Jasmine Crockett announces campaign for Texas Democratic Senate primary – watch live

Rep. Jasmine Crockett filed paperwork to run for U.S. Senate just hours before the state's deadline — and hours after fellow Democrat Colin Allred dropped out.

Trump confirms $12bn in assistance for American farmers amid concerns over trade and high prices – live

President says farmers are ‘the backbone of our country’ and says China has committed to buying $40bn in American soybeans

In a statement, Pamela Smith said she was “deeply humbled, grateful and deeply appreciative” of her time in her role, which she described as the “greatest honor” of her career. She gave thanks to the mayor for appointing her in 2023 and supporting her throughout her tenure, which she acknowledged had been both “challenging and rewarding”.

Smith adds that “tremendous progress” has been made but the city is not at “zero percent crime” yet.

I am confident that the department is in a strong position and that the great work will continue, moving in a positive trajectory to combat crime and enhance public safety. Washington, DC is an extraordinary place to live, visit, and work, and I remain inspired by the resilience and spirit of this community.

I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity as Chief of Police. It has been an honor to lead the men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department, and I will always carry with the me the pride of having served this city.

When Chief Smith stepped up to lead the Metropolitan Police Department, we had no time to waste. She came in at a very challenging time for our community, when there was significant urgency to reverse the crime trends our city was facing post pandemic. Within a year of her tenure, we opened the Real-Time Crime Center.

We deployed newer and better technology. We worked with the Council to pass comprehensive legislation that prioritizes accountability. And Chief Smith got all of this done while also navigating unprecedented challenges and attacks on our city’s autonomy.

Wolves 1-4 Manchester United: Premier League – live reaction

Manchester United thrashed rock-bottom Wolves to move up to six

Matt Burtz emails: “There are some who don’t believe in xG, and that’s fine. For those who do, Wolves’ xG per 90 minutes is -0.44. Not great, but it’s only the fourth worst in the Premier League. (Interestingly enough, it’s ahead of Sunderland’s -0.52.) But the main stat for Wolves is an xG against of 18.9, which is seventh in the PL (and better than that of third place Aston Villa). This means they’ve been incredibly unlucky in keeping goals out. Clearly they need to score more goals as one every two games isn’t going to cut it at any level, but if their luck balances out defensively there is a theoretical chance of them putting some results together.”

It’s a nice theory.

Here's what to expect in Paramount's quest to elbow out Netflix and buy Warner Bros. Discovery

Paramount's all-cash tender offer sets up a potentially monthslong battle between it and Netflix to influence WBD shareholders about which bid is best.

Community outraged after California high schoolers form a human swastika

A student at a San Jose high school posted a photo of eight students lying in the shape of a swastika on a football field

A photo of eight students lying in the shape of a swastika on a high school football field in San Jose, California, has caused shock and outrage among the Bay Area Jewish community.

A Branham high school student posted the photo to social media on 3 December, and included an antisemitic quote from Adolf Hitler in the caption. A screenshot of the post began circulating on Reddit last Thursday and garnered over 500 comments. The post and the account were removed by Instagram by Friday morning, according to J., the Jewish News of Northern California.

Paramount Skydance makes $108.4 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

Paramount Skydance's $30 per share offer comes just days after Netflix agreed to buy parts of Warner Bros. in a deal valued at nearly $83 billion.

Fired FBI agents file lawsuit against Patel, Bondi, FBI and DOJ

Ex-FBI agents are trying to get their jobs back, claiming they were fired during Trump's second term for their efforts in 2020 to head off a riot in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba resigns as New Jersey U.S. attorney after disqualification

Alina Habba previously served as a defense lawyer for President Donald Trump, before being tapped to become the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey.

Trump announces $12 billion aid package for U.S. farmers

The new financial aid package is expected to shore up the U.S. agricultural sector, which has been hurt by tariffs and a trade war with China.

Syria marks a year since Assad fled, but struggles to heal

Syria is struggling to heal a year after the Assad dynasty's repressive 50-year reign came to an end following 14 years of civil war that left the country battered and divided.

Paramount launches $108.4bn hostile bid for Warner Bros Discovery

Paramount’s bid for the entire company counters $82.7bn Netflix deal for WBD’s studio and streaming operation

David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance is not giving up in its aggressive campaign to acquire Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), launching a hostile bid for the entertainment company despite the announcement on Friday that Netflix had agreed to buy its studio and streaming operation.

Netflix’s bid for WBD’s storied Hollywood movie studio, as well as its premier HBO cable network, valued the company at $82.7bn. But it did not agree to acquire WBD’s traditional television assets, including the news network CNN and the Discovery channel.

Former Trump attorney Alina Habba resigns as top federal prosecutor in New Jersey

Habba's decision comes as the Justice Department has lost a string of court cases ruling that U.S. attorneys have not been appointed legally, including in Nevada, California and Virginia.

Trump says Netflix, WBD deal could be 'problem' as son-in-law Kushner backs Paramount bid

Trump's comments came days after Netflix beat out Paramount Skydance's offer for all of WBD, and Comcast's bid for part of the company.

Japan tells residents to evacuate as powerful earthquake strikes north-east

90,000 people advised to take shelter after 7.5-magnitude quake, with 20 injuries reported

A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake has shaken north-eastern Japan, injuring more than 20 people and triggering a tsunami of up to 70cm in Pacific coast communities.

The earthquake and tsunami warnings prompted orders for about 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes, although the warnings were later downgraded to advisories.

Garnacho happy to have taken ‘a step forward’ by swapping United for Chelsea

• Forward says he is ‘building confidence’ with Maresca

• Manager praises Atalanta before Champions League tie

Alejandro Garnacho has said that he has no regrets about the manner of his departure from Manchester United, and that it was a straightforward decision to “take a step forward” by ­joining Chelsea last summer.

