Minimalist News

Coinbase CEO Says Reopening GENIUS Act Is 'Red Line', Slams Bank Lobbying Authored by Amin Haqshanas via CoinTelegraph.com, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said any attempt to reopen the GENIUS Act would cross a “red line,” accusing banks of using political pressure to block competition from stablecoins and fintech platforms. In a Sunday post on X, Armstrong said he was “impressed” banks could lobby Congress so openly without backlash, adding that Coinbase would continue pushing back on efforts to revise the law. “We won’t let anyone reopen GENIUS,” he wrote. “My prediction is the banks will actually flip and be lobbying FOR the ability to pay interest and

Does It Get Any More Cringe Than This? Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, Just when you thought Gavin Newsom couldn’t get any more cringe, he drops a video with his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom wishing Californians a “joyful Kwanzaa” – a made-up holiday that’s about as authentic as his political posturing. In the awkward clip posted to his official X account, Newsom and his wife deliver a rehearsed message stating “As families come together to light the kinara, we wish you all a joyful Kwanzaa.” Newsom further referenced “the seven principles of Kwanzaa, in particular community, purpose, and unity, guide our way toward

JPMorgan Freezes Accounts Of Two Stablecoin Startups Over Sanctions Concerns: Report Authored by Amin Haqshanas via CoinTelegraph.com, JPMorgan Chase has reportedly frozen bank accounts linked to two venture-backed stablecoin startups after identifying exposure to sanctioned and high-risk jurisdictions. The accounts belonged to BlindPay and Kontigo, two stablecoin startups backed by Y Combinator that primarily operate across Latin America, according to a report by The Information. Both companies accessed JPMorgan’s banking services through Checkbook, a digital payments firm that partners with large financial institutions. Per the report, the freezes occurred after JPMorgan flagged business activity tied to Venezuela and other locations subject to US sanctions. A spokesperson for

Chevrolet's Pro-Family Christmas Ad Reinforces Death Of Woke Marketing Chevrolet's new pro-family, long-form Christmas advertisement clearly reinforces that the Overton Window has shifted back toward what made America - and much of the Western world - strong in the first place: the family unit. Credit goes to the executives at the US automaker for avoiding the kind of self-inflicted "Bud Light" moment that comes with pushing woke propaganda in the era of 'America First.' Fresh in many minds is how Jaguar ruined its brand by embracing tasteless, toxic identity politics. "Chevrolet has outdone themselves once again with their new profoundly emotional, pro-family Christmas

Junk Food Bans For SNAP Users In Some States Starting 2026: What To Know Authored by Sylvia Xu via The Epoch Times, Americans using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase groceries may need to adjust their shopping habits in 2026 as some states will prohibit the use of SNAP funds to purchase certain “junk foods.” Also starting next year, states will have to shoulder a larger portion of the cost of running the program. In addition, states could lose funds if their payment error rate is too high. Here is what to know about the overhaul of America’s largest nutrition program. RESTRICTIONS ON

Jimmy Kimmel Blasts Trump From UK, Where Free Speech No Longer Exists On Christmas Day, Jimmy Kimmel delivered a four-minute “Alternative Christmas Message” on the United Kingdom’s Channel 4, during which he positioned himself as a beacon against authoritarianism while warning British viewers that "tyranny is booming" in the United States.  Kimmel’s rant, which aired less than two hours after King Charles III's traditional, non-partisan Christmas speech, portrayed America's current political climate as a cautionary tale for democratic nations everywhere. “I do know what's going on over here, though, and I can tell you that, from a fascism perspective, this has been a

Politico Claims That The 'Far-Right' Has "Stolen" Christmas By Daring To Call It Christian Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, A Christmas Eve screed from Politico has ignited online mockery, with the outlet claiming ‘far-right’ leaders are weaponizing the holiday by emphasizing its Christian origins amid secular pressures and immigration debates. The article spotlights Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and others for framing Christmas as a “marker of Christian civilization” being under threat. It accuses far-right parties in Italy, France, Spain, and Germany of repurposing seasonal cheer into a culture war tool, positioning themselves against a “hostile, secular left.” Roberts highlights Meloni’s defense of

California's Self-Destruction Accelerates As Anti-Trump Union Pushes Wealth Tax And More Billionaires Plot Exit "California is on a path to self-destruction. Hollywood is already toast and now the most productive entrepreneurs will leave taking their tax revenues and job creation elsewhere," Bill Ackman wrote on X, citing a New York Times report that said several billionaires, including Peter Thiel and Larry Page, are preparing to flee the state as a proposed one-time wealth tax ballot measure gains momentum. > California is on a path to self-destruction. Hollywood is already toast and now the most productive entrepreneurs will leave taking their tax revenues

Trump's Highway Enforcement Lays Groundwork For U.S. Trucking Revival Submitted by American Truckers United,  As 2025 draws to a close, America's truck drivers—the unsung heroes keeping our economy rolling—have a good reason to celebrate. What began as a gritty grassroots uprising in Arkansas against wage-dumping and unsafe foreign competition has transformed into a national triumph, spearheaded by President Trump's no-nonsense cabinet. This administration isn't just talking the talk; they're enforcing real change, putting American workers first in an industry battered by globalist policies. > At American Truckers United, we are deeply grateful for how God has worked through our lives, our organization, and our

Front Companies? Bombshell Report Exposes Network Of Somali-Linked "Empty" Daycares Across Minnesota Left-wing Governor Tim Walz, under intensifying federal pressure, faces a widening Somali-linked fraud scandal in Minnesota. Federal prosecutors state that the scheme currently totals at least $9 billion, with the final figure potentially much higher. Recent reporting by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo alleges that some welfare funds were funneled into an overseas terrorist organization. Now, a bombshell video from a citizen journalist suggests the fraud extends beyond Medicaid into the state's daycare system. A 42-minute bombshell video by journalist Nick Shirley and a local private investigator documents an

