This word sums up how workers are feeling these days, Glassdoor says

Here's how many employees say they are feeling amid festering concerns about the economy, AI and other issues, according to the job-search firm.

‘It’s a breach of trust’: fear and frustration over countries’ push to return Syrians home

Syrians who have rebuilt their lives abroad face uncertainty over their futures amid hardening of attitudes

Tears of joy streamed down Abdulhkeem Alshater’s face as he joined thousands of other Syrian nationals in central Vienna last year. The moment they were marking felt like a miracle: after more than five decades of brutality and repression, the Assad regime had fallen.

A day later, however, the ripple effects of what had happened 2,000 miles away in Syria were laid bare. A dozen European states announced plans to suspend asylum applications from Syrians, in a show of how western states are increasingly treating refugees as transients. As the fall of Bashar al-Assad collided with politicians’ quest to be seen as taking a hard line on migration, the lives of Syrians around the globe were plunged into uncertainty.

Federal judge grants justice department request to unseal Jeffrey Epstein grand jury documents – US politics live

Richard M Berman cites passage of Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the DoJ to release all Epstein records by 19 December

Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who was co-sponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, told CNN today that the federal judge’s order to unseal grand jury records from the 2019 federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein shows that “American democracy still is working”.

“You’ve now had three judges who, in the past, had said you could not release either grand jury testimony or protective orders now ruling that they have to be in compliance with Congress,” Khanna said. “And these files are going to come out, and it does give me hope that we’re going to see broad transparency.”

Starmer, Merz and Macron take phone call with Trump on Ukraine peace talks – Europe live

European leaders confirm that they spoke with the US president earlier today about ‘the state of talks’

Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, is now delivering his opening speech.

It’s a damning verdict on Maduro’s authoritarian rule in Venezuela, as he talks about a number of figures facing repression and torture from the regime.

“As we sit here in Oslo City Hall, innocent people are locked away in dark cells in Venezuela. They cannot hear the speeches given today – only the screams of prisoners being tortured.”

Venezuela has evolved into a brutal, authoritarian state facing a deep humanitarian and economic crisis. Meanwhile, a small elite at the top – shielded by political power, weapons and legal impunity – enriches itself.

“A quarter of the population has already fled the country – one of the world’s largest refugee crises.

Those who remain live under a regime that systematically silences, harasses and attacks the opposition.”

“Venezuela is not alone in this darkness. The world is on the wrong track. The authoritarians are gaining.

We must ask the inconvenient question:

“Authoritarian regimes learn from each other. They share technology and propaganda systems. Behind Maduro stand Cuba, Russia, Iran, China and Hezbollah – providing weapons, surveillance and economic lifelines. They make the regime more robust, and more brutal.”

LGBTQ+ events to go ahead at World Cup game despite Egypt and Iran objections

• Organisers confirm ‘Pride Match’ activities will take place

• Seattle to host Egypt v Iran in Group G next summer

Plans to celebrate LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms in Seattle during next summer’s World Cup will continue despite objections from the Egyptian and Iranian football federations over the “Pride Match” due to take place in the city.

Seattle organisers have confirmed they are “moving forward as planned” with Pride activities in the city when Egypt face Iran in Group G on 26 June. Rainbow flags will also be allowed into the stadium by Fifa.

Can the lessons of 1929 help us avert another economic crisis?

New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin draws parallels between the stock market crash of 1929, which led to the Great Depression, and today's economic uncertainty.

Rivian turns to AI, autonomy to woo investors as EV sales stall

Rivian is under pressure to deliver future growth potential for investors and expand its customer base amid slowing sales of electric vehicles.

Trump admin moves to end SAVE plan for millions of student borrowers

Current SAVE borrowers will have "limited time" to enroll in a new loan repayment plan and begin repaying their loans, the Education Department said.

Judge blocks Trump admin. from deploying California National Guard in Los Angeles

A U.S. district judge blocked Trump from deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and said control of the Guard must be returned to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

A dead whale shows up on your beach. What do you do with the 40-ton carcass?

A fin whale washed ashore in Anchorage and was left there for months. Then a self-described ‘wacko’ museum director made a plan

When a whale dies, its body descends to the bottom of the deep sea in a transformative phenomenon called a whale fall. A whale’s death jump-starts an explosion of life, enough to feed and sustain a deep-ocean ecosystem for decades.

There are a lot of ways whales can die. Migrating whales lose their way and, unable to find their way back from unfamiliar waters, are stranded. They can starve when prey disappears or fall to predators such as orcas. They become bycatch, tangled in fishing lines and nets. Mass whale deaths have been linked to marine heatwaves and the toxic algae blooms that follow.

Man made fire 350,000 years earlier than previously thought, discovery in Suffolk suggests

Groundbreaking find makes compelling case that humans were lighting fires much earlier than originally believed

Humans mastered the art of creating fire 400,000 years ago, almost 350,000 years earlier than previously known, according to a groundbreaking discovery in a field in Suffolk.

It is known that humans used natural fire more than 1m years ago, but until now the earliest unambiguous example of humans lighting fires came from a site in northern France dating from 50,000 years ago.

A sporting superhero: can anyone stop Luke Littler at the world darts championship?

Defending champion is a phenomenon and the indisputable titan of the game with a sense of inevitability at the Alexandra Palace extravaganza

You will be seeing plenty of Batman and Wonder Woman over the coming weeks; Spiderman, Mr Incredible, perhaps even a Ninja Turtle or two. Yes, Christmas at Alexandra Palace is always a good time for spotting superheroes. But only one of them will not be wearing a costume.

In fact, it is when he is in his normal human clothes, doing normal human things, that Luke Littler looks at his most incongruous. Standing with his fellow Manchester United fans in the away end at Molineux. Proudly brandishing a fresh driving certificate after finally passing his test. And it is in these more unguarded moments that you remember that the man they call The Nuke, the phenomenon who has detonated the sport of darts, is really still just a kid, a regular lad from Warrington with a deeply irregular talent.

