2 hours ago Alive in the Merciful Country by AL Kennedy review – peace of mind meets a monster from the past

This provocative novel contains two narratives: the memoir of an activist starting a new life and the violent manifesto of a spy cop who knew herAnna McCormick, as many people did, is discovering that the first pandemic lockdown is playing havoc with time. Becalmed in her deliberately fortress-like London home with her young adult son Paul, she is simultaneously under pressure – teaching primary school children on Zoom, maintaining her stockpile of tinned goods, attempting to communicate with her mother’s care home – and forced into unnatural, unwanted inaction. As a survivor of domestic abuse, and several other threats to her safety and sanity, she is aware of the immense prize – a sanctuary, a job, meaningful relationships – she has secured, but also of its precariousness. Amid these conditions of unbidden contemplation, she begins to write a sort of memoir.So too does Buster, the shape-shifting, monstrous undercover cop who once infiltrated the OrKestrA, the “merry little band of...

Politics

3 hours ago London man who cut himself shaving wins £5K compensation from the razor company

London man who cut himself shaving wins £5K compensation from the razor company  Richmond and Twickenham Times

Economics

25 hours ago SOURCE SPORTS: NFL Announces Teams for 2025 International Games in London

SOURCE SPORTS: NFL Announces Teams for 2025 International Games in London  The Source Magazine

Sport

48 minutes ago Newsom says LA blaze is ‘worst natural disaster in US history’ amid criticism over water supply issues

Blazes have left at least 16 dead as questions asked about the lack of water supply for firefighters tackling monster blazes

Events

28 hours ago Lottie Moss wows in a pink satin dress and faux fur coat as she enjoys boozy night out in London to celebrate

Lottie Moss wows in a pink satin dress and faux fur coat as she enjoys boozy night out in London to celebrate  Daily Mail

Culture

2 hours ago HMPV latest: Chinese health officials give update on virus infection rate

The update comes amid international concern over a potential pandemic

Science

26 hours ago Dozens of cars taken off road after ‘filling up with contaminated fuel’ at BP garage

Local fuel draining service called by over 40 affected drivers

Transport

2 hours ago Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu speaks out on nervous FA Cup moment against Harrogate Town

Ethan Ampadu's glaring error almost saw Leeds fall behind against lowly Harrogate Town in historic third round clash before Largie Ramazani headed home a 59th minute winner

Politics

23 hours ago Gatwick Airport CCTV image is released after family have luggage stolen containing house keys, bank cards, Apple gadgets and scuba gear

A family were preparing to depart on a long haul flight when the theft happened at the check-in area A in the South Terminal at London Gatwick.

Society

7 hours ago Strict wage structure could complicate Chelsea transfer deal with London rivals

Strict wage structure could complicate Chelsea transfer deal with London rivals  CaughtOffside

Economics

29 hours ago Ruben Amorim must make key Manchester United change to avoid Arsenal repeat

United have recent history with Arsenal and know what they must avoid at the Emirates Stadium

Sport

51 minutes ago California fires latest: Newsom says LA blaze ‘worst natural disaster in US history’ as 70mph winds to peak on Monday

Palisades and Eaton fires continue to rage with more than 36,000 acres burned

Events

27 hours ago Protection zone set up after bird flu outbreak in Angus area of Scotland

Scottish government stresses risk to public is low, as chief veterinary officer says it is first outbreak since 2023A protection zone has been set up after an outbreak of bird flu in Angus, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer has said.On Friday night, Sheila Voas said a 10km (6.8 mile) surveillance zone had also been declared around the area as well as the 3km protection zone in Kirriemuir after a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was reported. Continue reading...