Rearmament Without Strategy: Why Europe Risks Another Bleak Year In 2026 Via Middle East Eye Addressing his party on 14 December, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made headlines with remarks unprecedented in postwar Europe. > "Dear friends, the decades of Pax Americana are largely over for us in Europe, and for us in Germany as well. It no longer exists as we know it. And nostalgia won't change that. The Americans are now very, very ruthlessly pursuing their own interests. And this cannot have a different answer than that it is time that we also pursue our own interests. And dear friends, here we are not weak, we are

Russia Pummels Kiev, Hundreds Of Thousands Without Power, Ahead Of Trump-Zelensky Meeting Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine early Saturday, killing at least one person and injuring many others, and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. Already the electricity grid has long suffered under such crippling attacks, with barely any time or necessary parts for repair. The assault occurred just a day before anticipated Ukraine peace talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump, expected at Mar-A-Lago on Sunday. According to The New York Times, air raid alarms sounded around 1:30am local time as the strikes began, with Zelensky

Female British Reverend Insists Mary, Not Jesus Is The 'Main Character' Of Christmas Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, The Church of England has sparked outrage with a video where a female reverend boldly declares that Mary, not Jesus, is the central figure in the Nativity story, with many suggesting it is an attempt to rewrite scripture through woke ideology, diminishing the divine role of Christ Himself. The video, posted by the Church of England as part of their Advent and Christmas reflections, features Rev. Pippa White speaking in front of a painting of the Virgin Mary. She opens by teasing the question

Don't Travel To 'Lawless' Germany, Russia Tells Citizens Russia has taken the very rare step of warning its citizens from traveling to leading EU member Germany, describing that Russians have increasingly been targeted for persecution and harassment based on ethno-nationalism.  On Thursday Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova cited recent repeat instances of "unjustified harassment" by German state authorities, under the pretext of EU sanctions imposed related to the Ukraine war. A once busy destination, the Kremlin is now telling all Russians to avoid traveling to Germany unless absolutely necessary, based especially on the policy of German customs officials going so far as to seize personal

Turkey Makes Another $9 Billion Bet On Russian Nuclear Power Authored by Julianne Geiger via OilPrice.com, Turkey just took another very large, very deliberate step deeper into Russia’s energy orbit — and this time it comes with a $9 billion price tag. Ankara says that Russia has provided $9 billion in new financing for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, Turkey’s first-ever nuclear facility, which is being built by Russia’s state-owned Rosatom on the Mediterranean coast. According to Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, the bulk of that money will be deployed in 2026 and 2027, with as much as $4–5 billion flowing next year alone.

"Common Sense" Is Back: UK Finally Scraps Non-Crime Hate Incident Laws Nationwide Police chiefs will reportedly seek to scrap non-crime hate incidents in plans they will present to the Home Secretary next month. The Telegraph reports that police leaders have decided that NCHIs are no longer “fit for purpose” after warnings that recording them undermines freedom of speech and diverts officers away from fighting crime. Under the plans, NCHIs will be replaced with a new “common sense” system, where only a fraction of such incidents will be recorded under the most serious category of anti-social behaviour. An NCHI falls short of being criminal but is perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice

Stockman: The Real Story Behind The Russia–Ukraine War... And What Happens Next Authored by David Stockman via InternationalMan.com, Notwithstanding the historic fluidity of borders, there is no case whatsoever that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was “unprovoked” and unrelated to NATO’s own transparent provocations in the region. The details are arrayed below, but the larger issue needs be addressed first. Namely, is there any reason to believe that Russia is an expansionist power looking to gobble up neighbors which were not integral parts of its own historic evolution, as is the case with Ukraine? After all, if despite Rubio’s treachery President Trump does manage to

9 Signs That Leaders All Over The Globe Have Come Down With A Really Bad Case Of "War Fever" Authored by Michael Snyder via The End of The American Dream blog, How close can we get to the edge without falling over?  The largest military conflict in Europe since World War II is poised to go to the next level in 2026, war could erupt again in the Middle East at any moment, the U.S. is on the verge of starting a new war in Venezuela, and China is absolutely furious about a brand new weapons package that has just been approved

Eight Killed, Many Wounded, After Sunni Jihadists Bomb Alawite Mosque In Central Syria There's been yet another tragic attack targeting Syria's religious minorities by fanatical jihadists which are allied with the Syrian government of President Ahmed Sharaa. "A bombing at a mosque located in the Syrian city of Homs during Friday prayers killed at least eight people and wounded 18 others," authorities said, the Associated Press reports. It was an Alawite religious site that was targeted. Notably this is the same non-Sunni sect that former President Bashar al-Assad belongs to. Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque, via The Australian/AFP "Images released by Syria's state-run

The Real War Of The Century: Artificial Intelligence Authored by Joaquim Couto via The Brownstone Institute, There was a time when debates about determinism and free will belonged to philosophy departments and late-night dorm room conversations. They were enjoyable precisely because they seemed harmless. Whatever the answer, life went on. Courts judged, doctors decided, teachers taught, and politicians were still—at least nominally—held responsible for their actions. That era is over. Artificial intelligence has transformed what once appeared to be an abstract philosophical question into a concrete issue of governance, power, and accountability. Determinism is no longer merely a theory about how the universe works. It

Government said the move was due to its ‘unrestricted respect for human rights’ in the face of US aggression Venezuela has said it has carried out its largest release of political prisoners this year, claiming to have freed 99 people detained for taking part in protests after the 2024 election, widely believed to have been stolen by the dictator Nicolás Maduro, as it comes under increasing military pressure from the US. Civil society organisations have treated the news with caution and stressed that the releases were insufficient, noting that at least 900 political prisoners remain in the country. Continue reading...

