In South Africa we call it a braai, while it’s a barbie in Australia, a cookout in the USA and a barbecue in the UK and elsewhere, but although the name of the event can differ, the core activities are the same: grilling food, drinking beer and a lot of chat.

Brits should have their wits about them this festive shopping season, with cybercriminals looking to get hold of the most in-demand items this Christmas.

In the shadowy world of cybercrime, the battlefield is digital, the weapons are psychological, and the targets - increasingly - are us. From rogue hackers to state-sponsored actors, the tactics are evolving. Gone are the days of clumsy spam emails from imaginary princes.

Figures from police forces across the UK have revealed a national surge in mobile phone thefts, with more than 225 devices stolen every day. The data, which was obtained through Freedom of Information requests, shows there were at least 83,900 phone theft offences recorded in the 12 months to July 2024 — almost double the five years previously.

It’s reported that more than 7 in 10 people sleep with their phones next to them (71%), an alarming dependency that carries risks.2 With this in mind, Martin Seeley, Senior Sleep Expert at MattressNextDay, has revealed the hidden health risks of sleeping next to your phone and spoke to Dr. Hana Patel to find out if phones really do cause cancer.

In June 2025 there was a major data leak, exposing 16 billion login credentials linked to platforms such as Apple, Facebook, and Google. This underscored the growing inadequacy of the old password-based security. This extraordinarily large leak, compiled from various infostealer attacks over time, highlights a persistent vulnerability that cybercriminals are only too eager to exploit.

Bio Capital, the UK’s leading producer of green energy from food waste, is turning school dinners into a lesson in sustainability. The Community Engagement Lead Nick Wilson has led an interactive ‘schools programme’ across North Yorkshire and the North-East.

After an explosive start, things have slowed down for Threads, but two years on since the launch of Meta’s version of microblogging, Threads is an undeniably strong business. While it has not yet surpassed X in terms of reach, its monetisation strategy may have already outpaced the well-established Twitter/X platform.

The findings pave the way for the development of potential drug treatments and personalised therapies for people living with the degenerative condition. Over 900 genetic links to osteoarthritis, including 500 that have never been reported before, have been uncovered in breakthrough research involving Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The Castle Howard Foundation (“CHF”) has been successful in its application to the Community Energy Fund for a grant to conduct detailed feasibility work into a geothermal system to decarbonise the heating of all the properties in the village of Coneysthorpe. The grant has been awarded alongside match-funding by Third Energy (a local energy company) and Castle Howard Estate Limited.

According to research from Lloyds Bank, driving lesson and test scams have skyrocketed by 92% in the last six months. Nationwide searches for ‘driving lessons’ have also risen by 1,207% in the last seven days, highlighting the growing need for caution before booking.

As most UK mobile operators prepare to raise their prices this April, SIM-only mobile provider spusu, which joined the UK market in 2023, has committed to protecting its customers from mid-contract price increases. As a result, the company has announced the continuation of its price freeze throughout 2025. This applies to both new and existing customers of its SIM-only plans.

In January 2025, rapper Stormzy was banned from driving for nine months after being caught using his phone at the wheel. Although drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a crash while using their phone, many still find the distraction all too tempting. In this article, SIM-only mobile provider spusu offers its advice for a safer driving experience.

Buying a refurbished smartphone can be a budget-friendly choice for upgrading your device while being kind to the environment. Doing a little research helps to ensure you’re getting a device that’s reliable and worth the investment. Shing Pang, CEO of Mobile Federation has provided a comprehensive guide on what to consider when purchasing a refurbished device.

Weekly national influenza and COVID-19 report, COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses.

Weekly national influenza and COVID-19 report, COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses.