What Is a Galaxy?
The UniverseFridays What Is a Galaxy? Galaxies come in many shapes and sizes, and trying to define them is difficult By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A view of the spiral galaxy NGC 3982, as seen by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Galaxies come in many different variations, but astronomers classify them into four main […]
The Strange and Surprising History of the Once-Rejected Zero
Zero Is Foundational to Modern Mathematics. But It Was Rejected for Centuries By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas I’m a zero at mental arithmetic. It’s true—I struggle with this skill—but I want to focus on the phrase itself. In our language, we often equate zero with something negative. But zero is the only real […]
Ukraine’s allies push for 30-day ceasefire starting Monday
Joanna Kakissis KYIV – Four European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today in pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire – or face more sanctions on Russia. “The ceasefire must be comprehensive: in the air, at sea and on land,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “It is quite possible to […]
Jury selection in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sex trafficking trial begins today
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento Jury selection for the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will begin in New York City today. The media mogul, who’s been in custody since his arrest last September, faces criminal charges for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transporting to engage in prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty on all charges. The selection […]
Mysterious Glowing Structure Discovered Near Solar System
Giant, Glowing Gas Cloud Discovered Just 300 Light-Years Away An enormous glowing cloud that contains approximately 3,400 solar masses worth of gas has been discovered near the solar system By Keith Cooper & SPACE.com A crescent-shaped gas cloud has been spotted on the edge of the so-called Local Bubble, shown here in this artist’s illustration […]
Mourners gather for Kelyan Bokassa, 14, who was stabbed on London bus
The teenager, who was fatally attacked in Woolwich, was described as ‘very, very caring’ by his mother Mourners gathered to remember a teenager stabbed to death on a London bus at a church vigil on Wednesday evening. Kelyan Bokassa, 14, was travelling on a 472 bus to Abbey Wood when he was attacked at about…
Ryanair sues ‘unruly’ passenger over flight diversion
Ryanair is pursuing legal action against a passenger who allegedly caused a major disruption on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote. The airline is seeking £12,500 in damages to cover expenses incurred when the plane had to divert to Porto, Portugal. On Wednesday, the airline announced it had filed proceedings against the passenger, whose behaviour…
Israeli Soldiers on Vacation Are Being Investigated for War Crimes in Gaza
Middle East Crisis The Israeli military will longer identify its forces by name in the media, “fearing the arrest of soldiers abroad.” By Amanda Taub An Israeli reservist left Brazil in a hurry this week after a Brazilian judge ordered an investigation into whether he committed war crimes in Gaza. Israeli consular officials helped the…
Post-cold war era ‘well and truly over’, warns David Lammy
Foreign secretary says keeping the British people safe means standing up to Russia The post-cold war era is “well and truly over” and keeping the British people safe means standing up to Russia, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, has warned. Writing in the Guardian before a meeting likely to be focused on Ukraine between…
Critics Choice Awards Postponed Amid Devastating Fires
The 2025 Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for Jan. 12, are being postponed as Los Angeles battles a series of wildfires. Hollywood is pressing pause as the community navigates heartbreaking wildfires. The 2025 Critics Choice Awards, originally set to air on E! Jan. 12 with host Chelsea Handler, have been postponed until Jan. 26. The…
What it’s like inside LA’s real life apocalypse movie
Los Angeles is no stranger to disaster, having weathered floods, earthquakes and riots. But Tuesday brought one of most devastating days in the city’s history. The Pacific Palisades Fire started around 10:30 local time. Stoked by ferocious winds, the fire quickly spread, soon engulfing more than 3,000 acres in that upscale community. Soon the horizon…
Brazil says Meta getting rid of factcheckers is ‘bad for democracy’
Brazilian officials also ask tech giant to clarify whether it intends to implement changes in country within 30 days The decision by the social media giant Meta to end factchecking in the United States is “bad for democracy”, Brazil’s newly appointed communication minister, Sidonio Palmeira, said on Wednesday. Meta’s founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, stunned…
Saudi Arabia May Partner With UFC Owner TKO to Create Boxing League
A company owned by the country’s sovereign wealth fund is poised to team up with TKO, which owns Ultimate Fighting Championship, the kingdom’s latest foray into pro sports. By Tariq Panja and Kevin Draper In the days after Donald J. Trump was re-elected president, one of his most high-profile stops was at an Ultimate Fighting…
Baby born on migrant boat crossing from Africa to Canary Islands
A baby was born on a crowded migrant dinghy which travelled from Africa to the Canary Islands this week, Spanish coast guards say. They have published a picture of the baby boy who was rescued on alongside his mother and scores of other migrants. The crowded inflatable raft was first spotted on 6 January off…
Hostage Is Found Dead in Gaza Tunnel, Israel Says
Middle East Crisis The hostage, Youssef Ziyadne, an Arab Bedouin, was seized along with three grown children on Oct. 7, 2023. Two of them were released, but there is “serious concern” about the fate of the third. By Ephrat Livni The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it had discovered the body of a hostage…
Bizarre Australian mole even more unusual than first thought, new research reveals
Experts say marsupial mole DNA shows they are closely linked to bandicoots and bilbies and their ancestors probably evolved in rainforests University of Melbourne researchers, who led the study, extracted DNA from a museum specimen then sequenced and analysed its genome to uncover the evolutionary secrets of the golden-haired species, about which “almost nothing is…
How to get more movement into your screen-filled life. No gym required.
By Manoush Zomorodi , Fiona Geiran , Sanaz Meshkinpour Want to spend less time on your devices and more time on your feet in 2025? We’re here to help with a two-week challenge that can jumpstart your year: Add regular movement breaks throughout your day, ideally 5 minutes every half hour, for two weeks. For…
Lucy Letby retrial needed after ‘clear miscarriage of justice’, says David Davis
MP tells parliament he believes justice has not been done after hearing experts’ concerns over former nurse’s murder convictions Fundamental flaws in the criminal trial system led to the former nurse Lucy Letby being convicted of murder in a “clear miscarriage of justice”, David Davis has said in parliament. In a parliamentary debate, the former…
Blinken and French Diplomat Criticize Trump’s Talk of Taking Greenland
Trump Transition In Paris, the two officials acknowledged potential strains on alliances with the return of Donald J. Trump to power, but said their countries would try to maintain strong ties. By Edward Wong and Richard Fausset The journalists reported from Paris. Edward Wong is traveling with the U.S. secretary of state across Asia and…
What are the Santa Ana winds and how are they impacting the L.A. wildfires?
By Scott Neuman The intense and fast-moving fires that have cut a path of destruction through the suburbs of Los Angeles, killing at least two people, are being driven by the region’s powerful Santa Ana winds, with gusts that in some cases surpass hurricane-strength. The two largest blazes — the Palisades and Eaton Fires —…
Jean-Marie Le Pen’s death brings rivalry between Marine and niece into focus
Family seeks to show a united front as French minister condemns ‘shameful’ celebrations of his demise The death of Jean-Marie Le Pen looked likely to reignite rivalries in his family over who is the rightful heir to the far-right political dynasty, as the French government condemned as “simply shameful” crowds of people who took to…
Top Iranian General Admits ‘Big’ Defeat in Syria
Syria’s Civil War For weeks, Iranian officials have downplayed the fall of their ally in Syria. But an important general has offered a remarkably candid view of the blow to Iran, and its military’s prospects. By Farnaz Fassihi Iran’s top ranking general in Syria has contradicted the official line taken by Iran’s leaders on the…
Pound falls as borrowing costs rise to highest since 2008
The pound has fallen to its lowest level for nine months after UK government borrowing costs continued to rise. The drop came as UK 10-year borrowing costs surged to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis when bank borrowing almost ground to a halt. Economists have warned the rising costs could lead to further…
CPS given file over Premier League footballer rape claims
The Metropolitan Police has passed a full evidence file about a Premier League footballer accused of rape to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision, the BBC has been told. The CPS said it is carefully reviewing the file of evidence in relation to a man, while the Met said it is continuing…
‘América Mexicana’: Mexico’s president responds to Trump with renaming of her own
Claudia Sheinbaum joked about renaming the entire continent in retort to Trump’s ‘Gulf of America’ comments Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, has responded to Donald Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America with a counter-proposal to rename North America. Standing before a global map in her daily press briefing, Sheinbaum…
Far-right group Blood and Honour has assets frozen by government
The neo-Nazi organisation Blood and Honour, which is linked to parts of the skinhead music scene, has become the first extreme right-wing group to have financial sanctions imposed by the UK government. Treasury ministers said they had “reasonable grounds to suspect” Blood and Honour of being involved in “terrorist activities through promoting and encouraging terrorism,…
Boy fatally stabbed on London bus named as Kelyan Bokassa
Fourteen-year-old died after he was stabbed on 472 bus to Abbey Wood in south-east of capital on Tuesday afternoon A 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death on a London bus has been named by his mother as Kelyan Bokassa. Kelyan was travelling on a 472 bus to Abbey Wood when he was attacked at…
A record 24 million people now get Obamacare health plans. Will it last under Trump?
