Residents report homes shaking from 3.3-magnitude quake that British Geological Survey says was centred just off the coast of Silverdale, Lancashire
A 3.3-magnitude earthquake shook homes in north-west England late on Wednesday, the British Geological Survey (BGS) reported.
The quake struck shortly after 11.23pm and was felt across Lancashire and the southern Lake District, including the towns of Kendal and Ulverston, within 12 miles of the epicentre.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: German Centre for Georesearch/Reuters
© Photograph: German Centre for Georesearch/Reuters
© Photograph: German Centre for Georesearch/Reuters
25 questions on notable pop culture, sporting and public figures we lost this year. How will you fare?
Something a little different this week. As the year draws to a close, the Thursday quiz pauses to pay tribute to some of the notable pop culture, sporting and public figures we lost over the past 12 months, with the annual in memoriam edition. No prizes, except the chance to remember the joy they (mostly) gave us – via the medium of trying to recall obscure trivia about them. Let us know how you get on in the comments. Allons-y!
The Thursday news quiz, No 226 – annual in memoriam edition
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian
© Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian
© Photograph: Martin Belam/The Guardian
Advertising expert questions origins of slogan selected by Brisbane Games organisers who hail its ‘significant symbolism’
Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast
If you typed the words “believe, belong and become” into a Google video search on Thursday morning, the first return may have been a sermon by TJ Mauldin, the lead pastor of the First Baptist church of Tifton, Georgia.
Directly below the bearded and blue-jeaned pastor’s video under that alliterative banner, you may have clicked through to a sermon by West Florida Baptist church’s Mike Brown, who had those three b-words emblazoned on a snug-fitting black T-shirt.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Albert Perez/Getty Images
© Photograph: Albert Perez/Getty Images
© Photograph: Albert Perez/Getty Images
The controversy over flags has faded from the national agenda – but street by street, late at night and with ingenious equipment, their raising and removal is the subject of a roiling dispute over local identity
The Christmas lights have gone up in Stirchley. A multifaith mix of stars and swirls add a festive air to the lamp-posts along the main street of this south Birmingham suburb. Stirchley is a modest kind of place, sandwiched between better known (and better off) areas such as Bourneville and Moseley, but there is plenty of evidence here of the lively community spirit that last year resulted in the area being named the best place to live in the Midlands.
Posters in shop windows along Pershore Road advertise a knitting group, a neighbourhood winter fair and the local food bank, while in the former swimming baths, now a community hub, friendly flyers for coffee mornings and choirs are stacked.
Continue reading...
© Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images
© Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images
© Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images
In the 21st-century imbalance of power, Europe and Nato have neither the arms nor the wealth to impel Russia or the US to take its peace settlement seriously
The failure of this week’s peace talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff fits into a now well-established pattern of standoffs on Ukraine during Trump’s second term. But the dynamic that produced these talks may be becoming more entrenched. The US and Russian interests driving the process have not changed, while the conflict on the ground is intensifying. The lack of progress this week means there will be another attempt to end the war soon, and perhaps another after that, until, one day, there is some kind of US-backed deal to halt the conflict on terms broadly favouring Russia.
The geopolitical algorithm driving this effort is too consistent to ignore. It has been repeated ever since Trump re-entered the White House in January. On the campaign trail, Trump had claimed he could stop the war in a day. That was never going to happen. But from 12 February onwards, when Trump first talked directly to Putin about Ukraine, the intention and approach have not altered. There is no reason to suppose they will do so now. Indeed, Tuesday’s impasse may spur them on again.
Martin Kettle is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
Sequins shed, pollute and rarely get worn. From peplum to ribbons, here are the festive alternatives that bring all the glamour and none of the damage
• Jess Cartner-Morley’s December style essentials
Halloween hadn’t even happened this year when my local supermarket began proudly displaying its festive womenswear. Almost exclusively spattered in sequins, it looked much the same as the previous year’s party offering and was already reduced by 50% by – wait for it – 11 November. For £9 you could pick up a black sequin vest a mere two weeks after it was available at an already worryingly low full price.
Judging by the sale and well-stocked rails, the items didn’t appear to be in demand, and with so many identikit sequin garments in existence (more than 500 black sequin vests at the same price and under on Vinted at the time of writing in the UK), what’s the point of producing more every year?
