Two men feared missing in sea off Devon beach on Christmas Day 25. December 2025 (18:21) Emergency services launched major search at Budleigh Salterton after reports of people in difficulty in the waterTwo men are believed to be missing in the water off a beach in Devon, after a number of people were reported to be in difficulty.Emergency services were called to Budleigh Salterton at 10.25am on Christmas Day following concerns for people in the water. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
British campaigner launches legal challenge against Trump administration after deportation threat 25. December 2025 (17:58) Imran Ahmed, an anti-disinformation advocate, claims he is being targeted over his work scrutinising social media companiesA British anti-disinformation campaigner close to Keir Starmer’s chief of staff has launched a legal challenge against the Trump administration after being told he could face deportation from the US in a row over freedom of speech.Imran Ahmed, the chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), has filed a complaint against senior Trump allies including the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the attorney general, Pam Bondi, in an attempt to prevent what he says would be an unconstitutional arrest and removal. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Renewed zeal for Boxing Day sales expected to ring up £3.8bn for retailers 25. December 2025 (16:58) High streets and online sellers set to benefit as cash-strapped consumers eke out post-Christmas bargainsUK shoppers are expected to spend £3.8bn this Boxing Day, 2% more than last year, with online sellers experiencing most of that growth but high streets also enjoying a boost from a renewed appetite for post-Christmas bargains.Boxing Day remains one of the busiest shopping days of the year, but in recent years the dash for the high street has eased as more people opt to search for bargains from the sofa. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Lost decade’ of progress after UK introduced shared parental leave, say experts 25. December 2025 (16:58) Research suggests fewer than one in 60 public sector workers share leave with partners when they have a babyWhy shared parental leave is a monumental dud of a policyExperts have criticised a “lost decade” of progress on parental rights after Guardian research suggested that fewer than one in 60 public sector workers are sharing leave with their partners when they have a baby.Ten years after the introduction of shared parental leave in the UK, the policy’s architects said it had failed to deliver on its promise of “culture change” and called for bold measures necessary to allow more men – including middle- and lower-earners – to spend time with their babies. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Southern California sees third death from atmospheric river storm drenching region 25. December 2025 (16:43) Some parts of LA saw more than 11in of rain, with flooding, road closures and debris flows reported across the regionA strong rain and wind storm, carried by an atmospheric river from the Pacific, has been blamed for a third death in southern California as flooding, road closures and debris flows are reported across the region.A flood watch was also extended through Thursday for almost all of the area, as more than 11in of rainfall was measured in some parts Los Angeles county as of Wednesday night and evacuation warnings were issued for mountain communities in San Bernardino county. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
King Charles calls for reconciliation and unity in Christmas message 25. December 2025 (16:10) Monarch urges people to draw strength from community diversity after a year marked by division and violenceKing Charles has called for reconciliation after a year of deepening division, saying in his Christmas address that people must find strength in the diversity of their communities to ensure right defeats wrong.The monarch cited the spirit of the second world war generation, which he said came together to take on the challenge that faced them; displaying qualities he said have shaped both the UK and the Commonwealth. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The Titanic, Sinclair C5 and Brexit: the Museum of Failure is coming to the UK 25. December 2025 (16:00) Exhibition of design flops should suit British sense of humour, says its founder, but also shows failure is a part of learningBritain has been mismanaging inventions and ideas with impeccable style for centuries. Next spring, we will finally get a museum to celebrate the results: the Museum of Failure is coming to the UK.Its founder, Dr Samuel West, is anticipating a warm welcome: Britain, he said, was the museum’s spiritual home. “I’ve travelled all over the world with the museum but I’ve always wanted to bring it back home because of our black humour and our support of the underdog,” he said. “The Brits totally get it.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
End of shareholder revolt register ‘will help UK firms bury pay controversies’ 25. December 2025 (16:00) Fears for transparency and governance after closure of public log meant to curb ‘abuses and excess’ in boardroomsUK-listed companies will be able to bury controversies over executive pay for the first time in eight years, a thinktank has warned, after the Labour government shut down a public tracker meant to curb “abuses and excess in the boardroom”.The public register was launched under the Tory prime minister Theresa May in 2017 to name and shame companies hit by shareholder revolts at their annual general meetings (AGMs). That included rebellions over issues such as excessive bonuses or salary increases for top earning bosses. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Arkansas Powerball lottery player wins $1.817bn jackpot on Christmas Eve 25. December 2025 (15:20) It was the second-largest lottery windfall in US history, with a lump-sum cash payment option of $834.9mA Powerball player in Arkansas won a $1.817bn jackpot in Wednesday’s Christmas Eve drawing, ending the lottery game’s three-month stretch without a top-prize winner.Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot higher than previously expected, making it the second-largest in US history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025, according to www.powerball.com. The jackpot had a lump sum cash payment option of $834.9m. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Epstein survivor calls for Mountbatten-Windsor to be ‘brought to justice’ in US 25. December 2025 (15:18) Marina Lacerda urges him to answer questions as Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer says anyone who accepted former royal’s denials ‘should be ashamed’ One of the victims of the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has called for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to answer questions in the US, while a lawyer for the former royal’s accuser said those who had previously believed his denials “should be ashamed of themselves”.Speaking to the Guardian after the release of some of the Epstein files, the tranche of documents related to the disgraced financier, Marina Lacerda, an Epstein survivor, said Mountbatten-Windsor should be “brought to justice”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
