National Geographic photographers ventured to places far and wide to capture the year’s most fascinating images.
Taking the Plunge
Atka Bay, Antarctica
A young emperor penguin jumps off a 50-foot cliff for its first swim. The species normally breeds on low-lying sea ice, but some colonies have been found on higher and more permanent ice shelves, behavior likely to become increasingly common with climate change. Left by their parents a month earlier, the chicks must fend for themselves and find food by hunting in the sea.
The Justice Department, Pentagon and intelligence agencies were the three areas of government that proved to be the most stubborn obstacles to Mr. Trump in his first term.
Processed foods are in the cross hairs of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but battling major companies could collide with President-elect Donald J. Trump’s corporate-friendly goals.
India promised to burn its trash mountains and safely turn them into electricity. But a New York Times investigation found hazardous levels of toxic substances around homes, playgrounds and schools.
National Geographic Traveller Magazine (November 15, 2024): The latest issue features a Canadian wilderness governed by its Indigenous inhabitants; a vibrant Mexican city where mariachi music reigns supreme; and a remote corner of New Zealand where the rare kiwi bird is making a comeback — uncover unmissable travel destinations for the year ahead.
From a jungle treehouse in Mexico to a California-inspired sun ranch in Australia, these are the best new and improved hotels, according to National Geographic Traveller (UK)’s annual Hotel Awards.
Could this be Europe’s best hut-to-hut hiking trail?
On the northwest border of Slovenia is a mountain range as dramatic as it is accessible, offering hut-to-hut hiking on multi-day adventures — with plenty of hearty food and local tales to sustain the journey.
What it’s like to travel along the West Coast on a train
One of the most beautiful train journeys in the US, the Coast Starlight’s route unspools along the Pacific Ocean from Los Angeles via Sacramento to Seattle. With miles of coastline, towering mountain ranges and glistening cityscapes, this is the ultimate American slow travel experience.
The president-elect’s choice of combative loyalists who could have trouble being confirmed has raised constitutional questions about executive power and the Senate’s prerogatives.
Elon Musk Met With Iran’s U.N. Ambassador, Iranian Officials Say
The tech billionaire, a top adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, was reported to have discussed ways to defuse tensions between Iran and the United States.
In late Renaissance Florence one in five women lived behind institutional walls whose rule was sensory mortification. Historians are struggling to recover their inexpressible secrets.
“A Veil of Silence: Women and Sound in Renaissance Italy” by Julia Rombough
In a special edition of the Guardian Weekly, our Washington bureau chief David Smith and diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour reflect on how Trump 2.0 is likely to play out for the US and for the rest of the world.
We look at the role played by the president-elect’s key supporter, Elon Musk, and ask what the world’s richest man can now expect back in return. We also trace the rise of the vice-president elect JD Vance, who is now just a heartbeat away from the presidency.
And senior US political reporter Joan E Greve considers the Democrats – bereft, broken and facing an internal civil war after a campaign that ended in disaster.
1 Spotlight | Odour of oil and return of Trump hang heavy over Cop29 As the annual UN climate summit got under way in Azerbaijan this week, Fiona Harvey sizes up the hopes for progressThe video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard
2 Science | Unravelling the paradoxes of plankton Scientists are sequencing the DNA of microscopic marine life – to help us learn more about ourselves, reports Brianna Randall
3 Feature | When adult children cut the cord Grownups who cut of f contact with their family are often trying to break away after a traumatic childhood. But sometimes the estrangement can be totally unexpected for parents. ByGaby Hinsliff
4 Opinion | Trump unleashed will be even worse than last time’s dress reherarsal From a public health crisis to the end of Nato, the threats are clear, writes Jonathan Freedland
5 Culture | Sportswriters and arts critics swap jobs How does the English National Opera compare to the Premier League … or the NFL to a West End musical? Our sports and culture experts found out
The Florida congressman, a polarizing figure on Capitol Hill, could give President-elect Donald J. Trump an ally at the top of the Justice Department who would not resist his directives.
Analysis of billions of pages of results from searches using the Bing algorithm suggests that reliable sites appear in search results 19 to 45 times more often than do sites with low-quality content.