As a teenager, the actor landed her first ever job in the blockbuster film series. The experience was fun – but also led to horrendous online abuse. Now she’s back, playing a tough and surprising matriarch in the Regency smash hit Some actors might have been a little put out to audition for the role of the beautiful young romantic lead, and instead be cast as her mother, but not Katie Leung. “Abso...
As a teenager, the actor landed her first ever job in the blockbuster film series. The experience was fun – but also led to horrendous online abuse. Now she’s back, playing a tough and surprising matriarch in the Regency smash hit Some actors might have been a little put out to audition for the role of the beautiful young romantic lead, and instead be cast as her mother, but not Katie Leung. “Absolutely not,” she says with a laugh. “I look young for my age – as most people in the west think Asians do – but I felt really seen to finally get to play the role of a mother.” She is a mother, she points out, and anyway, the role of Lady Araminta Gun, the steely aristo who is about to rock the new series of Netflix’s Regency behemoth Bridgerton, is so delicious, who could be insulted? Araminta, widowed, has seen off two husbands, and now she’s trying to marry off her two teenage daughters, ideally to a Bridgerton, while keeping her stepdaughter, Sophie, in her place – as a Cinderella-style servant for the family. “The showrunners reassured me that it wasn’t going to be the archetypal evil stepmother role,” says Leung. “They wanted to find the humanity in Araminta. They wanted to ensure I knew her background, her struggles, why she makes these decisions, and why she’s so formidable.” Continue reading...
Climate-heating emissions from aviation could be slashed in half – without reducing passenger journeys – by getting rid of premium seats, ensuring flights are near full and using the most efficient aircraft, according to analysis. These efficiency measures could be far more effective in tackling the fast-growing carbon footprint of flying than pledges to use “sustainable” fuels or controversial ca...
Climate-heating emissions from aviation could be slashed in half – without reducing passenger journeys – by getting rid of premium seats, ensuring flights are near full and using the most efficient aircraft, according to analysis. These efficiency measures could be far more effective in tackling the fast-growing carbon footprint of flying than pledges to use “sustainable” fuels or controversial carbon offsets, the researchers said. They believe their study, which analysed more than 27m commercial flights out of approximately 35m in 2023, is the first to assess the variation in operational efficiency of flights across the globe. The amount of carbon dioxide per kilometre flown has been falling as aircraft become gradually more fuel efficient. However, the growth in the number of flights has far outstripped this, meaning the emissions helping to fuel the climate crisis are rising. Aviation’s carbon dioxide emissions could double or even triple by 2050, according to experts. The new analysis found that more polluting flights were common from airports in the US and Australia, particularly smaller ones, as well as in parts of Africa and the Middle East. Airports in India, Brazil and south-east Asia were dominated by less polluting flights. Atlanta and New York were among the airports with the least efficient flights overall, almost 50% worse than the airports running the most efficient flights, such as Abu Dhabi and Madrid. The UN’s aviation body, Icao, is relying on an “unambitious and problematic” offsetting scheme, called Corsia, to cut emissions. But it has yet to require any airline to use a carbon credit. Icao was recently accused of having been captured by the industry. The EU has set a 2030 target for airlines to use 6% sustainable aviation fuel, made from waste cooking oil or produced using electricity, but the supply of these fuels is limited and expensive. “We are currently stuck with a global situation where there is no hope that aviation will reduce its emis...
“I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars,” Donald Trump said after declaring victory on 6 November 2024. It wasn’t his first pledge to disengage the US from foreign conflicts, and Trump’s top allies in conservative media and the “Make America Great Again” (Maga) movement have all rallied to his pledge to “put America first”. Now that the US president seems to have broken his pledge by...
