24 minutes ago Council on trial over claim chief called property agent 'massive Jewish b***end'

Manchester council denies unlawful discrimination

Politics

84 minutes ago TikTok ban: company urges supreme court to scrap law it says would violate free speech of 170m Americans – live

Justices hear arguments after app’s Chinese-based parent company ByteDance asked justices to review caseTikTok maintains it is not controlled by the Chinese government. It’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, but TikTok operates separately with headquarters in Singapore and the US. TikTok says its user data in the US is handled by the company Oracle.Justice Samuel Alito asked TikTok’s lawyer if the company was owned directly by the Chinese government would he make the same arguments. Continue reading...

Society

2 hours ago Londoners won't have to foot £150m bill to pedestrianise Oxford Street, vows Sir Sadiq Khan

Mayor’s new budget due next week could see his share of council tax bills hit £500

Economics

19 hours ago Lakers postpone Hornets game as coach JJ Redick loses home in LA wildfires

Wildfires are burning fiercely across Los Angeles regionLA Rams playoff game still expected to go aheadThe NBA has postponed Thursday’s game between the Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets in Los Angeles due to the wildfires in the region, but the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams still expect their home playoff game on Monday to go ahead.At least five people have been killed, thousands of structures have been incinerated and nearly 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes during the disaster. Lakers head coach JJ Redick lost his house in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles in the fires, ESPN reported on Thursday. Continue reading...

Sport

17 minutes ago TikTok ban: government tells supreme court Chinese government could ‘weaponize’ app at any time – live updates

Justices hear arguments after app’s Chinese-based parent company ByteDance asked justices to review caseHow would a TikTok ban in US work?TikTok maintains it is not controlled by the Chinese government. It’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, but TikTok operates separately with headquarters in Singapore and the US. TikTok says its user data in the US is handled by the company Oracle.Justice Samuel Alito asked TikTok’s lawyer if the company was owned directly by the Chinese government would he make the same arguments. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago ‘They created a Vegas in 10 years’: photographing the hedonistic gambling mecca of Macau

Photographer Adam Lampton discusses capturing the vice, cash and sheer excess of the special administrative region of China – a place built on contradictions“I am not a huge gambler,” says Adam Lampton. “The first time I went to Macau, fresh out of grad school, I didn’t have any money to spare – it all went on camera film. People take it all very seriously, so I was too intimidated to sit down and be the white guy who didn’t know what the hell he was doing.”As a non-gambler in Macau, the American photographer would have been an oddity – most tourists go there to “play”, hoping Lady Luck glances their way. The former Portuguese colony, now a special administrative region of China, is the world’s gambling mecca. Located on China’s south-east coast, just across the water from Hong Kong, Macau’s gambling revenues often put the US’s “Sin City” in the shade. The Macau government expects its gaming revenues to hit about $27bn in 2024, while declining Nevada looks set to fall below 2023’s r...

Culture

4 hours ago These Very discount codes will help you save big on fashion, electricals and more

From clothing and fragrances to tablets and TVs, there’s cash to saved on your next purchase

Science

53 minutes ago Logistics company seeking approval to carry out alterations to its Eurocentral base

Maritime Transport, which operates a network of rail freight terminals and employs around 3000 staff, has applied to North Lanarkshire Council for planning permission to proceed with various work

Transport

30 minutes ago Trump becomes first president to be a sentenced felon but avoids jail time or fines in hush

President-elect claims historic case was ‘despicable charade’; judge says ‘unconditional discharge’ does not ‘reduce the seriousness of the crime’Trump avoids punishment and calls case ‘terrible experience’The prosecution team has entered judge Juan Merchan’s courtroom, along with Emil Bove, a lawyer for Donald Trump.Bove has taken a seat at the defense table. Continue reading...

