“It formalises an ideological framework related to a ‘common consciousness of the Chinese nation’ across education, religion, history, culture, tourism, mass media and the internet and directs that this ideology be integrated into urban and rural planning and economic development,” said Human Rights Watch China Researcher, Yalkun Uluyol.

Previously speaking on ITV’s This Morning, the ever-savvy money-saving guru shed some light on a matter.

He said: “They say it’s better to only put the heating on when you need it. You pay to pump energy in as and when is needed, and to keep pumping it in constantly isn’t efficient.

“Using a timer is best, because your thermostat is designed to turn your heating on and off to keep your home at the temperature you set it at. So in general I’d stick with that.”

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Taking everything into account – from the tasks it does to economic and job impact – do you think large language AI like Grok, Chat GPT, Claude, Gemini will be a net positive for people?

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However, his next point made the issue a bit more complex.

He said: “There are some engineers who argue that keeping the heating on low with all the radiators on and the boiler down can work as it reduces condensation, which when the heating is turned off collects within the walls, and can help conduct heat outside the home.

“This means you lose heat more quickly and will use more energy as a result. So if your house is prone to that you may want to think about it.”

Over on the MSE Forum, the conversation continued.

One member recounted: “I live in a well-insulated new build so heating is on a timer with thermostat on 20C from 6am to 7am and 5pm to 8pm. I generally keep it off completely over the summer.”

Echoing that, another added: “My heating is set to 21C from 07.45 to 23.30 then 18C overnight but sometimes I manually increase the temp to 22.5C in the evening if my wife is feeling chilly.

“It resets to 21C at 7.45 the next day. It will occasionally produce heat during the night if it is below freezing outside.”

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It’s challenging to dry your clothes outside because colder and damper weather often means that your laundry will take longer to dry and will be left feeling damp and smelling musky. 

This means it is especially important to be aware of some savvy tips for getting your clothes dry – even without the use of a tumble dryer.

For starters, avoid drying laundry in the rooms where you spend the most time e.g., your living room and bedroom.

Instead, place the drying rack in the bathroom, the kitchen or the hallway where you spend less time.

In a CBS interview on Sunday, defence secretary Pete Hegseth outlined a next phase of the US-Israeli operation that included using more powerful ordinance. “The ability for us to be up over the top and hunting with more conventional munitions, gravity bombs, 500-pound, 1,000-pound, 2,000-pound bombs on military targets,” he said, “we haven’t even really begun to start that effort of the campaign.”

Eve Myles has played her fair share of detectives, from DS Lola Franks in We Hunt Together, to DCI Jeanette Kilburn in The Crow Girl.

In her latest series, Gone, the Welsh actress stars as Detective Annie Cassidy, who is tasked with solving the mysterious disappearance of a woman.

The six-part drama, written by George Kay, is partly inspired by the book To Hunt a Killer by crime correspondent Robert Murphy.

The book explores the case led by former Detective Superintendent Julie Mackay of Gloucestershire Police, whose investigation helped secure a life sentence for the man who sexually assaulted and stabbed Melanie Road, 32 years after her murder.

Both Mackay and Murphy served as consultants on the series, which sees a local headmaster, played by David Morrissey, become the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance.

Myles, 47, who also starred in Broadchurch, says she sought Mackay’s advice while preparing for the role.

“She was very generous during the time we spoke,” says Myles.

“We did Zoom calls while she was out walking her dog or eating breakfast. Whenever I had questions or wasn’t sure about something, I could call her and she was always available to help. She also made visits to the set.

“She even appeared as a supporting artist in one of the scenes, which was brilliant. It added to the sense of involvement and inclusivity.

“She was very honest and open, especially considering I was a complete stranger asking her quite personal questions.

“I felt it really helped me understand, manage and develop Annie’s character. I was profoundly grateful to her for being so open.”

Myles says she was particularly inspired by Mackay’s resilience and perseverance in solving Road’s case.

“Julie said to me that she never doubted, not for a single second, that she would catch the killer.

“That resilience and persistence really stayed with me. Even if, externally, you feel like you’re not being listened to or heard, you have to keep that belief loud and alive within yourself and keep working towards your goal.

“You’ve got to trust your instincts. You have to believe that you have a voice and that you’re more than capable of achieving what you set out to do.”

Set against the backdrop of a prestigious private school, Morrissey’s character, Michael Polly, is an upstanding member of the community, until he finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation.

When he encounters the determined Detective Cassidy, a tense game of cat and mouse begins as she chips away at his composed exterior in search of the truth.

Morrissey, 61, known for his roles in State of Play and The Walking Dead, describes Gone as more of a psychological drama than a conventional thriller.

