Author: Andrew Rogers

West Ham United are preparing an opening bid for Jørgen Strand Larsen as they fight relegation.Manager Nuno Espírito Santo wants attacking reinforcements in January. Wolverhampton Wanderers are thought to value Strand Larsen at £40m.The 25-year-old has scored three league goals this season after netting 14 last year. West Ham sit 18th and see a new striker as vital to survival.They are set to loan Niclas Füllkrug to AC Milan. Nuno has also explored other options but prefers players with Premier League experience.Talks are ongoing for Adama Traoré from Fulham.

Sam Altman has advertised a $555,000-a-year role described as one of the toughest jobs in artificial intelligence.The new head of preparedness at OpenAI will be responsible for identifying and reducing serious risks posed by advanced AI systems. The role includes defending against threats to mental health, cybersecurity, and biological safety.It also involves preparing for scenarios where AI systems become more autonomous and harder to control. Altman warned candidates the job would be stressful and require immediate immersion.Previous holders of similar roles have stayed only briefly. Concerns about AI dangers are growing within the industry.Mustafa Suleyman and Google DeepMind co-founder Demis…

Louis Gerstner, the executive credited with rescuing IBM, has died aged 83.He led the company as chair and CEO from 1993 to 2002, during a period of deep uncertainty. Gerstner took charge as IBM struggled against rivals including Microsoft and Sun Microsystems.As IBM’s first outsider leader, he rejected plans to break the firm into smaller units. Instead, he kept IBM together, arguing clients wanted integrated solutions, not fragmented products.Current CEO Arvind Krishna said that decision proved vital to the company’s survival. Gerstner focused on restoring profitability and customer trust rather than chasing grand visions.He oversaw tough choices, including abandoning IBM’s…

Christmas need not mean switching off curiosity, as simple activities can smuggle science into celebrations.Researchers say everyday traditions offer easy ways to explore biology, chemistry, and psychology at home. Matthew Cobb of the University of Manchester suggests tasting sweets while holding your nose.The experiment shows flavour depends largely on smell rather than taste alone. Christmas crackers also offer insight into human behaviour.Sophie Scott from University College London says people laugh far more at jokes when others are present. A festive roast can become a lesson in anatomy.Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh recommends examining turkey bones to understand movement…

Declan Rice was released by Chelsea at 14 and rebuilt his career through resilience.At West Ham United, coaches gave him blunt “clean feedback” instead of comfort. Rice accepted criticism, worked relentlessly, and earned a scholarship despite early doubts.His awkward running style gradually evolved into control, balance, and authority. He debuted under Slaven Bilic and grew into a dependable leader.Few expected him to become an elite midfielder. A £105m move to Arsenal changed perceptions and responsibilities.Under Mikel Arteta, Rice added goals, creativity, and set-piece threat. His performances against Europe’s elite elevated his global reputation.Coaches now describe him as graceful, powerful, and…

Researchers say parts of the Moon will be set aside as graveyards for defunct satellites.Lunar orbit is expected to become increasingly crowded as space agencies plan bases and missions. Unlike Earth, the Moon has no atmosphere to burn up old spacecraft.Most dead satellites will eventually need to be crash-landed on the surface. Scientists warn uncontrolled impacts could damage instruments or historic landing sites.Designated impact zones would limit debris and protect sensitive areas. More than 400 lunar missions are planned, including projects led by NASA and the European Space Agency.International bodies, including the UK Space Agency, are working on disposal guidelines.…

Plans to stage a Serie A match in Australia have been abandoned after late complications.The fixture between AC Milan and Como was scheduled for February in Perth. Serie A said financial risks and “unacceptable requests” made the proposal unworkable.Those conditions were imposed by the Asian Football Confederation. Italian authorities had approved the move due to San Siro’s unavailability during the Winter Olympics.Serie A also viewed the match as a chance to grow its global profile. The cancellation follows a similar reversal by La Liga last year.Plans to stage a game between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami were also dropped.

Morgan Rogers scored twice as Aston Villa beat Manchester United at Villa Park.The win kept Villa firmly in the Premier League title race. Unai Emery’s side claimed a seventh straight league victory and a tenth in all competitions.Villa sit third, three points behind leaders Arsenal, approaching the season’s halfway mark. Rogers opened the scoring with a curling finish before half-time.Manchester United responded through Matheus Cunha, who equalised in stoppage time. Villa regained control early in the second half with another composed Rogers strike.Unai Emery celebrated wildly as Villa restored their lead. United struggled with injuries, losing captain Bruno Fernandes at…

Kylian Mbappé matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid scoring record during a 2-0 win over Sevilla.The French striker scored a late penalty to reach 59 goals in the calendar year.Jude Bellingham’s first-half header put Real ahead before Sevilla went down to ten men.Key saves from Thibaut Courtois secured the victory.Real remain second in La Liga, one point behind leaders Barcelona. Juventus also boosted their title hopes with a 2-1 home win over Roma.The result kept Roma fourth while Juventus closed the gap behind them. In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen earned a 3-1 comeback win at RB Leipzig.Two quick goals turned the match…

High in the Peloponnese mountains, Greece’s native fir forests are dying in alarming numbers – even in areas untouched by fire. Researchers say a combination of climate-driven stresses is pushing these once-hardy trees beyond their limits. Dimitrios Avtzis, a senior researcher at Greece’s Forest Research Institute, first noticed the scale of the problem while surveying a spring wildfire. Beyond the burn zone, vast swathes of fir trees were already dead or dying. “There were hundreds of hectares of lost trees,” he said, prompting him to alert the environment ministry. Wildfires have long been part of Mediterranean ecosystems, but scientists say…