6 h. ago Durham Police investigate 'disgusting act' after village celebrates light switch

Durham Police are investigating after the Christmas tree in Shotton Colliery, Co Durham, was chopped down between 10pm and 11pm on Wednesday, causing 'huge upset' in the village

Events

6 h. ago Rise of the digital threesome: British couples are turning to AI to spice up their sex lives, study reveals

Forget couples counselling or a saucy mini-break - when it comes to spicing up their sex lives, British couples are turning to AI. A new report by Lovehoney has detailed the rise of the 'digital threesome'.

Politics

6 h. ago Littler lights up Ally Pally opening night as prize money raises stakes

The PDC world darts championship is back, but could the new £1m winners’ cheque make this show too big?A team of assistant referees walks into the Twelve Pins in Finsbury Park carrying linesmen’s flags and whistles. It’s 3pm on a Thursday, you think, they’ve probably just been reffing a local game. Then, you think, there isn’t a football pitch around here. And why haven’t they changed and showered? Then more referees walk in, more linesmen, one of them in a comedy wig. And eventually the penny drops.Yes, “the Darts” is back: an indispensable festive trimming that – much like Christmas itself – always seems to roll around a little sooner every year. Fire up all the old cliches: “the beauty of set play”, “bent the wire”, “pressure the shot”. Wheel John Part out of the attic. Fingers poised on the 180 zoom. You know it’s serious, because it’s two hours before his match and Luke Littler is already on the practice board. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Village Christmas tree cut down hours after lights switch on

The tree in Shotton Colliery, Co Durham, was chopped down between 10pm and 11pm on Wednesday, according to police.

Politics

7 h. ago Jason Collins, NBA’s first openly gay player, says he has a year to live after brain tumor diagnosis

Collins discloses stage 4 glioblastoma diagnosisFormer NBA trailblazer pursuing new therapiesSymptoms appeared and worsened rapidlyJason Collins, the former NBA player who became the first openly gay man to play in a major US pro sports league, said Thursday he’s battling “one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer”.Collins, who revealed in a brief statement in September that he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, said in an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne published Thursday that he has stage 4 glioblastoma. Continue reading...

Sport

7 h. ago Publicans ‘petrified’ over closures and job cuts after Budget tax increases

Industry bosses are calling for urgent tax relief after holding an emergency meeting on Wednesday.

Economics

7 h. ago Luke Littler dodges WASP in bizarre start to live interview after World Darts Championship win

Luke Littler began his defence of the PDC World Championship with a 3-0 win over Darius Labanauskas at the Alexandra Palace on Wednesday evening

Politics

8 h. ago Christantus Uche sparks stroll for Crystal Palace against Shelbourne

This might be Crystal Palace’s first-ever European campaign but they are learning very quickly. Having arrived in Dublin missing some of their big-hitters including the star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and the marauding wing-back Daniel Muñoz, they left with a comfortable victory that means they are virtually assured of a place in the Conference League playoffs.Another three points against the Finnish side KuPS as part of their ­marathon December in which Oliver Glasners’s side play eight matches in three separate competitions should be enough to secure entry directly into the knockout stages after ­slipping up against Strasbourg on their last outing. Continue reading...

Politics

8 h. ago Crystal Palace climb Conference League table as Uche sparks Shelbourne stroll

This might be Crystal Palace’s first European campaign but they are learning very quickly. Having arrived in Dublin missing some of their big-hitters including star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and the marauding wing-back Daniel Muñoz, they left with a comfortable victory that virtually assured them of a place in the Conference League playoffs.Oliver Glasner has already said that he will play a weakened team against Finnish side KuPS in their final group stage match next week despite slipping up against Strasbourg on their last outing as Palace are in the middle of a marathon December in which they will play eight times. So it was heartening for him to see some of his fringe players shine, as Christantus Uche capped only his second start since joining on an initial loan from Getafe in the summer with a well-taken goal and Eddie Nketiah scored for the second game in succession. Continue reading...

Politics

8 h. ago Last meal request for Georgia killer set for execution includes meat lovers pan pizza and cornbread

Stacey Humphreys is set to be executed next Wednesday

Events

8 h. ago Inside Davina McCall's secret wedding to Michael Douglas including low key dress

Davina McCall has been in a long term relationship with Michael Douglas and the pair have finally tied the knot after just three months of being engaged

Society

9 h. ago Rare Meghan Markle wedding photo still on display at King Charles’ London home

Rare Meghan Markle wedding photo still on display at King Charles’ London home  pagesix.com

Politics

9 h. ago California colleges agree settlements over antisemitism complaints

UC Berkeley apologizes to Israeli sociologist and dance teacher and Pomona to create taskforce on Jewish lifeTwo California colleges have reached settlements with Jewish organizations and individuals who filed complaints alleging antisemitism arising from pro-Palestinian campus protests, including a $60,000 payment to an Israeli sociologist and dance researcher who says she was not rehired by the University of California, Berkeley despite the popularity of her class.The UC Berkeley chancellor, Rich Lyons, on Wednesday issued an apology to Yael Nativ, a visiting 2022 professor who was found in a campus investigation to have been the victim of discrimination, the Los Angeles Times reported. She is also invited to teach her class in a semester of her choosing. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago Police found out what couple were up to after analysing phone

Tony Mann, 28, and Roxanne Gilder, 33, were found in possession of 118g of cocaine, after being searched by officers from the organised crime unit

Events

10 h. ago JD Vance is 'making a play' to be the next US President as he 'sets out his stall'

On the Political Currency podcast, Ed Balls warned that rising US Republican JD Vance is positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run with a hardline, Trump-style conservatism that could threaten Europe

Politics

11 h. ago The Guardian view on Labour’s new peerages: another boost for the ermine arms race | Editorial

Sir Keir Starmer promised to bring meaningful reform to the House of Lords. He is failing to introduce itIn opposition, Sir Keir Starmer called the unelected House of Lords “indefensible”. This week, barely 18 months into his prime ministership, Sir Keir took the total of unelected peers he has appointed since July 2024 to 96. Remarkably, Wednesday’s 34 new life peerages, mainly Labour supporters, take his appointment total above those of each of his four most recent Conservative predecessors. You must go back to David Cameron to find a prime minister who did more to stuff the Lords than Sir Keir.At the last election, Labour presented itself to the voters as a party of Lords reform. The party manifesto promised to remove the remaining hereditary peers, to reform the appointments process, to impose a peers’ retirement age, and to consult on proposals for replacing the Lords with an alternative second chamber. The House of Lords, the manifesto flatly declared, was “too big”....

Politics

11 h. ago Goalkeeper set to face England at World Cup banished by club after manager bust

Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic has been told he will never play for Spanish side Girona again

Society

12 h. ago Axed soap star lands job working as a barber after struggling for acting work

AN axed soap star has landed a job as a barber after struggling to find acting work. Earlier this year, Zachary Sutcliffe starred in Hollyoaks as Bobby Costello, who had escaped from a juvenile detention centre after previously being locked up for murder. However, after just a couple of months on screen, Bobby was murdered...

Politics

12 h. ago Huge Nickelodeon star dead after Alzheimer's battle as tributes paid to 'national treasure'

Jim Ward, who lent his voice to many cartoons and video games in a career that spanned over 30 years, passed away on Wednesday, December 10

Events

12 h. ago Newspaper editor arrested and charged over 'indecent online communications' after house raid

The editor of a leading Scottish newspaper, David McCann, was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court where it is understood he entered no plea on Wednesday November 26

Events