42 minutes ago Chelsea in talks with Premier League bosses in bid to avoid points deduction

Chelsea remain in talks with the Premier League as they look to strike a financial agreement - rather than be hit with a points deduction - as secret payments relating to transfers are examined

Politics

2 hours ago Lloyds to close Scottish office and put hundreds of jobs at risk at UK's biggest retail bank

“Our priorities are to ensure compulsory redundancies are minimised and that members who will leave the business receive the full redundancy compensation they’re entitled to under union agreements” - Ged Nichols, Accord union

Society

88 minutes ago Americans spent $175 million on elderberry products last year. Do they actually work?

Experts say more research is needed before we can know for sure just how effective they are

Economics

3 hours ago Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal eye novel Zubimendi payment plan, Man Utd exit agreement near, Man City blow

The transfer window is in full swing with clubs in the Premier League and across Europe seeking deals

Sport

37 minutes ago 'We must make a stand': Roving team of council officers to crackdown on yob behaviour in Westminster

Westminster council leader Adam Hug said the new unit will ‘hold to account those who do not respect our city’

Events

4 hours ago Marriage equality and a giant weather vane: photos of the day – Wednesday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Culture

18 hours ago Obesity won’t be solely defined by BMI under new plan for diagnosis by global experts

New recommendations on how to define obesity would reduce the emphasis on body mass index and also take into account health problems from extra weight and other measurements

Science

2 hours ago 'It's really cold': North London residents fuming as thousands face week without gas

Thousands of homes in North London could be without gas for one week, the council has warned, amid growing concerns about the supply disruption

Politics

27 hours ago Eating this 16p frozen food boosts gut health, according to Tim Spector

The food expert has urged people to add a 16p freezer staple to their meals in order to boost gut health and up your vitamin intake.

Society

4 hours ago People urged to maximise State Pension payments before end of current financial year

People have until April 5 to plug National Insurance gaps going back as far as 2008.

Economics

6 hours ago Swansea City transfer bulletin as club consider player swap in bid to land Joe Low deal

The Swans could well get creative as they bid to find a breakthrough in their efforts to sign Joe Low

Sport

3 hours ago 'We must make a stand': Roving team of private officers to crackdown on yobbish behaviour in Westminster

Westminster council leader Adam Hug said the new unit will ‘hold to account those who do not respect our city’

Events

9 hours ago AP PHOTOS: Tens of millions of Hindu devotees make do with little at Maha Kumbh festival

It’s late evening in the city of Prayagraj and the roadside vendors selling snacks are packing up their wares to shut for the night. Under the large fig trees, between two paved streets, a group of people is unpacking their bedding of brightly printed blankets. Using their bags as pillows and covering themselves from head to toe with the blankets to ward off cold and mosquitoes, they will spend the night there.

Culture

27 hours ago Expert's easy heating hack can save you 10% on your energy bill in just one second

As the cold snap continues, people are looking for ways to keep their homes warm for less. A heating expert has shared a simple tip that could save you hundreds of pounds

Science

4 hours ago DWP stops benefits for 318,000 people who ignored 'important' Universal Credit instructions'

The Department for Work and Pensions has warned that two benefits will be scrapped for good just weeks from now, with four others to be phased out during the 2025-2026 financial year

Politics

32 hours ago Rental reforms ‘to deliver on promise to transform lives of millions of tenants’

An amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill, back before the House of Commons on Tuesday, proposes to cap advance rent payments at one month’s rent.

Society

5 hours ago Claudia Winkleman's £35 M&S cardigan 'perfect for layering' is selling fast

Sported by none other than The Traitors star Claudia Winkleman, the Textured V-Neck Relaxed Cardigan from Marks & Spencer is ideal for keeping cosy during the cold spell

Economics

8 hours ago Arsenal star tipped to leave if Martin Zubimendi joins in 'key' transfer mistake

Mikel Arteta is expected to land his dream signing, which may spell the end for another

Sport

5 hours ago World's deadliest spiders dubbed 'Big Boy' are getting bigger and more dangerous

A new bigger and more dangerous version of the world's deadliest spider, the funnel web, has been identified in the land down under – and it even has longer fangs and more venom

Events

30 hours ago Cold radiators will 'heat up fast' in 20 minutes with engineer's 'easy' fix

If your radiator is not heating up properly then your home will be less warm and you will be losing money through wasted energy, so it's important to act on the signs.

