82 m. ago State of play: who holds the power in the video games industry in 2025?

This year has brought us many brilliant video games – but as wealth continues to concentrate, and games are used to exert economic and political influence, we need to keep an eye on the top playersI love playing video games, but what interests me most as a journalist are the ways in which games intersect with real life. One of the joys of spending 20 years on this beat has been meeting hundreds of people whose lives have been meaningfully enhanced by games, and as their cultural influence has grown, these stories have become more and more plentiful.There is another side to this, however. A couple of decades ago, video games were mostly either ignored or vilified by governments and mainstream culture, leading to an underdog mentality that has persisted even as games have become a nearly $200bn industry. As their popularity has grown, so have their political and cultural relevance. And the ways in which games intersect with real life are now coloured by the economic and political real...

Politics

2 h. ago Moment Bondi Beach gunmen seen 'training' in chilling CCTV footage and video manifesto

Chilling new images show the Bondi Beach gunmen loading their car with weapons just hours before their ISIS-inspired massacre, as chilling CCTV shows Sajid Akram and son Naveed in action

Culture

2 h. ago Don't call immigration a threat, says new equalities watchdog

Mary-Ann Stephenson hit out at the 'demonisation of migrants' and people 'creating this idea' that the level of arrivals was a problem.

Events

2 h. ago Inside the dramatic decline of Salt Bae and what viral star is up to now

At the peak of his fame, Salt Bae (known as Nusret Gökçe) was inescapable, with a 2017 viral video showing the Turkish butcher sprinkling salt on steak turning him overnight into a global celebrity, drawing stars to his pricey Nusr-Et steakhouses

Events

2 h. ago Kelly Osbourne’s son Sidney walks out as mascot at Aston Villa in honour of grandfather Ozzy

Kelly Osbourne's son walked out at as a mascot at Villa Park, the home of his late grandfather Ozzy's beloved Aston Villa.

Politics

2 h. ago ‘I can’t forget the horror’: a young mother on giving birth twice during the Gaza war

Hadeel Al Gherbawi survived her two pregnancies despite extreme hunger and painChildbirth under attack: how women and babies became targets in conflicts around the worldHadeel Al Gherbawi was seven months pregnant when the war started in October 2023. Up until that point the 26-year-old had meticulously prepared for her son’s arrival. She visited her doctor twice a month because the pregnancy was high risk, had regular ultrasounds and took vitamins. “I love the details,” she says.Living on the east side of Gaza City, close to the border with Israel, and knowing that being pregnant would make moving fast difficult, she decided to go to her parents in the west of Gaza City that first day. “I thought it was just going to be a few days and I would go back.” Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Stephen Fry pokes fun at Prince William’s Aston Villa during Royal Variety Show appearance

Sir Stephen Fry poked fun at Prince William's Aston Villa at the Royal Variety Performance.

Politics

2 h. ago UK leaving European convention on human rights would be a mistake, equalities chief warns

Mary-Ann Stephenson defends convention as ‘really important’ and warns against demonisation of migrantsTaking the UK out of a European human rights treaty to quell rightwing anger over immigration would be a mistake, the new chair of Britain’s equalities watchdog has said, as she warned against the demonisation of people who migrate to the UK.Mary-Ann Stephenson, who became head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in December, said the European convention on human rights was part of a framework that provides rights most people would agree were fundamental. But she said the tone of public conversation on it was often dangerous. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Nicki Minaj voices ‘respect and admiration’ for Donald Trump in surprise Turning Point USA appearance

Nicki Minaj made a surprise appearance at Turning Point USA, where she praised Donald Trump for “beating the bad guys”.

Politics

3 h. ago Bondi Beach attack suspect 'recorded motivation video,' police claim

Accused gunman Naveed Akram allegedly recorded video with father outlining justification for attack on Jewish celebration that killed 15 people, court documents reveal

Events

4 h. ago Childbirth under attack: how women and babies became targets in conflicts around the world

Guardian investigation reveals at least 119 direct attacks on hospitals and delivery wards since start of wars in Ukraine, Gaza and SudanThirty women were sheltering in the Saudi maternity hospital in El Fasher, Sudan, on 28 October when the massacre began. Some had just given birth and others were still in labour.Working at the hospital that night, lab technician Abdo-Rabo Ahmed, 28, was one of the few known survivors. “I heard the voices of women and children screaming,” he says. “They were killing everybody inside the hospital. Those of us who were able to run, did.” Continue reading...

Events

4 h. ago Woman shares her 'genius' Christmas wrapping hack — and it can be done sat on the sofa

Saskia Manning-Bewley shared her tip, which has been hailed as a "game changer", in a video filmed at her home in Bristol ahead of the Christmas period this week

Politics

6 h. ago Why Martin Lewis warns against 'demon appliance' amid rising energy bills

Martin Lewis has some big news for fans - and it's not just one demon appliance you need to be wary of

Events

6 h. ago Member of 'worst gang in world' who Trump called 'sick and deranged' handed 1,300

A member of the notorious MS-13 gang member has been handed a huge sentence of more than 1,300 years for murders, extortion and other crimes - and he's not the only one facing long jail time

Politics

7 h. ago Police allege Bondi shooters had ‘tennis ball bomb’ and made IS

Documents released Monday outline allegations against Naveed Akram and his father Sajid over the 14 December attackNew details about the police case against the alleged Bondi terrorists have been released, including details of an alleged video manifesto linked to the Islamic State and the undetonated explosives – including a “tennis ball bomb” – found at the scene.Naveed Akram, 24, faces charges of murdering 15 people and injuring dozens more in the shooting at a Hanukah celebration on 14 December. His 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, 50, is the second alleged shooter and died at the scene. Continue reading...

Events

9 h. ago Can YOU tell which of these people are sick? Take the test to see if you can detect subtle signs of illness in faces

At this time of year we're all trying to avoid falling sick - but are you able to detect the subtle signs that someone is ill?

Politics

10 h. ago Winter Wonderland brawl breaks out in front of stunned guests in nightmare before Christmas

A viral TikTok video showed the moment multiple fights broke out inside the beer hall at London's Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, with the scenes witnessed by horrified guests at the annual Christmas event

Politics

11 h. ago New equalities boss warns against ‘demonisation’ of migrants in UK

Mary-Ann Stephenson also says it would be a ‘mistake’ to leave European Convention on Human Rights

Events

11 h. ago Major warning over 'demonisation of migrants' including harm to British people

Mary-Ann Stephenson, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, warned the language around migration harms not only migrants but also ethnic minority British people

Events

12 h. ago Video shows terrifying moment shoplifting suspect pulls a gun on Ohio cop

A Walmart employee intervened, ultimately disarming the 21-year-old

Events