82 minutes ago Gen Z is in thrall to TikTok’s Pied Piper of populism. We must fight to break the spell | Alison Phillips

A survey found that young people admitted finding democracy dull against the toxic glamour of strongman politics‘DYOR.” That’s what they say. That’s Do Your Own Research, for those of us not quite meeting the 13- to 28-year-old gen Z age bracket. It’s a common refrain when one of them finds their truth challenged.So I set out on some DYOR regarding the report last week that most gen Zers were in favour of the UK becoming a dictatorship. The study, commissioned by Channel 4, has been described broadly as “shocking”, “worrying” and “bleak”. Yet for anyone with daily interaction with that generation, it would probably be better described as – “fairly predictable”. Continue reading...

Politics

11 hours ago AI tools used for child sexual abuse images targeted in Home Office crackdown

UK will be first country to bring in tough new laws to tackle the technology behind the creation of abusive material Britain is to become the first country to introduce laws tackling the use of AI tools to produce child sexual abuse images, amid warnings from law enforcement agencies of an ­alarming proliferation in such use of the technology.In an attempt to close a legal ­loophole that has been a major ­concern for police and online safety campaigners, it will become illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material. Continue reading...

Society

13 hours ago Covid chief attacks Labour after AstraZeneca axes its plan for £450million vaccine site

Former head of the Covid Vaccine Task Force Dr Clive Dix accused ministers of a 'fatuous argument', claiming the country is in a worse position to produce vaccines than 2020.

Economics

2 hours ago The chocolate box village near Greater Manchester perfect for Valentine's Day

It's been described as "one of the country's leading luxury destinations"

Sport

91 minutes ago UK weather: Temperatures to plunge in London as heavy snow hits parts of the country

London will dodge the snow but could face a few frosty days

Events

26 hours ago The holiday destination tipped to replace the Canary Islands a direct flight from Manchester Airport

It was recently named Africa's most-visited country and offers 'high-quality accommodation at lower prices'

Transport

1 hour ago ‘Female narcissism is often misdiagnosed’: how science is finding women can have a dark streak too

Research into ‘dark personality traits’ has always focused on men. But some experts believe standard testing misses the ways an antisocial personality manifests itself in womenPicture a psychopath. Who do you see in your mind’s eye? Chances are it’s a man. And chances are your answer would be similar if you were asked to picture a narcissist. From Charles Manson and Ted Bundy to Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump, most famous people we consider psychopathic or narcissistic are male. That’s even the case for fiction – think Hannibal Lecter, Patrick Bateman or Norman Bates.Scientists long assumed that women were simply too wonderful to be significantly psychopathic or narcissistic, and didn’t bother to study the possibility much, according to Ava Green from City St George’s, University of London. But research over the past few decades is increasingly challenging this stereotype, suggesting women can have a dark streak, too. Much like in autism or ADHD, such traits just expre...

Politics

17 hours ago Katya Jones puts on a brave face following Wynne Evans' tour exit as she leaves Manchester hotel with Strictly co

The professional dancer, 35, who is currently on tour with the BBC show, is said to be 'devastated' by the way her dance partner Wynne Evans has been dropped.

Society

17 hours ago Britain hands £67m Brexit contract to firm at centre of Post Office IT scandal

Exclusive: Lord Arbuthnot, who campaigned for wrongly convicted sub postmasters, said it sent the message the country ‘doesn’t care about the unethical behaviour shown by Fujitsu’

Economics

30 hours ago Boxing tonight: Ringwalk times, TV channel, live stream details and fight cards

Unbeaten 22-year-old super-lightweight fighter Adam Azim returns to the ring on Saturday, looking to announce himself as one for the future when he takes on challenger Sergey Lipinets in London

Sport

3 hours ago We’re closing the loopholes that allow paedophiles to use AI to sexually abuse children | Peter Kyle

