THE GUARDIAN: TV host who came under pressure from Trump government will say: ‘From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year’
The US comedian whose late-night show was briefly cancelled after pressure from Donald Trump’s government is to urge UK audiences to stand up for free speech.
In a defiant alternative Christmas message on Channel 4, Jimmy Kimmel will liken the first year of Trump’s second administration to the rise of fascism.
Sitting beside a cup of tea and a plate of jammy dodger biscuits, Kimmel will quip: “From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year.”
He is also expected to warn that press freedoms can be snuffed out quickly, and urge UK viewers to resist attacks on free speech. » | Matthew Weaver | Sunday, December 21, 2025
Sunday, December 21, 2025
How Peter Thiel Is Destroying Democracy
"Divorced from Reality": Economist Dean Baker Fact-checks Trump's Primetime Speech
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How Dissent Became a “Threat”: FBI Expands Investigations Under Trump’s Anti-Fascism Memo NSPM-7
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Syrie : pour la première fois, le ministère des Affaires étrangères publie une carte du pays sans le Golan, occupé par Israël
LE FIGARO : Damas n’a jamais reconnu la conquête du plateau du Golan, qu’Israël a conquis durant la guerre des Six jours en 1967, puis annexé en 1981. En publiant cette carte sur X, le gouvernement d’Ahmed al-Charaa, sans avoir officiellement changé de politique, ménage l’État hébreu.
C’est un tabou diplomatique vieux de plus d’un demi-siècle qui se lève discrètement dans le coin d’une carte publiée ce dimanche 21 décembre par le ministère syrien des Affaires étrangères. «La Syrie sans les sanctions», écrit le compte diplomatique syrien pour saluer la levée officielle des sanctions prises par les États-Unis dans le cadre de la loi «Caesar» de 2019. Cette décision américaine, intégrée au projet de loi annuel sur la défense, a été votée par la chambre des représentants, puis par le Sénat, et n’attend plus que la signature finale de Donald Trump. Vendredi, le président syrien Ahmed al-Charaa a remercié le 47e président des États-Unis, ainsi que le prince héritier saoudien, le premier ministre qatari et le président turc. » | Par Alexis Feertchak | dimanche 21 décembre 2025
C’est un tabou diplomatique vieux de plus d’un demi-siècle qui se lève discrètement dans le coin d’une carte publiée ce dimanche 21 décembre par le ministère syrien des Affaires étrangères. «La Syrie sans les sanctions», écrit le compte diplomatique syrien pour saluer la levée officielle des sanctions prises par les États-Unis dans le cadre de la loi «Caesar» de 2019. Cette décision américaine, intégrée au projet de loi annuel sur la défense, a été votée par la chambre des représentants, puis par le Sénat, et n’attend plus que la signature finale de Donald Trump. Vendredi, le président syrien Ahmed al-Charaa a remercié le 47e président des États-Unis, ainsi que le prince héritier saoudien, le premier ministre qatari et le président turc. » | Par Alexis Feertchak | dimanche 21 décembre 2025
Democracy Now! Anand Giridharadas on the Elite Network around Epstein
Nov 25, 2025 | While much of the recent interest in Jeffrey Epstein has focused on the late sexual predator’s relationship with President Donald Trump, his emails also reveal his close relationships with other powerful figures from the worlds of politics, finance, academia and beyond.
The thousands of files released by the House Oversight Committee earlier this month include his correspondence from April 2011 through January 2019, after he was already a registered sex offender for abusing underage girls in Florida.
The fact that so many prominent and influential people could ignore those crimes is indicative of their membership in a “borderless network of people who are more loyal to each other” than anything else, says journalist Anand Giridharadas.
“He had chosen this particular kind of social network, this American power elite, because he could be sure that it would be able to look away.”
Giridharadas is author of Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World and recently wrote about the Epstein emails for The New York Times opinion section.
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
The thousands of files released by the House Oversight Committee earlier this month include his correspondence from April 2011 through January 2019, after he was already a registered sex offender for abusing underage girls in Florida.
The fact that so many prominent and influential people could ignore those crimes is indicative of their membership in a “borderless network of people who are more loyal to each other” than anything else, says journalist Anand Giridharadas.
