Author Archives: Larry Sanderson

2026.01.05

Tim Walz says he will not run for third term as Minnesota governor
Announcement comes after ongoing fraud of social services cases became focus of ire for Republicans and Trump
Rachel Leingang in Minneapolis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/05/tim-walz-minnesota-governor-reelection

The Bulwark on Walz: https://youtu.be/CHYxi3J3blY

Nekima Levy Armstrong: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BquuJ3ALv/

“President Donald Trump on Saturday evening promoted a false conspiracy theory surrounding the assassinations of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in June of last year,” reports Bring Me The News. “The post falsely suggests that Hortman was slain by alleged gunman Vance Boelter because she voted to end MinnesotaCare access for undocumented adults in Minnesota. The video makes other false claims concerning Gov. Tim Walz.” 
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/president-trump-promotes-false-conspiracy-theory-about-melissa-hortmans-murder

‘The perfect storm’: Trump has left the US less prepared for natural disasters, experts say
Emergency managers say the US president has presided over a dangerous erosion in US capacity to prepare for and respond to natural disasters
Gabrielle Canon
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/04/donald-trump-disaster-response-preparedness

In ending, Stranger Things committed TV’s ultimate crime
It felt like a punishing endurance test, coming to a head countless times … and yet it’s not over. Where the Upside Down is concerned, it’s never over
Stuart Heritage
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jan/05/stranger-things-finale-committed-tv-ultimate-crime-netflix

2026.01.04

US sees spike in flu cases in December, after most severe season since 2018
Not clear whether more people will get the flu this season, but more than 3,100 people have died in last year in US
Eric Berger
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/03/us-spike-influenza-december

‘Naked imperialism’: how Trump intervention in Venezuela is a return to form for the US
Most of the Americas have suffered from interference from their powerful northern neighbour – and are usually the worse off for it
Tiago Rogero South America correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/04/naked-imperialism-how-trump-intervention-in-venezuela-is-a-return-to-form-for-the-us

Trump’s attack on Venezuela without alerting Congress tests limits of executive power
Robert Tait in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/04/trump-congress-venezuela-attack

Canadian officials say US health institutions no longer dependable for accurate information
Misinformation from the Trump administration is cited as fuelling Canadians’ concerns over childhood vaccinations
Olivia Bowden in Toronto
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/04/canada-us-health-institutions-information

2025 was ICE’s deadliest year in decades. Here are the 31 people who died in custody
The deaths came as the Trump administration ramped up immigration enforcement, detaining a record number of people

Some of those who died in detention had arrived in the US recently, seeking asylum. Others had arrived years ago, some as young children.
ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Maanvi Singh, Coral Murphy Marcos and Charlotte Simmonds
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/04/ice-2025-deaths-timeline

Aliens: the spread of invasive plants and animals across Europe – in pictures
Erik Irmer has been documenting the spread of invasive plant and animal species that disrupt native ecology across Europe. He focuses on humans’ interactions with these plants and animals. Aliens is published by Fotohof
Sarah Gilbert
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2026/jan/04/aliens-the-spread-of-invasive-plants-and-animals-across-europe-in-pictures

The best winter gloves are two pairs, actually (and one is hiding at Home Depot)
This inexpensive duo of winter gloves warms your hands as well as one bulky pair does, but they’re much easier to move your hands in
Nick Mokey
https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us/2026/jan/03/best-winter-gloves

Wolf supermoon across the world – in pictures
According to Nasa, a supermoon occurs when the moon, due to its proximity to Earth, appears up to 15% larger and 30% brighter than a regular full moon
Pejman Faratin
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2026/jan/03/wolf-moon-supermoon-across-the-world-in-pictures

2026.01.03

For Ghod and Standard Oil!
Why has US attacked Caracas and captured Venezuela’s president?
Trump’s unprecedented capture of Nicolás Maduro follows months of military campaign and years of strained relationship
William Christou
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/03/why-trump-us-attacked-caracas-captured-venezuela-president-nicolas-maduro

Epstein disclosures raise key question: why wasn’t he stopped earlier?
New documents reveal numerous missed opportunities as experts and victims condemn US authorities’ failures
Victoria Bekiempis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/03/epstein-files-police-failures

