20 minutes ago I starred in one of the nation's favourite Christmas films and even won an Oscar

Brenda Fricker is best known for starring as the homeless woman in Home Alone 2: Lost In New York back in 1992. 

Politics

2 hours ago Kieran Culkin on pranks, parenting and why his famous family doesn’t need therapy: ‘Us siblings, we’re already cooked’

He’s been on screen since he was seven – but only prepares for a scene 10 minutes before. Yet somehow the mischievous Succession star is now tipped for an Oscar. How did the chaotic, charismatic actor do it?Kieran Culkin tries the upright chair first, the one opposite me, high-backed and leather. But no, that’s no good. He can see his reflection in the wall mirror, he’ll be catching himself all interview, thinking how tired he looks with his hooded eyes and beard, how jet lagged. Sleep is always tricky, but he’s been up with the kids – five and three – who weren’t supposed to join him for this publicity tour but there was a last-minute crisis, the short version of which is that the whole family is over from New York (with Culkin, 42, there’s always a long and short version).So, he flumps on the banquette, where he’ll be facing guests drinking afternoon cocktails in the low-lit, high-ceilinged bar here at the Corinthia hotel in London. He tests the firmness of the upholstery. Pa...

Society

45 minutes ago Men’s transfer window January 2025: all deals from Europe’s top five leagues

All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guideWomen’s transfer interactive – all the January deals Continue reading...

Economics

2 hours ago 10 best sporting moments of 2024 as Olympics dominate and British icons make history

From celebrating Olympic gold medals in Paris to standing on top of Formula 1 podiums, it's been a brilliant 2024 for British sport, as we round up the 10 best moments

Sport

29 minutes ago Dark side of the Hackney Mole Man revealed: Eccentric engineer who built labyrinth of tunnels underneath his home was probed over sexual assault claims

EXCLUSIVE: Lyttle, an Irishman who had inherited the house on Hackney's Mortimer Road from his parents, first started burrowing beneath his double-fronted Victorian villa in the 1960s.

Events

2 hours ago ‘I saw the reflection of his back rolls in the glass door’: Spencer Ostrander’s best phone photo

The American photographer on capturing a moment of intimacy between himself and his baby sonOn a sunny Sunday morning in June, Spencer Ostrander returned from the local hardware store to find his wife, Sophie, gardening in their back yard in Brooklyn, New York. “I handed her the supplies she needed, and a hot coffee, and she handed over our son,” Ostrander says. Their boy, Miles, was six months old at the time.“As I was taking him inside, I saw the reflection of my son’s back rolls in the glass door.” Ostrander grabbed his iPhone 14 Pro and turned the front camera on. “He was teething back then; not crying, but not his usual pleasant self either. I was juggling a wiggling baby and my phone, so I could only take two frames.” Continue reading...

Culture

5 hours ago The bowel cancer symptoms to look out for as cases in young people rise sharply in England

Diet, obesity, alcohol and smoking could be explanations for the rising cases of early-onset bowel cancer

Science

2 hours ago Fog delays Manchester Airport flight as 'sick' passenger stranded on plane after 'nightmare' holiday

David Galloway, 58, and his partner Bev, 54, from Rotherham experienced a nightmare start to their holiday when plans to go to their original destination were cancelled

Transport

45 minutes ago How Nuno transformed Nottingham Forest from circus to contenders | Will Unwin

After a tumultuous fight against the drop last season, the manager has made smart changes and instilled firm bondsIt is just over a year since Nuno Espírito Santo arrived at the City Ground with the task of turning the ship around. The Portuguese found Nottingham Forest in a battle for survival, sitting one place above the relegation zone, which is exactly where they finished the season, confirming their top-flight status only on the final day. It was an effective first few months in charge but did not suggest Forest would become Champions League challengers as 2025 approaches.Forest visit Goodison Park on Sunday, the scene of their lowest moment since returning to the Premier League in 2022 when an emotional social media post from the club’s X account lambasted the officials during Everton’s 2-0 victory in April. At that point Forest looked like a circus and the prospect of reacquainting themselves with the Championship was a serious possibility, but they did just enough by winning...

