Guinness boom prompts owner Diageo to consider sale or spin-off Stout, which has become fashionable with gen Z drinkers, likely to be valued at more than £8bn Zoe Wood https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/24/guinness-diageo-sale-spin-off
KARE 11’s David Griswold reports: “The James Beard Foundation announced its semifinalists on Wednesday, and it includes six local chefs and five local restaurants.” via MinnPost https://www.kare11.com/article/entertainment/dining/food-drink/6-chefs-5-restaurants-minnesota-james-beard-semifinalists/89-ae9418a3-e3e7-4f84-82ba-440c1d8677fb
Matt Sepic at MPR News reports: “An organization that represents police across Minnesota is suing the state for releasing private information about undercover officers.” via MinnPost https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/01/22/police-group-sues-state-over-release-of-undercover-officers-names
Seven Texas police officers shot while responding to ‘suicide in progress’ call
Suspect later found dead inside an apartment after standoff, says San Antonio police chief
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/stone-oak-san-antonio-texas-police-officers
Trump’s executive order on gender uses language pointing to ‘fetal personhood’ Words ‘at conception’ in order gesture to push by anti-abortion movement to give embryos and fetuses legal rights Carter Sherman https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/trump-executive-order-fetal-personhood
Republicans reportedly ready to cut Medicaid funding to pay for Trump plans
House and Senate Republicans float ideas to pay for Trump’s immigration crackdown and to fund tax cuts
Adam Gabbatt
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/republicans-medicaid-funding-trump
Revealed: Microsoft deepened ties with Israeli military to provide tech support during Gaza war Leaked documents shed light on how Israel integrated the US tech giant into its war effort to meet growing demand for cloud and AI tools Harry Davies and Yuval Abraham in Jerusalem https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/israeli-military-gaza-war-microsoft
Storm Éowyn: Scottish parliament and hundreds of schools to close in UK Rare red weather alert issued as storm forecast to bring gusts of up to 100mph, with ‘extreme risk to life’ warning in Ireland https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/23/storm-eowyn-red-weather-warning
How Scandinavian dressing can make us happier Faran Krentcil https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250121-how-scandinavian-dressing-can-make-us-happier
Swede dreams: How Sweden is embracing its sleepy side Lizzie Enfield https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250113-how-sweden-is-embracing-its-sleepy-side
Sundance 2025: the 10 films not to miss at this year’s festival From a Jennifer Lopez musical to an Ayo Edebiri horror to a provocative prison documentary, this year’s Utah-based festival has plenty to be excited about Benjamin Lee https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/23/sundance-2025-movies-watch
Oscars nominations 2025: Emilia Pérez breaks record with 13 as The Brutalist and Wicked both trail with 10
Oscars nominations 2025: the full list
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/23/oscars-nominations-2025-the-full-list
Jacques Audiard’s trans musical beats record for most nominations by a film not in the English language
Star Karla Sofía Gascón becomes first out trans actor up for an Oscar
Snubs for Pamela Anderson, Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie
Catherine Shoard
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/23/oscars-nominations-2025-emilia-perez-breaks-record-with-13-as-the-brutalist-and-wicked-both-trail-with-10
Ittsa Quiz! Parrots, trees and dragons: test yourself with our quiz on national flag changes The ‘independence flag’ now flies in parts of Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, but can you identify these other countries that have changed their flags (or not)? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/01/parrots-trees-dragons-quiz-national-flag-changes
US lawmakers eye health insurance reform as frustrations mount Nearly one in four doctors say the practice of prior authorization has led to serious issues for patients Melody Schreiber https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/31/health-insurance-prior-authorization
Eight ways to stay happier this year, according to science BBC Future team https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241231-eight-ways-to-stay-happier-this-year-according-to-science
Happy New Year!
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
9 o’ them lessons and carols is just starting on Minnesota Public Radio: https://www.yourclassical.org/playlist/classical-mpr
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of forcing ex-assistant to clean up after ‘Wild King Night’ parties
Attorneys for Phillip Pines lay out list of claims related to alleged sex parties in lawsuit filed in Los Angeles
Edward Helmore
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/dec/24/sean-diddy-combs-assistant-claim
Champagne-soaked sex and slow-burn longing – was this the swooniest year of TV ever?
