39 minutes ago Chris Riddell on the new American Gothic, starring Donald Trump and Elon Musk – cartoon

What will become of liberty when these two take control of the United States of America?You can buy a copy of this cartoon Continue reading...

Politics

4 hours ago Brentford v Liverpool, Leicester v Fulham, West Ham v Crystal Palace: football – live

Live updates from the 3pm GMT kick-offs and beyondLive scoreboard | Latest table | And you can mail ScottWest Ham United: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Cresswell, Alvarez, Lucas Paqueta, Rodriguez, Soucek, Emerson Palmieri, Kudus.Subs: Areola, Soler, Coufal, Luis Guilherme, Ings, Irving, Casey, Scarles, Orford.Crystal Palace: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Munoz, Kamada, Hughes, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.Subs: Turner, Nketiah, Schlupp, Clyne, Doucoure, Riad, Rodney, Devenny, Kporha. Continue reading...

Society

2 hours ago Argos shoppers racing to buy £4 Remington hair straighteners using this clever deal

The Remington Shea Soft Hair Straighteners have been reduced by 71% at Argos, bringing the £70 straighteners down to £20 - but there's a way to get them for even less

Economics

4 hours ago Tyrrell Hatton’s response to tee box outburst sums him up as LIV Golf shines on fiery Tour return

Tyrrell Hatton is just one shot back heading into the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, after once again making his emotions clear whilst competing on Saturday

Sport

39 minutes ago The Observer view on the Gaza ceasefire: it’s time for both sides to think again

This brief, fragile pause is a chance for all involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict to accept that violence does not work The ceasefire in Gaza, due to begin tomorrow, will bring welcome relief from daily violence but amounts, at present, to little more than a fragile, temporary pause in a conflict that is far from over. Israel has not achieved its principal war aim, as defined by its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu: the total elimination of Hamas. Nor has Hamas achieved its objective: the destruction of Israel. The leaders responsible for the 7 October 2023 terrorist atrocities are dead. The organisation’s capabilities are severely reduced. But it has survived – which its supporters claim is a victory for Palestinian sumud (steadfastness).Most of the 98 remaining Israeli hostages, alive and dead, will not be freed in this first phase of the ceasefire, which is to last for six weeks. There is no agreed “day after” strategy for devastated Gaza, where nearly 47,000 Palestinians...

Events

19 hours ago Texas woman thought she only bought an antique cabinet on Facebook marketplace — but discovers way more inside

‘Literally, no words,’ she says upon looking inside the cabinet and coming across a major surprise

Culture

87 minutes ago Are YOU tired of life? You could be one of the thousands suffering a new mental health syndrome that's baffling doctors. But the good news is there are solutions that don't involve medication...

Jane is 86 and describes herself as 'reasonably healthy'. But having outlived her husband and most of her friends, it has dawned on her that life has become no fun any more.

Science

32 hours ago Having this one tiny item might save your life if you drive a motorbike

It can increase your chance of survival in case you have an accident.

Transport

58 minutes ago TikTok star Emily Mariko says poignant goodbye with one last viral salmon bowl

The TikTok ban is scheduled to go into effect on January 19

Politics

9 hours ago ‘It’s a PR battle’: inside the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuits

The director and star of hit summer romance It Ends With Us are facing off with lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and defamationIt Ends With Us should have been a success story. The long-awaited film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, a tale of cyclical domestic violence, premiered in August to decent reviews and wide audience interest; it grossed $350m, against a $25m budget, despite a tide of press and social media speculation over an alleged rift between its director, Justin Baldoni, and its star, Blake Lively. Most of the ire was trained on Lively – for glossing over the subject of domestic violence with florals, for simultaneously promoting her haircare and alcohol lines, for being gruff with reporters in the past, while Baldoni, who played the abuser in the film, championed abuse survivors. But the movie was a hit, demonstrating the viability of female-led, mid-budget melodramas at the box office.Not that anyone remembers that now. The film has become embroile...

Society

4 hours ago You could get £150 free cash after DWP rule change – check if you're eligible

Through the Household Support Fund scheme, some councils are giving homes £150 cash if they are no longer eligible for the Department for Work and Pensions Winter Fuel Payment

Economics

25 hours ago The three ‘essential’ kettlebell exercises for fitness and longevity, according to an expert strength coach

Here’s how to start getting in ‘the best shape of your life’ with just one kettlebell

Sport

68 minutes ago Bulldozers kill man in tent in Atlanta clearing homeless camp near MLK’s church

The city was clearing the area around the Ebenezer Baptist church before the MLK Day celebration on MondayCity workers in Atlanta have killed a man living in a tent while clearing a homeless encampment with construction equipment near Martin Luther King’s famous Georgia church.The death of Cornelius Taylor on Thursday afternoon resulted from an effort to reduce the visibility of people without shelter near the city’s historic Ebenezer Baptist church as an accommodation for crowds expected in the area to celebrate King this weekend and on Monday, the federal holiday dedicated to the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. Taylor’s death has infuriated homelessness advocates and prompted a round of soul searching among city leaders. Continue reading...