Selena Simmons-Duffin Nearly 24 million Americans are buying their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act – and there’s still a week to go for open enrollment signups. “We’ve once again set a new all-time record for marketplace enrollment,” Neera Tanden, Domestic Policy Advisor to President Biden, said on a press call Tuesday. “In fact,…
Justin Baldoni Complains in Voice Memo About Alleged Premiere Shunning
It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni sounded off on allegedly being shunned to the basement during the film’s August premiere in a voice memo played on The Megyn Kelly show Jan. 7. The It Ends With Us controversy surrounding Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively isn’t ending anytime soon. During the Jan. 7 episode of The Megyn Kelly…
Girl Scouts are retiring two cookie flavors (don’t worry, your Thin Mints are safe)
Neda Ulaby The two soon-to-be departed cookie flavors leaving the Girl Scout lineup may not even be ones you’ve heard of, unless there’s a Girl Scout in your family. “At the close of the 2025 cookie season, two beloved cookie flavors, Girl Scout S’mores and Toast-Yay!, will be retired,” Girl Scouts of the USA announced…
Chris Mason: Is Starmer leaving the door open to an abuse inquiry?
“He’s deranged!” So said a cabinet minister to me, describing Elon Musk. The anger and exasperation at the heart of government about the world’s richest man is palpable. The flurry – or slurry, as his critics see it – of social media posts from Mr Musk include not just gratuitous insults and ignorance, but falsehoods.…
How Trump’s Greenland Plan Could Hit Ozempic, Legos and Hearing Aids
Putting tariffs on Denmark unless it cedes the island of Greenland could hurt access to a few key products, including popular medicines. By Ana Swanson and Jenny Gross Ana Swanson reported from Washington and Jenny Gross reported from Brussels. President-elect Donald J. Trump has threatened tariffs on many countries for many different reasons. On Monday,…
Inclusive transition best path to lifting of Syria sanctions, says UN special envoy
Geir Pedersen tells security council the HTS administration has great opportunities but also risks making missteps A credible process leading to a new transitional government involving all strands of Syrian society is the best way for the country’s caretaker administration to secure a smooth lifting of sanctions, the UN special envoy Geir Pedersen has told…
Jamie Lee Curtis Shares Gutting Message Amid “Terrifying” L.A. Fires
After evacuating her home during the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, Jamie Lee Curtis shared a heartbreaking social media update. Jamie Lee Curtis fears for her community amid ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. Raging brush fires in Southern California have forced 30,000 residents—including the Freaky Friday actress—to evacuate areas of the Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu.…
Los Angeles wildfires in maps
Firefighters in Los Angeles are battling a number of blazes in city suburbs, as tens of thousands of residents are forced to flee. The rapidly changing situation is compounded by Santa Ana winds and extremely dry conditions. Currently authorities say there is no possibility of bringing the fires under control. The Palisades fire, which is…
Trump’s Territorial Ambitions Rattle a Weary World
News Analysis A distant era of global politics, when nations scrambled to grab territory, suddenly seems less distant. By Damien Cave Damien Cave covers global affairs after two decades reporting from dozens of countries. When Donald J. Trump won a return to the White House, many countries thought they knew what to expect and how…
Two power station owners to get more than £12m for three hours of electricity
Uniper and a subsidiary of Vitol able to charge 50 times recent market price to ensure supply during evening peak Two gas power station owners will be paid more than £12m to supply just three hours of electricity on Wednesday evening after freezing weather led to some of the highest market prices since the energy…
LA wildfire causes ‘significant damage’ at school made famous by Hollywood
A well-known high school in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles has reportedly sustained “significant damage” as wildfires rage in the US city. Parts of Palisades Charter High School – which counts celebrities including Will.i.am and Forest Whitaker among its alumni and has itself been a Hollywood filming location – have been affected, local…
Here’s where things stand for seven major landmarks in the Los Angeles fires
By Dhanika Pineda Southern California is currently fighting multiple major wildfires, exacerbated by hurricane-strength winds that have resulted in red flag warnings and evacuation orders in multiple zones. The current fires are the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades, the Eaton fire, the Hurst fire in the Sylmar area, and the Tyler fire in Riverside…
Chase Chrisley Named as Suspect in Alleged Bar Assault
Growing Up Chrisley’s Chase Chrisley has been named as a suspect for simple assault following an alleged altercation at an Atlanta, Georgia, bar. Chase Chrisley is in some hot water. The Growing up Chrisley star has been identified as a suspect in an altercation that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, as seen in a police report…
Baby born on crowded small boat crossing from Africa to Canary Islands
The boy and his mother as well as dozens of others were rescued off the coast of Lanzarote, Spain A baby boy has been born on a small, crowded boat carrying 60 people on the deadly Atlantic migration route from Africa to the Canary Islands. The boat was spotted off the coast of Lanzarote on…
Can Trump Change the Name of the Gulf of Mexico?
