46 minutes ago The moment I knew: I told him I missed other people’s company so he put on a silly accent to make me laugh

On a months-long overseas trip, Melanie Kinsman craved someone to talk to other than Sam, her partner. He stepped up to the challenge with a comical impersonationFind more stories from The moment I knew series hereIn 2004 I was a young writer at the University of Adelaide. I was working as an editor on an anthology of short stories when a piece by Sam came across my desk. We emailed back and forth for a while, working on the story, but I never met him in person.A few months later, I was out in town with some friends and noticed he was there. While we’d never crossed paths in real life, I knew what he looked like. In my fairly inebriated state I decided a great way to introduce myself would be to walk up to him and start reciting excerpts of his story. I don’t know what I was trying to achieve, but I made an impression and he was obviously flattered. Continue reading...

Politics

25 hours ago Top cop keeps job despite following junior female colleague towards her hotel room

A disciplinary panel found Superintendent Roger Pegram guilty of 'gross misconduct' but they decided to hand him a final written warning rather than the sack

Society

2 hours ago Former Federal Reserve adviser indicted and arrested for alleged espionage in dealings with China

Federal authorities have arrested a former Federal Reserve senior adviser for allegedly giving inside economic information to China

Economics

4 hours ago Princess Anne wraps up warm as she greets rugby players ahead of the Scotland v Italy Six Nations clash in Edinburgh

The Princess Royal, 74, who is patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, met those competing for the Cuttitta Cup in Edinburgh on Saturday.

Sport

20 minutes ago King Charles releases heartfelt statement on Washington DC plane crash that killed 67 people

As of Friday afternoon, 41 bodies had been pulled from the Potomac River, including 28 that had been positively identified, Washington DC fire chief John Donnelly Sr.

Events

22 hours ago Scots author tells Davina McCall 'number one reason why people will never give up alcohol'

Challenges like Dry January and Sober October present an opportunity to go teetotal for a while, but the effects of hitting the booze are never too away.

Culture

14 hours ago Microsoft head, Google CEO, Times Internet VC join hands to bag London Spirit

Microsoft head, Google CEO, Times Internet VC join hands to bag London Spirit  Cricbuzz

Technology

35 hours ago A £1.65m hope for blood disorder patients is now on offer in Manchester

The gene-editing therapy is expected to offer a cure for some people with the inherited blood disorder

Science

17 hours ago ‘Genius’ parking tip from drivers in one of world’s busiest cities baffles people

People are in disbelief over this driving hack.

Transport

72 minutes ago JPMorgan’s $4bn delivery of gold bullion adds to fears Trump’s tariffs will reshape global trade

US bank, world’s biggest bullion dealer, says it will deliver raw material against contracts that will expire in FebruaryUS banking giant JPMorgan plans to deliver $4bn of gold bullion weighing more than 937 tons to New York this month, before an anticipated escalation of Donald Trump’s trade-rebalancing tariff moves planned for Saturday.The US bank, the world’s biggest bullion dealer, said it would deliver the hefty raw material, weighed as 30m troy ounces of gold, or 1.875m lbs, against contracts that will expire in February. Continue reading...

Politics

31 hours ago The NINE things you can do to instantly make your home more sellable and attractive to buyers... by one of Britain's top property experts

The start of the year is the busiest time for the UK property market. It's no surprise: people can finally focus on listing their home after the hullabaloo of hosting family at Christmas.

Society

3 hours ago Britain hands £67m Brexit contract to firm at centre of Post Office IT scandal

Exclusive: Lord Arbuthnot, who campaigned for wrongly convicted sub postmasters, said it sent the message the country ‘doesn’t care about the unethical behaviour shown by Fujitsu’

Economics

5 hours ago Scotland vs Italy LIVE: Six Nations score and latest updates as Scotland race into lead in Edinburgh

The Azzurri are looking to build on a breakthrough campaign last year as they come to Murrayfield

Sport

46 minutes ago Three women speak: the trauma, humiliation and shame of being a victim

The Australia Law Reform Commission will soon report on its review into justice responses to sexual violence. Here are three first-hand accounts of what it’s like to seek justiceGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe experience I had with the legal system was quite shocking. Continue reading...

