The one change that worked: I was trembling with anxiety when I found a fun, free way to get calm

I can’t dance. Not even a little bit. But the terrible moves my friends mock are an antidote to the racing heart and quivering breath that arrive in my more anxious moments

The first time I started dancing at home was a happy accident. I’d just had a terse conversation with an ex, and my body was reacting in its usual way: racing heart, quivering breath and trembling fingers. I needed to calm down. Looking around for quick fixes in my flat – my bed, some stale chocolate digestives and a packet of cigarettes – I settled on the kitchen radio, which had been humming faintly in the background all morning.

Tuned to BBC Radio 6 Music, it was playing a disco track I didn’t recognise. But the beat was steady and intermingled with the sounds of tambourines, synths and drums. I turned up the volume, and then my body was moving: limbs swinging, feet tapping, hips wiggling. I continued into the next song, leaning into the feeling and becoming more animated to the sounds of another upbeat 70s track, imagining myself on a crowded, sweaty dancefloor. It was all very silly. But by the third song, my anxiety had melted away. I was smiling. And I felt more like myself again.

Published: November 24, 2025, 11:00 am

The fascia secret: how does it affect your health – and should you loosen it up with a foam roller?

Our muscles, bones and organs are held together by a network of tissue that influences our every move. Is there a way we can use it to our advantage?

Fascia, the connective tissue that holds together the body’s internal structure, really hasn’t spent all that long in the limelight. Anatomists have known about its existence since before the Hippocratic oath was a thing, but until the 1980s it was routinely tossed in the bin during human dissections, regarded as little more than the wrapping that gets in the way of studying everything else. Over the past few decades, though, our understanding of it has evolved and (arguably) overshot – now, there are plenty of personal trainers who will insist that you should be loosening it up with a foam roller, or even harnessing its magical elastic powers to jump higher and do more press-ups. But what’s it really doing – and is there a way you can actually take advantage of it?

“The easiest way to describe fascia is to think about the structure of a tangerine,” says Natasha Kilian, a specialist in musculoskeletal physiotherapy at Pure Sports Medicine. “You’ve got the outer skin, and beneath that, the white pith that separates the segments and holds them together. Fascia works in a similar way: it’s a continuous, all-encompassing network that wraps around and connects everything in the body, from muscles and nerves to blood vessels and organs. It’s essentially the body’s internal wetsuit, keeping everything supported and integrated.” If you’ve ever carved a joint of meat, it’s the thin, silvery layer wrapped around the muscle, like clingfilm.

Published: November 24, 2025, 9:00 am

The loneliness fix: I wanted to find new friends in my 30s – and it was easier than I imagined

It is said to be harder to make friends as you age. But I found that a mix of apps and other tools, as well as a happy attitude, led to a world of potential new pals

Tonight, Rachel, Elvira and I will meet for dinner. A year ago, none of us knew the others existed. Six months ago Rachel and Elvira were strangers until I introduced them. But now, here we are, something as close to firm friends as is possible after such a short time.

If you’ve ever consumed any media, you would be forgiven for thinking that life after 35 is a burning wasteland of unimaginable horrors: the beginnings of incessant back pain, an interest in dishwasher loading, the discovery that you’re ineligible for entire industries billed as “a young person’s game”, and, apparently, an inability to make friends.

Published: November 23, 2025, 2:00 pm

Ryanair expects me to take the financial hit for helping others

As a doctor I stepped in to tend to an elderly passenger … but it won’t waive £100 transfer fee to rebook

I was due to fly from London Stansted to Pescara, Italy. I was nearing the departure gate when an elderly woman fell down an escalator. I am a doctor and stopped to help. She had sustained a broken wrist, deep cuts and a worrying head injury and I had to stem the bleeding until staff and paramedics arrived.

I asked for gate crew to be made aware that I was delayed by a medical emergency, but when I reached the gate 15 minutes before my flight departed, it had closed.

Published: November 24, 2025, 7:00 am

Monday briefing: What a new Guardian investigation reveals about a group ‘radicalising’ women into unassisted birth

In today’s newsletter: A report dives into the disturbing story of a ‘wild’ pregnancy and freebirth business that ‘radicalises’ women, with tragic consequences

Good morning. This weekend, the Guardian launched the results of its year-long investigation into radical free birthing, and the US-based Free Birth Society (FBS). Our reporting reveals how influencers made millions by pushing “free births”, with no medical support, and how the society is now linked to the deaths of newborn babies around the world.

FBS, a multimillion dollar business, promotes a version of free birth, otherwise known as unassisted birth, that is seen as extreme, even among advocates of the practice. Unlike home births, which have a midwife in attendance, free birth involves delivering without medical assistance. The FBS advises mothers to steer clear of doctors and midwives, is anti-ultrasound (which it falsely claims harms babies) and downplays serious medical conditions, the Guardian found.

