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Kaja Kallas says negotiators should not lose focus that it's actually Russia who has started this war'

Popular American golfer hailed for winning the US Masters and the US OpenThe golfer Fuzzy Zoeller, who has died aged 74, won two majors - the US Masters in 1979 and the US Open in 1984, both by virtue of a playoff. His Masters success was especially notable for the fact that it was Zoeller's debut in the competition, making him the first golfer since 1935 (and still only the third) to win on his first appearance. He won the sudden-death playoff against Tom Watson and Ed Sneed with a par and a birdie, sinking a six-foot putt on the second extra hole and hurling his putter high into the air as the ball disappeared into the cup.Zoeller's US Open victory at Winged Foot five years later was remembered for his light-hearted interaction with his play-off rival, Greg Norman. When Norman holed a lengthy putt on the last of the 72 holes, Zoeller, who was behind him on the fairway, mistakenly thought the Australian had gone into the lead, and waved a white towel in mock surrender. But Norman's putt had only drawn him level, and Zoeller was able to secure a par on the last to maintain parity. During the subsequent 18-hole playoff, which Zoeller won by eight strokes, Norman returned the gesture by flapping his own white towel at the 18th. Continue reading...

You've heard of caregivers in the sandwich generation. In this anti-compassion Trump 2.0 era, it's more like a triple-decker sandwich. Alissa Quart has experienced this first-handIt was a crisp autumn day day, but I had been trapped inside for hours, breathing the cold air of one of Memorial Sloan Kettering's cancer centers with my mom. We were waiting for her latest infusion to finish dripping.Time in hospitals moves differently - minutes stretch and lose their meaning. Meanwhile, my daughter kept calling. Would I be able to go to her school volleyball game? After a few calls, I had to break it to her: the answer was no. Continue reading...

Habba disqualified from serving as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor, appeals court saysDonald Trump's former personal lawyer Alina Habba, whom his administration has maneuvered to keep in place as New Jersey top federal prosecutor, is disqualified from serving in the role, an appeals court said Monday.A panel of judges from the third US circuit court of appeals sitting in Philadelphia sided with a lower court judge's ruling after hearing oral arguments at which Habba herself was present on 20 October. Continue reading...

Shares in French manufacturer tumble as second problem comes to light after weekend of flight disruptionAirbus has fixed most of its jets affected by a software glitch after a technical problem grounded thousands of its planes, but its shares tumbled on Monday after it discovered a separate issue with its fuselage panels.Airlines around the world cancelled and delayed flights over the weekend after the French plane manufacturer ordered immediate repairs to 6,000 of its A320 family of jets, more than half of its global fleet. Continue reading...

More than 95 candidates have submitted paperwork but here are the early frontrunners for next year's electionThe race is on to succeed Gavin Newsom, the California governor with presidential ambitions whose terms runs out next year - and it's already a crowded field.More than 95 candidates have so far submitted paperwork indicating their intention to run, though the official filing period doesn't start until 9 February. Continue reading...

Even a close second could be a bellwether of Republican loss of control of House of Representatives in midtermsFresh off a wave of successes in November's off-year elections, Democrats are angling for an audacious victory in a Republican-heavy Tennessee congressional district where an upset win could amount to a major blow against Donald Trump's legislative agenda.Voters on Tuesday will cast ballots in a special election to replace Mark Green, a Republican representing a middle Tennessee district who resigned from Congress in July. Drawn by the state's Republican leaders to ensure its voters favored their party, the district last year backed Trump and Green by 22-point margins. Continue reading...

Morgan Geyser, who stabbed a classmate as a 12-year-old, fled after a decade being raised by state institutionsThe haunting apparition of Slender Man" reappeared last week when Morgan Geyser, a central character in an 11-year-old attempted murder case, briefly absconded from a Wisconsin care home to which she had been transferred after being released from a psychiatric institution over the summer.Geyser was 12 in 2014 when she pleaded guilty to stabbing a sixth-grade classmate to appease the mythical Slender Man. Continue reading...

