Weighing up a last-minute present but perplexed by in-game currencies? Here’s how to give gifts for Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite and moreWhile cash or a voucher to spend at a local shop used to be a welcome gift, nowadays many young gamers would rather receive virtual currencies under the tree.V-Buck…

Emphasis this year is on nostalgia as present day feels ‘a bit more uncertain’, say trend expertsTinsel, DIY tree decorations, deep burgundy drapes – and Home Alone on VHS. Christmas has gone retro on TikTok, and in people’s living rooms.The app has reported a surge in Christmas decor videos, with a…

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) announced Friday she'd suspended her campaign for New York governor and will not seek reelection to the House next year.Why it matters: Stefanik, one of President Trump's most prominent backers on Capitol Hill and a member of House GOP leadership, just entered the race f…

The Justice Department released thousands of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, including photos featuring people like former President Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger. However, survivors are concerned with how much information was redacted from the files.

The second series of the Tom Hiddleston-fronted drama is first le Carré adaptation not based on author’s own workIt was in a market square in the Colombian city of Cartagena when Georgi Banks-Davies wondered if she had bitten off more than she could chew.The director of The Night Manager’s second se…

The Stranger Things Broadway play connects to Season 5, that Will Byers power-up, and Vecna in a big way.

A woman's early career pregnancy decision may shape her financial future for decades, according to new research co-led by Eden King, the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Psychology at Rice University, and Nicola Lawrence-Thomas, a lecturer in work psychology at the University of Sheffield. The study, …

Footage shows a massive crowd filling streets to mourn Sharif Osman Hadi, a leader of the 2024 student-led uprising.

Defense department will still allow stabbing and burning, and ‘weapon wounding’ on animals to test weaponsThe US military will stop its practice of shooting pigs and goats to help prepare medics for treating wounded troops in a combat zone, ending an exercise made obsolete by simulators that mimic b…

As two beloved presenters stand down, speculation is rife over who may take up the ‘very sparkly baton’After more than two decades with Strictly Come Dancing, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly are approaching their last tango.The much-loved presenters will present the show’s live final on Saturday nig…

Resolution urges Rwandan troops to withdraw from area of conflict that has killed hundreds, displaced tens of thousands.

This sort of behavior is alien to a republic and a democracy. It is common, however, in dictatorships.

YouTuber stopped in sixth after four knockdownsTrump weighs in on fight from Air Force OneVictor eyes Fury after hospitalizing Paul with broken jawWomen’s boxing shines on Miami undercardJake Paul v Anthony Joshua – as it happenedAnthony Joshua did what he was meant to do on Friday night in Miami: h…

Khan and his wife have denied accusations that they misrepresented the value of state gifts, including jewellery.

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We present the first spatially resolved map of methanimine CH2NH in the prestellar core L1544 using the IRAM 30m telescope. The 20,2-10,1 line at 127 GHz was mapped with 20″ resolution (∼2800 au), revealing extended CH2NH emission across the core. The peak line intensity coincides with the well-know…

President Trump’s trade policy, inflation and climbing stock prices shaped business and the economy this year.

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WASHINGTON — Israeli officials have grown increasingly concerned that Iran is expanding production of its ballistic missile program, which was damaged by Israeli military strikes earlier this year, and are preparing to brief President Donald Trump about options for attacking it again, according to a…

Fitch Ratings has cut Gabon’s credit rating further into junk territory, citing widening government deficits and declining demand for the country’s debt.

Batter accepts ‘uphill battle’ to keep Ashes series aliveCrawley backs Ollie Pope after dismissal for 17 in AdelaideZak Crawley has promised England will still be hunting for victory on the fifth day of the third Test in Adelaide, despite slipping to 207 for six in pursuit of a record fourth-innings…

The photo appears to have been taken in the saloon room at Sandringham, the royal estate in Norfolk.

Maria Farmer, among the accusers of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, rejoiced Friday after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released swaths of files tied to its probe of the disgraced financier. Farmer, who detailed reporting Epstein's crimes to the FBI in 1996, said authorities "hung…

Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days Continue reading...

President Trump, while speaking to reporters in North Carolina on Friday, boasted about his claim against the federal government requesting a large payout in taxpayer money over legal battles he faced after leaving office in 2021. Turmp submitted two claims against the Justice Department (DOJ) seeki…

Our most burning questions after Avatar: Fire and Ash, including why Varang isn't a bigger part of the movie, will there be more Avatar sequels, and more!

Bones has one last episode for 'My Academia' to close out the anime as part of the series' 10-year celebration.

