News & Blog

Paul O’Grady, TV presenter and comedian, dies aged 67

Husband announces ‘unexpected but peaceful’ death of personality who was known for his drag persona Lily Savage. Read more here.  A less-well known, but now celebrated episode in his early career is described here.

Jason Smyth: Six-time Paralympic champion retires aged 35

The Ireland sprinter earned six Paralympic titles, which included 100m and 200m doubles at the Beijing and London Games in 2008 and 2012. Read and watch here.

Plans to accelerate rise in state pension age frozen

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride confirmed the move following newspaper reports that suggested the government was erring over the plans. Read more here.

UK plan to house migrants in barracks and barges is condemned as ‘cruel’ and unworkable

Human rights advocates condemned the new proposal as the Home Office’s “latest cruel scheme” targeting people who have endured “unimaginable struggles,” while opposition lawmakers said it signals the government’s “failure” to deal with asylum claims in the United Kingdom. Read more here.

Guardian owner apologises for founders’ links to transatlantic slavery

The owner of the Guardian has issued an apology for the role the newspaper’s founders had in transatlantic slavery and announced a decade-long programme of restorative justice. Read more here.

Police strip-searches of children are 'racist and traumatising', say charities

Charities have criticised the findings of a report on police strip-searching of children as "shameful" and called for officer training to be reviewed in order to ensure young people are kept safe. Read more here.

'We will not be frightened away' - extra security around mosques after fire horror as Ramadan starts

A fire attack on a worshipper heading home from a mosque in Dudley Road, Birmingham, has caused fear but residents are determined not to be bowed. Read more here.

Daniel Radcliffe speaks up for trans kids: ‘Very rarely do we actually hear from these youth’

Daniel Radcliffe has spoken up for trans youth, urging people to listen to young transgender individuals when discussing their rights and existence. Read more here.

‘Empire strikes back’: Diversity at height of UK politics praised

This week marked a new era, with Pakistani-origin Humza Yousaf in charge at Holyrood as Rishi Sunak, whose ancestors hail from India, leads at Westminster. Read more here.

Esports: The female Call of Duty gamer making history

The 22-year-old from Scotland only got into gaming "by accident", after an injury put an end to her aspiring football career. Read more here.