Politics

6 hours ago You can secure a beach hut in one of Wales' most prized and stunning locations

The council has said it's 'one of the most important annual draws for one of its treasured assets' and this is how you can take part and potentially secure your own hut

Society

3 hours ago Lanarkshire councils will share more than £1.5 billion in funding over next year

Under the Local Government Settlement, North Lanarkshire Council will receive £869.7 million with £805.8 million allocated to South Lanarkshire.

Economics

25 hours ago Stuart Hogg was a world class Scottish rugby player who now has to relocate his moral compass | Robert Kitson

The former national rugby union captain has been spared jail for the domestic abuse of his estranged wife, Gill, after courts painted a grim picture of his off-pitch behaviourScotland has not always been blessed with rugby players of genuine world class but prime-time Stuart Hogg was a rare exception. At the height of his powers he was the Six Nations Player of the Year in successive seasons in 2016 and 2017, mixing acceleration and attacking intent with a just-try-and-stop-me attitude that set him apart from the average workaday pro.The talented lad from Hawick was a big fish in a series of smallish pools – the Borders, Scottish rugby, Exeter – and grew accustomed to being hailed as king of his local oval-ball castle. While, behind closed doors, not being entirely the man his many fans thought him to be. Continue reading...

Sport

50 minutes ago Exactly what Donald Trump said in court as he dodges jail in hush money trial

President-elect Donald Trump, 78, told Judge Juan Merchan he is 'totally innocent' and did 'nothing wrong' as he was sentenced in New York in his hush money trial

Events

30 hours ago Hollywood fires: Apocalyptic photos show devastation as five die and celebrities' homes destroyed

Three of the massive fires currently remain at 0% containment according to local authorities

Culture

29 hours ago Charged up: What needs to be done to get more Scots into battery electric vehicles

“The biggest concern we have is increasing the sales mix of battery electric vehicles” – Alan Gall, SMTA

Science

50 minutes ago Freaky 'UFO' sightings shared by Scots after 'orange ball' spotted in night skies

Residents have shared their own apparent UFO sightings after an orange ball was seen floating in the skies over Alva, Clackmannanshire.

Politics

6 hours ago The Big House Multibank campaigns to combat child hygiene poverty in 2025

Amazon supports with the launch of You Buy. We Donate which will donate thousands of hygiene products to local families in need The Big House Multibank is a charity initiative formed by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Amazon, which has donated essential items to over 120,000 families in need across Scotland

Society

3 hours ago Sony Honda Mobility Afeela 1: Release date, price and all you need to know about the 2026 EV

From price and range, to computing power and release date, everything we know so far about the upcoming Afeela 1 from Sony and Honda.

Economics

59 minutes ago 'Public should be shown just how much pressure our care services are under'

A council official said the local authority has been known to spend up to £500,000 a year on single placements for children it looks after

Events

31 hours ago Stirling University to host surveillance experts as part of 'unique' George Orwell Nineteen Eighty

George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is to form part of a unique exhibition at Stirling University which will look at privacy, surveillance and data protection.

Science

50 minutes ago UK and Welsh governments to announce direction of travel to address decades of rail underinvestment in Wales

It builds on discussions between Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates his UK Government counterpart Heidi Alexander and Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens

Politics

20 hours ago LIVE: Manchester city centre properties left without electricity after power cut

Electricity North West are investigating the power cut in the Deansgate area

Society

5 hours ago What IS going wrong with the UK economy? How a spike in debt servicing costs threatens to derail Labour as 'Stagflation' fears mount... and Pound is branded the 'Great British Peso'

A major plank of Keir Starmer's pitch at the election was that Labour would bring much-needed stability to the UK economy.

Economics

66 minutes ago Moment furious resident challenges governor of California over wildfires response

Angry local offers to ‘fill up the hydrants myself’ in plea to Governor for help

Events

69 minutes ago Biden administration imposes toughest sanctions on Russian oil and gas

Measures targeting Russian energy sector attempt to leverage peace deal for Ukraine in Trump administrationThe Biden administration on Friday imposed its broadest package of sanctions yet targeting Russia’s oil and gas revenues in an attempt to give Kyiv and the incoming administration of Donald Trump leverage to reach a deal for peace in Ukraine. The move is meant to cut Russia‘s oil revenues for the war that started in February 2022, and has killed or wounded tens of thousands and reduced cities to rubble.National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the timing of the was chosen because “oil markets are in a fundamentally better place” and the US economy is better positioned to absorb any market disruption. Continue reading...

