15 h. ago Lovely Scottish chocolate box cottage nestled alongside river for sale

The property offers a perfect mix of historic charm and modern comfort.

Politics

19 h. ago Gary Neville singles out two Chelsea stars in bruising Leeds loss

Chelsea were beaten by Leeds with a defensive mix-up allowing the Yorkshire side to easily score their third of the evening as Gary Neville lamented the players involved

Politics

22 h. ago ‘A mini Battle of Cable Street’: the English neighbourhoods still grappling with the meaning of the flags

The controversy over flags has faded from the national agenda – but street by street, late at night and with ingenious equipment, their raising and removal is the subject of a roiling dispute over local identityThe Christmas lights have gone up in Stirchley. A multifaith mix of stars and swirls add a festive air to the lamp-posts along the main street of this south Birmingham suburb. Stirchley is a modest kind of place, sandwiched between better known (and better off) areas such as Bourneville and Moseley, but there is plenty of evidence here of the lively community spirit that last year resulted in the area being named the best place to live in the Midlands.Posters in shop windows along Pershore Road advertise a knitting group, a neighbourhood winter fair and the local food bank, while in the former swimming baths, now a community hub, friendly flyers for coffee mornings and choirs are stacked. Continue reading...

Events

23 h. ago ‘Embodying the zeitgeist more than ever’: German sitcom character Stromberg revived for Merz era

New film is based on TV series inspired by The Office, whose lead character is said to resemble the chancellorHe’s the middle-manager who talks as if he’s the CEO, a beacon of workplace inclusivity in his own head but a bigoted chauvinist as soon as he opens his mouth. And listening to him creates a mix of familiarity and embarrassment-by-proxy that turns out to be surprisingly pleasurable.Ricky Gervais’s cringe-making general manager of a soul-destroyingly dull Slough-based paper merchant stopped being a regular presence on British TV over two decades ago, but the many comedic characters that he spawned across the globe have outlived him. Continue reading...

Events

25 h. ago 20st security officer 'was so desperate to lose weight that he stole fat jabs from firm he was guarding'

Ricky Hopkins, 41, was spotted with 73 Mounjaro jabs from a medicine bin for rejected pens. The 20-stone guard was working for a pharmaceutical company at the time.

Events

26 h. ago STEPHEN GLOVER: Rachel Reeves' fatal mix of incompetence and mendacity makes her unfit to be Chancellor. It's time for her to put country first and resign

What is to be done about Rachel Reeves? Will she be allowed to go on breaking promises and attracting endless allegations of lying? Or will Sir Keir Starmer finally act - and end our misery?

Events

28 h. ago US gives Ayatollah a taste of his own medicine as it deploys Iran

THE Pentagon will "flip the script on Iran" by sending a squadron of kamikaze attack drones to the Middle East. Iran's supreme leader will soon get a taste of his own medicine when the American mass produced drones reach their targets. The design of the deadly long-range, low-cost drones is an improvement on the Iranian-designed...

Politics

37 h. ago Dan Houser on Victorian novels, Red Dead Redemption and redefining open

As the Grand Theft Auto co-writer launches a new project, he reflects on his hugely successful open-world adventures and where game design might go next• Don’t get Pushing Buttons delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereIt is hard to think of a more modern entertainment format than the open-world video game. These sprawling technological endeavours, which mix narrative, social connectivity and the complete freedom to explore, are uniquely immersive and potentially endless. But do they represent a whole new idea of storytelling?This week I met Dan Houser, the co-founder of Rockstar and lead writer on Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, who has been in London to talk about his new company, Absurd Ventures. He’s working on a range of intriguing projects, including the novel and podcast series A Better Paradise (about a vast online game that goes tragically wrong), and a comedy-adventure set in an online world named Absurdaverse. He told me that, 15 years ago, he was doing press inte...

