13 h. ago From Pope Francis to Charlie Kirk, many deaths in 2025 had a wide impact

The world lost influential people in 2025, and some of their deaths had significant impacts

Events

14 h. ago Pope Leo reverses one of Francis’s final acts amid financial crisis

Francis had long struggled to get the Vatican’s budget under control during his papacy

Events

18 h. ago What I saw reporting on the American lives cut short by killer heat

In this week’s newsletter: Coroners can’t agree on how to count heat fatalities – and the dismantling of climate investments is leaving fragile communities exposed• Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereDonald Trump’s decision to boycott Cop30, withdraw the US from the Paris agreement and illegally terminate a slew of investments in renewable energy will not change the reality of climate breakdown for Americans.In what has become an annual reporting tradition, I found myself in Arizona reporting on heat-related deaths during yet another gruelling heatwave, when temperatures topped 43C (110F) on 13 out of 14 straight days in Phoenix. Before embarking on this trip, I spent weeks combing through hundreds of autopsy reports, which I obtained from two county medical examiners using the Freedom of Information Act. Each death report gave me a glimpse into the person’s life, and I used clues from the case notes to track down friends and loved ones in the hopes of bett...

Events

19 h. ago 60,000 African penguins starve to death after sardine numbers collapse – study

Climate crisis and overfishing contributed to loss of 95% of penguins in two breeding colonies in South Africa, research findsMore than 60,000 penguins in colonies off the coast of South Africa have starved to death as a result of disappearing sardines, a new paper has found.More than 95% of the African penguins in two of the most important breeding colonies, on Dassen Island and Robben Island, died between 2004 and 2012. The breeding penguins probably starved to death during the moulting period, according to the paper, which said the climate crisis and overfishing were driving declines. Continue reading...

Events

19 h. ago 60,000 African penguins starved to death after sardine numbers collapsed – study

Climate crisis and overfishing contributed to loss of 95% of penguins in two breeding colonies in South Africa, research findsMore than 60,000 penguins in colonies off the coast of South Africa have starved to death as a result of disappearing sardines, a new paper has found.More than 95% of the African penguins in two of the most important breeding colonies, on Dassen Island and Robben Island, died between 2004 and 2012. The breeding penguins probably starved to death during the moulting period, according to the paper, which said the climate crisis and overfishing were driving declines. Continue reading...

Events

20 h. ago 'Human Barbie' cause of death announced after 27 operations to look like doll

Brazilian influencer Bárbara Jankavski, known to her followers as Human Barbie, tragically died at the age of 31 in November 2025 and authorities have determined accidental cocaine use as cause of death

Events

31 h. ago Pope Leo dissolves one of Francis’ final acts in major reversal

The Vatican reported its first budget surplus last month after years of deficits

Politics

32 h. ago Pope Leo’s first book unveiled and the title is a nod to a very memorable moment

HarperOne has previously released works by Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis among others

Culture

34 h. ago Vatican commission again says no to ordaining women as deacons, but urges other ministries

A second Vatican study commission has determined that women should not be ordained as deacons

Economics

40 h. ago Erika Kirk still supports Second Amendment despite husband Charlie’s murder: ‘That’s not a gun problem’

Erika Kirk says that she has forgiven her husband’s killer to ensure that she was not ‘bound to evil’

Events

48 h. ago Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 159 as officials order citywide scaffolding net removal

Police say number of dead may still be revised as ‘suspected human bones’ found during search require forensic testingThe death toll in Hong Kong’s apartment complex fire has risen to 159 as officials ordered all scaffolding mesh in the city to be removed by Saturday.The blaze that last week engulfed Wang Fuk Court in the city’s northern Tai Po district has become the world’s deadliest residential building fire since 1980. Continue reading...

Events

48 h. ago Hong Kong warns ‘external forces’ working to exploit apartment fire, as death toll rises to 159

Police say number of dead may still be revised as ‘suspected human bones’ found during search require forensic testingHong Kong and Beijing officials have warned against what they claim are “external forces” threatening to exploit last week’s deadly apartment complex fire for political disruption, as rescuers say at least 159 people have been confirmed dead.The fire at the Wang Fuk Court in northern Hong Kong is the city’s worst disaster in 75 years, and the world’s most fatal residential building fire since 1980. The eight-tower complex – home to nearly 5,000 people – was under extensive renovations that have since been found to contain substandard, flammable materials. Continue reading...

Events

49 h. ago Turning Point breaks silence on Candace Owens's wild Charlie Kirk assassination claims

A top ally of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk has finally responded to claims being made by right-wing podcaster Candace Owens about Kirk's death.

Politics

50 h. ago Bari Weiss to moderate CBS News town hall with Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk

Exclusive: event, scheduled to air on 13 December, will focus on ‘grief, faith, politics, and more’, according to internal filesBari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News, is scheduled to moderate a network town hall event with Erika Kirk, the widow of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Guardian has learned.The event will air on 13 December at 8pm and will focus on “grief, faith, politics, and more”, according to internal marketing materials. Continue reading...

Politics

50 h. ago Turning Point breaks silence on Candace Owens' wild Charlie Kirk assassination claims

A top ally of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk has finally responded to claims being made by right-wing podcaster Candace Owens about Kirk's death.

Politics

51 h. ago Steve Cropper, legendary guitarist for Booker T & the MGs, dies aged 84

Prolific musician was known for work on songs like Green Onions and Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the BaySteve Cropper, the legendary guitarist whose work as an instrumentalist, producer and songwriter at Stax Records left an indelible impression on Memphis soul music, has died at the age of 84.Hs son Cameron confirmed his death to Variety. Continue reading...

Events

60 h. ago Death of Irish mother in ‘free birth’ reveals how poor maternity care is pushing women towards extreme influencers

Women in Ireland and the UK linked to Free Birth Society among scores around world to have suffered loss or serious harm after birthsFull story: How the FBS is linked to baby deaths around the worldOver a weekend in late June 2024, Emilee Saldaya, the leader of the Free Birth Society, hosted a festival on her 21-hectare (53-acre) property in North Carolina. It was a celebratory gathering for FBS, a multimillion-dollar business that promotes a radical approach to giving birth without medical support.Promotional footage from the Matriarch Rising festival shows Saldaya dancing beside her private lake, wearing a crown. That same weekend, more than 3,000 miles away, in Dundalk, a town on the east coast of Ireland, Naomi James, bled to death after freebirthing her son. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 700 as one million evacuated

About 3.2 million people on Sumatra island have been affected, 2,600 have been injured and 504 are missingThe number of people killed by floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island rose to 753 on Tuesday, the disaster agency said, with 504 people missing.The toll was a sharp increase from the 604 dead reported by the agency on Monday. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 700 as 1 million evacuated

About 3.2 million people on Sumatra island have been affected, 2,600 have been injured and 504 are missingThe number of people killed by floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island rose to 708 on Tuesday, the country’s disaster agency said, with 504 people missing.The toll was a sharp increase from the 604 dead reported by the agency on Monday. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 750 as one million evacuated

About 3.2 million people have been affected by the floods, while 2,600 have been injured and 504 people remain missingThe number of people killed by floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island rose to 753 on Tuesday, the disaster agency said, with 504 people missing.The toll was a sharp increase from the 604 dead reported by the agency on Monday. Continue reading...

Events