“I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars,” Donald Trump said after declaring victory on 6 November 2024. It wasn’t his first pledge to disengage the US from foreign conflicts, and Trump’s top allies in conservative media and the “Make America Great Again” (Maga) movement have all rallied to his pledge to “put America first”. Now that the US president seems to have broken his pledge by launching an invasion of Venezuela, not to mention threatening future actions against Cuba and Colombia and potentially Greenland, some have reasonably wondered whether Trump’s supporters in Maga media would hammer him for that inconsistency. But in the days since the US forcibly abducted Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, with dozens killed as part of the night-time operation, Trump has instead received strong support from his media allies, with a few on-again, off-again backers expressing some reservations. “Generally, the party is going to stand with him on this and conservative media is going to stand with him on this,” former Republican congressman and talk radio host Joe Walsh said. The conservative radio and television host Mark Levin, one of Trump’s strongest media defenders, not only celebrated Trump’s military actions but on Sunday called those who questioned the legality of the incursion, including Senator Bernie Sanders and the New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, “pure evil”. “They defend totalitarianism [sic] regimes against our nation’s own security and interests,” he added. Levin and Fox News host Sean Hannity have also championed “The Donroe Doctrine”, the notion that Trump’s America has dominance over the Western hemisphere. The conservative commentator Ben Shapiro called out those on the “so-called isolationalist right” who may oppose the Trump administration’s actions, referring primarily to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Shapiro said that Maduro was ousted by “a conservative Republican president, a gutsy president, who makes the...
If toothbrushes were sentient, they’d complain about their lot in life. Their thankless existence involves repeatedly cleaning one of the grimmest parts of the body, then being thrown out once their bristles are insufficiently effective. Or, in the case of electric toothbrushes, decapitated before resuming their duties with a fresh head. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a com...
If toothbrushes were sentient, they’d complain about their lot in life. Their thankless existence involves repeatedly cleaning one of the grimmest parts of the body, then being thrown out once their bristles are insufficiently effective. Or, in the case of electric toothbrushes, decapitated before resuming their duties with a fresh head. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. This relentless cycle is essential for hygiene reasons: an ineffective brush can lead directly to tooth decay and gum disease. However, given the big dual crises of our time – climate and cost of living – it would certainly help for toothbrushes to last a bit longer. So what can we do to maximise their longevity without sacrificing dental hygiene? How to make your toothbrush last longer Don’t overcharge the battery View image in fullscreen Powering on: get the most out of a toothbrush battery by only recharging when it’s required. Photograph: sanatgen/Getty Images Every electric toothbrush has a battery inside the handle that, just as with a phone, will degrade over time. In most cases, this battery isn’t easily replaceable, so treating it well is essential. “In general, it’s best not to charge your battery frequently, whether it’s ours or any other [toothbrush brand’s] batteries,” says Gyve Safavi, co-founder of the electric toothbrush maker Suri, which has made sustainability a key selling point. Frequent charging erodes battery capacity, he says. “If you want it to last as long as possible, charge it overnight and leave it. Don’t charge it again until it goes out.” Read our Suri 2.0 electric toothbrush review Keep it clean You may think that keeping your brush clean is a hygiene-only issue, but it’s also helpful for bristle longevity. “I have seen patients ruin heads more from storage habits than from brushing,” says Dr Alan McCaffrey, founder of Red Rock Dental in Las Vegas. “Both electric and manual br...
Now surely approaching their twilight years, the Xbox Series S and X machines nevertheless still have plenty to offer both new and veteran owners. We have selected 15 titles that show the range of what’s on offer, from the biggest blockbusters to lesser known indie gems you may have missed. Whether you’re after tense psychological horror or wild escapism, it’s all here and more. Alan Wake 2 View i...
Now surely approaching their twilight years, the Xbox Series S and X machines nevertheless still have plenty to offer both new and veteran owners. We have selected 15 titles that show the range of what’s on offer, from the biggest blockbusters to lesser known indie gems you may have missed. Whether you’re after tense psychological horror or wild escapism, it’s all here and more. Alan Wake 2 View image in fullscreen Alternate dimension … Alan Wake 2. Photograph: Remedy Entertainment Thirteen years after vanishing at the end of the original game, cursed horror author Alan Wake is trapped in an alternate dimension and determined to write his way out, while FBI agents close in on the mysterious town of Bright Falls. Why we love it: “A thoroughly entertaining blend of detective procedural and surrealist survival horror.” Read the full review. Psychonauts 2 View image in fullscreen Psychic playground … Psychonauts 2. Photograph: Double Fine The long-awaited sequel to Double Fine’s cult 3D platformer sees the return of psychic acrobat secret agent Raz embarking on a mission to root out a dangerous new adversary. Why we love it: “I’ve rarely played anything that is so unashamedly itself. Each hour is different, each character distinct and memorable, each new psychic playground full of surprises.” Read the full review. Death Stranding 2 View image in fullscreen Delivering the apocalypse … Death Stranding 2. Photograph: Sony Interactive Entertainment Hideo Kojima shifts his metaphysical post-apocalypse thriller to Australia, where Sam must track down his kidnapped “Bridge Baby” while reconnecting society and saving the environment. A fascinating and stylish adventure. Why we love it: “Combat feels punchier, the world map more hand-crafted, missions more varied.” Read the full review. Elden Ring View image in fullscreen Spectacular landscapes … Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Photograph: FromSoftware A grandiose fantasy opera from the makers of Dark Souls, filled with spect...
