Exclusive: research suggests supplementing eggs with a key protein reduces age-related defects, raising hopes of improved IVF for older women Scientists claim to have “rejuvenated” human eggs for the first time in an advance that they predict could revolutionise IVF success rates for older women. The groundbreaking research suggests that an age-related defect that causes genetic errors in embryos could be reversed by supplementing eggs with a crucial protein. When eggs donated by fertility patients were given microinjections of the protein, they were almost half as likely to show the defect compared with untreated eggs. Continue reading...

Exclusive: NHS clinicians will sit in on appointments in pilot scheme in four areas aimed at reducing reoffending About 4,000 offenders in England will get targeted healthcare sessions during their probation appointments as part of a new pilot scheme. Offenders are far more likely to have poor physical or mental health or addiction issues, which increases the likelihood of reoffending. Continue reading...

Report says officials seem unprepared for potential risks that unregulated industry poses to UK financial stability The UK Treasury has a “limited grasp” of concerns linked to the booming shadow banking sector and may not be prepared for risks the unregulated industry poses to financial stability, peers have said. While a lack of data makes it hard to say whether the $16tn (£12tn) non-bank financial sector could bring the wider financial system to its knees, officials do not seem to be alive to the potential risks, according to a Lords financial services regulation committee report. Continue reading...

Featuring Wood, her famous sidekicks Julie Waters and Celia Imrie and other female standups, this documentary is tender, moving and an absolute hoot There is a moment at the start of this documentary about the comedian Victoria Wood when you realise what she was up against at the beginning of her career: a snippet from the archives of Melvyn Bragg hailing her as Britain’s first female standup comedian. That wasn’t entirely the case, but it seems unthinkable now that it took until the 1980s for women to break through in any numbers. In 1985, when season one of Wood’s sketch show As Seen on TV aired on BBC2, there were sniffs of doubt that a woman could front a comedy programme, let alone a northern woman. How wrong they were. Clips from the show, featuring Wood, Julie Waters and Celia Imrie, are a hoot: high on a tipsy energy, the performers are all on the edge of collapsing into giggles. For those who grew up with Wood as a national treasure, Becoming Victoria Wood will be a revelation. Her standup routines in the 1980s blazed a trail, with jokes about tampons and cellulite. She had a lonely childhood, was ignored by her mother and was shy and self-conscious about her weight. (Later press coverage fixating on her size was vile.) She didn’t feel clever or good-looking enough but she had a fierce streak of ambition that seemed to come from nowhere. Continue reading...

Emily Henry’s hit book has been adapted into a glossily made yet charmless attempt to resurrect the friends-to-lovers formula Released just as the weather turns to freezing and we’re all daydreaming of an escape, Netflix’s early January romcom People We Meet on Vacation is at the very least smartly timed. Produced as part of the streamer’s Sony deal, it benefits from some real studio gloss (proper lighting!) and as Polo & Pan’s perfectly balmy Nana plays over a transporting shot of our heroine lounging on a beach (the song was also used in Netflix’s underrated Christmas romcom Let it Snow), I was ready to relax with her. But what a brief escape it turned out to be … The adaptation of Emily Henry’s much-loved 2021 novel has the superficial trappings all in check (eyes with permanent twinkles, unrealistic main character job in this climate, more easily affordable Taylor Swift song on the soundtrack) but no heart or soul to go with it. There’s simply nothing to root for or care about or grasp on to, just the limp tracing of something we’ve seen many many times before. Its closest comparison would be When Harry Met Sally, a similar journey that turns friends into lovers over a fairly epic time span (the pair even meet in the exact same way, forced to drive home together from college). But what felt lived in and genuinely human back in 1989 now feels shallow and synthetic in 2026, a grim start to the year for a genre I keep hoping and praying for. Continue reading...

Austin Peay State University will also pay theater and dance professor Darren Michael $500,000 in settlement Austin Peay State University has reinstated a professor who was fired for his social media post after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Tennessee school is also paying the teacher $500,000 in the settlement. Austin Peay spokesperson Brian Dunn said Darren Michael returned to his position as a tenured faculty member at the public university in Clarksville effective 30 December. A copy of the settlement agreement obtained through a public records request includes a $500,000 payment and reimbursement of counseling, as reported earlier this week by WKRN-TV. Continue reading...

Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie seek to compel justice department to release full set of files Two US House of Representatives members have asked a federal judge to appoint a special master to compel the justice department to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. On Thursday, Democratic representative Ro Khanna of California and Republican representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky asked US district judge Paul Engelmayer to release the full Epstein files, as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Continue reading...