Temperatures plunge below -50C in the Yukon, while swaths of US experience springlike weather Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature since 1975. Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded 10 nights when temperatures dropped below -30C. Continue reading...

Low-cost tech and joined-up funding have reduced illegal logging, mining and poaching in the Darién Gap – it’s a success story that could stop deforestation worldwide There are no roads through the Darién Gap. This vast impenetrable forest spans the width of the land bridge between South and Central America, but there is almost no way through it: hundreds have lost their lives trying to cross it on foot. Its size and hostility have shielded it from development for millennia, protecting hundreds of species – from harpy eagles and giant anteaters to jaguars and red-crested tamarins – in one of the most

Government poised to officially protect 200,000 hectares of remote Patagonian coastline and forest Chile’s government is poised to create the country’s 47th national park, protecting nearly 200,000 hectares (500,000 acres) of pristine wilderness and completing a wildlife corridor stretching 1,700 miles (2,800km) to the southernmost tip of the Americas. The Cape Froward national park is a wild expanse of wind-torn coastline and forested valleys that harbours unrivalled biodiversity and has played host to millennia of human history. Continue reading...

Winning margin of 28,000 votes announced a month late but before review of all ‘inconsistent’ ballots was completed Donald Trump-backed candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura has been declared the winner of Honduras’s presidential election after a vote count that dragged on for almost a month and was marred by fraud allegations and criticism of interference by the US president. The rightwing Asfura, 67, a construction magnate and former mayor of the capital, Tegucigalpa, secured 40.27% of the vote, against 39.53% for the centre-right Salvador Nasralla, a margin of just 28,000 votes. Continue reading...

As the military pushes ahead with a widely condemned election, Beijing’s priorities are proving decisive * Myanmar’s first election since the 2021 coup: everything you need to know Myanmar’s military has managed to regain momentum in its battle against a determined patchwork of opposition groups, retaking some territory, and pushing ahead with a widely condemned election that begins on Sunday. It is a turnaround for the military, which had appeared so beleaguered that some dared to question if it could collapse. Continue reading...

Two countries pledge in joint statement to halt all forms of attacks and further troop deployments in long-running dispute over contested territory Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire, pledging to end weeks of deadly border clashes that have killed more than 100 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides. In a joint statement, the two south-east Asian neighbours said the ceasefire would take effect on Saturday at noon local time and involve “all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructures, and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all

New conviction over plunder of state fund substantially increases six-year term in separate case The jailed former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been sentenced to an additional 15 years after he was found guilty of abuse of power, in the biggest trial yet in the multibillion-dollar fraud scandal related to the state fund 1MDB. Najib’s conviction substantially increases the six-year prison term he is already serving for a separate case related to the 1MDB graft scandal, one of the world’s biggest financial frauds in which billions were plundered from the now defunct sovereign wealth fund. Continue reading...

$10bn Trump-approved sale to Taipei triggers Beijing sanctions against firms such as Boeing and Northrop Grumman China’s foreign ministry has hit US defence companies including Boeing with sanctions after Donald Trump approved a large package of arms sales to Taiwan. The ministry said on Friday that the measures – against 10 individuals and 20 US firms including Boeing’s production hub at St Louis in Missouri – would freeze any assets the companies and individuals hold in China and bar domestic organisations and individuals from doing business with them. Continue reading...

Thai reports claim Cambodia carried out overnight attacks ahead of officials from both countries meeting for a third day of negotiations on Friday Cambodia has accused Thailand of intensifying its bombardment of disputed border areas, even as officials from the two countries attend a multi-day meeting aimed at negotiating an end to deadly clashes. The neighbours’ longstanding border conflict reignited this month, shattering an earlier truce and killing more than 40 people, according to official counts. About a million people have also been displaced. Continue reading...

Man spotted at beach in Newcastle on Wednesday with tattoos linked to white supremacist ideology * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A man who allegedly displayed Nazi hate symbols by showing off his tattoos at a popular beach in New South Wales has been charged. Ben Parsons was at Bar beach in Newcastle on 24 December with his children, when he noticed a man with tattoos linked to white supremacist ideology, including symbols associated with the Nazi SS. Continue reading...

Police called to Quakers Hill on Sunday morning after reports of disturbance * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A man has been arrested after a woman and a man – both aged in their 30s – died in an alleged double fatal stabbing in Sydney. Police said emergency services were called to the home in Quakers Hill just before 5am on Sunday, responding to reports of a disturbance. Continue reading...

Conditions ease south-west of Perth as residents evacuated from Boddington fire on Christmas Day allowed to return * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Australia is bracing for two extremes over the next week, with parts of the west facing days of extreme fire danger and a cyclone and flood watch issued for parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory. Residents who evacuated their homes ahead of an out-of-control bushfire near Boddington, 130km south-east of Perth, were able to return home on Saturday, Western Australian fire authorities said. Continue reading...

Beachgoers from the Tweed to Batemans Bay have been asked to be on the lookout – and every nest reported to TurtleWatch NSW will be protected * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The first sea turtle nest discovery of the breeding season has led to a rescue mission and kicked off a campaign to protect an endangered species. The nest, found recently on the New South Wales north coast, was too close to the water’s edge and the eggs needed to be moved to save them from being inundated by waves and the tides. Continue reading...

Pair say they were ‘exhausted, very shaken and feel so lucky’ after being spotted by air wing officers late on Christmas Day * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Two paddle boarders who were rescued after being swept more than 10km across Victoria’s Port Phillip Bay on Christmas Day say they are exhausted and shaken but grateful to have survived. Victoria police said the pair set out from Portarlington on the Bellarine peninsula about 3pm on Thursday but drifted out into the bay when conditions deteriorated and were swept all the way to Wyndham harbour in Melbourne’s

The 70-metre-long cloth about the Norman invasion has not been seen in England since it was created in 11th century The Bayeux tapestry will be insured for an estimated £800m when it returns to the UK in 2026 for the first time in more than 900 years. The Treasury will insure the 70-metre embroidered cloth, which depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings, for damage or loss during its transfer from France and while it is on display at the British Museum from September. Continue reading...

