The annual New Year's ball drop dates back to 1907, when it was used to celebrate the opening of The New York Times Building. Now, the ball sits on the roof of One Times Square as it descends from a flagpole starting at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, one minute before the new calendar year begins. The new ball will feature 5,280 Waterford crystals, the official crystal of Times Square New Year’s Eve. “The Times Square ball is more than just an icon of celebration. This year, One Times Square is offering a new Premium Ball Experience where visitors can help adorn the new ball by removing one of the 2025 crystals and replacing it with a new 2026 Waterford crystal.

(Photo: X)An NHS junior doctor accused of praising the October 7 Hamas attacks appeared at a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing wearing a gold necklace featuring a distinctive number seven charm.31-year-old Rahmeh Aladwan is facing allegations of antisemitism and posting social media content in support of Hamas, according to the Daily Mail.Aladwan is a trauma and orthopaedics doctor of British-Palestinian heritage. One charge relates to social media messages posted on October 7 supporting the Hamas attack on Israel.She remains on bail.Flanked by supporters, Aladwan wore the gold number seven charm alongside another chain with a green stone, previously visible on her social media, where she captioned similar posts as "Celebratory jewellery". In other posts, she claimed Israel had been "humiliated" by the October 7 attacks.Ahead of the hearing, Aladwan accused authorities of persecution and targeting her for her speech. She has also described Palestinian militants as "martyrs" and referred to Israel as a "terrorist entity" that "must be dismantled".The latest MPTS hearing was adjourned to a future date. A tribunal spokesperson said the panel will decide whether to impose interim restrictions or suspension on Aladwan’s medical licence while the investigation continues.

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Among the British-supplied equipment were a drone used for surveying and laying cables and an advanced acoustic sensor suitable for "hydrographic survey operations". The company was part of a network that "laid cables for the Russian government", according to US sanctions documents. There is reason to believe that at least part of the network was close to the Russian intelligence services. A robust sanctions regime must be able to deal with sophisticated attempts to circumvent it or there is no point in it. Last year in Nuremberg, German customs officers detained a Russian citizen suspected of circumventing sanctions.

Workers check mail ballots as they arrive at the ballot processing center in the City of Industry in 2024. Early voter turnout is exceeding expectations in California’s Nov. 4 special election over redrawing the state’s congressional districts, a Democratic-led effort to counter Republican attempts to keep Congress under GOP control. This year’s turnout is also especially significant because Proposition 50 is about the esoteric topic of redistricting. Obama, who has endorsed Proposition 50 and stars in a television ad supporting the effort, on Wednesday said the ballot measure will affect the entire country. AdvertisementMitchell added that another interesting data point is that the mail ballots continue to flow in.

King’s College London (KCL) placed 38th in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, a drop of two places from 2025. In both social and life sciences, KCL ranked 32nd, whilst coming in 35th place for education studies. In business and economics, KCL ranked 59th; in computer science and physical sciences, KCL ranked 91st and 92nd, respectively. In the QS World University rankings, KCL achieved a similar position, 31st. In all of the domestic rankings, KCL rose from the previous year.

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Cheryl Grimmer, aged three, was kidnapped from a changing area after spending a morning at the seaside with her mother and three brothers in 1970, near the city of Wollongong in New South Wales (NSW) state. Jeremy Buckingham, of the Legalise Cannabis Party, used parliamentary privilege on Thursday to identify a man known as Mercury. In parliament on Thursday, Mr Buckingham read out Mercury’s confession and revealed his identity before calling for a new investigation into Cheryl’s murder. “The family of Cheryl Grimmer have been through so much anguish over such a long period of time,” he said. A coroner in 2011 found Cheryl had died – but her cause and manner of death remained undetermined, NSW Police said.

Almost half of the U.K. population (45%) believe it will drive increased interest in football coaching as a career pathway. Seven in 10 (70%) think the tournament will increase grassroots participation in women’s football, while 62% believe it will lead to more female coaches. Among female coaches themselves, more than half (56%) said watching high-profile women’s coaches on TV has given them the confidence to continue their own coaching journey. Initiatives like the Chase football coaching programme are helping create more opportunities for people to get involved, so I’d encourage anyone thinking about coaching to give it a try”. By removing barriers, we can support the next generation of coaches who will inspire players both on and off the pitch.”For more information the Chase football coaching programme, visit: https://www.chase.co.uk/gb/en/chase-football-coaching-programme/

The Iranian national was detained and the Government intends to send him back to France again after he crossed the Channel a second time, it is understood. Children’s minister Josh MacAlister said it shows the Government’s one-in, one-out migrant returns deal with France is working. “He was stopped, he was detained, and he was returned to France. He paid someone again, and he will be returned to France again.”This sends a clear message to those who cross the Channel in small boats that “you will be deported”, Mr MacAlister said. Mr MacAlister called this a “ludicrous claim”, and stressed that “France is a safe country”.

Before she was tapped as Trump’s “election integrity” official at the Department of Homeland Security, Heather Honey reportedly told a group of right-wing activists in March that the president could declare a “national emergency” to effectively take control of local election administration. She said the move would follow an “actual investigation” of the 2020 election, if it revealed “manipulation” of the results, according to The New York Times, which had a recording of the call. We can never let what happened in the 2020 election happen again,” Trump said in the Oval Office Tuesday. But officials who explicitly embraced Trump’s election lies are working across the government in positions that critics fear could be weaponized against election administration. He is reportedly “asking intelligence agencies for information about the 2020 election,” including voting machines, the WSJ reported.

A police helicopter assisted the men in the water and winched them back to shore, but they were unresponsive and could not be revived. Police believe the 36-year-old British national was surfing when his board snapped as the state was lashed by heavy winds of up to 130km/h. A 43-year-old friend of the surfer jumped into the water to assist, but both came into trouble. “His friend obviously thought he was in distress and jumped in to help him. “The weather conditions yesterday were obviously not appropriate to be in the water surfing, whether you’re experienced or not.

Open Extended ReactionsTORONTO -- The Maple Leafs and Raptors are changing the times of their games this weekend and next week to avoid overlap with the Blue Jays' World Series games. Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto will host Games 1 and 2 of the World Series on Friday and Saturday. The Raptors' home opener against Milwaukee on Friday was moved from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30, and the Maple Leafs' game against Buffalo on Saturday was moved from 7 p.m. to 5. Games 3-5 of the World Series are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Maple Leafs and Raptors will also show the World Series games on the Scotiabank Arena videoboard following their games.

Ms Rayner was emotional in the Commons as she spoke in the chamber for the first time since she stood down. All of us in public life know all too well the toll of the intense scrutiny we face places on our loved ones. Bridget Phillipson, who is vying with Lucy Powell to win Labour’s deputy leadership election to replace Ms Rayner, was also in attendance. There has already been calls for Ms Rayner to return to Government since her departure. At Labour’s party conference in Liverpool, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told members: “We need her back.”On Wednesday, Ms Rayner recalled her maiden speech in 2015 when was elected as MP for Ashton-under-Lyme.

Britain's antitrust watchdog on Wednesday targeted Google and Apple for their "strategic" roles in mobile ecosystems, opening the door for regulators to impose changes to their business practices to improve competition.The Competition and Markets Authority escalated scrutiny of the two US tech companies by labeling them with "strategic market status." "Following the CMA's decision today, our mobile business in the UK faces a set of new - and, as of yet, uncertain - rules," said Oliver Bethell, senior competition director at Google. "The CMA's next steps will be crucial if the UK's digital markets regime is to meet its promise of being pro-growth and pro-innovation. "Google was already given the "strategic market status" designation earlier this month, when the CMA wielded its new powers for the first time by targeting the company's role in a separate investigation into the online search advertising market.The CMA says being labeled with "strategic market status" doesn't imply any wrongdoing. But it means the watchdog has the power to use targeted measures to open up competition and ensure consumers and businesses are treated fairly.The watchdog has said Apple and Google hold an "effective duopoly," with 90-100% of mobile devices in Britain running on either mobile platform.