Technology has changed how predators operate. Now a raft of new offences will stop those who create heinous content escaping punishment Technology moves fast. Legislation can be slow. For decades, that has felt like a fundamental fact of public life. But the gap between our laws and the world they are supposed to govern feels wider than ever. While the internet has transformed every element of our society, the state has not kept up.Most of the laws that prohibit the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse imagery have been in place since the 1990s. Back then, Photoshop was in its infancy. The physical photographs that paedophiles shared were no less vile, but they were easier for the police to seize and destroy.Peter Kyle is secretary of state for science, innovation and technology Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago Does Labour really think Trump is a better bet than the EU? | William Keegan

Rachel Reeves is all for growth; her party and the country needs it. But still we hear nothing about the most obvious solution In 1935, Sinclair Lewis wrote a satirical book, It Can’t Happen Here, about a lying demagogue, Buzz Windrip, who rises to power and transforms the American scene for the worse within months.There were fears of parallels with the plot of the book when Trump first became president. This time, the fears are far more serious, as Trump’s barrage of executive orders challenges the constitutional checks and balances designed by the founding fathers to inhibit the autocratic desires of a future wrong’un becoming president. Continue reading...

Politics

21 hours ago A man stalked a professor for six years. Then he used AI chatbots to lure strangers to her home

James Florence, 36, agreed to plead guilty after using victim’s information to guide chatbots in impersonationA man from Massachusetts has agreed to plead guilty to a seven-year cyberstalking campaign that included using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to impersonate a university professor and invite men online to her home address for sex.James Florence, 36, used platforms such as Crushon.ai and JanitorAI, which allow users to design their own chatbots and direct them how to respond to other users during chats, including in sexually suggestive and explicit ways, according to court documents seen by the Guardian. The victim’s identity has been kept confidential by law enforcement officials. Continue reading...

Society

17 hours ago Revealed: Golden Balls star who committed biggest betrayal in TV history by 'stealing' £100k lives in quaint country home while rival is mired in debt

Sarah Mooney was the cold-hearted contestant who provided one of the most iconic moments in TV game show history - when she dramatically 'stole' £100,000 to leave a fellow player visibly devastated.

Economics

5 hours ago Scots police chief takes court action in bid to block scrutiny of Sheku Bayoh death

Chief Constable Jo Farrell has been accused of “denying a black family the truth” after launching unprecedented legal challenge over the Sheku Bayoh public inquiry.

Events

3 hours ago David Benavidez dominates David Morrell to unify light heavyweight title

‘Mexican Monster’ beats Morrell by unanimous decisionBenavidez improves to 30-0 with one-sided victoryStephen Fulton wins WBC featherweight belt in co-mainDavid Benavidez unified the light heavyweight championship by earning a unanimous decision over challenger David Morrell on Saturday night to keep his interim WBC belt and win the WBA title.Judges Patricia Morse Jarman and Steve Weisfeld both scored the fight 115-111 while Tim Cheatham scored it 118-108. Continue reading...

Politics

21 hours ago Man City get green light to unleash Jack Grealish in new role as £59m transfer poses 'challenge'

The arrival of Omar Marmoush at City could allow them to try Jack Grealish in a new position

Economics

8 hours ago Yvette Cooper says Britain will become the first country in the world to make owning AI tools for creating child abuse illegal

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the new offence will be punishable by up to five years in prison under measures the Government will bring forward in the Crime and Policing Bill.

