4 hours ago Duchess of Edinburgh matches Princess Anne for completing highest number of overseas trips this year as pair fill void left by King Charles and Kate Middleton

Both royals visited nine countries in 2024, yet 74-year-old Anne racked up nearly 42,000 air miles while 59-year-old Sophie did around 28,500. The pair were followed by Prince Edward on eight.

Politics

21 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

11 hours ago Forget Risk, play Fantasy Football for Fascists: grudge matches, foul play and violent conduct guaranteed | Simon Tisdall

Leading FFF teams include Donald Trump’s Mad Angry Geezers Athletic (Maga) and Vladimir Putin’s Greater Russia United (GRU)It’s been a gloomy old year, often reflected in this space – so maybe it’s time to inject some festive cheer with an exciting new Swiftian parlour game: Fantasy Football for Fascists (FFF). Ideal for dictators, autocrats, strongmen, neo-Stalinists, far-right nationalist-populists or just students of geopolitics, it’s fanatical fun for all the family!Under conventional fantasy football rules, imaginary teams are composed of real-life players from the Premier League. In FFF, the principal players are typically politicians and public figures who exhibit extreme totalitarian tendencies. Leading FFF teams include Donald Trump’s Mad Angry Geezers Athletic (Maga) and Vladimir Putin’s Greater Russia United (GRU). China has the Xi XI. Continue reading...

Sport

7 hours ago Rise of killer robot fridges as experts warn kitchen appliances getting 'smarter'

A rise on super-smart home appliances could soon start 'plotting' against us, with boffins warning hackers could soon get access to personal information via fridges

Events

6 hours ago Mystery as kayaker's haunting final image before he vanished at sea resurfaces

Andrew McAuley admitted he 'may have bitten off more than I can chew' in a chilling last video message recorded before the kayak was discovered capsized and abandoned

Politics

26 hours ago Puttin' on the Glitz! Taylor Swift inspires fans with her glittering outfits as interest in sequinned dresses surges during superstar singer's UK leg of worldwide Eras tour

As Taylor Swift came to the UK for four stops on her huge world tour, interest in sequinned dresses skyrocketed, with a spike in sales and a surge in online searches

Sport

8 hours ago Family of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji demand FBI investigate death

Parents believe San Francisco police lack ability to conduct thorough investigation into multifaceted casePoornima Ramarao greeted everyone with a smile as they offered condolences for the death of her son, Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher and whistleblower who was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on 26 November.“I am not grieving,” she told a small group of friends at a vigil held for Balaji in Milpitas, California, a city about 50 miles (80km) south-east of San Francisco. “I have become numb.” Continue reading...

Events

6 hours ago Prince Harry backed mental health firm slammed by workers as 'toxic train wreck’

BetterUp, the life-coaching and mental health organisation that has Prince Harry as part of its leadership has been canned by employees who say management has 'no moral compass'

Politics

11 hours ago Man Utd fans turn on Sir Jim Ratcliffe as latest controversy branded 'act of cowardice'

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's decision to stop giving £40,000 to a trust for former players of Manchester United has gone down like a lead balloon among already tetchy supporters

Events

6 hours ago Kate Middleton and Prince William's 'fish finger' beds at Sandringham for royal Christmas revealed

Every year members of the Royal Family celebrate Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk, but the huge guest list means it's reportedly at tight squeeze at the residence

Politics

11 hours ago Janet Yellen warns Congress ‘extraordinary measures’ will be needed to stop US hitting debt limit

Yellen said the treasure will need to take ‘extrodinary measures’ to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling early next year

Events

8 hours ago Bloke buys back BMW he got rid of nearly 20 years ago but forks out 10 times the value

Andrew Scott, 56, was forced to part ways with the 1997 532i back in 2005 after, with 250,000 miles on the clock, its engine finally packed up - but losing it hurt more than he thought

Politics

12 hours ago North Korea 'executing wounded soldiers to stop them becoming Ukrainian PoWs'

North Korea is 'executing' its own soldiers to stop wounded servicemen from being captured by Ukrainian forces, President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed while confirming a missile strike on Russia

Events

11 hours ago Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'beyond repair' as expert teases solo 2025 plans

The past 12 months have certainly seen a lot of change when it comes to the careers of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - and with 2025 upon us, one PR expert offers his masterplan on how they can ensure success in the year ahead

Politics

13 hours ago Putin apologises for Azerbaijan plane crash without admitting Russia at fault

Kremlin says Russian president has spoken to Azerbaijan counterpart after crash in which 38 people diedRussia-Ukraine war – latest news updatesVladimir Putin has apologised for a “tragic incident” in which an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed on Christmas Day, but stopped short of admitting Russia was responsible. The Kremlin said in an official statement that Putin had spoken to Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, on Saturday by phone in his first comments since the crash, which killed 38 of the 67 people onboard. “Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured,” the statement said.Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said he had expressed condolences to President Aliyev and called on Russia for a clearer explanation of the crash. Continue reading...

