Word of the Week: A brief history of Coachella — the festival and the place
By Rachel Treisman Each April, tens of thousands of people flock to the heart of the Coachella Valley to camp, dance and let loose at the music festival by that same name. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival features hundreds of performers on some half a dozen stages, spread out across two consecutive three-day […]
What Is a Star?
The UniverseFridays What Defines a Star? At the lower end, and to the bitter end, defining a star is tougher than you might expect By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A view of our sun, as seen by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column […]
How Brexit, a Startling Act of Economic Self-Harm, Foreshadowed Trump’s Tariffs
Tariffs News analysis Britain’s decision to leave the European Union in 2016 was sold to voters as a magic bullet that would revitalize the country’s economy. Its impact is still reverberating. By Mark Landler Reporting from London Britain has watched President Trump’s tariffs with a mix of shock, fascination and queasy recognition. The country, after […]
JWST Spots Remains of Alien Planet That Fell into a Star
JWST Spots Remains of Alien Planet That Fell into a Star NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provided a closer look at the aftermath of a star that wreaked violence on its planet By Meghan Bartels edited by Dean Visser NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has followed up on what is thought to be the first […]
Zimbabwe starts compensating white farmers 25 years after land seizures
Step is requirement for restructuring country’s debt, including new IMF programme Zimbabwe has started to make compensation payments to white former farm owners, 25 years after Robert Mugabe’s government began confiscating land. The government paid $3.1m (£2.3m) to a “first batch” of 378 farms, the ministry of finance said in a statement on Wednesday, the […]
First Thing: New year terror as death toll in New Orleans attack rises to 15
Authorities think suspect acted with accomplices. Plus, woman found alive and well after going missing in 1972 Good morning. Terror struck the busy French Quarter of New Orleans at about 3.15am on New Year’s Day, as a vehicle flying an Islamic State (IS) flag was driven into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street –…
World’s most popular YouTuber MrBeast announces engagement
YouTuber MrBeast has announced his engagement to girlfriend Thea Booysen. The 26-year-old revealed that he’d proposed on Christmas Day, sharing photos of the moment he went down on one knee. Now living in the US, the 27-year-old also streams games on Twitch and is a published author. In an interview with People magazine, MrBeast said…
Health innovation centre looks to future of NHS while celebrating its past
First building to open at Huddersfield’s National Health Innovation Centre is named after NHS’s first black matron In a full-scale model of a house, a £50,000 mannequin that can breathe, blink and cough waits for the replica of an ambulance. “We can inject them and they will react. We can collapse lungs and intubate them,…
Holiday scams: ‘My heart sank, I felt so disappointed with myself’
Natasha Shek said she “died inside” after realising she had been scammed, just a week before she was due to go on a family holiday in Cornwall. She had found an advert on social media and made ID checks on what she thought was the owner of the property, before paying him a deposit of…
Lidl enjoys record £1bn UK sales in run-up to Christmas
Discount grocer records 7% increase in four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve Lidl made more than £1bn in sales in the run-up to Christmas for the first time in the three decades the discount grocer has been operating in the UK as cash-strapped shoppers cut costs. The German-owned discounter, which is close to overtaking…
Neil Young pulls out of Glastonbury and says it is ‘under corporate control’
Rock star Neil Young has announced he will not be performing at this year’s Glastonbury, saying he believes the festival, which is partnered with the BBC, is “now under corporate control”. The 79-year-old Canadian wrote on his website that he and his band the Chrome Hearts “were looking forward to playing Glastonbury, one of my…
South Korea’s impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol vows to ‘fight until end’
Yoon issues letter to supporters as he faces arrest over declaration of martial law and alleged insurrection South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has rallied his supporters in a letter saying he will “fight until the end” as he faces an attempt by authorities to arrest him over his short-lived declaration of martial law,…
Ice warning and travel alerts in UK as temperatures drop after flooding
Disruption expected as rain turns to snow, after major flooding incident declared in Greater Manchester An ice warning is in force for much of the UK as temperatures have dropped, after a major incident was declared due to flooding. The yellow Met Office warning indicates there could be some difficult travel conditions across Scotland, Northern…