Ukraine | European countries proposed a radical alternative Ukraine peace plan on Sunday that omits some of the pro-Russia points made in the original US-backed document and calls for Kyiv’s sovereignty to be respected.

Politics | Rachel Reeves will launch a fresh crackdown on benefit fraud, alongside scrapping the two-child welfare limit and freezing rail fares, while putting forward a multibillion-pound tax-raising package.

Media | The BBC is planning to overhaul the way it investigates editorial concerns, in a move that will dilute the influence of a Conservative figure accused of trying to sway its political impartiality.

Skye Gyngell | Tributes have been paid to the pioneering chef and restaurant proprietor, who has died aged 62.

Politics | David Cameron has disclosed he was treated for prostate cancer and has called for a targeted screening programme.

Published: November 24, 2025, 7:01 am

Five key findings from our investigation into the Free Birth Society

Year-long investigation into multimillion-dollar business exposed serious concerns, from dangerous medical claims to FBS-linked stillbirths

• Full story: How the FBS is linked to baby deaths around the world

The Free Birth Society (FBS) is a business run from North Carolina that promotes the idea of women giving birth without midwives or doctors present.

It is led by Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris-Clark, ex-doulas turned social media influencers who have gained a global following through the FBS podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times.

Published: November 23, 2025, 7:00 am

One in four unconcerned by sexual deepfakes created without consent, survey finds

Senior UK police officer says AI is accelerating violence against women and girls and that technology companies are complicit

One in four people think there is nothing wrong with creating and sharing sexual deepfakes, or they feel neutral about it, even when the person depicted has not consented, according to a police-commissioned survey.

The findings prompted a senior police officer to warn that the use of AI is accelerating an epidemic in violence against women and girls (VAWG), and that technology companies are complicit in this abuse.

Published: November 24, 2025, 9:00 am

‘Enshittification’: how we got the internet no one asked for – podcast

Tech critic Cory Doctorow explains why for so many the internet – from Amazon to Google to Instagram – seems to be getting worse

Do you ever get the feeling that the internet isn’t what it used to be?

Well, tech critic Cory Doctorow thinks you’re right – and he has a term to describe it too: ‘enshittification’.

Published: November 24, 2025, 3:00 am

Civil liberties groups call for inquiry into UK data protection watchdog

Campaigners including Good Law Project describe ICO ‘collapse in enforcement activity’ after Afghan data breach

Dozens of civil liberties campaigners and legal professionals are calling for an inquiry into the UK’s data protection watchdog, after what they describe as “a collapse in enforcement activity” after the scandal of the Afghan data breach.

A total of 73 academics, senior lawyers, data protection experts and organisations including Statewatch and the Good Law Project, have written a letter to Chi Onwurah, the chair of the cross-party Commons science, innovation and technology committee, coordinated by Open Rights Group, calling for an inquiry to be held into the office of the information commissioner, John Edwards.

Published: November 24, 2025, 6:00 am

Can’t tech a joke: AI does not understand puns, study finds

Researchers say results underline large language models’ poor grasp of humour, empathy and cultural nuance

Comedians who rely on clever wordplay and writers of witty headlines can rest a little easier, for the moment at least, research on AI suggests.

Experts from universities in the UK and Italy have been investigating whether large language models (LLMs) understand puns – and found them wanting.

Published: November 24, 2025, 7:59 am

‘Extra challenging during a difficult time’: Robert Redford’s daughter criticises AI tributes to the late actor

Amy Redford thanks fans for ‘love and support’ but takes issue with ‘AI versions of funerals, tributes and quotes from members of my family that are fabrications’

Robert Redford’s daughter Amy Redford has criticised the proliferation of artificial intelligence tributes to her father, who died in September, calling them “fabrications”.

Redford posted a statement on social media in which she thanked fans for their “overwhelming love and support”, adding: “It’s clear that he meant so much to so many, and I know that my family is humbled by the outpouring of stories and tributes from all corners of the globe.”

Published: November 24, 2025, 11:04 am

The best Black Friday deals on the products we love, from sunrise alarm clocks to dehumidifiers

We’ve cut through the noise to find genuinely good early Black Friday 2025 discounts on Filter-recommended products across home, tech, beauty and toys

• Big savings – or big regrets? How to shop smart this Black Friday
• The best Black Friday beauty deals

Like Christmas Day, Black Friday has long since ceased to be a mere “day”. Yuletide now seems to start roughly when Strictly does, and Black Friday kicked off around Halloween, judging by the landfill of exclamation-marked emails weighing down my inbox.

Black Friday is a devil worth dancing with if you want to save money on products you’ve had your eye on – and it can pay to start dancing now. Some of the Filter’s favourite items are already floating around at prices clearly designed to make them sell out fast. Other deals won’t land until the big day itself on 28 November, or even until the daftly named Cyber Monday (1 December).

