• Supermaxi LawConnect in box seat Friday evening to take line honours for second year running
• As at 5.30pm, 22 yachts from the 104-strong starting fleet had retired

The Sydney to Hobart yacht race has been left reeling after the deaths of two sailors in wild weather that has forced a fifth of the fleet to retire.

Supermaxi LawConnect was in the box seat on Friday evening to take out line honours for a second year running after rival Master Lock Comanche pulled the pin with mainsail damage.

Georgian Dream government threatens pro-west president with jail if she refuses to leave office on Sunday

All eyes in Georgia are fixed on the elegant 19th-century Orbeliani Palace in Tbilisi, where a defining moment looms. Who will occupy its halls on 29 December?

On Sunday, Georgia’s pro-western president, Salome Zourabichvili, is supposed to hand over the keys to her successor, Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former football player turned far-right politician who is backed by the ruling and increasingly authoritarian Georgian Dream (GD) party.

Big Brother saw its first lesbian winner, the BBC did female-only dating and even the Only Way is Essex branched out. This was the year reality TV proved it’s streaks ahead

The prediction, attributed to Andy Warhol , that everyone will be “famous for 15 minutes” aptly describes the turn of the millennium, when reality TV started transforming people without a traditional “talent” into overnight celebrities. Another accurate prediction would have been that every British TV channel will, at some point, get to broadcast the “social experiment” that started it all: Big Brother .

This year, on the second series to air on ITV, forensic psychologist Ali Bromley became the quintessential underdog. Her fellow housemates nominated her for eviction almost every week, often citing her direct manner, which frequently led to conflict. Despite being labelled the “red witch” inside the house, fans connected with her honesty. She was also praised for sharing her experience of being neurodivergent, her hopes of starting a family via IVF with her girlfriend, and carefully explaining the different terminology for lesbians, such as “femme” and “butch”, to her bewildered co-stars.

Keir Starmer’s promise of a fresh break with Tory sleaze was dented by news he’d accepted clothing and concert tickets from a Labour donor. The Guardian’s political editor assesses the longer term damage

There is an old maxim in Westminster that scandals are not exposed, they are simply noticed. It applied to the expenses scandal that rocked public faith in the political system more than a decade ago, and to many since, from the Pestminster sexual misconduct scandal to Partygate.

The same was true of the freebies row. And while there was no evidence in this instance that parliamentary rules had been broken, or that improper favours had been sought by those who offered the gifts, it created a huge political headache for Labour when it was noticed.

Green Bay and Minnesota have been flexed into the late-afternoon slot over Dallas-Philadelphia in what could be a preview of the NFC Championship Game

Green Bay Packers (11-4) v Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

The scheduling gods have flexed their muscles and pushed another potential warm-up for the postseason into the choice late-afternoon slot. We have a late festive feast in Green Bay heading to Minnesota, in favor of a damp squib between Philadelphia and Dallas, for what could turn out to be the NFC Championship Game. The Packers are fresh from locking their playoff place with a thrashing of the Saints while the Vikings are gunning for an incredible ninth win in succession. Unfortunately for Matt LaFleur’s team they cannot reach any higher than third in the NFC North as the Lions also sit on 13-2, but this presents a perfect chance to practice playing on the road against a high-caliber rival. Minnesota meanwhile are neck and neck with Detroit for the No 1 seed and will be aiming for a crucial victory – ane that could set up a shoot-out for the first-round bye next week against the Lions.

• Fourth Test, day two: Australia 474; India 164-5
• Tourists trail by 310 after run-out and Boland’s double

India suffered a damaging run-out and Scott Boland took two wickets to leave the tourists in trouble at 164 for five at the end of day two of the fourth Test, after another Steve Smith century helped Australia post 474.

Smith, having scored a drought-breaking 101 in the drawn third Test in Brisbane, reprised his role as India’s tormentor-in-chief by scoring a record 11th century against the nation on the way to 140 at the MCG.

Pressure down to rising costs and weak consumer demand, says report, with firms at ‘critical’ stage soaring 25%

• Business live – latest updates

More than 28,000 retailers are facing “significant” financial distress at the end of 2024, driven by rising business costs and weak consumer confidence, according to a report.

The number of retailers under the more severe measure of “critical” financial distress jumped 25% to 2,124 in the final three months of the year compared with the previous quarter, said the insolvency specialists Begbies Traynor.

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world

Han Duck-soo says he will step aside to avoid further chaos, as finance minister assumes acting presidency

The assembly approved the impeachment motion in a 192-0 vote on Friday. Governing party lawmakers boycotted the vote.

Han, the No 2 official in South Korea, has been the caretaker leader after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the assembly over his short-lived imposition of martial law this month.

Han’s impeachment further deepens South Korea’s political crisis and damages its international image.