Science

2 hours ago ‘Roaring Twenties Glamour’ Fills a London Penthouse Overlooking the City’s Major Landmarks

‘Roaring Twenties Glamour’ Fills a London Penthouse Overlooking the City’s Major Landmarks  Mansion Global

Politics

25 hours ago Helpless EastEnders star Patsy Palmer gives update on LA pad as her family flee home

BBC EastEnders star Patsy Palmer admitted she felt 'helpless' as she received updates from her family about their home in Los Angeles while she remained in London

Society

7 hours ago NFL slams Falcons' Bijan Robinson, Drake London with nearly $40 million in fines

NFL slams Falcons' Bijan Robinson, Drake London with nearly $40 million in fines  Sporting News

Economics

30 hours ago 11 Rangers players who nearly joined Celtic including Ibrox hero who would've 'jumped' at Parkhead move

The career paths of some famous names in Rangers' history could've turned out very differently

Sport

61 minutes ago Court ruling on Belgium’s conduct in colonial Africa hailed as turning point

Verdict of crimes against humanity for kidnap of mixed-race children could pave way for wider justice, activists sayA historic court ruling that found Belgium guilty of crimes against humanity during its colonial rule of central Africa has been hailed as a turning point that could pave the way for compensation and other forms of justice.Belgium’s court of appeal ruled last month that the “systematic kidnapping” of mixed-race children from their African mothers in Belgian-ruled Congo, Rwanda and Burundi was a crime against humanity. The case was brought by five women who were removed from their Congolese mothers as small children between 1948 and 1953, and who now live in Belgium and France. Each was awarded €50,000 (£42,000) in damages. Continue reading...

Events

31 hours ago Battersea Power Station’s magical Light Festival will return at the end of January – here’s everything you need to know

Battersea Power Station’s magical Light Festival will return at the end of January – here’s everything you need to know  Time Out London

Science

3 hours ago Music sounds better with you? How your listening habits affect your love life

Psychologists say that singing, dancing and song preferences play a key role in the viability of romantic relationships“What’s the one thing your readers should do to help them use music to find and catch the partner of their dreams?” asks Patrick Savage, a senior research fellow in psychology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. “Go to karaoke and sing a duet. Go and sing A Whole New World with Brad Kane and Lea Salonga. That’s the number one recommendation by science. Well, just by me. I don’t have data on this, but from my personal experience, that’s the best.”Given that he is a musicologist, it is perhaps unsurprising that music is a key part of Savage’s relationship with his wife. But his experience with using music as a romantic tool is not unique. Love songs are found across cultures and despite not being a neat category they have historically been most popular – 67% of the top 40 tracks in America between 1960 and 2010 contained love themes. Continue reading...

Politics

9 hours ago ‘The £10 pies at this historic pub in Greater Manchester are decadent little handmade beauties'

"They’re filling, top quality, and tick all the boxes"

Economics

85 minutes ago £39m Russian superyacht owned by key Putin aide STILL on lockdown in London 'prison'

The £39m superyacht Phi, owned by a Russian property tycoon, was seized by the UK government back in 2022 - and remains imprisoned in Canary Wharf, covered in unsightly scaffolding

Events

3 hours ago Return looted shipwreck treasures to countries of origin as reparations for slavery, says lawyer

Proposal suggests restitution for colonial artefacts should also apply to underwater heritage Shipwrecked colonial treasures that have lain on the seabed for centuries could be recovered and returned to their countries of origin as reparations for slavery.Tim Maxwell, an international cultural heritage lawyer, said repatriating artefacts found underwater could help former colonial powers meet moral obligations to countries they had historically exploited for their transatlantic trade. Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago ‘A welfare state with a budget on the right side of zero’: Iceland’s youngest

Kristrún Frostadóttir, who entered politics just four years ago, speaks to the Observer about feminism, the far right and reopening talks on joining the EUNearly 45 years ago, Iceland made history by producing the world’s first elected female president of a country, setting it on a path to being the global feminist frontrunner it is today.Since then it has had multiple female presidents and prime ministers, but it wasn’t until three weeks ago, when social democrat Kristrún Frostadóttir took office, that the country’s two top positions were both held by women at the same time. It comes after Halla Tómasdóttir became Iceland’s second female president in August. Continue reading...

Economics

97 minutes ago Hero police officer killed in lorry crash was off duty but pulled over to help driver

Police Constable Rosie Prior, who was struck by an HGV while sanding on a verge in Thirsk on Saturday morning, was a "highly regarded" PC with North Yorkshire Police

Events

3 hours ago Sabalenka starts bid for third straight Australian Open title with win over Stephens

World No 1 beats Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2 in first roundSabalenka looking to match Hingis’s Melbourne hat-trickAs Aryna Sabalenka strode down the tunnel inside Rod Laver Arena that leads players straight to the court, the cameras momentarily captured a perfect shot. The pathway to Melbourne Park’s premier court is filled with large, rectangular plaques emblazoned with the names of former champions and the dates of their triumphs.For a second, Sabalenka stood perfectly next to the sign that memorialised her 2023 and 2024 Australian Open victories. Already focused on new records and objectives, however, she kept on moving. Continue reading...

