President Trump's administration faces scrutiny for aggressive foreign policy tactics including threats against Venezuela and a controversial pardon for Honduras's ex-president, alongside domestic policy shifts like Snap fund threats, the rollout of "Trump Accounts", and Pentagon actions regarding drug boat strikes.

• Pete Hegseth says he ‘didn’t stick around’ to watch second strike on alleged drug boat as Democrats slam administration over attacks – live — The Guardian -
• Trump officials threaten to withhold Snap funds from Democratic-led states — The Guardian -
• Police were skeptical about tip that led to arrest of UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect — The Guardian -

• How do ‘Trump accounts’ work – and who will benefit? — The Guardian -
• Family members identify victims of shooting at toddler’s birthday party in California — The Guardian -
• Trump administration is ‘selling out’ admiral to shield Hegseth over boat strikes, officials say — The Guardian -
• Trump calls Somali immigrants ‘garbage’ as US reportedly targets Minnesota community — The Guardian -
• Trump threatens strikes on any country he claims makes drugs for US — The Guardian -
• Family of victim in Trump drug boat killings files first formal complaint — The Guardian -
• Michael and Susan Dell donate $6.25bn to encourage families to claim ‘Trump Accounts’ — The Guardian -
• Maduro Faces His Ultimate Fight as Trump Threatens Military Action in Venezuela — New York Times World -
• Trump administration puts Fema workers back on administrative leave — The Guardian -
• Eric Trump’s cryptocurrency firm loses half its value in half an hour — The Guardian -
• Sabrina Carpenter slams ‘evil and disgusting’ ICE video that uses her song — The Guardian -
• Pentagon says every national guard troop deployed in Washington DC ‘is now armed’ — The Guardian -
• Federal panel could call for scrapping of infant hepatitis B vaccines this week — The Guardian -
• What is Honduras ex-president accused of and why has Trump pardoned him? — BBC World -
• Trump frees ex-Honduran president from prison as country awaits knife-edge election result — The Guardian -
• Pope Leo urges Donald Trump not to try to overthrow Venezuelan president with military force — The Guardian -
• Costco sues Trump administration over sweeping use of emergency tariff powers — The Guardian -
• Why is Trump threatening Venezuela's Maduro? — BBC World -
• Publisher condemns ‘violent’ use of Franklin the Turtle after Hegseth’s boat strike post — The Guardian -
• US Navy admiral ordered second deadly Venezuela boat strike, White House says — BBC World -
• Kristi Noem urges sweeping new US travel ban after fatal DC shooting — The Guardian -
• Asylum seekers across US in limbo over Trump’s policy reversals: ‘devastating’ — The Guardian -
• Pete Hegseth told US soldiers in Iraq to ignore legal advice on rules of engagement — The Guardian -
• California shooting marks 17th US mass killing this year – a 20-year low — The Guardian -
• Trump’s full-throttle threats suggest no backing down from aims to topple Maduro’s regime — The Guardian -
• EU foreign policy chief warns US-Russia talks may pressure Kyiv to make concessions | First Thing — The Guardian -
• How Trump’s on-again, off-again Nasa appointee emerged from a political black hole — The Guardian -
• Radar revelation stokes fears Caribbean could be drawn into US-Venezuela crisis — The Guardian -
• Trump Alleges Fraud, Without Evidence, in Honduras Election — New York Times World -
• Trump discusses Venezuela with advisers as Hegseth distances himself from second strike on suspected drug boat –as it happened — The Guardian -
• Trump Becomes the Wild Card in Razor-Thin Honduras Election — New York Times World -

US-Russia talks on Ukraine proceed with Putin expressing readiness for war with Europe, while the U.N. Security Council plans a crucial visit to Syria and Lebanon, Pope Leo focuses on peace in the Middle East, and international entities address regional stability and defence collaborations amidst ongoing tensions.

