Category
Sport
Arsenal facing FA sanctions after six bookings in draw with Chelsea
Arsenal facing FA sanctions after six bookings in draw with Chelsea
British gymnast Max Whitlock ends retirement, sets sights on Los Angeles 2028
British gymnast Max Whitlock ends retirement, sets sights on Los Angeles 2028
Football hooligan turned £1m lottery winner issues stark warning to EuroMillions players
Football hooligan turned £1m lottery winner issues stark warning to EuroMillions players
Man City sweep aside Liverpool to cut Arsenal’s lead as Aston Villa surge up the table
Man City sweep aside Liverpool to cut Arsenal’s lead as Aston Villa surge up the table
Tories urge ethics probe into Starmer over football watchdog appointment
Tories urge ethics probe into Starmer over football watchdog appointment
Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban at Aston Villa match ‘almost certain to be overturned’
Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban at Aston Villa match ‘almost certain to be overturned’
Football clubs team up with government to help young people find work
Football clubs team up with government to help young people find work
Martinelli rescues Arsenal with late equaliser against Man City
Martinelli rescues Arsenal with late equaliser against Man City
Education
-
New study reveals how conspiracy theories move from the fringe to the mainstream across Europe
A major cross-European research project has found that conspiracy theories are spreading not because of a single catalyst, but through a constant feedback loopRead More... -
London Met’s Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit honoured with Queen Elizabeth Prize
London Metropolitan University has been named one of just 19 UK institutions to receive the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education, recognising nearly fourRead More... -
University of Nottingham wins Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education – the UK’s highest national honour for universities
The University of Nottingham has been named a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education, the nation’s most prestigious honour for institutions in the sector.Read More... -
Four-day strike to begin at Imperial College London over pay dispute
Staff at Imperial College London will walk out tomorrow as part of escalating industrial action over what they describe as years of real-terms pay cuts. The University and College Union (UCU)Read More... -
Inverness school cancels Christmas show after ‘racist and abusive’ online messages
Cauldeen Primary School in Inverness has cancelled its planned Christmas show following a wave of racist and abusive messages directed at the school and its staff, Highland CouncilRead More... -
UEL rockets into UK’s top 40 in Guardian University Guide 2026
The University of East London has entered the top tier of UK higher education after soaring 23 places in the latest Guardian University Guide, securing a spot in the top 40 for the first time.Read More... -
Funding for University students falls to two-thirds of 2015 levels, analysis shows
University students in England are receiving only two-thirds of the funding provided a decade ago, as inflation and sustained government cuts continue to erode the resources available forRead More... -
Oxford University College defends plans for £1.4bn research district on green belt
Exeter College has issued a detailed defence of its proposed research and innovation district on the northern edge of Oxford, arguing the project will deliver major economic, educational andRead More... -
Arizona State University unveils ASU London, expanding its global footprint
Arizona State University is establishing a new UK-accredited institution, ASU London, designed to blend British undergraduate education with American graduate study while offering students aRead More... -
UK–Turkmenistan partnership pushes forward inclusive english teacher training
A growing education partnership between the UK and Turkmenistan is taking significant strides in modernising how future English teachers are trained, with a stronger emphasis on inclusiveRead More...
Our poll
World News
-
Prada snaps up Versace in cut-price $1.38bn deal
Prada has taken a bold step to expand its luxury empire, announcing on Tuesday that it has acquired fellow Italian fashion house Versace for $1.38bn (£1.04bn) — aRead More... -
Man arrested in UK over US gun photo plans to sue police
A Yorkshire IT consultant who was arrested after posting a photo of himself holding a gun while on holiday in the United States says he intends to sue the police, claiming the experience hasRead More... -
International coalition launched to combat global violence against women and girls
A new international initiative aimed at tackling violence against women and girls was formally launched on Tuesday, 2 December 2025, bringing together prominent female leaders and expertsRead More... -
Louvre to raise ticket prices for most non-EU tourists by 45%
The Louvre Museum will significantly increase ticket prices for visitors from outside the European Union starting early next year, following a decision by its boardRead More... -
Major British beauty brands to take centre stage at Cosmoprof India 2025
Twelve internationally recognised UK beauty brands are preparing to make their mark at Cosmoprof India, taking place from 4–6 December, as the sector positions itself to capitalise on newRead More...
