34 h. ago Conflict between countries will dominate next 20 years, says former top UK government official

Simon Case urges ministers to develop new means of launching UK’s nuclear deterrent and says the west needs to ‘get our skates on and be ready’The next 20 years will be dominated by conflict between nations, the former head of the civil service has said.Simon Case, who stood down as cabinet secretary in December, made the warning in his first major interview since leaving the job. Continue reading...

Politics

36 h. ago ‘Alarming’ rise in regional internet censorship in China, study finds

Tens of millions of internet users in China’s Henan denied access to five times more websites than usualChina’s authorities appear to have implemented an enhanced version of the country’s internet censorship regime in the central province of Henan, subjecting tens of millions of residents to even stricter controls on access to information than people in the rest of the country.A research paper published this month by Great Firewall Report, an internet censorship monitoring platform, found that internet users in Henan, one of China’s most populous provinces, were, on average, denied access to five times more websites than a typical Chinese internet user between November 2023 and March 2025. Continue reading...

Events

50 h. ago Ballon d’Or 2025 Betting Odds: Tight At The Top Between Yamal And Dembele

We take a closer look at the 2025 Ballon d’Or betting odds as bookmakers reveal their favourites for the trophy

Politics

55 h. ago French Open 2025 guide: How to watch on TV, betting odds and more to know about Roland

Play in the year’s second Grand Slam tennis tournament is scheduled to begin at the French Open on the red clay courts of Roland-Garros on Sunday

Politics

3 d. ago I’ve studied the history of death. I know how we can better face up to our grief – and our own mortality | Molly Conisbee

How we deal with bereavement has changed enormously over the years. But not all the old traditions should be forgottenMany years ago, as part of a school homework project, I asked my grandparents what the most significant social change had been during their lifetime. Two of them answered “child mortality”. I was surprised. Weren’t there other, more significant experiences in long lives that had stretched from the first and second world wars to the 1980s?But now that I am older and have experienced bereavement, I understand their replies. Both grandparents had sisters who died of diphtheria. And my grandfather’s younger brother died of sepsis, meaning his parents had buried two of their four children before the age of three. Their childhoods had been profoundly shaped by loss. Child mortality was, at that time, horrifyingly common, and from their earliest years many people spent a great deal of their lives coping with the emotional fallout of grief, which shaped their lives into olde...

Events

3 d. ago Spies, lies and betrayal: my ruinous relationship with an undercover cop

He was the first partner Kate Wilson ever moved in with; they were together for 16 months, and friends for years afterwards. Then she found out he had been spying on her all alongIn February 2004, Kate Wilson – then 25 and known to her friends as Katja – decided to make a Valentine’s card for her partner, Mark. He was an affectionate person – he would write her poems, give her gifts, text her love messages – and she wanted to reciprocate in some way. “He was quite demonstrative and I was not. That was a little bit awkward for me,” she says. “The gesture of making a card for Valentine’s Day, which to my anarchist self was soppy and commercial, was a big deal.”More than a decade later, Wilson read the incident back, as recorded in a police log:Sunday 15th February. 19.37 Call from Source who has received a Valentines card from Katja. This has put Source’s mind at rest re the challenges about being an undercover/informant. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago ‘It’s better for them than being in a cage!’ Why are cat cafes suddenly so controversial?

More and more cafes offer you the chance to pet a cat as you sip your cappuccino. Some see themselves as shelters more than businesses. Why do animal protection charities want them closed?It’s just gone 3pm on a sunny Wednesday in Norwich, and the mid-afternoon, midweek slump is hitting hard at the cafe on Dereham Road. Almost everyone here is asleep – before they’re roused by the rattle of the Dreamies tub, that is. The Cat House, which opened nearly two years ago, is the city’s first cat cafe. From Wednesday to Sunday, for a cover charge of £10, punters can spend 60 minutes (or £13 for 90 minutes) enjoying feline company over a beverage and a snack. There are a few people already here – as well as the 20 resident cats dotted around the spacious converted building. They’re curled up above eye level in cat trees, hunkering in boxes and tunnels, weaving in between the table legs. The visitors hover respectfully in their orbit, hoping to be favoured by their attention. From the hushed...

Politics

5 d. ago Victoria and David Beckham's bank balance has sky rocketed to £500million after nearly 30 years as Posh and Becks

The former Spice Girl turned fashion designer and ex footballer turned MLS club owner have seen their joint bank balance skyrocket by £45million between 2024-2025.