House to vote today on must-pass $900 billion defense policy bill

The House is poised to vote Wednesday on a $900 billion defense policy bill as both chambers race to pass it before the end of the year.

All of the suspected drug boat killings are murders | Kenneth Roth

There is no rule of law if the president can deem anyone an enemy combatant and order them summarily shot

The largely supine Republicans in Congress had no apparent trouble as Donald Trump and defense secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the killing of suspected drug runners off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia. But suddenly they are up in arms because the Washington Post reported on 28 November about one incident, a double-tap strike, in which the US military finished off two survivors of an attack.

Tempted as I am to accept whatever it takes to spark some minimal scrutiny of these summary executions, I hope this unexpected opening prompts broader investigation of this entire series of murders, which have now claimed 87 victims in 22 attacks. As Democrats join in, there are some indications that this expanded scrutiny may be finally beginning.

Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch (1993-2022), is a visiting professor at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs. His book, Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments, is published by Knopf and Allen Lane.

Ice Age lake at Death Valley reemerges after record rainfall

An ancient lake reemerged in Death Valley National Park, after the California desert region experienced a period of record rainfall.

Michigan Democrat moves to impeach RFK Jr, alleging ‘abuse of authority’

Haley Stevens accuses health secretary of undermining public health, but Republican-run House is unlikely to act

• US politics live – latest updates

A Democratic lawmaker from Michigan has introduced articles of impeachment against Robert F Kennedy, the US health secretary, accusing him of “abuse of authority and undermining of the public health”.

Representative Haley Stevens, who is currently running for Senate, formally introduced the articles on impeachment on Wednesday, several months after she announced that she vowed to file the articles.

AfD responds to Trump ‘erasure’ claims with call for nationalist revival in Europe

Continent’s other nationalist parties wary of echoing sentiments of US president due to his unpopularity

• Europe live – latest updates

Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has responded to US claims that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” by saying it backs efforts for a nationalist revival on the continent – but other nationalist parties in the EU are far more cautious.

“The AfD is fighting alongside its international friends for a conservative renaissance,” the party’s foreign policy spokesperson, Markus Frohnmaier, said on Wednesday, adding that he would meet Maga Republicans in Washington and New York this week.

Trump trade rep changes China soybean purchase timeline, cites 'discrepancy'

China for months earlier this year had boycotted purchasing soybeans from U.S. farms because of a trade war began by President Donald Trump.

The Fed meeting is likely to feature a rate cut and a lot more. Here's what to expect

The central bank is poised to deliver its third straight interest rate cut Wednesday, while firing a warning shot about what's ahead.

Federal judge orders unsealing of more Epstein files in New York

A federal judge in New York has granted a request from the Justice Department to unseal more files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

As AI floods our culture, here’s why we must protect human storytelling in games

Buying the Zombies, Run! studio wasn’t part of ​my plan, but a post-apocalypse ​game with stories that make people feel seen pulled me in

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A few days ago, I clicked a button on my phone to send funds to a company in Singapore and so took ownership of the video game I co-created and am lead writer for: Zombies, Run! I am a novelist, I wrote the bestselling, award-winning The Power, which was turned into an Amazon Prime TV series starring Toni Collette. What on earth am I doing buying a games company?

Well. First of all. Zombies, Run! is special. It’s special to me – the game started as a Kickstarter and the community that grew up around it has always been incredibly supportive of what we’re doing. And it’s special in what it does. It’s a game to exercise with. You play it on your smartphone – iPhone or Android – and we tell stories from the zombie apocalypse in your headphones to encourage you to go further, faster, or just make exercise less boring. Games are so often portrayed as the bad entertainment form, but I made a game that fundamentally helps people to be healthier.

Walmart and Alquist strike landmark deal, jump-starting 3D-printed commercial real estate

The new technology has started to grow in the homebuilding market, but has been far slower in commercial construction.

Received an unwanted gift? Here is your failsafe guide to how to respond | Polly Hudson

Remember the protocol everyone must follow: look convincingly happy and never say what you actually think about a disappointing present

To paraphrase George Michael, last Christmas my friend gave her sister-in-law a book. The sister-in-law opened it, immediately said, “Oh I’ve already got this,” and handed it back. If you just winced, you are correct.

Common decency dictates that you gratefully receive a jumper, making multiple exclamations of how thrilled you are, even if you’re wearing an identical one as you open it. The very next day, you give it away. That’s how it works, and why charity shops are inundated in December and January. This is the season of goodwill, not honesty – white lies are so festively appropriate, they’re the colour of snow. Ho-ho-hope you kept the receipt, said no one ever.

Author Sophie Kinsella, who penned the 'Shopaholic' books, has died at 55

The author, whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in late 2022.

A tribute to resilience: what we can learn from the splendour of Accra Cultural Week

Ghana’s capital is a party and entertainment hub but members of the diaspora would do well to experience its spectacular art scene

• Don’t get The Long Wave delivered to your inbox? Sign up here

After more than 50 editions surfing across the waves of the global Black diaspora with Nesrine, this will be my final dispatch for the Long Wave, as I move on to a new role on the Opinion desk at the Guardian. I am heartbroken to be leaving, but I am so thankful to all of our readers for being so encouraging and engaged throughout the past year.

Any who, time to cut the sad music (this is my farewell tune of choice), as I have one more edition for you. In late autumn, I took my first trip to Ghana for Accra Cultural Week. While there, I visited the historic area of Jamestown, which was reflected in an exhibition by artist Serge Attukwei Clottey.

$30 million settlement approved for family of teen killed by San Diego police

The settlement approved for Konoa Wilson's family exceeds the $27 million the city of Minneapolis agreed to pay the family of George Floyd.

Tony Dokoupil named anchor of the "CBS Evening News"

Emmy Award-winning journalist Tony Dokoupil will anchor the "CBS Evening News" beginning on Jan. 5, 2026.

Tourists to US would have to reveal five years of social media activity under new Trump plan

Proposed plan would apply to tourists of all countries, including those not required to get a visa to visit the US

All tourists to the United States would have to reveal their social media activity from the last five years, under new Trump administration plans.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would also require any email addresses and telephone numbers visitors have used in the same period, and the names, addresses, birthdates and birthplaces of family members, including children.