UK’s biggest ever dinosaur footprint site unearthed
The UK’s biggest ever dinosaur trackway site has been discovered in a quarry in Oxfordshire. About 200 huge footprints, which were made 166 million years ago, criss-cross the limestone floor. They reveal the comings and goings of two different types of dinosaurs that are thought to be a long-necked sauropod called Cetiosaurus and the smaller…
American football player and aspiring nurse among those killed
A well-known American football player, a young aspiring nurse and a mother of a four-year-old are among the victims of the New Year’s day attack in New Orleans in which at least 15 people were killed. Their names are being released by families and relatives before authorities complete post-mortem examinations. Here’s what we know so…
16 Travel Essentials That Are Always On My Packing List
Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more. I’m the first to admit that I haven’t always been a great packer. Not only did I live in constant fear of having to pay extra for an overweight bag, but I…
UK house prices rise for fourth month in a row, says Nationwide
Cost of average home in December reaches £269,426, with value increasing over year by almost £12,000 House prices rose for a fourth consecutive month in December, ending 2024 on a “strong footing”, Nationwide said, with the cost of an average home hitting £269,426. The building society’s monthly tracker found prices in December rose 0.7% on…
DWP spent £50,000 trying to stop release of review into disabled man’s death
Previous government spent almost £1m trying to prevent release of documents in 56 legal cases More than £50,000 of taxpayers’ money was spent on lawyers to try to prevent the release of a safeguarding review ordered after a disabled man starved to death in his own home. The costs were part of a bill of…
Searchers find hiking poles of man missing for a week in Kosciuszko national park
Hadi Nazari, 23, last seen on Boxing Day descending the challenging Hannels Spur track Hopes are dwindling that a missing hiker will be found alive as experts warn of the rough terrain and scarce water availability. The 23-year-old hiker, Hadi Nazari, was descending a challenging trail in the Kosciuszko national park about 2.30pm on Boxing…
House prices rose by 4.7% in 2024, says Nationwide
UK house prices ended 2024 some 4.7% higher than at the start of the year, according to the Nationwide. Property prices and housing market activity remained “remarkably resilient” despite affordability challenges facing buyers, the lender said. The average home in the UK cost £269,426 at the end of December, its figures show. Despite the latest…
An armed man kills at least 10 people in a shooting rampage in Montenegro
By The Associated Press PODGORICA, Montenegro — At least 10 people, including two children, were killed and four others were seriously wounded on Wednesday in a shooting rampage that followed a bar brawl in a western Montenegrin city, officials said. The shooter was on the run. Police identified the attacker as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic. He…
UK needs to ban full hybrid cars by 2030 or face net zero ‘catastrophe’
Motoring body says hybrids without a plug should be banned or else confidence in electric cars will be damaged Britain needs to press ahead with a ban on the sale of new hybrid cars with no plug from 2030 or risk taking “a catastrophic misstep” on the road to net zero, ministers have been warned.…
‘A man exposed himself to me on a video call – police didn’t properly investigate’
In October, business coach Rebecca Amin opened her laptop to join a video call as her children played in the room next door. When her male client turned on his camera Rebecca was shocked to find he was standing naked from the waist down. “It was disgusting,” she says, “I felt violated.” Rebecca decided to…
The nameless dead: scientists hunt for identities of thousands who tried to reach Europe
Four years ago, the remains of a toddler encased in a lifejacket and a navy snowsuit washed up on a beach in southern Norway, having spent the previous two months being carried on North Sea currents. Though his face was barely recognisable, publicity about the sinking of the migrant boat he had been travelling on,…
Power is restored to nearly all of Puerto Rico after a major blackout
By The Associated Press BAYAMÓN, Puerto Rico — Power was restored to nearly all electrical customers across Puerto Rico on Wednesday after a sweeping blackout plunged the U.S. territory into darkness on New Year’s Eve. By Wednesday afternoon, power was back up for 98% of Puerto Rico’s 1.47 million utility customers, said Luma Energy, the…
The Papers: ‘America under attack’ and crack down on people traffickers
In the words of the Times, the deadly attack in New Orleans marked the moment when New Year celebrations “turned to carnage”. A resident of the city describes, in the Daily Mirror, seeing a number of bodies lying beneath him as he looked down at the scene of the truck ramming from a nightclub balcony.…
Baby Remi, among the first born of new Beta generation, arrives in Australia just minutes after new year
