33 minutes ago Brad Pitt reacts to ‘awful’ scammers who fooled French woman using his pictures

Anne, 53, was scammed out of hundreds of thousands after believing she was in a long-term relationship with the actorA spokesperson for Brad Pitt has addressed the viral story about a French woman who believed she was in a long-term relationship with the actor and was scammed out of €830,000 ($854,940, £700,000) by someone posing as him.“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of the strong bond between fans and celebrities,” the spokesperson said in a statement obtained by E! News. “But this is an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 hours ago Rudy Giuliani fails to show for trial to allocate property in defamation case

Trial, to decide if he has to turn over Florida condo and World Series rings for $148.1 defamation award, was delayedRudy Giuliani’s trial over whether he must turn over his Florida condo and other prized possessions to former Georgia election workers whom he defamed was delayed on Thursday after the former New York City mayor failed to show up in court.A jury ordered the former New York City mayor to pay $148.1m to Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss in 2023 after Giuliani falsely accused the women of attempting to steal the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Continue reading...

Society

4 hours ago Gaza deal should benefit Netanyahu in short term, but he is critically exposed

Israeli PM must appease his coalition to avoid fresh elections, as well as reckoning with unpredictable TrumpMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe nature of Israel’s febrile coalition politics has long favoured theatrics. The standing and psychology of its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, adds a further element of panic and cynical calculation.All those characteristics were in evidence as Israel and Hamas edged towards a ceasefire deal, particularly in Netanyahu’s struggle to triangulate his portrayal of an agreement that has the potential to damage him politically. Continue reading...

Economics

62 minutes ago Thousands of ticketless Rangers supporters to attend 'Fanzone' near Old Trafford for Man United clash

EXCLUSIVE BY MIKE KEEGAN: A giant exhibition centre, just two miles from Old Trafford, is hosting a 'Rangers Takeover' when the Glasgow side take on Man United next Thursday.

Sport

53 minutes ago Families of hostages held in Gaza say they are in agony over ceasefire delays

Relatives of some of 98 still believed held by Hamas describe being in limbo but remain ‘cautiously optimistic’Middle East crisis – live updatesFamilies of hostages being held in Gaza have said delays to the ceasefire and hostage deal have left them in limbo and agony.Relatives of some of the 98 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas reacted with “guarded optimism” to the truce announced by Qatar and the US on Wednesday, but a vote by the Israeli cabinet has been delayed by the Israeli prime minister until Friday, saying Hamas must accept “all elements of the agreement”. Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Plans for Bible reading and Latin in Italian schools criticised as ‘retrograde’

Education minister reveals revamp of national curriculum guidelines and says children must ‘learn to write better’Bible reading, Latin and learning poetry by heart could return to Italian primary and middle schools as part of a revamp of national curriculum guidelines criticised as “retrograde” and “nostalgic”.The education minister, Giuseppe Valditara, unveiled the guidelines, which predominantly affect children aged three to 14 and are expected to take effect from the 2026/2027 school year, in an interview with the rightwing newspaper, Il Giornale, saying that children must discover “a taste for reading” and “learn to write better”. Continue reading...

Culture

11 hours ago Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket blasts off in challenge to Elon Musk’s SpaceX

Launch of Amazon founder’s New Glenn craft on second attempt ramps up rivalry between tech billionairesBlue Origin’s huge New Glenn rocket has blasted off from Florida on its first mission to space, an inaugural step into Earth’s orbit for Jeff Bezos’s space company as it aims to rival Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the satellite launch business.Thirty storeys high with a reusable first stage filled with liquid oxygen and methane, New Glenn launched at about 2am ET (0700 GMT) from Blue Origin’s launchpad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force station under cloudy skies on its second attempt this week. Continue reading...

Technology

7 hours ago A giant US hospital chain says it’s leading the fight against medical debt. Not all patients agree

Many patients say they were harmed by Advocate Health’s billing and collection practices – even as the health system has canceled thousands of liens against patients’ homesAdvocate Health, one of America’s largest hospital chains, says it is working hard to confront one of the biggest problems in US healthcare today – promoting itself as “a leader in the effort to solve the nation’s medical debt crisis”.The non-profit hospital system says it has revamped its billing and collection practices and boosted the number of patients who qualify for charity care. In September 2024, it announced it would take the “bold step” of canceling thousands of debt judgments held as liens against patients’ homes in multiple states, including North Carolina, where the fast-growing chain is headquartered. Continue reading...

Science

10 hours ago Road to the Oscars 2025: Our league table to predict who are our favourites to win at this year’s ceremony

With the road to the Oscars underway, follow our league tables to find out who could win big at the 97th event 🏆

Transport

38 minutes ago Giuliani says he has settled defamation dispute and will keep Florida condo

Trump ally says he has reached deal with election workers he defamed and will not have to turn over key possessions Rudy Giuliani’s trial over whether he must turn over his Florida condo and other prized possessions to former Georgia election workers whom he defamed was delayed on Thursday after the former New York mayor failed to show up in court.Giuliani later shared on X that he had “reached a resolution of the litigation with the plaintiffs that will result in a satisfaction of the plaintiffs’ judgment”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 hours ago Sibling rivalry: parents favour older children and daughters, study finds

International research also reveals conscientious or agreeable children are likely to receive preferential treatmentAs Philip Larkin once noted, your mum and dad have a lasting effect on you. Now, researchers have revealed which siblings in a family are more likely to be favoured: it is bad news for sons.Researchers have found daughters, older children and those who are more conscientious or agreeable are likely to receive preferential treatment. Continue reading...