Trump cuts have fueled ‘rage-giving’ to US rural public radio. Will it be enough?
Across the US, federal public media cuts have galvanized many communities to donate to their local radio stations
Stephen Starr in Yellow Springs, Ohio
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jan/03/trump-public-radio-cuts-donations

Fresh bone analysis makes case for earliest ‘ancestor of humankind’, but doubts remain
Scientists argue ape-like Sahelanthropus tchadensis that lived in Africa 7m years ago is best contender but more fossils are needed
Ian Sample Science editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/02/fresh-bone-analysis-earliest-ancestor-of-humankind-but-doubts-remain

I’m a personal trainer. Here’s the exact equipment I use at home
You don’t need a gym membership to get a respectable workout. The right compact and budget-friendly equipment can help you create a routine
Marissa Miller
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/02/best-home-gym-equipment

Amidst all the talk about fraud, Minnesota’s flu season is kicking into high gear, MPR News reports: “Recent data released by the Minnesota Department of Health indicate that influenza cases nearly tripled between Dec. 7 and Dec. 21.” Hospital admissions are also on the rise; nearly 2,000 Minnesotans are currently hospitalized due to the flu. COVID-19 cases remain lower than flu cases, however. Via MinnPost
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/01/flu-positivity-rates-hospitalizaitons-increase-in-minnesota

US woman charged with fetal homicide after allegedly inducing own abortion
Kentucky woman reportedly ordered medication to end her pregnancy and buried remains in her yard
Carter Sherman
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/02/kentucky-woman-arrest-abortion

Dreaming of writing your novel this year? Rip up all the rules!
After 35 years of teaching fiction writing, the prize-winning author shares her wisdom. First tip? Don’t write what you know…
Elizabeth McCracken
https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2026/jan/03/dreaming-of-writing-your-novel-this-year-rip-up-all-the-rules

The hill I will die on: Fan fiction is real literature, whatever the snobs say
Urooj Ashfaq
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/03/hill-die-on-fan-fiction-real-literature

‘They don’t have a nice socket structure’: how to really look after your knees
From squats and lunges to the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, physiotherapists share advice on how to maintain strong knees and avoid pain
Bianca Nogrady
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/04/they-dont-have-a-nice-socket-structure-how-to-really-look-after-your-knees

‘Suspension of entry into the US’, paparazzi – and wine: three other reasons George Clooney moved to France
Catherine Shoard
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/suspension-of-entry-into-the-us-paparazzi-and-wine-three-other-reasons-george-clooney-moved-to-france

What phase follows a full moon? The Saturday quiz
From Phoebe Buffay and Lisa Simpson to Mount Ulysses and the Sangre de Cristo mountains, test your knowledge with the Saturday quiz (Not automagical)
Thomas Eaton
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/03/what-phase-follows-a-full-moon-the-saturday-quiz

Meera Sodha’s recipe for radicchio and chianti risotto
Bittersweet maroon leaves pair perfectly with juicy red wine in this elegant winter risotto served with a walnut pesto
Meera Sodha
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/jan/03/radicchio-and-chianti-risotto-recipe-meera-sodha

2026.01.02

‘It’s our turn’: gun-safety advocates are riding a ‘seismic’ wave to US legislatures
A once-toxic topic is helping survivors and relatives of victims get elected to enact the laws they helped draft
Abené Clayton
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/02/gun-safety-law-us-legislation

Italian pasta makers win reprieve from Trump tariffs
US cuts proposed levies to between 2% and 14% despite accusing Italian producers of selling at unfairly low prices
Mark Sweney
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/02/italian-pasta-makers-win-reprieve-from-trump-tariffs

Will Smith accused of ‘predatory behaviour’ and ‘grooming’ by tour violinist
Brian King Joseph claims the rapper and actor was ‘priming’ him for ‘sexual exploitation’. Smith’s lawyer has called the allegations ‘false, baseless and reckless’
Laura Snapes
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/will-smith-accused-of-predatory-behaviour-and-grooming-by-tour-violinist