Events

24 hours ago A fashion designer, Italian singer and Icelandic illustrator team up on Vatican exhibition

The Vatican Apostolic Library has tapped Dior's creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, Italian singer Jovanotti and Icelandic illustrator Kristjana S Williams for an exhibition exploring world tours of the late 19th Century

Culture

35 hours ago Millions of homeowners break Highway Code by parking on their own driveway

Brits have been warned of a simple mistake which could cause serious repercussions including danger to other road users and pedestrians.

Transport

1 hour ago People who backed remain ‘shouldn’t be allowed to vote’, Reform rally hears

John Elliott, a businessman who has given his support to the party, shared a stage with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as he made the claim.

Politics

41 hours ago Heathrow airport expansion will smash our community, say nearby villagers

Hundreds of homes could be demolished in the west London villages of Harmondsworth and Longford if the expansion gets the green light.

Society

6 hours ago HMRC issues message over '£100 fines' to Barclays customers affected by outage

The outage started on the day thousands of people will have been trying to submit their tax returns

Economics

8 hours ago Taylor Swift sets new fashion trend with bold red tights at NFL football game

Taylor Swift was on hand to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, as she watched him play ahead of the Super Bowl, and she sparked a playful trend with her bold accessory choice

Sport

71 minutes ago Four people die in 'difficult and tragic' Colchester crash as car smashes into building

Four people have died in a horror car crash after a vehicle smashed into a building in Colchester, police have said. The force has described the scene as a "tragic situation"

Events

41 hours ago AP PHOTOS: The moment to restore broken baby Jesus figurines has come in Mexico

It might cost more to repair them than to buy new ones. But baby Jesus figurines have such sentimental value in families that every January an area in downtown Mexico City is full of people with the broken religious sculptures looking for a workshop for hands, legs, nose, eyes, eyelashes or fingers.

Culture

2 hours ago Trump administration slams Selena Gomez in new video after sobbing over deportations

The video featured three mothers of those who were allegedly killed by undocumented people

Politics

7 hours ago Angry crowds gather outside Barclays after IT meltdown on tax deadline day that expert says could cost bank millions

Angry crowds have gathered outside a Barclays branch after an IT glitch yesterday caused thousands to be left without access to their funds for more than 24 hours.

Economics

8 hours ago Manchester United have been handed a Champions League lifeline despite Premier League woes

United could have another route into next season's Champions League

Sport

74 minutes ago ‘Our youngest and brightest’: grief of DC plane crash rocks figure skating community

The loss of the young figure skaters whose lives were cut tragically short in the American Eagle flight 5342 crash has ripped a hole in the tightly knit world of figure skatingEveryone agreed it was the best camp they’d ever been to. The most fun. There was an interpretive dance class. Successful jump drills were met with high-fives all around. On the day of the Chinese new year, the kids all went out for hot pot. And parents and coaches, regardless of athlete rivalries, intermingled in camaraderie; when one parent noticed a coach’s voice grow hoarse, they pulled a ginger shot from out of their purse, handing it to her with a smile.National development camps, such as the one that took place following the US figure skating championships in Wichita last week, are held for the highest performing juvenile, intermediate and novice skaters. The young athletes with the greatest potential are offered this chance to watch the stars of their sport compete, and then learn from some of the most...