Events

39 h. ago How to turn excess nuts and seeds into a barnstoming festive pudding – recipe | Waste not

Love ice-cream, don’t love Christmas pudding? This make-ahead semifreddo, jewelled with dried fruits, might just fit the bill Last Christmas we visited my in-laws in Cape Town, where, at over 30C, a traditional Christmas pudding just didn’t feel quite right. But my mother-in-law and her friend created the most delicious feast: a South African braai (barbecue) followed by an incredible ice-cream Christmas pudding made by mashing vanilla ice-cream with a mix of tutti frutti, candied peel, raisins and cherries. This semifreddo is a take on that dessert: a light frozen custard that still carries all the festive flavours.Tutti frutti semifreddo Christmas puddingWe stopped using clingfilm in our kitchen 15 years ago now, because it’s not easily recycled and because of health concerns about the possible transfer of microplastics into our food. Most semifreddo recipes tell you to line the freezer container with clingfilm, but I suggest using no liner at all, or silicone-free, unbleached bak...

Politics

40 h. ago ‘The Mamdani effect’: wealthy New Yorkers show renewed interest in Miami’s Billionaire’s Beach

Sales spike at the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Cipriani as luxury buyers weigh moves from ManhattanThere is a short stretch of prime waterfront real estate in Miami that has come to be known as Billionaire’s Beach. It contains a mix of famous old art deco hotels such as the Delano and Raleigh, both undergoing extensive upmarket refurbishments, and the construction of exclusive new residential tower blocks with high-end apartments running into the tens of millions.It is here on the sun-filled shores of South Beach, more than a thousand miles from the chills of a Manhattan winter, where realtors and developers are beginning to see the first shoots of what they call the “Mamdani effect”: the predicted exodus of wealthy New Yorkers in the wake of socialist democrat Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor. Continue reading...

Society

41 h. ago Simon Cowell Next Act release date and what to expect from Netflix talent show

Simon Cowell is responsible for launching the careers of Westlife, Little Mix, Olly Murs, and of course, One Direction.

Politics

42 h. ago Woke nativity with Jesus, Mary and Joseph's faces 'pixelated' so 'all skin tones are represented' sparks fury

A woke nativity scene has sparked fury after the creator pixelated the faces of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to represent 'a diverse mix of skin tones'.

Politics

44 h. ago I tested Aldi’s Christmas munch mix vs M&S’ iconic tins – I spotted a key difference

MOVE over mince pies, Christmas snacking is all about the Munch Mix in our family. It’s a pick-a-mix selection of salty-and-sweet treats, with milk, white and dark chocolates, popcorn, salty pretzels, red and green candy, mini eggs, caramel almonds and milk chocolate peanuts. M&S invented it back in 2021 - and now has three varieties...

Politics

51 h. ago The streets painted red by paan: Locals call for crackdown in spitting hotspots where 'gross' stains splatter bins, floors and trees

Parts of Leicester are being covered by a rust-coloured mix of saliva and paan after people commonly from South and South East Asia have finished chewing it.

Politics

57 h. ago Jesy Nelson puts new music on hold as she films ‘incredible’ new Prime docuseries

Jesy nelson has officially put her plans for new music on hold to focus on her upcoming Prime Video documentary instead.  The former Little Mix star’s fiancé Zion Foster took to social media to tease the project, slated for release in early 2026.  Singer Zion said: “At the moment we have been solely focusing on...

Culture

57 h. ago NHS will not receive extra money from Treasury to cover cost of inflated drug prices resulting from new US trade deal

Number 10 today admitted medicines will cost taxpayers an additional £1billion a year but was unable to say how they would be paid for.

Economics

65 h. ago China introduces ‘condom tax’ as it tries to get people to have more children

Beginning January, contraceptive medicines and devices, including condoms, will be subjected to a 13% value-added tax for first time since 1993

Politics

3 d. ago An anonymous $50M gift will cover some tuition for medical lab students at University of Washington

An anonymous donation expected to exceed $50 million is helping cover tuition costs for medical laboratory science students at the University of Washington for the next half-century

Science

3 d. ago Warning over weight loss jab shortage as obesity set to double by 2030

GLP-1 medication, such as Wegovy, was added to the list of ‘essential’ medicines by the World Health Organization in September

Events

3 d. ago Edinburgh Zoo sued by keeper for discrimination after 'ADHD caused monkey mix up'

Former Edinburgh zookeeper Lisa O'Hara is suing her former employers, claiming colleagues subjected to "degrading" treatment and "excessive scrutiny" due to her ADHD.

Events