Economics

5 d. ago Chelsea’s Maresca fumes at Real Betis having 48 hours longer to prepare for final

Betis play last league game on Friday, Chelsea on SundayConference League final is in Wroclaw next WednesdayEnzo Maresca has hit out at Real Betis being given an extra two days to prepare for the Uefa Conference League final against Chelsea.Maresca, whose immediate focus is on ensuring that his side seal Champions League qualification when they visit Nottingham Forest on Sunday, did not hide his displeasure at the scheduling around next Wednesday’s clash with Betis in Wroclaw. Chelsea’s head coach claimed it is unfair for the Spanish club to be playing on Friday night when they end their La Liga campaign by hosting Valencia. Continue reading...

Sport

5 d. ago I’m taking beta blockers for my anxiety – and so are many of my friends. Is that a problem?

Dreading the thought of giving a speech, or stressed about a big work event? Your GP may prescribe beta blockers to reduce the effects of adrenaline on your heart. Here’s what happened when I took themI first took beta blockers two years ago, when I was asked to give a eulogy. Terrible at public speaking on a good day, let alone at a funeral, my first instinct was to refuse to do it. I had made a speech at a friend’s wedding 15 years before and my legs shook so violently throughout that I thought I would collapse. This isn’t a case of being overcritical or dramatic: I find it almost impossible to stand up in front of a crowd and talk. It is an ordeal, for all involved – or it was before I took beta blockers.Beta blockers are a prescription medication that blocks adrenaline and therefore temporarily reduces the body’s reaction to stress. Routinely given to patients with heart and circulatory conditions, including angina, atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure, as well as to prev...

Politics

5 d. ago Who will win Ballon d’Or 2025? Date and contenders including Lamine Yamal

The Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place earlier than usual this year

Politics

6 d. ago Lyon Women change name and get training base ‘better than most men’s centres’

Groupama Stadium to be team’s regular homeClub won fourth consecutive league title last weekThe French champions Olympique Lyonnais Féminin have been renamed OL Lyonnes, as part of a series of announcements made by their owner, Michele Kang.The American businesswoman has also revealed the team will make the Groupama Stadium – home of the Lyon men’s team – their regular home stadium. Kang said other mid-sized stadium alternatives, including a local rugby stadium, were explored before they reached the conclusion that the stadium that hosted the 2019 Women’s World Cup final is the best venue for them. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago F1 Odds: Latest 2025 Drivers’ And Constructors’ Championship Betting Odds

Everything you need to know about the latest F1 odds for the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships

Politics

7 d. ago Biden ‘failed this country’ by seeking second term, says Beto O’Rourke

Ex-Texas representative, who lost gubernatorial election to Greg Abbott, joins Democrats lambasting former presidentJoe Biden “failed this country in the most important job that he had” by deciding to run for another term as US president before dropping out of the election that returned Donald Trump to the White House, where he has unflinchingly assaulted democratic norms, the former representative Beto O’Rourke said recently.“We might very well lose the greatest country that this world has ever known,” the Texan who has unsuccessfully run for the presidency and his state’s governorship said on Pod Save America. “And it might be in part because of the decision that Biden and those around him made to run for re-election.” Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Mo Salah reveals his next three targets including dream that 'used to drive' him crazy

Mo Salah has enjoyed arguably his best ever campaign in a Liverpool shirt this year but there still three things which are driving him on ahead of the 2025-26 season

Events

7 d. ago Paquetá betting rules case is taking physical and mental toll, reveals West Ham’s Potter

FA inquiry into Brazil midfielder has lasted over two years‘Stress, pressure, can manifest itself,’ warns managerGraham Potter has revealed the investigation into whether Lucas Paquetá breached betting rules is taking its toll both mentally and physically on the West Ham player.The Football Association’s inquiry into allegations Paquetá deliberately got himself booked in four matches, which he denies but which could leads to his being banned for life if found guilty, has lasted more than two years. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Iranian 'spies who were targeting journalists in Britain' were given leave to remain in UK after claiming asylum when they arrived here by small boats and lorry, court hears

The trio are alleged to have been helping the Middle Eastern country's intelligence service between August 14 2024 and February 16 2025.

Events

8 d. ago Which bookies are offering Free Bets ahead of the 2025 FA Cup Final?

Crystal Palace and Manchester City go head-to-head to decide who will be the FA Cup champions this season but let us take a dive at the number of bookies offering free bet offers ahead of the clash

Sport

1 week ago Best Football Betting Sites UK 2025: Top 10 Ranked and Reviewed

Betting on football is as popular as it’s ever been and we’ve searched a long list of football betting sites to find the best on the market

Politics

1 week ago Ukraine war live: Zelenskyy says Russia not serious about talks but he will send a team to Istanbul

Trump adds to doubts over progress in Turkey after Putin fails to attendWhat we know on day 1,177 of the invasionPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to meet Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday and after that will make a decision on talks with Russia in Istanbul, a Ukrainian official has told Reuters.The Ukrainian president had previously proposed a face-to-face meeting in Turkey between himself and his Russian counterpart. Continue reading...

Events