Be it the understated romance of Japanese epic Shōgun, Danny Dyer’s tree sex in Rivals or Adam Brody risking his career for love – this was the year TV stole hearts
Hollie Richardson
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/dec/24/champagne-soaked-sex-and-slow-burn-longing-was-this-the-swooniest-year-of-tv-ever
Ripley to The Rings of Power: your top TV of 2024 Who is a god of TV? Who has magical chemistry? And who deserves to be lightning-bolted for bad behaviour? Here are Guardian readers’ best shows of the year Guardian readers and Alfie Packham https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/dec/24/ripley-to-the-rings-of-power-your-top-tv-of-2024
What home means to me
Turkey
After a breakup, can you ever be happy living alone? I moved countries to find out
Carolin Würfel
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/24/breakup-living-alone-partner-berlin
Yeah, right: Birmingham LGBTQ+ church members ‘cut off’ after sexual assault complaints
Former members also say complaints were mishandled and are seeking apology from Methodist church
Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/24/birmingham-lgbtq-methodist-church-sexual-assault-complaints
BYD construction site in Brazil shut over ‘slavery-like’ conditions More than 160 Chinese nationals were found living in ‘degrading’ conditions and working excessive hours Business live – latest updates Kalyeena Makortoff and agencies https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/dec/24/byd-car-factory-construction-site-brazil-shut-chinese-nationals
Interview
Will Ferrell and Harper Steele: ‘More people say they’ve seen an alien than a trans person’
Guy Lodge
Saturday Night Live writer Harper Steele came out as a trans woman in 2022 at the age of 61. Her friend of 30 years Will Ferrell had questions. So what else to do but jump in a van, cross the US, and make a documentary about it
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/sep/25/will-ferrell-harper-steele-netflix-documentary-interview
Also see: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2024/sep/24/donald-trump-presidency-republican-lawmakers-targeting-lgbtq-policies
It’s Banned Books Week. LGBTQ+ content tops the most-challenged list.
Attempts to censor or restrict books from U.S. schools and libraries have risen since 2020, reports show. (PayWalled)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/09/24/banned-books-week-lgbtq-challenges/
How newly named Hennepin Arts is charting the ebbs and flows of downtown Minneapolis
In hindsight, buying historic theaters was one of downtown Minneapolis’ all-time best moves.
https://www.minnpost.com/cityscape/2024/09/how-newly-named-hennepin-arts-is-charting-the-ebbs-and-flows-of-downtown-minneapolis/
Ready or not? The expert guide to buying fruit – so it is always ripe and delicious
Whether you are planning to eat it today or keep it for later, here is how to pick the perfect produce, every time
Tim Dowling
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/sep/25/ready-or-not-the-expert-guide-to-buying-fruit-so-it-is-always-ripe-and-delicious
The power of the pint: is it time to retire one of the world’s biggest beer measures?
A study suggested last week that adopting a two-thirds serve could improve public health. But is the pint really the problem?
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/sep/24/the-power-of-the-pint-is-it-time-to-retire-one-of-the-worlds-biggest-beer-measures
Typhoon Yagi leaves four dead, dozens injured in Vietnam The “super typhoon” shuttered airports and wreaked havoc on roads in Hanoi and surrounding areas in northern Vietnam. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/09/07/typhoon-yagi-vietnam-deaths/
I love this series on street food in Berlin, but they start at the beginning and go for the close. (If you ain’t got all day, skip ahead.)
Of local interest: HUGE Theater closing in October
After moving into a larger venue, financial barriers are keeping the improv theater from continuing operations.
Melody Hoffmann
https://www.southwestvoices.news/posts/huge-theater-closing-in-october
‘“Well, I would do that, and we’re sitting down — you know, I was, uh, somebody, we had Sen. Marco Rubio [(R-Fla.)] and my daughter, Ivanka, was so, uh, impactful on that issue. It’s a very important issue.
But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I’m talking about, that — because child care is child care. It’s, couldn’t — you know, it’s something, you have to have it. In this country, you have to have it.
But when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that I’m talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that they’re not used to but they’ll get used to it very quickly. And it’s not going to stop them from doing business with us, but they’ll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our country.
Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers that we’re talking about, including child care, that it’s gonna take care. We’re gonna have — I, I look forward to having no deficits within a fairly short period of time. Coupled with, uh, the reductions that I told you about on waste and fraud and all of the other things that are going on in our country — because I have to say with child care, I want to stay with child care, but those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that I’m talking about, including growth.
But growth also headed up by what the plan is that I just, uh, that I just told you about. We’re gonna be taking in trillions of dollars, and as much as child care is talked about as being expensive, it’s, relatively speaking, not very expensive compared to the kind of numbers we’ll be taking in.