Garnacho has had a steady, rather than sparkling, first few months since he joined Chelsea in August. His relationship with Ruben Amorim had collapsed by the end of his five‑year stint at United and he was banished from the squad in pre‑season. Amorim felt he had failed to follow tactical instructions and, before the transfer was completed, said he sensed Garnacho wanted “a different thing with different leadership”.

Miami Heat star Terry Rozier pleads not guilty in sports betting case

NBA star Terry Rozier was arrested in Orlando in October during a sweeping FBI crackdown in which 34 defendants were charged across two federal indictments.

‘Yellow line’ that divides Gaza under Trump plan is ‘new border’ for Israel, says military chief

Eyal Zamir said Israel would hold on to current positions, giving it control of more than half of the territory

The “yellow line” that divides Gaza under Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan is a “new border” for Israel, the country’s military chief told soldiers deployed in the territory.

The chief of the general staff, Eyal Zamir, said Israel would hold on to its current military positions. These give Israel control of more than half of Gaza, including most agricultural land and the border crossing with Egypt.

Arne Slot has ‘no clue’ if Mohamed Salah will play for Liverpool again

• Head coach also insisted he is not ‘weak’ amid row

• Egyptian left out of squad for game at Inter

Arne Slot has cast further doubt on Mohamed Salah’s future at ­Liverpool by admitting that he has “no clue” whether the forward has played his last game for the club. The head coach also insisted his politeness should not be mistaken for weakness after leaving Salah out of the Champions League game against Inter on Tuesday.

Slot gave his first public ­reaction on Monday to Salah’s incendiary interview at Leeds when ­previewing ­Liverpool’s match at San Siro. He denied Salah’s claims that their relationship had broken down and said only the Egypt international knows who supposedly threw him under a bus and wants him out of the club.

Non-league Macclesfield to host holders Crystal Palace in FA Cup third round

• Draw also features League One Exeter at Manchester City

• Chelsea will travel to STōK Cae Ras to face Wrexham

Non-league club Macclesfield will host the FA Cup holders, Crystal Palace, in the third round of the tournament this season, in one of the standout ties of the draw.

Macclesfield, who are 14th in National League North, will face high-flying Palace, fourth in the Premier League, in a classic David and Goliath pairing when the fixtures are played on the weekend of 10-11 January 2026.

What to expect when the Fed announces next interest rate move this week

The Federal Reserve's last meeting of 2025 will determine whether borrowers get more relief on interest rates.

Burning down the Baz-house is easy, but what comes after that for England? | Barney Ronay

Brendon McCullum’s regime may be unravelling but there is rarely any suggestion of what to do next and how the team can be improved

Overprepared. Overconfident. Overblown. Over there. And now just over. We know how this goes from here, don’t we? We know this cycle.

The days since England’s defeat in Brisbane have boiled down to a real-time competition to become the hate-click boss, to describe in the most sensual, eviscerating detail the depth of England’s badness – not just at cricket, but at the molecular, existential level.

Colin Allred exiting Democratic primary in Texas Senate race

Allred will instead seek the Democratic nomination in the Dallas-based 33rd Congressional District.

Trump announces $12 billion aid package for farmers caught up in trade war

President Donald Trump has imposed shifting tariff policies on most countries, while pushing to reshape relationships with China and other major trade partners.

European leaders rally behind Ukraine in Downing Street talks

Hopes rise of a breakthrough in using £78bn of frozen Russian assets to bankroll Kyiv

European leaders rallied behind Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday night amid hopes they might finally achieve a breakthrough to allow Ukraine access to billions of pounds of frozen Russian assets.

Despite vociferous support for the Ukrainian president, who has come under heavy pressure from Donald Trump to cede territory in order to bring the war to a speedy end, there was still no agreement on the thorny question of turning immobilised assets into a loan for Kyiv.

Drinking water contaminated with Pfas probably increases risk of infant mortality, study finds

Study of 11,000 births in New Hampshire shows residents’ reproductive outcomes near contaminated sites

Drinking water contaminated with Pfas chemicals probably increases the risk of infant mortality and other harm to newborns, a new peer-reviewed study of 11,000 births in New Hampshire finds.

The first-of-its-kind University of Arizona research found drinking well water down gradient from a Pfas-contaminated site was tied to an increase in infant mortality of 191%, pre-term birth of 20%, and low-weight birth of 43%.

‘Like a movie’: Lando Norris relives final lap to glory and partying till 6am as world champion

• F1’s new superstar shares memories from road to glory

• Briton tells of ‘cool flashbacks’ on track in Abu Dhabi

After becoming Formula One world champion for the first time, Lando Norris revealed that he had enjoyed the final moments of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday by considering all the moments that had brought him to the pinnacle of the sport.

Norris was speaking the day after he won the world championship by taking third place at the Yas Marina circuit. His title rival Max Verstappen won the race but fell short of Norris by two points. The fight remained tight to the decisive last round with Norris’s McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, who had led the championship for a large part of the season, also in the mix for the final race but who ultimately finished third.

Alina Habba resigns from U.S. attorney's office after court ruling

Alina Habba served as a personal lawyer to President Trump before she was tapped to temporarily serve as U.S. attorney in New Jersey.

Wisconsin Cinnabon worker fired after shouting racist slurs at customers

A Cinnabon worker in Wisconsin has been fired after a racist outburst directed at two customers went viral, the company said.

US supreme court appears poised to back Trump’s power to fire FTC member

Case gives court opportunity to overturn 1935 precedent that shielded heads of independent agencies from removal

• US politics live – latest updates

The US supreme court on Monday appeared poised to back the Trump administration’s argument that the president should be able to fire independent board members that for almost a century have been protected from presidential interference.

