Concerns have been raised with the government about the amount of time primary school children are spending on a game designed to make learning times tables fun. TT Rockstars, which allows children to compete with their classmates for virtual coins and rock-star themed characters and outfits, is widely used by schools for maths homework. Labour MP Emily Darlington said the app and others like it could be harming children's development because it rewards them for length of time rather than quality of time spent online. Bruno Reddy, founder of the firm behind TT Rockstars, said he shared concerns about screen time and was working with schools to bring in curfews and time limits. He said the company discourages long sessions, adding: Every game in TTRS is deliberately short, and our characters remind children to take regular breaks.

Image caption, Phoebe Waller-Bridge is donating the London flat as part of the Writers' Block scheme Fleabag creator, writer and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge is offering a rent-free flat in London for writers early in their careers. The 41-year-old has bought and donated the flat as part of a new theatre initiative Writers' Block, which aims to address the cost of London accommodation for playwrights from underprivileged backgrounds. She bought the flat specifically for writers who are starting out and are struggling to afford accommodation in the capital, and has donated its use alongside what the scheme called a generous financial contribution. Her flat will be provided without rent, with the resident paying bills only. Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne - who wrote the films Wonder and Enola Holmes, as well as the Harry Potter And The Cursed Child stage play - is also providing financial backing to the scheme.

A survivor of grooming gang abuse has accused the Scottish government of taking too long to deliver the public inquiry it promised at pace almost nine months ago. Holly Alex, 36, went into care at the age of 14 after her stepfather went to prison and her relationship with her mother broke down. Holly's social care records, seen by BBC Scotland News, show that staff recorded concerns that she was being groomed for sex by adult Asian men as a teenager. They also indicate social workers and police knew of the risks she faced. Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said safeguarding children was the government's priority, and the planned statutory inquiry was a core part of this work.

British celebrity hairstylist and beauty brand entrepreneur John Frieda has died aged 75. Frieda became a firm favourite with celebrities throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and is known to have cut hair for clients including British model Twiggy, US First Lady Jackie Kennedy and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. He was also known for the range of hair products bearing his name, and the iconic Purdey bowl cut which he created for The New Avengers actor Joanna Lumley in 1976. His death was announced by his hair salon in an Instagram post on Tuesday. It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that our dear John passed away peacefully .surrounded

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department conducts an on-site investigation of a fatal hit-and-run incident, with traffic restrictions in place, on Dec. 22, 2025, in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department plans to introduce a new system that can reconstruct traffic accidents using artificial intelligence, it was learned Wednesday. The system will combine AI with 3D spatial data from accident sites and footage from nearby security cameras, reducing the need for lengthy on-site inspections, which require traffic restrictions and often cause congestion and economic losses. The MPD plans to test the new system from June 2027 and launch full-scale operations in January 2028. Related expenses have been included in the police department's budget request for the next fiscal year. Currently, fatal accidents and hit-and-run incidents are investigated through on-site inspections, in which vehicles are positioned as they were at the time of the crash and measurements are taken to produce reports and diagrams.

Americans are electing members of Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. All 435 House seats are up for election. In the Senate, only 35 of 100 seats are being contested because senators serve six-year terms. This results tracker shows both the races being decided now and the 65 seats that are not up for election this year - 34 held by Democrats and 31 by Republicans. Trump takes aim at Republicans but says Democrats did a'good job' To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Delhi is once again battling worsening air pollution as the onset of winter brings a familiar deterioration in air quality to India's capital. The city's air quality index (AQI) - which measures PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can clog lungs - has crossed 300, entering the very poor category and raising health concerns for millions of residents. Breathing such polluted air over prolonged periods can cause respiratory problems and worsen existing illnesses, with children and older people particularly vulnerable. Authorities have responded by invoking Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), introducing measures to curb dust, vehicle emissions and other sources of pollution. GRAP is a set of emergency measures that become progressively stricter as pollution levels rise.

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An ecologist in the Scottish Borders is fighting to be allowed to keep a badger that he saved from starvation. Graeme Wilson was called out to help the cub, called Harriet, in April after she was found in a cattle trough 100m (300ft) from her sett. Wilson nursed the badger back to health but believes she was hand-reared prior to this, and it would be impossible to return her to the wild. NatureScot - which turned down his application for an educational licence to keep the animal - said it was continuing talks to try to find a pragmatic solution. To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

A runner who suffered a cardiac arrest at the 25th mile of the London Marathon has finally finished what I started - by walking the last mile, six months later. Gareth Hopkins, 43, a paramedic from Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, collapsed during the race on 26 April when his heart stopped due to severe rhabdomyolysis, caused by overheating. He completed the unofficial final mile on Sunday, walking through the capital by Buckingham Place and along The Mall with family, friends and supporters, a month after leaving hospital. He said he was nervous, adding: Everyone calls me a hero, that I inspire people, I just feel happy it went really well and it was a lot better than I thought. The marathon novice had been taking part for the first time in April with his brother Chris, raising funds for Age UK in honour of their grandmother, Tricia Petts, who died in January 2025.