Monocle Radio Podcast (December 3, 2024): French prime minister Michel Barnier’s government faces collapse as right-wing parties push back on his budget proposal.
We’ll also discuss the latest out of Syria and why Japan has doubled its military-aid budget. Then: we cross to Cannes as the Monocle team hits the International Luxury Travel Market.
President-elect Donald J. Trump’s decision to install Kash Patel as F.B.I. director indicates that he remains undaunted by Washington resistance as he appoints ideological warriors, conspiracy theorists and even relatives.
In a letter, the Democratic leader said members of his party would work with Republicans to consider the president-elect’s nominees — but asserted they should undergo traditional Senate vetting.
Tensions Rise Among Russia’s Elite as Economic Growth Slows
The slowdown is worrying for the Kremlin but not serious enough to significantly hobble its war effort.
Monocle Radio Podcast (December 2, 2024): The latest from Syria as Russia fails to contain a rebel offensive on Aleppo, Icelanders vote after the collapse of a fraught coalition government,
Jamaica’s tourism minister joins us ahead of the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes. Then we bring you the global paper review and the latest business news. Plus: Why Santa won’t be coming to France.
Forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have captured the Aleppo airport and are attacking the western city of Hama, according to local officials and a Britain-based war monitor.
Amphibious operations across the Dnipro River at Kherson illustrated the suffering and endurance of Ukrainian forces. A team of Times journalists observed the perilous movements.
Several lawmakers expressed support on Sunday for the president-elect’s plan to install a loyalist who has vowed to use the position to exact revenge on adversaries.
A Second Trump Term Poses a Crucial Test of the Senate’s Independence
President-elect Donald J. Trump is threatening to challenge the institution’s historic role, and the Constitution, with his prospective nominees and threats to push the boundaries of executive authority.
President-elect Donald J. Trump turned to a firebrand loyalist to become director of the bureau, which he sees as part of a ‘deep state’ conspiracy against him.
Donald Trump’s pick to be health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reached a pinnacle of power after a life of fame and addictions and a career intertwined with conspiracy theories.
Mexican Cartels Lure Chemistry Students to Make Fentanyl
Criminals turn college campuses into recruitment hubs, recruiting chemistry students in Mexico with big paydays.
Monocle on Saturday (November 30, 2024): Join Emma Nelson and Yassmin Abdel-Magied for a look back at the week’s news and culture. Plus: how Singapore is housing its rapidly ageing population.
Musk’s Slashing of the Federal Budget Faces Big Hurdles
The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, with Elon Musk as co-leader, has advantages that past budget-cutters did not, but laws and court challenges can still make change slow and difficult.
Monocle Radio Podcast (November 29, 2024): Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te is set to defy Beijing with his upcoming Pacific trip that will include US stopovers. Alessio Patalano joins Emma Nelson to discuss what China’s response might be. P
lus: Vienna sausage stands gain Unesco status and we discuss Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo’s legacy.
His siblings have long retreated from the inner circle, but the president-elect’s eldest son has made a name for himself as the person who can best assess loyalty to the Trump political brand.
The law sets a minimum age for users of platforms like TikTok, Instagram and X. How the restriction will be enforced online remains an open question.
An A.I. Granny Is Phone Scammers’ Worst Nightmare
Daisy Harris, an A.I.-generated English granny, has been stymying scammers with meandering, time-wasting conversations. But can she actually make a dent in the flood of fraud?
The Guardian Weekly (November 28, 2024): The new issue features last week’s escalation of Nato ballistic missile activity, in which UK and US-made missiles were launched into Russia for the first time, brought a predictably cold response from Vladimir Putin – who loosened Moscow’s nuclear doctrines and promised more attacks with a new, experimental ballistic missile.
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Spotlight | Does lame duck Biden have time to Trump-proof democracy? The outgoing US president may only have weeks left in the White House, but activists say he can secure civil liberties, accelerate spending on climate and healthcare, and spare death row prisoners. David Smith reports
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Science | My weird, emotional week with an AI pet Casio says Moflin can develop its own personality and build a rapport with its owner – and it doesn’t need food, exercise or a litter tray. But is it essentially comforting or alienating? Justin McCurry finds out
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Feature | Are we right to strive to save the world’s tiniest babies? Doctors are pushing the limits of science and human biology to save more extremely premature babies than ever before. But when so few survive, are we putting them through needless suffering? By Sophie McBain
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Opinion | A social media ban is in everyone’s interests – not just kids under 16 Van Badham on why she resents being excluded from protection against monetised fear, anger and toxicity
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Culture | A road trip like no other: an epic drive on the Autobahn Fifty years after electronic pioneers Kraftwerk released a 23-minute song about a road – and changed pop music for ever – Tim Jonze hits the highways of Düsseldorf and Hamburg in search of its futuristic brilliance
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious