Minimalist News

Ukraine War Comes To... The Caspian Sea Ukraine has extended the war to a far flung body of water and unexpected place. Ukraine's military has newly revealed that its special forces conducted successful operations against Russian oil, military, logistics assets in the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is some 700 miles from the front lines in Ukraine, and is the world's largest inland body of water, which is bordered by Russia and Kazakhstan to the north and Iran to the South, among other small countries. Ukraine revealed Thursday its long-range drones targeted and hit major offshore oil platform in the Caspian Sea. The offshore oil

France's Fiscal Death Spiral: A Nation Incapable Of Reform Submitted By Thomas Kolbe What is now unfolding in France may soon drag the entire Eurozone into deep turmoil. The country is staggering through a fiscal crisis while locked in a political stalemate that seems impossible to break. In the bond market, the clock is ticking loudly as France’s public debt spirals out of control. This week, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu celebrated a textbook Pyrrhic victory. On Tuesday, the National Assembly narrowly approved his draft for next year’s social budget. But the win came at a steep price: sweeping concessions that will only worsen

Dust Off The Shovels: Quick Burst Of Snow Targets Mid-Atlantic, I-95 Corridor Update (Saturday morning):  Dust off your snow shovels and fill up those snowblowers with gasoline, or if you've splurged this year on a fancy robot snowblower, plug it in and charge the batteries today. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast are preparing for the season's first significant snowfall event, with accumulating snow expected in metro areas near I-95. It is a fast-moving clipper storm expected to arrive overnight. "An area of low pressure will redevelop off the coast Saturday night into Sunday morning with snow developing by 12 a.m. The snow will mix with

Europe Continues To Interfere In Ukraine's Last Chance For Peace For those who understand the basics of attrition warfare, the outcome of the fight in Ukraine was obvious a long time ago.  Russia's superior logistical position along with its grinding offensive tactics have worn down Ukraine's defenses and left the country with a desperate manpower shortage.  The recent capture of the vital hub of Pokrovsk has now opened the door to an accelerating Russian advance. The Russian offensive is gaining significant ground from Pokrovsk to the north, all the way to Kupiansk.  The strategic city of Siversk is now largely under control

Cry The Beloved Europe? Authored by Victor Davis Hanson via American Greatness, Nothing bothers the European elite as much as American conservatives praising the European foundations of their shared, but threatened, Western civilization. Europeans especially resent having their social-welfare state system critiqued by upstart, crass Americans. Their pique only increases as they push back against the condescending American idea that the U.S. could possibly offer any constructive advice, much less help a more civilized Europe follow the “American model.” Americans, in turn, are worried that Europe is not just stagnating but is on a trajectory of permanent decline—with dire consequences for the entire Western world. As

What's In Your Coffee? Unexpected Facts Behind Your Morning Cup Authored by Kimberly Drake via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Coffee is beloved for its caffeine kick and flavor, but it also helps reduce risks from chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease thanks to high levels of antioxidants and other bioactive compounds. FoodVideoPhoto/Shutterstock However, along with its nutty flavor and comforting aroma, researchers have found traces of potentially cancer-causing roasting byproducts, mycotoxins from mold, cholesterol-raising compounds, and even pesticide residues that can linger from farm to mug. The good news is that the choices you make, from the type of coffee

Land Along Southern Border Is Transferred to Navy To Become Part Of 'National Defense Area' Authored by Jacob Burg via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The Trump administration said on Dec. 10 that it would transfer roughly 760 acres of public land along the U.S.-Mexico border in California to the Navy for three years to support border security operations. The U.S. border with Mexico near San Diego on Jan. 31, 2025. Jae C. Hong/AP Photo While announcing the decision Wednesday, the Interior Department said the land would become part of a “National Defense Area,” or militarized zone, to bolster immigration enforcement. The land stretches from

Alaskans Carry The Highest Average Credit-Card Debt In The US U.S. credit card balances have climbed to $1.21 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s 2025 report. This map, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, visualizes how average credit card debt varies widely across the United States in 2025. The data for this visualization comes from the TransUnion Credit Industry Snapshot published in September 2025. STATES WITH THE HIGHEST BALANCES Washington, D.C. leads the nation with an average balance of $7,684, reflecting high living costs and larger credit lines. State Value Alaska $7.7K Alabama $6.0K Arkansas $5.8K Arizona $6.7K California $7.0K Colorado $6.9K Connecticut $7.0K District

U.S. Military Readiness Is Under Threat By Doctor Shortages Authored by Jeff Morris via RealClearDefense, According to the Association of the U.S. Army, the crisis of doctor shortages has been increasing for years, which negatively affects military readiness. Their own report cited the inability of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to recruit and retain enough doctors. As the number of military physicians has consistently decreased, the armed services have been forced to close some hospitals, to lower other hospitals to clinic status, and to use nurses and technicians as "physician extenders.” More recently, leading U.S. physicians have spoken out about the largest healthcare monopoly in the country

Joe Kent Sounds Alarm: Biden's Border Invasion Flooded Nation With 18,000 Known And Suspected Terrorists In the wake of last month's shooting of two National Guard service members just blocks from the White House by a radicalized Afghan national who entered the U.S. under the Biden-Harris regime, National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent warned the House Homeland Security Committee that the Homeland faces an elevated terrorism risk tied to years of nation-killing open border policies. On Thursday, Kent testified that the NCTC has identified 18,000 "known and suspected terrorists that the Biden administration let come into our country." He continued, "These are individuals