We’re going to make this into an incredible country that can afford to take care of its people and then we’ll worry about the rest of the world. Let’s help other people. But we’re gonna take care of our country first. This is about America first. It’s about: Make America great again. We have to do it, because right now we’re a failing nation. So we’ll take care of it. Thank you. Very good question.”’
Following Trump’s train of thought as it derails on a child care question
Trump sought out an applause line as if it were the sole exit in a flame-filled room.
Asked about paying for child care, Trump pivots to tariffs
Column by Philip Bump (DePayWalled)
https://wapo.st/3Xoz1B8
‘I’m a new racist’: Michigan judge suspended after insulting gay, Black people on recordings
Court worker secretly recorded calls in which Kathleen Ryan made homophobic slur and called Black people lazy
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/07/michigan-judge-kathleen-ryan-suspended
Missouri sees first positive bird flu case without known animal contact Also first time for someone with H5 virus to be hospitalized, and CDC says it is studying patient specimen more https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/06/missouri-bird-flu-positive-hospitalized
Interview Pedro Almodóvar: ‘Life needs fiction to make it bearable’ Sam Jones The Spanish film-maker on the raw, real life experiences behind his first collection of short stories – and why his mother is his inspiration https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/sep/07/pedro-almodovar-life-needs-fiction-to-make-it-bearable
Meera Sodha’s vegan recipe for white cabbage, peanut butter and gochujang noodles You don’t need to be a straight A student to cook these easy instant noodles https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/sep/07/student-recipe-vegan-cabbage-peanut-butter-noodles
Brazilian musician Sérgio Mendes dies aged 83
Mendes, who popularised bossa nova among global audiences in the 1960s, had been suffering from the effects of long-term Covid, his family said
https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/sep/06/brazilian-musician-sergio-mendes-dies-aged-83
For you Novavax fans out there — you know who you are: FDA Authorizes Updated Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine to Better Protect Against Currently Circulating Variants https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-updated-novavax-covid-19-vaccine-better-protect-against-currently-circulating
Opinion
The Checkup With Dr. Wen: When to get the new coronavirus shot? That question and more, answered. When is the optimal time to get the updated shot? It depends. (DePayWalled)
https://wapo.st/3TcZeB1
Star Tribune reports Ladan Mohamed Ali plead guilty Thursday to federal charges connected to an attempted bribe in the Feeding Our Future Trial. Ali, also admitted to stealing $80,000 of the cash the defendants gave her to bribe the juror. — MinnPost
Did the media learn nothing from its disastrous coverage of Trump and Clinton in 2016?
Rebecca Solnit
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/06/trump-clinton-harris-election
Stonehenge tale gets ‘weirder’ as Orkney is ruled out as altar stone origin
Weeks after revelation that megalith came from Scotland, researchers make surprise discovery
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/sep/05/stonehenge-tale-gets-weirder-as-orkney-is-ruled-out-as-altar-stone-origin
Meanwhile in Amsterdam:
Amsterdammers left bemused at plan to tackle flowerpot ‘jungle’
Authorities in Dutch capital launch ‘Operation plant pot’, saying excessive pot placement threatens accessibility
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/sep/06/amsterdam-plan-to-tackle-flowerpot-jungle
Thai Chef Makes KHAO SOI From Scratch!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/gwV9SJtewCY?si=YiXS2AO6x1HFRBtn
Speedy, silky and saucy: Alice Zaslavsky’s prawn, macadamia and asparagus stir-fry – recipe Alice Zaslavsky https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/sep/05/easy-stir-fry-recipe-prawn-macadamia-asparagus-alice-zaslavsky
How to make dan dan noodles – recipe A step-by-step guide to making this quick noodle dish laced with smoky chilli oil and tingly Sichuan pepper Felicity Cloake https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/sep/04/how-to-make-dan-dan-noodles-recipe-felicity-cloake
Apple doughnuts and pumpkin snickerdoodles: Edd Kimber’s cookie recipes Apple doughnut-flavoured cinnamon cookies and pumpkin cookies with masala chai spicing Edd Kimber https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/sep/04/apple-doughnuts-pumpkin-snickerdoodles-recipe-edd-kimber-cookie
‘A drizzle, a dollop and a crunch’: the secret to plant-based eating Bettina Campolucci Bordi, as told to Isabelle Rodney https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/sep/03/a-drizzle-a-dollop-and-a-crunch-the-secret-to-plant-based-eating
Plant-based cooking is its own cuisine. We all can learn from it. You don’t have to be vegan to want to learn to cook good plant-based dishes. Column by Joe Yonan https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2024/09/01/vegan-plant-based-cooking-joe-yonan/