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The Plot Against the King, a thinly veiled take on the stolen' 2020 election, has a few hits and lots of missesYou don't have to agree with someone's politics to appreciate their writing. Roald Dahl was a terrible, antisemitic man, but he came up with a story about four grandparents who stay in bed 24/7 that gives us all something to aspire to.So I was intrigued to find out that Donald Trump's choice for FBI director, Kash Patel, wrote a trilogy of thinly veiled political children's books called The Plot Against the King. The King is - you guessed it - Trump. And the plot? Well, we'll get there. Continue reading...

The unedifying spectacle of would-be strongmen bickering over how to protect women and girls is just the beginningCan it really be three weeks ago that Nigel Farage and Elon Musk were posing adoringly at Mar-a-Lago, in front of that hilariously naff painting of Donald Trump in the tennis sweater? I am as surprised as Nigel that his holiday romance has been built on sand. Or, to put it another way, that the African billionaire who promised to deposit in his account has turned out to be not what he seemed. The Farage dumping seems to have occurred after the Reform UK leader failed to agree with Musk that he should ally with the imprisoned career criminal Tommy Robinson over the latter's stance on grooming gangs.And so to grooming gangs - or rape gangs, as they are rightly and more accurately being called now. Maybe the first week of January has become the time when anger about things that have been going on for a long time reaches significant mass. Last year it was the Post Office, this year it is the rape gangs scandal. As for what it will be next year, the likeliest current forecast is: something that Elon decides. We all live in the Muskoverse now. It's a quirk of the age that the genius leading the race to the stars is also the idiot leading the race to the bottom.Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

It doesn't matter if it's Mario Party or my fictional promotion to junior regional manager, my texts deserve more than a digital eff-off

When we talk about the difficult parts of motherhood we provide emotional cushioning for what can be a deeply challenging experience

Claims Canada's prime minister was too leftwing have been overblown. Instead, he was brought down by his lack of popularity and being in charge too longJustin Trudeau has announced he will step down as Canadian prime minister after his successor is chosen, probably by the end of March. Trudeau says he is leaving because despite being a fighter", he cannot lead his party into the forthcoming election while facing internal party divisions. In sum, his caucus, his Liberal party and the country want him gone. So off he goes, perhaps better late than never. But despite his reasoning, his resignation remains difficult to understand.Up until Christmas Trudeau had repeatedly said he was staying on, ready and eager to fight Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative party - who are up by more than 20 points in polls - in this year's election. But calls for him to resign had been creeping into the public view, from former members of parliament, cabinet ministers and even current MPs.David Moscrop is a columnist and political commentator, and the author of Too Dumb for Democracy: Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones Continue reading...

Nick Clegg's departure is likely to see Meta following X's tilt towards the right. It leaves the way open for an insidious hollowing out of democracyWill democracy survive a second Trump presidency? A change of senior personnel at a social media company involving a former British deputy prime minister may not seem all too relevant to this heated discussion. But Nick Clegg's decision to leave Meta as head of global affairs, and the choice of his successor, may point to how western democracy dies: not with fireworks, but through quiet attrition.Clegg's job will be taken over by his deputy, Joel Kaplan - a Republican who worked in George W Bush's administration. He is someone who, according to a Washington Post report from 2020, pushed to block Meta taking action against dozens of pages that had peddled false news reports" before the 2020 election, arguing it would disproportionately affect conservatives". As a columnist at MSNBC put it, his elevation is another sign that Meta is getting a Maga-friendly makeover".Owen Jones is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Joe Biden urged Americans not to forget the Capitol attack. Plus, Trudeau to resign as Canadian prime minister

Many of the political ideas we thought were taken for granted at the end of the 20th century have cracked and crumbledThe three largest democracies in the history of the world will soon be ruled by intolerant authoritarians who leveraged celebrity and social media dynamics to achieve power.In 2024, India re-elected Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi as prime minister for the third time. The United States has elected Donald Trump as president for the second, non-consecutive time. And in October, Indonesia elected as president the millionaire Prabowo Subianto, a former special-forces commander who was once married to a daughter of late dictator Suharto.Siva Vaidhyanathan is a professor of media studies at the University of Virginia and the author of Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy. Continue reading...