UN body to study possibility of integrating centuries-old practices into mainstream healthcareFrom herbalists in Africa gathering plants to use as poultices to acupuncturists in China using needles to cure migraines, or Indian yogis practising meditation, traditional remedies have increasingly being…

A ​trio of House Republicans welcomed an Orthodox Christian delegation that accused Ukraine of religious persecution to Capitol Hill this week.  Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) and Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), headlined an advocacy day Tuesday for Orthodox Christian clergy, some …

Get a grip on gaming with the best controller options for Nintendo’s latest handheld console.

Sorbitol, a popular sugar-free sweetener, may not be as harmless as its label suggests. Researchers found it can be turned into fructose in the liver, triggering effects similar to regular sugar. Gut bacteria can neutralize some of it—but too much sorbitol or glucose can overwhelm that defense. The …

financial literacy is linked to positive outcomes, like wealth accumulation, stock market participation, effective retirement planning, and avoiding high-cost alternative financial services.

The U.S. launched retaliatory strikes against ISIS in Syria after a deadly ambush last week killed two American soldiers and a U.S. civilian working as a translator.

At least 13 people in Gaza, including two-week-old and one-month-old babies, have died from winter weather.

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Yang has been part of the NBC sketch show since 2018, earning five Emmy nominations.

Ariana Grande hosts, while Cher performs as musical guest on Saturday, Dec. 20.

Boutique advisory posted revenues of £56mn for the year to March

How to watch college football for free. Live stream Tulane vs. Ole Miss in 2025 without cable.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued five major television companies, claiming they use their smart TVs to spy on Texans.

A pair of deadly attacks in Syria and Australia has shone a fresh spotlight on the Islamic State, the militant group.

Gone are shots of puddings and sweets as advertisers try to market other foods to stay within rules coming into force on 5 JanuaryThe festive season is traditionally a time of national culinary overindulgence but eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed that this year’s crop of big-budget Christmas TV ad…

The director of global macro at the asset management giant remains a secular bull on bitcoin, but isn't optimistic about the next year.

Attack brings total numbers of Palestinians killed by Israel to 400 since October ceasefire took effectIsrael Defense Forces killed five Palestinians, including a baby, who were in a school that sheltered displaced people in Gaza City on Friday, hospital officials have said. The attack brings the nu…

Visit one of "the world's greatest places," according to Time Magazine. Plus, meet a little girl using jokes to raise money for a cause close to her heart.

A life ring and a lifeboat remnant from a famous Great Lakes shipwreck have sold at auction for $150,000.

Major A.I. companies are competing to give their models the most appealing personality.

The administration’s pro-industry tilt—across three executive agencies—is feeding the MAHA movement’s growing discontent.

Lawyers argue ‘cumulative disruption’ regulations were quashed in May and should therefore not be usedThe Metropolitan police have been using powers they no longer have to crack down on pro-Palestine protests, according to legal experts.Based on evidence obtained by the Guardian and Liberty Investig…

Some of the wounded were on a bus at the epicenter of the strike, Ukraine's Emergency Service said.

President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law on Thursday, approving a record $901 billion in military spending for 2026. The NDAA authorizes law enforcement to take down drones at public gatherings, something police and professional sports entities have been requesting ahea…

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a lead co-sponsor for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, said Friday that lawmakers were mulling possible impeachment moves after the Justice Department (DOJ) released a tranche of heavily redacted files tied to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Khanna rais…

The Recording Academy revived the category this year; we ask two creatives to critique the five nominees

Elements from the group of rare earth metals are of great importance today, also in technical applications. The Bioinorganic Chemistry group at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) is conducting diverse research into these elements. The group has now published two studies in the scientific jou…

The consistory, as such gatherings are called, will be held Jan. 7-8, immediately following the Jan. 6 conclusion of the 2025 Holy Year.

⚽ Updates from Saturday afternoon’s big matches⚽ Scores | Tables | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail EmilliaChampionship games (3pm unless otherwise stated)Preston North End 1-1 Norwich City FTBlackburn Rovers 2-0 Millwall FTSouthampton 1-1 Coventry City FTHull City v West BromBristol City v Middlesbrough…

The prediction markets battle is unfolding on multiple fronts as sportsbooks, trading platforms and regulators test the boundaries of U.S. betting law.Why it matters: DraftKings, one of the nation's largest sportsbooks, launched its long-anticipated prediction market Friday, embracing a fast-growing…

Researchers at Tokyo University of Science showed that sodium-ion batteries with hard carbon anodes can charge faster than lithium-ion batteries by using a diluted electrode method that reveals sodium insertion is intrinsically quicker than lithium.

Like a game of cosmic bumper cars, scientists think the early days of our solar system were a time of violent turmoil, with planetesimals, asteroids, and comets smashing together and pelting the Earth, Moon, and the other inner planets with debris. Now, in a historical milestone, NASA’s Hubble Space…

In addition to the open-source NVIDIA "NVK" Vulkan driver in Mesa merging compression support for big performance wins, another performance optimization was merged earlier in the week that stand to benefit GeForce RTX 20 "Turing" graphics processors...

