Workers say the firm’s ‘warp-speed’ approach fuels pressure, layoffs and rising emissions More than 1,000 Amazon employees have signed an open letter expressing “serious concerns” about AI development, saying that the company’s “all-costs justified, warp speed” approach to the powerful technology will cause damage to “democracy, to our jobs, and to the earth.” The letter, published on Wednesday, was signed by the Amazon workers anonymously, and comes a month after Amazon announced mass layoff plans as it increases adoption of AI in its operations. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Matthew Gould, close friend of George Osborne and former envoy, resigns before investigation concludes A former high-flying diplomat who is a close friend of George Osborne has quit as the head of London zoo after the launch of an investigation into his “unacceptable workplace behaviour”. Matthew Gould, who previously worked in Downing Street and as ambassador to Israel, resigned as chief executive of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) last week. Continue reading...

Wiegman has had to rejig defence and captaincy for a Wembley friendly with China that should pose new challenges for Lionesses When England welcome China to a sold-out Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon, it will mark the sixth meeting between two nations who have been on different trajectories in recent years. The marketing has focused on the clash of continental champions – England as the holders of the European Championship and China as the winners of the 2022 Asian Cup – but there has since been a change in fortunes between the two. The widening gap was evident the last time they met, at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, when England put six past the Steel Roses to progress to the last 16. It caught the eye not only because of the score but because of a bold tactical change from Sarina Wiegman – a switch from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 – to deal with the absence of Keira Walsh. It kicked the Lionesses’ campaign into life and they made the final, while China exited, registering their worst finish at the tournament. Continue reading...

Downing Street brushes off claims that the chancellor misled voters about the state of the public finances ahead of the budget The Office for Budget Responsibility has said that Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, was not at risk of breaking her fiscal rules because of its productivity forecast downgrade. In a highly unusual move, Richard Hughes, chair of the OBR, has sent a letter to the Commons Treasury committee, giving details of the five assessments it sent to the Treasury ahead of the budget estimating whether or not the fiscal rules would be met. Before any policy measures, Rachel Reeves was forecast to be running a small current budget surplus in her key year of 2029–30 and therefore meeting her fiscal rules. No fiscal repair job needed. Even after accounting for the U-turns on winter fuel payments and disability benefits since the spring, she was running only a very small deficit. Continue reading...

The skin-lightening industry is booming, while at the same time there has been a surge in cancers and irreversible skin damage among women of colour using unregulated products. But this is not a new story. The dangers of skin-lightening products have been well documented for years, so how is this still happening? Josh Toussaint-Strauss digs into the long history behind the practice of skin lightening, and how the beauty industry has used messaging rooted in classism and colonialism to sell its products, as well as investigating what unregulated products are doing to the skin How the colonial legacy has created a toxic beauty industry How skin-lightening products are linked to cancer in black African women Continue reading...

Friedrich Merz to ask for series of exemptions in attempt to protect crisis-hit automotive industry The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is to urge the EU to soften the 2035 cutoff date for the sale of combustion engine cars. Merz said he would send a letter to the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, on Friday urging Brussels to keep technological options open for carmakers. The sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the EU is scheduled to be banned in a decade’s time. Continue reading...

Hollywood megastars hit Leeds this year to make Tinsel Town, a feelgood festive comedy about panto. The 24 star, Rebel Wilson and more talk about their addiction to Gregg’s sausage rolls – and epic brawls with Danny Dyer Twenty-odd years ago, I binged a TV series on DVD for the first time. At my mate’s house in a village outside Harrogate, I was glued to Jack Bauer shooting his way through 24. We probably only made it to episode six before surrendering to sleep for school the next day. Fast forward to the start of this year, and photos are all over the local news of Kiefer Sutherland out and about in nearby market towns Knaresborough and Wetherby. The real Jack Bauer in Yorkshire! He and Rebel Wilson are in the area making Tinsel Town, a British Christmas film about pantomimes. By March, I am invited to a Leeds studio, where they are filming, and find Sutherland dressed as Buttons on a stage. His glittery eyeshadow shimmers as he smiles and dances to Katy Perry’s Roar with the Cinderella cast. He repeats this showstopper scene about 15 times. It’s a surreal full circle moment; I half expect him to pull a pistol out on the ugly stepsisters. Continue reading...

