While some users say the wearables have changed their lives, critics voice fears over safety and privacy

With more than 7m pairs reportedly sold in 2025, Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses are fast becoming one of the world’s most popular gadgets.

While supporters say they are transforming photography and accessibility, critics have raised concerns about nonconsensual filming, privacy and data collection.

The honorary Gooner’s game went up a level last season. Now, the forward wants to push on for more trophies, starting with the WSL

Arms hooked over the bar at the front of the bus, sunglasses on, a drink in one hand and the other pointed towards the fans as she vibed along to the music and joined in with the singing and chanting, Alessia Russo was having a blast.

“I had the time of my life that day,” says the Arsenal forward of the 9km parade through the red smoke-filled streets of north London after Arsenal men’s Premier League triumph and Arsenal women’s Champions Cup success.

The TikTok influencer is now a TV star. But this independent, opinionated woman still lives with her mother, on the Clacton council estate where she grew up. Will she ever leave? And how does she feel about Mum’s curfew?

Since eyes are turned to Clacton-on-Sea and a certain candidate facing questions about a £5m “gift” and a byelection battle with a man dressed as a bin, let’s take a look across the town at a young woman in a pink house and be reminded of some values – generosity, decency – that appear absent from much of public life.

Trewley Precious Temple, who became well known on TikTok, where she has 1m followers, is the star of the Channel 4 show Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives and is fast becoming a phenomenon. The show features her mum, Tina, her sisters Honey, Pearl and Ruby-Anne and her brother Jamie; they’re like the Kardashians, says Temple in every episode’s intro, if the humourless US reality TV family were “fat and broke and on benefits”. What comes across most strongly is the family’s love and big-heartedness, not just for each other, but for their wider community, too.

Riya says her boyfriend has road rage, but Declan insists he never loses his temper. You decide if needs to put the brakes on his motormouth

• Find out how to get a disagreement settled or become a juror

Every time Declan chooses kicking off over de-escalation, he compromises our safety

I don’t believe people should get away with dangerous or disrespectful driving

The Cambridge academic has rightly now resigned. But that won’t end the targeting of senior black figures or the lazy way institutions promote faux equality

‘To be honest with you, I thought you’d just believe me.” That was the breathtaking response of Prof Jason Arday when the Guardian interrogated the details he provided of an alleged racist campaign of intimidation against him, which involved a severed pig’s head, a masked man wielding a knife and bullets in the post. Arday had been unable to provide evidence, and when the Guardian contacted the relevant parties, including a south London butcher and the police, his claims were either refuted or could not be verified.

Arday, whose appointment as professor of sociology of education at Cambridge became a widely lauded moment in the aftermath of Black Lives Matter, has found himself in the eye of the storm. Allegations of extensive plagiarism in his doctoral thesis, completed at Liverpool John Moores University, recently made their way from the Substack of self-described “race realist” academic Nathan Cofnas into the national press. The defence of Arday had rested on the fact that an investigation had already been conducted, and cleared him of plagiarism. And yet the case has taken on a life of its own.

Claw machine shops have proliferated in the territory in recent years, filling vacant spaces left behind by businesses that closed during the pandemic

In Hong Kong’s neon-lit arcades, a maze of claw machines illuminates the prizes of the day: plushies, Labubu dolls and an array of Pokémon collectibles.

Across the city, claw machine shops have proliferated in recent years, now surpassing more than 2,500, many filling vacant spaces left by businesses that closed during the pandemic.

Sociology professor to stand down after university announces investigation into his qualifications and career

• Playbooks, plagiarism and a pig’s head: the claims surrounding a star Cambridge professor

Jason Arday, the Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism and embellishment, has resigned after the university announced he was to face new investigations into his qualifications and career.

Arday, who had been dogged by a growing series of questions over his academic work and credentials, issued a statement on Wednesday night, saying the “relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love”.

Environment Agency assessments find just 14.3% of country’s surface waters in good ecological status

Every single English water body is polluted with toxic chemicals, new government data shows, while just 14.3% of surface waters achieved good ecological status.

Each of the country’s rivers, lakes and estuaries was assessed by the Environment Agency as part of a six-yearly evaluation into England’s water quality. The EA checked for a range of toxic chemicals, from Pfas forever chemicals to microplastics. Waters were also checked against a range of standards covering wildlife, water quality and physical habitat.

Lithuania’s defence minister says they are ‘monitoring’ Russia’s plans and exchanging information with Poland and other Nato allies

Lithuania’s defence minister Robertas Kaunas warned that Russia could be considering possible “false flag” provocations against Nato countries in the Baltic region.

A “false flag” is a term for an event or attack which would later be blamed on someone other than the actual perpetrator.

Reform say employers would be held responsible even if they were unaware of the worker’s immigration status

Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf is now speaking at a media conference in Westminster, as the party announces plans to fine firms and jail bosses who employ illegal workers.

You can follow along via the video at the top of the blog, or stay tuned for any news lines…

Today’s new sanctions demonstrate the UK’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine and bearing down on those propping up the Kremlin’s aggression.

Ukraine’s fight is our fight. Those that threaten Ukraine’s freedom and democracy are a threat to Britain’s security at home.