Resolutions are undeniably terrible when we make them for ourselves. But what about if we began making them for each other?What's the right age to realise new year's resolutions are trash that won't last until February? By about 12 years old, the data should be in: nothing is in any better order than it was this time last year and you're a damn fool to think this year will be any different. Now give yourself a couple of decades' leeway while you work other things out, such as who you are, and then you'll realise that January is a time to relax and concentrate on keeping warm rather than making lists. This is something I should have learned many moons ago.But January's pull is irresistible. David Bowie is my earworm, crooning ch-ch-ch-changes", quietly, but not quietly enough. One tiny yet significant improvement must be manageable, surely? Yes, is 2025's answer, but with a difference: I have decided that this is the year you should make resolutions for your friends. Continue reading...

Fundraising page launched for Adam Coste, who had spent 12 years in army before working at National WWII MuseumThe former US army soldier who carried out the New Orleans truck attack that killed 14 victims - and injured dozens more - on New Year's Day has left a fellow veteran of that military branch fighting to regain his ability to walk", according to supporters of the wounded service member.Before joining other revelers on the city's famous Bourbon Street to celebrate the start of 2025, Adam Coste had spent more than 12 years in the US army as an infantry company commander and headquarters company commander while serving on multiple combat deployments, according to information posted on a verified GoFundMe campaign established for him. Continue reading...

The Vikings' surprise package was one of the NFL best quarterbacks all season long until Sunday night's stinker in Detroit. Was it an anomaly or regression to the norm?If you were waiting this season for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold to fail - not in an evil schadenfreude sense, but more in an Oh, there's the Sam Darnold of old" sense - then Darnold's Sunday night performance against Detroit in a 31-9 Lions win gave you a lot of ballast for that position.Darnold had become one of the NFL's best stories this season. The third overall pick by the New York Jets in the 2018 draft had three middling seasons with his original team, two more with the Carolina Panthers in 2021 and 2022, and a backup role with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. He signed a one-year, $10m deal with the Vikings this past offseason to be first-round rookie JJ McCarthy's backup, but when McCarthy suffered a turn meniscus in the preseason, it was all on Darnold and he responded brilliantly. He proved to be the perfect foil for head coach and offensive shot-caller Kevin O'Connell's game, which is one of the NFL's best and most diverse. Continue reading...

Despite the doom-mongers, the outlook for the economy, the NHS and vital services is good. Coming months should bear that outLook up, despite the bleak midwinter, the flu crisis and this dismal mood of political cynicism. Despite, too, the daily doom that pumps out of the most hostile media any new government ever faced, savaging whatever Labour does in extravagant language borrowed from Elon Musk. Good grief, the ever-rightward travelling Times just published a leader praising Musk's wild attacks on Keir Starmer, subheaded His fundamental critique is correct". Monday's tweet from Musk was Prison for Starmer".Other blasts of bare-knuckle nonsense include the Mail on Sunday's bombshell" front-page news saying: Keir Starmer will be out of No 10 within a year, poll predicts". Read further to find that 30% of those polled plan to vote Labour in the next election, compared with 23% for the Tories and 22% for Reform. That's not good, but it's not yet a crisis, not least because Kemi Badenoch's Tory unelectables are capsizing in the backwash of Faragism. Labour looks pretty solid in comparison: despite the unpopular winter fuel means-testing, it is closer to voters on key issues, as VAT on private schools is hugely popular, and twice as many think the budget's tax rises were necessary" as not.Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

President flew into city where US army veteran drove truck into crowd, killing 14 and injuring 30 othersJoe Biden arrived in New Orleans late on Monday afternoon with a message to the grieving families of victims in the deadly new year's attack during celebrations in the city's famed French Quarter: It takes time. You got to hang on."The US president flew into the city where an army veteran drove a truck into revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring 30 more. It could be the last time Biden travels to the scene of a horrific crime as president, with less than two weeks left in office. Continue reading...

