54 m. ago Nicola Sturgeon’s immense political talent is undeniable. The nationalism was the problem | Martin Kettle

Many of her admirers gloss over her desire to break up the UK as Scotland’s first minister. But in her open and touching memoir, it plays a starring roleNicola Sturgeon was – and still is – important, talented, personable and, to many, inspirational. She was also extremely lucky and often wrong, sometimes seriously so. There are examples of all these qualities in her newly published memoir, Frankly. Sturgeosceptics should concede at once that it contains much that is fascinating, especially about her relations with her charismatic mentor turned vengeful enemy Alex Salmond. Starry-eyed Sturgies should equally admit she made several deep and lasting errors that have left behind a divided nationalist party and movement.The book is more open and touching about private issues than most political memoirs, although Sturgeon deploys these qualities selectively. Many of the intimate reflections are about being a woman in politics. Other memoirs by female politicians – including those of Marg...

Politics

54 m. ago Why you might want to think twice before using a period tracking app

Millions of women are using digital platforms to make sense of their menstrual cycles, without necessarily thinking about the implications for their personal data. Katie Rosseinsky speaks to the experts about the risks, and hears from women who’ve quit the apps

Politics

54 m. ago St Johnstone v Motherwell: Stephen O'Donnell gunning for Saints in cup rematch

The Steelmen head to Perth looking to reach the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup

Politics

1 hour ago Man accused of faking his death to avoid rape charges is found guilty of sexual assault in Utah

A Rhode Island man accused of faking his death and fleeing the United States to evade rape charges has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a former girlfriend in his first of two Utah trials

Events

2 h. ago Drug dealers targeting Brits in Tenerife arrested on strip where Jay Slater partied

A total of 55 men were arrested across several locations in a joint operation by National Police and local officers

Events

2 h. ago Rape survivors go head to head with controversial mens’ rights group outside Parliament

Members of Justice for Innocent Men Scotland (JIMS), who have been slammed for targeting women speaking out on abuse, are to be met with a counter protest at Holyrood.

Events

4 h. ago Dirty habit followed by 18 million Americans linked to alarming surge of schizophrenia

A collection of studies has revealed a concerning link between people who use a controversial drug daily and mental health problems that could turn fatal.

Events

5 h. ago Home and Away star reveals he was drugged and raped by two men when he was 18

Home and Away star Mat Stevenson has revealed he was raped by two men when he was 18 years old.

Events

5 h. ago Three men arrested for allegedly boosting $2 million from armored truck parked at a Home Depot

One of the alleged robbers was recently fired from Brinks, say Philadelphia police

Economics

6 h. ago Bleeding schoolboy asked for napkins after daylight knife attack left him with head wound

Police were called to Duke Street in Liverpool city centre at around 4.20pm today

Events

6 h. ago Jimmy Lai trial: closing arguments begin in Hong Kong trial of pro

Lai has been detained since December 2020, with western nations and rights groups calling for his releaseJailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai’s national security trial, which began in late 2023, will enter its final stages on Thursday as lawyers present closing arguments.The 77-year-old founder of the Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong’s national security law, which Beijing imposed following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Jimmy Lai trial: closing arguments in Hong Kong delayed by aftermath of Typhoon Podul

Lai has been detained since December 2020, with western nations and rights groups calling for his releaseThe closing arguments in the national security trial against jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai were postponed on Thursday after the Asian financial hub issued its highest-level “black” weather warning, stemming from ex-typhoon Podul.Queues had formed outside the court for the public gallery, but torrential rain saw the closing arguments in the trial, which began in late 2023, delayed. Proceedings are expected to resume on Friday. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Manchester Utd issue statement after head injury leads to fixture being abandoned

Manchester United's National League Cup game against Tamworth was forced to be abandoned due to a head injury sustained by Reds midfielder Sekou Kone, with the fixture in the first half

Events

6 h. ago Women's rights champion and Olympic hero Sharron Davies is set to become Conservative peer

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will reportedly appoint the 62-year-old to the House of Lords alongside columnist Simon Heffer and Graham Edwards, the Tory party treasurer and mega-donor.

Sport

7 h. ago Barriers prevent severe flooding in Alaska capital after glacier outburst

Officials say temporary barriers helped Juneau avoid hundreds of flooded homes from Mendenhall Glacier meltNewly installed river barriers held back record levels of flooding and prevented widespread damage in Alaska’s capital city on Wednesday, after an ice dam at the nearby Mendenhall Glacier released a huge surge of rainwater and snowmelt, officials said.Water pooled on several streets and in some yards in Juneau after the Mendenhall River crested earlier in the day, and high water was expected to persist for hours. But many residents in the flood zone had evacuated before peak water levels, and there were no damage reports similar to the past two summers, when about 300 homes were flooded. Continue reading...

Events

7 h. ago Three things we learned from Tottenham's Super Cup defeat to PSG with old

New head coach took charge of his first competitive game

Politics

8 h. ago Teen who murdered mum because he was 'upset' she confiscated his phone finally learns fate

Shawn Willis killed his parent in 2020 when he was 16 after creeping into her bedroom as she slept and taking a handgun from her bedside table before shooting her in the head

Events

8 h. ago Tottenham player ratings vs PSG: Cristian Romero leads by example as Richarlison takes chance

New Spurs head coach was taking charge of first competitive game

Sport

8 h. ago Nuno Mendes gets PSG party started in Super Cup shootout win against Spurs

Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Tottenham (4-3 pens)PSG score two late goals to set up shootoutIt turns out the DNA of serial ­winners cannot be developed within three months. Tottenham should have been able to announce themselves kings of the continent here in Udine, flimsy though any grand statements after a Uefa Super Cup win might be. Thomas Frank had challenged them to back up the heroics of Bilbao with a statement in the Friulian heat and, by the evening’s end, he should have been basking in the kind of start that can define a new manager’s tenure.Instead he received a reminder that there is no quick fix to some deep-rooted habits. For long periods Spurs, faced with a lethargic Paris Saint-Germain, resembled a perfectly imprinted version of the Frank playbook. They pummelled their ­opponents in the air, their two-goal lead owing much to well-executed free-kicks and plenty more havoc arising besides. On top of that they looked at ease with a three-man back line that gave a stellar atta...

Events

8 h. ago Men who attacked Orthodox Jews with water pistols get 'let off with a slap on the wrist'

Two social media influencers who targeted Orthodox Jews with a water pistols have been 'let off with a slap on the wrist', antisemitism campaigners say. 

Events