34 h. ago Luke Littler v Gian van Veen: PDC World Championship darts final – live

Alexandra Palace hosts the final, 8.15pm GMT startFollow us on Bluesky | And get in touch: email RobVan Veen was one of the few players with a positive record against Littler in 2025. He won three of their five meetings, though Littler was victorious in the two televised games: 10-4 in the UK Open quarter-final and 2-0 in an extraordinary first-round match at the World Grand Prix. Van Veen’s average of 106.47 was the highest in the tournament’s history (it’s double start), but Littler averaged over 105 and took out two huge finishes. Van Veen won only two of the eight legs.“We definitely bring out the best in each other,” said Littler after the game. Same again please, lads! Continue reading...

Sport

65 h. ago 2025 was Britain's hottest year on RECORD: Average UK temperature hit a balmy 10.09°C

The Met Officehas confirmed that the average temperature in the UK last year was a balmy 10.09°C, which is 0.96°C above the long-term average.

Events

3 d. ago ‘Shameful’ 41,000 people reached UK by small boat last year, says Home Office

Second highest annual number of irregular arrivals on record reached British shores in 2025More than 41,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats last year, figures branded “shameful” by the Home Office have revealed.The government said 41,472 people arrived in the UK by crossing the Channel in 2025 – the second highest number on record after 45,774 made the journey in 2022. Continue reading...

Society

3 d. ago Executions in Saudi Arabia hit highest number on record in 2025

Analysts attribute increase to kingdom’s ‘war on drugs’ as authorities kill 356 people by death penaltySaudi authorities executed 356 people in 2025, setting a new record for the number of inmates put to death in the kingdom in a single year.Analysts have largely attributed the increase in executions to Riyadh’s “war on drugs”, with some of those arrested in previous years only now being executed after legal proceedings and convictions. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Small boat data released in major update as girl, 8, among 2025 casualties

Home Office data shows 41,474 people made the perilous journey across the Channel in 2025, up 13% on the previous year but below the 2022 record of 45,774

Politics

3 d. ago Rodman’s future and Liverpool in need to buy – welcome to the women’s transfer window

With an unusually high number of elite-level players out of contract in 2026 it promises to be an intriguing JanuaryTransfer fees in women’s football have been rising at a rate of inflation that would cause anguish at the Bank of England. Last January alone, $5.8m (£4.3m) was spent in the women’s game globally and then a record $12.3m (£9.1m) was splashed in the 2025 summer transfer window, which was nearly twice as much as 12 months earlier and a four-fold increase on 2023. What can January 2026 possibly have in store?The upcoming winter window – which opens for English women’s clubs on 2 January and closes on 3 February – has already got off to a blockbuster start even before officially opening. The Germany striker Lea Schüller and Norway’s attacking midfielder Signe Gaupset are among those to have already signed for Women’s Super League clubs, but this is set to be a unique window for a different reason than merely the usual clamour for reinforcements. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Wall Street ends 2025 near record highs after year of economic upheaval

US markets buoyed by sustained rise in tech stocks as investors largely shrug off concerns over Trump tariffsWall Street finished 2025 near record highs on Wednesday, as ballooning tech valuations and hopes of lower interest rates helped stock markets defy a year of economic uncertainty.The benchmark S&P 500 rose 16.4% over the course of the year, closing at 6,845.50 on New Year’s Eve in New York, as investors largely shrugged off geopolitical uncertainty and the frenzy around artificial intelligence continued. Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago London stock market ending best year since 2009 at record high – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsThe London stock market has opened a little higher, on the final trading day of the year.The FTSE 100 index has gained 9 points, or almost 0.1%, to 9,949 points, towards the intraday record high set yesterday. Continue reading...