Lactic acid – always the bridesmaid for the more hyped glycolic acid – is my first choice of alpha hydroxy acid for all manner of reasons. It exfoliates without stripping or stinging (its bigger molecule size makes it particularly well tolerated by even sensitive skins), can stimulate collagen and ceramide production to firm, plump and protect mature skins, has antibacterial properties for more pr...
Lactic acid – always the bridesmaid for the more hyped glycolic acid – is my first choice of alpha hydroxy acid for all manner of reasons. It exfoliates without stripping or stinging (its bigger molecule size makes it particularly well tolerated by even sensitive skins), can stimulate collagen and ceramide production to firm, plump and protect mature skins, has antibacterial properties for more problematic ones, and binds with water to keep every type more hydrated. Lactic also imparts an unmistakable glow to the complexion and deflakes rough areas brilliantly. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. I’ve always loved it, but have rarely been so spoilt for choice. Beauty Pie’s new Youthbomb Extreme Retinal Triple Renewal Serum (£49 to members) is their best formula in some time, which goes some way to justify its high (for Beauty Pie) price point. If you’re content with your existing skincare lineup but would like to incorporate lactic acid, a tonic is an easy slot-in The creamy serum contains niacinamide, two potent retinoids, hyaluronic acid, ceramides and plenty of other good stuff, but I was particularly pleased to find lactic acid in the mix, and felt its smoothing effects on my skin. Although consumer lactic acid products are safe during pregnancy, retinoids in any strength are not, so skip this one if expecting. Fine at any time is Clinique’s Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum, my most-used morning serum of the past 18 months. This combines my skin’s favourite trio: glycerin, vitamin C and lactic acid, for instant glassy moisture, glow and evenness, and at £44, it’s fairly priced in relation to the rest of the market. If your budget is lower, try Brightening Serum (£12.99) from the consistently great Byoma. This adds a dash of lactic to its fine-textured, hydrating serum that’s suitable for oilier types. If you’re content with your existing skincare lineup and would like to ...
China has launched an anti-dumping investigation against Japan over a crucial chemical for chipmaking, marking a new escalation in tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. The investigation, set to run for one year with a possible extension of six months, targets dichlorosilane – a chemical that is primarily used in thin-film-deposition processes in semiconductor manufacturing and which plays a key rol...
China has launched an anti-dumping investigation against Japan over a crucial chemical for chipmaking, marking a new escalation in tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. The investigation, set to run for one year with a possible extension of six months, targets dichlorosilane – a chemical that is primarily used in thin-film-deposition processes in semiconductor manufacturing and which plays a key role in the production of various types of chips, according to a notice from the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday. The investigation was initiated at the request of a domestic industry player, which submitted preliminary evidence showing that China’s imports of dichlorosilane from Japan increased between 2022 and 2024 while prices fell by 31 per cent. Advertisement The domestic industry claimed that the imports from Japan constituted dumping and had caused harm to Chinese domestic production and operations, according to a separate statement from the ministry on Wednesday. After receiving the application, Chinese authorities determined that it met relevant requirements for launching an anti-dumping investigation and consequently decided to initiate the process, the ministry said. Advertisement “The investigating authority will conduct the investigation in accordance with the law, fully safeguard the rights of all interested parties, and make an objective and impartial ruling based on the investigation results,” the statement said.
A 62-year-old woman in China, who has been pregnant for six months and regards the baby as the return of her deceased son, her only child, has trended on social media, sparking a heated discussion. On a leading mainland social media platform, a woman in Songyuan from Jilin province, in northeastern China, provides regular updates on the pregnancy life of her elder sister, Dahe News reported. The g...