Beauty and the Beast or Wolf Alice? Queen Marie Antoinette or Count Arthur Strong? Come and behold: the holiday season offers stage, film, music and art that’s worth singing about The 12 Beans of Christmas Touring to 19 December Last year, character comedians Adam Riches and John Kearns joined forces for an archly silly tribute to crooners Michael Ball and Alfie Boe. Now Riches is back with another leftfield celebrity riff as he gives his Game of Thrones-era Sean Bean impression (as seen on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and his Edinburgh show Dungeons’n’Bastards) a yuletide twist. Rachel Aroesti Continue reading...

Ben Stokes’s batters must realise the aggressive option doesn’t always mean attacking Australia’s bowlers, and if they don’t, it could be all over in Brisbane It’s not over yet. There is still hope. Before the Ashes started I had plenty of it, because of England’s fantastic array of fast bowlers and because I felt they had improved on their crash‑bang‑wallop, one-size‑fits‑all approach to batting. Then the series got under way, and while the bowlers did their bit, the batters failed badly. After the two-day humiliation in Perth they are inevitably under the microscope – but while everyone is questioning England’s approach, how much are they challenging themselves? I based my optimism on some of what I had seen over the summer. In the first innings against India at Lord’s Joe Root and Ollie Pope put on 109 runs at almost exactly three an over, staying calm and building a foundation that eventually won their side the match. I watched that and admired the way they had refined their attitude, becoming more adaptable to the match situation, the surfaces they were playing on and the challenges presented by the opposition – in that case, in particular, the need to negate the brilliant Jasprit Bumrah. Continue reading...

A festively fizzy, rosy-red aperitif based on a rustic Italian strawberry liqueur Earlier this year, we launched a range of tiny cocktails in collaboration with drinks writer Tyler Zielinski to reimagine Italian classics in miniature form, all designed to serve as light, pre-dinner tipples. This one’s suitably red, to go with the festive season. Matteo Pesce, head of beverage, with Tyler Zielinski for Bar Lina, London and Manchester Continue reading...

Advocates are fighting against the $16.7bn global smart-toy market, decrying surveillance and a lack of regulation As the holiday season looms into view with Black Friday, one category on people’s gift lists is causing increasing concern: products with artificial intelligence. The development has raised new concerns about the dangers smart toys could pose to children, as consumer advocacy groups say AI could harm kids’ safety and development. The trend has prompted calls for increased testing of such products and governmental oversight. Continue reading...

Ticketmaster said they would ‘lead by example’ after Dean called out companies when tickets for her North American tour appeared on resale sites at prices in excess of $1,000 Ticketmaster has given fans of Olivia Dean partial refunds after the British singer condemned ticketing companies for allowing touts to relist tickets for her North American tour at more than 14 times their face value. After the tour sold out in minutes on 21 November and tickets appeared on resale sites at prices in excess of $1,000, Dean addressed the major ticketing companies on Instagram: “@Ticketmaster @Livenation @AEGPresents you are providing a disgusting service,” she wrote. “The prices at which you’re allowing tickets to be re-sold is vile and completely against our wishes. Live music should be affordable and accessible and we need to find a new way of making that possible. BE BETTER.” Continue reading...

Politician who helped steer Albania’s chaotic transition in the early 1990s from communist rule to fledgling market economy Whether he was in government or in jail, Fatos Nano was one of the two figures, along with his arch-rival, Sali Berisha, who dominated Albania’s political scene in the turbulent 15 years that began with the disintegration of Communist party rule in 1990. It was characteristic of the political turmoil of this period that, although he was appointed prime minister on four separate occasions, Nano served for only a total of four years in that post. Continue reading...

