Tom Hanks has long pointed to Stanley Kubrick's 1968 science-fiction epic 2001: A Space Odyssey as his top pick when asked about his favourite movie.The actor has talked about the film repeatedly over the years, telling Collider in 2012 he'd watched it roughly 120 times and listing it alongside other favourites like Fargo and The Best Years of Our Lives.Hanks admires 2001 for taking audiences...

A petition calling on the Treasury to give pensioners a higher tax-free earnings limit has forced a Commons debate after drawing more than 116,000 signatures.Campaigners want pensioners to benefit from a £25,140 threshold before income tax applies — double the current personal allowance of £12,570.The petition secured enough support to trigger a parliamentary discussion, but a date for the...

Matt Brittin, a former senior executive at Google, has been named the BBC's next director general.He succeeds Tim Davie, who stepped down following controversy over a Panorama edit that sparked widespread criticism.Brittin led Google's activities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa before leaving the company in 2025 after an 18-year tenure. BBC chairman Samir Shah argued the corporation...

A son of one of the victims of the Nottingham attacks told a public inquiry he discovered his father had been killed after receiving an Instagram message from a family friend.Valdo Calocane murdered three people in the early hours of 13 June 2023, killing 19-year-olds Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar before travelling across the city and stabbing 65-year-old school caretaker Ian...

Denmark went to the polls as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pursues a third consecutive term after calling an early election amid a surge in popularity following the diplomatic row over Greenland.Frederiksen’s Social Democrats remain the single largest party in opinion polls, but support has slipped since their strong 2022 result.Even with the lead, the party appears unlikely to secure the 90...

Many families who once treated days out as a routine are tightening their belts as everyday leisure costs climb.Parents across the UK say meals, attractions and activities have become harder to justify on a middle-income budget, even when both adults are in work.Bianca and Paul Osborne, who live in Stockport and earn close to the national average household income, found a typical family outing...

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has publicly addressed her ties to Jeffrey Epstein, saying she was misled and expressing regret for not checking his background more closely.The 20-minute interview with public broadcaster NRK came after seven weeks of silence, following the release of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice.Those files showed the crown princess exchanged...

A British couple imprisoned in Iran have warned their situation has become dangerous amid the region’s latest fighting and say they feel abandoned by the UK government.Craig and Lindsay Foreman, both 53 and from East Sussex, recorded a message relayed by their son Joe Bennett from Evin prison in Tehran.The pair were detained in January 2025 during a motorbike trip and later given 10-year...

Germany's shortage of skilled workers has pushed employers to recruit abroad, and India has emerged as a major source of talent.With retirees outnumbering young entrants, businesses from bakeries to construction sites are looking overseas to keep operations running.Demographic trends are at the heart of the problem. A recent study by the Bertelsmann Foundation found Germany needs roughly 288,000...

Jerry Leach, a 32-year-old country musician, has died after being trapped beneath a vehicle outside his New Jersey home.According to authorities, Leach was found on March 10 pinned under the rear tire of the car.Police and nearby residents attempted to lift the vehicle to free him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Leach's band announced his death on Instagram, sharing photos and a...