44 minutes ago The Observer view: Donald Trump’s imperial bullying must be nipped in the bud | Observer editorial

Countries that cherish democratic values need to take a stand against the president-elect’s throwback to unabashed American expansionismWatching politicians promise one thing, then do another, is a common experience in all democratic countries. Situations in which voters do not expect a politician to keep his word, and in many instances fervently hope and pray he will not, are rarer. Donald Trump, the US president-elect, fits this latter category. When Trump threatens to subjugate Canada, a Nato ally, by force, unilaterally annex Greenland, the autonomous territory of a friendly EU state, and override Panama’s sovereignty for bogus security reasons, most people assume he is not serious and his remarks carry little real significance. This response, while comforting, is a mistake.It’s entirely possible that Trump, pumped with hype, hot air and testosterone in the lead-up to his 20 January inauguration, is being gratuitously disruptive. He likes to shake things up. It amuses his Make A...

Politics

26 hours ago 'We've had to live upstairs for 18 months because sewage keeps flooding our home'

'Whenever it rains I struggle to sleep. Sometimes I’m awake all night, listening for sounds of flooding'

Society

5 hours ago Billionaire investor says Americans face 'rude awakening' if they follow Warren Buffett's advice

A billionaire investor has claimed Americans are in for a 'rude awakening' if they follow one of Warren Buffett's most popular pieces of advice. 

Economics

33 hours ago AD FEATURE: Get your 2025 off to a spectacular start with tickets to these six Manchester shows

Mark your calendars - there are so many great live experiences to enjoy in the city this year

Sport

4 hours ago How the climate crisis fuels devastating wildfires: ‘We have tweaked nature and pissed it off’

John Vaillant, the author of Fire Weather, explains why fires such as those in Los Angeles are different from those beforeWhen writing about the hot, dry Santa Ana winds and how they affect the behavior and imaginations of southern Californians, Joan Didion once said: “The winds show us how close to the edge we are.”I’ve lived here my entire life. I evacuated my family’s hillside home as a teenager. I’ve experienced the surrealism of watching ash rain down from the sky more times than I can count. But there is something different, supercharged, about the hurricane-force winds that fueled this week’s catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles. Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Tunng: Love You All Over review – a delightfully quirky return from the folktronica pioneers

(Full Time Hobby)The inventive English six-piece deliver another slice of whimsy, wit and gentle musical experimentationThe arrival of Tunng 20 years back was a gamechanger for British folk, allying its pastoral themes with gentle electronica and an often surrealist sense of humour. Sometimes it was folk horror on the high street as people were changed into hares; at others it became tripped-out domesticity. The group are still at it – a six-piece reunited around the core duo of Mike Lindsay and Sam Genders.Indeed, this eighth studio album, their first in five years, consciously returns them to early days, becoming something of a tribute to themselves; there is even the return of a favourite character, Jenny, still impatient for change. Their default setting remains tumbling acoustic guitars led by the soft-sung vocals of Genders, but backings remain as inventive as ever. Sixes arrives in a jumble of warped percussion and clanging bells, whereas Levitate a Little relies on woodwind ...

Politics

7 hours ago Save 50% on Murad skin repair set worth £133 in the LookFantastic sale

In need of some skincare recovery after the festive season? You're in luck as LookFantastic has slashed the price of Murad's Revive + Repair set by 50% in their January sale

Economics

5 hours ago Tragic downfall of 'bad boy' Goonies Sloth star – from pro athlete to addiction hell

Although he only lived 38 years the sports star packed in a dozen car crashes, nearly being run over by his wife, a near death experience and multiple hero-worthy moments on the pitch

Events

4 hours ago Federico Chiesa’s first Liverpool goal seals FA Cup defeat of Accrington

They will always have the milk advert. Accrington Stanley came in search of a momentous FA Cup upset at Anfield, a story to usurp their other famous connection with Liverpool and Ian Rush, but there was no miracle to be found on a freezing afternoon on Merseyside.Arne Slot’s much-changed but still recognisable Liverpool team had too much quality, nous and experience for League Two opponents who did themselves justice over 90 minutes but could not contain the Premier League leaders for ever. Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jayden Danns and Federico Chiesa scored the goals that took Liverpool into round four. Continue reading...