Baby girl born in NSW’s Port Macquarie base hospital at 12.05 belongs to generation Beta, many of whom will live to see 22nd century A baby girl named Remi, born just minutes into the new year on the NSW midnorth coast, is believed to be the first Australian birth of 2025 – and the first…
Falling house prices and drop in Victorian rental numbers could mark rise of owner-occupiers
Buyers looking to move in could benefit from 6.5% drop in market since March 2022 as state claims largest share of first home buyer finance Owner-occupier buyers in Victoria could benefit from an investor sell-off that has been gathering momentum alongside falling house prices, an expert says. Data from Victoria’s Department of Families, Fairness and…
Man questioned over woman’s fall to death from seventh-floor Sydney balcony
Multiple calls made to triple zero before 39-year-old found critically injured outside her high-rise unit block on River Road in Parramatta A man is being interviewed by New South Wales police as they investigate how a woman fell to her death from a balcony in Sydney after a number of calls to emergency services. The…
Police raid Muan airport in wake of South Korea plane crash
The raid came as pressure built on authorities to establish the cause of the Jeju Air crash, which left 179 people dead Police in South Korea have raided Muan international airport, the scene of Sunday’s plane crash, in which 179 people died, as well as the office of the airline that operated the flight, media…
BoM data finds 2024 was Australia’s second-hottest year on record
Rise in greenhouse gases responsible for average temperatures rising to 1.46C above average, with one climate scientist saying this is ‘the norm now’ The average temperature across the country in 2024 was 1.46C above the long-term average, calculated from 1961 to 1990, and was second behind the 1.51C record set in 2019. Sign up for…
Here’s what we know so far about the deadly attack in New Orleans
Emma Bowman A truck plowed into a crowd on New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year’s Day, leaving at least 15 people dead and dozens more hospitalized with injuries. The driver was identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Houston, Texas, according to the FBI. He was killed…
Sophia Bush and Ex Grant Hughes Settle Divorce After Over a Year
Sophia Bush—who is now dating Ashlyn Harris—settled her divorce with estranged husband Grant Hughes more than a year after filing. Sophia Bush is done with her divorce. The One Tree Hill star has reached a divorce settlement with estranged husband Grant Hughes, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. The pair—who met during a New…
US rapper Ice Spice faces fan backlash over ‘disrespectful’ five minute appearance at Brisbane gig
Fans at the New Year’s Eve Wildlands festival, which cost up to $242 a ticket, were disappointed after the headline act was 25 minutes late for her 30-minute set US rapper Ice Spice, who appeared 25 minutes late to a 30 minute New Year’s Eve set in Brisbane, has been slammed for “disrespecting” Australian music…
How did Scotland become a Hollywood hotspot?
From superhero blockbusters to Netflix romantic comedies, Scotland has become an increasingly familiar location for Hollywood to use. In the autumn, Twisters star Glen Powell could be seen in Glasgow shooting scenes for sci-fi tale The Running Man, while Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire will be the backdrop for a new version of Frankenstein. Those productions join…
Chloë Grace Moretz Seemingly Confirms Engagement to Kate Harrison
Chloë Grace Moretz is seemingly engaged to model Kate Harrison after about six years of dating. Chloë Grace Moretz has found her own Hit-Girl. The Kick-Ass star appeared to confirm her engagement to her model girlfriend Kate Harrison on Jan. 1, posting a photo of them rocking matching rings during a New Year’s roundup on Instagram. …
Spectacular aurora australis thrills sky gazers across south-east Australia
The green and purple southern lights show was so strong it appeared over Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and NSW South-eastern Australia was treated to a dazzling natural light show to begin 2025. A vibrant aurora australis was visible to the naked eye on New Year’s Day in Tasmania and parts of Victoria, South…
Free Robbie Williams concert at Melbourne’s Federation Square prompts road closures as fans turn out early
Williams, who is in Australia to promote his biopic Better Man, is due to perform at Fed Square from 5pm on Thursday British pop star Robbie Williams’s free Melbourne gig will prompt city road closures, as fans began gathering more than eight hours before the performance. Williams, who is in Australia to promote his recently…
Quadrantids: How to watch the first meteor shower of 2025
Stargazers are in for a New Year treat as the first meteor shower of 2025 graces our night sky in early January. If you have already found yourself looking upwards over the past few nights you might have been lucky enough to have spotted some of the Quadrantid meteors shoot across the sky. This shower…
Hailey Bieber Reveals New Photo of Her and Justin Bieber’s Baby Jack
