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Showing posts from December, 2025

Harry Randall and buoyant Bristol keen to carry form into new year

England scrum-half returned from injury to a side on the crest of a wave and will hope to catch Steve Borthwick’s eye Harry Randall and Bristol enter the new year with high hopes. The scrum-half has returned to fitness ahead of schedule after hamstring surgery and marked his 150th Bears appearance in the win against Newcastle last Saturday . Pat Lam’s side approach the Prem encounter with Sale at Ashton Gate on Friday after five straight victories, sitting fourth in the table, their attractive style having clicked. A fresh assault on the playoffs looks likely. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nR5U96P

Billionaires added record $2.2tn in wealth in 2025

Just eight billionaires accounted for a quarter of the gains, led by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Larry Page The richest 500 individuals in the world added a record $2.2tn to their wealth in 2025, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index , with just eight billionaires accounting for a quarter of the gains. The gains increased their collective net worth to $11.9tn, bolstered by billionaire Donald Trump ’s 2024 election victory and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, equities and metals. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/S6aAEe9

Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of JFK, dies after leukemia diagnosis

Schlossberg, 35, revealed in November diagnosis of rare mutation of cancer of blood and bone marrow Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of the 35th US president, John F Kennedy, died on Tuesday after revealing in November she had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. She was 35. Her passing was announced in a social media post by the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the post said. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cRD9SHG

Arsenal v Aston Villa: Premier League – live

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8.15pm GMT kick-off ⚽ Live scores | Follow us on Bluesky | And email Scott Arsenal make two changes to the side that started the 2-1 win over Brighton. Jurriën Timber returns from injury, while Gabriel makes his first start since early November. Myles Lewis-Skelley drops to the bench, but Declan Rice misses out altogether with a minor knee problem. Kai Havertz returns to the bench, available for the first time since the opening day at Manchester United. Aston Villa make five changes to their starting XI after the 2-1 win at Chelsea. Ollie Watkins is rewarded for his match-turning cameo at Stamford Bridge, stepping up along with Jadon Sancho, Amadou Onana, Lucas Digne and Lamare Bogarde. Ian Maatsen, Donyell Malen and captain John McGinn drop to the bench, while Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara are suspended. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jxOLk96

Man shot dead by police after two-vehicle collision in Thetford

Norfolk police say man believed to be driver of one of the vehicles shot by armed officers after leaving scene holding a handgun The police watchdog has launched an investigation after a man in his 60s was shot dead by officers in Norfolk. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was examining what led led police to fire twice after two vehicles crashed into each other in Thetford on Sunday evening. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/TOIs1hv

Bernie Sanders criticizes AI as ‘the most consequential technology in humanity’

Republican senator Katie Britt also proposes AI companies be criminally liable if they expose minors to harmful ideas US senator Bernie Sanders amplified his recent criticism of artificial intelligence on Sunday, explicitly linking the financial ambition of “the richest people in the world” to economic insecurity for millions of Americans – and calling for a potential moratorium on new datacenters . Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with the Democratic party, said on CNN’s State of the Union that he was “fearful of a lot” when it came to AI. And the senator called it “the most consequential technology in the history of humanity” that will “transform” the US and the world in ways that had not been fully discussed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/RxIrcwY

Monolithic belief of Guardiolismo has fractured in new era for tactics | Jonathan Wilson

The old ways are over and nobody is entirely sure what is to follow but football revolutions once experienced are never forgotten If you want a picture of the future, imagine Michael Kayode winding up to take a long throw – forever. Or at least that was how it seemed in October. Already, though, the picture has begun to change. This was the year of the backlash, and then a bit of a backlash to the backlash. For almost two decades football had accepted the guardiolista consensus. Football was about possession, about the press, but most of all about position, about the careful manipulation of space. Much-improved pitches meant first touches could be taken for granted: players receiving the ball didn’t have to focus on getting it under control but could instead be parsing their options. The game had become chess with a ball, a matter of strategy more than physicality. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/60MScqL

Ollie Watkins’ second-half double earns Aston Villa comeback victory at Chelsea

For 58 minutes the notion of Aston Villa as plausible title challengers was laughable. They were second best at Stamford Bridge, were 1-0 down to an inspired Chelsea and looked destined to rue Unai Emery’s decision not to start Ollie Watkins. Few managers are more cunning than Emery when it comes to turning a game, though. The Spaniard is never slow to act and his substitutions were key to Villa recording their 11th consecutive win in all competitions. Watkins equalised five minutes after coming on and the celebrations were wild when the striker punished Chelsea’s collapse in the second half with a lethal winning header in the 84th minute. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9b1YR6i

In the battle against antisemitism we must accept that Zionism means different things to different people | David Slucki

Among Jews the meaning of the term has evolved – but there is still no consensus. And when people talk past one another there are real-world consequences The 14 December Bondi Beach attack targeting Jews at a Hanukah celebration has brought the issue of antisemitism into sharp national focus. In response, the New South Wales government announced measures to further curb hate speech and symbols, and, more controversially, new protest powers. This event and the government’s response have once again raised questions about the relationship between Jews, Israel, Zionism and anti-Zionism. Zionism is a Jewish national movement that sought to create a Jewish state, then to secure and sustain it. But “Zionism” is also a contested label: for many Jews it signifies safety, continuity and belonging; for Palestinians – and for many others – it denotes dispossession and ongoing domination. It’s clear that for different people, the word Zionism means very different things, which leads to people ta...

Manchester United v Newcastle: Premier League – live

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-off ⚽ Live scores | Table | Mail Scott The rewards on offer tonight. Seventh-placed Manchester United will leapfrog their old north-west pals Liverpool into fifth place with a win. Newcastle start the game in the bottom half of the table, but should they win by two goals this evening, they’ll nip in ahead of Manchester United and into seventh. Any victory would take Newcastle above Crystal Palace and into eighth. Manchester United make two changes to their starting XI following the 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa. Bruno Fernandes is injured, so his captain’s armband is taken by Lisandro Martínez, making his first start since his return from injury. Casemiro takes Fernandes’s place in midfield, returning as he is from a one-match suspension. Leny Yoro drops to the bench. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/gV2lIjc

Don’t fret the first night and nap if you need: how to sleep well, away from home

Disturbed sleep is very common as you adapt to a new environment, but with good sleep hygiene and some practical adjustments you can quickly settle in Read more summer essentials Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email As the working year draws to a close, many of us only have one hope for the season, and that’s a decent night’s sleep. While not every family visit or post-Christmas getaway is going to be a trip to Rancho Relaxo, a few things can help us catch holiday kip. Pre-departure apps can be useful, so can pillow mists and thermoregulation, but when it comes to maximising rest on the road, some say less is more. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xtF3zfB

Trump approves deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans

Critics say deployment is unwarranted and could cause fear in the city, which has seen a decrease in violent crime rates The Trump administration is deploying 350 national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the new year, launching another federal deployment in the city at the same time that an immigration crackdown led by border patrol is under way. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Tuesday that guard members, as they have in other deployments in large cities, will be tasked with supporting federal law enforcement partners, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Parnell added that the national guard troops will be deployed through February. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vHF1TV4

Bari Weiss yanking a 60 Minutes story is censorship by oligarchy | Margaret Sullivan

Weiss ought to cut her losses, green-light the piece, and try to start acting like an editor – not like a cog in the machine of authoritarian politics and oligarchy One tries to give people the benefit of the doubt. But now, when it comes to Bari Weiss as the editor in chief of CBS News, there is no longer any doubt. A broadcast-news neophyte, Weiss has no business in that exalted role. She proved that beyond any remaining doubt last weekend, pulling a powerful and important piece of journalism just days before it was due to air, charging that it wasn’t ready. Whatever her claims about the story’s supposed flaws, this looks like a clear case of censorship-by-editor to protect the interests of powerful, rich and influential people. The 60 Minutes piece – about the brutal conditions at an El Salvador prison where the Trump administration has sent Venezuelan migrants without due process – had already been thoroughly edited, fact-checked and sent through the network’s standards desk an...

