#the-great

#the-great

Thousands of runners took part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon in central London, with participants including club runners, charity fundraisers, celebrities, and first-time entrants.

The tulips gained fame in 1912, when it was widely reported that a tulip with four distinct blooms on one stem had been spotted at the palace, and the following year, it was reported that the palace had its best display in many years.

A new campaign is aiming to collect 50 objects that sum up Englishness in an effort to move the conversation away from reductive arguments over whether to hang a St George's flag or not. Supported by the Green party politician Caroline Lucas, the musician and campaigner Billy Bragg, and Kojo Koram, a law professor, the A Very English Chat campaign hopes to tackle England's growing social divisions and political polarisation.

"After careful research and thought, my design for the Queen's monument will emphasise her role as head of state and proudly follows a sculptural tradition that shows kings and queens from the House of Windsor in a standing position," said Jennings. The previous horse-riding images had been for illustrative purposes only to show the size, scale and location rather than the final design, says the Cabinet Office.

Perhaps it's fitting that Al Bowlly's death is as well-remembered as his life, or rather, as his voice. After all, his most celebrated appearance in popular culture wasn't physical, but spectral. In Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980), when Jack Torrance enters the ballroom and the ballad titled Midnight, the Stars and You (1934) plays, the film reaches one of its most memorable moments.

So, on Sunday 25th January, members of the reenactment society will converge on The Mall from all across the country, some arriving already dressed in buff coats and broad-brimmed hats, others changing into period clothing on arrival. There are pikes to be shouldered, muskets checked, and a few tentative practice swings as old drill is recalled, before the ranks are set and order restored.

Britain once ruled over the largest empire in history. For many Britons, it remains a source of pride. Others argue its power was built on a legacy of brutality, colonial conquest and the enslavement of millions. Can Britain reckon with that past and make amends?

Getty Images Footfall in London's West End reached its highest level since 2020 over the 2025 festive season, new figures show. The Heart of London Business Alliance (HOLBA) said visitor numbers in December were up 19% on the same month in 2024 across its central London district. The area, which includes Piccadilly, Leicester Square and Haymarket, also recorded longer visits, with people staying an average of 42 minutes more than in December 2024.

The palace, rebuilt after a fire destroyed it in 1834, is falling apart. There have been 36 fire incidents since 2016. Water leaks, heating failures and sewerage problems plague the heart of this Unesco world heritage site. Fixing Westminster would save money in the long run. An upgrade is also a matter of safety and legacy.

Seventy-two different metrics were assessed and divided into these categories: economy (GDP per capita, employment levels, wage rate); research and development (number of patents, startups and presence of top universities); cultural interaction (proximity to World Heritage Sites and number of theatres, museums, stadiums and hotel rooms); livability (life expectancy and rent prices); environment (air quality and waste recycle rate); and accessibility (the price of a cab and the number of international flights).

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

The committees not had a chance to reflect on these allegations because recess means Parliament isn't sitting this week. My task this week is to make sure that the committee's got options in front of them when they meet on Tuesday for how we might or might not take this investigation forward. Obviously, we can't and don't want to compromise a police investigation.