Society

5 hours ago Mortgage demand from home buyers expected to fall back in early 2025, lenders say

A recent Bank of England survey showed an uptick in mortgage requests in the last months of 2024, but projections point to a downward turn come the beginning of 2025

Economics

93 minutes ago Manchester United vs Southampton LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction

Man Utd must back up good recent results against the league’s whipping boys

Sport

60 minutes ago ‘We will be betrayed’: cold, fearful and still under fire, Gaza’s people wait

Palestinians describe grief and anxiety as they seek news that the ceasefire is going ahead, and airstrikes continueMiddle East crisis – live updatesAmid continuing airstrikes, bitter cold and news of delays, millions in Gaza were waiting anxiously on Thursday for confirmation that the ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Hamas and Israel was going ahead.Many spoke of their fear that hopes of a new beginning after a 15-month conflict might be dashed. The war has killed many tens of thousands in the territory and reduced swathes of it to ruins. Continue reading...

Events

6 hours ago Netflix's top new show of 2025 slammed for 'unnecessary' ending which ruins '10/10' series

Fans are divided over the bleak conclusion to a hit new Netflix series

Culture

21 hours ago Cancer patient given 'hug that meant something' by 'inspirational' Kate Middleton tells how she was left on verge of tears by royal's 'strong and genuine' connection

Rebecca Mendelsohn, who has secondary breast cancer, was at the central London clinic for a check-up when she noticed that the future queen was being given a tour.

Science

13 hours ago Travel experts share top holiday destinations for 2025 with flights direct from Manchester Airport

It's time to get planning your next holiday

Transport

61 minutes ago Manchester United XI vs Southampton: Starting lineup, confirmed team news, injuries for Premier League today

Ruben Amorim is expected to make changes after a gruelling win over Arsenal

Politics

3 hours ago LA fires live updates: California weather eases up as firefighters report gains against massive wildfires

Improved conditions should help fire crews and allow residents to return to their neighborhoodsEasing of extreme winds expected to strengthen efforts to put out blazesMark Pestrella, Los Angeles County Public Works director, said that in the event of major rain, “we do expect that all of the street areas and all the communities will be impacted by debris flows that could be hazardous to human health.”He warned that “we do expect the window to open for rain in the later part of this month.” Continue reading...

Society

5 hours ago Kyogo sparks transfer civil war as Celtic 'battle' in £8.4m successor race while path to Moro deal becomes clear

The transfer window is heating up at Celtic Park with the Kyogo murmur exploding

Economics

1 hour ago Spanish FA apologises after Mallorca players’ families harassed in Jeddah

Fans and players’ partners upset by groping and pushingRFEF says sorry but still plans more Super Cups in SaudiThe president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) has apologised to Real Mallorca supporters six days after they were harassed at the Super Cup semi-final in Jeddah, with the Balearic government inviting him to reconsider the decision to hold the tournament in Saudi Arabia.At the end of their 3-0 defeat by Real Madrid last Thursday, players’ families and Mallorca fans who had travelled to the game alleged they were surrounded and subjected to abuse from local fans supporting Real Madrid on their way out of the King Abdullah stadium. Some female supporters are said to have been sexually harassed. The wife of the midfielder Dani Rodríguez, Cristina Palavra, described moments of “genuine panic” and denounced a lack of protection. Continue reading...

Sport

76 minutes ago The Guardian view on Biden’s warning of oligarchy: Trump and the malefactors of wealth | Editorial

The outgoing president was right, in his farewell address, to warn of the dangers posed by the billionaires around the tableAristocrats are “the most difficult Animals to manage, of anything in the whole Theory and practice of Government. They will not suffer themselves to be governed,” John Adams warned, writing after his presidency. Banning titles was insufficient; a few would still be distinguished by birth or, especially, wealth. The problem was not just their ability to buy political favours but the grip that their money had on people’s minds.Economic and political power entwine everywhere. Fear of the rich’s outsized influence has existed throughout US history. Yet at times the relationship becomes especially stark and threatening. On Wednesday, Joe Biden evoked the 19th-century Gilded Age and the robber barons – who crushed competitors, exploited workers, bought judges and politicians, and flaunted wealth – in his warning against oligarchs. Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago Africa has no shortage of celebrated writers – so why is it so hard for African readers to get hold of their books?

Across the continent books can be expensive and libraries scarce. But growing numbers of tech innovators and independent publishers are working to make African literature available and affordableTsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions, a novel about growing up in colonial Zimbabwe, is one of the most important works of 20th-century African literature and features on university curricula across the UK. British students can order a used copy for less than £3.But there is one place readers struggle to find it: Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe and Dangeremba’s home town, even though it is published in paperback across the border in South Africa. “It’s very, very difficult to find my books anywhere in Zimbabwe,” says Dangarembga. Continue reading...

Culture

14 hours ago Archaeologists uncover Roman ‘service station’ during roadworks in Gloucester

The mutatio, on Ermin Street linking Silchester and Gloucester, would have provided a place for travellers to rest or change horsesAt Gloucester services on the M5, travellers are resting and refuelling, taking a break from the demands of the road.Just a few miles east, scores of archaeologists are completing a two-year project that has unearthed a forerunner of the site, a 2,000-year-old Roman take on the service station. Continue reading...

Transport

77 minutes ago David Lynch: the great American surrealist who made experimentalism mainstream

From disturbing debut Eraserhead to his masterpiece Mulholland Drive, Lynch’s dark tales combined radical experiment with everyday AmericanaDavid Lynch, Twin Peaks and Muholland Drive director, dies aged 78No director ever interpreted the American Dream with more artless innocence than David Lynch. It could be the title of any of his films. Lynch saw that if the US dreamed of safety and prosperity and the suburban drive and the picket fence, it also dreamed of the opposite: of escape, danger, adventure, sex and death. And the two collided and opened up chasms and sinkholes in the lost highway to happiness.Lynch was a film-maker who found portals to alternative existences and truffled in them like they were erogenous zones, moist orifices of existential possibility. He was the great American surrealist, but his vision was so distinctive that he became something other than that: a great fabulist, a great anti-narrative dissenter, his storylines splitting and swirling in non sequiturs ...

