2 hours ago Elon Musk's ex Grimes insists she wasn't 'dumped' by the billionaire: 'I bounced'

Grimes, 36, and Musk, 53, were together for four years before splitting in 2022, and she has now claimed that she was the one who decided to walk away from their relationship.

Politics

14 hours ago As a student in London I yearned for home, until I found paradise: a vast old villa with perfect housemates | Andrew Martin

We cooked ragu and listened to records while lying on chaises longues. Then the M11 link road was built – and everything changedIn our end of year series, writers and public figures remember the place or time when they felt most at homeIn the mid-1980s, I was in my early 20s and was reading for the Bar in London. I was living in a mouldy Balham bedsit and returning regularly to the comfort zone of my native York, when a friend told me a room was going in a shared house in Leytonstone.I wasn’t expecting much of E11. I wasn’t expecting trees, for example, but my walk from the attractive art deco tube station took me along roads better described as avenues. The house itself seemed almost the last one in London, an illusion created by the proximity of Wanstead Flats. It was a rangy, detached 1920s house, white with a red roof, and it had a name, but I’ll just call it the villa.Andrew Martin is an English novelist; his latest book is The Night in Venice Continue reading...

Society

67 minutes ago Iran arrests Italian journalist and throws her 'in solitary confinement' after she 'released podcast about woman who rejected conservative values'

Cecilia Sala, 29, who works for Il Foglio newspaper and podcast company Chora Media has been under arrest for the past week after she was detained by police in Tehran on December 19.

Economics

5 hours ago Man United and Man City handed major Dani Olmo transfer update as agent visits Manchester

Dani Olmo is due to become a free agent next week after Barcelona were handed a huge registration blow ahead of January.

Sport

2 hours ago Biden administration pledges additional military aid to Ukraine amid Russia war

Security assistance package in works as North Korean troops are deployed in Kursk after Putin-Kim agreementThe Biden administration is pledging to approve fresh military aid to Ukraine in the coming days, including crucial air defense systems, as North Korean forces face mounting casualties in their first major deployment to a European conflict.John Kirby, the US national security communications adviser, told reporters on Friday that in just the last week North Korean troops had suffered more than 1,000 casualties in what he referred to as failed “human wave” assaults near the Kursk border-region, which confirms similar figures reported by South Korea. Continue reading...

Events

7 hours ago The top 25 holiday destinations of 2025, picked by experts: These are the festivals, events and secret relaxing hotspots you should book NOW to get an amazing bargain

In its annual report on travel trends, hospitality giant Hilton declared 2025 the 'Year of the Travel Maximizer' - industry jargon for the idea that we all want more experiences.

Culture

5 hours ago Woman hatches clever plan to find perfect man in 2025 – using ChatGPT hack

A woman took to TikTok to share the unusual ways she's using ChatGPT to help her find 'her future husband' in 2025 by changing her daily routine - but people can't decide if it's genius or insane

Technology

2 hours ago Snow maps show '2cm per hour' flurries will sweep UK on New Year's Day

Snow is set to fall '2cm every hour' and blanket parts of Britain in the coming days, with purple weather maps showing exactly where will turn white next week

Science

5 hours ago BMW driver with car sticker saying 'My driving scares me too' is stopped by police for doing 118mph on motorway on Christmas Day

A BMW driver with a sticker on their that read 'my driving scares me too' was caught speeding on a motorway at 118mph on Christmas Day.

Transport

3 hours ago Friday night pub quiz: Test your general knowledge with these 20 questions

See how you fared in this week's leaderboard

Politics

4 hours ago Katie Price breaks silence on JJ Slater split rumours after spending Christmas apart

Katie Price's MAFS boyfriend JJ Slater was nowhere to be seen on Christmas Day, leading to fears the couple had split - but the couple's fate has now been confirmed

Economics

27 hours ago Squid Game season 2 ending sparks outrage as Netflix fans brand it 'worst' episode

Netflix's Squid Game returned for its second season earlier this week but the final episode of the South Korean drama has left fans feeling disappointed.

