Author: Andrew Rogers

West Ham United have strengthened their attack by signing Gil Vicente striker Pablo Felipe and agreeing a deal for Lazio forward Taty Castellanos.The two moves could cost up to £47m combined. The signings are driven by head coach Nuno Espírito Santo, who is battling to keep West Ham in the Premier League.The club rejected a move for Jørgen Strand Larsen after deciding Wolves’ £40m valuation was too high. Pablo joins for £18.3m plus £2.6m in add-ons after scoring nine goals this season.The 21-year-old said he is determined to prove himself at the London Stadium. West Ham have also agreed a…

Global oil prices have recorded their steepest annual decline since the Covid pandemic.Prices fell nearly 20% in 2025, the biggest drop since 2020. It marks the first time oil has fallen for three consecutive years.Analysts blame a heavily oversupplied global market. Crude slipped below $60 a barrel for the first time in almost five years.Hopes of a Russia-Ukraine peace deal added to supply expectations. The International Energy Agency forecasts supply exceeding demand by 3.8 million barrels a day.Opec has delayed production increases, but output remains high. Brent crude ended the year at $60.85, down from nearly $74 in 2024.US crude…

Photographers have captured endearing images of grey seal pups along the Lincolnshire coast.The pups were born at Donna Nook Nature Reserve near Louth. Each year, hundreds of visitors come to see the seal pupping season.The season usually runs from October to December. This year, 1,924 pups were born at the reserve.That figure is 274 higher than last year’s total. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust said last year saw a significant drop in numbers.It confirmed that all adult seals have now returned to sea. Twelve pups remain visible from the viewing area.

West Ham United are preparing a bid for Jørgen Strand Larsen as they fight relegation.Manager Nuno Espírito Santo wants attacking reinforcements in January. Wolverhampton Wanderers value the striker at around £40m.Strand Larsen has scored three league goals this season for bottom-placed Wolves. He impressed after joining from Celta Vigo in 2024, scoring 14 goals last season.That form previously attracted interest from Newcastle United. West Ham sit 18th and see a new striker as crucial to survival.They are set to loan Niclas Füllkrug to AC Milan. Nuno has also considered Ellis Simms and Haji Wright.A loan move for Nathan Aké was…

Sam Altman has advertised a $555,000-a-year role to confront the risks of advanced artificial intelligence.The new head of preparedness at OpenAI will assess and mitigate threats ranging from cyberattacks to biological weapons. Altman warned the job would be stressful and demand immediate action.The role involves preparing for future AI systems that could train themselves and cause severe harm. The vacancy reflects growing concern inside the industry.Mustafa Suleyman and Demis Hassabis have both publicly warned about uncontrolled AI risks. With little regulation in place, companies are largely policing themselves.Experts such as Yoshua Bengio say AI remains less regulated than everyday products.…

Louis Gerstner, credited with rescuing IBM from decline, has died aged 83.The company confirmed his death on Sunday. Gerstner served as chair and chief executive from 1993 to 2002.He took over when IBM was struggling against rivals such as Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. As IBM’s first external leader, Gerstner rejected plans to break the firm apart.He believed customers wanted integrated solutions, not fragmented technology. IBM’s current chief executive, Arvind Krishna, said that decision proved vital to the company’s survival.He praised Gerstner’s focus on clients and long-term relevance. Gerstner shifted IBM away from hardware dominance towards services and profitability.He also abandoned…

Arsenal maintained their title push with a 2-1 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion.The hosts dominated early but were forced to withstand late pressure. Martin Ødegaard opened the scoring before half-time with a low finish after a slick move.It was his first goal of a season disrupted by injury. Arsenal doubled the lead early in the second half through a Georginio Rutter own goal.The chance came from a whipped corner by Declan Rice, playing out of position at right-back. Brighton pulled one back unexpectedly when Diego Gómez converted a rebound.Moments later, David Raya produced a superb save to deny…

Kate McLean-MacKenzie is creating an atlas to map the world’s urban “smellscapes”.The project explores how cities are experienced through scent, not just sight or sound. Working at the University of Kent, McLean-MacKenzie began the work 15 years ago.She noticed that smell was missing from how people record and share experiences. Her research involves “smell walks”, where participants record scents, intensity, duration, and emotional associations.The data is transformed into visual maps and cultural narratives. More than 40 locations have been mapped, including cities across Europe, Asia, and North America.The results are subjective, focusing on personal stories rather than fixed definitions. McLean-MacKenzie…

Christmas is a chance to relax, but it also offers simple ways to explore science at home.Experts say curiosity, not equipment, is all you need. Professor Matthew Cobb of the University of Manchester suggests a flavour test using sweets.Holding your nose while chewing shows how taste depends heavily on smell. Laughter can also become an experiment.Professor Sophie Scott from University College London says jokes work best in company, not alone. A festive roast offers lessons in anatomy and movement.Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh recommends examining bird bones after dinner. Chemistry appears in the kitchen too.Andrea Sella from UCL…

Declan Rice was released by Chelsea at 14 but responded with determination rather than resentment.At West Ham United, coaches gave him blunt, honest feedback that shaped his mentality. Rice accepted criticism, worked relentlessly, and earned a scholarship despite early doubts.His awkward running style masked intelligence, discipline, and a hunger to improve. Former coaches never predicted he would become an elite midfielder.Yet steady progress turned promise into authority at Premier League level. A £105m move to Arsenal brought scrutiny and new expectations.Rice responded by adding goals, set-piece threat, and leadership to his game. Under Mikel Arteta, he evolved from defensive anchor…