Politics

26 hours ago How worried should we be about RFK Jr as health secretary? Ask Florida

Florida’s surgeon general Joseph Ladapo has given free rein to his own unorthodox views on vaccines and public healthDonald Trump’s promise to upend public health policy across the US by installing Robert F Kennedy Jr as health secretary is resonating in Florida, where experts say the nation can learn from its own experience of a vaccine-denying state surgeon with unorthodox scientific views.Like Kennedy’s relationship with the incoming president, Dr Joseph Ladapo was championed by, and is closely aligned to, a powerful rightwing political leader – Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Republican governor. Continue reading...

Society

6 hours ago Melania’s $40m Amazon deal: another sign Bezos is capitulating to Donald Trump | Margaret Sullivan

Sadly, the Amazon-Melania deal has much the same flavor as the rest of Trump appeasement moves – not just by Bezos but by others of his ilkThe language in a New York Times article was extremely restrained as it described Jeff Bezos’s evolving stance regarding Donald Trump.The Amazon founder and the president-elect had had a rocky relationship in the past, “but in recent months, Amazon and Mr. Bezos have taken steps to repair it”.Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist Continue reading...

Economics

1 hour ago Objections to Grangemouth flood protection design make local inquiry likely

RSPB Scotland and Forth Ports are among those who have concerns about the current plans to build flood defences

Events

83 minutes ago Falkirk Council announces plans to scrap free uplift for people on low incomes

Councillors have been told the service is costing too much to run and everyone must pay something

Politics

41 hours ago Producing food is ‘primary purpose’ of farming, Environment Secretary says

A speech by Steve Reed will outline measures to boost sector profits in the wake of protests against the Government by farmers.

Society

6 hours ago Price of resale tickets to be capped under plans to tackle touts after Oasis fans saw prices soar

The Government has announced the measures as part of a 'Plan for Change' to clamp down on touts, who are estimated to cost music fans an extra £145m a year

Economics

1 hour ago Call demanding changes to free bus travel for Brits over 60 hits major milestone

A new online petition is calling for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) to be expanded and follow the Scottish Government's lead by providing free bus travel to everyone over the age of 60

Events

1 hour ago Trump avoids jail in hush money sentence but is set to be first felon president

The president-elect criticized prosecutors and labeled the case a ‘witch hunt’ in his final remarks

Politics

7 hours ago Merthyr schools won't be asked to contribute to closing £5.98m budget gap, councillor says

Councillor Gareth Lewis said it showed the administration's commitment to driving up standards in education and positive outcomes for young people

Economics

2 hours ago Chef has arm amputated after it was 'blown to pieces' by electric shock while he prepared for restaurant lunch service

Matt Davies, 56, had his arm 'blown to pieces' in a freak accident while preparing for lunch service in a restaurant.

Events

1 hour ago Tulip Siddiq: Her despotic aunt, controversial properties and serious questions over her future in government

We’ve all been there — a much-loved (if rather overbearing) relative is in the neighbourhood and you just have to catch up. That, in her telling, explains Tulip Siddiq’s presence in Moscow in 2013.

Politics

10 hours ago Rachel Reeves heads to China as pressure mounts as market turmoil derails government’s economic strategy

The Chancellor has been criticised for continuing with a planned visit to China amid rising yields on government bonds

Economics

2 hours ago TikTok ban: US supreme court hears oral arguments over fate of app – live updates

Justices hear arguments after app’s Chinese-based parent company ByteDance asked justices to review caseCould Donald Trump stop the TikTok ban?Trump has filed a request with the Supreme Court to delay the implementation of a ban on TikTok until he takes office on 20 January, which the court declined to immediately act on. The president-elect’s intervention shows the significant effort by TikTok to forge inroads with Trump and his team during the presidential campaign. Continue reading...

