3+ min ago (139+ words) Pope Leo delivered a speech in Lebanon on Sunday where he repeated his call for representatives to do their part to help achieve peace in the region. Speaking in a room with several senior government and religious figures, the Pope praised the Lebanese people for their resilience, adding "you always know how to rise again with courage".Pope Leo urges Lebanese leaders to make peace highest priority Continue reading... Pope Leo tells Lebanese leaders 'peace is a desire and a vocation' " video Pope Leo delivered a speech in Lebanon on Sunday where he repeated his call for representatives to do their part to help achieve peace in the region. Speaking in a room with several senior government and religious figures, the Pope praised the Lebanese people for their resilience, adding "you always know how to rise again with courage"....

7+ min ago (796+ words) Arsenal would surely have taken a draw beforehand against a Chelsea team that have emerged as surprise title rivals in recent weeks " and especially when they realised they had to play without William Saliba, who injured himself in training on Saturday. It was a different story when everything changed in the 38th minute, Chelsea reduced to 10 men after Mois's Caicedo's X-rated challenge on Mikel Merino. It was one of those that made you wince upon each replay, the stand-in Arsenal striker fortunate to emerge unscathed. It was Chelsea's sixth red card of the season in all competitions " not including the one for the manager, Enzo Maresca, in the win over Liverpool in October. Now Arsenal had to be thinking about all three points; a result to give them a seven-point advantage at the top of the table. Except it did not…...

22+ min ago (384+ words) President plans to honor Sarah Beckstrom, who was fatally shot, as well as Andrew Wolfe, who is in critical condition Donald Trump said on Sunday that he invited the family of a national guard member fatally shot last week to the White House, adding that he spoke to her parents and they were "devastated. US army specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in a shooting on Wednesday in Washington DC. Her fellow service member, US air force staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Vigils across West Virginia have taken place in their memory. The president said he's discussed a White House visit for the parents of both members of the West Virginia national guard. "I said: "When you're ready, because that's a tough thing, come to the White House. We're going to honor Sarah, Trump told reporters. "And likewise…...

38+ min ago (359+ words) Paquet" critical of lack of support during spot-fixing case "It's ridiculous to have your life affected for two years' West Ham's Lucas Paquet" has accused the football authorities of a lack of support in an extraordinary outburst after he was sent off against Liverpool. The Brazil midfielder was shown two yellow cards for dissent in quick succession by the referee Darren England during his side's 2-0 defeat at the London Stadium. Paquet" had an FA investigation into spot-fixing allegations hanging over him for two years after he was accused of getting booked deliberately for betting purposes. He was cleared of the charges in July, but the case cost him a likely move to Manchester City two summers ago. He wrote on X: "I understand that now I have to come across as the villain; it's hard to live with everything that's been…...

41+ min ago (612+ words) Letters: Dr Robin Lovell-Badge and Prof Emma Robinson respond to an editorial on using new technologies to reduce the reliance on animal experiments Why we have to continue with animal testing for medical research Dr Robin Lovell-Badge and Prof Emma Robinson respond to an editorial on using new technologies to reduce the reliance on animal experiments I write in response to your editorial on animals in research (The Guardian view on animal testing: we can stop sacrificing millions of lives for our own health, 23 November). I am supportive of many aspects of the strategy to aid the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods to replace the use of animals. However, much of this is geared towards regulatory testing, where the goals are more readily achievable, rather than for discovery science. All scientists working with animals in the UK have…...

42+ min ago (548+ words) The discussion over UPFs distracts from the real public health problem: meat and dairy products, writes Noah PraamsmaIt's time to clear up the confusion over ultra-processed foods (We know ultra-processed foods are bad for you " but can you spot them? Take our quiz, 21 November). Yes, eating UPFs made from animal products (like chicken nuggets and cheese in a squeeze bottle) can increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, but UPFs from plants (like cereal, canned beans and even veggie burgers) can actually help keep you healthy.More and more leading health organisations agree that a more nuanced approach to UPFs is necessary. The American Medical Association recently passed a resolution that "supports and promotes public awareness and education about the differences between healthful foods and unhealthful ultra-processed foods. The American Heart Association also recently released a…...

42+ min ago (735+ words) Erica Averion responds to a report about Floridians being stuck in temporary jobs because of their criminal recordsI was incredibly saddened to see your article detailing how trapped so many Floridians are by their criminal records (Florida workers with criminal records trapped by temp agencies, report finds, 18 November). My work often takes me into Florida's prisons, where I help people prepare for their strongest possible futures upon their release. But a record quickly creates barriers to finding a job after prison, pushing many people toward exploitative temp agencies like those highlighted in this piece.One way to solve this issue is to automate the record-sealing process. While Florida technically has a process for expunging eligible records after a predetermined amount of time, the time and money it takes prohibit those who need it most from accessing it. Thirteen states and…...

43+ min ago (360+ words) Victims who died range from "juveniles to adults" in attack on banquet hall in Stockton, county sheriff"s office says Four people have died and eleven were wounded after a shooting at a family gathering in northern California on Saturday night, police said. The victims who died, who range in age from eight to 21 , were taken to local hospitals, Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County sheriff"s office, said. "What we have confirmed at this time is that there was a banquet hall where a family was celebrating." San Joaquin County Sheriff"s office said on social media that "approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been confirmed deceased", adding that information about the shooting was limited. The sheriff"s office said detectives were "working to determine the circumstances leading up to this tragedy…...

48+ min ago (149+ words) Floodwaters continued to rise on Sunday in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, and the neighbouring Gampaha district, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of residents from low-lying areas. Officials reported nearly 200 people dead and hundreds still missing after a powerful cyclone triggered heavy rains and mudslides across the island.Sri Lanka's capital hit by floods as cyclone death toll nears 200Indonesia and Thailand floods death toll passes 600 with hundreds still missing Continue reading... Floodwaters continued to rise on Sunday in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, and the neighbouring Gampaha district, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of residents from low-lying areas. Officials reported nearly 200 people dead and hundreds still missing after a powerful cyclone triggered heavy rains and mudslides across the island. Sri Lanka's capital hit by floods as cyclone death toll nears 200 Indonesia and Thailand floods death toll passes 600 with hundreds still missing...

1+ hour, 4+ min ago (829+ words) Tory special needs reforms upended council finances, but Labour's plan to rebuild public provision won't come cheap if it's done properlyThe crisis over special educational needs and disabilities in England is not just a question of cash. Children and parents spend months and years battling for support to which the law entitles them, schools lack the funding to meet needs, and specialist provision is inadequate. An adversarial system shunts families towards tribunals that councils almost invariably lose.Tory reforms created obligations for local authorities but did not adequately fund them " allowing ministers to duck responsibility. The result has been financial chaos, with the overall overspend on special educational needs and disabilities (Send) predicted to reach "6.6bn by next March, and keep rising. Taking responsibility for funding away from councils and handing it to the Department for Education is the right move....