'World's most expensive banana' fetches $US5.2m at auction

Russia-Ukraine war live: Moscow launches ‘massive strike’ on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

Explosions heard in Odesa, Kropynytskyi, Kharkiv, Rivne and Lutsk as Russia targets power gridReuters has a quick snap that there are power cuts in Ukraine’s southern region of Mykolaiv as a result of Russia’s missile attack. It cited regional governor Vitaliy Kim.Zhitomir and Chernihiv region have ended their air alarms in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 07:25:41

Iran says it could end ban on possessing nuclear weapons if sanctions reimposed

Comments made after nuclear inspectorate board passed motion censuring Iran for building uranium stockpileThe nuclear debate inside Iran is likely to shift towards the possession of its own weapons if the west goes ahead with a threat to reimpose all UN sanctions, the country’s foreign minister has said.Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in an interview that Iran already had the capability and knowledge to create nuclear weapons, but said they did not form part of its security strategy. He also said Tehran was prepared to keep supplying arms to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:35

Four killed and flights cancelled as heavy snowfall blankets Seoul

South Korea’s capital has been hit by some of the heaviest snowfall in a century, with dangerous conditions wreaking havoc on transportSouth Korea grappled with heavy snowfall for a second day on Thursday, with dozens of flights cancelled, ferry operations suspended and at least four people reported dead in a bitter winter, though conditions showed signs of easing.Thursday’s snowfall was the third-heaviest in capital Seoul since records began in 1907, the Yonhap news agency said, citing city data. The previous day broke all snowfall records for November. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 04:50:19

Doctors hail first breakthrough in asthma and COPD treatment in 50 years

Results of trial of benralizumab injection could be ‘gamechanger’ for millions of people around the worldDoctors are hailing a new way to treat serious asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease attacks that marks the first breakthrough for 50 years and could be a “gamechanger” for patients.A trial found offering patients an injection was more effective than the current care of steroid tablets, and cuts the need for further treatment by 30%. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 23:30:26

Thousands return to southern Lebanon amid uneasy ceasefire

Displaced people make their way home despite volatile situation and warnings from Israeli militaryMiddle East crisis – live updatesThousands of people displaced from war-torn southern Lebanon have begun returning home after a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday, amid fears on both sides of the border about whether the truce would hold.Israel heavily bombed the capital, Beirut, and the south of the country throughout Tuesday, killing 42 people, until the truce began at 4am local time, while Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel, triggering air raid sirens. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 22:06:04

Colombia-led operation seizes world record 225 tonnes of cocaine, and uncovers new Australia trafficking route

Operation Orion, a cooperative operation between 62 countries, finds some of the record haul on a new drug route being used by a ‘narco submarine’Colombian authorities working with dozens of other countries have seized 225 tonnes of cocaine in the space of six weeks, a global record for any single anti-narcotics operation, finding some of that haul on a “narco submarine” travelling on a new drug trafficking route to Australia.In the six-week Operation Orion, law enforcement agencies and other organisations from 62 countries halted six semi-submersible vessels stuffed with cocaine and confiscated 1,400 tonnes of drugs in total, including more than 1,000 tonnes of marijuana. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 23:30:52

Trump and Mexican president offer differing accounts of migration talks amid tariff threats

Incoming US president claims Sheinbaum ‘agreed to stop migration’, but Mexican leader says country will not close bordersUS president-elect Donald Trump declared a win on stopping illegal immigration through Mexico on Wednesday after talking with Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum. But Sheinbaum suggested Mexico was already doing its part and would not close its borders.The two spoke just days after Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Canada and Mexico as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 04:38:12

Bombshell police report details alleged Bolsonaro plot to stage rightwing coup

Former president accused of leading role in apparent scheme to overturn 2022 election defeat by rival LulaBrazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has moved a step closer to jail after a federal police investigation laid bare what it called a murderous authoritarian plot to explode the country’s democratic system with a military coup that the far-right populist allegedly helped mastermind.Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied involvement in an attempt to overturn the result of the 2022 presidential election, which he narrowly lost to his leftwing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 19:57:40

UK government failing to list use of AI on mandatory register

Technology secretary admits Whitehall departments are not being transparent over way they use AI and algorithmsNot a single Whitehall department has registered the use of artificial intelligence systems since the government said it would become mandatory, prompting warnings that the public sector is “flying blind” about the deployment of algorithmic technology affecting millions of lives.AI is already being used by government to inform decisions on everything from benefit payments to immigration enforcement, and records show public bodies have awarded dozens of contracts for AI and algorithmic services. A contract for facial recognition software, worth up to £20m, was put up for grabs last week by a police procurement body set up by the Home Office, reigniting concerns about “mass biometric surveillance”.The Department for Work and Pensions has been using generative AI to read more than 20,000 documents a day to “understand and summarise correspondence” after which the full information is then shared with officials for decision-making. It has automated systems for detecting fraud and error in universal credit claims, and AI assists agents working on personal independence payment claims by summarising evidence. This autumn, DWP started deploying basic AI tools in jobcentres, allowing work coaches to ask questions about universal credit guidance in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of conversations with jobseekers.The Home Office deploys an AI-powered immigration enforcement system, which critics call a “robo-caseworker”. An algorithm is involved in shaping decisions, including returning people to their home countries. The government describes it as a “rules-based” rather than AI system, as it does not involve machine-learning from data. It says it brings efficiencies by prioritising work, but that a human remains responsible for each decision. The system is being used amid a rising caseload of asylum seekers who are subject to removal action, now at about 41,000 people.Several police forces use facial recognition software to track down suspected criminals with the help of artificial intelligence. These have included the Metropolitan police, South Wales police and Essex police. Critics have warned that such software “will transform the streets of Britain into hi-tech police line-ups”, but supporters say it catches criminal suspects and the data of innocent passersby is not stored.NHS England has a £330m contract with Palantir to create a huge new data platform. The deal with the US company that builds AI-enabled digital infrastructure and is led by Donald Trump backer Peter Thiel has sparked concerns about patient privacy, although Palantir says its customers retain full control of the data.An AI chatbot is being trialled to help people navigate the sprawling gov.uk government website. It has been built by the government’s digital service using OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology. Redbox, another AI chatbot for use by civil servants in Downing Street and other government departments, has also been deployed to allow officials to quickly delve into secure government papers and get rapid summaries and tailored briefings. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 06:00:35

Democrats criticize Harris for ‘self-congratulatory’ review of election loss

Top campaign staff also under fire for saying party has to ‘dominate the moderate’ in Pod Save America appearanceUS politics – live updatesSome Democratic figures have accused Kamala Harris’s campaign of being self-congratulatory after a series of recent public appearances from the candidate and her senior staff in which they declined to admit making any errors that could have contributed to her defeat.Some of the criticism was aimed at Harris herself, following a video call to thank campaign donors in which the vice-president expressed pride in her failed race for the White House. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 19:42:21

Sinn Féin optimistic but breakthrough unlikely in Irish election

Mary Lou McDonald’s party has risen to second place in the polls but analysts say the chances of victory are slimSinn Féin, the former political wing of the IRA, is hoping to stage a last-minute revival in the Irish general election after polls put it ahead of the party led by the taoiseach, Simon Harris.Ahead of Friday’s election, the party leader, Mary Lou McDonald, has said she sees a path to victory, after polls this week showed Harris’s centre-right Fine Gael dropping from first to third place and the progressive, populist, leftwing Sinn Féin moving into second behind Fine Gael’s government coalition partner, Fianna Fáil. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:36

‘It’s a sleepy little place’: disbelief in north Wales after dramatic arrest of US terror suspect

Daniel Andreas San Diego had been a fugitive from the FBI for two decades before he was found in Maenan villageMaenan, in north Wales, is not a place where very much happens. But earlier this week armed police descended on this tiny settlement, leaving neighbours in “disbelief”.They learned that a man they had sometimes seen near his home on the outskirts of the woods was in fact one of the FBI’s most wanted men. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 21:11:44

What are tariffs and why is Trump levying them on Canada, Mexico and China?

