The Guardian - December 26, 2024

In this issue

December 26, 2024

Tsunami, 20 years on: A disaster, then some found hope

It was Mahyuddin's mother who pestered him to go out on Sunday morning, 20 years ago.

5 mins

Alarm at 'wild west' trade in weight-loss injections

Weight-loss injections are being aggressively marketed to UK consumers through often illegal promotions, in a practice experts have described as a \"wild west\" of drug selling.

5 mins

Watchdog on course to take charge of inquiries into MPs' misconduct

Political parties are on course to hand over responsibility for examining allegations of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct by MPs to parliament's independent investigator.

2 mins

Forever young TikTok is breathing new life into old hits

This year, Gen Z had their \"brat summer\", or so we were led to believe.

3 mins

Pope Calls for 'Arms to Be Silenced' Across Globe

Pope Francis yesterday urged the world \"to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions\" in his traditional Christmas message, using his address to call for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan, and express concern over the \"extremely grave\" humanitarian situation in Gaza.

1 min

Archbishop says church must 'kneel in penitence'

The archbishop of York has highlighted the need for actions more than words in his Christmas sermon, as the Church of England faces criticism over failures in its handling of recent abuse scandals.

2 mins

Cancelled trains still at record levels, rail regulator data shows

Train passengers in Britain are still facing record levels of disruption, with 4% of services cancelled in the last 12 months, analysis shows.

2 mins

Guardian and Observer readers give more than £1m to appeal

Generous readers have donated more than £1m in under three weeks to the Guardian and Observer's 2024 appeal in support of victims of global conflict and war.

1 min

King Charles offers 'heartfelt thanks' for cancer support in his Christmas message

King Charles has used his Christmas address to thank doctors and nurses who provided \"strength, care and comfort\" during his cancer treatment.

3 mins

High profits Demand for the new drugs has been leapt on by pharmacies

Demand for the new drugs has been leapt on by pharmacies

3 mins

Experts Sound Warning Over 'Wild West' Marketing of Injections for Weight Loss

From April 2023 onwards not a month has gone by without the MHRA asking websites to amend their advertising of POMs in the context of weight loss, including ads for medications not licensed for such purposes.

2 mins

Online trade 'It just feels like it is price led'

After Andy King was told he was not eligible to receive weight-loss jabs on the NHS, he turned to the internet to order them privately.

2 mins

Calls grow for national gallery as exhibition puts paid to 'no Welsh art' slur

An infamous declaration that there is \"no Welsh art\" has been firmly rebutted by an exhibition at the country's national library, amid growing calls for a permanent national art gallery for Wales.

2 mins

Man Held After Pedestrians Hit By Car In West End Of London

A man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of attempted murder after pedestrians were hit by a car in the West End of London in the early hours of Christmas Day.

1 min

This is our wildlife safari'

East coast seal colonies go from strength to strength

3 mins

Deadline to register England's rights of way to be scrapped

A deadline for registering rights of way is to be scrapped after a warning that the looming cutoff date could result in the loss of thousands of miles of footpaths.

1 min

Tackling the 'scourge of femicide' is vital mission, says minister

Jess Phillips said the task required cross-departmental action, starting with addressing the criminal justice system

3 mins

Rise in popularity of 'therapeutic' magic mushrooms may do more harm than good

Magic mushrooms are rapidly growing in popularity as people become more interested in their mental health benefits, but experts have warned that using them recreationally risks doing more harm than good.

2 mins

Pain for gain Aspen trees left to suffer so species can thrive

In a nature reserve deep in the Scottish Highlands, there is a polytunnel that houses a small forest of slender grey aspen trees. It is known as the \"torture chamber\".

2 mins

High street's Boxing Day sales lose lustre as shoppers stay home

Boxing Day shoppers are expected to spend £3.7bn today, up only 1.3% on 2023, with high streets less busy as shoppers snap up beauty and technology bargains online.

2 mins

Met pays out £5,000 after arrest of teenager wrongly accused of going to Palestine protest

Scotland Yard has paid £5,000 in an out-of-court settlement after allegedly unlawfully imprisoning a 17-year-old wrongly accused of being at a pro-Palestine protest where a building was spray-painted.