Politics

4 hours ago Interior secretary nominee Burgum to back expanded oil and gas drilling on public lands – live

Trump’s nominee to lead the interior department will tell senators that he supports expanding drilling on public lands, a reversal from Biden’s policy In his final days in office, Joe Biden is expected to outline steps to better protect the United States from hackers linked to rivals like Russia and China, the Guardian’s Joseph Gedeon reports:The Biden administration is making a final push to fortify America’s cyber defenses against mounting threats from China and Russia, issuing a sweeping cybersecurity executive order just days before leaving office that aims to tackle vulnerabilities from outer space to consumer electronics. Continue reading...

Society

6 hours ago February 2025 payment dates for benefits and pensions as DWP cuts rumoured

All the essential cost of living information you need

Economics

2 hours ago Danielle Collins thanks ‘super drunk’ booing fans for spurring her to victory

The American faced a boisterous crowd in her win over local hope Destanee Aiava but says ‘energy is a good thing’On a day of a new attendance record at Melbourne Park, the world No 11, Danielle Collins, was booed and jeered in her win over local hope Destanee Aiava, the latest intervention at the Australian Open from boisterous and often intoxicated crowds in a sport known for its civility.The treatment appeared to affect the American, who shouted “shut up” to one fan during her tense 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2 victory, even blowing kisses to the stands and turning and slapping her bottom in post-match victory taunts. Continue reading...

Sport

77 minutes ago The Guardian view on Keir Starmer’s economy: no acute crisis, but chronically weak | Editorial

Labour should ask the Bank of England if it can do more to boost growthRecent days of market turmoil have elicited some extraordinary responses. The fact that investors are demanding higher rates to lend to the UK government apparently puts this Labour government in the same position as Liz Truss in 2022, according to some Labour MPs, or as Denis Healey facing the International Monetary Fund in 1976. Others dub the UK’s current position as stagflation, a term redolent of the 1970s, with their stagnant economy and runaway inflation. The problem with these comparisons is that the latest raft of key economic figures do not bear them out – not quite. The first bit about the stagnant economy is broadly correct: over the three months to November, GDP did not rise at all. But inflation isn’t running away. Indeed, at 2.5%, it’s just above the Bank of England’s target and, crucially, price pressures, both in the service sector and stripping out food and energy, have abated. Seen against thes...

Events

14 hours ago ‘I didn’t sleep for days’: readers on the TV shows that went way too far

From fish and chip shop-induced trauma to programmes packed with relentless death and gore, here are the television moments that had you reaching for the remote‘Just too horrifying’There are two specific scenes that have forced me to stop watching a show or movie, both involving infants. One is the final scene from the fourth series of Dexter, where he finds his wife’s murdered body in the bathtub and their young son sitting in a pool of his mother’s blood. As a parent, this scene was just too horrifying for me to contemplate. Cushla, 52, Dunedin, New Zealand Continue reading...

Culture

29 hours ago Motorcycle Road Safety Roadshows visiting five Scottish cities in February 2025

Motorcycle Law Scotland is hosting a series of Motorcycle Road Safety Roadshows in February 2025.

Transport

1 hour ago How do you say lmaoooo in Mandarin? Americans flock to Chinese TikTok alternative RedNote

Despite security concerns, Americans are flooding the app, where Chinese users are welcoming them with open arms – and Luigi Mangione memesCute cats. Fit checks. Travel vlogs. Luigi Mangione latte art. Americans who downloaded RedNote saw it all this week, as they fled to the Chinese social media app in advance of an imminent (or not ) TikTok ban.English language content has flooded RedNote, whose default language is Mandarin, with Americans posting introductions to themselves and kicking off cross-cultural discussions: How much do you pay for groceries? What Chinese slang do I need to know? Do you have any opinions about the state of Ohio? Continue reading...

Politics

29 hours ago How to live longer and healthier: Lessons from Korea with Michelle Bang

Discover the secrets to living a longer, healthier, and happier life, inspired by the traditions of the world’s longevity capital.

Society

7 hours ago Awful Aberdeen elevated Rangers to a status they don’t deserve as Celtic branded 'lazy' by the Hotline

Andy Newport manned the phones as the Aberdeen get it in the neck and Celtic told they've been 'sussed out'

Economics

3 hours ago Kieran Tierney trips Celtic transfer alarm as purring Declan Rice has Arsenal fans demanding Arteta plays trump card

The boyhood fan looks to be inching towards a sensational move back to Celtic Park

Sport

99 minutes ago More than 80 Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes since ceasefire announcement, Gaza civil defence agency says – live

US secretary of state Antony Blinken says he is ‘confident’ ceasefire will happen; Israeli cabinet to convene on Friday morning to ratify the dealThe devastating impact of 15 months of war on GazaHow Trump loomed over Gaza ceasefire negotiationsKey mediator Qatar said that 33 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would be released in the first stage of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in the Palestinian territory.Israel earlier said it would release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first stage of a Gaza truce agreement, Israeli and Palestinian sources reported Tuesday. Continue reading...

Events

21 hours ago Aaron Donnelly addresses THAT Celtic 'celebration' head on as he reveals real reason why he held hands up

The Dark Blues defender copped a fair bit of fllak after scoring the hosts' third in their 3-3 draw with the Hoops

Culture

31 hours ago A twist of Lime: Timothée Chalamet rode a rental bike on to the red carpet. But how long had he been in the saddle?

The actor’s choice of transportation to the premiere of A Complete Unknown give him a fresh everyman spin. Yet there was a distinct lack of puddle to his trousersLast night, at the London premiere of A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet defied convention by turning up on a Lime bike. He rode the bike on to the red carpet, ended the ride on his phone and then carried on with the rest of the premiere as if nothing had happened. What a man.You can tell a lot about someone by the way in which they arrive at their own film premiere. The default is to arrive in a limo, looking beautiful with someone of equal beauty in tow, as a demonstration of status. Sometimes a star will bring their mother as a date – as Henry Cavill did to the premiere of The Witcher a few years ago – when they want to project an image of cosy, relatable approachability. Then there are those who will lean into the premiere as an opportunity to redefine their own personal brand, as Ryan Gosling did when he turned up t...

