Updates from Alexandra Palace semis, from 7.30pm GMT Follow us on Bluesky | And get in touch: email Niall The Nuke. Heavy Metal. The Giant. The Flying Scotsman. What kind of steampunk terrordome are we walking into tonight? It’s the Alexandra Palace, London and these are the four gladiators still standing after an absolutely vintage world darts championship. First up, the champion. Luke Littler has been more rattled by the crowd than his opponents on a run to his third semi-final in three appearances. On paper, Ryan Searle looks outmatched – but the Devon dartist has played like a potential winner, dropping just two sets on his way here. If he can start well and get the fans on side, things could get very interesting. Continue reading...

Ex-adviser Paul Ovenden says ‘political perma-class’ has distracted government, but critics argue ministers already have power to act Downing Street only has itself to blame for failing to exercise power, Whitehall experts have said, after a former No 10 adviser said that lobbying by a “political perma-class” had distracted the government from voters’ priorities. Paul Ovenden prompted a debate about how Keir Starmer’s administration is governing after criticising what he described as the “sheer weirdness of how Whitehall spends its time”. Continue reading...

A UK government warning that Amal Clooney risks US sanctions over her role in the issuing of an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister is key among reasons the couple have sought French citizenship The exodus from Hollywood to shores not presided over by Donald Trump has been busy and loud. Ellen DeGeneres, Robin Wright and Courtney Love moved to England; Rosie O’Donnell opted for Ireland; Eva Longoria, Spain. Other Trump critics, including Richard Gere, Lena Dunham and Ryan Gosling, have upped sticks without citing the re-election as a motivating factor. In the case of Clooney, however, there has appeared little doubt that his decision to gain French citizenship was primarily because of Trump, whose re-election he energetically campaigned against. Yet amid the heat and headlines generated by the pair’s war of words, some of the actor’s reasons for relocating may have flown under the radar. Continue reading...

Families are struggling to survive amid the devastation. Israel’s ban on international NGOs will worsen this disaster As Gaza enters the bleakest period of winter, children are dying of hypothermia, drowning in flooded camps and burning to death as their families try to cook in flimsy tents. Israel destroyed nine out of 10 homes over more than two years of war. Camped amid the ruins, Palestinians struggle against strong winds, heavy rain and freezing temperatures. Aid deliveries resumed following the ceasefire, staving off the famine that had taken hold in parts of the territory, but remain wholly insufficient: 1.6 million people face acute food insecurity. The sanitation infrastructure has collapsed. The UK, Canada, Japan, France and six other nations have jointly warned that the situation is catastrophic. Yet Israel is now deepening one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. On Tuesday, it announced that it is deregistering 37 NGOs active in Gaza. They must cease all operations there by 1 March unless they meet its new “security and transparency standards” – including by disclosing the personal details of staff. Many of the listed groups are among the best-regarded in their field, including Oxfam, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Norwegian Refugee Council. Continue reading...

Free prescriptions and eye tests ought to help these young adults stay healthy. They also signal the state’s ongoing role The outcomes for children who grow up in care are shocking. A vital part of the welfare state, which exists to promote the safety and wellbeing of highly vulnerable young people, is falling short in health, education and employment terms. They have a 62% higher chance of dying before the age of 75 than their peers, and are four times as likely to have a criminal conviction or caution. While the number of children in the care system in England has fallen from its all-time high of 83,750 in 2023, the latest figure of 81,770 in March last year is still 17.7% higher than a decade ago. A recently announced raft of reforms, including free prescriptions for care leavers, will not solve all of the problems. The dire financial position of many councils, and depleted state of local services, have a particularly damaging impact on the lives of those who rely most on the state. One survey last year found that the recruitment and retention of social workers was the biggest workforce challenge that English councils face. There is also a shortage of foster carers, with a consultation on expanding eligibility expected to open soon. Since children’s social care is devolved, none of the changes being discussed will affect Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where the most recent figures show that a further 23,230 children are looked after by the state. Continue reading...

FBI says teen was planning Islamic State-inspired hammer and knife attack on Jews, Christians and LGBTQ+ people The FBI said on Friday that it thwarted an alleged plot to carry out a New Year’s Eve terrorist attack on a grocery store and restaurant in North Carolina in support of the Islamic State (IS). Christian Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill – a town outside Charlotte – was arrested on 31 December as he was being released from a special medical facility. He was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the US attorney for the western district of North Carolina, Russ Ferguson, said at a press conference on Friday morning. Continue reading...

Englishman will be in Strasbourg dugout against Nice ‘In terms of other clubs, I’ve had a lot of interest’ Liam Rosenior has opened the door to becoming Chelsea’s head coach by admitting there are no guarantees he will remain at Strasbourg for the rest of the season. The 41-year-old is the leading contender to replace Enzo Maresca, who left on New Year’s Day, and progress is expected soon. The main obstacle to be overcome is that BlueCo, the investment vehicle that owns Chelsea and Strasbourg, is keen to be sensitive to the needs of both clubs. A quality replacement for Rosenior at Strasbourg must be lined up before the Englishman can leave the Ligue 1 side. Continue reading...