Politics

16 hours ago Rachel Reeves 'eyes hotel tax' to bolster UK's coffers: Families are facing surcharge on holidays to foot bill for Labour's economic chaos

Treasury officials are thought to have done 'modelling exercises' over the impact of introducing a 'tourist tax' similar to that in France as part of efforts by Rachel Reeves to stabilise finances

Economics

2 hours ago Kelyan Bokassa's heartbroken mum reveals tragic final message teen wrote on her balcony

Kelyan Bokassa, 14, was tragically killed in front of passengers on the 472 bus in Woolwich, South East London, on Tuesday, just before 2.30pm. A manhunt is underway to find the suspect

Events

3 hours ago I've tested hundreds of beauty products, but this Trinny London brow and mascara duo stands out

I rarely repurchase beauty products, but the Lash2Brow stick is an exception

Politics

22 hours ago Sick 'Eunuch Maker' who offered desperate men £25k to lop off their genitals with knives

Marius Gustavson armed himself with instruments designed for farm animals to carry out his extreme mutilations on blokes in rented hotel rooms and grubby flats in London

Economics

3 hours ago Patrick Stewart's Rangers address ripped apart as Hotline warns history will condemn lack of drastic Philippe Clement action

New chief executive finds himself in the line of fire just 27 days into the job as Fraser Wilson. takes your calls.

Events

4 hours ago Regional radio shows on Heart, Smooth and Capital to be scrapped as broadcasting set to move to London

Regional shows on Capital, Heart, and Smooth are understood to be axed from late February

Politics

29 hours ago Alicia Douvall's incredible transformation: Glamour model who spent £1m on 400 plastic surgeries and bedded Simon Cowell is now the proud head of a natural beauty empire

Alicia Douvall has had more than 400 cosmetic procedures totalling to a self-estimated £1 million.

Economics

3 hours ago California fires live: around 35,000 LA homes and businesses without electricity as police issue warning over looters

LA Department of Water and Power says it is working to restore power; Los Angeles county sheriff says death toll expected to rise; police say looters posed as firefighters coming out of housesFull report: international crews arrive to battle raging wildfiresPoliticians quibbling as LA burns: Gavin Newsom’s latest beef with TrumpDetails emerge about the LA fire victimsAs is noted in our news report on the California wildfires, at least 20 arrests have been made for looting. Officials have imposed a mandatory curfew in evacuation zones as well as in the city of Santa Monica, which is next to Pacific Palisades.“Looting is an issue, the number of arrests is continuously growing,” Capt Mike Lorenz of the Los Angeles Police Department said yesterday. Continue reading...

Events

5 hours ago The week in TV: Patience; 7/7: The London Bombings; Playing Nice; American Primeval – review

The week in TV: Patience; 7/7: The London Bombings; Playing Nice; American Primeval – review  The Guardian

Politics

30 hours ago Dine out for under £20: 10 of London's very best meals for an austere January

Dine out for under £20: 10 of London's very best meals for an austere January  Evening Standard

Economics

3 hours ago Family of British hiker still missing in Dolomites issue heartbreaking statement

Aziz Ziriat, 36, and Samuel Harris, 35, both from London, were hiking in Italy's Dolomites mountains when they went missing on January 1. Tragically, Mr Harris' body was discoverd on Wednesday

Events

6 hours ago In Attendance: Paying Attention in a Fragile World review – visions of mortality abound

Fitzrovia Chapel, LondonIn a former hospital chapel replete with its own stories, works by Paula Rego, Phyllida Barlow and others resonate in their exquisitely contemplative surroundingsThe Fitzrovia Chapel is a miniature cathedral in the heart of London – a tiny vault of marble, stained glass and gold conceived on the most human of scales. Old photographs show congregations of barely more than 50. It is possible to walk from one end to the other in fewer than a dozen steps, but along the way are glimmering mosaics, glowing stars and some of the most moving words I have ever read in a church.This chapel, where King Charles recorded his recent Christmas message, is all that remains of the old Middlesex hospital in the heart of London. A neo-gothic building of dark red brick, it once nestled inside this venerable teaching hospital, founded in 1745. Now it stands alone, and fully visible, dwarfed instead by the high-rise apartments and luxury shops of the Pearson Square complex that re...