Transport

2 hours ago Russian diplomats accessed private area of UK parliament in security breach

Exclusive: MPs warned not to invite Russian diplomats to parliament after incident said to have alarmed ministersRussian diplomats accessed a private area of parliament in a major security breach just before Christmas that has alarmed security officials and prompted private warnings from the speakers of both houses, the Guardian understands.The small group of diplomats joined a public tour of the Houses of Parliament and then broke off to enter a part of the House of Lords that was out of bounds, before they were found by security and thrown out. Continue reading...

Politics

32 hours ago I’m a climate scientist and my house in LA burned down. My work has never been more real

I feel like I am safe in saying that we are not thriving on our changing planet – and we will not in the coming decadesMy house in Altadena burned down in the wildfires on Wednesday. It all happened quickly. On Tuesday around 7pm, my wife and daughters went to a hotel as a precaution. I left the house with the dogs when the mandatory evacuation order came in around 3am. As best as I can put the timeline together, our home burned down around the same time that the sun came up, and I was able to drive in and see the damage around 2pm.Neighbors that went in after said it looked like a “war zone”. I have never been in a war zone thankfully, but I didn’t think so. There was nothing violent or chaotic about it. No one stopped me from driving in. There were no sirens. I stood alone – no one else around – in front of my house that was at that point just a fireplace and chimney. The house across the street was about halfway done with burning down, and the house behind ours had just started t...

Society

8 hours ago Flights from Southend to Newquay launch just in time for Brits' summer holidays... but Cornish locals complain they're getting the rough end of the deal

London Southend Airport announced on Monday that daily flights to Newquay, Cornwall will commence from April 2025 with airline partner, Eastern Airways.

Economics

4 hours ago Football Daily | Spurs live down to underdog billing as Arsenal paint town red

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Since comfortably beating Aston Villa at the start of November, Tottenham Hotspur have won only two of the 11 Premier League matches they’ve contested. Well, played in or at least turned up for. Indeed, a good lawyer might argue that technically they haven’t really won any because one of the aforementioned victories came against peak b@nter era Manchester City, while not even Spurs were capable of doing anything other than swat the current Southampton rabble aside, a feat that is not so much something to be proud of, but more the equivalent of helping yourself to the pennies covering a dead man’s eyes. Having taken just eight points from their previous 10 games, Ange Postecoglou’s knack-depleted team went into Wednesday night’s north London derby as firm underdogs and duly lived down to their billing.I would never dare doubt the accuracy and reliability of statistics from Big Website, but some of the match stats from the Holsten Pil...

Sport

1 hour ago LA fires live updates: 38 people still missing, say officials as firefighters report gains against massive wildfires

Improved conditions should help fire crews and allow residents to return to their neighborhoodsEasing of extreme winds expected to strengthen efforts to put out blazesAs officials answered reporters’ questions, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, said that it is still unsafe for people to return to their homes, even for those who want to view the conditions of their houses for even 15 minutes.“We just don’t want anybody to come in and for it to not be safe,” he said. Continue reading...

Events

25 hours ago ‘Homecoming’ show for artist Frank Auerbach to be held at Berlin gallery

Exclusive: First show of figurative painter’s work to be displayed in city he fled in 1939 to escape Nazi regimeFrank Auerbach is to be the subject of what has been billed as a homecoming show in Berlin, at which some of his final paintings will be displayed in the city he fled as a child.Auerbach, who died in November last year, never had a show in the city of his birth, which he left due to persecution by the Nazis. Both of his parents were later killed in Auschwitz. Continue reading...

Culture

2 hours ago US says it is ‘confident’ ceasefire will go into effect on Sunday as Israeli cabinet due to vote on Friday – live

US secretary of state Antony Blinken says he is confident ceasefire will happen; Israeli cabinet to convene on Friday morning to ratify the dealThe devastating impact of 15 months of war on GazaHow Trump loomed over Gaza ceasefire negotiationsKey mediator Qatar said that 33 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would be released in the first stage of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in the Palestinian territory.Israel earlier said it would release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first stage of a Gaza truce agreement, Israeli and Palestinian sources reported Tuesday. Continue reading...

Politics

32 hours ago I’m a climate scientist and my house in LA burned down. My work has never been more real | Benjamin Hamlington

I feel like I am safe in saying that we are not thriving on our changing planet – and we will not in the coming decadesMy house in Altadena burned down in the wildfires on Wednesday. It all happened quickly. On Tuesday around 7pm, my wife and daughters went to a hotel as a precaution. I left the house with the dogs when the mandatory evacuation order came in around 3am. As best as I can put the timeline together, our home burned down around the same time that the sun came up, and I was able to drive in and see the damage around 2pm.Neighbors that went in after said it looked like a “war zone”. I have never been in a war zone thankfully, but I didn’t think so. There was nothing violent or chaotic about it. No one stopped me from driving in. There were no sirens. I stood alone – no one else around – in front of my house that was at that point just a fireplace and chimney. The house across the street was about halfway done with burning down, and the house behind ours had just started t...

Society

9 hours ago Celtic transfer news at halfway stage: Kyogo Furuhashi chase, £15m winger hunt, conundrums and Kieran Tierney

We take a look at Celtic’s transfer state of play at the halfway stage of the January window

Economics

5 hours ago West Ham open to Luis Guilherme exit amid transfer interest from Saudi Pro League

Brazilian wonderkid could depart as Hammers plot move for new forward

Sport

1 hour ago In Ange we trust? Why Spurs should risk potential failure and back Postecoglou | Max Rushden

Critics misunderstand the Australian’s past achievements and would be better off directing their ire at Daniel LevyIn the buildup to the north London derby the former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson repeated a line that almost every pundit/journalist/fan has used this season: “With Spurs, you don’t know what you’re going go get.” The trouble is it feels increasingly – especially in the league – that you know exactly what you’re going to get.Wednesday night appeared entirely predictable. Watching two great young prospects, Djed Spence and Archie Gray, play the ball to each other, slowly but surely progressing it backwards towards their own corner flag before giving away possession/a throw/a corner with almost no other options, seemed like a very limited and dispiriting choose your own adventure. Continue reading...