British boxer was injured in collision that killed his personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength coach, Sina Gham Nigerian police have charged Anthony Joshua’s driver with dangerous driving after a fatal crash that killed two people. Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode 46, was also charged with driving without a valid driving licence and “driving without due care and attention, causing bodily harm and damage to property”. He is due to appear in court on 20 January. Continue reading...

Manager has lost five of seven games since taking charge ‘This is a tornado … You do not win, you get killed’ Wilfried Nancy has launched an impassioned defence of his credentials to manage Celtic, asking his critics to apply “context” and claiming the media have tried to “kill” him during his troubled early weeks in charge of the club. The reality is Nancy’s job will come under serious threat should Celtic lose Saturday’s Old Firm fixture. The 2-0 loss to Motherwell on Tuesday was the fifth reverse of Nancy’s seven games in charge of Celtic. The visitors’ performance at Fir Park was especially dismal, which raised the latest set of questions about the former Columbus Crew coach’s suitability for his role. If Rangers win at Celtic Park they would draw level with their oldest foes despite the Ibrox side’s own unconvincing start to the campaign. Both teams trail Hearts in Scotland’s Premiership. Continue reading...

These malign figures will do anything to avoid paying for the harm they have done, but accountability must eventually come to both It’s not quite a new year resolution, and it’s certainly not a prediction. Think of it instead as a hope or even a plea for the next 12 months. May the coming year see those leaders who have done so much damage to their own countries, and far beyond, at last be called to account. Let 2026 be a year of reckoning. Start with the man whose reach is longest, by dint of the mighty power he wields. Such is the nature of the US electoral system that Donald Trump, who returned to power less than a year ago, will face the judgment of voters in 10 months’ time. His name will not be on the ballot but, make no mistake, the midterm elections of 3 November will deliver a verdict on the second Trump presidency. Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist Guardian newsroom: Year One of Trumpism: Is Britain Emulating the US? On Wednesday 21 January 2026, join Jonathan Freedland, Tania Branigan and Nick Lowles as they reflect on the first year of Donald Trump’s second presidency – and to ask if Britain could be set on the same path. Book tickets here or at guardian.live Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

The fate of the woman who left the UK at 15 in search of Islamic State raises wider questions about citizenship While many aspects of UK political polling have shifted drastically since 2019, the public’s view on Shamima Begum has remained largely fixed: a big majority do not want the now 26-year-old woman back in the UK. In 2019, Sajid Javid, then home secretary, stripped the Londoner of her UK citizenship on the grounds that she was a security threat, having travelled as a schoolgirl with two friends to territory controlled by Islamic State (IS) in Syria. At the time, 76% of people backed the move. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Inaccurate information presented in summaries, Guardian investigation finds People are being put at risk of harm by false and misleading health information in Google’s artificial intelligence summaries, a Guardian investigation has found. The company has said its AI Overviews, which use generative AI to provide snapshots of essential information about a topic or question, are “helpful” and “reliable”. Continue reading...

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xAI says it is working to improve systems after lapses in safeguards led to wave of sexualized images this week Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok posted on Friday that lapses in safeguards had led it to generate “images depicting minors in minimal clothing” on social media platform X. The chatbot, a product of Musk’s company xAI, has been generating a wave of sexualized images throughout the week in response to user prompts. Screenshots shared by users on X showed Grok’s public media tab filled with such images. xAI said it was working to improve its systems to prevent future incidents. Continue reading...

Readers react to a selection of photographs that aim tell the story of the century so far The omission of Gaza’s recent bombardment from your selection of iconic images of the 21st century is puzzling (‘The sight of it is still shocking’: 46 photos that tell the story of the century so far, 27 December). What about photos of the skeletal remains of Gaza’s landscape, after being bombarded with thousands of tons of explosives, using artificially intelligent software that is a harbinger of all our tomorrows? What about the demonstrations across cities and campuses, or pensioners and priests opposing starvation and genocide being handcuffed and bundled into police vans? Or 18-month-old malnourished Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq being held by his mother in a nappy made out of a black plastic bag? Or the assembled photos by the Gaza Media Center of 238 journalists killed in the campaign, the highest number ever recorded in any conflict? Continue reading...

John Starbuck argues the case for Emily Brontë’s novel to be filmed as a trilogy Well done to Samantha Ellis for recognising that Wuthering Heights is not a conventional love story, nor was it ever meant to be (‘It’s no romcom’: why the real Wuthering Heights is too extreme for the screen, 28 December). If it had been published in Greek, contemporary critics would have hailed it as comparable with Aeschylus, since the structure is in three, not two, parts – like a classical Greek tragedy, the revenge/resolution comes at the end. The parallels include Lockwood and Nelly Dean narrating most of the story, much as a Greek chorus would do; most (though not all) of the violence takes place offstage; the setting is otherworldly at times, but relatable to the audience; the wellspring is Heathcliff and Cathy declaring their unity at a very young age and claiming to be damned for it. Which they are, thus tempting fate. Continue reading...

