5 h. ago ‘I don’t touch my phone. At home, I’d be scrolling’: why young people are flocking to independent cinemas

Young people are drawn in by the promise of a ‘no-distractions’ zone, rereleases of old classics and music documentaries by global artistsA new generation of film lovers is helping to drive an increase in cinema attendance across the UK. As the industry slowly recovers from the decline of audiences during the pandemic – there were 126.5m admissions in 2024 compared with 176.1m in 2019, the rise in younger people returning to cinema may be due to a newfound love for film developed during the lockdown years. Although figures are yet to be restored to pre-pandemic levels, admission rates are continuing to increase, and it is younger audiences in particular who are showing significant enthusiasm, with figures from the Cinema Advertising Association suggesting that under-35s make up 50% of cinemagoers across the board.This is a proportion, which includes all cinemas including mainstream multiplexes, has held steady over the last few years but the effect appears particularly marked on the...

Politics

30 h. ago Reggaeton artist Jhayco arrested and accused of cocaine possession in Florida

The songwriter’s car allegedly contained two black pouches with 7 grams of suspected cannabis in each one

Events

37 h. ago ‘Zombie grannies’ acting as ‘human bombers’ for Ukraine says Putin's secret service

Russia's FSB counterintelligence service has accused a group of elderly women of being 'human bombs', after the pensioners were allegedly lured by Ukraine's secret services

Politics

64 h. ago My beautiful French detour: the belle epoque charm of the Pays de la Loire coastline

This tucked-away corner of north-west France is home to beautiful beaches, salt marshes and ciderThe saying goes “curiosity killed the cat”, as if being nosy is a bad thing. As I stood knee-deep in the cool Atlantic Ocean, marvelling at the beauty and emptiness of the Plage de Port Lin, I decided this was nonsense: without this little detour, “just to have a look”, I’d never have discovered Le Croisic, on the Guérande peninsula. The downside is that time isn’t on my side: it’s past 5pm and I’m supposed to be at the big resort, La Baule-Escoublac, six miles east by now. But the presqu’île (a “nearly island”), as the French call it, tucked in the corner where Brittany meets Pays de la Loire, is calling out to be explored.First, though, a late afternoon dip in the sea is too hard to resist, and I wade into the water, sharing a delighted smile with fellow swimmers. Two elderly women in flowery swimming caps nod a cheery “Bonsoir” as I take my first strokes. Afterward...

Politics

5 d. ago Man arrested after 'entering elderly women's homes and touching himself'

"People deserve to be safe in their own homes"

Events

6 d. ago Ruth Langsford opens up about the 'relentless responsibility' of being a carer

The Loose Women star cares for her elderly mother Joan, who has Alzheimer’s and admits ‘at times it can be overwhelming’

Politics

7 d. ago Babushka beatdown! Moment grandmothers have an all out brawl over who gets to buy last pack of cigarettes

This is the shocking moment two elderly women were spotted brawling in a shop over the last pack of cigarettes.

Events

7 d. ago The homes that AI built: From touching up the paintwork to filling rooms with extra furniture, photos reveal how estate agents are using tech to improve listings

Estate agents looking to make lucrative sales are increasingly using AI tech to help win over potential buyers scouring online for ideal new homes.

Culture