1 hour ago Stick nation! Why do 3 million people – including me and my kids – love stick reviews?

The internet’s go-to gathering place for those who rate and revere sticks is big and growing fast. The appeal is simple ...The first stick was small, and shaped like a revolver.It was late summer 2023 and two friends, Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler, both 31, were on a late summer hike heading towards Delicate Arch, a 16m red rock formation in Utah’s Arches national park, when Jugler spotted it on the ground. He picked it up and began rating its attributes – colour, shape, flexibility – out of 10, while Hogg filmed. Then they uploaded it to Instagram. Continue reading...

Politics

16 hours ago Blake Lively and Ryan Reynold's plantation wedding backlash resurfaces amid Justin Baldoni legal drama

Hollywood couple facing renewed backlash over their controversial wedding location

Society

3 hours ago Brits set to pay more for their booze as alcohol tax kicks in – but one drink is getting cheaper

2023 saw the largest tax increase on alcohol in more than half a century, but consumers could see even more price increases as alcohol duty is set to rise yet again

Economics

3 hours ago Washington DC plane crash live: flight data and cockpit voice recorders recovered, officials say

National Transportation Safety Board announces recorders are now at a lab for evaluation; operation to recover bodies continuesFull report: cockpit voice and flight data recorders recoveredVictims: world champion Russian pair and US skaters were onboard crashed planeVisual guide – how did the DC plane crash unfold?What caused this tragic aviation disaster is not yet known, but the National Transportation Safety Board investigators has said it will have a preliminary report within 30 days.Despite the lack of clarity, newly inaugurated US president Donald Trump has accused his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden of lowering hiring standards and suggested the Federal Aviation Administration’s diversity push could have weakened its capabilities. Continue reading...

Events

25 hours ago Should Sundance stay in Utah? State leaders and locals rally to keep the independent film festival

Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees of the Sundance Film Festival are making their final push to keep the world-renowned independent film festival in the state as its directors consider uprooting it

Culture

13 hours ago Emily Willis' ketamine detox put her 7st body 'under huge stress' says doctor

EXCLUSIVE: Doctor Gareth Nye has warned of the dangers of ketamine abuse after Emily Willis' family filed a lawsuit against the rehab centre she was being treated at for her 'addiction'

Science

16 hours ago Is flying becoming more dangerous? Fears grow after American Airlines flight tragedy

After Washington collision, statistics show whether there has been a rise in aviation fatalities recently

Transport

2 hours ago Arizona's Democratic governor outlines groundwater proposal that has Republican support

Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is renewing a push to regulate groundwater in rural parts of the drought-stricken state

Politics

17 hours ago Emily Willis 'did 6g of ketamine a day before rehab and now lives in care home'

A Superior Court lawsuit filed by Emily Willis' family and conservator has accused the rehab centre, Summit Malibu, of negligence in the lead up to the ex-adult star becoming 'permanently disabled'

Society

5 hours ago Nationwide customers could soon see £900 bonus drop in their bank accounts

Strict savers could soon reap the benefit of their 1 Year Fixed Rate ISA maturing if they opened the account with the max £20,000 allowance.

Economics

5 hours ago Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds to ask federal court to drop Justin Baldoni's $400M suit amid legal battles

'The Lively-Reynolds Parties intend to move to dismiss Plaintiffs' complaint,' an attorney for the couple requested to Judge Lewis Liman in a letter.

Events

18 hours ago Symptoms of tuberculosis as cases rise in England amid massive US outbreak

A US state is facing its largest tuberculosis outbreak in the nation’s history

Science

7 hours ago Justin Bieber looks worn out in NYC as he is seen separately from wife Hailey amid fan concerns for pop star

The father of Jack Blues also had hollow eyes, a thin frame and a sad look on his face as he was outside a high rise building next to a movie theater in NYC; Hailey was not with him.

Politics

29 hours ago Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' plantation wedding scandal resurfaces amid Justin Baldoni defamation lawsuit

Amid their ugly court battle with It Ends With Us star Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' relationship is being put under the microscope.