Politics

4 hours ago Cheesy anchovy straws and chocolate meringue kisses: Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes for party nibbles

Bite-sized treats that are big on flavour and will see out the year in styleHappy 2025 everyone, and may the New Year bring with it the positive changes we all so yearn for. Personally, I will be embracing change in a big way, because, after seven years, this is my final column for the Guardian’s Feast. From March, I will be writing a new, long-form quarterly column packed with recipes, personal experiences and general observations about the food world, so stay tuned. The Feast community is the most engaged and greedy I know, so thank you! And I hope you welcome the New Year with these party nibbles I have lined up for this weekend. Here’s to new beginnings! Continue reading...

Society

1 hour ago People smugglers offer migrants ‘package deals’ to UK as Channel crossings top 150,000 since 2018

Sir Keir Starmer has put international co-operation with law enforcement agencies in Europe at the heart of his bid to cut the number of arrivals

Economics

5 hours ago Boxing's best star, fight, knockout and prospect of 2024 named as Usyk does awards double

BOXING CLEVER COLUMN: 2024 has been another huge year for boxing with the heavyweight division providing most of the big storylines including two epic showdowns between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury

Sport

54 minutes ago Max Verstappen sends Red Bull warning that will put Lando Norris on high alert

Max Verstappen won a fourth consecutive F1 title in 2024 despite Red Bull not being as dominant as they previously were, but worries for his chances in 2025 unless improvements are made

Events

6 hours ago How to dress ‘smart casual’ for men? This independent London label offers a solution

Introducing Batch Ldn — the start-up brand offering a signature suit to solve ‘smart casual’ dressing dilemmas

Culture

18 hours ago Expert predicts women will be having more sex with robots than men next year

Women might overtaken men in the adoption of sex robots by 2025 - in part, because they already have a technological head start, according to futurist Dr Ian Pearson.

Science

19 hours ago Severe weather threatens US flights during one of busiest travel weekends

Nearly 900 flights have been cancelled already as tornado watches are issued in Texas and LouisianaAs the US braces for one of its busiest travel weekends of the year, the threat of severe weather has already led to hundreds of flight cancellations.Tornado watches were issued in the southern states of Texas and Louisiana on Thursday, CNN reported. In Texas, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered ground stops at two airports, CBS reported. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas activated emergency response resources in the state on Thursday. Continue reading...

Transport

45 minutes ago Trump versus trade: the global economic outlook for 2025 in five charts

Unpredictable change will sweep through America, while old problems, from war to inflation, are likely to afflict other countriesThe global economy is entering the new year with rising geopolitical tensions looming over its prospects, as the world’s leading central banks attempt to cut interest rates after the worst inflation shock in decades.Donald Trump’s second term in the White House is expected to dominate the economic agenda. Global trade tensions are on the horizon as the president-elect threatens to impose sweeping tariffs on US imports. Continue reading...

Politics

6 hours ago House of the Dragon actor: 'leaving London for Brighton has been really good for my mental health.'

House of the Dragon actor Sam Wilson found his life and career began to flourish when he left the capital

Society

5 hours ago ‘The impact has been out of this world’: the stranger who gave away a £100,000 inheritance to his neighbours

When David Clarke’s mother died, it took him 10 years to work out what to do with the money she left him. This year, a panel of locals in Liverpool made the decision for himIt was a quiet act of generosity that briefly captured the news agenda: David Clarke, a researcher in Liverpool, made the extraordinary decision to give away the £100,000 he had inherited from his late mother a decade ago. But instead of donating it to one cause, Clarke did something radical. He wrote to 600 addresses in the L8 postcode, where he lives, inviting people to nominate where the money should go.Clarke lost his mother in a cycling accident. “Her death was a devastating shock to me,” he says. “She had a huge social conscience and was interested in the world and how it worked – a lot of my moral framework comes from her. I don’t believe in holding on to inherited wealth, so I spent a long time thinking about what to do with the money.” Clarke wanted to do something that would speak to his mother’s values...