The court heard arguments concerning the legality of Donald Trump’s firing of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) member and appeared to be split down partisan lines in favor of a historic expansion of executive power, with the conservatives – including the sometimes swing vote of Justice Amy Coney Barrett – seeming to side with the administration.

Trump administration announces $12 billion in one-time payments to farmers

The payments are targeted at row crop farmers in the wake of this year's tariff hikes.

12/8: Face the Nation

This week on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Syrian rebels have taken control of Damascus, overthrowing the regime of President Bashar Assad. Plus, more on the congressional task force investigation into the security failures leading to the assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump earlier this year.

Supreme Court seems open to allowing Trump to fire some officials without cause

The Supreme Court heard arguments over the president's authority to remove members of many independent agencies that Congress has sought to insulate from political pressure.

Brighton accused of ‘dangerous precedent’ after ban on Guardian over Tony Bloom coverage

MPs, media and supporter groups accuse club of attacking press freedom with bar after reporting on owner

Brighton & Hove Albion has been accused of setting a “dangerous precedent”, as it faced criticism for banning Guardian reporters and photographers from home matches after reports on allegations concerning the club’s owner.

MPs, media and football supporter groups accused the Premier League club of attacking press freedom after its decision to bar the Guardian from the Amex Stadium, after coverage of allegations relating to Tony Bloom.

Trump responds to "traitor" Marjorie Taylor Greene after "60 Minutes" interview

President Trump said Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is "not AMERICA FIRST or MAGA" and also attacked "60 Minutes" and Paramount in a social media post.

Stabbing on North Carolina train draws Trump's attention

A suspect accused of stabbing a man on a Charlotte Area Transit System commuter train on Friday is undocumented and was previously deported, according to authorities.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney sell Wrexham stake to US private equity group

Club gets boost for development of Racecourse Ground, but move comes months after it received £14m state aid

The Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have sold a stake in the company to the US private equity investors Apollo, less than three months after the football club was given £14m in state aid.

The Welsh club on Monday announced the investment by Apollo Sports Capital, part of the New York-listed investor. It did not reveal the size of the investment, but said Reynolds and McElhenney, who has changed his name to Rob Mac, would remain majority owners.

Ben Jennings on Trump and the Ukraine peace talks – cartoon

Continue reading...

Far-right National Rally ‘not a danger’ to France, Sarkozy claims

Nicolas Sarkozy’s new book, The Diary of a Prisoner, is being released this week – and also details the time he spent in jail

The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has said Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party is “not a danger” to France, and he would not support a united front of parties against Le Pen at the next election.

In his new book, written at a “small plywood table” in prison where he recently served 20 days of a sentence for criminal conspiracy, Sarkozy said many of his former supporters were now potential Le Pen voters, and he appeared to include the RN in his vision of a broad French right.

Sydney Sweeney, Richard Linklater and Emma Thompson are up for most egregious snub in the 2026 Golden Globe nominations

Linklater is missing from the best director list despite having two nominated films, and actors including Sydney Sweeney and Josh O’Connor are nowhere to be seen. It looks like Paul Thomas Anderson’s year

• Golden Globe nominations: One Battle After Another leads the charge

• Golden Globes 2026: full list of nominations

It’s become traditional to look for the snubs in any award list – and heaven help anyone whose job it is to curate the “in memoriam” montage on the night and then the next morning apologise for the inevitable hurtful omissions.

Snubs have become a cliche of awards season commentary, but you have to wonder about the best director list of this year’s Golden Globes nominations. No Richard Linklater? This amazing director actually has two films in the “best musical or comedy” section (so I guess he can’t really be that depressed). There’s his amazingly witty and poignant chamber piece Blue Moon, with Globe-nominated Ethan Hawke playing depressed Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart, and his eerily accomplished pastiche-homage Nouvelle Vague, about the making of Godard’s classic Breathless, shot not in the boring old colour in which these events happened but in a beautifully realised monochrome – a little reverential for my tastes but still a marvellously accomplished picture. Two films in one year, and such different films. Quite a feat.

Jim Caviezel to play Jair Bolsonaro in ‘heroic’ biopic

Actor, who starred in The Passion of the Christ, will play the disgraced ex-Brazilian president in film written by his one-time secretary of culture

Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president now in prison for plotting a coup, is getting the biopic treatment.

Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in Mel Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, is reportedly filming a “heroic” portrait of the rightwing ex-politician in secret. Dark Horse, directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and written by Mário Frias, who served as secretary of culture under Bolsonaro, started shooting three months ago in Brazil, where Bolsonaro served as president from 2019 until 2023. He was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison in September 2025 for leading a criminal conspiracy to stop his leftwing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, taking power, though his supporters deny the allegations and have compared the prosecution to the “lawfare” allegedly faced by Donald Trump before he was re-elected.

FBI agents sue after being fired for kneeling during racial justice protest

The FBI agents kneeled during a protest in 2020 not to reflect a left-wing political view, but to de-escalate a volatile situation, they say in court papers. The FBI fired them in September.

Face the Nation: Kelly, Crow, McCourt

Missed the second half of the show? The latest on... the investigation of the Donald Trump assassination attempt, the TikTok ban and the crisis in Gaza

McDonald’s will assess if franchisees are offering value for customers under new standards

McDonald's has leaned into value to appeal to cash-strapped diners who have been visiting its restaurants less frequently.

Did you solve it? The forgotten Dutch invention that created the modern world

The answer to today’s engineering challenge

Earlier today I asked you to reinvent a component of the sixteenth century Dutch sawmill, which – according to a new book – was the world’s first industrial machine. You can read that post here, along with some great BTL discussion about the world’s greatest inventions. (Spoon or spear? Plough or spectacles? Transistor or trousers?)

