New Year’s Eve celebrations: Sydney welcomes 2025 with spectacular fireworks display – live
Thousands of revellers in Australia pack into viewing points to see fireworks as people around the world prepare to celebrate new year
People around the world ring in the new year
Fireworks light up the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
Martin Farrer
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/dec/31/new-years-eve-celebrations-2024-2025-live

South Korean court issues arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol
The warrant was sought over Yoon’s controversial and short-lived decision to impose martial law early in December
Justin McCurry in Osaka and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/31/arrest-warrant-south-korea-president-yoon-suk-yeol-martial-law-ntwnfb

News from NoDak:  Son of US senator jailed for 28 years over chase and crash that killed police officer
Ian Cramer, 43, son of North Dakota senator Kevin Cramer, sentenced over incident last year in which he fled hospital
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/30/ian-cramer-son-republican-north-dakota-senator

‘Moving to the mountaintops’: rising seas displace tens of thousands in Papua New Guinea
Gulf province councillor says growing numbers are leaving, in what climate activist describes as a ‘humanitarian crisis’
Rebecca Bush in Port Moresby
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/31/moving-to-the-mountaintops-rising-seas-displace-tens-of-thousands-in-papua-new-guinea

Oh no! Say it ain’t so:  Opinion
Germany
People like me flocked to Berlin because it was ‘poor but sexy’. Those times are over
Fatma Aydemir
Brutal cuts to culture subsidies are about to make the city a welcoming place only for the lazy work of rich kid artists
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/31/people-like-me-flocked-to-berlin-because-it-was-poor-but-sexy-those-times-are-over

O! O! O! The poor, poor, poor dear:  Donald Trump loses appeal against E Jean Carroll sexual abuse verdict
Federal appeals court upholds $5m sexual assault and defamation verdict in setback for president-elect
Joseph Gedeon in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/30/donald-trump-loses-appeal-e-jean-carroll

US Treasury says it was hacked by China in ‘major incident’
Nadine Yousif and Joe Tidy
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3weye2j0e7o

The forgotten priest who predicted black holes – in 1783
Ben Platts-Mills
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240626-the-priest-who-predicted-black-holes-in-1783

At last! At long last! The vital information you all have been waiting for:  Six boozy facts to help avoid a hangover
The BBC Science Features team
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241224-five-facts-to-overcome-a-hangover

Even MOAR help for the hungover: https://youtu.be/POxOCj2RlP4?si=x3UB3Y-s5JYFNGBa