British paratrooper killed in Ukraine was observing defensive capability test

Keir Starmer pays tribute to George Hooley, 28, and says soldier died in ‘tragic accident away from front lines’

A soldier killed in Ukraine as he watched the testing of a new defensive capability was a 28-year-old paratrooper.

The “tragic accident” happened on Tuesday morning when lance corporal George Hooley was with Ukrainian military counterparts.

U.S. to mandate checks of some tourists' social media history from past 5 years

Tourists from countries including Britain, Japan, France, and Australia will now be expected to provide their social media history to visit to the U.S.

Meghan accuses Daily Mail of ethics breach over reporting from father’s bedside

Paper criticised over coverage of Duchess of Sussex’s attempt to contact Thomas Markle after surgery

The Duchess of Sussex has accused the Daily Mail of breaching “clear ethical boundaries” by reporting from the bedside of her estranged father, following his claims he had not received his daughter’s messages.

Thomas Markle appealed to Meghan to see him in a Mail on Sunday interview at the weekend, after he underwent serious surgery in the Philippines.

Video shows small plane making emergency landing on busy Florida highway: "It was very scary"

A small plane collided with a car while trying to make an emergency landing on a highway in Brevard County, Florida. The FAA says the pilot reported engine issues moments before attempting to land on the freeway. The driver of the car had minor injuries and the pilot and passengers on the plane were not hurt.

EU proposes loosening rules on AI gigafactories in green rollback

Latest package in dismantling of environmental rules also suggests repealing hazardous chemicals database

• Europe live – latest updates

Datacentres, AI gigafactories and affordable housing may be exempt from mandatory environmental impact assessments in the EU under a proposal that advances the European Commission’s rollback of green rules.

The latest in a series of packages to cut red tape calls for permitting processes for critical projects to be sped up and reducing the scope of environmental reporting rules for businesses.

UK joins call for Europe’s human rights laws to be ‘constrained’

Britain aligns with some of Europe’s hardline governments in calling for change to allow Rwanda-style migration deals

• UK politics live – latest updates

The UK has joined some of Europe’s hardline governments in calling for human rights laws to be “constrained” to allow Rwanda-style migration deals with third countries and more foreign criminals to be deported.

Twenty-seven of the 46 Council of Europe members including the UK, Hungary and Italy have signed an unofficial statement that also urges a new framework for the European convention of human rights, which will narrow the definition of “inhuman and degrading treatment”.

Family of 16-year-old killed by police in San Diego to receive $30 million settlement

The family of Konoa Wilson will receive $30 million from the city of San Diego after the 16-year-old was shot and killed by a police officer in January while fleeing gunfire. Carter Evans reports.

‘Already had a profound effect’: parents react to Australia’s social media ban

We asked you to share your views on your children’s use of social media and how the ban is affecting your family. Here is what you told us

For some parents, social media sucks up their children’s time and steals them away from family life, instilling mental health issues along the way. For others, it provides their children with an essential line to friends, family, connection and support.

When Australia’s social media ban came into effect on Wednesday, millions of under-16s lost access to their accounts and were prevented from creating new ones.

Snakes alive! A boy with a serpent in the Appalachians: Hannah Modigh’s best photograph

‘I was told not to go to St Charles as it was too dangerous. I went and was struck by how free the kids are. They’re not afraid of the region’s rattlesnakes’

I visited the Appalachian mountains for the first time in my mid-20s, after deciding I needed to get away from my inner circle in Sweden to find my way into photography. I felt I had to be by myself, just responding to things happening around me and not thinking about my daily life.

America played a big part in my family history, and the Appalachians called to me in particular because at that time, around 2006, I’d been listening to a lot of bluegrass music. I wanted to get closer to people who lived in the place where it originated – music has always been a big inspiration for me. While driving in the mountains with no particular destination in mind, I met a social worker who told me: “Whatever you do, don’t go to St Charles.” She said something about it being too dangerous, which made me curious.

How neurodivergent households design ‘a home that knows your brain’

From dark, sound-proofed rooms to clever storage solutions, families with autism and ADHD are finding inspired ways to adjust their environments

In the middle of Cherie Clonan’s bright Melbourne home sits a room in total darkness, “for our son to retreat to”, she says. “It’s all black in there. You wouldn’t believe it’s the same home!”

The space, lined with sound-blocking panels, is a sanctuary for her autistic son: a quiet cocoon for decompressing after school. “He loves to go in there to game online with his mates,” Clonan says.

Diagnosed autistic at 37, Clonan lives in a weatherboard cottage with her husband, Chris, and her two neurodivergent teenagers. Since buying the house five years ago, she has been reshaping it around their needs. “Our family’s split half-half – 50% sensory-seek versus sensory-avoidant,” she says. “I chase light. I love light-filled everything. But my son really is the opposite.”

Former GitLab CEO raises money for Kilo to compete in crowded AI coding market

Kilo Code, which makes a vibe coding extension, was founded by former GitLab CEO Sid Sijbrandij.

The 50 best albums of 2025

From a pop star who will drag you to the club to a UK rapper like none before her, here are the year’s finest LPs as decided by 30 Guardian music writers
• More on the best culture of 2025

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Video shows moment officers found Luigi Mangione at Pennsylvania McDonald's after manhunt

New York prosecutors released never-before-seen bodycam video of the moment Altoona, Pennsylvania, police officers found Luigi Mangione at a McDonald's last December following a five-day manhunt. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December and has pleaded not guilty.

Police officer in spycops scandal deceived two women at same time, inquiry told

Mark Jenner began five-year relationship with Alison, a leftwing activist, while under cover spying on political campaigners

An undercover police officer deceived two women at the same time over many years in a sustained betrayal of both of them, the spycops public inquiry has heard.

Mark Jenner had a relationship with a leftwing activist, known as Alison, for five years without disclosing to her that he was in reality an undercover officer who was spying on political campaigners.

