The Jodrell Bank Observatory, which has housed the UK's largest telescope for nearly 70 years, has lost its funding and could now close.  The observatory and its network of telescopes have been pivotal to the country's study of distant galaxies and training future astronomers. Scientists have described the decision as "heartbreaking" and "scientifically misguided". All scientific observations at Jodrell are expected to cease on the 1 April 2028 unless alternative funding can be found. The funding body, the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) agency, said it had to focus investment on projects that deliver "the greatest long-term impact". Prof Brian Cox, professor of particle physics at the University of Manchester - which hosts Jodrell Bank Observatory - described the cuts as "hasty and ill-considered".  "The damage to the UK's science base has already been substantial. I am astonished that UKRI are still ploughing ahead and not working with the Burnham government to find a solution," he said. In response, Jonathan Reynolds, who is the new Secretary of State in the expanded business department that now has responsibility for science, told BBC News that the UK's world class research was "absolutely central to creating a better future for the UK". "I am committed to working with UKRI to ensure the UK remains able not only to sustain its world-leading research capabilities, but also to invest in the next generation of scientific facilities and infrastructure that will underpin discovery, innovation and growth in the years ahead." The Jodrell Bank site was first established in 1945 and pioneered radio astronomy and the study of galaxies beyond our own.  It was also pivotal during the Cold War, when it was used to monitor Soviet missiles during the height of nuclear tensions between the USSR and Nato powers.  Its contribution to global scientific efforts earned it Unesco World Heritage status in 2019.  But the UKRI, which has an annual budget of just under £10bn, says it has had to cut the observatory's annual £2.8m budget because planned research costs for physics and the running of its labs had escalated. The announcement is part of broader cuts to astronomy, nuclear and particle physics research over the next four years which will also impact on other projects.  The UK will no longer participate in research at the James Clark Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii, which scientists are using to image supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies.  UKRI has also cut funding for the UK's involvement in two instruments on the Extremely Large Telescope which is being built in Chile to search for signs of life on other Earth-like worlds.

The Government should maintain adequate support through PIP, Universal Credit, LCWRA, Carer’s Allowance, Housing Benefit and other essential benefits; uprate payments in line with living costs; and publish full poverty, disability and equality impact assessments before making major changes. Deliberate benefit fraud should be tackled through targeted, evidence-led investigation and appropriate enforcement. Genuine claimants should not be punished through blanket cuts, repeated reassessments or unreasonable conditions because of the actions of a minority. Any reform must be developed with disabled people and benefit claimants, protect those who cannot work, and offer voluntary, properly funded employment support to people who are able and want to work. The objective should be reducing poverty and improving security—not simply reducing benefit expenditure. My name is Phoebe, and I rely on disability benefits because my conditions affect almost every part of my daily life. I have cerebral palsy, severe instability in my knee, autism, anxiety, depression and complex PTSD. These are not choices, and they cannot be removed by cutting my income or placing me under greater pressure. My knee can become extremely painful, unstable and locked in place without warning. On my worst days, I cannot reliably walk even 20 metres without having to stop. I may need to pause for up to ten minutes before I can move again. Even on better days, walking around 50 metres can leave me exhausted and in pain. Because of my cerebral palsy and knee problems, I can lose my balance, trip or fall. Standing for prolonged periods also causes significant pain and fatigue. My mental health and autism create further barriers. Unfamiliar journeys can cause overwhelming distress, panic and freezing. I can become withdrawn and unable to communicate properly with strangers. I need prompting and support with medication, preparing food, washing, managing money and completing other everyday activities. I would love to have the freedom and security that other people take for granted, but I cannot reliably sustain employment when I do not know whether my knee will lock, whether I will fall, or whether anxiety and PTSD will prevent me from leaving home or communicating. Being unable to work consistently does not mean that I lack ambition or value. It means that my body and mind impose limitations that determination alone cannot overcome. PIP and Universal Credit with LCWRA are not luxuries. They help me pay for essential living costs and maintain as much independence and dignity as possible. Without that support, I would not suddenly become less disabled or able to work. I would simply become poorer, more isolated and more dependent on other people and public services. I understand that deliberate benefit fraud must be investigated and dealt with firmly. But genuine claimants should not be punished because a minority abuse the system. Cutting benefits or making eligibility increasingly restrictive would force disabled people to choose between food, heating, transport, care and other necessities. Behind every benefits statistic is a real person who may already be fighting pain, exhaustion, fear and isolation. We should not have to live in constant anxiety that the support keeping us safe will be taken away. I am asking the Government to protect essential benefits, listen to disabled people and reform the system with compassion rather than forcing vulnerable people further into poverty.

Currently, every household who are unfortunate enough to live under the flight path all have terrible sleep (and it has been going on for few years years) due to deafening flight noise pollution, day and night. The nights are particularly unbearable as they take off and land from 11.00pm onwards right through the night and early mornings.  Sleep deprevation causes multiple health issues from Brain fog, stress, hypertention and long term causes are Dementia. Until the two bodies sit down and fully understand the impact, we will not get any resolution fit for purpose. We want the same kindness given to us as people living around Heathrow flight path.  We should not be treated like animals and be ignored. The last local MP (Conservative) had the audacity to suggest that I should go and see my GP for sleeping pills!!! Talk about insult to Injury.  This action needs to be taken NOW!

Many of us have watched Craig coach over the past three years. Without exception, we believe he is one of the finest youth coaches we have encountered. His tactical understanding of the game is exceptional. His ability to read matches, identify problems and make effective changes during games consistently has a positive impact upon performances. Equally impressive is his ability to communicate with young players. • The boys respect him. • They trust him. • They listen. • They respond. • He creates confidence rather than fear. • High standards without intimidation. • Discipline without negativity. • Belief without complacency. These qualities are not easily replaced.

A young man has lost his life in a reservoir. It is happening everywhere this hot summer. Youngsters aren’t learning to swim. Everyone is entering dangerous waters. Wild Swimming is no alternative to a sociable space of a town pool and Life-Guards.  My memory of far cooler summers in Britain is of cold water, blue skies, green spaces and fun. In Switzerland and Germany there are huge pools everywhere.  During The Great Depression there were lidos. If they could have them then, why not now?

At a time when the disabled, sick and aged are being chosen to once again pay the price for successive government's failures, it flies in the face of fairness that these already well paid individuals enjoy such subsidies and expenses.

Getting paid while on placement would make a huge difference to me. As I’m about to start ODP (operating department practitioner), I’ve heard how time-consuming and stressful placements can be, with long hours that leave very little time to work alongside studying. Being paid would help ease the financial pressure of travel and everyday expenses, allowing me to focus on learning, gaining confidence, and becoming the best healthcare professional I can be and this applies to other students who are also doing courses in the healthcare field.

The solution is clear and achievable: 1. Expand legal aid for financially vulnerable parents - No mother should lose her home, savings, or stability because she cannot afford representation. 2. Introduce mandatory safeguarding checks when children disclose harm Children’s statements must be taken seriously = Courts should not dismiss disclosures simply because they come from the parent with less financial power. 3. Require full and transparent financial disclosure from both parties -  No parent should be able to hide income, savings, or affordability. 4. Create a “Vulnerable Litigant Protection Pathway” -  A simple, fast process that gives vulnerable parents: support guidance representation protection from coercion 5. Commission an urgent review into how family courts handle financial imbalance and children’s disclosures -  We need accountability, data, and reform. I’m Tracy, a mum from Wales, and I’m speaking up because the family court system has left me — and thousands of other women — financially devastated, unheard, and unprotected. After giving birth, I expected life to be hard, but I never imagined the real trauma would come later, inside a system that is supposed to protect families. When my relationship ended, I entered family court without the money to hire a solicitor. That single fact changed everything. I lost my home, my savings, my pension rights, and my financial stability — not because I was irresponsible, but because I simply couldn’t afford representation while the other parent could.  The financial imbalance meant my voice carried less weight. My evidence was harder to present. My concerns were easier to dismiss. Even when children speak up about harm, courts often minimise or overlook their disclosures if the parent raising concerns is the one with fewer resources. This isn’t just my experience — it’s happening to women across the UK.  Family court is meant to protect children and support parents, but right now it is failing the very people who need it most. Women who cannot afford legal help are losing everything: their homes, their financial security, and sometimes even their ability to protect their children. No mother should be punished for being financially vulnerable. No child’s voice should be ignored because one parent has more money. I’m sharing my story because this isn’t just about me. It’s about every woman who has been financially overpowered, every child whose words were brushed aside, and every family who has been harmed by a system that does not recognise financial inequality as a safeguarding risk. We need change. We need protection. We need fairness. And we need it now. The financial imbalance meant my voice carried less 

Since the first day I started skating I was welcomed into a community of various skaters on different levels, we all help eachother with tricks and tips and at that point it’s not just you, it’s the community you’ve built that want you to progress and land that trick you’ve been learning, with these bylaws it’s effectively killing us off, there is no good parks in Manchester anymore and the only one we had was gooseside DIY but they destroyed it and are turning it into a walking path… 

​Ben Stokes is the heartbeat of England cricket. He isn't just a world-class all-rounder; he is a transformative leader whose grit, match-winning heroism, and inspiring presence define the team's identity. Removing him strips the squad of its vital spark and elite experience—we need him on the field to win.

The billionaires who will profit from Data Centres can afford to build desalination plants and generate their own electricity.  Our supplies of water and electricity must be preserved for the public. People in Kent, and other regions already do not have enough water for their needs.

Because this is what my downstairs neighbours are repeatedly doing against me! They are not taking out their rubbish for weekly collections. There is flagrant, consistent trespassing and fly-tipping in the backyard that I have an exclusive legal right to use, apart from the private landlord and anyone I grant permission to (which obviously isn't them)! They have also allowed the building and erection of an illegal backyard kennel. They mistreat and seem to neglect their three dogs too much, who bark incessantly. They do DIY in unsocial hours and have numerous loud and vile domestics. He has verbally abused me and my Mum, verging on threatening both of us on occasion, which I've emailed Coventry City Council all about and had to contact the police over!