42 m. ago Chilling moment missing child's mum makes desperate plea while hiding dark secret

A new Prime Video documentary will revisit the case of Shannon Matthews, who vanished in 2008

Society

57 m. ago The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar review – whimsical fantasy in a kingdom long, long ago

In this first adult novel from the acclaimed children’s author, an immortal magician returns to tell the story of a royal court where he cast his spells some 500 years beforeThe American author Louis Sachar’s most celebrated book, 1998’s YA novel Holes, was a huge word-of-mouth success on both sides of the Atlantic. Its short, punchy chapters tell the story of plump, hapless Stanley Yelnats, sent to a summer camp for wayward boys, where a terrifying Warden has peculiar ideas about character reformation. The 5ft-deep holes the boys are required to dig turn out to have a surprising purpose. Shifts of time, register and perspective render a simple premise mesmerisingly intricate. It has peril, love, crime, wickedness, redemption and friendship in, well, spades.A quarter of a century later, Sachar has written his first supposedly adult novel, in which many of the same ingredients reappear. A man “dressed like a typical American tourist”, but with an odd habit of storing cake crumbs in t...

Politics

57 m. ago Chilling moment Shannon Matthews’ mum pleads ‘bring her home’ while hiding dark secret

The disturbing case is the subject of a new Prime Video documentary

Society

1 hour ago Love Is Blind: UK Season 2 on Netflix review: vapid, empty, boring

Can we find love, ‘sight unseen’? Um, no. But we already knew that

Politics

2 h. ago Oslo Stories Trilogy: Love review – gracefully grownup and breezy relationships drama

Doctor Marianne wonders if her gay colleague Tor’s approach to dating would work for her, in the second film of Dag Johan Haugerud’s absorbing trilogyHere is the second of Norwegian film-maker and novelist Dag Johan Haugerud’s seductive trilogy about affairs of the heart and mind, set in Oslo. (It comes between Sex and Dreams.) It is a thoroughly grownup and absorbing drama, acted with such sympathy and warmth, a ruminative and exploratory movie of ideas, and one that pays its audience the compliment of treating them as intelligent beings. Love is about a familiar question: can straight people learn from or even absorb the open and polygamous approach to sex that appears to come easier to gay people (and perhaps younger people of all sexualities), perhaps specifically gay men? Or is that idea stereotypical and naive?Andrea Braein Hovig plays Marianne, a urology consultant whose job it is to give bad news to a succession of men about their prostate cancer. She is single (though her p...

Events

2 h. ago Chasing the Dark by Ben Machell review – the original ghostbuster

An entrancing biography of Tony Cornell, who displayed a scientist’s commitment to impartiality as he investigated the paranormalMy first and only experience with a Ouija board occurred when I was 11, at a friend’s house. It was good, spooky fun until it wasn’t. I recall movement and the start of a message before we recoiled from the board. Later that evening, I learned that my grandfather had died. While I realise now that a boy with a terminally ill relative and a lurid imagination was not the most reliable witness, I remember wanting to believe that I’d had a brush with the uncanny.When Times journalist Ben Machell’s dying grandmother bequeathed him a crystal ball, he began idly searching for mediums and happened across the work of a man named Tony Cornell. Between 1952 and 2004, Cornell worked (unpaid and to the detriment of two marriages) for the Society for Psychical Research (SPR). Weeding out deception and delusion from accounts of paranormal activity to find out w...

Politics

3 h. ago World media reacts as Rangers 'cold shower' denies Plzen miracle after Russell Martin 'chased away'

It wasn't the performance Russell Martin wanted from his team but the end result was progress in Europe

Politics

4 h. ago ‘Trump is a horror story, isn’t he?’ Stephen King on villains, dark secrets and dreams

One of the world’s most successful authors answers readers’ questions on his sources of inspiration, the colour of fear, knowing when to quit – and why manual labour is invaluable for writersI once entered a short story competition in the Guardian, judged by you, but failed. Is it simply a case of trying until something sticks? Or is accepting a lack of talent a relief over chasing an impossible dream? EvolAnthWell, it’s not necessarily a lack of talent. I think everybody has talent, but you have to hone it. The more you do it, the more you like it. And when you have talent, you want to do it, you know? You signed my copy of Christine with the words “Keep on screaming for vengeance” because I was wearing a Judas Priest badge. Is music still important to you? RobFramptonYeah, music is still important to me. I’ve moved on from Judas Priest because I couldn’t get the rights to use the lyrics from You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ for my [2008] novel, Duma Key. So I’ve moved on to Rancid,...

Politics

8 h. ago Brooklyn Beckham's pal shares 'the most worrying thing' as feud becomes dark

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz had a "second" wedding - and such is the rift between David and Victoria and their daughter-in-law, the pair found out about the renewal by reading it online

Politics

8 h. ago CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews In Flight on Ch4: Spare a thought for the Bulgarian tourist board after this dark thriller

The opening three minutes of In Flight were crammed with so much backstory, I had to check this rush of events wasn't a recap of an earlier series.

Politics

10 h. ago White House orders a review of exhibits at Smithsonian museums ahead of nation's 250th birthday

The White House is ordering a review of the Smithsonian museums to align content with President Donald Trump's interpretation of American history

Events

11 h. ago Sam Long heroics help Bromley shock Ipswich on penalties in Carabao Cup

This remains a new world for Bromley. Recent entrants to the Football League, this home meeting with Ipswich was just their second Carabao Cup contest – now they have their first victory, delivered on penalties against a side who were in the top tier just three months ago.After Ben Johnson cancelled out Deji Elerewe’s first-half opener for Bromley, the night went to sudden death and belonged to Sam Long. He saved Ipswich’s first penalty, low to his right off George Hirst, and was required for another, denying Ali Al-Hamadi. Marcus Ifill provided the final blow, a memorable moment for a club not short of them in recent years. Continue reading...

Events

11 h. ago White House plans to review all Smithsonian exhibits to make sure they meet Trump’s agenda for America’s 250th birthday

Trump accused the Smithsonian of falling under the sway of ‘a divisive, race-centered ideology’ in his March executive order

Politics

12 h. ago Moment tourist is chased and trampled by charging elephant 'after trying to take a selfie'

Footage shows the huge animal charging after the man as he flees for his life in southwest India on Sunday.

Politics

12 h. ago Liam Livingstone inspires Birmingham Phoenix to victory over Oval Invincibles

Livingstone hit an unbeaten 69 off 27 balls.

Politics

12 h. ago The Chase fans fume 'worst team ever' as player caught out in brutally short final

The Chase viewers were not impressed with the team performance during Tuesday's episode (August 12)

Sport

12 h. ago Drake London Loomed Large: Defensive Review of Titans in Georgia

Drake London Loomed Large: Defensive Review of Titans in Georgia  Paul Kuharsky

Events

12 h. ago Historic ‘courthouse’ sixth form buildings with potential for 25 flats for sale at £1.2m

The building, part of Bury Grammar School, still has its original cells in the basement

Economics

13 h. ago Grieving mother discovers body of daughter, 7, found with missing tongue and throat after autopsy

WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: The horrific story has emerged out of Taiwan, leaving many in the East Asian country looking for answers as to why the girl's body was not returned to its original state

Events

13 h. ago Live Review: The Libertines, Gunnersbury Park, London 09/08/2025

Live Review: The Libertines, Gunnersbury Park, London 09/08/2025  When The Horn Blows

Politics