Politics

18 hours ago 'LA Strong' logo and custom gear unveiled to aid Los Angeles wildfire recovery efforts

Los Angeles sports organizations are uniting to launch an “LA Strong” custom logo and apparel line that will raise money for organizations assisting those impacted by this week’s devasting wildfires

Events

19 hours ago Millie Mackintosh recalls terrifying incident as she woke up with person 'on top of her'

Millie Mackintosh has revealed a traumatic teenage experience that shaped her struggles with alcohol. The former Made in Chelsea star reflected on how the incident marked the start of her complex journey with drinking and self-worth.

Events

5 hours ago From apitourism to agritourism: 7 unusual ways to travel ethically in 2025

Could specialist travel be an antidote to mass, fast tourism in 2025? Eloise Barker discovers how to make more meaningful travel experiences, from seeking out beekeepers to venturing along pilgrim paths

Politics

27 hours ago ‘If you hear the siren, go to the shelter’: the wrenching play about the bombing of a theatre in Ukraine

In March 2022, the largest theatre in Mariupol – while in use as a bomb shelter for 1,000 people – was hit by a Russian air strike. A re-enactment based on survivors’ testimonies has been moving audiences to tearsThe play opens with the usual pre-show request for audiences to switch off their mobile phones before the curtain rises, but along with this come warnings – and instructions for how the audience should evacuate the auditorium in the event of an air raid.That is because Mariupol Drama, a play based on the real experiences of a Ukrainian theatre company during the Russian invasion of the titular city, was written and staged in the midst of war. It re-enacts the horrifying moment on 16 March 2022 when their theatre was bombed by Russian forces, even though it had by then been turned into an evacuation shelter for almost 1,000 people. Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago Friedkin Group believes Moyes can stabilise Everton and restore lost values | Andy Hunter

Scot has the experience new owners see as vital to avoid relegation before move to stadium at Bramley-Moore dockThe prospect of David Moyes returning as Everton manager was met with an almost snobbish disdain when mooted twice before. It illustrates the diverging fortunes of the Scot and the club that the welcome mat has been laid out third time around.Moyes was close to becoming Everton manager again in December 2019, after Marco Silva’s reign had come to an unceremonious end. He held talks with Farhad Moshiri in Germany and expected to sign terms the following day, only for Napoli to make Carlo Ancelotti available by sacking him that night. A genuine sliding doors moment. Moshiri went for the superstar option. Moyes joined West Ham for the second time, where his contentment and success meant he could resist Everton’s advances when they came again in June 2021. Moshiri turned to Rafael Benítez instead. Moving on swiftly Continue reading...

Politics

29 hours ago Kids left 'traumatised' after family 'forced to sleep in Travelodge laundry room'

The family has vowed never to use the company again after their nightmare experience

Events

10 hours ago AD FEATURE: Experience a luxurious wedding for less with My Nawaab's exciting January offer

Secure your 2025 wedding at the incredible price of just £20 per head*

Politics

32 hours ago Hottest year on record sent planet past key global warming limit of 1.5C for first time in 2024

‘This is a rude awakening to politicians to get their act together’

Events

13 hours ago Norwich City vs Brighton & Hove Albion prediction, odds and betting offer

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler will experience his first taste of FA Cup football as the south coast club meet Norwich City at Carrow Road in the third round

Politics

38 hours ago LA fires live updates: at least seven deaths as California wildfires rage and crews battle new fire

Palisades, Kenneth and Eaton fires remain uncontrolled as Los Angeles officials say ‘historic winds’ and extensive droughts have created the ‘perfect storm’Full report: Los Angeles fires burn through city as death toll expected to riseVisual explainer: why are the LA wildfires so bad?As wildfires spread across Los Angeles in the middle of winter, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirms global temperatures eclipsed the 1.5C warming barrier for the first time.As Damian Carrington explains:The average temperature in 2024 was 1.6C above preindustrial levels, data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) shows. That is a jump of 0.1C from 2023, which was also a record hot year and represents levels of heat never experienced by modern humans. Continue reading...