Science

5 hours ago UK snow: Exact dates Brit set to see snow again revealed in new weather maps

Up to 15cm of snow could fall in Snowdonia on January 26, as temperatures drop down to freezing once again. Scotland and northern England are also set to be blanketed

Politics

33 hours ago UK weather: Temperatures to soar into double digits in Met Office forecast after bitter Arctic blast

The UK is set to see a big rise in temperatures as southwesterly air moves across the country with the warmest areas likely to see the mercury hit 12C after the current Arctic conditions

Society

5 hours ago Lloyds Banking Group: financial business to close major UK office handling fraud and customer service

The office, a key hub for fraud and customer support, is set to close this year 🚪

Economics

10 hours ago The Spin | South Africa in the Test Championship final should be celebrated not belittled

Claim the Proteas got there ‘on the back of beating pretty much nobody’ shows lack of respect for their achievementsSouth Africans were still celebrating their side’s passage into the World Test Championship final, secured after the fast bowler Kagiso Rabada cosplayed as Brian Lara in a nerve-jangling two-wicket win against Pakistan, when Michael Vaughan sought to pour cold water over the parade.Speaking on Fox Cricket the former England captain, who left his post in 2008 after losing a home series against South Africa, declared that the Proteas got to the final “on the back of beating pretty much nobody”. He said Temba Bavuma’s team didn’t “warrant being in the World Test Championship final with whom they have played over the last two years”. Continue reading...

Sport

5 hours ago Fuel payment decision ‘direct consequence’ of Westminster move, court told

The Court of Session in Edinburgh is hearing a legal challenge aiming to reverse the removal of the universality of the payment.

Events

32 hours ago Thought UnitedHealthcare couldn’t get more awful? They’ve gone villain mode | Arwa Mahdawi

Killing people with paperwork instead of a gun doesn’t make you any less of a murdererAt this very moment Luigi Mangione, who is accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare’s CEO last month, is sitting in a federal jail cell in Brooklyn. He’s got a barrage of court appearances scheduled and, once he has wound his way through the criminal justice system, he could be behind bars for the rest of his life.Which, of course, is as it should be. While there are a lot of reasons that many people find the 26-year-old alleged assassin sympathetic, you can’t just gun a CEO down outside a hotel in Manhattan and face no consequences for it. And Mangione, who is, by all accounts, an extremely smart guy with an Ivy League education, should really have known better. He should have known that if he wanted to murder someone – and get away with it – there were far more socially acceptable ways of doing so.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian US columnist Continue reading...

Science

5 hours ago The DWP rules you need to know regarding benefit claims if you go on holiday abroad

If you're thinking of jetting off for a holiday this summer and claim benefits, there are some rules you need to be aware of to avoid risking your payments

Politics

5 hours ago Bank of Dave's Burnley Savings and Loans in real life after film made big change

Netflix's Bank of Dave: The Loan Ranger is out now and tells the story of businessman Dave Fishwick, whose company Burnley Savings and Loans was at the centre of the two films

Economics

31 hours ago Transfer news LIVE! Arsenal to sign Zubimendi, Vlahovic boost; Chelsea suffer Tel blow; Kolo Muani to Spurs

January window hotting up as Premier League sides eye big deals

Sport

5 hours ago California fires live: 6m people under critical fire threat as dangerous winds expected; governor says conditioning aid ‘un

Forecasters warn of ‘particularly dangerous weather situation’ in California; Gavin Newsom hits back at House speaker for ‘politicizing’ tragedyBig oil pushed to kill bill that would have made them pay for wildfire disastersTell us about financial consequences you are facingLA mayor, Karen Bass, has shared a phone number for residents who have evacuated to get assistance in finding and retrieving pets in evacuation areas.Posting on X, Bass wrote:Pets are family.The City is making help available to find and retrieve pets in evacuation areas. Continue reading...

Events

5 hours ago Wales to get rail funding boost after being ‘hard done by’, says First Minister

Eluned Morgan, the First Minister of Wales, has announced Wales will get extra cash to fund rail projects.

Politics

6 hours ago 'Why are Brits paying to surrender something that's already ours?': Kemi Badenoch skewers Keir Starmer over £9bn cost of 'dud' Chagos Islands deal

The Prime Minister was told to abandon his 'dud' deal to handover the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius, which will reportedly land taxpayers with a huge bill.

