50 h. ago Take away our language and we will forget who we are: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and the language of conquest

The late Kenyan novelist and activist believed erasing language was the most lasting weapon of oppression. Here, Aminatta Forna recalls the man and introduces his essay on decolonisationIn the 1930s, it was common for British missionaries to change the names of African school pupils to biblical names. The change wasn’t “just for school” – it was intended to be for ever. So Ngũgĩ became James and my father, Mohamed, became Moses. While many students retained their new names throughout their lives, Ngũgĩ and my father changed theirs back, though you can still find early editions of Ngũgĩ’s first book, Weep Not, Child, under the name of “James Ngugi”. With the novel, Ngũgĩ established himself as a writer and later, by reclaiming his Kikuyu identity as an activist, began a process of decolonisation that he would explore in one of his most famous nonfiction works, Decolonising the Mind (1986), which challenged the dominance of European languages in African education and literature. Ngũgĩ...

Politics

58 h. ago Lucy Letby: Who to Believe? review – just when you thought this case couldn’t get any more confusing

Panorama’s new investigation into the convicted nurse is muddled and stuffed with conflicting theories. It feels more like radio phone-in bickering than serious journalismIn May 2024, the New Yorker published an article with the headline “A British nurse was found guilty of killing seven babies. Did she do it?” Access to the online version of Rachel Aviv’s piece was banned in the UK due to reporting restrictions, with Letby’s retrial on an additional count of attempted murder then imminent. Rules aside, asking whether Letby was in fact innocent also felt taboo at the time, a pursuit for social media conspiracy theorists. Fast forward 15 months, and “did she do it?” is merely par for the course when it comes to the case, with even experts cited by the prosecution apparently unconvinced of Letby’s guilt.This new Panorama comes hot on the heels of an ITV documentary that aired earlier this month, Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt?. That programme focused on holes in the evidence that...

Politics

5 d. ago Love Island winner Toni Laites breaks silence on future plans after making show history

Toni Laites made Love Island history by becoming the first American bombshell to join the cast and went on to win the show with Cach Mercer after wooing the British public

Culture

6 d. ago Keir Starmer accused of 'gaslighting' the British public for making 'grossly exaggerated' claims about the new 'one

Despite the narrow scope of the Government's pilot migrant scheme, the Prime Minister took to social media to claim: 'If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back.'

Politics

6 d. ago ALEX BRUMMER: This does nothing to fix our chronic welfare addiction

The reality is that Prime Minister Keir Starmer's tax-and-spend agenda and the greed of disruptive unions in the public sector are gutting the British economy.

Politics

6 d. ago Insurance red alert as 8 in 10 UK holidaymakers cut back on summer holiday spend

As the summer holiday season approaches its peak, new research from AllClear Travel Insurance reveals a troubling shift in public perception: more British travellers are downgrading or removing their travel insurance cover altogether - with cost pressures driving risky decisions and misunderstandings about protection on holiday.

Events

6 d. ago Millions to receive emergency alert in ‘largest public safety exercise in British history’

Millions of smartphones on 4G and 5G networks across the UK will make a loud siren-like noise next month

Events

6 d. ago Are YOU suddenly struggling to make simple decisions? This is the astonishing reason why, how women are most affected

In our age of information overload and perfectionism, the issue is becoming increasingly common. Anna Mathur, a psychotherapist, has a name for this phenomenon - 'decision fatigue'.

Politics

7 d. ago Why are British pubs named the way they are and what are the most common names?

The historical origins of pub names explained

Politics

7 d. ago The Most Common Baby Name In Every London Borough, According to 2025 Statistics

The Most Common Baby Name In Every London Borough, According to 2025 Statistics  Time Out Worldwide

Politics

9 d. ago ‘A yorkshire pudding like a dishcloth’: how did British pub food get so grim?

For many years, UK food had a terrible reputation. Then, in the 1990s, gastropubs brought new flavours, energy and ideas. When and why did it all start to go downhill again?It was supposed to be a special occasion: an extended family get-together for Sunday lunch at a country pub. The setting was promising: a traditional establishment recently redecorated; outside terrace by the river; plenty of customers. The menu was also promising: a giant sheet of paper like a medieval charter, with glowing descriptions of how they aged their beef and sourced their produce locally.The food, though, was awful. The starters were assorted deep-fried pellets of unidentifiable organic matter; the meat was cold and colourless, the gravy watery, the roast potatoes soggy and the yorkshire pudding chewy as a dishcloth. It was very difficult to believe all of this had been freshly prepared in the kitchen that day. It felt more like reheated leftovers – for £30 a head. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago When WILL this serpentine creature now given such power by Starmer be forced to answer for his actions?: STEPHEN GLOVER

Who is one of the most influential figures in the Labour Government and yet almost unknown to the British public?

Politics

3 w. ago London to Essex c2c services return to public control in step towards Great British Railways

London to Essex c2c services return to public control in step towards Great British Railways  GOV.UK

Events

3 w. ago Jeremy Clarkson says pubs that don't stock British beer should be 'set on fire'

EXCLUSIVE: Daily Star visited Jeremy Clarkson's VIP Summer Party and the presenter-turned-farmer emphasised about the importance of British alcohol in his usual tongue-in-cheek manner

Events

4 w. ago Fire stations, care homes and libraries get share of £10m for clean energy

Publicly-owned Great British Energy has awarded mayors grant funding to roll out projects such as solar panels on community buildings to cut bills.

Economics

4 w. ago More than a quarter of British pubs have closed since 2000. Here’s why

Recent figures from the British Beer and Pub Association show that pubs will close at the rate of one a day in the UK during 2025

Politics