A 62-year-old woman in China, who has been pregnant for six months and regards the baby as the return of her deceased son, her only child, has trended on social media, sparking a heated discussion. On a leading mainland social media platform, a woman in Songyuan from Jilin province, in northeastern China, provides regular updates on the pregnancy life of her elder sister, Dahe News reported. The grey-haired expectant mother is pregnant for the second time in her life. Advertisement In January of 2025, she lost her son, who was her only child. It is not clear how old he was or why he died. The unnamed expectant mother relaxes on a sofa. This is the second time in her life that she has been pregnant. Photo: Douyin In the middle of the year, the woman, whose name was not revealed in the report, conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
9th Annual dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index for U.S. Grocery - Top 10 Retailers U.S. consumers more focused on grocery savings as essential costs rise CINCINNATI, January 07, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--H-E-B, Market Basket and Woodman’s are the top three U.S. grocery retailers according to dunnhumby’s ninth annual Retailer Preference Index (RPI) for U.S. Grocery, a comprehensive, nationwide study t...
9th Annual dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index for U.S. Grocery - Top 10 Retailers U.S. consumers more focused on grocery savings as essential costs rise CINCINNATI, January 07, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--H-E-B, Market Basket and Woodman’s are the top three U.S. grocery retailers according to dunnhumby’s ninth annual Retailer Preference Index (RPI) for U.S. Grocery, a comprehensive, nationwide study that examines the approximately $1 trillion U.S. grocery market. The Texas-based regional grocer has ranked first for the fifth time in nine years. Market Basket ranked second for the second time, while Wisconsin-based Woodman’s, appearing in the RPI for the first time, replaced Costco as the third top U.S. grocer. For the first time, the leading three retailers in the United States are all regional chains. Costco (4), Aldi (5), Winco Foods (6), Trader Joes (7), Amazon (8), Wegman’s (9), and ShopRite (10) round out the 10 highest ranked grocers. The RPI found that 41% of a retailer's long-term success is based on "saving customers money" through competitive pricing, promotions, and rewards — up three points from last year and marking a new record high. This remains the most important of the five customer perception pillars. Retailers who excel at delivering savings consistently achieve stronger, long-term market success in the United States. "2025 threw a lot of curveballs at the U.S. consumer. Shopper confidence dropped as concerns about higher prices, fewer job opportunities, and stagnant wages eroded purchasing power. Consumers across all income levels are feeling the squeeze and making more price-conscious choices," said Matt O'Grady, President of the Americas for dunnhumby. "In this environment, building trust with American shoppers has never been more critical." The dunnhumby RPI is the only approach to ranking grocers that combines financial results with customer perception. It includes the largest 81 retailers in the industry that sell everyday food and non-food hous...
Pro-Trump influencers take a victory lap amid fallout from viral video alleging fraud toggle caption Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images Less than two weeks since YouTube personality Nick Shirley posted a 42-minute video alleging widespread fraud at Minnesota daycare centers run by people of Somali descent, the Trump administration is freezing streams of federal funding – including $10 billion ...
Pro-Trump influencers take a victory lap amid fallout from viral video alleging fraud toggle caption Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images Less than two weeks since YouTube personality Nick Shirley posted a 42-minute video alleging widespread fraud at Minnesota daycare centers run by people of Somali descent, the Trump administration is freezing streams of federal funding – including $10 billion to five Democratic-led states – and has sent 2,000 federal agents to Minnesota to wage an immigration crackdown. Furthermore, Minnesota's Democratic governor and former vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz, announced Monday he will no longer seek a third term citing the need to focus on running the state rather than his campaign. Pro-MAGA influencers on X declared victory as they also shared new, unsubstantiated fraud allegations about other social service providers in both Minnesota and other states. Sponsor Message "Tim Walz was almost Vice President of the United States," wrote Rogan O'Handley, a pro-Trump commentator with more than 2 million followers on X. "Now he's dropping out of the Governor's race in Minnesota in disgrace. All because a 23-year-old kid with a camera and a thirst for justice exposed billions of his fraud. May @nickshirleyy's work create 1,000 more Nick Shirleys." Shirley himself posted to X on Monday, "I ENDED TIM WALZ." Shirley's video was amplified by Vice President JD Vance and has garnered more than 138 million views on X – though his claims about specific daycares and other businesses receiving public funds without providing services remain unsubstantiated. But the swift policy and political repercussions the video helped propel illustrate the symbiotic relationship between online content creators and the Trump administration's policy goals. Online content that purports to show evidence of a problem, like fraud in a Democratic state, can be harnessed by policy makers to justify policy changes they wanted to pursue, said Kate Starbird, a profes...