Presidential naming powers usually stop at the water’s edge. By Eve Sampson President-elect Donald J. Trump said Tuesday that he planned to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” one of several foreign policy proposals that left world leaders reeling. “It has a beautiful ring,” he said of the…
‘Patients are collapsing in the waiting room’: A&E nurses speak out
The NHS is experiencing intense winter pressure, with critical incidents declared at a dozen hospitals across the UK by Wednesday. Ahead of a special day of coverage, the BBC has spoken to nurses dealing with demand in A&Es. “Patients are collapsing in the waiting room. It’s just hectic,” Lorraine, a nurse in Birmingham, told BBC…
U.K. Special Forces Allowed to ‘Get Away with Murder’ in Afghanistan, Inquiry Told
Evidence released by an official inquiry into alleged war crimes painted a disturbing picture of an elite fighting force with a culture of impunity. By Mark Landler Reporting from London British special forces soldiers used extreme methods against militants in Afghanistan, including covering a man with a pillow before shooting him with a pistol, as…
Why is Donald Trump talking about annexing Greenland?
The US president-elect has refused to rule out military force to take control. This is why it is important – and what Greenlanders think Hours after his son Donald Trump Jr touched down in the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, on Tuesday in a Trump-branded plane, the US president-elect, Donald Trump, held a press conference in Mar-a-Lago,…
Why Jennifer Lopez Will Keep Ben Affleck’s $5 Million Engagement Ring
After Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck settled their divorce, which the “On The Floor” singer filed in August, filings reveal their assets agreement, including the status of her ring. Jennifer Lopez is keeping a token from her Ben Affleck second romance. As the couple—who separated last April before J.Lo filed for divorce in August—officially settled…
Explosive Palisades Fire Fueled by Santa Ana Winds
How the Ferocious Santa Ana Winds Are Fueling the Palisades Fire The nature of the Santa Ana winds makes them perfectly suited to spreading flames. The destructive Palisades Fire is the latest example By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser The Palisades Fire on January 7, 2025. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Another explosive…
High winds, lack of rain and climate change stoking California fires
High winds and lack of rain are the main factors driving the Southern California fires, but climate change is altering the background conditions, increasing the likelihood of these conflagrations, say experts. Researchers have shown that a warming world increases the number of “fire weather” days, when conditions are more suited to outbreaks of fire. California…
UK Athletics charged with manslaughter over Paralympian’s death
Abdullah Hayayei, 36, who represented UAE, was injured in London in July 2017 and pronounced dead at the scene UK Athletics has been charged with corporate manslaughter over the death of a Paralympian who was hit on the head by a metal pole during the London World Para Athletics Championships in 2017. Keith Davies, the…
Relive Hugh Jackman & Sutton Foster’s Friendship Before Romance Rumors
After sparking romance rumors, Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster seemed to confirm they’re dating by walking hand in hand in California. Look back at The Music Man costars’ early meetings and friendship. Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s relationship status is taking center stage. After sparking romance rumors, the X-Men star, 56, and the Younger actress, 49, appeared to confirm they’re dating…
Justice Department wants to release only part of its report on Trump cases
Carrie Johnson The Justice Department wants to publicly release only part of its final report on special counsel Jack Smith’s cases against President-elect Donald Trump. Smith recommended that the DOJ release only the first volume of his final report, covering the investigation and charges against Trump tied to the 2020 presidential election, the DOJ said…
‘We need to get out of here!’ Palisades residents describe flight from inferno
As firefighters in California battle three different blazes in and around Los Angeles, residents in the affluent suburb of Palisades have told the BBC how they fled the approaching flames. Pacific Palisades resident David Latt said he and his wife had just 10 minutes to grab important documents and family photographs before being stuck in…
Hello Kitty x Kate Spade Collection Is Here: Shop Bags, Jewelry & More
Everyone’s favorite Sanrio character is at Kate Spade Outlet, and you can shop the whole collab for less. Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more. Here at E!, our favorite words are “Kate Spade collab.” From adorable Disney x…