Events

3 hours ago Calder’s Cancellation Challenge: airlines with the best and the worst cancel culture

The Man Who Pays His Way: Rapidly losing patience with airlines that ground flights and make passengers foot the bill

Politics

26 hours ago Hamas releases two Israeli hostages to Red Cross under Gaza ceasefire deal

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be released in initial six weeks of truce

Economics

10 hours ago Pediatric patient and her mother among the seven killed in fiery Philadelphia plane crash

All six people on board the Learjet 55 were Mexican citizens, the country’s president has confirmed

Events

26 hours ago Hamas releases three Israeli hostages to Red Cross under Gaza ceasefire deal

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be released in initial six weeks of truce

Economics

11 hours ago Creators of AI child sex abuse images face up to five years in prison under crackdown

UK to be first country to make owning artificial intelligence tools designed to make images of child sexual abuse illegal

Events

5 hours ago The incredible challenge two lifelong friends are taking on thousands of miles away

They've braved everything from marathons to Ironmans, but mums Laura and Elise are taking on their biggest challenge yet

Politics

11 hours ago Country Icon Darius Rucker Moves To London Following Arrest Last Year On Drug Charges

Country Icon Darius Rucker Moves To London Following Arrest Last Year On Drug Charges  Black Enterprise

Events

12 hours ago Spurs fans crowned biggest slapheads with bald Arne Slot's Liverpool in surprise spot

Tottenham Hotspur supporters are the biggest baldies, it has been revealed, in a poll of 2,000 footie fans. Singer Phil Collins and actor Jude Law are two famous slapheads to follow the team

Politics

12 hours ago Trump orders airstrikes targeting ‘senior IS attack planner’ in Somalia

The US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, indicated multiple operatives were killed and no civilians were harmedThe US military has conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African country during Donald Trump’s second term as president.Trump said on Saturday that he ordered strikes on a senior IS attack planner and others from the organisation. Continue reading...

Events

14 hours ago The moment I knew: I told him I missed other people’s company so he put on a silly accent to make me laugh

On a months-long overseas trip, Melanie Kinsman craved someone to talk to other than Sam, her partner. He stepped up to the challenge with a comical impersonationFind more stories from The moment I knew series hereIn 2004 I was a young writer at the University of Adelaide. I was working as an editor on an anthology of short stories when a piece by Sam came across my desk. We emailed back and forth for a while, working on the story, but I never met him in person.A few months later, I was out in town with some friends and noticed he was there. While we’d never crossed paths in real life, I knew what he looked like. In my fairly inebriated state I decided a great way to introduce myself would be to walk up to him and start reciting excerpts of his story. I don’t know what I was trying to achieve, but I made an impression and he was obviously flattered. Continue reading...

Politics

14 hours ago DC plane crash latest in series of US army helicopter training accidents

Aviation experts say piloting Black Hawk helicopters is a complex challenge but army defends training operationsIn March 2023, two US army Black Hawk helicopters collided and crashed into a Kentucky farmer’s field after a nighttime evacuation training mission, killing nine service members.That crash was among a dozen fatal crashes during army Black Hawk training missions since 2014 that claimed the lives of 47 service members and in April 2023 helped prompt Pentagon officials to temporarily ground and provide more training to all army aviators not involved in critical missions. Continue reading...

Events

14 hours ago Tories urge Starmer not to accept more EU influence amid drive for closer ties

Kemi Badenoch challenged the Prime Minister to meet five ‘tests’ of maintaining UK sovereignty following Brexit.

Politics

14 hours ago Armed police car chase in Wimbledon sees wanted fugitive caught at last after going on the run across the country

Metropolitan Police officers pursued a stolen vehicle in Wimbledon after an alert by Cambridgeshire Constabulary. The vehicle was chased briefly before crashing in the south London borough.

Events

17 hours ago 'It was one of our best skates' says Scottish ice dancer despite medal disappointment at Europeans

Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby also placed fifth in the pairs competition

Politics

14 hours ago Three women speak: the trauma, humiliation and shame of being a victim

The Australia Law Reform Commission will soon report on its review into justice responses to sexual violence. Here are three first-hand accounts of what it’s like to seek justiceGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe experience I had with the legal system was quite shocking. Continue reading...