Having spent many years in Africa, Jenny Tillyard learned how precious fresh, clean water is when you don’t have enough Your apparently trivial debate about showers (You be the judge: my partner is obsessed with our home’s water consumption. Should he stop?, 25 December) accidentally gets to the heart of how normal people can respond to climate change. “Peter” seems a bit over the top about water saving, but having lived many years in Africa I learned how precious fresh, clean water is when you don’t have enough. At the risk of being indelicate, I wonder what anyone does while in the shower for 30 minutes? Perhaps someone could involve bathroom designers – for years I had a sitzbad with shower – having a comfortable seat made the whole shower more relaxed. We need to fight societal pressures to use more and more resources, allegedly to make ourselves more comfortable. Jenny Tillyard Seaford, East Sussex Continue reading...

Stopping trail hunts because some break the law is as logical as closing supermarkets because people shoplift, writes Lindsay Gilmour. Plus a letter from Roderick White If the government is going to stop all trail hunts because some break the law (Labour ‘alienating rural people’ with plan to ban trail hunting, says Countryside Alliance, 26 December), can we also expect a ban on supermarkets because some people shoplift, a ban on cars because some drivers break the speed limit, or a ban on religion because some worshippers are extremists? Unless anyone in Westminster can think of any more pressing national issues worth looking at? Lindsay Gilmour Plymouth • Your report says trail hunting was introduced in response to the Hunting Act 2004. This would be news to, among others, followers of the Mid-Surrey Draghounds, which were in existence in the 1950s. Roderick White Chiswick, London Continue reading...

Death of man from Kettering comes shortly after disappearance of two men during a Christmas Day swim in Devon A 51-year-old man has died after attempting to rescue a woman who was struggling to swim at Brighton beach on New Year’s Day, police have confirmed. Sussex police were alerted at 10.35am on Thursday after the swimmer, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, was recovered from the water to the west of Brighton Palace Pier. Continue reading...

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Many athletes and professional musicians swear by getting some shut-eye during the day, but what’s the best way to ensure you don’t end up feeling groggy? • Sign up here to get the whole series straight to your inbox Listen to enough productivity podcasters, and it’s easy to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: not just a sticking plaster after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, improved mood and possibly a faster 5k run time. Premier League footballers are all at it – and so are professional piano players, UFC champions and Arianna Huffington. But if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or a job that encourages regular snoozing, are there really enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling better, not worse? “There are three main reasons for napping among most adults,” says Clare Anderson, the University of Birmingham’s professor of sleep and circadian science. “The first is what we call compensatory napping, which is what you do when you’ve had insufficient sleep the night before. The second is prophylactic napping, where you are pre-empting insufficient sleep coming up, for instance if you’re working on night shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which basically comes down to desire: you have an opportunity to sleep during the day, and it feels nice to do it.” Continue reading...

Manager Glasner pleased club got deal done swiftly Johnson says he is ‘super excited’ to make move Oliver Glasner credited Crystal Palace’s hierarchy for completing the signing of Brennan Johnson from Tottenham for a club record £35m on the second day of the transfer window. The Wales forward has a four-and-a-half-year deal and is expected to be part of Palace’s squad that will face Newcastle on Sunday. Glasner has made no secret of his desire to bolster the FA Cup winners after a demanding debut campaign in Europe and has criticised Palace’s lack of preparedness in previous transfer windows. But the Austrian manager said he was delighted with the signing of the 24-year-old after Palace saw off competition from Bournemouth. Continue reading...

Strikes on Southern Transitional Council in eastern Yemen first fatal coalition attack on group since it seized swathes of Hadramawt and Mahra Saudi warplanes targeted separatist fighters in Yemen, killing at least seven in a counterattack against a sweeping advance by the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council. The deaths are the first from coalition fire since the secessionist STC seized swathes of Hadramawt and Mahra provinces last month. Continue reading...

Foreign ministry says mayor has poured ‘antisemitic gasoline on an open fire’ by scrapping IHRA definition Israel’s foreign ministry has accused New York mayor Zohran Mamdani of pouring “antisemitic gasoline on an open fire” after he reversed a recent order by the outgoing mayor, Eric Adams. “On his very first day as @NYCMayor, Mamdani shows his true face: he scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel. This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire,” the foreign ministry said in a post on X. Continue reading...

Sales at Elon Musk’s company slump after Donald Trump’s withdrawal of EV subsidies China’s BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s largest electric carmaker in 2025, after the US company run by Elon Musk reported a slump in deliveries at the end of the year. BYD sold 2.26m battery electric cars during the year, easily outstripping the 1.63m deliveries reported on Friday by Tesla for the same period. Continue reading...