A snow patrol, Dior dresses and Storm Bram: photos of the day – Wednesday

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

The fight to beat neglected tropical diseases was going well. 2025 could change that

The campaign to prevent and treat these diseases has seen great success thanks to a USAID program. Now that program is gone.

Greetings from Andhra Pradesh, India, where a fragrant food stand feeds working women

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

Quentin Tarantino needs to stop criticising films and start making them again | Peter Bradshaw

Trolling wokesters, disparaging Paul Thomas Anderson, insulting Paul Dano … the controversial director plays to type with his list of the top 20 best films of the 21st century

Did Quentin Tarantino just put Paul Dano into the alpha league of the world’s most loved and admired movie actors?

His recent insults aimed at Dano counterprovoked a flood of defensive praise, with Daniel Day-Lewis, Dano’s costar in There Will Be Blood, publicly endorsing it. But was Tarantino’s pronouncement just bluster and flex? Will he end up casting Dano in his next film – a turnaround like Donald Trump making nice with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after pretty much threatening him with nuclear war? Or are we witnessing a kind of midlife emotional crisis in the heart of one of the most brilliant directors of his generation? I speak as a superfan with reservations.

Daily killings in Mexico drop 37% under Claudia Sheinbaum, but experts say data is problematic

Government claims national security strategy is working, but analysts say figures don’t show rise in forced disappearances

The average number of daily killings per month in Mexico has dropped by 37% since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office last year, according to new government figures, but security analysts cautioned that homicide data may not indicate improved national security.

There was an average of nearly 55 murders a day in November compared with almost 87 when Sheinbaum assumed the presidency in September last year, the head of the country’s national public security system, Marcela Figueroa Franco, said during the president’s daily news conference on Tuesday.

Big 12 commissioner says Notre Dame comments after CFP snub ‘totally out of bounds’

• Fighting Irish AD has attacked ACC this week

• Miami won selection ahead of Notre Dame

Big 12 Conference commissioner Brett Yormark said Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua was “totally out of bounds” for his comments on the Atlantic Coast Conference this week.

Notre Dame have a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and are a full member of the conference in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed the ACC damaged Notre Dame‘s chances at making the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for Miami’s inclusion.

Venezuelan Nobel peace prize winner misses ceremony but vows to continue struggle

Daughter delivers speech, with Nobel Institute saying María Corina Machado still expected in Oslo after journey of ‘extreme danger’

• Europe live – latest updates

Venezuela’s most prominent opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has vowed to continue her struggle to free the country from years of “obscene corruption”, “brutal dictatorship” and “despair” as she was awarded the Nobel peace prize at a ceremony in Norway’s capital, Oslo.

The 58-year-old conservative has lived in hiding in Venezuela since its authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, was accused of stealing the 2024 presidential election from her political movement. Despite fevered speculation that she would make a dramatic appearance at Wednesday’s event, having somehow slipped out of Venezuela, Machado was not present, although she was expected to arrive in Oslo in the coming hours.

Machado's daughter accepts Nobel Peace Prize in Venezuelan opposition leader's absence

Machado — who has been in hiding for nearly a year — was still expected in Oslo later in the day.

‘What to buy Dad for Christmas’: is retail ready for the AI shopping shift?

As shoppers ask ChatGPT for inspiration, brands scramble to ensure their products appeal to the bots calling the shots

• Consumer test drive: can AI do your Xmas gift shopping for you?

Christmas shopping – some love it, to others it’s a chore, and this year for the first time many of us will outsource the annual task of coming up with gift ideas to artificial intelligence.

While traditional internet search, social media – especially TikTok and Instagram – and simply wandering a local high street will still be the main routes to presents for most this year, about a quarter of people in the UK are already using AI to find the right products, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

How to use a spent tea bag to make a boozy, fruity treat – recipe | Waste not

Save a used teabag to flavour dried fruit, then just add whisky for a boozy festive treat

A jar of tea-soaked prunes with a cheeky splash of whisky is the gift you never knew you needed. Sticky, sweet and complex, these boozy treats are wonderful spooned over rice pudding, porridge, yoghurt, ice-cream or even panna cotta.

Don’t waste a fresh tea bag, though – enjoy a cuppa first, then use the spent one to infuse the prunes overnight. Earl grey adds fragrant, citrus notes, builders’ tea gives a malty depth, lapsang souchong brings smokiness, and chamomile or rooibos offer softer, floral tones. It’s also worth experimenting with other dried fruits beyond prunes: apricots, figs and/or dates all work beautifully, too.

Confessions of a Shopaholic novelist Sophie Kinsella dies aged 55

The ‘queen of romantic comedy’ has died 18 months after announcing her brain cancer diagnosis

Madeleine Wickham, known for writing the bestselling novel Confessions of a Shopaholic under her pen name Sophie Kinsella, has died aged 55.

Wickham, dubbed “the queen of romantic comedy” by novelist Jojo Moyes, wrote more than 30 books for adults, children and teenagers, which have sold more than 45m copies.

Refinance demand for FHA loans jumps 24%, as homeowners seek the most savings they can

Current homeowners are turning to government FHA loans, which offer lower interest rates, to find savings, as conventional rates turn higher.

More than 75% of homes across the U.S. are unaffordable, study finds

Homeownership can feel like a luxury when only a sliver of the country's housing market is affordable for most Americans, Bankrate analyst says.

Burkina Faso releases 11 Nigerian troops after ‘unauthorised’ plane landing

Military personnel told they can return to Nigeria after actions described as ‘unfriendly act’

Authorities in Burkina Faso have released 11 Nigerian military personnel held after a cargo plane from Lagos made an “unauthorised” emergency landing in its second largest city, Bobo-Dioulasso.

The breakaway regional Association of Sahel States (AES) said on Monday that the C-130 aircraft had entered Burkina Faso’s airspace without clearance, calling it an “unfriendly act”.