Events

28 hours ago ITV I'm A Celebrity's Danny Jones delights 'waiting' fans with reunion update weeks after winning ITV show

The McFly star was among the 12 famous faces to swap life luxuries for the basics of camp in the jungle last year

Culture

6 hours ago Sarah Ferguson opens up about ‘dark places’ she went to after double cancer diagnoses

Duchess of York speaks candidly on mental health struggles after ‘dreadful’ year for royal family

Science

69 minutes ago Who will tame Donald Trump this time? Roll up, roll up, for the White House travelling circus | Simon Tisdall

On the eve of his return, it’s clear that world leaders, whether they like him or loathe him, can’t ignore this unpredictable showmanMichelle Obama’s one-woman boycott of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration on Monday requires no explanation. It’s plain that the former first lady has zero tolerance and even less love for a man who delights in racist and sexist behaviour. Lots of other people, especially among US allies in Europe, would boycott Trump, too, if they could. Yet, inescapably, they must deal with him for the next four years.Such fear and loathing is by no means universally shared. A poll, published last week by the European Council on Foreign Relations, found that in China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, South Africa and Brazil, more people welcome Trump’s return than deplore it. In contrast, people in the UK, France, Germany and a clutch of other west European countries are frankly appalled at the prospect. Continue reading...

Politics

28 hours ago ‘The nearby schools have burned down’: LA teachers and students grapple with altered reality

Residents of less affluent Altadena worry their neighborhood will not have the same chance to rebuild as wealthy Palisades When Lydia Abraham-Traylor left the kindergarten class she teaches in downtown Los Angeles last Tuesday, her eyes were on the Palisades fire, which had started that morning.Abraham-Traylor, who lived with her eight-year-old daughter in Altadena, figured that fire was all the way across the city. The worst she’d have to handle was a power outage. Continue reading...

Society

7 hours ago Woman thought phone call was a scam before she inherited stranger's £400,000 estate

Lorraine Gesell, a Canadian who has only been to the UK once, received a phone call to say she was the beneficiary of Brit Raymond Barry's £400k estate - she'd never heard of him

Economics

26 hours ago Football Daily | Erling Haaland signs up to take on Shearer and co’s scoring records

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! Continue reading...

Sport

99 minutes ago I’ve covered deadly wildfires for seven years. It doesn’t have to be this way

While the LA fires have been described as unprecedented, here in California we have experience with this kind of fireOver the last seven years, I have covered three of the four deadliest wildfires in modern US history. From the smoldering, forested lots of Paradise to the leveled Lahaina homes overlooking the Pacific, I’ve documented the stories of people who ran for their lives, held the hands of badly burned fire victims and trudged alongside families searching for their missing loved ones.But nothing prepared me for the overwhelming sense of loss that permeates Altadena in the aftermath of the Eaton fire. It’s not just the figures, though they are shocking – nearly 7,000 homes burned and at least 16 dead. Instead, it is the thought that kept returning to me as I surveyed the blackened remnants of homes and so many lives laid bare: it did not have to be this way. Continue reading...

Events

28 hours ago From Mulholland Drive to Twin Peaks via Lost Highway: all David Lynch’s films and TV shows – ranked

The great American film-maker died this week, leaving behind a body of work unmatched in its seductive strangeness and transcendent mystery. We put it in orderIt is one of life’s eternal mysteries that for the last two decades of his life, no one was willing to fund another feature by America’s greatest film-maker of the time. Almost as much of a mystery was his final completed feature: the evil twin of his previous film, Mulholland Drive. As Laura Dern’s hexed actor segues into the character she is playing, this digitally shot rampage down Hollywood’s boulevard of broken dreams dials up the narrative fragmentation of his late period. It runs the gamut from inspired camcorder surrealism to making-it-up-as-you-go-along incoherence (which is what it was: Lynch shot without a finished screenplay). Continue reading...

Culture

25 hours ago Hot flashes and mood swings: why perimenopausal symptoms get misdiagnosed – and how to treat them

Symptoms like insomnia, bloating and emotional shifts can occur before menopause begins, but they are often improperly addressed by doctorsIn her 40s, Karen Cummings started to notice a shift in her menstrual cycle. The New Yorker’s typically mild and consistent symptoms had been replaced by bloating, emotional swings and overwhelm before she entered menopause five years ago, at 52.She thought she might need to switch up her birth control. Her doctor suggested an antidepressant. But the symptoms seemed tied to her menstrual cycle. “I’m not depressed,” she remembers thinking. “I’m on the wrong birth control.” Continue reading...