Hailey Bieber celebrated the new year by giving another peek at her and husband Justin Bieber’s baby boy Jack Bieber, this time in the form of a heartwarming black and white close-up selfie. Hailey Bieber is ringing in the new year with her baby, baby, baby, ohhh. The Rhode Beauty founder kicked off 2025 with…
Mira cómo las Kardashian y otras celebridades celebraron la Nochevieja 2024
From Rihanna’s totally relatable at-home festivities to Hailey Bieber’s indulgent In-N-Out meal, this is how celebrities celebrated New Year’s Eve 2024. While 2024 was coming to a close, Hollywood’s biggest stars were busy soaking up every last moment. From star-studded parties to at-home festivities, it’s clear that celebs made their mark on the final 24…
Giant naan breads and taking on the doubters in Bradford
As Bradford begins its year as UK City of Culture, it is not just trying to show a different face to the rest of the country – it’s also hoping to win over doubters in the city. One of the first productions is a radio play written by broadcaster Nick Ahad, and its theme is…
Alleged attack on Virgin Australia flight crew being investigated by Fijian police
Airline sends support staff to Nadi after reports of assault during a night out in the early hours of 1 January Fijian authorities are investigating allegations Virgin Australia crew were assaulted and robbed while celebrating New Year’s Eve, as a union expressed concern for their welfare. The airline has sent support staff to Fiji amid…
Chad Morgan, Australian country music star, dies aged 91
Known for his comedy songs such as The Sheik of Scrubby Creek and his toothy smile, Morgan died on 1 January Australian country music singer Chad Morgan, known as the “Sheik of Scrubby Creek” after one of his most famous songs, has died aged 91. Known for his humorous country songs and toothy smile –…
Early cancer diagnosis in England at record level, NHS figures show
The proportion of patients diagnosed with cancer at an early stage has risen to its highest level on record, NHS figures in England show. Data for the 13 most common cancers show 58.7% of those diagnosed between September 2023 and August 2024 were identified at stages one and two, which increases the chances of survival.…
LeBron James’ Son Bryce James, 17, Gives Huge Basketball Career Update
Bryce James, the 17-year-old son of NBA legend LeBron James, announced Jan. 1 that he has committed to join the University of Arizona basketball team, extending his family’s impact on the sport. Balling runs in the James family blood. Bryce James, the 17-year-old son of NBA legend LeBron James, rang in the new year with…
‘She was the sweetest person’: first details of New Orleans victims emerge
Victims identified as Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18; Reggie Hunter, 37; Tiger Bech, 27; and Nicole Perez, 28 The first details of the victims of the suspected terrorist attack on New Orleans’s nightlife center of Bourbon Street have begun to emerge as the city and the US absorbed the shocking news. A fast-moving vehicle had ploughed…
Frequent Flyer? This Duffel Bag Is My New Favorite Airport Hack
Avoid checked bag fees and overpacking woes with the Terra Thread duffel—a game-changing personal item for airport travel. The products featured in this article are from brands available in NBCUniversal Checkout. E! makes a commission on purchases. Airport travel is rarely smooth sailing, especially during the holidays. Regardless, I had to brave the storm and make…
The endgame in Ukraine: How the war could come to a close in 2025
“I must say that the situation is changing dramatically,” Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, declared at his end-of-year news conference in December. “There is movement along the entire front line. Every day.” In eastern Ukraine, Moscow’s war machine is gradually churning mile by mile through the wide open fields of the Donbas, enveloping and overwhelming villages…
Jennifer Lopez Comments on Her Relationships Amid Ben Affleck Divorce
Months after Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck broke up, the Unstoppable actress shared insight into her relationships while reflecting on the parallels between her life and her character Judy Robles. It doesn’t cost a thing for Jennifer Lopez to take a look back. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Four months after the “On the…
Three days of heavy snow forecast across UK
Much of the UK could be set for three days of snow as temperatures plunge across the country. A Met Office yellow warning for snow has been issued for all of England and Wales and parts of Scotland this weekend, with icy conditions forecast to continue into Monday. It means there is a risk of…
Centrelink payments increase, higher passport fees and pay rises: all the 1 January changes in Australia in 2025
Bigger Austudy and carer allowance payments, higher Medicare safety net thresholds and mandatory corporate reporting on climate also in 1 Jan changes With the new year come new policies, laws, taxes and reforms. Here’s everything to know about changes on 1 January, 2025 that could affect you. Centrelink payments, including youth allowance, Austudy and carer…
Who has made Troy’s Premier League team of the week?