Events

2 hours ago Princess Charlotte's future royal title has only been held by seven people

Much like her brothers, Charlotte will get an important royal title one day - and the one in question has only been used seven times before

Politics

8 hours ago 'I'm a money saving guru – Aldi hack makes Valentine's meal for two for just £2.70'

A money saving account on TikTok – known as Cost of Living Crisis tips, shared his top tips for a three course meal for Valentine's Day for two people that costs just £2.70

Economics

27 hours ago Premier League announcement could see Arsenal and Liverpool's roles reversed in title race

Arsenal are 2-0 down to Newcastle ahead of the the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg - and should they go out and Liverpool make the final, it will be the Gunners who have a game in hand over the Reds

Sport

1 hour ago Warning is issued as major change to millions of bank accounts takes effect today

Nationwide, the country's largest building society, has announced it is cutting interest rates on almost 90 savings accounts from Saturday.

Events

2 hours ago Unique and forgotten palace the Royal Family haven't used for 120 years

Osborne House was the favourite home of Queen Victoria. While other royals have visited the home in the past, it hasn't been permanently lived in for many years

Politics

9 hours ago Barclays IT glitch locks customers out of accounts for almost 24 hours

Outage comes on HMRC’s deadline day for settling self-assessment tax returns and a pay day for many workersA serious IT glitch has left some Barclays customers locked out of their accounts throughout the night and almost 24 hours on from the bank’s initial outage.Barclays has apologised to customers and said it was “currently facing intermittent errors” with its payment system. “We’re working to fix this as quickly as possible,” it said. Continue reading...

Economics

33 hours ago Is this the final straw for Strictly pro Katya Jones? Dancer has been embroiled in a kissing scandal, feud speculation and a 'wandering hand' gaffe

 Katya Jones is said to be 'devastated' by the way her Wynne Evans has been dropped by Strictly in the way of his sexual jibe scandal.

Sport

2 hours ago Four people dead after vehicle crashes into building in Colchester tragedy

The incident has been labelled 'tragic' by police

Events

2 hours ago Siblings or dating? The science behind why some couples look like each other

Coming across a romantic couple that looks like they could be siblings isn't all that unusual, and there is actually solid science to explain why this happens. Can you guess which pairs are couples or siblings?

Politics

9 hours ago Barclays customers are STILL having problems a day after bank's online services crashed on self

On Friday, the bank apologised to its customers, acknowledging 'intermittent errors' with their payment system and assuring that they were 'working to fix this as quickly as possible.'

Economics

33 hours ago Former world darts champion Michael Smith reveals he is suffering from arthritis in his throwing hand

Smith made the revelation after losing in the first round of the revamped World Masters on Thursday night

Sport

2 hours ago Barclays issue urgent warning to customers as IT glitch continues for second day

Barclays customers have been unable to access the bank's mobile banking app and Internet banking services for over 24 hours following an IT outage

Events

3 hours ago Trump's aggressive tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China begin today after president admits it may cause ‘disruption’: Live

Further tariffs being considered for European Union and for energy, metals, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductor sectors

Politics

10 hours ago Boden's 'unique' £110 dress 'perfect' for spring weddings slashed to just £33

Boden is treating shoppers to a massive 70% off its Ophelia Wrap Midi Jersey Dress in the Raindrop Geo print and it's the perfect number to wear to any upcoming nuptials.

Economics

2 hours ago Medical jet crashes in Philadelphia, killing seven and setting homes on fire

All six people onboard and one person on the ground are dead, with 19 others injured, says Philadelphia mayorSeven people were killed after a medical transport plane crashed into a north-east Philadelphia neighborhood on Friday.All six people on the flight and one person on the ground are dead. Nineteen others were injured, the Philadelphia mayor, Cherelle Parker, said. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago AI is not just powerful. What’s really worrying is that DeepSeek has made it cheap, too | John Naughton

The AI startup has upended the industry by developing a model that costs much less to produce – and is available free to a universe of tinkerersNothing cheers up a tech columnist more than the sight of $600bn being wiped off the market cap of an overvalued tech giant in a single day. And yet last Monday that’s what happened to Nvidia, the leading maker of electronic picks and shovels for the AI gold rush. It was the biggest one-day slump for any company in history, and it was not alone – shares of companies in semiconductor, power and infrastructure industries exposed to AI collectively shed more than $1tn in value on the same day.The proximate cause of this chaos was the news that a Chinese tech startup of whom few had hitherto heard had released DeepSeek R1, a powerful AI assistant that was much cheaper to train and operate than the dominant models of the US tech giants – and yet was comparable in competence to OpenAI’s o1 “reasoning” model. Just to illustrate the difference: R1 w...