Round and up

False claims Afrikaners are persecuted threaten South Africa’s sovereignty, says president

Cyril Ramaphosa says theories, promoted by Donald Trump, ‘conveniently align with wider notions of white supremacy’

White supremacist ideology and false claims that South Africa’s Afrikaner minority is being racially persecuted pose a threat to the country’s sovereignty and national security, the country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has warned.

Since taking office for his second US presidential term in January, Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that South Africa’s government is seizing land and encouraging violence against white farmers.

Netflix buying Warner Bros is bad news for cinema and those of us who love it | Jesse Hassenger

The proposed acquisition would see yet more of Hollywood controlled by a tech company and one that doesn’t seem to care about the theatrical experience

Did Netflix just exacerbate a bunch of seasonal affective disorders in cinephiles? Timed to ruin holidays like a round of end-of-year layoffs, the streaming giant announced plans to buy Warner Bros, a movie and television studio with a full-century legacy. It’s possible that the acquisition won’t actually go through – and if it does, it won’t be for at least a year. But the news still looms over year-end awards and list-making, and it’s going to take more than a jingle-bell heist to steal back any holiday cheer for the entertainment industry, much less halt the march of corporate consolidation and monopolization. Even more depressing: the entity that seems most able to take action against this is … another attempted consolidation. Paramount has launched a bid for a hostile takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, which would bring two big studios under one extremely Trump-friendly umbrella. This would almost certainly further cull the number of wide-release movies released each year.

Depression might not seem like a rational response, especially for anyone who doesn’t actually work in said industry. (There are plenty of reasons that various unions are making their opposition to either sale known.) Yet the news last week had hundreds of film fans posting eulogies and defenses not just of Warner Bros as a studio – which on its own includes a vast history encompassing classics like Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Departed, Bonnie and Clyde, The Searchers and The Matrix, among hundreds – but the very fabric of theatrical moviegoing.

Alex Murdaugh trial clerk pleads guilty to showing reporter crime scene photos

Former South Carolina court clerk Becky Hill has pleaded guilty to showing sealed court exhibits to a photographer and lying about it in court.

Not so fast, Netflix. Paramount launches hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

Paramount has launched a hostile bid for the company that's home to Casablanca, Batman and CNN. Just Friday, Netflix and Warner Brothers executives were celebrating a deal they had struck. 

Britain’s most desirable home: why it’s probably not what you’d expect

Forget sprawling mansions or quirky architecture, Zoopla’s most-viewed listing in 2025 was notable for being relatively affordable and surrounded by countryside …

Name: Britain’s most desirable home.

Age: Newly crowned.

Home sellers are giving up at 'unusually high rate,' says new Realtor report

Sellers are taking their homes off the market at the highest delisting rate since Realtor.com began tracking the seasonal trend in 2022.

China's trade surplus hits $1 trillion for first time ever

China's exports to the U.S. have dropped sharply this year, in the face of President Trump's tariffs — but the country is still finding plenty of customers elsewhere around the world.

Nuts sold at Wegmans stores in 9 states recalled over salmonella risk

Mixed nuts from Ohio-based Mellace Family Brands sold at some Wegmans stores could be tainted with Salmonella, FDA warns.

Washington DC police chief resigns after less than two years

Pamela Smith, first Black woman to lead the department, quits amid battle with Trump over control of police

• US politics – live updates

Washington’s police chief, Pamela Smith, is resigning after less than two years in the role amid an ongoing battle over control of the city’s law enforcement as Donald Trump moved to federalize the Metropolitan police department.

Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Smith’s departure on Monday, praising her leadership during a period of “significant urgency” for the nation’s capital.

U.S. men's soccer team seeks first FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting next year, kicks off in June. U.S. Men's National Team has never won a World Cup, but "CBS Mornings" meets the man looking to change that.

‘It’s been called the greatest hip-hop film ever’: how we made cult graffiti classic Wild Style

‘I handed a guy a starting pistol for a stick-up scene. But instead he reached into his car and took out the sawn-off shotgun you see in the movie’

I was part of the New York graffiti artists the Fabulous 5, who were primarily known for painting whole subway cars on the Lexington Avenue line. Lee Quiñones was the group’s Michelangelo. I’d been running with Jean-Michel Basquiat and wanted to take graffiti art into art spaces. I thought that an underground independent film could tell our story in the way we wanted.

Social media use damages children’s ability to focus, say researchers

Study of 8,300 US children suggests social media may be contributing to a rise in ADHD diagnoses

Increased use of social media by children damages their concentration levels and may be contributing to an increase in cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a study.

The peer-reviewed report monitored the development of more than 8,300 US-based children from the age of 10 to 14 and linked social media use to “increased inattention symptoms”.

Rock star: Sasha DiGiulian on making history with a ‘crazy, audacious’ climb of El Capitán

The 33-year-old hit rain, lightning, snow and ice in Yosemite – and still became the first woman to ascend the Platinum route

Big-wall climber Sasha DiGiulian had spent the last three years preparing for a career-defining ascent of one of the most challenging routes up the face of the famed granite cliff known as El Capitán in Yosemite national park. All she and her partner needed was a two-week window of favorable weather. They appeared to get one on 3 November.

DiGiulian felt jolts of fear during her training, she said, induced by the sudden 2,600ft of exposure she felt as she rappelled down to practice on the most challenging sections of the iconic California peak. But her nerves calmed when ascending from the base, allowing her to focus more intently on the moves and completing each pitch – a measurement that references a length of the rope that climbers use to secure themselves to the rock.

