Gold price climbs above $4,400 to hit record high
Investors are flocking to precious metals amid geopolitical tensions and with more US interest rate cuts expected.
Notable Events Around the World on - 2025-12-22
Lim relives his historic 1990 nine-dart finish
Paul Lim relives becoming the first player to hit a nine-dart finish at a World Championship in 1990.
bbc.com
McCullum wants to stay as England coach
England head coach Brendon McCullum is contracted until the end of the 50-over World Cup in 2027, with a home Ashes series in that time.
bbc.com
UK consumers saving less as taxes squeeze incomes, data shows
ONS finds households’ savings ratio has dropped to lowest rate for more than a year across third quarterUK consumers saved less money during the third quarter of the year, as higher taxes squeezed...
theguardian.com
Lib Dems write to human rights watchdog over election delays
The government has indicated it would postpone elections if requested by local authorities.
bbc.com
Lynching of a Hindu in Bangladesh Fans Fears of Rising Intolerance
Students held a silent protest at Dhaka University in Bangladesh’s capital on Sunday to condemn the lynching of a Hindu garment worker.
nytimes.com
People Are Using Sora 2 to Make Disturbing Videos With AI-Generated Kids
Videos such as fake ads featuring AI children playing with vibrators or Jeffrey Epstein and Diddy-themed playsets are being made with Sora 2 and posted to TikTok.
wired.com
Every WSL club's January transfer plans revealed
With the January transfer window looming, Sky Sports looks at what each Women's Super League club needs and some of the players attracting interest this winter.
skysports.com
US lawmakers threaten legal action against Attorney General over Epstein files
A Republican and a Democrat who have led calls for transparency accuse the justice department of failing to meet legal obligations.
bbc.com
‘Unashamedly capitalist’ rewilders claim ‘Moneyball’ approach could make millions - but experts sceptical
Rich Stockdale says model of ‘regenerative capitalism’ would maximise profits by planting trees, restoring peatlands, and installing windfarms across its estatesThe founder of an investment firm bu...
theguardian.com
India and New Zealand conclude free trade agreement
Governments are seeking to diversify trade links due to the uncertainty driven by Trump’s tariffs.
aljazeera.com
Trump’s shuttering of the National Center for Atmospheric Research is Stalinist | Michael Mann and Bob Ward
This is the latest in the relentless purge of climate researchers who refuse to be co-opted by the fossil fuel industryThe Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin would no doubt have understood and even appr...
theguardian.com
Holidays in Space: 25 Years of Space Station Celebrations
In the quarter century that humans have lived and worked aboard the International Space Station, astronauts and visitors from around the world have celebrated countless holidays more than 250 miles...
nasa.gov
Tech Disrupted Friendship. It’s Time to Bring It Back
Two decades ago social media promised to connect people with pals far and wide. Twenty years online has left us turning to AI for kinship. IRL companionship is the future.
wired.com
Brain Gear Is the Hot New Wearable
Smartwatches are cool and all, but have you considered wearable neurotech?
wired.com
“Convenient for the US to declare war” with Venezuela
Ernesto Castaneda, talks about why some in US President Donald Trump’s cabinet are pushing for a war with Venezuela.
aljazeera.com
New Salford team granted Championship entry
A consortium led by former player Mason Caton-Brown has received membership approval from the RFL for a new Salford team and entry into the 2026 Betfred Championship.
skysports.com
The Future of EVs Is Foggy—but California Still Wants More of Them
Hamstrung by lawsuits, the state can’t officially keep its goal to ban new gas-powered car sales by 2035. But it’s going to keep trying.
wired.com
New Salford team granted Championship status
The Rugby Football League gives a new Salford team Championship membership for 2026, three weeks after the old club was wound up.
bbc.com
Israeli arms firms make record profits of the back of Gaza war
Israel’s defence industry is making record profits, using images of strikes on Gaza as proof of their purported success.
aljazeera.com
The 50 best TV shows of 2025: No 2 – Dying for Sex
Michelle Williams put in a stunning performance in this tale of a dying woman’s quest to have an orgasm. It’s not just clever, tender and blackly comic – it’s a beautiful meditation on what it mean...
theguardian.com
‘Cue air punches and tears’: why Next Goal Wins is my feelgood movie
Continuing the series where writers pick their go-to mood-lifting films is a look back to the inspiring sports documentaryIt feels apt following a 2026 World Cup draw featuring tiny island debutant...
theguardian.com
State of play: who holds the power in the video games industry in 2025?
