74 minutes ago How I beat overwhelm: I kicked my news addiction – and discovered ways to make a proper difference

When I stopped watching, listening, reading and doomscrolling constantly, I no longer felt I was banging my head against a brick wallFor as long as I can remember, I have been addicted to broadcast news. At least, I used to be. I would wake up to the babble of Radio 4’s Today programme and for the rest of the day subject myself to a bombardment of destabilising sound effects from the Middle East, Trumpland, PMQs and the odd shouty phone-in.It was a habit that was formed long before I became a journalist. My father, a doctor, was a devoted consumer of current affairs. “What’s happening?” he would ask at breakfast. If you started to tell him about your plans for the day, he would listen politely and then say: “I meant, what’s happening in the world?” Continue reading...

Politics

13 hours ago Katie Price flaunts present haul from JJ Slater after spending Xmas apart

Katie Price has shared her Christmas gift from boyfriend JJ Slater after the pair spent the festive period apart amid fears they had split, which she has since addressed

Economics

12 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 Kelsey Parker praises her boyfriend Will Lindsay for 'bringing her back to life' after the death of her late husband Tom Parker following cancer battle

Kelsey Parker has praised her boyfriend Will Lindsay for 'bringing her back to life' following the tragic death of her late husband, Tom Parker.

Events

13 hours ago Classic cars could face MoTs for the first time as public backs safety checks for motors over 40 years old

Under current rules, vehicles registered more than 40 years ago no longer needs to undergo annual road worthiness check-ups as the general consensus is they are owned by enthusiasts.

Transport

8 hours ago 'Absolute crap' – Michael van Gerwen tears his OWN performance apart after doing something 'you're not allowed to do'

Van Gerwen wasn't quite convinced by his own performance at Ally Pally

Politics

18 hours ago Katie Price shows off present haul from JJ after spending Christmas apart

Katie Price has shown off her Christmas present haul from boyfriend JJ Slater after setting the record straight about their relationship amid split rumours

Economics

7 hours ago Kelsey Parker says boyfriend has 'brought her back to life' after Tom's death

The mum-of-two has said that partner Will Lindsay has brought her "back to life" after the devastation of losing The Wanted's Tom in 2022.

Events

10 hours ago Love Island star sets record straight on pregnancy rumours after fans spotted 'bump'

A former Love Island star has taken to social media to address pregnancy rumours with her boyfriend from the show as fans thought they spotted a 'bump' in her latest post

Politics

19 hours ago Sir Chris Hoy opens up on his 'unimaginable' year after his terminal cancer diagnosis and reveals how he has dealt with coming to terms with stage 4 disease in public

Hoy, 48, was given between two to four years to live by doctors after being diagnosed with primary cancer in his prostate which then spread to his bones.

Economics

9 hours ago Two mums decide to go public after one donates dead daughter's heart to save other's little girl

Amy Anderson and husband Carl made the selfless decision to donate their daughter Mia's heart, liver, pancreas and kidneys after her death to save the lives of four people who needed urgent transplants

Events

10 hours ago Jermaine Jenas and Jermaine Pennant enjoy a Hooters night out after the football pundit public apologised to wife Ellie Penfold after sexting scandal

Jermaine Jenas and Jermaine Pennant enjoyed a festive night out together at Hooters as they joined a group of friends for a boozy celebration.

Politics

29 hours ago Liverpool transfer news: Virgil van Dijk deal dismissed as Reds outline sale stance

Virgil van Dijk is one of three leading Liverpool players to have their contracts expire at the end of the season, with little public sign of progress to this point

Economics

9 hours ago Love Island's Millie Court has 'never screamed so loud' after jellyfish attack on holiday

Love Island star Millie Court has shared a terrifying clip of herself being stung by a jellyfish as she swam in the sea while enjoying a break with her boyfriend Liam Reardon

Events

11 hours ago Woman's 'Christmas dinner' called 'minging' until people realised their mistake

"A lot of people are doing what I'm doing now. But maybe I’ve set a trend."