Economics

13 hours ago Arsenal vs Ipswich LIVE! Premier League result, match stream, latest updates and reaction today

Gunners move up to second behind Liverpool with a third straight victory at the Emirates Stadium

Sport

88 minutes ago Brit forced to return home from 'dream' life in Australia after suffering horror stroke

Liam Rudd and his girlfriend, Stella Slinger Thompson, moved out to Australia and shortly before he was due to start a new job he was found collapsed in a shower due to a stroke

Events

10 hours ago All the amazing TV shows filmed in Wales in 2024 that showcase our beautiful country

There have been some brilliant series filmed in Wales during 2024

Culture

36 hours ago 5 Corrie spoilers for 2025 from villain's return to Kevin's cancer news

Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has teased what's in store for the residents of Weatherfield in 2025 and it's safe to say it's going to be a dramatic year

Science

45 minutes ago This is how we do it: ‘I struggle to fully enjoy sex because I’m so conscious of what I look like’

Alexandra and Jake contend with insecurities, but are slowly discovering sexual intimacyHow do you do it? Share the story of your sex life, anonymouslyWhen we’re doing missionary it’s a lot easier, but if I’m on top I feel as if there’s nowhere to hide Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago Gavin and Stacey star enjoys one superfood snack that's linked to 'better heart health'

Alison Steadman, 79, is known for playing Pam Shipman in BBC's Gavin and Stacey. The series finale aired on Christmas Day, 2024

Society

12 hours ago Multimillionaire told he cannot raze his £8.8million waterfront mansion to the ground and rebuild it to have the tallest house on the street after planning objections

John Yeoman, 70, had applied to demolish his luxury £8.8million three-storey home he shares with his wife Deborah, despite it being only 20 years old, and replace it with a five-storey giant.

Economics

14 hours ago Pereira hopes rejuvenated Wolves can cling on to ‘special player’ Cunha

Head coach has enjoyed an immediate impact but knows the importance of leading attacker staying put in JanuaryAs Wolves were on Friday night breathing a sigh of relief that Matheus Cunha is set to be available to face Tottenham on Sunday, there are plenty of other positives to be drawn from Vítor Pereira’s first week at the helm alongside their star player’s contributions.Cunha has scored in both of their new manager’s opening games as Wolves have climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time this season following the wins over Leicester and Manchester United. An FA misconduct charge is hanging over Cunha, but the governing body’s disciplinary panel is unlikely to meet before next week. Continue reading...

Sport

89 minutes ago Demonstrators arrested outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem home – Middle East crisis live

Protestors shouted through loudspeakers that the Israeli hostages in Gaza were suffering in the tunnels and were ‘cold, tortured and sick’Five Israeli demonstrators protesting for the release of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 have been arrested outside the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.Twenty protestors gathered outside the home in the early morning, shouting through loudspeakers at the prime minister that the hostages were suffering in the tunnels and were “cold, tortured and sick” while he enjoyed home comforts, Channel 12, an Israeli broadcaster, reported. Continue reading...

Events

21 hours ago Our readers on their pick of 2024’s best films, music, TV shows and podcasts

From sci-fi epics to investigate deep-dives, the Guide readers have their say on the year’s finest cultureWelcome to the last Guide of 2024! I hope you all are enjoying your festive break, and have a better handle on which day it is than I do. As is tradition, after our own roundup of the year’s best culture, we are turning things over to you this week. Here are the films, TV shows, music, performances, and podcasts that wowed you in 2024.Thanks to everyone who sent in suggestions and sorry if we weren’t able to include yours. Enjoy the rest of your Christmas break, and see you on the other side of the new year, for our 2025 preview next Friday! Continue reading...

Culture

45 minutes ago Meera Sodha’s vegan recipe for leek, pistachio and jalapeño galette | The new vegan

A French-style tart stuffed with a zippy pistachio paste and covered in soft leeksWhenever I think of galettes, I think of my friend Henrietta Inman, who left London to set up Wakelyns bakery in Suffolk. Ever since she showed me how to make them, galettes have been my go-to when I need to whip up something impressive and beautiful, but also actually quite easy, and with a reasonably large margin for flexibility when it comes to ingredients and error, especially if, like me, you don’t consider yourself to be a particularly good pastry chef. Today’s recipe is a homage to some of my favourite greens: leeks, chives, pistachios and jalapeño chillies, to help usher in the New Year with a fresh dose of optimism. Continue reading...