Events

27 hours ago Rangers Glasgow musical show to celebrate 'near extinction to stability' – here's how to get remaining tickets

'The Journey Back' documents the club's fortunes over the past 10 years and will play at the OVO Hydro

Culture

2 hours ago Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is an early contender for 2025’s silliest game

The latest in the Like a Dragon series of Japanese crime drama is taking an improbably nautical turn – but its makers want you to know that it’s still got heartIn May last year, an anonymous forum poster shared details of what they claimed would be the next game in the Like a Dragon series, the Japanese gangster drama with a unique spirit of melodrama and ridiculousness. It would star the series’ most theatrical, violent villain, Goro “Mad Dog” Majima, as a pirate with amnesia, and it was called Project Madlantis. This leak went under the radar, quite possibly because it sounded so silly that nobody would believe it. But then, at 2024’s Tokyo Game Show in September, Sega surprised everyone by announcing exactly this. It is called Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. That’s it. That’s the game.Madlantis sounds like a theme night at a noughties student bar, but is in fact the game’s pirate hub, a nautical Vegas where captains battle and bet on each other in coliseum face-offs. Ships are outfitted...

Politics

33 hours ago Ncuti Gatwa to virtually read play scripts with fans for National Theatre Live

Members of the public will be able to sit back at the Vue cinema in Manchester Arndale Centre and connect with an actor based at the National Theatre.

Society

9 hours ago Lenders expect mortgage demand to shrink in early 2025, Bank of England finds

The latest survey findings point to the financial strain on households against a backdrop of continued inflationary pressures, one expert said.

Economics

6 hours ago I rejected Rangers and Celtic as player before shooting to Man United stardom – now I’d love to manage them

Regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all-time, the Dutchman is now cutting his teeth in management

Sport

2 hours ago Adopted wild boar Rillette can stay with her owner, French court rules

Authorities had threatened to remove and even euthanise the animal farmer Elodie Cappe had taken in as a pigletA wild boar adopted by a French horse breeder can remain with her owner, a court has ruled, after authorities’ threats to remove and even euthanise her triggered a storm of protest.Found as a tiny piglet near rubbish bins outside a horse farm in Chaource, central France, in April 2023, Rillette has grown into a large sow who runs around with the horses and dogs on the farm. Continue reading...

Events

28 hours ago Marriage equality and a giant weather vane: photos of the day – Wednesday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Culture

2 hours ago Nintendo Switch 2 experience events: How to be among the first to play the new console

Nintendo has announced a total of 15 demo events across Europe, North America, Oceania and Asia

Politics

38 hours ago Parental mental health biggest cause of child protection referrals in England

Public service cuts and ‘stark impact of poverty’ are causing worse outcomes for children, according to surveyPoor parental mental health has overtaken domestic violence as the most commonly reported factor in social worker assessments into whether a child is at risk of serious harm or neglect, according to new research.Growing rates of mental illness – in both parents and children – were an increasingly important driver of child safeguarding interventions in England, the latest comprehensive survey of children’s social care pressures found.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Society

10 hours ago See inside this incredible £6 million Omaze dream house in coastal Norfolk up for grabs for just £10

It’s the biggest prize ever given away by dream draw company Omaze, but the price of entry tickets is still the same

Economics

20 hours ago After the ennui and angst, Arsenal keep Premier League title race alive | Barney Ronay

Hosts played with a concentrated spirit in north London derby and were good value for their 2-1 defeat of TottenhamMaybe the world isn’t ending after all. Or at least, not yet anyway. For Arsenal, and indeed the Premier League, the title race is still alive, still twitching, like a dog kicking out in its sleep wondering whether to wake up.The past week has felt like a point of crisis for Mikel Arteta’s team, with cup defeats, points dropped, the attack and midfield gripped with a kind of ennui football. Certainly the energy around this team can often seem manic, overly low then overly high. Continue reading...

Sport

3 hours ago ITV Emmerdale fans rumble 'secret serial killer' as first death of 2025 confirmed

Fans believe they've found a secret killer amongst the residents of the Dales

Events

33 hours ago The moment Aaron Donnelly really celebrated as he showed his Celtic fan credentials AGAINST Rangers

Donnelly didn't celebrate against Celtic and hasn't hidden the reason why

Culture

2 hours ago They followed the rules to enter the US. Now Trump wants to deport them

Fleeing the regime in Venezuela, a couple scored one of the few appointments to apply for asylum via the CBP One app but the president-elect has warned: ‘Get ready to leave’Jorge Luis Jiménez and his wife did exactly what the US government asked of them when they spent months trying over and over again to get an appointment to cross the border, after risking everything to flee Venezuela.Now they may be easy targets in Donald Trump’s anti-immigration crackdown – despite living and working legally in the US. Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago January 2025 payment dates for benefits and pensions as DWP to launch disability consultation

All the essential cost of living information you need

Economics

21 hours ago Kieran Tierney has Ally McCoist raving about vital new Arsenal role as blown away fans all say the same thing

The defender is in talks over a stunning return to Celtic but was thrown on in an unfamiliar position against Spurs

Sport

3 hours ago Man charged eight months after death of 'one in a million' Scots dad hit by car

Police Scotland has confirmed a 39-year-old has been charged in connection with road traffic offences following the death of William Henderson in May last year.

Events

2 hours ago I can’t believe it’s not denim: how fashion fell in love with fake jeans

Jeans are a classic, but aren’t always the most comfortable thing to wear. Is that why designers have started ‘faking’ them?Those of us who wear jeans tend to do so for the following reasons: they’re durable, versatile, and timeless. But when it comes to comfort, well, that is usually more of a rare quality. Who doesn’t own a pair of jeans that are difficult to sit down in? But now, a new jean is challenging this tradition – meet the jean-printed sweatpant.Gap’s £60 “jean joggers” look like a pair of loose-fitting jeans complete with five pockets, but are in fact cotton joggers with a hidden elasticated waist and faux fly. Gap describes them as “jean adjacent.” Similar to fake news, they’ve quickly gone viral. Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago See inside this incredible £6 million dream house in coastal Norfolk up for grabs for just £10

It’s the biggest prize ever given away by dream draw company Omaze, but the price of entry tickets is still the same

Economics

21 hours ago Arsenal reignite title bid after Trossard completes fightback against Spurs

Arsenal could feel the heat. Back-to-back home losses in the domestic cups had seen to that. One has pushed them to the brink of elimination in the Carabao Cup, ahead of the semi-final second leg at Newcastle. The other on penalties against Manchester United in the FA Cup was terminal.Mikel Arteta’s team could also sense opportunity. Liverpool’s draw at Nottingham Forest had seen to that. And so the equation was pretty clear. Manage the occasion against the team they most love to hate. And win to move to within four points of Liverpool at the top, albeit having played an extra game. Continue reading...

Sport

3 hours ago Man and his dog rescued after falling in ice at Lake Waban in Massachusetts

A man and his dog were rescued from the icy Lake Waban in Wellesley, Massachusetts on Sunday, January 12th, 2025 at 4:55 pm.

Events

3 hours ago Australian Open: US qualifier Learner Tien stuns Daniil Medvedev in five

World No 121 beats No 5 seed 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 1-6, 7-6Californian seals victory just before 3am in MelbourneLearner Tien, a 19-year-old qualifier from California, became the youngest American man to reach the Australian Open’s third round since Pete Sampras in 1990, upsetting a racket-tossing Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 1-6, 7-6 in a thrilling contest that began on Thursday night and ended in the wee hours of Friday in Melbourne.The four-hour, 49-minute match had a bit of everything, including a six-minute rain delay that interrupted play shortly before 2.30am with Tien serving at 5-5 in the fifth set. When play resumed, Medvedev broke and served for the match at 6-5, but Tien refused to cede, broke back, and forced the concluding first-to-10 tiebreaker, which he emerged to win shortly before 3am. His victory came about two hours after he had failed to convert his initial match point. Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago Taylor Wimpey cautions over rising construction costs amid ‘uncertain’ market

The developer nonetheless said it was beginning 2025 on stronger footing thanks to an uptick in sales over the second half of last year.

Economics

21 hours ago Arsenal vs Tottenham LIVE! Premier League result, match stream and latest updates today

Gunners put recent cup defeats behind them

Sport

3 hours ago Fleeing mountain lions and scorched earth: can wildlife survive California’s wildfires?

The fires have been devastating for humans and taken a toll on nature, but many of California’s ecosystems will be able to regenerateBeth Pratt has spent her career protecting Los Angeles’ mountain lions, which roam an area currently engulfed by wildfires. These apex predators, also known as cougars or pumas, share a scrubby landscape with lavish private homes and a dense network of roads. When major fires take out huge areas of open space, their options are limited.“This is the LA area – these mountain lions can’t move into the Kardashians’ back yard,” says Pratt, California executive director for the National Wildlife Federation. “My heart is very heavy right now,” she says. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago Seth Meyers on Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing: ‘A test to see how loyal Republicans will be’

Late-night hosts discuss the many allegations facing Trump’s Pentagon pick and Michelle Obama’s plan to skip the president-elect’s inaugurationLate-night hosts talk Donald Trump’s inauguration guests and Pete Hegseth’s contentious Senate confirmation hearing for secretary of defense. Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago This Gaza ceasefire deal is a fragile thing, beset by strongman egos. But it is our best hope yet | Simon Tisdall

Netanyahu, with Trump waiting in the wings, has no interest in lasting peace. From these beginnings must come political change – and a reckoning At last! The yearned-for Israel-Hamas ceasefire-for-hostages deal is finally happening. It is welcome. Like thin ice covering deep waters, it is scarily fragile, prone to crack under the slightest pressure. And it is desperately, lethally overdue. Tens of thousands of Palestinians, and many Israelis, have died since last May, when US president Joe Biden first set out the parameters of this agreement. Civilians are still being killed in Israeli airstrikes that have actually intensified since the two sides grudgingly initialled the deal in Qatar.Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere are naturally relieved these merciless Israeli bombardments will soon stop. But celebrations are tempered by fears about the future, and by deep grief and anger over the still terrifying present and immediate past. According to Gaza health ministry figures, more than...

Economics

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

Gunners can close the gap to Liverpool to just four points

Sport

4 hours ago Everton’s plan to cut short Armando Broja loan hits hitch with Chelsea

Chelsea ask for total loan cost to be paid before returnStriker is injured and set to miss most of rest of season Everton’s attempt to cut short Armando Broja’s loan has hit complications with Chelsea wanting compensation to take the striker back.David Moyes, the new Everton manager, confirmed his club were exploring the possibility of terminating Broja’s season-long loan after he was ruled out for 10 to 12 weeks with ankle ligament damage. Everton have used their full allocation of four loan signings this season and, with profitability and sustainability rules restricting their January budget, want to create space for another temporary transfer. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago All the free stuff you can get on your birthday, from a Greggs donut to a huge H&M discount and a full

Unless you're one of the unfortunate few to have a birthday in the first fortnight of the year, you'll still have your 2025 celebrations to look forward to.

Politics

12 hours ago A 100% tax on Brits buying homes in Spain sounds satisfying – but it won’t solve our housing crisis | María Ramírez

Making visitors pay more may bolster Treasury revenues, but it’s no match for building more housesLast October, tens of thousands of people marched through Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and other big Spanish cities demanding affordable housing. Protesters jingled keys to make noise, held signs denouncing “speculators”, and threatened a “rent strike” while calling for action from national and local politicians. They had good reason to be angry.Housing has become the most pressing concern for Spaniards, according to a December survey by the national polling centre, ranking higher than unemployment and migration. Look at the statistics and it’s clear why. The cost of renting in cities rose by around 30% between 2015 and 2022, forcing young workers to move to the outskirts of Madrid and Barcelona or settle for tiny, often barely habitable flats. In popular tourist regions like Valencia, Alicante and Málaga, rents have surged by 40%. For workers in the Balearic Islands, a commute by plane ...