• U.N. Security Council to Visit Syria and Lebanon at ‘Crucial’ Time for the Countries — New York Times World -
• Putin and Witkoff Meet in Russia as U.S. Pushes Ukraine Deal — New York Times World -
• Russia ‘ready’ for war with Europe, Putin says, as US peace talks end without progress — The Guardian -

• Putin hosts Trump negotiators at Kremlin for 'constructive' Ukraine talks — BBC World -
• Putin says Russia not seeking war with Europe but is ‘ready’ to fight amid peace talks – as it happened — The Guardian -
• British military instructor arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of spying for Russia — The Guardian -
• Production of French-German fighter jet threatened by rivalries, chief executive says — The Guardian -
• Ukrainians in war-ravaged Donbas weigh prospects of peace deal — BBC World -
• Nigeria grants asylum to Guinea-Bissau presidential candidate after coup — BBC World -
• Pope prays at Beirut port blast site on last day of Lebanon visit — BBC World -
• Former EU top diplomat among three held in fraud investigation — The Guardian -
• Thousands Greet Pope Leo as He Prays Near Site of Beirut Port Blast — New York Times World -
• ‘An unprecedented void’: Brussels goes record-breaking 542 days without a government — The Guardian -
• St Lucia prime minister Philip Pierre keeps majority as ruling party wins — The Guardian -
• South African radio DJ among five charged over Russia recruitment plot — BBC World -
• 'Hung by my wrists and beaten': Israeli-Russian woman says Iraqi militants tortured her in captivity — BBC World -
• Hong Kong responds to disaster differently from Beijing – but the gulf is narrowing — The Guardian -
• Fed Up With the Taliban, Pakistan Expels Masses of Afghans — New York Times World -
• China, Evoking World War II, Urges Europe to Take Its Side Against Japan — New York Times World -
• Putin and Trump's envoy set for key Ukraine talks in Moscow — BBC World -
• Hong Kong leader orders investigation into deadly fire that killed 151 — BBC World -
• An Anti-Polarization Pope — New York Times World -
• Ukraine war briefing: Witkoff shuttles into Moscow to hear Putin’s demands — The Guardian -
• Dutch king says he ‘will not shy away’ from slavery history on rare royal visit to Suriname — The Guardian -

Devastating floods across Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, have led to hundreds of deaths and millions evacuated, while global environmental concerns highlight toxic landfills in Europe, air pollution in Mexico, corruption in Philippine flood control, and a fatal bushfire in Western Australia.

• Cyclone catastrophe in Sri Lanka awakens volunteer spirit — BBC World -
• Reckoning With a New Era of Deadly Floods — New York Times World -
• Global heating and other human activity are making Asia’s floods more lethal — The Guardian -

• In Photos and Video: Devastating Floods Swamp South Asia — New York Times World -
• New York City bill aims to ban toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighting gear — The Guardian -
• British women stranded by landslides in Sri Lankan mountains running out of food and water, daughter says — The Guardian -
• Tunbridge Wells water cut likely to last after treatment problem reoccurs — The Guardian -
• The Philippines Spent Big on Flood Control, but the Water Keeps Rising — New York Times World -
• Revealed: Mexico’s industrial boomtown is making goods for the US. Residents say they’re ‘breathing poison’ — The Guardian -
• Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 700 as 1 million evacuated — The Guardian -
• Floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam Have Killed Over 1,200. Here’s What to Know. — New York Times World -
• Western Australian farmer dies trying to protect property from fast-moving bushfire — The Guardian -
• ‘We have to rebuild from scratch’: Sri Lankans relive the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah — The Guardian -
• Death toll in Indonesia floods passes 600 — BBC World -
• ‘I kept smelling a horrible nasty smell’: the risks of England’s old dumping grounds — The Guardian -
• UK and Europe’s hidden landfills at risk of leaking toxic waste into water supplies — The Guardian -
• Death toll in Indonesia floods passes 500 with hundreds more missing — BBC World -
• People living along polluted Thames file legal complaint to force water firm to act — The Guardian -

Major legal shake-ups are planned, including protection for rape victims and restrictions on jury trials, while ongoing discussions cover police accountability in historical cases like Hillsborough, economic policy controversies like OBR chief's resignation and Bank of England's easing of capital rules, and social issues such as housing failings and children affected by economic abuse.