Science

76 minutes ago 'I tried to ignore it, then on a caravan holiday my wife just knew something was wrong'

Stuart Kingston had his life turned upside down

Politics

15 hours ago Eli was out for his daily surf when he was surrounded by dolphins. What should have been a moment of beauty suddenly became a terrifying ordeal

Eli Anderson, 20, was surfing his local break at Emerald beach New South Wales Mid North Coast on December 29 when he felt a sudden impact he likens to being hit by a car.

Economics

32 hours ago Haaland’s new contract, Slegers in at Arsenal, team news and football transfer latest – live

Latest news and press conferences before the weekendAny comment or thoughts? You can email DavidToday’s Rumour Mill allows us a segue involving Brighton. Read today’s whispers here Brighton were the other winners last night as they ended an eight-game streak without a Premier League victory (eight of those were draws, mind) with a 2-0 success at Ipswich to take them up to ninth. Nick Ames was at Portman Road. Continue reading...

Sport

2 hours ago Robbie Williams wants to make Better Man 2 despite film bombing in USA

The Take That star opens up on hopes of another movie delving into his colourful life and career

Events

28 hours ago ‘Music is a magic’: how David Lynch used song and sound to transcend reality

He found global fame as a film-maker, but Lynch’s passion for music was life-long and resulted in work every bit as surreal as his moviesDavid Lynch, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive director, dies aged 78David Lynch: the great American surrealist who made experimentalism mainstream‘Music,” David Lynch said when I spoke to him for the Guardian last year, “is a magic”. We were discussing the album Cellophane Memories, which he had produced with singer Chrystabell: a beautiful, dreamlike, archetypically Lynchian record, which – with his death this week at the age of 78 – would be his last.While he started out as a painter and found global fame as a director through surrealist masterpieces like Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, Lynch maintained a passion for music all his life – from his bizarre sonic experiments for film, to his own albums, to his collaborations with the likes of Julee Cruise, Flying Lotus and Angelo Badalamenti. Continue reading...

Culture

27 hours ago Inside Molly Mae's 'excruciating' health diagnosis that left her 'fearing for her life'

Molly Mae said she's been on the verge of calling an ambulance on multiple occasions because of the level of pain

Science

99 minutes ago The week in audio: Virtually Parkinson; The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby; The Pitcairn Trials; Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban – review

A stilted AI Parky proves that interviews are a two-way process. Plus, the strange story of a woman who kept faking pregnancy and a gripping true crime taleVirtually Parkinson Night Train DigitalThe Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby BBC World Service/BBC SoundsThe Pitcairn Trials WonderyTurtle Diary by Russell Hoban Radio 4/BBC SoundsIn new podcast Virtually Parkinson, an AI version of Michael Parkinson interviews celebrities. Or, if we’re being snotty – and, OK, I am – an AI Parky asks questions at celebrities. Not to them. At them. Continue reading...

Politics

21 hours ago Fans are convinced Timothée Chalamet is shopping in Kylie Jenner’s wardrobe

The ‘A Complete Unknown’ star was spotted wearing a Chanel bag in Paris

Economics

32 hours ago Renée Slegers is named permanent Arsenal head coach after 10 wins from 11

35-year-old had been in temporary charge since OctoberGunners are unbeaten since Jonas Eidevall left clubArsenal have named the interim head coach Renée Slegers as the permanent successor to Jonas Eidevall after an impressive temporary spell in charge.The 35-year-old has signed a contract to the end of the 2025-26 season after three months as interim. Continue reading...

Sport

2 hours ago Keon West: ‘You can’t tell that racism is or isn’t happening because you know a Black person who earns a lot of money’

The author and academic on mistaking feelings for facts, the importance of education and why Kemi Badenoch will do nothing to help ethnic minoritiesRead an extract from The Science of Racism by Keon WestKeon West is professor of social psychology at the University of London. He was born in Trinidad, grew up in Jamaica, and studied in the US and France before coming to the UK as a Rhodes scholar in 2006 to do a doctorate at Oxford University.Why do you think we need a book about the science of racism? What I find frustrating, shocking and worrying is that as a society, when we talk about racism we express feelings about it and emotions and opinions, but our conversations aren’t based on facts – or science. Not only that, we make the mistake of misinterpreting our feelings as if they were facts. This leads nowhere: one person will say: “Well, I don’t see any racism, so racism is over.” And another person will say: “Well, someone didn’t hire me for a job, so racism is alive and well.” ...

