82 m. ago ‘I’m going to scream!’: how to survive (and maybe even enjoy) your family Christmas

From preparing safe topics to taking silly games, we ask the experts how to avoid falling out with your nearest and dearest – before, during and after the big day• I threw a potato. Mum brandished a knife – would whole-family therapy save our Christmas?Plan breaks in your schedule Spending time with difficult family members requires careful planning, says Katie Rose, a therapist registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the founder of TherapEast. “If you’re going to stay with somebody for three or four days, find ways to politely give yourself a break. Go for lunch with friends who live locally, or book a ticket to a museum or a National Trust place so that you have ways of getting yourself out of the house.” Tamara Hoyton, a senior practitioner for Relate at Family Action, agrees that scheduling breaks is a good strategy. “Arrange a trip out, or offer to cook so that you’re away from the living room where everyone else ...

Events

43 h. ago Trump confirms possibility of war with Venezuela as he declares 'I'm not ruling it out'

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is not ruling out the possibility of a war with Venezuela, telling NBC News 'I don't rule it out, no' when pressed on the matter

Politics

3 d. ago Trump appears to confirm Dan Bongino will step down from FBI role

President told reporters that deputy director ‘did a great job’ and ‘wants to go back to his show’Donald Trump appears to have confirmed reports that the FBI deputy director, Dan Bongino, is planning to step down, telling reporters on Wednesday that “Dan did a great job” and that he thinks Bongino “wants to go back to his show”.The US president made the remarks while answering questions from various reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Donald Trump extends travel ban & restrictions to 20 MORE countries after shooting of National Guard troops

THE White House has announced an expansion of its travel ban, adding 20 more countries and imposing new restrictions on others. The move is part of broader efforts to tighten U.S. travel and immigration standards. On Tuesday, the Trump administration confirmed that the updated restrictions would include 20 additional countries, as well as the Palestinian...

Politics

4 d. ago Susie Wiles confirms Trump is in the Epstein files: They were ‘young, single playboys together’

Wiles also torched Pam Bondi for her handling of the Epstein matter and described JD Vance as a longtime ‘conspiracy theorist’

Politics

6 d. ago US wargames played out scenarios for Maduro’s fall. None of them ended well for Venezuela

Venezuelan politicians battling to end Maduro’s rule reject claims his downfall would thrust their country into maelstrom of bloodshed and retributionNicolás Maduro is chased out of office by a massive popular revolt but the Venezuelan military takes to the streets, turning its guns on the civilians who have brought him down.A palace coup sends Venezuela’s authoritarian leader into exile, sparking a bloody power struggle between members of his disintegrating regime. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Trump sanctions Maduro’s nephews after White House confirms oil tanker crew will be released: Latest

President Donald Trump’s administration ratchets up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro

Events

9 d. ago White House quietly moves to get Senate confirmation for Lindsey Halligan after Trump’s embarrassing legal loss

President’s former personal attorney fumbled major cases against James Comey and Letitia James

Politics

1 week ago Venezuela decries ‘act of piracy’ after US forces seize oil tanker off country’s coast

Footage uploaded to X by US attorney general shows its forces landing on the tanker in major escalation of Trump’s pressure campaignUS politics live – latest updatesUS forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, in a major escalation of Donald Trump’s four-month pressure campaign against the South American country’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, whose government called the seizure “an act of international piracy”.Trump confirmed the operation on Wednesday, saying: “We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela – a large tanker, very large, the largest one ever seized actually.” Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Trump confirms US seized ‘largest tanker ever’ off Venezuela coast amid escalating tensions: Live updates

Trump announced the seized tanker Wednesday, marking the latest move amid growing tensions between the two countries

Events

1 week ago Trump administration confirms it will buy fleet of six Boeing 737 planes to carry out deportations – US politics live

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson says almost $140m contract to buy planes will ‘allow ICE to operate more effectively’House speaker Mike Johnson said today that he has yet to see the video of the boat strike that has been the subject of intense scrutiny and accusations of war crimes.The Republican speaker said he missed the classified briefing with Hegseth and Rubio this week because he was working with House GOP lawmakers on their emerging health care proposals. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump confirms $12bn in assistance for American farmers amid concerns over trade and high prices – live