Republican confirmed as victor over Kamala Harris, four years to day since mob of Trump followers attacked CapitolThe US Congress certified Donald Trump's presidential election victory on Monday in an event heavy with symbolism, four years to the day since he incited a violent mob to disrupt a similar ceremony in an attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat.The vice-president, Kamala Harris, Trump's defeated Democratic opponent in November's election, presided over a joint Senate and House of Representatives session to validate the result. As the certificates confirming Trump's victory were brought into the House chamber, Harris took her place on the dais alongside the Republican speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. Continue reading...

At the Golden Globes, the spotlight was on women playing multilayered, courageous and middle-aged lead rolesThere's something spectacular happening in movies and television at the moment and it's not a superhero fight sequence or a motorcycle stunt off a cliff. No, it's the celebration of courageous, multilayered middle-aged and older female characters being portrayed in all their complexity on screen.The Golden Globes highlighted this trend, handing out a swag of awards to the women who played these characters - often to their surprise. Continue reading...

Fast-food company decides to scale back plans after 2023 US supreme court ruling and conservative backlash to DEIFour years after launching a push for more diversity in its ranks, McDonald's is ending some of its diversity practices, citing a US supreme court decision that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions.McDonald's is the latest big company to shift its tactics in the wake of the 2023 ruling and a conservative backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Walmart, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and others rolled back their DEI initiatives last year. Continue reading...

Major resettlement reduces population in US detention facility in south-eastern Cuba to just 15 peopleThe United States has sent 11 Yemeni detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention center to Oman, the Pentagon said on Monday, in a major resettlement that nearly halves the detention facility's remaining number of prisoners.The released men include Tawfiq al-Bihani, who had been cleared for transfer since 2010; Khalid Qassim, a long-term hunger striker who has spoken about spending most of his adult life in Guantanamo; and Hassan bin Attash, who was captured in a security raid in Pakistan in 2002.Reuters contributed reporting Continue reading...

Consent decree had been under negotiation since justice department issued a critique of authorities in June 2023The Minneapolis city council on Monday approved an agreement with the federal government in response to the murder of George Floyd that would require reforms within the city's police department under longterm court supervision.The agreement was not immediately released publicly, but it was expected to incorporate and build on changes the police department has already made to its policies on the use of force and training of officers following Floyd's death in 2020. Continue reading...

President-elect to be sentenced on Friday over conviction stemming from money paid to porn star Stormy DanielsDonald Trump on Monday lost a bid to put off his sentencing on Friday for his criminal conviction stemming from hush money paid to a porn star.Citing both presidential immunity and the demands of Trump's impending January 20 inauguration as the 47th US president, his lawyers on Monday morning said judge Juan Merchan's intention not to penalize Trump was of no moment". Continue reading...

Young adults living in states likely to ban abortion obtained tubal sterilizations and vasectomies in months after rulingIn the months after the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, permanent contraception in the form of tubal sterilizations and vasectomies surged among young adults living in states likely to ban abortion, new research released on Monday found.Compared to May 2022, when the opinion overturning Roe leaked, August 2022 saw 95% more vasectomies and 70% more tubal sterilizations performed on people between the ages of 19 and 26, according to the study, which was conducted by researchers at the George Washington University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Michigan. Continue reading...

Hundreds of thousands left without power and flights canceled as state of emergencies declared in several statesMillions of Americans were hit by a major winter storm on Monday that brought heavy snow, ice, strong winds and freezing temperatures as it moved east out of the center of the country and into the mid-Atlantic region, having killed at least four people the day before.The US National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter storm warnings and advisories stretching from Kansas and Missouri to New Jersey as moderate to heavy snow fell from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic region. Continue reading...