The Dead of Winter by Sarah Clegg audiobook review – haunting Christmas tales

An esoteric blend of folklore and festivity reveals the lesser known, dark side of Christmas, from horse skulls and Yule cats to Icelandic ogres

Christmas nowadays tends to revolve around family, food and a furtive visit from a pot-bellied stranger down the chimney. But in The Dead of Winter, the historian and folklorist Sarah Clegg reveals a lesser known side to the festive season, unearthing unsettling midwinter traditions and stories that fell out of favour in the Victorian age.

Subtitled The Demons, Witches and Ghosts of Christmas, the book opens with Clegg embarking on a pre-dawn walk to a graveyard on Christmas Eve. She is recreating an old Swedish tradition called årsgång, or “year walk”, which is said to offer glimpses into the walker’s future along with “shadowy enactments of the burials of anyone who will die in the village this coming year”.

Available via WF Howes, 4hr 21min

ICEBlock app sues Trump administration for censorship and 'unlawful threats'

The app lets people anonymously share the locations of immigration agents but Apple removed it from its app store under pressure from the Trump administration. Now, the app's developer is suing.

Golden Globe nominations announced for 2026. See the full list.

The nominations for the 2026 Golden Globes​ were announced on Monday morning. Here are the nominees.

Can Syria’s president turn wave of global goodwill into tangible results at home?

Sanctions, instability and external meddling are still problems for Ahmed al-Sharaa, one year after Assad’s fall

• Ddivided Syria struggles to escape cycle of violence

• The fall of the house of Assad – in pictures

If ubiquity and handshakes were the only measures of success, Ahmed al-Sharaa would be diplomat of the year.

Since he formally became president of Syria on 29 January 2025, the former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – a jihadist group with an al-Qaida lineage – has made a total of 21 public international trips to 13 countries. These include a visit to the UN general assembly, the climate change conference in Brazil, and numerous Arab summits.

Senate focus turns to health care ahead of long-anticipated vote this week

The Senate is set to vote on a Democratic health care proposal this week, a key tenet of the deal to end the government shutdown.

Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 7, 2025

On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Rep. Ilhan Omar join Margaret Brennan.

‘I’m a prisoner of hope’: Olafur Eliasson on using art to bring us together to save the world

Inside Presence, the Icelandic-Danish artist’s epic new show in Brisbane, what you see changes based on where you stand or how you look – crucial when it comes to tackling the climate crisis

I gasp as it comes into view: an enormous sun looming above, its surface roiling with what looks like thousands of tiny atomic explosions. It seems to notice me as well: when I stop, it stops too. It’s both awe-inspiring and unnerving.

In the mirrors around the glowing orb, I spot Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson – globally renowned for large-scale installations that challenge your sense of perception – posing for selfies with the crowd.

Heated Rivalry: this horny gay ice hockey drama has everyone talking – but is it any good?

HBO’s new show is part of a wave of gay-themed romance – from Heartstopper to Red, White and Royal Blue – that desexes gay men just enough to make them palatable, like pets for young women

Even before it dropped on HBO Max last month, this new drama series about two horny gay rival ice hockey players shagging each other off the rink while fighting for sporting supremacy on it was generating its own steam. Perhaps it was creator Jacob Tierney’s terse response to questions of his leading actors’ sexualities while on a recent promotional tour. Or that the show is based on a series of concupiscent novels by Canadian writer Rachel Reid that centre hockey (!), and which ride the current trend for “hate-to-love” romance driving the kids crazy. Actually, it’s probably just all the hot gay sex.

Because Heated Rivalry does get heated. One minute aloof Russian player Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) is making eyes at meek local champion Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), the next they’re wanking in the shower together. Then getting blowjobs in classy hotel suites. Pretty soon, the boys are going at it hammer and tongs – broken at regular intervals by months-long ellipses, waiting for the hockey circuit to bring them back into each others’ arms. This is also convenient for sexual tension, which would otherwise have to be developed through character and dialogue.

McCullum’s ‘overprepared’ Ashes remark may prove England’s Bazball epitaph

Australia’s superior basics have shattered expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the spotlight

Brendon McCullum hated the term Bazball from the moment it entered the lexicon, deeming it to be reductive and perhaps knowing how it might be weaponised down the line. Now, 2-0 down in an away Ashes series that began with high hopes, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

But McCullum has not helped himself, either. After the gutting at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England trained “too hard” before the day‑night match was like trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as England head coach if performances do not take an upturn.

The 50 best albums of 2025

From prog cabaret and joyful jangle-pop to a rapper who rhymed ‘bonkers’ with ‘chompers’, here are the year’s finest LPs as decided by 30 Guardian music writers
• More on the best culture of 2025

***

United maintains elite status requirements for 2027, but here's what's changing

Airlines have spent years grappling with having hordes of members in elite frequent flyer programs.

Golden Globe nominations: One Battle After Another leads the charge

Sinners, Hamnet and Sentimental Value also key contenders for first major awards ceremony of the season, while Bradley Cooper, Sydney Sweeney and Brendan Fraser among those snubbed
• Full list of nominations
• Peter Bradshaw’s take
• The best films of 2025

At present, the mantelpiece of Paul Thomas Anderson remains strikingly light on major trophies. Despite being responsible for some of the films widely acknowledged to be the best of the century so far, including There Will Be Blood, The Master and Phantom Thread, the writer-director is yet to win an Oscar, Golden Globe or more than one Bafta (original screenplay for 2021’s Licorice Pizza).

This year’s Golden Globe nominations suggest this is about to change, with his counterculture epic One Battle After Another leading the pack of nominees with nine mentions on the shortlist, including for best comedy or musical, best director, best original screenplay, leading actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, leading actor for Chase Infiniti, supporting actress for Teyana Taylor and two chances to scoop supporting actor – for Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro. Jonny Greenwood’s score was also recognised.