Economics

32 hours ago UK weather forecast reveals 'boulder in a stream' will bring in 'well earned' break

Weather experts have released new images which show the likelihood of rain coming to the UK over the coming weeks – while the Met Office also warn of another phenomenon set to cover the country

Sport

5 hours ago Californians advised to ‘prioritize safety’ during wildfires as extreme winds loom

Los Angeles weather officials issue rare ‘particularly dangerous situation’ warning as four blazes burn fiercelyCalifornia wildfires – live updatesExtreme winds threatened to feed the fires tearing through Los Angeles and surrounding areas, even as firefighters battled to contain the blazes that have killed at least 25 people and scorched more than 40,000 acres.The National Weather Service issued the most extreme level of a red flag fire warningof a “particularly dangerous situation” in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Continue reading...

Events

5 hours ago Ruben Amorim told Man Utd must get 'finished article' Alexander Isak after transfer mistake

Man Utd have been advised to explore a deal with Newcastle for striker Alexander Isak with Marcus Rashford going the other way to give the Red Devils a much-needed boost up front

Politics

6 hours ago When DWP Cold Weather Payments land in bank accounts as 686 postcodes to get £25 boost

Eligible households will be paid automatically after each period of extreme cold weather

Economics

36 hours ago Transfer news LIVE! Arsenal get major Vlahovic boost; Chelsea offer Bayern swap; Liverpool reject £70m bid

January window hotting up as Premier League sides eye big deals

Sport

5 hours ago Wildfires latest: A final round of dangerous fire weather and dry conditions is in the forecast

Millions of Southern Californians were on edge as winds began picking up during a final round of dangerous fire weather forecast for the region where two massive blazes have killed at least 25 and destroyed thousands of homes

Events

5 hours ago New DWP payment rates for people on PIP, DLA and Attendance Allowance from April

Full list of new payment rates for disability benefits and Carer's Allowance.

Politics

38 hours ago Carter Vickers insists his Celtic transfer inbox is empty and he's not looking to see what might land

The defender has been linked with a bid from German big guns Bayer Leverkusen and beyond

Sport

6 hours ago DWP warning to millions of Brits who could lose their benefits in just two months

Six benefits are being phased out and replaced by Universal Credit - and it could affect you

Events

6 hours ago ‘What joy! What damn joy!’: vanilla boom transforms fortunes of Colombia’s farmers

In El Valle, the world’s second-most expensive spice is not just providing an economic lifeline but also helping to preserve rich biodiversityAs he wanders around a corner of his land, inspecting his crops, Luilly Murillo González stops and leans down to examine a twisting green vine. He spots four budding flowers, early indications that he will soon harvest his prized product: vanilla.“What joy! What damn joy!” he says, shaking his fists in the air, a smile spreading across his face. “Growing vanilla requires a lot of love. You have to be enamoured of the crop, passionate about it.” Continue reading...

Politics

7 hours ago The drop in inflation is good for your mortgage – but don’t celebrate just yet

Analysis: Milder inflation has brought hope that the Bank of England may lower interest rates, saving borrowers vast sums on loans and mortgages

Economics

6 hours ago Firefighters need better weather to fight California's flames. When will they get relief?

Fire danger remains high in parts of Los Angeles that have been ablaze for days

Events

6 hours ago Iconic UK amusement park set to open at half term for the first time in 10 years

Nickelodeon Land in Blackpool will open its doors early to help parents find 'cost-friendly' things to do in February

Politics

8 hours ago Watch live: Keir Starmer faces grilling from Kemi Badenoch in Commons after surprise inflation fall

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, 15 January, after a surprise inflation fall gave a boost to under-fire chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Economics

7 hours ago DWP confirms exactly how long people on PIP may need to wait for an award review

Payments continue automatically to ensure PIP claimants continue to receive financial support until their review.

Events

6 hours ago Why has inflation fallen and why is this good news for the Government?

The latest data has raised expectations that the Bank of England could cut UK interest rates again next month.

Politics

8 hours ago Hackers boast of health workers visa data breach, sparking police probe

The hacker claimed to be selling details of people’s passports, work permits, UK visas, and bank statements belonging to healthcare workers

Economics

8 hours ago Terrifying moment two passenger jets come perilously close to a midair collision as they approach to land at Phoenix Airport before anti

United Airlines Flight 1724 and Delta Air Lines Flight 1070 came perilously close to colliding in midair with 400 people on board as they prepared to land at the Phoenix airport on Saturday morning.

Events

7 hours ago Almond Valley MSP condemns UK Government over broken promise to WASPI women

The women, born in the 1950s, were affected by changes to the state pension age and were not properly informed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Politics

8 hours ago People on certain benefits can claim up to £1,800 to help pay for funeral costs

The average cost of a simple funeral in Scotland has reached a record high of £4,345.