Attacks leave hundreds of thousands without heating as Ukrainian leader readies for intense weekend of diplomacy A third of Kyiv is without heating after a Russian drone and missile barrage on the Ukrainian capital cut off power supplies, leaving hundreds of thousands of people facing freezing temperatures. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Moscow had used nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles, including ballistic missiles, in the overnight attack. “The primary target is Kyiv – energy facilities and civilian infrastructure,” he said in a post on X. Continue reading...

Deputy defence minister says new air defence systems will be completed in 24 months Poland plans to complete a new set of anti-drone fortifications along its eastern borders within two years, a top defence official has said, after a massive incursion of unmanned Russian aerial combat vehicles into Polish airspace earlier this year. “We expect to have the first capabilities of the system in roughly six months, perhaps even sooner. And the full system will take 24 months to complete,” the deputy defence minister, Cezary Tomczyk, told the Guardian in an interview in Warsaw. Continue reading...

Meeting on Sunday will follow flurry of US, Russian and Ukrainian talks, but Putin has shown little sign of softening Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to travel to the US for a planned meeting with Donald Trump on Sunday, as Washington continues to push for a possible peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow. The Ukrainian president said the visit would take place at a location in Florida – widely expected to be Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort – in what would be the latest development in a diplomatic push that began in November with the circulation of a 28-point US plan shaped with input from Russian

Russian state has tolerated parallel probiv market for its convenience but now Ukrainian spies are exploiting it Russia is scrambling to rein in the country’s sprawling illicit market for leaked personal data, a shadowy ecosystem long exploited by investigative journalists, police and criminal groups. For more than a decade, Russia’s so-called probiv market – a term derived from the verb “to pierce” or “to punch into a search bar” – has operated as a parallel information economy built on a network of corrupt officials, traffic police, bank employees and low-level security staff willing to sell access to restricted government or corporate databases. Continue

Defence minister instructs military to respond with force in West Bank, where he said attacker was from A Palestinian motorist ran over a man and stabbed a woman in northern Israel, killing both, Israeli emergency services say. The assailant, from the occupied West Bank, was shot and wounded by a civilian at the scene on Friday and taken to hospital, Israeli police said. Continue reading...

Alleged strikes close to UAE-backed forces follow Riyadh’s call for STC to withdraw from newly seized provinces A separatist group in southern Yemen that this month seized two oil-rich provinces has claimed that Saudi Arabia has fired warning airstrikes directed at its forces. Videos issued on Friday by media linked to the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) showed airstrikes that it said were close to its positions in Wadi Nahab, Hadramaut province. Continue reading...

Fourteen countries, also including France, Italy, Ireland and Spain, say actions ‘violate international law and risk fuelling instability’ Fourteen countries, including Britain, Canada and Germany, have condemned the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying they violate international law and risk fuelling instability. Israel approved a proposal last Sunday for the new Jewish settlements, which brings the recent total to 69, according to the far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. Continue reading...

Strikes were latest violation of year-long ceasefire and targeted what Israel said were Hezbollah sites Israel has carried out several airstrikes in southern Lebanon on what it said was Hezbollah infrastructure, as a new year’s deadline for the Lebanese state to disarm the group in the south of the country loomed. Israeli warplanes bombed the valleys of Houmin, Wadi Azza and Nimeiriya in the southern Nabatieh area on Wednesday morning. Residents reported that Israeli drones continued to hover over the area and other areas of south Lebanon and its eastern Bekaa valley after the strikes. Continue reading...

Justice secretary urged to ‘show a bit of humanity’ with protesters severely ill after refusing food for weeks * Who are the Palestine Action hunger strikers and what are the health risks? Families and supporters of Palestine Action-affiliated hunger strikers have pleaded with David Lammy to meet them in an attempt to end the impasse over the protest that has left some of them severely unwell. On Monday, as the protest reached a dangerous stage, lawyers for the hunger strikers sent a legal letter claiming that by refusing a meeting the justice secretary had failed to comply with the Ministry of Justice’s

Group of 120 experts including Joseph Stiglitz urge fresh debt restructuring plan given scale of destruction A group of the world’s top economists – including the Nobel prize winner Joseph Stiglitz – have called for Sri Lanka’s debt payments to be suspended as it tackles the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. More than 600 people were killed and hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed across the island, in what Sri Lanka’s president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, called the “largest and most challenging natural disaster in our history”. Continue reading...

UN body to study possibility of integrating centuries-old practices into mainstream healthcare From herbalists in Africa gathering plants to use as poultices to acupuncturists in China using needles to cure migraines, or Indian yogis practising meditation, traditional remedies have increasingly being shown to work, and deserve more attention and research, according to a World Health Organization official. A historical lack of evidence, which has seen traditional practices dismissed by many, could change with more investment and the use of modern technology, according to Dr Shyama Kuruvilla, who leads the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre. Continue reading...

Researcher in Kerala rainforest sounds alarm after being told frogs had died after being handled by humans A group of endangered “galaxy frogs” are missing, presumed dead, after trespassing photographers reportedly destroyed their microhabitats for photos. Melanobatrachus indicus, each the size of a fingertip, is the only species in its family, and lives under logs in the lush rainforest in Kerala, India. Their miraculous spots do not indicate poison, as people sometimes assume, but are thought to be used as a mode of communication, according to Rajkumar K P, a Zoological Society of London fellow and researcher. Continue reading...