Sport

2 hours ago Lauryn Goodman's most unlikely plan yet: A year after her explosive text detonated footballer Kyle Walker's marriage, the wannabe WAG is cooking up an astonishing pivot, reveals KATIE HIND

It's exactly a year since Lauryn Goodman sent that explosive text to Kyle Walker's then pregnant wife Annie Kilner to inform her that her husband was the father of her baby daughter.

Events

12 hours ago Some of the best places you can still book to celebrate New Year's Eve in Manchester

There's still time to make plans for the end of the year

Culture

20 hours ago Bird flu virus shows mutations in first severe human infection in US, CDC says

Mutations are rare but have been reported in some cases in other countries and most often in extreme infectionsThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday its analysis of samples from the first severe case of bird flu in the country last week showed mutations not seen in samples from an infected backyard flock on the patient’s property.The CDC said the patient’s sample showed mutations in the hemagglutinin (HA) gene, the part of the virus that plays a key role in it attaching to host cells. Continue reading...

Science

3 hours ago Destiny 2 Xur Exotics today: All items for sale and where to find him on December 27

Destiny 2's Exotic vendor, Xur, is back again this week – here's how to find him, what he's selling, and whether we recommend his offerings before he vanishes again

Politics

5 hours ago Is ‘doom spending’ draining your money? How to fix your financial habits in 2025

Former financial ‘hot mess’ Emma Edwards explores how to rest your habits in her new book, Good With Money

Economics

35 hours ago Gavin and Stacey fans divided over finale as they react to twists and shock split

The feature length festive episode of the show has divided fans who either loved the last ever episode or decided it was too predictable after a five year wait for answers

Sport

4 hours ago One owl rescued by a Minnesota woman is euthanized; efforts to save the other continue

One of the two owls rescued by a Minnesota woman in a story that went viral this week has died, but the other is still getting medical care

Events

3 hours ago Weekend Wishlist: Our top 9 fashion and beauty picks from the Boxing Day sales

From Charlotte Tilbury to Oliver Bonas, we share the best wardrobe staples, beauty bargains and home buys of the week

Politics

7 hours ago Family buying hotdogs at Christmas market mortified after seller's £618 mistake

Laura Brumpton, 34, and her husband Alan, 37, were enjoying a festive outing to a Christmas market when they decided to treat their children to two hotdogs – but they got a shock when they checked their bank balance

Economics

5 hours ago One month's rainfall in just two days to deluge UK as weather warnings issued

The Met Office says rain and snow are expected next week as the transition between 2024 and 2025 becomes unsettled - and Strathclyde, including Glasgow, will see the heaviest rainfall

Events

3 hours ago Civil servants vote to strike after bosses ordered them back to the office for three days a week

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said around 3,800 of its members based in 14 offices were being given the new working hours.

Politics

12 hours ago Is ‘doom spending’ draining your money? How to reprogramme your financial habits in 2025

Former financial ‘hot mess’ Emma Edwards explores how to rest your habits in her new book, Good With Money. By Vicky Shaw.

Economics

6 hours ago Israeli forces raid Gaza hospital after staff reported killed in strike

Staff arrested, injured and killed as Israeli forces burn departments and attack buildings surrounding one of the area’s last remaining hospitals, says directorA fire has broken out at one of northern Gaza’s only functioning hospitals, while medics and patients have been forced to leave by Israeli forces, who raided the hospital on Friday morning, according to staff members.Kamal Adwan hospital and the surrounding area has been under increased attack this week, according to the hospital’s director, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who said five medical staff were killed in a strike on Thursday. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago NATO will step up Baltic Sea patrols as Finland probes the possible sabotage of undersea cables

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says the military alliance will step up patrols in the Baltic Sea area as Finnish investigators work to establish whether a ship linked to Russia sabotaged undersea cables there this week

Politics

21 hours ago Oleksandr Usyk makes remarkable Rolex watch admission after £86m Tyson Fury fight

Oleksandr Usyk earned a lucrative £86m for beating Tyson Fury in their rematch, on top of the £30m he received for the first fight, but he still decided to look for a bargain during a recent training camp

Economics

6 hours ago ‘Every coach is in danger’: Amorim wary of job risk if United’s poor form rolls on

Amorim: ‘United manager can never be comfortable’Manager points out he has only had four training sessionsRuben Amorim has said he is aware his job will be at risk if he fails to reverse Manchester United’s alarming slide and acknowledged supporters are “tired” of the team’s shortcomings. Amorim recognises the volatile state of management and is determined to thrive on the pressure.The coach said he is not immune from danger because United paid €10m (£8.3m) to release him from his contract at Sporting in November and knows he must win to prevent scrutiny from building. Amorim’s successor at Sporting, João Pereira, was sacked this week after eight matches in charge. Continue reading...