These mismatches have surprising consequences.

Happy solstice! The 2025 December solstice will fall on December 21. It's the shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere. Celebrate the seasons!
The post 2025 December solstice: All you need to know first appeared on EarthSky.

Judges around the country have begun to show a simmering fury at the conduct of federal agents.

The Port of Dover says earlier problems in Calais are causing processing delays of up to one hour.

The party that pledged to cut waste and save money faces criticism after pushing through vote to employ advisersReform UK’s “flagship” local authority, Kent county council, has been condemned for pushing through plans to spend tens of thousands of pounds on hiring political assistants.The move comes…

NASA's Hubble telescope saw two cosmic collisions around a nearby star like those theorized to have occurred long ago in our solar system.

Aaron, 28, a digital producer, meets Tara, 30, who works in marketingWhat were you hoping for?
Someone to split a mortgage with. If not that, a nice night with someone new. Continue reading...

The U.S. jobs market took a sharp turn for the worse in 2025, and it doesn’t look like hiring will catch fire in the new year.

A large metal cage bear trap, placed by CDFW biologists on Johnson's property, was sprayed with cherry and caramel-scented spray, and on Dec. 16, a bear was inside it. Officials with CDFW said, unfortunately, it was a non-target bear.

A cross-cultural jamboree of a festive meal, mixing Middle Eastern, west African and French cuisine: peppered smoked mackerel pies, crab gratin, slow-cooked lamb, jewelled rice, and a rum and pineapple cake to round things offI was born in west Africa, and brought up between there, France and the UK…

Our resident big cheese munches his way through 10 sets of crackers so you don’t have to make a snap decisionI’m treading dangerous ground critiquing classics such as Jacob’s cream crackers and Carr’s table water biscuits, some of Britain’s most nostalgic family foods. There’s nothing wrong with a b…

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Plant parents don’t always want another plant—up your gift-giving game with these favorite plant presents we've tested.

Pope Leo XIV has summoned the world’s cardinals for meetings to help him govern the church, marking the unofficial start of his pontificate

Google wanted to remove Assistant from most Android phones by the end of 2025 and replace it with Gemini. But now the company has announced that it needs a bit more time to make its AI assistant the new default digital helper for most of its users. Google said that it's adjusting its previously anno…

Chris Mason wraps up the political year of 2025

Strikes on four vessels signal that Kyiv is willing to expand the maritime theater of the conflict in an effort to crimp Moscow’s military funding.

The alleged gunmen in the shooting, Sajid Akram, 50, and his son, Naveed Akram, 24, were from Bonnyrigg, a diverse, multilingual suburb miles from Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Anything your imagination desires, as long as it's one of just a few options.

U.S. bitcoin ETF AUM fell less than 4% despite a 36% price correction from the October high.

Brent Rasmussen had a massive stroke in 2023. Getting his "ho ho ho back" helped motivate his recovery.

The award-winning Puerto Rican artist, the most-streamed on the planet, is performing eight concerts in Mexico. People flocked from all over the world, including the United States.

The president makes a primetime address to the nation.

The AI threat has led storied software stocks like Salesforce and Adobe to trade near their cheapest levels in years. Analysts are divided on which names will re-emerge as winners.

The new regulation arrives on New Year's Day.

A man in Austria was charged in the death of his girlfriend after leaving her behind, in a case testing ideas of freedom and responsibility in the mountains.

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The Strangers, a horror tale written during the playwright’s college days, appeared in the Strand magazine this weekAs 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 Ho…

Get the ultra-slim MagTag tracker card for $23.99 and keep track of your essentials using Apple’s Find My app.

Amos Esty, Harvard Medicine In April 2020, just a few months after the first documented case of COVID-19 in the United States, a survey conducted by a newly formed research group called the...

Vertical monitors can streamline workflows in certain situations. Here's how to set one up in Windows 11 using either built-in or third-party tools.

Ross Pomeroy, RCScience If you find yourself in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, paper statistics quickly become apparent in the real-world: The Dutch are really tall.
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The Syrian government did not comment directly on the extensive American strikes targeting the Islamic State on Friday, but said it was intensifying its own efforts to fight the group.

From retailers to banks, carmakers to councils, the bold pledges for carbon-neutral economies are being watered down or scrappedAlmost a year since Donald Trump returned to the White House with a rallying cry to the fossil fuel industry to “drill baby, drill”, a backlash against net zero appears to …

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Our public spaces are now awash with wireless internet. Make sure you’re getting the most out of every connection.

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More than five years ago, I wrote in these pages of a growing trend on the left toward compelled speech — the forcing of citizens to repeat approved views and values. It is an all-too-familiar pattern. Once a faction assumes power, it will often first seek to censor opposing views and then compel th…