Trump is now laying ground for a trade war with the country’s largest trading partnersTrump’s tariff threat sets stage for bitter global trade warThere are still more than 50 days left until Donald Trump takes office, but he has already laid the ground for a trade war that could shake the global economy.Trump announced on Monday that he will sign an executive order placing a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10% tariff on imports from China, in purported retaliation for drugs and migrants crossing US borders. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 09:00:01

The great abandonment: what happens to the natural world when people disappear?

Across the globe, vast swathes of land are being left to be reclaimed by nature. To see what could be coming, look to BulgariaAbandonment, when it came, crept in from the outskirts. Homes at the edge of town were first to go, then the peripheral grocery stores. It moved inward, slow but inexorable. The petrol station closed, and creeper vines climbed the pumps, amassing on the roof until it buckled under the strain. It swallowed the outer bus shelters, the pharmacies, the cinema, the cafe. The school shut down.Today, one of the last institutions sustaining human occupation in Tyurkmen, a village in central Bulgaria, is the post office. Dimitrinka Dimcheva, a 56-year-old post officer, still keeps it open two days a week, bringing in packages of goods that local shops no longer exist to sell. Once a thriving town of more than 1,200, Tyurkmen is now home to fewer than 200 people. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:36

‘By 8pm it is time to head home’: whatever happened to the big night out?

This week, the chief executive of a major bar group suggested 3pm is the new 9pm. Why have we stopped drinking and dancing the night away on a Friday and Saturday night?The atmosphere in the club is friendly, people generally aren’t drunk, and since it’s dark inside, it could just as well be 4am instead of 4pm. Welcome to the daytime rave, where you can dance, meet people and still be curled up on the sofa afterwards in time for Newsnight. It’s a home from home for Joyce Harper, who says she has been “a big clubber my whole life. In the 1990s, I used to go religiously twice a month and we’d stay up all night. We were knocked out for days and always felt terrible. I realised, as I’ve got older and wiser, the importance of sleep.”Last week she was at a day rave at the London club Fabric, and the week before that at Ministry of Sound. “I am aiming to do two a month at the moment,” says Harper, who is professor of reproductive science at University College London, as well as a podcaster and author. She’s 61 but, she adds, “For any age, staying up all night has so many disadvantages – obviously all the effects on sleep, but also things like getting home, having to wait for the first train.” Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:33

‘We’ve heard these promises before’: is this the end of the line for Irish fishing?

Devastated by quota changes post-Brexit, fishers are pinning all their hopes on Ireland’s politicians as they head into a general electionWords and pictures by Finbarr O’ReillyGale force winds gusting across the North Atlantic Ocean kicked up thick spumes of spray from the heaving swell soon after the Ocean Crest and Carmona trawlers left the main Irish fishing port of Killybegs in County Donegal. No other boats were fishing in the area when the storm swept over Ireland’s north-west coast. This was February, and the window for catching migrating mackerel was quickly closing but the two trawlers had yet to fill their quotas.“This weather is about the limit of what we can fish in,” said skipper Gerard Sheehy as the nose of the Ocean Crest plunged into the trough of a swell, sending a wall of white water crashing over the hull and wheelhouse windows, momentarily obscuring the view before the vessel tilted back upwards into an oncoming wave.Skipper Gerard Sheehy (centre) with his crew aboard the Ocean Crest in February Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:37

‘Kids were second to their drinking and partying’: Stephen Bogart, son of Bogie and Bacall, on his screen icon parents

What’s it like to grow up the son of Hollywood legends? Stephen Bogart, whose parents left him for six months even after his nanny dropped dead, reveals how he finally shook off the pastIn the spring of 1951, Humphrey Bogart flew across the Atlantic to make The African Queen, John Huston’s classic Technicolor yarn about an odd couple on a boat. He took his wife, Lauren Bacall. He took his whisky and his cigarettes. But he left his two-year-old son in the care of the nanny, reasoning that the jungle was dangerous and that he’d only be gone for six months. Bogart and Bacall waved goodbye from the airport gangplank. The kid waved back from the employee’s arms. And it was at this moment, as the plane left the runway, that the nanny had a brain haemorrhage and dropped dead on the tarmac.Stephen Bogart takes up the tale. His parents’ plane lands. Bacall hears the news. Mrs Hartley just died: her son’s effectively on his own. “So what does she do? She thinks, ‘Do I go to Africa with Bogie and Huston and [Katharine] Hepburn and have a lot of fun? Or do I go home and take care of the kid?’” After hasty consideration, she plumped for the first option, palming the boy off on his grandparents instead. He says: “Now I don’t blame my mother for doing what she did. But I’m not sure that I would have made the same choice.” Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 16:11:08

Samuel Beckett smoking a French cigarette: John Haynes’s best photograph

‘One day, I was summoned to a pub near the Royal Court theatre where Samuel Beckett was looking at my work. “These are wonderful pictures,” he said’I knew Samuel Beckett’s reputation. He didn’t like photographers. He didn’t want them around really. It’s hard to believe I took so many photographs of him. During the 1970s, I photographed him and his rehearsals at the Royal Court theatre in London, and eventually did a book with his biographer James Knowlson called Images of Beckett. In 2015 my photographs of him and his plays were projected on to the chapel of King’s College Cambridge as part of its 500th anniversary celebrations. It’s been a long, unexpected association.I remember taking Beckett’s portrait in 1973. I was absolutely petrified of the man. It was just me and him on the Royal Court stage, completely empty apart from the one chair he was sitting on. It was like being in one of his own plays. He was wearing sunglasses. Everything was black right down to the fur collar of his coat, except for the light on his lap. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 15:39:22

Devon sent: a short, epic train ride into the wintry wonders of the Exe estuary

The spectacular estuary is a haven for thousands of migrant birds each winter, and perfect to explore on foot and by boatThe Christmas market doesn’t know what’s hit it. At 8.30 on a mid-November morning Exeter is a whirl of white, a city half-blinded by tumbling flakes. Four market workers, caught out by this overly authentic addition to the festive decor, are busy shovelling the ground in front of the bao stalls and craft gin chalets. Above them, the cathedral’s medieval towers stand tall and cold in the heaven-filling flurry. Winter has arrived in Devon with bells on.I’m here to catch a train to see some birdlife. A breakfast blizzard wasn’t part of the plan, but sometimes these things don’t go as expected. The city’s Queen Street has turned into a real-life snow globe – Narnia with sandwich shops – yet the little two-carriage train I’m catching trundles into Exeter Central bang on time. I find a window seat and settle in. Snowy rooftops roll by. Somewhere, an estuary lies in wait. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 07:00:37

All That Matters by Chris Hoy review – a champion’s shattering diagnosis

The Olympic medal-winner describes his treatment for cancer and reflects on lessons learned through sportIn a state of shock, Hoy – who is now 48 – went home with his wife, Sarra, to digest their new reality. The couple have two young children so, until they knew the treatment plan, they decided to keep the news to themselves aside from close friends and family. Hoy continued with his usual work commitments: talks, sports punditry and a weekly podcast. A few weeks later, he would begin a course of chemotherapy in a bid to stop the cancer spreading further.It is hard to fathom, given all that has happened, quite how Hoy found the time and wherewithal to record his experiences in a memoir, written with the journalist Matt Majendie. While the process may have been cathartic, there is clearly more to it than that. There is a thread of gratitude in the book that runs far deeper than performative celebrity humility. All That Matters is, above all, Hoy’s love letter to his family and a keepsake for his children, who are too young to fully comprehend what is happening but will likely have questions further down the line. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 07:30:36

Biden administration claims win with Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire – but will it hold?