Events

11 hours ago World War Three fears: Experts tell Trump that Putin won't stop with Ukraine deal

Professor Anthony Glees, a security and intelligence expert from the University of Buckingham, claims Putin has no intention of giving up his quest to seize more land.

Politics

14 hours ago Putin apologises over Azerbaijan plane crash as Kremlin says Russian air defences were repelling Ukrainian attack – live

Kremlin say Russian air defences were repelling attacks while plane was trying to land – but stops short of admitting Russian forces shot planeItalian police said on Saturday that they were investigating cyberattacks claimed by a pro-Russian group targeting several websites including Milan’s airports and the foreign ministry.The websites of the ministry, Malpensa and Milan-Linate airport, and the transport systems in Siena and Turin were hit, according to national cybersecurity police spokesman Marco Valerio Cervellini, Reuters reports. Continue reading...

Events

12 hours ago How will AI reshape the world? Well, it could be the spreadsheet of the 21st century | John Naughton

Large language models have changed how big corporations function, and the arrival of AI ‘agents’ – essentially automated Moneypennys – could prove irresistibleIf 2024 was the year of large language models (LLMs), then 2025 looks like the year of AI “agents”. These are quasi-intelligent systems that harness LLMs to go beyond their usual tricks of generating plausible text or responding to prompts. The idea is that an agent can be given a high-level – possibly even vague – goal and break it down into a series of actionable steps. Once it “understands” the goal, it can devise a plan to achieve it, much as a human would.OpenAI’s chief financial officer, Sarah Friar, recently explained it thus to the Financial Times: “It could be a researcher, a helpful assistant for everyday people, working moms like me. In 2025, we will see the first very successful agents deployed that help people in their day to day.” Or it’s like having a digital assistant “that doesn’t just respond to your instruct...

Politics

14 hours ago Can YOU tell which is the strongest? Humans are 'terrible' at judging knots

Whether it's tying your shoelaces or doing up your tie, many of us use knots on a daily basis. Despite this, research has shown that humans are 'terrible' at judging knots.

Events

13 hours ago Prince Harry has made no progress fixing royal rift thanks to thorn in Royal Family's side – but Kate Middleton could change everything

EXCLUSIVE: As 2024 ends, it is clear that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are still no closer to reconciling with the rest of the Royal Family, according to a royal expert

Politics

14 hours ago How I beat overwhelm: Tracking my heart rate left me feeling like a frustrated failure

Biofeedback devices promised a whole new world of mental and physical harmony. They did change my life, but not in the way I’d hopedI love to run, but ask me about my running times or distances and I will have no idea. For me, running is about squeezing exercise into a busy schedule, clearing my head and being in nature. I don’t need to measure it.But unfortunately I am not immune to the oh-so-pleasing dopamine injection of unboxing a new bit of wearable tech, personalising the app for hours and thinking this might just change my life – the new, calmer, fitter, stronger, smarter me dangling tantalisingly within reach. One such scenario occurred after researching the importance of human connection on mental and physical health: less stress, less inflammation, less illness. Human connection, I learned, can stimulate and be facilitated by the vagus nerve – a primitive part of the nervous system. Continue reading...

Events

13 hours ago Prince Harry 'no closer to mending royal rift' – but Kate Middleton 'could change everything'

While Prince William and his family have happily greeted crowds of well wishers over the Christmas period, there is no sign that fences are being mended between him and his brother Harry

Politics

14 hours ago Former Premier League striker arrested after domestic violence accusation

A former Watford player has been accused of domestic violence and has reportedly been arrested after his ex-wife filed a complaint to officials, with a court date expected soon

Events

14 hours ago Chess icon Magnus Carlsen quits world championships after row over jeans

Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen said he was heading somewhere warmer than New York for a holiday after quitting tournament owing to a "matter of principle"

Politics

15 hours ago Putin apologises over Azerbaijan Airlines crash as Kremlin says Russian forces were repelling Ukrainian attack at the time – live

Kremlin say Russian air defences were repelling attacks while plane was trying to land – but stops short of admitting Russian forces shot planeItalian police said on Saturday that they were investigating cyberattacks claimed by a pro-Russian group targeting several websites including Milan’s airports and the foreign ministry.The websites of the ministry, Malpensa and Milan-Linate airport, and the transport systems in Siena and Turin were hit, according to national cybersecurity police spokesman Marco Valerio Cervellini, Reuters reports. Continue reading...