2 mins

Survey reveals slump in support for Ukraine among western Europeans

Readiness to support Ukraine \"until it wins\" has fallen sharply across western Europe at a critical time for the country, a survey suggests, weeks before Donald Trump's return to the White House raises questions over US military assistance to Kyiv.

3 mins

Dozens killed as plane crashes in Kazakhstan

At least 32 people have survived after a passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines burst into flames as it crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after veering hundreds of miles off its planned route.

2 mins

Zelenskyy condemns Russian strike on power grid

Christmas morning in Ukraine was overshadowed by a massive Russian aerial attack using cruise missiles to target energy infrastructure across the country, which Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned as \"inhumane\".

1 min

High Rates Of Imprisonment Linked To Big Rise In TB In Latin America

High incarceration rates in Latin America \" -\" the region with the world's fastest-growing prison population \" -\" are exacerbating tuberculosis in a region that is bucking the global trend for falling incidents of the disease, experts have warned.

2 mins

'A symbol of strength' The Brazilian pop sensation named after Gary Lineker

The house lights were dimmed in one of Rio de Janeiro's top music venues and, as the star of the show prepared to take the stage, enraptured fans cried out their idol's name in the darkness: \"Liniker!

3 mins

Bad things can happen'

Main players prepare for the great Trump transformation

9 mins

'Negative emissions' from Drax may be at risk

The government risks gambling its own climate targets on claims that the Drax power plant will create \"negative emissions\", because new climate rules could hand the carbon savings to the US, according to campaigners.

1 min

Movie magic: forecasts of first £1bn box office since pandemic

The UK box office is forecast to top £1bn next year for the first time in six years, but cinema bosses still say the industry will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2026.

3 mins

Labour urged to lead global debt relief effort as repayment costs soar

Campaigners are urging Labour to lead the charge for global debt relief in 2025 as new analysis shows lower-income countries spent 15% of their revenue on repayments this year - the highest level for three decades.

2 mins

Bouncing back Soft play centres thriving again after Covid-19 closures

I will go all the way up there, with four floors, and a net maze,\" says Jonathan Laznik, the owner of Gambado, pointing to the 10-metre-high ceiling in the Capitol theatre in Forest Hill, south London, the venue for the company's newest soft play venture.

4 mins

Pulling power Proposals, tears and flying pies - my life behind the bar on football's concourses

From proposals and tears to flying pies, Honor Pullman shares her experiences working behind the bar at various football stadiums, from Millwall to Manchester's Etihad.

4 mins

The right Games in the perfect place:

how Paris revitalised Olympic dream

4 mins

Grey Dawning bids to follow path of Desert Orchid in King George

This throwback to a different age has a chance to emulate the tradition of great greys triumphing at Kempton

4 mins

Favourites face questions before wide-open showpiece

There have been many renewals of the King George VI Chase in recent years which revolved around a clear market leader but there is no obvious starting point for weighing up this year's race at Kempton today, as nine of the 11 runners already have at least one Grade One victory over fences to their name and at least four - Spillane's Tower, Banbridge, Grey Dawning and Il Est Francais - could conceivably set off as favourite.

2 mins

Gloves are off for Boxing Day in tense Championship fight

Sheffield United lead the way but Leeds look strong while Sunderland and Burnley are hot on their heels

4 mins

Arteta: a steely Spanish coach with 'British DNA' running through him

Five years since he took over at Arsenal, his ex-managers Moyes and McLeish reflect on their pupil turned title chaser

4 mins

Secret of Fulham's success: no project, just love and care

Marco Silva's side stand in contrast to Chelsea, as they thrive by giving unwanted players a second chance

3 mins

How City went from world's best to straw men in 12 months

Guardiola seems unable to solve the most profound internal collapse of any great team in the modern age

6 mins

Champions stripped of old aura, says Dyche

Sean Dyche believes Manchester City's dramatic slump has changed \"the feel\" around the Premier League champions and given their opponents more belief.

1 min

Amorim wants proof Rashford can be a leader

Ruben Amorim says Marcus Rashford has a \"big responsibility\" to help Manchester United out of one of the club's lowest moments by performing at his best, with the manager insisting the forward wants to play.

1 min

Slot wary of Van Nistelrooy after tussles back home

Arne Slot has said his experience of facing Ruud van Nistelrooy in the Netherlands, plus Liverpool's brief drop-off against Tottenham, ensures Leicester will not be underestimated at Anfield tonight.

2 mins

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