Politics

13 hours ago A family of 4 died Christmas Day at their New Hampshire lake house after likely carbon monoxide leak

A Massachusetts couple and their two daughters were identified by authorities Friday as the victims of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after they were found dead at their lake house in New Hampshire on Christmas Day

Society

17 hours ago Luke Littler loses £150K of prize money as teen darts ace faces another big bill

Luke Littler has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame and fortune, but a significant portion of his earnings will be taken away from the teen darts sensation

Economics

15 hours ago Arsenal vs Ipswich LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest score and updates today after Havertz goal

Gunners would move second behind Liverpool with third straight victory at the Emirates

Sport

2 hours ago Cyprien Sarrazin has surgery on head injury after crash on 2026 Olympic slope

Sarrazin had surgery after suffering bleed on brainFrench skier crashed during World Cup trainingThe French skier Cyprien Sarrazin remains under sedation after undergoing a successful operation on a head injury. Sarrazin was hurt in a brutal crash on Friday during training for a World Cup downhill race in Bormio. Sarrazin, who won the downhill on Bormio’s fearsome Stelvio course last year, was one of two skiers airlifted to hospital after crashing on the slope set to be used for the Milan-Cortina Olympics in 14 months. He was placed in a neurological intensive care unit and later underwent surgery to drain a bleed near the brain. “Cyprien Sarrazin was operated on yesterday night to decompress the intracranial haematoma,” the French ski federation said in a statement. “The operation went well, he remains under anaesthesia for the moment. We will communicate more information during the day.”Pietro Zazzi of Italy was also taken to a hospital by helicopter after a crash. The incidents c...

Events

45 minutes ago ‘We have to change our attitude’: wildlife expert says rhino horn trade must be legalised

Call for illicit market to be taken out of hands of criminals as numbers continue to fall drastically due to poaching International trade in rhino horns should be legalised, a leading wildlife expert has urged.Writing in the research journal Science, Martin Wikelski argues only carefully monitored, legitimate transactions in horns can save the world’s remaining species of rhinoceros. Continue reading...

Politics

15 hours ago Man United icon Cristiano Ronaldo delivers Ballon d'Or verdict as Rodri victory labelled 'unfair'

Manchester City midfielder Rodri was the winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or award

Society

23 hours ago Walmart accused of illegally forcing over 1 million of its drivers to open bank accounts

Walmart called the lawsuit factually inaccurate and said the agency didn’t give the company a fair chance to present their case

Economics

15 hours ago Arsenal vs Ipswich LIVE: Premier League latest score and updates with hosts in control after Havertz opener

Arsenal are looking to close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the table, but will be without Saka after the England star’s hamstring injury

Sport

2 hours ago From 'rat snacking' to Diet Coke and pickle juice, a ranking of the weirdest food trends of 2024

Ridiculous burgers and ‘cloud eggs’ have long since passed, but 2024 has thrown up its own peculiarities, says Josh Barrie

Events

50 minutes ago What music stars were really listening to in 2024: ‘I appear on my own top 10 three times .. every stream helps!’

Spotify’s end-of-year summary (other streaming services are available, of course) is our chance to show off how much cool stuff we listened to this year. So what do the stars’ top track lists look like? And what were their guilty pleasures?Britain’s 2024 Eurovision entrant Continue reading...

Politics

18 hours ago White House reveals whether Russians shot down doomed Azerbaijan Airlines flight

The White House said there are 'indications' that Russians shot down the Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38.

Society

24 hours ago 'House prices to top £250k barrier and average road speeds 55mph' in 2025 forecasts

Accountancy giant PwC's predictions for 2025 include jump in electric car sales and green energy production, plus "bright spots" for UK economy

Economics

16 hours ago Arsenal vs Ipswich LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest score and goal updates today

Gunners would move second behind Liverpool with third straight victory at the Emirates

Sport

2 hours ago Azerbaijan Airlines plane WAS shot down by Russia, White House says as Putin's aviation chief tries to blame plane crash that killed 38 on heavy fog

National security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday there were 'early indications' that the jet was brought down by 'Russian air defence systems'.

Events

78 minutes ago ‘If we don’t look after this treasure, we’re going to lose it’: the fight to restore one of the UK’s most historic streets

Home to choir singers for 650 years, Grade-1 listed Vicar’s Close by Wells Cathedral is in need of funding to keep its medieval houses liveable – and its unique history aliveChoir singers have lived in two handsome terraces of silvery-pink-stoned medieval houses beside Wells Cathedral for more than 650 years. But the gated close – which is thought to be the most complete and continuously occupied medieval street in Europe – is now in desperate need of restoration.“It’s a privilege to live here – it’s a unique place,” says Matthew Minter, 52, who has lived in the close for almost seven years and sings in the cathedral. “But [the house] is cold. The windows leak £10 notes every time you put the heating on and the roof leaks actual water.” Continue reading...