Arsenal v Crystal Palace: Carabao Cup quarter-final – live

⚽ Updates from 8pm GMT kick-off as Chelsea await victors ⚽ Live scores | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail Taha Arsenal: Arrizabalaga, Timber, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Eze, Martinelli, Madueke, Jesus Subs: Raya, Salmon, Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard, Nwaneri, Trossard, Saka, Gyökeres Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MieFzoO

No Christmas gifts yet? Don’t panic – here’s your festive survival guide

Skip the Christmas scramble with our last-minute decor and gifting hacks; Jo Malone spills her shopping secrets; and the best tequila for festive tipples with a twist • Don’t get the Filter delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Ten years ago and newly married, I was invited to spend Christmas with my husband’s extended family. “We’re not doing gifts this year, there are too many of us,” my husband told me in early December when I queried who to buy for. So, I showed up with a roll of novelty Christmas pudding bin bags and wine for the hosts. Imagine my embarrassment later that day when his aunt, uncle and cousins all handed me gifts so beautiful and thoughtful I still use them today. I resolved then to never enter the festive period without an arsenal of last-minute gift ideas in my back pocket – and also not to take everything my husband says as read. The best LED face masks, tested: 10 light therapy devices that are worth the hype How I Shop with Jo Malone: ‘I like my bed steame...

Mass clearout of England leadership not in ECB plans after Ashes failure

McCullum’s position likely to come under scrutiny ECB believes mass sackings would be a mistake The England and Wales Cricket Board is eager to avoid a mass ­clearout of England’s senior leadership in the wake of another humiliating away Ashes series defeat. England’s hopes of winning the urn were expunged inside 11 days for just the fourth time in the contest’s 143-year history with Sunday’s 82-run defeat in Adelaide, and a fourth Ashes whitewash is on the cards in Melbourne and Sydney, unless the tourists can arrest a dismal 18-match run without a win in Australia that stretches back to 2011. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kFMfPlq

The Guardian view on Labour’s difficult year: denial of hard choices is no longer an option | Editorial

All the incentives in Westminster politics militate against confronting difficult issues, but a failing government may as well try honesty The formula for stable government, according to Britain’s constitution, is a big parliamentary majority and divided opposition. Sir Keir Starmer’s predicament proves that those conditions are not sufficient. The prime minister’s inability to convince voters that he has an agenda for national renewal, and the demoralising effect that has had on the Labour party, make a leadership challenge look plausible after local elections next May. Maybe sooner. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JQljg0U

Unseen Tennessee Williams radio play published in literary magazine

The Strangers, a horror tale written during the playwright’s college days, appeared in the Strand magazine this week As one of the 20th century’s most successful playwrights, Tennessee Williams penned popular works at the very pinnacle of US theater, including A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Years before his almost unparalleled Broadway triumphs, however, the aspiring writer then known simply as Tom wrote a series of short radio plays as he struggled to find a breakthrough. One is The Strangers, a supernatural tale offering glimpses into the accomplished wordsmith that Williams would become, and published for the first time this week in the literary magazine Strand . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ShFbZKR

US army lawyer fired as immigration judge after defying Trump deportation agenda

Christopher Day was fired barely a month into the job after granting asylum to migrants at a high rate A US army reserve lawyer detailed as a federal immigration judge has been fired barely a month into the job after granting asylum at a high rate out of step with the Trump administration’s mass deportation goals, the Associated Press has learned. Christopher Day began hearing cases in late October as a temporary judge at the immigration court in Annandale, Virginia. He was fired around 2 December, the National Association of Immigration Judges confirmed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pJ6AMTK

Trump administration unveils plans to end gender-affirming care for minors

Proposal would prohibit Medicaid funds from being used to cover puberty blockers, hormone treatments or surgical procedures US politics live – latest updates The Trump administration unveiled new actions aimed at eliminating transition-related medical care for minors across the US on Thursday, referring to such treatments as “sex-rejecting procedures”, a term used by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As part of the effort, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will initiate a rule-making process that would prevent hospitals from offering puberty blockers, hormone treatments, or surgical procedures to minors if they wish to participate in Medicare or Medicaid. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/eh2IiQp