Hundreds remain missing in Indonesia and Sri Lanka as rescue efforts continue. Plus, law changes could bring cheap balcony solar to millions of Americans

Democrats like congressman Ritchie Torres face backlash for pro-Israel stances as Americans' views of Israel sourAt a campaign event in the Bronx last month, a congressional candidate quizzed a cheering crowd: What do you think would happen if the US ended all aid to Israel?" At a Thanksgiving gathering with voters, another candidate in the same race fielded questions about affordability - but also about moral leadership" when it came to Israel's war in Gaza. A third candidate vying for the same seat devoted much of his campaign's launch video to lambasting the current member of Congress representing the district over the funding he's received from the pro-Israel lobby.The incumbent in question - congressman Ritchie Torres - is one of the most staunchly pro-Israel advocates in Congress. Dalourny Nemorin, one of his challengers for the Democratic nomination to represent the district calls him the poster boy" for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or Aipac. Ritchie Torres cares more about Bibi than he does about the Bronx," Michael Blake, another challenger, said in the launch video. Continue reading...

Bans on the dangerous practice, condemned by national mental health organizations, could soon be struck downHomosexuality is an illness that therapists can and should cure: that's the rationale for conversion therapy", a practice promoted as a way to change an individual's sexual orientation from gay to straight.But a host of studies conclude that such counseling doesn't work - small wonder, since sexual orientation is a core part of an individual's identity. It's also potentially harmful, especially for minors. Research shows that youth subjected to conversion practices, often at the insistence of misguided parents, are prone to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide.David Kirp is professor emeritus at the University of California-Berkeley and a frequent Guardian contributor.In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Malls are popular with zoomers, but they show less brand loyalty and are happy to settle for dupes' over the real thingTikTok finds and homemade gifts, trips to the mall and the endless search for dupes" - gen Z's shopping habits are shaking up retail in the run-up to Christmas. And with price tags climbing and brand loyalty slipping, retailers this season must work harder to earn this generation's dollar.Gen Z's spending power is expected to near $12tn by 2030. But this year those aged 13 to 28 are expected to cut their holiday spending by a whopping 23% - a sharper decline compared to other generations - according to a recent PwC report. Continue reading...

In MLS and NWSL alike, edge-of-your-seat contests have delivered indelible moments that even the best title race run-in can't matchThere's a TV commercial that's been running on Apple TV during MLS games for Lowe's hardware stores. Lionel Messi carefully places a soccer ball on a field, ready to take a free kick. He is flanked by Lionel Messi and Lionel Messi. On the sideline, manager Lionel Messi, assisted by Lionel Messi, gesticulates. Lionel Messi lays off the ball for Lionel Messi, who crosses it to Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi chests and volleys it into the net and is mobbed by another half dozen Lionel Messis (or is it Lionels Messi?).Facing Inter Miami in the ongoing MLS playoffs must feel more or less like living inside this ad. Before Saturday's Eastern Conference final against New York City FC, Messi had either scored or assisted on all 12 goals Miami had scored in the postseason. Messi has smashed up the league this year, but he has saved the real savagery for the playoffs. Continue reading...

San Francisco are a flawed team with serious injuries. But with no great teams in the league this year, the playoffs are wide openThe 49ers' season felt over after Week 6's loss to Tampa Bay. Yes, they were 4-2. Yes, they were tied with the Seahawks and Rams and had already won head-to-head games against both. But that's when they hit rock bottom. All Pro linebacker Fred Warner was the latest casualty, following in the footsteps of All Pro edge rusher Nick Bosa with a season-ending injury. Brock Purdy had also struggled with injuries. George Kittle was hurt in Week 1. Both were not expected to return for several games. Brandon Aiyuk had no plans to play any time soon, at least not for San Francisco. By Week 7, the only big names in action were Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams.Dire as the 49ers appeared on paper, they hung in. It helped that the Cardinals, Falcons, Giants, and Panthers featured in their upcoming schedule. They beat all four of them, losing only to the Texans and Rams in the next few weeks. None of the wins inspired much confidence, though. The Cardinals outgained the 49ers by 200 yards. Purdy threw three interceptions against the Panthers. Continue reading...

