European legislators may ban plant-based products from using the name to prevent ‘confusion’. Just don’t mention beef tomatoes or buffalo wings Most of what you eat is sausages. I mean, if we’re going to get literal about it. Sausage derives from the Latin salsicus, which means “seasoned with salt”. You might think of a sausage as a simple thing, but on this reading it is everything and nothing, a Borgesian meta-concept that retreats as you approach it. From another perspective, a sausage is an offal-filled intestine, or the macerated parts of an electrocuted or asphyxiated pig or other animal – generally parts that you wouldn’t knowingly eat – mixed with other ingredients that, in isolation, you might consider inedible. For some reason, it is seldom marketed as such. Continue reading...

Eight years ago, after yet another disastrous festive get-together, my mother decided we needed professional help. Which is how a new festive tradition began It is early December, and I am sitting in a psychoanalyst’s office in central London, about to do 60 minutes of pre-Christmas family therapy. Outside, the Christmas lights are twinkling. I can hear a drunk person literally shouting for joy on the street beneath the window. But inside the consulting room, it is eerily silent. My mother, my sister and I sit in squishy armchairs and pretend to admire the art, but really we are eyeballing one another like prizefighters, looking for weak spots. My father is just a tiny, flickering face on an iPhone, propped up next to my mother on a cushion. My father doesn’t really believe in therapy, but he’s compromised by dialling in via Zoom. He keeps falling off his cushion and on to the floor. Our therapist peers benevolently at us over her spectacles. She is in her 80s and has a world-weary look about her. Like she has seen all manner of dysfunction before. She lets the silence hang for a moment, and then she clears her throat: “Shall we begin with presents? Or the meal?” Continue reading...

The post-apocalyptic dark comedy returns, with added Macaulay Culkin, while a new book reveals what Lord of the Flies could have been called. Here’s the pick of the week’s culture, taken from the Guardian’s best-rated reviews Continue reading...

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

The dog used to be dependent on us for everything. But since graduating from dog school the tables have started to turn It’s a cold winter night, and my wife and I are alone in the house, binge-watching some new series. I was transfixed by episode one, and gripped by episode two, but midway through episode three I have started to look at my phone, and as a consequence I’ve lost track of the plot. I have an idea what’s going on, but it’s not the right idea. “So hang on,” my wife says. “Was that just the dead guy? Meaning he’s not dead?” Continue reading...

James Cameron’s Smurftacular franchise is back for an action-packed third outing, and musical geniuses butt heads in the new TV adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s play Avatar: Fire and Ash Out now James Cameron comes down with a case of the Christmas blues, so to speak, as the director’s record-breaking franchise epic returns once more to planet Pandora for more internecine strife and respecting of the splendour of the natural world, rendered in dazzling motion-capture glory. Continue reading...

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 off I was born in west Africa, and brought up between there, France and the UK in a French-Lebanese-British family. Unsurprisingly, then, our Christmas lunch was more than a bit diverse: my father always insisted on some British and Lebanese elements, while my mother contributed French dishes and technique; west African produce was also a must, because the house would be full of all nationalities, including our African family. Not only that, but our Christmas would invariably start with a guest list of about 20, and another 20 or so waifs and strays would always then turn up in need of feeding and watering. Today’s dishes were part of our regular seasonal festivities, as good in the sunshine as they are robust enough for a chilly British winter. Continue reading...

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

From pop to politics, it’s been quite the year. Were you paying attention? Let’s find out … 1-5 Please pay more attention. 6-14 Very good. But spend less time looking up from your phone in 2026. 15-20 Please write this next year. Continue reading...

Country is facing epidemic of diabetes and obesity, but experts say widespread and unregulated use of weight loss drugs could put patients at risk India’s leading doctors have warned of the dangers of an unregulated boom in weight loss injections, and emphasised they are not a magic pill to solve the country’s growing epidemic of diabetes and obesity. Demand for appetite-suppressing drugs such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic has surged since they were introduced into the Indian market this year. Continue reading...

At a Barbados beach barbecue, I attempted to attract the attention of handsome Dwayne. I ended up with drenched hair and no sunglasses or bikini top Christmas in Barbados is different. Forget snow and scarves – we do Christmas in flip-flops, sweating through church services and pretending to feel festive because there’s tinsel on a palm tree. Everyone’s singing Mary’s Boy Child as if they’re auditioning for Caribbean Idol, and someone’s auntie is halfway through a bottle of Mount Gay before 11am. But my weirdest Christmas was when I was about 19 – that magical age when you’re convinced you’re grown, but you still have braces. My mum had taken me “back home” to spend the holidays with family. I was excited because 1) I needed a break from university, 2) I could finally escape the British winter, and 3) I was ready to find a husband. Continue reading...

Beatriz Bernal’s pioneering novel features brave, chivalrous women who ride dragons and her adapter wants his illustrated version to reach young readers Sixty years before a gaunt and deluded nobleman from La Mancha was overdosing on tales of derring-do, visiting his madness on those around him – and single-handedly rewriting the rules of fiction – the deeds of another heroic knight had already made literary history. Though completely eclipsed by Don Quixote, Cristalián de España, which was first published in 1545, has a unique claim to fame. Its 800 pages, bristling with swords, sorcerers, dragons and damsels, make up the earliest known work by a female Spanish novelist. Continue reading...

From retailers to banks, carmakers to councils, the bold pledges for carbon-neutral economies are being watered down or scrapped Almost 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 be gathering momentum. More companies have retreated from, or watered down, their pledges to cut carbon emissions, instead prioritising shareholder returns over climate action. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese said he would ‘support whatever action the NSW government takes’ Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese has backed a royal commission into last weekend’s terror attack at Bondi beach, after the NSW premier called for a full “comprehensive look” at the deadly shooting. Speaking to reporters on Saturday the premier, Chris Minns said the state needed a royal commission to investigate the mass shooting that killed 15 people. Continue reading...

