests conducted on the family members, including one killed and two surviving members, revealed traces of arsenic

Events

30 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

15 hours ago ‘I don’t want flowers, I want my Ukraine’: women’s acts of resistance against Russian occupation

Zla Mavka movement – meaning ‘wicked forest spirit’ – drops fake rouble notes bearing pro-Ukrainian images and shares messages of solidarityOn 8 March 2023, International Women’s Day, Russian soldiers were handing out tulips and boughs of mimosa to women and girls in the city of Melitopol, southern Ukraine – a move designed to promote friendly relations between the occupiers and the inhabitants.But the night before, someone had been discreetly sticking posters to walls and lamp-posts. They bore the image of a young Ukrainian woman, dressed in a traditional embroidered shirt, smashing a bouquet over a Russian soldier’s head. “I don’t want flowers,” read the slogan. “I want my Ukraine.” Continue reading...

Events