Politics

10 hours ago The Taliban have no legal right to multibillion dollar Afghan fund, says US watchdog

The watchdog for U.S. assistance to Afghanistan says the Taliban have no legal right to billions of dollars in funds set aside to help Afghan people

Economics

2 hours ago Colchester crash: Four people killed after vehicle smashes into building in 'tragic situation'

Essex Police have issued an appeal after officers were called to Magdalen Street in Colchester following reports of a crash on Saturday morning that killed four people

Events

3 hours ago Samson Tsoy: Inmost Heart: Bach, Brahms, Busoni, Reger review – the pianist’s subtle, searching debut

(Linn)Playing Brahms’s transcriptions of Bach and Handel, then Reger and Busoni takes on Brahms, Tsoy contemplates creativity across centuries in this fine recitalElegantly constructed and intimate, this debut solo recital album by London-based Kazakh pianist Samson Tsoy has the music of Johannes Brahms at its centre. The fascination here is Tsoy’s exploration of Brahms’s passion for music of the past, specifically for his towering predecessors, JS Bach and Handel. Brahms transcribed works of theirs for piano, forging his own distinctive voice with theirs in an act of homage and discovery.The magnificent Handel Variations, Op 24 spins an unexciting little baroque theme into 25 variations of brilliant variety and ingenuity. Brahms set himself a particular challenge with the Chaconne from Bach’s Partita No 2 in D minor. Attempting to reflect the immeasurable yet compressed range of a work written for solo violin, he restricted his arrangement to piano left hand only. This gives a shad...

Politics

11 hours ago Barclays customers ‘still unable to make payments’ as mass bank outage continues

On Friday, the bank apologised to customers, saying they were ‘currently facing intermittent errors’ with their payment system.

Economics

2 hours ago London protests LIVE: Six people arrested as Tommy Robinson supporters and opponents face off

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October

Events

4 hours ago Pleasure experts claim adding one thing to sex life could 'prevent cheating'

Damien Muretti, 40, from Essex, is the founder of Bed Nerdz, and he claims he can help boost people's pleasure with a few simple tips, and potentially stop them from cheating

Politics

12 hours ago We tried to spend £20 in Chinatown between two people and this is what happened

There was still some value to be found in the popular neighbourhood

Economics

2 hours ago Freed hostages receive emotional hugs from delighted families but there's still no word on whether Hamas' youngest prisoners survived ordeal

Yarden Bibas and French Israeli Ofer Kalderon were handed to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel was released later on Saturday.

Events

4 hours ago Quarter of young people are making the same dangerous food storage change to save money

Official data from the Food Standards Agency show the number of young people taking dangerous measures to cope with rising energy costs - which campaigners say is "beyond messed up"

Politics

17 hours ago Martin Lewis MSE names four banks paying you up to £175 to make easy change

Money saving guro Martin Lewis has revealed four bank providers who are offering huge sums of money to switch with them. The process includes other perks such as free hotel stays

Economics

2 hours ago It looks lovely when you're on holiday but the EU is failing. What post

David Dimbleby stiffened in his chair in the BBC studio and announced: 'The British people have spoken: we're out.' 

Events

4 hours ago Matt O'Riley has astonished Celtic thinking the exact same thing as crazy Brighton mauling follows Rodgers love in

The midfielder couldn't prevent his side falling to a nightmare 7-0 humiliation at the hands of Nottingham Forest

Politics

18 hours ago Bank of England 'trusted less by women as they feel inflation first', study finds

They tend to do the weekly food shop so notice rising prices sooner, it showed. A lack of understanding of monetary policy and lower financial confidence also dented women's trust in the Bank.