Continue reading...
© Composite: PR Image
© Composite: PR Image
© Composite: PR Image
The Northern Irishman’s appeal was clear at the Australian Open with queues forming at the crack of dawn to catch a glimpse of the golf star
Organisers didn’t have to wait long to feel the full impact of Rory McIlroy’s appearance at the Australian Open on Thursday. Two thousand fans were waiting outside at Royal Melbourne at 6.30am, eager to get to the 10th tee for the Northern Irishman’s first swing at Australia’s premier tournament in a decade.
Agitation was building. Time was ticking. Scanning all those barcodes might take half an hour or more. And so on a warm and windy workday in Australia’s biggest city, the gates were flung open. Rory mania had begun.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: James Ross/AAP
© Photograph: James Ross/AAP
© Photograph: James Ross/AAP
Chelsea beaten 3-1 by Leeds after meek first-half display
Maresca: ‘I think they were better than us in all aspects’
Enzo Maresca conceded that Chelsea were second best “in all aspects” and the head coach offered no excuses after a disappointing defeat at Leeds as his side’s hopes of a Premier League title challenge took a significant hit.
Maresca’s side are now down to fourth place and nine points adrift of the leaders, Arsenal, after stumbling in West Yorkshire, with Leeds worthy 3-1 winners on a night when Daniel Farke’s side moved out of the relegation zone.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA
© Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA
© Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA
Health secretary has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised’
The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has ordered a clinical review of the diagnosis of mental health conditions, according to reports.
Streeting is understood to be concerned about a sharp rise in the number of people making sickness benefits claims because of diagnoses for mental illness, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Times reported.
He has asked leading experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become “over-pathologised”, the newspaper said, as he seeks to grapple with the 4.4 million working-age people now claiming sickness or incapacity benefit.
The figure has risen by 1.2 million since 2019, while the number of 16 to 34-year-olds off work with long-term sickness because of a mental health condition is said to have grown rapidly in the same period.
Streeting told the Times he knew from “personal experience how devastating it can be for people who face poor mental health, have ADHD or autism and can’t get a diagnosis or the right support”.
He added: “I also know, from speaking to clinicians, how the diagnosis of these conditions is sharply rising.
“We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism and ADHD services.
“That’s the only way we can ensure everyone gets timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.”
The review, which is expected to be launched on Thursday, is set to be led by Prof Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist at University College London specialising in child mental health, with Sir Simon Wessely, a former president of the Royal College of Psychiatry, acting as vice-chair.
© Photograph: Justin Paget/Getty Images
© Photograph: Justin Paget/Getty Images
© Photograph: Justin Paget/Getty Images
There is something about Unai Emery and thrilling comebacks. The Aston Villa manager believes he became a better coach after witnessing his Paris Saint-Germain side surrender a three-goal advantage against Barcelona in 2017 in the Champions League game that became known as La Remontada. This time it was the Spaniard who had the last laugh as Villa hit back with two goals for Ollie Watkins on his recall to the side before Amadou Onana and Donyell Malen condemned Brighton to their first home defeat of the season.
Fabian Hürzeler had talked up his side’s chances of challenging for the top four after three wins in their previous four matches. But having raced into a two-goal lead thanks to Jan Paul van Hecke’s controversial opener and an own goal from Pau Torres, his side showed they remain naive at the back despite Lewis Dunk making his 500th appearance for the club. Hürzeler was still a youth player at Bayern Munich when his captain made his first, in League One against Port Vale in 2010, and the German is still searching for consistency after a promising start to the season.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Tony O Brien/Reuters
© Photograph: Tony O Brien/Reuters
© Photograph: Tony O Brien/Reuters
Updates from the day-nighter at the Gabba in Brisbane
Ashes top 100 | Get the Spin newsletter | Email Martin
Australia: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (capt), Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.
The speculation comes to a close but the debate will continue across the afternoon at least, as Australia turn to a horses for course approach with Nathan Lyon left out of a home Test for the first time in almost 14 years. The off-spinner was also omitted from the XI in Australia’s most recent pink-ball Test in the Caribbean, but it still feels like a huge call to leave out a bowler who has claimed 562 wickets. Michael Neser comes in to add more pace in the day-night Test, as well as reducing the length of the Australia tail.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
© Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
© Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Connexion