Louvre thieves evaded police with 30 seconds to spare, investigation finds

Report found avoidable security failures including broken CCTV and lack of coordination at museum, hearing told

• Louvre robbery in video, photographs and maps

The thieves who stole crown jewels from the Louvre in October evaded police with just 30 seconds to spare due to avoidable security failures at the Paris museum, a damning investigation has revealed.

The investigation, ordered by the culture ministry after the embarrassing daylight heist, revealed that only one of two security cameras was working near the site where the intruders broke in on the morning of Sunday 19 October.

Italy first country to win Unesco recognition for national cuisine

Italian cooking added to ‘intangible cultural heritage’ list after campaign by Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government

Unesco has officially recognised Italian cooking as a cultural beacon, an endorsement hailed by the far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, whose government has put the country’s food at the heart of its nationalistic expression of identity.

The announcement, made on Wednesday during the UN cultural body’s assembly in Delhi, means Italian cuisine – from pasta and mozzarella to wine and tiramisu – will be inscribed on the coveted list of “intangible cultural heritage”.

Santa at war: ‘home’ town in Finland hosts Nato soldiers as Russian threat looms

Christmas tourists are noticing a growing military presence in Lapland, where Santa Park doubles as a bomb shelter

Billed as the official home town of Santa Claus, or joulupukki as he is known in Finland, the city of Rovaniemi offers every imaginable Father Christmas-related experience – from a visit to his “office” on the Arctic Circle to reindeer sleigh rides. He even has his own branch of the Finnish design house Marimekko.

But this Christmas season, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world coming in search of Santa, Finnish Lapland’s snow-covered capital is becoming an increasingly popular destination for international military visitors.

‘A generation lost at sea’: the desperate Rohingya falling prey to traffickers as they flee Bangladesh

Barred from work and school in Bangladesh, thousands of refugees are making the perilous voyage to Malaysia by boat – with some beaten en route to extort even more money

Majuma Begum stayed awake until 3am waiting for her son to return from the market before accepting he was not coming home. The next day he phoned to say he was on the Bangladeshi coast, waiting to begin a boat journey to Malaysia that she had desperately tried to stop him taking.

It was the start of weeks of worry for the 58-year-old, whose fears deepened when a boat carrying Rohingya refugees capsized near Malaysia in early November, killing dozens. She felt as though she could finally breathe again when he finally reached his destination.

Liverpool players will not try to influence Salah on his future, says Szoboszlai

• ‘It’s going to be the club’s and his decision,’ midfielder says

• Curtis Jones insists squad firmly behind Arne Slot

Dominik Szoboszlai has said the Liverpool dressing room will have no influence over Mohamed Salah’s next move because only the player and the club can decide how their standoff ends.

Salah missed Liverpool’s valuable Champions League win at Inter on Tuesday having been left out of Arne Slot’s squad in response to his highly critical interview at Leeds. The 33-year-old could also be absent when Liverpool host Brighton on Saturday. He is due to report for Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt on Monday.

‘The 0.001%’: a quick visual breakdown of the world’s wealthiest people

About 56,000 people control three times as much wealth as half of humanity. Here’s one way to illustrate that

Cruising around on private jets, the ultra-rich are the world’s financial elite – but how many people actually occupy this exclusive wealth club? Could they all fit into a floating mega-yacht, or is the group much bigger, possibly the size of a dazzling mega-rich city?

Thanks to an inequality report out on Wednesday, we now have a snapshot of the size of the topmost layer floating above everyone else – the 0.001%.

Archive, 1975: Iceland opens fire on British vessel

The two European Nato countries clash in the third cod war over fishing rights in the Atlantic

After the second world war Iceland began to gradually extend the fishing zone around its coastline. The first cod war began in 1958 when it proclaimed a 12-mile fishing zone, followed by the second cod war in 1972, which extended the limit to 50 miles. In October 1975 Reykjavik decided to further increase its protected waters to a 200-mile zone, effectively cutting off British and German fishers from their best catch. This led to the third cod war which saw violent clashes and rammings. The dispute ended in June 1976 when Britain recognised the 200-mile limit.

The Fed is expected to cut rates. And, Afghan CIA fighters feel abandoned by the U.S.

The divided Federal Reserve is considering cutting interest rates today. And, Afghans in the U.S. who fought for the CIA say they feel abandoned by the agency.

Russell Crowe says makers of Gladiator II did not ‘understand what made the first one special’

The actor has criticised the creative team behind the sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic, saying it lacked the moral core that defined the original Oscar-winning film

Russell Crowe has said that the makers of Gladiator II did not “understand … what made that first one special”.

In interview excerpts posted on social media by Australian radio station Triple J, Crowe said that the Gladiator sequel, which starred Paul Mescal and was released in 2024, was let down by “the people in that engine room not actually understanding what made that first one special”.

Aryna Sabalenka says ‘not fair on women to face basically biological men’ in tennis

• World No 1 says ‘biological men’ have a ‘huge advantage’

• ‘She hit the nail on the head,’ says battle of sexes rival Kyrgios

Aryna Sabalenka has weighed into the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sport, the world No 1 saying it would be unfair for women to face “biological men” in professional tennis.

The Women’s Tennis Association’s (WTA) gender participation policy of its tour permits transgender women to participate if they have declared their gender as female for a minimum of four years, have lowered testosterone levels and agree to testing procedures. These conditions may be further varied by the WTA medical manager on a case-by-case basis.

Eurovision used to be a campy joy – but it has become a cynical way to whitewash war | Arwa Mahdawi

The song contest continues with its mission of ‘unity and cultural exchange’ by rolling out the red carpet for Israel, even though at least four countries have pulled out in protest

A new acronym emerged a couple of months into Israel’s bombardment of Gaza: WCNSF. “Wounded child, no surviving family”. That acronym is unique to Gaza, experts like paediatrician Dr Tanya Haj-Hasan with Médecins Sans Frontières have said. Normally it’s rare for doctors to treat a child who has lost their entire family. But there has been nothing “normal” about the genocide in Gaza, where whole bloodlines have been wiped out and there are more child amputees than anywhere else in the world. Nothing normal about scores of doctors coming back from a landscape of rubble with reports of kids being deliberately targeted by Israeli snipers.