Attacks bring total number of Palestinians killed by Israel to 425 since October ceasefire took effect Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli attacks in the Palestinian territory on Thursday killed at least 13 people, including five children, despite a ceasefire that has largely halted the fighting. Four people including three children were killed when a drone struck a tent sheltering displaced people in southern Gaza, agency spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP. Continue reading...

Atlético Madrid 1-2 Real Madrid Sørloth 58; Valverde 2, Rodrygo 55 Real Madrid hold on and so does Xabi Alonso, all the way to the final. Judgment was due to come in Jeddah but it will be put off for another day at least, and instead of the sack there may be a medal waiting at the end of a month spent on edge after Real defeated Atlético 2-1. Goals from Fede Valverde and Rodrygo set up another Super Cup meeting with Barcelona on Sunday night, opportunity and obligation in one. On a night when Madrid scored after 77 seconds, Atlético’s last opportunity to get a result they probably deserved and force a penalty shootout slipped agonisingly away with only 10 more seconds remaining. Julián Alvarez had it, Antoine Griezmann almost did, but, in at last, a shot from the former just evaded the latter. As the ball bounced past the post, it took Atlético’s hopes with it. Continue reading...

A handful of Republicans joined Democrats to pass a three-year extension of tax credits cutting ACA premiums The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation to reestablish tax credits that lowered premiums for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans, after a small group of Republicans broke ranks and joined with Democrats to defy Donald Trump on a key healthcare issue that could sway voters ahead of the November midterm elections. The chamber voted 230-196 to approve a bill that would extend for three years the credits, which were first created under Joe Biden but expired at the end of last year despite a concerted effort by the Democratic minority to continue them. Continue reading...

Point proven? Well, not exactly. Just when Arsenal looked ready to lay down a real marker for their title aspirations, a rejuvenated Liverpool side that has been through the wringer since they were crowned champions last season proved the Gunners are still far from the finished article. It could have been even worse for Mikel Arteta’s side if Liverpool had been awarded one of two potential penalties or if Conor Bradley’s brilliant chip had not struck the crossbar in the first half. Arne Slot will be delighted with the way his much-maligned defence coped with Arsenal’s threat before the break. Continue reading...

The vice-president went ballistic against the media and the left – a version of Trump with even more menace It was James David Vance’s pitch to his boss: don’t forget me! The vice-president was nowhere to be seen last weekend when US special forces swept into Venezuela and snatched its leader, Nicolás Maduro. Instead Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and a potential rival to Vance in the 2028 presidential election, grabbed all the Maga glory. Continue reading...

David Hart, 22, imprisoned for one year over nuisance calls to London hospitals and Westminster Abbey A man has been jailed for a year in New York for calling in a series of hoax bomb threats, many of which targeted institutions in the UK. David Hart was prosecuted by US authorities after a joint investigation by Scotland Yard and the US department for homeland security. Continue reading...

The 1958 says club has become a ‘laughing stock’ Protest planned at Old Trafford in early February Manchester United supporters group The 1958 has called for a vote of no confidence in the club’s ownership model, calling Sir Jim Ratcliffe “an incompetent clown”. The organisation will also hold a protest at the home match against Fulham on 1 February to make their voices heard at Old Trafford. The group wants the removal of the Glazer family and Ratcliffe from the club. Concerns were also expressed in relation to the work of the chief executive, Omar Berrada, and the director of football, Jason Wilcox, in the aftermath of Ruben Amorim’s sacking, which will lead to an interim replacement. Continue reading...

Alastair Campbell joins graduates and social mobility charities in criticism of Trinity Hall’s new policy Trinity Hall graduates and leading social mobility charities have called on the University of Cambridge college to scrap its controversial efforts to actively recruit students from elite private schools, describing the new policy as damaging, offensive and a step backwards for equality. After the Guardian revealed that Trinity Hall was to target a small group of wealthy private schools – so as to not “ignore or marginalise” privately educated students, according to an internal briefing – those promoting students from state schools said they were shocked and disappointed by its justifications. Continue reading...

There’s a great deal of unpretentious B-movie fun to be had in this brief, brutal and slickly made creature feature There’s a refreshing lack of subtext and pretension to this week’s gory creature feature Primate, a straight-to-the-point riposte to the glum, trauma-heavy horror films we’ve been enduring of late. Rather than following his genre peers who are busy aiming for the lofty heights of Don’t Look Now and Possession, British director Johannes Roberts is happy to give gen Z their very own Shakma, the goofy 1990 schlocker about a baboon driven wild by an experimental drug. That film took a while to gain a cult following, ultimately accepted by the same drunk Bad Movie crowd who took in Troll 2, but Primate won’t take anywhere near as long. It’s a far better, slicker movie for one, a surgically well-made crowd-pleaser that swaps out baboon for chimp, cleverly turning him from test subject to domesticated pet. At 89-minutes and paced like a rollercoaster, there’s little room for life lessons, although the film does make for a stern, grisly reminder of why chimps should not be considered part of the family (something many still don’t seem to understand). Continue reading...