Events

28 hours ago Bonnie Blue's real name, private school husband and mum's surprise role in sex job

Bonnie Blue's life now is world's away from her 'quiet and reserved' upbringing. We look at the adult star's marriage and the role her family play in her huge empire

Culture

27 hours ago Catherine, 33, was fit and healthy and thought she was having 'normal' symptoms experienced by millions of Aussies. Then a 'gut feeling' led her to discover the unthinkable

Catherine O'Dea, from Victoria, was living a seemingly normal life when her world unexpectedly came crashing down at the age of 33.

Science

99 minutes ago ‘We think of the body as a map’: a new approach to deciphering long Covid

People with post-infectious diseases sometimes struggle to communicate the debilitating impact of their conditions. But a new technique can help them explain visuallyPost-infectious diseases such as long Covid and ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) pose a puzzle to the medical establishment. Patients report debilitating symptoms such as extreme fatigue, shortness of breath or muscle pain, but often show normal results on routine medical checkups. And many sufferers do not look ill, leading some to question the severity of their disease. In the absence of diagnostic tools or an understanding of the pathophysiological processes, many sufferers find it difficult to share their experiences. They lack a verbal language that expresses the true impact of the illness.Now, researchers from Oxford University are using the technique of “body mapping” to help patients better communicate the physical, cognitive and emotional dimensions of their illness to family, friends...

Politics

25 hours ago The relief I’ll feel if the Gaza ceasefire deal holds is tempered by rage. Because it could have happened so much sooner | Jonathan Freedland

The agreement reached this week is basically the plan Joe Biden unveiled in May. So much pain, terror and death could have been avoidedWhen news of the ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas first broke on Wednesday, a friend offered the kind hope that now, at last, there could be a sense of joy. I wanted very much to feel that way but, at that moment, I could not – and here’s why.For one thing, a mere announcement did not seem enough. When it comes to the Middle East, “believe it when you see it” tends to be a good operating principle. Sure enough, there followed 48 hours of hitches and last-minute delays and even now, as I write this and after the Israeli security cabinet approved the deal, it seems like tempting fate to assume everything will run smoothly. Continue reading...

Economics

2 hours ago ‘I’ll kiss the ground’: chaos feared amid Gaza ceasefire as families head home

Hundreds of thousands are now set to return to whatever remains of their houses or to claim bodies from the rubbleAid agencies in Gaza are bracing for chaotic scenes this week as hundreds of thousands of people try to return to homes across the territory after the expected implementation of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on Sunday.Before the ceasefire, which is due to begin at 8.30am local time, Israel has continued to carry out attacks inside Gaza. The local health ministry claimed on Saturday that 23 Palestinians had been killed in the previous 24 hours, while the Israeli army said it had conducted strikes on 50 “terror targets” on Friday. Continue reading...

Events

28 hours ago Photographers invited to ‘capture the essence of Bolton’ for town of culture exhibition

The 'vibrant life, people and places of Bolton' will be displayed as part of the town of culture celebrations

Culture

1 hour ago European football: Goretzka double gives Bayern narrow win over Wolfsburg

Bayern open seven-point advantage at top of BundesligaGirona miss chance to move into top six in SpainLeon Goretzka scored once in each half to help Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich to a 3-2 victory over visiting VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday and open up a seven-point advantage over champions Bayer Leverkusen in second place.The Bavarians hit the crossbar through Leroy Sané after three minutes before Goretzka fired them into a 20th-minute lead with his shot going in off the post. Continue reading...

Politics

25 hours ago Relief at this Gaza deal should be tempered by rage at Hamas and Netanyahu. How dare they take so long? | Jonathan Freedland

The agreement reached this week is basically the plan Joe Biden unveiled in May. So much pain and death could have been avoidedWhen news of the ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas first broke on Wednesday, a friend offered the kind hope that now, at last, there could be a sense of joy. I wanted very much to feel that way but, at that moment, I could not – and here’s why.For one thing, a mere announcement did not seem enough. When it comes to the Middle East, “believe it when you see it” tends to be a good operating principle. Sure enough, there followed 48 hours of hitches and last-minute delays and even now, as I write this and after the Israeli security cabinet approved the deal, it seems like tempting fate to assume everything will run smoothly. Continue reading...

Economics

3 hours ago The landlord and the LA fires: how my friend’s loss revealed a new hierarchy of who gets help

GoFundMe is now the backbone of American comeback stories. But the people with better connections get lifted up firstI love my landlord. I don’t mean that I find him charming, though I do. I mean I moved on to a swath of dirt in Los Angeles county with three ancient cabins on it, and over the course of six years, went from pleasantries in the driveway to saying: “Love you Jeri, bye!” on the phone.When I moved into one of the rickety structures on his unlandscaped property in Topanga Canyon, one of the last hippie enclaves just north of the Pacific Palisades, I was the latest in a very long line of tenants. It was a bucolic slice of land and it had to be, because without the scenery, you would notice the three cabins were one good gust away from falling down the cliff.Kelton Wright writes ShangriLogs, a diary from another fire country in Colorado Continue reading...