Despite a supposed ceasefire being in place, Gaza remains hell on earth. Essential medical supplies are not getting in and Amnesty International has said Israel is still committing genocide. (Israel has denied this, of course, just as it denies everything it is accused of.) But while traumatised orphans are now freezing in makeshift tent camps, there is a little heartwarming news: nothing is going to stop the Eurovision song contest from continuing with its mission of “unity and cultural exchange.” Eurovision will continue to roll out a blood-red carpet for Israel, even though at least four European countries (Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia) have now pulled out in protest. Because this is what unity looks like, folks!

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Coordinated online attack sought to suggest Taylor Swift promoted Nazi ideas, research finds

Thousands of social media posts were traced to deliberate attempts to misrepresent the singer – and showed ‘significant user overlap’ with the campaign to attack actor Blake Lively

Analysis has found that a coordinated online attack sought to align Taylor Swift and her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, with Nazi and rightwing imagery and values, from accounts feigning leftist critique and designed to encourage outrage.

The AI-driven behavioural intelligence platform Gudea produced a report examining more than 24,000 posts and 18,000 accounts across 14 social media platforms between 4 October, the day of the album’s release, and 18 October. These posts accused Swift of sowing dogwhistle references in her lyrics and alleged that a lightning bolt-style necklace from her merchandise line – a reference to the album track Opalite – resembled SS insignia.

The Spin | From jaffas to the corridor of uncertainty – revel in cricket’s rich language of bowling

The act of bowling is simple, the vocabulary used to describe it reflects the difficulty in pinning down its artistry and craft

Every act in cricket’s history has begun with a bowler delivering a ball to a batter 22 yards away. Delivering. Like a postman delivers a council tax bill. Like a waiter delivers a round of drinks. Of all the verbs used to describe the bowling of a ball, this one speaks to the deep-seated cultural inequity that has plagued this sport since its inception.

“If there was ever a word that proves we live in a batter’s world, this is it,” says Steve Harmison, the fearsome fast bowler turned commentator who delivered 16,313 balls for England across eight years. “But not every delivery is the same. Some come gift-wrapped like a present at Christmas. Some can jump up and smack you in the face.”

Look behind the pomp of Putin’s New Delhi visit. The India-Russia relationship has weakened | Chietigj Bajpaee

Modi voiced words of respect, but he is resisting an anti-western, anti-Ukraine stance, despite the foreign policy contradictions

• Dr Chietigj Bajpaee is senior fellow for south Asia at the thinktank Chatham House

The rhetoric and optics of the Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to India last week allude to the strength of the bilateral relationship: Narendra Modi greeted Putin at the airport with a hug, and the leaders shared a car journey (echoing the “limo diplomacy” when Putin and Donald Trump met in Alaska earlier this year). In his remarks, Modi referred to Putin as “my friend” and the India-Russia relationship as a “guiding star”, built on “mutual respect and deep trust” that had “stood the test of time”. This was Putin’s 10th visit to India since he assumed power 25 years ago, and his 20th meeting with Modi since the latter became prime minister in 2014.

However, there is a gap between the symbolism and the substance of this relationship. While Putin pledged “uninterrupted fuel supplies” to India, the country’a companies are buying less Russian oil in the face of US tariffs and sanctions. Russia and India concluded a string of memorandums of understanding in areas from migration and mobility to health and food security, maritime cooperation, fertilisers, customs, and academic and media collaboration. But the anticipated announcements on major defence deals did not happen. India has not concluded any major defence deals with Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This has been fuelled by delays in the delivery of several platforms and spare parts as Moscow has prioritised its own defence needs. This is a trend that predates the war in Ukraine as New Delhi has sought to diversify its defence imports and strengthen its domestic production.

The 50 best TV shows of 2025: 50 to 41

Howlingly funny comedy, jaw-dropping documentaries and astonishing drama … it’s been another fantastic year of TV. Our countdown of the very best kicks off here
• More on the best culture of 2025

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Border Patrol left Charlotte. The damage stayed behind.

The Border Patrol's enforcement surge in Charlotte, N.C. lasted just about a week. Residents picking up the pieces in its aftermath say doing so is going to take a lot longer than that.

Education Department recalls fired attorneys amid civil rights complaint backlog

The department said recalling these fired staffers would "bolster and refocus" civil rights enforcement "in a way that serves and benefits parents, students, and families."

12/9: CBS Evening News

2 students shot at Kentucky State University, suspect arrested, officials say; Ricki Lake reunited with family photos found at flea market after wildfire

Flat Earth by Anika Jade Levy review – fear and loathing in New York

This sharp, bleak debut satirises the current cultural moment through the life and loves of a cynical young writer

There is a long tradition of stories about artists that are also about the question of how to represent life in art; novels about artists with toxic female friendships are more unusual.

Enter Anika Jade Levy’s slim and sharp debut Flat Earth, which shares its title with a film made by a woman whom Avery, the narrator, identifies as her best friend. Frances is a rich and beautiful twentysomething who becomes a “reluctant celebrity in certain circles” after her film, “an experimental documentary about rural isolation and rightwing conspiracy theories” in the modern-day United States, premieres to critical acclaim at a gallery in New York. Avery, meanwhile, is struggling to write what she describes as “a book of cultural reports”.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX ‘preparing for flotation that could value it at over $1tn’

Reports say space exploration company has begun talks about stock market listing that could raise more than $25bn

• Business live – latest updates

Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX is preparing to list on the stock market next year in a move that could raise more than $25bn (£19bn) and value the business at more than $1tn, according to reports.

SpaceX, which designs, builds and launches rockets, is said to have started discussions with banks about an initial public offering (IPO). It could join the stock market in about June or July, according Reuters, which cited an unnamed source familiar with the matter.