President says farmers are ‘the backbone of our country’ and says China has committed to buying $40bn in American soybeansIn a statement, Pamela Smith said she was “deeply humbled, grateful and deeply appreciative” of her time in her role, which she described as the “greatest honor” of her career. She gave thanks to the mayor for appointing her in 2023 and supporting her throughout her tenure, which she acknowledged had been both “challenging and rewarding”.Smith adds that “tremendous progress” has been made but the city is not at “zero percent crime” yet.I am confident that the department is in a strong position and that the great work will continue, moving in a positive trajectory to combat crime and enhance public safety. Washington, DC is an extraordinary place to live, visit, and work, and I remain inspired by the resilience and spirit of this community.I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity as Chief of Police. It has been an honor to lead the me...

Economics

1 week ago Donald Trump confirms $12bn in assistance for American farmers – live

President says farmers are ‘the backbone of our country’ and says China has committed to buying $40bn in American soybeansIn a statement, Pamela Smith said she was “deeply humbled, grateful and deeply appreciative” of her time in her role, which she described as the “greatest honor” of her career. She gave thanks to the mayor for appointing her in 2023 and supporting her throughout her tenure, which she acknowledged had been both “challenging and rewarding”.Smith adds that “tremendous progress” has been made but the city is not at “zero percent crime” yet.I am confident that the department is in a strong position and that the great work will continue, moving in a positive trajectory to combat crime and enhance public safety. Washington, DC is an extraordinary place to live, visit, and work, and I remain inspired by the resilience and spirit of this community.I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity as Chief of Police. It has been an honor to lead the me...

Politics

1 week ago Trump’s new doctrine confirms it. Ready or not, Europe is on its own | Georg Riekeles and Varg Folkman

We can move from defensive crouch to position of strength but only if we use the economic cards we have against US coercionEurope is on a trajectory towards nothing less than “civilisational erasure”, the Trump administration claims in its extraordinary new National Security Strategy, a document that blames European integration and “activities of the European Union that undermine political liberty and sovereignty” for some of the continent’s deepest problems.Everybody should have seen it coming after Washington’s humiliating 28-point plan for Ukraine. JD Vance’s shocking Munich speech in February, in which he suggested that Europe’s democracies were not worth defending was an early red flag. But the new words still land as a shock. The security document is the clearest signal yet of how brutally and transactionally Washington wants to engage with the continent. It marks another phase in Trump’s attempt to reshape Europe in his ideological image while at the same time abandoning it m...

Politics

2 w. ago Desperate family's 'world has crumbled' in bid to raise £500k to save daughter's life

Sophia Wilson from Sauchen, Aberdeenshire, is battling aggressive Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and urgently needs a specialised treatment in the US.

Economics

2 w. ago Homeland security head reveals plans to widen US travel ban to more than 30 countries

Kristi Noem said the list of countries from which travel to the US is prohibited will increase to an unspecified numberUS politics live – latest updatesThe US plans to expand the number of countries covered by its travel ban to more than 30, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem, has announced.Noem, in an interview on Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle on Thursday evening, was asked to confirm whether the Trump administration would be increasing the number of countries on the travel ban list to 32. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Family of boy, five, who died at school criticise coroner's report

Benedict's family wants a new law to protect children and save lives in the future

Events

2 w. ago Logan Paul confirms Donald Trump talks over appearance at John Cena's WWE farewell

With John Cena closing his WWE career in Washington this month, there has been speculation the US President and Hall of Famer Donald Trump could be part of the celebrations

Politics

2 w. ago Donald Trump MRI shows 'no evidence' of abnormality, White House confirms

The White House has released a statement regarding Donald Trump's health, following an MRI scan and comprehensive physical examination.

Politics

2 w. ago How Prince William's 'ordinary Joe' persona is trying to save the monarchy

The veteran broadcaster, 87, believes the future king and his wife are working hard to halt the fall in popularity of the monarchy by appealing to young people who view it as old fashioned.

Politics