Peace is shaky at best, as Israel will still strike targets in Lebanon and a power transition looms in the USThe Biden administration has claimed the long-awaited ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel as a diplomatic triumph achieved under tremendous pressure during a lame-duck period with a hostile Donald Trump administration waiting in the wings.Speaking from a lectern in the Rose Garden of the White House, Joe Biden called the result “historic” and said that it “reminds us that peace is possible”. It would return civilians to their homes, he said, and had “determined this conflict will not be just another cycle of violence”. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 19:39:45

This society lauded a police officer who lied and cheated and ruined lives. At last, a reckoning | George Monbiot

As a ‘spy cop’, Bob Lambert betrayed a string of innocent women. The official inquiry must ask harsh questions of him – and the stateIt’s the testimony we’ve long been waiting for. On Monday, at the undercover policing inquiry, the man whose cruel and disgusting deceptions have come to epitomise the “spy cops” scandal will be questioned. Many of us are hoping for answers, not least because his story suggests a closing of ranks across the British establishment. Even if you think you’ve heard it all, some of the details in this column will take your breath away.Bob Lambert worked for the Metropolitan police’s Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) in the 1980s and 1990s, first as an undercover cop infiltrating environmental and animal rights protests, then as operational controller of the squad, supervising other spy cops doing similar work. In the course of his undercover assignments, while posing as a radical activist called Bob Robinson, he deceived four unsuspecting women, innocent of any crime, into starting relationships. He stole his identity from a dead child.George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 06:00:36

Who will be Ireland’s next taoiseach? With only one day to go, it’s still wide open | Justine McCarthy

With a housing emergency and the cost of living weighing heavily on voters’ minds, anything could happen at the polls on FridayIn Easter, 1916, his epic poem about the failed Dublin rebellion that eventually led to Irish independence, William Butler Yeats declared: “A terrible beauty is born.” The same might be said about the marriage of convenience between Ireland’s old civil war enemies, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, as they attempt to recreate their history-making coalition government.The two parties are now in power alongside the Greens, but this time round their mission is to stop the main opposition, Sinn Féin, entering government as part of a three-way coalition in the Republic after Friday’s general election. Instead, their preference would be to coalesce with Labour, because of voter resistance to climate-change measures.Justine McCarthy is an Irish journalist and the author of An Eye on Ireland: Writings from a Changing Nation Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 07:00:35

The message to Democrats is clear: you must dump neoliberal economics | Joseph Stiglitz

The party must return to its progressive roots. A new economy is needed with new rules and new rolesAs the shock of Donald Trump’s victory sinks in, pundits and politicians are mulling what it means for the future of the US and global politics. Understanding why such a divisive, unqualified figure won again is crucial for the Democrats. Did they go too far left and lose the moderate Americans who make up a majority? Or did centrist neoliberalism – pursued by Democratic presidents since Bill Clinton – fail to deliver, thus creating a demand for change?To me, the answer is clear: 40 years of neoliberalism have left the US with unprecedented inequality, stagnation in the middle of the income spectrum (and worse for those below), and declining average life expectancy (highlighted by mounting “deaths of despair”). The American Dream is being killed, and although President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris distanced themselves from neoliberalism with their embrace of industrial policies, as representatives of the mainstream establishment, they remained associated with its legacy. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 06:00:36

How are the liberal elite dealing with a Trump victory? They’re flocking to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring | Emma Brockes

Under the auspices of holding the president elect to account, there’s the usual sucking up to power and moneyI have spent most of the last week on Zoom calls with accountants in New York, trying to figure out the personal finance implications of moving to the UK – lugging dual citizenship behind me. (Short version: they’re not good.) Since these conversations deal with economic outcomes it has felt, as a matter of form, necessary to mention that given the US just elected a maniac, at some level – don’t we think? – all bets are off. Joking not-joking: we can talk about pensions or college savings until the cows come home but really, why aren’t we screaming? A remark that has elicited, to a man, either blank looks or cheerful entreaties not to be so alarmist.It is three weeks since the presidential election and, crazy cabinet picks aside, Americans are in that strange interim period where normality resumes, and it is possible to convince ourselves that actually this might not be so bad. The markets are holding steady, helped by a sensible pick for treasury secretary (unlike other Trump cabinet picks, Scott Bessent, a billionaire hedge fund manager, has – so far as we know – never been accused of sexual assault, had a white nationalist tattoo, or taken part in an exhibition wrestling match). Trump’s threats to tear up the script on tariffs and immigration on day one are unnerving, but his follow-through skills can be weak. Technically, he’s a lame duck president. And so on. Meanwhile, real life continues.Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 16:21:08

The ceasefire in Lebanon doesn’t ensure a lasting victory for Israel, but does signal a strategic setback for Iran | Bilal Saab

Hezbollah is still armed and has the potential to attack Israel. But more significantly it has in effect abandoned HamasNow that the dust has settled, quite literally, following the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, it is crucial to ask whether this deal will last – because, let’s face it, we’ve been here before.In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel fought viciously for more than a month for reasons not dissimilar to today’s context. By conducting a cross-border raid against Israeli troops, Hezbollah sought to alleviate some pressure on Hamas, which was battling with Israel in Gaza. The operation backfired, triggering a devastating conflict that led to the killing of roughly 1,100 Lebanese and 160 Israelis, and to massive displacement and damage to infrastructure in southern Lebanon. At home, Hezbollah was heavily criticised by most of Lebanese society for its unilateral decision, but, as always, it evaded accountability thanks to its guns.Bilal Y Saab, an associate fellow with Chatham House, is the head of the US-Middle East practice of Trends Research & AdvisoryDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 09:41:15

Ben Jennings on the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah – cartoon

Published: 2024-11-27 17:28:37

Slot praises Liverpool academy talents for their role in ‘special’ Real Madrid win

Kelleher, Jones and Bradley ‘outstanding’, says manager‘It is a fair result,’ says Real manager Carlo AncelottiArne Slot hailed a statement Liverpool win against the team that have tormented them in the Champions League and said the basis for it came from the club’s academy players. The manager watched Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo score the goals in a 2-0 win against Real Madrid, which moved Liverpool back to the top of the table with a blemish-free record after five games.It was the goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, the right-back Conor Bradley and the midfielder Curtis Jones who stood out as Liverpool finally got a result against the 15-time European champions. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 00:18:26

Bashir strikes late to keep sluggish England in hunt against New Zealand

New Zealand 319-8 after being put in to start first TestKane Williamson falls just short of ton on return to sideThe night before this series opener saw a reunion for the New Zealand side that first beat England back in 1978, with David Gower, though not in that touring team, providing an English voice on the panel. When Geoffrey Boycott’s seven-hour 70 came up, Gower joked that it was “seriously fucking rapid” by his old mucker’s standards – before apologising for his use of the word rapid.What followed from England on the opening day at Hagley Oval was not exactly breakneck either; Ben Stokes winning the toss, electing to bowl, and his side labouring through just 83 overs. And yet the cricket was still hugely engrossing for the 8,000 or so lucky souls who lined the grass banks of this gorgeous boutique venue. By stumps, with Kane Williamson top scoring on 93 and showing those hands are no less Oil-of-Olay-soft for missing the 3-0 series win in India, the hosts finished with 319 for eight and honours felt even. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 06:12:29