Kyiv and the rest of Europe must stand together to prevent Russia from seizing more territory by force Dmytro Kuleba is a former foreign minister of Ukraine Europe breathed a deep collective sigh of relief on Monday, as the crisis triggered by Washington’s presentation of a new 28-point plan for ending the war appeared – briefly – to have been stabilised. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, spoke of “substantial progress” after Ukraine-US talks in Geneva. On Monday night, Vladimir Putin made his countermove: another massive barrage of missile and drone strikes on Kyiv. The sequence of contrasting events captured the grim essence of the outgoing year. By day, diplomatic battles are fought: hopeful statements are issued from Washington, London, Brussels and Kyiv. Immense energy is expended on containing Donald Trump’s initiatives. By night, Putin brutally reminds the world that, for him, war remains the primary tool for achieving “peace”. Dmytro Kuleba is a former foreign minister of Ukraine Continue reading...

Expert advisers likely to recommend only a few thousand men with genetic variant should be eligible for tests Prostate cancer screening will not be made routinely available for the vast majority of men across the UK, according to the expected recommendations from a panel of expert government health advisers. The UK national screening committee is expected to only recommend screening for men with the genetic variants BRCA1 and BRCA2 who are between the ages of 45 and 61. Continue reading...

Saints’ director of rugby on being converted to coaching, his ‘bromance’ with Sam Vesty and why Henry Pollock is smarter than he seems Northampton is not the most exotic destination on the planet, but there is plenty of romance and adventure in its rugby union team. In a town famous for boot-making you might expect kicking, as frequently and as far as possible, to be the Saints’ modus operandi. But under the director of rugby, Phil Dowson, the team in green, black and gold prefer to keep ball in hand. Despite representing a quintessentially English town, they display a panache synonymous with the greatest French exponents of champagne rugby. Continue reading...

Lullaby, a reimagining of a traditional Palestinian song, will be released on December 12 to raise money for Choose Love’s Together for Palestine Fund Musicians including Neneh Cherry, Nadine Shah, Celeste, Mabel, Leigh-Anne and Brian Eno have joined the bid for the Christmas No 1 spot with a single to raise funds for Palestinian-led organisations. Lullaby, a reimagining of the traditional Palestinian lullaby Yamma Mwel El Hawa (Mama, Sing to the Wind), was put together by the team behind September’s Together for Palestine charity show. The new English-language lyrics were written by Peter Gabriel. Continue reading...

Organised by Olly Alexander and the Mighty Hoopla festival to ‘fight back against the politics of fear and exclusion’, Trans Mission will take place at Wembley Arena in March Artists including Sugababes, Wolf Alice, Romy, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Christine and the Queens, Beth Ditto, Beverley Knight, Jasmine.4.T, Kae Tempest and more will perform at an all-star charity concert at Wembley Arena in support of trans rights next year. Organised by Olly Alexander and the Mighty Hoopla festival, Trans Mission will also feature appearances from figures including Green party leader Zack Polanski, actor Ian McKellen, comedian Grace Campbell, author Shon Faye, actor Mawaan Rizwan, model Munroe Bergdorf and actor Nicola Coughlan. Adam Lambert Beth Ditto Bimini Beverley Knight Christine and the Queens Fat Tony GottMikk HAAi Jasmine.4.T Kae Tempest Kate Nash MNEK Olly Alexander Romy Sink the Pink Sophie Ellis-Bextor Sugababes Tom Grennan Tom Rasmussen Trans Voices Wolf Alice Dani St James Grace Campbell Harriet Rose Ian McKellen Jack Rooke Jayde Adams Jo Maugham Jordan Stephens Juno Birch Juno Dawson Kadiff Kirwan Layton Williams Mawaan Rizwan Munroe Bergdorf Nicola Coughlan Russell Tovey Shon Faye Tia Kofi Tiara Skye Zack Polanski Continue reading...