The world has too much oil right now. Will companies want Venezuela's? toggle caption Pedro Mattey/AFP via Getty Images President Trump has made no secret that he wants U.S. oil companies to profit off his removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by investing in rebuilding Venezuela's oil infrastructure and sharing in the money that would follow. Late Tuesday, he posted on Truth Social that ...
The world has too much oil right now. Will companies want Venezuela's? toggle caption Pedro Mattey/AFP via Getty Images President Trump has made no secret that he wants U.S. oil companies to profit off his removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by investing in rebuilding Venezuela's oil infrastructure and sharing in the money that would follow. Late Tuesday, he posted on Truth Social that Venezuelan authorities will turn over to the U.S. between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil, which will then be sold at market price, with the proceeds controlled by Trump. But seizing current oil production is one thing; overhauling Venezuela's entire oil industry would be another. Independent research firm Rystad Energy has estimated it would take $183 billion over more than a decade to restore Venezuelan oil production back to a 1990s-era level, more than tripling it from its current rate of less than 1 million barrels a day. Sponsor Message And companies might be hesitant to rush in — or, rather, rush back in. Chevron is the only U.S. oil company still operating in Venezuela; ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips left after the Venezuelan government forcibly renegotiated contracts around 2007, which cost them billions of dollars. International courts have ordered Venezuela to reimburse Exxon and Conoco, a bill that remains mostly unpaid. Venezuela's once-thriving oil fields are plagued by power cuts, corroded pipelines and stolen equipment. But most of all, says Kevin Book, the managing director of independent research firm ClearView Energy Partners, "it's not just a geologic problem or an engineering problem, but a math problem." Specifically, this math problem: Can companies make a profit off the huge investments required to boost production? For now, the major oil companies have not publicly indicated what they're planning to do, and they declined to comment for this story. But analysts say the companies must evaluate whether the political situation in Vene...
DHS wants Venezuelans to return home, but fears remain as long as Maduro regime is in power toggle caption José A. Alvarado Jr. for NPR The last few days have been full of emotions for Sebastian, a 28-year-old Venezuelan architect who lives in Miami. Sebastian, who asked to be identified by his first name because of his ongoing immigration case, says he was happy to learn U.S. forces had captured ...
DHS wants Venezuelans to return home, but fears remain as long as Maduro regime is in power toggle caption José A. Alvarado Jr. for NPR The last few days have been full of emotions for Sebastian, a 28-year-old Venezuelan architect who lives in Miami. Sebastian, who asked to be identified by his first name because of his ongoing immigration case, says he was happy to learn U.S. forces had captured President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela in the early hours of Jan. 3. "I felt a relief, because I thought that there'd be a radical change in the country," he told NPR. "Maybe things were going to be different." But in a press conference later that day, President Trump said his administration had a conversation with Delcy Rodríguez , Maduro's deputy and vice president. Trump said his administration was working with her toward U.S. plans to run the country. Sponsor Message That announcement left Sebastian disappointed. He said he feels the danger is still as present in Venezuela. But the Trump administration says it is safe for Venezuelans to go back to their country, especially those who were in the U.S. with temporary protected status, or TPS. The administration ended the program for more than 600,000 Venezuelans last year, saying then that conditions in the country had improved. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News on Sunday , "the great news for those who are here from Venezuela on temporary protected status is that now they can go home with hope for their country — a country that they love — that there is going to be peace, prosperity and stability." But Sebastian, who came to the U.S. in 2023 and had TPS, said that does not make sense. "The Trump administration has been saying for a year the conditions have changed for good in Venezuela," Sebastian said. "But I would ask, if the U.S. has to extract a man who took over the government, how am I supposed to believe that the situation in Venezuela is good? It's contradi...
The delightful history behind serendipity suggests it's not mere luck toggle caption RGR Collection/Alamy In the new year, we can all use some serendipity, right? Since the word was coined in the 18th century, "serendipity" has been used to describe all kinds of scientific and technological breakthroughs, including penicillin, the microwave oven and Velcro. (More on these below.) The whimsical ter...