Aston Villa rue ‘soft’ decision as Rogers denied late winner against Juventus

The initial three minutes of stoppage time in the second half had been and gone when Morgan Rogers thought he had snatched Aston Villa another famous against a European superpower with surely the final kick.Teun Koopmeiners conceded a cheap foul on halfway, providing Youri Tielemans with one last chance to pump the ball into the box. Diego Carlos rose to challenge the Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in pursuit of the high ball, but it skidded between his gloves and ran free at the back post, allowing Rogers to hook into an empty net. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 22:15:08

Rodri aiming to defy odds and make his Manchester City comeback this season

City said Spaniard would not play again this campaignIt would be ‘positive not to give up the season’Rodri is targeting a comeback this season despite the Manchester City midfielder having previously been ruled out until next year due to a serious knee injury.The Spaniard suffered ACL ligament damage in September’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. After undergoing surgery City announced he would not be available until next season. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 02:00:29

Champions League roundup: PSV’s dramatic late comeback stuns Shakhtar

Dutch side win 3-2 from 2-0 down after 87 minutesMonaco 2-3 Benfica, Red Star Belgrade 5-1 StuttgartPSV staged a dramatic Champions League comeback against 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk in Eindhoven, winning 3-2 from two goals down in the 87th minute.The visitors went in front after just eight minutes from a quick breakaway, with Yukhym Konoplia setting up Danylo Sikan, whose shot squeezed beyond PSV keeper Walter Benítez. Oleksandr Zubkov doubled Shakhtar’s lead with a superb curling finish in the 37th minute, putting the Ukrainians in control of the match. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 23:47:55

Ruud van Nistelrooy set to succeed Steve Cooper as Leicester manager

Cooper sacked last Sunday after defeat by ChelseaLeicester are 16th in table, one point above drop zoneRuud van Nistelrooy is poised to become the new Leicester City manager, making an almost immediate return to the Premier League after leaving Manchester United.Van Nistelrooy, a United hero, is expected to succeed Steve Cooper, who was sacked last Sunday. His last game was a home defeat against his predecessor, Enzo Maresca, now in charge of the high-flying Chelsea. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 20:41:18

Two companies drop Conor McGregor after jury rules against him in rape case

Company behind Proper No 12 whiskey drops MMA starWoman won claim against him for damages in rape caseTwo companies have cut ties with Conor McGregor after a civil court jury in Ireland ruled last week that he must pay nearly €250,000 ($257,000) to a woman who accused the mixed martial arts fighter of raping her.Proximo Spirits, the owner of Irish whiskey brand Proper No 12, will no longer feature McGregor’s name or image on the drink. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 00:11:46

Danni Wyatt-Hodge sets England run landmark in T20 win over South Africa

2nd T2o: England, 204-4, bt South Africa, 168-6, by 36 runsWyatt-Hodge first English woman to 3,000 T20I runsDanni Wyatt-Hodge celebrated becoming the first English woman to bring up 3,000 runs in T20 internationals with a blistering 78 from 45 balls, while Nat Sciver-Brunt brought up a third consecutive half-century, as England sealed the T20 series with a 36-run win.England amassed a mammoth 204-run total against October’s World Cup finalists – just the fourth time they have surpassed 200 in the format – and the series win will go some way to restoring confidence among a group of players who were bruised by the vocal criticism of their own premature World Cup exit. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 19:44:25

Climate denial a unifying theme of Trump’s cabinet picks, experts say

Loyalists selected for important roles have offered staunch support to fossil fuels and downplayed climate crisisDonald Trump’s cabinet picks have been eclectic and often controversial but a unifying theme is emerging, experts say, with the US president-elect’s nominees offering staunch support to fossil fuels and either downplaying or denying the climate crisis caused by the burning of these fuels.Trump ran on promises to eviscerate “green new scam” climate policies and to “drill, baby, drill” for more oil and gas, and his choices to run the major organs of the US government echo such sentiments, particularly his picks relating to the environment, with Lee Zeldin chosen as the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Chris Wright as energy secretary and Doug Burgum as interior secretary. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 11:00:05

Backroom deals and betrayal: how Cop29’s late $300bn deal left nobody happy

While an agreement on climate finance was eventually reached in Baku, many poorer countries were outragedThe Lamborghini showroom and a Tiffany branch sit at either end of Baku’s long boulevards beside the Caspian Sea. Adorned with grand 19th-century mansions, all plaster nymphs and columned facades, that were built by the first oil millionaires, they are a testament to the enduring power of fossil fuels. Oil has been very good to Azerbaijan.It flows out of the ground here, and gas has seeped out, ignited and burned naturally in the area for so long that the country’s symbol is a flame and its nickname is the Land of Fire. Baku was the world’s first oil town, with wells exploited as early as the 1840s. Ilham Aliyev, the autocratic president, calls oil and gas “the gift of God” to his people. They represent 90% of Azerbaijan’s exports. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 06:00:02

Cop29 deal fails to consider inflation so is not tripling of target, economists say

Experts say financial movements mean poor nations will in effect get billions less in value from £300bn pledgeA failure to factor in inflation means the $300bn (£240bn) climate finance deal agreed at Cop29 is not the tripling of pledges that has been claimed, economists have said.The international talks in Baku were pulled back from the brink of collapse early on Sunday morning when negotiators struck an agreement in which rich countries promised to raise $300bn a year by 2035. On paper, this is a tripling of the previous climate finance target of $100bn a year by 2020, and has been trumpeted as such by the UN and others. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 17:22:19

Here’s what I learned at Cop29. Rows aside, an unstoppable transition to clean energy is happening | Ed Miliband

Britain wanted much better outcomes on many issues, but seeing the ambition at the conference gives me hope for the futureThe climate crisis is all around us. And the world is not moving nearly fast enough. In that context, the Cop process for climate negotiations feels frustratingly slow. Yet it is the best mechanism for multilateral action we have, so we have to use it to do everything we can to speed up action.The UK went to Cop29 determined to play its part in a successful negotiation because it is in our national interest. As the prime minister said in Baku earlier this month, there is no national security without climate security. That is so clear from the effects of Storm Bert over the past couple of days. If we do not act, we can expect more and more of these extreme and devastating outcomes.Ed Milband is secretary of state for energy security and net zeroDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 16:31:19

One in three consultant child psychiatrist posts in England are vacant, analysis shows

Child and adolescent mental health services have highest vacancy rates of any psychiatric specialismConsultant psychiatrist on why early intervention is key and why delays are unacceptableOne in three child and adolescent consultant psychiatrist posts in England are vacant, according to a “shocking” analysis laying bare the workforce crisis that experts say is fuelling “unacceptable” long waits for NHS care.The number of children and young people requiring mental healthcare has soared in recent years, but many face lengthy delays before they can access treatment. Some are deteriorating to a dangerously severe state of mental ill-health while they wait. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:35

Trump picks Keith Kellogg to serve as special envoy to Ukraine and Russia

Retired US army general and former Pence aide tapped for newly conceived role to negotiate amid ongoing warDonald Trump has picked Keith Kellogg to serve as a special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, a newly conceived role given the ongoing war between the two countries.Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired US army lieutenant general, would start in the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues into its third year. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 20:52:24

Mohamed Al Fayed may have raped and abused more than 111 women, say police

Scale of the criminality would make Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, one of Britain’s most notorious sex offendersPolice believe Mohamed Al Fayed may have raped and abused more than 111 women over nearly four decades, with his youngest victim said to have been just 13 years old.The scale of the criminality would make Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, one of Britain’s most notorious sex offenders, and raises urgent questions about how he got away with his crimes. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 22:30:25

Russia’s sabotage of western targets ‘could trigger Nato defence clause’