Politics

19 hours ago U.S. homelessness crisis surges to record levels alongside rising rents and immigration

Advocates demand urgent action on housing and family support while Trump promises tent cities and ‘mental institutions’

Society

28 hours ago Exact date British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON and Octopus customers must act before energy bills rise

The Ofgem price cap is rising from £1,717 a year to £1,738 - and if you don't have a smart meter, you'll need to send an energy meter reading

Economics

16 hours ago Arsenal vs Ipswich LIVE: Premier League latest score and updates as Trossard starts after Saka injury

Arsenal are looking to close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the table, but will be without Saka after the England star’s hamstring injury

Sport

2 hours ago The battle of Cable Street is entwined in my family’s history – and its message of hope still resonates | Tracy

On that day in 1936, members of my Jewish family stood up to the Blackshirts. Their fight against racism inspired our adaptation of The Merchant of VeniceIn the weeks leading up to the battle of Cable Street, Oswald Mosley, inspired by his friend Hitler, sent his Blackshirt militia into the East End of London to whip up hatred against Jewish people. Jewish buildings were daubed, synagogues smashed and posters calling for patriotism and national pride in the face of the “untrustworthy international Jewish Entity” were nailed on walls and doorways.Then, on Sunday 4 October 1936, the fourth birthday of Mosley’s fascist party, he sent more than 3,000 uniformed Blackshirts in four marching columns through London’s East End and its predominantly Jewish community, promising a “Greater Britain” and blaming all society’s ills on these immigrant Jews. He fully expected to be supported by the working-class population of the area and assumed it would be delighted by his rousing speeches of hate...

Events

89 minutes ago Sergio Perez's 'obvious' next racing project emerges after Red Bull F1 axe

Sergio Perez is figuring out how to reboot his Formula 1 career at the age of 34 after Red Bull axed him following a dismal 2024 season, replacing him with Liam Lawson

Politics

22 hours ago 'Say it's carol singers': Love Actually mews house listed to rent for £15,200 a month

The house is on St Luke’s Mews, where Mark (Andrew Lincoln) makes his famous declaration of love to Juliet (Keira Knightley) in Richard Curtis’ film

Society

17 hours ago Arsenal XI vs Ipswich: Starting lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Premier League game today

Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard both return to Mikel Arteta’s first-choice side with Bukayo Saka out

Sport

2 hours ago Don’t give in to pessimism despite wars and injustice, says Pope Francis

Pontiff calls for hope and kindness in BBC Radio 4 Thought for the Day messagePope Francis has urged people not to be drawn towards “pessimism and resignation” despite wars and social injustices throughout the world, but to retain a “gentle gaze of hope”.The head of the Catholic church gave the Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday, wishing listeners “peace, fellowship and gratitude” for the new year and emphasising the importance of humility. Continue reading...

Events

1 hour ago Everything a running beginner needs to start the Couch to 5K in January from trainers to headphones

Taking up running can be daunting if you don’t know what equipment you need, so we’ve listed everything new runners may need from the right trainers to safety-conscious headphones

Politics

23 hours ago ‘It’s not just a dancefloor’: the precipitous decline of UK nightclubs

A cocktail of Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis has left larger ‘chrome and carpet’ venues high and dry as struggling chains look to party bars‘A taste of Ibiza in grotty King’s Cross’: memories of closed UK nightclubsWhen the patrons of Watford’s Pryzm nightclub celebrated New Year’s Eve on 31 December 2023, they were marking the end of an era, or rather, the end of seven eras. Like every beloved local club, the venue had been known by multiple names over the years: Top Rank, Bailey’s, Paradise Lost, Kudos, Destiny and Oceana.Now, it will be reincarnated no more, after failing to reach a deal with its landlord. Continue reading...