This year has brought us many brilliant video games – but as wealth continues to concentrate, and games are used to exert economic and political influence, we need to keep an eye on the top players...
theguardian.com
Gold and silver hit record highs on geopolitical tensions
US blockade on Venezuelan oil and bets on Fed rate cuts drive up prices of precious metals
ft.com
Russian general killed in car bombing in Moscow
A Russian general was killed in Moscow on Monday when an explosive device detonated underneath his car.
aljazeera.com
A Gaza mass wedding and a Durbar horse procession: celebrating the agency photographers of 2025
The Guardian’s picture editors highlight the work of photojournalists working for news agencies worldwide whose images have made an impact and contributed to our journalism during 2025Over the cour...
theguardian.com
2025 in Gaza: 12 months, 12 pictures
Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 70,669 Palestinians and wounded 171,165 since October 2023.
aljazeera.com
Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch leads Christmas mass at Gaza church
Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch led Christmas mass at Gaza’s only Catholic church just days before the holiday.
aljazeera.com
The Land Trap by Mike Bird review – ground down
A masterful introduction to the economics of our most basic asset‘The landlord is a gentleman who does not earn his wealth … his sole function, his chief pride, is the consumption of wealth produce...
theguardian.com
Russia-Ukraine war live: Moscow probes Kyiv link after bomb kills general
Investigators pursue various lines of inquiry, including possibility attack was 'linked' to 'Ukrainian special forces'.
aljazeera.com
Russian general killed in Moscow car bomb
Authorities say Fanil Sarvarov died in an explosion on Monday
ft.com
New Zealand thrash West Indies to seal series win
New Zealand bowl West Indies out for 138 to win the third Test by 323 runs and complete a 2-0 series victory.
bbc.com
Thousands of Serbians protest government pressure on universities
Thousands of demonstrators in Serbia gathered in Novi Pazar on Sunday to protest government pressures on universities.
aljazeera.com
Russian General Is Killed in a Car Bombing in Moscow
The scene of a car bombing in Moscow on Monday, in a photo released investigators.
nytimes.com
Japan set to restart world’s biggest nuclear power plant
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa will be latest plant to restart 15 years after Fukushima disaster shut down country's nuclear energy.
aljazeera.com
A Christmas Fair review – site-specific heartwarmer is bathed in goodwill-to-all sentiment
Chadderton Town Hall, OldhamSet over the course of local village hall fundraiser, Jim Cartwright’s play is charmingly performed and has a built-in sense of communityYesterday it was the salsa class...
theguardian.com
January transfer window: Key dates and Deadline Day
The transfer window re-opens on Thursday January 1, allowing clubs across the leagues to seek reinforcements and reshape their squads.
skysports.com
Tracking the NFL playoff picture: Updated chances to clinch open spots, win division titles
We are following the 2025 NFL season's playoff picture. Here's how things look right now for wild-card spots, division races and even the draft order.
espn.com
Swiss court to hear Indonesian islanders’ climate case against cement giant
Four residents of Pari, a low-lying Indonesian island, filed the complaint in January 2023.
aljazeera.com
Resident doctors say they will resume talks to avoid further strikes with ‘can-do spirit’
BMA calls on Wes Streeting to be equally positive and says 11th-hour talks before five-day stoppage came too late but were encouragingResident doctors have said they will approach talks with Wes St...
theguardian.com
Palaver by Bryan Washington review – a remix of the author’s greatest hits
From exile to family dysfunction, street food to sex, this stylish novel about a mother visiting her estranged gay son in Tokyo explores familiar themesWhile we now use it to mean a fuss or convolu...