Events

17 hours ago Samson Tsoy: Inmost Heart: Bach, Brahms, Busoni, Reger review – the pianist’s subtle, searching debut

(Linn)Playing Brahms’s transcriptions of Bach and Handel, then Reger and Busoni takes on Brahms, Tsoy contemplates creativity across centuries in this fine recitalElegantly constructed and intimate, this debut solo recital album by London-based Kazakh pianist Samson Tsoy has the music of Johannes Brahms at its centre. The fascination here is Tsoy’s exploration of Brahms’s passion for music of the past, specifically for his towering predecessors, JS Bach and Handel. Brahms transcribed works of theirs for piano, forging his own distinctive voice with theirs in an act of homage and discovery.The magnificent Handel Variations, Op 24 spins an unexciting little baroque theme into 25 variations of brilliant variety and ingenuity. Brahms set himself a particular challenge with the Chaconne from Bach’s Partita No 2 in D minor. Attempting to reflect the immeasurable yet compressed range of a work written for solo violin, he restricted his arrangement to piano left hand only. This gives a shad...

Politics

14 hours ago ‘I’ll see you in a year’: the Australian women over 60 hitting the road solo

A growing number of older women are taking up the nomadic lifestyle, challenging traditional views of ageing. While grey nomad stereotypes persist, many say it’s the best decision they ever madeSign up for the Rural Network email newsletterSeven years ago, Robyn Drayton stood out the front of her home in Newcastle, north of Sydney, and felt overwhelmed with a desire to get out.“Something came over me. I just burst into tears,” Drayton, now 63, says. “I’d done a lot of travelling overseas and had a caravan and knew it was time.Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter Continue reading...

Events

18 hours ago Premier League issue statement on Liverpool penalty after double VAR intervention

The decision to award Liverpool a penalty after Lewis Cook's challenge on Cody Gakpo was checked for two separate possible transgressions before Mo Salah dispatched the spotkick

Politics

15 hours ago ‘Our youngest and brightest’: grief of DC plane crash rocks figure skating community

The loss of the young figure skaters whose lives were cut tragically short in the American Eagle flight 5342 crash has ripped a hole in the tightly knit world of figure skatingEveryone agreed it was the best camp they’d ever been to. The most fun. There was an interpretive dance class. Successful jump drills were met with high-fives all around. On the day of the Chinese new year, the kids all went out for hot pot. And parents and coaches, regardless of athlete rivalries, intermingled in camaraderie; when one parent noticed a coach’s voice grow hoarse, they pulled a ginger shot from out of their purse, handing it to her with a smile.National development camps, such as the one that took place following the US figure skating championships in Wichita last week, are held for the highest performing juvenile, intermediate and novice skaters. The young athletes with the greatest potential are offered this chance to watch the stars of their sport compete, and then learn from some of the most...

Events

19 hours ago Carney vows Canada will ‘stand up to bully’ as Trump imposes trade tariffs

Economists fear full-on, tit-for-tat trade war as US also imposes tariffs on Mexico and ChinaMark Carney, the favourite to replace Justin Trudeau as the Canadian prime minister, has vowed that his country is “going to stand up to a bully” after Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on goods coming in from Canada.There are now 25% tariffs on goods coming into the US from Canada and Mexico, while China is being hit with tariffs of 10% on imported goods, leading some economists to fear the outbreak of a full-on, tit-for-tat trade war. Continue reading...

Politics

15 hours ago Warning is issued as major change to millions of bank accounts takes effect today

Nationwide, the country's largest building society, has announced it is cutting interest rates on almost 90 savings accounts from Saturday.

Events

19 hours ago Ron DeSantis tried to crusade against undocumented students. Florida is fighting back

Latest anti-immigration agenda pushes to strip in-state tuition rates from tens of thousands of college studentsIt was a week in which two of Ron DeSantis’s flagship culture war crusades – education and immigration – collided. And it did not end well for Florida’s hard-right Republican governor.Alongside a revolt by previously loyal lawmakers upset by DeSantis’s “power grab” in trying to write and impose immigration law, he also found himself under fire from tens of thousands of undocumented college and university students furious at his push to strip them of in-state tuition rates. Continue reading...