Politics

10 hours ago Love Island star Millie Court attacked by jellyfish in terrifying holiday ordeal

Love Island star Millie Court has shared her terrifying ordeal when she was stung by a jellyfish while on holiday with her boyfriend Liam Reardon in Australia

Events

12 hours ago Dancing On Ice's Vanessa Bauer shares poignant post after going public with boyfriend

Dancing on Ice pro Vanessa Bauer has shared a series of photos with her boyfriend, former footballer James Rowe, as she said it was a 'year to remember' in a gushing post

Politics

11 hours ago Love Island's Millie Court attacked by jellyfish after ignoring warning signs

Millie Court had a holiday nightmare after she was stung by a jellyfish while in Australia with her boyfriend Liam Reardon as she admitted it is 'my own fault'

Events

13 hours ago Laura Anderson looks loved up with new footballer boyfriend as pair mark first Christmas together

Love Island star Laura Anderson and her boyfriend, and Dundee footballer, Clark Robertson looked loved up as they enjoyed a romantic break away over the festive period

Politics

13 hours ago ‘Create our own history’: Alisson targets title to mark new Liverpool era

The Liverpool goalkeeper expected ‘hard work’ for Arne Slot but flying start to season means their end goal is clearIf 2024 included the final chapter of Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool, the year may yet be recalled as the start of something else special. It was on 26 January that devastated fans learned one of the best-kept football secrets of modern times, that Klopp could give no more. In late December, a renewed team, more patient in style, far less exuberant yet just as potent, already threatens to emulate Klopp’s finest achievements.The bond between Klopp and former players remains firm. When Curtis Jones made his 100th Premier League appearance against Leicester on Boxing Day, he realised only because his former manager had congratulated him on the milestone. When Klopp returns to public life next week as head of global football for the Red Bull conglomerate, the sight of him in the stands, talking to the media, will take some getting used to. Continue reading...

Events

15 hours ago Chinese artist creates retro Nintendo Game Boy game to remember late grandmother

Video games can be designed to express deeply personal art, Zhou Yichen says

Politics

13 hours ago PETER HITCHENS: A British video blogger has lost his human rights for criticising Ukraine. Will I be next?

I do not ask you to like Graham Phillips, or even to sympathise with him. But you shouldn't approve of what our Government is doing to him. He is living in a bombed-out, unheated block of flats in Mariupol.

Events

15 hours ago The 10 biggest celebrity scandals of 2024: From the downfall of Diddy to Bennifer's break

Typically it's the season to be jolly, but for more than one public figure this Christmas will be an opportunity to draw a firm line under a year to forget.

Politics

15 hours ago Kelsey Parker hails boyfriend for 'bringing her back to life' after Tom's death

Kelsey Parker has shared her delight at sharing Christmas with her new partner, two years after the death of her husband, The Wanted's Tom Parker

Events

15 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

16 hours ago Putin apologises to Azerbaijani president for downed jet as he makes air defence admission

Vladimir Putin sent a public apology to the country of Azerbajan and the family of the victims who passed away during an aeroplane crash over the Christmas period

Politics

16 hours ago John Swinney warns Hogmanay revellers pay 'close attention' to weather warnings

"I would urge members of the public to follow all of the warnings because they will develop over the course of the next few days."

Events

16 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

20 hours ago Warning to Amazon Echo users to keep device out of certain areas in the home

Your smart speaker may be doing more than just playing music, according to experts.

Events

16 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

23 hours ago 'Boyfriend wants to name our future baby after dog breed – it's really tragic'

People couldn't help but laugh after hearing what a man wants to name his son - as his girlfriend vows to divorce him in the future if he tries to go along with it

Events

17 hours ago Trump’s threat to defund all US public media has NPR and PBS on the back foot

President-elect’s agenda and Project 2025 playbook align in stripping Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s licenseOn the campaign trail this year, Donald Trump routinely criticized US media. The president-elect called for CBS to be stripped of its broadcast license after it aired an interview with Kamala Harris, refused to participate in an interview with 60 Minutes and routinely called journalists the “enemy of the people”.But perhaps no American media has attracted as much ire from the president-elect as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting – a non-profit corporation created by federal law in 1967 to distribute funding to public media organizations like PBS and NPR. Continue reading...