The delightful history behind serendipity suggests it's not mere luck toggle caption RGR Collection/Alamy In the new year, we can all use some serendipity, right? Since the word was coined in the 18th century, "serendipity" has been used to describe all kinds of scientific and technological breakthroughs, including penicillin, the microwave oven and Velcro. (More on these below.) The whimsical term has also been the title of countless poems, songs and books about remarkable coincidences or eureka moments. And let's not forget that it was the name of the charming 2001 romantic comedy about two strangers — played by John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale — meeting and reuniting during chance encounters. "Serendipity" — as the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it — is "the ability to find valuable or agreeable things not sought for" or "luck that takes the form of such finding." Sponsor Message While the word has often been associated with good fortune or happy accidents, its origin suggests that serendipity goes beyond just happenstance. Some researchers argue that serendipity can be acquired through skill and that opportunities for serendipitous moments occur more frequently than we realize. In this week's installment of NPR's Word of the Week, we dive into the roots of serendipity, its impact throughout history and tips on how we can cultivate it ourselves. Serendipity's wayward journey While serendipity is all about the unexpected, its origins are less mysterious. "This is one of those relatively rare words that we can actually pinpoint the exact time and place when it was coined," said Colin Gorrie, a language scholar who has studied the history of "serendipity." toggle caption Rischgitz/Getty Images/Hulton Archive The term was introduced by English politician and writer Horace Walpole in a letter dated Jan. 28, 1754. Walpole is widely credited with writing the first gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto, but he was also the inventor of dozens of words in the English lang...
After the LA fires, false narratives on social media impacted state policy toggle caption Julia Simon/NPR When Chad Comey's five-story condo building burned down in the Palisades Fire early last year, all that was left was the parking garage, a brick and stucco wall, and a few charred trees. Comey's street is now full of empty lots stretching up into the green hills. Comey is a musician and careta...
After the LA fires, false narratives on social media impacted state policy toggle caption Julia Simon/NPR When Chad Comey's five-story condo building burned down in the Palisades Fire early last year, all that was left was the parking garage, a brick and stucco wall, and a few charred trees. Comey's street is now full of empty lots stretching up into the green hills. Comey is a musician and caretaker for his two disabled parents. In the past year, they've moved five times, not wanting to overstay their welcome with friends and family, while looking for a wheelchair-accessible apartment to rent. " I think we have a right to be angry," Comey says. "I am housed, but I am homeless." Sponsor Message He says some people on social media try to minimize the pain of fire survivors. "People who are trying to reduce our anger do not understand what it feels like to be homeless," he says. Comey says some social media posts about the fire play to anger and rage, and don't always contain accurate information. " In today's day and age on social media, one kernel of truth can be spun off into reels and rage bait," he says. "There's a lot of that." In the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires, misinformation spread almost as fast as the flames. Some of these false narratives on social media, especially about water, have had a direct impact on California policy, legal and water experts tell NPR. Comey, 32, got most of his news about the fires from traditional news sources like the Los Angeles Times and LAist, and he still relies on those outlets for information about the fires' aftermath. But more than half of Americans get at least some of their news from social media, according to Pew Research. Thirty-one people died in the fires in the Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods. An area roughly three times the size of Manhattan burned. False narratives can distract from how best to respond to these kinds of disasters, says Max Boykoff, University of Colorado Boulder environmental studies p...
Toronto home sales and prices declined in December, capping off a year of tepid buyer interest as a result of trade tensions with the US. The number of homes that traded hands in Canada’s largest city fell 0.4% last month from November, while the benchmark price of a home slipped 0.7% to C$962,000 ($696,395), seasonally adjusted data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board showed Wednesday. Th...
Toronto home sales and prices declined in December, capping off a year of tepid buyer interest as a result of trade tensions with the US. The number of homes that traded hands in Canada’s largest city fell 0.4% last month from November, while the benchmark price of a home slipped 0.7% to C$962,000 ($696,395), seasonally adjusted data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board showed Wednesday. The subdued end to 2025 continued a trend that had lasted all year. Total sales slipped 11.2% from 2024, and benchmark prices were down a cumulative 6.3%, according to the real estate board. Even with lower interest rates and more listings to choose from in Toronto, buyers failed to return to the market in significant numbers. US President Donald Trump ’s tariffs on some Canadian goods — and his threats of additional levies — tamped down economic growth nationwide and discouraged both businesses and consumers from making big investments. Now it’s looking like that uncertainty will persist at least until the US and Canada renegotiate their existing trade deal sometime this year, and Prime Minister’s Mark Carney ’s plans to stimulate the economy bear fruit. “Reaffirmed trade relationships and large-scale domestic economic development projects will be key for improved home sales moving forward,” Jason Mercer, the Toronto real estate board’s chief information officer, said in a statement. “Households must be confident in their employment situation before committing to long-term monthly mortgage payments, even in this more affordable market.” New listings jumped 5.5% in December from the previous month, the Toronto real estate board’s data show.
