Calum McFarlane had to disappoint his family to take Chelsea interim role
“I was actually on the way to a Windsor light show with my family,” said McFarlane. Calum McFarlane delivers Chelsea team news ahead of our clash with Manchester City. 💬 — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 2, 2026“I shot across and they explained what happened and said you’re going to be preparing to play Manchester City on Sunday. “We’ve got limited time,” said McFarlane, who took first-team training on Friday morning and will get a further session on Saturday before the squad travels to Manchester. It will be about introducing some of (my) own ideas, some of my own concepts around how you think you can be successful.
Source:Express
January 02, 2026 22:46 UTC
The end of the Enzo Maresca era at Chelsea and what comes next – video
Enzo Maresca’s shock departure at Chelsea came after he informed the club that he had held talks with figures associated to Manchester City over replacing Pep Guardiola. Chelsea have been weighed down by uncertainty ever since cracks in Maresca’s relationship with the board became apparent last month, but there is a feeling at Stamford Bridge that the Italian was looking to engineer an exit before a parting of the ways was confirmed on New Year’s Day. Our football reporter Jacob Steinberg reflects on the end of the Maresca era at Stamford Bridge, how it all came to pass and what comes next.
Source:The Guardian
January 02, 2026 22:06 UTC
China’s 55% beef tariff hits Australia as China caps imports for 2026
NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 19:55 ETChina is applying a 55% over-quota tariff on imported beef under a three-year safeguard system. For 2026, China set quotas of 1.1 million metric tons for Brazil, 205,000 for Australia and 164,000 for the United States, and said the limits would rise gradually each year. China’s commerce ministry set a combined 2026 quota of 2.7 million metric tons for countries covered by the measures and said the system would run for three years from Jan. 1. Beef imports fell 0.3% in the first 11 months of 2025 to 2.59 million metric tons, the commerce ministry said. Australian exports to China were 294,957 tons in the first 11 months of 2025, above its 2026 quota allocation.
Source:The Guardian
January 02, 2026 22:04 UTC
What makes an elephant abandon her calf – and is it a growing problem?
Khao Tom, a two-month-old elephant, plays with a wildlife officer, nudging his face and curling her trunk around his wrist. She survived thanks to round-the-clock care and a diet of rice porridge – khao tom in Thai. As the team shared updates on social media, the Thai public rallied behind the elephant calf, sending toys, formula and donations. In 2025, the media reported on at least five other elephant calves in Thailand that were lost or abandoned. Khao Tom is unlikely to return to the wild, says Natthanon.
Source:The Guardian
January 02, 2026 21:31 UTC
Maduro urges Trump to abandon ‘illegal warmongering’ and start ‘serious talks’
The Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, has urged Donald Trump to abandon his “illegal warmongering” and begin “serious talks” with his administration as mystery continued to surround a purported pre-Christmas CIA airstrike on the South American country. Maduro rejected US claims justifying Trump’s campaign that he was the head of a “narco-terrorist” crime organisation flooding the US with drugs. “I believe that we need to set all this aside and start serious talks. Asked what impact Trump’s pressure campaign was having on his physical and emotional state, however, Maduro struck a nonchalant tone. Maduro said he had not spoken to Trump since a 10-minute conversation on 21 November, which he called cordial and respectful.
Source:The Guardian
January 02, 2026 21:04 UTC
Mark Davies on scoring the winning goal of Assura merger
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Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 20:36 UTC
The man saving the Dutch masters from the culture wars
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Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 20:22 UTC
Will AI create a new digital divide and drag the economy down?
Assuming the prediction is correct - and it may not be, of course - the implication is that what we are facing is a new digital divide between those who have potent IT and those who have none at all. Simultaneously, we face an inflation risk because chips are built into so many products, and the price spillover will affect vast numbers of consumer goods. One word of warning, though: please ensure you have the correct MP. CommentsWhen commenting, please take note of this blog's comment policy, which is available here. Contravening this policy will result in comments being deleted before or after initial publication at the editor's sole discretion and without explanation being required or offered.
Source:The Guardian
January 02, 2026 20:02 UTC
British school trips at risk as EU clamps coach drivers to 90 days abroad
British school trips at risk as EU clamps coach drivers to 90 days abroadSCHOOL trips and battlefield tours are at risk unless strict EU border rules for coach drivers are ripped up. The industry is looking for an exemption for drivers who are limited to just 90 days in the bloc out of every 180. Minister for EU Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds is being urged to scrap the requirement for Brit drivers to aid struggling travel operators. Richard Smith, boss of the Road Haulage Association, said: “UK Hauliers, Coach and Van operators who operate internationally remain concerned that they’re limited to 90 days in the EU in any 180-day period. “It’s likely that a number of British businesses will go to the wall without easements for drivers on international work.
Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 20:02 UTC
Decline of Saturday job ‘means young people aren’t ready for work’
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Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 20:01 UTC
Fraser Forster seals Celtic reunion as keeper finally lands new club after agonising seven month search
Fraser Forster seals Celtic reunion as keeper finally lands new club after agonising seven month searchThe veteran shotstopper has been unattached since leaving Europa League-winning Tottenham in MayFormer Celtic hero Fraser Forster has finally landed a new club - seven months after leaving Tottenham. The veteran keeper has been a free agent since his release from the Europa League winners in the summer. It's expected that Forster will be on the bench for Saturday's visit to Premier League leaders Arsenal. The Argentine genius raved: "The performance of Fraser Forster against us was talked about for a long time. There was one game in Scotland when he was not human, it was the best goalkeeping performance I have seen.
Source:Express
January 02, 2026 19:18 UTC
Can Starmer survive and has Farage peaked? What 2026 has in store
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Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 19:02 UTC
UK house prices suffered surprise drop in ‘soft’ December
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Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 18:01 UTC
Politicians have given away too much power to deliver pledges, says PM's ex-aide
Reflecting on the case, Mr Ovenden told Radio 4's Today programme: "We'd be having long meetings on the priorities of the government and they would be railroaded by any other business into discussions about this gentleman. Asked why politicians could not ignore these subjects, Mr Ovenden said they had "effectively handed away power". "What they're really trying to do is hand away risk but they've handed away power to arm's length bodies, to quangos, to activists, to lawyers, to regulatory framework, to well-networked organisations... who are able to basically stop the machinery of government doing things." He said examples of subjects he considered to be distractions included paying colonial reparations or banning vaping in pub gardens. He argued that the government should start by scaling back some of the government's legal obligations such as environmental obligations for building and the right to launch legal challenges against government policies through judicial reviews.
Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 17:42 UTC
World Darts Championship LIVE RESULTS: Luke Littler vs Gian van Veen in £1m final tonight, match start time
LUKE AT THATLUKE AT THAT World Darts Championship LIVE RESULTS: Luke Littler vs Gian van Veen in £1m final tonight, match start time – updatesLUKE LITTLER meets Gian van Veen in TONIGHT’s World Championship final. The Nuke is out to win back-to-back world titles and thrashed Ryan Searle 6-1 last night to book his spot in a third straight final at Ally Pally. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. And it is Van Veen who will be out to stop Littler after the Dutchman dispatched former two-time champion Gary Anderson in their thrilling semi-final. Start time : 20:15 GMT: 20:15 GMT TV channel/live stream: Sky Sports Main Event/NOWPDC WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING TIPS: ODDS, PREDICTIONS AND TOURNAMENT GUIDEFollow ALL the latest from Ally Pally with our live blog below…
Source:The Times
January 02, 2026 17:34 UTC