Thailand launches airstrikes along disputed border with Cambodia as tensions flare

Escalation follows killing of Thai soldier and four Cambodian civilians weeks after Trump-brokered ceasefire

Thailand has launched airstrikes along its disputed border with Cambodia after both countries accused each other of breaching a ceasefire deal brokered by Donald Trump.

Four Cambodian civilians and at least one Thai soldier have been killed in the renewed clashes, which have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

Winter weather slams parts of U.S., bringing snow and frigid temperatures

Parts of the Midwest got several inches of snow over the weekend and by Sunday, the system reached New York. Another round of snow is now hitting the MidAtlantic. CBS News meteorologist Rob Marciano has more.

Dinosaur bones, a nuclear reactor and vintage cars: photos of the day – Monday

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

Authorities monitor online criticism of New Orleans immigration crackdown

Officials track public sentiment, noting negative impact of ‘videos with sounds of children crying’ as parents arrested

State and federal authorities are closely tracking online criticism and protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in New Orleans, monitoring message boards around the clock for threats to agents while compiling regular updates on public “sentiment” surrounding the arrests, according to law enforcement records reviewed by the Associated Press.

The intelligence gathering comes even as officials have released few details about the first arrests made last week as part of “Catahoula Crunch”, prompting calls for greater transparency from local officials who say they have been kept in the dark about virtually every aspect of the operation.

Elif Shafak named new president of the Royal Society of Literature

The British-Turkish writer was elected after a vote among the society’s fellows, with outgoing president Bernardine Evaristo describing her selection as ‘terrifically inspired’

Novelist Elif Shafak has been named the new president of the Royal Society of Literature (RSL), taking over from Bernardine Evaristo as she reaches the end of her four-year term.

British-Turkish writer Shafak, the author of novels including The Island of Missing Trees and There Are Rivers in the Sky, was announced in the role on Friday after a vote among fellows at the society’s AGM on Thursday.

People on lowest incomes being denied access to social housing, research finds

Benefit claimants having applications denied for being deemed too risky by housing associations, says Crisis

The poorest people in England are being denied access to social housing owing to their low income, in a “catch-22” situation that is pushing more people into homelessness, research has found.

A new report from Crisis said that an ever depleting supply of social homes meant that housing associations were using strict criteria to choose new tenants, and people on low incomes and in receipt of benefits were having applications denied due to being deemed too risky.

Ignorance is BS: speaker’s stock answer on Trump’s misdeeds is ‘I don’t know’

Mike Johnson’s denials of knowledge of presidential scandals strain credulity – but may be an effective tactic

The US House speaker, Mike Johnson, has developed a go-to response when asked about something controversial Donald Trump or members of his administration said or did.

It’s some version of “I don’t know anything about that.”

Poem of the week: The Apology by Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea

Finch defends her daring to practise the male profession of poetry using heroic couplets and subversive jokes

The Apology

’Tis true, I write; and tell me by what rule
I am alone forbid to play the fool,
To follow through the groves a wandering muse
And feigned ideas for my pleasures choose?
Why should it in my pen be held a fault,
Whilst Myra paints her face, to paint a thought?
Whilst Lamia to the manly bumper flies,
And borrowed spirits sparkle in her eyes,
Why should it be in me a thing so vain
To heat with poetry my colder brain?

‘It has to be genuine’: older influencers drive growth on social media

As midlife audiences turn to digital media, the 55 to 64 age bracket is an increasingly important demographic

In 2022, Caroline Idiens was on holiday halfway up an Italian mountain when her brother called to tell her to check her Instagram account. “I said, ‘I haven’t got any wifi. And he said: ‘Every time you refresh, it’s adding 500 followers.’ So I had to try to get to the top of the hill with the phone to check for myself.”

A personal trainer from Berkshire who began posting her fitness classes online at the start of lockdown in 2020, Idiens, 53, had already built a respectable following.

Infantino’s lickspittle World Cup draw promises a tournament autocrats will love

Friday’s ceremony in Washington DC was cringe-inducing and craven enough to make football fans nostalgic for the reign of Sepp Blatter

Well, that was awful, wasn’t it? Donald Trump’s heroic victory over a field of one to claim the inaugural Fifa peace prize, on-stage banter so dead it was already fossilized, Gianni Infantino doing crowd work, and Wayne Gretzky struggling through the pronunciation of “Macedonia” and “Curaçao” in the draw’s linguistic group of death: even with the benefit of a few days’ distance it’s impossible to overstate how impressively bad the draw for the 2026 World Cup, held last Friday at the Trump-purged Kennedy Center in Washington DC, was.

“This is America, so we have to put on a show!” roared Fifa president Infantino, resembling a Sphinx cat in a borrowed suit, at the beginning of the ceremony. And put on a show Fifa did – just not one that anyone wanted to watch, least of all a desperately bored-looking Trump, who sat through Andrea Bocelli’s Nessun Dorma with the granitic joylessness that has become his default expression at each of the sporting events he’s ruined with his presence this year. Just let the man get back to the White House; he’s the president of the United States, for god’s sake, he has bathrooms to redesign.

US attack on Venezuela risks ‘Vietnam-style’ regional conflict, warns Lula adviser

Brazil aide says Trump’s closure of Venezuelan airspace amounts to an ‘act of war’ that could escalate

• Maduro says the real reason for Trump’s Venezuela fixation is oil – is he right?

A US invasion or attack on Venezuela could plunge South America into a Vietnam-style conflict, the chief foreign policy adviser to Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has warned.

In an interview with the Guardian, Celso Amorim called Donald Trump’s recent decision to order the closure of Venezuelan airspace “an act of war”, and voiced fears the crisis could intensify over the coming weeks.

Supreme Court to hear major test of presidential power in case over FTC firing

President Trump's efforts to reshape the executive branch and flex his presidential power are set to be tested at the Supreme Court on Monday.