Response to national guard shooting has no time limit'; gutting of DHS watchdog could pave way for abuse - key US politics stories from 30 November at a glanceUS President Donald Trump has said his administration intends to maintain a pause on asylum decisions for a long time", after an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard members near the White House, killing one of them.When asked to specify how long it would last, Trump said he had no time limit" in mind for the measure, which the Department of Homeland Security says is linked to a list of 19 countries already facing US travel restrictions. Continue reading...

President plans to honor Sarah Beckstrom, who was fatally shot, as well as Andrew Wolfe, who is in critical conditionDonald Trump said on Sunday that he invited the family of a national guard member fatally shot last week to the White House, adding that he spoke to her parents and they were devastated".US army specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in a shooting on Wednesday in Washington DC. Her fellow service member, US air force staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Vigils across West Virginia have taken place in their memory. Continue reading...

Chicago Bears are now the No 1 team in the NFC after the Carolina Panthers defeated the Los Angeles RamsPanthers 7-7 Rams 6:11, 1st quarterThe Rams are quickly back into the red zone. Davante Adams hooks up with Stafford again with a darting run across the field for a 32-yard pickup, Continue reading...

Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet Kyiv delegation amid more deadly Russian attacks in UkraineUkrainian negotiators have met US officials in Florida to thrash out details of Washington's proposed framework to end Russia's war in Ukraine, as Kyiv faces pressure on military and political fronts.The secretary of state, Marco Rubio; the special envoy, Steve Witkoff; and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law; sat down with a Ukrainian delegation on Sunday before planned US talks this week in Moscow with Vladimir Putin. Continue reading...

Victims who died in Stockton attack reportedly between ages eight and 21, while 11 others were woundedPolice are searching for the suspect who killed four people, including three children, and injured 11 in a shooting at a family gathering in Stockton, California, on Saturday night - and they are appealing to the public for any tips people may have.If you have surveillance footage, if you're a local business here, if you're in the area, live in the area, or maybe you've heard rumors - please contact the sheriff's office," said Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin county sheriff's office. Continue reading...

Plane skidded off runway and 45 cars were piled up as 53 million were under winter weather alerts over ThanksgivingA Thanksgiving weekend storm system brought over a foot of snow and strong winds across the US midwest and thunderstorms across the south, as 53 million people from South Dakota to New York were under winter weather alerts.Over the weekend, ahead of one of the busiest travel days of the year on Sunday, a 45-car pile-up occurred on interstate 78 in Indiana and a Delta Air Lines plane skidded off the runway in Des Moines, Iowa, during landing. Continue reading...

Homeland security secretary also blamed activist' judges for defying court order to halt deportation flightsKristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, claimed on Sunday that the suspect in the national guard shooting in Washington DC was radicalized" in the US and blamed the Biden administration, though the suspect's asylum was approved under Donald Trump.The shooting suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was granted asylum under the Trump administration in April 2025. He worked with CIA backed units in Afghanistan, coming to the US in September 2021 under an Operation Allies Welcome program. Continue reading...

Daniel DiDonato, 18, drafted new state senate districts at home on free software - and a judge picked his map ahead of professionals' efforts to remedy voting rights violationsEarlier this month, after years of litigation, a federal judge in Alabama ordered a new state senate map. In a surprising decision, the map she chose wasn't one drafted by a court-appointed special master and his expert cartographer, but rather one that had been submitted by an anonymous member of the public, known only by their initials, DD".The decision stunned DD" - an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Alabama named Daniel DiDonato - who learned his map had been selected as he was preparing to leave for his 9.30am introduction to political science class. Continue reading...