Twenty Years Of Watching The Thermometer... And The Narrative Authored by Anthony Watts via WattsUpWithThat.com, In November 2006, when I launched Watts Up With That? , the idea was simple enough: look at the data, check the instruments, and ask whether the conclusions being drawn actually followed from the evidence. It was never intended as a career in heresy. It was, at the time, a fairly normal...
Twenty Years Of Watching The Thermometer... And The Narrative Authored by Anthony Watts via WattsUpWithThat.com, In November 2006, when I launched Watts Up With That? , the idea was simple enough: look at the data, check the instruments, and ask whether the conclusions being drawn actually followed from the evidence. It was never intended as a career in heresy. It was, at the time, a fairly normal scientific impulse steeped in curiosity. Nearly twenty years later, that impulse requires a helmet. As WUWT approaches its twentieth anniversary in 2026, it’s worth reflecting on how climate change went from being a hypothesis—one among many competing explanations for observed changes—to a full-fledged belief system, complete with sacred texts (IPCC reports), approved language, and the occasional excommunication. The climate, meanwhile, has been far less dramatic. 2006–2008: When Thermometers Were Still Just Thermometers Back in the mid-2000s, climate science still resembled…well, science. There were disagreements. There were debates. People argued about cloud feedbacks, solar influences, ocean cycles, and the reliability of historical temperature records without being accused of crimes against humanity. Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth arrived in 2006 like a traveling roadshow of impending doom. Polar bears were stranded, seas were rising, and hurricanes were apparently lining up in formation. It was slick, emotional, and heavy on graphs that only went in one direction. At the same time, a curious thing was happening on the ground. Actual thermometers—those stubbornly analog devices—were being placed next to heat sources, asphalt, and buildings. So WUWT did something radical: we took pictures. This turned out to be surprisingly controversial, heretical even. Apparently, photographing a thermometer next to an air conditioning exhaust was not “constructive engagement.” Who knew? 2009: Climategate—The Sound of Trust Hitting the Floor Then came Climategate. The emails were not...
Don't bet on this dog learning any new tricks in 2026. Assets can rise in value because they throw off cash that you can reinvest, or they can rise because they're getting scarcer while demand for them persists. Meme coins usually don't do either of those things, so their prices end up behaving like a weather vane for attention and the market's macro conditions. And that's the basis for why I thin...
Don't bet on this dog learning any new tricks in 2026. Assets can rise in value because they throw off cash that you can reinvest, or they can rise because they're getting scarcer while demand for them persists. Meme coins usually don't do either of those things, so their prices end up behaving like a weather vane for attention and the market's macro conditions. And that's the basis for why I think Dogecoin (DOGE 1.60%) will end 2026 priced at about $0.10, down from its current price of roughly $0.15. My target here is intended to be a directional call rather than something to take literally, so with that in mind, let's explore why I think gravity is going to win, despite the dreams of the coin's most loyal boosters. New vehicles for capital inflows aren't changing any fundamentals To start, let's dismantle one of the more recent investment theses in favor of buying Dogecoin because it's key to understanding why the price is probably going to fall rather than rise. One of the biggest new developments was the launch of Dogecoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in late 2025. Holders have generally been pretty excited about those ETFs, as they reduce the friction for people who want exposure to the coin but who don't have a crypto wallet. The ETFs are also a marketing event of sorts, and marketing events can move sentiment-driven assets like meme coins. Expand CRYPTO : DOGE Dogecoin Today's Change ( -1.60 %) $ -0.00 Current Price $ 0.15 Key Data Points Market Cap $25B Day's Range $ 0.14 - $ 0.16 52wk Range $ 0.12 - $ 0.43 Volume 2.1B But here it's critical to notice what an ETF simply can't do. It can't create new uses for Dogecoin itself, nor does it reduce ongoing coin issuance, and it doesn't give the asset any mechanism to capture value in the way a business captures revenue. So without any second act lined up to stoke more enthusiasm, and without any real features to anchor the newly inducted capital from the ETFs, the marginal ETF buyer tends to disappear as soo...