No Confirmation Of U.S. Fighter Jet Over Venezuelan Airspace, Flight Tracking Data Sparks False Alarm Update (2144ET): Flightradar24's software-generated estimate of the U.S. military F/A-18E Super Hornet (RHINO51) initially showed the aircraft's flight path entering Venezuelan airspace. The data has since shown that this was not the case. "The black dashed line is an ESTIMATED position based on a few variables and is not the actual track, which on @flightradar24 is shown as a blue line," X account OSINT noted.  > No. > > The black dashed line is an ESTIMATED position based on a few variables and is not the actual track, which on

Gaza Tent Cities Under Water Amid Deadly 'Catastrophic' Storm Via Middle East Eye At least 11 Palestinians have died in storm-hit Gaza from cold and collapsing buildings within the last 24 hours. Two children - nine-year-old Hadeel Hamdan and an infant, Taim Khawaja - died from cold in Gaza City on Friday, according to medical sources. Another child, eight-month-old Rahaf Abu Jazar, died in Khan Younis on Thursday after rainwater leaked into her family’s tent during overnight storms. Five people were killed when a damaged house in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, collapsed under floods and strong winds. Several others were injured. Via AP/Al Jazeera Two more deaths

UBS Outlines Three Reasons For Sober Revolution Crushing Spirits Market There are just thirteen days until Christmas. Friends and family are gathering; eggnog, spiked with bourbon, dark or spiced rum, or cognac, is flowing, and Christmas music fills homes, restaurants, and bars, blaring from speakers tuned to holiday playlists. But this Christmas season, like the last few, the spirits market in North America is extraordinarily weak and, according to UBS analysts led by Zuzanna Pusz, unlikely to rebound in 2026. Pusz outlined three main drivers behind these structural headwinds: generational shifts as Gen Z drinks less and adopts healthy habits; substitution from GLP-1

Border Tsar Homan Announces Investigation Into Rep. Omar: A Case For Fraud Or Defamation? Authored by Jonathan Turley, This week, the lingering allegations over the marital history of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) took an ominous step when Border Tsar Tom Homan publicly acknowledged that the government is looking into the matter. Rep. Omar has long denied that she married her brother to gain his entry into the United States, but the allegation has continued to rage on the Internet and among her critics. The question is whether this is a substantive case of fraud or defamation. Homan stated that he was investigating whether Omar

This Elderly Man Gave Away His Gold After Fake US Marshal Called. He Isn't The Only One. Authored by Allan Stein via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), SHOW LOW, Ariz.—The coin shop owner had seen his share of hefty deals, but this call caught him off guard. An elderly man from nearby Snowflake, Arizona, wanted to purchase gold coins valued in the tens of thousands. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock The next day, when the man walked into the shop in Show Low, his nervousness was obvious. The man was clutching his phone, hanging onto every word from a woman’s voice that seemed

What The Top 1% Richest Americans Pay In Taxes Across The US This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, uses IRS data from 2022 analyzed by SmartAsset to show how much the richest people contribute to income tax revenue. WHERE THE TOP 1% PAY THE LARGEST SHARE OF TAXES The table below includes each state’s share of income taxes paid by the top 1% and the total amount of income tax they paid. Wyoming leads the nation, with the top 1% paying 54.67% of all state income taxes. Florida and Nevada follow closely, both surpassing the 50% threshold. These states attract high-income individuals in part due to tax-friendly

Lefty 'Consumer' Watchdog Group Bought & Paid For By Big Pharma Via American Greatness, The National Consumers League is America’s oldest consumer advocacy organization and a group trusted by the left, especially, to stand up for consumers’ interests. But according to a review of its tax filings by the Washington Examiner, it has also become part of a web of astroturf groups shilling for the corporate interests of PhRMA, the massive drugmaker trade association that operates in Washington, DC, which donated close to $1 million to it just last year. The organization’s 2024 tax form, which became available a few days ago, shows that the

AI Is A "Supersonic Tsunami"; Musk Bullish On Global Trajectory It has been a month since Elon Musk and Joe Rogan spoke, but, as 'Camus' pointed out this week, this seven-minute exchange, buried in the middle of a three hour conversation, could very well be one of the most important conversations of the decade. Musk laid it out bluntly: AI is a “supersonic tsunami” already erasing every purely digital job—coding, emails, spreadsheets, customer support—faster than any shift in history. > "I think there will be actually a high demand for jobs, but not necessarily the same jobs," Musk told Rogan on the comedian's podcast.  >

Newsom's 'National Model' For Homeless Wracked By Fraud Authored by Ana Kasparian via RealClearInvestigations, Gov. Gavin Newsom has made reducing the homelessness crisis in California a top priority, saying the scale of the state’s efforts is “unprecedented” and calling for the continued expansion of his signature effort – Project Homekey – that has already cost $3.75 billion.  But in a state with more than 181,000 homeless individuals, or about one-third of the U.S. total, Homekey has been marred by failures and scandals, including a lack of government oversight and accountability as well as a federal investigation into allegations of fraud in Los Angeles.  Newsom,

Leaked Video: Woke Elite College Held "Disgusting" Sexual Orientation Performance Amherst College, proudly one of America’s wokest institutions, has once again outdone itself in the name of “sexual respect.” A group of traumatized students claim they were effectively coerced into a mandatory orientation spectacle where student performers humped under blankets, moaned theatrically, and pelted the audience with condoms “like confetti,” footage leaked to the Washington Free Beacon shows. Junior Isabella Niemi, who endured an earlier edition of the show, told the Free Beacon the “grossly sexual” skit nearly broke her impeccable rule-following streak. “I thought about leaving 10 minutes in. I’m not someone who

The seizure of the Skipper on Wednesday marked the first US capture of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019 Venezuelan oil exports have reportedly fallen sharply since the US seized a tanker this week and imposed fresh sanctions on shipping companies and vessels doing business with Caracas, according to shipping data, documents and maritime sources. The US seizure of the Skipper tanker off Venezuela’s coast on Wednesday was the first US capture of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019 and marked a sharp escalation in rising tensions between the Trump administration and the government of Nicolás

Justice Alexandre de Moraes and his wife had been under Global Magnitsky sanctions after conviction of ex-president The US Department of the Treasury has lifted sanctions imposed on the Brazilian supreme court justice who oversaw the conviction of the former president Jair Bolsonaro. Justice Alexandre de Moraes had been under Global Magnitsky sanctions, which target individuals accused of human rights abuses, since July. His wife Viviane Barci de Moraes – who was added the sanctions list in September – was also removed from the register on Friday. Continue reading...