Simon Cowell: The Next Act review – the billionth take on his one idea

This Netflix show starts off feeling like a documentary, and winds up as another attempt to recreate The X-Factor. It really cannot be overstated how much of a rehash this boyband contest is

Ladies and gentlemen, the most cynical bait and switch of the year has finally arrived. To the casual viewer, Netflix’s new series Simon Cowell: The Next Act may appear to be yet another quasi-unvarnished authorised documentary series.

And that would make sense, because those things are everywhere at the moment. Everyone from David Beckham to Robbie Williams to Charlie Sheen has made one, allowing a film crew into their lives to offer just enough grit to fool people into thinking they are watching anything other than a heavily sanitised publicity project. And, really, who deserves one of these more than Simon Cowell?

‘Hating soccer is more American than apple pie’: the World Cup nobody wanted the US to host

Glitzy draws, OJ-era chaos, grass laid over AstroTurf and a host nation that barely cared – the 1994 World Cup arrived amid suspicion and slapstick. Yet it became a watershed that would alter US sport and global football politics alike

“The United States was chosen,” the columnist George Vecsey wrote in the New York Times in 1994, “because of all the money to be made here, not because of any soccer prowess. Our country has been rented as a giant stadium and hotel and television studio.” Nobody could seriously doubt that. The USA had played in only two World Cups since the second world war and hadn’t had a national professional league for a decade. And that meant there was a great deal of skepticism from outsiders, even after Fifa made it clear there would be no wacky law changes to try to appeal to the domestic audience: Would anybody actually turn up to watch?

But there was also hostility in the United States. A piece in USA Today on the day of the draw told Americans they were right not to care about the World Cup, what it sneeringly described as the biggest sport in “Cameroon, Uruguay and Madagascar”. “Hating soccer,” wrote the columnist Tom Weir, “is more American than mom’s apple pie, driving a pickup or spending Saturday afternoon channel surfing with the remote control.”

Excerpted from The Power And The Glory by Jonathan Wilson, copyright © 2025 by Jonathan Wilson. Used with permission of Bold Type Books, an imprint of Basic Books Group, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

1 Granary: the influential platform holding the fashion establishment to account

Olya Kuryshchuk’s publication is a rare – and increasingly powerful – voice advocating for the people behind the scenes in an industry that loves a star. Its new awards celebrate the ‘teams who never get to walk a red carpet’

At the Fashion awards – a lavish event at the Royal Albert Hall this month – Jonathan Anderson was named designer of the year for a third time for his work at his own namesake brand and Dior, Anok Yai was named model of the year and Delphine Arnault, the CEO of Dior and scion of fashion’s wealthiest family, gained a special recognition award for her work supporting new talent through the LVMH prize. Think of it as fashion paying tribute to its biggest stars.

Since the night, there has been praise for the British Fashion Council’s new CEO Laura Weir but also criticism. The anonymous Instagram account boringnotcom, which often shares strong opinions on the industry, wrote: “As predicted, the same names got rotated and won the fashion awards … how utterly boring.”

The Knowledge | Which football clubs have pictures of people on their badges?

Plus: players popping up randomly on TV, triple-doubles in names and which match featured the most Ballon d’Or winners?

• Mail us with your questions and answers

“While scanning the Champions League fixtures, I noticed that Pafos FC of Cyprus have a person’s face on their badge (Cypriot freedom fighter Evagoras Pallikarides),” writes Paul Savage. “Other than faces of legendary characters (Ajax), do any other badges have people on them?”

This was one of the more popular Knowledge questions of 2025. We received dozens of answers – thanks one and all – that referenced clubs all around the world. In no particular order, here they are.

‘My beautiful house lay in ruins!’: how to build (and wreck) a Hollywood set – in pictures

Veteran set decorator Lauri Gaffin has spent a career dressing up films from indie classics to blockbusters. Her new photographic memoir takes us behind the scenes of this ever-changing job – and on the hunt for wolves’ penis bones

‘The patriarchy runs deep’: women still getting a raw deal in the workplace as equality remains a dream

Women work longer and per hour earn a third of what men are paid, in figures that have changed little in 35 years, UN report shows

“Gender inequality is one of the most entrenched and significant problems of our time,” says Jocelyn Chu, a programme director at UN Women, responding to the stark figures contained in this year’s World Inequality report, which labels gender inequality a “defining and persistent feature of the global economy”.

Women work longer and earn just a third – 32% – of what men get per hour, when paid and unpaid labour, such as domestic work, are taken into account. Even when unpaid domestic labour is not included, women only earn 61% of what men make, according to the report.

Don’t Burn Anyone at the Stake Today by Naomi Alderman review – how to navigate the information crisis

The author of The Power looks to the past for lessons in surviving an era of seismic technological change

Naomi Alderman argues that one of the most useful things to know is the name of the era you’re living in, and she proposes one for ours: the Information Crisis. In fact, the advent of digital media marks the third information crisis humans have lived through: the first came after the invention of writing; the second followed the printing press.

These were periods of great social conflict and upheaval, and they profoundly altered our social and political relationships as well as our understanding of the world around us. Writing ushered in the Axial Age, the period between the eighth and third centuries BC, when many of the world’s most influential religious figures and thinkers lived: Laozi, Buddha, Zoroaster, the Abrahamic prophets and the Greek philosophers. Gutenberg’s printing press helped bring about the Reformation. While it is too early to know where the internet era will take us, in her new book, which she describes as a “speculative historical project”, Alderman suggests that those earlier crises offer clues.

Hundreds of sharks filmed in bait fish feeding frenzy near Byron Bay

Dramatic scenes in the water prompt warnings to swimmers and snorkelers at one of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations

An abundance of baitfish has drawn in hundreds of sharks to feed in the shallows around Byron Bay, creating dramatic scenes at one of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations.

The multi-day event was captured by many Byron locals, who shared footage of the sharks, including black tip whalers, dusky whalers and bull sharks, as they fed on the large school of fish over the weekend.

Rod Paige, architect of No Child Left Behind policy, dies at 92

Under Rod Paige's leadership, the Department of Education implemented the No Child Left Behind policy that in 2002 became former President George W. Bush's signature education law.