German intelligence chief warns continued hybrid warfare by Moscow increases risk of alliance invoking Article 5Russia’s acts of sabotage against western targets may eventually prompt Nato to consider invoking the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defence clause, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service has warned.Speaking at an event of the German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP) think tank in Berlin on Wednesday, BND chief Bruno Kahl said he expected Moscow to further step up its hybrid warfare. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 22:05:40

UK consumer confidence remains weak after budget as Christmas approaches – business live

More people worry about economy while personal outlook improves slightlyGood morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.Confidence among British consumers has remained weak as Christmas approaches.There was little shift in consumer confidence since the chancellor’s budget, with many worried about the economy in the lead up to Christmas. While there was a very slight improvement in people’s expectations of their personal financial situation, this was offset by declining expectations of the wider economy.Personal retail spending remained positive, edging up slightly, though this was to be expected as consumers prepare for the festive season. Within this, non-food spending expectations remained low, though expectations of spending on eating out improved the most out of all categories, as people prepare for Christmas catchups with friends and relatives.9am GMT: European Central Bank general council meeting9am GMT: Spain inflation for November (forecast: 2.4%, previous: 1.8%)11am GMT: Eurozone consumer confidence final for November2pm GMT: Germany inflation for November (forecast: 2.3%, previous: 2%) Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 07:40:20

Swedish PM says Baltic sea now ‘high risk’ after suspected cable sabotage

Regional leaders meet after undersea telecoms cables severed, while Chinese ship remains at anchor nearbyThe Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, has said the Baltic sea is now a “high risk” zone as he met Nordic and Baltic leaders days after a suspected sabotage attack on undersea cables.The Swedish prime minister declined to speculate on who may have been responsible for the severing of two fibre optic telecoms cables in the Baltic last week. A Chinese ship – the Yi Peng 3 – that sailed over the cables about the time they were severed has remained anchored in the Kattegat strait between Sweden and Denmark since 19 November. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 22:14:27

Elusive deer spotted wearing high-vis jacket in Canada: ‘Who is responsible?’

‘Double takes’ as British Columbia mountain community tries to figure out how local animal came to don neon jacketIn a town of fewer than 1,000 people, it can be hard to keep a secret. And yet no one in McBride, a mountain community in British Columbia, can figure out how a local deer came to be wearing a zipped-up high-visibility jacket – or why the day-glo-clad cervid has been so hard to track down.The mystery began on Sunday, when Andrea Arnold was driving along the snowy outskirts of McBride on Sunday and witnessed a sight so baffling she slowed her vehicle to a crawl. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 11:00:06

Dominique Pelicot has split personality caused by trauma, defence argues

Lawyer for man who drugged wife and invited strangers to rape her says she has felt like ‘devil’s advocate’Dominique Pelicot, the French man on trial for drugging his wife and inviting strangers to rape her, has a split personality caused by the effect of childhood trauma, his defence lawyer has argued.In her summing up on Wednesday, Béatrice Zavarro told the court in Avignon there were “two Dominiques”, one a man apparently devoted to his family and the other with a “certain perversity”. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 17:26:35

Pakistan army and police accused of firing on Imran Khan supporters

Multiple protesters said to have been killed and hundreds injured in Islamabad amid calls for Khan’s release from jailPakistan’s army and police have been accused of firing on civilians, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries to hundreds of protesters who had stormed Islamabad on Tuesday to demand the release of the former prime minister Imran Khan from prison.As tens of thousands of Khan’s supporters stormed the capital on Tuesday in defiance of government orders, the army and paramilitary forces were deployed in huge numbers and issued with shoot-to-kill orders to try to stop the crowds reaching the heart of Islamabad’s sensitive Red Zone, which houses the parliament, supreme court and prime minister’s residence. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 15:19:05

Russia’s rouble plunges to lowest rate since early weeks of Ukraine war

Rouble hit 110 against the dollar after US introduced sanctions against Gazprombank, Russia’s third-largest bankRussia’s rouble has plunged to its lowest rate against the dollar since the early weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the wake of new western sanctions and growing geopolitical tensions.The rouble on Wednesday hit 110 against the dollar for the first time since 16 March 2022. Before launching its war on Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian currency traded at around 75-80 against the US dollar. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 13:03:13

Novels about serial killers and loyal dogs voted Waterstones books of 2024

Booksellers chose true-crime inspired Butter by Asako Yuzuki as book of the year, while Ross Montgomery’s fun adventure I Am Rebel took the children’s prizeA novel about a serial killer and a children’s book about a dog are the books of 2024, according to Waterstones booksellers.Butter by Asako Yuzuki, translated from Japanese by Polly Barton, has been voted book of the year, while I am Rebel by Ross Montgomery has been named children’s book of the year. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 06:01:34

The Madness review – Colman Domingo’s slick, smart conspiracy thriller gets better and better

Colman Domingo is a charismatic presence in this expertly crafted cat-and-mouse story about a TV host caught up in far-right machinations – which really gains heft as it goes onJust because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. Words I have lived by since I first saw them on a badge at a Camden market stall when I was 14. And here I am, still alive to tell you about it. Makes you think, doesn’t it?It is the guiding principle behind all successful conspiracy thrillers, and The Madness has taken it to heart. Our hero is CNN-ish TV host and media pundit Muncie Daniels (Colman Domingo), who is on the brink of being offered his own show and all coming right with his world, professionally at least, and so takes a little break in the Poconos mountains to try to start his novel before fame interferes. Never do this, kids. You can write your book just as well in the safety of your own home as in a picturesque but isolated cabin, and there is less chance of coming across a murder scene in a sauna if you do. Alas, poor Muncie and his discovery of bits of his neighbour strewn across the polythene-sheeted floor of just such an amenity. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:33

Conclave review – Ralph Fiennes shines as papal election results in high-camp gripper

Fiennes is broodingly compelling as a potential English pope caught up in murky Vatican intrigue around choosing the next pontiffWho knew that the laborious process of democracy, of simply voting over and over again, could be so exciting and so amusing? Edward Berger’s drama is adapted with masterly flair by screenwriter Peter Straughan from the Robert Harris pageturner; Ralph Fiennes is on sumptuous form as the deeply troubled Cardinal Lawrence at the centre of a murky Vatican plot. The result is a high-camp gripper, like the world’s most serious Carry On film.Fiennes’ character is Italian in Harris’s book, but Straughan makes him an Englishman: an unquiet soul who is theoretically on the verge of becoming the first English pope since Adrian IV, although no one is so vulgar or nationalistic as to point that out. With the ailing pope in extremis, Cardinal Lawrence arrives at His Holiness’s death bed to find other ambitious cardinals, who have all cultivated an opaque, unreadable manner of cordially respectful friendship with each other, now manoeuvring to be considered the successor in the imminent conclave, or election. In this blue chip supporting cast Stanley Tucci plays Bellini, the liberal; Sergio Castellitto is pugnacious, reactionary Tedesco, a racist bigot; John Lithgow is Tremblay, whose blandly emollient manner is misleading; Lucian Msamati is the bullish Adeyemi; and Carlos Diehz is Benitez, an unknown figure who to everyone’s polite consternation had been created Cardinal Archbishop of Kabul without anyone realising. Yet all of these men are upstaged by the late pontiff’s confidante Sister Agnes, shrewdly played by Isabella Rossellini. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 07:00:36

‘Most of these guys had never fired a weapon’: inside the FBI’s early hunt for gangsters