Economics

3 hours ago D Is for Distance review – tender portrait of parents battling for their son’s medication

Only medical cannabis can stop Louis’ epileptic seizures, but the NHS refuses to supply it. Chris Petit and Emma Matthews have turned their fight into a filmThat uniquely valuable British writer and independent film-maker Chris Petit, creator of downbeat classics such as Radio On from 1979 and An Unsuitable Job for a Woman from 1982, may not these days find it easy to get an outlet for his work; this would be appear to be his first feature credit for 15 years. But he and co-director, editor and partner Emma Matthews have emerged with a deeply personal movie: painful, complex, challenging and engaging.Petit and Matthews riff and free-associate on the themes of memory, memory-loss and the moving image on video and celluloid, but at the centre of this is an urgent story from their own lives. In his early teens, their son Louis, now 22, a talented artist and musician, began to have epileptic seizures that wiped out his memories of childhood; some of these were of the type nicknamed “Ali...

Events

4 hours ago Matt O'Riley has astonished Celtic fans thinking the exact same thing as crazy Brighton mauling follows Rodgers love in

The midfielder couldn't prevent his side falling to a nightmare 7-0 humiliation at the hands of Nottingham Forest

Politics

25 hours ago Bride spends staggering $600 on wedding invites only to realize her embarrassing mistake

Jennifer Meyer, 23, was excited to see what her invites looked like but was left disappointed after opening the box.

Economics

3 hours ago Philadelphia plane crash latest: No survivors on board medical jet that was carrying six people, including a pediatric patient

Air ambulance flight crashed near Roosevelt Mall about 30 seconds after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, potentially killing six

Events

4 hours ago I Who Have Never Known Men: the lost dystopia finding new readers after buzz on TikTok

First published in 1995 then virtually forgotten, a bleak tale of women caged by men has been embraced as a gen Z Handmaid’s TaleTwo people a year, or maybe three, used to buy Jacqueline Harpman’s novel I Who Have Never Known Men. Her story of a girl locked in a cage with 39 women in an underground bunker on a nameless world was published in 1995 then slid into obscurity.Something has changed since then, because the novel’s tale of sisterhood and survival has become one of the hottest reads this year, drawing comparisons to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Octavia E Butler’s Parable series of novels. Continue reading...

Politics

26 hours ago Is current account switching boom driven by cash carrots on offer from banks

More than a million people switched current account last year - the second time it has ticked over the 1m mark.

Economics

4 hours ago London protests LIVE: Five people arrested as Tommy Robinson supporters march amid heavy police presence

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October

Events

4 hours ago Virologist Wendy Barclay: ‘Wild avian viruses are mixing up their genetics all the time. It’s like viral sex on steroids’

The British scientist on the risk of humans contracting bird flu, how people would cope with new lockdowns and being asked to pour the tea because she is a womanWendy Barclay is a leading British virologist and head of the department of infectious disease and the Action Medical Research chair in virology at Imperial College London. An expert on the pathogenesis and transmissibility of influenza viruses, she served on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) and the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing advice on the risks posed by the coronavirus and appropriate medical countermeasures.What prompted you to study virology? After I graduated from Cambridge with a degree in natural sciences I thought I might get a job with a pharmaceutical company. Then I saw that the Common Cold Unit in Salisbury was looking for a PhD to work on rhinoviruses, the viruses that cause the common cold. I hadn’t studied virus...

Politics

27 hours ago State pensioners told exact date they will get extra payments in bank account

The new pension rates for 2024/25 have been confirmed and pensioners will see their payments increase from April. State pensioners will get a boost worth up to an extra £472 a year

Economics

5 hours ago The low keep getting lower, as shown by Trump’s response to the DC plane crash

When asked about his plans to visit the crash site, Trump made a joke: ‘The water? You want me to go swimming?’Every day, the world seems to get stupider and stupider and our leaders seem to get nastier and nastier. Nobody expects empathy or accuracy from Donald Trump but, even by the extremely low standards to which he is held, his reaction to the tragic mid-air collision in Washington DC that killed 67 people on Wednesday night was shocking. Continue reading...

