55 m. ago Map reveals areas of Britain with the most smokers,  as new study finds Britons puff over 78 MILLION cigarettes every day

Researchers in London , who assessed the smoking habits of almost 80,000 Britons, found smokers still had 10 cigarettes per day on average in 2024.

Events

94 m. ago Shoppers will be blocked from using buy now, pay later under new crackdown

The FCA has launched a new buy now, pay later consultation into how it can protect customers from taking on debt that they cannot afford

Economics

1 hour ago Marks and Spencer announces major change at tills in Sparks freebies

M&S has said it is offering a range of treats and rewards across fashion and home as a "thank you" to its customers as its Sparks loyalty scheme is back online.

Politics

3 h. ago Thunder, lightning, 'large hail', gales and downpours in yellow alert

The warnings from the Met Office come into force on Friday

Events

3 h. ago Jupiter was once massive enough to hold 2,000 Earths says research

Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, is 11 times wider than Earth, and has a mass 2.5 times greater than all of the rest of the planets combined

Politics

4 h. ago ‘Our silence didn’t protect him’: daughter pleads for father on death row in Iran

Arrested in 2023 after helping those injured during Women, Life, Freedom protests, Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri has been subjected to torture and a forced confession, say family and campaignersIn late October 2022, as protests over 22-year-old Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody swept across Iran, Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, a father of three, was racing through alleyways in the city of Bukan, in western Iran, carrying medical supplies to secret clinics where doctors treated injured demonstrators in defiance of the state.Many of the wounded were too afraid to seek hospital care after reports of secret police patrolling wards, interrogating patients and detaining injured protesters. By helping, Babamiri, a 47-year-old fruit and vegetable farmer, did not see himself as a revolutionary but simply as someone doing what was right, says his daughter, Zhino. Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Trump directs attorney general Pam Bondi to seek release of Epstein grand jury testimony – US politics live

Bondi replies to president’s Truth Social post to say she is ‘ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts’Trump supporters burn Maga hats after he dismisses Epstein files furorDonald Trump has lashed out against his own supporters, calling them gullible “weaklings” for questioning the transparency of a secretive government inquiry into the late high-profile socialite and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The US president is struggling to contain a political crisis within his usually loyal Make America Great Again (Maga) base over suspicion that the administration is hiding details of Epstein’s crimes to protect the rich elite Epstein associated with, which included Trump. Continue reading...

Politics

5 h. ago Britons puff over 78 MILLION cigarettes every day, shock study finds

Researchers in London , who assessed the smoking habits of almost 80,000 Britons, found smokers still had 10 cigarettes per day on average in 2024.

Events

6 h. ago Trump directs attorney general Pam Bondi to release Epstein grand jury testimony – US politics live

Bondi replies to president’s Truth Social post to say she is ‘ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts’Trump supporters burn Maga hats after he dismisses Epstein files furorDonald Trump has lashed out against his own supporters, calling them gullible “weaklings” for questioning the transparency of a secretive government inquiry into the late high-profile socialite and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The US president is struggling to contain a political crisis within his usually loyal Make America Great Again (Maga) base over suspicion that the administration is hiding details of Epstein’s crimes to protect the rich elite Epstein associated with, which included Trump. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Unreleased Epstein files reportedly include bawdy letter from Trump – US politics live

Wall Street Journal reports US president wrote letter to mark Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003 – but Trump dismisses it as ‘fake thing’Trump supporters burn Maga hats after he dismisses Epstein files furorDonald Trump has lashed out against his own supporters, calling them gullible “weaklings” for questioning the transparency of a secretive government inquiry into the late high-profile socialite and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The US president is struggling to contain a political crisis within his usually loyal Make America Great Again (Maga) base over suspicion that the administration is hiding details of Epstein’s crimes to protect the rich elite Epstein associated with, which included Trump. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Britons smoke nearly 30 billion cigarettes every year, study finds

An estimated 28.6 billion cigarettes are smoked in Britain each year, equating to 78 million every day, according to a new analysis that highlights stark inequalities in consumption across the country. Researchers are now calling for targeted public health efforts to address these disparities and tackle persistent smoking rates.

Events

9 h. ago Majority of teachers fear children will go hungry during school holidays, survey says

Two thirds of teachers in England are worried that children in their school will go hungry during the summer holidays, according to new research.

Society

9 h. ago Universities awarded funding to help recruit ‘world’s top researchers’ to UK

The £54 million Global Talent Fund aims to attract up to 80 researchers in high-priority sectors such as life sciences and digital technologies.

Events

9 h. ago PCA calls for cut to County Championship schedule to protect players’ wellbeing

Counties have held discussions about changes to the calendar for next year.

Sport

10 h. ago Wife of embattled Louisiana police chief charged in immigration visa fraud scheme also arrested

The wife of a Louisiana police chief, who was charged amid a sweeping federal investigation into an immigration visa fraud scheme, was also arrested on Thursday

Events

12 h. ago Israeli airstrike hits Sweida city in Syria as Bedouin tribes clash with Druze

Conflict restarts in southern province as Druze groups reportedly target Bedouin villages in ‘revenge’ attacksThe Israeli military has carried out an airstrike on the outskirts of Sweida city as clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters intensified on Thursday night.The clashes started a wave of tit-for-tat retaliatory violence earlier on in the day after Syrian government forces withdrew from Sweida. Continue reading...

Events

14 h. ago Bryan Kohberger watches from jail as Idaho murders rules evidence can finally be made public

After Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty, a media coalition - including Daily Mail - argued the need to protect his right to a fair trial is 'moot.'

Events

14 h. ago Massive Attack announce alliance of musicians speaking out over Gaza

Brian Eno, Fontaines DC and Kneecap say group will support those subject to ‘aggressive, vexatious campaigns’ by pro-Israel advocatesMassive Attack, Brian Eno, Fontaines DC and Kneecap have announced the formation of a syndicate for artists speaking out about Israel’s military assault on Gaza, who they say have been subjected to “aggressive, vexatious campaigns” by pro-Israel advocates.Posting on Instagram, the musicians said their aim was to protect other artists, particularly those at early stages of their careers, from being “threatened into silence or career cancellation” by organisations such as UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). Continue reading...

Events

14 h. ago White House says Trump won’t recommend special prosecutor in Epstein case and calls Democrats wanting transparency ‘asinine’ – live

White House press secretary doubles down on Trump’s partisan lines of attack about the Jeffrey Epstein case, which as cause turmoil among his Maga baseTrump supporters burn Maga hats after he dismisses Epstein files furorDonald Trump has lashed out against his own supporters, calling them gullible “weaklings” for questioning the transparency of a secretive government inquiry into the late high-profile socialite and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The US president is struggling to contain a political crisis within his usually loyal Make America Great Again (Maga) base over suspicion that the administration is hiding details of Epstein’s crimes to protect the rich elite Epstein associated with, which included Trump. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago Schools to give pupils extra WEEK off so 'families can go on cheaper holidays'

School pupils could are set to be given an extra week over the autumn half term so parents can get cheaper holidays away with the scheme also aiming to cut staff absences

Politics