Minnesota health officials urge flu shots as 35 schools report outbreaks this week, including at least one that switched to remote learning, the Star Tribune reports. The strain has a history of hitting children and the elderly particularly hard. Via MinnPost
https://www.startribune.com/flu-strain-that-historically-hits-elderly-and-kids-hard-is-back-in-minnesota/601548805?utm_source=gift

Epstein files to be released after months of delays from Trump officials
Huge archive – set to shed fresh light on Epstein’s misdeeds – legally obliged to be released before midnight deadline
Robert Tait in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/19/epstein-files-release-doj-december-deadline

‘Like Maga disciples’: meet the Trump envoys raising eyebrows in Europe
US president has been blatant in his appointment of relatives, close friends and big donors – almost none of whom have diplomatic experience
Jon Henley in Paris, Helena Smith in Athens and Miranda Bryant
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/19/trump-european-envoys-charles-kushner-andrew-puzder-stacey-feinberg-kimberly-guilfoyle

Conservative legal group aims to export its rightwing Christian mission beyond US borders
Alliance Defending Freedom has ramped up its global spending on litigation and other campaigns to push its ultra conservative Christian values
Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/19/conservative-legal-christian-rightwing-group

Trump signs order reclassifying marijuana as less dangerous
Change will loosen limits on research and certain regulations but stops short of making marijuana legal
Marina Dunbar
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/18/trump-cannabis-executive-order

Revealed: FBI opened domestic terrorism investigations into anti-ICE activity across US
Internal report shared with Guardian shows FBI has launched cases in 23 regions, some linked to Trump memo on thwarting ‘terroristic activities’
Sam Levin in Los Angeles
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/19/fbi-terrorism-investigations-anti-ice-activity

It’s time to accept that the US supreme court is illegitimate and must be replaced
Ryan Doerfler and Samuel Moyn
We need to remake the US high court so Americans don’t suffer future decades of oligarchy-facilitating rule
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/19/us-supreme-court-legitimacy

Sony collars Snoopy in £340m deal to take control of Peanuts franchise
Japanese conglomerate raises to 80% its stake in firm that owns the intellectual property created by Charles Schulz
Mark Sweney
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/19/sony-collars-snoopy-in-340m-deal-to-take-control-of-peanuts-franchise

The 50 best movies of 2025 in the US
https://www.theguardian.com/film/ng-interactive/2025/dec/08/the-50-best-movies-of-2025-in-the-us

Yael van der Wouden : ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy cured my fear of aliens’
The Safekeep author on her secret childhood reading, falling in love with Elizabeth Strout and why she keeps coming back to Zadie Smith
Yael van der Wouden
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/dec/19/yael-van-der-wouden-the-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-cured-my-fear-of-aliens