theguardian.com
The weirdest, wildest tales of the World Cup: best podcasts of the week
From Ronaldo’s legendary haircut to Argentina’s improvised 1986 away shirt – the odd stories behind football’s biggest trophy are explored. Plus, a smart series from the makers of Pod Save AmericaT...
theguardian.com
The 10 best experimental albums of 2025
Raisa K’s solo album is primitive and intimate, Saeko Killy adds a euphoric touch to her dimly lit sound and Bitchin Bajas get blissed out• The 50 best albums of 2025• More on the best culture of 2...
theguardian.com
Light Needs review – a blooming lovely meditation on plants and their people
Houseplants appear to make conversation and yearn for lost friends in a witty yet luminous documentary from Jesse McLeanThis experimental documentary by Jesse McLean about houseplants inspired me t...
theguardian.com
‘You have to be ready to see it’: Abel Ferrara and Catherine Breillat on why Pasolini’s Salò is a gift that keeps giving
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s notorious film is now 50 years old, and its cavalcade of shocking cruelty and violence still leaves a stark impact on its viewers. Film-makers explain why Pasolini ‘was a sain...
theguardian.com
New Zealand secure West Indies Test series win after five Duffy wickets
Jacob Duffy took 5-42 as New Zealand bowled out the West Indies for 138 on a deteriorating fifth-day pitch to win the third Test by 323 runs and take the three-match series 2-0.
skysports.com
TV tonight: Judi Dench, Kenneth Branagh and a potty-mouthed parrot
The much-loved actors (and old friends) reminisce over a cuppa. Plus: a peek behind the scenes at the papal conclave. Here’s what to watch this evening9pm, Sky Arts A wickedly funny and hugely movi...
theguardian.com
Australian move to fast-track new gun and protest laws after Bondi shooting draws criticism
Civil liberties advocates say laws 'damage our democracy' while others say they scapegoat gun owners.
bbc.com
Patriots secure playoff return in comeback win over Ravens
Drake Maye guided New England to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, rallying his team from an 11-point deficit to a 28-24 victory over Baltimore on Sunday night that clinched a post-season spot f...
skysports.com
'Still excited' - Lim, 71, the oldest flinger in town
PDC World Championship history-maker Paul Lim, 71, discusses his longevity in darts as he prepares to face Luke Humphries at Alexandra Palace.
bbc.com
2025 is ‘year of the octopus’ as record numbers spotted off England’s south coast
Milder weather led to a bloom in the invertebrates in south Cornwall and Devon, wildlife charity saysRecord numbers of sightings of one of the world’s most intelligent invertebrates over the summer...
theguardian.com
First asylum seekers expected to arrive in East Sussex barracks in new year
Government has vowed to end use of asylum hotels and plans to send first men to Crowborough site within weeksThe Home Office plans to send the first group of asylum seekers to a military site in Ea...
theguardian.com
Regulator ‘asleep at the wheel’ over University of Greater Manchester investigation, MP says
Office for Students accused of ‘glacial’ response to allegations of fraud, bullying and mismanagementEngland’s universities regulator has been attacked for being “asleep at the wheel” over its dela...
theguardian.com
Hen cages and pig farrowing crates to be outlawed in England
Humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish and end to puppy farming also in new package of animal welfare lawsCaged hens will be a thing of the past in England, the government has announced, as...
theguardian.com
LIVE: Thailand, Cambodia resume border clashes before talks
Fighting has resumed hours before the countries' foreign ministers meet in Malaysia to discuss steps to de-escalate.
aljazeera.com
Sudanese bloc declares Nairobi roadmap, but is it a civilian breakthrough?