Events

14 hours ago ‘All people could do was hope the nerds would fix it’: the global panic over the millennium bug, 25 years on

Planes were going to drop out of the sky, nuclear reactors would explode. But then nothing. What really happened with Y2K? People still disagree Just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, 25 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II stepped off a private barge to arrive at London’s Millennium Dome for its grand opening ceremony. Dressed in a pumpkin-orange coat, she entered the venue with Prince Philip, taking her place alongside Tony and Cherie Blair and 12,000 guests to celebrate the dawn of a new millennium. At the stroke of midnight, Big Ben began to chime and 40 tonnes of fireworks were launched from 16 barges lined along the river. The crowd joined hands, preparing to sing Auld Lang Syne. For a few long moments, the Queen was neglected – she flapped her arms out like a toddler wanting to be lifted up, before Blair and Philip noticed her, took a hand each, and the singing began. A new century was born.One politician who wasn’t in attendance at the glitzy celebration was Paddy Tipping, a Labou...

Politics

19 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

26 hours ago Couples who diet together are more likely to lose more weight than those who go it alone, study suggests

Researchers from Bournemouth University suggest weight-loss advice might be better targeted at married or co-habiting couples, since it's common for them to have similar calorie intake.

Events

15 hours ago ‘Dubious’ use of the Freedom of Information Act stopping access to files on Prince Andrew, researchers say

Biographer says government departments give contradictory refusals to requests and accuses them of ‘cover up’Researchers have called for greater transparency from the Foreign Office over the files it holds on the Duke of York. Officials responding to freedom of information requests have given a variety of reasons why the files cannot be released.Andrew Lownie, an author who is researching a biography of Prince Andrew, was told that the files could not be made public until 2065, and implied there was a general rule that papers relating to members of the royal family must remain closed until 105 years after their birth. Continue reading...

Politics

26 hours ago Thousands of animals are blown up, poisoned or given deadly nerve agent during 'barbaric' tests at top secret military laboratory

More than 2,000 pigs, rabbits, monkeys, guinea pigs and mice have been killed in 'barbaric' experiments at the secretive Porton Down research base in Wiltshire.

Events

16 hours ago Jeremy Clarkson's daughter Emily gives birth to second child with husband Alex Andrew

Podcaster shares news of welcoming child in sweet snap

Politics

27 hours ago Over 70 assaults taking place in jails each day as prison violence increases by 28 per cent from previous year

Research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, showed there were 26,912 assaults recorded in jails in England and Wales in 2023, an average of 74 a day.

Events

16 hours 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

27 hours ago Man dies after Sydney arrest for allegedly attempting to enter vehicles armed with knife

Critical incident team from Bankstown Police Area Command to investigate circumstances surrounding 33-year-old’s deathGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA man has died after he was arrested while allegedly attempting to enter vehicles armed with a knife in the middle of Sydney traffic.Police declared a critical incident after officers responded to reports of a man trying to stop traffic and enter vehicles on Remembrance Driveway at Tahmoor in Sydney’s south-west at about 1pm on Friday.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

17 hours ago Prince George is the spitting image of a young Prince William as he dons similar outfit for Sandringham Church service

Eagle-eyed royal watchers have noted the likeness between Prince George and his father Prince William once more, after the Wales family attended church in Sandringham.

Politics

17 hours ago You're probably playing UNO wrong – two thirds of people get key rule wrong

UNO is a popular choice of card game during the Christmas period – but did you ever stop to question the rules? If so, you may have noticed that this popular detail isn't actually in them

Politics

18 hours ago ANDREW NEIL: Trump in. Reform rising. And humiliation for Macron, Scholz and Trudeau. Why 2025 will see the collapse of the Left... and nowhere more than Britain

There are, alas, precious few signs that 2025 will be a great year for any of us, which is a pity given 2024 was hardly one to write home about. But it could be an especially miserable year for the Left.

Politics

18 hours ago London Driver Sent Flowers, Bracelet To Qatari Princess. Then This Happened

London Driver Sent Flowers, Bracelet To Qatari Princess. Then This Happened  NDTV

Politics