British Indian Ocean Territory commissioner’s appeal against decision last year rejected by judges in London Appeal court judges have backed a decision that dozens of asylum seekers were unlawfully detained on one of the world’s most remote islands, rejecting an appeal on Tuesday by the commissioner for the territory. Exactly a year ago, on 16 December 2024, a judge ruled that Tamils who arrived on the island of Diego Garcia, a UK and US military base, after a shipwreck while they were trying to reach Canada to seek asylum, were unlawfully detained there for three years in conditions described as “hell on

Opposition claims SIR process being used to disenfranchise minority groups to benefit Narendra Modi’s government India’s political opposition has warned that democracy is under threat amid a controversial exercise to revise the voter register across the country, which critics say will disenfranchise minority voters and entrench the power of the ruling Narendra Modi government. An debate erupted in India’s parliament last week over the special intensive revision (SIR) process, which is taking place in nine states and three union territories, in one of the biggest revisions of the country’s electoral roll in decades. Continue reading...

GMB union says 30,000 claims settled with six local councils for average of £30,000 and expects 10,000 more in 2026 Equal pay settlements for female workers at local councils have passed the £1bn mark, with thousands more expected next year. Legal claims have been brought against local councils on behalf of people in female-dominated roles, such as cleaners or carers, who for years have been denied the conditions and benefits given to employees in traditionally male-dominated jobs. Continue reading...

Iain Peters waited more than 50 years before going to the police but hopes he can be a beacon for other survivors A man who was sexually assaulted by a children’s television presenter has spoken of how climbing and mountaineering saved his life and “sanity” during the 50 years in which he kept the abuse secret. Iain Peters, 77, who has waived his right to anonymity, was between nine and 13 years old when he was abused weekly by John Earle, when he was a geography teacher and deputy head at a now-closed boarding school in Okehampton, Devon. Continue reading...

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde apologises after error meant one family had no remains at a funeral An investigation has been launched by a Glasgow hospital after an error led to the wrong body being cremated. The mistaken release of the body by the hospital to the undertakers was only discovered after the funeral service and the cremation had taken place. Continue reading...

West Somerset Lagoon would harness renewable energy for UK’s AI boom – and create ‘iconic’ arc around Bristol Channel The architect of the London Eye wants to build a vast tidal power station in a 14-mile arc off the coast of Somerset that could help Britain meet surging electricity demand to power artificial intelligence – and create a new race track to let cyclists skim over the Bristol Channel. Julia Barfield, who designed the Eye and the i360 observation tower in Brighton, is part of a team that has drawn up the £11bn proposal. It would curve from Minehead to Watchet and

Pilot programme for under-25s will offer paid placements aimed at introducing participants to military life Young people in Britain will be offered a gap year-style scheme by the Ministry of Defence, in an effort to introduce citizens to military life early as part of a new “whole of society” approach to defence. After initially announcing plans to implement the scheme earlier this year, the government has now confirmed that about 150 under-25s will be recruited for the pilot programme, which is due to start in March 2026. Continue reading...

More than 17in of rain fell in Ventura county, with trees felled and hundreds of car crashes throughout the region Southern Californians are facing an epic clean-up operation after the region’s wettest Christmas holiday in recent history turned areas of the state into a panorama of mud and debris. A year ago, record wildfires scorched the dry neighborhoods of Altadena and Pacific Palisades. But now, in what scientists call “hydroclimate whiplash”, the picture is reversed after an atmospheric river off the Pacific Ocean brought the elemental opposites of wind and rain. Continue reading...

Nearly 15,000 flights canceled or delayed as both states declare weather emergencies after snowstorm A mix of snow and ice bore down on the US north-east early on Saturday, disrupting post-holiday weekend airline traffic and prompting officials in New York and New Jersey to issue weather emergency declarations even as the storm ebbed by mid-morning. More than 14,400 domestic US flights on Saturday were canceled or delayed as of mid-morning, with the majority in the New York area, including at John F Kennedy international airport, LaGuardia airport and Newark Liberty international airport, according to the tracking site FlightAware. Continue reading...

Rule allows minority party to block legislation, but GOP is reluctant to scrap it as they could lose majority Donald Trump has floated the idea of ending the filibuster – a procedural technique in Congress that allows a minority of senators to block legislation from passing – which would make pushing through his political agenda in 2026 much easier. In an interview with Politico, the president urged Republicans in the Senate to scrap the filibuster, saying it had become an obstacle to effective governing and removing it would prevent another government shutdown and pave the way for his party to push through

Iconic building, called ‘greatest monstrosity ever constructed’ by Hoover himself, to be closed down The FBI director, Kash Patel, said the law enforcement agency’s sprawling but ageing J Edgar Hoover building in Washington DC will be closed down and the agency will move into existing offices elsewhere. Some FBI workers will report to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in the US capital to occupy the former offices of the US Agency for International Development, which was dismantled by the Trump administration earlier this year. Continue reading...

Suze Lopez found out she was pregnant only days before giving birth, due to fetus hiding behind 22lb ovarian cyst A California family is celebrating their first holiday following the delivery of their latest child, a baby that had been growing outside of the mother’s womb. Suze Lopez, a 41-year-old emergency room nurse in Bakersfield, California, delivered baby Ryu via surgery in August, so the newborn is celebrating his first Christmas. He had been an ectopic pregnancy – when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the uterus – and was hidden behind a large ovarian cyst. Continue reading...

An intermunicipal bus veered off a road in Guatemala and fell into a deep ravine, killing 15 passengers and injuring at least 15 others, authorities said on Saturday, declaring three days of national mourning. The accident happened on Friday night outside the town of Totonicapan along a route known as the Inter-American Highway. Officials said it took rescuers more than two hours to recover the bodies from the crash site and rescue injured passengers. Fifteen people were still being treated for...

