57 m. ago For the age of Amorim, this Manchester derby feels like a decisive moment

Against a backdrop of internal strife, facing their sky blue rivals provides a struggling team with chance to rebuild the brandThis brave overhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, this collection of generic spires with a massive plastic handkerchief chucked over the top. Three weeks on from first sight of the conceptual drawings for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s stately pleasure dome, also known as the proposed Manchester United Stadium Soccer Product Hub, there is still a sense of double-take about the whole thing.Early impressions of the new ground ranged from a defunct Venusian mercury mine, to Dubai Butlin’s, to a pointed corporate monument to our divided world. Welcome to the Staff Lunch Arena, embodiment of the 21st-century conviction that if you just stopped buying so many sandwiches and also fired the tea lady you could probably afford a vast and unattainable house. Continue reading...

Politics

58 m. ago Fabio Wardley to fight controversial drug ban boxer at Premier League ground

Fabio Wardley revealed it's a dream come true for him to fight at the home of his beloved Ipswich Town as he takes on disgraced American Jarrell Miller in a heavyweight clash at Portman Road

Sport

1 hour ago Christian missionary group accused of public shaming and rituals to ‘cure’ sexual sin

Exclusive: young volunteers also allege spiritual abuse and controlling behaviour at bases of Youth With a Mission‘It felt like a demon was inside me’: young Christian missionaries allege spiritual abuseThe world’s biggest youth Christian missionary organisation is facing allegations of spiritual abuse and controlling behaviour from young people who say they were left “traumatised”.An Observer investigation has revealed evidence of safeguarding failings within Youth With a Mission (YWAM), a global movement that trains young Christians to spread the gospel. A spokesperson for YWAM said the organisation was “heartbroken” by the claims and was “deeply committed to the safety and wellbeing” of everyone in its care. Continue reading...

Events

3 h. ago France braced as far right and leftwing parties plan rallies in wake of Le Pen decision

French prime minister calls for rival gatherings to be held in a spirit of ‘calm, mutual respect and responsibility’France’s far right is hoping for a massive public show of support tomorrow in a “people’s protest” against Marine Le Pen being barred from standing for president in 2027.The Rassemblement National (National Rally – RN) party called for a nationwide demonstration under the banner “Save Democracy” after Le Pen was found guilty in a €4m (£3.4m) embezzlement trial. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Gladiators star Fury gives Lionesses prediction for women's rugby – 'it just exploded'

Former Sale Sharks and Exeter winger Jodie Ounsley, now 'Fury' in hit BBC show Gladiators, has backed John Mitchell's England stars to build on their momentum and become household names

Politics

3 h. ago Jaguar Land Rover pauses shipments to US as Trump says impact of tariffs ‘won’t be easy’ – live

Trump’s baseline 10% tariff on all imports from many countries has begun, with higher levies on 57 trading partners to start next weekAmerica’s Brexit? Trump’s historic gamble on tariffs has been decades in the makingIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit the White House on Monday to discuss recently announced tariffs with US president Donald Trump, three Israeli officials said on Saturday, according to Reuters.The impromptu visit was first reported by Axios, which said that if the visit takes place, the Israeli leader would be the first foreign leader to meet Trump in person to try to negotiate a deal to remove tariffs. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Cardiff City player ratings at QPR as defender the standout and sub still has massive part to play

Here is how the Bluebirds players rated in the clash against the Rs

Sport

3 h. ago Reform UK candidate accused late Queen of ‘scrounging’ and called for Royals to be jailed

Exclusive: Reform UK candidate is facing calls to quit

Politics

3 h. ago Now you see it: Eric Kogan’s everyday urban illusions – in pictures

New York-based photographer Eric Kogan uses shadows, reflections and fortuitous timing in order to create optical illusions in his work. “It’s more of a life’s journey than a project,” he says, “but if I had to describe it, it’s all about spotting unusual moments in everyday places.” In his daily walks around the city, he keeps an eye out for interesting juxtapositions or humorous framings: a pigeon balancing on a ghostly tree; a cloud caught in a net; statues miraculously coming to life. “At the root it’s about seeing, but maintaining the right state of mind is also everything. I’m hoping the photos will connect with others, and, with each individual, take on personal narratives.”See more at instagram.com/erickogan Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Dylan Easton wonderstrike sinks Ayr United as Honest Men fall flat in Fife

Ayr were undone by a moment of magic as Easton's second half strike kept Raith's play-off hopes alive.