Society

18 hours ago Arsenal vs Ipswich LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction today

Gunners would move second behind Liverpool with third straight victory at the Emirates

Sport

3 hours ago Meet the man who rescued King Charles and Queen Camilla's reputation following Princess Diana's death

One man more than any has been credited for the dramatic transformation in the couple's fortunes - Mark Bolland.

Events

2 hours ago London New Year's Eve clubs: The best club nights to book for this New Year's Eve

The New Year’s Eve (and New Year’s Day!) parties you really shouldn’t miss. Say goodbye to 2024 in style

Politics

24 hours ago My family call it Old Lady Clubbing, but my giddy ‘nights out’ have lit up a dismal 2024 | Gaby Hinsliff

Dance till you drop, then home by 10pm – daytime events offer a glorious escape for those of us bogged down by responsibilityLast Saturday night, I went clubbing with friends. Once upon a time, this wouldn’t have been a remotely odd sentence to type, because it was what I did pretty much every weekend. But a lot has changed since then – let’s just say that in my peak raving years there was a Labour government in power, only it was actually popular – and like most people whose happy place was once on the dancefloor, inevitably with time comes the feeling that you no longer belong. Deep down, you still come to life when the bassline kicks in. But you morph from hardened raver to the kind of person who’s always up for dancing at parties and weddings, and then finally into the kind of person whose friends aren’t getting married any more and who spends their Saturday nights giving their children lifts to parties. So eventually you tell yourself sadly that those days are over now, and tha...

Society

18 hours ago Arsenal XI vs Ipswich: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Premier League game today

Gunners will be forced into reshuffle in attack after injury blow

Sport

3 hours ago From Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Pope Francis: the books to look forward to in 2025

New work from Zadie Smith, memoirs from Jacinda Ardern and Bill Gates, plus the third instalment in Rebecca Yarros’s romantasy series - here’s the biggest fiction and nonfiction for the year aheadNonfiction Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago The best home gym equipment to get your January fitness journey started

If you're planning to start your fitness journey in the new year but find the idea of joining a gym daunting, at home workouts can be a great place to start and this equipment will help

Politics

24 hours ago We're stuck in Britain's downsizing gridlock: As the price of bungalows soars, the retirees struggling to buy a smaller home with the proceeds of selling their larger family house

Anne Savory (pictured) and her husband Ted want to sell their three-bedroom bungalow in West Suffolk and move closer to their children.

Society

20 hours ago Gavin and Stacey fans in disbelief after spotting massive blunder in Christmas finale

Gavin and Stacey fans expressed their shock after discovering Smithy's full name during the 2024 Christmas special, with one joking they "watch the show too much"

Sport

4 hours ago White House suggests Russian involvement in Azerbaijan Airlines Christmas Day crash

US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said there are ‘early indications’ of Moscow’s involvement in the downing of the flight

Events

2 hours ago What times does Luke Littler play at the World Darts Championship tonight?

‘The Nuke’ continues his quest to dethrone Luke Humphries this week, with a potential rematch of this year’s final in the final four at Alexandra Palace

Politics

24 hours ago Will house prices go up in 2025? Six property experts give their verdict

We revisit six experts and ask them for their house price predictions for 2025, as well as where the housing market hot and cold spots will be.

Society

31 hours ago UFC, boxing and golf: what is Donald Trump’s relationship with sport? – podcast

The US president-elect’s ties with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and boxing, as well as World Wrestling Entertainment, might tell us about the kinds of sport he appreciates. But then there’s golf As the US prepares to host the World Cup and the Olympics during Trump’s presidency, Jonathan Freedland and Karim Zidan walk through his history with sport to see if it explains more about himArchive: BBC, WWE, Fox 9 Minneapolis, NBC 10 Philadelphia, PBS Newshour, TMZ, MSNBC Continue reading...

Sport

4 hours ago ‘We need dramatic social and technological changes’: is societal collapse inevitable?

