King Charles to share personal cancer update for Stand Up To Cancer

King Charles is set to share a personal cancer update tonight in a video message during Stand Up To Cancer programmes on Channel 4.

The King’s message will be broadcast on Friday (12 December) as a part of a joint campaign by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. It will emphasise the vitalness of cancer screening programmes, which can help detect and get an early diagnosis.

The message was recorded during the last week of November in Clarence House’s morning room.

The King’s message will be broadcast at 8pm just before a live show with Davina McCall, who has recently been treated for breast cancer.

Stand Up To Cancer is part of a week-long campaign which sees fundraising events and celebrity challenges to try and raise awareness about screenings, as well as generate support for those with cancer and their families.

It culminates with a night of live comedy and entertainment as well as a Celebrity Gogglebox special.

McCall will be presenting from a cancer clinic at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, following patients’ journeys through crucial moments from getting test results to treatment.

The King’s cancer diagnosis was announced on 6 February last year and he postponed all public-facing engagements for a period, but continued with his duties as head of state behind palace walls.

The King returned to public royal events in April 2025, with a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in central London with Queen Camilla. There, he spoke of his “shock” at being diagnosed when he chatted to a fellow cancer patient, Lesley Woodbridge.

The King told her: “It’s always a bit of a shock, isn’t it, when they tell you?”

The King has been receiving his cancer treatment as an outpatient since early February 2024 and is believed to attend weekly sessions at the London Clinic.

Following positive progress in his cancer treatment, Charles resumed his workload at the start of the year.

There has not been an official update regarding the King’s health condition in a while, but back in May during a royal visit to Bradford, a local florist Safeena Khan enquired about his wellbeing to which the King responded with a thumbs up and replied: “I’d like to think I’m on the better side (of my cancer journey)”.

Trump plans to break up EU by ‘pulling four MAGA allies’ out of bloc

The Trump administration made plans to pull four friendly countries out of the European Union and into America’s orbit in an effort to “Make Europe Great Again”, according to a report.

The 29-page US National Security Strategy (NSS) sent shockwaves around Europe when it was unveiled last week, condemning Washington’s European allies as “weak” and offering support to far-right political parties.

According to Defense One, a longer and unpublished version of the document suggested taking Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland out of the EU and into greater alignment with the US, while backing movements supportive of “traditional European ways of life”.

The four nations were cited as countries the US should “work with more … with the goal of pulling them away” from the EU, according to the US-based news channel, which claimed to have reviewed the document.

The White House strongly pushed back against the existence of an unabridged version of the report.

Defense One claims that it elaborated on how Trump would like to build Washington’s relationship with ideologically aligned administrations, as the US focuses on domestic priorities.

“We should support parties, movements, and intellectual and cultural figures who seek sovereignty and preservation/restoration of traditional European ways of life…while remaining pro-American,” it said, according to Defense One.

The alleged document is likely to spark further alarm in Europe, just days after the NSS claimed countries such as France and Germany were “decaying” due to migration and stifled economic growth.

White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly refuted the existence of the report, telling Defense One: “No alternative, private, or classified version exists.

“President Trump is transparent and put his signature on one NSS that clearly instructs the U.S. government to execute on his defined principles and priorities.”

The published version of the document also accused Europe of failing to stop the war in Ukraine, claiming that European leaders had let the conflict “keep going on and on”.

It said “the Trump Administration finds itself at odds with European officials who hold unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition”.

The report also claimed that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” – a narrative that aligns with far-right parties. Last week, a former U.S. diplomat told The Independent that the document is “disastrously dumb.”

As Europe is forced to spend more to replenish depleted defence industries, Nato’s secretary general warned on Thursday that the continent should prepare for a war “like our grandparents endured” and boost defence spending to deter Russia.

“I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now,” he said.

“Allied defence spending and production must rise rapidly. Our armed forces must have what they need to keep us safe.”

Charlie Kirk’s accused killer makes first in-person court appearance

Time unveils its person of the year and it’s the driving force looking to replace humans

Time magazine has named its 2025 “Person of the Year” as the “Architects of AI.”

“2025 was the year when artificial intelligence’s full potential roared into view, and when it became clear that there will be no turning back,” Time wrote in its announcement. “For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are Time’s 2025 Person of the Year.”

Time has named a “Person of the Year” since 1927 based on who its editors say shaped headlines the most over the past 12 months.

Though the picks are not often without controversy. In 1938, Adolf Hitler was named the magazine Person of the Year. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini was named to the cover in 1979.

The magazine said it deliberately selected people this year, or the “individuals who imagined, designed, and built AI,” rather than the technology itself.

“We’ve named not just individuals but also groups, more women than our founders could have imagined (though still not enough), and, on rare occasions, a concept: the endangered earth, in 1988, or the personal computer, in 1982,” Sam Jacobs, Time’s editor-in-chief, wrote while explaining the choice. “The drama surrounding the selection of the PC over Apple’s Steve Jobs later became the stuff of books and a movie.”