Citizens told to stay at home while ELN guerrillas carry out exercises in response to US president’s cocaine warning Colombia’s ELN guerrilla group has ordered civilians in areas under its control to stay home for three days starting on Sunday, while it carries out military exercises in response to “intervention” threats from Donald Trump. The US president said earlier this month that any country that produces cocaine and sells it to the United States was “subject to attack”. Continue reading...

Rookie Michael Ma leaves Conservative party for ‘steady, practical approach’ of Mark Carney’s government Canada’s ruling Liberals have edged closer to a majority government after a Conservative lawmaker crossed the floor, in yet another blow to the struggling Tories. Rookie lawmaker Michael Ma said late on Thursday that he had decided to leave the Conservative party, for “the steady, practical approach” of prime minister Mark Carney’s government, which he said would “deliver on the priorities I hear every day, including affordability and the economy”. Continue reading...

Torrential rain has caused mudslides, washed out roads and submerged vehicles with more deluges expected on Sunday The Pacific north-west is reeling from catastrophic flooding that inundated communities across the region this week, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate and prompting a federal emergency declaration. Torrential rain rapidly filled rivers and triggered flooding on Thursday from Oregon north through Washington state and into British Columbia, causing mudslides and tearing homes from their foundations. Authorities have closed dozens of roads in response to the emergency and issued evacuation warnings for 100,000 people. Continue reading...

Thai PM says military will keep fighting and Cambodia suspends border crossings as casualties rise * Thailand-Cambodia fighting explained Thailand’s caretaker prime minister has denied the existence of a ceasefire with Cambodia, despite Donald Trump announcing that both countries had agreed to halt fighting. As heavy clashes continued along the border between the two countries, Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday that Thailand had not agreed to a ceasefire with Cambodia and that its forces would continue fighting. Cambodia announced it had suspended all border crossings with Thailand. Continue reading...

Leader praises his soldiers for turning ‘danger zone into a safe one’ during ceremony in Pyongyang welcoming them back from Ukraine war North Korea sent troops to clear mines in Russia’s Kursk region earlier this year, leader Kim Jong-un said in a speech carried on Saturday by state media, a rare acknowledgement by Pyongyang of the deadly tasks assigned to its deployed soldiers. According to South Korean and western intelligence agencies, North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

Conservationists fear up to 11% of Tapanuli orangutan population perished in disaster that also killed 1,000 people The skull of a Tapanuli orangutan, caked in debris, stares out from a tomb of mud in North Sumatra, killed in catastrophic flooding that swept through Indonesia. The late November floods have been an “extinction-level disturbance” for the world’s rarest great ape, scientists have said, causing catastrophic damage to its habitat and survival prospects. Continue reading...

Notoriously difficult entrance exam is regarded as gateway to economic security and even a good marriage The chief organiser of South Korea’s notoriously gruelling university entrance exams has resigned – after complaints that an English test he designed was too difficult. Passing the exam, known locally as the Suneung, is essential for admission to prestigious universities and regarded as a gateway to upward social mobility, economic security and even a good marriage. Continue reading...

Co-founder of Singapore-based Terraform Labs given more jail time by US judge than prosecutors sought Do Kwon, the entrepreneur behind two cryptocurrencies that lost $40bn (£29.8bn) three years ago and caused the sector to crash, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fraud. The South Korean, 34, had pleaded guilty to two counts of US charges of conspiracy to defraud and wire fraud. Continue reading...

Several European nations are already planning similar moves while Britain has said ‘nothing is off the table’ Australia is taking on powerful tech companies with its under-16 social media ban, but will the rest of the world follow? The country’s enactment of the policy is being watched closely by politicians, safety campaigners and parents. A number of other countries are not far behind, with Europe in particular hoping to replicate Australia, while the UK is keeping more of a watchful interest. Continue reading...

Bankstown man, 31, allegedly sent two emails to the communication minister’s office in late November making direct threats * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A Sydney man has been charged with threatening to kill government minister Anika Wells and her family. A 31-year-old Bankstown man allegedly sent two emails to Wells’ office in late November making direct threats to kill her and members of her family. Continue reading...

Updated wording expands definition of ‘party political duties’ as Labor politicians come under scrutiny for spending * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Cabinet minister Chris Bowen says Turnbull-era rules about travel expenses for politicians were changed by the Albanese government before the federal election to simplify them, despite criticism of the subsequent broad wording. In announcing an overhaul of the home batteries subsidy scheme, Bowen was asked about reporting in the Daily Telegraph that the federal government quietly changed the rules to make it easier for politicians to claim taxpayer-funded flights and accommodation prior to the

Consisting of 6.8km of tunnels and 9.2km of elevated roads, the project will provide a new river crossing and an alternative to the West Gate Bridge * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast After years of delays, cost overruns and the discovery of toxic soil that triggered a legal battle, Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel will finally open on Sunday. The $10.2bn project, consisting of 6.8km of tunnels and 9.2km of elevated roads, will provide a new river crossing and act as an alternative to the West Gate Bridge. Continue reading...