Charlotte Head, who is accused of taking part in a break-in at Israeli defence firm, called a ‘remarkable woman’ by her barrister A Palestine Action activist accused of taking part in a break-in at an Israeli defence firm’s UK site is a “remarkable woman”, her barrister has told jurors, as he likened her to the suffragettes. Charlotte Head, 29, is on trial at Woolwich crown court, south-east London, accused of being involved in a “meticulously organised” protest at the Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024. Continue reading...

Outage piles pressure on regime as Iranian security forces reported to have killed at least 45 since protests started Iran was plunged into a complete internet blackout on Thursday night as demonstrations over economic conditions spread nationwide, increasing pressure on the country’s leadership. While it was unclear what caused the internet cut, first reported by internet freedom monitor NetBlocks, Iranian authorities have shut down the internet in response to protests in the past. Continue reading...

Capacity will increase from 37,645 to about 53,000 Proposals were approved by city council on Thursday Leeds have received planning permission to redevelop Elland Road and lift the stadium’s capacity from 37,645 to about 53,000. There had been fears that a delay to the long-mooted introduction of a tram network in the surrounding area until the late 2030s might impact the club’s plans to expand the ground but the proposals were approved by the city council on Thursday. Continue reading...

Aria and Tia both south of Britain after US-UK seizure of Marinera, deemed to be part of Moscow’s ‘shadow fleet’ Two oil tankers under US sanctions are sailing east through the Channel towards Russia, prompting speculation over whether the US and UK would be willing to seize further vessels linked to Moscow. The Aria and the Tia, which has changed its name and country of registration several times, were both travelling south of Britain a day after the Marinera oil tanker was captured in the Atlantic by the US with UK help. Continue reading...

Disgraced former movie mogul would avoid a third trial in New York on charges that came to define the #MeToo era Disgraced former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is weighing a potential guilty plea to resolve an undecided third-degree rape charge that would avoid a third trial in New York on charges that came to define the #MeToo era. Weinstein, in a wheelchair and looking noticeably paler than he did when he was last in court in June, was brought to judge Curtis Farber’s court on Thursday, seeking to have his latest sex crime conviction thrown out over claims of juror intimidation. Continue reading...

The London house where Bowie, then David Jones, lived from 1955 to 1968 will be opened at the end of 2027 On the evening of 6 July 1972, thousands of kids across the UK had their lives changed when the sight of David Bowie performing Starman on Top of the Pops was beamed into their living rooms. Come the end of 2027, Bowie fans will be able to walk the very floorboards where the young David Jones grew up, when his childhood home in Bromley, south London, is opened to the public for the first time. Ahead of the 10th anniversary of Bowie’s death this weekend (he would have turned 79 on Thursday), the Heritage of London Trust has announced that it has acquired the two-up, two-down house at 4 Plaistow Grove where Bowie lived from 1955 to 1968. Continue reading...

Certain canines can learn using cues from people’s gaze, gestures, attention and voices, researchers find Whether it is a piece of food or a four-letter expletive, words can be learned by young children overhearing adults – but now researchers have found certain dogs can do something similar. Scientists have discovered canines with the unusual ability to learn the names of myriad objects can pick up such labels by eavesdropping on conversations. Continue reading...

Hajar Abdelkader won just three points in 6-0, 6-0 loss ‘Wildcard should not have been granted’ to Egyptian Tennis Kenya said a controversial wildcard granted to Hajar Abdelkader should not have happened after the young Egyptian’s performance at a professional tournament in Nairobi went viral. The 21-year-old won just three points and served 20 double faults on her way to a 6-0, 6-0 defeat against German world No 1,026, Lorena Schaedel. Videos shared on social media showed the Egyptian struggling to serve and position herself on the court. Continue reading...

Donald Trump’s Venezuela policy confirms he has no time for rules or process. America’s allies must find new ways to guarantee their own interests Occasionally, history generates smooth changes from one era to another. More commonly, such shifts occur only gradually and untidily. And sometimes, as the former Downing Street foreign policy adviser John Bew puts it in the New Statesman, history unfolds “in a series of flashes and bangs”. In Caracas last weekend, Donald Trump’s forces did this in spectacular style. In the process, the US brushed aside more of what remains of the so-called rules-based order with which it tried to shape the west after 1945. The capture of Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro has precedents in US policy. But discerning a wider new pattern from the kidnapping is not easy, especially at this early stage. As our columnist Aditya Chakrabortty has argued this week, the abduction can be seen as a assertion of American power, but also as little more than a chaotic asset grab. Continue reading...