New year, old warnings: what can films set in 2026 teach us?
From Doom and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to Metropolis, Hollywood hasn’t predicted the most stable of years ahead
Jesse Hassenger
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/films-set-in-2026-hollywood

‘No one can know’: Heated Rivalry’s gay love story exposes ice hockey’s culture of silence
The surprise hit series has reopened a familiar debate: why, in the National Hockey League, visibility is still treated as a problem rather than a possibility
Colin Horgan
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/02/heated-rivalry-nhl-hockey-culture-silence

Behind the scenes of Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics, a 19th-century story of politics and gay love
The new stadium sits in the suburb of Herston, a name alluding to the state’s first premier and the man believed to be his lover
Andrew Messenger
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/03/behind-the-scenes-of-brisbanes-2032-olympics-a-19th-century-story-of-politics-and-gay-love

‘The answer is dig a hole’: why Scotland’s islanders want tunnels instead of ferries
From Shetland to the Western Isles, campaigners argue ageing ferries are driving depopulation – and undersea tunnels are the only 21st-century solution
Severin Carrell Scotland editor
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/02/scotland-islanders-want-tunnels-instead-ferries-shetland-western-isles

More than 60 Henri Matisse artworks donated to Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris
Artist’s daughter Marguerite features in most of the pieces, kept in the family until ‘complete surprise’ donation
Kim Willsher in Paris
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/jan/02/paris-musee-d-art-moderne-donation-henri-matisse-marguerite

Review
The Night Manager review – no naughty bum-flashing? It’s still a class above all other spy thrillers
The racy espionage blockbuster caused a global frenzy a decade ago – and set an unbelievably high bar. As Tom Hiddleston’s M16 agent Jonathan Pine returns to take down a new supervillain, he just about pulls it off
Jack Seale
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jan/01/the-night-manager-review-tom-hiddleston-john-le-carre-bbc-one-iplayer-prime-video

George Clooney fires back at Trump after US president mocks his French citizenship
Trump called the actor and his wife, Amal, ‘two of the worst political prognosticators of all time’ after they were awarded French passports
Sian Cain and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/george-clooney-trump-french-citizenship

2026.01.01

‘A state of crisis’: record number of Americans are pessimistic about US healthcare system
Costs, insurance delays and difficult-to-obtain mental health treatment plague the US health system
Hannah Harris Green
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/31/healthcare-americans-poll-data-insurance

Trump administration reportedly freezes all childcare payments to all states
Trump official says funds will be released ‘only when states prove they are being spent legitimately’
Carter Sherman
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/31/trump-administration-childcare-funding-freeze

Mystery meat and maggot-infested produce: the disturbing reality of US prison food
Sam Levin in Los Angeles
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/31/eating-behind-bars-book-prison-food

Nine science-backed ways to help you feel better in 2026 (Payqalled?)
BBC Future team
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251231-nine-simple-steps-to-feeling-better-in-2026

Doomed lovers, high heels and The Odyssey: films to get excited about in 2026
Margot Robbie busts her corset in Wuthering Heights, the Devil Wears Prada sequel goes fashionably to war, and Christopher Nolan brings us a Greek epic. Plus much more in our pick of the best films coming to UK cinemas this year
By Peter Bradshaw
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/01/wuthering-heights-devil-wears-prada-odyssey-films-to-get-excited-about-in-2026

Demon Slayer economics: how the anime juggernaut became a saviour
Once underground art form now props up slumped box office sales and is used by governments to build soft power
Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/dec/31/demon-slayer-economics-how-anime-juggernaut-became-saviour

What happened next: how KPop Demon Hunters became a global phenomenon and outranked Lady Gaga
It’s the Korean fantasy movie that came out of nowhere to become Netflix’s most-watched film ever. And social media mentions of its characters are outranking those of real-life superstars
Elle Hunt
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/01/kpop-demon-hunters-netflix-korean-most-watched-film

New year celebrations and Zohran Mamdani sworn in: photos of the day – Thursday
https://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2026/jan/01/new-year-celebrations-and-zohran-mamdani-sworn-in-photos-of-the-day-thursday

In pictures: New Year welcomed around the world (Paywalled?)
Matthew TuckerandLucy Talavera
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c050j896q2do