Events

4 h. ago No forgetting my encounter with two giants of the stage | Tim Lewis

Old pals Ewan McGregor and Michael Grandage prepare for their new play, My Master Builder, by chuckling about everything that could go wrong and hasFor today’s Observer New Review I had the not-exactly-onerous assignment of spending an hour with the actor Ewan McGregor and director Michael Grandage, as they prepared to put on a new play, My Master Builder, in London’s West End. The two men go way back, and mostly they were cracking each other up with knockabout old stories – much of which there wasn’t room for in my article. McGregor recalled one of his first roles on stage, as Orlando in As You Like It, and how when Simon Callow – multiple Olivier and Bafta award winner – played the part in 1979, he walked out on stage at the National Theatre only to promptly forget the first line of the play.“If you’re a woman and you’re about to have a baby, everybody tells you nightmare stories about childbirth,” said McGregor. “And when you’re an actor about to do a play, everybody tells you te...

Politics

4 h. ago Genetic data is an another asset to be exploited – beware who has yours | John Naughton

The bankruptcy of genealogy company 23andMe has resulted in a fire sale of millions of people’s genetic information – and there’s no shortage of eager buyers with questionable motivesEver thought of having your genome sequenced? Me neither. But it seems that at least 15 million souls have gone in for it and are delighted to know that they have Viking ancestry, or discombobulated to find that they have siblings of whom they were hitherto unaware. The corporate vehicle that enabled these revelations is called 23andMe, which describes itself as a “genetics-led consumer healthcare and biotechnology company empowering a healthier future”.Back in the day, 23andMe was one of those vaunted “unicorns” (privately held startups valued at more than $1bn), but is now facing harder times. Its share price had fallen precipitately following a data breach in October 2023 that harvested the profile and ethnicity data of 6.9 million users – including name, profile photo, birth year, location, family s...

Events

5 h. ago ‘A case study in groupthink’: were liberals wrong about the pandemic?

US political scientists’ book argues aggressive Covid policies such as mask mandates were in some cases misguidedWere conservatives right to question Covid lockdowns? Were the liberals who defended them less grounded in science than they believed? And did liberal dismissiveness of the other side come at a cost that Americans will continue to pay for many years?A new book by two political scientists argues yes to all three questions, making the case that the aggressive policies that the US and other countries adopted to fight Covid – including school shutdowns, business closures, mask mandates and social distancing – were in some cases misguided and in many cases deserved more rigorous public debate. Continue reading...

Events

6 h. ago Tom Hanks' daughter Elizabeth alleges horrific abuse from her mother in tell

Elizabeth Ann Hanks has written a book in which she details alleged abuse at the hands of her mother, Susan Dillingham.

Events

6 h. ago Jaguar Land Rover pauses US shipments as Starmer plots course over Trump’s 10% tariff

Prime minister says the UK’s response will be ‘guided by the national interest’

Politics

7 h. ago Tom Hanks' daughter Elizabeth alleges harrowing abuse at the hands of her mum in tell

Tom Hanks daughter Elizabeth Ann Hanks, from his first marriage to Susan Dillingham, has written an explosive tell-all book in which she details alleged abuse at the hands of her mum

Events

7 h. ago British backpacker detained in US says she was ‘naive’ about border crackdown

Rebecca Burke, who was held in a US detention facility for 19 days said she was ‘naive to think that what was going at the border wouldn’t affect me’.

Politics

8 h. ago Mum mortified as she sends professional emails under hilarious name due to kid's prank

A mum was left mortified when her children decided to play a prank on her by messing with her emails - meaning she ended up sending an embarrassing message to their school

Politics

9 h. ago ‘Peering into the eyes of the past’: reconstruction reveals face of woman who lived before Trojan war

Digital technology reveals ‘incredibly modern’ royal who lived 3,500 years ago in kingdom associated with Helen of TroyShe lived 3,500 years ago – but facial reconstruction technology has brought a woman from late bronze age Mycenae back to life.The woman was in her mid-30s when she was buried in a royal cemetery between the 16th and 17th centuries BC. The site was uncovered in the 1950s on the Greek mainland at Mycenae, the legendary seat of Homer’s King Agamemnon. Continue reading...

Society

9 h. ago Sir Elton John opens up about ‘distressing’ sight loss and heartbreak of not seeing his children play

In September, Sir Elton revealed in a social media post that a ‘severe eye infection’ had left him limited vision in one eye.

Politics