Politics

24 hours ago Taliban’s shocking treatment of women shows why world must impose apartheid

Given the Taliban has banned women from taking part in sport and even speaking in public, Afghanistan’s cricket team should not be welcome at the International Cricket Council’s Men’s Champions Trophy

Events

18 hours 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

25 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

21 hours ago Ant McPartin's ex Lisa Armstrong introduces baby boy as celeb supporters gush over arrival

Lisa Armstrong has welcomed a new addition to her family and the Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist was quick to introduce the new young member of her family

Politics

28 hours ago More than a million children are at risk from rundown schools 'collapsing on top of them' as they study

A new Guardian investigation found that thousands of public sector buildings, including schools, hospitals and courts, are in desperate need of repair.

Events

22 hours ago On the towering cliffs, my family found a sanctuary. It still pulls me back today | Kat Lister

My grandmother called it The Haven – a shack perched high above the beach. Years later, another special woman rekindled my love of that placeIn our end of year series, writers and public figures remember the place or time when they felt most at homeIn the 18th century, physicians went looking for a nostalgia bone, as though a person’s yearning for a past time or place could be assigned to a chunk of tissue. But for me, writing in the 21st, the stimulus can be found not in the body I’m in, but the memories I carry. And in particular, as I edge further into my 40s, the memories of coastland I visited in the 1980s: a four-mile stretch in south-east Cornwall where my family and I summered each year with my grandmother.As a child, I would zigzag down the narrow cliff path with wild abandon, my mother nervously calling out to me as I sprinted down to the white sand below. This is where the roots of so many of my happy memories can be found. Not simply in the towering cliffs themselves, bu...

Politics

28 hours ago Driver behind China car ramming attack that killed 35 is sentenced to death

Fan Weiqiu, angry at his divorce settlement, caused ‘great social harm’ when he drove into people as they exercised in the city of Zhuhai, court saysA court in China has sentenced a man to death for killing 35 people last month by driving into a crowd, in an attack that raised national concern about mass killings.Fan Weiqiu was venting his anger because he was unhappy with his divorce settlement, the court in the southern city of Zhuhai said in handing down the sentence on Friday. The victims were exercising at a sports centre at the time of the attack. Fan pleaded guilty to endangering public safety by dangerous means, a court statement said. Continue reading...

Events

23 hours ago McCarthyism stalked my family. Its paranoia contains a lesson for Trump’s second term | Richard Sennett

Trump’s eerily familiar evocations of the ‘enemy within’ may be harder to shake off than the man who targeted my parentsThe rise of Donald Trump aroused in me an old fear of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Both McCarthy and Trump rose to power as demagogues who fed on the American public’s fear of “enemies within”. My family had cause to fear on the biggest of these counts: my parents were communists from an early age, although they had quit the party in 1939 after Hitler’s pact with Stalin. In the heyday of US power, families such as mine were persecuted for a cause in which they no longer believed. We developed ways to avoid or resist persecution that worked pretty well, and I think these help to illuminate the combat that is to come with Trumpism.Some connections between McCarthy and Trump are straightforward, both having been charismatic performers with a base of willing believers, both exploiting patriotism, both making up “facts” on the spur of the moment. There is a personal bridge ...

Politics

29 hours ago Silent Witness star Emilia Fox reveals she rejects boyfriend's 'daily proposals' despite being a 'die

Emilia Fox has revealed that her boyfriend Jonathan Stadlen frequently proposes to her but she has yet to say yes.

Events

24 hours ago Chinese artist creates retro Nintendo Gameboy game to remember late grandmother

Video games can be designed to express deeply personal art, Zhou Yichen says

Politics

29 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

25 hours ago SNP and Labour engaged in 'blame game' ahead of 2026 Holyrood election as public services 'don't work'

EXCLUSIVE: Professor John Curtice said it was not in Labour or the SNP's interests to force an early Holyrood election in 2025 as both parties could struggle to form a government.

Politics