Academic Danilo Brozović says studies of failed civilisations all point in one direction – today’s society needs radical transformation to surviveFor someone who has examined 361 studies and 73 books on societal collapses, Danilo Brozović’s conclusion on what must happen to avoid today’s world imploding is both disarmingly simple and a daunting challenge: “We need dramatic social and technological changes.”The collapse of past civilisations, from the mighty Mayan empire to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), has long fascinated people and for obvious reasons – how stable is our own society? Does ever-growing complexity in societies or human hubris inevitably lead to oblivion? In the face of the climate crisis, rampant destruction of the natural world, rising geopolitical tensions and more, the question is more urgent than ever. Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Top home gym equipment to start your January fitness journey without expensive memberships

If you’re too daunted to join a gym or want to avoid pricey memberships, these handy pieces of at-home workout equipment can help you kick off your January fitness journey

Politics

25 hours ago Hobbit home boom in New Zealand: Nation embraces tiny house living amid affordable housing crisis where average home price is $1m

Tiny houses - small, functional dwellings with floor spaces of up to 60 square metres - are becoming increasing popular among families and single occupiers.

Society

5 hours ago Your new skincare gifts decoded– how to start using ingredients from retinol to vitamin C

Did Santa bring you skincare this year? Here’s how to decode the new products featuring active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, AHAs and retinol

Events

2 hours ago Luke Littler's unpredictable style challenges referees at the World Darts Championship

The Nuke has a unique finishing style which has caused a headache for referees during his rise to the top

Politics

25 hours ago The most unusual property sales of 2024 — from a lighthouse to a nuclear bunker

There were no shortage of wacky properties to hit the market this year, including nuclear bunkers, a studio with a cell and a replica of the HMS Endeavour

Society

5 hours ago ‘I don’t want flowers, I want my Ukraine’: women’s acts of resistance against Russian occupation

Zla Mavka movement – meaning ‘wicked forest spirit’ – drops fake rouble notes bearing pro-Ukrainian images and shares messages of solidarityOn 8 March 2023, International Women’s Day, Russian soldiers were handing out tulips and boughs of mimosa to women and girls in the city of Melitopol, southern Ukraine – a move designed to promote friendly relations between the occupiers and the inhabitants.But the night before, someone had been discreetly sticking posters to walls and lamp-posts. They bore the image of a young Ukrainian woman, dressed in a traditional embroidered shirt, smashing a bouquet over a Russian soldier’s head. “I don’t want flowers,” read the slogan. “I want my Ukraine.” Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Nick Knowles supported after 'major' health update

The DIY SOS star took part in the BBC One dance contest's 2024 series but was quickly plagued by injury

Politics

27 hours ago Sydney to Hobart yacht race: LawConnect leads after two deaths in wild weather leave fleet rocked

Supermaxi LawConnect in box seat Friday evening to take line honours for second year runningAs at 5.30pm, 22 yachts from the 104-strong starting fleet had retiredThe Sydney to Hobart yacht race has been left reeling after the deaths of two sailors in wild weather that has forced a fifth of the fleet to retire.Supermaxi LawConnect was in the box seat on Friday evening to take out line honours for a second year running after rival Master Lock Comanche pulled the pin with mainsail damage. Continue reading...

Society

5 hours ago Nitish Kumar Reddy century leads India fightback as Australia strike late on day three

All-rounder joins Washington Sundar in critical 127-run standTourists trail by 116 runs with one wicket in hand in fourth Test52nd over: India 180-5 (Pant 22, Jadeja 4) Smokes a pull shot! Pant moves along to the 20s by clattering Boland, then takes a single. Jadeja keeps blocking.Guy Hornsby winds up the crank handle on the email machine. “Morning/evening Geoff. I’m somehow still up in darkest Sale in Manchester, full of port and cheese and wondering if Pant and Jadeja can actually save anything here. Their records suggest there’s a chance, but Pant is Cummins’ bunny of late and India must have felt an absolute gut punch after getting to 153-2 before the calamitous run-out. I’m not going to even attempt to apportion individual blame, just say it was a proper horlicks that took the wind out of India’s sails. Now it’s down to these two and a longish but bullish tail to see how much of a dent they can put into this huge Australian total. Perhaps Bumrah has made clear just how much of ...

Events

2 hours ago Last minute Scottish Hogmanay 2024 events you can head to this December 31

Even though Hogmanay is just days away and time is running out to make plans, the Daily Record has rounded up some last-minute ideas for how you can ring in the new year.

