Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

December 27, 2025 23:09 UTC

This event and the government’s response have once again raised questions about the relationship between Jews, Israel, Zionism and anti-Zionism. Zionism is a Jewish national movement that sought to create a Jewish state, then to secure and sustain it. It’s clear that for different people, the word Zionism means very different things, which leads to people talking past one another – with real-world consequences. This connection to Israel and support for Jewish self-determination are central to Zionist Jews’ sense of what it means to be Jewish. Many Zionists advocate for a democratic Jewish state to sit alongside a democratic Palestinian state.

December 27, 2025 22:01 UTC

AI slop – the low-quality, surreal content flooding social media platforms, designed to farm views – is a phenomenon, some would say the phenomenon of the 2024 and 2025 internet. Shrimp Jesus was quickly followed by hallmarks of the AI slop genre: videos of old women claiming to celebrate their 122nd birthday, and mini soap operas about the dramatic lives of cats. In some ways, AI slop has improved. In some ways, though, AI slop has hardly changed at all. Describing this flood of unreality as solely a technological phenomenon misses one of the main drivers of AI slop.

December 27, 2025 21:32 UTC

Ben Stokes of England leads his team out during day two of the Fourth Test in the 2025/26 Ashes Series between Australia and England at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 27, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo/Getty Images)

December 27, 2025 20:00 UTC

In many of these ventures, Trump collected licensing fees, rather than investing his own money, ensuring that he profited even if the businesses collapsed. But the Kennedy Center was named after JFK by an act of Congress in 1964, a year after his assassination, and Democrats argue that the center’s board does not have the power to rename it the Trump Kennedy Center. Before setting his sights on the Kennedy Center, Trump had already gone on a rebranding spree in Washington DC and across government programs. By reviving an obsolete class of warship, Trump wants the US military to build a weapon with little strategic purpose other than to carry his name across the oceans. “If he was smart, he would’ve put his name on it,” Trump said of Washington, according to a report in Politico.

December 27, 2025 19:17 UTC





The Cure’s long-serving guitarist and keyboardist, Perry Bamonte, has died at the age of 65, per theguardian.com. He later served as frontman Robert Smith’s guitar technician before being promoted to a full-time member in 1990. After parting ways with the group in 2005, Bamonte officially rejoined The Cure in 2022. The music world now mourns a musician whose steady presence defined a pivotal era of one of British rock’s most enduring acts. •Featured image: Perry Bamonte of The Cure at Pine Knob Music Theatre on June 13, 2023 in Clarkston, Michigan/Scott Legato/Getty Images

December 27, 2025 18:31 UTC

They've all been at the centre of some of our biggest, and most-read, news stories of 2025. This one looks all but certain to rumble on into 2026, the bike industry braced for whatever route Trump opts for next. Yep, you guessed it, this means we've seen bans on cycling and 'crackdowns' on 'dangerous cycling'. More losses across the industryCampagnolo Super Record X October 2025 (credit: road.cc)The post-Covid bike boom years have been challenging for the bike industry. Rapha Clubhouse London (credit: Simon MacMichael)Anti-Israel protests engulf pro cyclingPro-Palestine protests in Madrid, 2025 Vuelta (credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)We'd had protests against Israel-Premier Tech before, but nothing like what unfolded in the final months of the season.

December 27, 2025 18:09 UTC

England’s hopes of winning the Ashes were over after defeat in Adelaide but they have at least avoided a whitewash by winning the fourth Test in Melbourne. Their victory inside two days was England’s first in Australia for nearly 15 years. The series now heads to Sydney for its finale.

December 27, 2025 17:49 UTC

Montrose, though, were back on level terms just after the hour through Blair Lyons – and Inverness defender Ross Millen was shown a straight red card in the aftermath. After Stewart then saw his free-kick hit the crossbar, Montrose substitute Ker Waddell headed in with 15 minutes left to complete the turnaround. Matty Douglas scored a hat-trick as Queen of South moved up to third after a 4-1 win over Hamilton. Bottom club Kelty Hearts beat East Fife 1-0 for a first league win since the end of September, with Lewis Moore scoring just before half-time. John Robertson put East Kilbride in front, before midfielder Sean Fagan was sent off early in the second half for two cautions.

December 27, 2025 17:47 UTC

What channel is Livingston vs Celtic? When is Livingston vs Celtic ? Is Livingston vs Celtic on TV? Coverage starts straight after the Edinburgh derbyArticle continues belowCan I live stream Livingston vs Celtic ? Where else can I follow Livingston vs Celtic ?

December 27, 2025 17:31 UTC

Dec 27, 2025 20:00:00In Sweden, record numbers of retirees are attending senior universities for later learning.' 'According to Senior College President Inga Sanner, Senior College membership reached an all-time high in 2025. Membership is at an all-time high,' Sanner said.According to the organizer Folkuniversität, the Senior University held 2,099 events across Sweden in 2023, with 161,932 participants. Speaking about the senior generation attending Senior University, Chairman Sanner said, 'Older people are becoming more perceptive and have an incredible thirst for education.' The Guardian points out that the program has a positive impact not only on those attending senior universities, but also on the elderly who volunteer to help run them.

December 27, 2025 17:25 UTC

India is the only country where Hindus of Bangladesh can bank upon during a crisis. More Hindus will be killed, but borders remain shut. ""There are 2.5 crore Hindus in Bangladesh. It's not that there will be Hindu exodus after borders open, but we will be at least insulated from violence, said a resident of Mymensingh. Opening the Indian borders will at least create an escape route for those facing persecution," said a Hindu from Dhaka.

December 27, 2025 17:20 UTC

The Mexican struck with five minutes remaining, with his second goal in two matches giving Fulham a third straight win. Manchester City’s lunchtime victory at Nottingham Forest gave the Hammers the chance to cut the gap to 17th place to just two points. West Ham threatened when Mateus Fernandes threaded the ball to Jarrod Bowen, whose angled shot was saved by Bernd Leno. Callum Wilson, on as a sub, turned Andersen on the halfway line and raced towards goal but his shot flew wide. Bowen teed Wilson up for another shooting chance, but this time he lifted it over the top.

December 27, 2025 17:07 UTC

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire, pledging to end weeks of deadly border clashes that have killed more than 100 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides. “Both sides agree to maintain current troop deployments without further movement,” their defence ministers said in a joint statement. On Friday, Cambodia said a similar airstrike dropped 40 bombs on a target in Chok Chey village in the same province. Thailand has lost 26 soldiers and one civilian as a direct result of the combat since 7 December, according to officials. Cambodia hasn’t issued an official figure on military casualties, but says that 30 civilians have been killed and 90 injured.

December 27, 2025 15:39 UTC

“A group of knitters calmly knitting was a perfect visual to counter the lie,” she said. View image in fullscreen An embroidered work by Shannon Downey. “At a certain point in the history of every social movement that has ever changed the world, there’s a point at which the movement gets challenged, or things get hard for whatever reason. View image in fullscreen A stitching pattern by Shannon Downey. View image in fullscreen An embroidered work by Shannon Downey.

December 27, 2025 15:35 UTC