Oscars to move over to YouTube starting in 2029

Exclusive global rights to the year’s biggest night in film will move to the video platform for a four year period The Oscars will be moving from broadcast to online as part of a multi-year new deal with YouTube. From 2029, the video platform will have exclusive global rights to Hollywood’s biggest night, including the ceremony but also red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content and Governors Ball access. The deal will run until 2033. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/t5fKGk2

US designates Colombia’s biggest drug cartel Gulf Clan as terrorist organization

Marco Rubio calls drug-trafficking militia, present in at least 20 of Colombia’s departments, ‘violent and powerful’ The US has designated the Gulf Clan, Colombia ’s largest and most powerful illegal armed criminal group, as a foreign terrorist organisation. The notorious drug-trafficking militia with its roots in far-right paramilitary forces, is present in at least 20 of Colombia’s departments, and dominates people- and drug-smuggling routes through the Darién Gap. It has also battled unsuccessfully against leftwing rebels for control of criminal networks along the Venezuelan border. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/yjiN3km

Morrisons becomes first UK supermarket to delay net zero targets

Britain’s fifth-biggest grocer postpones goal by 15 years to 2050, saying revised plan will now cover entire supply chain Morrisons has become the first UK supermarket chain to postpone its net zero carbon emission targets, delaying them by 15 years to 2050. Britain’s fifth-biggest grocer said its new targets would cover the entire supply chain, as well as Morrisons stores, including emissions from agriculture and land-use sources. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Z5YjdLs

Two girls, 9 and 11, awarded $31.5m after sister’s California torture death

Arabella McCormack, 11, died after being tortured and starved by adoptive family and police and church failed to intervene A lawsuit over the death of an 11-year-old California girl who was allegedly tortured and starved by her adoptive family reached a settlement on Friday totaling $31.5m from the city and county of San Diego as well as other groups. The suit was brought on behalf of the two younger sisters of Arabella McCormack, who died in August 2022. The girls were ages six and seven at the time. Their adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, and McCormack’s parents, Adella and Stanley Tom, are facing charges of murder, conspiracy, child abuse and torture. They pleaded not guilty to all charges, and their criminal case is ongoing. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6E5yp8d

Football Association to pass on fan anger over World Cup ticket prices

Prices 10 times those promised in initial bid Fifa not expected to change policy for 2026 The Football Association will pass on England supporters’ concerns about high 2026 World Cup ticket prices to Fifa. However, despite the growing outrage, it is understood none of the international federations expect world football’s governing body to change its policy. Anger among supporter groups continued on Friday after it emerged that the cheapest tickets will cost 10 times the price promised in the original bid for the United States, Canada and Mexico to host the tournament. For England fans it will mean having to pay at least $220 (£165) for group games – when the bid document’s ticket model stated the cheapest seats should be $21 (£15.70). Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nRfX7CO

Disappointing Oracle results knock $80bn off value amid AI bubble fears

Weaker-than-forecast quarterly data for Larry Ellison’s tech company shows slowdown in revenue growth and big rise in spending Business live – latest updates Oracle ’s shares tumbled 15% on Thursday in response to the company’s quarterly financial results, disclosed the day before. Roughly $80bn vanish from the value of the business software company co-founded by Donald Trump ally Larry Ellison, falling from $630bn (£470bn) to $550bn and fuelling fears of a bubble in artificial intelligence-related stocks. Shares in the chipmaker Nvidia, seen as a bellwether for the AI boom, fell after Oracle’s. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Ckpu8ye

Leon to cut jobs and close fast food restaurants

The 71-outlet chain was recently bought back by its co-founder, who says Leon must downsize as more customers work from home Fast food chain Leon is planning to close restaurants and cut jobs, less than two months after it was bought back from Asda by its co-founder John Vincent. The chain said on Wednesday that it had appointed administrators to lead a restructuring programme, and it was considering how many of its 71 restaurants would need to shut. It did not say how many roles could be affected. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/NTBRvgu

US puts sanctions on network said to funnel Colombian mercenaries to Sudan

US treasury accuses Colombian nationals and companies of aiding the RSF, which has committed horrific war crimes The United States has sanctioned four people and four companies accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group accused by Washington of committing genocide. Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US treasury said the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VN6opQ9

