Yet every morning, I hunt down my fountain pen (life must be recorded in a pen that takes itself seriously!) Photograph: AlamyI had no inkling of what I’d started when I recorded that first New Year’s Day. I want to do justice even to the dullest day because life is a privilege and the mundane of today will be tomorrow’s history. I continue to transcribe my likes at the front of each diary and jacket potatoes and graveyards reliably top the list. Seeing life as a story with an unknown number of chapters left to write is both exciting and daunting.

(You can now subscribe to our(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channelTehran: Iran said on Sunday that it would hold nuclear talks in the coming days with the three European countries that initiated a censure resolution against it adopted by the UN's atomic watchdog.Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany and the United Kingdom would take place on Friday, without specifying a venue. "A range of regional and international issues and topics, including the issues of Palestine and Lebanon, as well as the nuclear issue, will be discussed," the spokesman said in a foreign ministry statement.Baghaei described the upcoming meeting as a continuation of talks held with the countries in September on the sidelines of the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York.On Thursday, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a resolution denouncing Iran for what it called a lack of cooperation.The move came as tensions ran high over Iran's atomic program, which critics fear is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon -- something Tehran has repeatedly denied.It also came after IAEA head Rafael Grossi returned from a trip to Tehran, where he appeared to have made headway.During the visit, Iran agreed to an IAEA demand to cap its sensitive stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity.In response to the resolution, Iran announced it was launching a "series of new and advanced centrifuges".Centrifuges enrich uranium transformed into gas by rotating it at very high speed, increasing the proportion of fissile isotope material (U-235). "We will substantially increase the enrichment capacity with the utilisation of different types of advanced machines," Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran's atomic energy organisation spokesman, told state TV.The country, however, also said it planned to continue its "technical and safeguards cooperation with the IAEA".Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in power since July and a supporter of dialogue with Western countries, has said he wants to remove "doubts and ambiguities" about his country's nuclear programme.In 2015, Iran and world powers reached an agreement that saw the easing of international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.But the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed biting economic sanctions, which prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its own commitments.Tehran has since 2021 decreased its cooperation with the IAEA by deactivating surveillance devices monitoring the nuclear programme and barring UN inspectors.At the same time, it has increased its stockpiles of enriched uranium and the level of enrichment to 60 percent.That level is close, according to the IAEA, to the 90 percent-plus threshold required for a nuclear warhead, and substantially higher than the 3.67 percent limit it agreed to in 2015.

Football fans were angered by Sky Sports' coverage of Liverpool's clash with Southampton on Sunday as the broadcaster missed coverage of the opening goal. “Sky Sports with an absolutely pointless replay which in turn results in the goal being missed,” one viewer said. Put the replay in a smaller screen in the corner and let us watch the game live,” another vented. Sadly missed cos Sky wanted to show a replay of a pea roller.”“Great work from Sky there,” said another. !”Many shared the sentiment about the goal, having seen the hosts make similar errors in the past: “Why would Sky show a replay when a Southampton goalkeeper has possession.

However, during a recess, the President can bypass this process and install an individual into the role unilaterally. You might be wondering, what's stopping Trump—or any president—from abusing the power of recess appointments? Together we can champion Progress and Power to the PeoplePeople Power United members are committed to championing progress and power to the people. We invite you to our one-hour training, "Stop Project 2025: Mobilize for Change," presented by People Power United. People Power United is a group of community members that champions progressive values and power for the people.

Strong winds have hit Somerset as a result of Storm Bert, which made landfall on Friday evening. Winds of 60 mph were expected for coastal areas, with the latest recording inland at Yeovilton a surprise for meteorologists and weather watchers. The record of 76 mph recorded on Sunday, November 24, 2024, was matched only by one other location in the UK, at Berry Head in Devon. The extraordinary wind speeds have been accompanied by an excessive amount of rainfall from Storm Bert. Storm Bert has brought disruption to the county, including road closures, localised flooding and train cancellations.

The world is apparently unaware of the importance of climate change. So, let's be honest about this: the $1 trillion is make-believe money that no one should presume will ever be paid. Just $300 billion is on offer, or 0.27% of world GDP. The concern for humanity disappeared long ago amongst nations who all want to think this is someone else's problem. And yet, it is our problem, which we will most definitely have to own, address and then manage.

How on earth did humans learn to bake? Readers replyThis is just a small component of my giant, endless questioning about how the hell humans ever worked out anything, survival-wise. You wouldn’t throw stuff out that had gone a bit weird and might discover that the fermented gloop tasted OK after you’d cooked it on a stone. leadballoonMore interesting still – how did nomadic hunter-gatherers learn to stay in one place long enough to grow a wheat to make bread? He writes in Sapiens that wheat domesticated humans, not the other way round.