• Rape victims in England and Wales to be protected from ‘serial liar’ trope in legal shake-up — The Guardian -
• Key aide to Nigel Farage was frontman for Premier League billionaire’s betting syndicate, lawsuit claims — The Guardian -
• Hillsborough families decry ‘bitter injustice’ that no officers will face disciplinary proceedings — The Guardian -

• Hillsborough families say ‘we’ll never get justice’ as police escape punishment despite report’s findings – as it happened — The Guardian -
• UK government delays decision on China’s super-embassy until January — The Guardian -
• Quarter of police forces missing basic policies on sexual offences, says Sarah Everard report — The Guardian -
• Why is Labour scrapping jury trials for some cases? – The Latest — The Guardian -
• OBR chief’s exit may ease pressure on Rachel Reeves but the battle isn’t over — The Guardian -
• MPs launch inquiry into Andrew’s lease arrangements at Royal Lodge – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Sister of Palestine Action-linked prison hunger striker says she fears for his life — The Guardian -
• MPs to investigate crown estate after questions over Andrew mansion lease — The Guardian -
• Trans girls banned from joining Girlguiding — The Guardian -
• Deceiving women into sexual relations ‘part of work’ for spycops, inquiry told — The Guardian -
• UK ministers aim to ban cryptocurrency political donations over anonymity risks — The Guardian -
• Right to Jury Trial in England and Wales to Be Restricted in Some Cases — New York Times World -
• BoE governor says it has not forgotten lessons of financial crisis, as it eases capital rules — The Guardian -
• Hillsborough disaster timeline: decades seeking justice and change — The Guardian -
• Children’s home providers in England putting profit over need, says Ofsted — The Guardian -
• David Lammy tells of ‘traumatic’ racial abuse in youth after Farage allegations — The Guardian -
• OBR complained to Treasury before budget about leaks spreading ‘misconceptions’ — The Guardian -
• BMA chair denies using junior doctors’ strikes to progress political career — The Guardian -
• OECD warns Reeves higher taxes and spending restraint will limit consumer expenditure — The Guardian -
• Twelve more prisoners in England and Wales released in error in last month — The Guardian -
• David Lammy expected to water down plans to scrap most jury trials — The Guardian -
• UK house prices rise despite budget tax fears, says Nationwide — The Guardian -
• UK terror watchdog warns national security plan ignores escalating online threats — The Guardian -
• Black Friday deals slowed down UK retail price rises in November — The Guardian -
• UN experts accuse one of England’s biggest social landlords of habitability failings — The Guardian -
• Almost 4 million children in UK affected by economic abuse, charity finds — The Guardian -
• Lammy lambasts ‘courts emergency’ as he prepares to face MPs over plans to slash jury trials — The Guardian -

Bruce Lehrmann's defamation appeal loss and YouTube's compliance with Australia's under-16s social media ban lead national headlines, alongside sweeping reforms to the NDIS, research showing gambling reform's limited impact, and local controversies such as a helipad proposal blocking and police weapons search breaches.