Culture
-
Children’s author Iryna Kotlyarevska: “Stories born from family evenings”
Iryna Kotlyarevska is a name increasingly found on the shelves of family libraries. A mother of four, a Bachelor of Philosophy, a Master of Political Science, and the creator of the worlds ofRead More... -
Ashmolean Museum passes one million visitors for first time since 2008
The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has recorded more than one million visitors in a single year, the first time it has reached the milestone in 16 years, the institutionRead More... -
Writer’s Award 2026 honours Jacqueline Crooks and Vanessa Londoño
Jacqueline Crooks and Vanessa Londoño have been named the 2026 recipients of the Eccles Institute and Hay Festival Global Writer’s Award. The announcement was made Monday evening atRead More... -
At Britain’s first plant-based Michelin-Star restaurant, most diners aren’t vegan
At Plates, the first fully plant-based restaurant in Britain to earn a Michelin star, the dining room is full most nights — yet the vast majority of guests aren’t vegan.Read More... -
Sally Rooney warns UK readers may lose access to her books amid Palestine Action ban
Irish novelist Sally Rooney has told the High Court she may be forced to halt publication of her books in the UK — and potentially withdraw existing titles —Read More... -
Cambridge Dictionary reveals ‘Parasocial’ as Word of the Year 2025
Cambridge Dictionary has selected “parasocial” as its Word of the Year for 2025, highlighting the growing public fascination with one-sided relationshipsRead More... -
‘Banksy’s ‘Girl with Balloon’ was stolen from my gallery – London is not safe for art’
The head of a central London gallery says he has abandoned his Fitzrovia exhibition space after a £270,000 Banksy print was stolen in a brazen smash-and-grab raid.Read More... -
London Art Fair to return in January 2026 with expanded global line-up
The London Art Fair will return to the capital from 21–25 January 2026, marking its 38th edition with an expanded roster of Modern and Contemporary galleries from the UK and abroad.Read More... -
Gold pocket watch owned by Titanic couple could fetch £800,000 at auction
A gold pocket watch recovered from Isidor and Ida Straus — the elderly couple immortalised in the 1997 film Titanic — is expected to sell for at least £800,000 when it goes under the hammerRead More... -
Blenheim Palace unveils luxury new summer festival with Katy Perry, Teddy Swims and Pete Tong
Blenheim Palace is set to join the UK’s major festival circuit next year with the launch of the Blenheim Palace Festival 2026, a new music and arts celebration staged against the statelyRead More...
British Queen celebrates
Most Read
- Teen held after US woman killed in London stabbings
- Heave-ho Harry! Prince prepares to join the walking wounded in ice trek to North Pole
- Football: Farhad Moshiri adamant Everton deal above board
- "Master of English Style". Interview with Designer Lydia Dart
- Letter to the Financial Times from Lord Mayor Alderman Michael Bear
Sport
Officials in charge of England's elite Premiership club competition on Thursday joined the calls for reform of what they say is an "unsustainable" international calendar.
Ever since rugby union became a fully professional sport shortly after the 1995 World Cup in South Africa, there has been talk of a 'global season' in a bid to get greater harmony between club and international fixtures.
But with the 15-a-side code traditionally a winter sport in both the northern and southern hemispheres, all attempts to streamline the match programme have so far foundered, despite often repeated concerns about player welfare and burn-out.
In England and France, two of Europe's leading rugby nations, there is a further complication in that players are contracted to free-standing clubs rather than their national unions.
Yet for large parts of the existing season, those players are away on Test duty, be it the November international campaign or the Six Nations, Europe's premier tournament, which runs from February to March.
However, with the current Test programme expiring after the 2019 World Cup in Japan, there is the possibility for reform especially as world champions New Zealand, an on-field superpower but commercially outgunned by wealthier European nations, have indicated they won't just sign up to more of the same.
Bosses at the Celtic League -- the major domestic tournament for leading teams in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy -- have put forward a proposal for delaying the start of the Six Nations by six weeks in order to get club seasons completed beforehand.
But the Six Nations have thus far jealously guarded what they see as a prime commercial spot in the overall European sporting calendar given that no major football tournaments are being concluded at the same time.
Their stance has often been regarded as the major barrier to meaningful fixture reform, but Premiership chief executive Mark McCafferty insisted change was possible without moving the Six Nations.
Pakistan’s one-day form is a "real concern" to coach Mickey Arthur and the South African believes it could "take some time" to improve the team’s standing in white-ball cricket.
The 1992 world champions, Pakistan are languishing in ninth place in the International Cricket Council’s one-day internationals rankings, with only hosts England and the top seven teams come September next year guaranteed a place at the 2019 World Cup.
A World Cup without Pakistan seems unthinkable but Arthur, speaking ahead of his one-day ‘debut’ with the team, believes they must tackle their shortcomings in limited overs cricket head-on, starting with Thursday’s first of two ODIS away to Ireland in Malahide, near Dublin, which will act as a lead-in to a five-match series against England.
"We have not done well in ODIs. I think this is a real concern for me," Arthur told AFP in London before the squad travelled to Ireland.
"Pakistan’s position at number nine in one-day cricket is not good. Pakistan is not the number nine team but I do fear that our one-day cricket will regress because of playing the style or brand that belongs to the 1990s when the game has moved on such big amount.
"I also think that your fitness and fielding play a massive role. So we need to get our players up to speed on that. I have looked at the one-day players and they look good but it’s going to be extremely tough.
"England is a very, very good one-day team now, so for us it’s about our progression. This is where our one-day journey starts.
