46 h. ago Council reports underspend at end of financial year despite continued pressures

Officers said the figure was boosted by Welsh Government grants that "significantly masks" underlying budget pressures

Economics

51 h. ago £300m railway project in Powys delayed by five years risks local job opportunities and economic boost

A report to a Powys County Council committee has revealed that one of the biggest employment projects in the county is running five years later than planned

Economics

5 d. ago Family blast 'jealous' neighbours who reported them to council over 'monstrosity' extension...but their new plans could make locals even angrier

Aysha Khanom was made to pay £2,000 after a retrospective planning request for a large porch at the property she shares with her family in Oldham was rejected.

Events

8 d. ago Children suffered record levels of violence in conflict zones in 2024, UN report shows

Surge in violations to more than 40,000 – the highest since records began in 1996 – must serve as a ‘wake-up call’A record number of children were subjected to acts of violence in conflict zones in 2024, with the number of incidents recorded rising by 25%, according to a UN report.The UN security council’s annual report on children and armed conflict found 22,495 children in 2024 were killed, wounded, denied humanitarian support or recruited for conflict. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago England are right to stick with a settled top six – Bethell should follow the Lara model | Mark Ramprakash

Ollie Pope retains his No 3 spot for the first Test and India wouldn’t mind having a bit more of that kind of continuityThere always seems to be one man under pressure in England’s batting lineup and consensus over the winter seemed to be that Jacob Bethell’s emergence had put Ollie Pope’s place at risk. Pope has clung on to his place for the start of the India series and my view is that Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum should be very careful before they mess with what is probably the most settled top six of any Test side in the world at the moment.There was speculation about both Pope and Zak Crawley before they scored centuries in last month’s game against Zimbabwe, but that performance should have secured their spots for this series at least. Bethell is a huge talent and some really top cricketers have spoken very highly about his performances and potential – clearly his time will come. He was impressive in New Zealand over the winter and since then we’ve seen exhilarating glimpse...

Politics

9 d. ago 'Lessons learned' on looking after buildings says Falkirk Council after Bo'ness report

Councillors want no repeat of 2019 when a report into a pool's 'serious structural failings' was ignored.

Politics

1 week ago A moment that changed me: I stepped into the boxing ring – and decades of quiet anger lifted

As I punched and shouted, I knew I didn’t have to be demure, delicate or diplomatic. I could be as fierce as I wanted. Those three minutes set me freeOn meeting me, you would never guess that I used to be an angry person. I’m talkative, sociable and self-possessed – but for nearly 20 years I lived with a quiet fury. It started with my parents, whose strict conservatism restricted everything in my life: what I ate, what I wore, where I went, what I thought. As immigrants from Bangladesh, they believed that control was the best way to protect their daughters, but it suffocated me.I had to fight to go to university – for all the things that men in my community were given as a right. At first, my anger felt ambient – mild and ever-present – but it became something harder, more bitter, when I was pressured into an arranged marriage at the age of 24. Continue reading...

Sport

1 week ago Police to collect ethnicity data for all cases of child sexual abuse

Requirement made as review finds ‘over-representation’ of Asian men among grooming gang suspectsYvette Cooper has condemned damning failures by the authorities to protect children from grooming gangs as she announced there would be a formal requirement on police for the first time to collect ethnicity and nationality data for all cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.The home secretary confirmed the government would accept all 12 recommendations of Louise Casey’s rapid review, including setting up a statutory inquiry into institutional failures, marking a significant reversal after months of pressure on Labour to act. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Liam Gallagher explodes as Oasis fans branded 'fat, drunk and lairy' ahead of reunion tour

Liam Gallagher has leapt to the defence of Oasis fans after Edinburgh Council officials were reportedly less than complimentary about them

Society

1 week ago Oasis fans called 'fat, drunk and rowdy by council bosses in secret safety briefings' ahead of reunion tour

Oasis fans have reportedly been branded 'fat, drunk and rowdy by council bosses in secret safety briefings' ahead of their reunion tour.

Society

2 w. ago When it comes to reporting on mass killings, some in Europe take a different approach from Americans

When a 21-year-old former student opened fire inside his school in Austria’s second-biggest city earlier this week, killing 10 people, it didn’t take long for the Alpine country’s press council to call on journalists to show restraint when reporting about the victims and their families

Events

2 w. ago SBS research shows the economic squeeze is hitting savers hard

Three in four people in Scotland expect their savings to be negatively affected this year as economic pressures continue to mount.

Economics

2 w. ago SBS Savings Barometer shows three in four people have seen their savings hit this year

Three in four people in Scotland expect their savings to be negatively affected this year as economic pressures continue to mount.

Events

3 w. ago Ministers accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over UK’s soft power around the world

Government’s own advisers warn of funding crisis for BBC World Service, British Council and universitiesAs US retreats, is there a ‘soft power’ opportunity for UK?Ministers have been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” over threats to the UK’s soft power around the world, as some of their own advisers warned a funding crisis is undermining key institutions promoting British influence.Members of the government’s new soft power council, set up by ministers earlier this year, warned the BBC World Service, the British Council and universities – regarded as the bodies at the forefront of the UK’s soft power efforts – all face major financial pressures. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Fareham neighbour reported dad to council for casino birthday party despite 7pm finish

Jamie Obrien, from Hampshire, says his kill-joy neighbour complained about his son's birthday gathering. He says he receieved a phone call from environmental health over the 11-person party

Politics

3 w. ago Russia bombards Kyiv after Putin vows revenge for Operation Spiderweb

Four people killed and 20 wounded as missiles and drones strike Ukrainian capitalEurope live – latest updatesRussia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at Kyiv overnight, killing four people, after Vladimir Putin had vowed to respond to Operation Spiderweb.Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on Friday that Russia had launched more than 400 drones and more than 40 missiles at the country, as he urged allies to build pressure on the Kremlin to end its war. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago 'Neighbour from hell' dad reported to council for hosting casino party for son's birthday

Jamie Obrien claims a 'Karen' complained about his 'loud but reasonable' music

Politics

3 w. ago London council leader steps down following a damning report by housing regulator

Councillor Kieron Williams has resigned after months of criticism of his administration at Southwark Council

Politics

3 w. ago Global economy to slow as Donald Trump’s trade wars hit growth, OECD warns – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as OECD forecasts global growth will slow to 2.9% in 2025 and 2026UK will slump to 1% growth next year as Trump tariffs bite, says OECDUS firms say Trump trade war is hitting production as dollar nears three-year lowUS economic growth is expected to slow markedly to 1.6% in 2025 and 1.5% in 2026, the OECD says.That’s relatively weak growth by recent standard, and slower than the “robust” growth of 2.8% recorded in 2024.Annual headline inflation is set to pick up to 3.9% by end-2025 due to higher import prices but is expected to ease throughout 2026, aided by moderate GDP growth and higher unemployment.Risks to the growth projection are skewed to the downside, including a more substantial slowing of economic activity in the face of policy uncertainty, greater-than-expected upward pressure on prices from tariff increases, and large financial market corrections. Continue reading...

Events