Events

4 hours ago Cocktail of the week: Gothic Bar’s red nose gimlet – recipe | The good mixer

A festive and fancy gin and lime with hints of cinnamon, a hit of apricot brandy and a sherbet-frosted rimThere’s a bit of prep involved here – you need to make the syrup a day ahead, for instance – but this is a great drink for impressing guests. If you opt to rim the glasses with lime sherbet, either buy some in ready-made or make your own by finely crushing a few lemon drop sweets in a mortar – dip the rim of the glass first in lime juice and then in the lemon drop dust. The excess syrup will keep in the fridge for about a month – use it up in puddings, apple-based ones especially.Jack Porter, head bartender, Gothic Bar, The Midland Grand, London NW1 Continue reading...

Politics

24 hours ago Family is charged £618 for just two hotdogs at popular Christmas market on festive day out

Laure Brumpton, 34, and her husband Alan, 37, were enjoying a day out at Nottingham 's Christmas markets when they decided to buy their two children a festive hot dog treat.

Economics

7 hours ago Noddy Holder battles to save Banks's Mild after Carlsberg announced it was axeing the famous Midlands beer

Rock legend Noddy Holder has thrown his support behind the movement to save one of the Midlands' most famous beers which is due to be scrapped by Carlsberg next week.

Events

5 hours ago South Korea 'should start Squid Game to see who runs government' says ex

Squid Game is back with a second series but for one armchair viewer of South Korea's scandal-ridden government, it ought to be introduced in real life to decide on country's next leader

Politics

27 hours ago Flossing, saving money and eating more donuts: new year resolutions that actually stuck

What separates a good resolution from a bad one? Guardian readers agree: it has to be something you care aboutFor some, new year resolutions are an opportunity to grow. For others, they’re a pointless exercise in self-flagellation.That might be because they’re hard to keep up. In the US, 44% of new year resolutions last two to three months; only 6% last a year. In the UK, 17% of people give up on their resolution within a month. Continue reading...

Economics

9 hours ago New Year's Resolutions for your children: From eating more veg to learning skills

Setting yourself goals for the year ahead is one thing – but New Year’s resolutions for kids are a completely different kettle of fish

Events

6 hours ago Gavin and Stacey viewers 'in tears' over tribute to beloved late character in finale

Gavin and Stacey: the Finale aired earlier this week and some fans were thrilled by the reference in one scene to a character who did not appear in the Christmas special

Politics

30 hours ago Former Chelsea star Oscar says goodbye to China after eight years and £166m in wages

Oscar is returning to hometown club Sao Paulo following eight years in Shanghai where the former Chelsea star earned £400,000 per week and became the Chinese Super League's biggest foreign star

Economics

10 hours ago 'The trouble hadn't begun with sex... he'd begun to doubt if he really liked his wife': Read acclaimed author TESSA HADLEY'S new short story Treasure only here

Millie, aged six, was on her way to school; she sat strapped into her booster seat in the back of her father's car. Improbably, beyond the car windows, it was snowing - a sleety, mushy kind of snow...