Prince Harry’s UK security under review after he wrote to Mahmood, reports say

Home Office has reportedly ordered threat assessment amid long-running dispute over Duke of Sussex’s safety

• UK politics live – latest updates

The Duke of Sussex’s security arrangements while visiting the UK are reportedly to be reviewed after a direct request from him to the home secretary.

Prince Harry, who lost a high-profile legal claim against the government over the decision to remove his right to automatic taxpayer-funded police protection, wrote privately to the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, requesting a full security risk assessment.

SCOTUS case could expand presidential powers. And, Dems pitch plan for ACA subsidies

The Supreme Court will hear arguments today in a case about President Trump's firing of a Federal Trade Commissioner. And, Senate Democrats are set to pitch a plan to extend ACA subsidies this week.

Here's where minimum wage increases are set to kick in next year

Minimum wages are set to rise in 22 U.S. states and 66 cities and counties next year, even as the federal baseline wage remains at $7.25.

Weather tracker: Atmospheric rivers to bring heavy rain and snow to Pacific north-west

Flood and weather alerts in place across western half of region as parts of Iraq and Iran also face significant rain

Weather alerts are in effect across the Pacific north-west this week as a series of atmospheric rivers are forecast to deliver multiple rainfall events and heavy mountain snow from western British Columbia in Canada, to Washington and Oregon in the US.

More than 200mm (8ins) of rainfall is expected across the western half of Washington state and north-west Oregon by Friday, with between 100-150mm expected in cities such as Seattle and Portland. About 400mm are possible on the western side of the Cascades, while more than a foot of snow is expected above 1,800-2,100 metres.

‘Performance is inherently vulnerable’: Kristen Stewart says acting is ‘unmasculine’

Actor questions why male ‘method actors’ are held in such high regard, whereas female actors are just seen as ‘crazy’

Kristen Stewart has claimed that acting is “unmasculine” and “inherently submissive”, and that male actors developed “the method” to compensate.

In an interview with the New York Times, Stewart was asked about Marlon Brando’s performance in the 1978 film Superman, and after saying she hadn’t seen the movie said that his apparent inability to pronounce the word “Krypton” correctly was “painful”. She added: “Performance is inherently vulnerable and therefore quite embarrassing and unmasculine. There’s no bravado in suggesting that you’re a mouthpiece for someone else’s ideas. It’s inherently submissive. Have you ever heard of a female actor that was method?”

More than 200 environmental groups demand halt to new US datacenters

Exclusive: Congress urged to act against energy-hungry facilities blamed for increasing bills and worsening climate crisis

A coalition of more than 230 environmental groups has demanded a national moratorium on new datacenters in the US, the latest salvo in a growing backlash to a booming artificial intelligence industry that has been blamed for escalating electricity bills and worsening the climate crisis.

The green groups, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Food & Water Watch and dozens of local organizations, have urged members of Congress to halt the proliferation of energy-hungry datacenters, accusing them of causing planet-heating emissions, sucking up vast amounts of water and exacerbating electricity bill increases that have hit Americans this year.

Jeffrey Epstein’s most powerful ally was silence | Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky

When abuse occurs, the first instinct is too often containment. We know this pattern because we have seen it ourselves

For years, Jeffrey Epstein conjured a kind of grotesque fascination: the private island, the powerful friends, the whispered allegations. But focusing on the lurid details of his life and eventual death obscures the far more unsettling truth his case lays bare. Epstein’s story is not really about one man’s depravity. It is about a system – legal, cultural and institutional – engineered to protect the powerful through silence. His crimes thrived not because they were hidden, but because the people who knew were coerced, encouraged or more than willing to shut up.

Silence was not incidental to Epstein’s success. It was central to it. And in this, he was hardly unique.

Gretchen Carlson is a journalist, bestselling author and internationally recognized advocate for women’s rights. Julie Roginsky is a champion of women’s rights and political consultant. Carlson and Roginsky co-founded the nonprofit Lift Our Voices, dedicated to eliminating silencing mechanisms like forced arbitration and NDAs for toxic workplace issues

Does Pete Hegseth even believe that war crimes exist? | Sidney Blumenthal

The US defense secretary’s belief that the military should not be held to account has been a defining factor in his career

Pete Hegseth’s office is located on the third floor of the Pentagon, in the E ring, room 3E880, facing the Potomac River with a scenic view of the monuments and the Capitol. He posted a video on 5 September showing a new bronze plaque being affixed to his door reading: “Pete Hegseth Secretary of War.”

His splendid new designation, not established by the Congress as required by law, was purely notional and performative, announced by Donald Trump in an executive order that carried no legal weight, but befitted Hegseth’s self-conceit as warrior-in-chief. He now had the title to go with the tattoos: the crusader cross; “Deus vult”, or “God wills it”, the crusader battle cry; the sniper rifle against the background of an American flag; and the cross and sword inspired by Matthew 10:34: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Sidney Blumenthal, former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, has published three books of a projected five-volume political life of Abraham Lincoln: A Self-Made Man, Wrestling With His Angel and All the Powers of Earth. He is a Guardian US columnist

After Texas ruling, Trump and Republicans head to 2026 with a redistricting edge

Trump has prompted a redistricting race as he tries to maintain Republican control of the House in the 2026 elections. Democrats have fewer options to counter, as the battle heads into next year.

How China, not the U.S., became the main climate solution story in 2025

The U.S. has become a "side character" in the global story of renewable energy, experts say. China dominates the sector, with positive implications for the climate and their economy.

‘I wanted to be one of them’: why Bring It On is my feelgood movie

The latest in our series of writers paying tribute to their most loved comfort films is an ode to the 2000 teen classic

The opening sequence of Bring It On is – in a word – unapologetic. A dozen cheerleaders scream “I’m sexy, I’m cute, I’m popular to boot” in unison – and I have yet to meet anyone (and I have tried) who has the willpower to look away.