A braver Tory leader than Badenoch would dare to call out Farage's bogus patriotism | Rafael Behr

Across western democracies, established conservatives are yielding to radical nationalism. There’s no sign that Britain will be the exception

In free societies, when you don’t like the government, you support the opposition. In dictatorships, or under military occupation, you join the resistance. The distinction isn’t precise but it matters.

All European democracies have radical anti-immigration parties, some on the fringes of opposition, some that have crossed into the mainstream. None qualify as heroic resistance movements, except in the minds of white supremacists who see liberal institutions as part of a conspiracy to ruin Europe by filling it with foreigners. That is also the view taken in the new White House national security strategy, published last week.

Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist

UK police forces lobbied to use biased facial recognition technology

Exclusive: System more likely to suggest incorrect matches for images of women and Black people

Police forces successfully lobbied to use a facial recognition system known to be biased against women, young people, and members of ethnic minority groups, after complaining that another version produced fewer potential suspects.

UK forces use the police national database (PND) to conduct retrospective facial recognition searches, whereby a “probe image” of a suspect is compared to a database of more than 19 million custody photos for potential matches.

Synthetic chemicals in food system creating health burden of $2.2tn a year, report finds

Scientists issue urgent warning about chemicals, found to cause cancer and infertility as well as harming environment

Scientists have issued an urgent warning that some of the synthetic chemicals that help underpin the current food system are driving increased rates of cancer, neurodevelopmental conditions and infertility, while degrading the foundations of global agriculture.

The health burden from phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides and Pfas “forever chemicals” amounts to up to $2.2tn a year – roughly as much as the profits of the world’s 100 largest publicly listed companies, according to the report published on Wednesday.

Japan issues megaquake advisory in north after magnitude 7.5 earthquake

Officials said probability of a magnitude 8 or larger quake was only about 1% but they have urged people to be prepared

Japan has issued a megaquake advisory after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main island of Honshu.

Damage from the quake was modest – 34 mostly mild injuries and some damage to roads and buildings.

Elon Musk suggests he wouldn't do DOGE over again

Six months after stepping down from leading the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, billionaire Elon Musk suggested in an interview he likely would not repeat his time helming the cost-cutting mission.

Margot Robbie in red latex, Kate Bush impersonators and a pint of Emily ale: my crash course in Brontëmania

As Wuthering Heights gets a raunchy Hollywood remake, our writer takes a pilgrimage through Haworth, the village where its author lived – and finds her spirit still electrifying the cobbled streets and windswept moors

It’s a crisp afternoon in Haworth, West Yorkshire, and I’m drinking a pint of Emily Brontë beer in The Kings Arms. Other Brontës are on tap – Anne is a traditional ale, Charlotte an IPA, Branwell a porter – but the barman says Emily, an amber ale with a “malty biscuit flavour”, is the most popular. It’s the obvious choice today, anyway: in a few hours, Oscar-winning film-maker Emerald Fennell will be at the Brontë women’s writing festival in a church just up the road, discussing her adaptation of Emily’s 19th-century gothic masterpiece Wuthering Heights.

The film, to be released just before Valentine’s Day next year, is already scandal-ridden. It all started with Fennell’s casting of Hollywood stars Jacob Elordi and Margot (“Heathcliff, it’s me, it’s Barbie”) Robbie causing uproar. An erotic teaser trailer full of tight bodices, cracking whips and sweaty bodies had the same effect. But heads were really sent spinning by reports of a scene with a public hanging and a nun who “fondles the corpse’s visible erection”.

Teacher in Hungary facing criminal charges for organising Pride event

As Viktor Orbán tightens his grip in the country, rights organisations have called for the EU to intervene

A rights campaigner in Hungary has been placed under investigation and is facing potential criminal charges after organising a peaceful Pride march, in a case that campaigners have described as “unprecedented and dangerous” for the EU.

In early October, thousands flocked to the southern city of Pécs to take part in Pride. It was the fifth year that the march was held – the only other annual Pride gathering in the country besides that of Budapest – and was becoming a showcase of the city’s commitment to freedom, diversity and the coexistence of minorities.

Shooting at Kentucky State University kills 1, officials say

One person is dead and another was critically wounded in a shooting at Kentucky State University, officials said Tuesday.

‘Even the animals seem confused’: a retreating Kashmir glacier is creating an entire new world in its wake

Kolahoi is one of many glaciers whose decline is disrupting whole ecosystems – water, wildlife and human life that it has supported for centuries

From the slopes above Pahalgam, the Kolahoi glacier is visible as a thinning, rumpled ribbon of ice stretching across the western Himalayas. Once a vast white artery feeding rivers, fields and forests, it is now retreating steadily, leaving bare rock, crevassed ice and newly exposed alpine meadows.

The glacier’s meltwater has sustained paddy fields, apple orchards, saffron fields and grazing pastures for centuries. Now, as its ice diminishes, the entire web of life it supported is shifting.

Trump says he 'heard' Biden Fed appointments were signed by autopen, tells aide to investigate

Trump's autopen comments came during a speech in Pennsylvania about the economy, aimed at countering Democrats' messaging about the U.S. affordability crisis.

12/5: CBS Evening News

Shift in decades-long guidance on hepatitis B vaccine; Lowe's employees go above and beyond to find beloved cat that disappeared onto freight truck

Army gynecologist charged with taking secret videos of 44 patients

Army Maj. Blaine McGraw, an OB-GYN at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood in Texas, was charged Tuesday with 54 specifications for indecent visual recording.

Trump says he's "crushing" inflation as GOP faces affordability concerns

President Trump spoke about affordability and his economic agenda in the Poconos, in northeastern Pennsylvania, Tuesday night.

From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion

Meta’s push to develop its next frontier model, codenamed Avocado, under new AI leadership is creating internal friction as it races rivals OpenAI and Google.

Ricki Lake reunited with family photos found at flea market

Nearly a year after her home burned down in the Palisades wildfire, Ricki Lake is celebrating a surprise discovery. An artist recently found some of the former talk show host's precious family photos at a flea market. Carter Evans has the story.