Politics

33 hours ago The ultimate writers' retreat? Dorset house used by Tennyson and Hardy on sale for £2.75m

This historical home with a thatched roof is a literary fans’ dream

Economics

3 hours ago SAS Rogue Heroes: What's true and what's false? From Paddy Mayne smashing up a Cairo restaurant to unit's founder trying to flee prison, historian gives his verdict

The new series of BBC drama SAS Rogue Heroes has drawn both praise and criticism for its all-action depiction of the wartime exploits of Britain's most elite troops.

Events

6 hours ago Notes on a sandal: why I’m a Birkenstock afficionado | Teo van den Broeke

As the brand sues rivals, arguing its designs are artefacts that transcend footwear, a devotee hails the 250-year-old, once humble corkbed shoesBirkenstock is suing several competitors for allegedly copying four of its most ­recognisable styles: the Arizona and Madrid sandals, the Gizeh flip-flop, and the Boston clog – a closed-toe design beloved by the likes of Kaia Gerber, Jason Momoa and Gigi Hadid, with sales in 2024 more than doubling the company’s average.Defending its litigious stance, the German brand, which has been crafting sandals in the Linz am Rhein region since the 18th century, claims its products transcend everyday footwear and should instead be considered pieces of “applied art” – wearable artefacts of historic craftsmanship deserving protection from imitators such as Tchibo, another German company, which is named in the lawsuit. Continue reading...

Politics

4 hours ago Germany says sanctions against Syrian war crimes suspects must stay but people need relief

Germany’s foreign minister says sanctions against Syrian officials responsible for war crimes must remain in place but called for a “smart approach” to provide relief to the Syrian population after last month’s overthrow of President Bashar Assad

Events

8 hours ago Bromley goalkeeper wants to dump Newcastle out of FA Cup: 'Why shouldn't it be us'

Grant Smith helped Bromley reach the EFL for the first time in their history last season and now has eyes on causing a mighty FA Cup upset when the League Two side travel to Newcastle

Politics

4 hours ago Temperatures hit minus 13.9C overnight but cold spell coming to an end

Kinbrace in northern Scotland saw the lowest overnight temperature with minus 13.9C overnight, the Met Office said.

Events

9 hours ago From the Beatles to biologics – how Liverpool became a life science hotspot

The city has a long history with tropical medicine and is now home to one of the largest biotech clusters in EuropeTucked away in the village of Leasowe, near Moreton on the Wirral peninsula west of Liverpool, the US pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) is building a new £35m glass-clad laboratory building.It is part of a growing life sciences cluster in and around Liverpool, one of the largest in Europe, and a leader in vaccine development and manufacture, as well as infectious disease research projects in the UK. Continue reading...

Politics

4 hours ago Tributes for 'loving' police officer killed in double tragedy alongside motorist after being struck by lorry at scene of road crash

PC Rosie Prior had been assisting two people from an earlier collision on the verge of the A19 at Bagby near Thirsk when the vehicle struck her.

Events

9 hours ago Simon Schama: ‘Britain is a much more tolerant place now. I’m Mr Sunshine on this’

The historian on taking the social pulse of the nation in his new TV series, why we’re such word addicts, and his fear that the needle in the US is moving towards redSimon Schama, 79, is a writer, television presenter and professor of history and art history at Columbia University in New York. His bestselling, prize-winning books include The Embarrassment of Riches, about the Dutch Golden Age, and Citizens, a study of the French Revolution. His television series for the BBC include A History of Britain, Simon Schama’s Power of Art, and The Story of the Jews. His new series, Simon Schama’s The Story of Us, traces the history of postwar Britain in an effort to locate the origins of the current culture wars and to celebrate the art that has united us in the past.How did you begin thinking about this series?Well, I live most of my time in America, but I come back here often and it always pierces me. I’m heartfelt about it. I wanted to take the social pulse of Britain, and I wanted to lo...