Events

30 hours ago Don’t Look Up director says ‘half a billion people’ have now seen film despite critics

Adam McKay says the Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio-starring satire resonates with a widespread feeling of being deceived by government and mediaAdam McKay, writer-director of climate-crisis satire Don’t Look Up, says that the film’s popularity with viewers shows the popular will to tackle climate change, despite the critical brickbats the film attracted and political inertia around the issue.McKay was speaking to the NME during the wildfire emergency that is currently affecting Los Angeles, which has included many high-profile victims from the Hollywood community. Saying that while Netflix, the film’s distributors, would not release definitive audience figures, he estimated that “somewhere between 400 million and half a billion” people saw it, and that “viewers all really connected with the idea of being gaslit”. Continue reading...

Culture

1 hour ago Poppy Delevingne announces she’s expecting first child with partner Archie Keswick

‘I can’t wait to meet her,’ said model

Politics

25 hours ago Solskjær arrives at Besiktas, Henry tipped for Belgium job, Haaland deal and more – live

Latest news and press conferences before the weekendAny comment or thoughts? You can email BarryOle direksiyonda! Turkish speakers can either smirk or correct me. So, it seems that former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in talks to take over at Turkish club Besiktas.(From PA Media) Continue reading...

Economics

4 hours ago Dancing on Ice judge Christopher Dean's life off screen including relationship with co

Christopher Dean is best known as one half of iconic ice dancing duo Torvill and Dean, but off screen fans are surprised to learn of the Dancing on Ice judge's romantic history

Events

32 hours ago David Lynch, the visionary artist who made films that no one else could

The singular American filmmaker died this week at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy like no other. Louis Chilton looks at the life and work of a man who redefined what cinema itself could achieve

Culture

1 hour ago Ten people hurt, two seriously, after ski lift collapse at Spanish resort

Emergency services say 30 people were involved, of whom 10 were taken to hospital, at Astún in the PyreneesTen people have been hurt, two of them seriously, after a ski lift collapsed at a resort in north-east Spain, hurling dozens of passengers into the snow below.Although initial reports said 35 people had been injured on Saturday at the Pyrenean resort of Astún, in the Aragón region, the figures were later revised down. Continue reading...

Politics

25 hours ago Next's luxury £405 Estee Lauder beauty gift set reduced by almost 80% online

Next shoppers can bag £405-worth of Estee Lauder beauty and skincare with a 79% saving saving

Economics

4 hours ago ‘A lot of chaos, quickly’: panic grips US music industry as ‘kingmaker’ TikTok faces ban

Labels and artists forced to rethink marketing strategies as viral hit-making app faces possible US shutdown on SundayOn a recent Monday morning, Olivia Shalhoup opened her laptop and steeled herself for a day of meetings. Around 40% of her work as the founder of Amethyst, a marketing and PR agency, focuses on helping musicians navigate TikTok. On this particular day, the fate of the app in the US hung in the balance, with a supreme court ruling looming, and her clients were tense. “The big thing we were talking about in every single call is: ‘What are we going to do?’” Shalhoup said. “To say that TikTok is crucial to artist campaigns right now is an understatement. No one is immune from this.”Since its debut in 2017, TikTok has become a star-making machine, as short-form video content has eclipsed traditional forms of music promotion such as TV and radio. The app has the power to make rising artists into A-listers, propel their ascent to the top of the charts, and turn Magic FM sta...

Events

34 hours ago No Dylan but loads of Coldplay! What the songs with a billion streams on Spotify tell us about music taste today

Spotify’s Billions Club tracks the world’s most popular songs, but dozens of greats are nowhere to be found. From TikTok to TV soundtracks, we explore the forces shaping pop’s new canonIn 2011, Jacob Rubeck and Nick Rattigan were living in a basement in Reno, Nevada, and thinking about starting a band. One afternoon, Rubeck came up with a frisky Strokes-like guitar riff, Rattigan whipped up the melody and lyrics and Surf Curse’s Freaks was born. “We wrote the song in like 30 minutes,” the singer says.A catchy song about alienation and longing, Freaks was released in 2013 and became a raucous highlight of their live shows but didn’t trouble the wider world until 2021, when it was discovered, out of the blue, by TikTok users. Its Spotify streams kept going up and up and up, until last March it passed a remarkable milestone. Unlike Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd or Prince, Surf Curse can claim membership of Spotify’s Billions Club, the running playlist of every song to have a...