The new bloc's roadmap echoes the Quad plan, but observers say this only splinters civilian forces in Sudan.
aljazeera.com
Alleged Bondi gunmen threw 'tennis ball bomb', new documents say
Videos show the pair allegedly training in rural Australia and making statements in front of Islamic State flags
bbc.com
This simulation reveals what really happens near black holes
Black holes are among the most extreme objects in the universe, and now scientists can model them more accurately than ever before. By combining Einstein’s gravity with realistic behavior of light...
sciencedaily.com
US says talks with Russia, Ukraine in Miami ‘constructive, productive’
US envoy holds separate meetings with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Miami on ending Russia's war in Ukraine.
aljazeera.com
How upbeat battlefield briefings are fuelling Putin’s confidence
Russian generals’ positive reports on Ukraine have convinced the Kremlin the war is going in its favour
ft.com
What happened next: the night Led By Donkeys projected Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
The art activists made headlines during the US president’s state visit when they shocked the waiting media with a short documentary – and were quickly arrestedWhen Donald Trump’s second state visit...
theguardian.com
The stock market winners and losers of 2025
Chips, gold and guns have triumphed while ad companies and private equity struggled
ft.com
NPR analysis shows skyrocketing number of 'no-shows' in immigration court
More immigrants are not showing up for their mandatory immigration court hearings compared to prior years, an NPR analysis shows, allowing the government to order their immediate deportation.
npr.org
Former State for European Affairs on Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Florida
NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Heather Conley, former deputy assistant secretary of State for European Affairs, about the peace talks in Florida that seek to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
npr.org
Former State for European Affairs official on Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Florida
NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Heather Conley, former deputy assistant secretary of State for European Affairs, about the peace talks in Florida that seek to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
npr.org
US and Ukraine call Miami talks productive despite no breakthrough
Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, issued a statement with the top Ukrainian negotiator after discussing the latest peace plans.
bbc.com
New clashes erupt on Thai-Cambodia border as ASEAN convenes peace talks
Fighting resumes hours before regional foreign ministers meet in Malaysia to discuss steps to de-escalate hostilities.
aljazeera.com
Malaysia court rejects Najib’s bid to serve sentence under house arrest
High Court says a royal document allowing the ex-PM's transfer to house arrest was not valid.
aljazeera.com
Betty Reid Soskin, Nation’s Oldest Park Ranger, Dies at 104
Betty Reid Soskin at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif. She became a ranger at the park at the age of 85.
nytimes.com
Élysée Palace Silver and Tableware Stolen by Steward, Prosecutors Say
The entrance to the Élysée Palace in Paris. The objects that disappeared from its collection were returned after the investigation, according to prosecutors.
nytimes.com
Parkinson’s breakthrough changes what we know about dopamine
A new study shows dopamine isn’t the brain’s movement “gas pedal” after all. Instead of setting speed or strength, it quietly enables movement in the background, much like oil in an engine. When sc...
sciencedaily.com
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,397
These are the key developments from day 1,397 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
aljazeera.com
This AI finds simple rules where humans see only chaos
A new AI developed at Duke University can uncover simple, readable rules behind extremely complex systems. It studies how systems evolve over time and reduces thousands of variables into compact eq...
sciencedaily.com
James Ransone, Actor Known for ‘The Wire,’ Dies at 46
James Ransone in 2015.
nytimes.com
Russia Dismisses Reports of Progress in Ukraine Peace Talks
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy, met with a representative of Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, in Miami this weekend.
nytimes.com
A traditional Brazilian plant shows unexpected strength against arthritis
A Brazilian study has confirmed that Joseph’s Coat, a plant used for generations in folk medicine, can significantly reduce inflammation and arthritis symptoms in lab tests. Researchers observed le...
sciencedaily.com
UK economy entering 2026 amid sharp private sector downturn, says CBI
Business lobby survey finds firms ‘put brakes on key spending decisions’ before autumn budgetHeather Stewart: Four reasons to be cheerful about UK plc in 2026Wes Streeting urges closer EU trading t...
theguardian.com
How Rogers and Villa exposed Man Utd defence
Match of the Day pundit Dion Dublin analyses what went wrong for Manchester United against Aston Villa, and Wayne Rooney discusses the World Cup potential of "man of the moment" Morgan Rogers.