2025.12.31

Beer alternatives from around the world: https://youtu.be/cQ01gCIPit4

What is norovirus and how contagious is it?
Symptoms of the virus include diarrhea and vomiting and it infects about 684 million people globally every year
Adrienne Matei
https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/dec/30/what-is-norovirus-and-how-contagious-is-it

We sacrificed 14 shirts to find the best stain remover in the US, for spills from wine to oil
Even the messiest eaters can find stain fighters for every laundry nightmare, all tested against 10 common culprits
Jenny McGrath
https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us/2025/dec/30/best-stain-removers-laundry-tested

The man taking over the Large Hadron Collider – only to switch it off
Next head of Cern backs massive replacement for world’s largest machine to investigate mysteries of the universe
Ian Sample Science editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/dec/31/large-hadron-collider-head-of-cern-mark-thomson

‘It’s not a hen party hellscape’: Dublin’s Temple Bar strives to shake off its bad reputation
Despite reviews of the district as a raucous tourist trap, improved policing has restored safety and an eclectic vibe
Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/31/dublin-temple-bar-renaissance-not-hen-party-hellscape

Burkina Faso and Mali ban US nationals in retaliation to Trump’s visa decision
Announcements mark latest twist in the frosty relationship between west African military governments and the US
Guardian staff and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/31/mali-burkina-faso-retaliatory-travel-ban-us-nationals

Five tech trends we’ll be watching in 2026
From datacenters to AI, we’ll be keeping our eye on the technology that will be shaping your life in the coming year
Blake Montgomery
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/dec/30/five-tech-trends-well-be-watching-in-2026

The 50 best films of 2025 in the UK
https://www.theguardian.com/film/ng-interactive/2025/dec/08/the-50-best-films-of-2025-in-the-uk

The 50 best TV shows of 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/ng-interactive/2025/dec/10/the-50-best-tv-shows-of-2025

New Year’s Eve live:​ Sydney fireworks ring in 2026 as Asia sees in the new year ahead of Europe and the US
Yohannes Lowe (now) and Robyn Vinter (earlier)
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/live/2025/dec/31/new-years-eve-2026-world-ring-in-live-latest#top-of-blog

My year:
Three weeks in hospital
Two months in transitional care
Lost 30 pounds
Gained new accoutrements
Ongoing PT
Solar panels installed
Four new ceiling fans
Two Bosch undersink water heaters installed
Difficulty obtaining old, old asthma drug (theophylline)
Gained a handicapped parking permit and MN cancelled my driver’s license

Happy New Year!
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/live/2025/dec/31/new-years-eve-2026-world-ring-in-live-latest?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6954efe08f083c44d70dd5d5#block-6954efe08f083c44d70dd5d5

2025.12.30

Iceland has hottest Christmas Eve ever with temperature of 19.8C recorded
Meteorological office reports high temperatures across country and record measured at Seyðisfjörður in east
Helena Horton Environment reporter
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/30/iceland-record-temperatures-christmas-eve-met-office-seyisfjorur

Five charts that explain the global economic outlook for 2026
Inflation is predicted to cool but uncertainty over AI-driven growth and trade policy poses risks in the year ahead
Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/30/five-charts-that-explain-the-global-economic-outlook-for-2026

Top 5 local news stories of 2025: Feeding Our Future, immigration and fraud
Aimee Bock was convicted at trial this year, immigration detainees said they’re being held in detention for long periods of time and Minneapolis attempts to enforce police reforms.
by Joey Peters
https://sahanjournal.com/news/top-5-local-news-stories-2025-feeding-our-future-immigration/

Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway predict: https://youtu.be/98aQh7e6qh0

George Clooney and wife Amal granted French citizenship
The actor said privacy laws protecting children from paparazzi were a key factor in the family’s decision
Agence France-Presse
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/29/george-clooney-wife-amal-granted-french-citizenship

‘A total knockout!’ The best television you never watched in 2025
From the most beautiful show Netflix has ever made to a thriller about a menopausal hitwoman and a dazzling documentary set in outer space, here are some TV gems that may have passed you by this year
Kate Abbott, Alexi Duggins, Phil Harrison, Stuart Heritage and Hollie Richardson
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/dec/29/a-total-knockout-the-best-television-you-never-watched-in-2025