It’s certainly not an exaggeration to say I wanted to be one of them – that is, one of the Toros, Rancho Carne high school’s premier cheer squad. But, as a six-year-old watching in north London, I was a world away from the cornucopia of herkies, suggestive dance moves and hair flips of competitive cheerleading in San Diego.

‘Kids can’t buy them anywhere’: how Pokémon cards became a stock market for millennials

A surprising economic bubble is making it hard for anyone to buy Pokémon cards – especially children

Pokémon has been huge since the late 90s. Millions of people have fond memories of playing the original Red and Blue games, or trading cards in the playground for that elusive shiny Charizard (if your school didn’t ban them). The franchise has only grown since then – but, where the trading cards are concerned, things have taken an unexpected and unfortunate turn. It’s now almost impossible to get your hands on newly released cards thanks to an insane rise in reselling and scalping over the past year.

Selling on your old cards to collectors has always been part of the hobby, and like baseball cards or Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon cards can sometimes go for thousands of pounds. However, the resale market for Pokémon has climbed so high that even new cards are valued at hundreds, before they’ve even been released. The latest set, Phantasmal Flames, had a rare special illustration Charizard that was being valued at more than £600 before anyone had even found one. When a pack of cards retails at about £4, there’s a huge potential profit to be had.

The one change that worked: I started bringing my own takeaway box to every meal – and sparked a mini movement

Every year, 1bn tonnes of food are wasted. I value my meals and the work that has gone into them, so I am now always prepared and ready to take home delicious leftovers

I’ve always loved catching up with friends and family over a meal out. Not only is it a chance to find out the latest gossip and what everyone’s up to, but it’s also an opportunity to try out new foods and share that experience together.

But looking back, I’ve realised that I’ve been guilty of contributing to food waste by leaving meals unfinished. Sometimes, I didn’t realise how big portions would be or I’d get so focused on chatting to everyone that I would forget to eat everything until it was time to go.

12/7: CBS Weekend News

Calls grow for video of second U.S. strike on alleged drug boat; Russia praises Trump's national security plan.

Elon Musk calls for abolition of European Union after X fined $140 million

Musk's comments come as U.S. government officials step up criticism of the European Union

The Tale of Silyan review – farmer adopts stork in delightfully cockle-warming mud-caked folk tale

This film set in North Macedonia follows a farming family trying to survive in a cockle-warming story

Like director Tamara Kotevska’s previous feature Honeyland (which she co-directed with Ljubomir Stefanov), this sly, delightful film is neither a pure documentary nor a work of fiction. Instead, this blends folk tale and mud-caked vérité to tell the story of a contemporary farming family, the Conevs, in economically depressed North Macedonia.

Sixtysomething paterfamilias Nikola and his wife, Jana, have been growing watermelons, tomatoes and tobacco on the family land for years. However, the wholesale prices have recently dropped through the soil, prompting a mini riot by irate agricultural workers who take out their frustrations by destroying their own crops. Nikola and Jana’s daughter Ana decides to emigrate to Germany with her husband, taking their preschool-aged daughter with them, only to discover that most of their wages will be eaten up by childcare fees. They implore Jana to come out and be their childminder, leaving Nikola to try to sell the farmland for a pittance and find a job at a local landfill. Melancholy video-calls to the family abroad underscore his loneliness, but at least he has old mucker Ilija to talk to and share the odd bottle of hooch.

The Effingers by Gabriele Tergit review – a vivid portrait of Berlin before the Nazis

Written in 1951 and now translated into English for the first time, this family saga by the acclaimed German author recaptures a golden age for Jewish life

In 1948, the German Jewish author Gabriele Tergit travelled to Berlin. There, in ruins, was the city in which she was born and grew up, reported on, then chronicled in fiction. Tergit had been one of the shining lights of interwar Berlin’s flourishing journalistic scene; she had also married into one of the city’s most prominent Jewish families. In 1931 her debut novel announced her as a literary phenomenon.

Then the Nazis came to power. Tergit was on an enemies list. She fled, first to Czechoslovakia, then to Palestine, and finally to London, where she lived from 1938 until her death in 1982. Never again did she call Berlin home. When she visited after the war, she found no real place in the conservative postwar German literary world – and no real audience for The Effingers, her newly completed magnum opus. A version was printed in 1951, but to little acclaim; only recently has a critical rediscovery in Germany established Tergit as one of the country’s major authors. Now, thanks to an excellent translation by Sophie Duvernoy, The Effingers is appearing in English.

Extracting hangovers from beer: inside Budweiser owner’s ‘nolo’ brewery in south Wales

AB InBev unveils its ‘de-alcoholisation’ annex at Magor site as demand for once ‘lousy’ low- or no-alcohol beer rises

A “de-alcoholisation facility” sounds like somewhere to check in after a boozy Christmas, but in the new annexe of a brewery in south Wales they are extracting hangovers from beer.

With demand for no-alcohol and low-alcohol (“nolo”) beer taking off in the UK, the hi-tech brewing apparatus enables the plant at Magor, which produces more than 1bn pints of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois a year, to make the increasingly popular teetotal versions too.

Israeli surveillance targets US and allies at joint base planning Gaza aid and security, say sources

Concerns over recording of meetings at coordination centre excluding Palestinians that was set up to provide support for Trump’s Gaza plan

Israeli operatives are conducting widespread surveillance of US forces and allies stationed at a new US base in the country’s south, according to sources briefed on disputes about open and covert recordings of meetings and discussions.

The scale of intelligence gathering at the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) prompted the US commander of the base, Lt Gen Patrick Frank, to summon an Israeli counterpart for a meeting to tell him that “recording has to stop here”.