Kamala Harris said she was simply doing her constitutional duty in presiding over the certification of her presidential election defeat by Donald Trump on Monday. The certification was over quickly after no Democrats rose to object the results from any state - in contrast with four years ago when dozens of Republican lawmakers formally disputed Joe Biden's victory in key swing states Continue reading...

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Officers in Antioch near San Francisco sent racist and sexist messages and boasted about fabricating evidenceA San Francisco Bay area police department mired in scandal over racist and sexist texts implicating dozens of officers has agreed to reforms and five years of outside monitoring, the US Department of Justice announced.According to the agreement made public on Friday, the Antioch police department and the city of Antioch will select an expert law enforcement consultant approved by the justice department to review and update its practices on nondiscriminatory policing, use of force, hiring and promotions and discipline, among other topics, over a five-year period. Continue reading...

Sheriff's deputies captured the monkey, which had opened a door to escape, before arrival of winter stormA monkey in a pink tutu that slipped out of a Missouri home was captured just before a winter storm slammed the state.The Jefferson county sheriff's office described the apprehension of the primate in a Facebook post as Bananas". Continue reading...

Schiff says Trump's nominee lacks experience needed for FBI role and believes in deep state' conspiracy thinkingAdam Schiff says the deadly truck attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day demonstrates why Congress should reject Donald Trump's nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, after his second presidency begins.Kash Patel should not be confirmed," the California senator said on NBC's Meet the Press. I think the terrorist attack on New Orleans ... just underscores again the importance of having someone directing the FBI that has experience, that has judgment, that has character, [and] that will prioritize defending the country against the violence we saw in New Orleans" or that from Trump supporters during the US Capitol attack on 6 January 2021 after he lost the presidency to Joe Biden weeks earlier. Continue reading...

The UK prime minister calls out the reckless amplification of conspiracy theories by the world's richest man on child sexual abuse. GoodOn Monday, Sir Keir Starmer rightly defended robust debate but insisted it must be grounded in facts, not lies", in response to Elon Musk's falsehoods about his role in dealing with child sexual exploitation. The prime minister has wisely not engaged Mr Musk directly, partly because the world's richest man is a member of Donald Trump's inner circle. Sir Keir recognises this epistemic crisis as a coordinated campaign to spread disinformation, sow division, and erode trust. As the philosopher Lee McIntyre aptly notes: The truth isn't dying - it's being killed."The goal is clear: to create groups in society that unquestioningly accept an authoritarian leader's word. In this way, opinions are no longer based on facts but rooted in identity. Disinformation becomes a potent political weapon, making voters believe falsehoods while distrusting - even hating - those who don't. MrMusk values the power to shape belief systems to enable pliable governance. Politicians who refuse to align with his agenda can be discarded, as he bets his followers will support whichever candidate he endorses. The Reform UK leader, NigelFarage, has learned this the hard way, and the Tories' KemiBadenoch risks repeating the same error.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

The world's richest man won't be satisfied until all the politicians in his pocket have submitted to his dictatorial whimsIn fiction, when a billionaire supervillain mobilises himself and his nefarious army of dollars against British democracy, we send a secret agent to have a word or two. That arm of the state is apparently inoperative, and I don't know who to blame for that, probably austerity.Instead, our first line of defence against Elon Musk has turned out to be Nigel Farage. Who could possibly have foreseen that they'd fall out, and so soon? They're both so reasonable and conciliatory.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, announced his resignation at a news conference at his temporary residence, Rideau Cottage, in Ottawa. Trudeau lost support within his party after a snowballing leadership crisis. In his speech, he said a new prime minister and leader of the Liberals will carry the values and ideas of the party in the next elections

