The Guardian - December 10, 2024

In this issue

December 10, 2024

Hope and despair in Assad's 'human slaughterhouse'

Race to free prisoners of brutal regime tortured in underground prison

4 mins

UK suspends Syrians' asylum applications

The UK and other European countries have said they will suspend the processing of asylum applications from Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime in Damascus, with Austria already preparing a \"repatriation and deportation\" programme to the country.

3 mins

Airstrikes hit sites across Syria as global powers seek to shape its future

Bombing raids have hit sites across Syria as regional actors in the Middle East scrambled to defend their interests in the country after the sudden fall of its president, Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Moscow.

4 mins

Assad assets Crowds loot homes filled with luxury trappings

Crowds loot homes filled with luxury trappings

2 mins

Russian power Moscow turns to diplomacy to secure key military sites

Moscow is seeking to secure the future of its key military bases in Syria while making inroads with the country's new rebel leadership, after the dramatic collapse of the Assad regime threatened to erode Russia's influence in the Middle East.

2 mins

Double identity Will Syria's new leader rule as a moderate or a jihadi extremist?

On Sunday morning, a bearded 42-year-old man wearing a plain green military uniform walked into the famous Umayyad mosque in Damascus and addressed a small crowd, the Syrian nation, the region and the world.

4 mins

Golan Heights Concern as Israel seizes buffer zone

Israeli forces have seized control of a previously demilitarised buffer zone in Syrian-controlled territory in the Golan Heights and attacked what it said were regime weapons depots with airstrikes, as the shock victory of Syrian rebels over Bashar al-Assad reshapes the region's frontlines.

2 mins

Iran Latest setback adds to pressure on president

The fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the latest in a string of foreign policy reversals for Iran including the weakening of its allies in Lebanon and Gaza, has coincided with growing domestic frustration over a rising number of executions, planned petrol price increases, and a proposed law that imposes heavy fines and the loss of access to public services on any woman not wearing the hijab.

2 mins

Assad is the 'rat of Damascus', says Lammy as ousted leader enters exile

Bashar al-Assad was the \"rat of Damascus fleeing to Moscow with his tail between his legs\", the foreign secretary said yesterday after Islamist rebels took control of Damascus at the weekend.

3 mins

'We paid a high price for this' Refugees in UK cheer the fall of a long-despised dictatorship

Refugees in UK cheer the fall of a long-despised dictatorship

3 mins

A win for moral leadership, as Keir told his new Saudi friends

Not that the foreign secretary was trying to take any of the credit for the collapse of the Assad regime, but without the UK standing firm, the dictator would have been around a lot longer.

2 mins

Rebel offensive in Syria may not raise a terror threat, but wider instability is a pressing concern

When Sir Richard Moore, the head of MI6, warned in a speech given 10 days ago that he had \"never seen the world in a more dangerous state\", Syria was mentioned just once.

2 mins

Body found in aircraft wreck off Shetland

Human remains have been found in the wreckage of a Cessna light aircraft that went missing in the sea off Shetland more than a year ago.

1 min

Murdoch loses battle to control News Corp succession

Four of Rupert Murdoch's children will retain control over their father's media empire upon his death, a Nevada court has ruled, foiling the media mogul's campaign to wrest away their power and give it all to his oldest son.

1 min

'Alexa, what does AI mean?': Amazon shares queries of 2024

Virtual assistant units have become a staple in many households, telling people whether it is expected to rain, what the time is and what the weekend's football results were.

1 min

Thousands face third night with no electricity in wake of storm

Tens of thousands of residents faced a third night without power yesterday, and train services were disrupted after Storm Darragh caused widespread damage across the UK.

1 min

Cognitive boost from exercise may last into the following day, researchers say

For the morning runners, the cycle-to-work commuters and those who start the day with a brisk walk, the benefits of banking some early exercise are well understood.

2 mins

Children's woodland to be cut down by bottled water firm

Harrogate Spring Water, which is owned by the multinational Danone, is planning to cut down a wood planted by schoolchildren to expand its bottling factory in the town.

1 min

Scientists' minds boggled by Google's new chip

It measures just 4 sq cm but it possesses almost inconceivable speed.

2 mins

Daring crime musical Emilia Pérez leads Globe nominations

Jacques Audiard's daring crime musical Emilia Pérez has dominated the Golden Globe nominations in Hollywood, taking 10, including for best comedy or musical, best director, and for its leading performer, Karla Sofía Gascón.