Events

5 hours ago Man Utd transfer news: Rashford close to exit as star flies in for medical

The final days of the transfer window are ramping up business at Old Trafford as Manchester United handle their busiest day of the window so far with Marcus Rashford close to joining Aston Villa

Politics

27 hours ago Shoppers rush to buy waterproof coat that ‘keeps them so dry’ even after hours in the rain

The Dryrobe has been designed to keep you warm and dry no matter what the weather's doing, with Amazon shoppers racing to get their hands on one for the winter weather

Economics

5 hours ago Rafah crossing reopens for Gaza’s sick and injured children after months of closure

Thirty-seven minors leave for treatment as three Israeli hostages return home and 183 Palestinians are releasedThirty-seven sick and injured children left Gaza for treatment on Saturday through the newly reopened Rafah crossing, as three male Israeli hostages returned home and 183 Palestinian detainees and prisoners were released, mostly to Gaza and the West Bank.The Rafah border crossing closed when Israeli forces moved into the surrounding area nine months ago. It was unsealed under the Gaza ceasefire deal after all Israeli women held alive in the strip were released. Continue reading...

Events

6 hours ago My council is kicking me out of my flat weeks before I'm due to give birth so homeless people can move in

'It would be difficult to carry a lot of stuff, I find it hard already to just clean the house, I get so exhausted', the expecting mother admitted, despite council ignoring her pleas for an extension.

Politics

28 hours ago Tesco shoppers rush to buy discontinued chocolate bars for incredible price

Chocolate fans share their excitement after discontinued chocolate bars have been spotted in a number of stores for a cheap price - and fans are rushing out to get their hands on them as their 'stomach missed them'

Economics

6 hours ago 'Philadelphia air ambulance crash saw little girl's life snatched away in cruellest way imaginable'

A little girl was among six people dead after a plane careered into a residential Philadelphia neighbourhood – the youngster was travelling with her mother and four others in the Learjet 55, a medical transport jet, when it crashed.

Events

7 hours ago Reform MP who assaulted woman will not face suspension, says deputy leader

James McMurdock, who did not publicly disclose before election his conviction 18 years ago, meets party vetting standardsA Reform MP who was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend 18 years ago will not be suspended and would pass the party’s new vetting process, the party’s deputy leader has said.Richard Tice has defended James McMurdock’s assault on his ex-girlfriend as a “mistake” and said his fellow MP was “doing brilliantly”. Continue reading...

Politics

28 hours ago Villagers lose 'David and Goliath' battle against billionaire entrepreneur as plans to build £30,000

Residents in Huntingfield, Suffolk, claim the 'all singing, all dancing' entertainment centre which could hold 288 people will destroy their rural idyll and has 'gone too far'.

Economics

6 hours ago Temu, Shein and Amazon to be liable in EU for ‘unsafe’ or ‘illegal’ goods

Proposed customs reform would allow officials to better inspect and control packages from China

Events

7 hours ago Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China: will they spark a trade war?

As the US president imposes import taxes on three major trading partners, we examine the potential repercussionsDonald Trump has vowed to impose sweeping tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China this weekend.There will be 25% tariffs on goods coming into the US from Canada and Mexicoand 10% on imports from China. Continue reading...

Politics

28 hours ago Unions call for £3,000 annual pay rise for 1.4m 'vital public sector workers'

'It’s bad news for everyone if there aren’t enough council and school employees to keep neighbourhoods safe, care for vulnerable people and give pupils the education they need'

Economics

7 hours ago Chilling American Airlines crash 'evacuation conspiracy theory' confirmed by defence sources

Wednesday's collision between an American Airlines flight and a US military helicopter in Washington DC was the US' deadliest aviation disaster in more than two decades, killing 67 people

Events