Establishing a lasting peace in Ukraine requires “a willing Russia”, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Saturday, denouncing the “barbarism” of Moscow’s latest bombardment of Kyiv as he met Volodymyr Zelensky. “We have the conditions … of a just and lasting peace, but that requires a willing Russia, and the barbarism that we saw overnight … shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine,” Carney said as the Ukrainian leader stopped in Halifax, Nova Scotia, en route to meet US...

Brazil’s former president Jair ‌Bolsonaro underwent “a phrenic nerve block procedure” on Saturday ‍to treat his persistent hiccups, his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, said on social media. In a subsequent statement, the doctors treating Bolsonaro said they blocked ⁠the right phrenic nerve and scheduled a new procedure in 48 hours to block the left one. In medical literature, the phrenic nerve is described as a vital nerve originating ‍in the neck that controls the diaphragm, the primary muscle ‍for...

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency said security services tried to prevent officers from raiding parliament offices on Saturday, as investigators said some MPs were implicated in a new inquiry. The anti-corruption detectives were later allowed into the heavily guarded compound where the parliament was located, Ukraine’s State Security Department said on social media. Ukraine has been embroiled in a string of corruption scandals that led to the resignation of the chief of staff to President...

Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organisations on suspicion of raising millions of euros for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, anti-terrorism prosecutors said in a statement on Saturday. The suspects are accused of sending about €7 million (US$8.2 million) to “associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas”, the statement said. Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian...

A small town in northern Spain has reached a compromise after a ticket sales error threatened to leave some winners of the country’s iconic Christmas lottery empty handed. Spanish media reported on Saturday that everyone holding a ticket with the winning number of the main prize, called El Gordo (The Fat One), will now receive almost their full winnings. Celebrations in Villamanin, a town of fewer than 1,000 residents, on Monday over winnings totalling almost €35 million (US$41.2 million) turned...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that a Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv showed Moscow did “not want to end the war”. Zelensky made the comments ahead of his departure for talks in the United States with President Donald Trump on a plan to halt the Russian invasion. The Russians “do not want to end the war and seek to use every opportunity to cause Ukraine even greater suffering and increase their pressure on others around the world”, Zelensky said. “There have...

Moscow is likely stationing new nuclear-capable hypersonic ballistic missiles at a former airbase in eastern Belarus, a development that could bolster Russia’s ability to deliver missiles across Europe, two US researchers have found by studying satellite imagery. The researchers’ assessment broadly aligns with US intelligence findings, said ‌a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share information not authorised for public release. Russian President Vladimir...

Nexperia China, the estranged unit of the Dutch chipmaker, is pushing forward with efforts to secure new wafer suppliers in six months, as the firm’s Netherlands head office and mainland Chinese owner Wingtech Technology started direct talks last week. In its shareholders meeting in Shanghai on Friday, Wingtech said Nexperia China’s plant in Dongguan, in southern Guangdong province, continued to operate amid “a significant gap in wafer supply”, reports from several state-backed media...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expects to meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday in pursuit of a deal to end Russia’s nearly four-year invasion, though the latest comments from Moscow raise doubts about how close a final agreement really is. Zelensky told reporters on Friday that he would discuss sensitive issues with Trump including the future of the Donbas region in Ukraine’s east and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The Ukrainian leader said he plans to...

US President ‌Donald Trump said on Friday that a US military strike targeting Islamic State militants in Nigeria was originally supposed to take place on Wednesday but he ordered it delayed by a day. “They were going to ‍do it earlier,” Trump told Politico in an ‌interview. “And I ⁠said, ‘nope, let’s give a Christmas present’. … They didn’t think that was coming but we hit them hard. ‌Every camp got decimated.” Thursday’s strikes marked a major escalation in an offensive that the West African...

The Cure guitarist and keyboard player Perry Bamonte has died aged 65, the legendary British dark rock band announced on Friday. Bamonte, who became a full member of The Cure in 1990, “passed away after a short illness at home over Christmas”, according to a statement published on the band’s website. “It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte,” it said. “Quiet, intensive, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, ‘Teddy’ was a warm...

From luxury handbags to vintage Bordeaux, China’s consumers have long associated French products with fine living. Now, France aims to hook the country’s expanding middle class on another local speciality: foie gras. China placed tight restrictions on imports of the iconic French goose liver pate amid Europe’s bird flu epidemic, but there are signs that things could change, with Beijing recently vowing to get more produce “from French farms to Chinese tables”. Paris and Beijing also signed a...

French police on Friday arrested a man suspected of stabbing three women in the Paris Metro as the capital’s end-of-year festivities were in full swing, prosecutors said. The three victims were attacked at three different locations along the Line 3 Metro track that runs across central Paris, the RATP authority that runs the transit service said. An Agence France-Presse journalist at the Republique station saw a security team treating a woman who had been wounded in the leg and appeared to be in...

Airlines in the United States have cancelled or ‌delayed thousands of flights on Friday, according to flight tracking website ‍FlightAware, due to winter storm Devin during peak holiday travel. A total of 1,382 flights were cancelled and 4,685 delayed on Friday afternoon, the website said. The National Weather Service (NWS) predicted snowfall across the upper Great Lakes region through the day, with the storm’s focus moving towards the northeast. “Road conditions will be treacherous for those...

Two sisters testified at Harvey Weinstein’s most recent criminal trial. Kaja Sokola accused the disgraced movie mogul of sexual assault. Ewa Sokola was called as a witness to boost her claims but ultimately ended up helping the defence. Now, Ewa Sokola is suing Kaja for defamation, alleging in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court that the psychotherapist and ex-model’s public remarks amount to libel and are damaging Ewa’s reputation and business as a cardiologist in Poland. Ewa...