The new book Gangster Hunters recalls J Edgar Hoover and his so-called ‘G-Men’ who took down some of the biggest criminals of the timeJohn Oller’s new book tells how the FBI took down John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Bonnie and Clyde and other celebrity criminals of the 1930s, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt waged his “war on crime”. In prose fast as an Essex-Terraplane getaway car, Oller recounts and deconstructs the myths that grew around such bank robbers, kidnappers and killers. He also spotlights the agents who chased and caught and sometimes killed the criminals or were killed themselves – names long eclipsed by that of J Edgar Hoover, who led the FBI for 48 years.“Hoover was such a larger-than-life figure and he wanted to keep it that way,” Oller says. “He wanted his agents to be anonymous. If any name was going to be associated with the FBI, he was going to be it. And he pulled it off. That’s the reason none of these guys that I write about have ever been known. They kept it that way.” Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 09:11:00

Barry Keoghan set to star in Beatles biopic, claims Ringo Starr

Saltburn actor will reportedly play famed drummer in Sam Mendes’s ambitious films from each member’s perspectiveBarry Keoghan is set to play Ringo Starr on screen, according to the drummer himself.In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Starr has confirmed that the Oscar-nominated star of The Banshees of Inisherin and Saltburn will be playing him in Sam Mendes’s ambitious new set of films about the Beatles. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 18:25:47

Our Little Secret review – Lindsay Lohan’s Netflix comedy is a minor win

The star’s third film with the streamer, in which she plays a woman lying about her ex during the holidays, is the best yet even if the bar is incredibly lowThe return of Lindsay Lohan, redefining herself as movie star rather than tabloid joke, coincided with Netflix’s annual rebrand as home of cheap and cheerful Christmas fodder, easily made and easily devoured. It was a smart, low-stakes, high-exposure comeback, with 2022’s Falling into Christmas, her first lead role in almost a decade, a no-brainer of a hit during the streamer’s seasonal onslaught.It almost didn’t matter that it wasn’t very good, it wasn’t really supposed to be, it just gave us proof that Lohan still had the same magnetism that made her a star in the first place. But her next film with Netflix was less of an easy pass – the genuinely atrocious Irish Wish – and suddenly her association with the streamer was feeling less like a restart and more like a long pause, trapping her in a mode she really needed to be running away from (next year’s Freaky Friday sequel should help with that). Her third, and contractually final, outing with the platform is the best of the lot but only because the bar is so low we can’t even see it, not only for Lohan’s latest run but for Netflix’s festive oeuvre at large. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 15:55:34

Karam Sethi’s recipe for garlic fish tikka with cumin raita

Salmon baked in twin marinades of garlic and red tandoori sauce, with a refreshing, garlicky yoghurt dip on the sideToday’s fish tikka is one of the standout dishes on the menu of our new restaurant, Ambassadors Clubhouse in Mayfair, where we celebrate the rich culinary traditions of undivided Punjab. Lasooni essentially means garlic, which here in roasted form joins forces with a traditional red tandoori marinade to give the fish a smoky, aromatic coating. It’s complemented by a side of refreshing, cumin-spiked raita. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 08:00:53

The best new Christmas and winter attractions in the UK

From festive markets and light trails to floating saunas and chalet-oke sessions, there’s plenty of wintery fun to be had for all agesThis year, there are plenty of light trails to brighten up the winter gloom. The Northern Light is an immersive light and sound show at the Slieve Donard hotel in Newcastle, County Down, with projections conjuring up the Arctic, an ice cave, the stars and the aurora borealis (£35 adults/£22 children). Cornwall’s Eden Project has an immersive light show that transports visitors to a Christmas party, as well as a new theatrical experience and carousel (from £38 adults/£12 children, selected evenings until 5 January). Christmas at Westonbirt, the national arboretum in Gloucestershire, has been designed by the light trail producers behind Christmas at Kew. Expect neon trees, luminous birds and tunnels of light, plus a Christmas village (from £18 adults/£12 children, 29 November to 31 December). Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 07:00:53

How can I perk up Thanksgiving dinner? | Kitchen aide

Our panel of expert cooks’ ideas include a spicy stuffing, punchy vinegar or mustard, and one great tip for cooking the ultimate turkeyFor Claire Dinhut, author of The Condiment Book, it’s all about staying within the confines of the traditional Thanksgiving menu, but giving each dish some extra zhoosh. The sides are the obvious choice for this: “My family is from Los Angeles,” Dinhut says, “but they’re also half Greek, so our creamed spinach, for example, is always spanakopita-style creamed spinach with feta and dill.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that Dinhut also goes by the moniker of Condiment Claire, she also leans on a variety of jars and bottles to perk things up: sure, dijon mustard will bring “brightness and a bit of texture” to mashed potatoes, but why not kick things up a gear and use smoky dijon? “Toast chilli flakes, then combine with mustard [or mayo] to get that extra depth; that also works a charm as a dip for green beans.”Dijon is also a friend to sprouts, Dinhut says: “We go for a slaw at Thanksgiving, with dijon, apple cider vinegar, fresh herbs and salt, to contrast that hearty mash.” Red-wine vinegar, meanwhile, features in Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s family favourite, braised red cabbage: “Toss the cabbage with vinegar and salt, then sweat onions in butter in a large casserole pan until tender,” says the chef/patron of ABC Kitchens in London. Add the cabbage mix, press down, then pour in some red wine and top with sliced apple (pink lady, for preference). Cover and cook until almost dry. Carrots are another Thanksgiving must, though Dinhut breaks from tradition by roasting hers with maple syrup and pumpkin spice blend ( cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves).Got a culinary dilemma? Email [email protected] Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:30

Nigel Slater’s recipe for apple and blueberry demerara crumble

A quick, comforting pudding to liven up the weekHeat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Peel 700g of cooking apples, then remove their cores and seeds and cut the apple into small pieces. Add 250g of blueberries to the apple and 2 tbsp of sugar and toss well to coat the apples with the sugar.Tip into an ovenproof dish roughly 24cm in diameter. Cut 95g of butter into small pieces and add to 150g of plain flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in 35g of caster sugar and 35g of demerara. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 12:00:03

José Pizarro’s recipe for spiced roast squash soup with chorizo migas

A rich soup with everything – texture, comfort, flavour – all rounded off with the satisfying, savoury crunch of toasted breadcrumbs and chorizoThis smooth, comforting soup is a great winter warmer. Roasting intensifies the natural sweetness of both the squash and the garlic, the cumin and smoked pimentón add a lovely, smoky, aromatic depth, while the fresh oregano keeps everything vibrant and earthy. But the best part, as any self-respecting Spaniard will tell you, is the crisp chorizo migas, which is a classic touch that brings with it crunch and a burst of rich, meaty flavour. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 08:00:05

20 of the UK’s best hotels and pubs for the great outdoors – as chosen by the Good Hotel Guide

From pubs with rooms and seaside getaways to hotels for walkers and dog owners, all these picks put you in the middle of beautiful countryside Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 07:00:05

Share your experience of lightning strikes in Latin America and the Caribbean

We’d like to hear about the impact of dramatic lightning strikes in the region. How have you been affected?Scientists have warned for years that rising temperatures across the planet are likely to cause more lightning. The Caribbean is among those regions that have experienced an increase in damaging strikes over the past two decades, according to experts.Have you been affected by dramatic lightning strikes in the Caribbean? Do you have experiences or pictures of lightning impact in Jamaica, Belize, Barbados or any other country in the region? Or perhaps in Latin America? Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-20 12:00:05

Tell us your favourite films of 2024

We want to hear about the best film you have seen this year. Share your thoughts nowWe would like to hear about your favourite films of 2024. Was it a comedy that had you rolling in the aisles, or a horror that gave you goosebumps? Which film released in 2024 tops your list? Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 10:56:39

Share your thoughts about the collapse of the German coalition government and the snap election

We’re interested to hear how people feel about the collapse of German chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government, and which issues may decide their vote at the general electionThe collapse of Germany’s three-party ruling coalition has triggered a snap election that is to take place in February 2025.The German government collapsed after the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, unexpectedly sacked his finance minister, Christian Lindner, during a row over the 2025 budget, plunging Europe’s largest economy into political disarray, after months of bitter infighting that has contributed to the administration’s growing unpopularity amid a stagnating German economy. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-13 14:55:48

Tell us: do you share a name with a politician or celebrity?