Regis Resources told a federal court hearing the partial protection order, which blocks construction of a planned tailings dam, would make its development unviable * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A mining company developing a goldmine in the central west of New South Wales has told the federal court the government did not properly assess a Dreaming story at the centre of a heritage protection order issued over part of the site. Regis Resources has challenged the decision by the former environment minister Tanya Plibersek to issue the order last year under section 10 of the

Nobel prize winner Ales Bialiatski and opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava among those freed after US talks with Alexander Lukashenko The Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, has freed 123 prisoners, including Nobel peace prize winner Ales Bialiatski and leading opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava, after the US lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash, a key export. The announcement came after two days of talks with an envoy of the US president, Donald Trump, the latest diplomatic push since the Trump administration started talks with the autocratic leader. Continue reading...

Veja doesn’t do surveys or freebies, hates greenwashing and Black Friday, and as demand for trainers wanes, it continues to go its own way In the grand hierarchy of Paris fashion, it’s tricky for a brand to stand out. Especially one whose coup de maître is a goes-with-everything white sneaker. Yet 20 years after Veja first began selling sustainable footwear, it has become the ultimate affordable It brand for scooter-wielding mums, sustainably minded millennials and A-list bigwigs who want to wear their values on their ethical leather-clad feet. Veja’s co-founder Sébastien Kopp says he doesn’t know if people buy his trainers because

As 27 European countries urge changes to laws forged after second world war, human rights chief says politicians are playing into hands of populists The battle had been brewing for months. But this week it came to a head in a flurry of meetings, calls and one heady statement. Twenty-seven European countries urged a rethink of the human rights laws forged after the second world war, describing them as an impediment when it came to addressing migration. Amnesty International has called it “a moral retreat”. Europe’s most senior human rights official said the approach risked creating a “hierarchy of people” where some

The decision is a significant step towards using the cash to aid Ukraine’s defence – but Moscow is threatening to retaliate The EU has agreed to indefinitely freeze Russia’s sovereign assets in the bloc, as Moscow stepped up its threats to retaliate against Euroclear, the keeper of most of the Kremlin’s immobilised money. The decision by the EU to use emergency powers to immobilise €210bn (£185bn) of Russia’s central bank’s assets marks a significant step towards using the cash to aid Ukraine’s defence. Continue reading...

Bart De Wever will also discuss migration, security and economy ahead of coalition of the willing meeting and EU summit next week Russia’s central bank said it was suing the Belgium-based Euroclear financial group, which holds Moscow’s frozen international reserves, as the EU moves closer to using the funds to support Ukraine, AFP reported. The bank said it was filing “a lawsuit against Euroclear in the Moscow Arbitration Court” due to what it called “the illegal actions” of the institution. Continue reading...

Palestinians who have worked the ‘breadbasket’ area for generations face being replaced by Israeli settlers The death knell for the Palestinian village of Atouf, on the western slopes of the Jordan valley, arrived in the form of a trail of paper, a series of eviction notices taped to homes, greenhouses and wells, marking a straight line across the open fields. The notices, which appeared overnight, informed the local farmers that their land would be confiscated and that they had seven days from the date of their delivery, 4 December, to vacate their properties. A military road and accompanying barrier was to be

Mohammadi ‘violently’ detained along with other activists at memorial event in Mashhad, her foundation says There are fears for the wellbeing of the 2023 Nobel peace prize winner, Narges Mohammadi, after she was detained by Iranian security forces at a memorial ceremony for a human rights lawyer in the eastern city of Mashhad. Mohammadi, 53, who was granted temporary leave from prison on medical grounds in December 2024, was newly detained along with several other activists at the memorial for Khosro Alikordi, who was found dead in his office last week. Continue reading...

‘Clear conflict’ between Eurovision ideals of ‘inclusion and dignity for all’ and decision to let Israel compete, says 2024 winner Nemo, the Swiss singer who won the 2024 Eurovision song contest, has said they are handing back their trophy in protest over Israel’s participation in next year’s event. The 26-year-old, the first non-binary winner of the contest, said on Thursday there was “a clear conflict” between the Eurovision ideals of “unity, inclusion and dignity for all” and the decision to allow Israel to compete. Continue reading...

Guardian story helped to draw attention to planned hanging of Goli Kouhkan over death of abusive husband A child bride who was due to be executed this month in Iran over the death of her husband has had her life spared by his parents, who were paid the equivalent of £70,000 in exchange for their forgiveness. Goli Kouhkan, 25, has been on death row in Gorgan central prison in northern Iran for the past seven years. At the age of 18 she was arrested over allegedly participating in the killing of her abusive husband, Alireza Abil, in May 2018, and sentenced to

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

* Argentinian makes 20-minute appearance in Kolkata * Supporters climb fence and hurl objects from stands Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off on a chaotic note on Saturday as fans ripped up seats and threw them towards the pitch after the Argentina and Inter Miami forward’s brief visit to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, the ANI news agency reported. Messi is in India as part of a tour during which he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth football clinics and a padel tournament, and launch charitable initiatives at events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. Continue reading...

Lawyers say people ‘don’t feel safe to leave their home’ as officials target recent arrivals and those awaiting hearings Immigration agents appear to be increasingly arresting and detaining Afghan asylum seekers, especially men, who have arrived in the US recently and are awaiting court hearings to decide their cases. Amir – an asylum seeker who came to the US via Mexico in 2024 – was driving home from his English class in Bloomington, Indiana just after noon on Monday, when he was pulled over by an unmarked police vehicle. Minutes later, the asylum seeker from Afghanistan was cuffed and driven to a

Conflict monitors say the junta has increased airstrikes year-on-year since the start of Myanmar’s civil war Dozens have been killed in a military strike on a hospital in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, according to an aid worker, a rebel group, a witness and local media reports, as the junta wages a withering offensive ahead of elections beginning this month. “The situation is very terrible,” said on-site aid worker Wai Hun Aung. “As for now, we can confirm there are 31 deaths and we think there will be more deaths. Also there are 68 wounded and will be more and more.” Continue reading...