“He had chosen this particular kind of social network, this American power elite, because he could be sure that it would be able to look away.”
Giridharadas is author of Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World and recently wrote about the Epstein emails for The New York Times opinion section.
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
'I Took On Nick Fuentes; He Should Worry Everyone.' | LBC interviews
Dec 21, 2025 | Tory peer Daniel Finkelstein, the son of a Holocaust survivor, was featured in Piers Morgan's interview with white nationalist and self-confessed racist streamer Nick Fuentes, who's seen skyrocketing popularity since the death of Charlie Kirk.
In the video, Lord Finkelstein challenges Fuentes' support of Hitler, who he considers "really cool".
As the 27-year-old influencer's popularity continues to grow, and cause distress amongst Britain's Jewish population, Lewis Goodall sits down with Lord Finkelstein to discuss his experience.
In the video, Lord Finkelstein challenges Fuentes' support of Hitler, who he considers "really cool".
As the 27-year-old influencer's popularity continues to grow, and cause distress amongst Britain's Jewish population, Lewis Goodall sits down with Lord Finkelstein to discuss his experience.
Trump’s Talks with Putin Won’t Deliver Peace While Moscow Seeks Ukraine’s ‘Subjugation’
Dec 21, 2025 | “There might be a ceasefire, but I don’t see a lasting peace.”
Trump’s talks are unlikely to produce a lasting breakthrough as Russia and Ukraine’s positions remain “diametrically opposed,” and Moscow is still pursuing the “subjugation of Ukraine,” says former NSA official and military analyst Cedric Leighton.
Trump’s talks are unlikely to produce a lasting breakthrough as Russia and Ukraine’s positions remain “diametrically opposed,” and Moscow is still pursuing the “subjugation of Ukraine,” says former NSA official and military analyst Cedric Leighton.
Inside a Polish Christmas: Traditional Foods You Must Know | Pulse of Culture
Dec 21, 2025 | No night is more special in Poland than Christmas Eve (Wigilia). Families gather around the table to share 12 🇵🇱 traditional dishes, many of them vegetarian or vegan, following customs passed down for generations.
In this episode of Pulse of Culture, we explore the stories behind Poland’s most iconic Christmas foods – carp, poppy seed desserts, and beetroot soup (barszcz) – and why Christmas food traditions remain sacred for so many Polish families.
From symbolic ingredients to festive rituals, discover how Polish Christmas cuisine shapes the country's most important holiday. And for dessert, hop aboard a miniature gingerbread Christmas train at Warsaw’s famous Kolejkowo exhibition.
This episode is perfect for anyone curious about European Christmas traditions, Polish holiday culture, or festive food from around Poland.
In this episode of Pulse of Culture, we explore the stories behind Poland’s most iconic Christmas foods – carp, poppy seed desserts, and beetroot soup (barszcz) – and why Christmas food traditions remain sacred for so many Polish families.
From symbolic ingredients to festive rituals, discover how Polish Christmas cuisine shapes the country's most important holiday. And for dessert, hop aboard a miniature gingerbread Christmas train at Warsaw’s famous Kolejkowo exhibition.
This episode is perfect for anyone curious about European Christmas traditions, Polish holiday culture, or festive food from around Poland.
’He’s the Worst President in My Political Lifetime’ | Former BBC Chair on Donald Trump
Dec 21, 2025 | “Trump is appalling. He’s the worst president of the United States in my political lifetime.”
Trump thinks the law is a way he can “take revenge on people who have disagreed with him”, says former Hong Kong governor and Conservative peer Chris Patten.
Trump thinks the law is a way he can “take revenge on people who have disagreed with him”, says former Hong Kong governor and Conservative peer Chris Patten.
Trump Takes America’s ‘Imperial Presidency’ to a New Level
THE NEW YORK TIMES: In his first year back in the White House, President Trump has greatly expanded executive power while embracing the trappings of royalty in ways not seen in the modern era.
When President Trump hosted the crown prince of Saudi Arabia last month, he pulled out all the stops. To the traditional pomp of a formal White House visit, he added a few even fancier touches: a stirring military flyover, a procession of black horses and long, regal tables for the lavish dinner in the East Room instead of the typical round tables.
