95 m. ago Attacks on emergency workers drive up violence in East Ayrshire

A massive leap in attacks on police, paramedics and fire fighters come as other assaults see a fall.

Events

1 hour ago Prince William pays tribute to Gene Hackman as 'true genius of film who brought each and every character to life with power, authenticity and star quality'

In a post signed with a 'W', to his shared X account with the Princess of Wales, he said: 'So sad to hear the news of the death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy.

Politics

1 hour ago Number of UK visas issued for work, study, family or resettlement falls by third

Visas issued for health and care workers and their families have tumbled by 68%.

Economics

2 h. ago Jailed Kurdish leader calls for PKK to disarm – in shift that could shake up region

Abdullah Öcalan’s message, which follows four decades of guerrilla warfare, will have far-reaching implications The ageing leader of a Kurdish militant group imprisoned on a remote Turkish island has called on the group to disarm and dissolve itself, signalling the start of a fragile peace with Turkey after four decades of guerrilla warfare, attacks and reprisals.Abdullah Öcalan, a founding member of the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), a group long regarded as a terrorist organisation in Turkey as well as in Britain and the US, issued the message in a letter read out by allies in Istanbul. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Space station’s lack of dirt may damage astronauts’ health, says study

Researchers find lack of microbial diversity on ISS after astronauts swabbed 803 surfacesExcessive cleanliness is not generally regarded as a downside when it comes to travel accommodation. However, scientists have concluded that the International Space Station is so sterile that it could be having a negative impact on astronauts’ health and have suggested making it “dirtier”.The study found that the ISS is largely devoid of environmental microbes found in soil and water that are thought to beneficial to the immune system. The lack of microbial diversity could help to explain why astronauts often experience immune-related health problems such as rashes, cold sores, fungal infections and shingles. Continue reading...

Events

3 h. ago Norway could be about to scrap VAR – the football world is watching with intrigue

The vote comes after two years of turbulent implementation, sparking debate about the technology's impact

Politics

3 h. ago Virgil van Dijk sends clear message to Darwin Nunez after Arne Slot criticism

Virgil van Dijk is backing Darwin Nunez to make a big impact for Liverpool in the final weeks of a season destined to end with the Premier League title but the striker's work-rate must remain high

Politics

4 h. ago Best kneeling chairs to improve posture for home office workers

Keep your muscles and spine happy all day with a kneeling chair

Society

4 h. ago Sir Chris Hoy shares cancer update and details heartbreaking impact on relationship with daughter

Sir Chris Hoy has provided an update on his cancer battle, with the former cyclist revealing the pain he has been in since the tumour spread and broke his spine

Politics

4 h. ago Jailed Kurdish leader calls for group to disarm, in major shift that could shake up Turkey and Middle East

Abdullah Öcalan’s message, which follows four decades of guerrilla warfare, will have far-reaching implications The ageing leader of a Kurdish militant group imprisoned on a remote Turkish island has called on the group to disarm and dissolve itself, signalling the start of a fragile peace with Turkey after four decades of guerrilla warfare, attacks and reprisals.Abdullah Öcalan, a founding member of the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), a group long regarded as a terrorist organisation in Turkey as well as in Britain and the US, issued the message in a letter read out by allies in Istanbul. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago AI is ‘beating’ humans at empathy and creativity. But these games are rigged | MJ Crockett

Research pitting people against AI systems gives AI an edge by asking us to perform in machine-like waysTechno-optimists are evangelizing a vision of “superhuman” artificial intelligence. Dario Amodei, CEO of the AI company Anthropic, predicts within a few years, AI will be “better than almost all humans at almost everything”. Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) is proposing replacing government workers with chatbots in the name of efficiency. And some scientists are claiming that AI can already outperform humans even in domains previously thought to be exclusively human, like empathy, creativity and conflict resolution.It’s true that in several prominent studies, researchers have staged “competitions” in which AI technology appears to outperform humans in these very human areas. But a closer look reveals that these games are rigged against us humans. The competitions do not actually ask machines to perform human tasks; it’s more accurate to say that t...

Events

4 h. ago ‘People spontaneously strip off and join us’: nude cyclists send message you don’t need to be buff

Melbourne’s World Naked Bike Ride will celebrate its 20th anniversary as it winds through the city’s streets spreading a message of body positivity and environmentalismGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThis weekend in Melbourne, expect to see hundreds of cyclists with a striking difference. Instead of the usual Lycra-clad peloton, these riders will be getting their kit off in a day of nude protest to draw attention to rider safety and visibility, diversity of body image and a celebration of low-carbon transport.Dearne Weaver, a 61-year-old community worker from Canberra, says when she first attended Melbourne’s World Naked Bike Ride in 2019 she was worried it might be too male-dominated – but she was pleasantly surprised.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Politics

5 h. ago Emmerdale fans puzzled by 'missing' part of Leyla Harding's exit storyline

Emmerdale fans have been left confused after Dr Liam Cavanagh seemed 'unbothered' over the sad death of his ex-wife Leyla Harding, who died in the harrowing limo crash

Events

5 h. ago On Falling: Edinburgh director Laura Carreira cast real workers in powerful debut film about Scottish warehouse

Scottish filmmaker Laura Carreira cast real workers in her debut feature film, which explores what life is like for pickers in a huge Edinburgh distribution centre.

Events

5 h. ago Where you place your thermostat could impact energy bills, expert warns

Energy bills will be increasing for the third consecutive time in April

Events

5 h. ago Former England rugby star says he considered ending his life after being wrongly accused of rape by an escort, as she admits stalking him for 14 months

Marland Yarde's career was left in tatters after sex worker Sandra Ntonya, 44, from Manchester, rang police and wrongly claimed he had sexually assaulted a teenage girl.

Events

5 h. ago ‘I was causing harm’: author Helen Jukes on motherhood and our polluted bodies

In her latest book, Mother Animal, the writer gives a personal account of the impact of ‘forever chemicals’ on her and her child during and after pregnancyWhen Helen Jukes told her friends she was writing about motherhood and pollution, they advised her against it and warned she might make pregnant people more anxious than they already were. But she disagreed. Mother Animal, a personal account of Jukes’ pregnancy and early years of motherhood, details her growing realisation of how contaminated her body, and her baby, have become. And it’s something she thinks all would-be parents should be more aware of. There are chemicals from human industry in breast milk, amniotic fluid and bones, she writes. Toxicologists have found “forever chemicals” in embryos and foetuses at “every stage of pregnancy in lung tissues, in livers”. It is inescapable.Yet it is spoken about far too little. “I find it quite disrespectful to think that mothers wouldn’t be capable of handling [this] information,” ...

Events

6 h. ago Heathrow Airport strike threat as passenger assistance workers vote on walkout

Passenger assistance workers at Heathrow are demanding pay parity with Gatwick

Events

6 h. ago 'Incredible' mother, 30, is killed in house fire as family pay tribute to gym worker who 'brought so much joy'

An 'incredible' mother who was killed in a Coventry house fire has been named as Sylwia Burnos. The mother-of-one was found dead at a property in Radford after a fire broke out last Saturday.

Events

7 h. ago Aid cut will have ‘devastating impact’ on world’s poorest, church leaders warn

The Prime Minister recently announced the foreign aid budget will be cut in order to fund an increase in defence spending.

Events