We want to hear people’s anecdotes about sharing famous namesLife got harder for the (not well known) David Cameron when another David Cameron became prime minister in 2010.Angry voters began to email him, “ranting” at the “state of the country and telling me I should be ashamed of myself,” the unfamous Cameron, an artist in Cheshire, told Metro. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 14:33:53

‘Thank God we are home’: Lebanese return south after ceasefire with Israel

People are relieved to be home but face having to rebuild lives among destroyed homes and villagesBefore the ceasefire had even come into effect, Zeinab and Dina were already driving south. The two sisters had been forced to flee to Tripoli, northern Lebanon, for 64 days – they had counted – and they could not bear another day without seeing home.“We were laughing and crying at the same time when we heard the news of the ceasefire. We were packing our stuff and still we didn’t believe it was happening, it was like a dream,” said Zeinab, 28, a resident of the town of Zibqeen in south Lebanon. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 18:20:03

‘The science of fluoride is starting to evolve’: behind the risks and benefits of the mineral

With RFK Jr and a court ruling, conversation on fluoride, in about 72% of US community water supplies, has explodedA national conversation about fluoride’s health benefits exploded this fall after a federal toxicology report, court ruling and independent scientific review all called for updated risk-benefit analysis.Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral in some regions, has been added to community water supplies since the mid-20th century when studies found exposure dramatically reduced tooth decay. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 13:00:02

‘Well primed for bushfires’: Australia facing heightened risk across several areas, authorities say

‘All Victorians and many Australians need to prepare for multi-hazard events’, warns Bureau of Meteorology Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLarge areas of Australia are at increased risk of bushfires over the summer, according to the latest outlook released by the national council for fire and emergency services.The Australasian Fire And Emergency Services Authorities Council (Afac) has forecast increased bushfire risk for most of western Victoria, large parts of Western Australia’s south-eastern coastline and central west and much of the Northern Territory interior.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 02:02:19

Posh olive oil, tinned fish and even salt are now du jour, says Waitrose

As sales of premium varieties rise the upmarket grocer details how chic-looking pantry staples are now middle-class status symbolsForget designer fashion and jewellery, trendy versions of pantry staples such as extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and tinned fish have become middle-class lust objects for home cooks, according to a new report.A food cupboard stocked with chic glass bottles, jars and decorative tins (in the front row at least) has become a status symbol, according to Waitrose’s annual food and drink report. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 06:00:34

Trump’s return raises questions over future of CIA’s Russian recruitment drive

Intelligence agency has been trying to entice Russians disaffected by invasion of Ukraine but president-elect is likely to want to make an ally of KremlinFor the past three years, the CIA has run an unusually bold outreach programme. It targeted Russians within the country’s government and security services, attempting to turn them into double agents.Slickly produced recruitment videos portrayed cooperation with the US secret agency as the patriotic choice for officials disaffected with Vladimir Putin’s regime and the war in Ukraine. The videos ended with instructions on how to contact the CIA in a secure manner. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 05:00:51

Bone-on-bone agony: the cruel reality of facing a three-year waiting list for a new knee

Before she retired in 2014, Alexandra McTeare had worked for the NHS for 30 years – and always believed in public healthcare. But when she experienced severe pain, she was forced to consider difficult choicesWhen Alexandra McTeare was told she might have to wait three years for knee replacement surgery, she felt desperate. “Because of how miserable your life is, how small it has become,” she says.The problems with her knee started in 2017. “It was painful and would swell up, particularly in the heat.” She would take painkillers and keep her leg elevated when she was sitting down, and did stretching exercises for her muscles. But over the next few years, “it gradually got worse, the intervals between swelling episodes reduced and the pain increased”. It reached a point where it was no longer bearable. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 05:00:50

A moment that changed me: at seven, I saw the truth of China’s one-child policy – and felt my parents’ pain

When a classmate said she’d be allowed a brother or sister, I realised what it meant: she might die young. It was a sudden insight into tragedy and traumaOne afternoon in the spring of 1997, as my seven-year-old classmate and I played in a tiny park in our Shanghai neighbourhood, she shared a secret: “I’m allowed to have a little brother or sister.” My jaw dropped. No one my age had a sibling except a pair of twins at school. People used the words “sister” and “brother” to mean cousin. Having siblings was an outlandish, outdated, even shameful concept, something older generations had done before the one-child policy was introduced in 1980.My parents carefully stored our One Child Honorary Certificate, with golden characters on a sleek red booklet, in a bottom drawer, right by my birth certificate. They were good citizens who, by definition, had only one child. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 06:55:52

Trump officials to receive immediate clearances and easier FBI vetting

Exclusive: president-elect’s team planning for background checks to occur only after administration takes over bureauDonald Trump’s transition team is planning for all political appointees to receive sweeping security clearances on the first day and only face FBI background checks after the incoming administration takes over the bureau and its own officials are installed in key positions, according to people familiar with the matter.The move appears to mean that Trump’s team will continue to skirt FBI vetting and may not receive classified briefings until Trump is sworn in on 20 January and unilaterally grant sweeping security clearances across the administration. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 10:00:10

‘We learned the hard way’: Samoa remembers a deadly measles outbreak and a visit from RFK Jr

A few months before the outbreak in 2019, Kennedy travelled to Samoa and met with anti-vaccine figures, contributing to what health experts claim was a ‘significant disinformation campaign’The week before her three children died, Fa’aoso Tuivale and her husband took them for a swim in the river flowing behind their house in the Samoan village of Lauli’i.Itila, 3, and his twin siblings, Tamara and Sale, 13 months, had a fever and their parents hoped to cool them down. The children were ill with measles and were not vaccinated. When they worsened, on a Sunday, Fa’aoso took them to hospital in Apia, 9km away. They were seen, and sent home. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 02:17:28

MPs’ big assisted dying moment, and the people watching every move – Politics Weekly UK

As MPs prepare to vote on a bill that would, for the first time, pass assisted dying into UK law, what are the arguments on either side? The Guardian’s John Harris speaks to two campaigners: Liz Carr, an actor and disability activist who believes the bill would endanger many marginalised groups, and Mark Mardell, a broadcaster who thinks the legislation doesn’t go far enough. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:37

What’s going on with fluoride? – podcast

The conversation about fluoride’s health benefits has exploded recently after a US federal toxicology report, court ruling and independent scientific review all called for updated risk-benefit analysis. Ian Sample hears from Catherine Carstairs, professor of history at the University of Guelph in Canada, about how attitudes to fluoridation have evolved, and Oliver Jones, professor of chemistry at RMIT University in Australia, about where the science stands todayClips: the New York Sun, Columbia Pictures‘The science of fluoride is starting to evolve’: behind the risks and benefits of the mineral Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 05:00:34

Assisted dying: a historic vote comes to parliament - podcast

Deputy political editor Jessica Elgot explains how the assisted dying bill came to the House of Commons this week, and how MPs are feeling about their vote. Dr Lucy Thomas speaks about her experience in palliative care and her fears if MPs vote the bill throughOn Friday, MPs will vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill – a once-in-a-generation vote on whether those with terminal illnesses should have the right to an assisted death. The right, in other words, to end one’s own life with the help of medical professionals.As the Guardian’s deputy political editor Jessica Elgot explains, it would be a monumental social change, and has been compared to previous reforms on abortion, the death penalty and equal marriage. Yet with just a day to go, it is not at all clear which way the vote will go. Indeed, Helen Pidd hears from MPs in parliament, some of whom are still unsure whether they will support or oppose the bill. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 03:00:30