Society

8 hours ago European Central Bank cuts rates for the fifth time as Germany and France teeter on the brink of recession

ECB chief Christine Lagarde (pictured) said the single currency bloc was 'set to remain weak in the near term' as the rate was cut from 3% to 2.75%.

Economics

8 hours ago Mom uses hair dryer to 'warm' infant son but burns him to death when she passes out: report

Authorities accused the mom of being under the influence of a controlled substance at the time

Events

20 hours ago Health nominee RFK Jr to face further grilling at Senate confirmation hearing

Trump’s pick endured tough questions from Bernie Sanders on Wednesday and was accused of ‘peddling half-truths’After Robert F Kennedy’s bruising performance in a heated three-and-a-half-hour Senate confirmation hearing to become America’s top health official on Wednesday, he’s off to the health committee on Thursday morning for round two.The 71-year-old faces another grueling day of questioning from a more health-minded crowd, with Republican chair Bill Cassidy – a physician who caught Kennedy confusing basic facts about Medicare and Medicaid in Wednesday’s session – likely to press further on his grasp of America’s healthcare system. Continue reading...

Science

7 hours ago Trump could halt congestion pricing that has helped unsnarl Manhattan's busy streets

It is unpopular with both Republican and Democrat lawmakers opposing the $9 charge for drivers

Politics

14 hours ago How much will YOUR water bill go up? Interactive tool reveals the price increases for customers across Britain

The rise will take the average water and wastewater bill in England and Wales from £480 to £603 for the next year alone. This equates to an increase of around £10 a month, from £40 to £50.

Economics

9 hours ago How warnings about Black Hawk helicopter's safety systems date back decades and have been linked to dozens of deaths

While Republicans pointed to DEI and Democrats blamed President Donald Trump , reports show that warnings about the helicopter's 'systemic failures' have been ignored for years.

Events

8 hours ago The full snow moon will illuminate skies next month. Here’s when to catch it

The full moon rises in typically chilly mid-February

Politics

16 hours ago Barclays to drop savings rates for some accounts with up to £10k in just two weeks

Some Barclays customers will see their savings accounts be hit by rate cuts very soon

Economics

11 hours ago Tulsi Gabbard refuses to call Edward Snowden a ‘traitor’ during confirmation hearing

Republicans and Democrats grill Trump’s intelligence nominee over her past defense of the Assad regime

Events

8 hours ago Rangers player ratings vs Union SG: 'Outstanding' 9/10 leader, the monster, two 8s and plenty 7s

How we rated each Rangers performance out of ten during the 2-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League.

Politics

17 hours ago European Central Bank cuts interest rates to support growth as eurozone economy stagnates

Live coverage of business, economics and financial news as ECB cuts main interest rate by 0.25 percentage points in effort to support growthIt was a flash reading on the Eurozone economy, so we don’t have the details on what the drivers were. But it’s clear that it was a weak end to 2024.But the European Central Bank might be able to spur a bit of economic growth in the eurozone with looser monetary policy.This marks a weak end to last year, following positive growth in the first three quarters of 2024. As a result, first estimates suggest that the currency bloc as a whole grew by 0.7% in 2024. Declining activity in Germany – the Eurozone’s largest economy – has weighed on the bloc’s growth, with German GDP contracting by 0.2% on the quarter. This suggests Germany has now seen annual declines in activity for two consecutive years.In 2025, further loosening of monetary conditions is expected to provide a modest uptick in activity for both Germany and the Eurozone, with growth expecte...

Economics

11 hours ago Fresh lawsuit hits Oregon city at the heart of Supreme Court ruling on homeless encampments

A small Oregon city is facing a fresh lawsuit over its homeless camping rules

Events

10 hours ago Tulsi Gabbard’s hopes of becoming Trump's director of national intelligence rest in the hands of two Republican senators

Analysis: Democrats grandstanded, but it might be the questioning of two Republican hawks that sinks Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence, Eric Garcia reports

Politics

18 hours ago Scots model who insured legs for £1m and walked runway for Victoria Beckham launches new bodysuit

Scottish entrepreneur and former model Ashly Rae, has launched her self-titled new brand Ashly Rae and says her patent-pending wardrobe staple is a world-first in comfort, style and support.