Culture

2 hours ago ‘She would have been in awe of him’: how Laurence Olivier gave Margaret Thatcher private seduction lessons

New drama, When Maggie Met Larry, reveals exactly how the world’s most famous actor coached the fledgling Iron LadyIn 1972, a nervous Margaret Thatcher went to Laurence Olivier’s London home for a lesson on presentational skills. The most famous actor of the 20th century told the then education secretary to put a book on her head and walk around to improve her deportment. He also advised her to take long confident strides, and to use her eyes to seduce and flirt.The future prime minister went on to visit Olivier’s house for a further five lessons, details of which are revealed in a new Radio 4 play, When Maggie Met Larry. Starring Derek Jacobi, who joined Olivier’s fledgling National Theatre when only 24, and Frances Barber as Thatcher, the drama tells of the previously unknown advice on style and voice offered to the Tory politician. Continue reading...

Politics

26 hours ago Transport police confirm loss of life on rail tracks at Polmont Railway Station

One person is confirmed dead following a tragic incident on the railway tracks at Polmont station.

Economics

4 hours ago Sex, drugs and a lot more than rock’n’roll: 50 years of Triple J, Australia’s youth radio station

On this day in 1975, 2JJ – which later became Triple J – started broadcasting, exposing Australia to banned songs, swear words and radical politics. Those who were there reflect on the anarchy and the legacyFifty years since the launch of 2JJ, or Double Jay – the station that became Triple J in 1981 – radio’s former enfant terrible is now legacy media. Once the cornerstone of Australian popular music and youth culture, it risks irrelevance as listener numbers dwindle in the face of social media and streaming services. Or, as its defenders will argue, maybe the critics are simply nostalgic for when Australia’s youth radio station was aimed at them: there is a saying within the ABC that on the second day that Double Jay was on air, someone rang up and complained that it wasn’t as good as it used to be.When Double Jay launched at 11am on Sunday 19 January 1975, the brief from Arthur Wyndam, then ABC’s head of radio, was that the station should: give public concerts, expose the public t...

Events

2 hours ago Jonathan Owens revealed his thoughts on if wife Simone Biles is a better athlete than him

The couple also admitted which of the two of them is the ‘better cheerleader’

Politics

27 hours ago Primark's new £4 homeware range 'so gorgeous' you'd think it's from Anthropologie

The store's new range has gone viral on social media as shoppers can't stop raving about the colourful selection

Economics

4 hours ago Chinese rival app Xiaohongshu is overwhelmed by ‘TikTok refugees’ in US

Social media accounts blocked for breaking Beijing rules as millions of users join up before ban takes effectNine invaluable things I’ve learned from TikTokWhen Angelica Oung received the notification that her Xiaohongshu account had been blocked for violating the social media app’s code of conduct, her mind started racing.The only picture she had posted on her account, apart from her profile headshot, was of herself wearing an inflatable polar bear suit, holding a sign saying: “I love nuclear”. What could be the problem with that, wondered Oung, a clean energy activist in Taiwan. Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Inside Snooker legend Stephen Hendry's net worth and girlfriend 20 years younger than him

The Scottish great is a seven-time snooker world champion and now BBC pundit, but what about his personal life?

Politics

28 hours ago Debenhams drops luxury beauty set worth £350 to just £90 in January sale

Save an impressive 74 percent on this luxurious Lancôme Beauty Box Gift Set that is packed with 12 beauty must-haves.

Economics

4 hours ago Three more are charged with murder after mother, 44, was killed in drive

Three men have been charged with murder after Michelle Sadio, 44, was killed in a drive-by shooting outside the River the River of Life Pentecostal Church in north west London.

Events

2 hours ago ‘It’s an absolute travesty’: fears for border wildlife as Trump takes office

Environmentalists are braced for new construction on the president’s signature border wall – and the damage that would wreakDuring Donald Trump’s first presidential term, he began an ambitious and costly border militarization program, including the construction of over 450 miles of wall that severed wildlife corridors and fragmented ecosystems in some of the country’s most remote and biodiverse regions. With his second inauguration on Monday, environmentalists are bracing for any new phase of construction that could exacerbate the ecological toll of the border wall.“It’s an absolute travesty and a disaster for border wildlife,” said Margaret Wilder, a human-environment geographer and political ecologist at the University of Arizona, regarding the environmental impact of the existing border wall and the prospect of renewed construction. She said the wall harmed efforts “after many decades of binational cooperation between the US and Mexico to protect this fragile and biodiverse regio...