Over the past week, there has been a flurry of diplomatic activity to end Russia's war in Ukraine. As Kyiv battles to minimise Vladimir Putin's maximalist demands, including the cessation of territories in the east, the Guardian's Russian affairs reporter, Pjotr Sauer, explains why despite some advances, the agreement to a peace deal still appears unlikely

Parts of the US economy are doing just fine but many are struggling to make rent, let alone splurging on giftsWill retailers and merchants have a strong holiday season? That depends. This year, more than most, the 2025 holiday season will actually be two holiday seasons.If your business caters to higher-income individuals or if you're located in a wealthier part of the country, you'll probably have a decent holiday season. True, even the wealthy are cutting back. But according to the HR firm ADP average salaries have risen between 4.5% and 6.7% depending on whether workers stayed or switched jobs. The stock markets, though increasingly volatile, are up over 13% since the beginning of the year. And in some parts of the country, notably New York, Boston, DC and San Francisco, the average household income is over $125,000 - almost $41,000 higher than the national average. People in this demographic may be a little more cautious but they'll spend. Continue reading...

David Gentile had just begun to serve a seven-year sentence for role in $1.6bn scheme that defrauded thousandsDonald Trump granted clemency to private equity executive David Gentile, who had just begun a seven-year prison sentence for what prosecutors described as a $1.6bn fraud scheme, reported the New York Times.The founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GPB Capital, 59 year old Gentile was convicted and sentenced in May to seven years in prison for his role in defrauding thousands of individual investors. Continue reading...

Republicans and Democrats alike look to fill congressional firebrand's House seat when she departs in 2026Marjorie Taylor Greene for president. Randy Bone rolled the idea around in his hands for a second as he stood inside his wife's antique shop in Ringgold, Georgia. He's heard the talk. He's even seen the prediction market action. He doesn't have a problem with his boisterous, attention-seeking congresswoman. He just doesn't think it will work.I don't know. I don't see her as one that is very attractive ... You've got to focus on those that are kind of in the middle, and I don't think that she's unifying enough," he said. Continue reading...

There is growing understanding that our country is witnessing evil in our public life. Here is a path to confronting itAcross the country, organizers are carrying something heavier, clearer and more spiritually charged than anything I have seen in over 30 years of this work. From veteran freedom fighters to young activists, there is a growing alignment around the unmistakable presence of evil in our public life. The horrors unfolding before us have sharpened our collective sight and deepened the understanding that our resistance must be morally unwavering and spiritually grounded.The spiritual framework for this argument begins with a simple conviction. Our movements need to reclaim a moral vocabulary that names evil plainly. Dr King understood this. When he named the pain of poverty, the sickness of racism and the excess of materialism, he called them the triple evils", speaking with unflinching clarity about the devastation that this collective evil was inflicting on the country, on our conscience and on our very souls. We are living in such a moment again. The evil is fully out, and anyone with spiritual integrity can see it. Among the forces driving that clarity are Gaza, empire and ICE.Dr Rami Nashashibi is a MacArthur fellow and the founding executive director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) Continue reading...

Former oversight officials alarmed by dismantling of DHS system that oversees complaints about civil rights harmsThe federal watchdog system at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that oversees complaints about civil rights violations, including in immigration detention, has been gutted so thoroughly that it could be laying the groundwork for the Trump administration to abuse people with impunity", experts warn.Former federal oversight officials have sounded the alarm at the rapid dismantling of guardrails against human rights failures - at the same time as the government pushes aggressive immigration enforcement operations.Border Patrol agents in Arizona forcibly removed a detained man from a cell, handcuffed him and then injected him with ketamine to sedate him in 2023, according to a CRCL document confirming the watchdog's investigation into the allegation. A Guardian reporter had saved that document just weeks before it was scrubbed from the DHS's website.Guards at a privately owned Louisiana detention center systematically mistreated detained immigrants, according to a CRCL document. This included an investigation into a 2024 incident during which correctional staff pepper sprayed around 200 detained immigrants who were staging a hunger strike in protest of detention conditions. Guards then allegedly locked the men in the unit and cut the power and water for hours. A majority of the men were allegedly denied medical care, the original complaint, submitted to the CRCL by RFK Human Rights, said.In a Florida jail, a 33-year-old immigrant woman with mental health problems was forcibly stripped naked, strapped to a restraint chair and mocked by male guards, according to a CRCL complaint submitted by the ACLU of Florida and RFK Human Rights. The woman was allegedly left with contusions and marks on her body" after hours in the restraint chair. The whistleblower declaration said the CRCL had launched an investigation into the case.Agents violated due process during the arrest and detention of Palestinian student and Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil, according to the whistleblower complaint. Continue reading...