One of the cover images replicates the iconic “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” photograph from the 1930s, showing eight tech leaders sitting across the beam.

A second cover image shared by Time shows scaffolding surrounding giant letters reading “AI.”

The cover story notes 2025 made way for fierce debate about “how to wield AI responsibly,” before tech giants “gave way to a sprint to deploy it as fast as possible.”

“Every industry needs it, every company uses it, and every nation needs to build it,” Jensen Huang, the president and CEO of Nvidia, told Time.

AI had been a top contender for the coveted honor, according to prediction markets. Tech CEOs Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Sam Altman of OpenAI were also considered popular picks, as well as President Donald Trump, Pope Leo XIV and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Trump was named the 2024 person of the year after winning his second term in the White House.

From bean tech to bespoke brews, discover the ultimate coffee machine

There aren’t many Christmas gifts that are guaranteed to be used every day, unless you opt for a toothbrush. Which to be honest, isn’t the most exciting present to rip open on Christmas morning. Unlike a brand new, stylish and sleek coffee machine.

De’Longhi’s stellar Rivelia system will steal the show in any kitchen it calls home. Its bean-to-cup system gives you at-home coffee that’s as delicious as the one made by your favourite barista, and also offers a more sustainable option, that feels as good as it tastes. So whether you’re looking for your first machine, or want to upgrade your existing coffee set-up, here’s why this market-leading crema-de-la-crop needs to be top of your 2025 Christmas list…

Bean-to-cup machines are the most sustainable way to enjoy coffee, with no single-use coffee pods, minimal packaging and biodegradable grounds that you can throw straight into your compost bin. Bean-to-cup also serves up the fullest flavour, whatever coffee you’re in the mood for. And if that preference tends to change, the Rivelia’s interchangeable bean hoppers mean you can flip between your I-need-to-wake-up-in-the-next-two-minutes espresso and leisurely afternoon decaf with ease.

The Rivelia comes equipped with Bean Adapt technology as well as a how-to guide, to make it super simple to get the best out of your beans. The guide helps you find the right grind, extraction temperature and aroma intensity for the specific blend and roast, all of which means that you get to enjoy the most perfect, personally crafted coffee. You can even name each bag of beans entered for future caffeine (or non-caffeine) hits.

With four user profiles, the Rivelia can get to know everyone in your household and their coffee preferences, even better than Dan from the local coffee shop. And he knows them well. Nothing is set in stone though: you can always tweak your order when needed. Is it the kind of day that demands an extra shot? Throw one in. Going large and savouring a long coffee in the garden this morning? Not a problem, the Rivelia lets you customise away.

Did you get the nativity tickets? Where are the Christmas lights? Have you pre-ordered the turkey? If your pre-Christmas to-do list is already sixteen pages long and you can’t cope with another question, the De’Longhi Rivelia can take one decision off your plate. Pre-programmed choices include a classic flat white, on-trend cortado, and trusty Americano among many others (16 in total). Hot water and milk-only options are available and when the sun finally comes out again, the Rivelia can do its magic on iced coffee choices too. Simply hit the button, and breathe.

The Rivelia’s LatteCrema carafe creates hot milk and milk foam to give the sort of silky-smooth finish you normally associate with a ten minute queue and a six quid bill. Now, you can get the same barista-style experience at home, whilst lolling in your kitchen in your slippers. Want an alternative milk option? Not a problem; the Rivelia is compatible with oat, soy and coconut milk too.

How clever is this? If you tend to start your day with a flat white but crave the pep of an espresso by mid-morning, your Rivelia will learn that. Soon it will know your personal preferences and update its screen to show the drink that you’re likely to fancy, at the time that you fancy it. It’s almost as if you have your own barista hanging out in your kitchen (without the awkwardness when you turn up bleary-eyed in your dressing gown).

It’s not just flavour and sustainability it excels at: the Rivelia’s sleek look means that it’s a design win for any stylish home too. And it’s easy to keep it looking and working at its best. The De’Longhi Rivelia rinses automatically and is easy to wash by hand (bonus: some parts will go in the dishwasher), with the brewing unit simple to remove and rinse too. All you need to do is descale it regularly (frequency depends on water hardness in your area), plus you can register your machine for a two-year guarantee, for even more peace of mind.

To find out more about the Rivelia and buy your machine, visit Delonghi

Terry’s Chocolate Orange hit with sharp price hike this Christmas

Festive favourite chocolates, including the staple Terry’s Chocolate Orange, have risen in price this Christmas, new data shows.

Chocolate lovers may be saddened to hear that prices have risen by nearly one-fifth, as cocoa ingredients become more expensive to source.

Chocolate prices have soared by 18.4 per cent since last year, according to figures from Worldpanel.