Venezuela released 99 prisoners on Christmas Day, officials said, with the government calling it a goodwill gesture as it assesses arrests made after President Nicolas Maduro’s re-election. “The national government and the justice system have decided to evaluate each case individually and, in accordance with the law”, released 99 citizens “as a concrete expression of the State’s commitment to peace, dialogue and justice”, the Ministry of Penitentiary Services said. “They were deprived of liberty...

Somalia and the African Union reacted angrily on Friday after Israel formally recognised its northern region of Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state” – the first country to do so. Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has for decades pushed for international recognition, which has been the main priority for President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi since he took office last year. But a Somali foreign ministry statement warned the decision was a “deliberate...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday he will meet US President Donald Trump in Florida over the weekend. Zelensky told journalists the two leaders will discuss security guarantees for Ukraine during Sunday’s talks, and that the 20-point plan under discussion “is about 90 per cent ready”. An “economic agreement” also will be discussed, Zelensky said, but he was unable to confirm “whether anything will be finalised by the end”. The Ukrainian side will also raise “territorial...

An Islamist militant group has claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed at least eight worshippers at a mosque in a predominantly Alawite area of Homs, Syria, on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna announced that its fighters “detonated a number of explosive devices” inside the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque. The group – which was formed after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad – previously claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed 20 people at a Damascus church...

The fascination with cryptocurrencies shows no sign of fading. With the passage of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (Genius) Act in July, US lawmakers added to the sense that crypto is here to stay. But an uncomfortable issue remains unresolved: are cryptocurrencies a genuine innovation capable of serving the common good, or a speculative threat to financial and social stability? Not all cryptocurrencies are alike. Unbacked ones, such as bitcoin or Ethereum,...

Forcibly recruited into a rebel militia affiliated with Islamic State, two boys have revealed the “torment” of living in its camps as members committed massacres in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s northeast. The two minors freed from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) gave Agence France-Presse an unprecedented account of the shadowy group, notorious for its extreme brutality. Paluku, a frail 12-year-old, spent two months with the ADF after rebels killed his mother during an attack on his...

Israel is cashing in on soaring international demand for combat-proven air defence systems, as analysts say the billions of dollars' worth of weapon sales will significantly expand the country’s influence beyond the Middle East. The weapon exports to Europe, Asia and Africa are helping Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration overcome its diplomatic isolation over the Gaza war by making the Jewish-majority state a key long-term security partner for its customers. “Exporting air defence...

Inside an abandoned control room at Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a worker in an orange hard hat gazed at a grey wall of seemingly endless dials, screens and gauges that were supposed to prevent disaster. The 1986 meltdown at the site was the world’s worst ever nuclear incident. Since Russia invaded in 2022, Kyiv fears another disaster could be just a matter of time. In February, a Russian drone hit and left a large hole in the New Safe Confinement (NSC), the outer of two radiation...

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Pentagon says Chinese aircraft carriers, 6th-gen fighters make US ‘vulnerable’ A Pentagon report contends that China’s development of its aircraft carriers, sixth-generation fighters and nuclear arsenal illustrates Beijing’s...

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US launched a “powerful and deadly” strike against Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African country’s government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians. In a Christmas evening post on his social media site, Trump did not provide details or mention the extent of the damage caused by the strikes. But a video posted by ‍the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launching from a warship. A US...

Britain’s King Charles called for “compassion and reconciliation” at a time of “division” across the world in his Christmas Day message on Thursday. The 77-year-old monarch said he found it “enormously encouraging” how people of different faiths had a “shared longing for peace”. Charles praised individuals who risked their lives to save others in situations of violence, including those caught up in the killings at a Jewish event at Bondi Beach in Australia this month. “Individuals and...

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel took aim at US President Donald Trump as he warned on Thursday about the rise of fascism in an address to UK viewers dubbed “The Alternative Christmas Message”. The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact from the second term in office for Trump, who Kimmel said acts like he is a king. “From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year,” he said. “Tyranny is booming over here.” The channel began a tradition of airing an...

As 2025 draws to a close, Wall Street’s love affair with Chinese equities is in full swing. While the relationship between global investors and China has been a rocky one, market sentiment is now about varying degrees of bullishness. In a panel discussion moderated by JPMorgan at the annual meeting of the Emerging Markets Trading Association earlier this month, some of the speakers said China’s stock market had undergone a shift from “uninvestable” to “irresistible”, especially in the...

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro endorsed his son ‌Flavio’s 2026 presidential bid on Thursday in a statement from a hospital where he ‍underwent a scheduled hernia operation that doctors said went smoothly. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes authorised Bolsonaro to leave prison, where he is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup, for the surgery. Police were ordered to stay outside ⁠his room where computers and mobile phones were prohibited. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, 44,...

Moscow has made an offer to Paris regarding jailed French researcher Laurent Vinatier, who is facing espionage charges that could see him sentenced to 20 years in a Russian prison, the Kremlin said on Thursday. The surprise public overture comes as both Russia and France have expressed interest in possible talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron. Vinatier, who works for a Swiss conflict mediation NGO and was jailed in June 2024, is serving a three-year sentence for failing to...

Britain’s Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie attended the royal family’s traditional Christmas Day church service ‌on Thursday, while their father Andrew, recently stripped of his titles ‍over ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was absent. King Charles and Queen Camilla led senior royals to a church in Sandringham in eastern England, about 175km (110 miles) northeast of ⁠London, greeting well-wishers in crisp winter weather. Charles and Camilla walked ahead while the Prince and...

Russian air attacks caused death and destruction across Ukraine, authorities in different regions reported on Thursday, with Russian authorities reporting similar Ukrainian attacks on their territory. A Russian drone attack in the southwestern Odesa region on the Black Sea left one person dead and two injured. Damage was caused to port and energy infrastructure, the regional authorities said. In the Kharkiv region bordering Russia in Ukraine’s northeast, one person died and 15 were injured. And...