1 min

End of the Eras Taylor Swift's epic $2bn tour finally comes to a close

By now, nearly 21 months after Taylor Swift launched what would become the highest-grossing tour of all time, you could be forgiven for thinking both \"wait, Taylor Swift is still on the Eras Tour?\" or that the globe-spanning, headline-dominating, literally seismic show would go on forever.

3 mins

Student may have killed 'to see what it was like', court hears

A criminology student may have stabbed a woman to death on a Bournemouth beach because he wanted to know what it was like to take a life and how it felt to make women feel afraid, a jury has heard.

1 min

Stage review Rowe and his fabulous frocks reign supreme

One day, a panto may come along in which the story is given as much (OK, even half as much) attention as the dame's frocks, and where the romance between the principal boy and his sweetheart isn't as flat as the backcloth. Hackney's Dick Whittington is not that panto. Nope, this is the one wot Clive Rowe is in, the one wot London's most celebrated dame now conceives and directs, indeed.

1 min

Schoolgirl, 15, fatally stabbed in row over teddy bear, jury told

A dispute over a teddy bear led to a 15-year-old schoolgirl being stabbed to death by a boy consumed with \"white hot anger\", a jury has heard.

2 mins

Private sector to scrutinise Whitehall spending plans

Rachel Reeves has ordered Whitehall departments to submit their spending plans to \"challenge panels\" of private sector experts, including bankers, as part of her forthcoming spending review.

2 mins

NHS told to focus on safety amid warnings of winter crisis

Wes Streeting has held urgent talks with NHS leaders in England about how the service will cope with an impending winter crisis, amid signs it is already under intense pressure.

1 min

Former MP Hodge named as UK anti-corruption champion

Margaret Hodge, a long-term campaigner against global corruption, has been appointed as the UK's anti-corruption champion.

1 min

Pizza Hut's 'dangerous' online casino promotion draws anger

Pizza Hut has been criticised for running a \"dangerous\" promotion that offered customers \"free spins\" at online casinos with their takeaway.

1 min

Rap moguls Jay-Z and Sean Combs accused of raping 13-year-old girl

An amended lawsuit filed in a US federal court on Sunday alleges that the rap moguls Jay-Z and Sean \"Diddy\" Combs raped a 13-year-old girl during a party in 2000.

1 min

Disfunction Hundreds of trials being derailed by prisoner escort delays

Hundreds of trials are being derailed because prison vans fail to transport the defendant to court on time, figures show.

2 mins

Dispense with juries in some cases to cut the crown court backlog, ministers told

Ministers should consider abandoning jury trials for some crown court cases unless they properly fund a justice system \"in serious crisis\", the former lord chief justice has said.

3 mins

Trump says he will offer pardons to January 6 rioters on 'first day'

In his first sit-down television news interview since winning a second term as president, Donald Trump renewed promises to pardon his supporters involved in the attack on the US Capitol in January 2021.

2 mins

South Korea's president banned from travel amid impeachment Vote row

South Korea's president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been banned from leaving the country, as opposition politicians accused his party of staging a \"second coup\" by refusing to impeach him over his botched declaration of martial law last week.

2 mins

Police speak to man in connection with health CEO's killing

Police were questioning a man in Pennsylvania last night in connection with the killing of the UnitedHealthcare chief executive, Brian Thompson.

2 mins

Former marine acquitted over subway death

A jury on Manhattan has acquitted Daniel Penny over the death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway train last year.

1 min

Chancellor in waiting? How the 'German Trump' marries Opulence and populism

In July 2022, the prevailing political mood in Germany was grim. The economic powerhouse was on the brink of a recession, with Russia threatening to cut off its gas supplies.

4 mins

Saltburn star speaks out about 'inhumane' abuse and online harassment

Barry Keoghan has deactivated his Instagram account in response to the harassment of himself and his family after his reported breakup with the pop star Sabrina Carpenter, accusing fans of \"crossing a line\" and knocking on his grandmother's door.

2 mins

Gangs kill 200 in 'Vodou-related' attack in Haiti

Close to 200 people were killed in violence in Haiti's capital over the weekend, many in a massacre in which a gang boss reportedly targeted Vodou practitioners.

1 min

Average home in England, Scotland and Wales 'is now unaffordable'

Only the richest 10% of households can afford to buy an average-priced home in England, according to official figures laying bare the scale of Britain's broken housing market.

1 min

Christmas spending forecast to reach £22.7bn

Premium food, clothing and technology purchases are expected to drive a 5% jump in festive spending to £22.7bn this year, according to figures that suggest UK consumers will outstrip the first post-pandemic Christmas in 2021.

1 min

Shareholder adviser backs Boohoo in battle with Ashley

Fast-fashion retailer Boohoo has won the support of an influential shareholder adviser in its battle to prevent the Sports Direct founder, Mike Ashley, wresting control of the company.

2 mins

Ashley has the right critique of Boohoo. But appointing him to the board defies common sense

Make-your-mind-up-time approaches for Boohoo's shareholders in the great showdown with Mike Ashley. The Sports Direct maestro wants a seat on the Boohoo board for him and a mate, to go with the 27% shareholding his Frasers Group holds in the struggling online retailer.

2 mins

An investability problem' Legal ruling leaves motor finance industry in a spin

A cloud of anxiety was hanging over the British Motor Museum. Alongside showrooms featuring the 1988 Le Mans-winning Jaguar XJR-9 and the Land Rover Defender used in the opening scenes of the James Bond film Skyfall were conference rooms filled with worried lawyers, bankers and compliance staff from across the motor lending industry.

4 mins

Lost in the desert Gerrard's drift into grim-faced obscurity shows true nature of soulless Saudi league

Occasionally, at various opportune or triumphant moments in his career - posing for a photograph, say, or receiving a medal or trophy - Steven Gerrard has been called upon to smile. This is a challenge that has almost invariably proved beyond him. Take his famous goal against Olympiakos in the Champions League, 20 years ago last Sunday. We all remember what happens: header, ball drops, Gerrard smashes it in from distance and tears off in celebration, fists flying, teammates in pursuit.

4 mins

'This is mad': 17-year-old Littler stunned by Spoty nomination

Luke Littler will have a shot at becoming the youngest winner of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award for more than 60 years after being named on a six-strong shortlist headed by the Paris 2024 Olympics stars Keely Hodgkinson and Alex Yee.

2 mins

Wolff shares heartfelt final farewell with Hamilton

Toto Wolff has bid Lewis Hamilton a heartfelt final farewell with what the Mercedes team principal called the most important message he has ever sent, as Hamilton prepares to join Ferrari next season.

1 min

'Best in the world' Brook keeping feet on ground

England batter is determined to stick with his aggressive approach even if it puts his sky-high statistics at risk

4 mins

Five takeaways from England's series success in New Zealand

Pressure tells Unless you're Australia, New Zealand is not an easy place to win a Test series.

3 mins

Emery urges Villa to 'break our limit' in top-eight push

Unai Emery has urged Aston Villa to \"break our limit\" by enhancing their chances of advancing automatically to the Champions League last 16 with victory against RB Leipzig.

2 mins

Slot confirms 'outstanding' Alisson ready to face Girona

Alisson could make his Liverpool return against Girona in the Champions League at Montilivi tonight after Arne Slot confirmed that he is ready to start again.

3 mins

European routs lead to thorny questions around new format

If Paris Saint-Germain take an early lead at Red Bull Salzburg tonight they may wonder whether to stick or twist.

3 mins

Postecoglou's story of hard luck hints at deeper Spurs issues

Likable manager points to injuries and refereeing errors but the club's underlying approach may be the problem

4 mins

Bowen relieves West Ham to turn up heat on O'Neil

Pitted against the incompetence of Wolves' defending, the mediocrity of West Ham's performance was not enough to bring about the end of Julen Lopetegui's unhappy reign.

3 mins

Ratcliffe left with bloody nose after Ashworth farce

The sporting director's exit further tests United fans' faith in the direction of travel under Ineos owner

3 mins

Red card for referee Coote sacked over Klopp rant and white powder allegations

David Coote's contract as a Premier League referee has been terminated after an investigation into his off-field behaviour.

1 min

O'Gara open to England job but rules out leading Wales

Ronan O'Gara has declared his interest in taking a top international coaching role in the foreseeable future but will not be a contender for the Wales job should it fall vacant.

3 mins

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