‘There is a crack in everything’: capturing the dark of winter – in pictures
How do you photograph darkness? A question Sarah Lee considers with her work as the nights draw in: ‘I’ve always been drawn to photographing the darkness as the winter months draw in after the clocks go back and we head towards the solstice. I wondered why that was given that the world itself seems so dark at the moment. I realised this year that it is not the darkness I’m photographing, but, rather, the light. Always the light.’
Sarah Lee
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2025/dec/30/there-is-a-crack-in-everything-capturing-the-dark-of-winter-in-pictures

The Pitt to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: 12 of the best TV shows to watch this January (Paywalled)
Caryn James
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20251224-12-of-the-best-tv-shows-to-watch-this-january

Will came out in Stranger Things, but did we like it?
The internet is, um, divided on the long-awaited scene.
Rachel Shatto
https://www.out.com/gay-tv-shows/stranger-things-will#rebelltitem1

2025.12.29

Munich’s surfers foiled again after city thwarts effort to restart river wave
Authorities remove beam placed on Christmas Day to recreate Eisbach wave, which vanished in October
Agence France-Presse in Berlin
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/28/munichs-surfers-foiled-again-as-authorities-remove-access-to-famous-river-wave

‘It would drive some people crazy’: Victoria’s French Island remains remote, and that’s how most like it
Just 70km from Melbourne yet only accessible by ferry, the island’s isolation is the source of its appeal and its biggest drawback
Stephanie Convery with photography by Penny Stephens
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/28/it-would-drive-some-people-crazy-victorias-french-island-remains-remote-and-thats-how-most-like-it

Interview
‘What other silences filled my childhood?’: Tareq Baconi on excavating his queer and Palestinian identities
Emma Graham-Harrison
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/dec/28/tareq-baconi-fire-in-every-direction-interview

The photographs that defined 2025 – and the stories behind them
As wars in Ukraine and Gaza continued, anti-government protests erupted around the world. Amid the violence, there were moments of humanity, sporting glory and stunning natural beauty. Photographers reflect on the moments behind the pictures
By Sarah Gilbert and Emine Saner
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/dec/29/photographs-defined-2025-stories-behind-them

My big night out: I woke up on a llama farm in Germany – hungover and lying beside a naked punk
At 20, I went on a European road trip for the summer, where a chance encounter in Cologne taught me the importance of friendship
Dylan B Jones
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/dec/29/my-big-night-out-woke-up-llama-farm-germany-naked-punk

The very next day, you gave it away … how to get rid of an unwanted Christmas gift without getting caught
Eleanor Limprecht
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/30/how-to-get-rid-of-an-unwanted-christmas-gift

Weather tracker: Polar wind set to end warmth in US south and midwest
Ollie Lewis for MetDesk
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/29/weather-tracker-polar-wind-set-to-end-warmth-in-us-south-and-midwest

‘Too important not to fight for’: Spain’s wine industry seeks infusion of new blood
Rural depopulation compounding challenges of climate emergency and changing technologies in drawing young people to sector
Sam Jones in La Seca
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/29/too-important-not-to-fight-for-spains-wine-industry-seeks-infusion-of-new-blood

Passengers on cruise ship that ran aground off PNG to be flown home after refloat efforts fail
Coral Adventurer, being investigated for allegedly leaving behind passenger who died, ran aground with 124 people on board on Saturday
Andrew Messenger
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/29/passengers-on-cruise-ship-that-ran-aground-off-png-to-be-flown-home-after-refloat-efforts-fail

2025.12.28

Brigitte Bardot, French screen legend, dies aged 91
Emmanuel Macron leads tributes to​ actor who became an international sex symbol ​and later embraced animal rights​ and far-right politics
Brigitte Bardot: a life in pictures
Andrew Pulver, and Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/28/brigitte-bardot-french-screen-legend-and-animal-rights-activist-dies

Brigitte Bardot – a life in pictures
The French actor Brigitte Bardot has died – we look back at her life, relationships and films
Sarah Gilbert
https://www.theguardian.com/film/gallery/2025/dec/28/brigitte-bardot-a-life-in-pictures