Curve theatre, Leicester A full-throttle Maria, a memorably forlorn Captain von Trapp and the carousel of classic hits make Nikolai Foster’s production something to savour You know what to expect from The Sound of Music (nuns, Nazis, Do-Re-Mi) – but Nikolai Foster’s richly entertaining revival honours its serious intent. The real-life story of the Von Trapp family’s flight from occupied Austria may contain lashings of melody and a prickle-eyed love story – but it also becomes a tale of personal loss, political integrity and the healing power of music. This was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s final musical together – Hammerstein, the lyricist, died just months after the opening in 1959 – and the tunes don’t hang about. The title song launches a first half driven by Maria’s dreams and desires, especially her love for the widowed Captain von Trapp. Molly Lynch’s tremendous Maria, scrambling through pools and over rocks on Michael Taylor’s mountain set, has rambunctious vim – more pagan than pious. Endearingly full-throttle, she launches into her numbers with a guitar hero flourish. Continue reading...

Airline says 55,000 people signed up to Prime, making €4.4m, but passengers benefited by more than €6m Business live – latest updates Ryanair is shutting its frequent flyers members’ club after only eight months because customers exploited its benefits too much. The budget airline said on Friday it was closing the scheme, which offered benefits including flight discounts, free reserved seating on up to 12 flights a year and travel insurance. Continue reading...

Artists turn from the heroic to the everyday, Paula Rego gives everyone a fright and a stealth wealth still life is subtly revealing – all in your weekly dispatch Monument to the Unimportant With the birth of modernism, artists turned their gaze from the heroic to the “unimportant”. This attention to the everyday continues, as Rachel Whiteread, Claes Oldenburg, Robert Gober and others demonstrate. • Pace Gallery, London, until 14 February Continue reading...

It’s always crushing when a wildly anticipated game turns out to be a dud, but this RPG’s awful story and clunky dialogue gave my son and I something to talk about It was an exciting November for the Diamond household: one of those rare games that we all loved had a sequel coming out! The original Outer Worlds dazzled our eyeballs with its art nouveau palette and charmed our ears with witty dialogue, sucking us into a classic mystery-unravelling story in one of my favourite “little man versus evil corporate overlords” worlds since Deus Ex. It didn’t have the most original combat, but that didn’t matter: it was obviously a labour of love from a team totally invested in the telling of this tale, and we all fell under its spell. Well, when I say all of us, I mean myself and the three kids. My wife did not play The Outer Worlds, because none of those worlds featured Crash Bandicoot. But the rest of us dug it, and the kids particularly enjoyed that I flounced away from the final boss battle after half a day of trying, declaring that I had pretty much completed the game and that was good enough for a dad with other things to do. Continue reading...

Up to 1,000 women globally await execution in prison, with mitigating factors such as child abuse and coercion ignored Read more in our Women in prison series There are between 500 and 1,000 women on death row in at least 42 countries, according to a 2023 report by the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. The countries that execute the most women are also the countries that execute the most people, namely China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. According to Amnesty International, in 2024 an unknown number of women were executed in China, two were put to death in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen. Some countries, including China, North Korea and Vietnam, do not publish accurate data. Continue reading...

Californian singer-songwriter Lukas Frank is picking up rave reviews for his second album’s epic choruses and lush orchestrations From Los Angeles Recommended if you like John Grant, Scott Walker, Father John Misty Up next A cover of Duran Duran’s The Chauffeur is out now, with another single due in February After several years of perseverance, things are happening for Storefront Church. The audience at this month’s sellout gig at St Pancras Old Church in London included Perfume Genius and members of the Last Dinner Party and the Horrors and their self-released second album, Ink & Oil, is picking up rave reviews. One used the term “emotional flood” to describe the album’s epic, baroque pop, big pianos and drums, sweeping choruses and Travis Warner’s lush, cinematic orchestrations. Continue reading...

Paul Brown looks back at his career reporting on the climate crisis, failed summit and nuclear power – and how to do it well Paul Brown was the Guardian’s environment correspondent from 1989 until 2005 and has written many columns since. He submitted his last column last week after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. From his hospital bed in Luton, Paul offers his reflections on 45 years writing for the Guardian. We, in the climate business, all owe a great deal to Mrs Margaret Thatcher. Her politics were anathema to me and to many Guardian readers. But she prided herself on being a scientist before she was a politician. Continue reading...