How the Outdoors Affects Our Nervous System and Changes Our Microbiome
Nature Affects Our Hormones and Changes Our Microbiome Nature can affect our nervous system and diversify our microbiome—and you don’t need to go on a hike to reap the benefits. By Rachel Feltman & Fonda Mwangi Rachel Feltman: Happy new year, listeners! For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, this is Rachel Feltman. Whether you’re an avid…
Israeli Strike in West Bank Kills 3, Including Children, Official Says
Middle East Crisis Violence has escalated in the occupied territory over the last year and a half, as Israel conducts raids targeting armed fighters with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. By Aaron Boxerman An Israeli drone strike killed three cousins, including two children, in the West Bank on Wednesday, according to the local Palestinian governor…
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez denounces Elon Musk at Franco anniversary event
Sánchez accuses X owner of inciting hatred as country marks 50 years since start of its return to democracy Pedro Sánchez has hit out at Elon Musk and his allies for “openly attacking our institutions, inciting hatred and openly calling for people to support the heirs of nazism”, saying the politics of division, disinformation and…
Trump considers declaring national economic emergency to impose tariffs
Move would allow president-elect to implement broad tariffs after threatening Panama, Greenland and Canada Donald Trump is mulling over the idea to declare a national economic emergency to impose widespread tariffs, CNN reports, as the president-elect escalates threats to seize the Panama Canal, acquire Greenland and force Canada into becoming a US state. The emergency…
Khloe Kardashian and Scott Disick React to Rumors He Got Her Pregnant
On Khloe Kardashian’s inaugural episode of the Khloe in Wonder Land podcast, the Kardashians star and Scott Disick discuss an eyebrow-raising past rumor about them. Khloe Kardashian and Scott Disick are a couple—of besties, that is. During the debut episode of Khloe in Wonder Land podcast, The Kardashians star and Scott—who shares kids Mason, 14,…
Liam Payne cause of death confirmed as UK inquest opens
Singer Liam Payne’s medical cause of death has been confirmed in a UK inquest opening as “polytrauma”. The One Direction star died on 16 October after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires. Polytrauma is a term for multiple traumatic injuries which have been sustained to a person’s body and organ…
Why Time ‘Slows’ When You’re in Danger
Why Time ‘Slows’ When You’re in Danger It seems like time slows in an emergency or in the heat of a sports match. Here are a few explanations for this altered perception By Steve Taylor & The Conversation US The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest…
As Elon Musk Embraces the Far Right, Some of Its Leaders Reject Him
Mr. Musk has fallen out with prominent right-wing Americans who say they are worried that their agenda may be sidelined in favor of his own — and that he is willing to silence them on X. By Ryan Mac and Ken Bensinger Ryan Mac reports on tech accountability, and Ken Bensinger reports on media. When…
Celebrities among thousands to flee homes as Los Angeles wildfires rage
Blazes devastate affluent Pacific Palisades with more than 30,000 people under evacuation orders Fast-moving wildfires raging through Los Angeles have left Hollywood movie actors and reality TV stars fleeing their hillside mansions, as wind-whipped blazes devastated affluent neighbourhoods along the coast. More than 30,000 people have been put under evacuation orders in LA, and a…
American Global Health Leadership in a Second Trump Administration
Opinion American Global Health Leadership in a Second Trump Administration The Trump administration may undermine U.S. leadership and the international system of global health cooperation. Pandemic preparedness, resilient health systems and reproductive rights will suffer worldwide By Lawrence O. Gostin & Eric A. Friedman edited by Dan Vergano Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.…
Savannah Chrisley Slid Into Boyfriend’s DM’s Over Alleged Murder Plot
Savannah Chrisley and boyfriend Robert Shiver—who went viral after his ex-wife allegedly conspired to have him killed—revealed the DM Savannah sent that sparked their relationship. Savannah Chrisley’s relationship with Robert Shiver began as many modern romances do. She slid into his DMs. But where their story differs is that the reality star did so not…
Europe’s biggest battery farm to be built on coal mine, developers say
Work is under way to create what has been described as Europe’s largest battery storage project at Coalburn in South Lanarkshire. Developers say the two huge neighbouring battery farms – one at the site of a former opencast coal mine – will store enough electricity to power three million homes. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)…