Economics

9 hours ago Is Rachel Reeves plotting ANOTHER cash raid on farmers? Chancellor warned against taking money from flood defences and nature after IHT hit as she reins in public spending

But fears have been raised that she could hit farmers again this year by making cuts to the Environment Land Management (Elm) scheme.

Events

7 hours ago DWP Cold Weather Payments triggered in 570 more UK postcode areas after cold snap

The DWP has confirmed that eligible households in another 570 postcode areas will get the £25 payment

Politics

8 hours ago PMQs live: Starmer faces Badenoch after surprise inflation fall boosts under

The Consumer Prices Index figure fell to 2.5%, still above the Bank of England’s 2% target

Economics

11 hours ago LA fires latest: ‘Most extreme’ weather alert issued as strong winds return and death toll climbs to 25

Officials warn that Angelenos are ‘not out of the woods’ with the Santa Ana winds expected to pick up Wednesday, fanning the flames of the Palisades and Eaton blazes raging through southern California

Events

7 hours ago DWP huge payouts worth up to hundreds of thousands for specific diagnosis

People with a life-changing diagnosis could get a once-off compensation payout

Politics

9 hours ago UK politics live: Surprise inflation fall eases pressure on Reeves as markets predict interest rate cut

The Consumer Prices Index figure fell to 2.5%, still above the Bank of England’s 2% target

Economics

11 hours ago Jacob Fearnley has Australian Open tie suspended as tennis court is flooded in peak of summer

Bad weather has struck at Melbourne with action on the outdoor courts facing lengthy delays

Events

7 hours ago Major banks are abandoning their climate alliance en masse. So much for ‘woke capital’ | Adrienne Buller

The scope of the Cop26 net zero banking alliance may have been limited, but the exodus of six US banks signifies a seismic political shiftLast week, as flames began tearing through greater Los Angeles, claiming multiple lives and forcing more than 100,000 people to evacuate, JP Morgan became the sixth major US bank to quit the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) since the start of December. A smaller story, certainly, but the departure of top US banks from the NZBA in the weeks since Donald Trump’s re-election nonetheless speaks to a seismic political shift prompting major financial institutions to turn away from the climate-related commitments they made in the optimistic years after the Paris agreement.The NZBA is a voluntary network of global banks committed to “align lending and investment portfolios with net zero emissions by 2050”. It is part of the umbrella Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which counts among its membership dozens of “alliances” covering the variou...

Politics

9 hours ago DWP could pay you up to £737 every month if you have one of these 52 eye conditions

PIP is a disability benefit that is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions - and you could be entitled to it if you have an eye condition that affects you day-to-day

Economics

12 hours ago 'Rattled' Celtic hit with 4 pronged pundit inquest as unseen Trusty misdemeanour winds Rangers hero up

The Hoops have plenty of credit in the bank but a 3-3 draw at Dens showed the champions can bleed

Events

8 hours ago How to make the perfect smacked cucumbers – recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect

This cool, crunchy Sichuan salad, drenched in garlicky dressing and fiery chillies, is now a global favourite. The secret? Make sure you bruise the cucumbers, rather than actually smash themThough I suspect many of us first find ourselves drawn to this Chinese “cold plate” by the faintly surreal overtones of vegetable-based violence suggested by the name (and before you say it, cucumbers are, of course, botanically speaking a fruit), it’s the flavour that keeps us coming back for more. A salad of cool, crunchy fruit bathed in a deeply savoury, garlicky dressing, according to Wei Guo of the Red House Spice blog, Pāi Huáng Guā is to be found on “family dinner tables, in small street cafes and in upscale restaurants” nationwide.Here in the UK, however, it’s particularly associated with Sichuan restaurants, where the cucumbers act as a bracing contrast to the fiery flavours of chilli and hot and numbing Sichuan peppercorns. In fact, there are many different versions regionally, but what...

Politics

10 hours ago Royal Mail sees Christmas parcel boost as £3.6bn takeover nears completion

The owner of Royal Mail has said it remains on track to return to annual profit after a parcel boost over Christmas as its £3.6bn takeover by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky nears completion.