The US hasn't just left Ukraine vulnerable; it is also provoking Xi's intensifying attitude towards what he considers a renegade provinceSheer ignorance, fed by malign intent, historical prejudice and mutual misunderstanding, is often the crucial spark that ignites simmering international conflicts. If Adolf Hitler, remarkably ignorant of the US, had grasped the true extent of American industrial might, would he still have fatefully declared war on Washington in 1941?When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, it evidently had no idea what it was getting into. Humiliating defeat contributed greatly to its subsequent disintegration. In 1990, Iraq's Saddam Hussein attacked Kuwait, convinced he had a green light from the White House. In all these cases, stupidity produced disastrous misjudgments that proved fatal.Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator Continue reading...

From Vietnam to the Balkans, Donald Trump's family has launched a global dealmaking blitz since his re-electionA crusading prosecutor in the Balkans comes under pressure to drop a big case. Vietnamese villagers learn they are to be evicted. A convicted crypto kingpin in the Gulf receives a pardon.All have one thing in common: they appear to be connected to the Trump family's campaign to amass riches around the world. Since Donald Trump's re-election a year ago, warnings that his use of presidential power to advance personal interests is corroding American democracy have grown ever louder. What is less understood - and perhaps even more dangerous - is the damage this is doing everywhere else. Continue reading...

Venezuela responds defiantly to Trump comments about closing airspace above country, saying it doesn't accept foreign orders or threatsThe Venezuelan government has responded defiantly to heightened pressure by the US government, including Donald Trump's statements on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela is to be closed.In a statement, the Venezuelan government said Trump's comments were a colonialist threat" against their sovereignty and violated international law. The government also said it demanded respect for its airspace and would not accept foreign orders or threats. Continue reading...

Rosa Park's story is about courage. But, lest one forget, it is also a story about breaking the lawIt was 70 years ago when four African Americans were sitting in the fifth row of a bus in Montgomery. As one white man had to stand towards the front, the driver asked the four to get up and move towards the back of the bus. Three did; one did not - the rest is history. Or so many American kids might think when they first read the story of Rosa Parks in school.It is a story of courage, but, lest one forget, it is also a story about breaking the law. And the question for us today is what civil disobedience means in an era when the federal government is signaling its readiness severely to punish even perfectly legal dissent. Continue reading...

President made declaration in a social media post, after FAA last week warned airlines of worsening security situation'The Venezuelan government has responded defiantly to the heightened pressure by the US government, including Donald Trump's recent statements on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela is to be closed in its entirety.In a statement, the Venezuelan government said Trump's comments are a colonialist threat" against their sovereignty and violate international law. The government also said it demanded respect for its airspace and would not accept foreign orders or threats. Continue reading...

Trump administration lists reporting it objects to in latest escalation of attacks on US journalismThe White House rolled out a new section of its official website on Friday that publicly criticizes and catalogs media organizations and journalists it claims have distorted coverage.At the top of the page, the text reads: Misleading. Biased. Exposed." The feature names the Boston Globe, CBS News and the Independent as media offenders of the week", accusing them of inaccurately portraying Trump's remarks about six Democratic lawmakers who released of video encouraging military members to not follow illegal orders. Continue reading...

Defense secretary called reports about his role in strike as fake news' intended to discredit US militaryThe US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has declared recent reporting that he may have illegally ordered all people to be killed in a military strike in the Caribbean as fake news" on Friday evening, adding that the series of strikes of people on boats had been lawful under both US and international law".Hegseth lambasted reports about his role in the strike as fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland". Continue reading...

