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Arsenal would surely have taken a draw beforehand against a Chelsea team that have emerged as surprise title rivals in recent weeks – and especially when they realised they had to play without William Saliba, who injured himself in training on Saturday. It was a different story when everything changed in the 38th minute, Chelsea reduced to 10 men after Moisés Caicedo’s X-rated challenge on Mikel Merino. It was one of those that made you wince upon each replay, the stand-in Arsenal striker fortunate to emerge unscathed. Continue reading...

Liverpool gathering lays bare bitter divisions within new party founded by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana The new leftwing party founded by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana will be called Your Party after a vote by members, but its weekend conference laid bare bitter divisions. Some 37.06% of members voted for the provisional name of “Your Party”, adopted when it was launched earlier this year, to become permanent. The votes for others on the shortlist were 25.23% to be called “For The Many”, 25.23% for “Popular Alliance” and 14.19% for “Our Party”. Continue reading...

Dr Robin Lovell-Badge and Prof Emma Robinson respond to an editorial on using new technologies to reduce the reliance on animal experiments I write in response to your editorial on animals in research (The Guardian view on animal testing: we can stop sacrificing millions of lives for our own health, 23 November). I am supportive of many aspects of the strategy to aid the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods to replace the use of animals. However, much of this is geared towards regulatory testing, where the goals are more readily achievable, rather than for discovery science. All scientists working with animals in the UK have signed up to the 3Rs: replacement (developing alternatives), reduction and refinement. But we are definitely not ready to abandon research with animals, and for some disciplines we may never get to this. Advances in the ability to generate large amounts of detailed information about gene activity in cells and computer analysis have been amazing, but much of this is correlative. To prove causation still requires testing. Continue reading...

Rev Dr Michael Fox responds to an article by Nesrine Malik on the home secretary using her ‘story’ to silence criticism of her policies Nesrine Malik’s analysis of Shabana Mahmood’s immigration policies may apply more widely than to second-generation immigrant politicians (Shabana Mahmood is an avatar of open Britain – that’s what makes her fable about immigration so seductive, 24 November). Twenty years ago, while making a documentary on politics for the Open University, I interviewed a group of 15-year-olds at a school in Moss Side, Manchester. The school had selected a mixed group of children, half identifying as white British, half as second-generation immigrant. Continue reading...

Too often savings in construction cost and time are at the expense of design and materials, and high finance and support costs, writes Martin Cook In response to Lord Hutton’s letter (23 November) on NHS hospitals built under the private finance initiative (PFI), independent research into the design quality of PFI public buildings, by all of the auditing authorities in the UK, showed serious flaws and a significant “quality gap” when compared to traditional design-led procurement. In my 2007 book The Design Quality Manual: Improving Building Performance, I included results from all these reviews, starting with the Audit Commission’s 2003 report PFI in Schools. The design flaws were serious, including poor functionality, short-life materials, and non-compliance with building and safety regulations. Continue reading...

The discussion over UPFs distracts from the real public health problem: meat and dairy products, writes Noah Praamsma It’s time to clear up the confusion over ultra-processed foods (We know ultra-processed foods are bad for you – but can you spot them? Take our quiz, 21 November). Yes, eating UPFs made from animal products (like chicken nuggets and cheese in a squeeze bottle) can increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, but UPFs from plants (like cereal, canned beans and even veggie burgers) can actually help keep you healthy. More and more leading health organisations agree that a more nuanced approach to UPFs is necessary. The American Medical Association recently passed a resolution that “supports and promotes public awareness and education about the differences between healthful foods and unhealthful ultra-processed foods”. The American Heart Association also recently released a report noting that “not all UPFs are junk foods or have poor nutritional quality; some UPFs have better nutritional value [than others] and can be part of an overall healthy dietary pattern”. This difference has a lot to do with whether the UPF is an animal- or plant-based product. Continue reading...

Pontiff tells politicians and religious heads they must persevere with peace efforts despite facing ‘highly complex, conflictual’ situation Pope Leo has urged political leaders in Lebanon to make peace their highest priority in a forceful appeal as he is visiting the country, which remains a target of Israeli airstrikes, on the second leg of his first overseas trip as Catholic leader. Leo, the first US pope, arrived in Beirut on Sunday from a four-day visit to Turkey where he warned that humanity’s future was at risk because of the world’s unusual number of bloody conflicts, and condemned violence in the name of religion. Continue reading...

Updates from across seven 6pm GMT Sunday games The Super Bowl Shuffle at 40 | Mail Graham In more Da Bears news have a dive before kick-off into Andrew Lawrence’s fine piece about the ‘85 title greats. One defense shining like those legends lives in Houston. They will be very excited about lining up against Daniel Jones today. The quarterback has a mysterious fractured leg but is good to go apparently. Could be choppy for Indy if Houston get after him. CJ Stroud returns at quarterback for the Texans too. Hello, football fans! What a treat week 13 has been already. Chicago being a Super Bowl contender certainly wasn’t on my bingo card but football is like a box of chocolates. Delicious. The action continues with a selection of seven games at 12pm CST/1pm EST/6pm GMT (home teams listed first): (6-6) Carolina Panthers v Los Angeles Rams (9-2) (3-8) Cleveland Browns v San Francisco 49ers (8-4) (8-3) Indianapolis Colts v Houston Texans (6-5) (4-7) Miami Dolphins v New Orleans Saints (2-9) (2-9) New York Jets v Atlanta Falcons (4-7) (6-5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Arizona Cardinals (3-8) (1-10) Tennessee Titans v Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) Continue reading...