Events

24 hours ago 2024 was hottest year on record for world’s land and oceans, US scientists confirm

Noaa says last year was the warmest since records began in 1850 and Nasa concurs: ‘The long-term trends are very clear’It was the hottest year ever recorded for the world’s lands and oceans in 2024, US government scientists have confirmed, providing yet another measure of how the climate crisis is pushing humanity into temperatures we have previously never experienced.Last year was the hottest in global temperature records stretching back to 1850, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa announced, with the worldwide average 1.46C (2.6F) warmer than the era prior to humans burning huge volumes of planet-heating fossil fuels. Continue reading...

Politics

24 hours ago Joe Rogan left stunned as Mel Gibson reveals astounding way three friends cured their stage 4 cancers

On the latest episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, actor Mel Gibson left the veteran podcaster shocked by the controversial way his friends claimed to have treated their cancers.

Politics

25 hours ago Trump becomes first president to be a sentenced felon but avoids jail time or fines in hush

President-elect claims historic case was ‘despicable charade’; judge says ‘unconditional discharge’ does not ‘reduce the seriousness of the crime’Trump avoids punishment and calls case ‘terrible experience’The prosecution team has entered judge Juan Merchan’s courtroom, along with Emil Bove, a lawyer for Donald Trump.Bove has taken a seat at the defense table. Continue reading...

Politics

25 hours ago US finds no link between 'Havana syndrome' and foreign power, but two spy agencies say it's possible

A new report from U.S. intelligence finds no evidence linking a foreign power to the mysterious “Havana syndrome” injuries experienced by U.S. personnel

Politics

26 hours ago England face Six Nations blow as flanker Sam Underhill needs ankle surgery

Underhill’s club Bath said there is no set timeframe on his recovery from the operation.

Politics

27 hours ago I went on the Graceland tour that allows you to get closer to Elvis than ever before

As Memphis prepares to celebrate the 90th birthday of the King of Rock’n’Roll, superfan Zoey Goto discovers the inner world of Elvis on a new behind-the-scenes experience of his home – including rides on the mansion’s horses and rummaging through the archives

Politics

28 hours ago Former Premier League star and Hull City legend Dean Windass, 55, is diagnosed with dementia

Former professional footballer Dean Windass has been diagnosed with stage two dementia. At this stage, individuals may experience subtle memory lapses, such as forgetting everyday phrases.

Politics

29 hours ago Riding school says it may have to put its horses down after council handed over grazing field to trendy alpaca walking business instead

The school is now at risk of closing after being told the field would be handed over to Hensting Alpacas, a company that offers 'Alpaca walking and Llama trekking' experiences.

Politics

39 hours ago Hottest year on record sent planet past 1.5C of heating for first time in 2024

Highest recorded temperatures supercharged extreme weather – with worse to come, EU data shows Climate breakdown drove the annual global temperature above the internationally agreed 1.5C target for the first time last year, supercharging extreme weather and causing “misery to millions of people”.The average temperature in 2024 was 1.6C above preindustrial levels, data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) shows. That is a jump of 0.1C from 2023, which was also a record hot year and represents levels of heat never experienced by modern humans. Continue reading...

Politics

41 hours ago ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS: Aside from Winston Churchill, have any British prime ministers fought in a battle?

The 1st Duke of Wellington was a celebrated military hero before entering politics, and his extensive battlefield experience shaped his leadership style.

Politics