Robinhood Markets Company Overview Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock Robinhood Markets ( HOOD ) has risen to become the foremost financial services platform for retail investors. Established in 2013 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, the startup first rose to prominence by being the first mainstream broker to offer commission-free equity trading. The platform has grown its user base consi...
Robinhood Markets Company Overview Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock Robinhood Markets ( HOOD ) has risen to become the foremost financial services platform for retail investors. Established in 2013 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, the startup first rose to prominence by being the first mainstream broker to offer commission-free equity trading. The platform has grown its user base considerably by “democratizing” finance through its commission-free trading and zero account minimum model. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Robinhood’s business exploded amid a red-hot market and many millennials working from home. However, behind its co-founder and CEO, Vlad Tenev, Robinhood has leveraged that success to diversify and grown its business beyond equity markets into credit and crypto markets. Robinhood Benefits from Active Markets Robinhood benefits dramatically in active markets. For instance, the trading volumes surged after the COVID-19 crash and subsequent bull market. Now, a similar roadmap is in store for the stock after the after the tariff-induced crash and robust bull market rebound of 2025. Increased retail participation over the past few years has led to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.7% in the company’s transaction-based revenue segment. Meanwhile, annual revenue doubled from 2022 to 2024. In addition, the company turned profitable in 2024 for the first time and never looked back. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Robinhood also tends to beat Wall Street estimates. For example, the company has beaten Zacks Consensus Analyst Estimates in nine of the past ten quarters and surpassed those estimates by a healthy 19.46% margin in the past four. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research HOOD: A Plethora of New Growth Avenues CEO Vlad Tenev has built a career around democratizing finance, driving innovation, and embracing technology. With the massive success of the company’s core business, Tenev has been able to continuously deliver a plethora o...
Starbucks SBUX is a roaster and retailer of specialty coffee globally. Besides its fresh, rich-brewed coffees, the company's offerings include many complimentary food items and a selection of premium teas and other beverages, sold mainly through its retail stores. Analysts have taken their earnings expectations lower, landing the stock into an unfavorable Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Image Source:...
Starbucks SBUX is a roaster and retailer of specialty coffee globally. Besides its fresh, rich-brewed coffees, the company's offerings include many complimentary food items and a selection of premium teas and other beverages, sold mainly through its retail stores. Analysts have taken their earnings expectations lower, landing the stock into an unfavorable Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Let’s take a closer look at how the company currently stacks up. Starbucks Starbucks shares have been volatile nearly all year long, up roughly 3% overall and widely underperforming relative to the S&P 500. Quarterly results have been a source of volatility, with a recent CEO swap also causing the same. For a quick refresher, former Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO Brian Niccol replaced Laxman Narasimhan back in August. Investors remain hopeful that the swap will bring some positivity, particularly after the several-year-long patch of rough price action. Over the last three years, SBUX shares are down -10%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The company’s latest set of quarterly results was a bit rough, with global comparable store sales declining 7% but getting a slight boost from a 2% increase in average ticket. As has been the case, China continues to be a thorn in the side for SBUX, with comparable store sales in China falling 14% alongside an 8% decline in average ticket price. The China story has been a big deal for obvious reasons – the region accounts for 30% of the company’s stores overall. Below is a chart illustrating the company’s sales on a quarterly basis. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Nonetheless, fresh CEO Brian Niccol remains positive, stating: ‘It is clear we need to fundamentally change our strategy to win back customers. ‘Back to Starbucks’ is that fundamental change,’ He continued - ‘My experience tells me that when we get back to our core identity and consistently deliver a great experience, our customers will come b...
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month. "If you're just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay," Glasner added. "The chairman will tell you the same. But it's not one-dimens...
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month. "If you're just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay," Glasner added. "The chairman will tell you the same. But it's not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it's very important. "If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says 'now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue'. "There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen - as long as Marc says 'I want to leave', because the final decision is always with the player." Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club's history. The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League. "The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield," Glasner added. "Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer. "The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above."