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor appears to have his head near one woman’s lap as he poses reclined on his side Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor appears to be pictured reclining across the legs of five people with his head near a woman’s lap in the latest document dump related to the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In the undated image, which is a photograph of a picture in a photo frame, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell appears to peer down and smile at the former duke, who is smiling with his eyes closed. Continue reading...

After speculation actor was actually underground MC, pair join on remix to EsDeeKid’s 4 Raws It’s been arguably the most popular musical meme of the year: is masked Liverpudlian rapper EsDeeKid actually Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet in disguise? Now the speculation has been put to bed, with Chalamet jumping on an unexpected remix of EsDeeKid’s track 4 Raws. Chalamet posted a clip of a video for the track to his social media, rapping alongside EsDeeKid in a series of scenes, from a cramped kitchen to a housing estate. Continue reading...

Arm in arm along the shoreline, locals observed two minutes’ silence in ‘cathartic’ effort to unite the community Victims of Bondi beach shooting Ten minutes of terror: how the Bondi mass shooting unfolded in real time – video As he stood silently facing the waves on the Bondi shoreline, arm in arm with nearly 1,000 other lifesavers, Lockie Cook let himself feel the pain of the community’s most traumatic week in living memory. “I feel like that guard’s just dropping,” he said. Continue reading...

‘Most transparent’ administration has slow-walked and stonewalled – the incomplete release smells of a cover-up Epstein documents release – live updates The disappointment was palpable. In February, a group of 15 rightwing influencers visited the White House and paraded binders labelled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1”, only to discover that they contained precious little that was new. Ten months later, it was the world’s turn. Amid huge global anticipation on Friday, the US justice department released hundreds of thousands of pages of documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Continue reading...

Round-by-round updates from Kaseya Center in Miami Main event not before 10.30pm ET/3.30am GMT Paul v Joshua is old logic in a louder digital age Get in touch! Email Bryan with your thoughts Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s a quick primer covering the basics of tonight’s event. Alycia Baumgardner v Leila Beaudoin, 12 rounds, for Baumgardner’s WBO, IBF and WBA women’s junior lightweight titles Anderson Silva v Tyron Woodley, six rounds, cruiserweights Caroline Dubois v Camila Panatta, 10 rounds, for Dubois’ WBC women’s lightweight title Cherneka Johnson v Amanda Galle, 10 rounds, for Johnson’s undisputed women’s bantamweight championship Yokasta Valle v Yadira Bustillos, 10 rounds, for Valle’s WBC women’s strawweight title Avious Griffin v Justin Cardona, eight rounds, welterweights Jahmal Harvey v Kevin Cervantes, six rounds, junior lightweights Keno Marley v Diarra Davis Jr, four rounds, cruiserweights Continue reading...

Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and Richard Branson are among the people who appear in the thousands of documents released by the US justice department on Friday Continue reading...

Lawyers for victims say they have been ‘repeatedly denied justice’ while deputy attorney general says more files will be released US politics live – latest updates Representatives for victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein condemned the US Department of Justice on Friday for only partially releasing investigative documents while at least one survivor said she felt “redeemed” by the documents. The documents were released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated the disclosures by 19 December. The law allows for records to be withheld if they threaten current investigations, disrupt national security or identify Epstein’s victims. Continue reading...

Interview from 2019 reveals specific preferences for recruitment, including age and race Epstein files release – follow live Investigative notes describing Jeffery Epstein’s detailed demands of the people he sent to procure children for his sexual predation are among the documents released by the Department of Justice on Friday. They cast a grim spotlight on the actions of Epstein and those around him amid their efforts to procure young women and underage girls for the late disgraced financier. They were part of a long-awaited release of documents from Donald Trump’s justice department, which has been slammed for being only a partial release and heavily redacted. Continue reading...

Todd Blanche, deputy attorney general, says release of files won’t include full set, prompting outrage from lawmakers Epstein documents release – live updates The Department of Justice on Friday released some long-awaited files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but did not release everything in its possession as required by a law Congress passed last month. The partial release drew swift rebukes from Capitol Hill and threats of legal action. Speaking in an interview on Fox News on Friday morning, the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, said: “I expect we’re going to release several hundred thousand documents today, and those documents will come in all different forms, photographs and other materials associated with all of the investigations into Mr Epstein”. Continue reading...

Files that were viewable included images of Epstein socializing with Bill Clinton, as well as entertainers like Michael Jackson Epstein documents release – live updates The Department of Justice on Friday released a long-awaited and huge tranche of documents detailing its investigations into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a major development in the lengthy saga that turned into one of the biggest political setbacks Donald Trump has suffered since his re-election last year. While significant portions of the files are redacted, those that were viewable included images of Epstein socializing with an array of prominent figures, including entertainers like Michael Jackson, Chris Tucker and Diana Ross, and the entrepreneur Richard Branson. Bill Clinton appears in several photos, including one in which he is in a swimming pool along with Epstein’s convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The images also show former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Continue reading...

Travis Head powers hosts to 356-run lead at Adelaide Oval Play starts in Adelaide at 10am local/10.30am AEDT/11.30pm GMT Ashes top 100 | Get the Spin newsletter | Email Tanya Just watching Travis Head on the highlights, bristling through his moustache to 142 not out. Carey starts the day unbeaten on 52. Geoff might be enjoying Bazball’s demise below. Hello – from a Christmassy London, fleet-footed from the sports desk Christmas drinks. Continue reading...