“We’re very used to the sort of ‘crash, bang, wallop’ moments you often get in a psychological drama like this. But this story is about the pauses, the intrigue and the relationships,” he explains.

“I don’t think these two characters would ever have met, or chosen to spend time together, if they didn’t have to. They’re both very good at their jobs. Whether they’re as successful in their personal lives is another matter, but professionally they’re highly capable.

“They meet at a time of crisis, and much of it centres on them trying to work each other out, for very different reasons. It becomes a kind of chess match between them, while the world carries on around them.”

Myles agrees, emphasising the emotional depth of the series.

“It shifts from being a procedural investigation to an emotional one. There are no car chases, no bombs going off, no guns, it’s not that kind of thriller.

“This is a psychological thriller, a human thriller. It’s about the breakdown of two people who were never meant to come together, but are forced into each other’s lives under extremely traumatic circumstances and what happens to them in the process.”

Morrissey describes his character as a control freak.

“It was about the idea that he’s a man who’s built a cage around himself,” he explains.

“As a result, he’s controlling, a real control freak. He likes routine and is very rigid in his outlook. He has a strong moral compass.

“He’s deeply committed to his ethics, particularly when it comes to how a school should be run, and he’s taken all of that responsibility on. But the downside is that he’s not emotionally in touch with himself and struggles to be vulnerable.

“He doesn’t seem able to have fun or embrace any kind of frivolity. What fascinated me was how locked-in he is, how that rigidity is demanded by his job, yet ultimately becomes an obstacle in his personal life.”

As his world begins to unravel, that rigidity becomes even more apparent.

“Once his world begins to unravel, he doesn’t have the emotional intelligence to cope with it. Instead, he reacts in a way that feels violent, not necessarily physically violent, but through stonewalling, stoicism and an absence of emotion. That unsettles people. It tips the police off to the sense that something isn’t right.

“‘I don’t know what’s wrong,’ she thinks, ‘but something is and I need to dig deeper.’ That’s really the heart of the piece.”

Morrissey, who has starred in thrillers including The Woman in Cabin 10 and Basic Instinct 2, says he was surprised by how the story unfolds.

“I think it’s a very surprising story, not just in the classic ‘he didn’t do it’ sense but in the cracks that appear in the characters’ emotional lives, and how we get there.

“I’ve not really seen it examined in that way in a classic thriller, the emotional lives of people, the baggage they’re carrying, and how that unexpectedly opens up.”

Episode 2 of Gone will show on ITV tonight.

LK Bennett, founded back in the 90s, entered administration in January, with John Noon and Mark Firmin of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP appointed joint administrators.

Immediately following their appointment, the LK Bennett brand and related intellectual property were sold to US firm Gordon Brothers, which also owns Laura Ashley and Poundland.

However, LK Bennett’s nine stand-alone and 13 concession stores were not included in the deal, leaving them at risk of closing.

Its website explains: “The LK Bennett stores were not included in the transaction and continue to trade under the Administration.

“Online sales via the LK Bennett website continue for the foreseeable future.”

Full list of LK Bennett stores at risk of closing

The full list of LK Bennett stores at risk of closing is:

Stand-alone stores

• Lower Guildhall Mall (Bluewater)
• Canary Wharf (London)
• Eastgate Square Shopping Centre (Chester)
• Duke of York Square (London)
• Harrogate
• Knightsbridge (London)
• New Bond Street (London)
• Richmond
• White City Westfield (London)

Concession stores

• Arnotts (Dublin)
• The Bentall Centre (Kingston upon Thames)
• Brown Thomas (Dublin)
• De Gruchy (Jersey)
• Hoopers (Tunbridge Wells)
• Hoopers (Wilmslow)
• Jarrold (Norwich)
• John Lewis (Edinburgh)
• John Lewis (High Wycombe)
• John Lewis – Oxford Street (London)
• John Lewis (Manchester)
• John Lewis (Oxford)
• John Lewis (Cheadle)

JK Bennett launches closing-down sale in all UK stores

JK Bennett has now launched a closing-down sale in all stores across the UK with up to 75% off, with “everything reduced”.

A LK Bennett spokesperson, via London Now, said: “There are some truly exceptional offers available across all categories.

“Everything has been reduced, including new season pieces.

“We anticipate strong demand and expect key styles to sell through quickly; we would like to thank our loyal customers for their support over the years and invite them to shop early to avoid disappointment.”​​​

Turbulent start to 2026 for UK high street

It has been a rough start to 2026 for the UK high street, with several retailers entering administration and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street retailers, including River Island, Primark, and Poundland, have been forced to close stores already in 2026, while Revolution and BrewDog have shut the doors to 21 and 38 pubs, respectively.

