Author: Andrew Rogers

West Ham United have strengthened their attack by signing Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente and agreeing a deal for Lazio striker Taty Castellanos. The two moves will cost up to £47m and have been driven by head coach Nuno Espírito Santo.West Ham are 18th and urgently need goals to aid their survival fight. Pablo joins for £18.3m plus add-ons after scoring nine goals this season.The 21-year-old said he arrived determined to prove himself. West Ham also agreed a £26.1m deal for Castellanos, who joined Lazio from New York City FC in 2023.He has scored twice in 12 games this season.…

Global oil prices fell nearly 20% in 2025, the steepest annual decline since 2020.It marked the third consecutive year of losses for the oil market. Analysts blame a heavily oversupplied market despite conflicts in key producing regions.Crude briefly fell below $60 a barrel for the first time in almost five years. The International Energy Agency expects supply to exceed demand by 3.8m barrels a day.Opec has delayed planned output increases, but production remains high. Brent crude ended the year near $61 a barrel, down from about $74 a year earlier.US oil prices recorded a similar annual fall. Weak global growth…

Photographers have captured endearing images of grey seal pups at Donna Nook Nature Reserve on the Lincolnshire coast.Hundreds of visitors visit the site each year during the pupping season, which runs from October to December. This year, 1,924 pups were born at the reserve, an increase of 274 on last year.Last season had seen a notable drop in numbers. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust said all adult seals have now returned to sea.Twelve pups remain visible from the viewing area near Louth.

West Ham United are preparing a bid for Jørgen Strand Larsen as they battle relegation.Manager Nuno Espírito Santo wants attacking reinforcements in January. Wolverhampton Wanderers are believed to value the striker at £40m.Strand Larsen has scored three league goals this season but netted 14 last year after joining from Celta Vigo. West Ham sit 18th and see a new striker as vital to survival.They are set to loan Niclas Füllkrug to AC Milan. Alternative targets include Ellis Simms and Haji Wright.West Ham are also pushing to sign Adama Traoré from Fulham.

Sam Altman has advertised a $555,000-a-year role to oversee the most serious risks posed by artificial intelligence.The new head of preparedness at OpenAI will be tasked with anticipating and mitigating threats from increasingly powerful AI systems. The role includes safeguarding against risks to mental health, cybersecurity and biological weapons.It also involves preparing for scenarios where advanced AIs could train themselves or behave unpredictably. Altman described the position as “stressful” and said the successful candidate would enter “the deep end” immediately.Previous occupants of similar roles have reportedly stayed only briefly. The job comes amid growing concern within the industry.Mustafa Suleyman warned…

Louis Gerstner, credited with rescuing IBM from decline, has died aged 83.He served as chair and chief executive from 1993 to 2002, during a turbulent period for the company. Gerstner became IBM’s first outsider leader as it struggled against rivals including Microsoft.He scrapped plans to break IBM into smaller units, keeping the company intact. He believed customers wanted integrated solutions rather than fragmented technology.That decision proved central to IBM’s survival and recovery. Gerstner focused on restoring profitability and customer trust over grand vision statements.He also ended IBM’s OS/2 operating system to refocus strategy. Before IBM, he led American Express and…

Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 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 precise low finish.It was his first goal of an injury-disrupted season. Arsenal doubled their lead soon after the break when Georginio Rutter turned the ball into his own net.The advantage should have been greater after sustained first-half control. Brighton rallied unexpectedly when Diego Gómez scored from a rebound.Moments later, David Raya produced a stunning save to deny Yankuba Minteh. Despite nervy moments,…

Dr Kate McLean-MacKenzie is creating an atlas of the world’s “smellscapes”.The researcher from the University of Kent wants smells to be shared like images and sounds. Her work involves guided “smell walks”, where participants record scents, their strength, and emotional associations.The data is transformed into visual maps and narratives that reflect how cities are experienced through smell. Since 2011, McLean-MacKenzie has mapped 40 locations, including Paris, Glasgow, Kolkata, and Kyiv.She says smell is subjective, cultural, and deeply tied to memory and place. The maps capture fleeting moments, shaped by weather, movement, and daily life.They may also become historical records as…

Christmas offers plenty of chances to explore science without leaving the living room.Researchers say simple games and kitchen experiments can spark festive discovery. Matthew Cobb suggests testing flavour by eating sweets while holding your nose.The experiment shows taste relies heavily on smell, not just the tongue. Cracker jokes also offer insight into human behaviour.Sophie Scott says laughter is mainly social, not about joke quality. Christmas dinner can double as a biology lesson.Steve Brusatte recommends examining turkey bones to understand movement and flight. For chemistry fans, custard can become ice cream using salt and ice.Andrea Sella says salt lowers freezing points,…

Declan Rice was released by Chelsea at 14, a setback that shaped his career.He joined West Ham United, where honest “clean feedback” became central to his development. Coaches questioned his awkward running style and long-term potential.Rice responded by listening, improving, and earning a scholarship without complaint. He made his debut under Slaven Bilic, initially seen as a future centre-back.Few predicted he would become an elite midfielder. Rice’s growth accelerated through adaptability, leadership, and constant learning.His set-piece ability flourished under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. A £105m move brought scrutiny, especially over goals and attacking output.Rice adjusted his role, evolving from holding…