February 2026

Pubs can stay open until 2am if home nations reach World Cup knockout stages

Pubs will be allowed to stay open until 2am during the World Cup knockout stages this summer – but only if any of the home nations have got that far. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has agreed to extend opening hours for the later rounds of the tournament, which is being hosted jointly by the US, […]

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Tetris can help tackle memories of past trauma, study finds

Playing Tetris could help tackle memories of past trauma, research has found. The trial included close to 100 NHS staff who had been exposed to trauma at work – such as witnessing deaths during the pandemic. It found those who played the classic video game as part of their treatment experienced fewer flashbacks. The study

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Man dead and teen critically injured after stabbings at skate park in Northampton

A man is dead and a teenage boy is in a critical condition after being stabbed at a skate park in Northampton. Four people have been arrested in connection with Wednesday’s incident in the Briar Hill area, police said. They are two teenage boys, a man, and a woman all from Northampton. All remain in

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Tech firms must take down abusive images in 48 hours – or face being blocked from UK

Technology firms that do not take down abusive images from their platforms within 48 hours face being blocked from the UK under new rules proposed by the government. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was putting tech companies “on notice” to take down non-consensual intimate images, and will leave “no stone unturned” to protect

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Ex-Victoria’s Secret mogul says Jeffrey Epstein ‘stole vast sums from our family’

A billionaire mogul says paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein stole vast sums from his family. Les Wexner, 88, who was behind retailers including Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch, was answering questions about his friendship with Epstein in a behind-closed-door session on Wednesday with US Congress. Mr Wexner, who is pictured in the Epstein files, has

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Gorton and Denton by-election: It’s the UK’s first crucial vote of the year – and something striking seems to be happening

The towns of Gorton and Denton feel less like political battlegrounds and more like working towns getting on with the day. And perhaps that’s the point. In places like these, elections are rarely theatrical. They are quieter, more incremental, the odd conversation among friends who might pass each other in the street. But that doesn’t mean feelings don’t run deep. In the

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Ex-Man Utd star Mikael Silvestre has strong words for Jose Mourinho over Vinicius Junior’s racist abuse claim

Former Manchester United player Mikael Silvestre has claimed Jose Mourinho has “failed us” over his response to Vinicius Junior’s allegations of racist abuse. The 25-year-old left the field during Real Madrid’s Champions League play-off in Lisbon on Tuesday after reporting Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni to the referee. But Benfica manager Mourinho appeared to apportion some

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