Interior ministry will tell 640 people awaiting sanctuary ‘there is no longer any political interest in their being admitted’ * Europe live – latest updates Hundreds of Afghans previously promised sanctuary in Germany have been told they are no longer welcome, in a stark U-turn by the conservative chancellor, Friedrich Merz‪. The 640 people in Pakistan awaiting resettlement – many of whom worked for the German military during the US invasion and occupation of Afghanistan – will no longer be taken in, as Merz’s government axes two programmes introduced by its centre-left-led predecessor. Continue reading...

Bajun Mavalwalla, who maintains his innocence, will take case to jury even as others strike plea agreements An Afghanistan war veteran arrested on felony “conspiracy” charges a month after he participated in a protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) maintains his innocence and is preparing for a jury trial, even as others arrested the same day strike plea agreements to avoid long prison terms, his father said. Bajun Mavalwalla II – a former army sergeant who survived a roadside bomb blast on a special operations mission in Afghanistan – was charged in July with “conspiracy to impede or injure officers”

Scotland Yard says there will not be a criminal investigation into claims about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor The Metropolitan police will not be launching a criminal investigation into reports that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor asked his personal bodyguard to investigate Virginia Giuffre, the force has said. More details soon … Continue reading...

Ball will be replaced by Emma Willis but will continue to host special programmes for the station Zoe Ball has announced she is leaving her role as presenter of her BBC Radio 2 show. Speaking on the show, the 55-year-old said she would be replaced by the broadcaster Emma Willis. Ball will present her last programme next Saturday and will continue to host special programmes on the station. Continue reading...

Duchess of Sussex says journalistic ethics breached as dad turns to journalist first to break news of leg amputation When Thomas Markle received bad news about his health earlier this month, he immediately texted someone close to him to let them know. The 81-year-old had been admitted to hospital after one leg swelled up and turned black. “Going to lose the leg today,” he wrote. The message was not sent to his son, Thomas, who lives with him in Cebu in the Philippines, nor to his older daughter, Samantha, who is based in Florida. Instead, Markle contacted Caroline Graham, the US editor

Tree, which was planted more than 10 years ago, was felled hours after its Christmas lights were switched on Two men have been arrested in relation to a “disgusting act of mindless vandalism” after a Christmas tree which had stood in a village for more than 10 years was cut down. On Wednesday, the tree in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, was felled sometime between 10pm and 11pm, just hours after the Christmas lights were switched on. Continue reading...

Health secretary wrote to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, urging her to ‘take heat and ideology’ out of debate The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has called on the Conservatives to maintain the cross-party consensus on gender identity services built before the last election in a letter to Kemi Badenoch. Streeting wrote to opposition leader on Friday urging her to “take the heat and the ideology” out of debate amid controversy over a puberty blocker trial for children. Continue reading...

Psychiatry professor theorizes that the difference is related to how the substances interact with areas of the brain A recent review of alternative treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) indicates that psychedelic treatments show promise for the disorder while cannabis does not. Dr Michael Van Ameringen, a psychiatry professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada and lead author of the review published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, said that 40-60 % of OCD patients get either partial or no relief with available treatments, including SSRIs and exposure and response prevention therapy. Continue reading...

California governor says order pushes ‘grift and corruption’ instead of innovation just hours after president’s dictum The ink was barely dry on Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence executive order when Gavin Newsom came out swinging. Just hours after the order went public Thursday evening, the California governor issued a statement saying the presidential dictum, which seeks to block states from regulating AI of their own accord, advances “grift and corruption” instead of innovation. “President Trump and David Sacks aren’t making policy – they’re running a con,” Newsom said, referencing Trump’s AI adviser and crypto “czar”. “Every day, they push the limits to see

Arabella McCormack, 11, died after being tortured and starved by adoptive family and police and church failed to intervene A lawsuit over the death of an 11-year-old California girl who was allegedly tortured and starved by her adoptive family reached a settlement on Friday totaling $31.5m from the city and county of San Diego as well as other groups. The suit was brought on behalf of the two younger sisters of Arabella McCormack, who died in August 2022. The girls were ages six and seven at the time. Their adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, and McCormack’s parents, Adella and Stanley Tom, are facing

After Trump ended key repayment plan, 40% of borrowers say their student loans make it harder to cover essentials A recent survey found that a whopping 40% of student loan borrowers say that their loans have negatively affected their ability to cover their basic needs, such as food, housing and transportation – a financial burden that becomes even more apparent around the holiday season. At first glance, someone like Ben L should not be struggling financially. He attended Georgetown University and Columbia University for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, respectively, and now earns a six-figure salary working at a biotech company. Still,

The US has been punishing ‘an entire group’ since the arrest of an Afghan in the shooting of two national guard troops Afghan immigrants and advocates across the United States are pushing back firmly against the Trump administration’s most recent crackdown on legal immigration, saying the American government is punishing hundreds of thousands of people for the alleged actions of one man. Since the shooting of two national guard soldiers in Washington DC late last month, with the authorities charging an Afghan man as the suspect, the Trump administration has taken harsh action, especially against Afghans in the US, generating a mix

A microbiologist who revolutionised the production of laboratory-grown seafood protein took home the top prize in the 2025 African Business Heroes awards in Rwanda on Saturday, in the seventh annual edition of the largest event for start-ups of its kind on the continent. Diana Orembe, the founder of Tanzania-based NovFeed, was the winner out of 10 finalists in the awards, which received up to 32,000 applications from 54 countries. She took home US$300,000 in grant funding. Abraham Mbuthia of the...