Events

1 hour ago FA Cup matches postponed – all third round ties called off this weekend

The cold snap in the UK has caused havoc to the football fixtures up and down the country

Politics

12 hours ago Whitehall braced for spending cuts after UK hit by bond market turmoil

Rising gilt yields mean government departments may face further squeeze

Economics

2 hours ago Council issues update after 'hooligans' daub war memorial with graffiti

Officers are trying to find those responsible

Events

2 hours ago 'Instead of facing consequences, Donald Trump's return to power places him above the law'

After being handed an unconditional discharge over his hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, it is clear the 2024 election was really about securing the ultimate "get-out-of-jail-free" card

Politics

12 hours ago Who is right about ‘Maganomics’: bearish economists or bullish investors?

Equity market optimism about president-elect’s impact contrasts with warnings over hit to GDP growth

Economics

3 hours ago Notorious A555 Manchester Airport Relief Road finally reopens after being battered by floods and snow

The council has confirmed the duel carriageway route has passed an inspection

Events

2 hours ago Donald Trump sentencing: President elect learns fate for hush money crimes

President-elect Donald Trump, 78, has become the first person convicted of a felony to enter the White House in America's history - just 10 days before his inauguration

Politics

15 hours ago ANDREW NEIL: The economy's reeling from the disastrous Budget. Taxes or cuts are coming... and the big financial players I've talked to now all say it could spell the end of Labour

In the run-up to the General Election , Rachel Reeves boasted repeatedly of her qualifications for being Chancellor, even liberally embellishing her CV to bolster her credentials.

Economics

3 hours ago New Mexico supreme court strikes down local abortion pill restrictions

Justice rules against ordinances in counties and towns on Texas border that sought to limit access to mifepristoneThe New Mexico supreme court late on Thursday ruled against several local ordinances in the state that aim to restrict distribution of the abortion pill.In a unanimous opinion, the court said the ordinances invaded the legislature’s authority to regulate reproductive care. Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Every FA Cup third round tie postponed this weekend as first matches called off

The cold snap in the UK has caused havoc to the football fixtures up and down the country

Politics

17 hours ago Bitcoin miner refused access to landfill site to retrieve £598m hard drive, judge rules

James Howells has been fighting Newport council after his former partner accidentally took the hard drive to the rubbish tip in 2013

Economics

4 hours ago Hillwalker stretchered off Scots mountainside after suffering leg injury in freezing conditions

A volunteer rescue crew had to carry an injured hillwalker who suffered a leg injury off of Ben Venue on Thursday afternoon.

Events

2 hours ago Major bank change to affect Halifax, Lloyds, and Bank of Scotland branches

Banking customers up and down the country will soon see a signifanct change at their local bank branch

Politics

17 hours ago Price of resale tickets to be capped under plans to clamp down on touts

The measures would aim to prevent organised touts reselling a large number of tickets at vastly inflated prices, the Government said.

Economics

4 hours ago UK officials 'monitoring' Elon Musk's social media as 'possible security risk'

Entrepreneur’s social media posts are being tracked by Government officials, according to reports

Events

2 hours ago Tesco urges Government to deliver clear plan to support farming transition

Chief commercial officer Ashwin Prasad said the industry needs a clear vision for sustainable agriculture.

Politics

17 hours ago Greggs and Greene King among firms backing drive to get offenders into work

Leaders from major employers will be among those to sit on new employment councils in regions across England and Wales.

Economics

4 hours ago Swinney: Consumption room should help reduce ‘entirely unacceptable’ drug deaths

The First Minister has visited the UK’s first facility where drug users can inject in a clean and safe environment.

Events

3 hours ago Plans to build blocks of flats on land in Johnstone submitted to Renfrewshire Council

Architects have unveiled proposals for 14 one-bedroom homes and a small retail unit in Macdowall Street.