Events

7 hours ago Exercising for this length of time every week can help you lose weight quicker, study finds

A doctor shared how losing five per cent of body weight in three months can have clinically significant benefits, particularly for those with a BMI of over 25

Politics

33 hours ago The Best Boxing Day travel deals to book now to save on your 2025 holiday

Whether you're planning a big summer holiday for 2025 or looking to book a last minute winter getaway, there are plenty of Boxing Day travel deals to be had

Economics

10 hours ago Martin Lewis' MSE issues warning as supermarket axing loyalty rewards next week

Co-op axed its cashback perk for members back in January and set a deadline of December 31 to spend any balance that you may have previously built up

Events

7 hours ago Megan McKenna 'collapsed with exhaustion' on first Christmas with newborn

Former the Only Way is Essex star Megan McKenna, her partner Oliver Burke and their son Landon spent time with her family on Christmas Day as discussed in a post this week

Politics

43 hours ago Mega Millions prize soars to $1.15 billion, the highest ever in month of December

If a winner is drawn this week, they’ll win the fifth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history

Economics

10 hours ago Female prison officer is suspended 'after being filmed having sex with burly, tattooed inmate in jail cell'

A female prison officer, 19, has been suspended after allegedly being filmed having sex with a 'burly, tattooed' inmate in HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough last week. 

Events

7 hours ago Traditional New Year's resolutions cast aside as Brits embrace fun in 2025

A new study of 2,000 UK adults found that people are moving away from setting themselves strict goals, and are instead prioritising happiness and self-kindness.

Politics

11 hours ago Dad posts heartbreaking Christmas photo with baby after young mum killed in hit

Marguerjsonita Sheridan, 21, died last week in a road tragedy.

Events

9 hours ago Put on weight over Xmas? Study finds exact amount of weekly exercise that'll shift the festive bulge by February

Researchers at Imperial College London looked at the impact of physical exercise on weight loss , waist size and body fat. They revealed the amount of exercise you need to do a week to lose weight.

Politics

12 hours ago You be the judge: should my daughter stop spending so much on beauty products?

Denise says Marsha is obsessed with her appearance and is wasting her money. Marsha says times have changed. You decide whose argument lacks foundationFind out how to get a disagreement settled or become a jurorWhy does a 19-year-old need to use £200 night cream? Plus she already wants ‘baby Botox’Kids now have 10-step skincare routines. Mum doesn’t understand the pressure I’m under Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago My daughter will be an only child – and I’m not going to feel guilty about it | Arwa Mahdawi

My wife and I are ‘one and done’ on kids. We’re also ‘one and done’ with unsolicited advice about our decisionFor a few years now, I’ve kept a few vials of a stranger’s sperm on ice. Not just hanging out in my freezer next to the frozen peas, to be clear. They’re in a fancy cryobank and every six months a $285 charge pops up on my credit card statement for the privilege of storing them.I’ve been justifying that hefty price tag as the cost of keeping my options open. My wife and I have a perfect little three-year-old girl and we’ve ummed and ahhed about having another one. (I won’t get into the specifics of assisted reproduction, but if you’re a same-sex female couple, then sperm is kinda key.) We’ve held on to our toddler’s baby things just in case a second one appears: our basement is full of boxes of old toys and clothes. It looks like we’re going to have to clear out and cancel that sperm storage, however – we’ve finally decided that we are firmly in the “one and done” club.Arwa ...

Politics

13 hours ago Can Europe switch to a ‘wartime mindset’? Take it from us in Ukraine: here is what that means | Oleksandr Mykhed

Nato’s warning reached me as I braced for a missile attack in Kyiv – where we’ve learned how to survive in the era of Russian hybrid warfareDay 1,024 of the invasion. Kyiv, 7am. Friday the 13th. In a former life, someone would have observed that this is a day that portends bad luck. But in a country where shelling is a daily occurrence, it has become irrelevant. I wake up to the sound of an app on my phone warning me of an increased missile threat. While my partner and I are hiding in the corridor, I read the news that the Nato chief, Mark Rutte, has called on members of the US-led transatlantic alliance to “shift to a wartime mindset”.With the first bang of the air defence system, a thought strikes me: for those who have not already been living with it for nearly three years, how would you explain this mindset? What is this wartime thinking? Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago Katie Price celebrates Christmas with Kerry Katona amid heartbreaking struggles with son Harvey

Katie Price finds the Christmas period challenging with her eldest child, Harvey.