Democrats urge Pentagon to release video of strike on alleged drug boat

Trump team faces mounting pressure as members of Congress allege that the deadly attack was unlawful US Democrats on Sunday pushed the Trump administration to release video of a second strike on an alleged drug boat incapacitated in the Caribbean, continuing to escalate pressure on the Pentagon amid accusations the attack was unlawful. Eleven people died in the 2 September attack , including two men killed in a follow-up strike as they reportedly clung to wreckage for an hour. That killing has been met with intense scrutiny and accusations of war crimes after the Washington Post reported defense secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to “kill them all” . Adm Frank Bradley of the US navy, who oversaw the attack, told lawmakers on Thursday there was no such order – and the Pentagon has defended the legality of the attack. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/rf8uLkq

Man arrested after people at Heathrow allegedly attacked with ‘form of pepper spray’

Police think incident at airport car park involved theft of a suitcase and ‘people known to each other’ A man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after people were allegedly attacked with a “form of pepper spray” at a multistorey car park at Heathrow airport Terminal 3, police have said. The Metropolitan police said armed officers were called to the terminal’s car park at about 8.11am to a report of people being assaulted. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/gslvehj

MLS Cup final: Inter Miami v Vancouver Whitecaps – live buildup

Inter Miami host Vancouver for MLS championship Drop Beau at line on Bluesky or email In a big country, dreams stay with you … Or, in this case, two big countries, with the Vancouver Whitecaps representing Canada. These two clubs are in opposite corners of the continent. Unless MLS expands to Alaska or Hawaii, the distance between Miami and Vancouver is about as big as you can get. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/puBoX76

Cloudflare apologises after latest outage takes down LinkedIn and Zoom

Web infrastructure provider says problem lasted half an hour and was not an attack, weeks after larger outage Cloudflare has apologised after an outage on Friday morning hit websites including LinkedIn, Zoom and Downdetector, the company’s second outage in less than a month . “Any outage of our systems is unacceptable, and we know we have let the internet down again,” it said in a blogpost , adding that it would release more information next week on how it aims to prevent these failures. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JFWax3i

Chatbots can sway political opinions but are ‘substantially’ inaccurate, study finds

‘Information-dense’ AI responses are most persuasive but these tend to be less accurate, says security report Chatbots can sway people’s political opinions but the most persuasive artificial intelligence models deliver “substantial” amounts of inaccurate information in the process, according to the UK government’s AI security body. Researchers said the study was the largest and most systematic investigation of AI persuasiveness to date, involving nearly 80,000 British participants holding conversations with 19 different AI models. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/r25WwqP

Advertising giant WPP relegated from FTSE 100 after nearly 30 years

Market value of ad group that was once world’s largest plummets from about £24bn in 2017 to £3.1bn WPP has been relegated from the FTSE 100 after nearly 30 years, as the advertising multinational struggles to stem an exodus of clients and match the artificial intelligence and data capabilities of rivals . The market valuation of WPP, once the world’s largest advertising group, has plummeted from about £24bn in 2017 to £3.1bn. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Xr69FmU

Production of French-German fighter jet threatened by rivalries, chief executive says

Relations between French company Dassault and the German unit of Airbus are reportedly ‘very strained’ The leaders of France and Germany have a “strong willingness” to build a new fighter jet together despite bitter internal rivalries, according to the chief executive of engine manufacturer Safran. A row over who should lead between French aerospace company Dassault and the German unit of Airbus has threatened to break apart the countries’ efforts to make a next-generation fighter jet. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5AQfNO7

India orders phone makers to preload devices with state-owned cyber safety app

Critics voice concern as government says its Sanchar Saathi app combats cybersecurity threats for 1.2bn telecom users India’s telecoms ministry has privately asked smartphone makers to preload all new devices with a state-owned cybersecurity app that cannot be deleted, a government order showed, a move likely to antagonise Apple and privacy advocates. In tackling a recent surge of cybercrime and hacking, India is joining authorities worldwide, most recently in Russia, to frame rules blocking the use of stolen phones for fraud or promoting state-backed government service apps. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HkPg0TJ