The name is found above several watering holes, including this Wetherspoon’s in Boston, Lincolnshire. Photograph: John Morrison/AlamyWhat is the origin of the pub name the Moon Under Water? George Orwell adopted it to describe his “ideal of what a pub should be”, but where did he get it from? Mike Jones, by emailPost your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published next Sunday.

Where to Watch the IPL 2025 AuctionUnited StatesCanadaAustraliaMiddle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc.) Key TimingsDon’t Miss the ActionThe IPL 2025 Mega Auction is one of the most awaited events for cricket fans, where franchises bid for top players to shape their squads for the upcoming IPL season. Scheduled for November 24 and 25, 2024, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the auction will feature 574 players and 204 available slots. Here’s when you can tune in:USA (Eastern Time): 5:00 AMCanada (Eastern Time): 5:00 AMUK (GMT): 10:00 AMAustralia (AEDT): 9:30 PMUAE: 1:30 PMSouth Africa: 11:30 AMFans worldwide can follow the IPL 2025 Mega Auction on these channels and platforms to stay updated with every bid and strategic move. Check your local listings and subscriptions to ensure you’re ready for this exciting event!

Max Verstappen cruised to a fourth consecutive F1 world championship by finishing fifth at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Verstappen needed only to finish ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren to give Red Bull another drivers’ title. Verstappen credited 'consistency' with the team's success saying: 'We maximise a lot of results, I think even sometimes overperformed in places. Plus our competition also in places they dropped a lot of points. So you also have to take that into consideration and to win championships, you have to be as consistent as you can be.'

No, private equity creates a return, which is solely for the benefit of the private equity operator, and they don't care about anybody else. So, private equity has already won from supporting Labour, and has no doubt rewarded Labour as a consequence, which is why politicians fall for these people. I've already mentioned the likelihood is that in many private equity invested companies there will be a reduction in employment because those employees will be outsourced, because something as messy as employing people is not the type of financial operation in which a private equity investor wishes to be involved. So, the very idea that pension funds should invest in these private equity operations to provide value for pensioners, whose jobs are actually undermined by the private equity operation is absurd. Private equity is a force for destruction within our economy.Why does Rachel Reeves believe otherwise?

Piers Morgan didn't hold back on social media as he took a swipe at Erling Haaland following the Manchester City ace's lacklustre performance in their stunning 4-0 defeat to Tottenham at The Etihad. The Premier League titans were left reeling after a fifth consecutive loss, just before their crunch clash with league leaders Liverpool next weekend. Arsenal supporter Morgan couldn't resist a jibe at Haaland, referencing a previous encounter where the striker told Gunners manager Mikel Arteta to "be humble". City's recent slump has left them trailing in the Premier League, with star striker Erling Haaland's dry spell in front of goal coinciding with a worrying three consecutive league defeats for Pep Guardiola's side. The reigning champions now face the prospect of entering a critical clash with Liverpool a full eight points adrift of the leaders.

Under the proposals, dogs would be excluded from “all gated play parks and sports areas” and would have to be kept on leads in “all public spaces in the borough”. Again, I feel like some dog owners have lost a bit of perspective when it comes to the rights of their pets. Dogs enjoy parks to run around in, burn energy, do their business, meet other dogs – you know, “be dogs”. Letting dogs off the leads in urban parks and then scrolling on your phone while they run wild is surely not that responsible. I really, really like dogs.

Storm Bert disrupts railway lines and travel across the UK with snow and heavy rainfall. Storm Bert’s Impact on Railway Lines Across the UKStorm Bert unleashed severe weather across the UK, closing roads and railway lines nationwide. Widespread Travel Chaos as Railway Lines Affected by Storm BertHeavy snow forced the closure of major routes, such as the A628 in Yorkshire and the A66 Trans-Pennine. Coastal areas in southern England faced heightened risks on Sunday, prompting further vigilance among local authorities. Photo, source: www.theguardian.comNews on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:Azerbaijan Railways: Modernization and Global Collaboration Drive Strategic Growth

The 64-year-old, who fronts Prime Video’s Clarkson’s Farm, which documents the trials of farming on his land in Oxfordshire, wrote in a post on the Top Gear website in 2010: “I have bought a farm. There are many sensible reasons for this: Land is a better investment than any bank can offer. The government doesn’t get any of my money when I die. And the price of the food that I grow can only go up.”