Politics

17 hours ago Yoon Suk Yeol impeachment: court hearings to begin in South Korea over president’s martial law crisis

Yoon’s legal team will attend the first hearing in impeachment review on Friday, the same day that the acting president also faces an impeachment voteSouth Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s legal team are set to attend court on Friday as the constitutional court begins hearings into his impeachment by parliament over his short-lived imposition of martial law,The court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him. In the latter scenario, a new presidential election would be held within 60 days. Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago Estonia begins naval patrols to protect energy cable after suspected sabotage

Move to secure electricity supply comes as Finland investigates tanker that sailed from Russian port Estonia has begun naval patrols to protect a cable supplying electricity from Finland after the suspected sabotage of another one on Christmas Day, the Estonian defence minister, Hanno Pevkur, said.“We’ve decided to send our navy close to Estlink 1 to defend and secure our energy connection with Finland,” he posted on X. Continue reading...

Politics

20 hours ago Emmerdale's Ned Porteous lifts lid on Joe Tate's 'sinister' plans for village after dramatic return

The actor's character made a shock return to the soap this week after a six-year hiatus and hints Joe will be involved in much more drama in the Dales following his hand in Will Taylor's sudden death

Events

9 hours ago Inside Katie Price and Kerry Katona's huge family Christmas together from pub trip to matching PJs

Newly single Kerry Katona has shared photos of her 'amazing and wonderful' Christmas with her family, along with a pyjama night in with friend Katie Price and son Harvey

Politics

21 hours ago Judge tells court to respect pronouns of rapist who now wants to be known as a woman

Madera County Judge Katherine Rigby ruled last week that prosecutors must refer to transgender prisoner Tremaine Carroll, 52, by female pronouns.

Events

9 hours ago The truth about Kim Kardashian's 'boob job': Plastic surgeon's verdict on how 44 year

Kim, who is thought to have breastfed two of her children, nearly spilled out of a low-cut red leather dress at a party in Los Angeles last week.

Politics

22 hours ago Falcons injury report: Drake London gives update on status for Week 17

Falcons injury report: Drake London gives update on status for Week 17  Falcons Wire

Events

10 hours ago My holidays were blighted by moany voicenotes, so I imposed a Whatsapp ban – with mixed results | Poorna Bell

The incessant notifications make me pine for the days when staying in touch required greater effortThough my internal age is set to about 28, the time when I feel profoundly 43 is when I get nostalgic for things rendered obsolete by technology. One of those things was being able to go on holiday without being continually contacted, because the price of sending a text message was the same as a glass of wine. WhatsApp has obliterated that.Over the past year, I’ve noticed how much harder it has been to switch off as a result of the incessant flow of information. I have walked in the Polish countryside foraging for mushrooms under a crisp blue sky, while listening to a friend’s voice note about their work worries in minute detail. After I spent a glorious day out with my 10-year-old niece in Barcelona, eating dumplings and buying stickers, a friend decided to share a non-urgent but emotionally difficult update about a mutual friend’s bad health. While I was in the Maldives, after I had ...

Politics

22 hours ago Bargain Hunt host says 'a lot can happen' while filming as she recalls dramatic moments

Bargain Hunt host Natasha Raskin Sharp reflected on the BBC show in the foreword of a book about it a few years ago, including having discussed filming for several days at a time

Events

10 hours ago I imposed a holiday WhatsApp ban – but would my friends and family respect it? | Poorna Bell

After one too many moany voicenotes and streams of incessant notifications, I knew something had to changeThough my internal age is set to about 28, the time when I feel profoundly 43 is when I get nostalgic for things rendered obsolete by technology. One of those things was being able to go on holiday without being continually contacted, because the price of sending a text message was the same as a glass of wine. WhatsApp has obliterated that.Over the past year, I’ve noticed how much harder it has been to switch off as a result of the incessant flow of information. I have walked in the Polish countryside foraging for mushrooms under a crisp blue sky, while listening to a friend’s voice note about their work worries in minute detail. After I spent a glorious day out with my 10-year-old niece in Barcelona, eating dumplings and buying stickers, a friend decided to share a non-urgent but emotionally difficult update about a mutual friend’s bad health. While I was in the Maldives, after...

Politics

23 hours ago Cindy Beale’s Christmas Day attacker revealed in EastEnders anniversary week

The week will be filled with ‘explosive drama’, the soap’s executive producer said.

Events