Joe and Evanna Giardina treasure memories of the affectionate 16-year-old they dubbed the ‘love machine’, who died in the 2004 disasterAt first, there seemed nothing to be afraid of. Joe Giardina, his wife, Evanna, and their 16-year-old son, Paul, were taking in the picture-perfect waters of Patong bay as they ate breakfast in their Phuket beachfront hotel on Boxing Day morning in 2004.“We were admiring the view and all of a sudden the water disappeared,” says Giardina, 67, speaking from his home in Rosanna, Victoria. The water level had dropped so quickly that fish were floundering on the exposed seabed. But rather than sensing any threat, curious onlookers made their way to the beach. “The locals thought, ‘This is fantastic.’ They were running around picking the fish up.” Continue reading...

Politics

Our family’s holiday tradition? We throw caution to the wind and surrender to the novelty of free-to-air televisionI can see why kids who find themselves at a holiday shack where the only screen-based entertainment is an old TV would be perplexed. By the time you explain all the things the remote “control” doesn’t do, all you’re left with is a limited number of viewing options at any given time, and no control over when each starts or stops.In the age of smartphones and streaming, you could call it “dumb TV”. Or you could sell it as unique, novel, a game: “surprise TV”. Continue reading...

Politics

A little crate-digging can yield buried treasure – as our music writers found this year when they discovered everything from Taiwanese pop star to Cher’s disco eraThis year I completed Duolingo in French, but found myself no closer to being able to carry out what I would call a conversation. (Exchanging likes and dislikes doesn’t count.) I decided to go Paris to practise on some unsuspecting locals, procured via Hinge. One man proved surprisingly game: he not only spoke excellent English but was a self-described anglophile, more up to date than I am on UK politics and truly passionate about Marks & Spencer. Continue reading...

Politics

Before he has taken a single executive decision, countries around the world are positioning themselves for his impact“A revisionist state has arrived on the scene to contest the liberal international order, and it is not Russia or China, it is the United States. It is Trump in the Oval Office, the beating heart of the free world. The incoming administration contests every element of the liberal international order – trade, alliances, migration, multilateralism, democratic solidarity and human rights.“The narrative now at home and abroad is that the US is not what we thought it was. Trump was not an aberration, not a bug, but a feature of American politics and of America’s story.” Continue reading...

Politics

It was a year defined by famous hippos, assassination attempts and Photoshop fails. Take our quiz to prove you can sort 2024 fact from fiction

Politics

The supermarkets, high-street shops, and DIY chains staying closed on Thursday

Economics

The King does like his royal traditions, something he seems to have inherited from his beloved mother, and according to a royal chef that trait will probably extend to their Christmas dinner

Events

It was an eventful year in football as England got to the Euro 2024 final before losing to worthy winners Spain, while there were big managerial changes as Jurgen Klopp departed and Erik ten Hag was finally sacked

Politics

If you're an Xbox owner seeking to put your console through its paces, we've got you covered with a list of the best games around.

Sport

Once the apex of conspiracy theories, the influential group signals a shift by naming ex-Nato chief as new co-chairThe former head of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, has been named the new co-chair of the influential Bilderberg Group, which convenes a yearly transatlantic policy conference and has long been the subject of conspiracy theories around the extent of its power to shape global events.After a turbulent decade at the helm of the alliance’s military, Stoltenberg now takes over at its pre-eminent discussion forum: a fiercely private four-day event frequented by prime minsters, EU commissioners, bank bosses, corporate CEOs and intelligence chiefs. Continue reading...

Politics