The Times

“When a gentleman is disposed to swear, it is not for any standers-by to curtail his oaths.” It’s not known whether Shakespeare ever spent a summer in Margate, but that line from FCymbeline will be of interest to Thanet district council, because a citizen’s freedom to swear is about to be put to the test. The council, which looks after popular coastal towns such as Margate and Broadstairs in Kent, is proposing £100 penalties for people caught swearing in an attempt to crack down on aggressive and antisocial behaviour. Some residents in Margate, like Mac Cole, 32, who manages a beachfront restaurant, have described it as “a fine on free speech”. “It is absolutely ridiculous. How on earth is that going to work?” he asked. “The enforcement officer should come into our kitchen — they’d make a killing! But seriously, how do they expect to fine people for swearing when they can’t even keep the beaches clean?”

Men and women over the age of 80 are applying to become the legal parents of surrogate children, according to official figures. Data released by Cafcass, the government agency that represents children’s interests in the courts, revealed that between 2020 and 2025 several men over 80 applied for court orders to legally recognise them as the parents of surrogate babies. The figures also show that in the same time frame there were applications from men aged 70-79 and women aged 60-69, 70-79 and over 80

The sled from Orson Welles’s classic film, a symbol of the protagonist’s lost childhood, has become the second most valuable film prop ever sold

Elon Musk has renewed his war with President Trump by mocking his refusal to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. The tech billionaire alleged during the pair’s explosive falling-out in June that Trump was named on the so-called Epstein client list. He later deleted the allegation, but on Wednesday night he criticised the president for suggesting the furore over the files was a “hoax” perpetrated by his political rivals

When a teenage actress posed for photographs wearing some of her mother’s jewellery, she may have thought it was standard social media behaviour. Instead, she put herself at the mercy of China’s huge and often angry army of volunteer internet police, keen to pounce on any aspect of government malfeasance on which they are allowed to comment. The emerald green earrings that 17-year-old Huang Yang Tian Tian showed off were claimed to be from the British designer Graff, priced at 2.3 million yuan, or about £240,000

In 2025, the devil does not wear Prada — he wears Pop Mart | ✍️ Poppy Sowerby

"This could be a game changer, it’s absolutely brilliant,” Jo Bateman, the swimmer taking South West Water to court over sewage discharges into the sea, said after trialling the world’s first water quality testing kit that can give results in 15 minutes. Stood on the water’s edge of Exmouth beach, where she used to enjoy daily swims before her health was harmed by pollution in the water, she is part of the Friends of the River Exe group spearheading the use of a handheld device, the Bactiquick, which promises real-time testing of the water. Developed by scientists at the University of Plymouth, it can warn of the potential health risk before people take the plunge

Until June 2025, women who terminated a pregnancy after 24 weeks or without approval from two doctors could be charged, sentenced or imprisoned. Now, women will no longer be prosecuted for having a late-term abortion after a landmark vote by MPs. We took a look back at the history of abortion law in the UK. 🔗 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eBrHQk-w

The president is set to approve 250 statues of figures as varied as Whitney Houston, Billy Graham and Sacagawea to fill a site near Mount Rushmore

In a city renowned for its heritage and creativity, Edinburgh’s entrepreneurs are setting the stage for remarkable growth. In the fifth of our ten-part series, The Times visits the Scottish capital to showcase five thriving companies in very different sectors ⬇️ 🍞 Twelve Triangles: Co-founders Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan have built a bakery chain with eight stores in Edinburgh and one in Melrose, driven by a commitment to quality ingredients, fair treatment of staff, and community connections. With revenues of £3.2 million last year, their journey proves that staying true to your principles can lead to success. 💎 Laura Bond Jewellery: Starting as a side hustle in 2019, Laura Bond’s luxury piercing jewellery has become a sensation. Now boasting a flagship store in Edinburgh’s New Town and £1.9 million in revenue, Laura’s dreams of expanding to cities like London, Paris, and New York are within reach. 🥃 The Port of Leith Distillery: Founders Paddy Fletcher and Ian Stirling are bringing innovation back to Scottish whisky. Despite the challenge of long maturation periods, their towering distillery is thriving, with £5.6 million in revenue last year. Their focus on creating brands they love is inspiring a new era of Scottish distilling. 🎁 Paper Tiger: Michael Apter has revitalised this gift shop brand, growing it to four locations and £2.3 million in revenue. Committed to ethical business practices, Michael continues to expand while navigating challenges from large online competitors. 🤖 Malted AI: Founded by Iain Mackie and his team, this AI company is pioneering secure and efficient small language model applications for financial services. With £7 million in venture capital funding, MaltedAI is on track to become Scotland’s biggest tech company, with global ambitions. Read more about them ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ehGu-Jyv