‘Not fit for purpose’ – the secret history of a deadly phrase
“Our system is not fit for purpose.” And with this description of parts of the Home Office in 2006, the then-Home Secretary John Reid minted a phrase that has lodged in the lexicon of British politics. He was speaking a few months after thousands of foreign-born prisoners had been released
‘Not pretending to be 20’: U2 drop ‘endearingly honest’ second surprise EP
Irish rock legends U2 have released their second surprise EP of 2026, with the six-track Easter Lily coming just over 40 days after Days of Ash. After a quiet period for the band, as drummer Larry Mullen Jr recovered from neck surgery, the two EPs follow confirmation last year that a
Power-washing, pool-cleaning and mowing: Why millions are playing games about mundane jobs
PowerWash Simulator sees players don their cleaning gear and hose down a variety of filthy in-game locations until they’re sparkling and spotless. While it may seem like an unusual premise, the original game from 2021 has sold more than 17 million copies. The sequel, released in 2025, has just been nominated
Guardiola wants Rodri to stay but says unhappy stars can go
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says unhappy players can leave the club, but he hopes midfielder Rodri will stay. During the international break, ex-Atletico Madrid player Rodri said he would consider joining their city rivals Real as “you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world”. The 29-year-old Spain captain has made
Rescue team in Iran face ‘harrowing and dangerous’ search for US crew member
Early reports indicate that the pilot of a US F-15 fighter aircraft downed over Iran was rescued – which, if confirmed, would be the latest in the long history of US combat search-and-rescue missions over decades. The search operation is ongoing deep inside Iran for a second crew member, according
Three charged over Jewish charity ambulance fires
Three people have been charged after four Jewish charity-owned ambulances were set on fire in north London last week. The Hatzola ambulances were set alight in the car park of a synagogue in Golders Green in the early hours of 23 March. Two British men – Hamza Iqbal, 20, and
Police offered support to tackle rising threats against MPs
Police forces are being offered specialist support from a new national democracy protection unit to deal with the rising level of threats and abuse facing MPs. Police chief Chris Balmer has been tasked with leading the new initiative to help forces investigate and tackle “anti-democratic crimes”. Reports of crimes against
Fewer UK adults posting on social media, Ofcom finds
Fewer adults in the UK are posting, commenting on, or sharing material on social media – while AI use is up and the majority of people worry about their screentime – according to Ofcom. Across the UK, 49% of respondents said they actively post on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook
Judge dismisses most of Blake Lively’s claims in harassment lawsuit against Baldoni
A federal judge has dismissed most of the claims in a sexual harassment lawsuit that actress Blake Lively filed against her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni. Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of 13 allegations in Lively’s case, including harassment and defamation. He left in place three claims
Elon Musk’s SpaceX set to be worth $1 trillion with planned public listing
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is poised to become one of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the world. The firm, which makes rockets, space exploration technology and Starlink satellites, is privately held, but on Wednesday it made a confidential filing with authorities for an initial public offering (IPO), which would