21 m. ago Bathgate’s Regal Theatre hosts commemoration of 80th anniversary of VE Day

Armed Forces charity ASA Scotland organised the commemoration which featured performances from Whitburn Brass Band, Sing West Lothian Choir and pupils from various primary schools.

Politics

36 m. ago Gene Hackman estate goes to court to prevent release of autopsy pictures

Fearing release of distressing material, lawyers have petitioned a Santa Fe court to seal records to protect the family’s right to privacyA representative for the estate of actor Gene Hackman is seeking to block the public release of autopsy and investigative reports, especially photographs and police body-camera video, related to the recent deaths of Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, after their partially mummified bodies were discovered at their New Mexico home in February.Authorities last week announced Hackman died at age 95 of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease as much as a week after Arakawa, 65, died from a rare rodent-borne disease, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hackman’s pacemaker last showed signs of activity on 18 February, indicating an abnormal heart rhythm on the day he probably died. The couple’s bodies weren’t discovered until 26 February. Continue reading...

Events

37 m. ago ‘I’ve had murderers try to find me. I’ve had armed people say they’ll shoot’ – Dan Reed on the fallout from his Michael Jackson films

The documentary maker has received constant death threats from Jackson fans ever since his devastating Leaving Neverland aired. He reveals why he had to make a follow-up‘I’ve kept company with very violent people for a very long time,” says documentary-maker Dan Reed, in his office whose location has to be kept secret – I was led here, from a decoy address, by the Channel 4 publicist. “I’ve had murderers try to find me. I’ve had people threaten to shoot me who are armed. I’ve been threatened many, many times. I don’t want to say I’m a tough guy, but the needle doesn’t go into the red until I’ve got something quite specific. The threats delivered face to face I took seriously. People trying to find my home address to post me a parcel I took seriously. People in China sending me emails? I don’t take so seriously. They’re going to have to get on a plane.”OK, well he does sound like a tough guy, or at least a foreign correspondent of the old school, and that’s fair enough. From the...

Events

37 m. ago Deporting speakers over supposed ‘propaganda’ is a stock authoritarian move | Sarah McLaughlin

You don’t need to hold sympathy for Mahmoud Khalil’s views to see why his targeting is an immense threat to free expressionThe dust is starting to settle on the conflicting reports emerging after immigration officers’ arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University protest leader and green card holder, last weekend – and Americans should be alarmed by the similarities to authoritarian regimes’ speech policing.The White House has confirmed the arrest took place under a law granting the secretary of state unilateral power to act when given “reasonable ground to believe” an immigrant’s “presence or activities in the United States would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the country. Continue reading...

Culture

61 m. ago How a slice of cinnamon became a status symbol: Sweet rolls take over the high street as Waitrose report at 300% increase in search for goods flavoured with the spice

Often enjoyed in a cosy coffee shop alongside a fancy coffee, cinnamon buns are often a delight to tuck into - especially on the cold, rainier days in the UK.

Politics

76 m. ago Ofsted chief says proposed report cards were never about ‘less accountability’

Sir Martyn Oliver, chief inspector of Ofsted, said giving parents the information they need in a clear and accessible way was a ‘must-have’.

Politics

78 m. ago House Democratic leaders reiterate opposition to Republican funding bill as shutdown deadline looms – live

At least eight Senate Democrats would need to vote with Republicans to move the bill forward ahead of midnight deadline to fund governmentChuck Schumer to vote for Republican funding bill to avert shutdownDanish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen rejected on Friday president Donald Trump’s latest remarks about annexing Greenland, saying the Danish autonomous island could not be taken over by another country.“If you look at the Nato treaty, the UN charter or international law, Greenland is not open to annexation,” he told reporters, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Continue reading...

Politics

85 m. ago Ruben Amorim could live to regret Man Utd transfer promise after Chelsea 'hijack deal'

Ruben Amorim's transfer promise to former club Sporting CP seems to have worked in Chelsea's favour, who have already reportedly agreed a deal to sign Manchester United target Geovany Quenda

Economics

90 m. ago Isolated lives of Vladimir Putin's secret sons from concealed identities to armoured trains

As experts express grave concerns over the situation unfolding in Russia, Vladimir Putin's secret sons are reportedly waiting in the wings, being prepped to one day take over his tyrannical dynasty

Politics

91 m. ago Pupil caught with knife at Scots primary school as police probe incident

A pupil has been caught with a knife at a Scots primary school.

Events

93 m. ago UK economy shrinks in January; stocks and euro jump on reported German debt deal – business live

UK economy unexpectedly contracts by 0.1% in January in blow to the chancellor ahead of spring statementLet’s look at the GDP figures in more detail.The 0.9% drop in production output in January, which came after 0.5% growth in December, was mainly caused by a 1.1% slump in manufacturing while mining and quarrying also declined. Basic metals and metal products were down along with pharmaceutical products. Continue reading...

Economics

95 m. ago Protestant denominations cutting staff, trying new ideas amid declines in members and money

When the Episcopal Church announced cuts to its national staff last month, it was the latest in a long-running cycle among historic U.S. Protestant denominations — declines in members leading to declines in funding and thus in staff

Events

97 m. ago ‘They shouldn’t have to fight alone’: the families on the frontline of the Navajo Nation missing people crisis – photo essay

The disproportionate violence against Indigenous people is deeply felt on and around the reservation, where families must become their own investigators. Words and photography by Wayan BarreOn a cold January evening in 2021, Joey Apachee, a Navajo father of two, set out to meet a friend near the water tower in Steamboat, Arizona. Hours later, he was found beaten to death. However, despite a confession from a suspect, no trial has taken place. Joey’s father Jesse Apachee, a retired police officer, says the family feels abandoned by the Navajo Nation’s justice system.Indigenous people experience violence at alarmingly high rates. According to the Urban Indian Health Institute, in some parts of the US, Indigenous women are murdered at a rate 10 times higher than the national average. Additionally, 10,123 Native American people were recorded as missing in 2022, though the real tally is probably higher due to inconsistencies in reporting and data collection. In recent years the crisis ha...

Events

2 h. ago Met Police officer David Carrick appears in court accused of raping woman and sexually assaulting teenage schoolgirl

The 50-year-old, of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, appeared via video link from prison at the Old Bailey today.

Events

2 h. ago Inside Tiger Woods' new romance with Vanessa Trump after 'quietly dating for months'

Vanessa Trump has reportedly been dating golf legend Tiger Woods for several months, after splitting from her husband Donald Trump Jnr. in 2018

Politics

2 h. ago Rachel Reeves refuses to deny reports two child benefit cap could be eased for under fives

The UK Government is expected to announce plans to cut spending on disability and sickness benefits, but reports have also suggested Ministers could partially scrap the two child cap.

Politics

2 h. ago As Keir targets the 'flabby' civil service... it's revealed an official was TRIPLE

A new fraud report published by the Cabinet Office detailed how the individual had twice held three roles in three Whitehall departments.

Politics

2 h. ago US sidelined Trump envoy after Kremlin claimed he was too ‘close to Ukraine’, report says

Ukraine’s ceasefire hangs in the balance after Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow

Politics

2 h. ago Black, Asian and Mixed heritage children "invisible", safeguarding report finds

A new child safeguarding report has revealed that there was no acknowledgment of race or racism when it came to the reviews of 53 Black, Asian and Mixed heritage children who died or were harmed which was deeply concerning.

Politics

2 h. ago Britain's greenhouse gas emissions have FALLEN to their lowest level since 1872, promising analysis reveals

The UK's greenhouse gas emissions are now at levels not seen consistently since Victorian times, report experts at Carbon Brief.

Society