Lead FDA vaccine regulator announced new approval process after claiming Covid vaccine had killed 10 childrenThe leading vaccine regulator at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a far stricter course for federal vaccine approvals, following claims from his team that Covid vaccines were linked to the deaths of at least 10 children.Experts suggest the announcement will make the vaccine approval process significantly more difficult. Continue reading...

Trump has a disconcerting tendency to attack the press - but especially female reporters, whom he holds in particular ireThere was a time when it would have been a scandal for the president of the United States to call a journalist ugly" or a politician retarded". Now it's just another day in America. During a holiday when many Americans were gathering with family and reflecting on what they were grateful for, Trump was crouched over his keyboard slinging insults at his perceived enemies.On Thanksgiving day, for example, Trump posted a rant on Truth Social about immigration. He called Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, an ableist slur, and then made an Islamophobic jab at the worst Congressman/woman' in our Country, Ilhan Omar, always wrapped in her swaddling hijab". Continue reading...

Agreement will also end series of investigations of university over school's alleged failure to fight antisemitismNorthwestern University has agreed to pay $75m to the US government in a deal with the Trump administration to end a series of investigations and restore hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research funding.Donald Trump's administration had cut off $790m in grants in a standoff that contributed to university layoffs and the resignation in September of Northwestern's president, Michael Schill. The administration argued the school had not done enough to fight antisemitism. Continue reading...

US families queue for groceries, hot meals and baby supplies as demand at Trinity's Compassion Market soarsOn a chilly morning in Lower Manhattan this month, the line outside Trinity Commons, a modern extension of New York's historic Trinity church, stretched on past the end of the block.Hundreds of people were standing in the 44F cold, many with young children, waiting to get their turn for the Compassion Market food bank. Continue reading...

People implicated in the late sex offender's crimes might face criminal charges or, at the very least, social ostracismAs the clock ticks toward the congressionally mandated deadline of 19 December by which Donald Trump's justice department must release its files related to Jeffrey Epstein, there is intense speculation about the contents of these documents - but also questions as to what happens when they are released.The US president on 19 November signed a bipartisan bill requiring that the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, disclose these documents to the US public within 30 days. Given that other tranches of materials related to the disgraced financier included damning correspondence with high-profile individuals, many expect that still more names of the rich, famous and powerful will be named. Continue reading...

Those who tried to overturn the 2020 election now occupy key federal roles, shaping rules and sowing doubt for 2026The people who tried to overturn the 2020 election have more power than ever - and they plan to use it.Bolstered by the president, they have prominent roles in key parts of the federal government. Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer who helped advance Donald Trump's claims of a stolen election in 2020, now leads the civil rights division of the justice department. An election denier, Heather Honey, now serves as the deputy assistant secretary for election integrity in the department of homeland security. Kurt Olsen, an attorney involved in the stop the steal" movement, is now a special government employee investigating the 2020 election. Continue reading...

The conflict is neither a clearcut defeat nor a feelgood victory, but an in-between outcome that contains profound elements of eachNo one should be satisfied with the unjust peace that Ukraine may be forced to accept. The aggressor would be rewarded with territory and other concessions from the victim it has brutalized. Yet the horrified reaction in Washington to recent peace proposals is troubling in its own right.The Trump administration's recent 28-point plan, roundly denounced in Congress and the commentariat as a capitulation" to Moscow, actually offered Kyiv a remarkable strategic outcome. Under its terms, Ukraine would face no meaningful limit on its peacetime military, despite Russian attempts to impose draconian restrictions since 2022. (The only requirement, a cap of 600,000 personnel, probably exceeds the number of active-duty forces Ukraine would maintain anyway.) Moreover, Ukraine would receive a substantial security guarantee from the United States and Europe - the strongest in history, even if short of a Nato-style commitment.Stephen Wertheim is deputy director of research and policy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and Research Scholar at the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University. Continue reading...