Economics

12 hours ago Garage gang admits pocketing £320k in 'sophisticated' crash for cash scheme by pretending to carry out repairs that never took place

A group of fraudsters claimed to work in a garage they used as a front to run a 'crash for cash' scheme and pocketed over £320,000 in false insurance claims.

Events

13 hours ago ‘Everyone has an impact’: how to start reducing your environmental footprint

As fires tear through California and Trump sets back efforts to curb the rise of global temperatures, what can individuals do to make a difference?2024 was the hottest year on record. Average global temperatures rose to 1.6C above preindustrial levels, according to data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) – a rise that led to extreme weather events and “misery to millions of people”, as one of the group’s experts told the Guardian.Less than a month into the new year, fires have torn through huge swathes of Los Angeles, upending the lives of thousands. Donald Trump, a climate denier, is pulling the country out of international climate agreements and setting back efforts to curb the rise of average global temperatures. Continue reading...

Politics

19 hours ago How to get cheaper water bills and the help available if you are struggling to pay

As confirmed by industry body Water UK, the rise will take the average water and wastewater bill from £480 to £603 for the next year alone

Economics

12 hours ago Gaza internal checkpoint to be staffed by US private armed contractors

Deployment of special forces veterans is unprecedented and poses risk that Americans could be drawn into fightingA US security firm is hiring nearly 100 US special forces veterans to help run a checkpoint in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas truce, introducing armed American contractors into the heart of one of the world’s most violent conflict zones.UG Solutions, a low-profile company founded in 2023 and based in Davidson, North Carolina, is offering a daily rate starting at $1,100 with a $10,000 advance to veterans it hires, according to a recruitment email. Continue reading...

Events

14 hours ago Myles Smith on his stunning rise from TikTok artist to the next global pop superstar

Myles Smith had the biggest song of last year with Stargazing, and with a new album and tour, and a Brits Rising Star award to pick up, we caught up with him to ask how sudden superstardom feels

Politics

19 hours ago Georgia Stanway out for ‘several months’ as Lionesses dealt major injury blow

England play their opening game of Euro 2025 on July 5 and Stanway is now a major doubt for the tournament

Economics

13 hours ago M23 rebels push south from Goma as DRC leader calls for military recruits

Rebels ‘here in Goma to stay’ and Rwandan official says advance will continue amid fears of regional warThe Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has pushed south from Goma, the border city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that it captured this week, and declared its intention to remain in the city, as fears grow of a major regional war.“We are here in Goma to stay,” Corneille Nangaa, the head of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of militias that includes M23, said at a press conference in Goma. “We are going to continue the march until Kinshasa,” he added, referring to Congo’s capital 1,000 miles away. Continue reading...

Events

14 hours ago Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes his final plea before senators as a key vote hangs in the balance

Robert F

Politics

19 hours ago Coleen Nolan 'struggling to pay bills' despite £3k a day Loose Women salary

Loose Women star Coleen Nolan has recently admitted that her panel show salary "goes straight on bills, mortgage and insurance" and confessed that she "has worries"

Economics

13 hours ago Plane crash: Donald Trump launches bizarre tirade as he labels head of air traffic control 'a disaster'

US president Donald Trump appeared to blame air traffic controllers for the devastating mid-air collision and launched a rant against the FAA's 'diversity push'

Events

16 hours ago More than 2.4m Brits are getting sickness benefits with no need to seek work

An analysis by the Department for Work and Pensions showed a huge surge in the numbers claiming higher rates of Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in recent years.

Politics

20 hours ago German and French economies shrink ahead of European Central Bank interest rate decision – business live

Live coverage of business, economics and financial news as ECB expected to cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points in effort to support growthThe decision to greenlight a giant new oilfield off Shetland has been ruled unlawful by the courts in a major win for environmental campaigners.The proposed Rosebank development – the UK’s biggest untapped oilfield, due to be developed by Norwegian oil company Equinor – had been given the go-ahead in 2023 under the previous government. Continue reading...

