Five-time major champion looks poised to become a fascinating test case for golf’s future after exiting Saudi-funded breakaway tour It was portrayed as amicable when it felt so inevitable. News that Brooks Koepka will step away from LIV Golf in 2026 comes as no shock. This never felt a particularly...
Afcon roundup: Algeria beat 10-man Sudan and Côte d’Ivoire start defence with win
Algeria win 3-0 as Adel sees red | Burkina Faso 2-1 E Guinea Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Mozambique | Cameroon 1-0 Gabon Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Algeria launched their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a comfortable 3-0 Group E win against 10-man Sudan in Rabat. The Desert Warriors were...
Harry Redknapp eyes King George glory in ‘Champions League’ of racing
FA Cup-winning manager and former King of the Jungle has live hopes of landing the big Boxing Day prize at Kempton with Jukebox Man He has been a professional footballer, an FA Cup-winning manager and the King of the Jungle over the storied course of the past 60 years, but...
Five big Boxing Day Ashes Tests: Botham, Pietersen and Warne
Opening salvos before a huge MCG crowd are often among the most memorable meetings between Australia and England – here are five crackers In the first session Australia set off at a lick, surging to 102 without loss with David Warner’s 83 the crux. Warner would go on to notch...
Amorim challenges Manchester United to ‘step up’ after Bruno Fernandes injury
‘It’s impossible to replace Bruno … we need more leaders’ United host Newcastle in Premier League on Boxing Day Ruben Amorim has described Bruno Fernandes as “impossible to replace” but has told Manchester United’s players the captain’s injury is a chance for them to step up. Fernandes was forced off...
Enticing Salah would be a coup for Saudi league searching for an identity
Egypt forward could change face of a league so far mostly reliant on ageing stars and alter perception of football in the Arab world Mohamed Salah has made an impact in Morocco with an injury-time winner to spare Egypt’s blushes in their Africa Cup of Nations opener against Zimbabwe but...
Cracker jokes and custard chemistry: ways to smuggle science into Christmas
Researchers share the easy ways to uncover moments of festive discovery, proving you don’t need a lab coat to experiment this Christmas Christmas may seem like a time for switching off and suspending disbelief but there are plenty of ways to introduce a little science into the celebrations. We asked...
The medieval Oxford friar who worked out the makeup of planets and stars
Richard Fishacre used his knowledge of light and colour to argue against ‘fifth element’ theories of the day About 800 years ago, Richard Fishacre, a Dominican friar at the University of Oxford, challenged the scientific thinking of the day, using his understanding of the behaviour of light to show that...
Throwing out flame-retardant furniture can reduce toxic chemicals in blood, study finds
Flame retardants commonly used in furniture are linked to serious health issues, including cancer and thyroid disease Removing old furniture made with flame retardants from people’s homes can significantly reduce the amount of the toxic chemicals in blood, a new 10-year, peer-reviewed study by California regulators and public health groups...
Missile-grade magnets at risk as China tightens grip on rare earths
As Beijing's new licensing rules on samarium and related materials restrict exports of these heat-resistant magnets, America's ability to produce precision-guided munitions has come under pressure. That squeeze has prompted the Trump administration to rely on a short-term workaround built around a French samarium stockpile, while racing to secure new......