Liverpool may have got away with one in Sunday's thrilling draw with Manchester United. But without a sustained challenge from those in chase, it may not matterTitle races are never just about the winners. In other circumstances, a run of three draws in six games for Liverpool might be cause for concern. Are they tightening up? Is there validity to that vague sense that the fixture list so far has been kind to them? But even if there is, it doesn't really matter. Before the first of those draws, at Newcastle on 4 December, they were nine points clear of Arsenal in second; after Sunday's draw at home to Manchester United, they are six points clear of Arsenal with a game in hand.And that really has been the story of the past month, the great hectic splurge of the festive period. There has been a lot of heat and light, a lot of drama and excitement, and in the end not much has changed. Liverpool were far from their best on Sunday, could easily have suffered a surprise defeat, but in seven of the last nine match days the chasing pack of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have managed one or fewer wins between them. That does, admittedly, leave Nottingham Forest, who will close to six points with a game in hand if they beat Wolves on Monday, and who are Liverpool's next league opponents, but it has been a remarkable achievement for Nuno Espirito Santo's side to get to where they are; realistically there is going to be some drop-off in the second half of the season. Continue reading...

As the group of four people went up a steep slope a large slab of snow broke away and slid, burying the victimAn avalanche killed one skier and injured another after the group they were in triggered the large snowslide while ascending a mountain in western Wyoming.The avalanche happened on Saturday in a backcountry area about 20 miles (32km) east of Grand Teton national park. Continue reading...

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Under-fire leader of Liberal party to speak about his political future at Rideau Cottage on MondayThe Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, is expected to announce on Monday that he plans to step down, local media have reported, after a snowballing leadership crisis during which he lost support from within his own party.The prime minister's office said he would speak about his political future from Rideau Cottage, his temporary residence, at 10.45 am. The press conference marks the first time that he will have answered questions from reporters since November. Continue reading...

If there's an escape from the omnipresence of Elon Musk it's this: throw your phone in the sea, sing and dance, and stay out all night

Many accused or convicted of participation in the attack on the US Capitol in 2021 believe deliverance is nearJake Lang, a January 6 defendant accused of beating police officers outside the Capitol during the insurrection, sent out a mass text message at the end of 2024 looking ahead to what he feels will be a promising year for him and hundreds of others involved in the attack.Hey its Jake Lang!! The January 6 Political Prisoner!! I'll be sending you IMPORTANT updates on this number," the text read. I'll be home VERY SOON!!! God bless!!" Continue reading...

Companies say Biden's blocking of the proposed purchase over national security concerns violates constitutionUS Steel and Nippon Steel have filed a lawsuit against Joe Biden's order that blocked the $14.9bn buyout of the American steelmaker by the Japanese company, they said on Monday.The lawsuit asked the court to set aside the review process of the committee on foreign investment in the US and Biden's order, citing violation of the constitutional guarantee of due process and statutory procedural requirements, as well as unlawful political influence". Continue reading...

Observers raise alarm about how pardons for convicted Capitol attackers might weaken US criminal justice systemAs Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, politicians, legal observers and even sitting federal judges are expressing alarm about his stated intention to pardon or offer commutations to supporters who attacked the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 and were then convicted of crimes.Clemency for those who sought to block certification of Joe Biden's 2020 election victory would undermine the US judiciary and criminal justice system and send a message to Americans that attacking US democratic institutions is appropriate and justifiable", said a spokesperson for the Society for the Rule of Law. Continue reading...

The Brutalist, Emilia Perez and Shgun won big at the 82nd Golden Globes, the unofficial kick-off to this year's awards season. The low-budget immigration saga and the Netflix crime musical picked up big wins for film, while the historical epic dominated the TV awards

While this is by no means health advice, these are a few things I've found helpful in case you're also feeling sober curious'Tis the season to drink far too much and then vow that, next year, you'll never drink again. Or at least, it used to be that season. These days, young people simply aren't that interested in boozing. Gen Z drinks about 20% less alcohol per capita than millennials like me did at their age, according to a report from Berenberg Research.While my generation grew up with it being completely normal - even encouraged - to drink irresponsibly, gen Z seems to be disarmingly sensible. They've managed to make sobriety trendy and have rebranded responsible drinking as being sober curious". Now a new trend has apparently taken off: intermittent sobriety" - which, as far as I can tell, basically just means taking time off now and again from drinking.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