People love to hate governments, and they loathe having to pay taxes. However, from now on, we’ll have to embrace more state intervention and the need for higher taxes or else legislate a more dirigiste system of directing personal savings into investment that isn’t so dependent on markets. This can be either done preemptively or in response to the next financial crisis. It goes without saying that the former course of action is surely preferable to the trauma that will be experienced in the...

A year after the curtain fell on the Assad regime’s five-decade reign of terror, Syria is emerging as a rare beacon of renewal in a conflict-weary region. President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadi filled with revolutionary zeal to rebuild his home after 14 years of civil war, has successfully consolidated power and won broad international recognition. Over the past 12 months, Syria has “transformed from a global pariah to a fully fledged, integral component of the international community”,...

Sitting in her wheelchair, Haneen al-Mabhouh dreams of rebuilding her family, of cradling a new baby. She dreams of walking again. But with her leg gone, her life in Gaza is on hold, she says, as she waits to go abroad for further treatment. An Israeli air strike in July 2024 smashed her home in central Gaza as she and her family slept. All four of her daughters were killed, including her five-month-old baby. Her husband was severely burned. Al-Mabhouh’s legs were crushed under the rubble, and...

In the Mexican mountain town of San Isidro Buen Suceso, Virginia Veronica Arce Arce begins her days as she has for decades: seated at her vintage Singer sewing machine, guiding bright threads into intricate patterns passed down through generations. Arce is part of a group of talented female indigenous artisans who collaborate to create the colourful embroidered dresses and huipiles – traditional blouses worn by indigenous women – that have become a wardrobe staple for Mexican President Claudia...

When high school students in the West Hartford Public Schools district study World War II in the coming year, they will learn about more than just the typical hallmarks like Japanese-American detention camps. They will also hear about Sadao Munemori, a soldier who died protecting comrades from a grenade. The 22-year-old posthumously became the first Japanese-American awarded the Medal of Honour. Lessons like this that delve beyond places have left teachers “humbled”, said Jessica Blitzer, the...

Christine Choy, a trailblazer for Asian-Americans in independent film and whose documentary on the fatal beating of Vincent Chin was nominated for an Academy Award, has died. She was 73. Choy died on Sunday, according to a statement from JT Takagi, executive director of Third World Newsreel, a filmmaking collective Choy helped establish in the 1970s. No cause of death was given. “She was a prolific filmmaker who made significant films that helped form our Asian-American and American film...

During a trip home, I took my daughters to the Nanking massacre memorial hall. It is not an easy place to visit. In shadowy rooms, photographs of victims line the walls. The names of the dead stretch across black stone. In glass cases lie bones unearthed from mass graves. I wanted my children to learn history honestly, to understand what war does to people. I shared stories my grandma had told me: as she fled town, a bomb fell on a nearby street. One neighbour vanished. Only bits of her remained...

King Charles said on Friday that his doctors can reduce his treatment for cancer in the new year, describing the moment as a “blessing” and testament to remarkable medical advances. Charles, 77, was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer last February, and made the latest announcement in a televised broadcast as part of a national cancer awareness campaign in Britain. “I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to doctors’...

Iranian security forces on Friday detained the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi along with at least eight other activists in an arrest condemned as “brutal” by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Mohammadi, who was granted temporary leave from prison in December 2024, was detained along with eight other activists at the ceremony for lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, who was found dead in his office last week, her foundation wrote on social media. Those arrested at the ceremony in the eastern...

The European Union on Friday indefinitely froze Russia’s assets in Europe to ensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, cannot prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine. Using a special procedure meant for economic emergencies, the EU blocked the assets until Russia gives up its war on Ukraine and compensates its neighbour for the heavy damage that it has inflicted for almost four years. EU Council President Antonio Costa said European leaders...

European Union members have observed an uptick in China’s support for Russia, multiple sources said, as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine prepares to drag into its fourth year. Officials are parsing evidence of an increase in battlefield weapons being shipped from China to Russia, to add to the well-documented flow of goods with dual civilian and military uses between the two states. “We note that 80 per cent of critical dual-use goods come to Russia either through or from China. They claim to be...

The reigning Miss Finland, Sarah Dzafce, has lost her title and crown due to a racism scandal, the organisers of the beauty pageant announced. They said at a press conference on Thursday that they accepted no form of racism or discriminatory behaviour and apologised for the incident in a statement. Tara Lehtonen, who finished in second place in the competition, has already been chosen as the new Miss Finland. “I promise to carry this title with pride and deep respect,” the woman from Helsinki...

Democratic lawmakers released a selection of photos from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, including some of now-US President Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and the UK’s former prince Andrew. Trump is featured in three of the 19 photos shared by House Oversight Committee Democrats, who said they are reviewing more than 95,000 images produced by the estate. The panel released roughly 70 more photos later on Friday, including images of the disgraced financier’s home, Epstein taking a bath, a...

The European Union will start collecting a three-euro flat fee for each small parcel valued below €150 (US$176) sent directly from a non-EU country to customers in the bloc, following a decision adopted by the EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday. The move, set to kick in next July, marks a milestone in Europe’s fight, led by France, against the influx of small parcels, mostly from Chinese platforms such as Temu and Shein, entering the union tax free. But how effective these...

A federal judge ordered on Friday that US immigration officials could not detain Kilmar Abrego Garcia, hours after his release from immigration detention. Abrego Garcia was appearing on Friday morning for a scheduled appointment at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office, some 14 hours after he was released from detention on a judge’s orders. His lawyers asked the judge to block authorities from detaining him again. Officials cannot re-detain him until the court conducts a...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the strategic frontline town of Kupiansk on Friday, just as Ukrainian forces reported retaking parts of the railway hub and encircling Russian troops. Standing at the city’s entrance in a bulletproof vest, Zelensky emphasised in a video message that “it is extremely important to achieve results on the front lines so that Ukraine can achieve results in diplomacy”. “Many Russians talked about Kupiansk – we can see. I was here, I congratulated the...