America in pictures – the Guardian’s best photos of 2025
The collection of top images published in 2025 offers a layered portrait of the nation
Thalia Juarez
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/dec/27/america-guardians-best-photos-of-2025

Snow-covered Mount Etna erupts spewing lava and ash – video
https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2025/dec/28/snow-covered-mount-etna-erupts-spewing-lava-and-ash-video

US voters linking climate crisis to rising bills despite Trump’s ‘green scam’ claims
New polling shows 65% of registered US voters believe global heating is affecting cost of living
Oliver Milman
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/26/us-voters-link-climate-crisis-affordability

The 2025 US economy – in charts: rising prices, hiring slowdown, rollercoaster growth
Looking at the government’s own report cards, how did the US fare under the first year of Trumponomics 2.0?
Callum Jones and Aliya Uteuova
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/28/2025-us-economy-in-charts

The best films of 2025 … you may not have seen
From an old-fashioned western to a charming baseball comedy, Guardian writers pick their favourite lesser-known films of the year
Radheyan Simonpillai, Jesse Hassenger, Veronica Esposito, Tammy Tarng, Pamela Hutchinson, Benjamin Lee, Andrew Pulver, Richard Lawson, Andrew Lawrence, Scott Tobias and Adrian Horton
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/dec/28/2025-best-hidden-gem-underrated-films

The deals aren’t done yet: 25 of the best after-Christmas sales in the US
MasterClass, Roku, Apple, Aritzia – we rounded up the best post-holiday sales for tech, fashion and more that you can snag before the end of the year
Nick Mokey and Filter staff
https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us/2025/dec/27/best-after-christmas-holiday-sales

Bayeux tapestry to be insured for £800m for British Museum exhibition
The 70-metre-long cloth about the Norman invasion has not been seen in England since it was created in 11th century
Nadeem Badshah
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/27/bayeux-tapestry-to-be-insured-for-800m-for-british-museum-exhibition

Soak it up: everything science taught us about health and wellness in 2025
Do hot baths improve endurance? Will creatine bolster your brain power? Does pickle juice prevent cramp? Here’s what we learned about living well this year
Joel Snape
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/dec/28/soak-it-up-everything-science-taught-us-about-health-and-wellness-in-2025

2025.12.27

Bari Weiss defends decision to pull 60 Minutes episode on El Salvador prison
CBS News editor-in-chief argues in memo that network’s priority was ‘comprehensive and fair’ coverage
Lauren Gambino
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/dec/26/bari-weiss-60-minutes-el-salvador-prison

Republican behind Epstein files act responds to Trump ‘lowlife’ taunt
Kentucky’s Thomas Massie used the president’s insult to raise funds to run against a Trump-endorsed candidate
Ramon Antonio Vargas
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/27/kentucky-republican-thomas-massie-trump-epstein-files

FBI to move out of brutalist J Edgar Hoover building in Washington DC
Iconic building, called ‘greatest monstrosity ever constructed’ by Hoover himself, to be closed down
Guardian staff
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/27/fbi-j-edgar-hoover-building

Dragged down by an unpopular president, Republicans are bracing for a midterm trouncing
David Smith in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/dec/27/trump-republicans-midterm-elections-approval-rating

No gels, no foams: Catalonia turns to grannies to teach traditional cooking
Region famed for molecular gastronomy begins video project to collect and share rustic recipes
Stephen Burgen in Santa Margarida i els Monjos
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/27/grannies-catalan-chefs-preserving-traditional-cuisine

Which Gascon brandy is France’s oldest? The Saturday quiz
From Benefits Supervisor Sleeping and Hideous Kinky to the “modern Prometheus”, test your knowledge with the Saturday quiz (Not automagical)
Thomas Eaton
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/dec/27/which-gascon-brandy-is-frances-oldest-the-saturday-quiz

The week around the world in 20 pictures
Christmas in Kyiv, destruction in the West Bank, the funeral of Mani and the winter solstice at Stonehenge: the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists
Jim Powell
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2025/dec/26/the-week-around-the-world-in-20-pictures