Manchester City trip up again as Arsenal shine at Sporting: Football Weekly - podcast

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Nicky Bandini and Archie Rhind-Tutt as City’s crisis deepens and Arsenal produce their best performance in the Champions League this seasonRate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.On the podcast today: Manchester City throw away a 3-0 lead at home to Feyenoord. It’s not a defeat but almost feels worse this way. Is the crisis deepening? Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 13:07:45

10 years of the long read: Seven stowaways and a hijacked oil tanker: the strange case of the Nave Andromeda (2022) – podcast

As the Long Read turns 10 we are raiding the archives to bring you a favourite piece from each year since 2014, with new introductions from the authors.This week from 2022: In October 2020 an emergency call was received from a ship in British waters. After a full-scale commando raid, seven Nigerians were taken off in handcuffs – but no one was ever charged. What really happened on board? By Samira Shackle Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 05:00:51

How having babies became so political - video

The pronatalist movement in the US is gathering pace once again, rekindled by Silicon Valley personalities and hard-right conservatives who are becoming increasingly vocal about whether or not women are having enough babies. But it's not just in the US, some governments in other countries have launched marketing campaigns encouraging people to have more children, while others have offered financial incentives. But while many of these policies claim to be about halting population decline, there are other factors at play. Josh Toussaint-Strauss interrogates efforts around the world to boost birth rates, as well as the underlying political motivations, from bodily autonomy to immigrationBirthrates are plummeting worldwide. Can governments turn the tide?When desperate measures to persuade women to have children fail, it’s time for fresh thinking Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-21 12:33:44

Clashes in Pakistan as thousands march on capital demanding Imran Khan release – video

At least five police and paramilitary personnel have been killed and dozens of people injured in Pakistan as thousands of supporters of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan forced their way through security barriers and entered the capital, Islamabad. Authorities have enforced a security lockdown in the capital for the last three days after Khan called for supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to march on parliament for a sit-in demonstration to demand his release. PTI alleges that Khan is being held as a political prisoner. Voted out of power by parliament in 2022 after he fell out with Pakistan’s powerful military, Khan faces charges ranging from corruption to instigation of violence, all of which he and his party deny.Pakistan: five killed, dozens injured as Imran Khan supporters clash with security forces Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 08:59:12

Drone footage shows Delhi cloaked in thick haze of toxic smog – video

Pollution levels in the Indian capital have soared to their highest levels this year, forcing schools and offices to close and cloaking the city in thick brown smog. In some parts of the city, a live air quality ranking by IQAir put pollution levels at more than 30 times the maximum level deemed healthy. The catastrophic levels of pollution have led to numerous emergency measures, including most schools being closed and lessons moved online. The smog arrives annually as the weather in the north of India gets colder, trapping toxic pollutants from the tens of millions of cars on the road, as well as from rubbish fires, construction and factory emissions. Experts say the toxic air quality is reducing life expectancy in the city by an average of seven yearsPollution in Delhi hits record high, cloaking city in smog Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 11:51:49

'World's most expensive banana' fetches $US5.2m at auction – video

Maurizio Cattelan’s duct-taped ‘banana’ artwork fetches US$5.2m at Sotheby’s auction in New York. The artwork, titled Comedian, debuted in 2019 as an edition of three, where its US$120,000 price tag made headlines worldwide. Its new owner has purchased the banana through Sotheby's China office and will receive a banana, a roll of duct tape, a certificate of authenticity and instructions on how to install the work► Subscribe to Guardian Australia on YouTubeMaurizio Cattelan’s duct-taped banana artwork fetches US$5.2m at New York auction Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-21 01:57:07

Atacms: what are the missiles Ukraine has fired into Russia for the first time?

American and Ukrainian officials have confirmed Kyiv employed US-made Atacms missiles to strike targets within Russia. The Kremlin stated that six missiles were launched at the town of Karachev, with fragments from one reportedly causing a significant explosion.In response, Russia has announced it is adjusting its nuclear doctrine. The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Moscow would interpret any attack against it carried out by a non-nuclear state using weapons supplied by a nuclear state as a joint assault. But what exactly are Atacms, and why has their deployment unsettled Russia so deeply?Atacms: what are the missiles Ukraine has fired into Russia for first time?Russia-Ukraine war live Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-20 16:44:49

Vladimir Shklyarov: a look back at the career of the acclaimed Russian ballet dancer – video

Born in St Petersburg in 1985, Shklyarov joined the Mariinsky Theatre in 2003 and became its principal dancer – the highest-ranking position in a ballet company – in 2011. During his 20-year career, Shklyarov starred in productions of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He performed all over the world, including with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and the Royal Opera House in London. Shklyarov has died at the age of 39 after falling from the fifth floor of a building, a spokesperson for the Mariinsky Theatre told the news outlet FontankaVladimir Shklyarov, Russian ballet star, dies aged 39 after falling from building Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-18 13:17:09

How the unrest unfolded in Amsterdam – video timeline

Conflicting reports emerged after violence erupted in Amsterdam around a Uefa Europa League football match between the Dutch club Ajax and Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Guardian has analysed footage posted across social media to try to construct a timeline and understand what led to the clashes. For 24 hours, tensions rose across the city in what the mayor, Femke Halsema, called a 'toxic cocktail of antisemitism, football hooliganism and anger over the war in Palestine and Israel and other parts of the Middle East'‘Toxic cocktail’ led to Amsterdam violence, mayor says Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-15 07:25:50

Feeling blue: how denim built America – in pictures

Originally used as workwear for back-breaking jobs, these vintage images show the fabric’s role in dragging the US out of the Great Depression Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-28 07:00:37

Rescued turtles and a field of illuminated flowers: photos of the day – Wednesday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 12:33:15

Horse trading with Travellers and Romani Gypsies – in pictures

Photographer Sam Wright was warned not to attend a horse fair with his camera. He ignored the prejudice – and found a warm, welcoming community Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-27 07:00:54

Sensory art and grieving royals: photos of the day – Tuesday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 15:41:48

Pride and protest: a photographic history of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights

Images by Fred W McDarrah feature in a new exhibition that follows key moments of community and liberationThe Manhattan photographer Fred McDarrah came to prominence documenting the Beat movement that overtook Greenwich Village in the 1950s, capturing, among others, Jack Kerouac (who sat for a portrait in McDarrah’s apartment) and one of the earliest photos of a very young and unknown Bob Dylan. It was this portfolio that made his name at the Village Voice, where he would work for an astonishing 50 years, but toward the end of the 1960s McDarrah began to photograph an entirely new movement sweeping over the Village.In spring 1966 at Julius’s Bar, a short walk from the Stonewall Inn, four gay men – Dick Leitsch, Craig Rodwell, John Timmons and Randy Wicker – engaged in what they termed a “sip-in” in order to challenge a law that made it a prosecutable offense for one man to buy another a drink. It was one of the first salvos in the incipient gay rights movement, and McDarrah was there to see it, perfectly capturing the decisive moment when a bartender – collaborating with the group – placed his hand over the drinks and stated that it was against the law to serve the men. The image is a perfect distillation of the encounter, a moment when customer and bartender are exchanging deep, meaningful looks that say so much more than words. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 09:04:05

‘Portal to space’: the place where astronauts take off and land – in pictures

Every three months in Kazakhstan, a trio of cosmonauts and astronauts head off to the International Space Station – then return in small capsules. What do the locals make of it? Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-26 07:00:03

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