The greatest democracy on earth had a troubled and divisive 2015. Unarmed African-Americans were killed by police with shocking frequency, a leading presidential candidate brought racism and bigotry into the political mainstream and America's influence abroad was further eroded by crises partly of the country's own making. America starts 2016 with the news that an armed white militia has taken over a government facility (it's a building on a wild life preserve in Oregon). The group, calling themselves patriots, demand...

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Last year was a definite triumph for new openings in London, and one of the finest restaurants to launch in Mayfair, in 2015, was also one of the very last. Officially opened in December, just in time to reap an onslaught of acclaim in the coming year, 8 Mount Street is a new brasserie within the heart of one of the area’s most prominent original shopping streets. What’s also impressive about 8 Mount Street is the...

Sport News 24/7 By Billy Stephens  @BillyLaughs  @TLE_Sport In their last two games, against Chelsea and Swansea City, Manchester United have shown much more attacking intent than previously seen under Louis van Gaal this season.  The Dutchman is seemingly attempting to adapt his tactical approach to be more like the traditional style of play expected by the Old Trafford faithful. Van Gaal's style of football is usually patient, possession-based and low risk.  This is emphasised by Manchester United having kept...

Well, that was quick. One minute you’re draping the tinsel over the whiteboard, amazed that, remarkably, you’ve made it to the end of term with at least a few of your faculties still roughly in working order; the next, you’re back in the staff room wondering what happened to those 2 weeks off you were looking forward to. Such is the life of a teacher returning to work after the season of goodwill…and we are left under no illusions that...

Mark Zuckerberg has fired his new artificial intelligence bot after finding him hidden in his pantry flicking through his Facebook feed. The AI was one of Mark’s big challenges for this year, but it appears he has been hoisted by his own petard after he discovered the robot looking at an album entitled ‘Zante 2014’ when he was supposed to be dusting the shelves. Rumours that Zuckerberg found his AI butler in a compromising position are as yet unfounded, but...

By Georgette Culley BRITAIN’S most notorious former dungeon has opened its halls at night - for life drawing. One of the world’s most famous landmarks The Tower of London has allowed an art group to stage their ‘historical’ drawing classes, which see real life models emulate historical characters in the old stone castle. During the first show, models posed as King Edward I and Queen Isabella – consort of Edward ll – in the draughty halls of Wakefield Tower and...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Mark Zuckerberg has announced he will build an artificial intelligence (AI)  robot to assist around the house and even help with his work. In a Facebook post he wrote: "You can think of it kind of like Jarvis in Iron Man.” The butler’s initial goals will include controlling music, lights and temperature, to recognise when friends are at the front door and to alert him if his newborn daughter needs attention. Mark plans to build...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor More countries have followed Saudi Arabia in closing off diplomatic relations with Iran following the row over the execution of a Shia cleric after a decision by the Saudi courts. Bahrain and Sudan have told Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours. The execution has provoked a great deal of condemnation across the world, but Saudi Arabia's closest allies have come out in support. Bahrain demanded Iranian officials left Manama in 48 hours and the Sudanese...

The stock markets have made a panicked start to 2016 with more than £34 billion wiped off the FTSE within an hour on the first day of trading in 2016. There were similar falls across other major European and Asian indices as concerns over China's slowdown hit again. Shanghai’s stock market had to be suspended earlier in the day having lost almost seven per cent of its value thanks to weak manufacturing data.Markets were also affected by the uncertainty being triggered by...