Economics

14 hours ago Mark Allen slates German Masters venue as Pistol hints he won't return to Tempodrom

The Northern Irishman continues to experiment with his game ahead of a world championship push but lost out in the second round in Berlin

Events

16 hours ago Soul, sermonising and wrestling Satan: James Brown’s 20 best albums – ranked!

As Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag turns 60, we rate the prolific funk/soul powerhouse’s finest studio, live and soundtrack albumsIf you want a roll call of James Brown’s formative influences, just check the covers on this album: Hank Ballard, Roy “Good Rockin’ Tonight” Brown, dirty blues supremo Bull Moose Jackson and Billy Ward’s impressively morbid The Bells, which – never knowingly understated – Brown used to perform on stage with a doll representing his lover’s corpse. Continue reading...

Politics

22 hours ago Royal Mail to cut deliveries under regulator proposals; Shell hikes investor payouts – business live

Live coverage of business, economics and financial news as UK postal service set to deliver on alternate weekdays and drop SaturdaysGermany’s Dax stock market index is also in on the party with a new record high, while Spain’s Ibex benchmark is at its highest since 2008, before the Eurozone crisis crunched its economy for a decade.Spain’s stock market has risen strongly in the last couple of years, as the country has become the surprise leader of the European economy – with a growth rate far outstripping the EU’s largest economy, Germany.Posts record funds under management of £190.21bn at 2024-end, above analysts’ views of £187.4bn, according to company-compiled consensus. Continue reading...

Economics

14 hours ago Brits given urgent 'stay home, wear mask' warning as cases of infections rise

The UKHSA is encouraging people with symptoms of flu and hMPV to take these precautions

Events

16 hours ago Asteroid triggers global defence plan amid chance of collision with Earth in 2032

Hundred-metre wide asteroid rises to top of impact risk lists after being spotted in December by automated telescopeA 100 metre-wide asteroid has triggered global planetary defence procedures for the first time after telescope observations revealed it has a chance of colliding with Earth in 2032.Asteroid 2024 YR4 was spotted by an automated telescope in Chile on 27 December last year but has since risen to the top of impact risk lists maintained by the US and European space agencies. Continue reading...

Politics

28 hours ago Meta agrees to pay Trump $25m for suspending accounts over Capitol riots

Settlement originates from lawsuit by president against the platform, one of several filed after 6 January violenceMeta has agreed to pay $25m to settle a lawsuit with Donald Trump. The suit originated in 2021 when Trump sued the social media company for suspending his accounts after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The settlement was first reported by the Wall Street Journal and has been confirmed by a Meta spokesperson.The majority of the settlement, $22m, will go toward a fund to pay for Trump’s presidential library, according to the Wall Street Journal. The remainder will pay for legal fees and go to other plaintiffs listed in the case. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Continue reading...

Economics

15 hours ago One final act of terror for hostages: Hamas thugs push freed Israeli captives including 80

Gadi Moses, 80, and Arbel Yehud, 29, were handed over to the Red Cross Thursday, along with five Thai hostages, following over a year spent in captivity.

Events

16 hours ago Linda Robson breaks down in tears on Loose Women recounting rise to fame on Birds Of A Feather with 'amazing' Pauline Quirke after her heartbreaking dementia diagnosis

The TV star, 66, shared some of her most funny memories with Pauline following her heartbreaking dementia diagnosis.

Politics

30 hours ago Fury as water bills to rise by £123 on average as regulator confirms price hikes

The hike, confirmed by industry body Water UK, will take the average water and wastewater bill from £480 to £603 for the next year alone.

Economics

15 hours ago Garage gang admits pocketing £320k in 'sophisticated' crash for cash scheme by pretending to carry out repairs that insurers never checked

A group of fraudsters claimed to work in a garage they used as a front to run a 'crash for cash' scheme and pocketed over £320,000 in false insurance claims.