Economics

5 d. ago Ten English fire services tackled record number of grass, forest and crop fires in 2025

Fire chief says summer, the UK’s hottest on record, was ‘one of the most challenging for wildfires that we’ve ever faced’Ten English fire services tackled a record number of grassland, woodland and crop fires during what was the UK’s hottest spring and summer on record, figures show.In total nearly 27,000 wildfires were dealt with by fire services in England during the prolonged dry weather of 2025, according to analysis by PA Media. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Oasis amassed one MILLION album sales in 2025 despite not releasing a single new record in 17 years

Oasis have amassed one million album sales in 2025 despite not releasing a single record in 17 years following the success of their world tour.

Economics

5 d. ago Glorious Gary Anderson revels in remarkable renaissance to take out Van Gerwen

Scotsman rolled back years to reach first quarter-final since 2022 at the expense of toiling Michael van Gerwen“I’m just here to cause a headache,” Gary Anderson had told everyone in advance of this game, and for the great Michael van Gerwen the hangover from this crushing 4-1 defeat will comfortably outstrip any quantity of New Year’s Eve festivity. It was a little nervy at the end, a little scrappy and short of breath. But somehow the result had never really been in doubt from the early stages: Van Gerwen, the three-time champion, was simply outplayed by a man almost two decades his senior, a true darting maestro enjoying an uproarious final act to his career.In reaching the quarter-finals of this tournament for the first time since 2022, Anderson has finally made good on a renaissance that has been at least a couple of years in the making. As the halcyon days of his career began to recede in a haze of domestic bliss, tournaments missed and general middle-aged apathy, it became co...

Politics

5 d. ago Huge Brit band rack up 1 MILLION album sales in 2025 without releasing a single record

OASIS racked up a million album sales in the UK this year – without releasing a single new tune.  Their reunion tour has fuelled a massive resurgence in their records, meaning two of their albums finished in 2025’s Top Ten, according to the British Phonographic Industry.  Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, along with their bandmates,...

Economics

5 d. ago Justin Hood reels off record 11 consecutive doubles in World Darts Championship romp

Debutant continues stunning run to reach quarter-finals‘I’m not used to it. I usually get hate messages. It’s mad’The underdog Justin Hood reeled off a record 11 consecutive doubles en route to a stunning 4-0 win over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.The 32-year-old debutant continued his stunning run in the tournament and missed his first double when he threw for the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. He stepped back to take out the match on a 119 finish in the following leg, guaranteeing a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and taking him closer to his dream of opening a Chinese restaurant.This report will update later on Tuesday Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Iceland has hottest Christmas Eve ever with temperature of 19.8C recorded

Meteorological office reports high temperatures across country and record measured at Seyðisfjörður in eastRecord temperatures of almost 20C were reached in Iceland on Christmas Eve, the local meteorological office has confirmed.Seyðisfjörður, a small town in the east of Iceland, hit 19.8C on 24 December. Average December temperatures in Iceland are between -1C and 4C. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago 2025 was one of three hottest years on record, scientists say

Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the hottest years ever recorded

Politics

7 d. ago Revealed: The record sums being paid for personalised novelty number plates

Personalised registration plates have been sold for record numbers in 2025 with one being sold for almost a million pounds, new figures show. 

Politics

8 d. ago London Sets Historic Arms Sales Record With Two Export Deals, Trading 20bn Pounds In 2025

London Sets Historic Arms Sales Record With Two Export Deals, Trading 20bn Pounds In 2025  Defense Express

Economics

9 d. ago Coffee shops and palm trees now line the infamous 'Chop Chop Square' where public executions took place. But behind prison walls, Saudi Arabia is putting more people to death than ever

To Western tourists, the easy-going atmosphere might seem convincing evidence that the bad old days when Saudi Arabia was synonymous with medieval barbarity have disappeared forever.

Events

9 d. ago Why 2026 is forecast to be a good year for investing in the UK

The stalling economy and London becoming a backwater for listings remain serious concerns, yet the FTSE 100 index was nudging record highs at the end of 2025.

Politics

1 week ago Met Office reveals 2025 likely to be UK's hottest year on record with 10C average temperature

The UK might have had its warmest year on record

Politics