Norris only fourth in Qatar, making Abu Dhabi decisive McLaren failure to pit on safety car costs their drivers Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix to ensure he remains squarely in the world championship fight which, with title leader Lando Norris in fourth and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in second, will now be a three-way fight to the finish at the season finale next week in Abu Dhabi, with just 16 points separating all three drivers. Verstappen won from third after a superb drive but was given an enormous leg-up when McLaren made a glaring strategy error in failing to pit both their drivers under an early safety car when the rest of the field did so to take a free stop. It ensured Verstappen took the lead and as the stops played out he could not be caught. While Norris took damage when he went wide and was unable to stay with the two leaders and Carlos Sainz who was third and dropped even more points. Continue reading...

Plane skidded off runway and 45 cars were piled up as 53 million were under winter weather alerts over Thanksgiving A Thanksgiving weekend storm system brought over a foot of snow and strong winds across the US midwest and thunderstorms across the south, as 53 million people from South Dakota to New York were under winter weather alerts. Over the weekend, ahead of one of the busiest travel days of the year on Sunday, a 45-car pile-up occurred on interstate 78 in Indiana and a Delta Air Lines plane skidded off the runway in Des Moines, Iowa, during landing. Continue reading...

Tory special needs reforms upended council finances, but Labour’s plan to rebuild public provision won’t come cheap if it’s done properly The crisis over special educational needs and disabilities in England is not just a question of cash. Children and parents spend months and years battling for support to which the law entitles them, schools lack the funding to meet needs, and specialist provision is inadequate. An adversarial system shunts families towards tribunals that councils almost invariably lose. Tory reforms created obligations for local authorities but did not adequately fund them – allowing ministers to duck responsibility. The result has been financial chaos, with the overall overspend on special educational needs and disabilities (Send) predicted to reach £6.6bn by next March, and keep rising. Taking responsibility for funding away from councils and handing it to the Department for Education is the right move. But the most important questions about Send go beyond accounting. A white paper on reform was postponed in October. Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, told MPs that she would consult further before deciding on the future of education, health and care plans, which set out entitlements for individual children, and the tribunals where parents can challenge council decisions. Continue reading...

Rising economic division is destabilising nations and eroding accountability. Joseph Stiglitz’s G20 blueprint offers a way toward global economic renewal When Swiss tycoons handed Donald Trump a gold bar and a Rolex watch – gifts that were followed by a cut in US tariffs – it was no diplomatic nicety. It was a reminder of how concentrated wealth seems to buy access and bend policy. It may, alarmingly, become the norm if the global “inequality emergency” continues. That’s the message of the most recent work by the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. The economist sees the yawning gap between rich and poor as a human-made crisis which is destroying politics, society and the planet. He’s not wrong. The problem is no longer confined to a few fragile states. It is a global harm, with 90% of the world’s population living under the World Bank’s definition of “high income inequality”. The US sits just below that threshold and is the most unequal country in the G7, followed by the UK. Prof Stiglitz’s insight is that the current system’s defenders can no longer explain its mounting anomalies. Hence he wants a new framework to replace it. His blueprint for change is contained within the G20’s first-ever inequality report, endorsed by key European, African and middle-income nations. Continue reading...

Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who played Sam in Richard Curtis’s film, thinks streaming ushered in genre’s decline If modern romcoms aren’t sweeping you off your feet anymore, you’re not the only one wondering where the magic went. Romantic comedies are not as good as they used to be, according to one of the stars of Love Actually. Continue reading...

Saracens 29-36 Bath Champions recover from 14-0 down in bonus-point win Henry Arundell settled this thrilling contest in Bath’s favour, crowning an individual performance that should make Steve Borthwick take notice with a second try to finally sink Saracens. In a gripping match-up that could easily be repeated at Twickenham come June, Bath edged home thanks to their 23-year-old flyer, who was on hand to finish after Max Ojomoh’s telling break in the 76th minute. It was a statement win for Bath, founded on resilience and the power of their replacements, the visitors roaring back from 14-0 down to clinch victory. Continue reading...

River Action says use of issuance tied to environmental benefits is ‘corporate greenwash on steroids’ Water companies have issued a fifth of the UK’s “green bonds” since 2017, despite a consistently poor record of sewage pollution during that time, research has shown. Privately owned water companies in England have together issued £10.5bn in bonds tied to projects that offer “environmental benefits”, according to analysis of financial market data by Unearthed, which is part of Greenpeace UK. Continue reading...