• Australia news live: federal court dismisses Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal in defamation case against Ten and Lisa Wilkinson — The Guardian -
• YouTube says it will comply with Australia’s under-16s social media ban, with Lemon8 to also restrict access — The Guardian -
• Bruce Lehrmann loses appeal in defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson — The Guardian -

• Australia’s eSafety commissioner rejects US Republican’s assertion she is a ‘zealot for global takedowns’ — The Guardian -
• NDIS plans will be computer-generated, with human involvement dramatically cut under sweeping overhaul — The Guardian -
• Australia’s heaviest betters undeterred by key gambling reform, research shows — The Guardian -
• Sea World helicopter pilot ‘had a breakdown and took cocaine’ before crash, inquest told — The Guardian -
• Bid by Gina Rinehart’s company to build helipad set to be blocked by City of Perth — The Guardian -
• ‘Problematic precedent’: expert says Australia could be next as UK agrees to pay 25% more for new US medicines — The Guardian -
• Racial discrimination claim part of ‘deliberate campaign to discredit’ Mary Kostakidis, court documents allege — The Guardian -
• ABC boss denies host an ‘activist’ after criticism from Nampijinpa Price – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Hundreds potentially affected by Victoria police weapons searches that breached law — The Guardian -

OpenAI's "code red" amid intense competition from rivals and Apple's AI chief stepping down signal significant shifts in the tech landscape, while cybersecurity concerns emerge from hacked home cameras in South Korea and India's mandate for a state-owned cyber safety app on new smartphones.

• Stranger Things season 5 breaks Netflix viewership record — The Guardian -
• 120,000 Home Cameras Were Hacked for Sexual Videos, South Korean Police Say — New York Times World -
• Sam Altman issues ‘code red’ at OpenAI as ChatGPT contends with rivals — The Guardian -

• Indian order to preload state-owned app on smartphones sparks political outcry — The Guardian -
• ‘We’re not going anywhere’: how unionization ‘whirlwind’ set stage for historic Starbucks strike — The Guardian -
• India tells smartphone makers to put state-run cyber safety app on new devices — BBC World -
• Siri-us setback: Apple’s AI chief steps down as company lags behind rivals — The Guardian -

Record-breaking sales of a Fabergé egg and critical reception for a Pavarotti statue alongside an ice rink reflect ongoing cultural discussions, while topics range from San Francisco suing ultra-processed food giants to new wildlife trade protections for sharks and rays, and archeological discoveries of ancient musical instruments.

• Fabergé egg made for mother of Russia’s last tsar sells for £23m — The Guardian -
• Rare Fabergé egg fetches record £22.9m at London auction — BBC World -
• Whoops, the New Skating Rink Is Encroaching on Luciano Pavarotti — New York Times World -

• One Battle After Another gains Oscars traction after early awards season wins — The Guardian -
• Jodie Foster, who began her career aged three, calls acting ‘a cruel job’ she never would have chosen — The Guardian -
• San Francisco to sue food giants over ultra-processed products — The Guardian -
• Sharks and Rays Gain Sweeping Protections from Wildlife Trade — New York Times World -
• ‘A doll to me and a trumptet to Jimmie’: six-year-old girl’s letter to Santa in 1883 — The Guardian -
• Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel face off in first trailer for pop star epic Mother Mary — The Guardian -
• Zambian-American influencer sentenced to 18 months for hate speech — BBC World -
• Pavarotti statue frozen knee-deep in ice rink strikes wrong note in Italy — BBC World -
• Shells found in Spain could be among oldest known musical instruments — The Guardian -
• Japan PM’s pledge to ‘work, work, work, work, and work’ wins catchphrase of year — The Guardian -
• Watch: Melania Trump reveals Christmas decorations, Lego portrait of president — BBC World -

Germany reports thousands of stolen army ammunition rounds, a New Zealand man is charged for allegedly swallowing a Fabergé pendant, and El Chapo's son details a cartel abduction in a plea deal, highlighting various global criminal activities.

• Thousands of rounds of German army ammunition stolen from lorry — BBC World -
• Plea deal for drug kingpin El Chapo’s son details abduction of cartel boss — The Guardian -
• Bulgaria ditches budget plan after tens of thousands join protests — BBC World -

• Nine boars found dead in Spanish swine fever outbreak — The Guardian -
• Devastating toxic spill seen as test of whether African countries will stand up to China — BBC World -
• Man charged with theft after allegedly swallowing Fabergé pendant in jewellery store — The Guardian -