Mercedes-Benz on Thursday said it completed the acquisition of a 3 per cent stake, worth 1.34 billion yuan (US$191 million), in motorcycle maker-turned-autonomous driving systems developer Chongqing Qianli Technology, three months after the deal was first announced. The transaction involved Mercedes-Benz Digital Technology, the German carmaker’s tech unit, and Shanghai-listed Lifan Holdings, which transferred 135.6 million shares of Qianli at 9.87 yuan per share. Before the transaction, Lifan...

The first physical store of Chinese-owned fast-fashion giant Shein – which opened in central Paris in November amid heated protests – has become a new retail destination for many denizens of the French capital as they rush to finish their Christmas shopping. Hundreds of customers wandered among the racks of clothing, rifling through items carrying tags with rock-bottom prices, including a €66.99 (US$79) leather jacket and a €78.99 puffer coat. Those wishing to use the fitting rooms at the Shein...

A powerful winter storm is lashing Southern California, prompting California Governor Gavin Newsom to proclaim a state of emergency in Los Angeles and neighbouring counties. Coastal communities are bracing for multiple months’ worth of rain in just a few days, while areas charred by wildfires face the risk of mudslides. A third person has died, according to the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, a flood watch was extended for most of Southern California. The state has pre-positioned emergency...

In an appeal on Thursday during a message and blessing given at Christmas and Easter, Pope Leo called for an end to all global wars. Speaking from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to thousands of people in the square below, he lamented conflicts, political, ‌social or military, in Ukraine, Sudan, Mali, Myanmar, ‌and Thailand and Cambodia, among others. Leo said people in Ukraine, where Russian troops are threatening cities critical to the country’s eastern defences, have been...

Donald Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura won Honduras’ presidential election, electoral authorities said on Wednesday, ending a weeks-long count that has whittled away at the credibility of the Central American nation’s fragile electoral system. The election is continuing Latin America’s swing to the right, coming just a week after Chile chose the far-right politician Jose Antonio Kast as its next president. Asfura, of the conservative National Party, received 40.27 per cent of the vote in the...

The US Justice Department said Wednesday that it may need a “few more weeks” to release all of its records on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after suddenly discovering more than a million potentially relevant documents, further delaying compliance with last Friday’s congressionally mandated deadline. The Christmas Eve announcement came hours after a dozen US senators called on the Justice Department’s watchdog to examine its failure to meet the deadline. The group, 11 Democrats and a...

Just before Christmas, US President Donald Trump has unleashed a fresh blast of vitriol at late-night comedy talk shows, saying comedian Stephen Colbert is a “pathetic train wreck” who should be “put to sleep”. Colbert’s The Late Show is scheduled to end in May 2026, a decision his fans say smacks of censorship. In a late-night social media post, Trump said that Colbert “has actually gotten worse” since being “terminated by CBS, but left out to dry”. “Stephen is running on hatred and fumes – A...

Hundreds of worshippers gathered for mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Wednesday night as the Palestinian city ushered in its first festive Christmas in more than two years, emerging from the shadow of the war in Gaza. Throughout the conflict that began with Hamas’ attack on Israel in October 2023, a sombre tone had marked Christmases in the biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ. But celebrations returned in full swing Wednesday with crowded parades and music in the occupied West...

Brazil is preparing to waive visa requirements for Chinese citizens travelling for tourism and business, local media reported on Wednesday citing government sources, in a move that would mark a significant shift in policy and deepen ties with its largest trading partner. The planned measure, expected to be announced in early 2026, would put Brazil on a reciprocal footing after China unilaterally granted visa-free entry to Brazilians for short stays. According to local newspaper Valor Economico,...

The European Union is back in the crosshairs of the Trump administration over its tech rules, which Washington denounced as an attempt to “coerce” American social media platforms into censoring viewpoints they oppose. The US State Department said on Tuesday it would deny visas to a former EU commissioner and four others, saying they “have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states – in each case targeting American speakers and American companies”. Trump has vowed to punish countries that...

Algeria’s parliament unanimously approved on Wednesday a law declaring France’s colonisation of the country a crime, demanding an apology and reparations in a move Paris condemned as “hostile”. Standing in the chamber, lawmakers wearing scarves in the colours of the national flag chanted “long live Algeria” as they applauded the passage of the bill, which states that France holds “legal responsibility for its colonial past in Algeria and the tragedies it caused”. The vote comes as the two...

A US federal judge on Tuesday upheld President Donald Trump’s US$100,000 fee to process H-1B visa applications, while also acknowledging it could “inflict significant harm on American businesses and institutions of higher education”. In a 56-page opinion, US District Judge Beryl Howell wrote that the president has “broad statutory authority” to address “a problem he perceives to be a matter of economic and national security”. The US$100,000 application fee announced in September gave companies...

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that the assault with hundreds of drones and missiles, lasting nearly 10 hours, showed that Moscow was not serious about peace.

Serhii Tyschenko, a Ukrainian combat medic, spent 472 days in a bunker. His case appears to be an extreme example of a problem that has long plagued Kyiv’s military.

The National Kidney Registry has matched thousands of kidney donors with recipients. It has also paid millions of dollars to a company owned by its founder.

When American studios wouldn’t back his film about a laid-off manager committing gruesome murders, the director returned to Korea. Now he has a hit on his hands.

Policymakers and investors are pursuing what’s feasible rather than promising the impossible.

To avoid the ripple effects of real-time adjustments to what was predicted to be up to nine inches of snow, the major airlines said they pre-emptively canceled flights.

Now, vacationers looking to ski are wondering what to do and merchants are hoping it doesn’t last.

A new study suggests that distressed borrowers using a simpler bankruptcy process are succeeding — and that more people like them should try.

Mr. Graffman was a onetime child prodigy whose career was curtailed by a neurological condition that restricted him to his left hand.