Economics

23 hours ago Carrie Bradshaw’s famed Sex and the City stoop to get gate to stop fans gathering

Owner of the iconic West Village building said fans of the TV show and films have disturbed her and her tenants for yearsAnd just like that, Sex and the City enthusiasts may no longer be able to stand on the steps of character Carrie Bradshaw’s famous Manhattan home after its owner asked city officials to let her block them with an iron gate.The move follows years of fans of the show and spinoff movies crowding around – and at times trespassing on – the stoop of the iconic brownstone in the city’s trendy West Village neighborhood, which served as the exterior of Bradshaw’s apartment, the lead in the hit HBO series played by Sarah Jessica Parker. Continue reading...

Sport

4 hours ago London Marathon 2025: Eilish McColgan to make debut after injury before 2023 event

London Marathon 2025: Eilish McColgan to make debut after injury before 2023 event  BBC.com

Events

3 hours ago Democrats concerned after Mike Johnson fires top Republican from House committee reportedly at Trump’s request – live

House speaker removed intelligence committee chair Mike Turner, whose stances have run afoul with TrumpThe Republican governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has named the state’s attorney general, Ashley Moody, to the Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio.Donald Trump has nominated Rubio to serve as secretary of state, and he likely has the support he needs to win Senate confirmation. Moody has served as Florida’s attorney general since 2019, and will serve until at least 2026, when her Senate seat will be on the general election ballot. Continue reading...

Politics

13 hours ago Disabled Oasis fan spent £419 to see his heroes... then was told he couldn't go

A disabled Oasis fan worried he might miss huge Heaton Park gig because Ticketmaster wouldn't let him take a carer

Economics

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

Spurs have one Premier League win away at Arsenal since 1993

Sport

4 hours ago Wendy Williams speaks out against guardianship in rare interview: ‘I feel like I’m in prison’

TV host claims in Breakfast Club interview she is experiencing ‘emotional abuse’ after entering care facilityWendy Williams has spoken out about her court-mandated guardianship in a rare interview on Thursday morning, saying that it makes her “feel like I’m in prison”.The longtime TV host and personality called into the popular Breakfast Club radio show for an interview, in which she discussed her current situation living in a care facility. Williams has largely been out of the public eye since 2021. Continue reading...

Events

13 hours ago Liz Truss is long gone from Downing Street – but zombie economics lives on | Aditya Chakrabortty

Labour’s panicked reaction to turbulence is to promise ‘ruthless’ cuts. It has learned the wrong lessons from Britain’s shortest-lived PMBritain’s centre of power is stalked by a zombie. Across Westminster, the mere mention of her name summons up a grim past, but she remains ever present: blond bob, eyes that never move and a grin slightly aslant so it expresses not mirth, but faint menace. When least expected, she can bark a laugh that sends shivers up a cabinet minister’s spine. And whenever her shadow looms in SW1, the dread murmur starts: she used to be prime minister, you know.Liz Truss’s stint at the top of politics ended years ago. Perhaps close confidants and trained medics are yet to break the news, but for her, power is a fading memory, a shrinking image in the rear-view. As the voters of South West Norfolk ensured last July, she is now an ex-politician. Yet in British political culture, she is the great undead. No other prime minister since the Brexit vote so haunts curre...

Economics

31 hours ago Switch 2 leak hints at exciting new way to connect with players as Nintendo teases big reveal

The feature may signal how Nintendo is getting ready for a wave of third-party games, including Call of Duty

Sport

4 hours ago ‘A ton of unknowns’: months ago, LA residents lost wildfire insurance. Then the fires came

After insurers like State Farm dropped policies, to switch to the state’s Fair plan was prohibitively pricey for manyWhen James Borow realized last Tuesday that his Palisades house was on fire, he was 300 miles away in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show. The power was out at his house but a friend suggested he remotely turn on his Tesla and see if the cameras showed anything.From the car camera, he watched in a panic as his house burned. As he drove home from Vegas to LA, he called his parents and told them: “You’ll see it on the news tomorrow, but the house is totally gone. I just watched it.” Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago UK train journey topping Lonely Planet's 2025 travel bucket list is a 'near secret'

The highly revered authority in global travel has also revealed its top 10 travel trends, one of which is expected to be the humble art of train hopping.

Politics

13 hours ago Economic growth could fall 50% over 20 years from climate shocks, say actuaries

Exclusive: Report by risk experts says previous assessments ignored severe effects of climate crisisGlobal economic growth could plummet by 50% between 2070 and 2090 from the catastrophic shocks of climate change unless immediate action by political leaders is taken to decarbonise and restore nature, according to a new report.The stark warning from risk management experts the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) hugely increases the estimate of risk to global economic wellbeing from climate change impacts such as fires, flooding, droughts, temperature rises and nature breakdown. In a report with scientists at the University of Exeter, published on Thursday, the IFoA, which uses maths and statistics to analyse financial risk for businesses and governments, called for accelerated action by political leaders to tackle the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Economics

32 hours ago Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn finally confirmed in huge fight for British boxing

Fighters set to follow in footsteps of famous fathers

Sport

5 hours ago Australian Open LIVE: Furious Daniil Medvedev battles qualifier Learner Tien, Emma Raducanu issues injury update

Raducanu set up a clash with Iga Swiatek but battled through more injury worries in her win over Amanda Anisimova

Events

3 hours ago ‘Everything we were taught about success is wrong’: how to find true fulfilment in your life and career

Made good life choices yet still feel dissatisfied? A life coach suggests an alternative way to look at our goals and aspirations to find more positive outcomesAuthor Annie Dillard wrote that “how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives”. So, how was it that I spent a large portion of my 20s ­ terrified of the big, long life I had before me? After Stanford University, I’d moved to New York to work at Google but I was depressed, anxious.When I realised that many brilliant and accomplished people were also secretly miserable, just trying to make it through the day, I looked for terminology to describe this, but there was none. So I came up with my own: the underfulfilled overachiever, or UFOA. This describes a constant striver who is living a great‑­on‑­paper life, yet feels disconnected from their work, life and self. UFOAs see success as the organising principle of our lives. We call it by a catchy name: hustle culture. We brag about our intense busyness. Side hustle...

