Cookie Policy

This website uses cookies, both its own and those of third parties, to offer visitors an improved browsing experience and services tailored to their needs and interests. Cookies play an important role in facilitating access to and delivery of many Internet services.

Necessary cookies make a website usable by enabling basic functions such as page navigation and access to secure areas. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.

Preference cookies allow a website to remember information that changes how it behaves or looks, such as a preferred language or previously viewed products.

Statistics cookies help website owners understand how visitors interact with the site by collecting and reporting information anonymously.

Marketing cookies track visitors across websites to display advertisements relevant to individual users and therefore more valuable to publishers and third-party advertisers.

Cookies give website owners valuable feedback about how their sites are used, helping them make those sites more efficient and accessible.

An Internet cookie, also called a browser cookie or HTTP cookie, is a small file made up of letters and numbers stored on a computer, mobile device or other equipment used to access the Internet. It is installed following a request from a web server to a browser, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Chrome. It is entirely passive: it contains no software programs, viruses or spyware and cannot access information on the user's hard drive.

A cookie has two parts: its name and its content or value. It also has a defined lifetime. Technically, only the web server that sent the cookie can access it again when the user returns to the website associated with that server.

Cookies themselves do not require personal information to be used and, in most cases, do not personally identify Internet users.

A cookie contains information linking a web browser (the user) to a particular web server (the website). If the browser accesses that server again, the server can read the stored information and respond accordingly.

Cookies support a pleasant browsing experience and help websites provide convenient services, such as remembering online privacy preferences, language options, shopping baskets and relevant advertising.

Cookies are managed by browsers. Their lifetime varies considerably according to their purpose. Some are used only for one session and are not retained after the user leaves the website. Others are retained and reused whenever the user returns. Users can nevertheless delete cookies at any time through browser settings.

Some sections of website content, such as news boxes, videos or advertisements, may be supplied by third-party providers. These providers may place cookies through the site. They are called third-party cookies because they are not placed by the website owner. Third-party providers must also comply with applicable law and the website owner's privacy policies.

These cookies may come from third parties including Google Analytics and Facebook.

When a user visits this website and consents to statistics cookies, third-party analytics software generates a visitor analysis cookie. This tells us whether you have visited before. Your browser tells us whether the cookie exists; if not, we generate one. This allows us to monitor unique visitors and how often they visit.

While you are not registered on the website, this cookie cannot be used to identify individuals and is used only for statistics. If you are registered, we may also know details you supplied, such as your email address and username. These are subject to confidentiality, the Terms of Service, the Privacy Policy and applicable personal data protection law.

When you register on this website, we generate a cookie indicating whether you are registered. Our servers use it to identify your account and whether you have permission to use a particular service. It also allows us to associate comments you post with your username. If you have not selected “keep me signed in”, this cookie is automatically deleted when you close the browser or computer.

On some pages, third parties may set their own anonymous cookies to track an application's success or customise it. This website cannot access those cookies, just as third parties cannot access this site's own cookies. For example, sharing an article through a social-network button allows that social network to record your activity.

Cookies retain information in a small text file that allows a website to recognise a browser. The web server recognises the browser until the cookie expires or is deleted.

Cookies store information that improves browsing, such as language settings, keeping a user signed in to webmail, online banking security and retaining shopping basket items.

Cookies are central to efficient Internet operation, helping create a user-friendly experience tailored to individual preferences and interests. Refusing or disabling cookies may make some websites unusable. It does not mean you will stop receiving online advertisements; it means those advertisements can no longer take account of preferences and interests indicated by browsing behaviour.

Cookies use plain-text formats. They are not executable code and cannot run themselves, duplicate themselves or replicate across networks. They therefore cannot be considered viruses.

However, cookies can be used negatively. Because they store preferences and browsing history on one or multiple websites, they can be used as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products recognise this and flag cookies for deletion during antivirus or anti-spyware scans.

Browsers generally include privacy settings providing different levels of cookie acceptance, retention periods and automatic deletion after visiting a website.

Identity protection is valuable and is every Internet user's right, so it is helpful to understand potential cookie-related problems. Information is continually exchanged between browser and website. If an attacker or unauthorised person intervenes during transmission, cookie information may be intercepted. Although rare, this can happen if the browser connects through an unencrypted network, such as unsecured Wi-Fi.

Other attacks involve incorrectly configured cookies on servers. If a website does not require the browser to use encrypted channels, attackers may exploit that vulnerability to make the browser send information over insecure channels, then use it to gain unauthorised access to websites. Choose appropriate methods for protecting personal information carefully.

Because cookies are flexible and used by most major and frequently visited websites, they are almost unavoidable. Disabling them may prevent access to widely used sites such as YouTube, Gmail and Yahoo.

Cookies are widespread and difficult to avoid when using major local or international websites. Understanding how they work and the benefits they provide helps you take appropriate precautions and browse with confidence.

We use third-party services to provide functionality, analytics and advertising. For details, consult the providers' data protection policies, preference-management guides and opt-out options where available.

Google Analytics Category: Analytics. Purpose: Web analytics. Policies: Google Analytics terms and Google Analytics data safeguards.

Disabling or refusing cookies may make some websites impractical or difficult to visit and use. Refusing cookies does not mean you will stop seeing online advertisements.

You can configure your browser to reject cookies or accept cookies only from particular websites. For example, if you are not signed in using cookies, you may be unable to leave comments.

For settings concerning third-party cookies and online advertising privacy, see Your Online Choices.

We have made every effort to provide accurate information about cookie use and its importance to the operation of our website.