Several other retailers have fallen into administration recently, including:

Meanwhile, four UK travel companies have closed in the opening weeks of 2026:

EcoJet Airlines, billed as “the world’s first Electric Airline”, has also entered liquidation after just three years, resulting in the cancellation of all planned flights.

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Tesco recently revealed plans to cut 380 jobs in stores across the UK, while its been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

UK delivery company Yodel is also set to be phased out over the coming months after being acquired by InPost.

It’s not been all bad news for the UK high street, with several major brands announcing new store openings for 2026, including Aldi, M&S, Superdrug, and Lidl.

Which recent shop closure has affected you the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Cameron Vann’s lung collapsed twice as he hid his habit from mum Crystal with doctors saying it could have been fatal

A teen who secretly vaped at school with his mates nearly died when his lung collapsed twice. Cameron Vann, known as Dodge, picked up vaping from his friends at school and had been using them for two years.

Dodge’s mum, Crystal Vann, said she didn’t know about the 17-year-old’s habit until the teenager came off the school bus looking pale and with back pain last September. The 38-year-old mum rushed him to ER where an x-ray showed the teenager had a 50% collapsed lung, needing an 18-inch tube inserted in his left side.

Despite this, Dodge carried on vaping until he was left struggling to breathe while he was at school in January. Crystal rushed the teen back to ER but was advised to go straight to Kentucky Children’s Hospital, as doctors warned he could have died while waiting in the lobby.

This time, Dodge needed surgery and doctors “scraped” his left lung lining, while he stayed in hospital for a week. The mum-of-two said she feared for her son’s life and wants to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping.

Dodge has since vowed to never to vape again. Crystal, from Corbin, Kentucky, US, said: “He was vaping at school, it wasn’t on my watch.

“He was vaping quite a lot, both times it happened at school. He had been vaping for two years. He got off the bus and he was so pale. I took him to the ER and he explained what happened, he went to lie down in the bus and his back hurt so much.”

She said Dodge was x-rayed which showed his left lung had collapsed. He needed an 18-inch tube inserted into his side.

“He called me from school the second time and he said ‘I’m hurting but I don’t know if it’s my lung or not’. We went straight to the ER.

“They said he could have died in the lobby. He had surgery this time and they had to scrape off the lung lining, stapling the blebs [fluid or air-filled blisters] at the top of his lung, and attach it back to the chest wall.”

“He went through a lot. It was horrible, I thought ‘why him?’ I feared he was going to die.”

Dodge said he still has pain in his left side which gets worse when he puts on clothes or when he talks. He said: “I had shallow breathing and couldn’t take deep breaths at all. I was losing oxygen, I can’t explain how it feels.

“After the surgery the nerves are dead, even putting on a shirt feels awful when touching it. Talking vibrates it sometimes and it hurts so much. I get stabbing pains in my side and can’t go to school. So much could have gone wrong like a spinal injury.

“I quit cold turkey, I’m not hitting one ever again, I’m trying to stay away from second hand smoke and everything. I’ve had nightmares about it.”

Crystal claims Dodge started vaping with pals and is now calling for a ban on vapes. The self-employed mum still takes Dodge to the hospital for check-ups and follow-up appointments.

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A GoFundMe had been set up to help with Dodge’s treatment costs. Crystal said: “He’s so little. It hurts in his back, he does not want to go to sleep because it hurts when he wakes up.

“He’s such a kind and passionate kid with a big heart for others, so seeing him in pain is incredibly hard for me as his mom. He’s been so brave, but he’s also scared, asking me if his lung might collapse again while he sleeps.

“We have to return for multiple check-ups and follow-up appointments to make sure Cameron is healing well. When he came home [after the second incident], he didn’t pick it back up, he knew this time.

“Doctors said he could die so he will not smoke. I say ban on all vapes, I don’t want another kid going through it.”

You can donate to Crystal’s cause here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-cameron-recover-from-collapsed-lung

Sapphire Developments will convert the property on Garden Street into a house of multiple occupation (HMO).

The development will see the office refurbished into ten self-contained bedrooms, after plans were approved by Darlington Borough Council on March 2.

Sapphire Developments argued there will be no negative impact on the neighbours.

Planning officers noted: “This proposal, which seeks to bring a vacant commercial building back into active use through conversion to a 10-bedroom HMO, fully aligns with national policy objectives.

“It makes productive use of an underutilised building within the development limits of Darlington, as confirmed by the council at pre-application stage, and contributes directly to the mix and supply of housing in a highly sustainable town centre location.”

Noise concerns were addressed with conditions for acoustic glazing and trickle vents to be installed.

