CATEGORIES

Tory budget OBR failure 'may have broken law'

Treasury officials may have broken the law when they failed to alert the Office for Budget Responsibility about £9.5bn of spending that should have appeared in the March Tory budget, MPs have been told.

High street will carry weight of tax rises, says Primark owner

High street retailers will carry the \"weight of tax rises\", announced in the budget, but overall it will benefit \"the least affluent\" consumers, according to the chief executive of Primark's parent company.

Pedro Páramo Netflix adapts the revered Mexican novel that inspired García Márquez

Many Mexicans know the first sentence of Juan Rulfo's revered novel, Pedro Páramo, by heart.

Dutch secondary school suspends parental access to pupils' marks

A secondary school in the Netherlands is blocking parental access to children's grades for a term in an attempt to reduce the pressure on pupils to perform.

Japanese boys waiting longer than ever for first kiss - study

Just one in five boys at senior high school in Japan have had their first kiss, according to the Japanese Association for Sex Education - the lowest figure since the organisation's first survey of sexual behaviour among young people in 1974.

'So many tensions' Anger in Spain at response to floods

Everyone in Chiva has their own memories of what happened here a week ago. For some it is the frantic phone calls to loved ones; for others, the disbelief as this small Valencian town, like so many others, was swallowed up by flood waters that bore away cars and trees as if they were paper boats.

Fighter Conor McGregor accused of raping woman in Dublin hotel

Conor McGregor allegedly raped a woman in a Dublin hotel, the city's high court has been told.

Kim's troops head to Ukraine Will Russia-North Korea 'blood alliance' change war dynamics?

Depending on whom you ask, they are the boost that Russian forces need to make a significant breakthrough in Ukraine, or they are simple cannon fodder, destined for repatriation in body bags.

'Like living in a prison' The village isolated from the rest of the West Bank

In January this year, four-year-old Ruqayya Jahalin, her mother and her five siblings were waiting in a taxi at the checkpoint that is the only way in and out of their home, the occupied West Bank village of Beit Iksa.

Netanyahu fires defence minister Gallant, seen as brake on far-right policy

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has fired his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, who is widely considered by the country's international allies to be a brake on the far-right elements of the country's coalition government.

Man sentenced to death in Iran 'died before his execution'

Iran has claimed that an Iranian-German dual national who had been sentenced to death died last week before his execution could be carried out.

Government website gets a chatbot helper, but beware of 'hallucinations'

It speaks a bit of Welsh, can recite the building regulations, refuses to say whether Rishi Sunak is better than Keir Starmer and will not explain the corporation tax regime.

Swearing at work? That's just a normal day up north, says judge

As every southerner knows, people from the north of England will not eat chips without gravy, talk to every stranger they meet and often sport a flat cap when walking their whippet. But do they also swear more?

University inquiry into donors reveals Boots links to slavery

The high street chemist Boots' links to the transatlantic slave trade have been revealed in research that shows how the proceeds became entangled with British capitalism.

Eurostar adverts for £39 fares ruled misleading by regulator

The cross-Channel train operator Eurostar has been rapped by the advertising watchdog for exaggerating the number of £39 seats on sale.

People loitering on estate face arrest in first-of-its-kind order

Unwanted visitors have been banned from open spaces at a housing estate, in the first order of its kind designed to \"rescue\" areas from criminals.

Spiders as big as a human hand are thriving in Britain, says zoo

Thousands of giant spiders that can grow to the size of a human hand are thriving in the UK, thanks to a successful breeding programme from Chester zoo.

NHS review of prostate screening launched after appeal by Chris Hoy

The health secretary ordered the NHS to review its guidance on testing for prostate cancer yesterday in light of Sir Chris Hoy's \"powerful\" call for men to be screened in their 40s.

UK 'failing to keep up with EU' on regulation of water pollution

The UK is \"falling behind\" on sewage pollution regulation as the EU tightens its rules to clean up Europe's waterways.

Universities in England could miss out on millions in tuition fee rise

Some universities in England could lose out on millions of pounds from increased tuition fees because their contracts with students may prevent changes to terms and conditions.

Girl's stepmother was 'villain', says father, denying murder

The father of Sara Sharif denied killing his daughter as he claimed the 10-year-old's stepmother was the \"true villain of the piece\", a court was told yesterday.

Art review Leonardo's warriors win battle with gnarly nudes

Art is a serious subject,\" say posters put up by the Royal Academy in London to champion art in schools. But is the Royal Academy itself serious? Its main galleries are now full of vacant paintings by Michael Craig-Martin, RA, while three of the greatest artists who ever lived are crammed into a couple of rooms round the back.

Activity in morning and evening may reduce risk of bowel cancer

Being more active in the morning and evening may reduce the risk of bowel cancer by 11%, according to a study that suggests the timing of your peak activity could play a \"crucial role\" in warding off the disease.

China blocks plans to rebuild UK embassy in Beijing

China is blocking requests to rebuild the British embassy in Beijing while the fate of its controversial mega-embassy in east London is being decided, the Guardian can disclose.

Kemi's just gaslighting the country-and having a laugh

Spare a thought for the losers. Not those like James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Steve Barclay.

Democrats dare to believe as US votes

HERE THEY WERE AGAIN, going through the dread and the angst for the third time in eight years.

Leader finalises shadow cabinet Who are the MPs completing the lineup?

Chris Philp - shadow home secretary Philp has been rewarded as an enthusiastic backer of Badenoch.

Post Office scandal Compensation delay may force legal action - Bates

Alan Bates has suggested post office operators could take fresh legal action if the government fails to set a deadline for compensating them.

Badenoch and Jenrick urged to settle differences and end lingering rivalry

Senior Conservatives have urged Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick to rapidly settle any differences after the unveiling of the full shadow cabinet was marred by briefings and concern over lingering rivalries.

Otter's bond with Shetland man features in documentary

Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story will be available from 14 November on Disney+ and will air on 15 November on National Geographic