Economics

12 hours ago The Science of Racism by Keon West review – evidence that speaks for itself

Think prejudice is overblown? A social psychologist provides the receipts in this densely informative but highly readable accountIt was over schnitzel and mash that my friend’s Bavarian grandparents decided to call me a “black devil”, chuckling all the while. Breaded chicken has since been my madeleine, taking me back to racially charged moments I’ve not known quite how to interpret. Is it really racist if they didn’t mean to be rude? What if they have dementia? And if racism = prejudice + power, was being called a black devil while I choked down some potatoes even that big a deal, given that I felt in no way disempowered in the company of my tiny, elderly hosts?In his succinct and bingeable book The Science of Racism, professor of social psychology Keon West begins by acknowledging that society doesn’t agree on even the most basic aspects of racism, let alone its finer points. Indeed, roughly half of Britons don’t believe minorities face more discrimination than white peo...

Events

8 hours ago UK weather maps show when and where Brits will face more freezing temperatures this weekend

Temperatures are set to plummet this weekend around the United Kingdom with the mercury falling to minus figures in England and Wales, days after snow caused nightmares for millions

Politics

11 hours ago Royal Mail sees parcel boost over Christmas as £3.6bn takeover nears completion

International Distribution Services said Royal Mail’s revenues lifted 2.4% in the three months to the end of December.

Economics

12 hours ago Netflix viewers divided as sequel to hit 2023 movie shoots to No 1 in rankings

‘Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger’ has proved immediately popular

Events

9 hours ago Why is it so unsettling to watch an adult drink cold cow’s milk? | Arwa Mahdawi

Nicole Kidman’s Babygirl, which features an erotic dairy-based scene, is the latest reminder of the debate about mature milk-drinkersSeveral years ago, I tried to impress a new girlfriend (now my wife) with my cultural credentials by dragging her to an off-off-off-off-Broadway play about psychedelics in a tiny East Village theatre. I can’t remember much about the play – other than it was terrible – but I will never forget the young man sitting in front of us. He arrived late, awkwardly clambered over a few people to get to his seat, and then proceeded to down a carton of milk. The lateness and the clambering I could excuse. But the milk-drinking? That was horrifying. There is something undeniably unsettling about adults who drink cold cow’s milk in public.I have tried to scrub the East Village milkman from my mind but I was reminded of the incident last week when Nicole Kidman chugged a glass of milk while accepting her award for best actress in the film Babygirl (which features an ...

Politics

12 hours ago Older people making a new claim for PIP could boost income to £1,622 each month

In most cases, people nearing State Pension age making a new claim for PIP are given a 10-year award.

Economics

14 hours ago How to shockproof the UK economy’s exposure to global risks | Mohamed El

As with US bond yields, the UK economy risks catching cold whenever anywhere else sneezes – but Britain can insulate itself betterThe British government was right to describe the recent bout of market volatility in the UK as having been fuelled principally by “global factors” – in particular, a sharp rise in US bond yields. It was also right in touting how well UK markets have coped with the turmoil. But no one should downplay the additional challenges the UK economy will confront in the months ahead, the structural weaknesses that are compounding its vulnerability, or the policy action that is urgently needed.The recent surge in US yields has three main causes: a string of data releases indicating that actual and potential economic growth are outpacing consensus estimates, higher-than-projected inflation (with a meaningful rise in consumers’ inflation expectations), and increased market sensitivity to the bond issuance that comes with large deficits and debt. Given that advanced ec...

Events

9 hours ago Nature reserve built with help of soil from Crossrail scheme is to expand

Conservationists at RSPB Wallasea Island in Essex will create a six-hectare lagoon on newly purchased land.

Politics

12 hours ago UK inflation unexpectedly eases in December, which could reduce pressure in bond markets

Inflation in the U.K. unexpectedly fell in December, a move that will likely fuel pressure on the Bank of England to cut interest rates again next month

Economics

14 hours ago Warning people living alone could face higher risk of heart disease and stroke

A new study found that interactions with friends and family may boost our immune system and reduce our risk of diseases such as heart disease.

Events

10 hours ago Pensioners urged to check compensation claim over DWP bungle affecting thousands after WASPI complaints

In a damning statement, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsmansaid the department was “failing to learn from its mistakes”

Politics

12 hours ago UK politics live: Boost for Reeves as inflation falls after No 10 refuses to rule out emergency budget

The Consumer Prices Index figure fell to 2.5%, still above the Bank of England’s 2% target

Economics

14 hours ago Firefighters prepare for increasing gusts following brief reprieve for LA area

Firefighters are readying for another round of critical fire weather after calmer than expected winds gave them a much-needed reprieve

Events