New windows will be installed, a choice agreed upon as an acceptable compromise between preserving historical features and ensuring the building is functional.

Additional conditions tied to the planning approval include installation and retention of refuse and cycle storage before occupation, and submission of a final nutrient credit certificate.

Sarah Bradbury, the chief executive of analysts IGD, said: “As March begins, the outlook is deteriorating. The OBR’s latest forecast downgraded near-term growth, whilst the conflict in the Middle East is strengthening concerns over fuel costs, which could impact food price inflation, if the situation continues.”

Earth experienced its fifth-warmest February on record last month – with temperatures at 1.49C above pre-industrial levels, scientists have said.

The month was marked by “extreme rainfall and widespread flooding in Western Europe and the third-lowest sea ice extent in the Arctic”, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said on Tuesday.

Experts say climate change was at least partly to blame for the exceptionally wet season across Western Europe.

It saw a run of intense storms including Leonardo, Pedro, and Nils, which was described as having “uncommon strength” by French weather service Meteo-France.

France, Spain, and Portugal in Europe, and Morocco, Mozambique and Botswana elsewhere in the world saw remarkably wet conditions, leading to severe flooding that caused widespread damage and loss of life and livelihoods.

Europe’s wet and warm conditions mirrored those in the UK, which saw one of its five wettest Januarys since 1890 in the southern counties of England, and the warmest February day since 2019.

Just 0.1C below landmark target

The globe’s 1.49C above the estimated 1850-1900 average used to define the pre-industrial level made it the fifth-warmest February across the planet, the study said.

The target of the 2015 Paris Agreement was to keep global temperatures to less than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The UN has warned the chance of keeping to that goal is “virtually zero”, with the UK braced for a rise of at least 2C within the next 25 years.

Researchers based their latest assessment on Copernicus’ own ERA5 dataset, compiled from hourly readings of climate data, which it describes as a climate research standard.

The warmest February on record was in 2024, it said.

In the Arctic, the average sea ice extent in February was 5% below, meaning it was the third-lowest on record for the month. In the Antarctic, the monthly sea ice extent was close to the monthly average.

Read more: Wettest winter on record for parts of the UK

Sharp divide in Europe’s weather

Study author Samantha Burgess, the strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMRW), said there was “a really strong divide across Europe”, as Scandinavia and Eastern Europe were “much colder than average”, whereas the opposite conditions prevailed in most of western and Southern Europe.

Ms Burgess told Sky News the position of the polar jet stream was one of the causes, noting it “has gone further south over the winter, which is why we’ve had a very dim, very wet winter”.

Its unusual position, combined with a series of narrow bands of very moist air, named atmospheric rivers, “led to heavy-to-extreme precipitation over western and Southern Europe. This triggered widespread flooding and landslides, particularly across Iberia and western France,” the study said.

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Dogs saved from floods

Climate change’s impact

Ms Burgess said February’s extreme events “highlight the growing impacts of climate change and the pressing need for global action”.

It’s part of our changing winter and changing seasonality, she said, with summers “getting longer, starting earlier and ending later. They’re also getting more intense”.

Winters, by contrast, are “getting less cold, and sometimes they’re also getting shorter”.

‘Blocked weather pattern’

Met Office climate spokesperson Grahame Madge was less sure, saying the recent wet weather in the UK, particularly in Cornwall, which experienced the wettest winter on record, was a “blocked weather pattern over Scandinavia and an active jet stream driven by cold conditions in North America”.

Mr Madge said there is “no strong evidence linking this specific weather pattern to climate change, [but] climate change is expected to lead to warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers in the UK”.

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Aerial views of flood-hit Spain

‘Human-caused’ emissions

It’s a trend that is “already being observed in rainfall records, with an increased winter rainfall”, he said.

Reading University climate science professor Richard Allan said the “serious weather extremes” seen during the month were “a classic winter battleground between warm and wet versus cold and dry conditions over Europe”.

“Heavy and persistent rainfall in Western Europe was further intensified by the additional moisture carried by winds from the oceans that are warmer than they would otherwise have been due to the progressive heating from human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases,” he added.

Dr Michael Byrne, reader in climate science at the University of St Andrews, said the UK “is in a pretty wet part of the world and very much influenced by this warmer air, [creating] more moisture when it rains”.

He warned “it’s very likely we should expect more flooding events, more rainstorms, both in the winter but also in the summertime, delivering large volumes of rain in a short period of time”.

It is, he said, “very much what we expect the UK to be seeing more of in the future”.

Ms Burgess agreed, saying “we’ve got to adapt” by recognising that climate change is “here to stay”, and said she remains “optimistically hopeful”, pointing to a doubling in the number of cities that have adaptation measures since 2018.