After every round of Premier League matches this season, BBC football pundit Troy Deeney will give you his team and manager of the week. Here are this week’s choices. Do you agree? Give us your thoughts using the comments form at the bottom of this page. Martin Dubravka (Newcastle): He’s done well since he stepped…
Tesla Cybertruck Explosion Outside Trump Hotel Kills One Person
A Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas left one person dead and is now being investigated as a possible terrorist attack, according to authorities. Authorities in Las Vegas are investigating a deadly incident along the city’s famed Strip. The Jan. 1 event, which killed one and minorly injured seven bystanders,…
One dead after Tesla Cybertruck catches fire outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas
CEO Elon Musk says explosion that also injured seven ‘likely to be a terrorist attack’ One person died and seven more were injured on Wednesday when a Tesla truck caught fire and exploded outside Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel, authorities said. Las Vegas metropolitan police and Clark county fire department officials in Nevada said at…
‘No-one can replace Saka’ – but Nwaneri, 17, gives Arsenal hope
Bukayo Saka sustained a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s win at Crystal Palace on 21 December “No-one can replace him. He is one of the best players in the world.” Gabriel Martinelli’s comments about Bukayo Saka are telling as to just how much Arsenal depend on the England winger, how much they will miss him during…
Three-day snow warning issued for parts of England, Scotland and Wales
Rain, sleet, flooding and freezing temperatures could lead to hazardous travel conditions, says Met Office The Met Office has issued a three-day heavy snow warning as thousands of households mop up after torrential new year rain led to flooded properties, travel chaos and power cuts. Temperatures could drop to well below freezing at the weekend…
Justin Bieber Shuts Down Hailey Bieber Divorce Rumors
Justin Bieber shut down rumors of issues in his marriage to Hailey Bieber, setting the record straight with a flirty message on his Instagram Stories. Justin Bieber is putting the breakup rumors to rest. Days after social media users speculated that the musician’s marriage to Hailey Bieber may not be going well, the “Sorry” singer…
Conjoined Twins Abby & Brittany Hensel Explain How They Share Anatomy
Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel shared how their anatomy operates with separate organs as well as fused organs they share. Abby Hensel and Brittany Hensel aren’t keeping this information close to their chest. While the conjoined twins have been willing to share insight into their captivating personal lives, like Abby marrying husband Josh Bowling…
Scarlets seal bonus-point win in Dragons derby
Wales international Blair Murray had not played for a month prior to the derby United Rugby Championship Scarlets (24) 32 Tries: Murray 2, Macloed, Mee Cons: Costelow 3 Pens: Costelow, Lloyd Dragons (3) 15 Tries: Basham, Anderson Con: O’Brien Pen: O’Brien Scarlets welcomed the new year with a bonus-point derby win over Dragons in the…
1 dead, 7 injured after Tesla Cybertruck explodes outside Trump’s Las Vegas hotel
By The Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — One person died and seven others were injured Wednesday when a Tesla Cybertruck that appeared to be carrying fireworks caught fire and exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel, authorities said. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Fire Department officials told a news conference that…
Jocelyne Wildenstein, socialite known for extreme cat-like plastic surgery, dies
Known as ‘one of the jet set’s most outrageous characters’, Wildenstein died in Paris hotel aged 84 The Swiss socialite and cosmetic surgery aficionado Jocelyne Wildenstein, sometimes known as “Catwoman” due to her extensive plastic surgery, has died, her partner said on Wednesday. “It is with heavy heart and with great sadness that Mr Lloyd…
Prisons in England and Wales record rapid rise in drones delivering drugs
Prisons will need more money to combat the rapid rise in drones delivering drugs, the head of an influential Commons committee has said, as figures showed the number of aerial incursions predicted to have tripled in two years. A freedom of information request by the Guardian found there were 1,296 drone incidents at prisons in…
How To Transform Dry, Frizzy Hair Into Sleek, Silky Strands
No matter your hair type, these products will infuse your strands with nourishing moisture, shield them from humidity, and repair damage, leaving your hair healthier and more manageable. The products featured in this article are from brands available in NBCUniversal Checkout. E! makes a commission on purchases. Frizz can come for us all, no matter your hair…
One killed as cybertruck explodes at Trump Las Vegas hotel
Police are investigating the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Police said a cybertruck pulled up in front of the hotel on Wednesday near a glass entrance, then smoke started coming from the vehicle and it exploded. The driver was killed and seven people were injured, police said…