Tom Barrack, the United States special envoy for Syria, recently made waves at an international forum in Doha, Qatar, by suggesting that “benevolent monarchies” might be the most effective form of government for the Middle East. He also suggested that Israel was not a democracy. His remarks were probably welcomed in some parts of the region, but probably less well received by the US and other Western media, which all but consider themselves guardians of proper world opinion. Barrack was just...

The UK is facing an “unprecedented wave of super flu”, a health chief warned on Friday as the health minister urged doctors to call off a threatened five-day strike ahead of Christmas. Wes Streeting said the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) was in an “incredibly precarious situation” as flu cases mounted, and was facing a “challenge unlike any it has seen since the pandemic”. NHS figures published on Thursday showed flu cases at a record level for the time of year. The number of cases...

It is almost eight years since US President Donald Trump first declared that “trade wars are good, and easy to win”. How much longer will it take him and his tariff hawks to eat those words, and acknowledge the crass economic illiteracy of that conviction? How high a price must everyone pay – in particular, US consumers – before he calls off his tariff war? As America’s Christmas shopping season gets into full swing, typically accounting for around one third of US retailers’ annual profits, the...

A Chinese business group has urged the European Union to halt its “discriminatory and disproportionate” use of anti-subsidy probes to target Chinese companies, as Brussels steps up its scrutiny of firms allegedly receiving unfair state subsidies. The EU launched an in-depth foreign subsidy regulation (FSR) investigation against the Chinese security firm Nuctech on Thursday, just days after Brussels reportedly raided the Chinese-invested e-commerce platform Temu’s European headquarters in Dublin...

The United States is preparing to intercept more ships transporting Venezuelan oil following the seizure of a tanker this week, as it increases pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, six sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The seizure was the first interdiction of an oil cargo or tanker from Venezuela, which has been under US sanctions since 2019. It came as the US executes a large-scale military build-up in the southern Caribbean and as US President Donald Trump pushes...

A massive international grey market in mobile phone SIM cards is fuelling large-scale manipulation and fraud online, a University of Cambridge study has found. The researchers say physical and virtual SIMs from providers like SMSActivate, 5Sim, SMShub and SMSPVA were being used to verify fake accounts on social media platforms and e-commerce services. “We find a thriving underground market through which inauthentic content, artificial popularity and political influence campaigns are readily and...

Greece’s finance minister was on Thursday named head of the Eurogroup, the body that helps shape euro zone policy, underlining his country’s turnaround since the years when it came close to crashing out of the single currency. Kyriakos Pierrakakis saw off the rival Belgian candidate to become president of the assembly of finance ministers from the 20 countries sharing the euro. Greece had to be bailed out three times between 2010 and 2015 by euro zone governments to avoid economic collapse after...

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. China desalination tech makes fresh water cheaper than tap water – plus hydrogen China has launched a revolutionary facility in the eastern province of Shandong that produces fresh water from seawater for just two yuan (US$0.28) per...

Canada’s governing Liberals were one seat short of a simple majority in Parliament after a Conservative lawmaker defected and joined Prime Minister Mark Carney’s party on Thursday. Michael Ma was the second Canadian Conservative opposition lawmaker to join the Liberals in just over a month. Hong Kong-born Ma, who represents Markham–Unionville, said he entered politics “to focus on solutions, not division”. “I have concluded that Prime Minister Mark Carney is offering the steady, practical...

A Hollywood director was convicted on Thursday on charges that he scammed Netflix out of US$11 million for a show that never materialised, while he instead used the cash for lavish purchases that included several Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari and about US$1 million in mattresses and luxury bedding. Carl Erik Rinsch, best known for directing the film 47 Ronin, was convicted of wire fraud, money laundering and other charges, according to court records and a spokesperson for federal prosecutors in New...

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly cementing its position as a global leader in the digital asset sector on the back of its regulatory infrastructure and the institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies, according to industry insiders at the fourth edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW). Speaking at ADFW, the largest financial and investment gathering in the Middle East and North Africa, Binance co-CEO Richard Teng said the UAE had been at the industry’s forefront, as capital city Abu...

The Indiana Senate on Thursday rejected a new congressional map that would have boosted Republican chances of keeping control of the US House of Representatives in next year’s midterm elections, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump’s nationwide push to install more favourable maps. The vote represented a rare rebuke to Trump by members of his own party, which he has largely ruled with an iron fist as president. The tally was 31-19 against, with more than half of Republican senators joining...

One-time cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon was sentenced on Thursday to 15 years in prison after a US$40 billion crash revealed his crypto ecosystem to be a fraud. Victims said the 34-year-old financial technology whiz weaponised their trust to convince them that the investment – secretly propped up by cash infusions – was safe. Kwon, a Stanford graduate known by some as “the cryptocurrency king”, apologised after listening as victims – one in court and others by telephone – described the scam’s...

A grand jury declined for a second time to reindict New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday, refusing to resurrect a mortgage fraud prosecution encouraged by US President Donald Trump, according to a person familiar with the matter. It is another major blow to the Justice Department after the dismissal of earlier charges against James and another long-time Trump foe, former FBI director James Comey, in a stunning rebuke of the Trump administration’s efforts to prosecute the...

An oil tanker seized by American forces off the Venezuelan coast will be brought to a port in the United States, the White House said Thursday, as fears mount of open conflict between the two countries. Washington took control of the tanker in a dramatic raid that saw US forces rope down from a helicopter onto the vessel in an operation that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said was aimed at leftist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s “regime”. President Donald Trump’s administration has...