For surprised White House veterans who were paying attention, the unusual flourishes looked a little familiar. Just two months earlier, King Charles III of Britain welcomed Mr. Trump for a state visit that included, yes, a stirring military flyover, a procession of black horses and a long, regal table for the lavish dinner in St. George’s Hall at Windsor Palace.
In his first year back in office, Mr. Trump has unabashedly adopted the trappings of royalty just as he has asserted virtually unbridled power to transform American government and society to his liking. In both pageantry and policy, Mr. Trump has established a new, more audacious version of the imperial presidency that goes far beyond even the one associated with Richard M. Nixon, for whom the term was popularized half a century ago.
He no longer holds back, or is held back, as in the first term. Trump 2.0 is Trump 1.0 unleashed. The gold trim in the Oval Office, the demolition of the East Wing to be replaced by a massive ballroom, the plastering of his name and face on government buildings and now even the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the designation of his own birthday as a free-admission holiday at national parks — it all speaks to a personal aggrandizement and accumulation of power with meager resistance from Congress or the Supreme Court.
Nearly 250 years after American colonists threw off their king, this is arguably the closest the country has come during a time of general peace to the centralized authority of a monarch. Mr. Trump takes it upon himself to reinterpret a constitutional amendment and to eviscerate agencies and departments created by Congress. He dictates to private institutions how to run their affairs. He sends troops into American streets and wages an unauthorized war against nonmilitary boats in the Caribbean. He openly uses law enforcement for what his own chief of staff calls “score settling” against his enemies, he dispenses pardons to favored allies and he equates criticism to sedition punishable by death. » | Peter Baker* | Sunday, December 21, 2025
* Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent, has covered the past six presidencies and wrote a book about President Trump’s first term. He reported from Washington.
AVE CAESAR, MORITURI TE SALUTANT!
When President Trump hosted the crown prince of Saudi Arabia last month, he pulled out all the stops. To the traditional pomp of a formal White House visit, he added a few even fancier touches: a stirring military flyover, a procession of black horses and long, regal tables for the lavish dinner in the East Room instead of the typical round tables.
For surprised White House veterans who were paying attention, the unusual flourishes looked a little familiar. Just two months earlier, King Charles III of Britain welcomed Mr. Trump for a state visit that included, yes, a stirring military flyover, a procession of black horses and a long, regal table for the lavish dinner in St. George’s Hall at Windsor Palace.
In his first year back in office, Mr. Trump has unabashedly adopted the trappings of royalty just as he has asserted virtually unbridled power to transform American government and society to his liking. In both pageantry and policy, Mr. Trump has established a new, more audacious version of the imperial presidency that goes far beyond even the one associated with Richard M. Nixon, for whom the term was popularized half a century ago.
He no longer holds back, or is held back, as in the first term. Trump 2.0 is Trump 1.0 unleashed. The gold trim in the Oval Office, the demolition of the East Wing to be replaced by a massive ballroom, the plastering of his name and face on government buildings and now even the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the designation of his own birthday as a free-admission holiday at national parks — it all speaks to a personal aggrandizement and accumulation of power with meager resistance from Congress or the Supreme Court.
Nearly 250 years after American colonists threw off their king, this is arguably the closest the country has come during a time of general peace to the centralized authority of a monarch. Mr. Trump takes it upon himself to reinterpret a constitutional amendment and to eviscerate agencies and departments created by Congress. He dictates to private institutions how to run their affairs. He sends troops into American streets and wages an unauthorized war against nonmilitary boats in the Caribbean. He openly uses law enforcement for what his own chief of staff calls “score settling” against his enemies, he dispenses pardons to favored allies and he equates criticism to sedition punishable by death. » | Peter Baker* | Sunday, December 21, 2025
* Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent, has covered the past six presidencies and wrote a book about President Trump’s first term. He reported from Washington.
AVE CAESAR, MORITURI TE SALUTANT!
„Diebstahl und Entführung“: USA fangen erneut Öltanker vor Küste Venezuelas ab
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Caracas spricht von einem „schweren Akt internationaler Piraterie“ nachdem die USA einen weiteren Öltanker vor Venezuela abgefangen hatten. Das Schiff war offenbar nicht mit Sanktionen belegt.
