Pope’s pick for Washington archbishop sets stage for conflict with Trump, experts say | Pope Francis
When the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, sought to shut down a Catholic charity that was was providing shelter and aid to undocumented migrants at the border, the San Diego cardinal, Robert McElroy, took a robust public stand against the attempt. “The state of Texas is using governmental pressure to curtail the work of the…
Polish PM accuses Russia of planning ‘acts of terrorism’ around the world | Russia
Russia planned to conduct “acts of terrorism in the air”, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday, by plotting a wave of fire bomb attacks that could have brought down planes mid-flight around the world. Warsaw had been involved in countering “acts of sabotage” conducted by Russia, Tusk added, before he referred to incendiary…
The internet wants me to spend £500 on a jumper. How can I say no? | Emma Beddington
I am uneasily aware that around this time last year I wrote that my drive to acquire material things had somewhat subsided: I was older and wiser, had everything I needed, was repelled by the sheer volume of stuff in the world, blah blah blah. Unfortunately, the internet seemingly viewed that as fighting talk, an…
Our unofficial, silly and meaningless CES 2025 awards, just for fun
CES (formerly the Consumer Electronics Show) is the biggest tech convention of the year. It helps set the stage for all the wonderful gadgets we’re going to see over the next 12 months. However, among all the quadcopters, questionably benevolent robots and devices with fancy flexible screens, there’s a lot of small things that go…
Israel-Gaza ceasefire live: Netanyahu says hostage release to begin on Sunday if security cabinet approves deal | Israel
Release of Gaza hostages expected to begin on Sunday, says Netanyahu’s office The release of hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel is expected to begin on Sunday, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Friday. “Subject to the approval of the cabinet and the government, and the implementation…
Labour’s pivot on grooming gangs may not be enough to silence critics | UK child abuse inquiry
When is a U-turn not officially a U-turn? When it is less a change of direction than one of speed and extent. And on those terms, the announcement of a review into grooming gangs is Keir Starmer’s second such policy shuffle this week alone. On Tuesday, the Treasury minister, Tulip Siddiq, departed over her links…
Got a cold? A placebo might help
The viruses of cold and flu season are upon us, and in us, where they’re causing misery upon misery. But don’t worry. You can hop online, and for a mere $24.95, buy yourself a bottle of Zeebo Relief pills, designed to ease your bothersome symptoms. The key ingredient? Absolutely nothing. They’re placebos, and as such,…