Politics

30 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

7 hours ago ‘Bullets can make a real mess of bones’: the hospital where the war wounded have their lives put together again

At MSF’s pioneering centre in Amman, Jordan, the dedicated team deal with lives that have already been saved. Here they make those lives worth livingAs a sign of commitment to peace, help us support those affected by war | Kath VinerDonate to our charity appeal hereA girl slips through the corridors of the hospital’s fifth floor with her friend, the pair bright-eyed and shy. Today is her last chance to wear her sparkly new shoes, bought for a party last week. Tomorrow, the 12-year-old Iraqi will have a leg amputated.The operation was due two weeks ago but the surgeon, who had tried not to weep as he broke the news that amputation was necessary, agreed to delay surgery. She wanted the chance to wear her new shoes to the party first. Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Don’t give in to pessimism, says Pope Francis in BBC Thought for the Day

Hope and kindness ‘touch the very heart of gospel’ and show people how to behave amid war and social injusticePope Francis has urged people not to be drawn towards “pessimism and resignation” despite wars and social injustices throughout the world, but to retain a “gentle gaze of hope”.The head of the Catholic church gave the Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday, wishing listeners “peace, fellowship and gratitude” for the new year and emphasising the importance of humility. Continue reading...

Politics

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

As a student in London I yearned for home, until I found paradise: a vast old villa with perfect housemates  The Guardian

Society

7 hours ago English wildlife ‘could be disappearing in the dark’ due to lack of scrutiny

Conservationists issue warning as figures show three-quarters of SSSI sites have had no recent assessments Conservationists have said wildlife could be “disappearing in the dark” after figures showed that three-quarters of England’s most precious habitats, wildlife and natural features have had no recent assessment of their condition.The warning follows the publication of figures covering assessments of protected natural sites known as sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) in the last five years. SSSIs are legally protected because they contain special features such as threatened habitats or rare species, and together they cover more than 1.1m hectares (2.7m acres), about 8% of England’s land area. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago Israeli forces accused of taking Gaza hospital staff to detention centre for interrogation – Middle East crisis live

Gaza health officials said the IDF detained the director of a hospital, which the WHO said was put out of service by an Israeli raidNearly one in five of the world’s children live in areas affected by conflicts, with more than 473 million children suffering from the worst levels of violence since the second world war, according to figures published by the UN.The UN humanitarian aid organisation for children, Unicef, said on Saturday that the percentage of children living in conflict zones around the world has doubled from about 10% in the 1990s to almost 19%, and warned that this dramatic increase in harm to children should not become the “new normal”. Continue reading...

Politics

31 hours ago Climate crisis exposed people to extra six weeks of dangerous heat in 2024

Analysis shows fossil fuels are supercharging heatwaves, leaving millions prone to deadly temperaturesThe climate crisis caused an additional six weeks of dangerously hot days in 2024 for the average person, supercharging the fatal impact of heatwaves around the world.The effects of human-caused global heating were far worse for some people, an analysis by World Weather Attribution (WWA) and Climate Central has shown. Those in Caribbean and Pacific island states were the hardest hit. Many endured about 150 more days of dangerous heat than they would have done without global heating, almost half the year. Continue reading...

Society

7 hours ago Cristiano Ronaldo's latest Ballon d'Or remarks highlight the disrespect toward Man City's Rodri

Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest to speak out on Rodri's 2024 Ballon d'Or triumph

Events

3 hours ago Isabel Allende: ‘My most expensive purchase? A Tesla for my former husband. He didn’t deserve it’

The writer on unattainable studs, erotic fantasies, and why she owes her birth father nothingBorn in Peru, Isabel Allende, 82, worked as a journalist and children’s writer. In 1982, she published her first adult novel, The House of the Spirits, which became an international bestseller. Her titles have been translated into 42 languages, and include a memoir for her daughter, who died at 29. Allende’s accolades include the US presidential medal of freedom and PEN Center lifetime achievement award. Her course, Magical Storytelling, is available on BBC Maestro’s online platform. She lives in California.When were you happiest? When my kids were little – and now, in my old age. Continue reading...

Politics

36 hours ago Homeless shelters and food banks to get better access to leftover food on farms

Homeless shelters, food banks and charities will receive leftover food from farms after ministers announced a £15million funding boost to help with collections

Society

7 hours ago New Year's warning for UK households as Brits face up to '6 months jail' and fines

As New Year's Eve approaches, the public are reminded to be wary of fireworks regulations - with potential fines and even six months in prison for any breaches

Events