Politics

28 hours ago Erling Haaland’s record Manchester City deal to 2034 leaves Guardiola stunned

Striker signs nine-and-a-half-year extension Guardiola had to ask Txiki Begiristain to repeat newsPep Guardiola was so stunned when learning the length of Erling Haaland’s record new nine-and-a-half year contract that he asked Txiki Begiristain, Manchester City’s sporting director, to repeat himself.The 24-year-old’s fresh terms ties him to the champions until 2034 and will earn him a basic salary of around £500,000 a-week. It is the longest agreed by a player in domestic competition. Guardiola does not get involved in contract negotiations so was asked shortly after Haaland’s deal was announced how he reacted to the news from Begiristain. “I said: ‘Can you repeat?’ And he said to me. ‘[10].’ I said: ‘Sure?’ And he said: ‘Yes.’ So, good news. That means a lot.” Continue reading...

Economics

5 hours ago The Masked Singer guest judge Tom Daley's life from school bullying to family heartache

Olympic diving legend Tom Daley is set to make his TV comeback tonight as a guest judge on The Masked Singer on ITV1

Events

2 hours ago With his toxic revamp, Emperor Zuckerberg is preparing to be Trump’s puppet | John Naughton

The Meta boss has embraced masculinity and abandoned fact-checking and decorum. Is this the future of the tech industry?Years ago the Economist magazine had a striking cover in which Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, was portrayed as a languid clone of the Roman emperor Augustus. This was inspired by stories that Zuck was fascinated by Gus. On honeymoon in Rome in 2012, for example, he took so many photos of the emperor’s sculptures that his wife joked it was as if there were three people on the holiday. The couple even named their second daughter August.Explaining his fascination for Rome’s first emperor, Zuckerberg told the New Yorker that “basically, through a really harsh approach, he established 200 years of world peace What are the trade-offs in that? On the one hand, world peace is a long-term goal that people talk about today [but] that didn’t come for free, and he had to do certain things.” Continue reading...

Politics

29 hours ago Haaland’s new deal, Solskjær arrives at Besiktas, team news and transfers – live

Latest news and press conferences before the weekendAny comment or thoughts? You can email MichaelOle direksiyonda! Turkish speakers can either smirk or correct me. So, it seems that former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in talks to take over at Turkish club Besiktas.(From PA Media) Continue reading...

Economics

5 hours ago Inside life of Masked Singer judge Tom Daley from horrendous bullying to tragic loss

Tom Daley is all set to appear as a guest judge on The Masked singer tonight, but before that, let's take a deep dive into his life

Events

2 hours ago Adding a couple of planters and slightly widening the pavement is hardly ‘reimagining’ a neighbourhood | Rachel Cooke

The on-trend word reeks of desperation, an attempt to make the unpalatable sound dreamy, while the reality is a nightmareLots of fashionable words ring alarm bells, but the one that’s giving me the pip right now is “reimagine”. Sure, it’s fine to assert that in her novel Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys reimagines elements of Jane Eyre. But can the same ever really be said of an apartment block or a hamburger? Its deployment often reeks of desperation, an attempt to make the controversial or the unpalatable sound dreamy and magical. No, you may not be able to see the beauty in what lies ahead, but that’s only because you’re a philistine with no vision.Near our house, a major “reimagining” is under way in the form of the construction of the borough’s first “livable neighbourhood”, the initial stages of which (faffing with pavements) have closed a major arterial road, pushing yet more traffic and several bus routes on to another, already-clogged thoroughfare – and the result is chaotic. Jo...

Politics

30 hours ago Woman buys £2.19 Too Good To Go bag from Greggs and gets surprise of her life

Rebecca O'Brien couldn't believe her luck when she opened a Too Good To Go bag that she'd purchased from Greggs for just £2.19 – as it was packed with so many goodies inside

Economics

5 hours ago 'Investigate bungling French police over gun massacre of my brother's family'

Zaid Al-Hilli has spoken out as cold case officers revisit the murder of his brother Saad, 50, who was shot dead at the wheel of his BMW while on holiday in September 2012

Events

2 hours ago Are we a racist society? The majority of us say no – but science begs to differ

Although greater awareness of prejudice would suggest we are less bigoted than ever, empirical evidence indicates notQ&A with Keon West, author of The Science of RacismDo we still have a problem with racism? If you ask the average person even the most basic question about it – “Does racism still exist?” – half the population will say it doesn’t. According to a recent Guardian poll of British adults, more than half thought ethnic minorities faced less or the same discrimination as White people in most areas of life, such as the news, TV or films, the workplace, access to finance and jobs, and access to university or good schooling. Results in the US are similar. A 2021 Gallup poll revealed that slightly more than half of the White American population believe “racism against Black [people is] widespread in the US”. In the meantime, according to the same poll, slightly less than half of the White American population believe “racism against Whites [is] widespread in the US”. An earl...

Politics

30 hours ago Brad Pitt speaks out after AI scam saw woman hand over £700k and divorce her husband

A scammer posed as the actor in a romance plot to con a 53-year-old interior designer out of her life savings.