Events

16 hours ago Strictly's Tasha Ghouri is beaming as she runs errands in Leeds ahead of next tour show while Katya Jones looks downcast after partner Wynne Evans withdrew

Their appearance comes after Wynne Evans, 53, agreed with the BBC to 'take some time out' from his radio show and the Strictly tour 'to prioritise my wellbeing', following his X-rated remark.

Politics

30 hours ago Fury as water bills to rise by £123 on average as regulator allows firms to hike prices

The hike, confirmed by industry body Water UK, will take the average water and wastewater bill from £480 to £603 for the next year alone.

Economics

17 hours ago Shocking moment police catch paedophile in hotel room with young teenage girl after harrowing 999 call

Cops caught the pervert at a hotel in Manchester after being tipped off by a member of staff, who called 999. The bust comes amid a worrying rise in paedophiles raping children in hotels.

Events

16 hours ago Do you get more drunk on jets as Ryanair boss slams Wetherspoons and calls for booze cap

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has called for people to ‘just behave’ on his jets amid reports of a rise of disruptive incidents, while myths around getting drunk quickly on planes have circulated for years

Politics

30 hours ago Household's annual water bill to rise by an average of £123 from April 1

The rise, confirmed by industry body Water UK, will take the average water and wastewater bill from £480 to £603 for the next year alone

Economics

18 hours ago Tuberculosis cases in UK surge as health chief issues 'serious' warning

Tuberculosis is curable and preventable, but the Victoria disease remains a serious public health issue in England - cases are on the rise by more than 10% in the last year

Events

17 hours ago Detective Chinatown 1900 review – blockbusting Chinese franchise goes back in time

Prequel focuses on xenophobia in turn-of-the-century San Francisco with surprising wit and sillinessThis prequel to the huge-grossing Detective Chinatown franchise, though focused on anti-Chinese xenophobia in turn-of-the-century San Francisco, manages to be a rare example of a Sino-blockbuster not filled with maudlin patriotism; it mostly carries its cultural message charmingly and with plenty of self-deprecating humour. At one point, an imperial Chinese investigator toughs it out in order to form an alliance with a gaggle of Irish hoodlums straight from Gangs of New York. “You held yourself so well back there,” his underlings congratulate him, before their leader’s legs give out. “Don’t let the Americans see. I’m about to pee myself!”The story here is that malevolent forces are stirring the great American melting pot. The son of local Tong leader Bai Xuanling (Chow Yun-fat, still with charisma on tap) is arrested for the murder of the daughter of racist Republican congressman Gran...

Politics

18 hours ago Number of crashes on Welsh roads fell in first year since 20mph speed limit came in

The transport minister says it is 'encouraging'

Events

18 hours ago HMPV symptoms: seven common signs to look out for as cases on the rise in the UK

There has been a spike of HMPV cases in the UK 🤧

Politics

18 hours ago Japanese region asks 1.2 million people to use less water to help sinkhole rescue

Japanese authorities have asked residents of 12 cities and towns in Saitama prefecture to limit showers and laundry to prevent worsening sewage leaks

Events

18 hours ago How long should your post take to arrive in London? Ofcom considers cutting second

The cost of first-class stamps could rise under plans proposed

Politics

19 hours ago Pregnant woman and her baby were killed by unmarked police travelling at 80mph on a 40mph road just one week before her due date

Mariam Ahmed, 38, died after the unmarked police car smashed into her vehicle in south-east London causing her vehicle to flip several times.

Events

19 hours ago Royal Mail announce major delivery change which will affect millions of Brits

Ofcom's plans include reducing the next-day delivery rate for first-class mail from 93% to 90% and the three-day delivery rate for second-class mail from 98.5% to 95%

Politics

19 hours ago Shoplifting offences surge to another record high: Store thefts rise by a QUARTER in a year with nearly 500,000 crimes reported, police figures reveal

The shocking data is further proof of Britain's worsening retail theft epidemic, which an industry body warned today was 'out of control'.

Events