House speaker says party seeks single piece of legislation covering tax cuts, immigration and military spendingDonald Trump is working with top Republicans in Congress to devise a single big, beautiful bill" that will contain all of his major policy ambitions - including a clampdown on immigration, tax cuts, and increased military spending in an attempt to supercharge his radical agenda as he embarks on a second presidency.The plan to pile all of Trump's main policy goals into one mega-bill, against the wishes of some top congressional Republicans, raises the prospect of months of potentially bruising political in-fighting needed to secure its passage. Though the Republicans hold both chambers of Congress, their margin in the House is the slimmest in almost a century. Continue reading...

Details about Utah-based Robert Kinch, who backed race war', suggest rightwing militia has retained links with policeThe man in control of the Utah-based rightwing militia Oath Keepers USA, a recent spinoff of the national organization first established by Stewart Rhodes in 2009, is a former Las Vegas metropolitan police department (LVMPD) homicide detective who left the force in acrimony after advocating race war".The revelations about Robert Bobby" Kinch, now of Duck Creek, Utah, come from public records, online materials and the work of a longtime infiltrator of the patriot movement in the Pacific north-west, who provided vital evidence to the Guardian captured inside Kinch's home. Continue reading...

Sure, most of us can fit in a few thousand steps a day, or a couch to 5k. But what about the strength training, the mobility routine, the cooking from scratch, the meditation, the breathwork, the eight hours' sleep ...I'm not anti-resolution. I actually stuck to one last year: not a single microwave rice sachet has passed my lips since 1 January 2024 and yes, I do want a medal, thanks. But I also want to ask anyone implementing something new year new you"-adjacent in the wellness space: do you really have time?The wellness timesuck starts innocently enough, setting a manageable daily step count, maybe, downloading a couch to 5k app or targeting the NHS's recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise. But once you get started, you'll discover everything else you should be doing, especially if you're a suggestible social media user. Start strength training," your algorithms nudge, raving about bone density and heart health, so soon you're adding deadlifts and split squats to your weekly routine. Then it's mobility - don't you realise it's key to avoiding pain and later-life problems, dummy? Do daily stretches or suffer the creaky consequences.Emma Beddington is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

President-elect has threatened to levy tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China, which can burden businessesWith Donald Trump threatening to impose steep tariffs upon his return to office this month, US firms are bracing for impact. But an analysis of Trump's last presidency identified one way to boost their chances of avoiding the levies: donating to the Republican party.While the initial stage of the president-elect's tariff agenda is designed to hit America's largest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and China - it is US firms that pick up the bill, paying duties imposed on the goods they buy from these markets. Such additional costs can prove devastating. Continue reading...

The 14-3 Vikings and 12-5 Commanders will open the playoffs on the road because the NFL insists on giving a home game to even the most middling of division winnersThe injustice of the NFL's playoff seeding system rears its ugly head once againNow that we know how the 2024 NFL playoffs are seeded from top to bottom, it's time once again to complain about the league's ugly secret: Its system for awarding playoff position, and thus which teams will have postseason games at home or on the road, is seriously flawed. Continue reading...

The book will no longer be studied at GCSE in Wales because many find the racial slurs upsetting. That's culture war fodder, but it shouldn't beIn years to come, we might call it the Steinbeck problem. Of Mice and Men is one of the most banned books in the United States and will no longer be studied at GCSE in Wales from September - a reaction to the racism and use of racial slurs within the text.Is this something to mourn, or cause for wild celebration? It is complicated. Indeed, it represents a near perfect literary and moral conundrum for the education system of a multicultural, multiracial society. Especially one plagued with culture wars fought in bad faith.Nels Abbey is an author, broadcaster and the founder of Uppity: the Intellectual Playground Continue reading...