The prices of sweet chocolate treats have risen faster than almost all other supermarket food products, second only to fresh meat and chicken.

KitKats are now as much as 70 per cent more expensive than last year, while a 310g pack of Maltesers comes in at £1.67 more, according to data from Trolley.co.uk.

A classic Terry’s Chocolate Orange has risen by 38 pence as several big brand manufactures have moved to using less cocoa in an attempt to offset the price increases.

Nestle have moved to reducing the quantities of cocoa and milk in favour of using a cheaper vegetable fat instead in some of their products.

This has led to their fan favourites, Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars, to no longer qualify for the chocolate status.

In order to be officially classified as “milk chocolate” in the UK, a product must contain at least 20 per cent cocoa solids and 20 per cent milk solids.

The products are now described as being “encased in a smooth milk chocolate flavour coating” rather than being covered in milk chocolate.

A Nestle spokesperson said the food giant had seen “significant increases in the cost of cocoa over the past years, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products. We continue to be more efficient and absorb increasing costs where possible”.

McVitie’s similarly made recent reformulations in October to their Penguin and Club bars, which are now labelled as “chocolate flavour” due to the reduced cocoa quantities.

This was the result of their parent company Pladis choosing to use cheaper alternatives to the main chocolate ingredient.

Many ingredients such as cocoa and butter have become more expensive over the past three years, which has led to many food companies altering their recipes to use less expensive ingredients, as well as reducing serving sizes in a process sometimes referred to as “skimpflation”.

Although cocoa prices have recently eased slightly, a rise in costs over years due to poor harvest and droughts have made the price of chocolates soar, with chocolate prices up 18.4 per cent on this time last year.

Fifa ‘betrayal’ as England fans face £5,000 bill for World Cup tickets

England fans have been warned they could expect to pay more than £5,000 on match tickets alone if they want to follow their country at next summer’s World Cup and Thomas Tuchel’s team go all the way to the final, which has been priced at over £3,000.

The Independent understands some national associations have reacted in horror after they were informed that PMA (Participating Member Associations) tickets are up to five times more expensive than the last World Cup in Qatar, while Football Supporters Europe (FSE), the main European fan group, has accused Fifa of “betrayal” and called for an “immediate halt” to ticket sales.

Some national associations are said to be “furious”, and England’s FA is set to notify the England Supporters Travel Club that eligible members – those who have accrued enough loyalty points to meet their criteria – could expect to pay at least £198 for a “value tier” seat at their opening game of the tournament against Croatia in Dallas. PMAs are allocated eight per cent of the tickets for each match they take part in.

The Croatian football federation has published details of the PMA tickets for the tournament, with a “standard tier” seat at the England game £372 and the “premium tier” seat at £520. The prices then increase throughout the tournament and the cheapest PMA ticket for the World Cup final on 19 July is listed at £3,117 each.

The PMA price for Scotland’s allocation was confirmed by the Scottish Football Association (SFA), with the cheapest ticket for their opening match against Haiti in Boston costing £134, rising to £372 for the “premium tier”. The cheapest Scotland ticket for the Brazil match in Miami is priced at £198, rising to £520 for “premium tier” – the same breakdown used for England’s match against Croatia.

The “extortionate” ticket prices do not account for travel to the United States and the cost of hotels, with prices skyrocketing since the confirmation of the World Cup match schedule following last Friday’s tournament draw.

Tickets for PMAs are set at a fixed rate and not subject to “variable pricing” – while all fans can enter a random selection draw, opening on Thursday 11 December, with Fifa yet to confirm prices for those tickets.

Tickets that hit the market on general sale will be subject to dynamic pricing, making attending in-demand games and following the most popular teams more expensive, while Fifa will also operate its own resale market that allows sellers to charge many times above face value for games in the United States and Canada, but not Mexico, and also take 30 per cent of the sell-on price.

“This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is,” FSE said in a statement.

“For the first time in World Cup history, no consistent price will be offered across all group stage games. Instead, Fifa is introducing a variable pricing policy dependent on vague criteria such as the perceived attractiveness of the fixture. Fans of different national teams will therefore have to pay different prices for the same category at the same stage of the tournament, without any transparency on the pricing structure enforced by Fifa.

“We call on Fifa to immediately halt PMA ticket sales, engage in a consultation with all impacted parties, and review ticket prices and category distribution until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.”

A Fifa statement on ticket prices previously said: “The pricing model adopted for Fifa World Cup 26 reflects the existing market practice for major entertainment and sporting events within our hosts on a daily basis, soccer included.

“This is also a reflection of the treatment of the secondary market for tickets, which has a distinct legal treatment than in many other parts of the world. We are focused on ensuring fair access to our game for existing but also prospective fans.

“Stadium category maps do not reflect the number of tickets available in a given category but rather present default seating locations. Fifa resale fees are aligned with North American industry trends across various sports and entertainment sectors.”

The FA and Fifa have been approached for comment