Politics

21 hours ago Bitcoin miner can't recover '£600m' fortune, judge rules as ex 'sick of hearing about it'

James Howells claimed that Newport City Council should either allow recovery of the hard drive or pay him compensation for the value - but a judge has thrown out his case

Economics

5 hours ago Judge will weigh holding Giuliani in contempt of court after jury's $148 million defamation award

A federal judge is set to hear arguments on whether to hold Rudy Giuliani in contempt of court for continuing to spread lies about two Georgia election workers after they secured a $148 million defamation judgment against him

Events

3 hours ago New details emerge of additional learning needs school in the Rhondda as plans are submitted

The plan is to build a new 3-19 school on the site of former RCT Council offices in Clydach Vale which will accommodate up to 176 pupils and have 113 full-time equivalent staff

Politics

24 hours ago Firms to pass on tax hikes through lower wages in long run, Bank executive says

Sarah Breeden, the Bank’s deputy governor for financial stability, also said firms might respond to the tax rises by cutting staff or raising prices.

Economics

5 hours ago Inquest into death of 'bubbly' girl killed in car park tragedy postponed

Sophia Kelemen died in hospital the day after the crash

Events

3 hours ago Car parking charges to be introduced at five popular Welsh seaside locations

Vale of Glamorgan Council's cabinet members agreed in principle to introduce parking charges to a number on-street and off-street sites

Politics

24 hours ago The tiny beach hut on sale for the same price as a family home: Wooden cabin in Britain's beach hut property hotspot hits the market for £450,000

Mudeford Spit in Christchurch Harbour, Dorset, has emerged as one of the most desirable addresses for buyers seeking out picturesque coastal locations.

Economics

5 hours ago Driver killed and another man in critical condition after horror crash on Scots road

The man died after his Suzuki Ignis was involved in a crash with another vehicle near Annan on Thursday, whilst the driver of the other car is in critical condition.

Events

3 hours ago Russia responds to Trump's claim he's setting up talks with Putin to 'get that war over with'

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with President-elect Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Friday.

Politics

27 hours ago TfL pays out over £2m in pothole compensation claims in three years, data reveals

‘Poor local road conditions continue to burn a hole in the budgets of local authorities and drivers’, the RAC has warned

Economics

6 hours ago Sophia Kelemen inquest after car park crash postponed due to power cut

Two inquests were first delayed and then postponed due to a technical issue affecting Pembrokeshire County Hall

Events

3 hours ago Nicola Sturgeon 'takes a fair chunk of responsibility' for SNP election loss

The former first minister also warned "care needs to be taken in moving the party away from the position from which it won eight elections under me".

Politics

27 hours ago MSP claims delayed discharge cost NHS Dumfries and Galloway more than £54million in last decade

Nearly 200,000 bed days have been lost to the issue across the region since 2015.

Economics

6 hours ago Gavin Newsom's shocking reaction to woman who chased him down to demanding wildfire answers

The California Governor apologized and claimed to be trying to reach the president on the phone when he was accosted by the emotional woman.

Events

3 hours ago US job market soars past expectations in last report before Trump retakes White House

Number of new jobs added to the economy accelerated to 256,000 in December, up from November, bolstered by new jobs in healthcare and retailThe US labor market expanded strongly in the last jobs report of the Biden administration, according to new data released on Friday.The number of new jobs added to the economy accelerated to 256,000 in December, up from 227,000 in November, soaring past expectations. The labor market last month was bolstered by new jobs in healthcare, retail and government. Continue reading...

Politics

28 hours ago Labour abstention means ‘cheapest budget deal’ since devolution – Findlay

Holyrood will vote on the Government’s tax and spending plans next month.

Economics

6 hours ago Rate of people waiting longer than four hours in Dumfries and Galloway A&E hits record high

New figures show that nearly 1,000 patients waited more than four hours to be admitted, transferred or discharged in November last year.

Events