Forward scores twice in 2-0 win at Pisa Villarreal edge out Real Sociedad in thriller Inter’s Lautaro Martínez scored a second-half double to earn his side a 2-0 at Pisa that kept the visitors very much involved in the Serie A title race despite a less than convincing performance. Cristian Chivu’s Inter are third in the standings on 27 points, level with second-placed Roma, who host Napoli later on Sunday, and one behind the leaders, Milan, who beat Lazio 1-0 on Saturday. Pisa are third bottom with 10 points. This story will be updated Continue reading...

Kernewek to have same protections as Welsh, Irish and Scots Gaelic so it can be used in education and legal hearings The Cornish language is due to be given the same status as Welsh, Irish and Scottish Gaelic after the government submitted it for greater protections under a European charter. Kernewek, spoken as a first language by 563 people according to the last census, has been recommended by the government for part III status under the European charter for regional or minority languages, the highest level of protection available. Continue reading...

Homeland security secretary also blamed ‘activist’ judges for defying court order to halt deportation flights Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, claimed on Sunday that the suspect in the national guard shooting in Washington DC was “radicalized” in the US and blamed the Biden administration, though the suspect’s asylum was approved under Donald Trump. The shooting suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was granted asylum under the Trump administration in April 2025. He worked with CIA backed units in Afghanistan, coming to the US in September 2021 under an Operation Allies Welcome program. Continue reading...

Watermill theatre, Newbury Relocating the Hans Christian Andersen tale to Cornwall, with its folk musicians and fishermen, Elgiva Field and Lara Barbier’s show is cheery and sweet Christmas has gone undersea for 2025, with productions of The Little Mermaid in Nottingham, Hull and Newcastle. This one, at the Watermill, is presented in the theatre’s trademark actor-musician style, with the script illuminated by cheery live folk music played on stage. There’s even some snow thrown in for festive good measure. The story is relocated to Cornwall in this short and sweet adaptation by Elgiva Field and Lara Barbier. Following the basic structure of Hans Christian Andersen’s original, it narrates the tale of a sea girl (here called Merryn) who longs to experience life onshore. In this version, it is when her younger brother Kitto (a very charming Zach Burns) goes missing that Merryn is compelled to make a deal with a sea witch named Granny Ocean, trading her voice for a pair of legs. Continue reading...

It seemed fitting that a left-back playing on the wing set great innovators Brighton on their way to fifth. Maxim De Cuyper opened the scoring as the Seagulls enacted revenge on Nottingham Forest for last season’s 7-0 defeat on a bitingly cold day. Forest had their chances to equalise, something that seemed unlikely after a dreadful opening quarter of uncharacteristic lethargic play. Brighton failed to make the most of their early dominance count but Stefanos Tzimas removed the nerves late on. Continue reading...

With each Wolves near-miss, it was impossible to ignore the growing stench of a smuggled Aston Villa victory. For so long Unai Emery cut an agitated figure but by the end he could celebrate a seventh league victory in eight matches, Boubacar Kamara dispatching an unerring left-foot strike into the top corner midway through the second half to move up to third, for a few hours at least, and within a point of second-placed Manchester City. Villa rattled the crossbar after a couple of minutes but from there Wolves gave their hosts an uncomfortable ride, this arguably their best display of the season. Jørgen Strand Larsen saw an early goal disallowed for offside and on the verge of half-time Emiliano Martínez pushed Yerson Mosquera’s header on to the bar with his fingertips before scrambling the ball clear. Continue reading...

For long spells nothing happened. At one point it was so quiet you could hear a distant plane droning by. But Liverpool will not care. Sometimes you have to get back on the horse however you can, and if that requires a stepladder, an awkward bunk from a scornful stablehand and an ungainly scramble into the saddle, so be it. Any sort of victory is welcome after six defeats in their last seven league games, and one in which Britain’s most expensive player finally scores his first league goal for the club even more so. Continue reading...

Our experts – kids and their grownups – put these toys through their paces to reveal the presents that will kick-start their creativity and build confidence • 15 sustainable Christmas gifts for young children A pirate, astronaut, doctor, and a whirlwind of emotions – a five-year-old can be all of these before lunchtime. At this age, “play” isn’t just fun; it’s a crucial part of their development. This is why finding toys that can keep up with their huge imaginations – and draw them back for repeat play – is no mean feat. The best toys for five-year-olds should encourage problem-solving, social skills, creativity and confidence – while keeping them engaged. As a parent, I find that the best toys are ones they pick up time and again – toys they use almost every day in different ways. Continue reading...

Gaiety theatre, Ayr A rosy-cheeks-and-spotty-socks kind of show full of generous laughs, Fraser Boyle’s take on Aladdin also has several original innovations and a subversive streak Who needs a flying carpet when you’ve got the bus to Maybole? The high point of Fraser Boyle’s joyful panto comes when Abanazar (Gavin Jon Wright) leaks the location of his not-so-secret lair and the rest of the cast go in pursuit. On public transport. On film. Outside broadcasting was never so funny. Not that the baddie stands much chance: having stolen the magic lamp and summoned up its four genies (in a show big on community engagement, actors outnumber the special effects), he recklessly squanders his three wishes. Happily, Wright relishes our boos as much as we do. Continue reading...