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday defended her government’s decision to impose new import tariffs, hours after the Senate approved legislation allowing duties of up to 50 per cent on more than 1,400 products from Asian countries. The measure, widely seen as aimed at curbing Chinese imports, comes as Mexico prepares for a review of its trade agreement with the United States and Canada next year. Sheinbaum described the move as part of her administration’s plan to strengthen domestic...

Bulgaria’s prime minister announced on Thursday that his government was resigning after less than a year in office following a series of anti-corruption protests, making fresh elections likely. The Balkan EU member, which is introducing the euro from January, has seen a spiral of elections in recent years, with parties unable to form a stable government. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Bulgaria on Wednesday to protest against the government and corruption in the latest...

President Volodymyr Zelensky has floated the prospect of allowing Ukrainians to vote on whether to hand the Donbas region to Russia as Kyiv comes under mounting pressure to agree to terms of an emerging US peace plan. Moscow has insisted that Ukraine withdraw its forces from the eastern territories, which include areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that the Russian military has failed to capture in its nearly four-year invasion. Zelensky has engaged in talks over the latest peace proposal...

With the end of the year approaching, the European Commission is rapidly ramping up its de-risking efforts through a flurry of broadsides against Chinese firms – even as the bloc’s most powerful member states appear to be moving in different directions on China. Foreign subsidy regulation probes were launched against online retailer Temu and Nuctech, a maker of airport scanning equipment, on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. E-commerce giant Temu saw its Dublin headquarters raided by...

A US judge on Thursday ordered the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose wrongful deportation became a flashpoint in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, ruling the US government never secured a formal order for his removal from the United States. The order from US District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland means Abrego Garcia will at least temporarily be allowed to return to his Maryland home despite repeated declarations from Trump administration officials that he would never...

More than 600 items, including military medals and jewellery from a collection documenting the links between Britain and countries in the former British Empire, were stolen from a UK museum in September, police said on Thursday. Avon and Somerset Police have launched an appeal for information about four men captured on security cameras on September 25 outside a building in the southwestern city of Bristol, which housed items from the collection. “More than 600 artefacts of various descriptions...

Mexico’s move to place tariffs of up to 50 per cent on Chinese and other Asian goods underscores US efforts to pressure other countries to take action against China – and Beijing may well retaliate, analysts said. The Mexican Senate on Wednesday approved duties between 5 and 50 per cent on 1,463 product categories – including auto parts, textiles and plastics – starting from January 2026. President Claudia Sheinbaum had proposed the tariffs in the name of protecting local industries, subject to...

The “Architects of AI” were named Time magazine’s person of the year for 2025 on Thursday. The magazine cited 2025 as the year when the potential of artificial intelligence “roared into view”, with no turning back. “For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year,” Time said in a social media post. The magazine was deliberate in selecting people – the...

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day state visit to New Delhi last week, for the 23rd Russia-India Summit, was heavy on optics, symbolism and multilayered signals, while tangible outcomes were relatively modest. First and foremost, Putin signalled to the West that Russia is not isolated, despite the US-led criticism of the war his government has unleashed against Ukraine since 2022. In an unusual departure from customary diplomatic practice, three European ambassadors to India – from...

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump had been sent a proposal on territorial concessions Ukraine is ready to make to end its war against Russia. Merz said the proposal was sent after he and other European leaders had spoken by phone with Trump on Wednesday. “It mainly concerns the question of what territorial concessions Ukraine is prepared to make,” Merz said. He cautioned however that ultimately “the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people have...

Sweeping taxes on imports have cost the average American household nearly US$1,200 since Donald Trump returned to the White House this year, according to calculations by Democrats on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. Using Treasury Department numbers on revenue from tariffs and Goldman Sachs estimates of who ends up paying for them, the Democrats’ report on Thursday found that American consumers’ share of the bill came to nearly US$159 billion – or US$1,198 per household – from February...

China has urged the Dutch government to push the Netherlands arm of semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia to send personnel to China, Beijing’s commerce ministry said during a press conference on Thursday. The Dutch embassy in China has been asked to urge The Hague’s Ministry of Economic Affairs to “implement the consensus reached in consultations” and encourage the Nijmegen-headquartered company to dispatch its representatives to China “as soon as possible”, ministry spokesman He Yadong...

We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Cantopop icon Alan Tam: from Leslie Cheung’s rival to fans smashing albums For over half a century, Alan Tam Wing-lun has stood as a colossus in Hong Kong show business. “Principal Tam” ruled Cantopop in the late 1970s and 80s but later vexed fans with his offstage actions. Still, he’s going strong today. 2. How does...

Hamas said the attack on Saturday was a breach of the truce. The militant group did not comment on Israel’s claim to have killed one of its members.

His library foundation has told the I.R.S. that by the end of 2027 it expects to bring in just $11.3 million — not nearly enough for a traditional presidential library.

Interviewed as he prepares to leave office, Mayor Eric Adams said that he hadn’t gotten the credit he deserved and that certain forces had always been arrayed against him.

Beijing is pouring vast resources into fusion research, while the U.S. wants private industry to lead the way. The winner could reshape civilization.

Gaza has turned California classrooms into political battlegrounds.

The antidote to our increasingly disembodied lives may lie in letting go of our inhibitions and dancing like kids do.

The nonagenarian director is taking a slightly different tack than many of the other powerful people associated with the disgraced former financier.

Much of Ukraine’s largest Black Sea port was without power, heat and water on Saturday after strikes from Russia, which has shown little appetite for a deal to end the war.

She was one of the Clinton 12, Black students who broke a race barrier by entering a Tennessee high school in 1956 in the face of harassment by white segregationists.

In South Carolina, parents struggle to deal with infections that have brought quarantines and remote learning. Health care workers are bracing for an increase in cases.