Published: November 24, 2025, 12:56 pm

The 36 best gift ideas for US teens in 2025 – picked by actual teens

‘Clothes … I just want clothes.’ Teenagers tell us what gifts they actually want this year, from Lululemon to slushie machines

• The 47 best gift ideas for US tweens in 2025 – picked by actual tweens

• Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things

If AirPods are “fire” and other brands are “mid”, does this mean they’re good? If a fab Lululemon jacket gives your kid “drip”, should you consult a doctor? Teenagers are already tough to decipher. Now try to figure out which consoles they own and which shade of makeup they prefer, and it’s no wonder most parents just resort to cash and gift cards.

But don’t give up just yet. We braved eye rolls and shrugs to extract 36 gift ideas for teens from teens themselves. Pulling these answers out of angsty coming-of-agers wasn’t easy. But they revealed the most sought-after gifts for gen Alpha.

Published: November 23, 2025, 6:15 pm

Has Britain become an economic colony?

The UK could’ve been a true tech leader – but it has cheerfully submitted to US dominance in a way that may cost it dear

Two and a half centuries ago, the American colonies launched a violent protest against British rule, triggered by parliament’s imposition of a monopoly on the sale of tea and the antics of a vainglorious king. Today, the tables have turned: it is Great Britain that finds itself at the mercy of major US tech firms – so huge and dominant that they constitute monopolies in their fields – as well as the whims of an erratic president. Yet, to the outside observer, Britain seems curiously at ease with this arrangement – at times even eager to subsidise its own economic dependence. Britain is hardly alone in submitting to the power of American firms, but it offers a clear case study in why nations need to develop a coordinated response to the rise of these hegemonic companies.

The current age of American tech monopoly began in the 2000s, when the UK, like many other countries, became almost entirely dependent on a small number of US platforms – Google, Facebook, Amazon and a handful of others. It was a time of optimism about the internet as a democratising force, characterised by the belief that these platforms would make everyone rich. The dream of the 1990s – naive but appealing – was that anyone with a hobby or talent could go online and make a living from it.

Published: November 23, 2025, 12:00 pm

Starwatch: beautiful contrast as silver glow of moon passes Saturn’s golden light

Visible from urban locations, pairing takes on special meaning when seen with minimal light pollution

This week, the moon will pass close to the planet Saturn in the evening sky. Although visible from urban locations, the pairing takes on a special meaning when seen from a location with minimal light pollution. The brilliant silver glow of the moon and the steady golden light of Saturn contrast beautifully.

The chart shows the view looking south from London on 29 November at 19.00 GMT. The conjunction is easily visible to the naked eye from both hemispheres.

Published: November 24, 2025, 6:00 am

Can you solve it? Are you smarter than a soap bubble?

The minimum you can do

Today’s puzzle is about transport links and soapy water.

The four towns

Published: November 24, 2025, 7:16 am

Search is on for the German hairy snail in London

Conchologists, and citizen scientists team up to seek out endangered mollusc species along River Thames

It is tiny, hairy and “German” – and it could be hiding underneath a piece of driftwood near you. Citizen scientists and expert conchologists are teaming up to conduct the first London-wide search for one of Britain’s most endangered molluscs.

The fingernail-sized German hairy snail (Pseudotrichia rubiginosa) is found in fragmented patches of habitat mostly along the tidal Thames.

Published: November 24, 2025, 9:00 am

The Guardian view on animal testing: we can stop sacrificing millions of lives for our own health | Editorial

New technologies can reduce our reliance on animal experiments. This isn’t just morally right, it could have scientific and economic benefits too

Science is a slaughterhouse. We rarely acknowledge the degree to which animal life underwrites the research that provides us with medicines, or the regulation that keeps us safe. Live animals were used in 2.64m officially sanctioned scientific procedures in the UK in 2024, many of them distressing or painful and many of them fatal. But the government’s new strategy to phase out animal testing – published earlier this month – suggests that in the near future emerging technologies can largely replace the use of animals in our scientific endeavours.

The UK previously banned cosmetics testing on animals, and has already taken steps to regulate and reduce their use in research. But some needlessly cruel experiments still take place: the forced swim test (FST) for example, in which a rodent is placed in a body of water it cannot escape and researchers measure whether antidepressants extend the time it struggles for life. The government says no new FST licences will be granted, in effect banning it. Similar targets are set over the next few years to end the testing of caustic chemicals on eyes and skin.

Published: November 23, 2025, 5:30 pm

DNA reveals stone age teenager as chewer of 10,500-year-old ‘gum’

The prehistoric birch tar found in Estonia contained traces of saliva that were analysed by genetics experts

A piece of stone age “gum” chewed by a teenage girl 10,500 years ago has been discovered by archaeologists in Estonia.

The Institute of History and Archaeology at the University of Tartu discovered the prehistoric birch tar had impressions of teeth marks and traces of saliva.

Published: November 23, 2025, 8:26 pm