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The 2026 John Lewis Christmas advert is here – and it’s Kristin Scott Thomas v Pickles the evil AI overlord puppy!

This year’s festive special looks forward to the time when chatbots reign supreme and humans prepare to be stamped out for ever. What a treat! John Lewis Christmas ad stars Kristin Scott Thomas as glamorous granny on a gift hunt The John Lewis Christmas advert no longer lands with the same thud as old. Once it prompted full media saturation and performative crying contests on social media. Now, more often than not, it’s the thing you skip before watching cat videos on YouTube. Nevertheless, its release is still an event, and so here we are again. This year, either by fluke or by design, John L

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Entertainment

The 2026 John Lewis Christmas advert is here – and it’s Kristin Scott Thomas v Pickles the evil AI overlord puppy!

This year’s festive special looks forward to the time when chatbots reign supreme and humans prepare to be stamped out for ever. What a treat! John Lewis Christmas ad stars Kristin Scott Thomas as glamorous granny on a gift hunt The John Lewis Christmas advert no longer lands with the same thud as old. Once it prompted full media saturation and performative crying contests on social media. Now, more often than not, it’s the thing you skip before watching cat videos on YouTube. Nevertheless, its release is still an event, and so here we are again. This year, either by fluke or by design, John L

The Guardian
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Champagne, cocaine and some very long walks: when pedestrianism ruled the sporting world

Crowds once flocked to see ambling athletes pull off amazing feats of stamina. Edward Payson Weston was chief among them More than $1.4bn has been staked on prediction markets for this week’s US midterm elections, according to CNN. Though a lot of people are about to win – or lose – a lot of money, it’s hard to imagine any wagers as consequential as the election bet that birthed a sporting craze spearheaded by a chancer who walked and talked his way into becoming one of the greatest athletic stars of the 19th century. Continue reading...

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Sports

Champagne, cocaine and some very long walks: when pedestrianism ruled the sporting world

Crowds once flocked to see ambling athletes pull off amazing feats of stamina. Edward Payson Weston was chief among them More than $1.4bn has been staked on prediction markets for this week’s US midterm elections, according to CNN. Though a lot of people are about to win – or lose – a lot of money, it’s hard to imagine any wagers as consequential as the election bet that birthed a sporting craze spearheaded by a chancer who walked and talked his way into becoming one of the greatest athletic stars of the 19th century. Continue reading...

The Guardian
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Breaking news

John Lewis Christmas ad stars Kristin Scott Thomas as glamorous granny on a gift hunt

Company tugs at heartstrings with Pickles the talking toy dog as it celebrates 20 years of blockbuster festive ads Review: Kristin Scott Thomas v Pickles the evil AI overlord puppy John Lewis has turned to a celebrity best known for playing aristocrats to put a playful but rather upmarket spin on the countdown to Christmas with this year’s festive ad, which features a toy dog called Pickles and a glamorous granny. Kristin Scott Thomas, known for playing upper-crust characters in films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and the Apple TV show Slow Horses, is cast as Gloria, a grandmother search

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Finance

John Lewis Christmas ad stars Kristin Scott Thomas as glamorous granny on a gift hunt

Company tugs at heartstrings with Pickles the talking toy dog as it celebrates 20 years of blockbuster festive ads Review: Kristin Scott Thomas v Pickles the evil AI overlord puppy John Lewis has turned to a celebrity best known for playing aristocrats to put a playful but rather upmarket spin on the countdown to Christmas with this year’s festive ad, which features a toy dog called Pickles and a glamorous granny. Kristin Scott Thomas, known for playing upper-crust characters in films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and the Apple TV show Slow Horses, is cast as Gloria, a grandmother search

The Guardian
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Poundland staff could be out of work for years if retailer collapses, founder says

Steve Smith calls on owners to accept proposed buyout as 12,000 staff face uncertain future in run-up to Christmas The founder of Poundland has warned that staff at the retailer could be out of work for “years” if it collapses, as he called on the owners of the troubled chain to accept a proposed buyout deal. Steve Smith, who set up the firm with a store in Burton upon Trent in 1990, said: “Once these jobs are lost, they are lost” from Britain’s struggling high streets. His warning comes as the chain’s 12,000 employees face uncertainty over their future in the run-up to Christmas. Continue rea

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Finance

Poundland staff could be out of work for years if retailer collapses, founder says

Steve Smith calls on owners to accept proposed buyout as 12,000 staff face uncertain future in run-up to Christmas The founder of Poundland has warned that staff at the retailer could be out of work for “years” if it collapses, as he called on the owners of the troubled chain to accept a proposed buyout deal. Steve Smith, who set up the firm with a store in Burton upon Trent in 1990, said: “Once these jobs are lost, they are lost” from Britain’s struggling high streets. His warning comes as the chain’s 12,000 employees face uncertainty over their future in the run-up to Christmas. Continue rea

The Guardian
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Newcastle unrest grows as Barry and Everton give Jaissle another headache

Jack Grealish will do well to get back into the Everton starting lineup when he returns to the squad – as David Moyes’s side are doing just fine without him. Newcastle were condemned to a second defeat in five days by Moyes’s young team, with a second-half goal from Thierno Barry giving Everton victory against opponents who ended with 10 men after the substitute Jacob Ramsey’s late red card. Continue reading...

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Sports

Newcastle unrest grows as Barry and Everton give Jaissle another headache

Jack Grealish will do well to get back into the Everton starting lineup when he returns to the squad – as David Moyes’s side are doing just fine without him. Newcastle were condemned to a second defeat in five days by Moyes’s young team, with a second-half goal from Thierno Barry giving Everton victory against opponents who ended with 10 men after the substitute Jacob Ramsey’s late red card. Continue reading...

The Guardian
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A response to Andy Burnham: We need an apology and reparations

It is good news the British PM is open to calls for an apology. But debt restructuring instead of reparations won’t do.

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Hungary parliament votes on top prosecutor to boost anti-graft drive

Hungarian lawmakers are set to elect a new prosecutor-general on Tuesday, part of Prime Minister Peter Magyar's push to hold nationalist ex-leader Viktor Orban and his allies accountable over alleged…

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The pest I’ll never forget: the cats who filled our house with live mice

Our house was a mouse-free zone until our new kittens began venturing into the nearby woods in search of prey that they then brought home to play with

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Judge pauses Alan Jones indecent assault trial so former broadcaster can watch Melbourne Cup

Jones, a former radio broadcaster, has pleaded not guilty to 21 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching

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