"It’s not I am cautioning anybody, but I think it will take some time to get our one-day side to exactly where we want them to be."
Great Britain can match its incredible track cycling haul from London four years ago, according to Joanna Rowsell-Shand, a member of the record-breaking women’s pursuit team in the Olympic velodrome.
The British women set three world records over two days to retain their Olympic crown and claim Britain’s third cycling gold medal in Rio.
Britain already has the titles for the men’s team sprint and men’s team pursuit — also in a world record time.
On Saturday, Becky James won silver in the women’s keirin while reigning champion Jason Kenny and Callum Skinner qualified for the men’s sprint final, guaranteeing Britain gold and silver on Sunday.
Four years ago and in Beijing 2008, Britain won seven of the 10 Olympic disciplines.
Police in London are investigating allegations that a young tennis player was poisoned while competing at this year's Wimbledon, a British newspaper reported on Thursday.
Gabriella Taylor, 18, withdrew from the Girls' Singles competition in July and spent four days in intensive care.
Police are now investigating whether she was deliberately poisoned, The Telegraph newspaper said.
Taylor was reportedly diagnosed with Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread by animals.
British Paralympic sprint star Jonnie Peacock will defend his 100m title in the Paralympics in Rio after he gained selection for the team on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old -- one of 41 athletes to be added to the 13 selected in June -- said he would face some stiff opposition but was ready to show his amazing performance in London was not a one-off.
He said there would be some 'incredibly fast times in Rio' but he is primed to 'give a performance to be proud of'.
Peacock is part of a strong team, which also includes legend David Weir, who won four Paralympic titles in London, and Libby Clegg, who is fresh from breaking the 200m world record at last weekend's IPC Athletics Grand Prix Final.
Chelsea on Saturday announced the signing of Leicester City's all-action defensive midfielder N'Golo Kante on a five-year deal to become new boss Antonio Conte's second capture of the summer.
The fee for the French international was about £32 million (38 million euros, $42 million), British media said, and comes after Chelsea snapped up Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi from Marseille for a similar fee.
Kante's move to London will bolster a side that failed miserably in its defence last season of the Premier League title, but represents a blow to reigning champions Leicester as they battle to keep together the side that shocked world football.
"I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It?s a dream come true for me," the 25-year-old Kante told Chelsea's website.
"The opportunity to work with Antonio Conte, a brilliant coach, and some of the best players in the world was simply too good to turn down."
Crystal Palace have signed England international winger Andros Townsend from Newcastle for a club record £13 million ($17m, 15.5m euros), the Premier League club confirmed on Friday.
The 24-year-old has agreed a five-year contract with his transfer coming on the same day that striker Dwight Gayle moved in the opposite direction.
Newcastle United snapped up goalkeeper Matz Sels for a reported fee of £4.5 million (5.4 million euros) from Belgian side Gent on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old, voted goalkeeper of the year last season in Belgium, signed a five-year contract and becomes Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez’s first summer signing, as the Spaniard looks to freshen up his squad after relegation from the Premier League.
“I am really pleased to welcome Matz to the club,” Benitez said. “He’s a fantastic goalkeeper and many top clubs have been interested in signing him.
“Obviously we have injuries to Tim Krul and Rob Elliot which could be difficult for us in the first part of the season so it was important to strengthen in this area to be sure we can make a strong start in the Championship.”
Sels joined Gent from Lierse in January 2014 and made 106 appearances in all competitions for the club.
The three-day sale of memorabilia belonging to world football icon Pele ended in London on Thursday with the artefacts sold for the princely total of £3.4million ($5million, 4.4million euros).
The final day of the sale -- held in London but under the banner of Los Angeles based auction house Julien's -- was lit up by the sale of the 75-year-old Brazilian's third and final World Cup winners medal from 1970 which fetched £346,000.
To put that price into context, the ones from 1958, when he was just a teenager, and 1962 had sold collectively on Wednesday for £340,000.
"It was a white glove auction where 100% of all the lots sold," Darren Julien, Chief Executive of Julien's auctions told AFP.
Julien's had extra reason to be happy as they had placed an original total estimate of £3million on the memorabilia.
Another Pele item to make big money on Thursday was his 1000th game crown which eventually went for £162,000.
England captain Alastair Cook said on Wednesday he wants all cricketers found guilty of match-fixing to be banned for life, but that he would be prepared to face Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir.
Left-arm quick Amir is in line for a Test return -- having already made his comeback in white-ball international cricket -- in the series opener against England at Lord’s next month.
It was during a Lord’s Test against England six years ago that Amir and two Pakistan team-mates were involved in the deliberate bowling of no-balls -- the trio having been lured into a newspaper ‘sting’ operation to demonstrate their willingness to take part in spot-fixing.
A teenager at the time and one of world cricket’s undoubted rising stars, Amir was sent to jail by an English court and banned from all cricket worldwide for five years.