Politics

13 hours ago Global economy could face 50% loss in GDP between 2070 and 2090 from climate shocks, say actuaries

Exclusive: Report by risk experts says previous assessments ignored severe effects of climate crisisThe global economy could face 50% loss in gross domestic product (GDP) between 2070 and 2090 from the catastrophic shocks of climate change unless immediate action by political leaders is taken to decarbonise and restore nature, according to a new report.The stark warning from risk management experts the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) hugely increases the estimate of risk to global economic wellbeing from climate change impacts such as fires, flooding, droughts, temperature rises and nature breakdown. In a report with scientists at the University of Exeter, published on Thursday, the IFoA, which uses maths and statistics to analyse financial risk for businesses and governments, called for accelerated action by political leaders to tackle the climate crisis.This article was amended on 16 January 2025. The headline of an earlier version said that economic growth could fall by...

Economics

32 hours ago Football transfer rumours: Vlahovic to solve Arsenal’s striker problem?

Today’s fluff has a thousand-yard stareAs the fallout from Arsenal’s absurdly wasteful FA Cup defeat to Manchester United – and Gabriel Jesus’s season-ending injury – rolls on, the gossip machine has gone into overdrive trying to identify someone who can put away their chances. While Benjamin Sesko is the name on everyone’s lips, it wouldn’t be a transfer window without them being linked with Dusan Vlahovic.The tea in Italy is that Juventus are willing to cash in their chips. The Serbia striker’s contract runs to 2026 and negotiations are apparently at a standstill, meaning the Bianconeri have limited opportunities to recoup their investment, and with Randal Kolo Muani on his way from Paris Saint-Germain they have a ready-made replacement, so it all makes sense, possibly. Continue reading...

Sport

5 hours ago California wildfires: easing of extreme winds expected to strengthen efforts to put out blazes

National Weather Service says ‘wind siege has finally ended’ and forecasts higher humidity but warns high winds could return next weekThe extreme winds behind the disastrous fires in Los Angeles are forecasted to calm the rest of the week into the weekend, making it easier for firefighters to further efforts to put out the massive Palisades and Eaton fires that have been ablaze for over a week.The National Weather Service said on Thursday that the “nine-day wind siege has finally ended” and the weekend will bring a “significant cooling trend” with higher humidity in the region. But it warned that high winds could pick up again early next week. Continue reading...

Events

4 hours ago Blue Monday: How to use music to beat Blue Monday 2025 and boost your mood

How singing with friends and a spot of classical music can help you through 2025’s Blue Monday 🎶🤦 ♂️🎺

Politics

18 hours ago A ceasefire deal is here. For Gaza, the Middle East and the world, the future remains unknown

The sacrifice has been so great, the misery so complete, that few can claim with certainty that this was all worthwhileThere may be no winners in war, but history suggests combatants are often eager to convince the world otherwise.The ending of the 15-month conflict in Gaza may prove an exception. The sacrifice has been so great, the misery so complete, and the ultimate future for Gaza so uncertain that few can claim with certainty that this was all worthwhile, or likely to benefit Israel’s security in the long term. The damage to Israel’s reputation may last decades. Continue reading...

Economics

33 hours ago The Spin | South Africa in the Test Championship final should be celebrated not belittled

Claim the Proteas got there ‘on the back of beating pretty much nobody’ shows lack of respect for their achievementsSouth Africans were still celebrating their side’s passage into the World Test Championship final, secured after the fast bowler Kagiso Rabada cosplayed as Brian Lara in a nerve-jangling two-wicket win against Pakistan, when Michael Vaughan sought to pour cold water over the parade.Speaking on Fox Cricket the former England captain, who left his post in 2008 after losing a home series against South Africa, declared that the Proteas got to the final “on the back of beating pretty much nobody”. He said Temba Bavuma’s team didn’t “warrant being in the World Test Championship final with whom they have played over the last two years”. Continue reading...

Sport

5 hours ago From ‘The Brutalist' to 'Wicked,' where to watch this year’s top awards movies

The 2025 movie awards season is in full swing but figuring out where to watch everything can be overwhelming

Events

4 hours ago Celtic v Rangers Old Firm date confirmed as Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen games among 9 moved for TV

Sky Sports and Premier Sports announce latest tranche of fixtures

Politics

22 hours ago Who is Raul Moro? The £8.5m Celtic transfer target scouted by Liverpool, Tottenham and Man City

Dutch heavyweights Ajax have also publicly declared their interest in the the Spain U21 cap

Economics

34 hours ago Scottish golfer links up with top coach and also hires legendary looper

Grant Forrest starts out in 2025 with 148 years of experience at his disposal

Sport

5 hours ago ‘A flood of disinformation’: rumors and lies abound amid ongoing LA wildfires

Disasters have long led to misinformation as people grasp for control, but the consequences can be life and deathThe Hollywood sign was not on fire. Firefighters weren’t using women’s purses to put out fires. A fish is not responsible for the blazes. The Los Angeles fire department didn’t see big budget cuts. The fires were not started deliberately as some kind of mass plot related to high-speed rail or the 2028 Olympics. Firefighting efforts did not include spraying a mood stabilizer into the air to put locals into a trance. Diversity measures are not to blame.Fires are still burning in Los Angeles, and with them has come a near-constant stream of rumors, half-truths, conspiracy theories and outright lies. Natural disasters have long led to the spread of misinformation as people try to make sense of destruction and grasp for control when the world around them is destroyed. In the aftermath of the disaster, a lot is still unknown: what caused it, what could have prevented it, who co...

Events