Politics

17 hours ago Freed hostages receive emotional hugs from delighted families but there's still no word on whether Hamas' youngest prisoners survived ordeal

Yarden Bibas and French Israeli Ofer Kalderon were handed to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel was released later on Saturday.

Events

20 hours ago Gordon Ramsay's opinion of Adam Peaty, proposal to daughter and nearly making him cry

Adam Peaty has been in a relationship with Gordon Ramsay's daughter, Holly, for just over two years, and has formed a close bond with his future father-in-law

Politics

17 hours ago Doctors told me I'd die: Athlete reveals what the world's most extreme endurance feat REALLY did to his body

James Lawrence doesn't hold back when he describes some of the things he's put his 48-year-old body through over the years. And it's not for the squeamish.

Events

21 hours ago Gordon Ramsay's thoughts on daughter's fiance Adam Peaty and how he nearly made him cry

Gordon Ramsay is regarded as quite the cold figure in the kitchen, but the treatment of his future son-in-law Adam Peaty has shown a kinder and softer side to the loud-mouthed celebrity chef

Politics

17 hours ago D Is for Distance review – tender portrait of parents battling for their son’s medication

Only medical cannabis can stop Louis’ epileptic seizures, but the NHS refuses to supply it. Chris Petit and Emma Matthews have turned their fight into a filmThat uniquely valuable British writer and independent film-maker Chris Petit, creator of downbeat classics such as Radio On from 1979 and An Unsuitable Job for a Woman from 1982, may not these days find it easy to get an outlet for his work; this would be appear to be his first feature credit for 15 years. But he and co-director, editor and partner Emma Matthews have emerged with a deeply personal movie: painful, complex, challenging and engaging.Petit and Matthews riff and free-associate on the themes of memory, memory-loss and the moving image on video and celluloid, but at the centre of this is an urgent story from their own lives. In his early teens, their son Louis, now 22, a talented artist and musician, began to have epileptic seizures that wiped out his memories of childhood; some of these were of the type nicknamed “Ali...

Events

21 hours ago Only those with 'expert' eyesight can spot snake hiding in less than 30 seconds

An optical illusion challenge is asking people to find a Kenyan sand boa snake hiding in a photo - but only those with perfect attention to details are able to spot it on their first try

Politics

18 hours ago The emotional story of a Welsh soldier and why it led him to going on TV

'Although I may look like I’m not struggling, I am struggling but I am there. Not getting on with it, but I am overcoming my obstacles, my challenges and I am doing what I want to do.'

Events

21 hours ago Thomasina Miers’ recipe for Caribbean mutton curry and a spicy banana relish

An aromatic, slow-cooked curry with a fabulous banana relishThirty years ago, my mother-in-law set sail on an around-the-world trip that would see her land on Antigua, where she has remained to this day. On a recent visit, I once again fell for the fish and conch rotis, and mouthwatering jerk chicken, and I particularly love the use of spicing, with turmeric-stained curries scented with allspice, coriander seeds, fenugreek and cinnamon. Those curries are mostly mildly hot, and served with mounds of steaming rice and beans to mop up their juices, as well as chutneys made with local fruit. Sunny flavours for the bleak midwinter. Continue reading...

Politics

19 hours ago Six Nations star accused of revenge mission following 'deplorable' incident

Romain Ntamack was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Wales' Ben Thomas during France's opening night victory in the Six Nations for a challenge he didn't need to make

Events

22 hours ago LeBron, Lindsey Vonn, Ronaldo keep going; Faster, stronger and longer, with plenty of help

Elite athletes are competing longer and at a higher level than ever before

Politics

19 hours ago Our Geordie Shore regrets: As Chloe Ferry reverses her botched cosmetic procedures after TV trolling, her co

Geordie Shore exploded onto screens in 2011, quickly earning itself the reputation as the country's wildest reality show.

Events