Economics

5 hours ago ‘Discovered’ diaries of British socialite Unity Mitford reveal Hitler relationship

Diaries, believed to be genuine, chronicle 139 pre-war meetings between antisemitic British socialite Unity Mitford and the Nazi leaderThe diary of an antisemitic British socialite who was obsessed with Adolf Hitler and struck up a personal relationship with the Nazi leader has been discovered, according to the Daily Mail.The leather-bound journals, which had been lost to historians and unseen for eight decades, appear to reveal the extent of aristocrat Unity Mitford’s relationship with the dictator. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago Heartbeat's PC Bellamy's life now – from Emmerdale stint to Happy Valley ex

Mark Jordon is best known for his role as PC Phil Bellamy in Heartbeat, but he has also appeared in Emmerdale alongside his partner Laura Norton, and the couple have two children together

Politics

30 hours ago Beauty fans who spend £35 can get £95 worth of free products including REN and Laneige

The Glow 'n' Go Edit from LookFantastic is filled with eight skincare and beauty treats from big brands like REN, Shiseido and LANEIGE - all for a fraction of the price

Economics

7 hours ago Suicides, new tactics and propaganda iPads: details from captured North Koreans expose new foe in Ukraine

Discovery of two injured servicemen sent from Pyongyang and disguised as Russian fighters blows apart myth that Zelenskyy’s fight is solely with MoscowThe news was sensational. It travelled quickly among Ukrainian soldiers fighting in Russia’s Kursk region. “I heard from a friend of a friend,” one officer, Vitalii Ovcharenko, recalled. “This was half an hour after it happened. My friend said: ‘We’ve got a North Korean prisoner! He’s in shock but OK.’ I said: ‘Wow.’” Ovcharenko added: “Everyone wanted a selfie. They wrapped him in a blanket and gave him tea.”Last week’s capture of two North Korean servicemen was an extraordinary moment in Russia’s bloody war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has taken elaborate steps to conceal the presence of 12,000 elite troops sent in autumn by Pyongyang to Russia. At camps in the Far East they were given Russian equipment: uniforms, rifles and fake military documents. Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago 'Perfect' beauty organiser perfume and makeup fans are snapping up with 74% off sale

This cosmetic display box is waterproof and dustproof, but also still looks incredibly elegant.

Politics

31 hours ago Maura Higgins' new LED face mask that shoppers say gives 'immediate results' has over £90 off

Maura Higgins recently gave fans a glimpse into her evening skincare routine by sharing a snap of herself relaxing at home in a LED face mask - and we've found the exact one she uses and it's on asle

Economics

7 hours ago When kids set their parents’ screen time rules: ‘I hit my limit before I even get out of bed’

Would six-year-old Malakhi be strict? Could the grownups give up their phones? Three writers let their children set the rulesZoe Williams Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago Male stripper shares what women really get upto at hen parties – and it's 'wild'

Nath Wyld, 31, has been a male stripper for 10 years and has seen all sorts of things at hen parties. He's now dished the dirt on what women really get up to

Politics

31 hours ago Haaland’s new deal, Slegers in at Arsenal, Jota injury doubt, team news and transfers – live

Latest news and press conferences before the weekendAny comment or thoughts? You can email DavidOle direksiyonda! Turkish speakers can either smirk or correct me. So, it seems that former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in talks to take over at Turkish club Besiktas.(From PA Media) Continue reading...

Economics

7 hours ago Dad comes back to life just before his 'dead' body was transferred to the mortuary

Relatives of the man, 67 were told he wouldn't survive for long after being taken off a ventilator - but after arranging his funeral, they discovered he was still alive

Events

3 hours ago Championship roundup: Cardiff sink Swansea as Hull grasp vital victory

Callum Robinson hits double in fiery 3-0 derby triumphQPR deepen Plymouth woes with Kolli grabbing only goalCardiff claimed their biggest South Wales derby win for nearly 60 years with a 3-0 Championship victory at home to Swansea.Callum Robinson’s brace at the start of the second half put Cardiff in command and Dimitrios Goutas thundered home a header off the underside of the crossbar to ram home their superiority. It ended a run of six games without home joy for Cardiff and secured the biggest league victory over their arch-rivals since winning 5-0 at Ninian Park in April 1965.This roundup will update later after the 3pm kick-offs Continue reading...

Politics

31 hours ago Save over £90 on Maura Higgins' LED face mask that delivers ‘immediate results’

Looking for a must-have skincare gadget to add to your arsenal that comes with a reality TV star's stamp of approval? Well, look no further than this LED face mask that's been axed in price

Economics

8 hours ago Sting's tantric sex truth revealed: Star reveals what really happens during 7 hour sessions with wife Trudie Styler

Their tantric sex life has been a hot topic for decades, after famously claiming to bed each other for hours on end back in the nineties.

Events