5 h. ago Spy in the Bag mystery: Expert claims he was asked to 'cover up' MI6 spook's death and reveals SIX glaring red flags that show he was murdered

In one of the most mysterious deaths ever on British soil, on August 16 2010, Gareth Williams was found impossibly folded inside a red North Face holdall in his bath. He was just 31.

Events

9 h. ago ‘The stone is like a sign pointing the way for pilgrims’: Adelino Marques’s best phone picture

On the route of the Camino de Santiago, the Portuguese photographer spotted an impossible-looking rock Adelino Marques was taking a morning walk on the coast near his holiday home in Moledo, north-west Portugal, when he took this image. “It’s the northernmost beach in Portugal and is considered one of the most beautiful in the country,” Marques says. “It also has two unique features: a fort in the middle of the sea, which served as a defence against various attacks over the centuries and is now a national monument, and the hill you can see in the background of this image, Monte de Santa Tecla. It’s in the neighbouring country of Spain, but is nevertheless an icon of this beach.”In the foreground of the image is a rock that echoes the shape of the hill, with a stone “placed atop in a way that would seem impossible. Pilgrims pass through this area every day to walk to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, a pilgrimage that covers around 500 miles [805km] and takes about...

Technology

9 h. ago City firms offer ‘bring your dog’ and cookies as perks to lure workers back to office

Hair straighteners in bathrooms and running clubs among pushes to reduce WFH

Society

10 h. ago Jade Thirlwall criticises Matty Healy over ‘disappointing’ political decision

‘I don’t think you can be a pop artist and cover your eyes,’ singer said

Politics

10 h. ago Supporting kids with Send is expensive. But the cost of not doing so is far greater | Carrie Grant

Education, health and care plans have been invaluable for my children. Hints they could be scrapped fill me with fearCarrie Grant is a TV presenter and voice coach and a parent of four children with special educational needsThree of my four children have had full EHCPs. These are education, health and care plans, which means each child’s needs have been assessed and documented. They guarantee that appropriate provision to meet those needs has been agreed and must now be delivered by law. Well-written EHCPs are invaluable, particularly the legal part. Without it there would be no rigour, no meaningful challenge and, ultimately, no power to ensure that the right educational support is provided.Naturally, then, I was worried when earlier this year the government began discussing reforms, with the possibility of scrapping EHCPs. Ministers said they had inherited a system on its knees, with local authorities struggling to cope with the rising demand for support for children with special ...

Politics

10 h. ago Hidden gem town with incredible Justin Bieber and William Shakespeare links

Stratford in Ontario, Canada, may seem like a world away from the UK but it is filled with nods to British history - and is actually the birthplace of one of the biggest stars of the 21st century

Politics

11 h. ago ‘I didn’t realise the game’s impact for years’: the making of the original Football Manager

When Kevin Toms created the first footie tactics simulation in the early days of the gaming industry, it became a phenomenon – and a source of cherished memoriesIf you were a football fan who owned a computer in the early 1980s, there is one game you will instantly recall. The box had an illustration of the FA Cup, and in the bottom right-hand corner was a photo of a smiling man with curly hair and a goatie beard. You’d see the same images in gaming magazines adverts – they ran for years because, despite having rudimentary graphics and very basic sounds, the game was an annual bestseller. This was Football Manager, the world’s first footie tactics simulation. The man on the cover was Kevin Toms, the game’s creator and programmer.The story behind the game is typical for the whiz-kid era, when lone coders would bash out bestselling ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 titles in their bedrooms and then end up driving Ferraris around with the proceeds. As a child in the early 1970s, Toms was a ...

Sport

11 h. ago Dermatologist debunks TikTok hair trend and warns of potential scalp damage

One dermatologist has issued a warning against a popular TikTok haircare trend that advises people to wash their hair less frequently as it can cause scalp issues

Events

13 h. ago My Cultural Awakening: Years & Years helped me accept my bisexual identity

Olly Alexander’s stage presence and his band’s lyrics pulled together the two sides of my nature, and accept my desire for menI first discovered Olly Alexander, of Years & Years, by accident. I was teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea, and I showed a video of a BBC Glastonbury roundup on the projector as part of the lesson. I remember glimpsing an incredibly cute blond guy on stage, and being transfixed. I knew immediately that he was gay because the way he moved was unashamedly fluid and graceful. He was doing a pirouette.The clip was so short there wasn’t even a mention of the name of the band, so I had to do some detective work. I Googled something ridiculous like “bleached hair gay man Glastonbury 2015” and trawled through hundreds of search results until I found him. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago Miracle as boy SURVIVES three days trapped at bottom of ravine after 240ft plunge

Dakota "Cody" Trenkle Jr had a skateboarding accident near his grandmother's home in Goose Creek Lake, Missouri, and became trapped down the ravine as a result

Events

17 h. ago Gardeners urged to act this weekend in 'race' for free plants

There's no need to splash hundreds at the garden centre - you can ensure your borders are filled with a beautiful display of flowers by following four simple steps

Politics

20 h. ago Bid to reach world's first plastic pollution treaty ends in failure after 10

The consequence of the failed talks is devastating, as it leaves no clear path for nations to collectively address the mountains of plastic that are filling landfills.

Events

20 h. ago Why you should immediately start putting olive oil in your hair

The common cooking staple can help dry hair go from drab to fab

Society

22 h. ago Rose gold heated hair brush that 'cuts styling time in half' now under £27 on Amazon

"My hair is so much less frizzy and feels so soft. Highly recommend."

Society

23 h. ago Fans fume as faulty TV coverage causes them to miss first goal of Premier League season

Liverpool took a first-half lead against Bournemouth in the first game of the new Premier League season but some supporters complained about coverage of the match

Politics

26 h. ago Trump says he wants to see a ceasefire and ‘won’t be happy if it’s not today’ – Europe live

US president says Russia needs to show willingness to seriously talk about the end of the war in Ukraine, as he travels to meeting in Anchorage, AlaskaAsked if his conversation with Trump will cover territorial issues, Trump says:“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they’ll make a proper decision, but I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table. “I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good.I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war stopped.” Continue reading...

Politics

26 h. ago Parts of Manhattan covered in black smoke after apartment fire leads to massive emergency response

Three NYC firefighters sustained slight injuries Friday while containing a roof fire at a seven-story Upper East Side apartment building

Events

27 h. ago Your Guardian sport weekend: Premier League, Rugby Championship and more

Here’s how to follow the Premier League and more with our coverage – the finest writing and live reports Continue reading...

Sport

28 h. ago Trump confirms plans for ‘economically severe’ sanctions for Russia over Ukraine as he goes to meet Putin – Europe live

US president says Russia needs to show willingness to seriously talk about the end of the war in Ukraine, as he travels to meeting in Anchorage, AlaskaAsked if his conversation with Trump will cover territorial issues, Trump says:“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they’ll make a proper decision, but I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table. “I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good.I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war stopped.” Continue reading...

Politics

30 h. ago What is the new Sky Sports Premier League intro music? Iconic artist behind latest song

As the new Premier League season gets underway on Friday, Sky Sports has announced a change to the usual programming after tweaking the intro music to its coverage

Culture