Chancellor Rachel Reeves said freezing the Plan 2 repayment threshold is 'fair and reasonable' and aims to align repayment plans; personal finance expert Martin Lewis criticised the move as treating loans like a tax.
The National Trust has sunk three decommissioned barges in the Blackwater Estuary and will cover them with about 8,000 cubic metres of sediment to create a 0.55-hectare island intended as bird habitat.
Families in east London say they will set up a 'virtual hospice' to provide home-based care after Richard House in Newham closed on 18 December.
Catherine O'Hara died at 71, her agency CAA said, following a brief illness; a cause of death has not been released. She and Macaulay Culkin reunited at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in December 2023, where they embraced.
A cast-iron codfish sculpture in Robin Hood's Bay was installed around 1885 to raise money for the RNLI and is Grade II listed; Historic England reports it could be the charity's oldest collecting box still in use.
Christopher and Denise Mitchell, from the Derbyshire Dales, were presented with a British Citizen Award at the Palace of Westminster after decades of adopting and fostering children, including three adopted children with Down's syndrome and 12 foster placements over 14 years.
A Science paper, reported in The Guardian, used a model that adjusts for deaths from external causes and, based on historical twin data from Denmark and Sweden, suggests genetics may account for about 50% of variation in human lifespan.
Disney+ will stream a one-off Muppet Show special on 4 February 2026, with Seth Rogen credited as executive producer and Sabrina Carpenter appearing as a guest; the episode follows the characters staging a variety show with skits and musical numbers.
Bruce Friedrich argues in his book Meat that cultivated and plant‑based proteins, if they reach taste and price parity and receive government and private support, could replace much industrial meat by mid‑century.
Former footballer Jeffrey Boadi says he gained weight and strength after switching to a plant-based diet and highlights plant proteins, antioxidants and fibre as factors that supported his recovery and training.