Die USA haben erneut einen Öltanker vor der Küste von Venezuela beschlagnahmt. Die US-Küstenwache habe das Schiff mit Unterstützung des Verteidigungsministeriums am frühen Samstagmorgen festgesetzt, erklärte US-Heimatschutzministerin Kristi Noem im Onlinedienst X. Sie begründete den Einsatz mit dem Verdacht, das Schiff habe mit Sanktionen belegtes Erdöl transportiert.
Das US-Heimatschutzministerium erklärte weiter, bei dem Schiff handle es sich um den Tanker „Centuries“. Dem Online-Portal TankerTrackers zufolge hatte der unter panamaischer Flagge fahrende Tanker zuvor in einem venezolanischen Hafen 1,8 Millionen Barrel Rohöl geladen und war am Donnerstag aus der ausschließlichen Wirtschaftszone Venezuelas eskortiert worden. Das Schiff befindet sich demnach in chinesischem Eigentum. » | Sophie Barkey | Sonntag, 21. Dezember 2025
Die USA haben erneut einen Öltanker vor der Küste von Venezuela beschlagnahmt. Die US-Küstenwache habe das Schiff mit Unterstützung des Verteidigungsministeriums am frühen Samstagmorgen festgesetzt, erklärte US-Heimatschutzministerin Kristi Noem im Onlinedienst X. Sie begründete den Einsatz mit dem Verdacht, das Schiff habe mit Sanktionen belegtes Erdöl transportiert.
Das US-Heimatschutzministerium erklärte weiter, bei dem Schiff handle es sich um den Tanker „Centuries“. Dem Online-Portal TankerTrackers zufolge hatte der unter panamaischer Flagge fahrende Tanker zuvor in einem venezolanischen Hafen 1,8 Millionen Barrel Rohöl geladen und war am Donnerstag aus der ausschließlichen Wirtschaftszone Venezuelas eskortiert worden. Das Schiff befindet sich demnach in chinesischem Eigentum. » | Sophie Barkey | Sonntag, 21. Dezember 2025
L'Iran propose son aide au Venezuela dans son conflit avec Washington
LE FIGARO : Les États-Unis ont déployé une importante flotte militaire dans les Caraïbes pour mener des opérations présumées contre le trafic de drogue.
Le Venezuela a indiqué samedi que l'Iran lui avait proposé sa coopération «dans tous les domaines» pour lutter contre «la piraterie et le terrorisme international» des États-Unis, après la saisie par Washington d’un second pétrolier au large du Venezuela. Téhéran n’a toutefois fait mention d’aucune mesure concrète dans son compte rendu d’un appel entre chefs de la diplomatie. L'Iran est l'un des principaux alliés du président vénézuélien Nicolás Maduro, qui dénonce un complot visant à le renverser par Washington.
Les États-Unis ont déployé une importante flotte militaire dans les Caraïbes pour mener des opérations présumées contre le trafic de drogue. Depuis le début du mois, ils ont saisi deux pétroliers transportant du pétrole vénézuélien dans le cadre d'un «blocus total» décrété par le président Donald Trump. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 21 décembre 2025
Le Venezuela a indiqué samedi que l'Iran lui avait proposé sa coopération «dans tous les domaines» pour lutter contre «la piraterie et le terrorisme international» des États-Unis, après la saisie par Washington d’un second pétrolier au large du Venezuela. Téhéran n’a toutefois fait mention d’aucune mesure concrète dans son compte rendu d’un appel entre chefs de la diplomatie. L'Iran est l'un des principaux alliés du président vénézuélien Nicolás Maduro, qui dénonce un complot visant à le renverser par Washington.
Les États-Unis ont déployé une importante flotte militaire dans les Caraïbes pour mener des opérations présumées contre le trafic de drogue. Depuis le début du mois, ils ont saisi deux pétroliers transportant du pétrole vénézuélien dans le cadre d'un «blocus total» décrété par le président Donald Trump. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 21 décembre 2025
Saturday, December 20, 2025
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2 | Daniel Barenboim
Can the Epstein Files Release Calm Trump's MAGA Backlash? | DW News
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