News

Brazil, the World’s Largest Catholic Nation, Embraces Polyamory

More people in a still largely conservative and religious nation are rejecting monogamy as they seek new definitions of romance, and of family.

Nose for trouble: Italian town seeks ‘odour evaluators’ to sniff out bad smells

Mayor of Brendola in Vicenza says he has received complaints from residents who live near industrial zones An Italian town is seeking a crew of sniffers to identify bad smells in its quest to improve air quality. Bruno Beltrame, the mayor of Brendola, a small town in the northern province of Vicenza, said he began the recruitment campaign for six “odour evaluators” after complaints about “unpleasant smells” from people living in neighbourhoods close to industrial zones. Continue reading...

Life in Beirut Beneath the Drones

More than a year into a cease-fire, the mechanical whir of Israeli drones above the Lebanese capital is a reminder that, in many ways, the war never really ended.

Live Updates: Rubio Emphasizes Shared History With Europe at Munich Security Conference

Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the Trump administration’s talking points on the threat of Western decline but also seemed to strike a constructive tone.

Japan Releases Chinese Boat Captain After Detaining Him for 30 Hours

The captain’s arrest had raised fears of a broader diplomatic confrontation between Japan and China, which have been at odds for months.

Munich security conference live: Marco Rubio to address European leaders rattled by Trump

European leaders have pledged to shoulder more of the burden of shared Nato defences to counter a hostile Russia in Munich Guten Tag! Continue reading...

Marco Rubio

Pension annuity sales hit record as average pot exceeds £80,000

Rachel Reeves’s inheritance tax changes encourage more people to invest in previously unloved product The government’s “inheritance tax raid” on pensions has helped drive sales of retirement annuities to new highs. Industry data this week revealed they enjoyed a “record-breaking” 2025, with sales growing by 4% to £7.4bn and the average amount invested in an annuity surpassing £80,000 for the first time. Continue reading...

Andrew aide advised Epstein to omit conviction on China visa form, files suggest

Epstein files release shows David Stern advised against mentioning ‘being denied previously or criminal charges’ An aide to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor advised Jeffrey Epstein to illegally hide his child sexual abuse conviction to obtain a visa to China, according to the latest Epstein files release. David Stern, who was a close associate of both Epstein and the then prince , was asked for his help after the disgraced financier’s initial application for a visa was rejected. Continue reading...

Peta calls for pork-free menus as Peppa Pig show rolls into Grimsby

Auditorium to remove bacon and sausages from cafe during stage run after request from campaign group Campaigners are calling on theatre bosses to stop serving bacon, sausages and ham in their cafes – at least while Peppa Pig and her family are performing in the same building. Grimsby Auditorium in Lincolnshire said this week it would remove pork from the menu when Peppa Pig’s Big Family Show opens next month, after a request from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta UK) . The cam...

‘Police need to investigate’: will Andrew be questioned over his relationship with Epstein?

As calls for the former prince to cooperate with police become deafening, this may be the reckoning Andrew cannot outrun Gordon Brown is a man who gets into the detail. In office, and since then, he has applied his forensic mind to the matters that concern him. Lately, he has been focused on the Epstein files. Continue reading...

‘A whole lost culture’: the Irishman reviving the forgotten sport of stone lifting

For centuries in Ireland lifting huge boulders was a way to test strength and bond communities, says Instagram sensation Indiana Stones David Keohan surveyed the County Waterford beach and spotted a familiar mound half-buried in sand: an oval-shaped limestone boulder. It weighed about 115kg. He wedged it loose with a crowbar, wiped it dry with a cloth, dusted his hands with chalk and paused to gaze at the Irish Sea, as if summoning strength from the waves pounding ashore. Continue reading...

Race to find source of carcinogenic Pfas in Cumbria and Lancashire waters

Exclusive: High levels of banned ‘forever chemical’ have been detected in rivers and groundwater at 25 sites A string of toxic pollution hotspots has been uncovered across Cumbria and Lancashire, with high levels of the banned cancer-causing “forever chemical” Pfos detected in rivers and groundwater at 25 sites. The contamination, spread across a large area, was uncovered by Watershed Investigations and the Guardian after a freedom of information request revealed high concentrations of Pfos i...

Watch: 'I am a survivor' Gisèle Pelicot tells BBC Newsnight in an in-depth interview

Ms Pelicot reveals it is "inconceivable" that the man she shared her life with "could have committed these horrors".

Gisèle Pelicot tells BBC: I felt crushed by horror - but I don't feel anger

In an extensive interview with Newsnight, the woman at the heart of France's biggest rape trial speaks about betrayal, healing and choosing the right path.

'Canadians are with you,' says PM at Tumbler Ridge vigil

The Canadian prime minister attended a vigil with federal leaders and paid tribute to the eight victims.

US homeland security shutdown could mean airport delays, travel groups say

The shutdown won't affect air traffic controllers but some TSA workers may go without pay.

How Peter Biar Ajak, a Sudanese Peace Activist, Was Caught Plotting a Coup

Peter Biar Ajak, a democracy advocate, was convicted of conspiring to buy and export weapons for a revolt in South Sudan.

New Research Absolves the Woman Blamed for a Dynasty’s Ruin

A Chinese king’s infatuation with a woman was seen as the reason that a golden age collapsed. Evidence suggests climate change and internal strife played bigger roles.

Mark Carney joins hands with Canada opposition leader as he pays tribute to school shooting victims

The Canadian prime minister told residents of Tumbler Ridge that the country is ‘with you’ Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has told residents of Tumbler Ridge that the country is “with you, and we will always be with you”, during a candlelight vigil for the eight victims of a mass shooting that has shattered the small mining town. The prime minister, holding hands with opposition leader Pierre Poilievre while flanked by First Nations chiefs and local officials, paid tribute to the familie...