Politics

4 hours ago London Waterloo evacuated after reports of smoke and fire from station platforms

London Waterloo evacuated after reports of smoke and fire from station platforms  NationalWorld

Events

9 hours ago Note to No 10: one speed doesn’t fit all when it comes to online safety | John Naughton

Legislation to protect children in the digital realm is essential. But if it results in the loss of small cycling and cancer-care forums, something’s gone wrongLondon Fixed Gear and Single-Speed (LFGSS) is an admirable online community of fixed-gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London. Sadly, this columnist does not qualify for membership: he doesn’t reside in (or near) the metropolis, and he requires a number of gears to tackle even the gentlest of inclines – and therefore admires hardier cyclists who disdain the assistance of Sturmey-Archer or Campagnolo hardware.There is, however, bad news on the horizon. After Sunday 16 March, LFGSS will be no more. Dee Kitchen, the software wizard (and cyclist) who is the core developer of Microcosm, a platform for running non-commercial, non-profit, privacy-sensitive, accessible online forums such as LFGSS, has announced that on that date he will “delete the virtual servers hosting LFGSS and other communities, and effectively immedi...

Politics

4 hours ago PC Rosie Prior and man dead after being hit by HGV when she stopped to help motorists following A19 crash

Tributes have been paid to a police officer who died after being hit by a HGV when she stopped to help motorists involved in an earlier crash.

Events

10 hours ago India’s biggest strength is its youth, says LS Speaker Om Birla at London event

India’s biggest strength is its youth, says LS Speaker Om Birla at London event  DD News

Politics

4 hours ago Heartbreaking tributes paid to 'best of us' police officer Rosie Prior killed in lorry crash

PC Rosie Prior was attending the scene of another crash by the A19 at Bagby, near Thirsk, on Saturday morning when she and two others were hit by a lorry, North Yorkshire Police said

Events

10 hours ago Last minute snags on delayed MV Glen Sannox but official launch will go ahead

Ferry bosses have confirmed last minute snags on the MV Glen Sannox ferry mean one of its decks will be closed on its official launch

Politics

5 hours ago Rare amber cold health warning alerts in place as Britain hit by ‘freezing fog patches’

The Met Office says it will be a ‘very cold and frosty’ end to the weekend

Events

11 hours ago The sleepy Welsh village which just happens to have a magnificent castle sitting on top of it

If you're after a bit of peace, tranquillity, and a far share of history, Trap is the place to be

Politics

6 hours ago Medieval Women: In Their Own Words review – a bracing cold shower with Joan of Arc and co

British Library, LondonA letter from the French saint and a lethal shopping list are among the stars of a mind-bending show of the words, mystical visions and everyday lives of women from 1100 to 1500What does hell smell like? At the British Library last week, I opened a small wooden door and inhaled a scent that was bitter and vegetal: a combination of sulphur and something that I didn’t dare to think about for too long so soon after breakfast. Ugh. To spend eternity breathing in this! Happily, though, a counter-stink was on hand. Before the devil had a chance to appear, I closed the door and opened another next to it. This time, my nose filled with the sweetness of honey. It wasn’t precisely heavenly; to be worldly just for a moment, I think you need Chanel or Guerlain for truly celestial perfumes. But it did make me smile. The things museum curators get up to when they’re trying to encourage time travel.The horrible smell was inspired by the saintly Julian of Norwich’s 16th and f...

Events

14 hours ago Special Forces secrets exposed... by the Ministry of Defence! Veterans slam officials for printing shadowy force's tests in magazine feature

Veterans have been angered by the disclosing of precise details of the tests applicants must take to apply for the Special Air Service (SAS), the Special Boat Service (SBS) and other secretive units.

Politics

6 hours ago Boob job leaves woman foaming at the mouth on operating table before tragic death

WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: A 35-year-old woman went for a breast augmentation procedure but didn't make it off the operating table after an unregistered doctor injected hyaluronic acid filler

Events

16 hours ago “India’s biggest strength is its youth,” says LS Speaker Om Birla at an event in London

“India’s biggest strength is its youth,” says LS Speaker Om Birla at an event in London  ThePrint

Politics

10 hours ago Aircraft 'aggressively' spun around and damaged at Biggin Hill Airport

Aircraft 'aggressively' spun around and damaged at Biggin Hill Airport  This is Local London

Events